Conference

My favorite talk that was given during General Conference was by Sis Elaine S Dalton. She spoke about Fathers and the importance of being involved in their daughters lives. She said something that really stood out to I'm sure not only me, but women across the Nation! She said the best thing a father can do for his daughters is to love their mothers! That was super sweet, and I hope and pray my husband can live up to that for the sake of our daughters future husband lol.. I am always so amazed at the sweet spirit I feel when conference weekend comes around. I feel humbled, excited, and mostly just grateful for a living prophet who guides us in these latter days! Good news came to me conference weekend. My cousin from Hemet Na'ati Ika was proposed to that weekend! She came down for a visit last weekend and told me all about her cute lil proposal her beau did for her. Her wedding date is Feb 10th...I CANNOT WAIT to see her take his hand and be sealed for all time and eternity! Sealings are my favorite thing to attend at the temple. It's such a beautiful bond, & to see the love in that room as they are sealed, melts my heart! I'm so blessed to know Na'ati and to be able to see her get married to a worthy priesthood holder is magnificent :)

I think this is beautiful

A Metaphor




Life is bigger than you are. That is not to say you are not important. You are important. That is why you can't allow yourself to mope any longer. Realize your potential. Make your contribution to God's canvas of life. No matter how small your strokes, how drab your paints, His final masterpiece will never be as beautiful or complete without you.



You make think, It is already miraculo...us. It already has more color and technique than Michelangelo could have dreamed up in a million years, let alone me, someone who can't even draw a straight line. What could I possibly add that wouldn't just mess it up?



I reply to your question with another. Do you truly believe any novice's hand could ruin that painting? Do you not think that the Master painter can incorporate your clumsy blotches into something breath-taking? Do you not think that the Master Teacher can train you up until your blotches are fewer and your strokes are in sync with what He has in mind? He will even guide your hand with His if you let Him. You have only to pick up your brush again.



Do not be overly concerned about the blotches you will make. As I said, He will make it as though they were meant to be there.



As for your blotches already dried and glaring at you in contempt, take a step back. His canvas stretches out of sight in every direction. Notice how small those blotches are? Can you even pick them out anymore?



Perhaps one or two especially unsightly ones? Look to His tools. Look. There is a scraper. Look. There is a color that would be stunning next to that blotch (you didn't think anything could look stunning on that noxious color, did you?). Look there. See the man who is painting over his blotch? He is using it to add texture to his contribution. You could do that. Look there! That child is already transforming your mistake into something surprising and heart-warming.



Life is bigger than you are. That is not to say you are not important. You are important. Pick up your brush.

Struggles

I always have a distinct feeling that when the Lord throws us a curve ball, we are being tried and tested and we are in need of some teaching. So when Pulu got laid off from his job, had surgery on his arm, and wasn't able to work at his 2nd job as well, I thought WOW...but then he got into a car accident after that, and we haven't heard back from the insurance company going on 2 weeks now...then outta nowhere our brakes on our one good vehicle went out, the kids started back to school, and we have to drive em there which is a 15min freeway drive, and to put the cherry on top I am due to have this baby in 20 days! Stressed much, overwhelmed with anxiety, horror, and all around just BUMMED out?...YES, YES, YES, & YES. lol...BUUUUUT, at the same time I am an observant person. I know that the Lord doesn't give us any trial we cannot overcome. So we continued to adjust, we drove our car carefully while trying to find someone to fix it, we have been blessed with workmens comp from BOTH jobs, which is a HUUUGE help, I am getting things organized and ready to go as far as our insurance goes. Things are hard, but DO-ABLE. We have been set back, but our bills are paid, kids are happy, food is on the table....and I have to be GRATEFUL. Sometimes I get down in the dumps cause I start to feel sorry for us. We have goals to buy a home, and it seemed as if we were being cursed with jobs for Pulu. He would get a great paying job, then bam laid off. I honestly know why he got laid off this time tho, we received Pulu's patriarchal blessing a few months back, and it clearly clearly stated throughout the WHOLE blessing that he is to fulfill going to school in this life! Pulu's always been a hard worker, and he kinda gets addicted to working hard...so I think he needs to focus on school, and part time at Delta. I want to work as well just to help him out in pursuing his blessing on this earth. I know without a doubt in my mind that if we LISTEN & REMEMBER the teachings that our loving Heavenly Father has been showing us through scriptures, and all different ways, we will be blessed with whatever we so desire. Our desire is buying a home we can afford, and I know with these struggles, trials and changes...we need to have a tune up, and change our lives to what the Lord has fit for us. It's not our plan, but the Lords and it's time we listen. So when u feel struggles are unbearable, just think what is it that I need to learn from this? And then your burdens will be lighter. :) And with faith n humility answers come. Happy Sabbath!!

