Faith

I earned my Beehive, Mia Maid, Laurel and Young Woman Recognition awards while I was a youth.  Due to changes in the current YW program, women can earn the new personal progress medallion by completing the same requirements as the young women AND earn an honor bee charm AND earn another medallion (they have both silver AND gold.)  Our ward has decided to allow and support the Relief Society sisters who are willing to earn the medallions for the first or second (or again third) time.  I decided I would earn them now too.  I've read through the whole book and decided to start with Faith. 

I pray.  I don't pray regularly, but I do pray.  Sometimes it's in the middle of the day and only in my mind, but I need to get back into the habit of praying morning and night.  So I decided to start with the first Faith value.  It requires reading scriptures (and conference talks) about Faith and making a habit of prayer for 3 weeks.  I started Sunday, although I started reading before that, I figured it'd be easier to remember which day I started praying if it were a Sunday.  I've done well, I’ve forgotten to pray a couple mornings and so I prayed when I remembered. 

So here's the point of this message - Ether 12: 6 "...Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."  The majority of this that I am referencing is that you can't receive a witness (testimony) of Faith until after you've been tried.  I've had many trials of my faith.  Not necessarily doubting my testimony but more of doubting things that will come to fruition because I cannot see the future.  I am going through one right now.  My knowledge tells me we won't get a house.  We had planned to buy, but due to a miscommunication, we are going to continue saving for a larger down payment.  We still want a house, so we are looking to rent.  I have faith that we will find something wherever it is best for us to live.  Faith tells me that it'll all work out.  I need to trust in the Lord that he'll do what's ultimately best for me even if it's not what I want. 

   

How rude!

I came out to my car this morning and saw the front passenger door was unlocked and slightly opened.  I guess it was left unlocked last night.  Any way, the would-be thief stole my Sandisk Sansa mp3 player full of conference, church, other religious, and downright awesome music (but it needed to be charged,) $2 that belongs to my kids from recycling cans, and a shiny blue small notebook we use to track car repairs, gas mileage, etc.  Sounds like a kid got into my car and took stuff.  Bad kid.  I filed a police report, but nothing will probably come of it.

What we did in 2009

So I've never done a Christmas Letter and I used to be so good at sending out cards. I actually do have a box of cards that I can use to send out. However, I've become lazy and haven't done it. So this year I am writing a New Year letter of what we accomplished last year. So if you don't care to read it, then you can move onto another of my blog entries instead.

Joe – He fixed the green car (Dodge intrepid) so now it works and Victoria can drive it to work. He went to Disneyland (and CA Adventure) for the first time for his and Victoria's birthdays and anniversary. He works in the Junior Nursery in the ward.

Victoria – She learned to make pumpkin desserts out of fresh (not canned) pumpkins. She went to Disneyland, CA Adventure and Magic Mountain this year. She also works in the nursery in the ward. She learned seasonal loan products (RVs, boats, etc) at work. She's been with USAA 2 years now and her 401k now is completely vested.

Adam – He received the Aaronic priesthood and was ordained a Deacon by his Papa. He serves as the second counselor in the Deacon's Quorum. He played softball for his school earlier this year (7^th grade.) He made the football team again for this school year (8^th) and made the basketball team (8th,) all that practicing with the scouts paid off. He went to camp Geronimo for the first time. He went to Magic Mountain to celebrate his entrance into teenager-hood. He got glasses. He got to play with the Ironwood marching band during halftime of an Ironwood Football game. He went to the temple for the first time with the youth. He got stitches earlier in the year when he collided with a fence at school and it cut his leg.

Joseph – He earned his Webelos and Arrow of light. He is in his 2^nd year of home schooling through AZ Virtual Academy. He is in 5^th grade. He started taking medication. He got glasses. He almost met a rattlesnake. He has recently started reading books and really enjoys them. He went to Day Camp during the summer.

Joshua – He turned 8 and had a fun Army party. He got baptized along with his best friend Aaron on the 4^th of July. He got glasses too. He earned his Bobcat (with help from Aaron's mom, too.) He is in 3rd grade and his teacher at school is one of the counselors in the Primary so he sees her almost every day. He loves his teacher. He got to go to Cub Scout Day Camp for the first time.

Sam – He had surgery. He spent his last year in nursery and will be joining the ranks of Sunbeams. He was potty-trained and had a big boy party. He turned three. He fell in love with Lydia (Aaron's baby sister.) He loves to talk and tell stories and his language has improved since we started blogging although he still can't pronounce eses (S.) He kissed a chick. He dislocated his elbow once when Joshua and he were playing.

I am sure there is more and find that as I blog more I'll have a better record for 2010. Happy 2010!!

The Mother of all Mother’s Lounges

Last Friday, December 11, we attended Joe's Aunt Pearl's funeral/memorial service. She was a very lovely and caring woman and regret that this blog will not be about her. However, while I was visiting the Westwood Building for the services I took Sam into the restroom. Inside I found the most beautiful Mother's Lounge nook I've ever seen. It was very feminine and designed to be aesthetically pleasing to the mother's who must console, feed and diaper her children during sacrament meeting. My pictures don't do it justice because they were taken with Joe's camera phone. My only hope is that there is an equally manly one in the men's restroom for the dad's who also perform those duties. Actually I have another hope, more of a major wish, and that is our mother's lounge and ALL lounges are decorated as nicely.

This is to show that it truly is a mother's lounge.  There are three chairs in the room.  The changing table is on the wall on the right as soon as you enter the nook lounge.  I will be showing the room from a counter-clockwise position starting with the wall on the right.

Okay turning right in the room, we see the room head on.  There are 2 chairs, a nice table, lamp, and decorative plaques on the wall.

Turning left, counter-clockwise, you can see the decorative plaque from the photo above and then additional art work and vinyl lettering.  The quote reads, "a Mother holds children's hands for a while.  Their Hearts forever."  Check out the gorgeous Madonna and Child (Mary & Jesus) type painting.

Turning slightly left, this is the left side of the wall you actually first see when you slide over the curtain opening up the room.  A couple more decorative plaques adorn the wall.  The vinyl lettering scriptural quote reads, "I have no greater Joy than to hear that my children walk in Truth." 3 John 1:4


I did not take a photo of the curtain but it too was lovely and was on a decorative rod.


In retrospect, I believe our ward building has the nicest Young Women's room that I have ever seen.

My Night Hike by Joseph (notes only by mom)

I went hiking with the Webelos last night. We went to the place we always go (Thunderbird Mountain Park.) We saw 23 big beetles and 4 stink bugs and I almost stepped on one of them. One stink bug stuck his butt up to stink (photo by the Smiths.) And then we went to the top of the mountain and then we saw two kookaburras that looked like owls with some other birds. We took a picture of the stink bug with its butt up and the kookaburra. Then we went down and we didn’t see any more beetles or stink bugs or owls. And then we saw a scorpion that was a baby and it’s the poisonest.
And then we went on the trail and it took us a long time and we saw a ranger and we almost got in trouble because it was at night and they don’t want us to get hurt (park closes at sunset.) Then we went to the bridge and we drank some water so we could have a refreshment to keep on going. Then we went on the trail and then me and Aaron and Bro. Smith split up from Sis. Smith and Ethan and Ryan.
And then we went past a baby rattlesnake and it rattled so hard we all got scared. When Sis. Smith and Ethan and Ryan heard it, they got scared and Ethan and Ryan ran to us. And then Bro. Smith went in front of the snake about 10 feet away from it and then he kept getting closer and then he said for his wife (Sis. Smith) to go behind him, but the snake did not strike, so he can go to us. Then he walked away very slowly then we all ran away.
Then we followed the trail and then we went to the grassy area off the trail. Then we had to climb up this drainpipe and then we found the car. And then we drove home and got cookies at Fry’s. And I ate 2 cookies in the car. Tada (that means the end)

The Seventh Deadly Heresy

The Seven Deadly Heresies
by Elder Bruce R. McConkie
June 1, 1980
Posted at: http://www.lds-mormon.com/heresies.shtml

So I looked for this talk the other day after reading Chris’ blog about another heresy in the talk. His blog, as always, was so intriguing I read the whole address and was enlightened by this, the last heresy. I know we don’t have to be perfect to gain salvation, although sometimes it feels like we do.

