Putting up the Christmas Tree

Ok, so I know it's before Thanksgiving but I always end up putting up the tree by myself on Black Friday while Randy is at work and I didn't want to do it by myself this year so I FINALLY talked Randy into it.  We started on Sunday then got to finish we he got sent home early for the blizzard today.  Morgan had tons of fun and I'm already loving the new Christmas spirit in our house.  Here are a few pictures:

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 14

Read Alma 20-24
Mark & Ponder Alma 11:43
Scripture of the day: "Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarned you, by giving unto this word of wisdom by revelation" (D&C 89:4)
Thought for the day: "The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving." (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

The Anti-Nephi-Lehis are such a great example of how to forsake sin and, even more importantly, how to make sure you are never in a situation where you are tempted to sin.  I don't think most people today are strong enough to make choices like they did.  Defending yourself and your family isn't a sin, but they were so concerned about doing something that was even related to their past sins that they would rather lay down and give up their lives than pick up a sword.  And many of them did just that.  How many of us would be willing to not have a television in our house, or not go anywhere where they serve alcohol, or not listen to the radio ever again, or not ever get behind the wheel of a car, or whatever it is that's related to our weaknesses and temptations? I could definitely use some pondering time regarding to this.  Maybe there are some things I should give up so that I'm not ever in a situation where my weaknesses can get the best of me.

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 13

Read Alma 15-19
Mark & Ponder Alma 11:40
Scripture of the day: "My God hath been my support, He hat filled me with His love; even unto the consuming of my flesh. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before m e. Behold, He hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime." (2 Nephi 4:20-23)
Thought for the day: "The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in.  The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold me by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature." (Pres Ezra Taft Benson)

Ok so Teagan is hanging onto my legs and crying and is so ready for me to be done so I'll make this quick.  I love the story of Zeezerom because it shows that it is never too late to repent and we can always be forgiven.  And who doesn't love the story of Ammon.  The Nephites had been trying to convert the Lamanites for hundreds of years with no success.  Any sane person wouldn't waste their time trying, but look what comes of his missionary work.  What a great example.  We need to always always always keep trying.  I also love the thought for today.  The problems in our country today would be about a billion times better if our leaders just grasped this one concept.  Now to the baby...

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 10, 11, 12

Ok so I failed my weekend test miserably.  Thursday was Randy's birthday so I asked my parents to babysit Friday night so I could take him to Harry Potter 7, part 1, which came out on Friday.  I get up at 4:30 am and our movie was out 10:20 pm since Randy doesn't get home from work until after 9pm and we wanted enough time to get there early so we wouldn't have to sit on the front row.  So obviously I knew I would need a nap.  Usually I put the boys down for their nap, read my scriptures in peace and then join them for a shorter nap on my end.  But since I knew I need a nice long nap and that I'd be taking the kids to my parents and would have time to read in peace in the evening, I laid down when they did.  We got up, ate some food and went to Mapleton.  On my home I stopped at a boutique in PG and shopped in peace (which I never get to do) for some girly hair stuff since I'm cutting it all of tomorrow (since it's falling out in even greater abundance then when I first posted about it).  Then when I got home I was so excited I didn't have the boys and get some scrapbooking that I did that until Randy got home and totally forgot about reading my scriptures.  Harry Potter was fantastic by the way.  I very very rarely say that about movies made from books I loved but this.  Usually I hate them but they did a great job on this one.  Anyway, I got up Saturday morning and went right back to scrapbooking until Randy got up, really enjoying my time with kids.  Then we picked up the kids, ran some errands, did some grocery shopping, got all the Christmas stuff out to find the outside lights (I know it's before Thanksgiving but it's supposed to be snowing all week and we didn't turn them on), put up the Christmas lights outside, had some dinner, hung out as a family and went to bed.  Totally spaced the reading.  So today I had to read three days worth which wasn't as pleasant as I would like my scripture reading to be.  So that's why you'll see Day 10, 11, and 12 all in today's post.  And my thoughts probably won't be so fabulous (and quite short) because it was just so long and I was so tired and missing my nap time with the rest of the fam.  But that's what I get.

Read Alma 1-5
Mark & Ponder Mosiah 4:30
Scripture of the day: "I am the way the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 13:6)
Thought for the day: "If we desire to learn the ideal life to lead among our fellow men, we can find a perfect example in the life of Jesus. Whatsoever our noble desire, our lofty aspirations, our ideals in any phase of life, we can look to Christ and find perfection. So, in seeking a standard for moral manhood, we need only to go to the Man of Nazareth and in Him find embodied all virtues that go to make the perfect man." (Pres David O. Mckay)

 There were a few things that stuck out in today's reading but I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts into words on a few of them so I'm going to stick with just one.  In Alma 5:28 it says "Are you stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meed God."  Obviously I would like to be prepared to meet God at any time because I could go at any time.  You never expect to die in a car accident but it could happen every single time you get in a car.  I'm really trying to obey the commandments and do what the Lord as asked me to do and I'm trying to become a better person each day but am I stripped of pride?  Heck no.  I got in an argument with Randy earlier today that needn't have been an argument at all of I was actually stripped of pride.  Do I walk around thinking I'm better than everyone?  No.  But I certainly have a lot of pride which is evident when I have a hard time humbling myself and saying sorry when I still think I'm right.  So apparently, I'm not prepared to meet God.  I hope I have enough time on earth to correct that before it's my time to meet God.

Read Alma 6-10
Mark & Ponder Alma 4:10
Scripture of the day: "...I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine." (D & C 38:27)
Thought for the day: "Nothing is so much calculated to lead people to forsake sin and to take them by the hand, and watch over them tenderness. When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, O what power it has over my mind, while the opposite course has a tendency to harrow up all the harsh feelings and depress the human mind." (Prophet Joseph Smith)

Alma 7: 11-12 "And He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith He will take upon Him the pains and the sicknesses of His people. And He will take upon Him death, that He may loose the bands of death which bind His people; and He will take upon Him their infirmities, that His bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that He may know according to the flesh how to succor His people according to their infirmities."

I am so thankful that my Savior Jesus Christ suffered for my sins because I commit a lot of them and life would be so hopeless without the Atonement.  But I'm also so thankful for all the other parts of the Atonement: he suffered my temptations, my sicknesses, my hunger, my thirst, my fatigue, my sorrow, my heartache, every pain and every affliction I will ever experience.  He did this so He will have perfect compassion and know exactly how to help me through it.  What an amazing gift.  There is always someone who knows EXACTLY how I feel because He felt it.  He knows how it feels to be tempted with my exact temptation because he felt it.  Therefore He knows how to help me say no and follow His path.  There really aren't words for how magnificent the Atonement is or for how incredibly grateful I am for it.

Read Alma 11-14
Mark & Ponder Alma 5:14
Scripture of the day: "...that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof int he day of judgment. For by the words shalt thou be justified, and by thy words shalt thou be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37)
Thought for the day: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

Alma 13:28-29
"Watch and pray continually that...

1. ye may not be temped above that which ye can bear
2. and thus be led by the Holy Spirit,
3. becoming humble
4. meek
5. submissive
6. patient
7. full of love
8. and all long-suffering
9. having faith on the Lord
10. having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life
11. having the Love of God always in your hearts
12. that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into His rest"

If all I have to do is watch and pray continually and those 12 things will follow accordingly, I'd say that's a good thing to make sure I'm doing. (This is obviously the end of my marathon of reading and my brain had pretty much turned off by now so sorry, that's all I've got for ya)

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 9

Read Mosiah 23-29
Mark & Ponder Mosiah 4:27
Scripture of the day: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-20, 22)
Thought for the day: "Search the scriptures, search the revelations which ye publish and ask your heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, ad if you do it with an eye single to His glory, nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourself and not for another. you will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation...For when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them...Again we say: search the scriptures, search the prophets and learn what portion of them belongs to you." (Prophet Joseph Smith)

The story of Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah is one of my favorite in the scriptures for two reasons:

1) it shows that can go from being an enemy to God, committing all manner of sins, to being the prophet of God.  That's a pretty amazing example of the Atonement.  As it said in the reading, as many times as we repent the Lord will forgive us.  What an amazing gift the Atonement truly is.  I screw up every single day; maybe not with the big sins but sins nonetheless.  What a fantastic blessing it is to be able to repent and be forgiven as if we had never screwed up in the first place.  The Atonement truly is miraculous.

2) An angel appeared to Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah to answer the prayers of their fathers.  These five young men completely changed their lives around and became valuable servants of the Lord because of faith and prayers.  Pretty much everyone has family and friends that have chosen a different path.  Sometimes it feels like there is no hope that they will ever come back.  But if we continue to pray with them and exercise our faith in the Lord, it's not just possible but probable.  It's so easy to forget the power of prayer sometimes because we aren't immediately rewarded with whatever we're asking for.  The scriptures say "endure to the end" a billion times for a reason.  We have to keep asking and keep exercising faith, and someday those blessings will be ours. 

