Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Caleb
Caleb Updates:
Caleb makes me chuckle, and he's at a stage where literally everything he does is cute or funny to me. Maybe it's because he is the baby of the family and I know that each stage is fleeting, I need to be careful I still discipline him even though he is cute.
Caleb has been learning to not wet his diaper at night time. If he can keep his diaper dry for a month, he will get to pick out a toy. It's kind of a big deal. He really wants to be successful, so the other morning he proudly told me that he was dry. He showed me his pull-up, and all may have been well, but I got suspicious when he pointed at the picture on the front and said, "see, same picture". That's odd, I thought. I asked him if he was lying to me, he said, "nope, I am dry mommy, just don't go look in my bedroom because there is a surprise for you in there." I took a few steps toward his room and he blocked the doorway with his body and yelled for me not to go in there. I went in anyway and found all of the pull-ups out (he was searching for one with the same picture on it). I also found a very wet pull-up. We talked about lying, he lied again a few nights later. I went to tuck him in and he told me that he didn't need a tuck in. That's odd, I thought again. Cub LOVES his tuck-ins. I tucked him in against his protests and found he had hidden his wet diapers under his blanket. You should have seen his tears or remorse and heard his sweet voice when he told me he didn't know how to stay dry. We had another talk. He's now been dry for five nights. Yay!
The other day to Joshua he said, "I'll give you an ice cream cone if you play with me." Joshua played with him, and asked where his ice cream was (knowing full well he was talking to a four year old). Caleb pretended to cut off his arms and said, oops, now you can't have an ice cream cone because I cut your arms off and you can't hold it anymore.
The other day he told me he could smell his boogers and that they smell like cheese.
Caleb and Hannah love making friends with old people. Everywhere we go, they want to talk to old people. I took the two of them to the Dr for Hannah's scans and the place was full of old people. They became good friends with a woman named Sue. She was 80. Half way through waiting, Caleb plugged his nose and said, "ew! It smells like poop in here!"
He is really into Legos. It's all he wanted for Christmas. But, before Christmas, he didn't have very many and he was constantly taking Joshua's Legos and building with them. Joshua would question him and he would say, "Well, I builded with them so they are mine now."
Caleb makes me chuckle, and he's at a stage where literally everything he does is cute or funny to me. Maybe it's because he is the baby of the family and I know that each stage is fleeting, I need to be careful I still discipline him even though he is cute.
Caleb has been learning to not wet his diaper at night time. If he can keep his diaper dry for a month, he will get to pick out a toy. It's kind of a big deal. He really wants to be successful, so the other morning he proudly told me that he was dry. He showed me his pull-up, and all may have been well, but I got suspicious when he pointed at the picture on the front and said, "see, same picture". That's odd, I thought. I asked him if he was lying to me, he said, "nope, I am dry mommy, just don't go look in my bedroom because there is a surprise for you in there." I took a few steps toward his room and he blocked the doorway with his body and yelled for me not to go in there. I went in anyway and found all of the pull-ups out (he was searching for one with the same picture on it). I also found a very wet pull-up. We talked about lying, he lied again a few nights later. I went to tuck him in and he told me that he didn't need a tuck in. That's odd, I thought again. Cub LOVES his tuck-ins. I tucked him in against his protests and found he had hidden his wet diapers under his blanket. You should have seen his tears or remorse and heard his sweet voice when he told me he didn't know how to stay dry. We had another talk. He's now been dry for five nights. Yay!
The other day to Joshua he said, "I'll give you an ice cream cone if you play with me." Joshua played with him, and asked where his ice cream was (knowing full well he was talking to a four year old). Caleb pretended to cut off his arms and said, oops, now you can't have an ice cream cone because I cut your arms off and you can't hold it anymore.
The other day he told me he could smell his boogers and that they smell like cheese.
Caleb and Hannah love making friends with old people. Everywhere we go, they want to talk to old people. I took the two of them to the Dr for Hannah's scans and the place was full of old people. They became good friends with a woman named Sue. She was 80. Half way through waiting, Caleb plugged his nose and said, "ew! It smells like poop in here!"
He is really into Legos. It's all he wanted for Christmas. But, before Christmas, he didn't have very many and he was constantly taking Joshua's Legos and building with them. Joshua would question him and he would say, "Well, I builded with them so they are mine now."
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Teachings of The Spirit
For some years now, I have been getting small impressions about how our trials are blessings. Trials that are given to us by a loving Father in Heaven can be a source of joy and can be a catalyst for an abundance of growth, spiritual learning, and an ultimate intimacy with Divinity. Particularly, the trials that come from death of loved ones has been on my mind, but not just the trials but the tender, loving mercies and blessings given by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to those who suffer so faithfully through the trials of death.
