November 2018 Highlights

During the month of November we enjoyed attending more plays than we have the rest of the year.  A group of girlfriends and I went to see ‘Ragtime’.  David and I went with friends to see ‘Come From Away’.  David took Porter to watch one of the youth in our ward perform in ‘Big Fish’.  And David and I went on a date to see ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’.  I had forgotten how much I love a great play!

David and I loved attending the Salt Lake Temple Open House where we were able to hear from Elder and Sister Bednar.  I wrote a separate post about this.

We stayed in town for Thanksgiving since David started his week of service the day after.  David geared up for the neighborhood Turkey bowl took Porter along to play while the other boys and I watched or cooked at home.   They enjoyed the game until the second to last play when David caught the ball and turned to run. He heard a pop, thought someone had kicked him and couldn’t run to complete the play.  He spent part of the day in the ER where it was confirmed that he’d ruptured his Achilles.  Needless to say, Thanksgiving was a bit somber as the reality of his injury sunk in.  He spent most of the day in bed and I hosted my sister and a few friends for dinner.

Since David wasn’t feeling up to doing much that weekend, we decorated for Christmas.  The boys and I loved it!  David cheered us on from his chair in the living room.

David had surgery to repair his Achilles and has been recovering.  He’s spent a lot of time sitting in our living room.  Children are the best to put things in perspective.  As Porter was helping David slide down the stairs one day, he said, “Dad, you can still do the most important things: go to church, read your scriptures, pray, spend time with your family and play games.”  Even though David can’t wrestle and chase the boys, they have loved the special time sitting in his lap reading and talking or playing games on the floor.

Jonas’ Prayers (12/1/18)

Lately Jonas has been expanding his prayers and saying the sweetest things.
Two examples:
“Thank you that Jesus let’s the grocery stores get full again.”
“Grateful that Jesus gave us the scriptures, let’s us go to church and lets us know Him.”

I love his tenderness.

And then before David’s surgery on Thursday, he came into me and said, “ Tell Dad good luck on his surgery and I told him to tell you that you look beautiful today.”

Sunday (Nov 11, 2018)

The morning started out pretty good.  I wasn't as prepared as usual because David and I had been out with friends the night before.  So, the boys still had to take baths and I still had to get their clothes ready.  But, we were doing good and it was about 8:35am and everyone was just finishing getting dressed.  Then the problems started.  Jonas did not want to wear what I had set out for him.  I decided I wasn't going to get frustrated and I would just find the shirt that he wanted to wear in the baskets of clean laundry.  While I was searching for it in the laundry room, Porter yells down, "Mom, Mason has your eye liner all over."  I bolted upstairs to find Mason not holding my eye liner, but holding my mascera and it was indeed all over.  He had basically painted his hair with it and it was on his face/hands and clothes.  As I ran to get it he dashed into the dining room and crawled along the ground to get under the table.  This movement helped him continue his painting along the dining room carpet :).  Awesome, I thought.  But, I had not time to deal with that because we needed to get out the door.  I quickly gave Mason another bath, found him some new clothes, finished getting myself and Jonas dressed and off we went.  Unfortunately for Mason, I was not happy with him and he knew it. 
Sometimes when days start out like this you think they can only get worse.  But, it was a beautiful Sabbath day.  I was able to mostly listen during Sacrament meeting while still taking care of my boys needs.  Adam and Newel Jenson spoke.  I'll admit the beginning of Adam's talk was not my favorite, I thought it was somewhat negative, but as he bore his testimony of our Savior, the spirit was there.  Then Newel spoke.  She was real, sincere, positive and Christ centered.  She shared her journey through an abusive marriage and divorce.  I had not known she was even married before.  She is probably in her early to middle 20's.  Her story was full of honesty without blame.   Facts were shared and feelings were expressed.  She articulate her experience in a way that you yearned for her release.  Her story was shared so that she could express that the only person who could save her and make her whole again was our Savior.  You could tell that she had experienced his healing and restorative power.  That when all hope was almost lost and she didn't know what to do, He was there with open arms to rescue her.  I literally sobbed through the majority of her talk.  After Sacrament I wrapped my arms around her.  I have seen people go through really difficult experiences in life, but not everyone comes out smiling, positive and full of light.  Newel did.  Hearing her story was inspiring and also a reminder that no matter what happens in our lives, joy and happiness can be found on the other end.  It doesn't mean that some scares don't remain.  The scares are there to remind us of how we have been succored by a loving Savior. 
After church, Jonas, Porter, Ryker and I played Carcassone.  I loved that Jonas wanted to be on his own team.  He actually did pretty good :).
Later in the afternoon David and I had a chance to go to the Salt Lake Temple Open House for ordinance workers.  We didn't arrive in time to be in the Solemn Assembly, but we were in the chapel overflow and we still got to hear the message of Elder Bednar and his wife Susan.  I have observed more and more lately the increasing declarations of the apostles.  Their messages are full of power and they are direct.  The action we need to take is more often than not very clear.  Elder Bednar's messages were this day as well.  Generally I have seen Elder Bednar be a bit more serious, but today there were a few jokes.  I loved his message.  David has written up the majority of main points, but I want to share a few of my impressions or those parts that stood out to me the most.  He spoke about our need for correction and the importance of not only listening to correction offered by others, but being willing to give correction without concern for ourselves.  We need to correct out of love, not judgement.  I thought about those that I am concerned about, often I don't want to be as direct as I should about my concerns regarding actions that they may or may not be taking.  I have always thought it was out of concern to offend them.  But, as I listened to Elder Bednar, he was very clear that correction is not offered out of concern for myself. 
He also spoke about the how the natural man is an enemy to God and has been since the fall of Adam.  He said we need to hurl the natural man off a cliff.  As I have thought about this, I have reflected on the need for deliberate daily actions to put off the natural man.  How I spend my time, what I read, what I watch, how I speak with others and what my conversations entail.  Sometimes I can feel myself giving into the natural man.  I just want to relax, "veg", etc.  As I have noticed the council given from the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency, as well as what is going on in the world today, I know it's time to really focus on who I need to become and to start working towards it.  Sometimes the thought of it is overwhelming, but I can't stop working.  I can't give up or become paralyzed.  Endure to the end.  I have thought about this phrase before, but it has begun to take on new meaning to me as this overwhelm can set in if I allow it to.
I loved getting to attend this devotional with David.  It was energizing and exciting to hear Elder Bednar direct us and counsel us.  He talked about what we have learned from the Book of Mormon and if everything we know is from what people have taught us or from our own personal study. 
He spoke about ordinances and covenants and being on the covenant path. 
Sunday night we had a High Priest Quorum Open House and it was a good chance to talk and meet new people from the stake.

