Becoming LDS

Simple FHE Plan for 2012 and Some Additional Family Scripture Study Thoughts

2012-01-08T15:14:00.000-07:00

So we have our new scripture plan rolling and so far so good, although I did change from making a poster to using a 3 ring binder for our characterisitics instead. Right now it is filled with blank pages and we will add characterstics and our characteristic sentences as time goes on and we discover them. I think it will work well but we are still in the new transitional period and I am sure things will be revamped as time goes on. I also realized that we are going to bite off even smaller chunks of scripture each day. More along the lines of somewhere between 2-8 verses rather than 5-15. We just took about 6 days to get through the introduction to the Book of Mormon and the 3 and 8 witnesses and I also planned out our readings for the next month and by the 5th of February we are only going to be at 1 Nephi 6. Nice and steady. I think it will work, I guess we shall see. It may take us a year and a half to finish this scripture plan or maybe it'll go quicker than I think and we will head into the Bible after this. :) Who knows. If anyone wants more details I'd be happy to share if you have specific questions, that is if I have answers. Hey, I'll take additional suggestions and thoughts too.

Now onto our simple FHE plan for the year....Gospel Principles manual. Yep, that's it. Nothing fancy or over the top but something so perfectly simple and essential that I don't think we can go wrong. There are 47 lessons total which gives us leeway on 5 weeks out of the year. We plan to go in order cover to cover but that may change as we see the need for a specific chapter as we go along. We'll each just take turns on our week to take care of the lesson and can do whatever we wish with our chapter. The first week went well. Our almost 5 year old sat and listened intently about our Heavenly Father. He asked good questions and I could tell that he got something out of it. When it is his turn I'll help him write a lesson, more like a talk to give. He always does a great job when we do this. He actually loves to stand up on our step ladder as he presents his lesson like he is giving a talk in church. Sometimes he even gets out his play microphone to add to the fun. It is good fun. I am excited to continue to learn from this great resource and to teach our children these simple, essential gospel truths.

Do you have a plan for your family FHE and scripture study in 2012? I feel like I am usually floating from week to week and haphazardly figuring things out so I hope that these plans stick it out for the whole year and we gain something from it all. Here's to a good year!

BINGO New Year's Resolutions and a New Family Scripture Study Plan

2012-01-01T16:28:00.002-07:00

So with a strike of the clock at midnight and a change from December to January a new year has begun. Time to transition from writing 2011 to writing 2012. Time to check in with yourself and say out with the old and the ugly and in with the new and the more worthy. I really enjoy this new period of freshness. Of course each day can be a day of resolving to be better or the change from each month or week can bring a newness that stirs up change but there is still something about a brand new year that is so liberating. I am excited.

How do you make resolutions at your house? Do you think up one giant goal and go forth? Do you write it down in your journal? Do you list off so many that there is just no way you could ever complete it all? Do you involve your family or is it totally individual?

How do you keep yourself motivated? Do you tell your spouse or child so that you have some accountability to someone?

I'd love to hear your New Year traditions. I'd love to hear how things roll at your house.

This year we decided to try something new and kind of fun. I read in a comment on a blog during the last week or so someone who puts their resolutions onto a BINGO card. I am not sure of any details. They mostly put on their board simple things that they wanted to do as a family that year like build a snowman, or go to the beach, etc. It sounded like a fun idea and I thought I'd try our own version of their BINGO idea.

I thought about doing a card together but my son really wanted to do individual ones, so today we are all thinking about what our 24 squares will contain. They must be measurable. Something we can put a sticker on to say we've completed it or vastly improved. We are going to see who can get BINGO first and then who can get black out first.

Now 24 resolutions could be quite unattainable if made too large so we plan to have our BINGO cards contain a few more difficult and needed resolutions and somethings we'd like to do this year just for fun.

For example, I'd like to dejunk and organize our entire home but that is quite a lofty goal and thus I have turned it into 7 different squares on my BINGO card and mixed in there I'd like to read a parenting book or two, run a 5k this summer after baby arrives, etc.

Among the list that is slowly developing is this very important resolution of a Revamped Family Scripture Study  - Yeah, so we have been in need of a change for a while.    In the past we have done topical scripture study, gospel art kit scripture studies with direction, and more, but things have become a little laxed. We have been reading (mostly telling) the scriptures every day but for the past little while it has been without much thought or real investment or purpose and that is about to change.  Now I don't have all of the kinks worked out but our plan will go something like this:

We are going to READ from the Book of Mormon directly. We will focus on a particular scripture story or block each week. In the January Friend they have THIS weekly reading schedule but I am not sure it will fit what I am looking for. I'd love a schedule that covers the main stories and characters of the Book of Mormon but that does not require a cover to cover read. I'd love to read anywhere from 5-15 verses a day but still keep some continuity in story lines and such. Does anyone have a family plan you've created or something you've seen online that would work?

Unless one of you sends me a perfect schedule I plan to use the Book of Mormon Stories book to guide me in my verse selections for each week. Then we will read from the pages of the actual Book of Mormon, 5-15 verses each day. I will sometimes use pictures for the Gospel Art Kit or Book to give visuals. At the end of each week we will review the story we have just learned from the scriptures by reading the story in the Book of Mormon Stories book.

Now so far this sounds like a typical family scripture study regimen but here is the twist. We are going to be focusing on CHARACTERISTICS of people in the Book of Mormon. I am going to create a poster (yea still have some work to do :) and as we discover worthy characteristics then we will add them to the poster in this fashion:

OBEDIENT:
Nephi was obedient when he built the boat.

And as time goes on our list will expand and be added to. We will also add how we have seen those characteristics in people in our family or people we know, for example the obedient characteristic may grow to look like this:

OBEDIENT:
Nephi was obedient when he built the boat.
Bob was obedient when he cleaned his room.

I am hoping that this will help our little family to see the things we can improve in, how we are like those in the scriptures, and motivate us to be better.

I am excited to try out this year long Book of Mormon reading feast and to put this promise to the test:

President Marion G. Romney said:

'I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness' (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).

"These promises—increased love and harmony in the home, greater respect between parent and child, increased spirituality and righteousness—are not idle promises, but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon will help us draw nearer to God."

"The Book of Mormon - Keystone of our Religion" - President Benson - Oct. 1986 Gen. Conf.

We could use that!

So there is a little bit of what is going on at our house, so what's happening out your house this year?

Turn the Radio Off and Turn This On...

2011-12-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

Okay so the radio has a slew of Christmas music playing right now, mostly all of the commercialized stuff, Santa, and some old songs you hear every year and don't get me wrong I like a good dose of Christmas music but this, this is good! Enjoy!

Obviously don't forget the classic Christ-centered Hymns but I love instrumental bits of goodness.

Teaching Charity?

2011-12-18T07:00:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful video and what an example Heber J. Grant is to us all. What do you do to teach your children to be more charitable amidst all of the wants, the constant "need" for more or better, and the feelings of greed that sometimes can accompany this season, among other times of the year?

Really, I'd love to hear how you mold the young minds and hearts in your home to think less of what is under the tree and more about others. Please share.

And the Winner Is...

2011-12-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

I used random.com and #5 was the winner so...

That makes Mrs. Mordecai over at http://be-it-ever-so-humble.blogspot.com/ the winner of the Happy Little Artist Temple Print giveaway. Congratulations!

Here is what she had to say in her entry:
"I like the one with the power lines and the blue background! Although I have to admit I wouldn't mind having a matching set to all hang up somewhere."

I'll be getting in contact with you! As for everyone else, the prints are really quite reasonably priced so still consider heading over to buy yourself or a loved one a little gift, the headbands are adorable as well.

For Strength of Youth Pamphlet Revised

2011-12-15T13:46:00.001-07:00

Additions and revisions have taken place in the For Strength of Youth Pamphlet. You can read the additonal text and changes online now HERE. I am excited to read through and study the new pamphlet. I think it is wonderful for youth and adults alike.

Here is what the Church News has to say about it:

Today, youth.lds.org launched a newly updated version of For the Strength of Youth that addresses issues and challenges youth face today that were not specifically addressed in the previous version of the booklet.

“The standards have not changed, but times have changed,” said Young Women general president Elaine S. Dalton, explaining the update. “For the Strength of Youth has been revised to address the issues youth face today—to teach them the doctrine behind the standards and the promised blessings of obedience.”

For the Strength of Youth was last updated in 2001. The revised pamphlet will contain the addition of current prophetic counsel in areas such as the wise use of technology, virtuous thoughts, dating, the importance of gender roles, and preparation for the future.
Other changes of note include:

Additional emphasis on following the guidance of the Spirit, keeping covenants, and being worthy to attend the temple
A new standard entitled “Work and Self-Reliance” offering counsel on smart money management, frugality, industry, and becoming a contributor.
The addition of emotional health to the section previously titled “Physical Health”—now called “Physical and Emotional Health”—encouraging youth to seek healthy solutions to problems.
Increased clarity and emphasis on doctrine in each section
The inclusion of questions to invite further pondering and discussion

Hard copies of the revised pamphlet in English will be mailed to Church units toward the beginning of 2012. Priesthood leaders will receive a copy for each youth ages 12 to 18 and all priesthood and auxiliary leaders who work with youth.

Young Men general president David L. Beck emphasized the value of this resource for youth, parents, and leaders as they strive to live faithfully.

“It is our hope that these standards will be thoroughly studied in our homes and in Church classes, and that the principles taught in them will go down into the hearts of the youth of the Church,” he said.
Language versions of the revised pamphlet will follow both online and in print as they are completed.

PS - Don't forget to enter the Giveaway below. It closes on Saturday morning and the chances of winning are looking pretty good right now. :)

GIVEAWAY: Happy Little Artist Temple

2011-12-12T14:31:00.004-07:00

This could make for a Merry Christmas surprise. The Happy Little Artist would like to Giveaway one of THESE beautiful Salt Lake Temple Prints to one of you. The winner gets to choose the size and style that you like best. The print can only be shipped in the US. Sorry to everyone who lives outside the US.

Annie Wheeler hand carved linoleum blocks to create these three color lincout prints of the Salt Lake Temple. Don't you just love this:

To Enter the Giveaway

You just need to head over to the Happy Little Artist Etsy Shop and find the temple print that you like best (while you're there check out the adorable headbands as well ;) then jump back over here to Becoming LDS and leave a comment letting me know which temple and size you would like to win.
Please also leave the beginning of your email address (ex. becominglds@) so I can verify that you are the winner.
Merry Christmas!

The Giveaway will end on Saturday, December 17th at 10:00 am. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be posted here on my blog shortly thereafter. If you are announced as the lucky winner then please contact me at becominglds@gmail.com, using the email address you provided, by Monday the 19th at 5:00 pm. If the winner has not yet contacted me then another winner will be chosen in their place. Then I will get you in contact with the Happy Little Artist to claim your beautiful temple print. :)

Good Luck everyone!

Simple Christ-Centered Christmas Traditions

2011-12-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

The First Presidency Christmas Devotional last night was wonderful. The music was beautiful and the messages were great reminders. If you and your family didn't get a chance to watch it you can do so HERE. It would make for a great FHE tonight. Also, a neat announcement was made and a new page born on lds.org with Bible videos to be added monthly. They are free to download and are a gift to the world. You can watch the video that was shown last night below:

The Christmas Devotional is such a simple way to remember Christ during the Christmas Season. A tradition that takes little planning, no running to and fro, and no gifts to be purchased.

I also thought I'd share two Christmas Traditions that our little family started this year. So I guess they are not techniquely traditions yet but I hope to continue them each year and turn them into traditions.

First, we put up this little tree next to our bigger tree. It was my husband and I's very first Christmas tree. Now it is our Service and Kindness tree. When I catch my children serving or being kind I let them pick out an ornament to add to the tree. Sometimes I send my 4 year old to preschool with service in mind and he'll come back and tell me something nice he did. It was been good. It's also nice to have a tree that is free for them to touch and move ornaments around on. :)

Then Secondly, we tweaked this idea from the Friend. We have this nativity picture hanging on the wall in our living room and each morning we are adding a star to the wall. We write something about Jesus on the star and tape it to the wall. By Christmas we should have one starry night. My son is already excited about putting the biggest star above the picture on Christmas Eve.

Our 4 year old (soon to be 5) has come up with things like:
Jesus helped people to see.
Jesus was crucified for us.
Jesus was born in a stable.
Jesus helped raise people from the dead.

And our 2 year old has said things like this (with a little help sometimes :):
Jesus hugs me.
Jesus loves me.
Jesus made animals.
Jesus holds me.

It has been a great way to keep us thinking about Christ every day this December. What are some Christ-Centered traditions that your family has?

FHE Idea: Thanksgiving - Gratitude Tree

2011-11-14T13:17:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I am finally back to posting...I think. ;)

I am sure that many of you have seen or done something similar to this at your homes but just in case I thought I'd share something we started last FHE at our house that would work just as great to start tonight or next Monday as well.

First, we told the story of the Ten Lepers and how only one came back to tell Christ thank you and how it might have made Him feel. We talked about how we feel when someone thanks us or maybe when they don't. We talked about specific things we could say thank you for and how we need to always remember to thank Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and others for all of the things we are blessed with in our lives.

And then we created this beautiful Thankful or Gratitude Tree. I had previously cut out all of the leaves (I'd highly recommend sticking with simple patterns or just cutting out free hand.) We created the tree on the spot. I cut out random shapes and sizes of branches and my husband and two little ones created this masterpiece of a tree. It was fun to create the tree together.

We each chose three leaves that night and wrote down something we are thankful for on them and shared them with each other. Since last Monday each morning as part of our Morning Devotional we have added a leaf or two to the tree.

It is fun to hear what my 4 and 2 year old come up with. We have things on the tree like,

When people say I love you.
Smiles
Temples
My little sister.
Friends.
Family.
Baby (doll)
The Priesthood

It has been good to stop each morning and think of something we are thankful for as we start the day. I hope we all can have an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday and one filled with gratitude!

Hiatus

2011-10-18T14:09:00.000-06:00

So I have been MIA for the last little bit and this my friends is why. Well, about a month back I had a lagging in posts because well, I was sick, not just a day sick or a few days sick, but weeks and weeks of sick, which turned into months. Then I started to feel a little better but not great but it felt good to sit at the computer and do something somewhat productive and thus posts began again. Then I got EVEN better and well, I could ACTUALLY leave the house, with kids in tow and everything.. What an amazing thing! And I could clean, yes I said could. I could do laundry. I could play and laugh with my children. I could go shopping. I could do anything I wanted and, well, blogging has taken a back seat to all of that. I am going to jump back in sometime. I do have a slew of Book of Mormon posts I promised. But it may take me a day or two or a week or who knows maybe sooner but for now I am going to enjoy this little one in my tummy and do anything and everything a not sick person can do. :) Are you with me? Hip-Hip-Hooray for health!

Recent Relief Society Media Available in Many Languages

2011-09-27T12:56:00.000-06:00

I was recently sent this information and thought it amazing how quickly these great sources could be made available to so many. I hope this helps some.

Archives for the General Relief Society Meeting have been posted in more than 60 languages. To choose your language, simply select it from the drop down menu on the top right hand side of the page, as shown below.

Also, PDF files for the book Daughters in my Kingdom are now available in 18 languages:

To learn more about the book visit HERE.

Preparing for the BIG Weekend!

2011-09-26T13:33:00.000-06:00

So I have much to share in preparation for the exciting event of General Conference that awaits us. Read through the whole post for a myriad of ways to prepare yourself and your family to hear the word of God:

Go into General Conference remembering that it has something just for YOU!

Elder Holland said, “If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal little, prophetic epistle just to you.”

Enjoy this video and you may also enjoy reading THIS arcticle from the September Ensign about a Sister's experience in finding out that Conference had something just for her.

2. This week ponder about and write down some questions or concerns that you have and pray to receive answers and direction for those specific things during Conference. Answers will come.

