Let's Revive This Blog

It's been a long, long time since I've posted anything on this blog! I do not know why, but I have felt impressed that I need to start it back up again. What am I going to be posting? I have no idea. Who will read it? Maybe no one. But that isn't the point. The point is that I need to be better at following the promptings I receive from the Holy Ghost and I really feel that writing on this blog is something I'm being directed to do at this time in my life.

It's been a really long time since I posted anything here. Seven years, in fact. Seven! That's such a long time. I had all but forgotten about this blog, in fact. Then a couple weekends ago my husband, Dan, and I attended his niece's sealing in the Rexburg, Idaho, temple. While I was sitting there, thinking about the beautiful place a temple is and learning even more about symbolism and what the temple really means for us (I'll post about this experience later), I suddenly thought, "I need to write about this." As I pondered on that thought I wondered how I should write about it. I was just thinking of my journal when I received a very distinct thought that I should write about it on this blog. I have learned that, for me personally, when I get a thought out of nowhere, especially about something so far removed from my daily thoughts as this blog was, that it is an inspired thought.

As I said, that was a couple weekends ago and I am just now getting to this. Why so long? Because I ignored the prompting. But then as time has gone on, the thought keeps coming to me more and more frequently. So I'm choosing to follow that prompting and revive this blog. And I suppose we'll see where it goes. :)

Since it's been so long I think I should reintroduce myself and my family.

I am married to the most wonderful man for me. His name is Dan and he is my perfect companion. He completes me in every way. We met as students attending BYU-Idaho--we were in the same Family Home Evening group. It's a pretty classic story. :) After dating for about six months, we were sealed in the Logan, Utah, temple. That was just over ten years ago and what a great ten years they've been! Ups and downs, learning curves, laughter and tears. Truly there is opposition in all things and getting through all the tough times makes marriage even better.

I am also a mother to three beautiful and busy children. My Liv is six years old; she is my daily dose of sunshine. Dal is four and he is spunky and sensitive and sweet and my little buddy. And James is one year old and is already so busy but his smiles can light up a room. This is my beautiful family in my beautiful life.

My family is my everything; without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I would be incomplete. But in addition to being a wife and mother, I am also a daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, aunt, cousin, friend. I am a baker always looking for a good reason to make cupcakes; a note writer and collector of cute note cards; a vocalist, primarily of classical music, but I dream of singing easy jazz and oldies (like, really old); a chocolate lover, particularly good German dark chocolate; and a recovering perfectionist. Welcome to my world.

Fear and Knowledge

Elder Nattress shared with us a story of asking the brethren a question at an area meeting he attended. He asked them, "What can we teach the youth of this world, with everything going to crazy and spiriling downward?" {this question is paraphrased ... I didn't write down the exact question word for word}

After asking this question, Elder Hales stood {I believe that's who he said was there} and said, "I'd like to answer that questions. I would teach the youth to love their Savior; I would teach them who they are; and I would teach them about the sacrament."

I thought this quote was so amazing, because it immediately gave me three things to thing about in regards to my testimony of them and my ability to teach my own children someday about them. I wondered if my own testimony was strong enough to teach these concepts to my children so that they can be strong, and also so that I can be strong.

Then after sharing that thought from Elder Hales, Elder Nattress said:

"You'll never see fear in the eyes of the brethren because they know who they are and they know our Savior."

This is so powerful! I may not be an apostle and I know I have much to learn in this life, but this thought was so powerful to me and really made me realize just what a testimony of these two things alone does for a person. I don't want to be afraid of things going on in the world - I don't want to worry all the time about things I can't control. I know how I can combat that fear: faith. But this thought really helped me to understand just how faith keeps us from being afraid. If we have a strong testimony of our Savior and His mission & Atonement and we understand and have a testimony of our relationship to our Heavenly Father, then fear just won't be a part of who we are - just that alone strengthens me and helps me to not be afraid.

Key to Revelation

Elder Nattress shared this key to revelation with us from Elder David A. Bednar. This is something that really stuck with me and has still been sticking with me all week. Right after Elder Nattress shared this quote, I immediately felt prompted in knowing how I could apply this to my own life. I've followed that prompting all week and already I have felt the spirit stronger in my life.

"The key to receiving [personal] revelation is to 1), Sacrifice, and 2) Make a Covenant."

Elder Nattress, sharing the key to revelation from Elder Bednar
Stake Conference, 10/09

I'm so grateful for inspired counsel from our priesthood leaders and I have a testimony that when they give us a challenge and we follow through with that challenge, our spirituality will be strengthened, our lives and relationships will improve, and our overall happiness will grow.

Revelation and the Priesthood

"The spirit of revelation attends brethren who exercise their priesthood."
Elder Nattress
Stake Conference 10/09

Elder Nattress said this right after he gave all the brethren in attendance at that meeting the challenge to go home and give their wives a priesthood blessing. He talked about how important it is for the brethren in this church to exercise their priesthood righteously and help their wives by giving them blessings. I think it is good to be reminded, for both men and women, that the priesthood of God is not to be used lightly but that this power is on the earth to be used.

Family and Marriage Relationship

Elder K. Brett Nattress was the presiding authority at our Stake Conference this time. He shared so many wonderful insights and challenges with us. I loved hearing him speak each time he got up and I think I learned so much from him. It was truly inspired to have him at our conference.

In the Saturday evening session, Elder Nattress talked a little to us about families and our relationship with our spouse. These are a couple of the things he said:

• Mothers in Zion bearing testimony to their children is the one bright shining hope. {This particular quote made me wonder, 'What does it take to be a Zion mother?' I'm not currently a mother, not even close really, but right now is when I can be preparing to be a mother. Hearing this segment of Elder Nattress's talk made me wonder what I should be doing in my life now to prepare to become a Zion mother someday. I don't think I have the answers but I think I'm gradually figuring it out.}
  
• No matter what you do, your job or station in life, you will never rise above your relationship with your spouse.
• Look to each other, only, first and always forever.
• Serve one another. Give of yourself to your loved ones and you will grow to love them more.
• Pray together. Small and simple thing are significant.
• Your relationship is eternal. Never let anything or anyone come between you and your spouse.

Elder Nattress also talked a lot {both days} about Prophetic Patterns. Those things which the Brethren, the General Authorities and Apostles of the church always do that create righteous patterns in their lives, and how we can follow their examples in these patterns. One pattern Elder Nattress mentioned to us is how the Brethren approach all new things by asking these two questions:

1. Will this strengthen my testimony of Jesus Christ?
2. Will this strengthen my family?

I was glad to hear these two questions and learn more about this prophetic pattern. It is such a good way to be sure that we never allow things into our lives and families that will not answer affirmatively to both of those questions.

I always love hearing thoughts from the Brethren on what we should be doing in our families. It is one entity that is certainly under attack from Satan. I'm glad for the help we receive from our priesthood leaders to know how we can thwart the power of Satan and grow as strong family units. I hope that DH and I can always stay focused on the one thing that really matters: our family.

Monday Message: Lifting Burdens

This Mormon Messages clip is powerful. I invite you all to click over and watch the short clip - you will be uplifted!
Lifting Burdens

{I'm sorry you have to click the link - I couldn't find the embed code for the video.}

Faith

"A little bit of faith goes a long way."
Sister in Stake Conference
10/09

This sister's story: She was introduced to the gospel while a teenager and developed a testimony of it. Her parents were very antagonistic towards the LDS church and told her that if she joined with them that she would no longer be welcome to live under their roof. After much deliberation and prayer, she finally decided that she had been given a testimony of the gospel, had felt the Spirit and knew that she should be baptized. She went against her parent's wishes and was baptized. Things were difficult for her but she doesn't regret her decision. She is now married and the mother of a beautiful baby boy.

Effort brings happiness

"Strong family relationships require effort, but this effort is what brings happiness now and forever."
Brother in Stake Conference
10/09

This brother's story: After being married civilly to his wife for a year, this brother was blessed to be able to take his wife to the temple and be sealed to her for time and all eternity. A couple short weeks later, they welcomed their first baby into this world.
As this brother shared his testimony of the importance of eternal families, my own testimony of strengthened of the temple and eternal families. I am so grateful that I have been sealed to my wonderful husband in God's Holy House and that we have the promises of forever together if we keep our covenants. This is a great source of comfort and peace in my life.

Stake Conference

A week ago,my DH and I attended our bi-annual stake conference. It was a very spiritual enlightening experience for me. The things I learned at that conference have stuck with me all week and DH and I have had many wonderful discussions from things we learned. I'm going to be sharing insights and personal thoughts from that conference. Unfortunately, I didn't always catch the names of speakers who were members of our stake so some of the things I share will be anonymous. A lot of this is to share how living my religion in my day-to-day activities helps me through my life and what kind of an impact it has on me.