It's kind of interesting that I've been pondering this and studying this concept for the past week or so and then I had an opportunity to put my new knowledge and understanding to the test.
In Helaman chapter 15, a man by the name of Samuel was sent by the Lord to declare unto the people about repentance. If you are a Latter-day Saint, you'll recognize this guy as the one that cried repentance and prophesied the birth of the Savior within five years' time and the people tried to throw stones and arrows at him but were unable to hit him. I've often pondered on the stories of those who "buried their weapons of war" and this time, when reading Helaman chapter 15, I finally, finally get it.
I've always envisioned that they literally buried their bows and arrows, their swords and other "weapons of war". In my child's mind, I created this image of a huge, square pit where they threw them all in and then covered them up with dirt and maybe even put a marker there to remind them of why they did it. As an adult, I completely understand this differently now.
These people may have done what I described above. However, there was a lot more to it. They buried the weapons of hate, envy, malice, pride and the other terrible characteristics that cause us to war, aka fight, with one another. How many of us have actually buried those weapons of war? If we do, we will no longer come into conflict with those around us. We will ignore when people say and do things that are mean and hurtful. We will learn to "leave it alone", as Elder Boyd K. Packer's story explained. Those words struck a deep chord for me and it has continued to guide me in my personal scripture study to finally come to an understanding of the true meaning behind burying my weapons of war. I want to be included in the group that was "firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have been made free. And ...that they have buried their weapons of war, and they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin; yea, ye can see that they fear to sin--for behold they will suffer themselves to be trodden down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this because of their faith in Christ...for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall bless them and prolong their days." (Helaman 15:8-10)
When people say or do things that hurt me, I can learn to let go of my foolish pride and recognize that it is never worth it to get upset, angry or whatever over it. I can just let it go. I don't need to react. Instead, I can act and make my life decisions based upon my choices and not what another may think they can force me into or make me feel. I am the captain of my own destiny and I will not choose to sail in those waters.
26 April 2011
23 April 2011
Easter Eve
As we approach the most holy of days (the one being the true nature of "holiday"...aka "holy day"), I can't help but think about how disappointing it is that there is not more excitement, preparation and joy in this day. Our society really focuses on Christmas and Halloween and other holidays and yet it really seems that Easter gets sidelined. I mean, if Christmas was "created" to celebrate the birth of our Savior, why are we not more excited about the event that PROVED he was the Savior?
Along with the dresses I've made for the girls, I am also starting another tradition for our family. Sure, it's a carry-over from my own family, but that's okay.
See, I think that holidays are the perfect reason for cooking and going the extra mile. I don't particularly enjoy cooking, but I do think that holidays should be a big to-do. I don't mind that there is time to be spent cooking and more to be spent cleaning because I think it all rolls into a labor of love. I hope my children will enjoy it, look forward to it and carry it on as one of their future family traditions, too.
Along with the dresses I've made for the girls, I am also starting another tradition for our family. Sure, it's a carry-over from my own family, but that's okay.
See, I think that holidays are the perfect reason for cooking and going the extra mile. I don't particularly enjoy cooking, but I do think that holidays should be a big to-do. I don't mind that there is time to be spent cooking and more to be spent cleaning because I think it all rolls into a labor of love. I hope my children will enjoy it, look forward to it and carry it on as one of their future family traditions, too.
18 April 2011
Starting Our Traditions
Although we don't do the imaginary characters associated with different holidays, I do think having traditions is important.
I have memories of my own mother making us new Sunday dresses. Now that I have skills near enough for making special dresses, I thought I would begin this tradition in our own family. I probably bit off a bit more than I should have, but I've learned and at least they have dresses (and Eric has a tie) to wear on Sunday to celebrate Easter.
17 April 2011
Daddy and Laughter
I came back to the bedroom to make a phone call for instructions I need concerning the service at the Temple Open House (I have a "special" assignment, which really seems like I'm cheating because I get to be the music usher for Bro. Ridgeway who will be providing music in the reception tent meaning I get to listen to music for a few hours on temple grounds....yeah, while my husband is on cleaning duty. Sorry, Eric!! You drew the short straw, hahahah.). I couldn't get in touch with the lady so I checked my email. As I sat here, I continued to hear laughter from the other side of the house. I left Eric in charge of putting the girls down to bed. Sure, it's taking longer, but they sure are enjoying their Daddy.
I'm so grateful my kids have such a wonderful father. He truly cherishes his opportunity to be a daddy and adores his children. When they are with him, I always hear laughter. He's definitely the fun one!
I'm so grateful my kids have such a wonderful father. He truly cherishes his opportunity to be a daddy and adores his children. When they are with him, I always hear laughter. He's definitely the fun one!
16 April 2011
Women: General Conference Review #5
I've recently read "Freakonomics" which discusses ideas such as raising a genius child and providing the best possible circumstances for that child to have success. In the study of statistics, the authors discovered that it isn't so much the things that parents do, but rather, who they are, that makes the biggest difference in a child's life. Although a child may be extremely successful and they are discovered to have been raised in a home with a large home library or if they are successful and came from a more deprived environment, the parenting was similar: they desired the best for their children and used whatever resources were possible. Who the parents were, those having a deep interest and concern for their children, had a larger impact than which school or which opportunities were utilized.
