I LOVED my college years. Okay, the first couple were a little rocky, but after I learned that "nobody has ever died from homesickness" (thank you dad) Utah State opened my life to so many friendships and fun times. Many memories reside in the halls of Cobble Creek and Brook Lane Apartments. They are all written in several journals, all of which I cringe at the thought of my children reading (nothing bad, just a tad bit on the dramatic side).
Brook Lane and Cobble Creek made up the Utah State 34th ward, with Bishop Gill presiding. When my three years as a member of the 34th ward came to a close, I was a little melancholy and recorded the following in my journal, "I think that we meet different people at different times in our lives for a reason, each one creating a little piece of the person we call ourselves. My hope is that the next life will contain lots of reunions. Meetings with these people you never thought you would see again. You can thank them for the memories and more important the lessons they taught you. It will be a time to celebrate in the final product of "you" and all the people that made you so spectacular." I am hoping that the "spectacular" part comes to fruition someday before these reunions are to take place :)
This week I was listening to a talk by Sterling W. Sill entitled, "Each Of You Has a Hall of Fame." He begins his talk by telling of an experiment. (I paraphrase, but do so with quotation marks) "Once a piece of silver and a piece of gold were put next to each other for a long period of time. At the end of the allotted time the metals were separated. However, during this period of time, molecules from each metal were transferred to the other...The gold had flecks of silver in it and the silver had flecks of gold in it." The moral.....The character traits of the people we place ourselves next to, will "rub off" on us.
Realizing this, Elder Sill literally created his own "Hall of Fame" by studying and extensively writing about more than 70 people that he wanted to influence his life in some way. He then encouraged his audience to attempt the same task.
The idea fascinates me, and I have vowed to undertake the same project. I think I will start long before the Utah State 34th ward, perhaps about 20 years before...perhaps on Spruce street in Ashton, Idaho. I think there were a few people there that hoped one day some of their own gold flecks would rub off on me.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Funniness
Every day Jared and Sam have the EXACT same conversation after school. "Sam, how was school today?" "Great dad, nobody moved their clip to yellow." Moving clips to yellow is Sam's teachers discipline tactic, and it works! Sometimes the conversation goes like this, "Sam, how was school today?" "Not so good dad, I moved my clip to yellow." Those aren't very good days!
Sam has had a fascination with these clips all year longs. So I engaged in a very funny conversation with him yesterday. I began to ask him about each child in his class and if they ever had to move their clips. "Sam, does Cloe (code name) ever have to move her clip to yellow?" Long Pause, and funny look...
Smiling he says, "Mom! Cloe is a GIRL! Girls don't get in trouble!" and then as an afterthought, he looks at Gary and says, "Only when they talk too much, and they do that A LOT!"
FUNNINESS!
Sam has had a fascination with these clips all year longs. So I engaged in a very funny conversation with him yesterday. I began to ask him about each child in his class and if they ever had to move their clips. "Sam, does Cloe (code name) ever have to move her clip to yellow?" Long Pause, and funny look...
Smiling he says, "Mom! Cloe is a GIRL! Girls don't get in trouble!" and then as an afterthought, he looks at Gary and says, "Only when they talk too much, and they do that A LOT!"
FUNNINESS!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Gathering and Scattering
I did however have another thought, something that has actually weighed on my mind for years. I feel like it is finally resolved. So I am ready to write it down before I forget that it is already resolved :)
I come from a family of 6 girls, and we are TIGHT! Tight in the sense that we are all still very involved in, help with, and aware of what is going on in each other's lives. I don't know if that is because we are all girls, or because our parents planned it that way, but it is what it is. And I am very GRATEFUL!
Sometimes I wonder why we put all of our hopes into, "Families are Forever," and then wait for FOREVER to start on the other side. Forever starts now. Do I mean that being tight is all roses? No! But issues have to be solved at some point, another reason we should get a jump start on "forever." And I can testify that over the years, the issues get smaller and the good times get much larger!
Every Christmas Eve, my family gets together in Shelley, Idaho at my sister Kristine's house for the annual Christmas Eve Program. My sister Erin is in charge of printing a program for the nightly agenda. About 4 years ago, right before reading the Christmas Story, the program listed "ADVICE FROM DAD." My dad liked to give advice, sometimes it was about weird things like math, or even fishing, but we could tell that this was serious. He plead with each of us to "Pray for each other, there is power in prayer." Then he asked us a favor, "I want you to always stay close and happy with each other, because I would love for my grandkids to have 6 houses they can go to at any time for help or to feel at home." Well, I have never forgotten that night, or that advice. It sticks in my mind and reminds me to do whatever it takes to connected.
Here is the problem part. As the family grows, and spreads out, it becomes increasingly difficult to carry out the yearly traditions that help us be a tight family. As I thought about a year with no Christmas Eve party or vacation at Bear Lake, I was SICK. Knowing that, as a family, we are only going to get bigger, and physically farther apart, I went seeking to know how to feel good about this whole thing. I came up with 2 things.
