1 Nephi 15:24 Dodging vs Body Armor

First, I talk about American Ninja Warrior and now, we are on to body armor.  This blog is taking a violent turn.

I've been thinking a lot lately, (and may have done a post or two about this topic), about how the Holy Ghost is self-preserving.  It makes sure that you do things that keep you on the straight and narrow which, in turn, help keep it as your constant companion. 

In reading 1 Nephi 15:24, which is discussing the meaning of the Rod of Iron, "And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast to it, they would never perish; neither would the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction."

I don't like the idea of fiery darts flying at me physically and am grateful that the Holy Ghost can help me recognize the spiritual darts.  However, I think more often than not, the Holy Ghost is going to guide me to just stay out of the crossfire.  He's going to whisper little things like, "change the channel now", "not that movie...I don't care if it is PG13", "don't look in that direction", "read your scriptures", etc.  By whispering those little things, I don't even end up in the range of those fiery darts.  Instead of standing in the middle of a hailstorm of spirit-sucking terribleness and trying to withstand the darts with spiritual body armor, the spirit is going to do its best to keep me out of the way.  We'll just save the defensive functionality of the Armor of God to help those things that I can't control that come into my path.

Prompt Promptings

A few years ago, I met Jessica.  We first met at a little get together at a friend's house.  I remember her talking to me about her photography business and how she had a goal to make family photos affordable.  (If you are in the Boise area, check out her business page.  Her great newborn shots make me want to Benjamin-Button-ize my kids.  With 9 kids of her own, she does an amazing job with kids - she can even get my non-smiling boys to smile right at her.  She's magic!)

A few months later, we moved across town and ended up in the same ward (congregation) as her and her family.  However, she served in Primary (and I didn't) so I only ever saw glimpses of her in the hall.  I'd heard some more about her from my friend, Erin.  Our conversations would go something like this - I would say, "Oh really!  How did you know that Target does...(fill in the blank)?"  And Erin would respond, "Jessica."  Or, I would say, "Where did you find that?"  And Erin would say, "Oh, Jessica told me about this great deal at...."

I thought, "Sheesh...she is way too cool for me."  I figured she was a super-amazing supermom.  But I did still want to get to know her a better.  Besides, I was still working on making new friends since we had moved.  However, I didn't really have any reason to go talk to her about something.  I mentioned to Doug one day as we were pulling into church that I thought it would be cool to get to know her better.  A couple of days later, I was called in to meet with a member of the Bishopric.  Jessica was being called as the new Primary President and would like me to serve as one of her counselors.  I guess I had found my "in".  Our entire presidency became fast friends.  (As a bonus, her oldest has become my boys' favorite babysitter.)  For the record, it turns out she is a super-amazing supermom, but she is also a totally real and a totally tangible type of mom.

We've now been serving together for 2 and a half years.  That is a lot of church lessons that we have heard from one another.  One of my favorite "Jessica Sermons" is about a couple of promptings she received from the Holy Ghost and I asked if I could share it here.

Two of the most profound promptings I've had came within 24 hours of each other. My Dad was dying of cancer and I had been out to see him earlier in the day when the prompting came to go visit and sit with him again.  I was pregnant and tired and emotionally spent, but I decided to go anyways. I sat with him for an hour or so and just held his hand and felt his spirit.  I kissed his forehead before I left and felt grateful that I had spent that time with him.  

The next morning, I woke up and my plan was to clean the house really good and to go over to my parents later in the day.  The prompting came to take a shower and get dressed instead.  I ignored it and kept cleaning.  The prompting came again.  Again, I ignored it.  While I was cleaning, the call came that my Dad had no pulse and to come quickly to be with my mom.  

I was frantically trying to shower and to get the kids ready to get to my mom's house.  While I was in the shower the power went out and I didn't think anything of it until I tried to leave my house and realized the garage door opener doesn't work without power.  I ended up using the emergency release to get the door open but, when I went to close it after I got the car out, I discovered the manual lock didn't fit so I ended up pounding it with a hammer until it locked.  I was frantic and not really thinking straight and all I could think about was "Why didn't I just shower when I had that prompting!"  We would have been out of the house before the power even went out.

I'm so grateful that I listened to the first prompting because that was the last time I saw my Dad alive.  I learned a great lesson from not listening to the second prompting.  The outcome of that day would have been the same whether I listened or not.  My dad's time on earth was done, but my Father in Heaven was trying to make that hard day just a bit easier for me and I didn't let Him by ignoring that prompting.  

The other day I was watching a message from Ruth Todd at BYU Women's Conference.  The sound-byte that most resonated with me was, "We were not given the Holy Ghost 'just in case.'  He is there to guide us."  I feel that, at times, I struggle with making sure the Holy Ghost is in the driver's seat and not just my backup plan.  But, really, who else do I know that is more aware of the correct choices to make to lead to ultimate happiness.  I have found that with a number of friends, Jessica included, that if I ask advice about a parenting conundrum, they usually offer some advice but also mention that they have prayed to know what would work best for their child.  Sometimes I forget go to that ultimate source for advice before going to my friends.

Another lesson I was taught about the Spirit occurred as I was reading Doctrine and Covenants a couple of weeks ago.  I was sitting in the temple, waiting to meet Doug.  I had just been able to do some of the work for my grandmother and the spirit was strong.  Section 11 is one of my favorites.  I've read it hundreds of times but this time I noticed something new.  In verse 13, it states that not only does the Spirit enlighten your mind but it fills your soul with joy.  I don't think of myself as an angry or sad person but, really, who doesn't need more joy?  And it makes sense, doesn't it?  As we gain more of the Spirit in our lives, we gain a greater eternal perspective.  An eternal perspective, in turn, helps us face our daily and earthly challenges with optimism and faith in the future.

I am grateful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost and the joy it has brought to my life.  I am grateful for the direction it has provided even when I didn't necessarily know that I was being directed.  I am grateful to know that my boys will have that gift and influence in their life to guide and protect them and to give them joy.