In a similar manner, Elder Quentin L. Cook cited that "Women are incredible!" That isn't to say that men are less incredible, he was just taking a look at the huge impact that women, particularly LDS women, have upon their families and the church.
The kind of people we become will determine our influence for good or evil upon the world, the church, and the family. As a mother, I am constantly in reflection upon this mirror. My children teach me to be a better person. They teach me to be more compassionate. They teach me not to be a hypocrite. The improve me in every way. I know that Eric and I have taken a conscientious approach to parenthood and are trying to teach our children the most important truths in this world: kindness, responsibility, love, service, etc. They love the Savior. They know and are learning the gospel of Jesus Christ.
At one point, Elder Cook mentions a woman who makes the statement that she fears that "families are TV rich and family-time poor." OH! How very true! A few years ago we opted out of TV: no cable, no satellite. That isn't to say that we never watch anything ON the tv, just that we have a limited selection and we choose other ways to interact as a family than zoning out over television. This has made our family stronger and more involved with each other as we seek different activities for entertainment. We love playing with the croquet set we found at a garage sale about the same time. We love going on walks and bike rides. All of these things strengthen our relationships as we put away the world (aka TV) and take an intehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifrest in each other.
I also appreciated the comments of this brother as he spoke about not judging other women in the church who work. That decision is something that each family must make for themselves through prayer and discussion. For us, I am able to stay at home and be the care-giver of our children. We have been immensely blessed and I cherish the opportunity to be a SAHM ("stay at home mom" for those who may not recognize that). However, it does not give me the right to judge any other woman who chooses otherwise, no matter the reason. It's good that our leaders remind us that judging others in such ways is not of God. We worry about ourselves and then love those around us.
I am grateful to be a woman, and even more grateful to be a woman in a church who cherishes woman and the influence she has upon the world. For more about this line of thinking, I recommend reading this article.
In a similar manner, Elder Quentin L. Cook cited that "Women are incredible!" That isn't to say that men are less incredible, he was just taking a look at the huge impact that women, particularly LDS women, have upon their families and the church.
The kind of people we become will determine our influence for good or evil upon the world, the church, and the family. As a mother, I am constantly in reflection upon this mirror. My children teach me to be a better person. They teach me to be more compassionate. They teach me not to be a hypocrite. The improve me in every way. I know that Eric and I have taken a conscientious approach to parenthood and are trying to teach our children the most important truths in this world: kindness, responsibility, love, service, etc. They love the Savior. They know and are learning the gospel of Jesus Christ.
At one point, Elder Cook mentions a woman who makes the statement that she fears that "families are TV rich and family-time poor." OH! How very true! A few years ago we opted out of TV: no cable, no satellite. That isn't to say that we never watch anything ON the tv, just that we have a limited selection and we choose other ways to interact as a family than zoning out over television. This has made our family stronger and more involved with each other as we seek different activities for entertainment. We love playing with the croquet set we found at a garage sale about the same time. We love going on walks and bike rides. All of these things strengthen our relationships as we put away the world (aka TV) and take an intehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifrest in each other.
I also appreciated the comments of this brother as he spoke about not judging other women in the church who work. That decision is something that each family must make for themselves through prayer and discussion. For us, I am able to stay at home and be the care-giver of our children. We have been immensely blessed and I cherish the opportunity to be a SAHM ("stay at home mom" for those who may not recognize that). However, it does not give me the right to judge any other woman who chooses otherwise, no matter the reason. It's good that our leaders remind us that judging others in such ways is not of God. We worry about ourselves and then love those around us.
I am grateful to be a woman, and even more grateful to be a woman in a church who cherishes woman and the influence she has upon the world. For more about this line of thinking, I recommend reading this article.
15 April 2011
Conference in Review #4: Pain
It's hard to believe that some people don't believe in Christ. It's even more disturbing to me that there are those who believe in Christ and yet don't understand that he not only died for us, but he suffered our pains for us as well. Without that, a major part of mortality would not be covered. We deal more with pains, sorrows, and trials than with death. We need Christ in our daily lives.
A few weeks ago I had some very serious pain. It began as discomfort and was reminiscent of the pain caused by my gall bladder over four years ago. It couldn't have been that because I had it removed over four years ago.
Still, the pain was very serious and my body did not respond to any of the non-prescription medication and I haven't been given anything else to combat the pain. So, I tried desperately to suffer in silence. As the day went on, it only got worse. At the point that we went to bed, I was tossing and turning in pain. I kept thinking, "If I can just rest...If I can just fall asleep." Yet, sleep was not going to happen. I began praying fervently. I prayed that the pain would subside enough that I could get some rest. My thoughts immediately turned to other people I have known in my life that suffer almost constant pain. I prayed for them. I prayed for mercy. For hours I tried not to disturb my sleeping husband and yet wasn't finding relief. Fearing that I would eventually wake him from my movements and attempts at keeping my pain from being vocally expressed, I decided to get out of bed and hope that inspiration would strike. Still, I had a constant prayer going for help, but no relief had arrived. I was standing at the sink when I thought that I was feeling a little dizzy. The next thing I knew, my husband was crouched over me and touching my arm. I wondered how I had fallen out of bed, but as soon as that thought entered my head, my body registered the coolness of the tile floor I was lying on. It took me a minute to remember that I had gotten up and must have fainted. These thoughts were quickly followed by realizing that I had popped my lip in the fall. I was immediately grateful that when I fainted that I fell the only "safe" way, not striking a wall, a counter or the tub behind me. I then registered that my pain was gone. Eric assisted me back to bed. As soon as he had time to get around to his side of the bed and climbed in, my body was racked with the most pain I have ever felt.
