*Today was Easter! At church we celebrated through song (our Primary children sang "Gethsemane," which, though not an official Primary song, should be an official Primary song, and the ward choir [including me!] sang "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," which, though not in the current hymnbook, should be in the next hymnbook). We also had a wonderful talk by one of my favorite sisters. She and I have different personalities, but the same beliefs. She lives life with flair and boldness, and she invited us to look beyond her fake hair color and false eyelashes to the real, pure message in her heart. She reminded us how we put so much time into preparing for Christmas, but sometimes overlook Easter preparations, when really, "There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter" (Gordon B. Hinckley). I remember hearing that when Pres. Hinckley said that, and it took me a minute to figure out its truth. He lives--all glory to His name.
*Today I got to sit with my husband's visiting brother and his wife (and my husband!) during Sunday School, which was a rare treat. Our lesson was on Jacob 1-4, and we had a great discussion about the meaning of "magnifying your calling." We have some wise people in my ward.
*Our Relief Society lesson was a conference talk about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We talked a lot about specific trials we have that can be overcome through the Atonement. After the lesson, my sister-in-law, who has visited our ward a couple times, said she could tell that our ward really cared for each other, and the sisters seemed like we are all friends. I liked to hear that, since the ward realignments only happened three months ago. I think there has been a real effort all around to make that happen so quickly.
*It was a delight!
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
March 2016, Week 3
*Today at church we had a spiritual feast! The talks in Sacrament Meeting were about repentance, forgiveness, and the Atonement. One man told of how his parents, who were part of another religion, had a small son who died, but because he hadn't been baptized, there wasn't going to be a funeral. On the day they got that news from their church, the missionaries knocked on their door and taught this distraught couple about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. They, along with the bishop, arranged a funeral for their son later that week, which was well attended by their future ward members. Because of this, a great legacy of a faithful family began and the speaker was born in the covenant.
*Our Relief Society lesson was also about the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is Chapter 6 in the Howard W. Hunter manual. Just go ahead and read the chapter--it's pretty great. We were reminded that the Atonement and resurrection was not only to give life to the dead (all of us), but also to bring forgiveness to the sinner (all of us who are willing to be humble and ask for forgiveness). It was a perfect way to start the Easter Week on this Palm Sunday.
It was a delight!
*Our Relief Society lesson was also about the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is Chapter 6 in the Howard W. Hunter manual. Just go ahead and read the chapter--it's pretty great. We were reminded that the Atonement and resurrection was not only to give life to the dead (all of us), but also to bring forgiveness to the sinner (all of us who are willing to be humble and ask for forgiveness). It was a perfect way to start the Easter Week on this Palm Sunday.
It was a delight!
Monday, March 14, 2016
March 2016, Week 2
*Today at church was a day with no responsibilities. Ben and I were almost giddy with the thought of going to Gospel Doctrine together. As soon as I sat down, a Primary counselor came to me and asked if I would help in the Sunbeam class. I was disappointed, yes, but only until I saw the face of my son who is in that class, who was so excited to have me there! I was helping another sister who was a last minute sub, too, and she did a great job with this big class. We even went on a field trip around the building to look for "popcorn" on the trees--and we found some! (Yay for early spring in Texas.) It probably wouldn't ever happen, but I just kept thinking it would be great if the two of us could be the teachers for this awesome group of kids.
*Back to Sacrament Meeting--my son got to tell of his experience on the trek, and relate it to the pioneer ancestor that he was representing. It turns out that his (our) relative had a (relatively) easy time travelling across the ocean and the plains, compared to the horrific (or just really, really hard) experiences that others had. My son recognized that his trek (of one day, thanks to bad storms) was tough, but relatively easy, too. There was always food and help and breaks and medics and so on. Things can always be worse. But even those who went through worse thought it was worth it.
*I'm still working on making the Sacrament time the most holy part of my Sabbath Day. I know I can do it, even with my three and six (and eight...and ten...and twelve...) year olds. I think it has to be more of a regular family discussion, so that it can be a team effort, and we can evaluate our progress together. I'll keep you posted...
It was a delight!
*Back to Sacrament Meeting--my son got to tell of his experience on the trek, and relate it to the pioneer ancestor that he was representing. It turns out that his (our) relative had a (relatively) easy time travelling across the ocean and the plains, compared to the horrific (or just really, really hard) experiences that others had. My son recognized that his trek (of one day, thanks to bad storms) was tough, but relatively easy, too. There was always food and help and breaks and medics and so on. Things can always be worse. But even those who went through worse thought it was worth it.
*I'm still working on making the Sacrament time the most holy part of my Sabbath Day. I know I can do it, even with my three and six (and eight...and ten...and twelve...) year olds. I think it has to be more of a regular family discussion, so that it can be a team effort, and we can evaluate our progress together. I'll keep you posted...
It was a delight!
March 2016, Week 1
*Today at church we had a special Stake Conference, because our Stake President was being released after 9 1/2 years of diligent service. We had two visiting General Authorities (both Seventies), and they shared how the previous day they had jointly interviewed men from the Stake for five and a half hours straight, and independently knew who the new Stake President should be. I know the man who was called--he was a bishop, and he'll do a great job. (We'll be praying for him, because tomorrow we leave for trek [my 14-year old son and my husband and I, along with all the other youth from the stake and others asked to be ma's and pa's and all the Stake leaders of the youth] and the weather forecast is horrible, and he's the one who will have to make the call as to if we go or stay. Big first day!)
*The Temple President First Counselor's wife (Assistant Matron, I believe) spoke briefly at the conference. She shared how her family had gathered at another temple for the wedding and sealing of a young couple. They were waiting in the sealing room, and greeting one another, and her brother-in-law had forgotten to turn off his cell phone, which was in his shirt pocket. He had used the navigation feature to get to the temple, and there in the sealing room, it piped up, "You have reached your destination." After the embarrassment of the noise, they reflected on how appropriate that statement was for the sealing room of the temple.
*Today I missed my husband and four of my children, as they had travelled to his brother's home for the baby blessing of his new little son. I had stayed behind to pick up my parents from the airport after Stake Conference (so they could stay with my children while we were on the trek). As I walked into church with the two kids that stayed behind, they commented on how small our family was that day--and how quiet! I'm glad to have the few moments of quiet and focused attention on fewer kids, but I really like when we're all back together. Complete. We're working together to reach our destination in the temple and in the Celestial Kingdom.
It was a delight!
*The Temple President First Counselor's wife (Assistant Matron, I believe) spoke briefly at the conference. She shared how her family had gathered at another temple for the wedding and sealing of a young couple. They were waiting in the sealing room, and greeting one another, and her brother-in-law had forgotten to turn off his cell phone, which was in his shirt pocket. He had used the navigation feature to get to the temple, and there in the sealing room, it piped up, "You have reached your destination." After the embarrassment of the noise, they reflected on how appropriate that statement was for the sealing room of the temple.
*Today I missed my husband and four of my children, as they had travelled to his brother's home for the baby blessing of his new little son. I had stayed behind to pick up my parents from the airport after Stake Conference (so they could stay with my children while we were on the trek). As I walked into church with the two kids that stayed behind, they commented on how small our family was that day--and how quiet! I'm glad to have the few moments of quiet and focused attention on fewer kids, but I really like when we're all back together. Complete. We're working together to reach our destination in the temple and in the Celestial Kingdom.
It was a delight!
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