Miracles & Transportation

We've been doing a little advent scripture chain each day.  A couple of days ago, we were reading about Joseph and Mary needing to go to Bethlehem.  In discussing it, we talked about how she rode on a donkey.  Clearly confused about this method of transportation, LJ said, "Why didn't they drive a car?"  Doug explained that they didn't have a car and that no one had cars.  LJ then asked why they didn't ride a bike.  Doug explained that, like cars, there were no bikes.  He pondered that for a moment but then countered, "But Jesus could show them how to make a car.  He showed Nephi how to make a ship!"  I am frequently impressed with the logical faith of my little guy.  He has demonstrated that he truly expects to see miracles.  (Maybe, in his mind, they aren't "miracles," they seem so likely to happen.)

I need to be better about expecting to see miracles in my life.  Although, taking a moment to consider that statement, I guess the truth of it is that I need to be better about recognizing miracles in my life.  They really do happen every single day whether they be little tender mercies to let me know that the Lord is aware of me and my stresses and trials.  (I was going to go off on another tangent but realized I already covered it here.)  But really, safe traveling, quiet family meals after a long day, coinciding naps, just the right song coming on the radio at just the right time, these things are miracles.  I was having a particularly difficult day the other day and I turned on the Mormon Channel.  The program right then was one that talked about different hymns and played different arrangements of a particular hymn.  The hymn on that episode was "Lead Kindly Light" which, if you didn't know, happens to be my absolute favorite hymn.  Its lyrics were also something that I desperately needed to be reminded of at that moment.  Miracle!

Go forth expecting (and recognizing) the miracles in your life!

One last miracle from me.  These guys here love me!  That is miraculous!  I mean, I know I am super-duper amazing and all that but, come on!  Have you met these men?  They are pretty extraordinary and for some reason they all think I'm marvelous!

Mosiah 11:28-29: Abinadi's Standard

Noah’s reason to try slay Abinadi is that Abinadi is causing contention.  This is true in the senses that those whose hearts are pricked by Abinadi’s words will not stand for the way of life of Noah.  I feel this is a way in which people can be blindly led away since Noah has a valid point in trying to avoid contention.  

How often, in our day, are righteous people or causes pushed out of the mainstream or silenced because they would upset the “apple cart” of our corrupt society?  It is so difficult to find a family-friendly TV show or movie.  (And if we do happen to find one, we are lucky if there are not some horrible commercials on - just a plug for Netflix and no commercials.)  What can we do to seek out the Abinadi's of today and their messages?  How can we shift the mainstream to accept the righteous and not seek to push them out?  (For the record, I think that last question is impossible.)

Update:  After writing this somewhat depressing and discouraging post, I attended the broadcast of the Groundbreaking for the Meridian Temple.  The opening hymn was "High on a Mountain Top".  Maybe it is because the lyrics were on a big screen and not in a book but I paid more attention.  The second and third verses, in particular attracted my attention.

2.  For God remembers still
His promise made of old
That he on Zion's hill
Truth's standard would unfold!
Her light should there attract the gaze
Of all the world in latter days.

3.  His house shall there be reared,
His glory to display,
And people shall be heard
In distant lands to say:
We'll now go up and serve the Lord
Obey his truth, and learn his word.

Some day the temple, (and the gospel), we'll draw the attention of all the world.  Some day...

Alma 38:5 Faith vs. Fear

In my personal experience, scripture study is kind of like exercising in that the more you put into it the more you get out of it.  Lately, I am sorry to say that I haven't put much into it.  I have been horrible at setting time aside to study.  Yesterday morning, I was kneeling at my bedside to say my prayers before rushing off to try to get ahead of the day before the boys got ahead of me.  I tried to fulfill the letter-of-the-law by grabbing the scriptures, flipping them open, reading a single verse and calling it good.  I read Alma 38:5 which reads, "And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."  As is usual with this type of scripture "study", I thought, "Oh, that's nice."  I went about on my merry way and had practically forgotten what I had read by the time I got to the bottom step.

A couple of hours later, I was getting ready to leave for work.  I knelt down to give LJ a hug and he jumped towards me, allowing his head to land a direct upward hit to my nose.  It was an instant-tears kind of blow and I doubled over on the ground.  As the tears started to flow, I realized I've been just too busy to cry and/or have had to be strong for everyone else for so long.  It dawned on me how long it had been since I'd had a good cry.  I wasn't sure if the tears were going to stop soon and I didn't want LJ to feel too bad about it so I quickly finished my goodbyes and went out to my car.  I knew I was going to have to pull it together before I got to work but told myself that I was allowed to cry and not feel I had to choke things back for anyone else's sake.  I decided that the 25-30 minutes once I got on the freeway would be time enough to hopefully get recomposed (and if not, I could blame my red nose on LJ).  That meant I had a good 5-10 minutes of "cry time" before I got to the freeway.  I remember distinctly having the thought, "I have a lot to smile about but I do have a couple of things to cry about."  I've had a few health issues as of late that have been a bit concerning but have yet to find a definitive diagnosis and it has scared me a lot.  (I had another doctor's appointment today which did include a nose exam after the blow yesterday.  However, again there were not any answers to the other issues and so I guess I will chalk it up to a bunch of fluke symptoms that will hopefully resolve themselves.)  Doug has to go out of town in a week and that scares me.  Turns out that I love my husband and I really hate when he is gone.  (See, I told you - if those are my biggest reasons to cry, life is pretty good.)

In the middle of my little pity party, I had my morning scripture come to my mind and thought about the phrase, "as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions..."  What comfort those words brought me as I finally stopped thinking, "I'm scared" and started thinking, "I trust in God".  The tears stopped before I even got to the freeway and throughout the rest of the day, I was given little promptings and thoughts that helped me to have that eternal perspective that increases faith and trust in God.  I was reminded that sometimes life isn't fair but eternity is most definitely in our favor when we do what is right.

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who helps me remember what my eternal destiny is.  I am grateful for the Holy Ghost working to help me remember a quick scripture read that morning.  I am grateful for my Savior who, through the atonement, has felt every insecurity and fear that I have felt and therefore, can comfort me in my tribulations and afflictions.

While looking a bit more into those verses, I came across this talk by Elder Ringwood.  I would just end up quoting it verbatim if I went into his subject and so I will just leave it to you.  It is short and sweet and to the point.  Give it a read if you have a minute.

Guest Post: Lending My Son to the Lord

I feel so honored to have had so many amazing guest posts lately!  This one is from Trina over at Tidbits From Trina.  (And you can find her on facebook too!)  I love her amazing ability to find gospel lessons in everyday life.  When we first moved into our current ward, she taught the Sunday School class and I don't think she will know how many lives she blessed through that calling.  Her missionary doors are about to rotate as her son comes home and her daughter goes out.  Gratefully, we get to read some of her thoughts about being a Missionary Mom.  This post has already changed my life.  Pay attention to the part about prayer and it may change yours too.  I also love the extrapolation of Hannah's story.  I got a bit choked up while thinking of Trina's words while looking at the image of Hannah and Samuel.

One of my favorite scripture stories is of Hannah and Samuel.  The faithfulness, gratitude and honesty she showed the Lord by giving her son to him is astounding, especially when you consider the story that brought them to that point.  Imagine the emotions she must have felt when she took her sweet boy, just weaned, to the priest, Eli, to be raised unto the Lord.  Her sacrifice is among some of the greatest.  I've come to really love Hannah over the past two years.  Although the magnitude of our sacrifices is different I've drawn relation and comfort from her experience and her spirit. 

I always knew my son, Kalten, would serve a mission.  From the time he was small it was his chief goal. He never could decide “what he wanted to be when he grew up” as long as he was a missionary first.  When he was in junior high he made two goals.  The first was to serve a mission.   The second was to not kiss a girl to ensure he went on a mission.  I had nineteen years to enjoy him and prepare myself to send him off for two years.  Hannah only had a few years, probably 2-3 before sending him off for the rest of his life. 

I remember the day we dropped him off at the Missionary Training Center.  Many tears were shed and I just kept wanting one more hug.  In case you’re wondering, you can’t get enough hugs to last two years.  It just doesn't work.  I’m sure there were many tears shed by Hannah the day she dropped her son off at his training center (the temple).  When I dropped off my missionary I felt many conflicting emotions.  I was depressed and excited and sad and happy all at the same time.  I've had periods of mourning and depression-feelings I’d never thought I’d experience in regard to sending him on a mission.  I've cried because I miss my boy.  I've longed for the sight of his face, the sound of his voice, even the embarrassment he was so flawless at providing me.  But the greatest, most prevalent feeling I've had because of his missionary service has been pure joy.   It’s in these moments of such joy that it’s all been worth it.

I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that in the scriptural account right after Hannah leaves Samuel with Eli, she sings praises to the Lord.  She too, felt that eternal joy of knowing her child is a servant of the Lord.  Hannah’s psalm is beautiful.  In it she recognizes the power, strength and goodness of the God her son will serve.  1 Samuel 2:1-10 starts with these words, “And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord, my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.”  Hannah uses a term that I love.  “…I have lent him to the Lord.”  You might think this is opposite what we've been taught, that our children are on loan from our Heavenly Father, to us, to raise in righteousness so that they can return to Him.  I agree with that too, in fact both are correct and they don’t contradict but stand together.  I believe Hannah understood very well the concept that we could be together again as families and that this was part of the road that she needed to travel to ensure she could be with her son again.  In a sense, God loaned Samuel to her, she loaned him back to the Lord, and therefore they will both get him in the next life.  What an example of giving all that we have for the Lord’s purposes. 

Because of Hannah’s great sacrifice she received blessings.  One of the obvious is that her son was raised up to be a prophet.  Another is the children she was blessed with-another three sons and two daughters.  I have no doubt that this was one of her favorite blessings.  Hannah had wanted to be a mother more than anything.  Principally, it was her pleading for a child that set this story in motion. 

For This Child I Prayed by Elspeth Young

The blessings we've received have been tremendous.   Hannah’s story is one of them as you can see but there are others, many others.  Let me share a few.

Kalten’s safety  was a huge concern of this worrywart mom.  President Gabrielson shared a scripture with me the night Kalten was set apart as a missionary.  D&C 84:88  And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left and my spirit shall be on your hearts, and mine angels round about you to bear you up.   – Now that’s a blessing!  For me and my son.

We’ve been blessed financially.  Even though we've had hours and benefits cut we've made it through and no one has starved to death.  In fact, we've been overwhelmed at the generosity by some very sweet “helpers” who've contributed to Kalten’s mission.  One amazing donation from an anonymous person has been overwhelming and such a blessing when we really needed it.  I’ll never forget that.

Kalten has become quite tidy from what I understand.  He loves to clean and he expects a certain level of tidiness from his companions.  He’s asked for cleaning tips even!  Something I never expected from one of my sons!  Moms, tell me you wouldn't love that!

Elder Browning is so much closer to the Lord, it’s evident in the emails he sends as well as the calls we get from people in Ohio who come in contact with him and want to just tell us what an awesome son we have.  What rewarding calls and what a reward for this mom to know that her son has a personal relationship with God.  Mosiah 5:13 says, “For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?”  Serving a mission has truly helped him to get to know the Lord.  He is about the Lord’s business.  It’s been his only focus for almost two years.  He depends on the Lord for, well, everything.  He knows the Lord!

He LOVES to learn and study.  He often tells us a new way he’s studying.  Most recently he’s copying down the Book of Mormon, word for word and writing down his thoughts and related scriptures as he does.  He has developed a great work ethic and wonderful habits that he’ll carry into the next chapters of his life. 

We are so much better at FHE.  We aren't perfect but we do better than we ever have before.  It’s easier than it used to be.  And we have more lessons instead of just family activities.  There’s a greater balance and our family is better for it.

Our girls are also developing better relationships with God.  They are each so much more focused on Him and what he wants.  Two of them have decided to also serve missions and our third daughter is considering it.  Whatever is decided, each of our girls is developing into wonderful young daughters of God which thrills this mom.

I feel like a successful mom.  This is a real blessing for me.  I went through a frustrating time where I felt I haven’t been what I should be as a mom.  I’m realizing that I've done a great job.  The Lord has helped me feel peace that I didn’t have until Kalten was into his mission.  Peace of mind is a godsend.

Each contact is a blessing.  I feel so blessed to have access to technology that keeps us in touch.  It’s a rule that each missionary writes home.  Kalten has not only been great at this but perfect.  A few times I didn't receive anything then later found it in my spam folder.  I LOVE to live in a time when communication like this is possible.  I feel for those who served 100 years ago, who’d go months or even years without hearing from their loved ones.  Hannah saw her son one time each year when she and her family went to the temple to make their sacrifice.  We've had the privilege of 5 calls from our missionary.  The first was the day he flew from the MTC to Ohio.  We also received calls on Christmas and Mother’s Day each year.  Each of these is truly a blessing from the Lord!

Lessons learned aren't only for the missionary.  For instance, I learned something from these calls.  I've thought about how much I love my boy, how bad I want to hear his voice, his thoughts, what’s happening etc.  I realized it’s much the way our Father must feel about us.  I've become much more aware of my prayers.  He too, looks forward to hearing from us.  When I’m half asleep and falling into bed, I try to remember how much I want to hear from my son and realize my Heavenly Father loves me even more than that and wants to hear from me too.  The lessons I've learned and the insights I've gained are invaluable.

Each of these blessings has brought joy.  I don’t know a better way to say it.  I’m happy, content, elated, satisfied, at peace, hopeful, and the list goes on.  I had a taste of these feelings before I “lent my son to the Lord”, and they grow more dominant each day.  I am grateful to a Heavenly Father and his perfect son who are not just willing but desirous to grant us blessings and peace and joy.  I’m also grateful for a son that has given all for two years to honor them.  Oh how blessed I am.   “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord...I rejoice in thy salvation!”

Guest Post: Angels Round About Us

You probably remember the story of "Little Fighter Eli" and his amazing parents.  (If not, go here to see his story and see some pictures of sweet Eli.) In the introduction to a piece that Liz let me borrow from her blog, I stated, "As I read how this young mother endured the rollercoaster of doors seeming to open to a road of health, only to be closed in the most heartbreaking ways, I was awestruck by her faith and perspective."  Eli passed away in May of last year.  (Please keep all of them in your prayers as we approach May 25th.) 

I am so excited that Liz agreed to share some of her thoughts about eternal families for a guest post.  Even as I opened the email that had her post in it, I felt the spirit letting me know that what she said is true.  Her words reminded of something Elder Scott said when discussing the death of his wife, "First of all, ... I didn't lose her.  She's on the other side of the veil.  We've been sealed in that holy ordinance of the temple, and we'll be together forever.  And at critical times in my life when I need help, I can feel impressions come through the veil in such a real way that often I just [think,] 'Thank you, Jeanene.'" Liz shares a sweet testimony of this same thing and it is so reassuring to consider that aspect of the promise of eternal families.

From the time I was young, I vividly remember my parents and church leaders teaching me about eternal families and the wonderful blessing we have of living with our loved ones forever.  I always appreciated this magnificent gift but never realized how miraculous the Plan of Salvation is until Logan and I held our seemingly healthy baby in our arms for the first time.  Before Eli was born, I was told in a blessing that through our experiences of becoming parents, I would gain a greater understanding and love of the Plan of Salvation.  I quickly dismissed the thought that something might happen to Eli and convinced myself that the powerful emotions and feelings I experienced as I held my baby in my arms were giving me that great understanding of Heavenly Father’s divine plan. 

As Logan and I attempted to come to terms with Eli’s passing just 4 ½ months after he was born, I knew that the only thing keeping me afloat was my knowledge of where he had gone and the great reality that we would be given the opportunity to one day raise him.  As I allowed myself to step back and take a deep breath, I became aware that I was being taught certain truths that I desperately needed to know in order to find some measure of peace regarding our situation.

Just one week after Eli died, Logan and I found ourselves in the office of a member of the Stake Presidency having our temple recommends renewed.   Naturally, this sweet man asked me how I was doing and then shared what has now become my favorite piece of doctrine on eternal families.  He pointed out that when we think of our loved ones that have left us we often imagine them in some faraway place.  However, he reminded me that the spirit world, where Eli is now, is right here on Earth.  “Remember that he is not far from you.  He couldn’t be nearer to you and Logan or involved in your every day lives more than he is now.”  Oh, how I clung to that idea!  I was also told of a quote from an apostle who said that our loved ones who pass away are “far more interested” in us from the other side of the veil than they were while they were here because they have the ability to be.  The phrase seems cliché but Logan and I truly have a guardian angel.

When I muster the strength to see things from a much broader perspective, somehow everything that’s happened all feels right and seems to have played out just like I, (or my spirit), knew it would.  I am convinced that in the pre-existence we knew what we would experience during our lives and one reason we agreed to come is because of the people we would have by our side.  As I look back on my life before Eli was born, I know he helped me through things I could not have managed alone.  I obviously didn’t know it at the time but it’s clear to me now that he has always been near.  I would give anything to have him here today but I know I need him on the other side even more.  I know he can bless my life over there in ways he would not have been able to had he stayed here.     

While we often hear people describe babies or children that have passed on as “playing in the clouds” or “being held by Jesus”, I find great comfort in the doctrine that Eli is actually a mature, adult spirit right now.   I love reminiscing on memories of the adorable baby he was but I find just as much happiness imagining him in his prime, teaching the gospel, and performing all types of wonderful work.  We will get to hold him in our arms again but for now, I know he is often holding us.  

Small & Simple Things: Part 2

One of the reasons I wanted to split this guest post into two parts was that a full talk can be a bit overwhelming to read in one sitting and it is such a good talk that I wanted to make sure the 2nd half wasn't neglected.  I love Deborah's insights on the story of Mary and Martha.  Like her, I at times have been a bit bugged by this story because I get defensive for Martha.  (Thankfully, Martha was much more humble than I am and took the Savior's counsel as she should.)  Deborah's perspective helps me to see where I can improve.

She also discusses a story of their daughter needing to be hospitalized.  When The Lion was in the hospital, I remember trying to think of someone that I could talk to that would understand what I was going through in trying to be there for my hospitalized child but feeling guilty for not being with my other child.  I thought of Deborah, knowing she had been through a similar situation, but felt odd calling her up out of the blue.  (At the time we weren't in the same ward and hadn't really kept in contact.)  Then, out of the blue, she called me.  She said she had heard we needed to spend some extra time in the hospital and wanted to call to see not only how Spencer was doing but also how I was doing.  We talked for awhile and she provided much needed comfort.  I think the greatest comfort was that I knew that Heavenly Father had heard my quiet, little request for a friend.  I am so grateful for her willingness to listen to that prompting and not feeling awkward about an "out of the blue" phone call.  I honestly doubt she will ever know what it meant, (and still means), to me.

I also love the quote at the end of the talk by Sister Reeves.  Here you go -

The 2^nd thing I wanted to share is:

Simplify our lives, and in simplifying, define what matters most:

In a talk by Elder L. Tom  Perry  entitled “Let Him Do It with Simplicity” he said, “In our search to obtain relief from the stresses of life, may we earnestly seek ways to simplify our lives.”

Right there he gave us a key equation “simplifying our lives = stress relief”.  I believe all of us could use a little stress relief in our life.

I recently listened to talk by Jenny Phillips where she talked about the story of Mary and Martha.  In Luke 10 it states, Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Marth received him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

I never realized how much there was to be learned from this story and, to be honest, this story used to bug me a little bit because Martha was working so hard and Mary left her to do all the work.  If I was Martha, (and I often am), I wouldn’t have been super happy, but as I came to understand the real lesson Christ was trying to teach I realized the wealth of knowledge hidden in this sweet story.

What caused Martha to be so weighed down and troubled about many things that it caused her not to take the time to sit at Jesus feet and be taught?  I am going to rephrase the question for us.  What causes us to be so weighed down and stressed, (and busy, might I add), that we don’t take time put the most important things first?  Think personally about what things in your life are causing you to be Martha.

Among trials and everyday stress how do we establish proper priorities?

Referring back to President Uchtdorf’s talk “Of Things That Matter Most”, he taught about this very thing.  He talked about tree growth and when seasons are ideal a tree grows at a normal rate, however, during seasons when growing conditions are not ideal, trees slow down their growth and devote their energy to the basic elements necessary for survival.  “Therefore it is good advice to slow down a little and steady the course and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.”

A few years ago, our daughter, Kayelee, was in the hospital.  She was diagnosed with a very rare blood disorder if you want to call it that and things were very scary.  It was one of those moments in life that I had no idea my story would be written this way.  I remember at that time feeling so many different emotions as her condition was very scary and sometimes I wasn’t sure how many days were left.  I remember being so grateful for each and every day, so grateful for another day with her, so grateful for each one of my children and just how precious they are.  It made me realize my family and the gospel were my number 1 priorities and it was essential I put them first in my life.  I remember one particular family home evening, she was finally able to come home from the hospital, just for a short time and we took our family to the temple grounds.  It was a Monday night so no one was there and we just sat on the temple grounds as a family and sang primary songs.  The words of families can be together forever and I love to see the temple brought such peace and tears just flowed.  I was so grateful at that moment to have my whole family with me and I was reminded again what was most important.  I will never forget that special day; it is a memory I will cherish forever.

I remember at that time I was reminded of what mattered most.  The difficulties we were facing forced us to slow down a bit and devote our energy to the things that were essential.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose other things that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen families.”

What things are most important to you?

I think on the top of our list should be Heavenly Father, Christ and our families. Those are personally my greatest treasures.

How do we put those things first in our lives? You’ll have to answer those questions yourself, personally, but I am going to give you a couple tools:

Last week Joe and I had the opportunity to take our older 3 kids to the Saturday morning session of conference and during that session there was the sweetest talk given by Linda S. Reeves in her talk she said this:  “I must testify of the blessings of daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening.  These are the very practices that help take away stress, give direction to our lives, and add protection to our homes.  Then…we can petition the Lord for help and expect great guidance from the Spirit, knowing that we have done what our Father has asked us to do.”

And so I want to challenge each of you to pray daily, read your scriptures daily, and have weekly family home evening.  Just like she said these are the very practices that help take away stress and give direction to our lives.

I know all of us want direction and stress relief.  I know I do.  Right now Joe and I are in the process of building a home.  This has taken so much of our time, and added a lot of stress I might add.  Things don’t feel super simple right now among all the other things we have to do… plus build a house.  But, I was reminded this week that I am also building children, and in the midst of the chaos of things that often takes our time building children is way more important than building a home.

I am going to do my best to make sure I am putting personal and family prayer, personal and family scripture study and weekly family home evening as priorities and I am confident life will be simpler and the most important things will get done each day.

Small and Simple Things: Part 1

I am very excited about this guest post!  Deborah was one of my first friends when we moved to Idaho and I have been so grateful for her example to me.  She is an amazing mom of 7 great kids ranging in age from 6 month to 12 years.  I had her oldest son in Webelos in our old ward and I am so, so impressed with this young man.  I hope our boys grow up to be just like him.

She gave this talk about simplicity in church a few weeks ago.  Since the boys were miraculously well-behaved, I was able to listen and I loved many of the messages she shared.  Look forward to Part 2 in the next couple of days.  Here is Part 1 -

When I was a little girl, I always wanted lots of babies.  I continued to feel that way all of my life it was a dream of mine.  Now I am a mom, and I have lots of babies and I couldn’t be happier.  I love living my dream.

With that being said, there are parts of this role or job I had no idea even existed when I was small or even since I have grown up.  I truly had no idea some of the things that would become part of my story.  This leads me into my topic.  The bishop called me and asked me to speak on simplicity, “let him do it with simplicity”.  I’ll be honest - being a mom of 7 doesn’t often coincide with the word  “simple”, so obviously I needed the topic more than probably most of you.  Bear with me as I share some of my thoughts as I have studied this topic.  I know everyone isn’t a mom or isn’t me and doesn’t view things the way I do, but hopefully I’ll be able to reach all of you as I speak “simply” in terms of the gospel.

After praying and reading a lot this week about this topic there were two things that stood out to me when it comes to simplicity, the first being:

The gospel is simple! Simple as that!

In Alma 37:6-7 it reads:  Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.  And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

The Lord uses small and simple things to confound the wise.  Often, I think as members of the church, we try and complicate things.  The Lord used a very humble and unlearned boy to restore his gospel on the earth today.  I think probably because he knew he would listen.  

When I see people question things about the gospel it is often because they are way over thinking things and looking for answers to questions in unreliable sources because it just can’t be that simple.  I really feel like it is that simple; God put it in simple terms so that even the child could understand and gain a testimony.  If it’s not that simple to you, then maybe you are over thinking things.

In a talk by president Uchtdorf entitled “Of Things that Matter Most”, he shares the following story:

There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions.  For example, it wasn’t long after astronauts and cosmonauts orbited the earth that they realized ballpoint pens would not work in space. And so some very smart people went to work solving the problem. It took thousands of hours and millions of dollars, but in the end, they developed a pen that could write anywhere, in any temperature, and on nearly any surface. But how did the astronauts and cosmonauts get along until the problem was solved? They simply used a pencil.

The story is told that the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi had a ritual he performed on the first day of training. He would hold up a football, show it to the athletes who had been playing the sport for many years, and say, “Gentlemen, … this is a football!” He talked about its size and shape, how it can be kicked, carried, or passed. He took the team out onto the empty field and said, “This is a football field.” He walked them around, describing the dimensions, the shape, the rules, and how the game is played.   

This coach knew that even these experienced players, and indeed the team, could become great only by mastering the fundamentals. They could spend their time practicing intricate trick plays, but until they mastered the fundamentals of the game, they would never become a championship team.

I think most of us intuitively understand how important the fundamentals are. It is just that we sometimes get distracted by so many things that seem more enticing.  Printed material, wide-ranging media sources, electronic tools and gadgets—all helpful if used properly—can become hurtful diversions or heartless chambers of isolation.

Yet amidst the multitude of voices and choices, the humble Man of Galilee stands with hands outstretched, waiting. His is a simple message: “Come, follow me.”  And He does not speak with a powerful megaphone but with a still, small voice. It is so easy for the basic gospel message to get lost amidst the deluge of information that hits us from all sides.

The holy scriptures and the spoken word of the living prophets give emphasis to the fundamental principles and doctrines of the gospel. The reason we return to these foundational principles, to the pure doctrines, is because they are the gateway to truths of profound meaning. They are the door to experiences of sublime importance that would otherwise be beyond our capacity to comprehend. These simple, basic principles are the key to living in harmony with God and man. They are the keys to opening the windows of heaven. They lead us to the peace, joy, and understanding that Heavenly Father has promised to His children who hear and obey Him.

I have a friend who recently left the church. As I saw the process unfold, it saddened me so much.  I truly believe had she focused on the small and simple things she would have never ended up where she is at.  I challenged her before she completely left the church to read her scriptures and pray daily for a month to see what that would do for her since at the time she wasn’t really doing those key things.  She wouldn’t do it.  All she had learned in her 30+ years of life about the gospel and she wouldn’t take the time to simply read and pray.

Focus on the small and simple things of the gospel, and, again, remember Alma 37:6-7.

Be Still

Growing up, my pastor's favorite scripture was Psalm 46:10, which includes, "Be still and know that I am God."  There are very few still moments in our home.  One stillness that I love that is almost guaranteed is that The Lion will just cuddle up tight in the rocking chair with me before naps and bedtime.  I often stay there way too long, holding my little man and cherishing the quiet moments to just think.  Frequently, I have more spiritual thoughts during those times, thinking of the eternal nature of the family and wondering how in the world I have enough room in my heart for these amazing boys.  (And, let's be honest, sometimes I am thinking about what I want as my "finally got them in bed" snack.)

Today, I thought about it from the other perspective.  I considered the idea that one of the reasons I cherish those still moments is because it allows me to just love that little boy while he is still and knows that I am his mom.  In some ways, I thought to interpret the scripture as to say, "Be still and know that I love you and will do all I can for your happiness."  As a mom, how much I wish for the chance to just hold those boys tight and let them know of my love for them and my desire for their success.  With that in mind, I consider how much I must strive to be better about being still so that my Heavenly Father can help me to remember that He is God.

I am grateful for those still moments and for the wonderful boys I get to cherish during the quiet time.  I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who, when I do my part, will reassure me of His hand in my life and His devotion to my happiness.

A Short Christmas Message

Photos by Busy Bee Photography

Every Christmas season, I find myself thinking of those who were notified of the Savior's birth.  They were the humble, (the shepherds), and those who had studied the scriptures, (the wise men).  We need to strive to have those characteristics and habits at this time when the Savior is preparing to come again.  We need to be humble in order to feel the gentle promptings of the Spirit and we should study the scriptures diligently and frequently so that we understand the ways in which the Spirit communicates with us.  Helaman 14 talks of the lights in heaven that are the signs of the Savior's coming.  For his second coming, we are those lights.  We have been called to give light to others and help them to find the path of the Lord.  The same commission that was given to John the Baptist in Luke 1:79 is given to us to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Christ.  As we humble ourselves, search the scriptures diligently and find ways to serve others and share the light of Christ with them, we are able to celebrate the Christmas message.  I am grateful for this season and the peace and joy that it brings.

Trading Places

Quite some time ago, my Dad sent me an article from our local Catholic diocese about my 2nd Grade teacher.  She has always been one of my favorites.  As a quick shout-out to all of you teachers that do not get enough shout-outs, my parents got divorced while I was in 2nd Grade and she was something constant and supportive at that time.  I can still remember a number of specific things about my time in that class.  As much as I loved her, I may have broken her heart.  One time, after we had finished our daily class reading of "Charlotte's Web", she asked if anyone had any questions.  I politely raised my hand.  When she called on me, I asked, "Mrs. Bischoff, what does 'divorced' mean?"

The article discussed a bit about her and her husband's conversion to Catholicism in 2002 but the main story was of faith sustaining them through the 40 years since her husband was diagnosed with MS.  The following quote really struck me.

"I just told Tim the other day that I cannot think of one person who would change places with me.  But come to think of it, there is not one person that I would change places with either."

We all have trials and difficulties in life but they are tailored just for us.  It can be difficult but we should own them and be grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who loves us enough to try us in the most individual ways in order to help us to become who he knows we can become.  In the very first verse of the Book of Mormon, in the footnote where Nephi says, "having seen many afflictions", it lists "Blessing; God, Gifts of".  It can be horribly difficult to recognize afflictions as blessings and gifts but through prayer we can be given that perspective, as well as strength to continue on in the midst of affliction.

As for me, I would not trade places with anyone.  That isn't to say that our life is perfect and not crazy.  Trust me, it is a bit crazy now and is looking to only get more crazy in the coming years as Doug gets deeper into school work.  But it is our crazy and I love it.

It reminds me of the following blog post from some time ago -

I just read this article on KSL about Elizabeth Smart.  I'm not a huge follower of all the stories on her and her family but I found this quote incredibly profound for someone so young.  Knowing that it comes from her, after all that she has been through, makes it a bit more meaningful.  I decided to stick it on a picture taken by some very sweet missionaries, Elder & Sister Reed, while they were serving in the New York Rochester Mission during a visit to the Sacred Grove.  They gave me a copy of this picture to take with me on my mission and it has remained one of my favorites.

(It is quite apparent that graphic design is not one of my skills.)

Sad Together, Happy Together

LJ was really struggling to go down for his nap today.  I went to lie down with him for a little while and just snuggle.  Here is a bit of our conversation -

Me:  "Sweetheart, I am sorry you are sad.  I don't like it when you are sad."
LJ:  "Why?"
Me:  "Well, it makes me sad when I see you are sad."
LJ:  "Why?"  (It is a common word with him as of late.)

My immediate response was, "Because I love you very, very, very much."  But it got me thinking about deeper things.

It is often said that a mother can only be as happy as her saddest child.  I gained a greater understanding of that when The Lion was first born and we spent a week in the hospital.  It was heart-wrenching for me because I had this new baby that was having to get poked and prodded and was miserable.  (Although, compared to what some parents have to go through, our story was a piece of cake.)  Then, LJ was at home with Grandma.  He would come and visit every day but seemed quite confused by the scenario and got to the point where he wouldn't give me a hug.  I was torn and felt somewhat helpless in helping either one of them through their trials.  I remember Doug and I went for a walk and found ourselves on some couches in a quiet corner of the hospital.  With neither of the boys around and no nurses, I finally did not have to prove my strength to anyone or be strong for someone else.  I just sobbed and sobbed until the shoulder of his shirt was soaked.  I don't think I have ever felt more empathy than I did at that time.  It really hit me how strong of an emotional connection exists between parent and child.

My conversation with LJ today got me thinking about it even more from a perspective of our heavenly family.  I am sure that my feelings of compassion for my boys are only a small fraction of the feelings of the Savior for us.  Certainly, he shares our sorrows (and our joys).  It is incomprehensible to understand the magnitude of his love for us but I'm sure his version would have an infinite amount of "very's" when he stated that he loves us very, very...very, very much.  Definitely, that compassion and desire for happiness is born of deep and selfless love.

I am grateful for that small moment of enlightenment today where I began to understand a bit more about the Atonement.  I am grateful to know that there certainly is One who knows all of my sufferings and trials and who constantly has his arm stretched out to me to help me through the difficult times.  I am grateful for such amazing little boys who are continually teaching me divine lessons.

The First Prayer of "El Flaco"

Teaching children how to pray was one of my favorite parts of my mission.  The innocence of little voices as they pray to their Heavenly Father is unmatched.  (I'm grateful for my current calling in Primary so I'm able to get extra doses each Sunday.)  That being said, one of my favorite experiences with prayer during my mission occurred with Tiberio, who went by the nickname "El Flaco".

The first time we met Tiberio, he was, (how should I put this), "less-than-sober".  My companion and I were out knocking doors in his apartment complex and he called us over.  Frequently, talking to less-than-sober guys while tracting led to things like googly eyes and marriage proposals once they realized we were  American and spoke Spanish.  Tiberio, on the other hand, was quite respectful.  We spoke to him briefly about the church and invited him to our English classes that we were teaching.  (We later learned that he never had another drink after he met us that day because of how he felt when we taught him.)

