Stake Conference

This weekend was stake conference.  There were some WONDERFUL speakers and the spirit was abundant through each of the meetings.  Nathan got to go with John to the Priesthood leadership session for the first time as well. He is the Deacon's Quorum Pres. I thought I might for my scripture study this morning review my notes.  There were four talks all of which I took something wonderful from each one.  Pat and Selina Thibedau spoke, they are good friends of ours, about their conversion story and how they came to join the church and visit the temple.  Pat's talk impressed upon me the importance of friends and missionary work, and how the Lord puts certain people and trials in our lives to help us bring others to a knowledge of the gospel.  I need to be a better friend, and a more diligent friend, so that through my love they can feel the spirit and the love of our Father in heaven.  Pat shared how one of their friends baby's passed away, and as he walked through the line, he felt this overwhelming sense of love and peace, and he started to cry.  Angie the mother of the child, asked Pat if he was okay, and then told him that he was feeling the spirit.  What a bold statement to say to someone, but it was so powerful to Pat to help him recognize what he was feeling.  I need to be bolder at times with my friends. I love them, but then, I chicken out of challenging them any further or helping them recognize, as Angie did, what they feel at times. 

Selina spoke of how difficult it was to have a husband who was not in the temple with her, and how hard it was to long for that, but not have it.  She asked if we that have it really understand what it is, and do we take it for granted.  It made me think about it alot, and ask myself, do I recognize how incredibly blessed we are to be sealed in the temple.

Sis. Tawna Olsen, the stake RS pres. spoke about obedience, but the part that jumped out at me, especially with a daughter, were her comments about modesty.  It made me realize I can do better to make sure that I am modest at all times. I want to used the measuring tool, that if the Savior were standing next to me, would I wear that. Maybe Brynn and I can have a "morning" check off.  She checks me and I check her.

Pres. Henniman spoke specifically to the youth.  He gave them 6 C's or choices they need to make.  They were:
1: Choose to Pray
2: Choose to study the scriptures
3: Choose to have good friends
4: Choose to Not pick up snakes
5: Choose to have a testimony.
6:?
 
He also talked about the importance of going to the temple and partaking of the blessings that are there, both old and new members alike.  He said to go often, we will be blessed as we do so.  He challenged us to Read the Joseph Smith history thoroughly, and then memorize those verses.


ACT: I found I had many ACTS I could choose from. But I decided to take Pres. Henniman's particular challenge first.  For FHE tonight we are going to read the Joseph Smith history and begin to memorize it.

School is back in session

Well now that school is back in session, I have a few minutes to myself again. I have been horrible at maintaining a consistent scripture study time this summer. Hopefully I can get back in the habit! I can't wait to start!

Missionary Work

Missionary work is interesting.  There are so many ways we can go about it.  I have been blessed to be a ward missionary for three almost four years now.  But I don't think I fullfill my calling in the "traditional way." When John called me, I really cried.  I was not excited for this callling, I hated the idea that I had to "convince" people of the gospel.  I love this gospel, and feel that it is the true gospel and doctrine on the Earth today.  That doesn't me we have a corner on righteousness however, or even goodness.  There are so many good people that are not members of our church, who are very righteous, love the Lord and the Savior, and teach me things everyday about how to be a good person.  What our gospel offers more than these others, is three fold. 1) We have the true priesthood, restored to the Earth, so we can carry out the ordinances that are required for us to do here on Earth.  2) We have the plan of salvation- that answers a lot of questions that other churches don't understand and gives r hymn and reason to the whole reason we are here.  3) We have a latter day prophet to give us continued revelation in these the Latter Days. So we have commandments that apply to us. 4) We have the Book of Mormon, which gives us just a little bit of an edge in understanding the truths already contained in the Bible.  It just adds to our knowledge of the Savior.
As a member of this church, like I said I don't claim to have a corner on the market of goodness- but this gospel does offer some very wonderful things that are not found in other churches. 
As a ward missionary, I decided to do my calling a little differently, an dusing the talents that God has given me, instead of going door to door, or challenging people one on one, I have found that the Lord wants me to organize and facilitate opportunities for members and nonmembers to meet and work together so that we can learn from each other, and share what we have. The members, and myself,  then can share their testimony and light through their interactions, and as people come to know us better, they desire that light and happiness as well.  I haven't written much the past two weeks, simply because I have been in the middle of organizing  one of these such events.  We are doing a community play- Peter Pan! I think it is going to be a wonderful experience for everyone involved!

