Santa Letter

Dear Santa,

Thank you for my Lego diesel truck last year. I helped the poor. Can I have a Lego hobbit? Don't get caught in a twister! 

Soccer is OVER

Never agree to be a soccer coach when you have a hyper active 1 year old, you are trying to build a house and if you want to get some cute pictures of your little soccer player. NEVER AGAIN! Josh did a fantastic job and our team was one of the best. I was VERY impressed with Liam's defense!

Layla Turns 5

Layla's Birthday was a never ending party. She woke up to a balloon tail leading to her presents. Followed by a school party, then her family party. The next day she had her friend party. Sunday they sang to her at church and then on Monday Grandma and Grandpa took her to DISNEYLAND!!! Talk about a party!

Layla's "least" favorite present, the elephant chair. She took it every where with her all morning and kept smiling and saying this is my least favorite present. I asked her what that meant and she said it means it was her favorite. I explained to her it actually means the opposite. She argued and then decided I might be right!

Waiting for her party guest to arrive

Grandma made this for the front door!

Our party planner and party girl!

Grandma's Cupcakes

Making Tangled hair

Pumpkin Carving

We couldn't be more grateful having Mom and Pa near! It has been a blast and full of fun. Here is just a glimpse of the fun we have with them next door. Tara, April and Jess you guys can move here and join in the fun any time hint, hint!
Londyn absolutely loved pulling out the seeds. Layla HATED it, Josh refused and Liam got bored. Not this litttle girl she went to town!

Grandpa's Leaves

Grandpa made a pile of leaves for us to play in. To my surprise Londyn was NOT a fan. The rest of us were and I had people telling me the rest of the day I had stuff in my hair. It was worth it!

Evening Prayer

We told Liam it was time for evening prayer. This is what he did. All that Ninja training at recess is really paying off!

Butterfly Shallow

We went on a hike up Butterfly Shallow (Mapleton Canyon) With Auntie Mary, Alana, Hailey, Jen and Tobey. We love having our family around and always enjoy seeing Alana from down under :) I was busy juggling Londyn and didn't get any pictures of anyone but a few quick of Layla.

Preschool Picture OVERLOAD

Layle was cooperating very well for pictures so I went to town. She is doing well and starting to read. She loves to write the cutest thing and is very bright. She has really opened up this year and has made plenty of friends. It is so fun to watch these sweet children blossom and grow.

First Grade

My sweet boy is now in school full day. He is thriving and in the highest level reading and math. Not to brag but really to let him know how proud I am. He has way more homework than most 1st graders but knowing how well he buckles down to finish and the effort he puts in make me proud and he should be as well. I am sure he would of been my peer tutor in school that little smartie pants!

Church Talk

With this being our family journal, I thought it would be nice to save some of our church talks. Here we go. It isn't exactly what I shared but here is the outline of what I used, and thoughts I gathered. I am sure it wont make sense but I will remember. I gave this talk on one of our last Sundays in our last ward. It was such a wonderful ward and our Bishop was AMAZING! I made some life long friends and grew so much. Thank you Mapleton 20th. I love you!

Husband jokes with me I never worrying etc. Only two times have I felt overwhelmed, dark or anxious the feeling can not be put into words. It was unbearable

One of those times was when I went through the Temple for my first time. I am remember an overwhelming feeling of not being good enough. Not deserving. People like me don't belong there. The darkness and weight I felt was so awful I was getting physically ill. I got the courage to walk in with my sister and Mom. Right away the Temple president pulled us aside to speak with us. One of the first thing he said to me was, "I can tell you have been through a lot to get here, and then reminded me I was where I needed to be." immediately that darkness left. The blessings that have come from that day are overwhelming to think of. I was right where I needed to be.

Joseph Smith History 1:15 I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

Temples are the very center of the spiritual strength of the Church. We should expect that the adversary will try to interfere with us as a Church and with us individually as we seek to participate in this sacred and inspired work. Temple work brings so much resistance because it is the source of so much spiritual power to the Latter-day Saints and to the entire Church.

At the Logan Utah Temple cornerstone dedication, President George Q. Cannon, then of the First Presidency, made this statement:

 “Every foundation stone that is laid for a Temple, and every Temple completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf”

So what is the spiritual blessings we receive through the Temple? I would like to share a story of my dear friend. She lost her son very suddenly and unexpected one day. I would imagine this trial to be one of the most difficult we could experience. The only way you could really ever cope with it would be through spiritual strength. She has pointed out several times to me the moments she has felt the absolute closest to him has been when she and her husband have attended the Temple. At times that feeling has been so powerful at a particular moment they later discuss it as husband and wife and really they had the same impression at the same time. Through these experiences she has said they feel they have been closer with him now then when he was on this earth. I know some people would like to describe experiences like this as wishful thinking. But those who have had the privilege of something so sacred know there is much more to it then that. It is as real as you all sitting in front of me today.

Other blessings we will experience through Temple attendance is a more full understanding of what our purpose is on this earth. As we better understand this our relationships with family will deepen. The desire to work on these relationships is much greater. What we are working towards is much more then just a happy family or marriage but an eternal family and marriage.  As we live up to and keep the covenants made in the Temple those relationships cant help but improve. If we are struggling with things that may be holding us back let those issues be addressed. Don’t be the reason your family is being with held those promised blessings.

Not everyone has the opportunity to have a Temple Recommend.  Whether it be due to age or perhaps your current situation we have other physical places we can go to feel closer to our Loving Father in Heaven. Places that will help prepare us so when we are ready we can go and enjoy the peace, guidance, and beauty of the Temple.  A great place to start it this very church. Attending all our meetings and most importantly partaking of the Sacrament. Thank you to all of you who make feeling the spirit possible every Sunday as you prepare the sacrament, lessons, keep the building clean etc. It is a great source of spiritual strength for everyone.

One of the ways Satan will try to distract us from receiving spiritual blessings to make us feel as though we are not capable or worthy.

I would now like to share with you the other time in my life I could feel the advisory trying so hard from keeping me from knowing my potential it was almost tangible. The weight I felt in my body and mind that day was practically unbearable.  That was the day I was going to have my patriarchal blessing. Satan knew the strength I would have through that blessing. I was only 21 and had just moved to Utah. I had been here a month and knew as soon as I came I wanted to have my blessing. That morning as I woke up I felt the feelings described earlier. I went to the patriarchs home. A man who knew nothing about me, about my family, about where I had been. As he set his hands on my head my anxiety and low self worth was almost to much to bare. I was about to ask him to stop and say I can’t do this when he immediately said a line that changed my life forever. Immediately that weight I felt that fog I was in  physically left my body. Satan did not want me know I was of any value or worth. He didn’t want me to know the potential of the atonement. I am so grateful I over came those feelings of inadequacy.  I now Know I am daughter of God of infinite worth. Along with every other woman.

Satan wants to distract us from growing and reaching our potential. His best way to keep us from doing that is by degrading our bodies through temptation and low self worth.

On LDS. Org I found this:

Man is composed of two parts: a mortal body, and an immortal spirit. The Lord calls our body a ‘tabernacle’ or a ‘temple’ since it is the temporary residence of our eternal spirit (see Book of Mormon, Mosiah 3:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16). Since the spirit and the body together are the soul of man (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:15), what affects one affects the other. By taking care of our bodies we make our “tabernacles” an acceptable house for our spirits.

It is amazing to me that Our bodies are held to the same standard as something as beautiful and magnificent as the Temple. It makes perfect sense.

For men I feel like holding Priesthood is a perfect example of the potential our body and spirit has to be as a Temple.   I am in awe of you worthy priesthood holder Men. I know we live in a world full of pressures and temptation. Thank you for staying strong and over coming weakness. It is through that Priesthood I have been sealed to my family in the Temple, it is through that Priesthood I was given my Patriarchal blessing. I have a very STRONG testimony of the blessing of a worthy Priesthood holder in a home and the comfort that can bring.

As a woman I may not carry the priesthood. That’s ok. I know it is meant that men hold those keys.  President Packard once said“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.” I know this to be true. We live in a world that tries to distract us as woman from our divine potential as a woman. Women are often treated by society as being useful only if they are pleasing to the eye. Woman are viewed as objects. We need to dig down and see our divine potential as much more then that. What we are capable of as Mothers and nurturers’ is the very best way for us to become us Christ like as possible in this life. I know it isn’t easy. I have gone through the pains of pregnancy. I have had many sleepless nights not knowing if I would have the energy to even function. At times I literally haven’t. At the same time nothing has ever brought me such joy such growth as being Mom. Not only to my own children but the many wonderful children around me. We are raising God’s children weather it be our own or children around us. He trusts us and puts a particular emphasis on the females doing this nurturing. I am beyond grateful for this calling.

As our Bishop pointed out last fast Sunday sometimes this life may be hard and need to be endured. I am a firm believer in everyone has a story to tell. We all have experienced sorrow and loss. The key is to have faith in our Lord, know that he has the ability to ease that burden, because of him all these wrongs and hardships will be made right one day. Because he chose to suffer for our sins and sorrow he will help bare the burden. He understands.

I have no doubt that Obedience Brings Blessings. It is so amazing to think that we have these physical gifts such as a temple, this meeting house, our bodies to prove our obedience and because we are obedience we are able to experience those blessing promised.

The scriptures are full of accounts of prophets through out times asked to show obedience.  For instance Issac and Abraham

President Monson gave this analogy perfectly in his talk Obedience Bring Blessings in the last conference talk:

A soul-stirring account of obedience is that of Abraham and Isaac. How painfully difficult it must have been for Abraham, in obedience to God’s command, to take his beloved Isaac into the land of Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice. Can we imagine the heaviness of Abraham’s heart as he journeyed to the appointed place? Surely anguish must have racked his body and tortured his mind as he bound Isaac, laid him on the altar, and took the knife to slay him. With unwavering faith and implicit trust in the Lord, he responded to the Lord’s command. How glorious was the pronouncement, and with what wondered welcome did it come: “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”6

Abraham had been tried and tested, and for his faithfulness and obedience the Lord gave him this glorious promise: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice

Can you imagine the Lord giving him this promise what joy he must of felt. I to have a testimony this promise. As Pioneer day just passed, I was reminded of the blessings I have experienced in my life because of pioneer heritage. They too were faced with HUGE struggles and adversity.  Because they remained faithful through there many afflictions I know with out a doubt it has given me strength to be where I am today. If 10 years ago someone would let me see into my life where I would be I would laugh and think it was a joke. My path was not headed this direction. To see myself with a  Temple marriage and my three beautiful children, in addition giving a talk at the pulpit would seem nearly impossible and to be quite honest, not something I even understood or cared to understand. I know I had prayers in my behalf. I know my Dad, Mom and Step father attended the Temple many times on mine and my sisters behalf. I know they had many fasts and I am sure knelt down in prayer countless times praying for their daughters to return to the only things that would make us happy, the blessing of this gospel. Slowly we all returned to activity. First was my older sister who after gaining a testimony of this gospel through the book of Mormon went through the Temple and served a mission. She also would go to the temple, pray and fast in our behalf. During that time I experienced some miracles. I wish I could say I turned my life around. But that was not the truth. There is no logical reason I should be standing here right now. I did not do this alone.  At times I don’t think I did any of it. It was through their prayers, there Temple attendance, their fasting that I am here today.  The happiness because of where I stand today can’t be put into words. The meaning  my life has is far more then I could of ever imagined. I can’t express my gratitude for those things.

Our faith will be tested in this life. I believe the savior  knows the true intentions of our heart. But you and I don’t. We are given these experiences at large because we need to prove to OURSELVES that we are capable. That we will stay strong, that we will do what is right. We will overcome our weakness and struggles through the proper channels. I can testify to you that as you do so the joy and peace you will experience by doing what is right can’t be put into words. I know the savior will literally take that burden from us and bare it so we don’t have to no matter how big or small that struggle may be. Everyone in this room is capable of experiencing these promised blessings. We can and will. There is no reason we shouldn't.

"Spirituality, our true aim, is the consciousness of victory over self, and of communion with the Infinite. Spirituality impels one to conquer difficulties and acquire more and more strength. To feel one's faculties unfolding, and truth expanding in the soul, is one of life's sublimest experiences.... Every noble impulse, every unselfish expression of love, every brave suffering for the right; every surrender of self to something higher than self; every loyalty to an idea; every unselfish devotion to principle; every helpfulness to humanity; every act of self-control; every fine courage of the soul undefeated by pretense or policy, but by being, doing, and living of good for the very good's sake -that is spirituality."

-David O. Mckay

President Hinckley

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

Creative Boy

Liam loves King Kong and I am always told by people how creative he is. Here is his latest piece. King Kong at the top of the Empire State Building with an air plane about to attack and the boat which brought King Kong over. Proud parent :)