I have been a quiet witness and I have watched many around me who have had tragedies of death befall them, and yet they continue down faithful paths, embraced along the way by Divine beings and angels on both sides of the veil. I have watched their examples for years, and I have learned along the way about how, if such tragedy befalls me, how I would navigate something so hard. I would do it with a heart full of faith and gratitude. Gratitude for the knowledge that I have that this life is only a stepping stone along the path of our eternal journeys, that we can be eternally with those we love if we walk a covenant path--always trusting in Heavenly Father and never doubting in His eternal plan of happiness. I would strive to keep a spiritual connection with those loved ones who have passed on ahead of me. That I would fine-tune my spiritual ears so that they would still be ever apart of my life and an influence of good in my earthly journey. These thoughts have developed within me, never with any sort of trepidation or fear. Never has anxiety accompanied them. That's how I know that it is the spirit that has taught me.
Today, I experienced a similar teaching pattern about this subject. I was reading about one of these examples I have discussed and a quiet thought came over me. It was as though the Lord was talking to me, as He has in the past, through the Holy Ghost. It was a spiritual impression, not so much of words, but of feelings and words together. He seemed to say to me, "I prepare you for the trials that come to you. You have been prepared for everything you would face in this life. A trial of this magnitude did not come to you when you were young, you were not ready. I lovingly prepare you for the hard things you will face." That was the thought, the next thought was this: "Write these thoughts down." I hesitated for a few moments, worried about how it would sound if I wrote them down. However, the thought came again to record it, and to record it today, so that I would remember that the Lord loves me and prepares me for all of the hard things I will face. And so, I am writing it down.
I do not know if a death of a loved one close to me is in my near future, however, I do know that at some point, we all must die. Because our Father loves us, He wants us to return to Him. Death is just that door, rather that passageway, that carries us home. Life continues in ways that we have only just forgotten. Our spirits live on to await that day when we will be reunited with our bodies.
Many years ago, I had written in my journal about how my testimony of the Plan of Salvation had grown and how I had added knowledge of that plan. The next entry in that journal was the death of my two cousins, Micheal and Amanda. I learned then, at the age of 13, that the Lord had prepared me for what would be, at that point in my life, the hardest trial that I had yet experienced.
Great blessings, and a closer intimacy with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ await those who draw near unto them in such times of need. Every single one of the examples I have watched who have experienced death of loved ones and allowed themselves to learn and grow from the experience, every single one has said something along the lines of, although it is heart wrenching and so difficult, they would not trade the lessons and experiences they gained along the way. That has become a powerful testimony builder to me that the faithful receive Heavenly embraces along the way. That's what I would seek, if ever something so difficult happened to me.
I have been a quiet witness and I have watched many around me who have had tragedies of death befall them, and yet they continue down faithful paths, embraced along the way by Divine beings and angels on both sides of the veil. I have watched their examples for years, and I have learned along the way about how, if such tragedy befalls me, how I would navigate something so hard. I would do it with a heart full of faith and gratitude. Gratitude for the knowledge that I have that this life is only a stepping stone along the path of our eternal journeys, that we can be eternally with those we love if we walk a covenant path--always trusting in Heavenly Father and never doubting in His eternal plan of happiness. I would strive to keep a spiritual connection with those loved ones who have passed on ahead of me. That I would fine-tune my spiritual ears so that they would still be ever apart of my life and an influence of good in my earthly journey. These thoughts have developed within me, never with any sort of trepidation or fear. Never has anxiety accompanied them. That's how I know that it is the spirit that has taught me.
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Today, I experienced a similar teaching pattern about this subject. I was reading about one of these examples I have discussed and a quiet thought came over me. It was as though the Lord was talking to me, as He has in the past, through the Holy Ghost. It was a spiritual impression, not so much of words, but of feelings and words together. He seemed to say to me, "I prepare you for the trials that come to you. You have been prepared for everything you would face in this life. A trial of this magnitude did not come to you when you were young, you were not ready. I lovingly prepare you for the hard things you will face." That was the thought, the next thought was this: "Write these thoughts down." I hesitated for a few moments, worried about how it would sound if I wrote them down. However, the thought came again to record it, and to record it today, so that I would remember that the Lord loves me and prepares me for all of the hard things I will face. And so, I am writing it down.
I do not know if a death of a loved one close to me is in my near future, however, I do know that at some point, we all must die. Because our Father loves us, He wants us to return to Him. Death is just that door, rather that passageway, that carries us home. Life continues in ways that we have only just forgotten. Our spirits live on to await that day when we will be reunited with our bodies.
