February 2025, Week 2

 *Today at church was our first week in our new ward.  It was really great to see so many old friends from when the boundaries were different six years ago.  They got all the major callings filled, so Ben and I are still waiting to see what is in store for us.

*The closing prayer caught my attention.  The sister asked that since this Friday is Valentine's Day, we remember the love of Christ, which is charity, and that we remember to serve.  I'm going to try to think about that this week and do some service that is out of my normal routine.

*Ben and I substituted in the Sunbeams class.  As I was preparing the lesson, I asked that I might be able to share the Spirit with the children.  I didn't know who would be there or how many there would be, and these kids have only been coming to Primary for a month, and now have new teachers again (including us as substitutes!) and a new Presidency and a new schedule, so I knew there would be some chaos.  There was.  But there were also moments where I was able to tell them that Jesus loves them, and that He said "Fear not, little flock," so when they are scared, they can pray and Jesus will be there for them.  I think they understood.  I felt the Spirit, even if they maybe didn't--but at least they can remember that Jesus loves them.

It was a delight!

February 2025, Week 1

 *Today for church we met at the Stake Center for the big multi-ward Sacrament Meeting to reveal what the new boundaries would be.  We were near the back of the Cultural Hall, and unfortunately, the speakers in there were not working!  We could barely hear anything. It was fine during the Sacrament, although we had to rely on our memoires of the prayers, since we couldn't hear those, either.  Really, that's the most important thing we did at the meeting, so it was kind of nice to have to think and reflect extra hard on the words we knew they were saying.  They had set up extra Sacrament tables with extra Priests and Deacons in the Cultural Hall so that the distribution to us all wouldn't take too long.  

*After everyone received the Sacrament, President Monroe shared with us the new boundaries, and they passed out maps.  We're now back in the Wylie 1st Ward, and our former Wylie 4th Ward is renamed the Nevada Ward, since they took out all of the Wylie people from it.  They also realigned the boundaries of all three remaining Wylie wards to distribute us all as evenly as possible.  At this point, we were tired of not being able to hear, so we went and stood at the doors of the chapel to hear the rest of the meeting, which was the testimonies of the bishops.

*As much as we needed this change, it's going to be a hard one.  It's been six years since the last changes.  We're happy to be back with some friends from before, but we're really going to miss so many of our friends in "the country."  It will be nice to serve in a smaller geographic area, but I really loved seeing the farms and forests and lake in the rest of our old ward.  The Young Women are in mourning. 😢 The Young Men (namely Benson) don't seem to mind very much, except that we have to start church at 9 am again.  We all trust in the fact that there was a lot of prayer involved in the changes, and we will move forward!

It was a delight!

January 2025, Week 4

 *Today at church was our last week with our ward in its current configuration.  Rumors are abounding about the changes we'll find out about next week.  If I started thinking about not meeting with some of my good friends who live on the other side of the ward too much, I got too sad, and there were lots of hugs and "maybe goodbyes."  It will be nice to have a ward of a more manageable size, though.  

*But of course the most important thing that we do when we gather, in groups large or small, is take the Sacrament.  We sang "In Memory of the Crucified," which is in 4/4 timing.  As Sister Stultz was leading, it seemed almost as if she was making the cross symbol in front of herself, which I thought was poignant.  I admire people who do often make the cross symbol, as it turns their minds to the One who was crucified for us, and I hope to be able to think of Him just as often in my life.

*A young man who has been living with his aunt and uncle since the summer gave a talk.  I'm not sure if he's been baptized or not, but in his previous home, he was not raised with the gospel.  His talk was so sweet and sincere, listing reasons why he wants to know the Savior.  He gave some very compelling, but also simple, reasons.  I want to know the Savior, too.

It was a delight!

January 2025, Week 3

 *Today at church we sang Hymn 185, "Reverently and Meekly Now," for the Sacrament.  The final line says, "that thy Savoir I may be."  I thought it was a good reminder that the work of salvation from the Savoir has already been done for me.  He's now just waiting for me to allow Him to be my Savior.

*Our friend Eric Gundersen is a High Counselor, and he spoke to us about how when he was a new missionary, he noticed that his (already poor) eyesight was having problems.  He was in Taiwan, and he went to a doctor there who diagnosed him with a degenerative eye condition, that would ultimately result in blindness.  This was a big blow for him.  He was already having a tough time with his companion and learning the language, so he counseled with his mission president, who counseled with the mission department, and there was a phone call with all of them and him and his parents to determine what he should do--come home for treatment, or get treated there.  He said he was sitting on his kitchen floor on the phone waiting for their decision, and there was a lot of discussion and opinions, and ultimately, his dad said to him, "Do what you feel is right."  He didn't think he'd be the one that had to decide, but he thought he'd really like to try to finish his mission.  He went to another doctor in a different city, and the new doctor couldn't find any of the damage that the first doctor had found.  Eric said his eyes functioned properly for the rest of his mission and on to today.  Not all his problems were solved--he still had to wear thick glasses, and he still didn't get along well with his companion, and he still had to learn to communicate, but he was watched over and was able to do the work he needed to do.

*Romney Lamarche was giving his mission farewell talk.  He's a very outgoing young man, and the whole parking lot was full with cars, from our ward, the one before us, and all the extra people who came to wish him well.  He spoke about the light of Christ, and encouraged us to live the gospel courageously.

*To end we sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go, Dear Lord," which always reminds me of my friend Joe Alexander in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  I've told my story about him before.  He will always be a hero to me, of one who not only loved this song, but lived this song to the fullest extent.

It was a delight.

January 2025, Week 2

 *Today at church a brother spoke about standing in holy places.  He told of when he was young and would let anger build up inside him until it exploded out, and one time that manifested in punching a hole in the wall at his house.  (That reminded me of a few holes in the walls at my home growing up, due to some brothers with the same problem!)  He said he had to learn to find inner peace, to be holy from within.  We can work layer by layer, building up good habits and, if needed, new spiritual patterns.  We can create time for this important work.

It was a delight!

January 2025, Week 1

 *Today at church we enjoyed listening to the testimonies of our ward members.  One sister said that she feels she's needy when it comes to asking for blessings.  But then she said that she doesn't mind being needy.  It's not like when we get to heaven, there's a reward for needing Jesus less than others do.  I thought that was a good perspective.

*Today was our first Sunday with church starting at noon.  My teenagers definitely enjoyed that, but I prefer the earlier times, and so did the one-year-old twins that were behind us, who were missing their naps.  I got to do some baby holding service for their mom (especially since their dad wasn't at church today), and it was sweet.

*Ben and I are back together as Primary teachers!  However, Ben was in Utah at his parents' mission farewell this week.  Emma is still here, though, so she helped me teach the new Primary class, which has 16 kids (15 of which are active).  It's the kids from my class last year and the other half of that class, which had been split since they were Sunbeams.  (That's when I was called this time as a teacher--for one half of that Sunbeam class!)  The class had to be recombined, because so many other classes have to be split that there are no other classrooms left, and they figured we could handle it.  We only had ten show up today, along with the grandpa of our autistic friend who will help out each week.  It's a squeeze in our classroom, but we make it work!

It was a delight!

December 2024, Week 5

 *Today at church, Brother Young shared a poem by Eliza R. Snow, which seems to also have been used as a hymn.  Here is the poem, called "Think Not When You Gather to Zion."

1. Think not when you gather to Zion,Your troubles and trials are through,That nothing but comfort and pleasureAre waiting in Zion for you:No, no, ’tis designed as a furnace,All substance, all textures to try,To burn all the “wood, hay, and stubble,”The gold from the dross purify.

2. Think not when you gather to Zion,That all will be holy and pure;That fraud and deception are banished,And confidence wholly secure:No, no, for the Lord our RedeemerHas said that the tares with the wheatMust grow till the great day of burningShall render the harvest complete.

3. Think not when you gather to Zion,The Saints here have nothing to doBut look to your personal welfare,And always be comforting you.No; those who are faithful are doingWhat they find to do with their might;To gather the scattered of IsraelThey labor by day and by night.

4. Think not when you gather to Zion,The prize and the victory won.Think not that the warfare is ended,The work of salvation is done.No, no; for the great prince of darknessA ten-fold exertion will make,When he sees you go to the fountain,Where freely the truth you may take.
It's a good reminder about enduring to the end.  Travelling the Covenant Path is not quick, or over when baptized.  There is work enough to do, ere the sun goes down!
*Bishop Matheney also spoke, as today is the last Sunday of the year.  He said he would like our ward's focus in 2025 to be "Stand in holy places and be not moved."  We need to 1) find personal sacred spaces, which could be physical, or a state of mind, or a moment in time.  For example, for Joseph Smith, the Liberty Jail was a prison temple, for what he learned there.  2) Make our homes sacred places, with personal and family spiritual daily habits.  3) Remember that the Sacrament is the most important part of each Sabbath, and prepare before Sunday to partake of it.  Lay down burdens and make the time sacred.  Focus on the hymn.  4) Attend the temple, because every time you go you are blessed, and every time you leave you are better.  It blesses you with an eternal perspective and peace amidst challenges.  He challenged us to attend once a month, and to not let Satan deprive us from being in God's house.  We need to allow the Savior's Atonement to sanctify and strengthen us.  It can be a year for deep spiritual growth.

It was a delight!