Testimony

I think it was Elder Packer who said, "A testimony is found in the bearing of it." So many times in my life I have found this to be true. I remember one time on my mission in Japan we were at a mission conference and my mission president realized that we were not getting many opportunities to bear our tesimonies because people just didn't want to listen. He said, "Today bear your testimony. I don't care if you bear it to a light post or to a dog, but take the opportunity to bear your testimony." That night I remember riding my bike home along this canal. Bats were dive bombing us as we rode and then and there I remembered what our president had said and I just started saying my testimony out loud. I spoke of the things that I knew and about what I was grateful for. As I began to testify, the spirit flooded my soul and testified TO ME that what I was saying was true. I remember tears falling down my face as I spoke to no one (except maybe the bats) about what I believed. When we take the time to testify of our beliefs - it not only helps others but it helps us.
So tonight I was talking to my neighbor about the church and her feelings. She has been meeting with the missionaries for some time. She is an amazing lady and has really felt the spirit when they come to visit her and her family, but still there is some confusion. As we were talking it lead to a chance for me to share my testimony with her. As I said, "I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and the heavens aren't closed and families can be together forever. . . " I was overcome. Tears came to both of our eyes and we could feel the spirit so strong. I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who doesn't leave us alone in this world to figure it all out. I am grateful that he pours down his spirit on us so we can KNOW his will for us and what is right. I am so thankful that when I take the opportunity to testify about what I believe that the Holy Ghost confirms it not only to others, but to me too.

Goals

Ok so I'm terrible at setting and keeping goals. I kept this blog for 5 whole days. I read my scriptures like 7 days in a row - and then go weeks without emerging myself again. WHY?
Cuz I am slacker city that's why. I wish I was better at getting done what needs to be done in my life. (You should see my laundry pile!) But instead I wander around on random people's blogs, watch a thousand hours of olympics every night and still miss on the important things more often than I would like.
I guess that is what I am grateful for tonight; repentance. I am grateful that the Lord always lets us try again tomorrow and encourages us and cheers us on even when we eat that third maple bar on the first day of our diet. I want to be good and do what is right. I really do. I fast and pray all the time to be able to improve myself and conquer my laziness and do the million things every day that I know I SHOULD. Maybe that's why it is our life's goal to conquer the natural man and become more like the Savior. I sure can't do it by myself. I need his help EVERY day. I need to lean on Him more and rely on Him more and try harder.
See you tomorrow?? Let's hope.
(Also I want to thank my sweet husband for his kindness about my speaking in CA. It was really fun and I felt very prompted to say specific things that I know my Heavenly Father wanted those kids in CA to hear. They were a fantastic bunch and I was so impressed by the strength in that small group. We had a blast driving out there with the Haught's and meeting Shawn's friends the The Balls. (Even though Tonya Ball was the nicest person we've ever met and she set the standard for "wifehood?" so high that I will never reach it.) Our faces hurt from laughing so hard on the way home. The Haught's are fun people and I enjoyed sweating to death with them outside of Tonapah. I'm grateful too for Karen for watching our kids for those two days so we could go. What a nice Grandma. My kids love her and had a great time.)

"your word will be well accepted"

We went to California this weekend where Melanie and a friend from the ward were asked to speak at a youth conference. It was a great weekend filled with a wonderful spirit and I enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and rub shoulders with some genuinely good people and an impressive, small group of good young men and women. As Melanie spoke I was in awe of her ability to speak and teach the gospel to these youth. She has an amazing ability to have the audience laughing one minute, silent the next, and tearful the next. Each time I watch her speak I reflect upon her home coming talk from her mission and remember how impressed I was. I knew in that moment she was the kind of person I wanted to be around and resolved to make her mine. Of course, I was successful in that endeavor and the rest is history.
I am blessed to have such a wonderful wife who is a fantastic mother to my kids. I am so proud of her for using her talents to motivate so many others to follow Christ. Melanie you still amaze me.
Jeff

Survival

Cody fell off the top of the ladder on the playground in the back yard today and hit his head hard on our curbing. I guess the hand of the Lord saved that from being worse. He had a big knot on the back of his head and cried and cried but survived.

Lizzy survived her temper tantrum through FHE. Luckily she wasn't killed or suffocated by Jeff or I. Jeff survived after asking the question, "So how's your diet going?" after I had had a bacon cheeseburger for dinner and an ice cream sandwich for dessert. I guess it was a good day after all.

Fasting

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we fast for 2 meals the first Sunday of every month. We believe that fasting coupled with prayer is a powerful tool in communicating with our Heavenly Father. Many times in my life I have fasted and prayed together with other family members for the health of someone we loved or personally to receive answers to personal prayers and questions. Anyway, after our kids turn 8 and are baptized we have them fast one meal on that Sunday and pray for something that they are thinking about or for someone who may need help. This afternoon when Chandler was about to eat lunch I asked him what he was fasting for. He told me that he was fasting for his Aunt Dany. (She had been trying to get pregnant for about a year and half and she finally is!) I then asked him why he was fasting for her now? And he said, "I was fasting today mom that her baby would be ok and that she wouldn't lose it like Marie did." (His best friend's mom miscarried a while back). What a sweet, thoughtful boy. I was so impressed that he would think of that on his own and fast for that purpose. I am grateful for my membership in this church and how it teaches us to be thoughtful and selfless from the youngest ages. I love Chandler and am grateful for his pure little heart today.

Courtney

Tonight as I was driving home and I was thinking of how I saw the hand of the Lord in my life, I looked over at Courtney and knew that she was it. I am so grateful for a sweet little girl who helps me so much. Not only is she a great big sister and wonderful helper, but she is a really GOOD girl. She loves the gospel and knows what is right and does it. She wants to be modest and not do anything that would make Heavenly Father unhappy. I am very proud to be her mom and I think she is wonderful.

Scripture Study

Tonight as our family was reading the Book of Mormon together (2nd night in a row!) it naturally led to a discussion about following promptings. Jeff and I were both able to share a few experiences when we were prompted by the Lord to do something. Chandler remembered an experience that one of his teachers had told him too. It ended by challenging our kids to pray to be able to know what the Lord would have them do. Then when Cody was saying the prayer he said, "Thank you that we go to . . . " and he didn't finish. We filled in the words for the rest of the prayer and then afterwards he said, "Where was that place we went where we saw Jesus?" And I said, "The temple?" (there is a huge Christus statue there) And he said, "YES! I want to go to the temple!" So we decided to go tomorrow and to ask our neighbors who are taking the discussions to go with us. Way to go Cody. I am grateful that we have made a new goal to read the Book of Mormon together every day. What a great discussion followed and a great prayer and idea by our 2 year old. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL.