Genelogy

Rick has gotten into genealogy lately. Its been quite interesting. I guess it started when we took Meridith's name to the temple, realizing how important families are. We have talked with a few of Rick's Aunts and learned more about his grandparents. We have also been on line and found census that had our families information in it. That's quite exciting, some of Ricks genealogy has been done back to 1400's. We learn more everyday.

Womens Conference

Tonight is the General Women's Broadcast from Salt Lake. I am looking forward to it. I need the extra spiritual boost that comes from listening to the words from our General Relief Society Presidency and the First Presidency. I asked Rachel and Kim if they wanted to go. Kim has been sick with food poisoning since yesterday. I hope she fells better.

I love this weather & random thoughts

Today the weather feels like fall. I love that time of the year. We do not get much of this type in Texas. The air is cool and crisp.. Its beautiful. But they say its suppose to be hot again this weekend..go figure.
Spelling errors are a thing of life.. I looked at my last post and realized oh great.. maybe I shouldn't write it so early in the morning.

Rick told me about this web site maybe you guys have all heard about it
readthescriptures.com
You can put what you want to read and when you want to be finished by and it lets you know how much you should read each day. I finished the Book of Mormon sitting and waiting for Rick, Brett and Brittany while they were in the Nauvoo temple. It was a great place to finish reading it... But I'm finishing my YW in Recognition award and that is one of my goals again to finish it by the end of the year. It has been such a good thing for me to read it and now reread it again. I have had my testimony strengthen so much. I am thankful for the gospel and the hope and joy it brings into my life.

I quote i saw this morning before work

"Some men are willing to die for their faith but will not fully live for it. Christ both lived and died for us. By walking in his steps and through his atonement we can gain the greatest gift of all--eternal life--which is that kind of life of the great Eternal One, our Father in heaven."--Ezra Taft Benson, "Jesus Christ--Gifts and Expectations, Byu Devotional", 10 December 1974


and here is another:

"You are sent to this world with a very serious purpose. You are sent to school, for that matter, to begin as a human infant and grow to unbelievable proportions in wisdom, judgment, knowledge, and power. That is why you and I cannot be satisfied with saying merely 'I like that or want that.' That is why in our childhood and our youth and our young adulthood we must stretch and grow and remember and prepare for the later life when limitations will terminate so that we can go on and on and on"--Spencer W. Kimball, "the Matter of Marriage", from an address delivered at University of Utah Institute of Religion, 22 Oct. 1976, 2

And another ramdom thoughts:

"Service to others deepens and sweetens this life while we are preparing to live in a better world. It is by serving that we learn to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves! In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves!" --Spencer W. Kimball, "Speaks Out on Service to Others", New Era, Mar. 1981, 47

I hope everyone has a good day.

Picture from Nauvoo

One of my goals for young women's was to finish reading the Book of Mormon before I took Meridith's name through the temple. On Wednesday night Rick, Brett and Brittany went to the temple to do some baptismal work for our families. I went to the Family Living Center and talked with some of the people there before they closed. They were getting ready to do a play that evening, which we got to see. It was good. I sat by the Scovil Bakery and finished reading the Book of Mormon and Calan slept. What a great feeling to have finished my goal of reading. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon, I learned alot this time. I understood how it is really written for us now. I can see how pride destroys us in a very short space of time. Satan is very good at that.

This picture of Brett and Brittany and Calan was taken on Thursday night, after we toured Carthage Jail. We drove back to Nauvoo to see the temple again, I am so thankful for the temple and the blessing that receive there. I am thankful that Brett and Brittany and Calan were there to spend this sacred time with us. What a blessing to know that this little family is sealed together forever.
This picture of the flower was taken when we came out of the temple after doing our families temple work. Rick took it, Meridith's favorite color was pink. I love this picture, it was a beautiful day. I am thankful for the privilege of being Meridith's mother. Thankful that Heavenly Father trusted Rick and I to teach her the gospel and prepare her to return home. We would never be ready to send her home, but he knew she finished her work here, and so did she, her last week was filled with seeing those that she loved. I know that she loves her siblings and wants for them to return to be with her.

