"Hope is the abiding trust that Heavenly Father fulfills His promises."

I believe it was about a year ago that I heard a brother in our ward share this quote in a talk in Sacrament.  I quickly jotted it down because I had  often felt like I was losing hope for the promises I wanted fulfilled. The hope that Berrett and I would some day be parents.
Well we have had our up's and down's and I have often picked up that piece of paper and read it and silently asked Heavenly Father to help me to keep my hope alive and to believe He would fulfill His promises.
I can tell you today He keeps His promises!! A expectant mom and her parents and family have chosen us to adopt her baby girl.
We want to protect her privacy and the privacy of our future daughter so we won't be sharing very many details.  She is due in late June, early July and we are very excited!
We ask you our friends and family to pray for her, to pray for the father and their families.  Pray that they may be comforted and at peace with their decision.  Please pray that they have all that they stand in need of at this great time of change.  Also please pray that the Lord will pour out blessings on their heads for sharing this beautiful gift with us. Please pray for us as well.  Adoption is costly and we will have many changes to make in our lives as well.  I will say it again though, "Hope is the abiding trust that Heavenly Father fulfills His Promises."  I KNOW He does.

Understanding answers to prayers

As A couple we have been earnestly praying about some life changing decisions. I have always struggled with waiting for answers. I am like a petulant child who wants to know now!!!!!! I make it a practice to listen to old conference talks while getting ready in the morning. Yesterday I was listening to a talk by Richard G. Scott called "Supernal Prayer". He explained the ways that answers come to prayers. He reminded us that answers seldom come while we are on our knees. That the answers come in steps- small impressions or whispers Of the spirit. Intellectually I knew this- after all I have received answers to prayers before but the hard ones for me are the ones where I want the answer to be yes and the Lord has a few more steps in mind before I know what I am to do. He said something that made quite an impression on me. He talked about the peace we feel when the answer is yes. About the confusion or stupor of thought when the answer is no and then the prayers where no impression comes. He said those are the times we should thank the Lord for trusting us!! If we move forward and still try to receive impressions He will stop us if the move we make is wrong. I have also come to know that sometimes the answer "yes" comes with a purpose. For instance in our last adoption experience we both felt that we should move forward and yet in the end it didn't work out. I remember pleading with Heavenly Father to understand why he let us feel such pain. In hindsight we look back and learned some things. We know that the mom has her free agency. We know that we want to work with birth parents who seek help from counselers and we want their parents and brothers and sisters to be supportive. We learner what red flags to watch for and that the case workers are a part of this for a reason. They have the experience that we do not. They can help resolve questions and issues. I have also come to rely on answers to prayers in my calling. For instance I received a impression to call someone to a position and didn't understand why. My own experience with this person made me doubt their abilities. But the Lord was insistent and I have discovered I was wrong. This was suppose to be their calling. I guess it all comes down to doing your best to live your life in such a manner that you are open to the spirit and to develop a trust in the Lord. He knows what is best. He is also doing his best to teach this petulant child patience. Yesterday I was reminded in the words of a song sung by the children. Heanenly Father are you really there? And do you hear and answer every child's prayer? Seek He is there. Speak he is listening. You are his child his love now surrounds you. I must remember my mother in laws favorite scripture."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Another day in the life of the Primary President

