My body is exhausted and yet my heart is ready to explode. As much as I want to share with you right now the many things I gained and loved from General Conference this weekend, I'm instead going to share a quick experience I had this afternoon and save the rest for later.
It was a particularly busy weekend and due to various commitments, we were only able to watch the morning sessions of General Conference. This afternoon we had a birthday party in Pleasanton and had to leave the house around 2. We drove separate cars because Neil, who is working in San Jose tomorrow decided to stay the night in Pleasanton to give him a head start on his morning commute. When it was time for us to leave, he offered to take the kids in my car (score!) which left me with his car. I always enjoy driving his little Jetta. It's a lot zippier than my Altima, with it's fancy turbo engine and sixth gear, not to mention the fact that it has an iPod jack - a feature my "old" '06 Altima lacks. Naturally when given the opportunity to drive Neil's car, especially alone, I take full advantage, and today was no exception. I was almost past Manteca, having just turned on one of my favorite songs when, without warning, my phone went dead. It's done this to me a handful of times in the last few weeks and I can't explain why. But almost as quickly as it turned off, it came right back on again. Slightly annoyed, a thought suddenly came to me.
"Hey, self. It's 2:18pm. General Conference is only an hour in. Why not ditch your plan of listening to music and instead turn on what really matters! You have that capability, after all!"
And this is true. When Neil upgraded his Droid a few months ago, I inherited his "old" Droid and was then officially welcomed into the 3g world. It's a scary world, I'll admit, but oh so convenient. And I'd say today I was more grateful for that convenience than ever before! It hadn't occurred to me to try turning Conference on until my music turned off. When I hopped onto lds.org and clicked "view live session," BAM, there it was. Over the speakers came the familiar voice of Quentin L. Cook, offering a much more uplifting message than any song stored in my phone could have offered.
As I drove through the windmills along 580, it struck me suddenly how far technology has come. That I could drive in my car while listening to the Apostles of our church speak to me LIVE was just beyond my imagination! What a gift! Now in a world where technology seems to be improving by the hour this experience may seem small and insignificant. After all, the ability to watch Conference (or just about anything) on one's phone has been possible for a couple years now, right? But it was the happiest accident I'd stumbled upon in a long time and, I believe, an inspired one. Cook's talk was beautiful and in it he shared one of my favorite scriptures, which is Doctrine Covenants 122:7. It gives such an incredible depiction of what Joseph Smith faced shortly before his death, and offers a powerful perspective on trials in general. You think you have it bad? Read this scripture! And then take heart in its comforting conclusion that our trials give us experience and are for our good.
Following Cook's talk, President Thomas S. Monson, our prophet concluded the session with some words of comfort to the church members. Of the things he said, here is what I loved most:
"I love you. I pray for you. I would ask once again that you would remember me and all the general authorities in your prayers. We are one with you in moving this marvelous work. I testify to you that we are all in this together and that every man, women and child has a part to play. May God give us the strength and the ability and the determination to play our part well..."
"...I leave with you my witness and my testimony that God our eternal father lives and loves us. He is indeed our father and He is personal and real. May we realize and understand how close to us He is willing to come; how far He is willing to go to help us; how much He loves us and how much He does and is willing to do for us. May He bless you. May His promise of peace be with you now and always."
General Conference is a beautiful concept. It gives members of the church an opportunity to pause from the chaos and confusion of life twice a year to come hear inspired men and women of God teach, comfort and offer guidance. I certainly gained a lot from the short amount of Conference I was able to see and hear this weekend, and my "happy accident" experience is one I'll certainly never forget.
Showing posts with label Spiritual. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spiritual. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Backtracking to March: New Beginnings
In January and February I was on top of my blog, and planned (or rather, hoped) to maintain that habit for the rest of the year, but quickly fell behind around mid-March. So here I am, attempting to get back on track and make this blog current once again. My plan (or rather, hope) is, in the coming days, to compile a post for each month, summarizing the events I've failed to share along the way from March on. Let's see if I can do it.
On March 20th, we had our New Beginnings, which is an annual program for the young women of our church. Because I work with the young women, I had the pleasure of taking part in the planning and execution of this year's program. We used Jenny Phillips' Happily Ever After script, which worked beautifully. The theme was based around President Dieter F. Uchtdorf 's April 2010 Conference address, Your Happily Ever After, and much of his talk was quoted throughout the program. Here were my favorite bits and pieces:
"'Once upon a time' promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. it may include tales of courage, hope and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words "And they lived happily ever after." Isn't that what we all desire: to be the heroes and heroines of our own stories; to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty; and, in the end, to live happily ever after?
"Beloved young sisters, stay true to what you know is right Everywhere you look today, you will find promises of happiness. Ads in magazines promise total bliss if you will only buy a certain outfit, shampoo, or makeup. Certain media productions glamorize those who embrace evil or who give in to base instincts. Often these same people are portrayed as models of success and accomplishment. In a world where evil is portrayed as good and good as evil, sometimes it is difficult to know the truth . . . We all search for happiness, and we all try to find our own 'happily ever after.' The truth is, God knows how to get there! And He has created a map for you; He knows the way . . . All you have to do is trust your Heavenly Father. Trust Him enough to follow His plan." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Your Happily Ever After, April Conference 2010)
Modesty:
"You girls go and find the modest clothes and wear them, make them as beautiful as you can and be attractive and make up to your boyfriends in bright intellect and sweet spirit and attractive demeanor that which some girls can only do with their bodies. It is a pretty weak girl if she has only her body to attract somebody . . . Any young woman who conducts herself so as to be attractive spiritually, mentally, and physically, but will not by word, nor dress, nor act stir or stimulate to physical reactions, she is a jewel." - Spencer W. Kimball (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg. 285)
The need for adversity:
"We sometimes wonder: if the plan really is the great plan of happiness, why must we struggle to find the fullness of it in mortal life?
If you expect to find only ease and peace and bliss during Act II [mortality], you surely will be frustrated. You will understand little of what is going on and why things are permitted to be as they are.
Remember this! The line "And they lived happily ever after" is never written in the second act. That line belongs in the third act when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right." - Boyd K. Packer (Mine Errand from the Lord, pg. 3)
"For a moment, think back about your favorite fairy tale. In that story the main character may be a princess or a peasant; she might be a mermaid or a milkmaid, a ruler or a servant. You will find one thing all have in common: they must overcome adversity. . . In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn ourselves. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy.
In our pursuit to reach 'happily ever after' we will inevitably face trials and adversity. We will also face our own weaknesses. We need strength beyond ourselves to make the journey. That is why our Heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior. When the forests fill with darkness, and the wolves seek our souls, when we have lost our way, or when we feel we just can't go on, we can rely on the strength of the Lord.
'Happily ever after' is not something found only in fairy tales. You can have it! It is available for you! But you must follow your Heavenly Father's map.
Sisters, please embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ! Learn to love your Heavenly Father with all your heart, might, and mind. Fill your souls with virtue, and love goodness. Always strive to bring our the best in yourself and others . . . You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your "once upon a time" is now." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Your Happily Ever After, April Conference 2010)
I absolutely loved this whole concept about how we write our own story. Uchtdorf is brilliant. I just adore the man, and was so happy that the entire program was based on his wonderful talk.
Here are a few pictures...
That's my wedding dress on the far left.
I was in charge of the food.
Here are (most of) our wonderful young women!
On March 20th, we had our New Beginnings, which is an annual program for the young women of our church. Because I work with the young women, I had the pleasure of taking part in the planning and execution of this year's program. We used Jenny Phillips' Happily Ever After script, which worked beautifully. The theme was based around President Dieter F. Uchtdorf 's April 2010 Conference address, Your Happily Ever After, and much of his talk was quoted throughout the program. Here were my favorite bits and pieces:
"'Once upon a time' promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. it may include tales of courage, hope and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words "And they lived happily ever after." Isn't that what we all desire: to be the heroes and heroines of our own stories; to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty; and, in the end, to live happily ever after?
"Beloved young sisters, stay true to what you know is right Everywhere you look today, you will find promises of happiness. Ads in magazines promise total bliss if you will only buy a certain outfit, shampoo, or makeup. Certain media productions glamorize those who embrace evil or who give in to base instincts. Often these same people are portrayed as models of success and accomplishment. In a world where evil is portrayed as good and good as evil, sometimes it is difficult to know the truth . . . We all search for happiness, and we all try to find our own 'happily ever after.' The truth is, God knows how to get there! And He has created a map for you; He knows the way . . . All you have to do is trust your Heavenly Father. Trust Him enough to follow His plan." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Your Happily Ever After, April Conference 2010)
Modesty:
"You girls go and find the modest clothes and wear them, make them as beautiful as you can and be attractive and make up to your boyfriends in bright intellect and sweet spirit and attractive demeanor that which some girls can only do with their bodies. It is a pretty weak girl if she has only her body to attract somebody . . . Any young woman who conducts herself so as to be attractive spiritually, mentally, and physically, but will not by word, nor dress, nor act stir or stimulate to physical reactions, she is a jewel." - Spencer W. Kimball (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg. 285)
The need for adversity:
"We sometimes wonder: if the plan really is the great plan of happiness, why must we struggle to find the fullness of it in mortal life?
If you expect to find only ease and peace and bliss during Act II [mortality], you surely will be frustrated. You will understand little of what is going on and why things are permitted to be as they are.
Remember this! The line "And they lived happily ever after" is never written in the second act. That line belongs in the third act when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right." - Boyd K. Packer (Mine Errand from the Lord, pg. 3)
"For a moment, think back about your favorite fairy tale. In that story the main character may be a princess or a peasant; she might be a mermaid or a milkmaid, a ruler or a servant. You will find one thing all have in common: they must overcome adversity. . . In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn ourselves. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy.