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 8

Read Mosiah 16-22
Mark & Ponder Mosiah 2:17
Scripture of the day: "And thou shall love the Lord they God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deut 6:5)
Thought for the day: "Surely every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord is precious. So each word in this name must be important--divinely designed for a reason." (Russell M Nelson, speaking about the name of the church)

Why do we have trials/tribulations/afflictions/etc? 
1.  We need them to learn and grown
2.  The agency of others
3.  Because of our own iniquity
4.  Because they are part of the moral experience

I personally don't really like trials, tribulations, or afflictions.  I would like to limit mine to those I absolutely need or those I can't do anything about.  I can't change the fact that I'm living a mortal experience and with that comes trials (ie hunger).  Somethings are hard to go through but just part of life.  I can't change anything that happens to me because of the choices of others (and the Lord won't take away their agency). I don't want to stop anything that I need to become more like the Savior and will help me to live with Him again.  But I can do something about the trials I put myself through because of my own choices, my own iniquity.  There have been multiple times in my life where I've thought to myself "Mindy, you need to do better before the Lord gives you a trial just so you'll remember Him and do what He's asked you to do."  The Lord won't take away our agency. He let's us choose the way in which we live our lives.  But we can't choose the consequences.  Following Satan ALWAYS comes with consequences.  The Lord loves us and wants us to come back and live with Him again.  So while He lets us choose how to live our lives that doesn't mean He won't try to remind us of Him and what we should be doing.  Nothing brings us to our knees faster than trials.  I think I'd rather get on my knees on my own.

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 7

Read Mosiah 10-15
Mark & Ponder Mosiah 3:19
Scripture of the day: "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith. Organize yourself; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." (D&C 88: 118-119)
Thought for the day: "We cannot be made perfect without our progenitors, neither can they be perfected without us, and they are as much dependent upon us as we are dependent upon them.  We can build temples, they cannot, it is not their province to administer in them at present, but it is ours, and we are called upon to do so. They are interested in our welfare, they are our fathers, we are their children; they are laboring there, we here, for our mutual salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God." (Pres John Taylor)

The more often I sit down and actually contemplate what the Savior did for me personally the more impact it makes on my life and the better I am at using the Atonement in my life.  I know I'm supposed to focus on this during the Sacrament each week but with two kids it's REALLY hard to do so.  I try to think about the Savior but I'm usually trying to so hard to keep the boys quiet that I don't get to really focus and contemplate during this time.  The teachings of Abinidai and Isiah (who Abinidai quotes) are great for focusing on the Atonement, even with kids climbing all over me while I was reading it.

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief...He was despised and I esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne my griefs and carried my sorrows...He was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities...with His stripes I am healed. I, like sheep, have gone astray; I have turned to my own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him my iniquities.  He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so He opened not His mouth...for my transgressions He was stricken."

"God Himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem me...God suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to temptation, but suffereth Himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out and disowned by His people...He shall be led, crucified, and slain...being filled with compassion towards me, standing betwixt me and justice, having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself my iniquity and my transgressions, having redeemed me and satisfied the demands of justice."

(excerpts from Mosiah 14: 2-8 and Mosiah 15: 1-9 with slight alterations to personalize it for myself)


"

Signs that turning 30 does indeed mean you're getting old

#3 I don't know why I even thought of this but it popped into my mind the other day: one of my core requirements in high school was a computer class  where we learned what the Internet was and how to use it.  I remembering learning how to look up a web page and how to search for things.  Can you even imagine kids today having to take a class to learn what the Internet was?  I also remember that at the time I took this class it really was my only experience with the Internet.  We even learned how to make a basic page using HTML.  I can remember life without the Internet but it's almost like a fake memory because how did we ever look anything up before Internet? And since we're on the subject of technology and being old: when I was in elementary school my friend's dad was some sort of a big wig with a company car and had a car phone in his car.  It was the coolest thing ever. Imagine being able to get a hold of him while he was out and about.  Kids today have cell phones starting at like age 5.  I could probably go on for quite a while in this post.  It's amazing how far technology has come just in my lifetime.  Just looks at how my kids came to be born.  IVF probably sounded like some kind of fantasy just 30 years ago.  Crazy.

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 6

Read Mosiah 4-9
Mark & Ponder Jacob 2:18-19
Scripture of the day: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Romans 8:35)
Thought for the day: "A true Mormon home is one in which if Christ should chance to enter, he would be pleased to linger and rest." (Pres David O Mckay)

I'm having a hard time focusing my thoughts today (the boys were really crazy while I was reading and are still crazy at the moment, I can't imagine why I can't concentrate) so this is going to be a short one. 

