20 Years
I have yet to go on line and listen to the talks that were shared last night, but I understand that some anniversaries were mentioned. Interestingly enough, our Bishopric also made the Family Proclamation the subject matter for our 5th Sunday today. It was all good. So, here are my thoughts and observations from the day.
Testimony Meeting - one of the first to get up and share her testimony was Avery. I don't remember her going to the microphone alone in the past. If I remember her doing so, it has been with a companion. However, today, she boldly stood before the congregation. She looked out over the faces and said, "Heavenly Father, I am thankful for this day!...." Everyone in the congregation smiled. She stood before us and pretty much said a prayer, or what we would think of as a prayer. As I pondered the sweet innocence of what she was doing and her words, the thought came to me - is prayer the most pure form of testimony? Each time we stop what we are doing and turn our thoughts, words, and/or attention to our Celestial Father, are we not testifying that we know He Lives!
- I truly enjoyed the testimony of Brother Mike. So, basically, he gets up each month and shares the brutal honesty of what is going through his head. Basically, I can only imagine. Today he told us right up front that basically he had really prepared something important to say before he stood before us, but basically, his head was empty now that he was standing before us.
Side note: Brother Mike has some challenges and uses the work "Basically" about 10 times each time he bears his testimony.
Anyways, today as he stood before us and tried to gather his thoughts, his demeanor changed. He was focused and clear as he boldly testified of the love he has for and feels from his family. As a child, he found himself abandon and placed in foster care. It was OK, as he needs were met, but what he wanted more than anything else in the world was to be loved by a family. He wanted to have someone who he could truly call Mom and Dad. Today, he shared his witness of the joy he feels from his adopted parents. They have taught him, showed him, and helped him understand that he is loved. Most importantly, they have shown him that his Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love him as well.
When he was done, he basically, went back to being Brother Mike.
- I loved the fact that Russell stood before us and shared his own deep thoughts of the same thing. He shared the amazing deepness of the Hymn 292 - Oh My Father. He testified boldly, that through this hymn his knowledge that we have Heavenly Parents, has been solidified.
Primary - I was invited to sit in with a primary class that Tall Man has been asked to teach. I was told that he was feeling a little overwhelmed by these 8 7/8 year olds. When I entered, he had it all under control. Yes, they were wiggly. Yes, they were easily distracted. But most importantly, they were eager to learn.
We were talking of the Resurrection. What I loved most was seeing the shock and awe in their eyes as Tall Man let them know that everyone would be resurrected, even bad people. At first, they could not believe it. I am sure they will tell their parents today after church just to make sure he was not lying to them. You see, it was their understanding that after the Resurrection, we would live with Jesus Christ. The question was, how could bad people be resurrected and live with Jesus Christ? Well, they won't, not because Jesus Christ won't want them to, but because they won't want too. This was hard for them to understand.
We tried to make it real for them. We asked them to think about doing something that their parents had asked them not to do or not doing something their parents had asked them to do. When their parents find out they have done something they were asked not to do or see that they did not do what they were asked, how would they feel? The answer that I loved most was - Embarrassed. We explained that after the Resurrection, we would feel the same way if were have not lived the way Jesus has asked us to live. We would be embarrassed to stand beside him. We would be embarrassed to live with him. I hope they learned as much as I learned and that the lesson will be embedded in their souls as much as it was mine.
There you have it. Though the day is not yet over, it has been good thus far.
The week is over though. It too has been good.
The Queen spent almost every waking moment focused on cleaning, patching, painting, and re-doing a room. It looks good. She is amazing. She was able to get it to the point where she could go out last night with the Professor and enjoy some quality girl time at conference. Now she is moving on to the next project. I need to start picking up on some projects myself.
The Professor did her best to find joy in all she does. She is learning that sometimes, being a volunteer president/team lead/mentor is not all it is cracked up to be. It is hard to watch things fall apart because someone did not follow through on a delegated assignment. It is even harder not to take it personally.
Tall Man has made it through mid-terms. He also transferred some belongings from one room to another. He learned in the process that he is somewhat of a pack rat. Don't know where he gets that from? Sometimes memories are hard to put in a box for another day.
SnackPack survived another week of teacher torture. He is so looking forward to Spring Break. Well, we hope he is. He tried to convince us a week ago that he had been invited to spend the weekend in the happiest place on earth. We reminded him that we were going to be sharing it with family, that should be a close second.
