Handout August YW Lesson Importance of Family and Motherhood

This is a quote from the blogger that was quoted in the video "Having Children in Faith" :)

YW Lesson on Ordinances

I thought  both of these handouts would be good information about Ordinances for the girls. I had them glue them in their journals.  Then we underlined What the different ordinances are in one color pen, and circled things about ordinances in another color pen.  We then wrote what they found out on the chalk board and discussed them.  

Young Womens LDS Lesson Covenant Keeping

Ordinances and Covenants inseperable

Right Click to open image in a new tab.This one of my favorite scriptures.  I chose this graphic because it indicates that our Lord loves us and has many promised us many great things, but we have to use our key to unlock the great blessings he has for us. We do this by keeping our covenants and promises to him.  If we do as he asks he will keep his promises to us. Object Lesson :Heavenly Father Keeps his Covenants

After Discussing The scriptures from the lesson and the covenants they have already  made in their lives I think this would be a good end to the lesson.Commitment to Covenants Object lesson

Young Womens Lesson on Personal Revelation

I think I'll start out by sharing the recommended video Hearing His Voice.

Then I found this handout on pinterest.  I can't find the original site though it says it's from thethingsilovemost.blogspot.com.

I think I will use this handout to guide the girls.  I will have them glue it in their church journals and then fill it out as we go along.

To answer the first question I created a piece of paper with a scripture reference from the lesson on it with room enough for the girls to write an answer.  I will hand out the papers and have each girl read the scripture she receives and write the way the Spirit speaks to us in Bold Letters on her paper and then put it up on the chalkboard with a magnet.

After discussing what they found I will show the video Patterns of Light Spiritual Revelation

After the video I will repeat the scripture exercise answering the question "What Can I do to receive Personal revelation"

We'll then dicuss the other items on the sheet and end with this Handout attached to some 

HiChews Candies

Our cornfield in the snow

Today was a very busy day.   It snowed and snowed all day.

Driving back from School

Piles of snow surround the house

 I got to go on a field trip with A today.  We went to the Museum of Ancient life at Thanksgiving Point.  Apparently they called the school on Friday and asked if they would like to go for free because they needed kids there because KSL was going to be filming a segment there today.  So we went, I haven't ridden a school bus for years.  It was kind of fun, except for the bloody lip I got when K and A kept wrestling over me on the way home.  We had a nice time.  I asked A what his favorite part of the day was and he responded, "The sand table of course!, "  but of  course.

 I finally got J to hang to curtain rod in the living room

Do Our Choices Matter Young Women LDS Lesson Come Unto Christ

I've been working on my lesson for YW "Come Unto Christ" for February 2014.  I've decided to combine The Purpose of Life and Do Our Choices Make a difference.

Activity 1:  I think I will begin by Having all the young women write on 8 post it notes what they think is important to them and then placing them on the chalkboard.  

Activity 2: Afterwards I will have each of them look up one of  the following scriptures and tell read it to the class and tell the class what it means:

 Alma 34:32 For behold, this ^alife is the time for men to ^bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of ^cthis life is the day for men to perform their ^dlabors.

Abraham 3: 25 And we will ^aprove them herewith, to see if they will ^bdo all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;

 26 And they who ^akeep their first ^bestate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second ^cestate shall have ^dglory added upon their heads for ever and ever.

2Nephi 2:25 ^aAdam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have ^djoy.

D&C138:  56 Even before they were born, they, with many others, received their first ^alessons in the world of spirits and were ^bprepared to come forth in the due ^ctime of the Lord to labor in his ^dvineyard for the salvation of the souls of men.