The part that sticks out them most in my mind is in Mosiah 4 where King Benjamin is talking about taking care of the poor.  He says "are we not all beggars?" meaning who are we to withhold anything when we are constantly begging God for forgiveness, for help with this, help with that, comfort, etc.  I know I'm begging all the time.  I don't understand how people can turn down callings for the same reason.  How can I spend all day asking Heavenly Father for help with something if I'm not willing to do something he asks?  How can I not help someone in need and then asking for Heavenly Father to help me with something I need?  Sometimes it's hard to know if we're giving enough or not being that we're on a tight budget and already go without a lot of things most people thing are necessities (internet, tv, cell phones, ipods, etc).  So I try really hard to follow the promptings of the spirit in this area.  If we're struggling to make ends meet but they're collecting food at Walmart and I feel like I should buy something to put in the box, I do.  If I don't feel that prompting but feel instead that I really wish we had more money so that I could put something in there, I don't worry about it and know that I would give if I could.  

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 5

Read Words of Mormon, Mosiah 1-3
Mark & Ponder 2 Nephi 33:8-9
Scripture of the day: "Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry and the needy, and the naked, and sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?" (Mormon 8:39)
Thought for the day: "But as a people we should endeavor in them midst of our troubles, difficulties, trials and temptations, to remember that we are God's people; that we are called to be His, and we should put our firm faith and trust in Him and leave Him to work out the results." (George Q Cannon)

I love King Benjamin's address to his people. Whenever I open the scriptures and don't have a specific place I'm reading at the time I usually end up reading these chapters.  For this post I just want to focus on Mosiah 3:19 because I love this scripture and it's something I think about a lot and I actually referenced a post or two ago.  The natural man drives me crazy.  Reading my scriptures everyday should not be a hard thing.  It only takes a few minutes, it isn't painful, it doesn't require a large sacrifice, sweat, tears, or exertion of any sort.  It's really a pretty easy thing.  And yet I struggle and struggle with it.  The same thing goes with things that aren't necessarily spiritual in nature like exercising & dieting (eating reasonable portions, moderating unhealthy foods, not wanting to eat all day long - which is me in a nutshell).  The natural man is lazy.  The natural man accomplishes nothing.  The natural man doesn't grow or progress or do anything for anyone else.  "The natural man is an enemy to God."  We were sent to earth as a test to prove ourselves.  If it wasn't hard it wouldn't really be a test.  But it continues to baffle my mind how much the natural man is in opposition to the spirit.  My spirits yearns to obey the commandments and live a Christ-like life.  I want nothing more.  But the natural man in me is always causing problems with this desire.  Things that sound easy to do and I want very much to do are so difficult.  But each time I conquer that natural man, each time my spirit is triumphant over my carnal nature, the more I become like the Savior and the closer I get to living with Him again. 

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 4

Read Jacob 6-7, Enos, Jarom and Omni
Mark & Ponder 2 Nephi 31:20
Scripture of the day: "Thou shalt not idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer." (D&C 42:42)
Thought for the day: "I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love, I rejoice in  life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." (George Bernard Shaw)

Yay! I passed my first Saturday test.  I'm what I like to call a Saturday Failure.  I always start things on Monday morning with a whole heap of motivation.  It might be a new diet, a determination to exercise everyday, a determination to read my scriptures every day, a determination to keep the house clean, etc.  I do so well all week until Saturday comes along.  On Saturday I don't have the same routine as Monday - Friday.  Randy's home and we're busy doing projects or running errands or having some family fun and I simply forget.  Things always fall apart on Saturday.  And then once I miss one day it all goes downhill from there.  Well, I completed my reading for today and have passed my first Saturday test.  Hallelujah!!!

As you can probably tell from previous posts I've been very worried about the times in which we live lately.  I learned some things this past week about where our country is headed and the things that are going on behind the scenes and I was truly frightened.  I went to bed terrified the other night.  The scriptures say if we are prepared we shall not fear but I'm still afraid.  Am I really prepared?  Even if I am, I'm still scared of the things we're going to have to live through.  I think it's going to get pretty bad over the next few years and I really do worry about it.  Tonight as I was reading my scriptures I felt such peace.  It wasn't anything specific I read that answered a specific question or worry.  Feasting upon the words of Christ really does bring peace and power into our lives.  I usually know everything will be ok on an intellectual level but tonight I really felt it.  The future will come.  I can only do what I can do and I know the Lord will take care of me and my family.  It still might be hard and not very fun but I really felt peace while I was reading tonight and that's what I love about the scriptures.  I don't understand why it is so hard for me to read sometimes because the benefits of reading are so great that it is unfathomable that I would choose not to read.  Stupid human nature really bugs me sometimes.