This is me the day of our mini mission

Today was the 5th Sunday of the month.  The sharing time manual only provides lessons for the usual 4 Sundays in the month.  So we usually have a guest speaker or one of the presidency teaches.  I had decided I would teach. We are planning on focusing on service this next year, and how serving other people helps them to know they are loved and in turn children of our Heavenly Father.  I had prayed long and hard about what to present to the children this Sunday.
A few weeks ago we attended the tabernacle Christmas concert with Alfie Boe.  As much as I enjoyed his performance, what stuck with me was the story of the candy bomber. (Gail Halvorsen) It impressed me to think that what started with 2 sticks of chewing gum, brought hope to a whole country of children and hopefully their parents.
I did some research on Brother Halvorsen and discovered that the "Friend" had published his story, many years ago.  I wanted to impress to our children, that even small acts of service could make a difference in peoples lives.  I created a power point presentation using the story from the "Friend" and pictures off of google of the candy bomber.  I wanted something I could use as a story book, since so many of our children are younger.
I started out by challenging one of the older girls to divide 2 sticks of gum into enough pieces to share with the whole primary.  The most she was able to divide it into, was 10 small pieces.  With teachers and students we had about 20 people there today.
I then proceeded to tell them the story of the candy bomber.
In my experience this has only happened a few times. We often feel the spirit, but to feel it the whole presentation is rare!, The spirit entered, and the children were quiet and paid close attention.  I felt like the words were being placed into my mouth.  My thoughts were clear and I was able to focus on what needed to be said instead of what I thought I needed to say.
 We are going to use a warm fuzzy jar this year, and I place one pom pom in the jar and asked them if it filled the jar?  When they agreed that one "fuzzy" wasn't much. I asked them if Brother Halvorsen knew that when he gave that group of children his last two pieces of gum that it would change their world?  He didn't know that when he made 3 small parachutes with 3 candy bars that first time that 20 tons of candy and parachutes would be donated and dropped for so many children.  He didn't know that by one small act of service he could do big things!! I then challenged the children and teachers to do small acts of service in their homes, schools and neighborhoods to help others to know they are loved.  We will ask who did service the week before on Sunday and ask a small number of children to share. a warm fuzzy will be placed in the jar for each act of service.   At the end of the year we will use the warm fuzzies to make ornaments for our tree and then send them home with each child and teacher after Christmas.
This is the story I used.  I just printed it out and used a comb binder to make it into book form.  All credit for story goes to  Jan Pinborough.  I only added my testimony at the end by challenging the children to be like Jesus.  I don't own the story, the clip art or the photo's used.

  

If you are interested in having a copy of this presentation, leave a comment with your email address and I will be happy to send it to you!!

 

The world of boys!!!!

Declan

Jayden

Dawsyn, Jayden, and Blake

Its funny to me to be surrounded by little boys!!  I love frilly pretty dresses, jewelery, and all things girly!!!
Yet, I spend at least 6 days a week tending 2 to 3 little boys.  I have had Declan since he was 7 weeks old and he is now about 20 months.  Jayden since he was about 10 weeks and he is 8 months old, and his older brother Dawsyn, off and on through out his life and he is 8 years old.  I tend at my place 3 days a week and my sisters 3 days, so I get to spend time with Jayden and Dawsyn's oldest brother who is almost 18.  He was my very first nephew and my first real experience with dealing with boys.
I have discovered that boys have a world filled with cars, blocks, balls and lego's.  They also think burping and passing gas is funny!! They love to jump on each other, roll on the floor and occasionally beat on each other.  I have been welcomed to the world of sponge bob square pants, rap music, and video games,  Ant farms, sea monkey's and beta fish.
I have also discovered that there is nothing in the world like little boy kisses and hugs!! They snuggle and cuddle and love their auntie!!  They smile toothless smiles, tell the best jokes and fill my life with wonder  as they explore the world!! 
When I was young I used to think I wanted a little girl first, but now, I would welcome either!! I love my niece Addi and enjoy playing house with her!!  We have painted finger nails, toes and dressed up as princesses!! But I can also appreciate the world of boys!!  The love of a child is priceless no matter how it comes! I just pray that Berrett and I will be blessed with that kind of love soon!!