• Matthew 10:39
  39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
• 1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
• Discuss with the YW the meaning of these scriptures.  What is the Lord's Plan for us, what is the meaning of this life?  How does he expect us to accomplish these goals?
• Activity 3:  Tell Each girl that you have a treasure hidden that they must find.  Tell them you will give them a map to find it.  Turn out the lights then give each girl the map.  Tell them to read the map to find the treasure.  Take the map back and turn on the lights.  Do they know where the treasure is?  Tell the girls the Lord has great treasures in store for them what kind of guidance does he give them to help them find these treasures?
• Our Heavenly Father did not launch us on our eternal voyage without providing the means whereby we could receive from Him guidance to ensure our safe return. I speak of prayer. I speak too of the whisperings from that still, small voice; and I do not overlook the holy scriptures, which contain the word of the Lord and the words of the prophets—provided to us to help us successfully cross the finish line. -President Monson
  

  
• The Lord gives us messages and the world gives us messages, and it is given to us to choose which of these messages we will listen to.
• Activty 4 - Have multiple presents sitting in the front of the room.  Let some of the girls pick out a present.  Inside one is a can a furniture polish which says:"Polish the Table"  Inside Another Windex which says "Clean the window", another  Candy which says, "Eat the candy", "Give everyone a Hug :)" and so on....Whatever choice they make they have to have the consequence.
• Like these gifts, The adversary has many ways of making poor choices look good.
•  Pres Monson:  We read of him in 2 Nephi: “Others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security.”⁴ “Others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell … until he grasps them with his awful chains.”⁵ “And thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.”             ⁶When faced with significant choices, how do we decide? Do we succumb to the promise of momentary pleasure? To our urges and passions? To the pressure of our peers?  No temptation, no pressure, no enticing can overcome us unless we allow such. If we make the wrong choice, we have no one to blame but ourselves. .....
• EMPHASIZE:Pres Monson:  We have all made incorrect choices. If we have not already corrected such choices, I assure you that there is a way to do so. The process is called repentance. I plead with you to correct your mistakes. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Although the path is not easy, the promise is real: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”¹⁰ “And I, the Lord, remember them no more.”¹¹ Don’t put your eternal life at risk. If you have sinned, the sooner you begin to make your way back, the sooner you will find the sweet peace and joy that come with the miracle of forgiveness.

Look at the post-its on the chalkboard...if we are going to "Have Joy", "Prepare to Meet God"  which of these items do we choose?  which are the priority ? Discuss what's on the board and have the girls remove the items that are "non Priority".

“Choose ye this day whom ye will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the lord”

YW Atonement Lesson Come Unto Christ

Video reclaimed

He is Risen Video

As an activity with the lesson I have printed off Parts of President Monson's talk and some questions.  Our girls use a journal every week, I am going to have them read the talk and then cut out the questions and the answers that they find in the talk and glue stick them in their journals.

Mormon Women and the Priesthood

I have been thinking lately about my role as a "Mormon" Woman.  Do I feel oppressed, do I feel like I am a second hand citizen in my church?  The answer is no.  I actually feel hurt that some of my sisters in the gospel feel like I am.  I believe in God.  I believe in his priesthood.  I believe that as a covenant keeping woman of God  the Lord allows me to use the power of his priesthood.

“The men hold the priesthood, yes. But my wife is my companion. In this Church the man neither walks ahead of his wife nor behind his wife but at her side. They are co-equals in this life in a great enterprise.” Gordon B Hinckley (former LDS Prophet)

“Priesthood is to be used for the benefit of the entire human family, for the up building of men, women, and children alike. There is indeed no privileged class or sex within the true Church of Christ. … Men have their work to do and their powers to exercise for the benefit of all the members of the Church. …

“So with woman: Her special gifts are to be exercised for the benefit and uplift of the race” (quoted by John A. Widtsoe, comp., in Priesthood and Church Government, rev. ed. [1954], 92–93).

In a general conference address, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “While we sometimes refer to priesthood holders as ‘the priesthood,’ we must never forget that the priesthood is not owned by or embodied in those who hold it. It is held in a sacred trust to be used for the benefit of men, women, and children alike.”² Elder Oaks then quoted Elder John A. Widtsoe, who also served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve: “Men have no greater claim than women upon the blessings that issue from the Priesthood and accompany its possession.”³

The other day A woke up with a cough.  I asked him him how he was feeling.  A, "I'm sick, I can't go to school today."  Me: " You're OK  you can go to school."  A, "No mom, I can't go to school today, I have to stay home so the other kids will be safe."