Anyway, on to tonight's reading...one thing that stood out to me was in Jacob 7 where we meet Sherem.  "...he began to preach among the people, and to declare unto them that there should be no Christ. And he preached many things which were flattering unto the people; and this he did that he might overthrow the doctrine of Christ. And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts...and he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil."

This is so prevalent in our day.  People want to take "under God" out of our pledge of allegiance.  They want to take God out of everything.  Something that drives me crazy this time of year is "Happy Holidays."  Everyone is so overly-sensitive about offending someone that they don't dare to say "Merry Christmas."  It's so ridiculous.  And it's obviously Satan's doing because he wouldn't waste his time if it wasn't important.  Why does anyone care what anyone else believes.  If you don't believe in Christ, why would you be offended if someone says Merry Christmas?  I wouldn't be offended if someone said Happy Hannakuh to me.  If you don't believe in God, why would you care that it says God in the pledge of allegiance.  If He's just a myth that makes people feel warm and fuzzy inside, let them feel warm and fuzzy inside.  It isn't hurting anyone and it doesn't affect your life in anyway so why do you care?  If you don't believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints is God's church on earth or that the leaders of that church are prophets of God, why would you be offended by anything they say to their people?  I wouldn't be offended if the Pope gave an address and said short people are evil or Mormons are evil or any other number of things because I'm not Catholic and I don't believe what he says is from God.  It wouldn't bother me one bit and I certainly wouldn't start a protest over it because I don't care what he says.  But I'll tell you why all these people are offended and why they work so hard to take the rest of our rights to worship away: because Satan is working overtime on them.  Satan doesn't want God in anything either so he and his minions work extra hard to rile everyone up exactly the way he did with Sherem. 

I love the one-liners in the Book of Mormon that are repeated over and over and over again because they're things I need to constantly be reminded of and since they are in there so many times there's a good chance I'll come across it every time I need it.  Here's an example from tonight's reading "Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it." (Enos 1:15)  Now, of course I've read this/heard this a million times and yes, I know it's true.  But sometimes, when you've been praying really hard about something (as I have been lately), you need the spirit to reaffirm it in your heart as you're reading it, which is what happened tonight.  I'm so grateful for the Lord's patience with me.  He's told me a thousand times but He keeps telling me again and again (and with much more love and understanding than I use with Morgan when I've told him over and over and over).

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 3

Read Jacob 1-5
Mark & Ponder 2 Nephi 31:13
Scripture of the day: "...Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)
Thought for the day: "The Book of Mormon must be re-enthroned in the minds and hearts of our people. We must honor it by taking its precepts into our lives and transforming them into lives required of true followers of Christ." (Pres Ezra Taft Benson)

The Allegory of the Vineyard: the longest chapter in the Book of Mormon. I think a lot of this chapter is about missionary work but something else always comes to mind when I read it.  Each of us is born into different circumstances which has the tendency to raise a lot of questions.  Why was that child born into an abusive family? Why was this person born poor and that person born rich?  Why was this person born in America and that person in Cambodia?  Why can't I find someone to marry?  Why can't I have children?  Why did I get cancer?  The questions could go on and on and on.  Here is what I believe: The Lord wants ALL of us to make it back to Him.  He does everything in His power (which is A LOT) to help us get there.  Sometimes we have to be "pruned" and "dug about" in order to develop the qualities necessary to make it back to Him.  I know with all of my heart this is true.  When I'm really praying for something I want very badly (like help with some big trial) I can honestly add "Thy will be done" and really mean it because I know without a doubt in my mind that everything I go through the Lord will consecrate unto me for my own good.  I know He will help me learn what I need to learn so that I can live with Him again.  If the choice is get cancer and make it back to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus or don't get cancer and maybe not make it back...bring on the cancer.  Life may not be fair but we each get the circumstances we need to help us become the best version of our self we can possibly be, whether it is poor ground or good ground.  Obviously some people don't use their circumstances to do that.  That is their choice.  I choose to accept my challenges and trials and let them mold me into the person I want to be.  I'm not saying it's easy or that I have a perfect attitude all the time.  In the midst of a trial it's a lot harder to have the right perspective.  But the more practice I have the better I get.  I hope and pray I can always live up to the expectations the Lord has of me and use all  my circumstances, good and bad, to come closer to Him and to living with Him for eternity.

