February 2024, Week 1

*Today at church, a brother shared his testimony about principles of basketball. ☺ He said there is a concept called "playing off the ball," which means that what you're doing when you don't have the ball can be as important as what you're doing when you do have it, and of being aware of the game and what you're doing and how to help when you don't have the direct pressure to perform.  He related it to his life, in that sometimes when we're in seasons with less stress or trials, we sometimes forget to put in as much work to stay spiritually strong as when we are in the middle of the trials.  We need to keep "playing off the ball" to be ready for when the ball is in our hands.  I thought that was clever, and it set the theme for the day, which was basically: trials are hard and help us grow, but keep up the effort when things are going well, and pray and Jesus will help you.  Another way a sister presented it was with groceries.  (The man related basketball and the woman related groceries--interesting...)  She said that each day we're filling up our grocery cart.  We can fill it up with good, healthy things (reading scriptures, serving, etc.), or with junk.  We take it home and fill up our cupboards.  (This would be our "playing off the ball" season.)  Then, when we are hungry (stress, trials, etc.), we only have what is available to us in our cupboards.  Will we have good, nourishing food, or junk food to pull us through?  Again--a clever thought, and worth thinking more about.

It was a delight!

January 2024, Week 4

 *Today at church Ben was the chorister.  It was fun to be the one smiling up at him instead of the other way around.

*One speaker shared how the mists of darkness in Lehi and Nephi's dream are not just the world we live in, but can also be found individually within us in the form of the natural man.  We need to be diligent in keeping the mists of darkness from overtaking us as we overcome the natural man.

*Our visiting High Counselor spoke about honesty, as it pertains to the temple recommend questions.  He said that honesty is a tool we can use to get closer to Heavenly Father.  I hadn't thought of it that way.  I usually think of it in reverse, as when we are not honest, we move further away from Him.  But being honest opens the door to the Spirit.  Honesty is direct, uncomplicated, fair, and just.  We can know what the Lord expects of us and we can do it.

*There was a family behind us and their young son has struggled with anxiety since he was a toddler.  I heard him talking to his dad, saying that he didn't want to go to Primary, because his foot was hurting and he was afraid it was going to hurt more and more until he couldn't walk.  His dad was very reassuring, saying that he'd walk with him and even carry him if he needed it.  The boy wouldn't let up, and finally asked, "Why are you forcing me to go to Primary?  I don't want to go!"  I briefly wondered how I would handle that question.  Thankfully, Nursery is the only Primary class my kids have refused to go to, and otherwise, all six have willingly gone to their classes on their own.  The dad (somewhat wearily) responded, "Primary is important, son."  The answer wasn't quite enough to calm him down, but I kept thinking about that answer-- it's important enough to make sure his son is there, even when there is resistance and anxiety and (in the eyes of the son) force.  Would I have taught my kids the same lesson, or given in?  It really is important to learn of Jesus and to have the songs in Primary become part of who you are.  We are children of God.  What is He trying to get us to do because it is important, even when we're facing anxiety about it?  I'm sure He'd carry us through it if we asked.

It was a delight! 

January 2024, Week 3

 *Today at church a young family sat behind us, and I love them and was so grateful that they were there, but my goodness, it was hard to focus with the noise being produced.  It made me: 1) focus more diligently on what people were saying, as I had to make an effort to do so; 2) grateful that my kids have grown past the point of being a disturbance to others; 3) curious about how many people we disturbed when they WERE younger and hungry and bored and frustrated and silly, and 4) hopeful that others around us in those days were forgiving and patient as I hoped I could be now.  I never felt as if our family was unwelcomed, and I hope to never make anyone feel that way.

*In our Primary class we drew Lehi's dream on a poster.  My dad did this with me for a FHE lesson when I was about 8, and it was fun to recreate the experience.  The kids really remembered a lot of details, though our Great and Spacious Building had rocket boosters on it to keep it up in the sky, and there was a boat in the filthy river, but there was a tree with bright fruit, and a whole host of people holding to the iron rod making their way to it, despite the mists of darkness all around.

It was a delight!