I've been reading a lot on my kindle lately.  I type in free christian and that way I usually don't get books that are explicit.  I found this one book that I really enjoyed called "The Witness"  by Grace Livingston Hill.  It was written in the early 1900's.  It was very "preachy"  some might say, but a really enjoyed her unabashed testimonies of Christ in a work of fiction.  She got me really thinking about how I live my life as a Christian.

Busy Day

Today  A and I went to the Museum of ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point with his class.  Thanksgiving point asked them to come because KSL was filming there and they needed more kids, so they were able to go for free.  I asked A what his favorite thing at the museum was, he said, "The Sandtable of course,"  but of course :}.

Ms. A asked A to take care of K today.  So he kept walking around with his arm around him. lol

Class picture.  A wouldn't hold his balloon still so you can see it in the picture moving.

All the kids wanted to ride this weird alligator like statue for some reason.

It snowed and snowed all day today.  More snow then we've had in one day in years I think.  I must say, although it is beautiful it's so stressful to drive in and so cold I really just don't like it much.  These are the kind of days when I really miss California :].  

Driving back from the school

Cornfield in the snow

House getting buried in the snow

Craft Project

These are all old frame I repainted. I love to have pictures of my family surrounding me, but I can't stand the hodge podge a display of family pictures usually makes.  I created this display by sanding all my old frames and painting them a warm white.  I tnen used craft glue to glue  metal objects, jewlery and handles onto the frames to embelish them.  I am very happy with the results.  To see more about this project go to: Pictures

today A gave a talk in primary. he wanted to talk about,"if you' 're under nine you shouldn't play violent video games because they might make you crazy." I finally got him to compromise with a talk on service.  he 1) said he could serve his family by not paying violent video games, and 2) could serve heavenly father by not paying violent video games :).

I have been thinking a lot lately about happiness.  My brother Mike is in town and he often asks me, "What are you going to do when you grow up?"  Well, not really that, but something like that.  It usually catches me off guard, because really, for now, I am doing exactly what I want to do.  I spent a good portion of my life going to school and working as a high school science teacher, but right now I'm with my family, and there is no place I'd rather be.  I already see them growing and leaving home to make their own lives, so I want to cherish these moments while here and not be worrying about what is next.  I am very lucky that I can be here with my family, and I thank God.  I was born to parents who loved each other very much.  We didn't have a lot, but I knew we loved each other and we were happy. My parents taught me that these bonds between humans, and family, were the most important things in life not things.  Now I have a lot of things, some might say I have too many things, but the most important things to me are my husband and my children, and my God. I am happy right where I am. I am not saying there is not room for change.  Life evolves, life changes, we change. What I am saying is I am happy with the evolution my life has taken by being a stay at home mom, as a young person I never thought I would say that, but I have evolved and I am happy with the course I choose to take.

Yesterday I went to the temple with my friend Janice.  There I had the distinct impression that our family scripture study needs to change.  We are very hit and miss.  We try, but often we end up reading a few verses and then calling it a night.  I have been pondering this situation for a while now and yesterday I felt like the Lord told me what I needed to do.  My kids are very independent and inquisitive, and they love to question things and form theories, which I, in turn, love about them.  We are going to try doing our scripture study by topic.  I have assigned every member of the family one night of the week which they are in charge of using the scriptures to expound on the topic.  Last night I took the first night and choose to Read Ezra 3:11. We then discussed the value of song in praising the Lord.  I encouraged my children to always sing the hymns during church to show their devotion to God.  It was a little chaotic at first but I think it was a pretty good start.  I am so thankful to the Lord for giving us the guidance of his spirit, it is so amazing.

I also had a spiritually disturbing experience yesterday.  I was listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing the Hallelujah Chorus on UTube.  As I was listening I began to scroll down the page and was startled by some of the haters that had commented, using very hateful language to intone that we, the mormons, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are not Christian.  I believe in Christ, I believe he is my Savior, my redeemer, my brother, my King.  According to most traditional Christian doctrines this is what you must believe to be a Christian, all that you must believe.  Many Christian faith differ in their doctrines, but to my understanding this is the essential doctrine of Christanity, That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the World, the Personal Savior of all Mankind, if we believe in him we are saved, he will redeem our sins. In the 46 years I have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (mormons) I have been taught many truths about God, but this truth that Jesus is the Christ has always been the center of our doctrine, and the foundation of my life.

