Spiritual Thought

God created woman he was working late on the 6th day.......

An angel came by and asked." Why spend so much time on her?"

The lord answered. "Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her?"

She must function on all kinds of situations, 
She must be able to embrace several kids at the same time,
Have a hug that can heal anything from a bruised knee to a broken heart,
She must do all this with only two hands,"
She cures herself when sick and can work 18 hours a day"

THE ANGEL was impressed" Just two hands.....impossible!

And this is the standard model?"

The Angel came closer and touched the woman"
"But you have made her so soft, Lord".
"She is soft", said the Lord,
"But I have made her strong. You can't imagine what she can endure and overcome"

"Can she think?" The Angel asked...
The Lord answered. "Not only can she think, she can reason and negotiate"

The Angel touched her cheeks....
"Lord, it seems this creation is leaking! You have put too many burdens on her" 
"She is not leaking...it is a tear" The Lord corrected the Angel…

"What's it for?" Asked the Angel..... .
The Lord said. "Tears are her way of expressing her grief, her doubts, her love, her loneliness, her suffering and her pride."...

This made a big impression on the Angel,
"Lord, you are a genius. You thought of everything.
A woman is indeed marvellous"

Lord said."Indeed she is.
She has strength that amazes a man.
She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens.
She holds happiness, love and opinions.
She smiles when she feels like screaming.
She sings when she feels like crying, cries when happy and laughs when afraid.
She fights for what she believes in.

Her love is unconditional.
Her heart is broken when a next-of-kin or a friend dies but she finds strength to get on with life"

The Angel asked: So she is a perfect being?
The lord replied: No. She has just one drawback
"She often forgets what she is worth".

Katie's First Primary Talk

Katie gave her first talk a couple of weeks ago in Primary.

Good Afternoon Brothers and Sisters,

I want to share the words of a song with you.

I have a family here on earth
They are so good to me.
I want to share my life with them
Through all eternity.
Families can be together forever
Through Heavenly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family
And the Lord has shown me how I can.

I love my family so much and I'm glad that I know
that I can be with them forever.  I say these things
in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Time Out For Women

My friend, Lauren invited me to attend Time Out For Women with her last month.  It was fun to spend time with 2,100 women for a Friday evening and most of the next day.  I was able to enjoy lunch at Fredrico's Pizza with my friends Lauren, Megan, and Linda.

Time Out For Women
Theme: Seek the Good
"And whatsoever ye do, do it HEARTILY..." - Colossians 3:23
Oct. 12-13, 2012
 Kent Auditorium on Utah State University Campus

 Receiving is essential in this life. Are you receiving the spiritual privileges you are promised?

Michael McLean - musician - WEBSITE
I wrote down some of his lyrics that stood out to me.
"Are we seeking the light that shines within us all?"
"A mission to be happy and rejoice."
"I'm not waiting for tomorrow."
"I'm going to find my joy today."
"I will follow YOU every day."
"God loves me more than anything."
McKenzie Turley sang with Michael
"Dreams provide insight into your own self."

Jason Wright - best selling author of Christmas Jars - WEBSITE
Talked about FAILURE
- The world and adversary make you believe that when you fail, you need to do more, wake up earlier, etc.
- Many times when we fail, we should STOP and LISTEN to what Heavenly Father wants to teach us and learn what He wants us to do.
- For many successful people, success came because they stopped and listened.
- Don't you think Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are homesick for us?  There is no failure that will prevent us from having an open armed reunion after this life.
- We are given trials to learn what we need and to prepare us for what trials lie ahead of us in our lives.

Brad Wilcox - WEBSITE
- The Atonement compensates for any failure we may have in life.
- Acts 4:10
- We are commanded to do all things "in the name of Jesus Christ."
- 3 Nephi 20:39
- Jesus - Savior; God is help
- Christ - Anointed one; Messiah
- The Son of God - spiritual birth
- The Son of Man - physical birth
- God - Man of Holiness
- The Son of the Blessed - son of Mary (Heavenly Mother)
- Mary is the mother of my Savior
- Jehovah - Jesus' first name
The Bread of Life
The Living Water
- Bethlehem = house of bread from which came the bread of life (Jesus born in Bethlehem)
- How many people in today's world will bow and say that Jesus Christ is their king?
- You are a QUEEN.
- When you feel less than a queen, we are commanded to know Christ's name and He is commanded to know our name.
- The Atonement parted the veil and allows Jesus to peek through.
- God loves us just the way we are, but loves us enough not to leave us this way forever..
- We are his creations and He isn't done with His creative process with us.
- The minute we make covenants with God, a hand is extended (ex. receiving the Holy Ghost and when we are making temple covenants)
- God with us
- He gives us His name, His power, His divine help, His grace
- The Piata (spelling?)  is a famous sculpture by Michaelangleo.  Mary has Jesus laying across her lap.  The artist signed his work.
- When you take the sacrament, He is giving you His name