I'm not saying that I have a high tolerance for pain, but I have given birth to two children and have had to undergo gall bladder surgery because of that malfunction. These things can cause a fairly substantial amount of pain, yet none of it was comparable with what I was then experiencing. I felt my body throw itself against the bed. I couldn't keep quiet and I caused Eric alarm and concern. He wanted to take me to the ER immediately. I gasped between the peaks of pain that I wanted him to give me a Priesthood Blessing. He began looking for the oil that is blessed for administrating blessings to the sick. Unable to find it, he offered a "regular" blessing. He tenderly placed my head in his lap, laid his hands upon my head and pronounced a blessing upon me. In the very moment he spoke the words that I would be able to be healed through my faith, the pain ceased. Completely. I've never experienced this in my life, but in a moment of the most awful pain I've experienced, the Lord showed mercy upon me and gave me more than I even thought possible. All I asked for was a subsiding of the pain, enough to allow me some rest. Instead, the Lord gave me a complete release of pain and not in a gradual decrease, but immediately and completely.
I guess this is why this talk spoke to me so much. I still don't know what caused the awful pains in my stomach and chest. I may never know. However, I do know that the Lord helped me through that night and even removed my pain when I could no longer handle it. Without the Savior's Atonement, I know this would not have been possible. I had been attempting with medicine all that day and by "mind over matter" all that night. It wasn't until I utilized the power of the priesthood, only available through the restoration of Christ's full gospel upon the Earth, that I was provided with the relief I sought. I know the Savior is real. I know He suffered my pains that He could succor me in that moment. My testimony of His love and the power of the priesthood is even stronger today because of this experience.
This is exactly the kind of thing Kent F. Richards was expounding upon in his talk. We can find solace, comfort, and freedom of pain, or even just the ability to make it through our trial by and through our Savior Jesus Christ. I am so grateful not just to believe, but to know that this is true.
A few weeks ago I had some very serious pain. It began as discomfort and was reminiscent of the pain caused by my gall bladder over four years ago. It couldn't have been that because I had it removed over four years ago.
Still, the pain was very serious and my body did not respond to any of the non-prescription medication and I haven't been given anything else to combat the pain. So, I tried desperately to suffer in silence. As the day went on, it only got worse. At the point that we went to bed, I was tossing and turning in pain. I kept thinking, "If I can just rest...If I can just fall asleep." Yet, sleep was not going to happen. I began praying fervently. I prayed that the pain would subside enough that I could get some rest. My thoughts immediately turned to other people I have known in my life that suffer almost constant pain. I prayed for them. I prayed for mercy. For hours I tried not to disturb my sleeping husband and yet wasn't finding relief. Fearing that I would eventually wake him from my movements and attempts at keeping my pain from being vocally expressed, I decided to get out of bed and hope that inspiration would strike. Still, I had a constant prayer going for help, but no relief had arrived. I was standing at the sink when I thought that I was feeling a little dizzy. The next thing I knew, my husband was crouched over me and touching my arm. I wondered how I had fallen out of bed, but as soon as that thought entered my head, my body registered the coolness of the tile floor I was lying on. It took me a minute to remember that I had gotten up and must have fainted. These thoughts were quickly followed by realizing that I had popped my lip in the fall. I was immediately grateful that when I fainted that I fell the only "safe" way, not striking a wall, a counter or the tub behind me. I then registered that my pain was gone. Eric assisted me back to bed. As soon as he had time to get around to his side of the bed and climbed in, my body was racked with the most pain I have ever felt.
I'm not saying that I have a high tolerance for pain, but I have given birth to two children and have had to undergo gall bladder surgery because of that malfunction. These things can cause a fairly substantial amount of pain, yet none of it was comparable with what I was then experiencing. I felt my body throw itself against the bed. I couldn't keep quiet and I caused Eric alarm and concern. He wanted to take me to the ER immediately. I gasped between the peaks of pain that I wanted him to give me a Priesthood Blessing. He began looking for the oil that is blessed for administrating blessings to the sick. Unable to find it, he offered a "regular" blessing. He tenderly placed my head in his lap, laid his hands upon my head and pronounced a blessing upon me. In the very moment he spoke the words that I would be able to be healed through my faith, the pain ceased. Completely. I've never experienced this in my life, but in a moment of the most awful pain I've experienced, the Lord showed mercy upon me and gave me more than I even thought possible. All I asked for was a subsiding of the pain, enough to allow me some rest. Instead, the Lord gave me a complete release of pain and not in a gradual decrease, but immediately and completely.
I guess this is why this talk spoke to me so much. I still don't know what caused the awful pains in my stomach and chest. I may never know. However, I do know that the Lord helped me through that night and even removed my pain when I could no longer handle it. Without the Savior's Atonement, I know this would not have been possible. I had been attempting with medicine all that day and by "mind over matter" all that night. It wasn't until I utilized the power of the priesthood, only available through the restoration of Christ's full gospel upon the Earth, that I was provided with the relief I sought. I know the Savior is real. I know He suffered my pains that He could succor me in that moment. My testimony of His love and the power of the priesthood is even stronger today because of this experience.