Last night I was woken up at 1 am  by screaming, terrified screaming.  I apparently jumped out of bed and began screaming myself (I don't wake up well out of deep sleep).  Ben had been sleeping down in the family room.  Josh woke up in the middle of the night, he's not a very good sleeper, and went out to the family room to watch TV.  B was there so J woke him up and started lecturing him about sleeping in his own room and telling him to leave.  B in turn threw a playschool farm at J.  The chase was on. B (14) ran screaming up the stairs towards our room with J(16 and twice as big) hot on his tail.  Apparently my screaming startled them both into silence.  Whatever it takes for peace  :).

I got a call from A's teacher the other day.  She told me that A grabbed one kid and hit another kid in the back at recess. "That's so unlike him" she said.  Later as I spoke to A about the situation (remember he's in kindergarten) I asked him what he could do to control himself/not do it again.   He said, sigh..."I guess I'm just gonna have to sit against the wall."
Me:  Well can you think of something else you might do to control yourself?
A:  No, I'm just gonna have to sit against the wall, that's it.
Me:  Maybe you could just not hit, or grab?
A: Sigh (eye roll)...Mom (slowly like duh Mom) that's the game, I'm just gonna have to sit against the wall.

A few minutes later.
A:  Mom, do you know the one thing I don't like about Ms.  Anderson?(his teacher)
Me:  What?
A:  She only lets us read little words, AND she always has to help us! (expels breath loudly)

What terrible faults for a teacher to have :),

I get a kick out of my sweet funny Boy.

So yesterday A and I were driving in the car singing that song "Hey there Delilah...."  at the top of our lungs and he pauses and says, "You know Mom this song isn't about breaking up in love or getting together in love, not one those things."
Me:  "Oh really..."
A:  "Yeah its not about either one of those."
Me: "Oh, what's it about?"
A:  "You know it's not either one of those things"
Me:"Well, what is it?"
A: "Its about being in love, really in love.  That guy he loves her so much."
Me "Hmmm... what makes you think that?"
A,"Yeah he loves her so much he would walk a thousand miles for her....A THOUSAND MILE...Mom that's a long way...a thousand miles...If I had a wife I wouldn't love her that much, to walk A THOUSAND MILES...no way, I wouldn't love her that much.."
A just turned 6 last week.

Temporal and Spiritual Preparation

The last few days a few things happened which have caused me to think about my personal physical and spiritual preparedness. I have been focusing on physical preparedness, learning to grow and store my food, trying to become water and energy independent etc...our lesson in relief society was on temporal preparedness and I realized how far I still need to go...but more importantly for some reason this got me thinking about my spiritual preparedness.  A couple of weeks ago I was talking with my brother in law and he was talking about a website he used to prepare his Gospel Doctrine Lessons "Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan Miner."  I seemed to have interesting insight into things I'd read many times but not understood that particular way, so I went home and began to use it as a study guide.  Wow.. I love it, I realize even though I am a voracious reader, I don't take the time to analyze... which seems to be the key, I need to learn to analyze what I'm reading.
Yesterday I spoke with my neighbor on our walk and she was sharing with me idea she has used in the past at Christmas to create a Christ Centered Christmas.  These ideas centered around Charity and Thankfulness.  Last night I began to prepare my Family Night lesson with the idea that I would focus on these themes, but as I opened the church website a featured article about the temple hit me powerfully and I knew that this would be my Family Night focus.  I searched through the material and found a video about a familly and how their family history work and the temple saved their marriage and children.  We watched the video and then committed to go to the temple in two Saturdays (the boys need to get their temple recommends renewed on Sunday) as a family.  Macey will be old enough in about 8 months to go to and I hope to make this something our family does together.  Even Trevor committed to go and seemed good with it.  I feel blessed with inspiration by the Lord.