He was a star-student in English class.  He already knew quite a bit of English, albeit most of it was lyrics of songs by the Rolling Stones and Led Zepplin.  We also started to visit him, along with his roommates, to teach them the gospel.  We frequently brought a ward member with us who was known as "La Abuelita" (Little Grandma) of the ward.  The guys were sad if we ended up bringing someone else because they just loved this little old lady.  It was really interesting for this rough group of 20-something guys to not only treat us with the utmost respect but also to have such an affinity for La Abuelita.  We taught them for a couple of months but Tiberio never was willing to pray.  When we first met, he had long hair and a very long beard.  He would jokingly say that he looked a lot like "that guy", (referring to Osama Bin Laden).  He would explain that he hadn't done anything as bad as that but that he had done some things that made him unworthy to pray.  I felt we were constantly reading 2 Nephi 32:8 with him, which states, "And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing.  For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray."  It was heart-wrenching watching him be filled with a guilt that was keeping him from freely feeling the love of the Lord for him.  I remember crying and pleading with the Lord to know the ways in which we could help him realize his worthiness to pray was determined by the fact that he was a child of God.

One night we arrived at our apartment after a very long day.  We had a couple of messages on our machine. I will never forget how I felt as Tiberio's voice came over the machine and said (in Spanish), "Hermanas, I prayed.  I prayed and I felt joy.  I felt peace.  I felt love.  It was awesome."

There is a song called, "A Call I Hear" by Peter Breinholt that includes a story of teaching a man to pray.  To this day, every time I hear that song, I think of Tiberio...and then tears well-up in my eyes.  Like the majority of people I met on my mission, Tiberio was pretty transient in regards to his living situation.  When he came to say goodbye at the end of my mission, he only could give me a friend's phone number as a way to contact him.  I still have that number in my phone as "Tiberio's Friend" even though it will not connect me with my friend.  Even the all-powerful Facebook has not been able to connect us.  I hope and pray that Tiberio is safe and sound and still feels he is worthy to pray.

Isaiah 49/1 Nephi 21:15 "...Yet Will I Not Forget Thee" (A Lesson on Selflessness)

"Can a woman forget her sucking child?...yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."  This verse has always been a "ponderer" for me.  And when I became a mom, it was even more so.  I always knew that the Savior is better at caring for His children than I would ever be but I just didn't see how a woman could forget her sucking child.  I feel like they are always on my mind.  (See this post.)  I do know that I will one day forget to pick them up from school or some activity or something.  (Doesn't that happen to everyone?)  And I know I will feel terrible about it.  However, to really "forget" seemed impossible.  I say "seemed" because I finally gained an understanding of what it meant.

The last few days I have been down and out with a bad cold/flu.  My temperature has been up around 103 and I've just been completely fatigued.  It seemed every muscle and joint just aches.  To make matters worse, Dad is gone working graveyards at night and, with sick kids, I'm not getting nearly enough sleep at night to try to fight off the cold.  (A quick disclaimer:  In no way am I trying to diminish others' trials.  I know many people deal with greater trials as I do and I am grateful for the good health I have.)  With the amount of fatigue, there were times that I had to put my need to sit down for a few minutes ahead of the boys' needs.  I felt bad about it but I knew that I needed to put my needs in front of theirs for the sake of being able to function as a mom during the rest of the day.  This scripture came to my mind as I thought about the Savior saying that He would not "forget" [me].  He would never put his needs above mine, or yours.  Somehow, someway you and I are always at the very top of His priority list.  He will never be too tired or exhausted to rush to our aid.  What an amazing blessing!

Jacob 4:4 "That They May Know..."

I plan to continue my mission preparation story but wanted to put this in while it was still fresh in my mind.

I read Jacob 4:4 yesterday during my reading time with The Lion.  It really struck me (so much so that I added it to the title of the blog) where it says, "For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ..."  In no way am I saying that what I am writing is scripture or anything even close to it but I really connected with Jacob and the idea that he wanted to share his testimony with his children and posterity.  It really encapsulated my purpose with this blog.  I want a way that I can write down my thoughts for my posterity because I never want them to doubt my conviction and dedication to the gospel.  I figure a blog is a great way to do that and a lot easier than carving it on plates.

1 Nephi 18 "Up to the Mount"

In 1 Nephi 18, Nephi says he goes "up to the mount oft" during the time in which he is building the ship. I had a couple of thoughts on this. First, how important is it for us to also "go up to the mount" while building our version of "ships" - not after the manner of man. I feel in the church there are many things we do that are not "after the manner of men" but as the Lord would have us do them. It is important that we go to the Lord to receive instruction and support and encouragement as to how to do the things he asks us to do in this life. Second, in 1 Nephi 11 and Nephi's vision of the tree of life, he states, "For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain..." Is this the "mount" he was talking of? Not necessarily, a physical mountain but a spiritual hiding place that he could go to when in the right mindset?

1 Nephi 17 "Dar Luz"

In 1 Nephi 17, it talks about the women of the traveling party bearing children in the wilderness. In Spanish, the literal translation of the words used to describe "bearing children" is to "give light". It is an interesting concept to think about in regards to giving children the light of Christ - not only through physical birth but through actual child-rearing. I was thinking the other day, with LJ and his constant "Why?" thoughts that Super-Husband and I are like tour guides for mortality for this little curious soul.

1 Nephi 2:15 "My Father Dwelt in a Tent"

One of the things I noticed early on in this reading of the Book of Mormon is actually something I'd originally thought last year when I was trying to complete all of the standard works in one year. In reading the popular "My father dwelt in a tent" and then reading about how everything in the book is for a purpose, I started to wonder about the purpose of that line. Shortly after learning of the tent, Nephi and his brothers go to get the plates from Laban. In that narrative, it talks about all of the wealth Lehi had accumulated and how they use it to try to bargain with Laban for the plates. In some ways, it seems as if "My father dwelt in a tent" was Nephi's way of demonstrating just all of the superficial things his father had given up for his cause and because of his conviction.