New beginnings (10/14/18)

I keep saying I am going to get back to keeping my blog regularly and updating with pictures and I have not been able to be consistent.  The night time rolls around and all I want to do is crawl into my bed.  But, this has to be a priority for me.  I want these memories of my children and the feelings and experiences I have to be recorded. 

Last weekend was conference.  Of course it was inspiring and there were things I was praying about that were answered during conference.  Nothing profound, but I was shown direction and given reminders of things I need to do in my life to accomplish some of my goals.  Pres Nelson invited the sisters to take part in four things
1) Read the Book of Mormon from now and until the end of the year and look for Christ within the book and then talk about Him
2) Take a 10 day fast from social media or any sort of media that brought negative thoughts/impressions to our minds
3) Develop of a pattern of regular temple attendance
4) Fully participate in Relief Society and read the declaration for Relief Society and the purpose statement

The fast from social media has been good for me.  I have realized that I turn to social media when I am bored or feeling lazy.  During this fast I have found other things to focus my energy/thoughts/time on.  Things that are more meaningful and more gospel/Savior focused.  I have found I don't particularly miss social media.  I have found that social media is good for knowing when someone is in need.  There are people that post things on social media, but don't necessarily reach and tell you directly.  When I find out a need on social media I can reach out to them.  Also, I have significantly minimized my viewing of the news.  The news can be so negative, depressing and scary, so I have been grateful to have a reason not to check it. 
The challenge to read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of the year has been great.  At first I thought, "how can I ever do that?".  Then I committed to read 10 pages a day and highlight all the scriptures that reference our Savior.  This goal has been so good for me.  Some days I can't read all the pages at once, but I have made it a point come back to the scriptures at another time if I couldn't finish it all in the morning.  Before this goal, if I only read two pages or 10 min or whatever I could get in during the morning, I usually wouldn't come back and read it later in the day.  I have found that these invitations from Pres Nelson have helped to focus my priorities. 
I am still figuring out how to develop a pattern of regular temple attendance.  I offered to kid swap with anyone that was interested thinking that I would get to the temple at least twice a month this way, but so far I have only had one taker and I'm not sure if we'll be able to schedule anything consistent.  I am definitely hoping to make this a priority and figure out how it will work.

Collegium Aesculapium Fireside/Dinner 10/4/18

Tonight David and I were able to attend the dinner/fireside with the Collegium Aesculapium. It was held at the Hilton downtown and the quest speaker was Elder Gary E Stephenson of the Quorum of the Twelve.  He spoke about LDS Charities and their mission and the work they do.  It was an interesting perspective because he served as the Presiding Bishop of the church and he had first hand experience.  He spoke specifically of 4 at risk populations throughout the world that the church has focused on and the work that they do specifically among these populations. 
1) Those affected by natural disasters/emergencies
2) Mothers and infants during the 1st 1,000 days of life- resuscitation, immunizations
3) Primary (school) age kids- nutrition and clean drinking water
4) Those with disabilities