Teaching 4 Year Olds - 2nd try

I worked really hard getting all kinds of things prepared for my primary lesson this week.  I had songs, games, activities, pictures, object lessons, my laptop, treats, and more.  I went in early to set everything up and had a complete game plan with back up plans too.  When I went into opening exercises only 4 of the 9 were there.  It was all easy.  

I'm sure I still don't have things in control.  When they all return from summer vacations I better be ready.  I think I'll contact all their parents this week, and send the kids letters.  

New Church Calling

I've been asked to teach the 4 year olds at church and today was my first lesson.  There are 9 pretty active kids, and I'm not sure that I know how to communicate with 4 year olds.  I made one girl cry because I wouldn't let her sit in the window.  The rest of them were pretty sad that I hurt her feelings.  I only got through a little of the planned lesson.  We did go out and bury our swords like the ancient Book of Mormon warriors.  They really didn't want to leave them there.  They wanted to take them home and be destructive, but the lesson was on being accountable and keeping your promises.  It was a little rocky today.  I'm going to have to figure something out for next week.  

Night Hawks

Because Terry is the high councilman over the Young Women, we sort of volunteered to take a shift as "night hawks" during the youth conference at BSU.  They don't call it youth conference, or EFY (especially for youth) any more.  I'm not sure what they call it, and we didn't know exactly what we were sort of volunteering for, but it ended up being pretty fun.

There were six of us that showed-up in front of the dorms at 10:00.  The 800 teens were just returning.  Once in, they couldn't leave without getting locked out.  Lights out was suppose to be at 11:15.  We were suppose to just watch for anyone sneaking around, propped open doors, excessive noise, and intercept any pizza deliveries (not allowed).  We were split up into twos and just walked around the three dorms that housed the kids.  We might have been unobservant, and they might have been very stealth, or maybe the were just good kids that were tired-out, but there were no incidents to report.  

Terry and I just leisurely walked around and talked.  Sometimes we needed to take cover because of light rain, but it was a nice night, and the dorms are right on the greenbelt.  We ended up off duty at midnight. There were two volunteers that stayed until 2:00. We ended up not volunteering for that shift.  We went home and so did the the other two men.  We left two women from the stake YW presidency to wander around in the middle of the night.  I'm sure they had a great time.  

Compassionate Service

We had a luncheon at the church today for the family of a man that raised his family in our ward boundaries.  His granddaughter is in our ward.  He passed away in Washington and they had a funeral there, but he was buried in Boise today and Susie and I organized the luncheon.  It was last minute, and conflicted with a high priest social that afternoon, so we were a little short on help.  It was a lovely lunch, and the family was very appreciative.  I left at 11:00 to pick things up, then made a salad and the centerpieces, then helped set-up, serve, and clean-up.  Terry came to help clean-up and we were the last ones out the door after he mopped the floor.  I got home at 6:00.  It feels good to serve.  

I'm being released from this compassionate service calling this Sunday.  I've been in for three years or so.  It's been an amazing experience to see the willingness of service, the love, and the amazing abilities that are shared.  It has always been a happy and fulfilling, and inspiring calling.  I know better now how to help.  It won't be the end to my compassionate service; I just won't be sending out the e-mails and sign-ups any more.

Dinner w/ the Sis. Miss. and Marty

I had signed-up to feed the sister missionaries on Saturday.  Basically, it took all day.  I needed to clean house since I hadn't been home for almost 2 weeks, go to the market, and cook.  Terry helped out with everything, but that's about all I accomplished all weekend.  We invited a single friend of ours whom Terry home teaches.  He was able to count this for the month's visit and it was the missionaries that gave the lesson.  We had chicken tacos, rice, beans, fresh veggies, fruit, and blondies for dessert.  I think everyone had a good time, and they were gone by 6:00.  I'm still recovering from my travels.  I sat down for couple hours before going to bed early.

Speaking of Joy

I spoke in church yesterday.  I actually had to speak twice, first at a teacher training meeting and then in sacrament meeting.  I spent a lot of time in the past two weeks preparing.  I ended up writing every word of my talk to go over a few times.  I didn't want to get the scriptures and stories from the two different talks mixed-up.  Then, since I was the last speaker, there was only 10 minutes left.  I gave an abbreviated version and we ended the meeting on time.  

If you're interested in Finding Joy by Living the Gospel, you can read my talk (in its entirety) here:

Joy 

Spiritual Saturday

My nephew and his darling wife were sealed in the temple today.  They also had their beautiful baby girl sealed to them.  It was a special day for the whole family, but I knew I would lose it when they brought Tess in.  Terry and I were sealed which was amazing, but when they brought Ty (he was 6) in to be sealed to us, the whole room changes.  I tear up thinking about it  all these years later.  You just can't explain it.  I'll let Kierra try.  Go here to read her blog:

http://beautifuleffort.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-forever-family.html

You can tell from the pictures that it was a beautiful spring day outside.  We skipped the family dinner at the Outback, but went to Deseret Book to wander around and find a gift. 
We left there for more spiritual upliftment in Meridian.  

Hudson turned eight last month and today his dad baptized him a member of the church, and afterward he was confirmed to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and given a special blessing.  He had a lot of family there supporting him, even his grandparents from Arizona.  

Stacey and Mike have had a busy month - two birthdays, plus a real birth day when Brynklee was born, selling a house, moving to a two bedroom apartment, and finalizing the building of their new house.  Because of this, the family met afterward in a park with Dominoes Pizza and a big cake to celebrate.

It was a beautiful day in every way!

Baptism boy is in the center.

I-Guy

Grandparents from Arizona (Joyce and Dayna) with baby Brynklee.

The boys 

Hads, Mike, and Krystle with her nephew.

Mayce

Some gymnastics

How cute is she!

Just before the cartwheel competition.

Funeral

I took the afternoon off to help attend a funeral and help at the family luncheon after.  The music at the funeral was beautiful.  All her nieces and nephews (45 of them) sang an arrangement of "I Am a Child of God" that I'd never heard before.  The sister missionaries and two women from church sang a hymn in Spanish. Her sister-in-law and our former bishop spoke.  They both were perfect.  

It always amazes me how quickly women volunteer when I send out an e-mail about a service need.  The food started coming into the kitchen and kept coming all afternoon.  Everything looked so good.  The tables had potted pansies and Hershey kisses that she always handed to people.  Terry and I stayed until 6:00, cleaning up.  The extra food was handed out to family and the pansies will be planted in the widowers front garden bed.  The whole day felt good.  The service was lovely and serving felt good too.

RS Service

I haven't been to a Relief Society mid-week activity for quite a while.  This month we combined with another ward and focused on several different ways that we can serve various organizations in our community.  I took my sewing machine and worked on an assembly line that made drawstring backpacks for the kids at City of Lights.  They'll use them for a summer program and have them filled with snacks and books.  It was fun.  We made about 50!  I want to make some for all the grandkids.  I could fill them with snacks and books and they could have their own summer program.

Stake Conference

I love our stake presidency.  President Scoggin, Bates, and Christensen are impressive.  Of course stake conference was good and the satellite feed to the church where we attended worked perfectly.  (That has not been our usual experience.)  

There were a lot of good speakers, but my favorite thoughts came from an older man, Brother Orrin (I think).  Here's a few that I wrote down:

• On forgiveness - Our preoccupation with hurt or wrong doing gives us selective memory.  It takes neither strength or intelligence to brood in anger or hang onto a grudge.
• On trials - Things happen in our lives despite our wanting to do what is right.  We think that following commandments will always bring happiness, but that is not the promise. We've been promised opposition in all things.
• Indian's given names - We give ourselves names like "Man Who Fails".  Our Heavenly Father has given us other names like "Child" or "Daughter".
• He told of a young child that had been awakened by a nightmare and came to his parent's room for comfort.  The parent told the child to pray.  Heavenly Father would protect him and the Holy Ghost would comfort him.  The child replied that what he needed was someone with skin on.  Sometimes we need to be the person with skin on.

Brother Eric Nielson spoke on Home and Visiting Teaching.  He said that your family comes first, then HT/VT, then your other callings.  His key point was getting to know your families. It takes time, but that's when HT/VT gets to be fun and the duty part evaporates. That's what I need to work on.

It was a beautiful day, and the blossoming trees along Lake Forest were spectacular even though it had rained hard the night before.    

Conference Study

I seldom watch or listen all sessions of conference on conference weekend.  I'm still trying to get things done on Saturday, and might try to work in the kitchen or do ironing or run a quick errand and end up missing several talks.  That's how it worked this session too, but I always listen and read them again and again before the next session.  I often listen to the talks in the morning while I'm exercising or getting ready for work.  

This time I have a new plan that will stretch me beyond just listening or reading.  A senior missionary from our ward recently had a mission conference with Elder Bednar.  She shared his study method:

Elder Bednar’s pattern of General Conference talk study (from before he was an apostle)-

Take the talks of the fifteen prophets, seers, and revelators and make a chart of each talk with the following categories: 

What is the doctrine? What am I invited to do? What is the promise?

I'm going to try it.  I mean, if it's good enough for Elder Bednar, it should be good for me.

Easter Sunday

We invited all the kids (minus Ty in Oregon) and grandkids over for Easter breakfast and the morning session of conference.  It ended up being a good idea and the start of a new tradition, I think.  We started at 9:00, and everyone seemed to arrive just as more hot waffles were ready.  I wish I had taken pictures of the food.  This was the menu:

• fruit (pears, nectarine, grapes, fresh pineapple, strawberries)
• egg casserole (with sausage and hashbrowns)
• bacon (thick sliced and turkey)
• waffles (regular and spiced ones that are like cookies)
• maple syrup and buttermilk syrup
• yogurt and granola
• chocolate milk, orange juice, apple juice

Everything worked out great.  Nothing burned.  Nothing spilt.  And Stacey said pineapple is suppose to make you go into labor so she ate up and took home leftovers.

Stacey had brought conference Bingo Cards and that kept the kids tuned-in for about half an hour.  They played with toys and goofed off afterwards.  It was a little noisier than church, but not much.

Hads in her Easter dress (with matching sandals).

The boys rough housing.

Usually they're more like this.

I-guy brought his monster pillow that we gave him for Christmas.

Cute couple with a photo bomb kid.

I just started the blanket for the little girl that might be here next week.

It seems like I never have pictures of Maycee.  I wonder if her parents feel the same way.  Poor 3rd child.

Coloring

I think everyone had a good time.  It was good being together.  Terry and I spent a quiet afternoon watching conference and snacking.  I think this is the 2nd time we didn't have an Easter dinner.  Today we didn't even miss it.  (The last time was on a Spring Break trip to Portland and for some crazy reason, we couldn't find a restaurant.  We finally ate at a dirty Red Robin.  This was much better.)

Saturday

About seven years ago, a friend and I joined Boise Fit Club to train for a marathon (we just walked).  Every Saturday we met on the greenbelt and walked, and walked, and talked, and talked.  It was great therapy and a lot of fun.  Now my friend is going through a miserable divorce and we're back for more greenbelt therapy.  We'll be meeting every Saturday morning.  I love the walking, and the scenery,and my friend.  I can't think of any other way to help her right now, except be there, and listen, and maybe say something funny once in a while.  We had a great four mile walk.  This will be good.

I cleaned house, did wash, and went grocery shopping, while trying to watch conference.  I didn't get too much out of it.  (I'll watch, listen, and read it again later.)  Then I went to JoAnn's to buy yarn for Stacey's baby blanket, and out to Marie Callender's for pies.  It's become a tradition for the guys to watch the priesthood session at our house and have pie afterward. It's also a tradition that I stop and share pie with Mom and Dad on my way home. Three guys do not need to eat two pies (plus ice cream)!  It was good to visit for a few minutes, and I left with another book.  Seems like I always leave with something. 

We had a good talk after the conference session - just me and the guys.  I needed to get to bed early, because I had invited everyone over for Easter breakfast.  It was a long day, but went by too fast.  

One Weekend Left

Just two days left until we all start back to school.  It's been relaxing, enjoyable, and beautiful.

Saturday - slept in and read books in bed.  I finished my third book this week.  I've started two more.  I wish I was a person that kept my Good Reads account current.  I never think I can write a review.  I should at least give the books I read a star rating.  I have a couple friends on Good Reads and I love reading their reviews.  I always want recommendations, but I'm not insightful enough to write a good review.

Terry and I went for a walk around the neighborhood.  I definitely need to start a new exercise and walking routine on Monday.  I was going to walk or workout all during spring break, but we ended up with just a couple walks.  I have more weight to lose and I'm sure more daily activity would speed things up.

I went to a bridal shower for one of the girls in the ward that use to be in YW when I worked with them.  She and a couple of her friends use to stay overnight in our bonus room.  It was fun to see her and her sister (who's first baby is due in two weeks).  They're both beautiful and all grown up.

I also attacked all the weeds on the side of the house, did the wash, changed sheets, and went grocery shopping.

Sunday - Fast Sunday.  It was a good testimony meeting. One woman shared that she has taken the word "discover" as her theme for the year.  I like that!  I want to use that in some way.  Right now she's trying to discover who she is. She said that one of Satan's tactics, that he uses against us, is getting us to change what we think about ourselves, and to change how we think our Heavenly Father sees us. She had been to a Time Out for Women and was working on discovering the truth of who she is, and how Heavenly Father sees her.  Good thoughts.

Another woman spoke on her testimony of family.  I liked that.  I think the family unit is one of our greatest blessings.  It's definitely one of mine.

A man mentioned that there are reasons for all things.  He was struck by a speaker last week that mentioned returning to church with her young daughter and sitting on the opposite end of a bench that was occupied by a man and his young son. Though she wasn't interested, the kids ended up playing and drawing pictures together during the meeting, and the couple ended up getting married and raising a nice family. There are no coincidences. The Lord is guiding all of us.