This is exactly the kind of thing Kent F. Richards was expounding upon in his talk. We can find solace, comfort, and freedom of pain, or even just the ability to make it through our trial by and through our Savior Jesus Christ. I am so grateful not just to believe, but to know that this is true.
14 April 2011
A Pause for Fun
I knew if I said that I had a goal, something would happen and I would miss a day or two...or more. But, this was for a really, really good reason. We got a little mini-vacation as a family this week. We spent Monday through Wednesday in Atlanta while Eric was there for a conference for work. The girls and I entertained ourselves while he was gone by visiting the Chattahoochee Nature Center and ZooAtlanta. Of course, I forgot the camera one day, so I missed some great photo opportunities at the Nature Center.
I was a little disappointed with the Nature Center. Part of that could be that I was expecting a $3 per person entrance fee for the three of us (total of $9) only to discover that although Gianna was free admission, Emily was a $5 entry and I was an $8 entry. Sure, that wouldn't be so bad, except only 1/4 of the park was really accessible for us due to the necessity of a stroller for little legs to take breaks. And, the cashier only divulged that information AFTER payment. Thanks...but that wasn't very helpful.
On the other hand, I went to ZooAtlanta thinking it would be a disappointment and thinking that at least it was free (if you are a GA resident, check with your local library to get a free pass for a family of four). It was really fun to show the girls these animals. Being in Atlanta, you can imagine the kind of heat we would have been in, but the zoo is incredibly beautiful and shady. We were slathered with sunscreen of course, but I think this is also the coolest and shadiest zoo I've been to (I have previously been to the Kansas City Zoo, Salt Lake Zoo, and the St. Louis Zoo with the St. Louis Zoo being my favorite up to this point). AND, in case you don't know, ZooAtlanta has a really cool history!! I'll let you local Georgians find out by watching the video from the library. Anyone else, you can ask. =)
Aside from the day trips, we also had fun as a family when Eric got out of his meetings. Monday night we had dinner at Sweet Tomatoes, which is a salad bar-buffet type place. Generally, I don't like buffets, but since the main interest is salad and the other options are all soups or noodles or breads, it was totally great! The girls each were given balloon animals and they were given multiple compliments by "older" folks. It's always a great thing as a parent to have compliments given to your children for good behavior and habits. Tuesday night we enjoyed a frigid dip in the pool. Seriously, it had been overcast, cool and windy all day and yethttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif the girls were determined to go swimming and had been looking forward to it, so we let them be popsicles....only to discover that they are part polar bear and didn't mind the cold water!!
After that, we also got to have a really unique and special opportunity to attend the Atlanta Temple Open House. All I can say is, I hope my friends and family here will take the opportunity to go and see and feel. It's only a short period of time that "just anyone" can go through the temple and they show you all the different rooms. Soon it will be dedicated and then it will be required to live a higher law to enter in, which is totally worth it because you can't be happier than living a clean, chaste and honest life! There are more feelings and experiences that we had, but they are too dear to share just with the public. I'm just grateful for the experience and that I can record it for my children so that, although they may not remember it themselves, they can remember it from my writing about what happened, and what they said and felt.
And, after all of that, we got to come home and spend the next whole day with Eric being home. It isn't often that you get a vacation AND the time to recoup from the vacation, yet we were blessed with both!
10 April 2011
Love and Action
The third talk during General Conference was given by Walter F. Gonzales, from the Presidency of the Seventy.
The very first thing I was grateful to hear was the fact that there are people inside and outside of the church who desire to follow Christ. I know so many amazing and wonderful people who are not of my same faith. I fear that at times it may appear that members of the church think they are better than others because of the fullness of the gospel we are blessed with. This is not so. We are no better than anyone. In fact, we have more responsibilities placed upon us because of this knowledge. The responsibility to share the gospel with those around us demands love. With love, all things are possible. We must be a loving people in order to be effective.
I served as the Young Women's President for a time. This gave me the responsibility to guide, direct and teach girls ages 12 to 18 about the gospel of Jesus Christ. In doing this, I went full-board. I am fully committed to the gospel and expected as much from these teenagers who may not be as fully converted. I lost sight of this as I determined to make sure they knew what I knew. Obviously, this didn't work out too well. I wasn't coming to them in an understanding light. I had the skewed idea that since we had all grown up in the church (most of those who attended regularly were born to parents who were already members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), we would make the same decisions and have similar insight into the gospel. I wasn't trying to make them accountable for what I knew at the age of 26, but believed that they would know the things I knew at the age of 12-18. It became a frustrating situation for many involved and there are probably still some hurt feelings because of it. However, I hope I have learned the importance of love. In like manner, I am currently trying to love a leader who I disagree with the way this person handles his duties. I had the impression today that I should be more patient with this individual and know that the Lord had to put me through my experience to learn the value of love just as, hopefully, this individual comes to realize that being bull-headed/passionate about one way to complete the work isn't as valuable to the world as love. Had I or this individual approached our callings in the beginning with love, the path that followed may have been greatly different and definitely more effective.
