April 2025, Week 2

 *Today at church we celebrated Palm Sunday!  From the doors to the chapel there were white cloths on the ground with palm leaves lining the pathway.  I appreciated the visual reminder.

*I was nervous.  I was accompanying the choir, since there has not been a pianist called yet, and the song was again pretty difficult for me, with four flats and some complicated chords.  I had been practicing a lot, and I felt like the person in the parable of the talents who was only given one.  I had faith that if I didn't bury it (as I really wanted to do), God would take it and multiply it for His kingdom.  It was a big, bold anthem called "Alleluia!"  I  knew my parents and the choir director were praying for me, and I really felt their strength as I played.  It was not perfect, but it was the best I had done, and it was enough.  (I got the last big, loud chords right!  Yay!)

*The talks were sweet--a Primary girl talked about resurrection.  Brother Baron asked for our prayers to help sustain him through his talk since he was so nervous.  (I could understand that!)  Sister Lamarche talked about the Holy Week, and what she had learned about Pilate.  One of my young women sang "Gethsemane."  Later in the evening we attended a Stake musical Easter concert, which was lovely, and featured several Primaries singing songs, a quartet of youth, a duet, a soloist, and two choir numbers.  As I was reflecting on today, I realized that not one of us was perfect in what we did--but we all gave the best we had to help bring people to Christ.  That's all He asks of us.  He takes all of our efforts and magnifies them into something grand, and it is a blessing to be a part of that.

It was a delight!

April 2025, Week 1

 *Today was General Conference!  David A. Bednar reminded us that it was also the 195th anniversary of the organization of the Church (April 6th, 1830), and he quoted the Restoration Proclamation (with expanded explanations).  Our family is working on memorizing that again, so it was nice to hear it.  He also asked us to receive and act like Joseph did.

*Four speakers referenced the Parable of the Ten Virgins during this conference.  There was a new statue representing the five with oil unveiled this month at Temple Square.  I think there is value in thinking about why.

*I have so many good notes.  I really need to go back to study these talks more deeply.  I don't always do that, though I always want to.  I'll finish with my notes from our dear 100-year old President Nelson.  This is a day of great momentum.  He is impressed with the youth.  We need confidence: in our covenants, in our prayers, in God's love and in that He sends angels and wants us to reach our highest potential.  How do we gain this confidence?  Charity and virtue open the way.  Charity: be a peacemaker.  Anger never persuades.  Plea for greater charity from our Savior, the Prince of Peace.  Virtue: will free you from anxious and troublesome thoughts.  We will become who God needs us to be.  Increased time in the temple will help us prepare for the Second Coming.  Take intentional steps to grow in confidence.  Joy and faith will increase, and spiritual power will grow.

It was a delight!

March 2025, Week 5

 *Today at church we had Fast and Testimony meeting, due to next week being General Conference.  I liked listening to the testimonies.  There were a lot of youth sharing their experiences from Covid, I assume since we just passed the five year mark of the schools closing.  The main thought from them was that God prepared us through the prophet to make it through.  Henry Walker got his mission call to Ecuador and reminded us that this is the church of joy!  Earlier in the week we learned of the passing of Sister Rosemary McCasland, who was an older sister that our family befriended.  I was thinking of Sister Rose, and my friend Pat, whose birthday it was, and how we miss and mourn for them, and that's okay, because we can still find the light of Christ to carry us through.  We may not always be happy, but we can always have joy.  Bishop Brewington asked us to seek for spiritual experiences.  I was grateful for the reminder that it takes effort on our part.

It was a delight!

March 2025, Week 4

 *Today at church we sang one of the new hymns released for the upcoming hymnbook called "Bread of Life, Living Water."  I REALLY like this song.  I hope it becomes a regular once we get the new hymnbook.  

*Our speakers gave us ideas for preparing for Easter coming up next month.  Our Area Presidency asked that we connect Christmas and Easter and make it more than a one day event, and more of an Easter season.  Sister Fraughton told us that her family will be doing a countdown to Easter, like they do for Christmas, which I thought was a good idea to add to our family's celebrations.

*Ben and I performed a musical number, "Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee."  Ben's viola part was so pretty.  It is an honor to be able to create beautiful music, and to do it with Ben is extra special.

*We sang Hymn 86, "How Great Thou Art," for the closing song.  It usually reminds me of my dad when we sing this.  He didn't get to sit with us often when we were young, due to his callings, but one time he was next to me for whatever reason, and we sang this song, and he cried.  It made me look again at the words to see what was causing his reaction, and I also fell in love with this song.

*I taught my Young Women class for the first time, and guess what it was about--Doctrine and Covenants section 25.  I thought it was very appropriate to have a lesson focused on music when it had already had such an impact on me during the day!  My class is spirited, though not quite as much as my Primary classes!  I was kind of afraid that I wouldn't have enough material to cover the time, as I'm used to teaching for twenty minutes, not fifty, but we did!

It was a delight!