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 2

Read 2 Nephi 22-33
Mark & Ponder 2 Nephi 28:8
Scripture of the day: "And it shall come to pass, that if ye are faithful you shall receive the fullness of the record of John. I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of His fullness." (D&C 93: 18-19)
Thought for the day: "I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I just wanted to read the book." (Parley P Pratt's first reading of the Book of Mormon)

Why do this walk with Christ?  Why is it important to focus on Christ and really come to know Him?  One reason that I've kind of been thinking about and was covered in the reading for today is because Satan does such a good job of imitating Christ (appearing as an angel of light) that you need to know Christ well enough to know the difference.  Satan is a master manipulator and a master deceiver.  He doesn't just come out and show you who he is and what he's about (not until you're so evil he doesn't need to worry about it anymore at least).  He makes good appear evil and evil appear good.

The reason I've thinking about this is because of what I see in the news everyday. All the socialistic programs the government is forcing on us have Satan written all over them (I'm not saying the people putting them into place are evil, just that they've been deceived).  Is it good to take care of the poor?  YES!  We are commanded multiple times in the scriptures to take care of the poor and are given very serious consequences if we don't.  The Savior wants us to make the choice to take care of the poor out of compassion and charity.  Satan's plan is always to force people to do things and take away our agency.  So...the government creating more and more programs to force us to take care of the poor is Satan's plan.  Yes, we should take care of those who have less than we do.  Yes, we should take care of the elderly, the widows, the fatherless, etc.  But we need to make that choice.  We need to develop compassion for others.  We need to develop charity (the pure love of Christ) for others.  We develop those attributes by voluntarily giving of our substance to those who need it.  Satan doesn't want us to develop those attributes.  It is so frustrating when people say you don't care about the poor people who don't have healthcare just because you don't agree with Obamacare.  Forcing the people into slavery by creating so many government programs and raising our taxes through the roof isn't good for anyone.  It isn't good for those whose wealth is redistributed and it isn't good for those who receive the redistributed wealth.  Have you noticed the attitude of entitlement that is developing in this country?  I can't tell you how many times I've heard statements like "I can't believe the government expects me to support 3 kids on the amount of money they give me." "Why would I try to find a job when I can make more collecting unemployment?" "We should raise taxes on the rich because they don't deserve that much money or they don't need that much money."  WHAT???  This attitude of entitlement is growing rampant in our country because of the all the government hand-outs and bail-outs.  The people giving money don't have the chance to develop Christ-like attributes because they are forced to give their money away through taxes, many of the people receiving money become entitled instead of developing Christ-like humility and gratitude.  Obviously, this isn't true for everyone.  There are many people out there truly in need and are very grateful for the help.  They aren't bad people for taking advantage of government programs.  The problem is the system.  It is turning more and more into a Satan-centered system than a Christ-centered system and most people don't even notice.  They believe Satan's lies.  They want to help people and Satan's plan sounds like a good way to help people.  That's why Satan is so good at what he does. 

Another example: recently President Packer made a statement about homosexuality in conference and a lot of people were in an uproar about it and had a protest at the temple.  So many people are deceived by Satan's lies.  The Lord loves gay and lesbian people just as much as heterosexual people.  Having feelings towards members of the same sex is a temptation and trial I can't even imagine having to live with.  But having those feelings isn't the sin.  Acting on those feelings is.  Just the same as acting on the temptation to fornicate, or commit adultery, or steal, or lie, or drink, or murder, or rape, or a hundred other things.  We all have our temptations and trials in this life and what we're tempted with doesn't make us bad people.  We are supposed to love one another.  We are not supposed to judge.  We are to treat everyone with kindness, respect, and love.  This is good.  Satan's lie is that believing homosexuality is wrong means you are hateful, judgemental, and are causing people to commit suicide.  Not true.  He takes something good (loving all people, treating them with kindness and respect, etc) and distorts it.  I can love my friend that's gay and love my friend that fornicates and love my friend that does drugs.  It doesn't make any of those things ok but it also doesn't mean I'm hateful or judgemental just because I believe those things are wrong.

In 2 Nephi 28: 21 it says "...the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away CAREFULLY down to hell."  Satan is tricky.  He knows how to manipulate and deceive.  He knows how to play on people's goodness and ever so carefully lead them further and further away from the truth.  It can happen to any of us.  That's why we must always focus on Christ and His teachings so we will always see through his tricks and not fall prey to his treachery.