In our pursuit to reach 'happily ever after' we will inevitably face trials and adversity. We will also face our own weaknesses. We need strength beyond ourselves to make the journey. That is why our Heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior. When the forests fill with darkness, and the wolves seek our souls, when we have lost our way, or when we feel we just can't go on, we can rely on the strength of the Lord.
'Happily ever after' is not something found only in fairy tales. You can have it! It is available for you! But you must follow your Heavenly Father's map.
Sisters, please embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ! Learn to love your Heavenly Father with all your heart, might, and mind. Fill your souls with virtue, and love goodness. Always strive to bring our the best in yourself and others . . . You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your "once upon a time" is now." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Your Happily Ever After, April Conference 2010)
I absolutely loved this whole concept about how we write our own story. Uchtdorf is brilliant. I just adore the man, and was so happy that the entire program was based on his wonderful talk.
Here are a few pictures...
That's my wedding dress on the far left.
I was in charge of the food.
Here are (most of) our wonderful young women!
I have never been in as much love with a group of young girls as I am with this group of young girls. They are a strong bunch, and I am continuously impressed by the things they say and the choices they make.
All in all it was a perfect evening. The program was uplifting and inspiring, and I think the leaders benefited from it as much as the girls did. It's always nice to be reminded of the simple truths we teach about week after week. After all, we are still writing our stories of "happily ever after."
All in all it was a perfect evening. The program was uplifting and inspiring, and I think the leaders benefited from it as much as the girls did. It's always nice to be reminded of the simple truths we teach about week after week. After all, we are still writing our stories of "happily ever after."
Friday, July 8, 2011
Time Out For Women recap: Saturday
Here, finally, is Saturday's recap of Time Out For Women! I mean, it was only 3 months ago! No biggie, right? Be warned that this is probably the longest post I've ever written. It is also filled with spiritual goodies, so read it if you will, or just take a quick gander. Friday's recap can be found here.
Saturday's speakers included Mariama Kallon, DeAnne Flynn, Laurel Christensen, Wendy Ulrich and Mary Ellen Edmunds. And Hilary Weeks provided the music. I fell in love with Hilary instantly. Not only is she pretty to look at with a voice that will blow your socks off, but she is also eloquent, thoughtful, down to earth and very funny! In between the speakers she would get up and share a thought, then conclude it with a song or two. It became more and more evident to me as I listened to her that behind each song she has written, there is a story, a purpose and plenty of inspiration to be found. Hilary has four daughters and talked a lot about her adventures in motherhood. She definitely spoke to my heart and I look at her in a whole new light now.
For Mother's Day, my mom got me Hilary's recent book, Bedtime and Naptime... and Naptime and Bedtime, which I read in its entirety the very day I received it. It contains words of wisdom, inspiring scriptures and quotes, a few of Hilary's favorite recipes, and countless pick me ups that will lift any mom's spirits. There's also a bonus CD containing a handful of famous songs to which she's changed the lyrics to reflect some of her own thoughts on motherhood. She's hilarious. Here's a preview:
Chloe just watched this video and said, "Mommy, she sounds like Maria! Is it her with long hair?"
Hilary touched on a few topics, but two in particular stood out to me, and that's what I'd like to share with you. She started off with this:
"Extraordinary moments can happen in the middle of ordinary days."
I love this! But wait until you hear this sweet story, which she shared with us, and which can also be found on page 69 of her book:
"I was on a mother-daughter dinner date with Calli, who was nine at the time. Through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese, Calli giggled as she recounted a game of freeze tag she played during recess that day.
Then it hit me...
I will spend eternity knowing Calli as an adult. But tonight, right here, right now, and for the next few precious years, I have the rare privilege of knowing her as a child.
What a gift to experience the children in our lives as children!
For a brief moment during the journey of mortality, we get to watch them laugh, learn, experience and grow.
Yes, in the middle of an ordinary day it was an extraordinary moment."
I Loooo-ooooo-ooooove this concept! And isn't it true that the moments we tend to remember and cherish most are the simple, ordinary ones?
Hilary also talked about the power of thoughts. She had heard at a recent Relief Society dinner that the average person has 300 negative thoughts each day, and she wanted to put it to the test. So she purchased a clicker to record the number of negative thoughts she had over the course of several days. She shares the story on her blog, and you can read Part I of III here. Her number of negative thoughts varied a bit day by day, but mostly remained consistent until day six, when they shot way up. In Hilary's own words:
"After almost a week of clicking, I woke up one morning and felt really, really down. I was outright depressed. I felt sad and discouraged – and I had absolutely no reason to feel that way. Then it dawned on me… It was the experiment. By simply “clicking” the negative thoughts I was giving them enough attention and consequently enough power to effect my mood. John Kehoe, author of Mind Power said, “Although a single unaided thought hasn’t much power, through repetition the thought can become concentrated and directed, and its force can be magnified many times. The more the thought is repeated the more energy and power it generates, and the more readily it is able to manifest itself.”
Unexpected. Truly. I had no idea that paying even the slightest bit of attention to those negative thoughts could have that kind of effect on me. It wasn’t as if I dwelled on them once they came into my mind – NO, not at all. I actually tried to chase them away. But the click. The click acknowledged them enough to give the negative thoughts the ability to change my mood and outlook. So…I decided to go a new direction with my experiment."
So she goes on... (Read all of Part II here)
"I was really surprised by the effect that simple, tiny act of “clicking” each negative thought had on my mood. I guess that is why King Benjamin told us in the Book of Mormon to “watch ourselves and our thoughts.” And maybe that is why we are told in the Doctrine and Covenants to “let virtue (or power) garnish our thoughts unceasingly.”
President Spencer W. Kimball said, “How could a person possibly become what he is not thinking? Nor is any thought, when persistently entertained, too small to have its effect. The divinity that shapes our ends is indeed in ourselves.”
The first day, I counted 321 clicks! By Day four…(I was totally shocked when I saw this) One thousand, two hundred and sixty two!! That’s…1,262! My spirit seemed to soar – I felt so happy. My circumstances hadn’t changed one bit, only the focus of my thoughts had. I loved creating positive thoughts. That is much more fun than trying to block or chase away the negative ones."
Sorry I'm not paraphrasing very well. Hilary made it too easy to just quote her since she documented the whole story in her blog. And between her eloquent writing skills and the scriptures and quotes she shares along the way, there really is no alternative. :)
Part III, which can be found here, goes a little something like this:
"Ironically, last week, I was eating chips, salsa and a smothered burrito at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants while simultaneously thinking about running six miles. I like to run. But only two or three miles. Not six. But I did it recently – I RAN SIX MILES. As I took a sip from my strawberry colada, I tried to figure out how on Earth I did that? And then it hit me. I ran six miles during the height of “clicking” my positive thoughts. I’m telling the truth.
That is exactly when it happened. I was seriously able to run six miles on my treadmill and I am pretty dang sure it was a side-effect of my positive thinking. The last time I ran that far was…um…let me think…oh ya, High School. I don’t run six miles. I’m not a six-miler. I’m not. But during that week, during the flow of positive thoughts, my body, lungs, heart and muscles were strengthened and empowered just as much as my mind was. It was quite a realization."
In her closing remarks, Hilary shared these two quotes:
"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day." - Elder Richard G. Scott (from The Transforming Power of Faith and Character, Ensign, Nov. 2010)
"Our mind wants to do everything we tell it to do.” - Jana Call
...as well as this scripture: Philippians 4:8, concluding that when we think about those things (ie, things that are true, honest, just, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy), we become those things.
Okay, okay. Enough about Hilary. Sheesh, I've probably already exhausted you, and I'm only getting started!
MARIAMA KALLON
Saturday's first speaker was Mariama Kallon, a women from Africa, and a survivor of an atrocious war in Sierra Leon who endured a terrifying childhood. She shared the story of witnessing the violent murders of her parents and siblings, and talked about her journey to overcoming the heartaches and finding joy. To say both her presence and messages were powerful would be a huge understatement. She was endearing on all levels, and by the end of her talk I wanted to hug her! And, I did, in fact, during the next break! I couldn't help myself!
Look at her! She's radiant! Don't mind my swollen, puffy eyes. Lots of tears were shed this day.
Mariama, who was first introduced to the church when she received a hygiene kit - something she'd forever hold onto as a symbol of hope, soon thereafter was baptized and called to serve in the Salt Lake City Temple Square mission. She shared a few tender stories about her experiences as a missionary. In one she recounts how it made her sad when the other sister missionaries received letters and packages from their families. Mariama, after all, had no family, and no one to receive a letter or package from! The other sister missionaries felt terrible for Mariama and wrote home to their own mothers requesting that they send something to her. It wasn't long before Mariama was receiving more packages than anyone else! Rightfully so. I loved that.
She shared a second story about her mission, where she, one morning, snuck into a closet at the Visitor's center on Temple Square. She had been yearning to teach someone from Africa the gospel, and that morning in particular she was praying extra hard. A video was then played where in her Mission President shares the rest of the story. He explained that he was on Temple Square that same day, and suddenly saw Mariama running towards the South Gate. Confused, he asked what she was doing, to which she explained she was going to meet someone. It turns out, during her prayer, she felt strongly compelled to stand up right then and run to the South gate. She knew in her heart someone would be there, and within five minutes, a black man, who turned out to be from Ghana, a West African village not far from where she grew up, walked by. Right there her prayer was answered. She was able to share the gospel with him, and gosh, if I remember right, he later joined the church.
