Hello Elders! Feb 2, 2014
Since I wrote you mid-week about being at the Temple, I'll try to
keep this shorter to let you read your weekly mail and write back! I know
you have limited time. Normal stuff here at home with keeping order at
home. On Saturday I attended our Stake Woman's conference with the guest
speaker, Meg Johnson. She's a quadriplegic who in her mid 20's unknowing
jumped off a 45 foot cliff and broke both arms, both legs, her
clavicle and 4 vertebrae. She is a motivational speaker now on, as you
can imagine, fortitude, but yesterdays topic was being responsive to promptings
of the Spirit to help other people. Her point was that sometimes service
is Time Sensitive, and when the spirit prompts you, usually it's because
someone needs you NOW to help them or perhaps they to help you. She was
very impressive and told several stories she has felt the prompting to serve,
even in her condition, and how it was a godsend for other people. Several
stories had to do with others coming to her aide at just the right time.
Even though she is wheelchair bound she has mastered her body to use her upper
shoulder muscles to lift her arms and do many household tasks herself.
She had a baby 3 months ago which is a miracle and she's learning to do the
things a baby needs done!
In the afternoon I met up with Nick and Michelle in SLC and we
traded kids into my car and they went to dinner with friends from Logan.
Turns out they landed in Wendover in the wee hours of the morning! I had
already planned to have the kids sleep over, so I was glad they could do
something spontaneous and not worry about parenting for a few hours! I
have so much fun with these little people! Hayden has figured out his
facial expressions and usually has the happy face on, but sometimes he'd pull a
scowl and it was hilarious! I'll post a picture of a mild scowl....haaa!
Nick and Michelle arrived back home and slept a couple hours and then came to
get the kids. We visited here a while and I showed them the Playmobil
room! Cambree does very well with creating scenes and setting up the
little people. Hayden...nada! He's not quite ready for it
yet. He did have a great time with some cars I had around here.
Hayden found my boots and put his hands in and crawled around like a little
elephant! Very cute!
I was suppose to have Heidi and Michael here for Sunday dinner,
but Heidi didn't get my confirmation note on Facebook and they didn't come, but
all is well. I'll have them over in 2 weeks. This coming weekend I
plan on going to Idaho to see Annalisa. I think David and Lindsay may
be coming too. Michael just got back from Denver, Colorado. He and
a group of Idaho friends decided to make the Friday to Sunday trip and it
sounds like they had a grand time. Denver is further away than one would
think from SLC. Nearly as far as going to Carson City, less 50 miles is
all.
Have a great week in the mission field Elders and Bro. & Sis.
Lee! I sure appreciate the efforts you take as earthly angels to those
you come in contact with. We all have these opportunities come to us to
help others whether we are missionaries or not. Pray always for an
encounter to come your way that you can act as the Savior would.
I love you always,
Mom
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| Don't mess wi' Diss! |
Dear Elders, January 29, 2014
This is probably NOT smart to start this letter while I’m at work,
even if it is at lunch time, due to the leakage that could happen from my eye
sprockets!
However, I felt so inspired to share my testimony of my experience
last night at the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. Due to teaching the Gospel
Doctrine class I feel ‘plugged in’ to feeling the Spirit and listening for
tidbits I could apply to my lessons. While listening and watching
intently during the endowment session, and with the ‘new films’ that have added
dimension to the Creation, I really felt the genuine LOVE of our Heavenly
Father for Adam, Eve and their posterity. We, as their posterity, have
the same blessings of mortal life and the test of trials and triumphs in our
lives. Through the Spirit I witnessed the ability our mortal agency gives
us to choose and to enrich our lives with all those elements of the 13 Articles
of Faith which describe Who We Are, Why We Are Here, AND the Agency to Find Joy
in our lives through good living. What I also felt was the immense
PATIENCE the Lord has for us! He knows what we are battered at times in
our lives and He is ready and willing to respond when we ask in Prayer for
assistance. He waits patiently when we do not, perhaps with his own
anxiety, wishing we would reach out to Him!
While meditating in the Celestial room I quickly recalled 7 months
ago when Ethan took out his own endowments at the Manti Temple. What JOY
I felt that day to witness my last child choosing to further understand “the
Measure of Your Creation.” I recall as well when Morgan went through the
Temple the first time, besides the obvious confusion of a first experience, the
immeasurable JOY of seeing your child in the House of the Lord! I know
for sure our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ feel that same joy of
seeing their Sons & Daughters, Brother and Sisters entering the Temple each
and every time we attend. What a blessed time we live in to have so much
truth available to us. In ancient days the influx of Satan’s followers
who corrupted Truth and Light to extend even to our day of craziness in the
news and even odd people in your own communities. (I’m thinking of the
‘average’ kid who decides to take guns to school and see how many students he
can take down!) Crazy!
Elder Ethan and Elder Morgan, I exhort you to be strong in your
convictions as you wake each and every day of your Mission as Full Time
servants of the Lord. Even in the day that you return you will need to
keep your fortifications strong and let not the slightest crack appear in the
protective safety of your walls. (I reference a talk that Hayden Cannon
gave on Sunday, and I’ll explain further another time.) I found these
images of the Temple to know that this too is a fortification of safety from
the world and if left to the elements, it would erode and decay the beauty of
this structure. But time and effort is spent to make strong the
structure, being constantly vigilant of the exterior condition as well as the
interior. Our bodies could be thought of in the same way, to always treat
the Temple of our Spirit well, to stay healthy physically and mentally and
especially spiritually. I am so grateful for being taught by goodly
parents, that I might also teach my children to walk uprightly before the
Lord. I am grateful for dear friends who have been watchful of our family
and for whom I have been able to serve.
My Sons, Be Strong, Be of Good Courage, Be Smart, Be Well within
Yourself, Be of Good Cheer, Be Happy, Be the Son of God that He Knows You Are.
I love you dearly and I say these things, in the name of Jesus
Christ, and with great humility, Amen.
Love, Mom
Mt. Timpanogos Temple
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