The second aspect of this talk was that we should make and keep covenants. I was reading an article in this month's Ensign and the statement that "The covenants I made at baptism and the covenants I made in the temple are as valid today as the day I made them." Too many forget this, myself included. At baptism I promised to follow Christ. There are too many times that I become selfish. Granted, I don't view myself as a "bad person" but rather as someone who can still improve. I have hope that I will become the daughter of God that I can become. I have the responsibility because of my knowledge and experiences with the Spirit to share the gospel and the full blessings of heaven with those who are around me. There are many out there who already know Christ. They are, perhaps, more prepared at this time to receive the fullness of the gospel. There is so much more available for those who desire it. God wants us to return to him, but there are requirements. We must make and keep covenants. We can't have a one day or one time "conversion" experience or as some refer to it as "being saved". We must constantly strive to feel the Spirit's direction in our lives. In doing this, we can't be selfish. We have to overcome our fears of man and be willing to share the gospel with each and every person around us. Like I stated in the previous paragraph, we also have to do that with love. We can't be bull-headed. We must love the person first and follow the Spirit's direction, not our own. We don't know when our friends will be ready to receive the gospel but we should be prepared to answer questions, give guidance and follow the promptings of the Spirit because God does know what is going on in their lives to lead them to that point.
I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for His love and sacrifice. To show my love for Him, I share my testimony in the words of this blog, the words of my mouth and my actions in this life. Please forgive me for my mistakes and lesser understanding as I go along. I am learning and growing along with the rest of the human race.
The very first thing I was grateful to hear was the fact that there are people inside and outside of the church who desire to follow Christ. I know so many amazing and wonderful people who are not of my same faith. I fear that at times it may appear that members of the church think they are better than others because of the fullness of the gospel we are blessed with. This is not so. We are no better than anyone. In fact, we have more responsibilities placed upon us because of this knowledge. The responsibility to share the gospel with those around us demands love. With love, all things are possible. We must be a loving people in order to be effective.
I served as the Young Women's President for a time. This gave me the responsibility to guide, direct and teach girls ages 12 to 18 about the gospel of Jesus Christ. In doing this, I went full-board. I am fully committed to the gospel and expected as much from these teenagers who may not be as fully converted. I lost sight of this as I determined to make sure they knew what I knew. Obviously, this didn't work out too well. I wasn't coming to them in an understanding light. I had the skewed idea that since we had all grown up in the church (most of those who attended regularly were born to parents who were already members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), we would make the same decisions and have similar insight into the gospel. I wasn't trying to make them accountable for what I knew at the age of 26, but believed that they would know the things I knew at the age of 12-18. It became a frustrating situation for many involved and there are probably still some hurt feelings because of it. However, I hope I have learned the importance of love. In like manner, I am currently trying to love a leader who I disagree with the way this person handles his duties. I had the impression today that I should be more patient with this individual and know that the Lord had to put me through my experience to learn the value of love just as, hopefully, this individual comes to realize that being bull-headed/passionate about one way to complete the work isn't as valuable to the world as love. Had I or this individual approached our callings in the beginning with love, the path that followed may have been greatly different and definitely more effective.
The second aspect of this talk was that we should make and keep covenants. I was reading an article in this month's Ensign and the statement that "The covenants I made at baptism and the covenants I made in the temple are as valid today as the day I made them." Too many forget this, myself included. At baptism I promised to follow Christ. There are too many times that I become selfish. Granted, I don't view myself as a "bad person" but rather as someone who can still improve. I have hope that I will become the daughter of God that I can become. I have the responsibility because of my knowledge and experiences with the Spirit to share the gospel and the full blessings of heaven with those who are around me. There are many out there who already know Christ. They are, perhaps, more prepared at this time to receive the fullness of the gospel. There is so much more available for those who desire it. God wants us to return to him, but there are requirements. We must make and keep covenants. We can't have a one day or one time "conversion" experience or as some refer to it as "being saved". We must constantly strive to feel the Spirit's direction in our lives. In doing this, we can't be selfish. We have to overcome our fears of man and be willing to share the gospel with each and every person around us. Like I stated in the previous paragraph, we also have to do that with love. We can't be bull-headed. We must love the person first and follow the Spirit's direction, not our own. We don't know when our friends will be ready to receive the gospel but we should be prepared to answer questions, give guidance and follow the promptings of the Spirit because God does know what is going on in their lives to lead them to that point.
I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for His love and sacrifice. To show my love for Him, I share my testimony in the words of this blog, the words of my mouth and my actions in this life. Please forgive me for my mistakes and lesser understanding as I go along. I am learning and growing along with the rest of the human race.
08 April 2011
Conference in Review #2
In the past year, I've really come to realize how much of my growth as a person comes largely from being a parent. No, actually, it isn't the parenting part that has made me grow, it's been the opportunity I have as a parent to watch two beautiful children grow in their understanding of the world, both physically and spiritually. It's amazing to view things with the wonder and awe in their eyes.
The second talk from General Conference was given by Sister Jean A. Stevens. She talked about how children can help us to become more like the Savior by following their examples. I've mentioned multiple times how my children help me to be more like the Savior. Something I have done since I began my new calling as the Primary Music Leader is to take note of some child who does something great and then I try to tell the parents about it so that they know that when they aren't watching, their children are being good examples of Christ. For instance, one Sunday there was a little girl who was having a hard time paying attention. She wasn't being bad, she was just occupied with something else she obviously wanted to learn. She was holding a book in her hands and kept wanting it to be read to her. It was a manual from the Relief Society and Priesthood materials...Teachings of the Prophet (and I'm not sure which prophet it was). It was significant because the theme in Primary that month was to listen to the prophet...and here she was, trying hard to do that.