Oct. 13, 2012

Chris Williams - Here is his story and notes from his talk on HOPE:

- There are trials that are tailor made for you
1. Faith in Jesus Christ - "Let it go."  Buck up.  Repent.
-Get busy helping/serving others = His yoke of charity.  As we give our lives to Jesus Christ, we will glorify him.
-"No I have something better.   You're just going to have to have faith."

Jericho Road -  musicians - WEBSITE
I wrote down some of what they said and some of their lyrics that stood out to me.
song - Amazing Grace
Abe: intro to song: "As a father of six kids, my kids look to me for protection, love, etc.  You too should turn to your Heavenly Father
song - "Like a Child"
- "I want to live my life just like a child."
- Mosiah 3:19
song - "Convictions of the Heart"
- "When you see God's love around you..."
song - "See The Light"
song written by Tyler Castleton (pianist) "The Love of a Woman"
"Don't hide your face."
"It is well with my soul."
song- "Homeward Bound"

Sara Wells and Kate Jones - authors of ourbestbites.com
- Make memories with kids.  Enjoy the small things in life.
- showed several pictures and told about the realities of motherhood.
- Mothers need to give themselves a break.
- Nobody's family is perfect so don't compare your family to other families.

D. Kelly Ogden - WEBSITE
- Rinderceller (Cinderella story)
- Do something with all your heart
- SUMMUM BUNUM = "the highest good"
- Enoch = dedicated
- Daniel was 80 years old when he was in the lion's den.
* Your assignment is to change lives.  The position you have doesn't matter, just CHANGE LIVES.
- Success is how much good you do.
- You have to first SEE THE GOOD in yourself before you can SEEK THE GOOD.
- Ogden's son-in-law is an amputee and his name is Jarem.  You can read Jarem's mormon.org profile here

- Stay away from the dark side and stay within the light.
- Unless you are fully living the gospel, you don't have enough spiritual light.
- Hebrew: Ani Bat Elohim = I am a Child of God
- You are HIS DAUGHTER.  HE is the wealthiest and kindest

Merilee Boyak - WEBSITE
- CPR = Caring Plus Response
- Split Second Kindness (ex. telling someone, "Great job."
- 5 Split Seconds a Day Pledge - costs no time and no money
- Matthew 24:40
- The Lord wants us to love.  When we give we become more Christlike.  You'll feel Christlike love for others and yourself.
- OPEN YOUR EYES TO SEE the needs around you.
- on Merilee's Facebook page, she has a list of things you can do to help/serve others.
- OPEN YOUR HEART TO FEEL
- TAKE ACTION... YOUR WAY
- If you can't do anything, you can always pray.
- You can donate money.  Consider donating money to LDS Humanitarian Service
- Do something in  your own unique way.  (ex. make your front porch into a "magic porch" by collecting items for the homeless shelter or other organization)
- one hour of service a month
- "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Ghandi
- Lead others in action by invitation
- song - "Love One Another"
- Merilee's testimony - "He lives, He loves, and we can love like He does."
- Time Out For Women Theme - Col. 3:23 - Pick one thing in your life that you can put a little more of your heart in to."

Emily Watts - WEBSITE
- video game - Super Mario Bros. - save the princess (princess is me)
- importance of questions to ask the Holy Ghost
- What is good?  Chocolate.  Toffee should be available year round, not just Christmas, found her own recipe
Hint #1 - Sometimes good needs a catalyst.
Ask.: What can I do to be a catalyst for good.
Hint #2 - Good doesn't always reside in your comfort zone.
Ugly swim suit story
-If you work too hard to try and stay in your comfort zone, everything will end up around your neck (like her ugly swim suit).
- If you're afraid to take the steps you need to get out of your comfort zone, you won't get anywhere.
Ask: How can I reach outside my comfort zone?
Hint #3 - Good often appears in disguise.
- The year 2011 for the Watts Family is referred to as the "Nightmare Year." Her husband was diagnosed with kidney cancer
Ask: What good might be hidden in this trial?
- All things work together for your good if you walk uprightly.
Hint #4 - Good takes patience
- Genesis 15 - Lord tells Abraham, "I am thy shield."
- Genesis 17 - Covenant to Abraham = Sarah will bare you a son, Isaac.
Ask: How can I increase my trust in the Lord?
- What blessing has been withheld form you?  The spirit will tell you, "I will make it up to you."
Hint #5 (The hint that wins the game).  Good is primarily other-centered.
-serve others (like Christ did) to become close to Him.
Ask: How can I bless someone else's life for good today?