I struggling a little with Sunday School.  We have two different teachers that trade off.  One is excellent, the other is not even close to that.  Today we had a substitute and it was painful.

Grace

We had an early Easter service at church, since General Conference falls on Easter this year, and next week will be Fast Sunday.  There was an amazing talk given on "Grace".   It was taken from Brad Wilcox's book, The Continuous Atonement, and on a talk that he had given at a BYU devotional.  We came home and looked the devotional up on Youtube and watched the whole thing.  He used an analogy of a mom paying for music lessons to explain the atonement, and it was so easy to understand.  If you're interested, here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLXr9it_pbY

Temple and Dinner

Brent and Krystle came with Terry and I to the temple today.  All the bulbs were up and the trees were blossoming.  We finally make it through all the cards that Fredee gave us. Krystle and I did the last two Cowley sisters.  The lady sitting next to us was also doing a Cowley family card.  I talked to her after and she said that her Cowley ancestors descended from a Charles Cowley.  They settled in Richfield, Utah, where there are a whole slew of Cowleys. Her husband said that you never call anyone Brother or Sister Cowley down there, because there are about 17 of them.  They use first names.  I had to look Richfield up on the map. Now I need to look for a Charles Cowley.

Afterwards we went over to spend some time with Terry's mom.  We took all the fixings for tacos and a bunch of fresh fruit.  It was a nice dinner and a nice visit.  She was happy to see Brent and Krystle. So we spent a lot of time with family, here and beyond. 

High Council Sunday #1

Terry gave his first talk as a High Councilman today.  His mom and sister came, and Bry. He was nervous, but he shouldn't have been.  He had written a good talk and speaking should be easy for him.  He can talk without notes.  He knows his church stuff, and he's sensitive to the spirit.  His topic was on using daily spiritual checklists to keep us safe.  Here are a few he mentioned:

1. Prayer - Believe you will get answers.  Watch for them.  They will come.
2. Scripture study - Pray for enlightenment and you will have clear ideas come into your mind.
3. Physical exercise 
4. Healthy eating - You only get one body - take care of it.  After all, it is an amazing gift from our Father.
5. Smile.  Be happy.  Stop criticizing yourself and others.  

I liked this quote he used from Elder Jorg Klebingat of the Seventy:
"Take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being.  Stop blaming others or your circumstances, stop justifying, and stop making excuses for why you may not be fully striving to be obedient.  The Lord knows your circumstances perfectly, but He also knows perfectly well whether you simply choose not to fully live the gospel.  Spiritual confidence increases when you take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ daily."

He did a great job.  Now he has a couple months off.  He'll speak in the Oregon Trail Ward in May.  He'll have plenty of time to prepare.

Sunday, March 8th

I've decided that I'm not going to be the dumb one at church every week.  In class they ask for an example of a spiritual experience or an answer to prayer, and I can't think of any! Other people (and not only the intellectuals) make insightful comments that are deep.  I need to dig deeper and ponder.  That's why I've decided to step-up my scripture reading to scripture study, and to take notes during sacrament and the other meetings.  

So this was my favorite quote from church today:

Let us not be satisfied to live our lives without knowing Christ. The comfort of his Spirit enables us to walk a different path, in the direction we wanted to go before we came to this earth, a way that brings us more light, knowledge, ability, and joy each day. Finding this path and following its course is the only real treasure in life.

From Elder F. Enzio Busche - Liahona, Aug. 1980

High Councilman

Terry was called to be a High Councilman in our stake today.  He's never done that before and I think he'll love it.  The timing is just right.  He's been feeling like he'd like to do something new.  

He's also been doing a new kind of scripture study for the past few years. It's like the P90X of scripture study.  It's become something that he loves to do, and he's had the time to do it a lot.  He merges reading the scriptures with his Gospel Library notes, with everything tagged, labeled, and highlighted.  The speaking part will be easy for him, and I know he'll love preparing.

It's good timing for me too, since I don't have a calling where I need to be there on Sundays. (I do compassionate service/humanitarian service for the Relief Society.)  I'll be able to go with him and listen to his talks.  I'll make sure he keeps them interesting. 

Conference Weekend

I love Conference weekend.  I love no meetings, church on TV, church in your pajamas, church with food served.  I'm always anxious to listen to hear the prophet, hear news, be inspired, receive direction.  I had the whole weekend cleared of all activities.  I watched all four sessions, but I was either ironing, cooking, or I was sitting with my laptop turned on, so I didn't really focus.  I'll need to watch/listen/read the whole thing over again.  It was still good.  The whole weekend was good.  I should have gotten a lot more out of it, but I got a bit, and a lot of wash and ironing done, dinner made, cookies baked....and a little bit of Pinterest.  I'll have to wait and post my favorite parts of conference after I've reviewed it all again.