Kauai

Kauai is beautiful this time of year.  We have a beach house at baby beach, a small reefed in beach in Kapaa.  It's a great place for the kids.  Like having a swimming pool at a hotel :).  We've been relaxing while enjoying some of the local island places.  The other day we went out to Kipu Falls.  Everyone jumped but A and I.  I went out to the edge and stood there but I just couldn't jump.  I still can't believe I couldn't jump....ugh...

spring break

so...this is the first spring break in a long time we've just stayed home.  wow  it's been nice, but it's over with way too soon.  we've just hung out, the kids have played with friends, we've gone swimming, to the park and the Carl Bloch exhibit.

Timid frightened anxious
Anticipation of what's beyond
Slip forward
Explode
Into the newness of light.

St Patrick's Day

Yesterday M got out A's clothes for today.  She found him a green shirt and some jeans for St. Patrick's Day.  He said, "Those jeans are blue someone will pinch my legs." We assurred him that as long as he had green on no one would pinch him anywhere.  This morning I went to dress him and I saw a pair on dark green jeans in with his pants so I put those on instead.  "oh good,"  he said with a huge sigh, "now no one will pinch my legs." 
Every year I by Lucky Charms or Captain Crunch with green crunch berries, dye my milk green and serve it for breakfast St Patrick's Day morning.  The leperchauns have come.  This morning I didn't, I wonder if anyone will notice.

T Got his License!

Today T got his driver's license.  I know this happens to almost all teenagers, but I really wasn't sure this would ever happen with T :).  What a change from the completely irresponsible beligerent boy of 16 to the responsible, pleasant boy of 17.  As I was typing this he brought  the computer into A's room where I am trying to put A to sleep, and set it down on the bed in front of me so I could type in the password.  Unfortunatelly when he set it down it hit the bottom of my eye really hard and my eye really hurts :(, 
J is struggling with wanting to be responsible for himself, but not being responsible when we completely lay off.  He doesn't want us to say a word about his grades or homework or anything.  He becomes defensive when we do say something and rants about how we're trying to "force" him.  Yet he doesn't ever complete assignments unless he's reminded, and then only some of the time.  I really don't know what to do.  He is super stubborn.  You know he's basically a really good kid.  He seems to love God and reallly wants to do what is right, but he has no motivation to excell in anything except book reading.  He's a voracious reader and always has his nose in a book, but I'm reallly worried about him because much of the rest of life is passing him by.  He actually has had a bit of a social life recently, he's actually gone over to his friend D's a few times and his friend A's birthday party.  He seems to really enjoy these friends and some of his girl friends like M P.  He is also in the play Fiddler on the Roof and is playing the part of the Constable.  Of course he has everyone else's lines memorized verbatim (lol).  He has an amazing memory.  He wanders around the house a lot with his head in the clouds quoting all kinds of things,  movies he's seen once, lines from books,  things he's read in class...funny things from UTube... it's really quite hillarious, if he'd only  focus just a little bit of his attention on his homework!   Asi es la vida !  funny kid....
Today J saw a red brick on the trampoline and asked A if he could move the red rock off the trampoline.  A just looked at him like he was stupid and said, "That's not a rock Dad, that's a brick."  Sometimes kids are much smarter than we think.
A couple of days ago he was telling us about one of his friends at preschool and he said, "he's 4 like me."  J asked him when he turned 4, and A replied, "On his birthday."  Of course....
Today M and I went to the dentist.  One of her baby teeth broke in half when the new tooth came in.  One half was still in her mouth the root still deeply implanted held in by the newly emerging baby tooth.  We couldn't get it out, so doctor Moffat had too.  It was good to Ryan again as always.  It's always nice to know your dentist, it makes it not so scary :).  Afterward we saw her new theater teacher Jennifer _______ in TJ Max.  M could only smile on one side of her mouth ( the other side was numb where they pulled the tooth) so she appeared to be scouling at her teacher the whole time.  So between M scowling and me in my lovely workout clothes (I forgot about the appointment and didn't have time to shower after my spin workout this morning)  we must have looked quite the sight.  Anyway, we enjoyed the afternoon together at the dentist and then doing a bit of shopping, to bad it ended with me dropping M off in front of her school with her screaming, I Hate School....I don't want to go back to School...I Hate School....I hate You (after I told her she had to get out of the car or spend the rest of the day in her room)  lovely....

T composing