I'm so grateful for children and their willingness to live lives of faith and obedience. It has been a huge blessing in my life to be a mother. I'm grateful the Lord knew better than I that I could become a better person with children around me than I could possibly be without them. My patriarchal blessing mentions the joy of motherhood, and when I received that blessing I figured they must have gotten it wrong because I was NOT going to be a mother. How wrong I was!! This truly is such an incredible blessing and I'm so grateful the Lord sent me an honorable man to marry and start a family with. I've been blessed so much!!
Another lesson I learned was apparently something I thought I heard but I re-read the talk and can't find the quote. However, those who are greatest in the Kingdom of God are those who become as little children, meek, submissive, obedient, and forgiving. I thought I heard that "perhaps the greatest in the kingdom are those who seek for opportunities to serve." And, I believe that is true. I need to be more diligent in seeking opportunities to serve. My children assist me when I'm doing my work, I can definitely use their example and start opening my eyes to help others, too.
The second talk from General Conference was given by Sister Jean A. Stevens. She talked about how children can help us to become more like the Savior by following their examples. I've mentioned multiple times how my children help me to be more like the Savior. Something I have done since I began my new calling as the Primary Music Leader is to take note of some child who does something great and then I try to tell the parents about it so that they know that when they aren't watching, their children are being good examples of Christ. For instance, one Sunday there was a little girl who was having a hard time paying attention. She wasn't being bad, she was just occupied with something else she obviously wanted to learn. She was holding a book in her hands and kept wanting it to be read to her. It was a manual from the Relief Society and Priesthood materials...Teachings of the Prophet (and I'm not sure which prophet it was). It was significant because the theme in Primary that month was to listen to the prophet...and here she was, trying hard to do that.
I'm so grateful for children and their willingness to live lives of faith and obedience. It has been a huge blessing in my life to be a mother. I'm grateful the Lord knew better than I that I could become a better person with children around me than I could possibly be without them. My patriarchal blessing mentions the joy of motherhood, and when I received that blessing I figured they must have gotten it wrong because I was NOT going to be a mother. How wrong I was!! This truly is such an incredible blessing and I'm so grateful the Lord sent me an honorable man to marry and start a family with. I've been blessed so much!!
Another lesson I learned was apparently something I thought I heard but I re-read the talk and can't find the quote. However, those who are greatest in the Kingdom of God are those who become as little children, meek, submissive, obedient, and forgiving. I thought I heard that "perhaps the greatest in the kingdom are those who seek for opportunities to serve." And, I believe that is true. I need to be more diligent in seeking opportunities to serve. My children assist me when I'm doing my work, I can definitely use their example and start opening my eyes to help others, too.
07 April 2011
Conference in Review
I am preparing an activity for Singing Time at church with the Primary children. In doing that, I am reviewing my notes from the most recent General Conference. Knowing that sometimes when I tell my goals, I end up failing to complete them, I still want to attempt to do this. For the next month plus, I want to write a little tidbit of something I learned from listening to conference.
Sometimes it is what we refer to as "retrenchment"...meaning, "buck up and do better". Sometimes I get that pat on the back for a job well done or at least being on the right track. Other times it may be new insight into a particular doctrine. All in all, I want to share some of the highlights for me.
To begin, I wanted to refer to a fairly recent post of my own. I took a look at modesty (my own, in particular) and got some great feedback. Doing this gives me insight to where I may not understand why people make their choices and also how I can better prepare myself for the Sabbath and as an example of the Believers...aka Saints or Latter-day Saints.
The very first talk was by Elder L. Tom Perry. He stated, in regards to our Sunday service attire, "I believe He also desires us to dress appropriately. Our youth may think the old saying “Sunday best” is outdated. Still, we know that when Sunday dress deteriorates to everyday attire, attitudes and actions follow. Of course, it may not be necessary for our children to wear formal Sunday attire until the sun goes down. However, by the clothing we encourage them to wear and the activities we plan, we help them prepare for the sacrament and enjoy its blessings throughout the day.
The bottom line is, I have been a missionary. I know what the "higher law" of attire for Sundays is and I am required by my understanding to demonstrate an honest "best" in dress. I won't be sporting leggings for the aforementioned reason of feeling they are a bit too casual in my opinion. But, I will also let others wear them and not judge them as I now understand that although I still think they are a replacement for pants (if they don't have a foot, I don't think they can't actually be considered a replacement for tights...tights are tall socks, whereas pants cover the leg without covering the foot), I now see that others feel that they are a replacement for tights and some people feel it helps them to be more modest. That's the great thing about the gospel: although there are general guidelines, each is left to determine how those guidelines apply in their lives and then does so.
And, I also have to say that Elder Perry's words were accidentally experimented upon. We went to some friends' home for breakfast that day and packed activity bags and also a change of clothes bag for the girls (I didn't want them to ruin dresses by eating sloppily before Conference). When we got to church, we realized that we left the bag of dresses sitting at home on the sofa. Too little, too late. We didn't have time to go home for the change before Conference started, so we just "made due" with the inappropriate attire the girls were wearing (that being modest denim shorts and a t-shirt...totally inappropriate as far as it not being their "best"). To prove his words, my children were completely disruptive and I was out with them on multiple occasions for behavior issues. The problem? They hadn't been properly groomed that morning to prepare them for a reverent atmosphere. I was lenient with them because it was largely my fault, but they still need to understand that their behavior needs to reflect the activity. So, I've learned my lesson and will be more careful in the future how I approach the mornings for General Conference.