#1. Focus on the day to day. Families are like testimonies. Testimonies cannot be "EVENT BASED." They must be built over time, day by day, one scripture, one prayer, one prompting upon another. Just because I go to the Sacred Grove, does not mean I have a testimony of Joseph Smith. Families stay close day by day, not because of large events. Don't discount the little stuff. When we are involved in the details, we weave ourselves into each others lives. My mother is brilliant at this. She knows all of my neighbors names, and actually everything that is going on in their lives too :)
#2. A while ago I read the book of 1st Nephi several times over wondering what would be important enough to put in the first book of the Book of Mormon. I came up with several things, but one stuck out to me, it is the following doctrine. SCATTERING IS A CURSE FOR DISOBEDIENCE AND GATHERING IS A BLESSING FOR OBEDIENCE. It is GATHERING that I am concerned about. Families become united as they are obedient. It goes back to the old triangle theory (see my Feb. 24th post). It is natural. When we are trying to be good, we want to be around each other, we want ties to be strong and we want to help.
I have come to the conclusion that, as we are obedient and put in a whole lot of hard work, the Lord will find a way to GATHER.....
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
It is Time to Take A Stand!
Last Sunday I gave a lesson on Combating Pornography that I have been preparing for 3 months. The way that the lesson plan fell together was interesting (as usual). Planning lessons is honestly one of my favorite things to do because, after much prayer and pondering, I can see the guidance of the Spirit very PLAINLY.
On Sunday morning, it was all ready but the DELIVERANCE, or so I thought. The beginning would talk about the DOCTRINES that combat pornography. The middle would be the gradual ways that Satan introduces pornography into our lives, based on a talk by Spencer W. Kimball. And the end would be a grand analogy given several months ago by our Stake President, comparing elephants to women and mothers (I'm good with that) and how they protect their young from the lions. A part of that analogy kept coming to mind. "They plant themselves firmly around the young and take a stand to protect them."
I thought that I could give special emphasis to this point in my serious voice (the one that always reminds me of Joe and the Jaw) and then move on. That would not be the case.
I woke up early that morning to read my own scriptures, and suddenly I knew what needed to be taught. It was such a teaching experience for me that I wanted to record it for my kids. Here Goes....
In Alma chapter 58, we find Heleman and his "sons", the 2060 stripling warriors in dire circumstances.
In vs. 1-4 he explains to Moroni that there is NO way they can go against the Lamanites they are WAY too small. They must sit and WAIT, hoping for help.
In 5-6 he explains that the Lamanites are getting bigger by the day, they are taunting us.
Vs. 7 - WE ARE STARVING TO DEATH, WHERE IS THE FOOD?
Vs. 8 - this is embarrassing.
Vs. 10-11 -In a situation that seems more hopeless than most that I can imagine, Heleman's first response is to turn to the Lord - "we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us..." Then.....He takes a stand!
Vs. 12. "And we did take courage with our small force...and were FIXED with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, our children, and the cause of our liberty."
Remember what the Stake President said, THE ELEPHANTS TAKE A STAND, and aren't we and they fighting for the same thing that Heleman was fighting for? To conquer our enemies, save our children and our liberty?
Taking a stand probably came pretty natural to Heleman. Remember that Heleman's grandfather was ALMA THE SENIOR. He took a stand against the Wicked King Noah, while staring at the face of death. And Remember Heleman's Father is ALMA THE YOUNGER. He also took a very difficult and personal stand, against his own son, Corianton in Alma Chapter 39. What about Heleman's kids? Did they learn anything from the righteous courage of their fathers? Let's just say that the lineage gets better and better. Until we arrive at Nephi, who receives the sealing power. In effect, the Lord was saying, I know you will do what is right, I will do anything you ask! This family was a family that nobody wondered about. Nobody had to guess Who's side they were ever on.....Especially not their own children.
There is another character in this story....Pahoran....We generally think of him as a good guy, and he was, but.....Well, let's see...In Alma 61 we find out the reason that there was no food or men coming to Heleman. There was an insurrection in the Capitol city, Zarahemla. And Pahoran, the man in charge, lacked the conviction to TAKE A STAND against those that were hurting their freedom and the lives of their soldiers. Vs 19 "He was "worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren." So he called in Moroni, and Moroni TOOK A STAND for him. Nobody really knew where Pahoran stood sometimes.
Does anybody know what happened to Pahoran's posterity. They end up dead...And why you ask? One of them was elected to rule, and instead of the rest of them TAKING A STAND for the right and supporting the brother that was elected, they killed each other. I wonder if Pahoran's wishy-woshy ways did anything to his children.
Maybe I loved this lesson so much because it solidified in my heart something I already knew. I always knew where my parents stood. I still do. Did their behavior affect mine, and generations to come.....IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND!
On Sunday morning, it was all ready but the DELIVERANCE, or so I thought. The beginning would talk about the DOCTRINES that combat pornography. The middle would be the gradual ways that Satan introduces pornography into our lives, based on a talk by Spencer W. Kimball. And the end would be a grand analogy given several months ago by our Stake President, comparing elephants to women and mothers (I'm good with that) and how they protect their young from the lions. A part of that analogy kept coming to mind. "They plant themselves firmly around the young and take a stand to protect them."