Primary President and Mini Missionaries

About 6 months ago I was called to be the Primary President. I had been serving as first councilor and our Primary President was called to serve in the Stake Primary Presidency. It was a calling I was willing to accept but also was afraid of!! To be responsible for the whole primary and all it entails is huge!! I have two wonderful, supportive councilors and a fabulous secretary, and this makes the calling easier. The Theme this year was Choose The Right. We have been putting gum balls in a jar through out the year for wearing of CTR rings three times a week and then later in the year for sharing their good choices. We wanted to do something fun and yet spiritual for our reward activity for filling the jar. We have just become a part of the new mission in Utah and we have been focusing quite a bit on member missionary work. We also will be teaching about missionaries during the month of November as our monthly theme. So we decided to call all our children on a mission. We sent them each a mission call assigned to the mission we live in. We wanted them to feel some responsibility for this mission and to take ownership of it. We set up the primary room as a MTC and had the YW and YM play district leaders. Our Bishop and his wife were the mission president couple. We opened with prayer, gave each of the children a name tag and sang a opening hymn. I welcomed them to our primary MTC and introduced a sister who taught them a little Spanish. Then we had 2 guest speakers who talked about their missions. One sister spoke who served in the Philippines and then Berrett spoke about his mission to California. We then placed 1 of 3 colored dots on each child and divided them into districts. We moved to the gym and had 3 relays going on. I was assigned the scripture chase tic tac toe. I had 9 pictures of scripture stories, and 9 references on slips of paper. They chose a scripture reference, looked it up, described it to their non reader companions and then chose the picture that matched. then they could place their x or o on the white board and race back to look up the next reference. It worked out well as I didn't want it to be a winner/loser game. I wanted them all to know that when you read the scriptures you are all winners. LUCKILY the X's and the Os's were all able to get 3 across and so I reminded them again that we are all winners when we read the scriptures. Then they moved onto the next relay. My 1st councilor had set up 2 suitcases and 2 poster boards with pictures of items to be packed. All the items were on tables along with a few items you would NOT take on a mission. They had to race to the picture, choose something, race back to the table pick it up and race back to the suitcase to pack it. Then my 2nd councilor had them fold a blanket neatly, dress in missionary attire and then run to set a table with 2 place settings. Then they had to undress again!! Anytime a group finished before the others, they would go to where the bishop was and play "president says"(Simon says). After all 3 districts finished the relays we went back to the primary room and the YW had them write letters to the missionaries who were out from our ward. My 1st councilor had set up a mailbox and decorated it with "missionary mail" the kids got such a kick out of coloring pictures or writing letters to the missionaries and then mailing them. We then had a speaker talk about his mission to France and then the Elders assigned to our ward spoke to the children about how they can be missionaries now. I gave the children a 21 day challenge hand out to share with their families. They were asked to prayerfully select either non members or inactive members to pray for. They write them on the hand out and pray for them night and morning. They read a scripture a day from the 21 day list and they are promised to see mighty changes. All of my children accepted the challenge. the bishop made a few closing remarks and then released them. We gave them their "blessings" which were candy lei's and then sent them to the gym for pizza and dessert!! It was a great activity!!

Day Care Days....

I have been tending children since I was about 10 years old. I was always the neighborhood babysitter!! After I served a mission for the LDS church I was a nanny for a short time. I didn't do it for very long as I was having a hard time adjusting to the "normal" world again. I was so used to being out and among people I felt cooped up at home with the little boy and girl I was tending at the time. I truly missed them though when I left to join the world of Retail in the Floral industry. I was a florist for 20 years!! For the most part I liked that job, and I was seriously lost for a while when I was laid off! A good friend had recently given birth to a baby boy. She was a single mom and needed to go back to work. My sister told me that she was looking for someone to tend her baby. I had been applying for jobs and had no luck, so I thought "what the heck" I can do it for a while. Well I started tending him when he was 7 weeks old and he is now 15 months old.

That period of time has gone by quickly!! I also started tending My niece part time. She started school a few days ago and some one else has taken on the job!! Now I am tending my 5 month old nephew as well as the 15 month old.