3. Create new General Conference traditions or plan to carry out old ones. This can give something similar and concrete about each Conference for your children (and yourself) to look forward to. You can find one of our traditions HERE.

4. Play some games or watch this video sometime this week to get your kids thinking about what is coming.
You can find an Apostle Matching Game and Fun Fact Cards HERE. There are also a few fun online games from lds.org you can find HERE.

5. Get some of these printables ready for your children to use throughout Conference:
LDS.org Printables
Sugardoodle.net Printable Packets for all ages.
Sugardoodle.net Other Conference activities and printables.
Deseret Book Printable

And there are so many other creations, ideas, and printables all over the internet. I hope you find something you like.

6. Think about joining in this fun Video Conference event, check out this video to learn more:

6. I was sent a document with many FAQ about Genereal Conference but don't know how to put the information on my blog. If you are in need of answers to any of these questions leave a comment with the question you'd like answered and your email address or email me with this information at becominglds@gmail.com.

How can I access General Conference?
When will conference materials be available?
What languages are available?
Can I put General Conference on my mobile device?
Can I download just the music from General Conference?
Is General Conference on Twitter or Facebook?

7. And finally, I know this challenge comes a little late but do you remember our semi-annual no tv weeks well since things have changed in that department quite a bit at our house we aren't holding an official one but if you'd like to try it out and turn your tv off for the week it really does make turning on the tv for Conference such a refreshing and wonderful experience. I dare you! ;)

Now let's all get prepping! What does your family do to prepare for Conference?

Don't Miss It or You Might Miss Something

2011-09-22T21:45:00.000-06:00

We are just a short time away from the Relief Society broadcast and you won't want to miss it. If you haven't been able to make it much in the past or just haven't made it a habit try to get there this time around. It really is worth our time.
You wouldn't want to miss another message like this:

Or a message from our Prophet that contains inspiring words like this:

"A young couple, Lisa and John, moved into a new neighborhood. One morning while they were eating breakfast, Lisa looked out the window and watched her next-door neighbor hanging out her wash.

“That laundry’s not clean!” Lisa exclaimed. “Our neighbor doesn’t know how to get clothes clean!”

John looked on but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, Lisa would make the same comments.

A few weeks later Lisa was surprised to glance out her window and see a nice, clean wash hanging in her neighbor’s yard. She said to her husband, “Look, John—she’s finally learned how to wash correctly! I wonder how she did it.”

John replied, “Well, dear, I have the answer for you. You’ll be interested to know that I got up early this morning and washed our windows!”

Tonight I’d like to share with you a few thoughts concerning how we view each other. Are we looking through a window which needs cleaning? Are we making judgments when we don’t have all the facts? What do we see when we look at others? What judgments do we make about them?"

So determine to make it a point to participate this Saturday whether you watch/listen to it at home, head to a nearby stake center, or are lucky enough to sit in the Conference Center. The messages will be inspired. The Spirit will be present. We will all learn something about ourselves and this journey we are on. I am excited.

Here are some details from lds.org:

Relief Society sisters worldwide are invited to view the satellite broadcast of the general Relief Society meeting, which will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. (MDT) and will be broadcast to many areas of the world.

All sisters 18 years of age and older are encouraged to gather together in meetinghouses to view the broadcast.

Video of the broadcast will also be available live in American Sign Language, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish at conference.lds.org. Additional languages will be available as a live audio broadcast at the same site. Archives of the broadcast will be available in those same languages at the same site within 24 hours. Live audio will also be available in English at mormonchannel.org.

The Book of Mormon: What's the Story?

2011-09-20T21:01:00.000-06:00

This starts a series of several posts about the Book of Mormon. The content will come from the October 2011 Ensign which is available to look at online today.

Over the next several days I will be posting about what happens in the Book of Mormon (today), common questions about the book, how you can know if the Book of Mormon is true, how to study it, and lastly the formats it is available in and the devices you can access it on.

If any of you have any questions about the Book of Mormon along the way don't hesitate to ask. I am happy to help in any way I can.

So on to today's post:

The Story of the Book of Mormon
Article taken from October 2011 Ensign pgs 16-19

The Book of Mormon begins with a prophet named Lehi. He warned the wicked people in Jerusalem to repent, but the people didn’t listen. The Lord told Lehi to take his family, including his wife, Sariah, and their sons—Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi—into the wilderness. (See 1 Nephi 1–2.)
Lehi sent his sons back to get the scriptures written on brass plates. These plates had the history of their ancestors and other things the Lord had told them to write. Lehi and Nephi took good care of these plates. They also wrote on metal plates what happened to their family. (See 1 Nephi 3–5.)
The Lord gave Lehi a compass called the Liahona to guide his family through the wilderness to the promised land. (See 1 Nephi 16.)
The Lord told Nephi to build a boat to take Lehi’s family to the promised land. Nephi obeyed his father and the Lord, but Laman and Lemuel did not. (See 1 Nephi 17.)
Lehi and his family sailed to the promised land on the boat they built. (See 1 Nephi 18.)
Laman and Lemuel continued to disobey their father and the Lord. Their descendants are known as the Lamanites. Nephi continued to obey his father and the Lord. His descendants are called Nephites. (See 2 Nephi 4–5.)
After Lehi and Nephi died, other people, such as Nephi’s brother Jacob, were in charge of writing important teachings and events on the plates. (See Jacob 1.)
Enos prayed to be forgiven of his sins, and he was forgiven. (See Enos 1.)
King Benjamin built a tower to teach his people the gospel. (See Mosiah 2–6.)
A wicked king named Noah had the prophet Abinadi put to death. But Abinadi’s teachings converted one of Noah’s priests named Alma. (See Mosiah 11–17.)
Alma escaped from King Noah’s court, taught other people about the gospel, and baptized them. (See Mosiah 18.)
Alma’s son Alma the Younger was not obedient. He and his friends, the sons of Mosiah, were wicked. Then an angel told them to repent. Alma and the sons of Mosiah repented and spent the rest of their lives preaching the gospel. (See Mosiah 27–28.)
Mosiah’s son Ammon converted many Lamanites after Ammon defended King Lamoni’s flocks and won his trust. (See Alma 17–19.)
Captain Moroni wrote the title of liberty and fought to defend the liberty of his people. (See Alma 46; 48.)
Helaman led an army of 2,000 righteous young men. (See Alma 53; 56–58.)
A Lamanite prophet named Samuel prophesied that Jesus Christ would soon be born. (See Helaman 13–16.)
Far away in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ was born. He taught His gospel, healed and blessed people, and set up His Church. Then He was crucified and resurrected. (See 3 Nephi 1; 8–10.)
After His Resurrection, He visited the righteous Nephites and Lamanites. He taught them His gospel, healed them, and blessed them, just as He had in the land around Jerusalem. (See 3 Nephi 11–28.)
A 10-year-old boy named Mormon was chosen to write on the plates when he grew older. At age 24 he began combining the most important stories from all the records onto a set of metal plates. (See Mormon 1.)
Before Mormon died, he gave the plates to his son Moroni. Moroni was a general in the army. He was the last Nephite to survive a great battle between the Lamanites and the Nephites. (See Mormon 6; 8.)
Before Moroni died, he buried the plates in a place called Cumorah. About 1,400 years after Moroni buried the plates, a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith prayed to know which church was right. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:5–16.)
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ visited Joseph Smith and told him that none of the churches were true and complete. Joseph would help restore the true Church of Jesus Christ. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:17–20.)
Moroni visited Joseph Smith and told him about the buried plates. When Joseph Smith got older, he would get the plates and translate them. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:27–54.)
When Joseph Smith was 21, he went to the Hill Cumorah and got the plates from the place where Moroni had buried them. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:59.)
Through the power of God, Joseph Smith translated the writing on the plates. He published this translation. It is called the Book of Mormon. (See title page and introduction to the Book of Mormon.)

You can read the entire Book of Mormon online HERE.
You can also request a FREE hard copy of the Book of Mormon HERE.

What's The Book of Mormon All About?

2011-09-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

The Church has been working on a special Edition of the Ensign (a Church magazine) since 2009 that will focus solely on The Book of Mormon.

LDS Church News had this to say about the special edition:

You can find the full article at this link.

"The special-edition Ensign and Liahona will be available for purchase Oct. 1 at Church distribution centers. A digital version will be available online at LDS.org on Sept. 20. Subscribers will receive their monthly issues as usual."

"Members are encouraged to use the special issue in two ways," said Elder Paul B. Pieper of the Seventy and executive director of the Curriculum Department. "First, members and missionaries should review it for their personal edification and to strengthen their testimonies. Second, they should share the magazine with others, including less-active Church members and nonmembers."

Here is a list of just some of the things you will find in this special issue:

First Presidency message by President Thomas S. Monson.

Visiting teaching message by Sister Julie B. Beck, general Relief Society president.

A new full-color Book of Mormon timeline.

Full-page artwork.

Sheet music for a new Book of Mormon-themed song called "Two Thousand Stripling Warriors," with music by Janice Kapp Perry and lyrics by Bonnie Hart Murray.

Tips on using mobile devices for scripture study.

President Ezra Taft Benson's classic address — "The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion."

A new Book of Mormon-themed Mormon ad.
Tips on how to study the Book of Mormon
A side-by-side comparison of doctrinal passages from the Bible and Book of Mormon
Commonly asked questions about the Book of Mormon and corresponding answers.

I you want to learn more about the Book of Mormon head over to LDS.org on September 20th. As we all receive access to this special edition I plan to have several posts to correspond with it. I am excited.

New Relief Society Book Available to All

2011-09-12T08:00:00.002-06:00

The book, Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society is now available to download as a PDF file.

LDS.org has this to say about the book:

"The teachings, stories, and examples in this history book will guide you in establishing priorities and practices in your life that will help increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help those in need.
The history of Relief Society teaches the divine identity and infinite worth of daughters of God. It is a Spirit-filled story of strong, faithful, purposeful women who have served with little public recognition.

As you study this history you will see that our Heavenly Father knows His daughters, that He loves them, that He trusts them with sacred responsibilities, and that He guides them as they fulfill those responsibilities.

You are encouraged to share the book with others. Church members of all ages may use the book as a reference in lessons, talks, council meetings, and at home."

They have also created a site to help readers of the book and leaders in Relief Society know how to best use this great resource. I'm excited to read and learn.

Remembering 9/11: Our Prophet's Thoughts

2011-09-10T08:00:00.002-06:00

9/11 destruction allowed us to spiritually rebuild
(From the Washington Post)

By Thomas S. Monson

The calamity of September 11th, 2001 has cast a long shadow. Ten years later, many of us are still haunted by its terrible tragedy of lost lives and broken hearts. It is an episode of anguish that has become a defining moment in the history of the American nation and the world. This week, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, along with Tom Brokaw, will pay its own homage to the unforgettable events of September 11, 2001.

There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it. Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.

Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well.

Our Father’s commitment to us, His children, is unwavering. Indeed He softens the winters of our lives, but He also brightens our summers. Whether it is the best of times or the worst, He is with us. He has promised us that this will never change.

But we are less faithful than He is. By nature we are vain, frail, and foolish. We sometimes neglect God. Sometimes we fail to keep the commandments that He gives us to make us happy. Sometimes we fail to commune with Him in prayer. Sometimes we forget to succor the poor and the downtrodden who are also His children. And our forgetfulness is very much to our detriment.

If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.

The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him every week and each day. We truly “need Him every hour,” not just in hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.

It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm.

Thomas S. Monson is president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

More On Faith and 9/11: (from other prominent world religious leaders)

Desmond Tutu: Our post-9/11 failures

Thomas Monson: Rebuilding our souls

T.D. Jakes: Spirituality after the attack

Feisal Abdul Rauf: Radical Islam on its way out

Donald Wuerl: Peace begins internally

Katharine Jefferts Schori: Live the memorial

Mark Driscoll: Death and the hope of resurrection

Karen Armstrong: Unite through compassion

Deepak Chopra: Divided hearts, divided world

Yasir Qadhi: Americans still don’t know Islam

New Videos Created from Friend Magazine Articles

2011-09-08T19:05:00.000-06:00

So I was recently sent this short video from Sun Swing Media to review and share with all of you. They are a new company that is creating short videos based off of stories found in the Friend magazine. The video I watched is called, “The Decision.” It costs $1 to download and the money goes toward making the next short video called, “ The Do-Gooders.”

The video is about pornography and is geared toward young children. It is sad that it has come to the point when talking about pornography can’t be put off until older years but pornography is there and it is there early.

At first I wondered how young people would respond to the quite simple animations but I knew that the simple yet profound story-line would be perfect for young audiences. So I tested it on my 4 year old and I think his review is much more significant than mine. Although I must say that an article I read said it was geared more toward 6-12 year olds.

I started the video for my little boy and he immediately seemed engaged. Afterward, he instantly asked if he could watch it again. I played it one more time and then we talked. I asked him what the video was about and he answered “pornography”. We talked about what happened and he definitely recognized the good choice that the boys made in the film and how proud all of their parents were of them. After our short discussion he asked, “Could I watch it again sometime if I want to?” I said yes and told him that we could maybe watch it for FHE sometime and he said, “We should’ve watched that video last night for FHE.”

So if you can’t tell, my 4 year old seemed to enjoy it quite a bit and he seemed to comprehend the important principles taught in the video. I would recommend the video to anyone with young children.

Here is a small portion of the video:

You can download “The Decision” for $1 HERE.

You can learn more about Sun Swing Media HERE.

You can read the original story in the Friend HERE.
Sun Swing Media even has an FHE lesson plan you can use HERE.

Your Insight Can Help...Pretty Please

2011-08-28T08:00:00.002-06:00

So one of the most frequented pages on my blog is the page about becoming a member of the Church. Recently this caused me to search the terms "becoming a mormon", "becoming lds", and "becoming mormon" on Google and the results have me feeling like I'd like some input. My blog came up as the first result in each of those cases which has me feeling a greater sense of responsibility and urgency in making that page the best it can be. So please, please go check it out HERE and come back and leave a comment on this post of what suggestions you might have. This isn't for me, it is for everyone who comes searching.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Simplifying Christmas: Early Planning

2011-08-27T09:07:00.001-06:00

Okay, so it has been a little while but this has been occupying my thoughts for the past while. I love the holiday season. Thanksgiving leading into Christmas. Cheerful music. Giving. Serving. Family. It is a unique and wonderful time of year. But sometimes it slips away from me and thus my family. The hustle and bustle of shopping and shopping and more shopping amidst mad house stores and crowds and blah! Not what I call fun or cheery or wonderful. And then you have the heaps of presents under the tree and a moment or two to stop and think about what it is really all about and then back to the gifts. Worldliness. More. Wants. Greed. Stress. Lack of family time. Ahhh!

Not this year. I want change. I want simple. I want time with family. Time to serve. Time to give. Time to ponder.

I have had some thoughts on how this might take place but no firm determinations. Shopping done by Thanksgiving. And even then much less shopping. Less gifts but simple, fun, perfect ones. My thoughts are churning.

How do you keep Christmas simple? How do you focus on Jesus Christ and the special day of his birth rather than the gifts under the tree? How do you keep your family away from the gimmees and more happy to serve and give?

No "World" Allowed...Do Not Enter

2011-08-05T20:53:00.000-06:00

My husband and I have had worldliness on our minds. And recently had a portion of this talk by Elder Ballard thrown into our laps. Awesome! It stirred things up in both of us but I would love, love some additional thoughts from all of you. It is a little long but well worth the read. Please read on and then stick around to share. I'd love it.

Now the words from Elder Ballard:

"In the Church, we often state the couplet: “Be in the world but not of the world.”...we often wish we could lock out the world in some way and isolate our families from it all (this is kind of how we have been feeling).