He also mentioned the importance of using the Sabbath as a full day of rest. We are to rest from our labors. Not just no "work", but also, not to cause others to work. Let them have their deserved rest, too! He mentioned to take a rest from our daily cares, be it work, business decisions, and even recreational rest. I grew up in a home where we were to observe the Sabbath and not play outside or games that would require romping around. We didn't play with friends or anything like that. If our athletic team at the moment had a tournament or game on Sunday, it was a no-questions-asked kind of thing; we wouldn't be participating. Instead, we'd play board games or read books and be together as a family. As a parent, I try to implement those same things. We have extended the "rest" to include no computer/video games and that we only watch videos that remind us of Christ. Nothing that has commercials, so no TV. It's only pre-recorded DVD's. It's created a home where we can feel the Spirit strongly and we spend more time focused on each other's needs. We also visit their grandparents as a family. These days have become very special family time and I hope are things to remember. As a young teenager, we spent many Sunday dinners with my own grandparents. Sometimes we got to look at old photographs and hear stories of our ancestors, or even just our parents (I tend to view "ancestors" as those who are already gone). As a teenager, I didn't really appreciate it, but I do now that I am involved in recording my own family's history and genealogy.
There are always things we can improve on.
Sometimes it is what we refer to as "retrenchment"...meaning, "buck up and do better". Sometimes I get that pat on the back for a job well done or at least being on the right track. Other times it may be new insight into a particular doctrine. All in all, I want to share some of the highlights for me.
To begin, I wanted to refer to a fairly recent post of my own. I took a look at modesty (my own, in particular) and got some great feedback. Doing this gives me insight to where I may not understand why people make their choices and also how I can better prepare myself for the Sabbath and as an example of the Believers...aka Saints or Latter-day Saints.
The very first talk was by Elder L. Tom Perry. He stated, in regards to our Sunday service attire, "I believe He also desires us to dress appropriately. Our youth may think the old saying “Sunday best” is outdated. Still, we know that when Sunday dress deteriorates to everyday attire, attitudes and actions follow. Of course, it may not be necessary for our children to wear formal Sunday attire until the sun goes down. However, by the clothing we encourage them to wear and the activities we plan, we help them prepare for the sacrament and enjoy its blessings throughout the day.
The bottom line is, I have been a missionary. I know what the "higher law" of attire for Sundays is and I am required by my understanding to demonstrate an honest "best" in dress. I won't be sporting leggings for the aforementioned reason of feeling they are a bit too casual in my opinion. But, I will also let others wear them and not judge them as I now understand that although I still think they are a replacement for pants (if they don't have a foot, I don't think they can't actually be considered a replacement for tights...tights are tall socks, whereas pants cover the leg without covering the foot), I now see that others feel that they are a replacement for tights and some people feel it helps them to be more modest. That's the great thing about the gospel: although there are general guidelines, each is left to determine how those guidelines apply in their lives and then does so.
And, I also have to say that Elder Perry's words were accidentally experimented upon. We went to some friends' home for breakfast that day and packed activity bags and also a change of clothes bag for the girls (I didn't want them to ruin dresses by eating sloppily before Conference). When we got to church, we realized that we left the bag of dresses sitting at home on the sofa. Too little, too late. We didn't have time to go home for the change before Conference started, so we just "made due" with the inappropriate attire the girls were wearing (that being modest denim shorts and a t-shirt...totally inappropriate as far as it not being their "best"). To prove his words, my children were completely disruptive and I was out with them on multiple occasions for behavior issues. The problem? They hadn't been properly groomed that morning to prepare them for a reverent atmosphere. I was lenient with them because it was largely my fault, but they still need to understand that their behavior needs to reflect the activity. So, I've learned my lesson and will be more careful in the future how I approach the mornings for General Conference.
He also mentioned the importance of using the Sabbath as a full day of rest. We are to rest from our labors. Not just no "work", but also, not to cause others to work. Let them have their deserved rest, too! He mentioned to take a rest from our daily cares, be it work, business decisions, and even recreational rest. I grew up in a home where we were to observe the Sabbath and not play outside or games that would require romping around. We didn't play with friends or anything like that. If our athletic team at the moment had a tournament or game on Sunday, it was a no-questions-asked kind of thing; we wouldn't be participating. Instead, we'd play board games or read books and be together as a family. As a parent, I try to implement those same things. We have extended the "rest" to include no computer/video games and that we only watch videos that remind us of Christ. Nothing that has commercials, so no TV. It's only pre-recorded DVD's. It's created a home where we can feel the Spirit strongly and we spend more time focused on each other's needs. We also visit their grandparents as a family. These days have become very special family time and I hope are things to remember. As a young teenager, we spent many Sunday dinners with my own grandparents. Sometimes we got to look at old photographs and hear stories of our ancestors, or even just our parents (I tend to view "ancestors" as those who are already gone). As a teenager, I didn't really appreciate it, but I do now that I am involved in recording my own family's history and genealogy.