March 2025, Week 3

 *Today at church, the youth speaker (Benson's friend Declan) talked about how he finds peace in the scriptures.  My friend Lizzy spoke about how being forgiving brings you peace and rest to your soul.  My sweet Ben spoke about finding peace in living the gospel.  The choir also performed, as it is the third Sunday.  I had been stressing about this number, which was "I Stand All Amazed."  The piano part for this version was very difficult for me, with four flats, difficult timing, and no pauses for me.  I practiced for this (and other upcoming choir numbers) an hour a day for the weeks leading up to today, and as I was praying this morning to be able to do well enough to help the Spirit be there, I felt peace.  I knew that I would do as well as I was able to do, and that's all I could ask.  I didn't perform it perfectly, but I know that my efforts were accepted and consecrated, and my mistakes weren't a distraction for the congregation.  After we performed, I felt peace, which is not very often the case.  The closing song was 129, "Where Can I Turn for Peace?"  I am grateful for this theme of the day!

It was a delight!

March 2025, Week 2

*Today was Stake Conference!  Thankfully they got the sound system working at the Stake Center so everyone could hear.  We got a new Stake Presidency, which was not surprising to anyone.  Presidents Monroe,  Lamarche, and Baldwin served so well!  We're excited that they get to be with their families a little more, though.  One of the brethren who was here doing the interviews said that Pres. Monroe has the spiritual gift of making people feel loved.  That's probably the best way I've heard him described, and it's so true!  He always made me feel like whatever I was saying was the most important thing he had heard that day, and somehow, he did that for everyone in the stake, too.  It was a gift to serve in the Stake Primary with him for a time.  It was good to hear our new Stake Presidency bear their testimonies.  In the adult session last night, some new converts bore their testimonies.  A sister reminded us that God is with us, even when our faith is at 5% or at 99%--He's still there.  A brother told that he was older when he joined the church a few months ago, and felt he missed out on things, but he reflected that he is still a Child of God, and therefore he can still learn how to be a disciple of Christ.

It was a delight!

March 2025, Week 1

 *Today at church we sang Hymn 185, "Reverently and Meekly Now."  The last line of verse 4 says, "Be obedient, I implore, prayerful, watchful evermore, and be constant unto me, that thy Savior I may be."  It made me think, especially the very last phrase, about how much the Savior wants us to come to Him so that He can save us.  He's ready; He's waiting to be that for us.  We just need to turn to Him and do what He says.  It's what brings Him and us joy!

*In her testimony, Sister Conyers shared how in the chaos of her morning, her son sat down at their little keyboard and played "I Am a Child of God."  She considered this a small miracle, because of the peace it brought to their home.  She testified that He knows us and remembers us.  I particularly loved this because I have been her son's piano teacher since August, when he started as a beginner, and I love that he was able to provide that blessing of music to their home.

It was a delight!

February 2025, Week 4

 *Today at church we sang Hymn 277, "As I Search the Holy Scriptures."  I thought about how this was good advice for me regarding my new calling with the Young Women.  I'll be teaching the lessons (with them as co-teachers), and unlike my day, when there was a Young Women's manual with different topics, we now follow the Come, Follow Me lessons for the week.  I haven't taught Come, Follow Me lessons to youth beyond my own kids at home, so I feel the call to be prepared with my scripture study so that I can share what the Lord wants me to share from the Doctrine and Covenants (this year), and I can help my young co-teachers be prepared and successful in their efforts, too.  I particularly liked the first and fourth verses: "As I search the holy scriptures, Loving Father of mankind, may my heart be filled with wisdom, and may knowledge fill my mind.  As I search the holy scriptures, help me ponder and obey.  In thy word is life eternal; may thy light show me the way."

*Brother McMurdie spoke about faith and miracles.  He talked about a hiker on a trail, who can smell burning and sees smoke, and then a witness comes the other way to tell him there's a fire ahead.  This is like faith, where there is evidence of things not seen.  Miracles are evidence of God's work.  They remind us of His power and love for us, to teach us and to turn us to the divine.  A life of faith brings joy and the ability to see miracles.  I think I would like to live that type of life.

It was a delight!

February 2025, Week 3

*Today at church our youth speaker reminded us to trust in the Lord.  Our adult speaker referenced the Sermon on the Mount, reminding us to be meek and the salt of the earth.  Our High Counselor spoke about rising above the storm clouds to see positive light. All of these made me reflect on the blessing I received after church.  (By the way, I was called as the Young Women's advisor for the younger girls [we have two groups--older and younger] that morning, sustained in Sacrament Meeting, and set apart after church.  I am actually really excited about this, as I have not had a young women's calling since I was pregnant with Benson almost 13 years ago, and that was only for four months.  Nervous, a bit, but excited.  I'm also excited to meet the Young Women's President, since she was out of town today and new to the area.)  In the blessing, I was told that the Lord had prepared experiences for me to have with the Young Women that I would not have otherwise, and to be spiritually prepared for them.  I definitely need to trust in the Lord, to be meek (and salty? ☺), and to find the joy in situations that could be hard in order to be ready for these promised blessings.  I'm curious and excited to see them fulfilled.

*I was asked last week to be the substitute choir pianist, as four or so really good pianists got moved into the other ward with our boundary realignments.  Our choir director is very dutiful in her calling--practice every week and performance every third Sunday-- and she had a song ready for me before we met as a ward for the first time last week.  It was decently easy, minus a small part with four sharps that I had to spend some extra time on.  We practiced after church last week and before church this week, and performed, and it went well!  I'm glad to be part of a choir that practices and performs regularly again.  I just hope they find someone to be the pianist soon...

It was a delight!