New Calling

I've had 2 of the funnest callings in church. Activity Days Leader and youth Sunday School teacher. Fun you say? Seriously teaching the 14 & 15 year old class was a blast! And activity days although a little crazy is a great calling.
Yesterday I was released from those callings and put in as a counselor in the Primary. Thinking about it I realized I've never really served in the primary (I've served 18 months in the nursery, several years in scouting & numerous times as a substitue but haven't been a primary teacher or in the presidency that I can remember, at least since I was in college).
I'm excited for my new calling. We have a great presidency and yesterdays presidency meeting flew by. I didn't have a watch and was shocked when I got home and realized I'd been gone for 3 hours. I'm guessing everyone else realized we'd been there that long but I had no clue it had been that long. To me that's the sign of a good meeting.

Conference weekend

I love conference weekend. No rushing around to get everyone ready for church and out the door on time. No Sunday clothes, shoes, or scriptures to find.

The kids are out playing on the trampoline and I'm still in my jammies and don't plan on getting out of them today. We'll turn on the radios downstairs and the kids can listen while playing legos. Upstairs we'll have it playing on the internet. Wishing conference came around more often than twice a year.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

While up north we had the chance to attend the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House. Although I've got to wonder why they named it the Oquirrh Mountain Temple since I have to think every time I try to pronounce it.
I can't believe how many people attend the open house. We went on a morning when there were tons of tickets still available and there were still crowds of people there. It's a beautiful temple. It was great to have the kids have the opportunity to walk through it and see the interior. It was kind of loud and rushed so it was nice to have the chance to sit in a sealing room for a couple of minutes of quiet. We even lost Kylie once in the chapel. I thought she was ahead of me but she was behind me trying out every bench in the chapel. Good thing she and Kim had on matching dresses and an observant lady knew who she belonged too!

Fathers & Sons

I'm finally getting around to pulling pictures off the camera. The boys had a great evening at Fahters & Sons last Friday.

Cleaning Crew

I had the opportunity to volunteer at the temple last night on the cleaning crew. What an awesome experience. I would definitely do it again the next time I have the chance. I helped clean the ordinance worker's dressing rooms. Vacuuming, dusting, cleaning glass and emptying the trash. No wonder the temple is always sparkling clean they clean it thoroughly every night!

We Find The Time To Do The Things We Really Want To Do

Women's Conference was wonderful.

Seriously mark your calendars now and plan to go next year!
April 29 & 30, 2010

So what did I learn? What inspired me?

LOTS! But I've found I can't put most of it into words because it was felt rather than heard. The spirit was so strong and it's just hard to put on paper but here is an attempt... I took very few notes.

Women's Conference starts each day with everyone attending an opening session and then you have the chance to choose 3 different classes followed by a closing session.

My favorite class was: "Do do squander time for that is the stuff life is made of."

It was based on this counsel from Thomas S. Monson: "There will be no tomorrows to remember if individuals don't do something today."

2 fabulous women spoke to us.
The first was Becky Arrington who was a former Nashville recording artist who gave up her career for what really matters most - family. She sang a couple songs and shared how and why she choose her family over fame. Beautiful music but my search of the Internet has yielded no results on how to get her music.

The second lady, Laureen Simper said just what I needed to hear. It is usually that way - there is one talk that just speaks to my spirit and this one was it.
Her talk focused on simplifying and choosing the best for our families.
She focused on feeling the Holy Ghost and acting on what we are told to do. How important it is to find quiet, unstructured space so we are able to feel the spirit.
Choosing it ALL is the opposite of choose ye this day whom ye will serve. We can't have it all and do it all we have to make choices in what we will and won't allow and how we will and won't spend our time. We can't let good things (like sports) and better things (like music lessons) crowd out the best things in life (things of the spirit).
I came away with a better understanding that this statement is so true:
We find the time to do the things we really want to do.

In addition to that here is what I gleaned from the other classes I attended:
In the Strength of the Lord I can do all things!
Remember to Keep the Sabbath Day Holy - We must both remember & keep the Sabbath. Remember is internal, the devotions we pay toward God, Keep is external, the outward performances.
The Media - Yikes! I must keep up with what is out there. Filters are good but they are easy to get around so don't think for a minute they will protect your children. Children must be taught to have their own internal filter so they can turn away when they are exposed to filth. Average age of first exposure to pornography is age 8! Limits must be set on the time spent on the internet & video gaming.
Turn on uplifting music to bring the spirit into my home.
Enjoy being a mother. Enjoy the simple things. Take time for my children.
Use the primary songs to teach.
Be slow to anger and quick to forgive.
Pray more, take time to listen to the spirit.
Fight for what is right.
Be a better neighbor.