There are always things we can improve on.
05 April 2011
Winding Down
The girls are giving themselves baths (I know...it probably means a LOT of water on the floor), one puppy has the hiccups and is laying behind me, the other just fell off the sofa (I think he dozed off), Hannah is sleeping on the rug in front of me (our GSD), and I have two nearly complete Easter dresses on the ironing board. It feels like a pretty good day.
Just a few random thoughts just because this is my quasi-journal...
Apparently there was a pretty severe storm that roared through here last night. I heard the thunder and knew it was raining, but the only evidence in our neighborhood was a few overturned (but empty) trashcans and our overturned grape arbor thingy. The first blessing: trash day is Monday morning, so everyone had just had their cans emptied. The second blessing: nothing happened here...and we all pretty much slept through it. On our jaunt down to the library today, I came to understand why one local school was closed. The winds ripped through that area and ripped out a bunch of trees, even causing one street to be closed. I'm so grateful we didn't have any damage to our property or in the neighborhood and I really hope the damage others suffered can be easily and quickly remedied.
Another random point. The creators behind Tangled must have met my daughter. Rapunzel looks and acts so much like her that it is a bit uncanny. Even stranger is the fact that the horse Maximus resembles our GSD Hannah. Hilarious that this horse seems more like Hannah than Bolt who is supposed to be a GSD (I totally don't see it, but whatever).
And, a funny quote from Gianna. We do a recording of our blessings every night (see this article in The Friend magazine from President Eyring). Gianna has some pre-recorded messages...usually starting with something about her dog Booga. This time, she shouts, "Jesus cute!" We all tried to keep our composure in a moment of reverence, but sometimes kids can really throw you for a loop!
Just a few random thoughts just because this is my quasi-journal...
Apparently there was a pretty severe storm that roared through here last night. I heard the thunder and knew it was raining, but the only evidence in our neighborhood was a few overturned (but empty) trashcans and our overturned grape arbor thingy. The first blessing: trash day is Monday morning, so everyone had just had their cans emptied. The second blessing: nothing happened here...and we all pretty much slept through it. On our jaunt down to the library today, I came to understand why one local school was closed. The winds ripped through that area and ripped out a bunch of trees, even causing one street to be closed. I'm so grateful we didn't have any damage to our property or in the neighborhood and I really hope the damage others suffered can be easily and quickly remedied.
Another random point. The creators behind Tangled must have met my daughter. Rapunzel looks and acts so much like her that it is a bit uncanny. Even stranger is the fact that the horse Maximus resembles our GSD Hannah. Hilarious that this horse seems more like Hannah than Bolt who is supposed to be a GSD (I totally don't see it, but whatever).
And, a funny quote from Gianna. We do a recording of our blessings every night (see this article in The Friend magazine from President Eyring). Gianna has some pre-recorded messages...usually starting with something about her dog Booga. This time, she shouts, "Jesus cute!" We all tried to keep our composure in a moment of reverence, but sometimes kids can really throw you for a loop!
04 April 2011
I'll Tell You a Finance Secret
This is probably the funniest thing we've done lately. Get ready...we DOWNSIZED from our Kia Sedona (minivan) to a Mercedez-Benz. Yes, you read that correctly DOWNSIZED. And, when I use the term, I'm not just talking about the obvious loss of cargo space (because, with two kids, it wasn't a passenger issue). I'm talking about saving money monthly AND overall. Go figure!
When I was younger, my sisters and I sang a song (I learned it from one sister and I don't know if she made it up or learned it from someone else). Anyway, it was one of those campy-silly type songs. "I don't care if he's short, fat or tall--I don't care if he's ugly at all--(something, something something)...just as long as I can drive his Mercedez-Benz...(something) money-money-money..." It would make us laugh and there was no dream of actually ever driving or owning a Mercedez. Seriously. No aspirations at all. And yet, here I am, a SAHM who drives one. Granted, it isn't new, but we don't care. We are definitely working our way to financial freedom and this puts us one step closer!!
So, the moral of the story is...if you want to save money, purchase a Mercedez. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (BTW, this is completely a true story.)
When I was younger, my sisters and I sang a song (I learned it from one sister and I don't know if she made it up or learned it from someone else). Anyway, it was one of those campy-silly type songs. "I don't care if he's short, fat or tall--I don't care if he's ugly at all--(something, something something)...just as long as I can drive his Mercedez-Benz...(something) money-money-money..." It would make us laugh and there was no dream of actually ever driving or owning a Mercedez. Seriously. No aspirations at all. And yet, here I am, a SAHM who drives one. Granted, it isn't new, but we don't care. We are definitely working our way to financial freedom and this puts us one step closer!!
So, the moral of the story is...if you want to save money, purchase a Mercedez. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (BTW, this is completely a true story.)
01 April 2011
In Trouble
So, I want to make this dress. I have the pattern cut, the fabric cut, and even the pleats made. However, I cannot figure out how to attach the bib-type insert on the front of the dress. The instructions on the pattern say to put right sides together and sew. If I do that, the edges don't line up. I can't figure it out and so I'm calling on all my sewing/design friends to help give me a clue. Am I supposed to match up the shoulders or line up the raw edges or what? It isn't very clear and I can only sew once (it's a brocade), so I can't mess up and do a redo. It'll ruin the fabric. Suggestions? Help!!
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