Thanks again for inviting me, Lauren!

General Conference Favorites

Quinton L. Cook: "Repentance is the cure for spiritual drought."
Craig C. Christensen: "You will feel and recognize the spirit in you heart more than your mind and ears. The spirit knows us the same way our Heavenly Father does."
Pres. Dieter F. Uchdorf : "Busy is not always good, priorities are best when we put the Lord first [very basic, but often forgotten] Slow down so we don't miss the little things in life. Give our best self to those we serve most [family]. WE DETERMINE OUR HAPPINESS."
L. Tom Perry: "Make life at home for spouses and children a fun place to be. Teaching in the home is the most sacred responsibility we as parents have. Pray for the love and patience it takes to be mom. Share your testimony often with your spouse and children." 
Dallin H. Oaks: "Children are precious to our Savior. Be grateful for the children I have... never take them for granted. Pure little children are a near perfect example of the humility and meekness we as people need to have."

Pres. Henry B. Eyring:  "God knows each of us and loves us. The things of this world and temporal things DO NOT MATTER. Simplify. Let the Lord fill your time. As we serve the Lord we will be come like Him."

I have been taking the advice given in General Conference. I've been making more time to just hang out as a family. With no strict agenda, it's been nice to see Sam and the kids open up more and just be themselves. Last night, we went on another family walk at a tree lined trail down by the river. It was so fun.  Our kids are at fun ages and it's nice that they are easily entertained.

To watch General Conference, click HERE.

Brian's Primary Talk

Good Afternoon Brothers and Sisters,

I have been asked to speak on how fasting and prayer strengthens my testimony.  On the lds.org website, it states, "To fast is to go without food and drink voluntarily for a certain period of time." 

Fasting combined with sincere prayer can strengthen us spiritually, bring us closer to God,

and help us prepare ourselves and others to receive His blessings.

Even though I have not started to fast yet, I know that fasting and prayer is important.

I have been taught that when people fast, they can pray for themselves or others that their 

trials in life can be overcome.  My parents fast and pray every month and I can't wait until I can fast.

I know that Heavenly Father blesses people when they fast.


I know the things that I said are true.  And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Tyler's 1st Primary Talk

 Tyler – age 3 1/2

1^st Primary Talk

November 27, 2011
(We forgot to bring his talk to church that day
so Tyler didn't share it with the Primary yet.)

Topic- Reverence is Love and Respect for God

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37).

How can we show love and respect for God? 

One way is through prayer.  When we pray, we show love and respect for God by being reverent.  We fold our arms, bow our heads, and close our eyes when we pray so we can concentrate on the words we say. 

Being reverent in our Primary class and in sacrament meeting helps us to learn and to feel the Spirit.  When we feel the Spirit, that is God’s way of speaking to us. 

May we all be reverent to show our love and respect for God.  I know that the words I said are true.  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

LiVE

My sister Laura had a recent post about evaluating and simplifying our lives.  She referenced this General Conference talk by President Uchtdorf.  (I liked this post so much that I decided to copy and paste most of the quotes from her post.  Hope you don't mind, Laura.)

"When stress levels rise, too often we attempt to keep the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be."

"It is easy to be busy."

"Some unnecessarily complicate their lives. They often feel increased frustration, diminished joy and too little sense of meaning in their lives. Any virtue, when taken to an extreme, can become a vice. The wise resist the temptation to get caught up in the frantic rush of everyday life. In short they focus on things that matter most."

"The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ — "The simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal and all-knowing father in heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life."

"Most church members intuitively understand how important the fundamentals are, they just get distracted by so many other things that seem more enticing. It is so easy for the basic gospel message to get lost amidst the deluge of information that hits us from all sides. [Remember that] the pure doctrines... are the gateway to truths of profound meaning."

"We would do well to slow down a little and focus on the things that matter most. [These] will lead us to the savior of the world."

