Familial Research and Development

I cruised into the Distribution Center, picked up new undergarments, renewed my Ensign subscription AND bought Dove 2 new white shirts and then hit the freeway about 2 minutes later. Arrived at my destination in SLC about 10 minutes before I HAD to be there (which translated correctly means I sat and waited for 10 minutes) and then I made Dove give me directions to some place (any place) where we could grab a quick bite to eat. No repeat of last week. We sat down to eat, missed the next session and had to wait 40 minutes-that was one late night! After we ate we headed for the Temple and were concerned with only 10 minutes before the next session that we might not get changed in time and make it. But-we did. After the session we're heading to the freeway and are playing with the idea of stopping at IKEA to get some more cabinets for our favorite (for now) project-remodeling the bedrooms into a master bedroom, office and craft room with sufficient storage space in each room for all o...

"If we do not have a deep foundation of faith and a solid testimony of truth, we may have difficulty withstanding the harsh storms and icy winds of adversity which inevitably come to each of us." --Thomas S. Monson, "On Being Spiritually Prepared", Ensign, Feb 2010, 4–6 When I first read this I read the 3rd to last word as teach. Then I realized, that is what challenges do-teach us. Sometimes learning comes through seeing others experiences(either the challenge happening to someone else and we learn from it-as in dad’s case). His brother Joe went skiing on Sunday, despite parental advisement to not, and broke his leg in 13 places. Sometimes we’re given multiple ‘opportunities’ to be ‘taught’-we do something we know we shouldn’t and the earth did not come crashing down on us (yet) so we go along being good (for awhile) and do it again (with all sorts of reasons why we were justified in breaking commandments) and maybe again this time the world didn’t come crashing do...

A couple Sundays ago the Bishopric played a CES talk by Pres. Uchtdorf about dating. Discouraging 'all-day' dates etc. I kind of have to chuckle about that. Youth (ages 16 to married) tend to have a hard time realizing what they're really doing when they're dating. My opinion and I'm sticking to it. Based on my emotions as a youth, I believe the desire is to spend as many seconds with your date (person of interest) as is possible; hence the 'all-day' date syndrome. After 37 years of marriage, yes, we still date; I have found an interesting situation about our dating habits. We 'dated' going to the Temple one night a week and out to dinner if we could afford it for a lot of the years our children were growing up. We still try to squeak that in. The youngest has been an adult for a good eight years and with all the hopes of being able to go on fun dates together I still find my plans shifted. I may be in the mood to go to a movie, but if the Stake or s...

May 23, 2010 Post #6 Individual Worth Additional Value no. 1 I read the assigned scriptures and came to a conclusion that probably the most important thing the LDS Church is doing by making assignments like these for our youth is to give them the opportunity to stop, think, look, introspectively evaluate, and then develop-their own testimony. What they feel, how they feel, why they feel about themselves-specifically with this assignment. I read through and used these scriptures for our FHE tonight. (Psalms 8:4-6, Jeremiah 1:5, John 13:34, D&C 18:10, Abraham 3:22-23, and Joseph Smith History 1: 1-20). I remember a time in my young motherhood life period when I was feeling pretty much like nothing. I spoke with my great Aunt Piney about it and she said that I should always remember that man is but a little below the angels. I felt such hope when she said it and I felt the Spirit testify it is true. She said it was in the scriptures. I remember finding it and feeling sad because the s...

I remember hearing someone say that while disciplining their kid. Leaves the kid feeling unsettled-after all the kid wonders, what was once and what happens if it happens again (whatever 'it' is) and... Friday night we went to the Temple in American Fork. It was beautiful weather when we went in. Clouds gathering (yet again) wet roads (drizzles starting and stopping much of the day) and sun setting. Lovely evening. The parking lot is quite full, we park way down there near the gate. I guess it's gonna be a bit crowded. Well, this is one place I don't mind waiting. So we do. We wait in the chapel, but not all that long. They're ready to start a session and the room starts to empty. I count the rows. Generally they can take 6-7 rows (depends on how close the people sit, or don't). We're on row 7. Hey-I can count. We've been doing this for almost 36 years-I know how this works. They get to our row and say, 'Room for 7 more'. Okay, I count and yes, w...

So, ya know how some people talk in their sleep... My hubby has always done that. We've actually carried on a conversation once-totally unbeknown to him. So what runs through your spouses mind-that private place where you have no idea which way those cogs are turning? Sometimes when they talk in their sleep, the words falling out of their mouth makes sense. Like last night, or very, very early this morning. I'm going to truncate what he said, but he spoke in full sentences. Father, We thank Thee for... We thank Thee for... We thank Thee for... Please bless... and.... And please bless... Yeah-he was saying a prayer. Funny thing is, I've caught myself waking up in the middle of the night bearing my testimony, talking with Heaven and thanking Him for any and everything I can think of.

An incredible piece of art. An even more incredible message. I think we ought to stand up and notice. Also check out: www.mcnaughtonart.com for a more in depth listing of symbols. I asked my 11-yr. old granddaughter what she saw in it. She said first, there’s a man holding a lot of money; then she said, some people don’t trust Jesus; and then she said a few were hiding their eyes from him.