Nauvoo is a beautiful place, I think of the sacrifices that the early Saints made on our behalf. Many of them lost children, husbands, parents and some even lost their entire families. They remained faithful so that they could be together forever. I too and thankful for their sacrifices and hard work and dedication so that this gospel is here for us to have in our lives today.

We need to keep the temple as our goal even for us who have been through the temple. Sister Elaine Dalton said compare it to walking around the temple but never going inside. It may be beautiful while it is in sight, but to really fulfill God's plan for his children on earth you have to go inside.

Blessings

I am grateful to know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who loves me. I am grateful for the gospel. I am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that Christ loved us so much that he willingly gave up his life so that when I make mistakes I can repent of them. That knowledge gives me hope everyday. I know that we have a prophet today on this earth. I know that we are blessed to have the priesthood. I am very thankful for the priesthood, it has blessed my life and our children lives on numerous occasions. I am thankful for prayer, for prayers of children, how they know Heavenly Father will hear them. I can remember numerous times when Rachel prayed for something it was answered. Each of our children have been blessed by the gospel.

World Congress V on families

Families are very important to us all. As I have read, listened to others and thought about families I came across these articles speakers at the World Congress on Families, just and interesting note to look at the speakers the website www.worldcongress.nl/en/home/. There were many prominent speakers. I liked this article written about Sheri Dew
'Resurgence of moral virtue' is necessary
AMSTERDAM

"We all know that every nation is ultimately at the mercy of its families," she said. "If families are riddled with problems, society eventually collapses under the weight of problems too vast for any government to meet. If families are strong, society is strong."

Further, she said, "A virtuous life is an easier, more fulfilling life. And it is one of the most powerful keys to strengthening families and therefore to strengthening our world."


Sister Dew began her address by answering the question of why a woman with no nuclear family of her own is qualified to speak at a congress about families.

"I am not married and have not had the privilege of bearing children — which are, candidly, the heartbreaks of my life," she said. "This isn't by choice. My dream was to marry and have a house full of children. The answer to why I haven't yet married is simple: No one has ever asked me. So you may wonder why am I here, and why do I care so much about the family.

"I care in part, precisely because I haven't yet been blessed with a husband or family of my own. I know firsthand that the passage in Genesis is true: It is not good for man or woman to be alone (see Genesis 2:18). This is not just good theology; it's terrific sociology. As grateful as I am for many things, I am painfully aware that I am not complete without a faithful husband."

The world tries mightily to uncover secular solutions for societal ills, but in the end there is no substitute for morality and virtue.

"We tend to focus on policies, legislation and court opinions related to family," Sister Dew said. "But today I invite you to consider that the single most pervasive threat to the stability and future of the family is sexual immorality in all its forms. Nothing would do more to strengthen the families of the world than a resurgence of moral virtue, particularly sexual purity."

According to Sister Dew, many men and women would follow a path of sexual purity if they only knew the truth. Therefore, it's imperative for those who know the merits of virtue to boldly share that truth in its unadorned simplicity.

"The world is filled with good people who may not know that virtue would transform their lives and who only need to be shown the way," she said. "If defending virtue requires sacrifice and discipline, then so be it. We have a choice to make. We can either watch our societies crumble under the weight of moral impurity, or we can lead out in the cause of virtue.

"May we go forward, determined to make this world better by making it more clean. May we champion virtue as a key to building strong families. God will help us. No one cares more about our families than He does. As we honor Him by embracing the virtue He has ordained, He will help us preserve the foundational unit of every society, the family."
— Jamshid Askar

Our Young Womens theme this year added virtue, I can see that moral virtue is becoming harder and harder for youth and young adults, satan is working double time in this area. The world does not see anything wrong with it, but it is so damanging to our souls.