Sunday Quote

Something I've been working hard at this year...I'm glad I have changed in this area :)
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;"

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119
It's a daily challenge and one I'm sure will be lifelong. But I can see myself so aware of this scripture and doing it. I am more prepared now, I am constantly wanting to learn as well as our kids and hubbs, We always say family prayer, faith has never left me, our home is always in order, we keep GOD and the base of everything we do. It's a hard scripture to live by, but once you get certain parts down, things seem to go with ease. I adore this scrupture, it may just be my FAVE! :)

Sunday Quote

Within the Clasp of a Father's Arms




"I believe this wise counsel from President Joseph F. Smith:



"'Brethren, . . . If you will keep your [children] close to your heart, within the clasp of your arms; if you will make them . . . feel that you love them . . . and keep them near to you, they will not go very far from you, and they will not commit any very great sin. But it is when you turn them out of the home, turn them out of your affection . . . that [is what] drives them from you. . . .



" 'Fathers, if you wish your children to be taught in the principles of the gospel, if you wish them to love the truth and understand it, if you wish them to be obedient to and united with you, love them! and prove . . . that you do love them by your every word and act to[ward] them.' (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1966, pp. 282, 316.)"

Sunday Quotes

"President Kimball also taught the profound principle that procrastination leads to the loss of exaltation. He said: 'One of the most serious human defects in all ages is procrastination, an unwillingness to accept personal responsibilities now. . . . Many have allowed themselves to be diverted and have become . . . addicts to mental and spiritual indolence and to the pursuit of worldly pleasure'

I can see in this world we live in, how easy it is to think worldly and to live worldly. I love my Sunday reminders because it's not geared towards anyone in particular, just words that stick out to ME on any given Sunday. Hope u enjoy your sabbath and try to live life with humility :)

Eternal Marriage

"An eternal marriage is eternal. Eternal implies continuing growth and improvement. It means that man and wife will honestly try to perfect themselves. It means that the marriage relationship is not to be frivolously discarded at the first sign of disagreement or when times get hard. It signifies that love will grow stronger with time and that it extends beyond the grave. It means that each partner will be blessed with the company of the other partner forever and that problems and differences might as well be resolved because they are not going to go away. Eternal signifies repentance, forgiveness, long-suffering, patience, hope, charity, love, and humility. All of these things are involved in anything that is eternal, and surely we must learn and practice them if we intend to claim an eternal marriage."

181st General Conference

Elder Scott

Elder Richard G. Scott, addressing the blessings of eternal marriage, said, “It is so rewarding to be married. Marriage is wonderful. In time you begin to think alike and have the same ideas and expressions. You have times when you are extremely happy, times of testing, and times of trial, but the Lord guides you through all of those experiences together. . . . Marriage provides an ideal setting for overcoming any tendency to be selfish or self-centered.”

I absolutely loved his talk. It was quite personal about his own life with his wife, and it was a fairytale relationship...just BEAUTIFUL! He talked about his wife as though she was a queen. She passed away and he talked about all the things he had learned from her. He said she would leave him notes in his scriptures, because he would often have to give a scripture in his meetings, he said when he would flip through the pages he would read them and almost not be able to speak cause they were so sweet. He said he started doing the same to her. He said he could remember one time he punch holed out 100 little circles and wrote 1-100 and on the back he wrote a word. He said he put it in an envelope and thought she'd get a kick out of it. He later found it after she had passed away in her personal things along with other letters he had written her. He said she put all of those lil papers in order and pasted it on a sheet of paper and then put a sheet protector over it, like all the other letters he wrote her besides one letter where he said is still behind their clock face in the kitchen that reads "It's time to tell you I love you"!!! My heart melts thinking about the love that this couple had for one another. It was a true testament to me of eternal companionship, of which I strive to have as a couple for eternity the love that he had testified to me. It was so sweet and I was totally engulfed with the spirit. Another speaker that stood out to me was...

Lynn G. Robbins

"People make to do lists of things we want to accomplish, but people rarely have to be lists. Why? To do's are activities that can be checked off the list when done, to be however is never done, you can't earn marks with to be's. To be needs to be a part of my nature, a character of who I am."                              I loved his talk sooo much it was geared to me as a parent because I feel like I am not doing the best I can,or I'm always striving to be a better parent, and his talk was what I really needed to hear! He talked about us parents trying to help our children be like the savior. Discipline comes from the root word disciple and implies patience and teaching on our part as parents. Discipline should not be done in anger, we need to discipline as D&C 121 tells us to by: persuasion, long suffering,by gentleness, meekness, and by love and faint, kindness and pure knowledge. These are all Christ like Be's that should be a part of who we as parents and disciples of Christ are.  His talk was so in depth and I am sure I will be studying his talk a lot. He said we are in Parenting 505 if we have a child who is very testing for us. Could it be possible that we need this child as much as he/she needs you. Because through this test we can find our Christ like attributes and practice faith, long suffering, kindness etc. He also said do not let  our children believe that what they did wrong is who they are! Never let failure progress from an action to an identity with it's attendant labels like stupid, lazy, clumsy, our children are Gods children that is their true identity and potential! His plan is to help them overcome their mistakes and to become like he is. So to me it is our responsibility as parents to help our kids become who they are and strengthen their self worth, and their character and beliefs of who they are. This is going to be a hard task, but I know I can do this with the Lords help! :)

I am so grateful for the talks that were given! I am always edified and thankful and feel that I just got a tune up on LIFE. It was a wonderful conference and I can't wait to fine tune these things I need to work on. Feeling overly blessed~

No more...because we are moving :(

I am feeling so lost, and saddened, and ready and assured, mostly CONFUSED & Dis-HEARTENED! I am being released as Primary President of the Cannon 3rd Ward. I haven't officially been released, but I know this coming up Sunday will be my last! :'( Yes tears! I have ABSOLUTELY loved serving these beautiful children. And I don't think I've ever had a more fulfilling calling. I feeel so blessed to have been able to strengthen my testimony as well as all the children of the Cannon 3rd Ward Primary. I feel that when I was called to this calling, I was totally not ready for it. I wasn't a natural born leader, I wasn't super organized, I wasn't old enough, I wasn't super duper kid friendly! lol...I was just scared and determined to do the best I could with the counselors help. We have had a great ride as a Presidency. I know it's been hard to deal with one another as far as different personalities and things like that. BUUUT we always pulled through and came together. I am grateful for the things I have learned while serving and having a President role. It's really tough, and I must say I am kinda happy to be leaving it, just because it's a not so liked position. People are not gonna like what you do, what you say, how you implement things....but I say to those people, I didn't call myself...The Lord did. So with that I am honored and know that I DID A GREAT JOB, and it was fitting to my Heavenly Father. I can't stop thinking about life without doing Primary stuff...I don't know what I'll do with my free time!! hehe I guess I'll be prepared for the next calling! haha!! To my Primary kids...I love you all so much, more than you'll ever know. I want to bear my testimony on Primary and tell you all that even if you never read this, that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father. I know that Jesus Christ died for us so that we may live. I know that if we read our scriptures, miracles will happen, answers to questions will arise in your life, when you feel you are at your lowest point! I know that we have a living prophet who guides our church and helps us to know our Heavenly Father more and what it is he would have us do at this day and age. I want you all to know that I believe in having a testimony, and if we don't share it we won't be able to grow from what we know, and others won't either if we do not share it. I know that blessings come to those who serve. I want you to remember that Jesus is our brother and that we need to follow in his example. I leave my testimony with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.