"As members turn to their Heavenly Father and seek his wisdom regarding the things that matter most, they learn over and over again the importance of four key relationships: with God, with their families, with their fellow man and with themselves. "As we evaluate our lives with a willing mind we will see where we have drifted from the more excellent way (his way). The eyes of our understanding will be opened, and we will recognize what needs to be done to purify our heart and refocus our life."

1. Your relationship with God is most sacred and vital. "As we seek Him, as we learn of His son Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Ghost, our lives become more stable and secure."

2. Your relationship with family. "Since no other success can compensate for failure here, we must place high priority on our families."

3. The third key relationship is with a person's fellow man, President Uchtdorf said. "We build this relationship one person at a time — by being sensitive to the needs of others, serving them, and giving of our time and talents."

4. Finally, he said, the fourth key relationship "is with ourselves. May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better."

"Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most."

"Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship — the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace."

Individual Worth

A couple months ago, my friend, Crystal gave an awesome Relief Society lesson on Individual Worth.  She spoke of how as we get married and raise our families, we can sometimes lose sight of our individual worth.  The Young Women theme and motto were mentioned.  I'm glad that I still have the Young Women theme memorized and that I can teach my own children the importance of these values.        

**The following information is from lds.org:

The Young Women theme helps each young woman understand her identity, purpose, and destiny as a daughter of God. Young women and their leaders repeat the theme during Sunday opening exercises and at other Young Women gatherings. Additional words or themes repeated in conjunction with the theme are not necessary or appropriate.

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him.

We will "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things,

and in all places" (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live

the Young Women values, which are:

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountability

Good Works

Integrity and

Virtue.

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values,

we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants,

receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

 

Also associated with the Young Women program are a motto and logo. These can be used in lessons and at activities as reminders to the young women to live the gospel standards.


The Young Women motto is “Stand for Truth and Righteousness.”

The Young Women logo is a torch surrounded by the Young Women motto. The torch represents the light of Christ, inviting all to “come unto Christ” (Moroni 10:32). It invites all young women to hold up the light of Christ by keeping His commandments.

General Conference Weekend

We were able to enjoy General Conference from the comfort of our own home. The boys did better than I'd hoped. Here's what they did to keep themselves busy:My boys are really into legos and Brian insisted that we build a big trail of legos from the couch to the far wall on the other side of the room. We did it! Brian also loves play doh. He used his play doh scissors to cut up all his play doh.

In between the Saturday sessions of Conference, we checked out Stokes Nature Trail at the mouth of Logan Canyon. It was our first time there. Sam and Brian spotted a woolly mammoth (our big run in with nature). Sam picked up the woolly mammoth with a big stick so we could get a better look at him. Brian didn't care for a closer look, but Tyler loved it!

Along the trail, we saw signs that warned us to stay away from poison ivy! Aaahh, I was crossing my fingers that my curious boys wouldn't touch the plants. We made it out just fine. When we reached Stokes Nature Center, it was closed, but we did enjoy throwing rocks into the Logan River. What is it with boys and their fascination with rocks and water?!

During the second session of Conference, I whipped up some carmel dip, a new recipe. We tried the dip with some apples. It was yummy.

Here are some neighbor kids enjoying apples from our very own apple tree:

My favorite remarks made in General Conference were:

From President Thomas S. Monson: "I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives."

"One very creative Primary sent a large jar containing hundreds of what they called “warm fuzzies,” each one representing an act of service performed during the year by one of the children in the Primary. I can only imagine the happiness these children experienced as they told of their service and then placed a “warm fuzzy” in the jar."

From David A. Bednar: "We can become more diligent and concerned at home as we are more faithful in learning, living, and loving the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

I want to suggest three ways each of us can become more diligent and concerned in our homes."

Suggestion Number One: Express Love—and Show It

"We should remember that saying “I love you” is only a beginning. We need to say it, we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to show it. We need to both express and demonstrate love."

Suggestion Number Two: Bear Testimony—and Live It

"We should remember that bearing a heartfelt testimony is only a beginning. We need to bear testimony, we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to live it. We need to both declare and live our testimonies."

Suggestion Number Three: Be Consistent

"In my office is a beautiful painting of a wheat field. The painting is a vast collection of individual brushstrokes—none of which in isolation is very interesting or impressive. In fact, if you stand close to the canvas, all you can see is a mass of seemingly unrelated and unattractive streaks of yellow and gold and brown paint. However, as you gradually move away from the canvas, all of the individual brushstrokes combine together and produce a magnificent landscape of a wheat field. Many ordinary, individual brushstrokes work together to create a captivating and beautiful painting."

"Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33). Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes."