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My Response to Luke's Vision

 Luke, thank you for trusting me with your spiritual experiences. Thank you for trusting me enough to share with me your experience about seeing angels last night. I truly believe that Heavenly Father has great faith in you and you have a great work to do on this earth. Each of my children were sent to earth at this time for the purpose of bringing souls to Christ. You are Valiant and chosen to be His soldiers in these last days. Each of you have unique spiritual gifts, pay attention to those gifts that they may guide you and help you know the missions for which you were sent to earth for. You have a gift of the spirit that allows you to make special spiritual connections in your life. What I mean is that you can apply the scriptures to your life in special ways. You also have the gift of having your eyes open to the great works of God that He is able to manifest great things to you through spiritual experiences because of your faith in Him. I’m thankful that you felt the spirit yesterday through music. I would encourage you to write down (today) the experience you had. That way you can reflect on it and learn from it and remember it. Find a quiet spot and a quiet time and record it (maybe google docs should be a place to start a journal?). Anyway, you’re a good boy and I love you. You’ll see many great things in your life if you have the eyes to see in righteousness. I love you! I read this chapter today on angels and thought it was not a coincidence and thought maybe you should study it.

 

 

Moroni 7

Caleb Sayings

 Caleb says some funny stuff. I took him to the doctor recently for a well check. The doctor tried to liken him to a Jedi from Star Wars. Caleb looked at him with shock and said, "Jedi aren't real. Heelllooo, order 66?!" He looked at me like, who is this clown?! Later that night we went to Papa and Grandma's house. He looked around and must have seen a lot of white things, I am not sure what. But he said, "Everything is white, even the people that come here are white!"

10/28/22

Caleb: Dad, when do you stop being a kid. (Loudly interrupts) and I don’t mean Kid of God because I know we are always a kid of God. I mean just when you are a grown up.

 

10/28/22

Caleb worries that he will be embarrassed for bringing a present to a birthday party

Caleb: show me where it says to bring a present on the invite?

Ralae: it doesn’t say it on the invite. It is just customary.

Me: can you imagine getting an invite that says “bring a present!”

Me: or someone says to you ”don’t forget my present”

Caleb: that is what I say to Michelle all the time

Caleb I only got two presents from the McAvoy’s when I turned 7.

Me: really, who didn’t get you one?

Ralae: You got 3 presents for your birthday

Caleb: oh, it was when I was 6.

Me: wow, we’re going back two years

 

Ralae asks me what I think of Caleb going to a neighbor to ask if she finished his goodie bag

Me: Caleb sometimes people have good intentions but they don’t have enough time and money to do it all

Caleb: I would be totally fine if someone came to me and asked if I had the goodie bags ready.

Me: right, but how many goodie bags have you given out. Did you get me a birthday present?

Caleb (looks at me like I’m crazy): Do you know how much money I have?

 

Ralae: Caleb’s love language is gift giving. Well, really gift receiving.

 

Caleb gets back from party

Caleb: Papa Haws needs to give us all 8 presents, I mean 4 presents, because he is going to miss two Christmas and Birthdays

 

A conversation with Caleb on the way to the dr:

Mom, I wish I could really see a robber in real life.

Why’s that?

Because I’ve never been able to use my full strength and I really want to use my full strength.

You can use your full strength in tackle football someday.

What?! You want me to kill someone that is a good person and a kid?!

I don’t think you’d kill them if you used your full strength.

Oh, I would totally kill them. That’s not safe. Do you want me to grow up and be a bad guy?

No, of course not.

Well, then don’t tell me to use my full strength against a good person, like a kid playing football.

Ok, maybe only use half of your strength.

Well, then you’re asking me to break bones, and I don’t know if that’s a good idea…

(May we all have such confidence 😂)

 

Luke's Vision, Luke's Poem

 I cannot believe that it is already November. Time moves on and speeds up. Luke doesn't have a new journal yet, so I thought I should record some of his experiences here for him. 

The other day he and his two younger siblings went to the church house to practice for the upcoming primary program. When he came home, he very excitedly told me that he had had a vision. He recounted that the spirit was so incredibly strong as they sang the song, Restored, and that he didn't have words for how the spirit had filled the chapel. He said that at the height of the feeling in the room, he watched as Great Grandpa Peterson, Great Grandma Peterson and Gavin all walked into the chapel and sat down to listen to the music. He said that Great Grandpa appeared to be in his fifties, wearing a black suit and tie, Great Grandma sat next to him and his arm was draped over her shoulders. She was wearing a floral dress and carried a purse of some sort, just like they were going to church. She was older, the way he had remembered her in this life. He thinks that the reason she was older was because that's how he'd recognize her. He said that they smiled at him and Hannah. He said that Gavin was in his prime with hair that looked like Jon Mark's hair. He said he felt like it was a vision and that they just wanted him to know that they were there. He told Grandma and Grandpa Haws (my parents) about it and they told him that that day was actually the tenth anniversary of my Grandpa Peterson's death. I thought that was interesting. 

Luke has a gift for feeling the spirit and being able to relate the scriptures and those feelings to his own life. He sees the Lord's hand in the happenings around him and he is open to receiving spiritual experiences which is why I think he has so many. He is diligent about reading his scriptures every night and about saying his prayers. He reminds his brothers every night to pray also. A few months ago he ended up falling asleep earlier than his siblings and woke up the next day worried. He said, "Mom, I forgot to do what I've done every night for years. I forgot to remind my siblings to say their prayers, and I forgot to pray too because I fell asleep." Cubby replied, "don't worry, I remembered to pray and I prayed for something really good. I remembered to pray that my family would remember what Easter was all about." Luke said, "his prayer was answered because before he said that, I was thinking about Jesus and His resurrection." 

Luke wanted to write a song on the guitar and he wanted it to be about Jesus. He needed some help making his thoughts rhyme, but the poem is his in terms of thought and flow. He knew how he wanted it to go.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the shepherds came to kneel

The wise men sought Him from afar and followed the star to the hill.

We looked down from Heaven, and choirs of angels did sing,

Rejoicing in that glorious news about the newborn King.

Jesus performed many miracles, He called Mary by name,

He raised Jairus's daughter, from the dead he also healed the lame.

Causing them to walk and the blind to see, and he performs a miracle for me.

Feelings and a Nightmare

The other night I had a nightmare and woke up trembling with despair. The nightmare was the very worst nightmare that a mother could possibly have regarding her daughters. Without recalling too much of the horrid dream, suffice it to say that my daughters were taken from me by wicked men and I could not find them, I didn't even know where to look. 

In the dream, friends at church asked me how I could possibly go on knowing that my daughters weren't with me. Without hesitating, I told them it was because I trusted my Savior and knew that in the end all would be made right. The dream was absolutely awful, and I woke up sobbing in my bed. I was relieved that it was not reality, and I focused my thoughts on Jesus Christ, for He is the source of my peace. However, I sorrowed that it is the reality of many, for human trafficking is a huge stain on this world. I understand what it means to sorrow over the sins of the world and at times, it is too much. I feel the weight of the fallen world too much. Yet, in contrast, my soul feels to sing a song of redeeming love. In my bedroom that night, I said the words out loud, "this is why the world needs a Savior". As gloomy as was my nightmare, I felt a rush of love for my Jesus. I felt immense gratitude for Him and for my Heavenly Father. I prayed over and over, "thank you for my Savior". It was repetitious but not in vain, I needed Heavenly Father to know how thankful I was. I prayed for those who stand as victims of abuse. I prayed earnestly that night for our Savior to return and make it okay. 

I have been feeling hopeless recently about the state of the world. I am gently cushioned in the gospel bubble, protected for the most part from outside influences. I am armed with covenants that yoke me to the God of this universe, and I am surrounded by Zion. I find myself yearning to stand in Holy Places at all times and in all things, and I can feel the discomfort in my heart when I am not. 

There are times when my eyes are opened, I cry out for a reset. How can youth stand a chance in this world when so much is against them? Where is the hope? How much worse can it get? But then, there's today. And today we listened to our Prophet. Thank God for a living prophet! He addressed all of my concerns and feelings. 

I do feel the we are living the winding up scenes. I do feel we were reserved for such a time as this. I do feel that the Lord trusts us and we are being called to a higher way of living. I do feel that I can use my influence to do much good. The prophet said that while we live in the most wicked time the earth has ever witnessed, there is much good ahead. The Lord will reveal His power and glory and miracles in ways that has never been known on the earth before. The Lord will protect His saints. I wish I could attach a direct quote, but conference just ended and it is not available yet. My eyes filled with tears as I listened to President Nelson. I love him! I am thankful for him! He addressed my concerns, my worry and anxiety. He gave me tools to feel peace and overcome the world. He helped me realize that there is untapped strength in standing fast to my covenants. I have come to love going to the temple and the respite from the world that it provides. I have been trying to go weekly. I leave each time with increased power in the priesthood, and I am participating in something much bigger than myself. I am so grateful and my heart is full.