Mothers and Daughters

I was so grateful for Elder Ballard's talk on Mothers and Daughters.  I saved it to listen to last Friday when the boys were leaving for Father's and Sons, and it would just be me and my daughters.  Elder Ballard spoke of the nobility of womanhood, and how important it is that we teach our daughters about chastity and keeping themselves pure, we can only do this by teaching them and talking to them about it.  He encouraged mothers to have an open door policy about discussing things of a sexual nature, so your daughters can ask questions, and you can encourage modest and pure actions.  I decided that there was no better time than the present, (John and I had tried to have "the conversation"  with Brynn earlier, but she kept dodging it, I think her brothers told her it was coming, and she was nervous but she didn't know what it was about).  Anyway, she and I had a WONDERFUL discussion, and I was so grateful for the time and the beautiful, young woman that she is becoming, so that we could have that talk.  I hope to follow Elder Ballard's advice and make sure that she is always comfortable talking to me about questions, and thoughts she may have.

When the Lord Commands

Elder Carlson tells the story about two fishermen, who after catching a number of fish are told they can't take them all back on the plane, it will be too heavy.  They convince the pilot with a little bonus money to take them anyway.  They crash not far from the take off site, no one was hurt, but one asked the other, what happened, and the other replied, "We crashed on takeoff-about a hundred yards from where we crashed last year"
Sometimes we too take shortcuts, or think the rules don't apply to us.  I found myself thinking how often, i will do the same thing, get the same consequence and wonder "what happened" just like the fisherman.   I have been trying to be better at reading my scriptures, however, sometimes it is easy to say, I read yesterday, i will be fine- or I will read double tomorrow.  I try to find a shortcut.  But then, like this last week, I look back over my week and wonder why it felt so crazy and like I didn't get anything of significance done.  I crashed and burned last week, and then when i asked myself "what happened" I realized I had shortcutted on my scripture reading.

Elder Carlton says there are three reasons that we do this-

1) We think it doesn't apply to us- We had this experience prior with building this house and starting investing with our lot.  The counsel was, pay down you house, stay out of debt.  We instead leveraged the money we had- thinking we were working towards paying down our house.  But I remember thinking, and probably being prompted to repent,  that we were putting the prophets counsel at naught and felt like it didn't apply to us, that was for other people...right? WE knew what we were doing.....  Well where are we now financially- even further behind. Crash and burn.

2) We feel the commandment isn't important.  Who are we to decide what the big commandments are and the small commandments are.  They are all important.   If for no other reason than to express and show our obedience.  It is by obedience to the small things that we learn to be truly obedient.

3) We feel the commandment is too hard.  Sometimes it is hard, but like Nephi, if we go and do the thing that the Lord commands, he will prepare a way for us to accomplish it. He has PROMISED us is help and his blessing if we are obedient.  I have had a number of friends that felt paying tithing was too hard, but when they did it they were amazed at how the money stretched.  My time, when I give my time to reading my scriptures, I am truly amazed at how much I can accomplish in a day!  He blesses us for our obedience.

He had a quote at the end that I really like and wanted to share- he says "Obedience to the Lord's commandments provides us confidence in our chosen path, qualifies us for his guidance and direction as we pursue our efforts, and offers us the potential to become like our Savior, Jesus Christ, and return to our Father's presence."  Those are some great blessings.  I particularly like how it "qualifies" us for guidance and direction as we pursue our efforts.  Who doesn't want that?
A.C.T.Think about what commandments are "hard" or that I think are maybe not as important, or maybe is there any that I feel don't apply to me?  List them and then work harder to overcome those attitudes.


Return and Report:  One of the commandments I think I need to work on, is the word of wisdom. Not concerned about the don'ts, but rather, AM I following it to the best of my ability, by listening to the spirit of the law and taking care of my body so I can give more to the kingdom and the Lord's service.  I am really going to try to focus on taking better care of what I eat this week to make sure it is line with the word of wisdom and the promptings and commandments, I personally receive.  So next month when i get on the scales I don't wonder "what happened"

Mother Told Me

 Elder Foster shares the important role that mother's play in helping their children along the path.  At times our "young children" get tired or board of walking the "dusty trail", but a mother, from past experiences, knows the route, understands what lies ahead, and can provide great wisdom as she motivates, and encourages her child to move forward.  There are times when a child simply believes something because "mother told them." What an awesome responsibility I have as a mother.  I just hope I can get all my children "down the path without losing any."
A.C.T. Think about my role as a MOTHER, what things can I be doing better to help encourage my children along the path towards heaven.  How can I help them when they are tired of walking that trail?

Act in all Diligence

I like to read the Priesthood session talks since we don't get to be there to hear them.  I chose Elder Eyrings talk today.  He spoke about duty as a Priesthood holder to not be lazy or slothful, but to act, and do and become what the Lord wants us to do.  He said the reason they have the priesthood is..... "It is to learn what the Lord expects of you, make a plan to do it, act on your plan with diligence, and then share with others how your experience changed you and blessed others."
I need to follow that advice.
A.C.T. I am going to follow that advice, 1.)- figure out what the Lord wants from me.
2.)-make a plan 3.)-Act in diligence and 4.) then share how it blessed my life.