Many years ago, I had written in my journal about how my testimony of the Plan of Salvation had grown and how I had added knowledge of that plan. The next entry in that journal was the death of my two cousins, Micheal and Amanda. I learned then, at the age of 13, that the Lord had prepared me for what would be, at that point in my life, the hardest trial that I had yet experienced.
Great blessings, and a closer intimacy with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ await those who draw near unto them in such times of need. Every single one of the examples I have watched who have experienced death of loved ones and allowed themselves to learn and grow from the experience, every single one has said something along the lines of, although it is heart wrenching and so difficult, they would not trade the lessons and experiences they gained along the way. That has become a powerful testimony builder to me that the faithful receive Heavenly embraces along the way. That's what I would seek, if ever something so difficult happened to me.
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Elder Holland Training
Yesterday I had a once in a lifetime opportunity (although I do hope for more opportunities just like it). I was invited to a smaller gathering to be taught by Elder Holland of the quorum of the twelve apostles and Elder Piper and Elder Schmitt of the Seventy. The group that I was apart of filled the chapel, however it felt small and intimate. As I sat there and listened to the council that the speakers had to give, my mind kept coming back to the story in the bible of Jesus teaching Mary and Martha. I felt as though I was being taught from on high, and the experience left me seeing with an eternal perspective through spiritual eyes. I wish that I could keep that feeling and hold onto it.
He began by telling us how much the twelve and the first presidency love us, and I felt it. He told us that if members do not step it up in terms of missionary work and finding people for the missionaries to teach, we will no longer have proselyting missions, not even in Queen Creek. This was the first thought that kept repeating itself over and over in my mind as I sat there. My patriarchal blessing tells me that I chose to come to this earth at this time because I wanted to help my Heavenly Father in His work that needed to be done. I wanted to come to earth during a time of the restored gospel so that I could help bring others unto Him. I'm paraphrasing, but the point it, I wanted to be a missionary. The gospel of Jesus Christ is everything to me, and has been for eons. I truly believe that one of the purposes I have as the primary president is to rescue souls--to deepen and strengthen testimonies and conversion, to build faith in the children, and to bring souls unto Christ. This is what motivates me to do the work. Elder Holland spoke of how children of today are exposed to the evil designs of the adversary at a younger and younger age. He emphasized that we HAVE to save the next generation, and their was some urgency in his voice.
A thought kept coming to me as Elder Holland spoke, and it's something that I've known, but I felt more strongly. Not only do I have stewardship over the children in our ward, but every soul is precious to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. That means, member of our ward or not, every child that lives within our ward boundaries is under my stewardship. I have a responsibility to those children, so how can I do my part? Luckily, the question was answered to me as the members of the seventy spoke. :) More on that in a bit.
Here are my notes:
This new children and youth program is not just another program. It was inspired and we must embrace it. Beginning with the end in mind, we implement the program. Bishops, for far too long, have been putting out fires at the bottom of the cliff. Bishops must be made available to work closely with the youth. We must make it so that Bishops can be in the car with the youth before the steep decline, before the signs of warning, so that they can say, "I've been here before, there is danger up ahead, slow down." We, as a ward council, can help Bishops embrace the new program by making them able to be available to the youth and children or else we are dead in the water before we even begin. There needs to be a cultural shift. We must save souls now!
So, what is the end in mind? 2Nephi 2:14, 16, 26
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and alearning; for there is a God, and he hath bcreated all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be cacted upon.
He began by telling us how much the twelve and the first presidency love us, and I felt it. He told us that if members do not step it up in terms of missionary work and finding people for the missionaries to teach, we will no longer have proselyting missions, not even in Queen Creek. This was the first thought that kept repeating itself over and over in my mind as I sat there. My patriarchal blessing tells me that I chose to come to this earth at this time because I wanted to help my Heavenly Father in His work that needed to be done. I wanted to come to earth during a time of the restored gospel so that I could help bring others unto Him. I'm paraphrasing, but the point it, I wanted to be a missionary. The gospel of Jesus Christ is everything to me, and has been for eons. I truly believe that one of the purposes I have as the primary president is to rescue souls--to deepen and strengthen testimonies and conversion, to build faith in the children, and to bring souls unto Christ. This is what motivates me to do the work. Elder Holland spoke of how children of today are exposed to the evil designs of the adversary at a younger and younger age. He emphasized that we HAVE to save the next generation, and their was some urgency in his voice.
A thought kept coming to me as Elder Holland spoke, and it's something that I've known, but I felt more strongly. Not only do I have stewardship over the children in our ward, but every soul is precious to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. That means, member of our ward or not, every child that lives within our ward boundaries is under my stewardship. I have a responsibility to those children, so how can I do my part? Luckily, the question was answered to me as the members of the seventy spoke. :) More on that in a bit.
