Long Weekend In Mesa

While Kelly was in Flagstaff, the kids and I went to stay a few days with Maryn and Kelsey. We left right after the visit on Thursday night and planned to be home Saturday afternoon. Maryn would have Saturday off, and Kelsey would be able to spend Friday and Saturday with us because of her days off. It sounded perfect to get away and pass the time while Kelly was away.

But of course it didn’t go as planned. It was so disappointing each day as the time would drag on and Kelsey had to work—it happened both days, too! But we made the best of it and still had a good time. We ate out and swam in the pool. That pretty much sums it up!

One of  the afternoons, we pulled out the kids’ art journals and did an activity where we tried to draw with our feet. We traced their feet and took pictures of them to put into the journals by the pictures they drew.

Kelsey is always fun to have around. She is goofy and laughs and plays. She made all kinds of funny hairdos in the water and even did some yoga!

This is Hunter’s magic trick---he makes a small boy disappear! Hee hee, hardy har har…

Ellie is learning to dive.. .and getting pretty good at it. She just needs to get her courage up a bit!

High Adventure

I know, you were expecting pictures of Lake Powell! This year’s high adventure was a little bit different. It was a biking trip in Flagstaff and is was just the teachers quorum. They left on Wednesday and came back on Saturday—completely worn out which means it was a great success.

The teachers have been training for the trip for several weeks now. The biggest worry was if Kevin would be able to do it. He worked up to about 16 miles on a stationary bike, but the road trips proved to be a trial. They were harder but that bigger worry became his safety as he would wander into the road and traffic. But the troop was undaunted. They worked and prayed and took Kevin, determined to help him be successful.

And he did it! In fact he told his mom that from that experience, he knew he could do anything he set his mind to, including a mission. His mother expressed to Kelly that the trip changed their lives. Now that is success! What a wonderful blessing to be able to serve the YM and follow inspiration given to be able to be an instrument in God’s hands. Kevin is important to our Heavenly Father, so he gave him some special leaders. Here’s proof.

Repentance is Work

Today while reading, I found something new that I have missed before. I love it when that happens. It witnesses to my soul that personal revelation is real. And confirms the truth that I know in my heart that studying the scriptures is one of the best ways to receive revelation.

This time I was reading the familiar story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s and their buried weapon. It is a story of true repentance and an example of what it is to be truly changed and converted. I find it a powerful story that inspires me to be better whenever I read it or hear it discussed. I marvel at being so committed that you lay down and suffer death, rather than think about the injustices being carried out upon you. Yet, as you read the King speech, I can almost feel what their hearts must have felt and my desire to have that same desire grows.

First I noticed that the King reminds the people of the things they are thankful for, the events that have occurred in their lives, thus changing their hearts. He reminds them of the goodness of God in sending the missionaries to teach them the gospel and to show them how the traditions of their fathers has kept them from knowing the truth. He reminds them of the generosity of God in sending a portion of the Holy Ghost that softened their hearts so that they could hear the message of truth being taught. He reminds the of the mercy of God that he would grant them the opportunity to repent and the love of God that He would forgive such heinous sins against Him. And lastly, He reminds them of the miracle of the Atonement that allows the guilt of those sins to be taken away. So much to be grateful for—things so precious that can never be repaid. He then makes the point by describing and repeating three times that their repentance was hard—that it took ALL they could do to get their stains washed clean. That is what I have missed before. Just how hard I must work to repent so that the Atonement can wash my sins away. That hard work is what inspires them to bury their weapons. If they gave all they had before, how will they repent? There is nothing left if you have given your all. Would they be able to be clean again? The answer is: the risk is just too great. The sin is not worth giving up all they worked for. So, they bury their weapons, making it impossible to make that mistake again.

Forsake the sin. After you feel sorrow and confess, you forsake. They gave their lives to forsaking .

They loved God so deeply--their gratitude to Him was so profound--their repentance so true--their change so complete—that giving up their mortal life to keep clean was not even a question.

And as a result of sacrifice many more souls were saved-- from those who saw their sacrifice and then the generation that they parented. Can my heart be so true?

Good Advice

“Don’t Worry about what others think of you.

Worry about what they think of themselves when they are with you.”

Hilary Weeks

I am pretty sure I have written about this quote before…but I need to remember this again. And practice and make it a part of me. I can do this sometimes, and actually do it really well. Other times, not so much. Here is another one I read today that will make the above quote easier to do.

“Spread love everywhere you go.

Let no one leave you without leaving happier.”

Mother Teresa

I need to remember this everyday, with everyone, but especially with those I know well—those I live with and those I don’t. I think there are events coming up in my life that if I can remember these two things, they will go a lot smoother. I will leave there feeling successful, with no regrets. I think this will help me with my new calling in the scouts, too.

Yeah, scouts. But that is another post…coming soon.

Silly Layout

Mom’s Day Fun

May Collage

All about us in pictures:

Kelsey and Mom on Mother’s day, Ellie’s spring violin concert, Little Baby T, Maryn’s row team, medical tests, Kelly at the special Mom’s day breakfast, Gilbert Temple under construction