In conclusion to this story, Mariama said, "Sometimes you have to get up and run. You can't just wait for the blessings to come." As this was true in her situation with meeting the Ghana man at the South Gate, so it is true in our own lives. I loved this message, and her. I actually ran into her in the bathroom at the Salt Lake Temple (of all places) when I was there last month for Jared and Lori's sealing. I hugged her again, and told her how much she inspired me at TOFW. She's a sweet, sweet lady.
DEANNE FLYNN
DeAnne Flynn was the next speaker. The theme of her talk was the "Mother's Mite", also the title of her recent book. She likened a mother's mite to the widow's mite, found in Mark 12:42-44, explaining that just as this widow cast 2 mites (which is all that she had) into the treasury, we as mothers selflessly contribute whatever it is that we have. And while our humble, little offerings may not seem significant at the time, they undeniably make a difference in the lives of those we love.
Some other thoughts she shared are as follows:
"Choose to become more aware of the small things that make a large difference. Paying attention costs nothing but it pays off."
"When we hurry less, we notice more. When we talk less, we hear more. When we expect less, we learn more."
"Choose to become less complicated."
"Home is just a place where you an practice for Heaven."
"Overlook greater proficiency for even greater potential."
And finally, she concluded with a story from her childhood involving her mother and a vacuum cleaner. DeAnne's mother was vacuuming the floor one day when DeAnne decided to climb on and enjoy a little ride. Now where many mothers (including myself), would normally discourage this (hey, when I'm in the middle of an unpleasant task such as vacuuming, I want to get it over with as quickly as possible), DeAnne's mother welcomed her and continued pushing the vacuum carrying little DeAnne along with her right to the end. What a sweet image. While DeAnne described her mother as being "efficient and ambitious", she further stated that "Her top priority wasn't speed and efficiency, it was me!" I love the gentle message this story conveys of taking the time for the more important things.
LAUREL CHRISTENSEN
Probably my favorite speaker of the day was Laurel Christensen, who spoke about faith, and living with faith. She started off be sharing a story about Florence Chadwick, who was the first women to swim the English Channel. A couple years later she attempted to swim from the Southern California coast to Catalina Island, which was a 21 mile stretch. The water was 48 degrees and the fog was thick. She eventually gave up out of exhaustion and frustration, only to learn, as she was pulled into the support boat, that she was at mile 20.5 - a HALF MILE from the finish line! She swam 20.5 miles of her 21 mile journey, and then quit, because she couldn't see the shoreline.
A similar thing had almost happened on her earlier attempt to swim the English Channel. The fog was too much and Florence became discouraged. But this time, when she wanted to be pulled into the boat, it was her father who pointed out how close she was to shore. Florence lifted her head, saw land, and finished what she started.
Laurel likened Florence Chadwick's father, who coached Florence along, especially near the end when she wanted to give up, to our Father in Heaven, who coaches us through life. He knows how close to shore we are, even if we can't see it ourselves. And even though we can't see it ourselves, we know it's there because we trust Him, and we trust that He will help get us there. So often in life we want to just give up. But who's to say, at that very moment, we're not at mile 20.5?
I loved Laurel's message of relying on the Lord and never giving up. She shared a handful of other thoughts that I'd like to share:
"Pray with faith. Think with faith. Live with faith."
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt
...but not without faith or the reliance of the Lord!
"Rely on what the Lord knows you can do, not what you don't think you can do." (Ephesians 3:20)
"Hope is about wanting what I want. Faith is about wanting what God wants."
"Instead of continually praying for something, ask the Lord if that's what you should be praying for."
I love these concepts she shared, and how true it is that we need to accept God's will, even when it's sometimes inconvenient for us. After all, He knows much better than we do how close we are to the shoreline. He will guide us there if we let Him.
In closing, Laurel shared a story about Joseph and Emma Smith. Emma wanted a blessing, but Joseph was headed to Carthage jail and couldn't be there to give her one. So he told her to write out the blessing she'd hoped to receive and send it to him. He said he would then sign it, and it would be so. You can read what she wrote here. Pretty incredible story of faith on both ends - Joseph, for trusting that the desires of his wife's heart would be consistent with that of the Lord's; and Emma, for trusting her husband's Priesthood power and closeness to the Spirit.
Laurel then challenged us to write the blessing we would each hope to receive and then take it to the Lord and ask him if it be right, and if it be okay to ask for it. Love it.
Are you asleep yet? I'm almost finished, I promise!
MARY ELLEN EDMUNDS
Mary Ellen was a hoot! I adored this woman right from the start, and think she was definitely right up there with Laurel among my faves of the day. She spoke on identify theft, in a spiritual sense, and not forgetting who we are. Her ideas were cleverly executed, and she captivated me with her quirkiness and wit.
Here are some of things she shared:
In talking about Satan, she referred to him as, "stupid-what's-his-face", and then said, "I like to call him that. I think it annoys him." (tee heeee)
"You really are a child a God!"
"One of the greatest ways to guard against identity theft is to talk to your Father. Ask Him if He knows you and tell Him what's in your heart."
Mary Ellen also touched on the comfort and guidance a Patriarchal blessing can provide, concluding, "It's amazing to see how relevant things remain even as time passes by."
"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." - Doctrine and Covenants 6:36
Here's a video that I found on YouTube of Mary Ellen reciting my absolute favorite quote of the day.
"God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created. When Christ died, he died for you individually, just as much as if you had been the only person in the world." - C.S. Lewis
Wow! Just, wow! What an incomprehensibly beautiful way to describe our worth. And I love Mary Ellen's remarks after sharing this quote: "Don't try to figure out how He does that, just know that He does." What a comfort to know we are not responsible for understanding, only accepting and enjoying.
"Today you are you. That is true-er than true. There is no one alive that is you-er than you!" - Dr. Seuss
In closing, Mary shared the story of the Velveteen Rabbit, explaining that we are like that rabbit. And no matter what imperfections we may possess, we are still unique, special and real. We are children of God, and He loves us.
WENDY ULRICH
Wendy Ulrich was the final speaker. Her talk was different from everyone else's in that it was very structured, more like a lecture. In it she touched on seven different ideas that should give us hope in our lives. They are as follows:
1 - Stop worrying about your weaknesses. Build on your strengths. Wendy served a mission at age twenty one, and said it was one of the worst eighteen months of her life. During that time she realized many of her weaknesses, and felt they held her back from fulfilling many of her missionary responsibilites. Years later, her husband was called as a Mission President for the Canada Montreal mission. Wendy initially thought this was her opportunity to redeem herself, until she realized she still carried with her many of those same weaknesses from several years prior. Then, in a "moment of absolute clarity", she felt a voice say, "I did not call you on a mission for your weaknesses. I called you on a mission for your strengths. Serve with your strengths."
2 - Don't try to get motivated to exercise. Wendy talked about how motivation follows action. She'd recently read an article in Runner's magazine about how one runner generally tricked himself into running each day. He would start by putting on his running clothes, not because he was going running, but because they were comfortable. Then, he would go to the door, not because he was going running, but because he wanted to see what it was like outside. Then, he would start walking down the street, not because he was going running, but because he wanted to see if his neighbor was outside. Before he knew it, he was running. And such is life. Sometimes we need to trick ourselves into doing the things that are good for us. In the end, we'll be glad we did.
3 - Stop trying to find friends. Instead develop the skills of friendship. Try to have at least one meaningful conversation each day. The friendships will come.
4 - Don't try to feel happy. Try to feel grateful. Does wonders on our mood. Wendy challenged us to write down 3 good things that happened each day, then write down why those things happened. Wendy explained that by reflecting not only on the good things but why those good things happened, we are reminded of reasons to be grateful, which, in turn, should make us feel happy.
5 - Celebrate failure. "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly." It is, after all, through our mistakes that we often learn the greatest lessons.
6 - Don't get help with your problems. Instead, help someone else. After all, Science has found it to be the single most reliable way to better our mood! And in the words of Gordon B. Hinckley's father, "Forget yourself and go to work." It is often in our deepest, darkest hours, that we must give our problems to the Lord, and turn to others and serve.
7 - Don't endure to the end. She shared President Gordon B Hinckley's famous quote, "Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." Savour everyday delights. Brainstorm five different tiny pleasures you can do that can bring you more joy.
All in all, Wendy had an unlifting message of hope and how we can achieve hope and happiness in our lives.
I left Fresno Saturday afternoon feeling rekindled, reassured, renewed, and ready to face the inevitable real life that was awaiting me at home. It was an awesome experience, and I hope to go to TOFW again someday.
Saturday's speakers included Mariama Kallon, DeAnne Flynn, Laurel Christensen, Wendy Ulrich and Mary Ellen Edmunds. And Hilary Weeks provided the music. I fell in love with Hilary instantly. Not only is she pretty to look at with a voice that will blow your socks off, but she is also eloquent, thoughtful, down to earth and very funny! In between the speakers she would get up and share a thought, then conclude it with a song or two. It became more and more evident to me as I listened to her that behind each song she has written, there is a story, a purpose and plenty of inspiration to be found. Hilary has four daughters and talked a lot about her adventures in motherhood. She definitely spoke to my heart and I look at her in a whole new light now.
For Mother's Day, my mom got me Hilary's recent book, Bedtime and Naptime... and Naptime and Bedtime, which I read in its entirety the very day I received it. It contains words of wisdom, inspiring scriptures and quotes, a few of Hilary's favorite recipes, and countless pick me ups that will lift any mom's spirits. There's also a bonus CD containing a handful of famous songs to which she's changed the lyrics to reflect some of her own thoughts on motherhood. She's hilarious. Here's a preview:
Chloe just watched this video and said, "Mommy, she sounds like Maria! Is it her with long hair?"
Hilary touched on a few topics, but two in particular stood out to me, and that's what I'd like to share with you. She started off with this:
"Extraordinary moments can happen in the middle of ordinary days."
I love this! But wait until you hear this sweet story, which she shared with us, and which can also be found on page 69 of her book:
"I was on a mother-daughter dinner date with Calli, who was nine at the time. Through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese, Calli giggled as she recounted a game of freeze tag she played during recess that day.
Then it hit me...
I will spend eternity knowing Calli as an adult. But tonight, right here, right now, and for the next few precious years, I have the rare privilege of knowing her as a child.
What a gift to experience the children in our lives as children!
For a brief moment during the journey of mortality, we get to watch them laugh, learn, experience and grow.
Yes, in the middle of an ordinary day it was an extraordinary moment."
I Loooo-ooooo-ooooove this concept! And isn't it true that the moments we tend to remember and cherish most are the simple, ordinary ones?
Hilary also talked about the power of thoughts. She had heard at a recent Relief Society dinner that the average person has 300 negative thoughts each day, and she wanted to put it to the test. So she purchased a clicker to record the number of negative thoughts she had over the course of several days. She shares the story on her blog, and you can read Part I of III here. Her number of negative thoughts varied a bit day by day, but mostly remained consistent until day six, when they shot way up. In Hilary's own words:
"After almost a week of clicking, I woke up one morning and felt really, really down. I was outright depressed. I felt sad and discouraged – and I had absolutely no reason to feel that way. Then it dawned on me… It was the experiment. By simply “clicking” the negative thoughts I was giving them enough attention and consequently enough power to effect my mood. John Kehoe, author of Mind Power said, “Although a single unaided thought hasn’t much power, through repetition the thought can become concentrated and directed, and its force can be magnified many times. The more the thought is repeated the more energy and power it generates, and the more readily it is able to manifest itself.”
Unexpected. Truly. I had no idea that paying even the slightest bit of attention to those negative thoughts could have that kind of effect on me. It wasn’t as if I dwelled on them once they came into my mind – NO, not at all. I actually tried to chase them away. But the click. The click acknowledged them enough to give the negative thoughts the ability to change my mood and outlook. So…I decided to go a new direction with my experiment."
So she goes on... (Read all of Part II here)
"I was really surprised by the effect that simple, tiny act of “clicking” each negative thought had on my mood. I guess that is why King Benjamin told us in the Book of Mormon to “watch ourselves and our thoughts.” And maybe that is why we are told in the Doctrine and Covenants to “let virtue (or power) garnish our thoughts unceasingly.”
President Spencer W. Kimball said, “How could a person possibly become what he is not thinking? Nor is any thought, when persistently entertained, too small to have its effect. The divinity that shapes our ends is indeed in ourselves.”
The first day, I counted 321 clicks! By Day four…(I was totally shocked when I saw this) One thousand, two hundred and sixty two!! That’s…1,262! My spirit seemed to soar – I felt so happy. My circumstances hadn’t changed one bit, only the focus of my thoughts had. I loved creating positive thoughts. That is much more fun than trying to block or chase away the negative ones."
Sorry I'm not paraphrasing very well. Hilary made it too easy to just quote her since she documented the whole story in her blog. And between her eloquent writing skills and the scriptures and quotes she shares along the way, there really is no alternative. :)
Part III, which can be found here, goes a little something like this:
"Ironically, last week, I was eating chips, salsa and a smothered burrito at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants while simultaneously thinking about running six miles. I like to run. But only two or three miles. Not six. But I did it recently – I RAN SIX MILES. As I took a sip from my strawberry colada, I tried to figure out how on Earth I did that? And then it hit me. I ran six miles during the height of “clicking” my positive thoughts. I’m telling the truth.
That is exactly when it happened. I was seriously able to run six miles on my treadmill and I am pretty dang sure it was a side-effect of my positive thinking. The last time I ran that far was…um…let me think…oh ya, High School. I don’t run six miles. I’m not a six-miler. I’m not. But during that week, during the flow of positive thoughts, my body, lungs, heart and muscles were strengthened and empowered just as much as my mind was. It was quite a realization."
In her closing remarks, Hilary shared these two quotes:
"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day." - Elder Richard G. Scott (from The Transforming Power of Faith and Character, Ensign, Nov. 2010)
"Our mind wants to do everything we tell it to do.” - Jana Call
...as well as this scripture: Philippians 4:8, concluding that when we think about those things (ie, things that are true, honest, just, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy), we become those things.
Okay, okay. Enough about Hilary. Sheesh, I've probably already exhausted you, and I'm only getting started!
MARIAMA KALLON
Saturday's first speaker was Mariama Kallon, a women from Africa, and a survivor of an atrocious war in Sierra Leon who endured a terrifying childhood. She shared the story of witnessing the violent murders of her parents and siblings, and talked about her journey to overcoming the heartaches and finding joy. To say both her presence and messages were powerful would be a huge understatement. She was endearing on all levels, and by the end of her talk I wanted to hug her! And, I did, in fact, during the next break! I couldn't help myself!
Look at her! She's radiant! Don't mind my swollen, puffy eyes. Lots of tears were shed this day.
Mariama, who was first introduced to the church when she received a hygiene kit - something she'd forever hold onto as a symbol of hope, soon thereafter was baptized and called to serve in the Salt Lake City Temple Square mission. She shared a few tender stories about her experiences as a missionary. In one she recounts how it made her sad when the other sister missionaries received letters and packages from their families. Mariama, after all, had no family, and no one to receive a letter or package from! The other sister missionaries felt terrible for Mariama and wrote home to their own mothers requesting that they send something to her. It wasn't long before Mariama was receiving more packages than anyone else! Rightfully so. I loved that.
She shared a second story about her mission, where she, one morning, snuck into a closet at the Visitor's center on Temple Square. She had been yearning to teach someone from Africa the gospel, and that morning in particular she was praying extra hard. A video was then played where in her Mission President shares the rest of the story. He explained that he was on Temple Square that same day, and suddenly saw Mariama running towards the South Gate. Confused, he asked what she was doing, to which she explained she was going to meet someone. It turns out, during her prayer, she felt strongly compelled to stand up right then and run to the South gate. She knew in her heart someone would be there, and within five minutes, a black man, who turned out to be from Ghana, a West African village not far from where she grew up, walked by. Right there her prayer was answered. She was able to share the gospel with him, and gosh, if I remember right, he later joined the church.
In conclusion to this story, Mariama said, "Sometimes you have to get up and run. You can't just wait for the blessings to come." As this was true in her situation with meeting the Ghana man at the South Gate, so it is true in our own lives. I loved this message, and her. I actually ran into her in the bathroom at the Salt Lake Temple (of all places) when I was there last month for Jared and Lori's sealing. I hugged her again, and told her how much she inspired me at TOFW. She's a sweet, sweet lady.
DEANNE FLYNN
DeAnne Flynn was the next speaker. The theme of her talk was the "Mother's Mite", also the title of her recent book. She likened a mother's mite to the widow's mite, found in Mark 12:42-44, explaining that just as this widow cast 2 mites (which is all that she had) into the treasury, we as mothers selflessly contribute whatever it is that we have. And while our humble, little offerings may not seem significant at the time, they undeniably make a difference in the lives of those we love.
Some other thoughts she shared are as follows:
"Choose to become more aware of the small things that make a large difference. Paying attention costs nothing but it pays off."
"When we hurry less, we notice more. When we talk less, we hear more. When we expect less, we learn more."
"Choose to become less complicated."
"Home is just a place where you an practice for Heaven."
"Overlook greater proficiency for even greater potential."
And finally, she concluded with a story from her childhood involving her mother and a vacuum cleaner. DeAnne's mother was vacuuming the floor one day when DeAnne decided to climb on and enjoy a little ride. Now where many mothers (including myself), would normally discourage this (hey, when I'm in the middle of an unpleasant task such as vacuuming, I want to get it over with as quickly as possible), DeAnne's mother welcomed her and continued pushing the vacuum carrying little DeAnne along with her right to the end. What a sweet image. While DeAnne described her mother as being "efficient and ambitious", she further stated that "Her top priority wasn't speed and efficiency, it was me!" I love the gentle message this story conveys of taking the time for the more important things.
LAUREL CHRISTENSEN
Probably my favorite speaker of the day was Laurel Christensen, who spoke about faith, and living with faith. She started off be sharing a story about Florence Chadwick, who was the first women to swim the English Channel. A couple years later she attempted to swim from the Southern California coast to Catalina Island, which was a 21 mile stretch. The water was 48 degrees and the fog was thick. She eventually gave up out of exhaustion and frustration, only to learn, as she was pulled into the support boat, that she was at mile 20.5 - a HALF MILE from the finish line! She swam 20.5 miles of her 21 mile journey, and then quit, because she couldn't see the shoreline.
A similar thing had almost happened on her earlier attempt to swim the English Channel. The fog was too much and Florence became discouraged. But this time, when she wanted to be pulled into the boat, it was her father who pointed out how close she was to shore. Florence lifted her head, saw land, and finished what she started.
Laurel likened Florence Chadwick's father, who coached Florence along, especially near the end when she wanted to give up, to our Father in Heaven, who coaches us through life. He knows how close to shore we are, even if we can't see it ourselves. And even though we can't see it ourselves, we know it's there because we trust Him, and we trust that He will help get us there. So often in life we want to just give up. But who's to say, at that very moment, we're not at mile 20.5?
I loved Laurel's message of relying on the Lord and never giving up. She shared a handful of other thoughts that I'd like to share:
"Pray with faith. Think with faith. Live with faith."