“Heresy seven: There are those who believe we must be perfect to gain salvation. This is not really a great heresy, only a doctrinal misunderstanding that I mention here in order to help round out our discussion and to turn our attention from negative to positive things. If we keep two principles in mind we will thereby know that good and faithful members of the Church will be saved even though they are far from perfect in this life. These two principles are:

(1) That this life is the appointed time for men to prepare to meet God-this life is the day of our probation; and
(2) That the same spirit which possesses our bodies at the time we go out of this mortal life shall have power to possess our bodies in that eternal world.

What we are doing as members of the Church is charting a course leading to eternal life. There was only one perfect being, the Lord Jesus. If men had to be perfect and live all of the law -strictly, wholly, and completely, there would be only one saved person in eternity. The prophet taught that there are many things to be done, even beyond the grave, in working out our salvation.

And so what we do in this life is chart a course leading to eternal life. That course begins here and now and continues in the realms ahead. We must determine in our hearts and in our souls, with all the power and ability we have, that from this time forward we will press on in righteousness; by so doing we can go where God and Christ are. If we make that firm determination, and are in the course of our duty when this life is over, we will continue in that course in eternity. That same spirit that possesses our bodies at the time we depart from this mortal life will have power to possess our bodies in the eternal world. If we go out of this life loving the Lord, desiring righteousness, and seeking to acquire the attributes of godliness, we will have that same spirit in the eternal world, and we will then continue to advance and progress until an ultimate, destined day when we will possess, receive, and inherit all things.”

I know people work very hard at being near perfect. Sometimes they are called perfectionists. My son, Joshua, is a perfectionist sometimes. It drives me crazy. For example, when he turned 8 he got the privilege of joining Cub Scouts. He was very excited to get started so we went to work on the requirements for his Bobcat. Once he got to the promise he freaked out because he kept messing up. He wanted to be perfect or he wouldn’t do it all. It’s very frustrating that he has the all or nothing attitude. While I am like that sometimes, I try to instill in the boys that it’s okay to break things down and do it slowly if necessary. That eventually they’ll get it perfectly but for now it’s okay if they need to practice. It was so bad, that he wouldn’t work on his requirements with me anymore. I didn’t expect perfection, he did. So he went over to his friend, who also just turned 8, Aaron’s house and worked on it with his mom. And by the end of an hour, they had all the requirements (except one) done. Maybe I do demand perfection.

In reference to the last paragraph of the above quote, I felt the acknowledgement of the Holy Ghost that Elder McConkie’s words are true. We must decide today how we are going to live our lives. We need to decide in our hearts and souls to press on in righteousness. We need to hold tight to the iron rod as we trudge through the mists of darkness, ignoring the laughs and mockery from those in the great and spacious building. If we must reach out to save another from the river of sin we can’t do it alone, and we must create a human chain of friends and supporters to help us avoid being caught in its tumultuous flow. We must follow Lot’s example, forsaking all and not looking back. Our spirit bodies are very powerful and knowledgeable. We must allow our better half to set the example of love and righteousness. We must continue to ponder the words of the apostles and prophets and local leaders. We must stand for truth and righteousness and show our desire to follow Him.

Thank you, Chris for inspiring me to read this address and learn more. I am grateful for friends who inspire and encourage me. I can’t know everything and love when others share their knowledge. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” - Henry Ford.