General Conference

Conference was so wonderfully uplifting and inspiring and full of hope. In the past when I've listened to conference I would take lots of notes and try to work on everything but I've learned that being the perfectionist I am that can be counterproductive for me when I fail to succeed at everything. So now I just listen and then choose one thing that I need to be better at. The thing that stood out for me the most is Temple Worship. Several speakers spoke on the temple and this is where I need to focus my attention right now. The temple is just 10 minutes away from me and yet I've only made it there twice this year. There was a point prior to having Kylie I made it to the temple almost weekly. Now that Kylie is 3 I really have no good excuse anymore other than I just don't make the time to get there. My new goal is to once again try to get to the temple weekly and to settle for no less than twice a month.

Loved this Talk by Kevin W. Pearson

One of the talks I absolutely loved was from an unknown to me member of the seventy, Kevin W. Pearson. He was sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy a year ago. He gave a great talk on Faith and I love all the alliteration in his talk on the 6 "D"s:
Doubt
Discouragement
Distraction
Lack of Diligence
Disobedience
Disbelief

Wow What a Conference!

General Conference today was fabulous. It is so wonderful to be lead by such wonderful inspired leaders. What wonderful messages of hope were given today by so many. I'm looking forward to relistening to and reading the talks that were given today because so many of them were just what I needed to hear.

I'm totally impressed with the new video stream for viewing conference on the internet. Despite living in UT we don't have cable or an antenna that works the only way we can get conference is via the internet. I love that there is the ability to pause, restart and immediately rewatch something. Technology has come a long way!

Picnic In The Park

When the weather is nice our ward has a picnic in the park once a month. As a ward missionary Brian got put in charge of a large portion of picnic in the park. He was in charge of making and delivering the flyer and buying the hamburgers & hot dogs. Wednesday night I came home from Enrichment to find that he had rounded up the neighborhood kids to help him deliver flyers. Amazing what they'll do for a candy bar!
Thursday morning he went into work a little late so he could figure out how to get our BBQ that didn't have wheels over to the park.


Being the king of Jimmy-rigging things he strapped the BBQ on to our dolly and used himself as a cart horse to pull the BBQ over to the park. Quite ingenious.

When Brian got put in charge of getting the food I thought great that means I'm going to have to take care of it because grocery shopping is usually not Brian's thing. This was so not the case this time. Brian went to Costco and took care of everything. There was a great turn out at the park and so much good food to eat. Kimberly Innes makes some awesome sugar cookies! And Bishop Cooper cooked up some great potatoes & chicken chili. I ate lots of other good stuff to but I have no idea who brought it! So much for eating healthy but boy it sure did taste good!

I brought the camera but then set it down and forgot about it for most of the night. The kids all have so much fun playing with their friends at the park. One day I will remember to get some shots of all the fun.

Ward Christmas Party

Bloomington Hills 10th Ward Christmas Party.

This year our ward did a breakfast for our Ward Christmas Party. We enjoyed eggs, ham, hashbrowns, bread and oranges. Followed by Christmas Carols and a visit from Santa.

All I want for Christmas is a DS.

All I want for Christmas is a bike. Um that was news to Santa. Santa thought she wanted an Ipod for Christmas?!? Apparently she wants a bike for Christmas and an Ipod for her birthday. Better get making a bike Santa.

All I want for Christmas is an Ipod, a DS & tinkerbell. Hello! You are 3! You are not getting an Ipod or a DS for Christmas, Tinkerbell we can handle.

All I want for Christmas is a DS.

Apparently Brett is too big to sit on Santa's lap but all he wants for Christmas is a PSP.

It looks like it is a good to be a Christmas of good things come in small packages or only one package! There isn't going to be much as far as quantity under the tree since one gift uses up more than their entire Christmas budget!

Signing cards for the missionaries. We had an enjoyable morning. We just got done with all the Saturday chores and are looking forward to a relaxing Saturday afternoon.

Make No Mistake About It...

'Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions.
President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.' This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . .
Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . .
This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened....
Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel.
There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself.
Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat.'
--- Elder Neal A. Maxwell October 10, 1978 address at BYU
What a prophetic talk!

Straight Line From a Crooked Stick

The Lord can draw a straight line with even the most crooked of sticks.

I know that I can never be perfected through my efforts alone,

and there are still times when I feel as if I am sinking like Peter.

However, I am strengthened when I remember that

Christ’s commandment is not for me to become perfect

and then come to Him.

Instead, He invites me—and each one of us—

to come unto Him and to be perfected in Him.

This power has helped me be a better parent

and a better teacher than I could ever be on my own.

When I focus on Christ, do my best,

and recognize my dependence on Him, I am strengthened.

Crooked though my stick may be,

the Lord is somehow able to draw a straight line,

and I become an instrument in His hand.

From the article Why Did the Lord Call Me?

Inspirational Thought 2

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
-Marjorie Hinckley-
(Thanks to Rachel S. - I stole this off her blog)

Thought for the Day

"We live in a most exciting and challenging period in human history. As technology sweeps through every facet of our lives, changes are occurring so rapidly that it can be difficult for us to keep our lives in balance. To maintain some semblance of stability in our lives, it is essential that we plan for our future. I believe it is time, and perhaps with some urgency, to review the counsel we have received in dealing with our personal and family preparedness. We want to be found with oil in our lamps sufficient to endure to the end."
Elder L. Tom Perry

Oh No! She's Awake Again!

This morning has been one of those days? Do you know the kind of days I'm talking about? The ones where you're tired and don't want to get out of bed and pessimism and everything that is wrong with your life is all you can focus on! The "why me" kind of days that get us no where and yet we wallow in self pity for a while before snapping out of the funk we are in. Thankfully it usually doesn't take me long to bounce back. I was searching the Internet and came across a few quotes I liked that helped!

“The fact is most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …
“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride” ~Gordon B. Hinckley

"God loves us; the devil hates us. God wants us to have a fullness of joy as He has. The devil wants us to be miserable as he is." ~President Ezra Taft Benson

"If we don't have a clear sense of our identity and purpose, we are much more vulnerable to Lucifer. He of course knows this and accordingly attempts to blur our vision. He lies. He shades and obliterates truth. He makes evil look good and good look unenlightened and unsophisticated. Make no mistake about it: Lucifer will do anything to derail, disappoint, dishearten, discourage, and deceive us—and particularly those who have made and are seeking to keep sacred covenants. His motives are entirely self-centered, selfish, destructive, and evil." ~ Sheri L. Dew

"The devil is strongly against man's repenting and preparing himself for the kingdom of heaven. The devil's mission and goal is to destroy man's potential godliness and his preparation to be again with his Heavenly Father. Repentance will stop the devil and keep him from entering the hearts of men."
Elder Bernard P. Brockbank

Do any of you remember the story Sheri Dew once related where she said a girl came up to her and said: “I’ll bet when you get up every morning the devil says to himself, ‘Oh no! She’s awake again!’”
Time to stop letting Satan win! It may be noon already but I think I'll pretend I just got up and start my day over!

Footprints in the Sand & Finding Joy in the Journey

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,
"The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you."

~Mary Stevenson

I was thinking of this poem today. Sometimes life is just hard and it seems like we'll never make it through the things that get thrown at us. Busy schedules, illness, housework, homework, church callings and a to do list a mile long, children, spouses, extended family, friends, neighbors, and a multitude of other things calling for our attention, service, scriptures, journals, exercise, meals, bills, scouting, the list never ends. How to not lose site of what is most important. Last night as a family we listened to President Monson's talk Finding Joy in the Journey.

This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

It was a real wake up call for me. What is most important in my life? My husband, my children, my family, the church. All too often I let the most important things pass me by while I'm focused on something that is not. So here's to putting family first and finding joy in the journey!

The Time Has Come to Get Our Houses in Order

I got a chuckle out of this cartoon but then it got me thinking...Obviously with Brian being a realtor the country's financial crisis could very directly effect our future. If people aren't buying and selling homes we don't have anything to pay our bills with. We have been very blessed this year. In fact we have had the best year we have ever had. But the future is completely uncertain. Brian could go months without closing a deal and has in the past so we don't know what lies ahead for us.
I got to thinking of the talk President Hinckley gave 10 years ago in the Priesthood Session of conference.

Now, brethren, I want to make it very clear that I am not prophesying, that I am not predicting years of famine in the future. But I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order....
So many of our people are living on the very edge of their incomes. In fact, some are living on borrowings....
I urge you, brethren, to look to the condition of your finances. I urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt to the extent possible. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from bondage....
If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts. That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable.

President Hinckley was a such a great man and none of us can claim that we didn't know what was coming. We know times are going to get even worse than they are right now! Unfortunately we still aren't completely debt free however; we've been very blessed by the Lord, always pay our tithing and we're trying to live within our means so I'm optimistic about our future.

Keeping Our Heads Above Water!

Last night I went to the Relief Society General Broadcast. The Relief Society General Presidency as well President Uchtdorf spoke. It was a fabulous meeting and President Uchtdorf's talk was very inspiring. I took down a few notes and this morning went looking for some of the quotes that he shared. Here are some of my favorites:

"Try to see how many smiles you can create" ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Work will cure your grief, serve others" ~Gordon B. Hinckley

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” ~James Barrie

“When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated” ~ Lorenzo Snow

One of my all time favorite Kenneth Cope Songs!

I've always adored Kenneth Cope's music. I love this song. In college I even learned it in sign language!