40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 1

So my Relief Society challenged us to do a 40 Day Walk with Christ in preparation for the season to help us focus on the Savior during the days leading up to Christmas. In essence, I have to read the Book of Mormon in 40 days.  They also challenged us to write in a journal while we did this so I decided to just put it on my blog instead since I plan on printing this as my family journal. 

I've read the Book of Mormon in less than 40 days before but at the time I didn't have any kids.  So I think this is going to be quite challenging but so is everything that's worth doing.  Along with the reading for everyday is a mark & ponder scripture, a scripture of the day, and a thought for the day.  I'll record those first (so I have it for future reference if I want to do it again) and then add my thoughts on the reading.  Since this is a Walk with Christ I'm going to focus my thoughts on the Savior and how to strengthen my relationship with Him.

I actually just re-started the Book of Mormon a while ago and don't want to start over again so I'm starting on Day 7 in the reading and will finish up with 1st Nephi at the end (if I don't get behind).

Read 2 Nephi 13-21
Mark and Ponder 2 Nephi 9:28-29
Scripture of the Day: "...they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophesy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God." (Alma 17: 2-3)
Thought for the day: "The time is coming when no man or woman will be able to endure on borrowed light.  each will have to be guided by light within himself. If you do not have it, you will not stand." (Pres Harold B Lee)

The reading today is Isaiah chapters which I really struggle with but here a few things that stuck out to me.  Isaiah speaks a lot of about the last days and what the world will be like at that time.  A lot of the signs of the times are not very pleasant and don't sound like very much fun to live through.  In 2 Nephi 18:13-14 it says "Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary..."  Sometimes I worry about the things going on the world and what's going to happen to my family as it gets worse.  It's so easy to let fear and dread of the future pull you down into despair.  Yet, having fear or dread doesn't do anything to change what's coming.  How much better to let the Savior take your fear and dread on Himself so you don't need to be worry about it.  He really can be a sanctuary from the world if we give those things to Him and let His peace fill our lives. 

2 Nephi 19:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  The Savior has MANY names in the scriptures and I think it's because He is so many things to us.  Sometimes He strengthens us, sometimes He comforts us, sometimes He holds us up, sometimes He just listens as we pour out our hearts, sometimes He gives us peace, sometimes He encourages us to action...you get the point.  He is the perfect friend because we can turn to Him for anything and everything we need.

Multiple times throughout these chapters is the phrase "His hand is stretched out still."  No matter what we choices we make He is ALWAYS there for us.  He will always accept us back.  He will always listen to us.  He will always be there for us.  The Savior's love is not contingent upon our actions.  His blessings may be, His judgements may be, but His love is not.  It's never too late.  He is always waiting with open arms.  What a comforting thought.

Living in Lehi

I LOVE where we live. 

Location

• Close to the freeway
• Convenient to Utah County and Salt Lake County
• Right in the middle of both of our parents (we see my parents about 10 times more often now, it's great)
• Surrounded by cows and horses, they really do make good neighbors
• Fantastic view of Mount Timpanogas  (the pink pictures below taken from my back porch)
• Fantastic view of the sunset over the mountains in the west (the orange picture below taken from my front porch - about one minute after I took the pink ones in the east, weird huh?)

Neighborhood
I love our neighborhood.  Everyone on our block is super friendly and we all get along really well.  I was better friends with my neighbors here in the first month than I ever was in 5 years in our last house.  The ladies on the block and I do a little preschool for our kids then we usually hang out and visit afterwards.  Last week we took the kids to Arctic Circle for lunch while we visited. I would feel comfortable calling any of them to watch the kids if I ever needed to or asking for any favor for that matter!  When the weather is nice you pretty much always find someone outside.  Everyone has kids and they all like to play together.  What more can you ask for?

House
And last but not least, our house.  I LOVE our house.  Obviously it's not literally perfect and if I had an unlimited supply of money there are a few things I would change, but it's so fabulous that I feel like it's perfect.  I love the spaciousness. I love the storage space downstairs.  I love the main floor living.  I love how big our yard is.  I love the landscaping we did ourselves this summer.  I love my master bathroom/closet.  I love that we have a front room for when people come over and the house is a mess.  I simply LOVE our house. 

While life certainly isn't perfect bliss, I have to say that between our sweet boys, our fabulous new home, our good jobs, our great families, and having the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives... we've got to be some of the luckiest people on the planet.  I'm not just saying this because it's Thanksgiving this month; I feel like this all the time.  We have been so blessed and I am so incredibly thankful.

We're getting big

Teagan is officially walking now. I haven't really seen him crawl for 3 days. He's getting two new bottom teeth at the moment which hasn't made him the happiest camper.  And he's going through some kind of insecure stage.  A week and half ago Randy dropped the boys off at his parent's house, and Teagan freaked out. He knows them very well and has spent tons of time with them and has always been very comfortable around them but he didn't want Daddy to leave.  Last night I took him to the nursery so I could go to a Relief Society activity and they brought him to me 5 minutes later sobbing.  I'm talking the super super sad kind of sobbing where they can't catch their breath.  Then he sat and cuddled into my chest for 20 minutes without moving a muscle.  It was so sad.  Today we took the boys to get their pictures taken and I don't think we got a single one with him smiling.  This is a kid who barely stops smiling.  But you could tell he just wasn't sure and felt insecure.  Hopefully this phase won't last long. 

In regards to the pictures: I can't believe how grown up Morgan looks in his new pictures.  It's like I blinked and he's a big boy now.  How sad.  But such a cutie!!! So far, the terrible twos haven't been very terrible.  Yes, he tries his hardest to push our buttons but he's a really good kid and is such a joy to be around MOST of the time.

Teagan loves to climb up on the table. He climbs onto the bean bag, then up to the couch, then up to the table. Look at that happy face once he accomplishes his goal and then the sad/mad face after I take him down off the table.  Such a stinker!

We are so blessed to have such sweet boys!!!

A few funny Morgan stories

I'm trying to get Morgan to start using his brain to figure things out rather than just asking "why?" to everything under the sun. 

Morgan: Why'd you do that?
Mindy: Why do you think?
Morgan: I don't know
Mindy: Why don't you think about it for a minute and see if you can figure it out
Morgan: I can't
Mindy: Why not?
Morgan: Because my head isn't big enough

I mentioned Morgan is learning how to do chores.  The other night he got to learn how to use the vacuum.  He was so excited.  He vacuumed the kitchen, the family room, the hall and the master bedroom.  There were a few spots on the kitchen floor he couldn't vacuum up.  I told him they were stuck and we'd have to wash them with a rag when he was done vacuuming. The first one came up very easy and he was very pleased to see it disappear.  The second one however was not coming up.  He was crouching down trying to scrub it and I, knowing how tired my legs get when I crouch down for too long, said "you might want to sit down on your bum to scrub that one."  I looked over a few seconds later and he was scrubbing the spot with his bum.  Why else would Mom say I should sit on my bum to scrub?

We're Getting Big

Morgan has started doing chores and it's actually going pretty well.  I love to see the look of accomplishment on his face when he finishes a task he thought he couldn't do.

Teagan is walking 80% of the time now but he's still really wobbly.  It's interesting to see how much the boys are alike and then how much they're different.  From Morgan's first step he was walking without many problems.  Teagan has gradually learned to walk one step at a time, getting a little better each day. 

Cuddle Monkeys

I love that my boys are such cuddle monkeys.  When Teagan wakes up in then night crying like he's just had a nightmare, I wrap him in my arms and he immediately calms down and goes right back to sleep. I love how he cuddles in to me and I love that my presence brings him so much comfort. Sometimes I just lay there awake for awhile and enjoy this special time with him. 

Morgan is the same way.  He cuddled in much better when he was a baby but he still loves to "snuggle."  Probably about once a day he'll say "Mom, I want to snuggle with you."  Sometimes we sit in a chair with the boys on my lap and read a book, sometimes we cuddle up in the bed to watch a movie, sometimes we just rock in the rocking chair and hold each other close. 

Granted, a 2AM wakeup is not always on the top of my favorite things list. And I'm not a big fan of the emotional breakdowns.  But I know they won't be this cuddly forever and try to take advantage and enjoy it while I can.  Give me something to look back on when they're teenagers and being punks. : )

Here are some pictures of us enjoying our season passes at Trafalga:



Teagan waits patiently while big brother rides the big boy rides



Practicing my moves

Teagan even gets to ride

Teagan is definitely a rule breaker, always looking for trouble

Kick your little butt!

Ok, so this happened a while ago but I have to put it on here and save it for posterity.  It was one of those days when your kids are just pushing all your buttons, not doing anything you tell them to, and driving you absolutely crazy.  Morgan did something else to add to the list and I had had enough.  In my sternest, most exasperated voice I said "Morgan."  He turned to face the other way, looked back over his shoulder at me, stuck is butt way out and said "You wanna kick my little butt?"  Of course, I busted up laughing.