Here are my notes:
This new children and youth program is not just another program. It was inspired and we must embrace it. Beginning with the end in mind, we implement the program. Bishops, for far too long, have been putting out fires at the bottom of the cliff. Bishops must be made available to work closely with the youth. We must make it so that Bishops can be in the car with the youth before the steep decline, before the signs of warning, so that they can say, "I've been here before, there is danger up ahead, slow down." We, as a ward council, can help Bishops embrace the new program by making them able to be available to the youth and children or else we are dead in the water before we even begin. There needs to be a cultural shift. We must save souls now!
So, what is the end in mind? 2Nephi 2:14, 16, 26
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and alearning; for there is a God, and he hath bcreated all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be cacted upon.
16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should aact for himself. Wherefore, man could not bact for himself save it should be that he was centiced by the one or the other.
26 And the aMessiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may bredeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are credeemed from the fall they have become dfree forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the elaw at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
The end goal is to teach children to walk in covenant paths, to be agents unto themselves, not to be acted upon. We use our own covenant paths that we have walked to entice them to use their agency to walk down their own covenant paths. Help them see the consequences of good actions. Help them learn truth and principles of the gospel through goal setting. Let them choose, teach them to pray to the Lord to know how they can become agents unto themselves and not to be acted upon.
We must not get caught up in the managerial aspects of the new program, don't get hung up on the administration of it. Really what we ought to be asking ourselves is, did I create spiritual experiences for them? We would be wise to take a closer look into all of the changes that have taken place recently, they all have to do with increasing our spirituality. We must help children and youth have spiritual experiences, that is how we save them.
The goals do not need to be shared, they are individual. Activity leaders should keep this in mind. Activities should be designed around the four areas of development and should be to meet the needs of the class. The new web page at LDS.org has great ideas and lesson plans to assist. It can look different class to class. Don't get caught up in the administration of it. Create spiritual experiences.
Back to the question from above: How can I meet the responsibility of ALL of the children under my stewardship? These are the thoughts that came to my mind, and what I feel we should implement. Youth can invite their friends to join in on primary activities. Elder Schmitt encourages this. Also, the quarterly activities will be opened up to the neighborhood kids. It can be a simple party or activity, but general enough that we can invite neighborhood kids to join and centered on one of the four areas. FB invitations to the community page, word of mouth, and fliers are an idea to get word out. It will read something like this:
Hello, friends and neighbors, we wanted to get word out that our church offers a children's group free of charge for ages 8-11 years old. We meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the church house located at 20415 E Chandler Heights Rd. We have fun activities that promote growth in four crucial areas of our lives: Social, Intellectual, Physical, and Spiritual. Children are divided into two groups for girls and two groups for boys. Boys and girls are separate, yet we will combine quarterly for a culminating activity. This is a great way for boys and girls to get to know other kids in Hastings Farms and promote a strong sense of community. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please send me a message and I'll give you more specific details. Thank you!
Activity leaders can ask the children in their groups what their friends are interested in and keep that in mind as they plan activities. We should strive to include the community where possible. If there's a service project, open it up to kids in the community on FB, etc.
It was emphasized that we are home centered and church supported. Individual goals should be the child working with their parents, even if they are less active or not members of our faith. Leaders ought to be in communication with parents to help encourage the program in their homes, and ought to keep parents updated on what is happening at our activities. Leaders can teach what goals are, and how to make and keep goals, but children do not need to share what their goals are with their leaders. Individual goals are not the responsibility of the primary activity leaders.
If you've read this far, thank you!!!
Let's catch the vision, keep our focus on the Savior. Help our kids to recognize that He is the source of our joy. Let's create those spiritual experiences as often as possible, and always point it back to our Savior. Every activity should point back to Him.
As the meeting drew to a close, Elder Holland gave us an apostolic blessing. He blessed our children, that our righteousness would be the enticement that brings wayward children back. The best way to help wayward children is to be the best Latter Day Saint that we know how to be. If we are true to our covenants, our wayward children will come back. Repentance will still be needed, all that was wrong will have to be made right, but someday, our covenants will save them. They will use their agency to come back. This is a church of happy endings. The spirit was so strong. Tears flowed from my eyes as we sang the final song of Our Savior's Love. I know that those reading these words will probably not feel quite what was communicated to my spirit because my words are human and frail. But, I write them anyway so that I can remember, and so that my children will know that I believe in Christ. He is my Savior. Every good thing in my life is because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is my privilege to share it with those around me.
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