...Perhaps we should state the couplet previously mentioned as two separate admonitions. First, “Be in the world.” Be involved; be informed. Try to be understanding and tolerant and to appreciate diversity. Make meaningful contributions to society through service and involvement. Second, “Be not of the world.” Do not follow wrong paths or bend to accommodate or accept what is not right.

...In spite of all of the wickedness in the world, and in spite of all the opposition to good that we find on every hand, we should not try to take ourselves or our children out of the world. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven,” or yeast. (Matt. 13:33.) We are to lift the world and help all to rise above the wickedness that surrounds us. The Savior prayed to the Father:

“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” (John 17:15.)

Members of the Church need to influence more than we are influenced. We should work to stem the tide of sin and evil instead of passively being swept along by it. We each need to help solve the problem rather than avoid or ignore it. (This seems like a hard balance, how do we do this? How do we stay away from worldliness, yet stay positively involved in the world?)

I like this simple little poem:

 
All the water in the world 
No matter how it tried 
Could never sink the smallest ship 
Unless it got inside. 
All the evil of the world 
And every kind of sin 
Could never damn a human soul 
Unless we let it in. 

We can live in the world, brothers and sisters, without letting the world into us. We have the gospel message that can carry men and women buoyantly through the “mist of darkness” (1 Ne. 8:23) to the source of all light. We can raise children who have been taught to discern and to make personal righteous decisions.

The Lord does not need a society that hides and isolates itself from the world. Rather, he needs stalwart individuals and families who live exemplary lives in the world and demonstrate that joy and fulfillment come not of the world but through the spirit and the doctrine of Jesus Christ."

So what do you do to help keep the world out and still let the world in? Make sense. Please Share.

Behind the Scenes

2011-08-04T21:53:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posting. Behind the scenes there have been some opportunities to share the Gospel and I have been occupied by that. It is neat to see the Spirit work in other's lives. I have been amazed by an individual who has taken so much initiative in learning about the Church. This person has read many books including all of the standard works, Church History, and Articles of Faith. What an example to us all.

I Finally Did It!

2011-07-27T22:15:00.000-06:00

Yep, that's right I created my profile on Mormon.org. I am not quite done, I don't think. I think I will head back and answer a few more questions and add a few more stories, but it is there. And yes, this means my identity will be revealed, well at least a picture. Oooo, aaaaah! I know, I know, not that big of a deal but I have been pretty private thus far. This is a little weird for me. So enjoy! Now join me and create a profile of your own, you never know who it might help.

"Why do we need such resilient faith?"

2011-07-24T08:00:00.004-06:00

The same reason the Pioneers did. "Because difficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. Each of us will be tested. The Apostle Paul warned that in the latter days, those who diligently follow the Lord “shall suffer persecution.” That very persecution can either crush you into silent weakness or motivate you to be more exemplary and courageous in your daily lives." - Elder Russel M. Nelson

Let us prepare to stand in the face of persecution. Let us be filled with faith and determination like the Pioneers. Let us be modern-day pioneers and carry on.

Firm as the mountains around us,
Stalwart and brave we stand
On the rock our fathers planted
For us in this goodly land—
The rock of honor and virtue,
Of faith in the living God.
They raised his banner triumphant—
Over the desert sod.

And we hear the desert singing:

Carry on, carry on, carry on!

Hills and vales and mountains ringing:

Carry on, carry on, carry on!

Holding aloft our colors,

We march in the glorious dawn.

O youth of the noble birthright,

Carry on, carry on, carry on!

Let us remember them on this Pioneer Day. And let us strive to have resilient faith.

Focus Desires...Simplify Life...Become Better

2011-07-18T21:29:00.000-06:00

Yep...so that is what has been on my mind lately. Cutting things out. Adding things in. Intentionally noticing where improvements are needed.

I've started to realize that although I do many good things some of them aren't necessarily the best or take time away where it is more importantly needed. I've been letting some things start to slip from my routine or at least not be so high on my list. It has been good. I am looking forward to a continued journey of simplifying.

This all started from this talk - Desire by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. I actually sat down and started writing down what my desires are and then I realized that what I was really writing down was what my desires SHOULD be. Some of them match the actions that I take and some I realized I am not truly following through with. I realized that some of the ways I was using time showed that different desires were somehow eeking up on my priority list. Not good.

So of course while I was thinking on what I desired most and what I desire to BECOME I thought back to another one of my favorite Conference gems: What Manner of Men and Women Ought You to Be? by Elder Lynn G. Robbins.

My brain and my heart and my spirit have been churning with all of these ideas of simplifying, righteous desires, and becoming who I can become. It has turned into a mush of goodness and still has me making changes and pondering and trying to grasp what needs to be done and what needs not to be done, and where things need to slip and where things need to expand or be emphasized. I sense a great push to simplify life and yet a great push to expand spirtual things and be more intentional and present at each stage of rearing my children.

After much of this reading and thinking and pondering was done I went and read this talk - Daughters of God by Elder M. Russell Ballard. So good.

It is time to focus my desires, simplify my life, and strive to become better in very specific and intentional ways. Off to work (well, off to bed of now but you know what I mean).

Combating Pornography: Watch Your Step

2011-07-10T14:38:00.000-06:00

"See CombatingPornography.org to find resources to help prevent or overcome pornography addiction.

Also, you can read, watch, or listen to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s April 2010 general conference address, “Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul,” which is excerpted in this video." - lds.org

Read a firsthand account of someone helping a spouse overcome a pornography addiction

Can You Help Me Discipline? A better way. A teaching way. A new way.

2011-06-26T15:32:00.001-06:00

This is last night's post "Calling All Discipline Experts" with a new title. I guess no one feels like an "expert". ;) But I really would love some responses. I feel like this was a powerful talk and a powerful realization when reading this specific line. I am sure we could all benefit from each other's words. Please Share!

I just re-read Elder Robbin's talk from Conference again. It was one of my favorites. I am excited because we get to discuss it in Relief Society this Sunday. And it has given me much to think about.

I hadn't noticed this line when I'd read it before and boy did it shoot out to me this time:

"We will never have a greater opportunity to teach and show Christlike attributes to our children than in the way we discipline them."

Yikes! I need to work on this. Often I think I do exactly the opposite. Sometimes I end up being the one in the wrong. I react too quickly, or too loudly, or just simply overreact. Not good.

I loved some of the ideas that he gave in the talk about disciplining but I'd love to hear more. What do you do to make sure you keep your cool in a heated moment? What types of consequences do you use? I want to cease the opportunity to teach Christlike attributes rather than give them examples of how NOT to act. Let the ideas roll.

You "Saved" the Day

2011-06-20T08:23:00.001-06:00

I've had a lot on my mind. Change. Newness. New goals. BECOMING something better. Creating. Desires. Priorities. Time.

I've determined it is time to Simplify and to Organize. Some things are going to slip away and some new things may take their places.

I am one who gets overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious pretty easily and yet I tend to add things to my plate by my own choice. Good things. But there are better.

We just got back from a vacation and while we were traveling near a larger city my husband took a wrong turn and we ended up downtown with two tired children (it was bedtime) one of them crying. I was grumpy, impatient, and frustrated (this was not the first time this has happened ;) I was getting after him and saying things like, "why didn't you just go the way we came?" On and on. Contention. Then just as we were about to get back on the freeway in the right direction my son said, very enthusiastically, "It's okay Mom. It's good. We saw flags. You saved the day!" He felt the contention and in his 4 year old way brought a smile to my face. I didn't even see any flags but to him that drive, that wrong turn saved the day because of a few simple flags! And I was again reminded that I need to find joy in each moment and strive to be positive. Later I found out that despite my pessimism and criticisim in that moment that little adventure that led us downtown was one of my husbands favorite moments from the trip. He enjoys exploring new places. But there I was and I couldn't see it. I couldn't see that moment with my family with eyes of joy.

Then today I taught the lesson in Relief Society on families and again was reminded that I need to enjoy and take hold of each moment as a Mother not just get through each day but SAVE each moment and cherish it. Not just go about my agenda but grasp those small moments in time that truly matter.

And then yet again I came across another reminder in this video. It is too perfect for all of the thoughts I have been having. I think the Lord is trying to teach me:

Let us all cherish the moments that matter most. Let us all try to "Save" and enjoy each day and recognize each moment for what it is. Let us all recognize the things that need to slip from our lives so that we might simplify and have our eyes opened to the joy that those little moments bring.

What Are Mormons Like: Meet Jarem

2011-06-12T08:00:00.006-06:00

To learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it's members visit Mormon.org.

Serve with Me in June

2011-06-08T15:26:00.000-06:00

A little bit back I wrote a post about the efforts to serve more with my children. Here are the plans for this month so feel free to join right in:

1 - We are writing letters to or drawing pictures for those in our ward who are currently serving in the military. The plan is to have the letters/pictures reach them by the 4th of July.

2 - We are doing a thing I decided to call "Chores for Cans". This means that our kids will be doing work around the house or other tasks (what your children do will be completely up to you). You gotta love that right! The idea is this: Kids do chores (or whatever it is you need or want them to do) and they earn cans of food (really anything non-perishable works) to give to those who are in need.

It is up to each Mom to decide how often they want to give cans, what earns a can, etc. You may choose to have them earn money and then go to the store to buy the cans with whatever was earned or you may choose to just give them an actual can and let them create a stack as the weeks go by.
I love the idea that the cans are not just being given by each family but EARNED by each child. Who knows you may see your kids asking for extra chores just so they can help out.
We are going to deliver the cans to our Bishop who will deliver it to some families in our ward who are in need.

Please join right in and do this where you live or if you already have some Summer Service Plans we'd love to hear your ideas.

Happy Serving!

A Thank You to the Youth for Easing My Fears

2011-06-05T09:00:00.001-06:00

So sometimes I look at what is going on in the world and I look at my two young children and I worry. I worry about the people they will choose to become. I worry about the world seeping in too much. I worry that I am not doing enough. I worry about their futures. I worry about what is happening here and now. I worry.

It IS a rough world with many temptations and many choices to be made and I think I will always be concerned (and in some ways I think I should be). I want to be as conscious, consistent, and intentional about raising them as I can. There are so many things to think about and to prepare them for. The future (and sometimes even the present) truly can be overwhelming to think about and that is why I am so grateful for all of these wonderful videos put out by the Church. They give me hope in the future and peace to know how strong so many of the youth truly are in this chaotic world. I am grateful for their examples to children, youth, and adults alike.

Thank you to the great youth for easing some of my fears. You are Wonderful!!!

To view more Mormon Messages for Youth visit HERE.

Summer Reading Plans

2011-06-03T21:50:00.000-06:00

Do you have any? I don't have any specifics figured out but reading to and with my children (and maybe some personal reading) is a definite must this Summer. And yep, school is out, and summer is rolling (well not officially), the time is now.

Our library has a Summer Reading Program where kids get prizes for reading 3 hours each week. I am sure that many libraries do something similar. I plan on signing up like I did last Summer only maybe being a little more consistent about it. ;) We read but we didn't make it to the library as often has we should have.

With that said, THIS has got my head churning. For me and my kids. I love it. The Friend is so "smart" I mean really. Yea, we hold a short family scripture study and yea we hold weekly Family Home Evenings but a simple Gospel reading schedule meant just for little ones. Perfect. Yea, there will be If You Give a Pig a Pancake, and Fancy Nancy, and The Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar...but the Friend, the Scriptures, the Articles of Faith. Oh, this will be good.

What are your plans? How do you keep your kids brains fired up and pages turning?

LDS Scripture Citation Index

2011-05-29T08:00:00.005-06:00

If you have ever wanted to learn more about a specific scripture or a specific topic found in the scriptures this is a great resource for you.

Here is what the site says:

"This index links from scriptures to the general conference talks, Journal of Discourses speeches, and writings in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith that cite those scriptures. So, for example, suppose you want to know who has cited 1 Ne. 3:7 in general conference; click on the Book of Mormon link at the left and scroll down to 1 Ne. 3; there you'll find the answer. Who has quoted Matt. 5:48? Use the New Testament index to find out.

We have indexed the scriptures cited by speakers in LDS General Conference between 1942 and the present, and those cited by speakers recorded in the Journal of Discourses between 1839 and 1886. The citations in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith come from the special edition, Scriptural Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, edited by Richard C. Galbraith and published by Deseret Book in 1993 (ISBN 0875796478)."

Wow, I am excited too look up some of my favorite scriptures and some of those scriptures that I just don't quite get and see what I can find.

Go check it out for yourself: http://scriptures.byu.edu/

Happy Scripture Studying!

Stressed, Overscheduled, Overwhelmed...You Are Not Alone

2011-05-22T13:40:00.000-06:00

Standing in line at a grocery story, beep, beep, beep. Hand her some cash and again beep, beep, beep. I have two transactions. It's 9:30 pm. I turn to the lady behind me and apologize for my double taking of time. She shrugs her shoulders and says, "I'm in no hurry. I'll just be heading back to cleaning and doing laundry."

I hurried out to my car and thought as I rode home about what that women had said. I wasn't going home to clean (although I am sure I had plenty of cleaning to be done) but I had just come from putting two munchkins to sleep and needed to grab a few items and hurry home to get ready for the upcoming day, a Sunday. And then a thought came to me, "we are all in this together". We all have our to do lists, we all have our stressors, most of us have similar goals. We are not in this alone. We are all busy. We all get overwhelmed. We all have various roles and obligations but we are truly all in this life together.

Then a night or two later I read from Matthew 14 and 15 and had a great moment of being taught:
Christs' good friend John the Baptist was beheaded and when he heard of it He went to be alone. A mulitude followed him and even in his time of need he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Then that very evening that multitude needed to eat and so He fed the 5,000 men and also many women and children. Straightway he sent his disciples to get in the ship and He went to pray. Meanwhile a storm came between 3 and 6 in the morning and Jesus walked on the water with Peter and calmed the storm. When they got off the ship in the land of Gennesaret the people recognized him and brought those who were diseased and He healed them. Then came the scribes and the Pharisees to question him and contend against him. Then he calls the multitude around him to teach them. He goes on to heal a girl and feed 4,000 more.

I could just keep going and going. I don't think I had ever realized the time frame of these events. In such a short time He lost a dear friend, He healed many in the multitude, He fed 5,000, He walked on the water and calmed the storm, He healed the diseased, He stood firm against the Pharisees, He taught the multitude, healed a girl, and fed 4,000 more.

He truly understands. Not only did He experience everything through the Atonement but He also experienced the stresses and demands of life to the fullest.

I know often we feel like our own lists could keep going and going. In such a short time, we can get our kids off to school, change 10 diapers, make lunch, run to the store, send a note to a dear friend, plan a lesson, calm tears, make dinner for a neighbor, take kids to soccer practice, read scriptures, plant a garden, and pray for and have heartache over our families. And the list could go on.

But we have the Savior and we have one another.

President Monson's words fit so perfectly here, "Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life. May we recognize that each one is doing her best to deal with the challenges which come her way, and may we strive to do our best to help out."

I hope that we can all look at the world in this way. That we can see that our "fellow travelers" are trying their best and let them lean on us when they need to and that we may find that we have those that we can lean on in our times of need. I also hope that we will recognize that we all need to take a step back and have a moment to ourselves. Even the Savior sought moments to be alone and to speak with His Father. Sometimes those moments may be interuppted by something more important but we all need those moments to draw us nearer to the Lord and to bring peace nearer to our hearts.

Never forget that you are not alone.

How Do You Journal?

2011-05-17T21:35:00.000-06:00

I have not been doing good at the whole journaling thing. Not one bit. Yeah I have a private blog to write down the little funny, cute, and crazy moments we have in our family but I'm not even that good at keeping up with that. I recently found my journal and well let's just say, ummm well SAD. I last wrote while I was pregnant with my little girl and yep she is 18 months old now. Really? I always do this. Write some here and there and then a long, long hiatus. What to do?

How do you journal? Do you use a blog as your journal? Do you type up your thoughts? Do you do the whole hand written journal thing? Do you pick a question out of a jar? And whatever method you use what helps you to be consistent and motivated? I need to be better.

Who Am I?

2011-05-16T13:13:00.000-06:00

You are a Child of God!

Bringing Me Joy

2011-05-13T15:26:00.000-06:00

So after posting that last video for Mother's Day I just had to find out who was playing the song in the background. I found it and it is an arrangement by Jon Schmidt! I can't tell you how much I love the whole song. I have probably listened to it 30-40 times already. It is seriously bringing me joy!

Enjoy it HERE!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T08:00:00.001-06:00

What Mormons Believe: Sexual Purity Blesses Our Lives

2011-05-05T21:11:00.001-06:00

(Click on Images to Enlarge)

This article is from the July 2010 Ensign.

To check out PDFs of past Ensigns visit here.

If you'd like to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints vist here.

Do you want to serve with me....and my kids...and my neighborhood?

2011-05-01T21:57:00.003-06:00

Then come right along. I knew you'd say yes. :)

So I recently started a little service group of moms and their kidlets in our neighborhood. After Conference I felt like I needed to serve more, serve more in general, but mostly that I needed to serve more along side my children. So that was my plan and then one night as I was reading my scriptures a thought popped into my little head that said something like, "hey, why not make it a group effort" and then with some teetering back and forth on the idea I finally succumbed and our service group was born. It has taken over my brain for a while and finally I feel like things are falling into place. Whew!

Then you see...a new idea came to me and I thought hmmm why not bring the whole blogging world (well the miniscule portion of that world who actually peeks at this blog) along and see what we can do. So of course this will take a lot of initiative on your part since you don't actually live near me but if you want to follow along and do something similar in your area then please join us. I will periodically post things that we are doing here and if it is something that would work for you and your family then please serve away and let us know how it goes.

Our current service opportunity is making a tape for an elderly Sister in our ward who is unable to attend church due to health issues. She spends her Sundays listening to and watching Conference and other Church materials. The children will be leaving short messages and singing her primary songs on a tape. We will then deliver it to her as a group. I am already super excited to bring her our creation, I think she will love it. I am almost giddy about it.

This one is still on. So if you know of an elderly person in your area who could use a visit, a card, a treat, or maybe even a tape make an effort over the next few weeks to make their day. Then come back and share your warm service fuzzies. :)

Isn't service fun?!?

Bee Changeful

2011-04-26T22:05:00.000-06:00

Over the past few months we have dealt with many various difficult situations and behaviors with our children. It has been a ride and it is, for the time being, slowing down a bit. Whew! One day while thinking about what I could do to change the way things were going once again I actually had an idea that "worked"!

My 4 year old son and I sat down at the computer and printed out a beehive, some bees, and various flowers and then for FHE we colored and colored and then later I cut and cut and when all was said and done we created this:

The idea originally stemmed from President Hinckley's B's but we put our own family twist on it so that it would encourage us to work on the things that our little family needs to work on right now. Our "Bees" include: Be Prayerful, Be Patient, Be Polite, Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Happy, Be Obedient and Be Clean.

At FHE we talked about all of these things we were going to try to become and we set off to become better each and everyday.

Here is how it works: We try to do things that will help us be more like the Bees we have chosen and make an effort to notice when we are doing them and at the end of the day we head to our chart for "Bee Time". We even have a Bee Song that we sing each night before our bees start flying around on our chart. And if you read THIS post from a while back this song will be familiar, it comes from a cheerleading chant from Saved By the Bell. "B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B. B-B-B-B-B-B-B. It's Bee Time!" Repeated two times. You gotta love it.

After our ever so lovely song we notice what others in our little family did during the day to be more like one of the attributes we have selected. For example, if we saw someone being really patient then the Patient Bee gets to fly to his next flower (each attribute has a certain color of flower and each flower is numbered). When all of the bees have made it back to the hive we get to do something special as a family, because we are doing this TOGETHER. We just received our first family reward last night when we went to Chuck E. Cheese (it took us a while to redeem it we are about to reach the end of another round).

As simple as it is, it has helped a ton. When my son is doing something that doesn't match one of our bees, I will sometimes say, "Are you being like one of our bees?" Or "what bee should you try to be like right now?" Or sometimes I will be specific and say, "are you being kind?" Occasionally I will simply make a buzzing sound at him as a little reminder. Kind of silly but hey it works (some of the time :).

It has been amazing what an incentive it is to just simply get to move a bee or two each night. Of course the family "prize" helps as well but it isn't an immediate reward.

So here we are buzzing along and Conference comes shortly after with this perfect gem from Elder Robbins "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?". It was perfect. It helped to pull all of my thoughts together and to expand and teach me so much more.

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while know that I love the word "BECOME" so our Bee Chart and this talk about Being were right up my alley. Here are a few tidbits I pulled out of this great talk:

To become as He is, we must also do the things He did: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do” (3 Nephi 27:21; emphasis added).
To be and to do are inseparable. As interdependent doctrines they reinforce and promote each other.
While He recognized the importance of do, the Savior identified be as a “weightier matter.”
Many of us create to do lists to remind us of things we want to accomplish. But people rarely have to be lists. Why? To do’s are activities or events that can be checked off the list when done. To be, however, is never done. You can’t earn checkmarks with to be’s.
Because be begets do and is the motive behind do, teaching be will improve behavior more effectively than focusing on do will improve behavior.

I hope that we can do more to become better and be more by doing better.

Oh and if you are still wondering what the title is about. Ever since we have started doing all of this Bee Business my son has asked for help in his prayers by saying, "Help us to be prayerful. Help us to be kindFUL." Too Cute. Let us all BE CHANGEFUL!

He Lives!

2011-04-24T15:37:00.000-06:00

D&C 76:22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the ^atestimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he ^blives!

I hope we all have a HAPPY EASTER as we remember that HE LIVES!

Are You (Really) Easter Ready?

2011-04-17T21:42:00.000-06:00

So I think I am done with all of my candy buying and I have a few free Easter Egg Hunts on my calendar but am I REALLY ready for Easter? I have some work do. One of the things that I love about having this blog is that I can refer back to things that I have done in the past and prepare myself once again. I thought I would post links to some of my past Easter posts for all of you just in case you are in need of some ideas to make Christ the center of Easter, where He should be. I wish I would've prepared for true Easter first and Easter bunny second. It is time to think of Christ.

7 day scripture reading or spiritual easter egg hunt
A video of Elder Holland's Easter thoughts.
More excited for the Easter Bunny - with a link to some wonderful Easter ideas.
A Christ-Centered Easter Treat

And finally here are a few great things that were not posted on this site but that would be great to read or do this Easter season:

This first one is an article from April's Friend magazine. It is called "Easter Week" and has scripture readings for 8 days (sorry this is a little late to start on time but you coud always start out with a few the first day :) Or you could put them in Easter Eggs and do a hunt on Sunday and put them in order, or even do both. Text Version - PDF Version
Read President Monson's First Presidency Message - He is Not Here, but is Risen
Read The Living Christ as a family.

And to finish off I wanted to share the First Presidency Easter Message for 2011 and this wonderful Easter Mormon Message video (both would be great to read or watch individually or with your family):

"Among the most cherished thoughts and writings in this world is the divine statement of truth: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
This precious Son, our Lord and Savior, atoned for the sins of all mankind. That memorable night in Gethsemane His suffering was so great, His anguish so consuming that He pleaded, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Later, on the cruel cross, He died that we might live, and live everlastingly. Resurrection morning was preceded by pain, by suffering in accordance with the divine plan of God. Before Easter, there had to be a cross. The world has witnessed no greater gift, nor has it known more lasting love.
The message of Easter is that the Savior lives! And because He lives all shall indeed live again. This knowledge provides the peace for loved ones of those who have passed on, "Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: 'I know that my Redeemer lives!'"

I hope we all have a spirit-filled Easter!

Counsel from the Sunday Afternoon Session - April 2011

2011-04-15T07:00:00.002-06:00

Sunday Afternoon Session

Richard G. Scott

· “If you are a young man of appropriate age and are not married, don’t waste time in idle pursuits. Get on with life and focus on getting married. Don’t just coast through this period of life.”

· “Young men, serve a worthy mission. Then make your highest priority finding a worthy, eternal companion.”

· “When you find you are developing an interest in a young woman, show her that you are an exceptional person that she would find interesting to know better. Take her to places that are worthwhile. Show some ingenuity. If you want to have a wonderful wife, you need to have her see you as a wonderful man and prospective husband.”

· “If you have found someone, you can form an extraordinarily wonderful courtship and marriage and be very, very happy eternally by staying within the bounds of worthiness the Lord has established.”

· “If you are married, are you faithful to your spouse mentally as well as physically? Are you loyal to your marriage covenants by never engaging in conversation with another person that you wouldn’t want your spouse to overhear? Are you kind and supportive of your spouse and children?”

· “Brethren, do you lead out in family activities such as scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening, or does your wife fill in the gap your lack of attention leaves in the home? Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her? It will bring her great happiness. I’ve heard men tell me when I say that, ‘Oh, she knows.’ You need to tell her. A woman grows and is greatly blessed by that reassurance. Express gratitude for what your spouse does for you. Express that love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her.”

D. Todd Christofferson

· “Perhaps some of the things said in this conference have come to you as a call to repentance or change, which if heeded will lift you to a higher place.”

· “Even when we encounter mean-spirited criticism from persons who have little regard or love for us, it can be helpful to exercise enough meekness to weigh it and sift out anything that might benefit us.”

· “Parents can and must correct, even chasten, if their children are not to be cast adrift at the mercy of a merciless adversary and his supporters.”

· “Remember that reproof should be timely, with sharpness or clarity, ‘when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy’” (D&C 121:43).

· “Remember that if we resist correction, others may discontinue offering it altogether, despite their love for us. If we repeatedly fail to act on the chastening of a loving God, then He too will desist.”

· “Eventually, much of our chastening should come from within—we should become self-correcting.”

· “It is a diligent, devoted effort on our part that calls forth this empowering and enabling grace, an effort that certainly includes submission to God’s chastening hand and sincere, unqualified repentance. Let us pray for His love-inspired correction.”

Carl B. Pratt

· “Let us not be accused of robbing God. Let us be honest and pay our debts to the Lord. All He asks is 10 percent. Integrity in paying our debts to the Lord will help us be honest with our fellowmen.”

· “[The Lord] expects us to pay tithing not from our abundance nor from the “leftovers” of the family budget but, as He commanded anciently, from the “firstlings” of our income, be it scarce or abounding.”

· “Let us show our faith in the Lord by paying our tithing. Pay it first; pay it honestly.”

· “Teach our children to pay tithing even on their allowance or other income, and then take them with us to tithing settlement so they know of our example and our love for the Lord.”

Lynn G. Robbins

· “To become as [Christ] is, we must also do the things He did.”

· “When children misbehave, let’s say when they quarrel with each other, we often misdirect our discipline on what they did, or the quarreling we observed. But the do—their behavior—is only a symptom of the unseen motive in their hearts. We might ask ourselves, ‘What attributes, if understood by the child, would correct this behavior in the future?’”

· “We will never have a greater opportunity to teach and show Christlike attributes to our children than in the way we discipline them. Discipline comes from the same root word as disciple and implies patience and teaching on our part. It should not be done in anger. We can and should discipline the way that Doctrine and Covenants 121 teaches us: ‘by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge’ (verses 41–42).”

· “Through discipline the child learns of consequences. In such moments it is helpful to turn negatives into positives. If the child confesses to a wrong, praise the courage it took to confess. Ask the child what he or she learned from the mistake or misdeed, which gives you, and more important, the Spirit an opportunity to touch and teach the child.”

· “When our children misbehave, we must be careful not to say things that would cause them to believe that what they did wrong is who they are.”

· “Never let failure progress from an action to an identity, with its attendant labels like ‘stupid,’ ‘slow,’ ‘lazy,’ or ‘clumsy.’”

· “We need to be careful, therefore, about using permanent phrases such as ‘You always …’ or ‘You never …’ when disciplining. Phrases like these make actions appear as an identity and can adversely influence the child’s self-perception and self-worth.”

· “In helping children discover who they are and helping strengthen their self-worth, we can appropriately compliment their achievement or behavior—the do. But it would be even wiser to focus our primary praise on their character and beliefs—who they are.”

· “During family scripture time, look for and discuss examples of attributes discovered in your reading that day. Because Christlike attributes are gifts from God and cannot be developed without His help,in family and personal prayers, pray for those gifts.”

· “At the dinner table, occasionally talk about attributes, especially those you discovered in the scriptures earlier that morning.”

· “May your efforts to develop Christlike attributes be successful so that His image may be engraven in your countenance and His attributes manifest in your behavior.”

Benjamin De Hoyos

· “Humble members of the Church who conduct daily family prayer and scripture study, engage in family history, and consecrate their time to worship in the temple frequently, become Saints.”

· “The Saints, or members of the Church, also come to know our Savior through afflictions and trials. Let us not forget that even He had to suffer all things.”

· “Even though our understanding of the gospel may not be as deep as is our testimony of its truth, if we place our confidence in the Lord, we will be sustained in all of our difficulties, our trials, and our afflictions (see Alma 36:3).”

C. Scott Grow

· “There are times when each of us needs ‘relief from feelings of guilt that come from mistakes and sins.’ As we repent, the Savior removes the guilt from our souls.”

· “As you consider your own life, are there things that you need to change? Have you made mistakes that still need to be corrected?”

· “If you are suffering from feelings of guilt or remorse, bitterness or anger, or loss of faith, I invite you to seek relief. Repent and forsake your sins. Then, in prayer, ask God for forgiveness. Seek forgiveness from those you have wronged. Forgive those who have wronged you. Forgive yourself.”

· “Go to the bishop if necessary. He is the Lord’s messenger of mercy. He will help you as you struggle to become clean through repentance.”

· “Immerse yourself in prayer and scripture study. As you do so, you will feel the sanctifying influence of the Spirit.”

Jeffrey R. Holland

· “As our conference comes to a close, I ask you to reflect in the days ahead not only on the messages you have heard but also on the unique phenomenon that general conference itself is—what we as Latter-day Saints believe such conferences to be and what we invite the world to hear and observe about them.”

· “Consider the variety of the messages that you hear—all the more miraculous with no coordination except the direction of heaven.”

· “In wanting to measure up to the stern as well as embrace the soothing in our general conference messages, please be reassured that when we speak on difficult subjects, we understand not everyone is viewing pornography or shirking marriage or having illicit sexual relationships. We know not everyone is violating the Sabbath or bearing false witness or abusing a spouse. We know that most in our audience are not guilty of such things, but we are under a solemn charge to issue warning calls to those who are—wherever they may be in the world.”

· “So if you are trying to do the best you can—if, for example, you keep trying to hold family home evening in spite of the bedlam that sometimes reigns in a houseful of little bedlamites—then give yourself high marks and, when we come to that subject, listen for another which addresses a topic where you may be lacking. If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.”

Thomas S. Monson

· “May we long remember the messages we have heard. As we receive the issues of the Ensign and Liahona magazines which will contain these messages in written form, may we read and study them.”

· “May we be examples of honesty and integrity wherever we go and in whatever we do.”

Counsel from the Sunday Morning Session - April 2011

2011-04-14T07:00:00.002-06:00

Sunday Morning Session

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

· “The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed. This can be our experience if we move forward with faith and do not wait too long on the road to Damascus”

· “To better hear His voice, it would be wise to turn down the volume control of the worldly noise in our lives. If we ignore or block out the promptings of the Spirit for whatever reason, they become less noticeable until we cannot hear them at all. Let us learn to hearken to the promptings of the Spirit and then be eager to heed them.”

· “My dear brothers and sisters, let us strive to be among those whom the Lord can rely on to hear His whisperings and respond, as Saul did on his road to Damascus, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

· “My dear young friends, perhaps the Lord’s encouragement to ‘open [your] mouths’might today include “Use your hands” to blog and text message the gospel to all the world! But please remember, all at the right time and at the right place.”

· “Do not doubt. Remember, ‘Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’”

· “Brothers and sisters, dear friends, let us not wait too long on our road to Damascus. Instead, let us courageously move forward in faith, hope, and charity, and we will be blessed with the light we are all seeking upon the path of true discipleship.”

Paul V. Johnson

· “We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.”

H. David Burton

· “Each generation is required to learn anew the foundational principles of self-reliance: avoid debt, implement principles of thrift, prepare for times of distress, listen to and follow the words of the living oracles, develop the discipline to distinguish between needs and wants and then live accordingly.”

· “No matter how many temples we build, no matter how large our membership grows, no matter how positively we are perceived in the eyes of the world—should we fail in this great core commandment to ‘succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees,’or turn our hearts from those who suffer and mourn, we are under condemnation and cannot please the Lordand the jubilant hope of our hearts will ever be distant.”

· “The work of caring for one another and being ‘kind to the poor’ is a sanctifying work, commanded of the Father and divinely designed to bless, refine, and exalt His children. May we follow the Savior’s counsel to the certain lawyer in the parable of the good Samaritan: ‘Go, and do thou likewise.’”

Silvia H. Allred

· “Church members all over the world have rejoiced in the past and should rejoice now at the opportunities we have to serve others. Our combined efforts bring relief to those who are poor, hungry, suffering, or distressed, thereby saving souls.”

· “We can all contribute to the Lord’s storehouse when we pay our fast offerings and make all our resources available to the bishop to assist those in need.”

· “Let us each renew our desire to be part of the Lord’s storehouse in blessing others.”

David A. Bednar

· "I invite you to consider two experiences most of us have had with light. The first experience occurred as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination filled the room and caused the darkness to disappear…The second experience took place as we watched night turn into morning. Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? From these two ordinary experiences with light, we can learn much about the spirit of revelation.”

· “Because the Spirit whispers to us gently and delicately, it is easy to understand why we should shun inappropriate media, pornography, and harmful, addictive substances and behaviors…Each of us should consider seriously and ponder prayerfully how we can reject the devil’s enticements and righteously 'apply unto it,’ even the spirit of revelation, in our personal lives and families.”

· “As you appropriately seek for and apply unto the spirit of revelation, I promise you will ‘walk in the light of the Lord’ (Isaiah 2:5; 2 Nephi 12:5). Sometimes the spirit of revelation will operate immediately and intensely, other times subtly and gradually, and often so delicately you may not even consciously recognize it.”

Thomas S. Monson

· “If you have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly. There is much to be done in our temples in behalf of those who wait beyond the veil.”

· “If you have not yet been to the temple or if you have been but currently do not qualify for a recommend, there is no more important goal for you to work toward than being worthy to go to the temple. Your sacrifice may be bringing your life into compliance with what is required to receive a recommend, perhaps by forsaking long-held habits which disqualify you. It may be having the faith and the discipline to pay your tithing. Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is.”

· “Now, my young friends who are in your teenage years, always have the temple in your sights. Do nothing which will keep you from entering its doors and partaking of the sacred and eternal blessings there. I commend those of you who already go to the temple regularly to perform baptisms for the dead, arising in the very early hours of the morning so you can participate in such baptisms before school begins. I can think of no better way to start a day.”

· “To you parents of young children, may I share with you some sage advice from President Spencer W. Kimball. Said he: ‘It would be a fine thing if … parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so [their children] from the time [they are] infant[s] could look at the picture every day [until] it becomes a part of [their lives]. When [they reach] the age that [they need] to make [the] very important decision [concerning going to the temple], it will have already been made.’”

Counsel from the Priesthood Session - April 2011

2011-04-13T07:00:00.003-06:00

Priesthood Session

Neil L. Andersen

· “One of your important responsibilities is to help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior.”

· “To you, President Monson has said: ‘The Lord needs missionaries. Every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission. Missionary service is a priesthood duty—an obligation the Lord expects of [you] who have been given so very much…’ My young brethren, your mission is a great opportunity and responsibility, important to this promised gathering and linked to your eternal destiny.”

· “In the years prior to your mission, please remember the sacred assignment ahead of you. Your actions before your mission will greatly influence the priesthood power you bring with you into the mission. Prepare yourself well.”

Steven E. Snow

· “Hope alone does not mean our children will grow in righteousness. We must spend time with them in family home evening and worthwhile family activities. We must teach them to pray. We must read with them in the scriptures and teach them important gospel principles. Only then is it possible our fondest hopes will be realized.”

· “We should never let hope be displaced by despair.”

Larry W. Gibbons

· “I invite each deacons, teachers, and priests quorum presidency to regularly counsel, study, and pray to learn what the Lord’s will is for your quorum and then go and do. Use Duty to God to help you teach your quorum members their duties. I invite each quorum member to sustain your quorum president and look to him for counsel as you learn and righteously fulfill all of your priesthood duties. And I invite each of us to see these remarkable young men as the Lord sees them—a powerful resource for building and strengthening His kingdom here and now.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

· “Too often we attend meetings and nod our heads; we might even smile knowingly and agree. We jot down some action points, and we may say to ourselves, ‘That is something I will do.’ But somewhere between the hearing, the writing of a reminder on our smartphone, and the actual doing, our ‘do it’ switch gets rotated to the ‘later’ position. Brethren, let’s make sure to set our ‘do it’ switch always to the ‘now’ position!”

· “Don’t let a day go by without doing something to act on the promptings of the Spirit.”

· “Let us commit to reading the scriptures and handbooks with more purpose and more focus. Let us begin by rereading sections 20, 84, 107, and 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants.”

· “I invite you to also become experts in the doctrines of the gospel—especially the doctrine of the priesthood.”

· “Let us earnestly seek the light of personal inspiration. Let us plead with the Lord to endow our mind and soul with the spark of faith that will enable us to receive and recognize the divine ministering of the Holy Spirit for our specific life situations and for our challenges and priesthood duties.”

· “You may want to ask yourself if you are merely going through the motions as a priesthood bearer—doing what is expected but not experiencing the joy that should be yours.”

· “Brethren, let us not pass through life immersed in the three Ws: wearied, worrying, and whining. We live beneath our privileges when we allow worldly anchors to keep us away from the abundant joy that comes from faithful and dedicated priesthood service, especially within the walls of our own homes.”

· “Young men, if coming to church early to help prepare the sacrament feels more like a hardship than a blessing, then I invite you to think about what this sacred ordinance might mean to a ward member who perhaps has had a challenging week. Brethren, if your home teaching efforts don’t seem to be effective to you, I invite you to see with the eye of faith what a visit from a servant of the Lord will do for a family that has many unseen problems.”

· “As bearers of the priesthood, let us never become hardened to the wonder and awe of what the Lord has entrusted to us.”

· “My dear brethren, may we diligently seek to learn the doctrine of the holy priesthood, may we strengthen our testimonies line upon line by receiving the revelations of the Spirit, and may we find true joy in daily priesthood service. As we do these things, we will begin to live up to our potential and privileges as priesthood holders.”

Henry B. Eyring

· “In the priesthood we share the sacred duty to labor for the souls of men. We must do more than learn that this is our duty. It must go down into our hearts so deeply that neither the many demands on our efforts in the bloom of life nor the trials that come with age can turn us from that purpose.”

Thomas S. Monson

· “Many movies and television shows portray behavior which is in direct opposition to the laws of God. Do not subject yourself to the innuendo and outright filth which are so often found there. The lyrics in much of today’s music fall in the same category. The profanity so prevalent around us today would never have been tolerated in the not-too-distant past…I am sorry that any of us is subjected to profane language, and I plead with you not to use it. I implore you not to say or to do anything of which you cannot be proud.”

· “Stay completely away from pornography. Do not allow yourself to view it, ever. It has proven to be an addiction which is more than difficult to overcome. Avoid alcohol and tobacco or any other drugs, also addictions which you would be hard pressed to conquer.”

· “If you have not read the Book of Mormon, read it.”

· “If you do not already have a testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own testimony, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far. Once obtained, a testimony needs to be kept vital and alive through obedience to the commandments of God and through regular prayer and scripture study. Attend church. You young men, attend seminary or institute if such is available to you.”

· “Should there be anything amiss in your life, there is open to you a way out. Cease any unrighteousness. Talk with your bishop. Whatever the problem, it can be worked out through proper repentance. You can become clean once again.”

· “Brethren, there is a point at which it’s time to think seriously about marriage and to seek a companion with whom you want to spend eternity. If you choose wisely and if you are committed to the success of your marriage, there is nothing in this life which will bring you greater happiness.”

· “When you marry, brethren, you will wish to marry in the house of the Lord. For you who hold the priesthood, there should be no other option. Be careful lest you destroy your eligibility to be so married. You can keep your courtship within proper bounds while still having a wonderful time.”

· “Choose a companion carefully and prayerfully; and when you are married, be fiercely loyal one to another.”

· “We who are married in the house of the Lord do so for time and for all eternity, and then we must put forth the necessary effort to make it so. I realize that there are situations where marriages cannot be saved, but I feel strongly that for the most part they can be and should be. Do not let your marriage get to the point where it is in jeopardy.”

Counsel from the Saturday Afternoon Session - April 2011

2011-04-12T07:00:00.004-06:00

Saturday Afternoon Session

Boyd K. Packer

· “Obedient to revelation, we call ourselves The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rather than the Mormon Church. It is one thing for others to refer to the Church as the Mormon Church or to us as Mormons; it is quite another for us to do so.”

· “We ask that when we refer to the Church we use its full name wherever possible…When referring to Church members, we suggest ‘members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.’ As a shortened reference, ‘Latter-day Saints’ is preferred.”

· “Everyone is tested. One might think it is unfair to be singled out and subjected to a particular temptation, but this is the purpose of mortal life—to be tested. And the answer is the same for everyone: we must, and we can, resist temptations of any kind.”

· “A Latter-day Saint man is a responsible family man, faithful in the gospel. He is a caring, devoted husband and father. He reveres womanhood. The wife sustains her husband. Both parents nurture the spiritual growth of their children.”

· “If you are carrying some burden, forget it, let it alone. Do a lot of forgiving and a little repenting, and you will be visited by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost and confirmed by the testimony that you did not know existed.”

Russell M. Nelson

· “You parents bear the primary responsibility to strengthen their faith. Let them feel your faith, even when sore trials come upon you. Let your faith be focused on our loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach that faith with deep conviction. Teach each precious boy or girl that he or she is a child of God, created in His image, with a sacred purpose and potential.”

· “Teach of faith in God’s plan of salvation. Teach that our sojourn in mortality is a period of probation, a time of trial and testing to see if we will do whatever the Lord commands us to do.”

· “Teach of faith to keep all the commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless His children and bring them joy.Warn them that they will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and ignore others that they choose to break.”

· “Teach of faith to know that obedience to the commandments of God will provide physical and spiritual protection. And remember, God’s holy angels are ever on call to help us.”

· “To develop enduring faith, an enduring commitment to be a full-tithe payer is essential.”

Richard J. Maynes

· “Learning, teaching, and practicing the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our homes helps create a culture where the Spirit can dwell. Through establishing these celestial traditions in our homes, we will be able to overcome the false traditions of the world and learn to put the needs and concerns of others first.”

· “The responsibility for establishing a Christ-centered home lies with both parents and children. Parents are responsible to teach their children in love and righteousness. Parents will be held accountable before the Lord in how they perform their sacred responsibilities. Parents teach their children with words and through example.”

Cecil O. Samuelson

10 Observations regarding our testimonies:

· “First, everyone has worth because we are all children of God. He knows us, loves us, and wants us to succeed and return to Him. We must learn to trust in His love and in His timing rather than in our own sometimes impatient and imperfect desires.”

· “Second, while we believe fully in the mighty change of heart described in the scriptures (see Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:12–14, 26), we must understand it often occurs gradually, rather than instantaneously or globally.”

· “Third, we need to remember that a fundamental purpose of life is to be tested and stretched, and thus we must learn to grow from our challenges”

· “Fourth, we must learn to trust the things that we believe in or know to sustain us in times of uncertainty.”

· “Fifth, as Alma taught, gaining a testimony is usually a progression along the continuum of hoping, believing, and finally knowing the truth of a specific principle, doctrine, or the gospel itself.”

· “Sixth, teaching someone else what we know strengthens our own testimony as we build that of another.”

· “Seventh, we must do the little but necessary things daily and regularly. Prayers, scripture and gospel study, attendance at Church meetings, temple worship, fulfilling visiting teaching, home teaching, and other assignments all strengthen our faith and invite the Spirit into our lives. When we neglect any of these privileges, we place our testimonies in jeopardy.”

· “Eighth, we should not have higher standards for others than we do for ourselves.”

· “Ninth, it is good to remember that being too hard on yourself when you make a mistake can be as negative as being too casual when real repentance is needed.”

· “And tenth, we must always be clear that the Atonement of Christ is fully and continuously operative for each of us when we allow it to be so.”

Dallin H. Oaks

· “Readjusting our desires to give highest priority to the things of eternity is not easy. We are all tempted to desire that worldly quartet of property, prominence, pride, and power. We might desire these, but we should not fix them as our highest priorities.”

· “We should remember that righteous desires cannot be superficial, impulsive, or temporary. They must be heartfelt, unwavering, and permanent. So motivated, we will seek for that condition described by the Prophet Joseph Smith, where we have ‘overcome the evils of [our lives] and lost every desire for sin.’ That is a very personal decision.”

· “To achieve our eternal destiny, we will desire and work for the qualities required to become an eternal being.”

· “All should desire and seriously work to secure a marriage for eternity. Those who already have a temple marriage should do all they can to preserve it. Those who are single should desire a temple marriage and exert priority efforts to obtain it. Youth and young singles should resist the politically correct but eternally false concept that discredits the importance of marrying and having children.”

· “Let us remember that desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. In addition, it is our actions and our desires that cause us to become something, whether a true friend, a gifted teacher, or one who has qualified for eternal life.”

M. Russell Ballard

· “We should strive to keep our lives…simple, unencumbered by extraneous influences, focused on those things that matter most.”

· "There are myriad ways and circumstances in which we can serve and love others. May I suggest just a few.

· “First, charity begins at home. The single most important principle that should govern every home is to practice the Golden Rule—the Lord’s admonition that “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).

· “Another place where we have ample opportunity to serve is in the Church…By treating each other kindly, speaking words of support and encouragement, and being sensitive to each other’s needs, we can create loving unity among ward members…Ward members, both adults and youth, can unite in meaningful service to bless the lives of others.

· “A third area where we can serve is in our communities. As a pure expression of our love and concern, we can reach out to those who have need of our help.”

· “Another way we can serve Heavenly Father’s children is through missionary service—not only as full-time missionaries but also as friends and neighbors. The future growth of the Church will not happen through just knocking on strangers’ doors. It will happen when the members, along with our missionaries, filled with the love of God and Christ discern needs and respond to those needs in the spirit of charitable service…Then and only then will the Church expand to fill all of the earth. This cannot be accomplished by missionaries alone but requires the interest and service of every member.”

· “In all of our service, we need to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The still, small voice will let us know who needs our help and what we can do to help them.”

Counsel from the Saturday Morning Session - April 2011

2011-04-11T07:00:00.007-06:00

Saturday Morning Session

Thomas S. Monson

· ”May I suggest that if you are able, you might consider making a contribution to the General Missionary Fund of the Church.”

L. Tom Perry

· “We must commit ourselves to study [the New Testament] and treasure it!”

· “As we consider the pattern of the Sabbath and the sacrament in our own lives, there appear to be three things the Lord requires of us: first, to keep ourselves unspotted from the world; second, to go to the house of prayer and offer up our sacraments; and third, to rest from our labors.”

· “To keep ourselves unspotted from the world, He expects us to avoid such worldly distractions of businesses and recreational facilities on the Sabbath day.”

· “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.”

· “Sometimes we think of resting from our labors as merely letting the hay baler stand idle in the field or putting a Closed sign on the business door. Yet in today’s world, labor includes the everyday work of our lives. This could mean business activities we may accomplish from home, athletic competitions, and other pursuits that take us away from Sabbath day worship and the opportunity to minister to others.”

· “Parents, now is the time to teach our children to be examples of the believers by attending sacrament meeting. When Sunday morning arrives, help them to be well rested, properly dressed, and spiritually prepared to partake of the emblems of the sacrament”

· “Let your family be filled with love as you honor the Sabbath all day long and experience its spiritual blessings throughout the week.”

· “Let us remember the blessings and opportunities that are ours as we attend sacrament meeting each week in our wards and branches.”

Jean A. Stevens

· ” If we have a heart to learn and a willingness to follow the example of children, their divine attributes can hold a key to unlocking our own spiritual growth…May each of us have a heart to…become as a little child, and thereby return to our heavenly home.”

Walter F. Gonzalez

· “As Latter-day Saints, ours is the duty to invite millions such as these to come and see what our church can add to the good things that they already have.”

· “To those members who are not active in the gospel, please come back.”

Kent F. Richards

· “Our great personal challenge in mortality is to become ‘a saint through the atonement of Christ.’ The pain you and I experience may be where this process is most measured. In extremity, we can become as children in our hearts, humble ourselves, and ‘pray and work and wait patiently for the healing of our bodies and our souls…if we will but come unto Him with humble hearts.”

Quentin L. Cook

· “Women are confronted with many options and need to prayerfully consider the choices they make and how those choices affect the family.”

· “There are two principles that we should always keep in mind. First, no woman should ever feel the need to apologize or feel that her contribution is less significant because she is devoting her primary efforts to raising and nurturing children. Nothing could be more significant in our Father in Heaven’s plan. Second, we should all be careful not to be judgmental or assume that sisters are less valiant if the decision is made to work outside the home. We rarely understand or fully appreciate people’s circumstances. Husbands and wives should prayerfully counsel together, understanding they are accountable to God for their decisions.”

Henry B. Eyring

· “To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Church welfare program, members worldwide will be invited to participate in a day of service. Leaders and members will seek revelation as they design whatever the projects will be. I will make three suggestions as you plan your service project. First, prepare yourself and those you lead spiritually…My second suggestion is to choose as recipients of your service people within the kingdom or in the community whose needs will touch the hearts of those who will give the service…My last suggestion is to plan to draw on the power of the bonds of families, of quorums, of auxiliary organizations, and of people you know in your communities.

General Conference Highlights April 2011

2011-04-10T15:15:00.001-06:00

Some General Conference Info:

All sessions are now available to print, watch, listen to or download HERE.
Also don't forget that this week is the first official talk to be read for the General Conference book club over at Diapers and Divinity, if you want to join in go check out the talk for this week.
This highlight video can be found HERE.
I'll have the counsel given from each session posted throughout this week. So check back. ;)

Don't Let Your General Conference Air Seep Out!!!

2011-04-04T21:43:00.000-06:00

You know what I am talking about...that feeling you get while watching Conference that just makes you want to burst out of your seams and be better and do more and....and...and then, a few short days later the air starts to seep out of your skin and normal routines and life happenings take over and before you know it General Conference is 6 months behind you and wait, what was I going to be better at? What was I going to change?

Well, nope not this time. Not me. I want my air to continue to buoy me up and not seep out but expand and grow and make me better clear to that 6 month mark where I can receive another series of air to refresh and carry me along through another 6 months. Oh, you gotta love General Conference.

So how am I going to do this? I am finally going to officially join Steph over at Diapers and Divinity in her General Conference Book Club. She selects one talk each week and posts it on Sunday. You have all week to read it and leave a comment of your thoughts on her post and to read all of the wonderful and inspiring thoughts of others. So good. She already has week one up and rolling. What a great way to hold ourselves accountable for reading and to learn from others. I am excited.

And of course I have many goals derived through Conference that will hopefully keep my mind firmly and constantly on the messages given. Here are a few of my thoughts: Align my desires with my actions. Make a “to be” list and smaller goals to do and eventually become better. Serve. Serve. Serve. And involve my children in it. Read and Study all of the talks. Be more supportive to my husband and express my love more. Seek and prepare for personal revelation daily and willingly accept correction from the Lord and SEEK after it. Be more patient with my children.

How do you plan to keep General Conference alive over the next 6 months?

Here are a few General Conference links you may want to check out:

If your wondering when all of the General Conference materials will be ready to delve into again you can visit THIS page which outlines all of the timelines for various types of media. I can't wait for the Ensign to come because I love a good, hard copy rather than a computer screen.
The Church has also already come out with great highlights from the talks given that are wonderful for the youth. Direct your kids there if they want a refresher or to see some highlights of moments that they may have missed that might be uplifting to them.
Also, I read this in the Deseret News and thought some of you may be interested: Mark Davies' "Corpus of LDS General Conference Talks" — found at corpus.byu.edu/gc — contains the 10,000-plus addresses given and more than 24 million words spoken during the past 160 years of semi-annual general conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The BYU professor of corpus linguistics has created the free-access, web-based database allowing users to quickly search conference talks from 1851 to the present day.

Turned it Off and a Light Bulb Turned On

2011-04-03T21:49:00.000-06:00

Can I just say wow, what a crazy week. What a busy week. What a week of learning. This week our TV was turned off, a sign was placed on the screen that read, "No TV Week!" and was colored so beautifully by my 4 year old son. Every once in a while he would open our armoire doors to peak at his handy work but never once did he try to turn the TV on. We had a good week.

Here are some of the many light bulbs that turned on in my TV-less head:

Wow, do I seriously turn the TV on that much? I started noticing every time my thoughts turned to the TV and realized I would've turned it on now.....and now.....and now. Really? The kids are playing nicely by themselves...a few minutes of Mommy screen time. Folding laundry....a few more minutes of Mommy screen time. Or I need to get this done really quick...children screen time. Or I need to make a quick call.....a few minutes turned to full show of children's screen time. It really adds up, little by little and I was amazed at how often my natural tendencies gravitated to that little on button.
I got a housekeeper. Seriously, push the off button on your TV for a week and watch your house whip into shape. It is quite amazing. My house is the cleanest it has been in a long, long while. Yes, I did have the motivation of guests coming on Friday but I also devoted more time to it without the distraction of the TV and the kids joined in as well.
My kids are friends. They ACTUALLY like each other. Really they do. There were still moments of an 17 month old's squeals from a brother's "love" but they played together way, WAY more than I have seen them play, I think EVER. And they laughed. I loved running to a room filled with laughter to soak it in rather than running to rescue a little girl in tears. TV off meant for good old fashion fun for siblings (it also helped that their rooms were clean and the toys organized and ready for little hands and eyes to find them easily.)
Did we really miss anything? Does it really matter that I missed watching Rachael Ray make her meal that looks yummy but I know I'll never make it? Does it really matter that I didn't see that cute craft on Studio 5 that looks awesome but again I wouldn't spend the money or the time to make it myself? Does it really matter that I didn't see some soon to be "idol" perform? Does it matter that my son didn't see Curious George get into trouble and somehow get out of it once again? Yes, actually it does matter. Why? Because all of that time was spent with one another and making our home a more enjoyable place to be. We didn't miss a thing.
Conference is the best 8 hours of TV we could ever watch (more thoughts on wonderful General Conference coming soon in an upcoming post).
Lastly, our TV world is about to go through a whirlwind of change. We haven't finalized exactly how it is going to pan out but big changes are to come and it will be good.

Yea, for No TV Week. I learned a lot in our last two TV fasts but this time something different happened. Something changed in me and now something is going to change for our family.

How do you regulate TV time at your house? What have you done to make sure it is not over-used? Have any of you gotten rid of your TV all together? If so, how did your children respond and how did your life change?

What Mormons Believe: Joseph Smith - Prophet of the Restoration

2011-03-29T14:06:00.002-06:00

If you have ever wondered about the story of Joseph Smith or what Mormons believe about him you may enjoy and learn from this full-length film just made available online.

What Mormons Believe: The Purpose of Life

2011-03-28T13:00:00.001-06:00

To see more videos about the Church visit Mormons Made Simple.
To learn more about the LDS Church visit Mormon.org.

Our Kitchen Table is Getting Ready for General Conference, Are You?

2011-03-26T15:38:00.002-06:00

Well, General Conference is just around the corner and it is time to get the creative juices going, print off some activities, and gear our children up (and ourselves) for the 8 hour spiritual feast (or 10 hours if you are a Preisthood holder).

In October we pulled our small kitchen table into the living room and let the fun roll. We had my little boy doing things from painting prayers rocks, to coloring the ties of the apostles and prophets, to playing with playdough, to playing general conference bingo. I had activites selected for different topics, prayer rocks were done while someone spoke abour prayer. Playdough was done while someone spoke about love and we tried to shape it into hearts. Etc. It was a successful experience last time around. He was entertained and yet he listened. I remember him shouting out "he just talked about Jesus", or missionaries, or anything that was on the bingo sheet. We even left the table there for our meals and our 3 year old, at the time, loved the fun change. It could get a little more interesting this time around since our 1 year old only has one nap now. Last time she went down around 10 and 2 and it was perfect so we shall see how this time rolls.

If nothing else our table is ready for its job. When I told my son that General Conference was almost here he got super excited and said something like, "so we get to bring the table in here and do tons of fun stuff". I hope I can pull something together that will hold that excitement and keep him listening and learning throughout the whole 8 hours.

What do you do to keep your kids and yourself glued to the TV and supping up every last morsel of general conference goodness? What General Conference traditions do you have?

Here are a few links that may help in your preparations:

Sugardoodle.net has a ton of packets that they have created ranging from packets for Nursery aged kids to Adults (there are 7 different packets).
You also may want to check out the regular General Conference page on Sugardoodle for activities, ideas, and printables that fit any conference session.
On lds.org there is also a page that has printables as well as activities to do in this upcoming week to prepare your children for conference. Ranging from a printable bingo game to online apostle matching games.
Deseret Book also has a packet that you can download.
Mormon Share also has various ideas and printables.
There is a nice article at Mormon Times that shares 10 ideas for a meaningful conference for children.
About.com has a ton of activities and games.
There also some fun ideas over at The Idea Door.

I really could go on and on. The internet is just full of ideas, activies, and printables for this exciting event. Please share your preparations or traditions.

3rd Semi-Annual No TV Week

2011-03-25T08:29:00.001-06:00

So a year ago we held our first "NO TV WEEK" at our house and decided to make it a tradition and now we are going on our 3rd go at no tv for a week. There are actually two official no tv weeks one on April 19-25 and the other September 19-25. So officially "NO TV WEEK" will begin in a few weeks but for us it is going to begin this Sunday. We have decided that our week (almost a week) of no tv would be the week just before conference. So from Sunday-Friday no watching tv. Then the first thing that we'll watch at the close of our television fast will be General Conference on Saturday and Sunday.

During our "1st Semi-Annual No TV Week" I realized many things:

Many times when I turned the tv on there was something else that I should've been doing.
I used the television as a babysitter way too often.
I had my attention divided between the tv, the laundry (or some other task), and my kids rather than just being with them.
The TV was my first go to when I was board, tired, or plain lazy.
Having minimal external voices filling our home helped to prepare us to hear the word of the Lord at Conference.

These are all things I realized the first time but because I need reminders I am glad to hold this week of no television and awaken myself to our new or continued tv habits.

So please, FEEL FREE TO JOIN US IN OUR

3rd SEMI-ANNUAL NO TV WEEK - March 27 - April 1
(Leave a comment at let us know if you plan to join in the fun,
this may serve as a little extra motivation and accountability in following through.)

And just in case you need even a little more motivation read these quotes from a previous post or click on the following links to read two complete posts:

I challenge us to change this stat within the walls of our homes:
"American children and adolescents (and I'd add some adults) spend 22 to 28 hours per week viewing television, more than any other activity except sleeping. By the age of 70 they will have spent 7 to 10 years of their lives watching TV."-- The Kaiser Family Foundation

And far too often those hours spent are in watching programs that are far from uplifting:
“Again I say, leave it alone. Turn it off, walk away from it, burn it, erase it, destroy it. I know it is hard counsel we give when we say movies that are R-rated, and many with PG-13 ratings, are produced by satanic influences. Our standards should not be dictated by the rating system. I repeat, because of what they really represent, these types of movies, music, tapes, etc. serve the purposes of the author of all darkness.”
-Elder H. Burke Peterson

What a bold statement that a lot of the media out there is "produced by satanic influences" and "serve the purposes of the author of all darkness". It is scary to think that we often are allowing satan to be our entertainer. We are allowing him to keep us company, to make us laugh, and to fill our minds with his filth. We must be so careful to not allow the rating system to determine our standards but allow our conscience and our personal standards to do so. And sometimes Satan is simply striving to make us idle away our time and distract us from what is most important.

TV, Television, the Tube, Flat Screen?
A Little Experiment

And while you're televisions are off you'll have plenty of time to prepare your family for conference. I will have a Pre-General Conference post coming sometime this weekend.

Young Women Meeting

2011-03-24T21:24:00.001-06:00

I just wanted to post this reminder for those of you who have YW, are a leader of YW , or really anyone who wants to listen in. I think I will watch it on TV. I always end up reading it afterward but figured this time around I might just take a peak at the real deal, that is as long as the little kidlets cooperate and it is still enjoyable otherwise to reading I may go.

Here is the info from lds.org - "Under the direction of the First Presidency, the Young Women General Presidency invites all young women ages 12-18, their mothers, and Young Women leaders to attend the General Young Women Meeting on Saturday, March 26, 2011. The theme is the 13th Article of Faith.

The meeting will originate from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The live meeting will be broadcast by satellite to meetinghouses worldwide and on the internet at https://preview.lds.org/broadcast."

Live Broadcast	Rebroadcast
8 p.m. Eastern time	10 p.m. Eastern time
7 p.m. Central time	9 p.m. Central time
6 p.m. Mountain time	8 p.m. Mountain time
5 p.m. Pacific time	7 p.m. Pacific time

Celebrating a Birthday!

2011-03-14T14:13:00.002-06:00

We are just a few days shy of the Birthday of the Relief Society, which was born on March 17, 1842. Our ward recently had our Birthday Activity to Celebrate the organization of this great Society. I am so grateful for the Relief Society, for the sisters that I am able to interact with, learn from, and lean on. I love this yearly reminder that we belong to a group that was organized by God and I love the reminder from Emma Smith that we are to do and be something extraordinary.

Let us continue to strengthen one another and to serve one another.

To learn more about the Relief Society visit HERE or read from this years visiting teaching messages which are focused on Relief Society.

What Mormons Believe: Agency is Essential to our Eternal Progress

2011-03-08T15:39:00.001-07:00

(Click on Images to Enlarge)

This article is from the June 2010 Ensign.

To read the Ensign online visit the PDF documents HERE.

To learn more about the Church visit HERE.

Did You Know That...

2011-02-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

...there are opportunities to serve the Church online. In February I taught a lesson on service in Relief Society and while studying I found this great site that is linked to lds.org called Helping in the Vineyard.

"This Web site provides access to volunteer service opportunities of the LDS Church. Explore how you can contribute by browsing opportunities." You can do things like evaluate Church documents or participate in indexing for family history, among a few others.

What a great and simple way to serve right in our own homes. I hope you'll check it out!

Checking Back In

2011-02-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

So it has been over a month since I last posted. I honestly don't know what caused such a lengthy break. There have been little snid-bits of extra happenings but nothing that would typically issue a month long hiatus but obviously it did. So I hope that me "checking out" for a little while hasn't caused all of you to check out completely and that you might just consider revisiting my typical ramblings and thoughts. So here are a few of the latest happenings, random thoughts, or whatever floats my boat right now:

My little man turned 4. What, he is halfway to 8? When did this happen? It is amazing how quickly time passes by.
This week we have had a house full of sickies. In fact right now I am missing church with my little one fast asleep. Cold, cough, fever, and a handful of teeth coming in does not make for a happy munchkin.
I think I have been experiencing heartburn. I have never had heartburn before so I am still in the figuring out stages.For all I know it may be something completely different. Either way, not fun.
I need to go to the temple. Our temple is closing soon for renovations and I have been slacking as of recently. The talks today in our Sacrament meeting were a great reminder of where my priorities should be. It is time to reevaluate and get my priorities straight.
I love playing basketball. I played in high school and have been playing stake ball lately and boy does it do something for me. So fun!
I started reading (aha, my absence is clearer now) again. I just finished reading the Chronicles of Narnia and quite enjoyed them. I realize now that when the children were in bed instead of typing my thoughts here I would end up devouring several chapters in anticipation of what was going to happen next. I started them at the beginning of January and flew through them. I had forgotten how much I love to enter a different world through reading and my "ME" Time has been great for this.
I have become a crazy coupon lady and have found that Rite Aid is my friend.
My upcoming lesson in Relief Society is going to be on Charity. I have already learned some new things and will be sure to share as more unfolds.

My little one is stirring and starting to cry. Must be off.

Family Fun Times: How Do You Do Things At Your House?

2011-01-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks back I was perusing through Deseret Book and I came across this book (you can read additional ideas here). I didn't have the urge to buy it but did find it fun to read through a few of the ideas in the store. I loved reading these great ideas that other families have implemented into their homes to help create stronger bonds, to have fun together, and to teach strong values. Everyone has traditions, techniques, systems, and ideas for how they do things and I thought it would be fun for us to share some of them here.

Here are a few that the book includes:

THE BROTHER BANK
A Shared Reward Encourages Two Siblings to Get Along

"Whenever my husband or I "catch" one of our boys, Alex, age eight, or Grant, four, doing something nice for the other, such as helping to build a complicated toy, we reward the behavior by giving him a quarter to put in their joint brother bank. They can spend the money any way they want, such as on ice cream or a movie, so long as they agree on the treat. I've shared this idea with many of my friends, and they all tell me it's helped their kids act more kindly toward one another." -- Joni Gaynor, Anaheim Hills, California

SHARE THOUGHTS IN A TALKING CHAIR
Give Kids a Special Place to Express Themselves

"To encourage her children to open up about what's on their minds, Denise Vega of Englewood, Colorado, designated a comfy armchair in the living room as the Talking Chair. It's a place the kids can head to when they need some alone time with Mom or Dad. In the Talking Chair, Zachary, age eight, Jesse, six, and Rayanne, three, discuss whatever they want, with "no judging, no reprimands," says Denise, "just listening and, if necessary, talking to figure things out." The real key: all conversations are private, "with no one listening in."

MAGIC MOMMY DUST
Disperse Fears with a Quick Sprinkle

"In my house, Magic Mommy dust solves all kinds of problems. For instance, whenever one of my kids, Josh, age nine, or Claire, six, has trouble falling asleep at night and is afraid of something -- such as, monsters under the bed. I reach into my pocket for some invisible magic dust -- I sprinkle it around the room, under the bed, and on his or her face while saying, 'Magic Mommy Dust, work your magic!' It soothes their fears immediately. I've even put it in coat pockets before school when one of them has needed a little extra assurance. We all now believe in its power to make everyone feel safe and loved." -- Vicky DeCoster, Papillon, Nebraska

If you have any fun traditions or ideas that you implement in your homes to help create stronger bonds, to have fun together, and/or to teach strong values please share.

Family Home Evening Idea: Practicing Reverence

2011-01-16T21:30:00.001-07:00

Well last week I wrote about wanting to be more prepared and intentional with our Family Home Evenings and last week we did it! Yea! It was all about being reverent. We have been having some troubles lately with reverence in sacrament meetings all together but I was specifically worried about behavior and irreverence during the actual sacrament. It was starting to really not look pretty. Our family prayers were reaching a similar state and thus my idea to hold an FHE on the topic.

We started out singing "Reverence is Love" from the Children's Song Book and then I asked my three year old what it meant to be reverent and he said, "to be quiet". We then talked about how we should be quiet and sit nicely but we also should think about Jesus and other good things.

We talked about how we should be very reverent while we pray and I asked him to show us how to be reverent during a prayer. He demonstrated perfectly. Because of recent happenings I was almost starting to believe that he didn't know how to anymore but he knelt down, folded his arms, bowed his head, and closed his eyes. We praised the perfect demonstration and talked about how we needed to try to do this whenever we are praying.

Then came a real practice. We talked about how we needed to be much better at being reverent during the Sacrament. I had gathered all of the things that I like to allow our children to look at during the actual sacrament (we try to wait on snacks, coloring, etc) like gospel art books, hymn book, children's books like "Noah's Ark" and "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus",small family picture books, etc. We all sat on the couch and pretended like it was the pew at church. I told them that we could only whisper and we were not allowed to get off the couch and play on the floor. We set a timer for 10 minutes and practiced what our behavior should be like during the sacrament. It went awesome for both our almost 4 year old and our 15 month old. We cheered their behavior on and I challenged our little boy to try to do the same on the coming Sunday which was today.

Let's just say I was a proud Momma and you bet I let me son know that! They both did awesome, better than I have seen in a long time. And to top it all off between Sunday School and Relief Society I had one of the primary leaders come up to me and say that my son was so cute and had done an awesome job in Sharing Time (he just barely became a Sunbeam and I have been worried about this) and get this, she said that he was so reverent. I mean really what better words could a Mom hear who just tried to teach that very principle. It was a good and reverent day at Church today and I hope that we can continue on our intentional, purposeful Family Home Evenings. I just had to grin this afternoon as I heard my honey and my little guy planning their lesson for tomorrow. We're off to a good start.

FHE: Do You Have A Plan?

2011-01-09T21:35:00.001-07:00

When each new week rolls around at our house the idea of an FHE plan seems to slip from the list of to dos. We always hold Family Home Evening but over the last little bit laziness in preparing and planning for it has set in. It didn't used to be this way and it needs to change. Monday dinner time hits and one of us thumbs through the Friend magazine and finds some story and that is that. Not so well planned or Spirit-guided or intentional. It is sad really. We have our children's attention at a specific time each week to teach them values, to teach them of Christ, to teach them about the Gospel and our three year old totally looks forward to it and we just simply pull a lesson out of a hat (or a magazine) and call it good. I don't think so, not anymore anyways! Now I am not saying that the Friend is out but I am saying that I will give it a second thought and actually think of FHE more than 10 minutes before it begins. I have still seen blessings simply by holding FHE but I know that our family could be receiving many more blessings if we gave greater effort to the content that each evening held, and planned in advance.

A little while back a blogging friend of mine sent me a link to "a years worth of FHE lessons based on the LDS 2011 Primary Outline, "I Know the Scriptures are True." It was put together by 15 ladies (thanks :) and if you search the site under FHE you can find a years worth from last year as well. What a great resource.

The Church has a new Family Home Evening Page that is great as well. There are quick tips, lesson ideas, most memorable family home evenings shared, and many other great resources. Check it out!

President Monson has said, "We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest.”
So do share, How do you plan for FHE? How do you choose lesson topics? What have been some of your most memorable Family Home Evenings? What tips could you share?

Q and A: How do you keep your life in balance?

2011-01-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

In my last post I talked about some things I want to have MORE of in 2011, one of them was to have more balance in my life and here is where you come in, I am ready for a slew of ideas, tips, and suggestions or even additional questions or insights or quotes, basically anything that will give me more direction and more substance to my journey. I think I have already started to move in the right direction but could use more than my own brains churning on the idea and I am sure there are some others out there who could use a little balancing act check. So please type away! :)

It seems that some days I manage to have things in balance, I juggle spending time with children, spending time with my husband, cleaning, running errands, organizing coupons, callings, etc in a mostly prioritized and smooth manner. But then there are days that some things fall out of place, my priorities fall out of whack, and I just simply do not function with balance. I find myself often juggling with full force one of my responsibilities and for a time I neglect everything else. I might get all motivated in the cleaning department and neglect my children (not good). I might give my children my undivided attention and the cleaning is none (not good either). This can happen in all aspects of my life but you get the idea. I definitely am in need of a balancing act check.

To help along the way my husband has urged and I have accepted a new addition to our weeks, "Me Time". Every Wednesday I am going to get some alone time which I am enjoying at this very moment. I seldom take time for myself away from the kidlets and often reach the end of my rope and this will hopefully aid in adding balance to my life. What a peaceful and rejuvenating feeling! Yea for my first official "Me Time"!

And now back to business, how do you keep your life in balance? What do you do to make sure you focus on ALL things that matter and require attention and time?

More in 2011!

2010-12-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that 2010 is nearing an end. I swear it took me half of the year to get used to writing 2010 or 10 and now it is time to switch gears yet again. Time seems to go faster every year and get a little crazier. This was my first full year with two munchkins to keep track of and very little free Mommy time during the day. This was my first year of being a crazy coupon lady. This was the year of my first experience taking family members to the hospital and dentist for "surgeries". It has been a good year, a learning year, a growing year. Now with a new year beginning and more crazy adventures awaiting I have been thinking a lot about change. Changes I want to make. New ideas. Old ideas revamped. More motivation. Broken down itty-bitty goals that lead to meeting the overall goal. Yes, I really want to RESOLVE to make several needed changes.

In our world of "MORE". In our world of people who are constantly seeking for more money, more things, more toys, more individual pleasure, more worldliness, I hope I can spend this year seeking for more of the things of the kingdom of God. Here are a few of the mores that I hope to improve on:

- More prepared Family Home Evenings.
- More involved and prepared Family Scripture Study.
- More balance in my life.
- More time spent with loved ones.
- More appreciation, love, and affection given to loved ones.
- a More organized and clean home.
- More patience.
- More focus on healthy living.

I love the Hymn, "More Holiness Give Me". What a great reminder of the things we should be seeking after, The things we should be striving to make apart of our lives. Let us all seek for MORE of the things that truly matter this coming year.

Look to the Light

2010-12-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

The gift of Christmas isn't wrapped up in presents or parties. The gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Son of God. As you follow Him, you put people first. You may spend less time in lines and more time serving others. You may spend less money on - and more time with - the people you love. You may lose yourself and you may find everything else that matters.

Let us all look to the Light this Christmas Season!

Morning Devotional: Saved By the Bell Style

2010-12-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

So lately we've started a new little routine in the mornings. It is quite simple really. We sing a few songs, usually one non-churchy song which has lately been the "ABCs" or a classic from a few years back, maybe some of you will recognize it, "B--B-B--B-B-B! B--B-B--B-B-B - GO BAYSIDE!" I know it is silly, but you gotta love it! One day my husband randomly sang it and both of our kids loved it, sometimes it even ends up being added into the mix at FHE. Our 14 month old will even say "B-B-B" in a little bit of a rhythm. We usually end in saying Baby for our daughter, instead of Bayside, and then proceed to do the letters of all of our names and end with our last name. Then after our more up tempo song we do one or two church songs which has lately been "I am a Child of God" or a random song listened to on one of our Primary CDs.

After our silly and peaceful singing we each say our individual prayers. Then following this I started out having our son read a verse of scripture but have recently turned to reciting an Article of Faith. After a little over a week our 3 year old has the 1st Article of Faith down and we are about to move on. It is fun to see him get so excited about getting it.

It has been a great addition to our day and especially a great way to start our day. It helps us to stop and remember what is most important and reminds us to always start the day off with a prayer and with happy family moments, even if it does mean bringing back Zack Morris and the gang. :)

What does your family do to start the day off right?

A Gift for Jesus: What Will You Give?

2010-12-10T22:01:00.001-07:00

Every year, since I can remember, my family has had the tradition of writing down a gift we each individually want to give Jesus for the year. Sometimes we have done this in conjuction with Christmas and other years we have done this on or around April 6th but we have always done it. So when I saw this cute page in the December "Friend" it reminded me of years past and the gifts I sometimes succeeded in giving Christ and others that I had to write down a few years in row. I loved the gifts they suggested, a few of them include: a hello to include, a testimony to share, and a smile to cheer.

So I have been thinking about what my gift will be this next year. There are so many things I can do better at. There are so many things I should give.

A few weeks back I gave the lesson in Relief Society on spiritual gifts and learned a few things. Among the so many blessings that we receive from the Lord we also receive wonderful spiritual gifts. This year I will give Jesus a gift, hopefully more than one, but I am first going to be asking for a gift from Him:

President George Q. Cannon said, “If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect. Have I imperfections? I am full of them. What is my duty? To pray to God to give me the gifts that will correct these imperfections.… No man ought to say, ‘Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.’ He is not justified in it, for the reason that God has promised to give strength to correct these things, and to give gifts that will eradicate them. If a man lack wisdom, it is his duty to ask God for wisdom. The same with everything else. That is the design of God concerning His Church. He wants His Saints to be perfected in the truth. For this purpose He gives these gifts, and bestows them upon those who seek after them, in order that they may be a perfect people upon the face of the earth” (Millennial Star, 23 Apr. 1894, 260).

This year that is just what I plan to do. I will first ask for the gifts that I feel I need in my life and in return my hope is that I will give all of my efforts in developing and seeking these gifts and that, in return, will be my gift to Jesus this year.

What Will You Give This Year?

Baby Jesus Makes Me Feel Happy

2010-12-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

I have had a post on my mind for a while now but know it will take some time to get all of my thoughts out and organized and time has been lacking so I thought it was time that I atleast get something posted and switch gears from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
The title of this post is one of my favorite lines that comes from a sweet little girl in this Mormon Message. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Scattergories: Acknowledging the Little Things

2010-11-23T10:17:00.001-07:00

In a previous post, "What Are You Thankful For?" an anonymous commenter left this fun idea:

"One game that I've played with Primay and Youth Groups is similar to a popular game.

Write every letter of the alphabet on the left hand side of a piece of paper (one piece of paper for wach person). Then set a time limit and have everyone write something they are grateful for that starts with that letter (A = atonement, apples, aunts, etc.).

The goal is to write something that no one else will write. Then when time is up, go around the room and start reading your list (if you have a big group, choose a letter out of a hat and just do those). You get points for each "Unique" answer. It's amazing what kind of answers you get."

What a great idea that would be fun with children, teenagers, and adults this week or even on Thanksgiving Day. The thing I like about it most is that because you are trying to think of "unique" answers it will help those who are playing to recognize all of the little things that sometimes go unnoticed.

Just yesterday my son and I were throwing a ball back and forth sharing things that we are thankful for. He said many different things like, my family, my cousins, garbage trucks, my toys. You know the kinds of things that a 3 year old might say but then he said, "I'm thankful that my Mommy plays games with me." I just about melted my heart and I could tell that he had really thought about it. Also among the mix I added my gratitude for diapers and he laughed and laughed. I am grateful for diapers. And I am really grateful for laughter, especially the laughter of children. I think this game of Thanksgiving Scattergories could be a good addition to this special week of remembering all of the little things (and big) that we are so grateful for.

This video is a great reminder of all the wonderful and beautiful things that surround us that sometimes go unnoticed:

Even though I already made a similar list I thought I'd make a quick list from A-Z of things that I am grateful for (feel free to add a comment with your list):

A - Answers
B - Bandaids
C - Cheese
D - Dancing
E - Elevators
F - Fingers
G - Garages (Don't currently have one but will be grateful when we do.)
H - Handsome Husband
I - Insects
J - Joy
K - Kisses
L - Lunch
M - Matches
N - Noise
O - Onions
P - Paper
Q - Quiet
R - Red
S - Sunny Days
T - Tubs
U - Upper Teeth
V - Vegetables
W - Walks
X - Xylophones
Y - Youth
Z - Zippers'

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!!

Cluttered

2010-11-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

I have been bombarded lately by a clutter induced funk. I say lately, because it has seeped into my soul and started to really, really nip at me lately BUT it truly has been a life-long struggle. The other day I started to say to my husband that I was in a clutter funk and then I went to put a time line for how long this has been going on and then I almost put an actual time on it like a few weeks or a few months and then without much thought the truth came out my mouth, "I have been in a clutter funk (pause) for well, my whole life." Yikes! The reality struck as I truly acknowledged that this has been a never ending cycle.

In some areas of my life I can be so organized and on top of things and then there is "the clutter". Some of the clutter is simply papers that I am not sure what to do with. Some of it is a pile of clothes left to be hung in the closet. Some of it is hidden behind closet doors or bathroom drawers but it is there. Some of it is things that have been started that came to abrupt halts and were left to be finished at a later time.

Always, without fail I hit a more severe funk and determine, "That is IT! It will never get this bad again." And then, once again, without fail it begins again. Some of it results from laziness. Some of it results from too much stuff in too little of a space. Some of it results from children who add to the mess and then give me a hard time when I try to clear up the clutter. Some of it results because of having a husband gone several nights a week and dishes get left in the sink (once again after dinner has been made the children are ready for there Mommy, not ready for a Mommy to be in the kitchen even longer).

Now I am not saying that my entire house is always a complete tornado of a mess but more often than not I feel behind, overwhelmed, and quite simply stressed by the task that lies ahead of me. This weekend I was determined to get some things done and told my husband that the kids would be his for a while and I was going to work, work, work. And after several hours of working I feel like a very small dent was made. Far less than my expectations had demanded.

And there my friends is half of the problem I presume...EXPECTATIONS. I see other's houses looking pristine, emaculate, and well quite near perfect and wonder what I am doing wrong, what is the matter with me, or how do they do it? And then I place an expectation of what our home should look like and the guilt and frustration just pile on. The last thing someone who has a pile filled house needs is a pile of frustration and guilt to add to the top of it all. *Sigh*

When I started this post I was merely venting my feelings with no real direction or end in mind and then I found THIS...a much needed read.

Here is a small glimpse of Stephanie's words at Diapers and Divinity:

"I don’t think we’re supposed to have a clean house. I think we’re supposed to WANT a clean house and work toward it. This phrase from April’s General Conference about Mary and Martha’s house fit in perfectly with my philosophy on this:

“It was a welcome place for the Master, where He could rest and enjoy the surroundings of a righteous home.” ~ Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer"

Her words gave me relief and comfort. I still have some issues to work on but I think more importantly I will work on my expectations and spending quality time with my little ones.

What Are YOU Thankful For?

2010-11-10T21:22:00.000-07:00

Today, my son and I created turkeys out of pumpkins. At first we were going to name them. Mine was going to be Gretchen and we hadn't decided on a name for his Turkey yet. But then we changed our minds. My son agreed and we determined together that they would say, "Happy Thanksgiving" and "What are YOU Thankful For?" It reminded me of this video from last Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Here are 25 things that I'm thankful for (in no particular order):

laughter
sunshine
hugs
children
family
fall smells
sleep
my honey
my membership in the Church
Saturdays
gardens
a house
cars
walks
potato bugs
the first snow
time
my testimony
Jesus Christ
health
technology
the Gift of the Holy Ghost
loving parents
music
a quiet house

What are you thankful for?

Intentionally Keeping Our Families Afloat

2010-11-02T10:21:00.004-06:00

I was asked to speak this last Sunday about families. It was such a broad topic that I felt I had so many directions I could go but very quickly came thoughts that stemmed from a previous post that I wrote and a post that Stephanie at DiapersandDivinity wrote. So if you read either of those posts than you will recognize some similarities. The thoughts from both are intertwined and expounded upon.

I was only able to give a small portion of my talk (it was a mission farewell and time was lacking) and so I thought that I'd share my talk here for you all to read. Sorry for the lack of pictures and for the length but I hope you'll read on and enjoy!

First, take a look at this video and notice the paranoia of this Dad.

Yes, he might seem quite paranoid and over the top but it is very apparent that he had very intentionally decked his kids out in these floaties to "keep them safe".

In contrast a several months back I was talking to a mom who is not currently active in the Church who has a teenage son who had been struggling. She made this statement to me, "I'm just holding my breath and hoping that everything turns out okay."

Because I had already been thinking about these things I immediately pictured her holding her breath under water trying to keep her son afloat and I realized that they were taking quite a risk. She can only hold her breath for so long and he doesn't have any floaties.

Do we sometimes find our families in this situation? Do we find ourselves treading water or that we constantly need to jump in after a child to rescue them? Or that we are holding our breath trying to keep them afloat?
Or have we equipped our families with plenty of floating devices so that we can swim right along side each other without too much concern?

On the Mormon.org family page it says, "A loving and happy (and I add a righteous) family doesn’t happen by accident."

Sister Beck adds her voice on this topic by saying, "We have the responsibility and the challenge from the prophet to believe deeply and actively in the family. We will need to do that in order to preserve our families. That means we have to be intentional about everything we do.

I have come up with 10 Spiritual Floaties that We Must Intentionally Equip Our Families With to Buoy Them High Above the Worldy Waters That Surround Us

1 – Be There – Elder Hales said, "Several years ago I was reading the newspaper when one of my young grandsons snuggled up to me. As I read, I was delighted to hear his sweet voice chattering on in the background. Imagine my surprise when, a few moments later, he pushed himself between me and the paper. Taking my face in his hands and pressing his nose up to mine, he asked, “Grandpa! Are you in there?”

Mother, Father, are you in there? Grandpa, Grandma, are you there? Being there means understanding the hearts of our youth and connecting with them. And connecting with them means not just conversing with them but doing things with them too."

Do you have "newspaper" that you need to put aside to spend more time with your family? Children and Youth, are you there? We all need to make an intentional effort to be there with our families.

2 – Meal Time – Elder Hales said, "When we sit down at the dinner table, is our whole family there? I remember as a young man asking permission to play baseball through dinnertime. “Just put my meal in the oven,” I said to my mother. She responded, “Robert, I really want you to take a break, come home, be with the family for dinner, and then you can go out and play baseball until dark.” She taught all of us that where family meals are concerned, it’s not the food but the family interaction that nourishes the soul."

3 – Express Love – Elder Bednar said, "We simply should sincerely and frequently express love. Brethren and sisters, when was the last time you took your eternal companion in your arms and said, “I love you”? Parents, when was the last time you sincerely expressed love to your children? Children, when was the last time you told your parents that you love them?"

4 – Bear Testimony – Elder Bednar said, "Within the walls of our own homes, we can and should bear pure testimony. Brethren and sisters, when was the last time you bore testimony to your eternal companion? Parents, when was the last time you declared your witness to your children about the things you know to be true? And children, when was the last time you shared your testimony with your parents and family?"

5 – FHE - President Faust said, "Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellow men, and trust in our Father in heaven. It is our promise that great blessings will come to all who conscientiously plan and hold weekly family home evenings.’ If we go forward with our family home evenings, our homes will be enriched and the gates of hell will not prevail against us”

6 – Family Scripture Study – Marion G. Romney said, "I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness. … "

7 – Family Prayer - President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “I submit that a return to the old pattern of prayer, family prayer in the homes of the people, is one of the basic medications that would check the dread disease that is eroding the character of our society. We could not expect a miracle in a day, but in a generation we would have a miracle” (Ensign, Feb 1991, 2).

8 – Church Attendance – President Benson said, "May I now direct your attention to the importance of attending all of your Church meetings. Faithful attendance at Church meetings brings blessings you can receive in no other way. Attend your sacrament meeting every Sunday. Listen carefully to the messages. Pray for the spirit of understanding and testimony."

9 – Temple Attendance - President Boyd K. Packer said, "No work is more of a protection to this church than temple work. No work is more spiritually refining. No work we do gives us more power. No work requires a higher standard of righteousness. Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people” (The Holy Temple, 265).

10 – Teach Values – If we want children who are respectful we must intentionally teach respect. If we want children who are hard working we must teach them to work. If we want children who are kind we must teach them to be kind.

If we don’t make an INTENTIONAL DECISION to do these things and then follow through with INTENTIONAL EFFORT then we may never equip our families with the necessary floaties, or we may initially give them the floaties but then fail to continually pump them up.

Satan Uses 4 Traps to Lure Us Into Wordly Waters Without Spiritual Floaties

1. We are at “ease in Zion” and think “All is well” (2 Nephi 28:24-25). We think things like, “We are doing just fine. We go to church. We’ve got the basic techniques down.”
2. We are confused by our worldly wisdom. How will doing the small and simple things even make a difference or make great things come to pass (Alma 37:6-7)? We think things like, “It won’t make a difference if we miss FHE this week or don’t hold family scripture study. Floaties are so small they barely do anything.”
3. We are simply slothful (lazy) or forgetful (Alma 37-41-42). We think things like, “I don’t want to get the kids up for scripture study. Let’s just watch TV instead of FHE. We forgot family prayer AGAIN. Where did I put those “floaties”? I don’t feel like putting them on right now.”
4. We meet opposition – President Hinckley said, "The family is under attack. All across the world families are falling apart." We may think things like, “They are so hard to keep pumped up. Or our families floaties already have holes in them.”

Satan IS working to lure us out into the worldly waters without our floaties but if we are intentionally equipping our families with them are families will be buoyed high above the worldly waters that surround us and we will be able to swim along side each other and have a loving, happy, righteous, and safe family. But without an intentional decision followed by intentional action or effort then Satan may lure us into one of his traps.

Sister Beck shares this wonderful story of her very intentional family that was definitely kept afloat:

"My mother was an older single and living and loving life. She was introduced to my father, who was a young bishop and a widower with three children. (They married soon after.) She had had a lot of great experiences. Now all of a sudden she was a mother to three beautiful children.

As she and Daddy were traveling along on their honeymoon, she wanted to talk about how they were going to proceed with this family. What are our goals? What is our family going to be like? How are we going to do things in our family? She started writing the answers and their goals, she said, on a paper sack. It was the only paper she had. As they were talking, they said, “What do we want for our children? Are our children going to be married in the temple? Yes, they are. Okay, if we want our children to be married in the temple, what kinds of things do we have to teach them in our home? Well, we will have to have scripture study.” So they wrote that down.“How about family prayer?” Daddy said. “We already have family prayer. That is our habit.” “How about going to church?” Going to church every week was on the list. They wrote down things such as manners. “Are we going to teach our children to be polite?” That was a challenge for some of us. They made a goal about who was going to serve a mission. They certainly wanted their sons to serve missions and their daughters to serve missions if they had a desire. They made goals about education, university education, and so on. But Dad said, “Well, I’m not going to pay for it.” So Mother said, “Okay, then we’ll teach them to work.” So they wrote “work” after that.

And they began to develop the culture of their family, which was a Latter-day Saint culture.They were preparing their family to make the covenants and receive the ordinances they needed to prepare them for eternal life, and they knew that there were things their family had to do every day. They started out with family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, and preparing children. I am so grateful for parents who were intentional about preparing a family.They created a personalized family plan for our family."

I know that if we determine to create a family that is run very intentionally, just as Sister Beck's parents, we will be blessed. We will be blessed to have a more unified family. We will be blessed to have a more righteous family. We will be blessed to be closer to the Lord. We will prepare our families for eternal life by equipping our families with floaties everyday.

Waiting For Two Marshmallows

2010-10-25T15:02:00.003-06:00

I am going to openly admit a weakness here; I am NOT the most patient person. President Benson said, "Patience is composure under stress" and this is the greatest area of my impatience. When I am stressed or tired, as sad as it is, patience with loved ones seems to be the first thing to go.

I like a quote by Jacob de Jager which says, "Patience is learning to hide your impatience."

What have you found that helps you to "HIDE" your impatience (especially with your children)?

What have you done to not simply hide impatience but to truly gain greater patience?
What helps you to wait to receive the second marshmallow?

Becoming LDS

Simple FHE Plan for 2012 and Some Additional Family Scripture Study Thoughts

BINGO New Year's Resolutions and a New Family Scripture Study Plan

Turn the Radio Off and Turn This On...

Teaching Charity?

And the Winner Is...

For Strength of Youth Pamphlet Revised

GIVEAWAY: Happy Little Artist Temple

Simple Christ-Centered Christmas Traditions

FHE Idea: Thanksgiving - Gratitude Tree

Hiatus

Recent Relief Society Media Available in Many Languages

I was recently sent this information and thought it amazing how quickly these great sources could be made available to so many. I hope this helps some.

Archives for the General Relief Society Meeting have been posted in more than 60 languages. To choose your language, simply select it from the drop down menu on the top right hand side of the page, as shown below.

Also, PDF files for the book Daughters in my Kingdom are now available in 18 languages:

Preparing for the BIG Weekend!

Don't Miss It or You Might Miss Something

The Book of Mormon: What's the Story?

What's The Book of Mormon All About?

New Relief Society Book Available to All

Remembering 9/11: Our Prophet's Thoughts

9/11 destruction allowed us to spiritually rebuild (From the Washington Post)

New Videos Created from Friend Magazine Articles

Your Insight Can Help...Pretty Please

Simplifying Christmas: Early Planning

No "World" Allowed...Do Not Enter

Behind the Scenes

I Finally Did It!

"Why do we need such resilient faith?"

Focus Desires...Simplify Life...Become Better

Combating Pornography: Watch Your Step

Can You Help Me Discipline? A better way. A teaching way. A new way.

You "Saved" the Day

What Are Mormons Like: Meet Jarem

Serve with Me in June

A Thank You to the Youth for Easing My Fears

Summer Reading Plans

LDS Scripture Citation Index

Stressed, Overscheduled, Overwhelmed...You Are Not Alone

How Do You Journal?

Who Am I?

Bringing Me Joy

Happy Mother's Day!

What Mormons Believe: Sexual Purity Blesses Our Lives

Do you want to serve with me....and my kids...and my neighborhood?

Bee Changeful

He Lives!

Are You (Really) Easter Ready?

Counsel from the Sunday Afternoon Session - April 2011

Counsel from the Sunday Morning Session - April 2011

Counsel from the Priesthood Session - April 2011

Counsel from the Saturday Afternoon Session - April 2011

Counsel from the Saturday Morning Session - April 2011

General Conference Highlights April 2011

Don't Let Your General Conference Air Seep Out!!!

Turned it Off and a Light Bulb Turned On

What Mormons Believe: Joseph Smith - Prophet of the Restoration

What Mormons Believe: The Purpose of Life

Our Kitchen Table is Getting Ready for General Conference, Are You?

3rd Semi-Annual No TV Week

Young Women Meeting

Celebrating a Birthday!

What Mormons Believe: Agency is Essential to our Eternal Progress

Did You Know That...

Checking Back In

Family Fun Times: How Do You Do Things At Your House?

Family Home Evening Idea: Practicing Reverence

FHE: Do You Have A Plan?

Q and A: How do you keep your life in balance?

More in 2011!

Look to the Light

Morning Devotional: Saved By the Bell Style

A Gift for Jesus: What Will You Give?

Baby Jesus Makes Me Feel Happy

Thanksgiving Scattergories: Acknowledging the Little Things

Cluttered

What Are YOU Thankful For?

Intentionally Keeping Our Families Afloat

Waiting For Two Marshmallows

9/11 destruction allowed us to spiritually rebuild
(From the Washington Post)