At first I felt like tending kids was just something I would do until I found a "real" job. Little did I know how much work it takes to care for a baby. Incredibly I found it satisfying in a way that my retail job never was!! I loved someone and they loved me back. As I changed diapers, sang "wheels on the bus", made bottles, and taught my niece preschool, I LOVED IT!! I am not saying I woke up every morning feeling like a combination Mary Poppins, Nanny Mcphee and Maria from the sound of music... but I did feel good about myself and what I was getting back in this relationship. The best part though was watching Berrett change and grow through it all. He wanted to be a dad, and felt like it was something he could do, but wasn't really sure how to be one. As he spent time with Declan (15 MONTH OLD) he grew to love him deeply. He began to understand wht it feels like to have this little person depending on you. Now he looks forward to times with Jayden (5 month old) as well. I guess what I am trying to say is that we have tasted a small part of what it means to be parents. I can feed a toddler and infant at the same time, no problem!! They are presently both teething and that has its challenges but nothing I can't handle. I am so grateful for this experience. I have yet to do the all night thing, but look forward to that with our own baby. Taking care of these little guys has opened up a new world of wonder!! When you watch a baby go through the different stages, you truly begin to understand what a amazing thing the human mind is. We have watched a little boy go from a infant who sleeps, eats, and fills his diapers.. to a walking, babbling wonder who learns a new word and new skill almost daily!! Who couldn't listen to a baby laugh and not laugh back!! Today I can say that I am grateful, I got laid off!! It helped me find the "mom" inside myself!! I am grateful to the mom's who share their little ones with me and trust me to care for them!!

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven....

I will admit that my first exposure to the scripture above came about because of a oldie but goodie playing on my parents 8-track in the family station wagon.  It was performed by the Byrds and it was called "Turn! Turn! turn!".  It was written based upon the scripture from Ecclesiastes.  I know I am "dating" myself by one- mentioning this song. Two- mentioning a 8- track player, and three- mentioning a station wagon!!  Although ours was super cool, it was patriotic blue, with red, white and blue curtains in the side windows in the very back, and we had stickers on the side of every state we had ever traveled to!!  I miss that old wagon,where we listened to old songs, took road trips and spent countless hours asking dad " are we there yet?'
Any way back to the present.   When we first started attending our ward in Taylorsville, I was called to be a primary teacher.  How I loved teaching Primary.  Your students love you, they forgive you your short comings and you get to hear about all their amazing adventures!!  Not to mention a few family secrets!! LOL!! Kids tell you EVERYTHING!!  Lucky for the parents though, we don't tend to divulge what we know.
Any way, I taught primary for quite a while.  A little over a year ago, I was called to be 1st counselor in the primary.  I was a little sad to leave my classroom, but had received the impression that this was where Heavenly Father needed me, so I gladly accepted the calling.  I felt so lucky to work with our President Tonya, Ofelia the other counselor and Cynthia the secretary.  Ofelia moved away and I had the chance to get to know Alli who took her place.  We have all worked so well together.  Tonya has taught us so much, and my love for all the children has grown.

Well, recently Tonya was called to be in the Stake Primary Presidency.  I am not sure how the others in the presidency felt, but I was so sad that we were losing Tonya and not sure what would happen to the rest of us.   We knew that changes would be made, and we were not sure what they would be.  I found myself praying that what ever the Lord desired for me, that I would be at peace with it. 
Last Sunday, the bishop called me to be the Primary President. I was sustained and set a part today.
I thought I would feel overwhelmed, and I have had those moments.  What I didn't expect to feel was peaceful.   I don't know why He has asked me to serve in this capacity, but I do know that I have many things to learn, and this is the season for that learning.  I have already learned a little more about inspiration as I prayed to know who to pick as counselors, and secretary.  I felt really good about keeping some of them on, and felt really good about the newest member of our presidency, Alecia.  She indicated to me, that she had felt a few weeks ago, that this would be where she was called to.
I am someone who struggles with shyness, and I am always fearful of new situations.  I love my comfort zone.  I love to know what is expected of me, and I love to be the one following the Leader.  I have had management positions in the work place, but they were always hard for me.   I don't like to be the bad guy!!  The nice part about leading in the church, is we lead differently then we do in the world.  We still have tough decisions to make, but we are led by our Savior who taught that the best leaders are those who serve the ones we lead.   I pray I can do that.
I pray I can be a good servant.  The bishop blessed me today with the strength and energy I needed and a great love for those I will be serving, The Children.  I am grateful for the blessing and for the loving guidance of my Heavenly Father.  I am also grateful for the loving support of my husband and my family.  Its my season to serve, Its my turn to learn, and my turn to grow.  Its a very humbling experience.