We are hoping to hear more from Puddin this week. He is busy about his Father's work. The fact that he is alive and doing should be enough, but we love hearing more.
Hope you all have a great week.
Testimony Meeting - one of the first to get up and share her testimony was Avery. I don't remember her going to the microphone alone in the past. If I remember her doing so, it has been with a companion. However, today, she boldly stood before the congregation. She looked out over the faces and said, "Heavenly Father, I am thankful for this day!...." Everyone in the congregation smiled. She stood before us and pretty much said a prayer, or what we would think of as a prayer. As I pondered the sweet innocence of what she was doing and her words, the thought came to me - is prayer the most pure form of testimony? Each time we stop what we are doing and turn our thoughts, words, and/or attention to our Celestial Father, are we not testifying that we know He Lives!
- I truly enjoyed the testimony of Brother Mike. So, basically, he gets up each month and shares the brutal honesty of what is going through his head. Basically, I can only imagine. Today he told us right up front that basically he had really prepared something important to say before he stood before us, but basically, his head was empty now that he was standing before us.
Side note: Brother Mike has some challenges and uses the work "Basically" about 10 times each time he bears his testimony.
Anyways, today as he stood before us and tried to gather his thoughts, his demeanor changed. He was focused and clear as he boldly testified of the love he has for and feels from his family. As a child, he found himself abandon and placed in foster care. It was OK, as he needs were met, but what he wanted more than anything else in the world was to be loved by a family. He wanted to have someone who he could truly call Mom and Dad. Today, he shared his witness of the joy he feels from his adopted parents. They have taught him, showed him, and helped him understand that he is loved. Most importantly, they have shown him that his Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love him as well.
When he was done, he basically, went back to being Brother Mike.
- I loved the fact that Russell stood before us and shared his own deep thoughts of the same thing. He shared the amazing deepness of the Hymn 292 - Oh My Father. He testified boldly, that through this hymn his knowledge that we have Heavenly Parents, has been solidified.
Primary - I was invited to sit in with a primary class that Tall Man has been asked to teach. I was told that he was feeling a little overwhelmed by these 8 7/8 year olds. When I entered, he had it all under control. Yes, they were wiggly. Yes, they were easily distracted. But most importantly, they were eager to learn.
We were talking of the Resurrection. What I loved most was seeing the shock and awe in their eyes as Tall Man let them know that everyone would be resurrected, even bad people. At first, they could not believe it. I am sure they will tell their parents today after church just to make sure he was not lying to them. You see, it was their understanding that after the Resurrection, we would live with Jesus Christ. The question was, how could bad people be resurrected and live with Jesus Christ? Well, they won't, not because Jesus Christ won't want them to, but because they won't want too. This was hard for them to understand.
We tried to make it real for them. We asked them to think about doing something that their parents had asked them not to do or not doing something their parents had asked them to do. When their parents find out they have done something they were asked not to do or see that they did not do what they were asked, how would they feel? The answer that I loved most was - Embarrassed. We explained that after the Resurrection, we would feel the same way if were have not lived the way Jesus has asked us to live. We would be embarrassed to stand beside him. We would be embarrassed to live with him. I hope they learned as much as I learned and that the lesson will be embedded in their souls as much as it was mine.
There you have it. Though the day is not yet over, it has been good thus far.
The week is over though. It too has been good.
The Queen spent almost every waking moment focused on cleaning, patching, painting, and re-doing a room. It looks good. She is amazing. She was able to get it to the point where she could go out last night with the Professor and enjoy some quality girl time at conference. Now she is moving on to the next project. I need to start picking up on some projects myself.
The Professor did her best to find joy in all she does. She is learning that sometimes, being a volunteer president/team lead/mentor is not all it is cracked up to be. It is hard to watch things fall apart because someone did not follow through on a delegated assignment. It is even harder not to take it personally.
Tall Man has made it through mid-terms. He also transferred some belongings from one room to another. He learned in the process that he is somewhat of a pack rat. Don't know where he gets that from? Sometimes memories are hard to put in a box for another day.
SnackPack survived another week of teacher torture. He is so looking forward to Spring Break. Well, we hope he is. He tried to convince us a week ago that he had been invited to spend the weekend in the happiest place on earth. We reminded him that we were going to be sharing it with family, that should be a close second.
We are hoping to hear more from Puddin this week. He is busy about his Father's work. The fact that he is alive and doing should be enough, but we love hearing more.
Hope you all have a great week.
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