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt
...but not without faith or the reliance of the Lord!
"Rely on what the Lord knows you can do, not what you don't think you can do." (Ephesians 3:20)
"Hope is about wanting what I want. Faith is about wanting what God wants."
"Instead of continually praying for something, ask the Lord if that's what you should be praying for."
I love these concepts she shared, and how true it is that we need to accept God's will, even when it's sometimes inconvenient for us. After all, He knows much better than we do how close we are to the shoreline. He will guide us there if we let Him.
In closing, Laurel shared a story about Joseph and Emma Smith. Emma wanted a blessing, but Joseph was headed to Carthage jail and couldn't be there to give her one. So he told her to write out the blessing she'd hoped to receive and send it to him. He said he would then sign it, and it would be so. You can read what she wrote here. Pretty incredible story of faith on both ends - Joseph, for trusting that the desires of his wife's heart would be consistent with that of the Lord's; and Emma, for trusting her husband's Priesthood power and closeness to the Spirit.
Laurel then challenged us to write the blessing we would each hope to receive and then take it to the Lord and ask him if it be right, and if it be okay to ask for it. Love it.
Are you asleep yet? I'm almost finished, I promise!
MARY ELLEN EDMUNDS
Mary Ellen was a hoot! I adored this woman right from the start, and think she was definitely right up there with Laurel among my faves of the day. She spoke on identify theft, in a spiritual sense, and not forgetting who we are. Her ideas were cleverly executed, and she captivated me with her quirkiness and wit.
Here are some of things she shared:
In talking about Satan, she referred to him as, "stupid-what's-his-face", and then said, "I like to call him that. I think it annoys him." (tee heeee)
"You really are a child a God!"
"One of the greatest ways to guard against identity theft is to talk to your Father. Ask Him if He knows you and tell Him what's in your heart."
Mary Ellen also touched on the comfort and guidance a Patriarchal blessing can provide, concluding, "It's amazing to see how relevant things remain even as time passes by."
"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." - Doctrine and Covenants 6:36
Here's a video that I found on YouTube of Mary Ellen reciting my absolute favorite quote of the day.
"God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created. When Christ died, he died for you individually, just as much as if you had been the only person in the world." - C.S. Lewis
Wow! Just, wow! What an incomprehensibly beautiful way to describe our worth. And I love Mary Ellen's remarks after sharing this quote: "Don't try to figure out how He does that, just know that He does." What a comfort to know we are not responsible for understanding, only accepting and enjoying.
"Today you are you. That is true-er than true. There is no one alive that is you-er than you!" - Dr. Seuss
In closing, Mary shared the story of the Velveteen Rabbit, explaining that we are like that rabbit. And no matter what imperfections we may possess, we are still unique, special and real. We are children of God, and He loves us.
WENDY ULRICH
Wendy Ulrich was the final speaker. Her talk was different from everyone else's in that it was very structured, more like a lecture. In it she touched on seven different ideas that should give us hope in our lives. They are as follows:
1 - Stop worrying about your weaknesses. Build on your strengths. Wendy served a mission at age twenty one, and said it was one of the worst eighteen months of her life. During that time she realized many of her weaknesses, and felt they held her back from fulfilling many of her missionary responsibilites. Years later, her husband was called as a Mission President for the Canada Montreal mission. Wendy initially thought this was her opportunity to redeem herself, until she realized she still carried with her many of those same weaknesses from several years prior. Then, in a "moment of absolute clarity", she felt a voice say, "I did not call you on a mission for your weaknesses. I called you on a mission for your strengths. Serve with your strengths."
2 - Don't try to get motivated to exercise. Wendy talked about how motivation follows action. She'd recently read an article in Runner's magazine about how one runner generally tricked himself into running each day. He would start by putting on his running clothes, not because he was going running, but because they were comfortable. Then, he would go to the door, not because he was going running, but because he wanted to see what it was like outside. Then, he would start walking down the street, not because he was going running, but because he wanted to see if his neighbor was outside. Before he knew it, he was running. And such is life. Sometimes we need to trick ourselves into doing the things that are good for us. In the end, we'll be glad we did.
3 - Stop trying to find friends. Instead develop the skills of friendship. Try to have at least one meaningful conversation each day. The friendships will come.
4 - Don't try to feel happy. Try to feel grateful. Does wonders on our mood. Wendy challenged us to write down 3 good things that happened each day, then write down why those things happened. Wendy explained that by reflecting not only on the good things but why those good things happened, we are reminded of reasons to be grateful, which, in turn, should make us feel happy.
5 - Celebrate failure. "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly." It is, after all, through our mistakes that we often learn the greatest lessons.
6 - Don't get help with your problems. Instead, help someone else. After all, Science has found it to be the single most reliable way to better our mood! And in the words of Gordon B. Hinckley's father, "Forget yourself and go to work." It is often in our deepest, darkest hours, that we must give our problems to the Lord, and turn to others and serve.
7 - Don't endure to the end. She shared President Gordon B Hinckley's famous quote, "Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." Savour everyday delights. Brainstorm five different tiny pleasures you can do that can bring you more joy.
All in all, Wendy had an unlifting message of hope and how we can achieve hope and happiness in our lives.
I left Fresno Saturday afternoon feeling rekindled, reassured, renewed, and ready to face the inevitable real life that was awaiting me at home. It was an awesome experience, and I hope to go to TOFW again someday.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Stinky and joyful
Ryan is growing into quite the little stink. Believe it or not, he has started taking punches at his sister, hitting the nearest thing in sight, and even yelling or throwing objects when he doesn't get his way. I am learning a pattern, or should I say becoming reacquainted with one which another child, who will remain unnamed, followed when she was Ryan's same age.
One night about a month ago, after teeth had been brushed, bladders had been emptied, arguments had been resolved, songs had been sung, and prayers had been said, it was time for bed. Just as we were ready to tuck kiddos in so that Neil and I could enjoy a few moments of sanity before collapsing ourselves, Chloe realized she'd left her blanket downstairs. It was at this same moment that I realized Ryan's blanket had also been left downstairs. My initial thought was to have Chloe grab it since she was heading down there anyway, however I knew that this could potentially result in disaster. So instead I gave Ryan the option of getting it himself or letting Chloe. Sometimes he's perfectly willing to let her do things for him. Sometimes he's not. The key is convincing him that he's in control and that the decision is his to make, not someone else's. Well, as I suspected, "I do it!" was Ryan's response. That, along with "I don't like that" are two of his favorites these days. Now top that with it already being past his bedtime, when he tends to be a little more unreasonable, irrational, possessive, demanding, and whiny than usual, and the prediction is simple. He was going to go get his blanket, NOT Chloe!
Well, poor Chloe, in an attempt to be helpful, and obviously not having heard my conversation with Ryan, had already raced down the stairs before I even had a chance to tell her to leave Ryan's blanket behind. In fact, she was three quarters of the way back up just as Ryan was approaching the stairs to go down. You can imagine the sheer terror in his eyes when he spotted his blanket in Chloe's arms. She quickly handed it off to him, but the damage had already been done. With tears in his eyes, he threw himself onto the floor and started screaming like an honest, healthy, and very tired two-year-old would! About ninety seconds in, he slammed the blanket onto the floor and proceeded to kick it down the stairs, screaming the entire way, until he and the blanket had reached the bottom. After all, the only way to gain complete control back was to undo Chloe's good deed.
About twenty minutes later when Ryan had finally settled down, we were trying to determine where he was going to sleep. Ever since we transformed his crib into a toddler bed, Ryan has preferred sleeping on his floor. On occasion he'll choose to sleep in his bed, but because I never know, I've just added the question, "bed or floor?" to our nightly routine. Well earlier this week, Ryan had become more particular than usual about where on the floor his head would lie. He has this soft monkey mat (from Aunt Sue) that he sleeps on, and always wants his pillow in a specific place on this mat. For some reason though, I just couldn't get it right. It didn't matter where I put the silly mat or where I placed the pillow on the mat. His reaction was inevitably the same: throwing head back, more crying, followed by a, "Nooooooo! Ight dier!" ("right there"), while pointing two inches from the current location of his mat and pillow. I'm sure this partially stemmed from the episode that took place twenty minutes prior, but either way, it was absurd and a little over the top. He did eventually give in and sleep but not without a good fight.
While these stories illustrate the events of a single night, they also represent a lot of habits and tendencies Ryan has started to exhibit. Some more examples? Let's see. He can't manage in the bathroom when I've got my hands full in the kitchen, yet the minute I'm free to help him pull up his pants or wipe his bum he discourages any contact with me whatsoever. He demands the pink cup until Chloe expresses interest in the yellow cup. Then suddenly he has to have the yellow cup. If I place his green blanket on him before placing his blue blanket on him (both of which he sleeps with every night), he wants the blue blanket on him before the green blanket. Yet had I done it this way to begin with, he will have demanded it be done the other way. So in essence, whatever I do, or how I do it, dictates what he wants and how he wants it. And that is more often than not the complete opposite of what I just did. As I am slowly catching onto Ryan's patterns, I am becoming better equipped at handling him. Sometimes giving him options is the trick to maintaining a happy boy, and sometimes it doesn't matter what I do because he's already decided that he's going to be miserable regardless.
I know Ryan is learning, and sometimes I think I'm doing a good job at handling him. He sure does exhaust me though. Motherhood in general exhausts me. In fact, I've never found it more exhausting than right now. I don't know if it's the current stages of both of my children, but those two literally suck the life right out of me. I recently stumbled upon this quote and found within it great comfort (and hope). In sharing his thoughts on mothering, M. Russell Ballard said this:
"First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. . . .
