Gospel doctrine

Last Sunday I was asked to read a scripture in my gospel doctrine class. I read.
Crushed it.
There was a follow up question.
Is it just me, or does being asked a question feel like a spiritual pop quiz? "And you, how would you respond to this?"
Well, honestly, I was concentrating on speaking loudly and clearly. I wanted the folks in the back to hear me. I didn't actually pay attention, but thanks for asking.
Another problem for me is I don't articulate well on the fly. I need a few seconds to work out how to say what I wanted to say.
The worst part was after fumbling for an answer and sweating the teacher joked that he was going to move me to the back row. Thanks.
Pop quiz failed.

A prayer for my children

I read a great scripture today. I marked it, but didn't want to lose it, or forget my feelings. It is a great prayer for my children. I wish I was as eloquent as king Benjamin. I don't know how anyone could listen to him and not feel the Spirit. Anyway, the scripture is Mosiah 5:15
"Therefore, I would that he should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, The Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that you may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen."
Right? Can't tell me that's not a good scripture. It tells you exactly what is required and the promise for doing it. I think my favorite part is "that Christ... May seal you his." I feel that in my studies recently I've grown so much closer to The Lord that the idea of Him claiming me is quite comforting. Sometimes I have a terrible feeling of homesickness and of missing my heavenly parents. This scripture, to me, is a reminder that I just need to do my part. They are there waiting to claim me.

Sting

Adam got his first bee sting today. They called from school to let me know. I know this sounds silly, a bee sting isn't that traumatic after all, but I'm a little bit heart broken at the thought of him dealing with it at school without me. Who is going to hug and kiss my little prince until he feels better?
I know it's a bee sting and not a bullet, but he's six! He needs his mommy. And maybe... Just maybe, I need to know that he's okay...

Update: he got home. He's fine. It was more traumatic for me. He and Caleb reminded me that Caleb was stung last year camping. How do I not remember that?

Quotes

I have been finding quotes that speak to me a lot recently. I don't know why. Maybe I'm reading more. Anyway, I try to make sure I don't lose them; I take pictures of them on my phone, I underline them, I repeat them till they are committed to memory. But the truth is, my memory is the pits recently. I would lose my head if it wasn't attached to my shoulders. So, I've decided to put them here. First comes from the Bible "If God be for us, who can be against us?" -Romans 8:31 I want to make a plaque for my house with this on it. I just love it! Also, it's not the whole verse, just the important part. The second one was from general conference. "Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view." -Neil L Anderson I'm not having any major life altering trials right now, but I have had a few in my day. I know that Satan uses our trials to pull us away from our Heavenly Father. I'll give him credit. He's pretty good at what he does. We often feel like God isn't pulling through for us. "We've been good, why are we being punished?" mentality is crippling to a lot of people. It seems like going to church isn't paying off and praying isn't getting us what we want. It's so much easier to be angry and turn away than it is to endure to the end. Honestly, I have no idea how I came across this one. I don't regularly read Doctrine and Covenants, but at some point in the past two weeks I came across this one. "Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him." -Doctrine and Covenants 45:3 I just really like the wording in this one. Jesus is our advocate and is PLEADING for us. Kind of like the one from Romans, this one speaks to me because it tells me I've got Jesus in my corner. Almost done here. Stay with me. "We must not be so ready to fancy ourselves intentionally injured." -Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice A lot of people need to read that one. Lots of people I know... And lastly, "the wisdom of the world, while in many cases very valuable, is most valuable when it humbly bows to the wisdom of God." -Neil L Anderson Didn't know I liked Neil so much, but I read this one and it screamed at me. I spend a lot of time educating myself. I read a lot, both things secular and religious. I wonder things like how creationism works out when you consider evolution. I don't quite understand how God and science fit together in some instances. I wonder, but I don't despair or doubt. I figure there's just a lot I get to find out when I get to Heaven and if I worry too much about trying to piece it together now, I'll ruin the surprise. I don't want that. Anyway, these are the quotes I wanted to save and the reasons I liked them. I hope you liked them too!

2013

I can't find my goals for 2012. If there is no record of them, they didn't happen. So I didn't fail, correct? If a goal fails in the woods and all that? Right? Actually I had a pretty good year. Not to toot my own horn, but I rocked 2012! I was sort of hoping the Mayans were right because this would have been a good year to go out on. I can never be sure what the future holds and how well I'm going to perform on things pertaining to spirituality. Had the Savior come in December I don't think I would have been too scared. I was ready! Here's to holding it together and improving, always improving, until the Second Coming. What improvements need making this year? Glad you asked. I have to write them down otherwise I don't hold myself accountable (as evidenced above). This year will bring: 1. Not the most important of course, but I have to lose my Lily weight. My diet even has a tagline. All good goals should. It is "lingerie by Valentine's Day." Yup, that just happened. I make no apologies for the occasional TMI you will find here. 2. Read the New Testament. I started just in November and I'm already to Romans, so it's very doable. However, after Jesus dies it does lose some of its luster. 3. Feed the missionaries once a month. (Gotta have those examples for the kiddos). 4. Go to the temple once a month. I am ashamed to say, I spend a lot of 2012 with an expired recommend. Yikes! Visited the Bishopric and Stake men and I am up to date and ready to bring happiness to some dead folks. 5. This is actually going to be the hardest to keep. It is to cut out the junk food my boys eat. Not all, of course. I'm not one of those moms. Good for them, but I don't have it in me. I am going to not give my kids candy or desserts during the week (FHE not included). They can have some on weekends, but right now they expect a treat everytime they eat their whole meal or do something right. It drives me crazy and I am expecting my children will all be toothless soon. 6. Caleb needs to be a fluent reader by Dec 31, 2013. 7. Write. I don't know what yet. A book? A journal? A random list of thoughts too ridiculous to ever see the light of day? Who knows. The point is, I enjoy writing and I got a new laptop for Christmas. The equation looks like this: Love of writing + New laptop = amazing novel (If anyone has an idea for one I'd love to hear it cause I'm drawing a blank.) I didn't really set a number of goals. I figured I could write until I can't think of any more. These goals are the only ones I can come up with at the moment. It could be because It's 1 AM and I just got home from a trip to Utah. 11 hour car rides turn my brain to mush. Goodnight and Good luck!

Dear Satan,

Well done. I must say, Monday Night Football was a stroke of genius. I looked it up, MNF started the same year Monday was set aside by the church for Family Home Evening. So interesting. Way to make sure mothers everywhere are frustrated and angry on family night.
Signed,
A football fan's wife.
PS. Screw you.

Missionaries

I felt impressed, recently, that we should begin a habit of feeding the missionaries. It came in a time where I was considering what more I can do for my children. The message was clear: they need to see missionaries; they need to talk to them and learn from them. They need to be inspired and motivated so that missionary service will be a goal from a young age.
I decided to put aside my hesitation. We don't have a big house and currently my dining room table is occupied by a puzzle. I decided now is the time and procrastination because of our humble situation is perhaps what Satan would want.
I set the date and decided we could eat pizza around the family room. The following is a list of the things that went wrong and my assessment of them.
1. Because Kyle wasn't home I had to take all of the kids to Costco with me. That isn't so bad. I can fit 3 of them in the cart, which was handy because Caleb was complaining that he didn't feel well.
As I was checking out I asked for help. Usually Costco doesn't offer, but I was told they are always willing to help if you are in need. My particular need was in getting the pizza to the car. Lily, Caleb and groceries were in the back of the cart. Levi was in the front. Since I was getting 2 pizzas I ran the risk of the top one sliding away if I put them on the bottom of the cart. The manager happily told me to load my kids and groceries in the car and drive to the loading zone. He would bring my pizza out.
Grateful, I went and loaded up. Five minutes passed and my pizza should have been ready. Five more and I figured they'd put it in the oven late. Five after that I wondered if they misunderstood the time I gave them. Five more and I was wondering how I was going to run in and leave my kids in the car. I got online and got the phone number to the food court. The kid there said they'd bring it out. Joy. 15 minute old pizza and now late to a missionary date. They sent out the food court supervisor who informed me they "never deliver." Thanks. Like I'd ask them to ever again. Jerk. He even made me dig around the trunk to find my receipt, though I'd shown it to the supervisor and told him so.
2. The ride home. Caleb started whimpering. "I'm so sick...."
"I know sweetie, we're almost home."
"Blahhhhgggghugh"
I'm not really sure how to spell out the sound of puke in my back seat, but that is the closest I can do. Oh, and repeat that three times. Later, Kyle would say it was the most vile thing he'd ever seen.
3. Once we are eating with the missionaries, Adam starts acting like a goon. This might seem like no big deal, but for a well behaved boy he sure was being a brat. He didn't sit still and when the missionary started to give a message he laid his head on the table and snored. I was mortified.
4. Lily develops a sudden inability to drink her bottle without my help. Usually I can prop it up and she'll do fine. Nope. Cried on and off the whole time.
5. Levi pees himself. He has been potty trained for a week. How many times has he had an accident? Zero. As in not a single drizzle.
At this point I am trying to empty the car, eat and be social, feed Lily, keep Adam from being offensive, shower Caleb, and change Levi. We didn't even bother cleaning out the puke till the missionaries left.
I am convinced all of this is the work of satan. He wants me to think it's too much work to have the missionaries over. I believe it is a great sadness to him that I have started to prepare my boys for missions. This can only mean he fears what my three sons will do in the work against him. I've cracked his code. I know of his intent to discourage me. As such, I must continue to have the missionaries over. I must keep firm and have faith that it will pay off. I have faith that my sons will be excellent missionaries if I teach and prepare them.