Second, don't overschedule yourselves or your children. . . . Families need unstructured time when relationships can deepen and real parenting can take place. Take time to listen, to laugh, and to play together.
Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children."
-M. Russell Ballard (from Hilary Weeks' Bedtime and Naptime..., p.49)
Ballard's thoughts really hit home for two reasons. First, the concept of joy in motherhood coming in moments is so very true, at least for me at this point in my life. What I've realized though is that it's okay that it only comes in moments - even normal, in fact! And that it's not all supposed to be joyful and perfect. After all, it's the challenges, disappointments and heartaches we face day in and day out that help us cherish and hold tight to those "moments" of joy that come unexpectedly. And really, if life were perfect and our children were perfect, and our houses were perfect, and everything were perfect, what would be our purpose on this earth? And would all the many joyful moments really feel joyful after a while, or would they start to feel boring and less exciting? We certainly wouldn't have many opportunities to grow if there weren't some unpleasant moments to mix things up.
Second, Elder Ballard's encouragement about finding time for ourselves was a good reminder for me, and something I especially needed to hear from an Apostle. I think in the monotony of motherhood, it's easy to lose ourselves. After all, if my kids, who since I can remember, I dreamed of carrying, birthing and raising, can drive me crazy and wear me out and often make me feel everything BUT joy, then I must be failing! It's usually when I'm not making time for myself and not cultivating my gifts and talents that I start falling into this trap.
So Ryan is a little stink. We've established that. He has his sweet moments, but most of the time, at least right now, he's a stink. I get it. I am accepting it. And I will continue to work with him over and over again for as long as it takes him to understand how he should be. I will do that because I am his mother and I love him. Despite the challenges, I am grateful for him and for the lessons I am learning. I am also grateful that I am not naive to the realities of motherhood. It really isn't always fluffy, flowery and beautiful. But somehow enduring life's challenges helps me to recognize and appreciate even more those occasional moments of joy. And when they come, I cherish and remember them. And I really truly believe that that's how God intended it to be.
One night about a month ago, after teeth had been brushed, bladders had been emptied, arguments had been resolved, songs had been sung, and prayers had been said, it was time for bed. Just as we were ready to tuck kiddos in so that Neil and I could enjoy a few moments of sanity before collapsing ourselves, Chloe realized she'd left her blanket downstairs. It was at this same moment that I realized Ryan's blanket had also been left downstairs. My initial thought was to have Chloe grab it since she was heading down there anyway, however I knew that this could potentially result in disaster. So instead I gave Ryan the option of getting it himself or letting Chloe. Sometimes he's perfectly willing to let her do things for him. Sometimes he's not. The key is convincing him that he's in control and that the decision is his to make, not someone else's. Well, as I suspected, "I do it!" was Ryan's response. That, along with "I don't like that" are two of his favorites these days. Now top that with it already being past his bedtime, when he tends to be a little more unreasonable, irrational, possessive, demanding, and whiny than usual, and the prediction is simple. He was going to go get his blanket, NOT Chloe!
Well, poor Chloe, in an attempt to be helpful, and obviously not having heard my conversation with Ryan, had already raced down the stairs before I even had a chance to tell her to leave Ryan's blanket behind. In fact, she was three quarters of the way back up just as Ryan was approaching the stairs to go down. You can imagine the sheer terror in his eyes when he spotted his blanket in Chloe's arms. She quickly handed it off to him, but the damage had already been done. With tears in his eyes, he threw himself onto the floor and started screaming like an honest, healthy, and very tired two-year-old would! About ninety seconds in, he slammed the blanket onto the floor and proceeded to kick it down the stairs, screaming the entire way, until he and the blanket had reached the bottom. After all, the only way to gain complete control back was to undo Chloe's good deed.
About twenty minutes later when Ryan had finally settled down, we were trying to determine where he was going to sleep. Ever since we transformed his crib into a toddler bed, Ryan has preferred sleeping on his floor. On occasion he'll choose to sleep in his bed, but because I never know, I've just added the question, "bed or floor?" to our nightly routine. Well earlier this week, Ryan had become more particular than usual about where on the floor his head would lie. He has this soft monkey mat (from Aunt Sue) that he sleeps on, and always wants his pillow in a specific place on this mat. For some reason though, I just couldn't get it right. It didn't matter where I put the silly mat or where I placed the pillow on the mat. His reaction was inevitably the same: throwing head back, more crying, followed by a, "Nooooooo! Ight dier!" ("right there"), while pointing two inches from the current location of his mat and pillow. I'm sure this partially stemmed from the episode that took place twenty minutes prior, but either way, it was absurd and a little over the top. He did eventually give in and sleep but not without a good fight.
While these stories illustrate the events of a single night, they also represent a lot of habits and tendencies Ryan has started to exhibit. Some more examples? Let's see. He can't manage in the bathroom when I've got my hands full in the kitchen, yet the minute I'm free to help him pull up his pants or wipe his bum he discourages any contact with me whatsoever. He demands the pink cup until Chloe expresses interest in the yellow cup. Then suddenly he has to have the yellow cup. If I place his green blanket on him before placing his blue blanket on him (both of which he sleeps with every night), he wants the blue blanket on him before the green blanket. Yet had I done it this way to begin with, he will have demanded it be done the other way. So in essence, whatever I do, or how I do it, dictates what he wants and how he wants it. And that is more often than not the complete opposite of what I just did. As I am slowly catching onto Ryan's patterns, I am becoming better equipped at handling him. Sometimes giving him options is the trick to maintaining a happy boy, and sometimes it doesn't matter what I do because he's already decided that he's going to be miserable regardless.
I know Ryan is learning, and sometimes I think I'm doing a good job at handling him. He sure does exhaust me though. Motherhood in general exhausts me. In fact, I've never found it more exhausting than right now. I don't know if it's the current stages of both of my children, but those two literally suck the life right out of me. I recently stumbled upon this quote and found within it great comfort (and hope). In sharing his thoughts on mothering, M. Russell Ballard said this:
"First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. . . .
Second, don't overschedule yourselves or your children. . . . Families need unstructured time when relationships can deepen and real parenting can take place. Take time to listen, to laugh, and to play together.
Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children."
-M. Russell Ballard (from Hilary Weeks' Bedtime and Naptime..., p.49)
Ballard's thoughts really hit home for two reasons. First, the concept of joy in motherhood coming in moments is so very true, at least for me at this point in my life. What I've realized though is that it's okay that it only comes in moments - even normal, in fact! And that it's not all supposed to be joyful and perfect. After all, it's the challenges, disappointments and heartaches we face day in and day out that help us cherish and hold tight to those "moments" of joy that come unexpectedly. And really, if life were perfect and our children were perfect, and our houses were perfect, and everything were perfect, what would be our purpose on this earth? And would all the many joyful moments really feel joyful after a while, or would they start to feel boring and less exciting? We certainly wouldn't have many opportunities to grow if there weren't some unpleasant moments to mix things up.
Second, Elder Ballard's encouragement about finding time for ourselves was a good reminder for me, and something I especially needed to hear from an Apostle. I think in the monotony of motherhood, it's easy to lose ourselves. After all, if my kids, who since I can remember, I dreamed of carrying, birthing and raising, can drive me crazy and wear me out and often make me feel everything BUT joy, then I must be failing! It's usually when I'm not making time for myself and not cultivating my gifts and talents that I start falling into this trap.
So Ryan is a little stink. We've established that. He has his sweet moments, but most of the time, at least right now, he's a stink. I get it. I am accepting it. And I will continue to work with him over and over again for as long as it takes him to understand how he should be. I will do that because I am his mother and I love him. Despite the challenges, I am grateful for him and for the lessons I am learning. I am also grateful that I am not naive to the realities of motherhood. It really isn't always fluffy, flowery and beautiful. But somehow enduring life's challenges helps me to recognize and appreciate even more those occasional moments of joy. And when they come, I cherish and remember them. And I really truly believe that that's how God intended it to be.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
He is RISEN
I love this! Simple, yet profound! A perfect message for this very special day.
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
17 years
17 years ago today I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a tender day, and one I will remember for the rest of my life. I am still touched, all these years later, by the magnitude of friends and family who offered me support, service and love during my journey to becoming a Mormon. They have no idea the impact they continue to have on my life today.I'm not sure where I'd be without the gospel. There is nothing in this world which could possibly replace the peace, happiness or hope it provides. The greatest blessings I enjoy today stem from the decision I made 17 years ago, and I am eternally grateful.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Time Out For Women recap: Friday
Wow, what an incredible weekend - last weekend, that is! I knew Time Out For Women was going to be good, but I didn't have a clue what treasures truly awaited me. It was, in a word, perfect. All of it. Perfect. The program is without question an inspired one. Just when I felt as though one presenter was my favorite, the next would get up and blow me away. I kept thinking, "How did s/he know I needed to hear that?" It was as if God was speaking directly to me.
This year's TOFW theme is "Choose to Become", and while each presentation possessed its own individual topic and charm, they all came back to the same idea of choosing to become what our Heavenly Father would have us be. Beautiful messages were shared, and I only wish my mom and mom-in-law (and all of the other amazing women in my life) could have been there with me to partake. In the midst of a healthy combination of laughter and tears (trust me, there was plenty of both), I took about 7 pages worth of notes. There was so much more I wanted to document and remember, but I'm not a very fast scribe. :) I wish I had a recording of the entire program so I could listen to it again and again. And I wish I could somehow capture that spiritual energy I felt and keep it in a bottle to open up and inhale on the days ahead when I might need a boost.
Friday evening's speakers included John Bytheway and Kris Belcher, and music was provided by Michael McLean. Here are some thoughts and quotes that stuck with me from Friday's portion of the program.
"Nothing is particularly difficult if you divide it into small jobs." -Henry Ford
Being the somewhat uptight-with-perfectionist-tendencies kinda gal that I am, I get overwhelmed pretty easily. Most of the time the problem stems from the fact that I view my tasks as a whole and not in portions. I'm impatient, wanting results NOW. And because I'm so focused on crossing the finish line, I fail to endure the journey reasonably - one step at a time. This quote by Henry Ford is so basic yet so dead on. It gave me comfort to realize that even some of the big tasks with which I am faced really aren't impossible if I just have the right perspective and game plan.
Bytheway also referenced the common saying, "An apple a day keeps the the doctor away", and in speaking of the power of a simple apple, he likened the concept to our spiritual health, presenting this question, which he challenged us to ask ourselves: "What is the one thing that if I could stop doing today would make the biggest difference?" He then asked the same question but this time replacing "stop doing" with "start doing." And finally, in keeping with the TOFW's theme, presented this question, "What could I become if I did this each day?" What a hopeful message this conveys, and what countless possibilities await us all if we ask ourselves these questions and then act on them.
John Bytheway has been around for a long time. I've heard a talk or two of his in the past and read bits and pieces of his various books. One of them, which I have, is entitled, 'How to Be Totally Miserable'. The guy is just plain funny, and while I've always known this, I didn't really appreciate his humor, knowledge or spirit until I sat in the same auditorium as he. He is truly inspiring.
Kris Belcher was pretty dang awesome too. She was also hilarious, and I think I laughed during more of her talk than anyone else's. She is legally blind as a result of a recent battle with cancer, and has experienced much in her life. Yet she herself said, "It's okay to laugh, even when it's serious, heartbreaking and horrible." The topic of Kris' talk was 'Living Vertically'. She said, "The winds that are blowing, if we allow them to, will blow us to the Savior." In other words, our trials and tribulations, though excruciating at times, will take us to our sanctuary if we allow them. The title of one of her books, 'Hard Times and Holy Places' really sums up the theme of her message. And while I'm sure I experienced this long before last summer, it was during Neil's time away that I for the first time recognized this happening in my life. It was awful having him gone, and while thousands of women do it every day and I know my situation didn't even hold a candle to theirs, I still struggled. I also found, however, that it was in those moments of loneliness, uneasiness and confusion that I fell to my knees - mostly because I didn't know what else to do. And it was through falling to my knees that I found my "holy places", with God. It really is a beautiful concept.
Here are a few other thoughts Kris shared:
"Turn your frustrations heavenward, into prayers. Focus your feelings upward." She spoke of Nephi, who encouraged us, before doing anything, to pray and promised that God would consecrate our efforts for our benefit.
And finally, she said this:
"Try living vertically. See if your rough edges are not smoothed out." I especially loved this because I, as most women probably do, feel I have many rough edges. Too many to name, in fact. But to know He has the power to smooth those rough edges, to make our weaknesses our strengths, is a very encouraging and real truth.
Micheal McLean provided music between Bytheway's and Belcher's messages, and while it took some time, by the end of the evening he had grown on me. It wasn't so much his music, style or personality, but the spirit he carried that really got me. I wish I'd jotted down more of what he said, but his overall message was that of encouragement and hope, reminding us how truly exquisite we are in the sight of God. He reminded us that God knows us each so well, and takes more interest in our day to day things, thoughts, feelings, challenges, experiences, etc. than we can even imagine. He played a song about adoption entitled, 'From God's Arms, To My Arms, To Yours'. Even though I have not had a personal experience with adoption I have been touched by others' stories, including a good friend of mine who has adopted two boys. And, well, I think as a mother it's impossible to not be moved by the lyrics of this inspired piece. I'm sure it's more fitting for a woman to sing, but I found this on YouTube, and since this is how the song was first presented to me, I'd like to share it with you.
I left Friday's program already feeling edified and renewed. And I could hardly wait to see what Saturday had in store for me. More on that soon...
This year's TOFW theme is "Choose to Become", and while each presentation possessed its own individual topic and charm, they all came back to the same idea of choosing to become what our Heavenly Father would have us be. Beautiful messages were shared, and I only wish my mom and mom-in-law (and all of the other amazing women in my life) could have been there with me to partake. In the midst of a healthy combination of laughter and tears (trust me, there was plenty of both), I took about 7 pages worth of notes. There was so much more I wanted to document and remember, but I'm not a very fast scribe. :) I wish I had a recording of the entire program so I could listen to it again and again. And I wish I could somehow capture that spiritual energy I felt and keep it in a bottle to open up and inhale on the days ahead when I might need a boost.
Friday evening's speakers included John Bytheway and Kris Belcher, and music was provided by Michael McLean. Here are some thoughts and quotes that stuck with me from Friday's portion of the program.
"Nothing is particularly difficult if you divide it into small jobs." -Henry Ford
Being the somewhat uptight-with-perfectionist-tendencies kinda gal that I am, I get overwhelmed pretty easily. Most of the time the problem stems from the fact that I view my tasks as a whole and not in portions. I'm impatient, wanting results NOW. And because I'm so focused on crossing the finish line, I fail to endure the journey reasonably - one step at a time. This quote by Henry Ford is so basic yet so dead on. It gave me comfort to realize that even some of the big tasks with which I am faced really aren't impossible if I just have the right perspective and game plan.
Bytheway also referenced the common saying, "An apple a day keeps the the doctor away", and in speaking of the power of a simple apple, he likened the concept to our spiritual health, presenting this question, which he challenged us to ask ourselves: "What is the one thing that if I could stop doing today would make the biggest difference?" He then asked the same question but this time replacing "stop doing" with "start doing." And finally, in keeping with the TOFW's theme, presented this question, "What could I become if I did this each day?" What a hopeful message this conveys, and what countless possibilities await us all if we ask ourselves these questions and then act on them.
John Bytheway has been around for a long time. I've heard a talk or two of his in the past and read bits and pieces of his various books. One of them, which I have, is entitled, 'How to Be Totally Miserable'. The guy is just plain funny, and while I've always known this, I didn't really appreciate his humor, knowledge or spirit until I sat in the same auditorium as he. He is truly inspiring.
Kris Belcher was pretty dang awesome too. She was also hilarious, and I think I laughed during more of her talk than anyone else's. She is legally blind as a result of a recent battle with cancer, and has experienced much in her life. Yet she herself said, "It's okay to laugh, even when it's serious, heartbreaking and horrible." The topic of Kris' talk was 'Living Vertically'. She said, "The winds that are blowing, if we allow them to, will blow us to the Savior." In other words, our trials and tribulations, though excruciating at times, will take us to our sanctuary if we allow them. The title of one of her books, 'Hard Times and Holy Places' really sums up the theme of her message. And while I'm sure I experienced this long before last summer, it was during Neil's time away that I for the first time recognized this happening in my life. It was awful having him gone, and while thousands of women do it every day and I know my situation didn't even hold a candle to theirs, I still struggled. I also found, however, that it was in those moments of loneliness, uneasiness and confusion that I fell to my knees - mostly because I didn't know what else to do. And it was through falling to my knees that I found my "holy places", with God. It really is a beautiful concept.
Here are a few other thoughts Kris shared:
"Turn your frustrations heavenward, into prayers. Focus your feelings upward." She spoke of Nephi, who encouraged us, before doing anything, to pray and promised that God would consecrate our efforts for our benefit.
And finally, she said this:
"Try living vertically. See if your rough edges are not smoothed out." I especially loved this because I, as most women probably do, feel I have many rough edges. Too many to name, in fact. But to know He has the power to smooth those rough edges, to make our weaknesses our strengths, is a very encouraging and real truth.
Micheal McLean provided music between Bytheway's and Belcher's messages, and while it took some time, by the end of the evening he had grown on me. It wasn't so much his music, style or personality, but the spirit he carried that really got me. I wish I'd jotted down more of what he said, but his overall message was that of encouragement and hope, reminding us how truly exquisite we are in the sight of God. He reminded us that God knows us each so well, and takes more interest in our day to day things, thoughts, feelings, challenges, experiences, etc. than we can even imagine. He played a song about adoption entitled, 'From God's Arms, To My Arms, To Yours'. Even though I have not had a personal experience with adoption I have been touched by others' stories, including a good friend of mine who has adopted two boys. And, well, I think as a mother it's impossible to not be moved by the lyrics of this inspired piece. I'm sure it's more fitting for a woman to sing, but I found this on YouTube, and since this is how the song was first presented to me, I'd like to share it with you.
I left Friday's program already feeling edified and renewed. And I could hardly wait to see what Saturday had in store for me. More on that soon...
Friday, April 8, 2011
Going to time out, literally
In exactly 2 hours I will be headed to Fresno for 24 hours of spiritual bliss. My sweet friends, Tina and Brittany invited me to go with them to Time Out For Women, a program our church offers across the country as well as New Zealand and Australia throughout each year. Click on the link above to read all about it.
I am grateful Neil is supportive of me leaving him and the kids for a day and a half to go enjoy some "me" time. And at this very moment I am especially grateful to my friend Shelly, who is taking my kids for the afternoon on very little notice thanks to Neil getting called to a case in Roseville last minute. Don't these things always happen? I am really looking forward to this chance to be spiritually fed, recharge my batteries and be reminded of my divinity, worth and purpose.
I am grateful Neil is supportive of me leaving him and the kids for a day and a half to go enjoy some "me" time. And at this very moment I am especially grateful to my friend Shelly, who is taking my kids for the afternoon on very little notice thanks to Neil getting called to a case in Roseville last minute. Don't these things always happen? I am really looking forward to this chance to be spiritually fed, recharge my batteries and be reminded of my divinity, worth and purpose.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Don't forget to give her winter
I have so many reasons to smile and be thankful. I have a devoted and patient husband, two healthy and happy children, an amazing extended family, my health, an understanding of and love for my religion and the many ways it has guided and strengthened me, a roof over my head and food in my fridge, helpful friends and a warm and inviting ward family, and countless other things. While I recognize, acknowledge and express gratitude to my Heavenly Father each day for these many blessings in my life, they do not free me from daily challenges and frustrations. And unfortunately, I've been feeling especially low these last couple of weeks.
While talking with my mom recently, she reminded me of a poem she shared with me years ago. When I read it this time, it hit home and I found myself getting quite emotional over the message it conveyed. Perhaps it's because I am a mother now, who has already witnessed my daughter enduring a challenge in her life, knowing just how difficult it was but still allowing for it because I knew it was necessary for her growth.
A couple weeks ago during our young women's mid-week activity, we talked with the girls about preparing for motherhood. We had a guest speaker who at one point asked us each to list attributes on a piece of paper that our own mothers had and/or attributes we hoped to one day possess as mothers. Here are the things that stood out to me which I am still working toward achieving, even 5+ years in:
- Love them unconditionally
- Nurture them
- Show affection
-Teach them the gospel
- Teach them good habits and manners
-Teach them the concept of hard work and responsibility
- Give of your time
- Listen to them
-Allow them to practice agency
- Set a good example and truly practice what you preach
- Be willing to apologize when needed
- Pray for them continually
- Practice tough love
- Don't give them everything they want
- Laugh
As we discussed these things I was once again reminded of the poem my mom had just shared with me. I felt impressed to share it with the girls, so I did.
Prayer for a Daughter
God of men and God of nature,
Shape my daughter like the seasons.
Give her all the song of springtime
And the subtlety of April,
Generosity of summer,
Warmth and all the sweet fulfillment,
And the sparkling wit of autumn,
Color like October hillsides.
Lest her charms may be too many,
Give her something of the winter:
Stars and distances and silence,
Courage of the open spaces,
Wisdom of the waiting branches,
Don't forget to give her winter.
- Esther Wood
Yes! Of course we want our daughters (and sons) to have the song of springtime, the warmth of summer, and the colors of autumn. BUT! We also know that they need something of winter. Just as we mothers watch our children suffer due to unfortunate circumstances or poor choices, our Heavenly Father watches us endure life's challenges and hardships. And while He wants to free us from the pains and protect us from the evils, He knows that without them we can never grow. And without growth, there's little purpose to our earthly life.
One point my mom made after sharing this poem was that winter can be beautiful. In fact, Salt Lake, where she lives, had just received a fresh thick coat of snow, and she talked about how gorgeous the tree branches looked and how the white powder glistened on the ground. Yes, trials are not always beautiful, but from our trials come the greatest beauties out there: growth, character, a greater perspective, a deeper appreciation, peace, empathy, and even sometimes a certain indescribable fondness of the memories those trials provided.
Looking back at last summer when Neil and I were apart for 3 months, I now find myself smiling. While during that time I often felt miserable, uncertain, inadequate and lonely, I now recognize the many ways in which I grew; ways I never could have otherwise grown had it not been for the "winter" of that summer. And, believe it or not, I honestly do look back at those 3 months with fondness.
As I face the inevitable cloudy days of life, I try to focus on the rainbows that I know will follow. I am grateful for a mother (and father) who gave me winter and who have helped me understand its importance. I'm a better person for it, and I hope I can be a strength to my own daughter as she faces her winters.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Good Things to Come
The message in this video touched me deeply, and I wanted to share it with you.
"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings some soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come." - Jeffrey R. Holland
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Conference weekend
I love General Conference weekend. For those of you not familiar, General Conference occurs the first weekends in April and October. Rather than attending our normal Sunday church meetings, we listen to or watch via satellite the leaders of our church give its members instruction and guidance. I love it for a variety of reasons. First, it's a break from the norm (8:30am church and 2 small children - need I say more?). Next, there's always great food to munch on, and usually more than we could ever eat! The best part of Conference, however, is the spiritual rejuvenation I gain after each session. As always, the talks this Conference were uplifting, comforting and truly inspired. I was especially touched by Robert D. Hale's message about living within our means, Jeffrey R. Holland's message that we never walk alone, and President Thomas S. Monson's reminder that while we sometimes have it rough, it could always be worse. Ain't it the truth?
During Saturday morning's session, Neil L. Andersen was named a new Apostle. To clarify, my husband is in no way related to this man. It's simply a coincidence that they share the same first and last name (spelling and all). Lots of people had fun with this, congratulating Neil on his "new calling". It was funny at first, but got old fast. Still, it is a pretty cool honor to share a name with an Apostle. Elder Andersen seems like a wonderful man who will teach us many things in years to come.
During Saturday morning's session, Neil L. Andersen was named a new Apostle. To clarify, my husband is in no way related to this man. It's simply a coincidence that they share the same first and last name (spelling and all). Lots of people had fun with this, congratulating Neil on his "new calling". It was funny at first, but got old fast. Still, it is a pretty cool honor to share a name with an Apostle. Elder Andersen seems like a wonderful man who will teach us many things in years to come.
Like every other Conference weekend, we did not lack in the food department! For the last couple years, we've spent Sunday's sessions with our friends, Dan and Stef. And without fail, we've always planned for and prepared way more food than we'd ever eat, including last weekend! Hey, better to have too much than not enough, right? :)
Chloe is beginning to grasp just a tinge of what General Conference is about. I pointed President Monson out a handful of times so she'd begin to recognize him, but it got to the point where she thought everyone who stood at the pulpit was President Monson. :) She did recognize the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, who both she and I love. Can't blame us girls. Who wouldn't want the sound of angels serenading their home?
Hope you all had a relaxing weekend. Until October...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Easter Story Egg Hunt
With Easter just around the corner, I thought I'd share a neat activity idea. We did this yesterday with the 8-11 year old girls I work with at church. We read the scriptures only, but for the sake of my young family, my own version includes a summary to accompany each scriptural account. This is a great way to combine the spiritual aspect of Easter with a fun traditional egg hunt. We will probably start this tradition next year when Chloe's a little older.Easter Story Egg Hunt
You will first need 12 plastic eggs. If you prefer, gather several more and fill them with candy, but make sure to reserve 12 for this activity. Number the eggs 1-12 with a sharpie and fill the eggs with the corresponding scriptures/summaries and props. When the egg hunt is over, gather everyone in a circle to open the eggs.
#1
Prop: 3 dimes
Scripture: Matthew 26: 14-16
Summary: Judas betrayed Jesus, revealing to the chief priests Jesus' whereabouts in exchange for thirty pieces of silver.
#2
Prop: sacrament cup
Scripture: Matthew 26: 39-44
Summary: Jesus prayed to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. He pleaded to be relieved of His suffering, but only according to His Fathers' will. He had just been betrayed by Judas. His other disciples, who promised to stay awake and wait for Him, had all fallen asleep, leaving Jesus entirely and utterly ALONE! In these final moments of His life, Jesus was literally taking upon himself all the sins and sorrows the world had ever and would ever committ and endure. His agony was so extreme that He sweated drops of blood.
#3
Prop: knotted twine
Scripture: Matthew 27: 1-2
Summary: When morning came, the chief priests and elders of the people decided to put Jesus to death. They bound Him, led Him away, and delivered Him to the governor, Pontius Pilate.
#4
Prop: small piece of soap
Scripture: Matthew 27: 24-26
Summary: Pilate believed Jesus was innocent, but due to the pressures of the Pharisees, he handed Jesus over to them, then washed his hands clean, as if to say, "I want nothing to do with this."
#5
Prop: square of red fabric and thorns
Scripture: Matthew 27: 28-29
Summary: Jesus was stripped down and put in a scarlet robe. A crown of thorns was placed on His head, and He was mocked and whipped.
#6
Prop: nail
Scripture: Matthew 27: 31
Summary: After they mocked Jesus, they took the robe off Him and led Him away to be crucified. The soldiers nailed His hands and feet to a cross.
#7
Prop: dice
Scripture: Matthew 27:35-36
Summary: The soldiers took Jesus' garments and cast lots for them.
#8
Prop: small rocks, pebbles or dirt
Scripture: Matthew 27: 50, 51 & 54
Summary: Jesus died. The ground shook and there was a great earthquake. The people, in fear, then realized that Jesus truly was the son of God.
#9
Prop: strip of white cloth
Scripture: Matthew 27:57-59
Summary: Joseph, a disciple of Jesus took Jesus' body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, then placed Him in His tomb.
#10
Prop: stone
Scripture: Matthew 27: 60, 65-66
Summary: Joseph rolled a large stone in front of the tomb and "sealed" it to ensure Jesus' body would be safe.
#11
Prop: bay leaf
Scripture: Mark 16: 1-4
Summary: After Jesus had been in the tomb for three days, Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome brought spices to Jesus' tomb so they could anoint Him, only to discover the stone had been rolled away.
#12 {this one gives me chills}
Prop: leave the egg empty
Scripture: Mark 16:5-6
Summary: When the women entered the sepulchre, they saw an angel, who told them Jesus was no longer there. He had risen!
Because this activity leaves out some of the other important aspects of the Easter story (in my opinion), it may be worth reading it in the Bible from start to finish, and then pausing to open the eggs when those points of the story are reached. Either way, I think this is an awesome idea. Props to whoever came up with it!
No matter the fun activities we each have planned with our families this season, may we all remember why we're celebrating.
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