I thought that I could give special emphasis to this point in my serious voice (the one that always reminds me of Joe and the Jaw) and then move on. That would not be the case.
I woke up early that morning to read my own scriptures, and suddenly I knew what needed to be taught. It was such a teaching experience for me that I wanted to record it for my kids. Here Goes....
In Alma chapter 58, we find Heleman and his "sons", the 2060 stripling warriors in dire circumstances.
In vs. 1-4 he explains to Moroni that there is NO way they can go against the Lamanites they are WAY too small. They must sit and WAIT, hoping for help.
In 5-6 he explains that the Lamanites are getting bigger by the day, they are taunting us.
Vs. 7 - WE ARE STARVING TO DEATH, WHERE IS THE FOOD?
Vs. 8 - this is embarrassing.
Vs. 10-11 -In a situation that seems more hopeless than most that I can imagine, Heleman's first response is to turn to the Lord - "we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us..." Then.....He takes a stand!
Vs. 12. "And we did take courage with our small force...and were FIXED with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, our children, and the cause of our liberty."
Remember what the Stake President said, THE ELEPHANTS TAKE A STAND, and aren't we and they fighting for the same thing that Heleman was fighting for? To conquer our enemies, save our children and our liberty?
Taking a stand probably came pretty natural to Heleman. Remember that Heleman's grandfather was ALMA THE SENIOR. He took a stand against the Wicked King Noah, while staring at the face of death. And Remember Heleman's Father is ALMA THE YOUNGER. He also took a very difficult and personal stand, against his own son, Corianton in Alma Chapter 39. What about Heleman's kids? Did they learn anything from the righteous courage of their fathers? Let's just say that the lineage gets better and better. Until we arrive at Nephi, who receives the sealing power. In effect, the Lord was saying, I know you will do what is right, I will do anything you ask! This family was a family that nobody wondered about. Nobody had to guess Who's side they were ever on.....Especially not their own children.
There is another character in this story....Pahoran....We generally think of him as a good guy, and he was, but.....Well, let's see...In Alma 61 we find out the reason that there was no food or men coming to Heleman. There was an insurrection in the Capitol city, Zarahemla. And Pahoran, the man in charge, lacked the conviction to TAKE A STAND against those that were hurting their freedom and the lives of their soldiers. Vs 19 "He was "worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren." So he called in Moroni, and Moroni TOOK A STAND for him. Nobody really knew where Pahoran stood sometimes.
Does anybody know what happened to Pahoran's posterity. They end up dead...And why you ask? One of them was elected to rule, and instead of the rest of them TAKING A STAND for the right and supporting the brother that was elected, they killed each other. I wonder if Pahoran's wishy-woshy ways did anything to his children.
Maybe I loved this lesson so much because it solidified in my heart something I already knew. I always knew where my parents stood. I still do. Did their behavior affect mine, and generations to come.....IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The Ladder Leads to the Temple!
This week was one great big celebration. When I say week, I mean week! (And as a side note, before we get into the meat of this post, did the cake turn out cute or what!) Ally turned 8 on Thursday. As you probably know, 8 is a big deal for us. Baptism is on its way - in 6 days to be exact!
On Monday night we had Family Home Evening, and that is when it all started. We have been trying to prepare Ally for baptism FOREVER, but to get in one last "cramming session" we utilized Family Home Evening. I drew a large picture of a ladder. I had us on the bottom and a picture of the Savior on the top. I asked the following questions: "So let's pretend that this is us at the bottom and we need to get back home to live with The Savior again someday, what is the first step?" --Baptism--- "How many more "covenant steps" do you think there are?" --Three, the boys receive the Priesthood, we go through the temple, and then we get married in the temple-- "Do they have to be in that order?" -- Yes!-- "Do we only climb the ladder once? -- (This stirred up a little controversy, Jared thought way too deep, and well, I don't even remember what he said, but I said) --Yes! We climb it again every Sunday as we take the Sacrament and "repromise" Heavenly Father all of these things!
This little exercise stirred up some memories. My dad once spoke at a baptism. I was not there, but I got the full report afterwards via the telephone. He said, "This is a great first step! We all have to get baptized, BUT IF THIS STEP DOES NOT LEAD TO THE TEMPLE, IT WAS ALL FOR NAUGHT! YOU HAVE GOT TO GET TO THE TEMPLE!" To wrap up Family Home Evening, we talked about
that! THE ROAD (or the ladder in this case) HAS TO LEAD TO THE TEMPLE! So that was Monday! We anticipated for 2 days and then on Thursday we had cake and unveiled the "birthday activity."
The Activity = On Friday we would be going to St. George, Going to the Temple Visitor's Center, out to eat, and staying overnight at a hotel and SWIM!
It turned out really fun and a tradition that I think we will keep (However, next time we will not reserve through Hotwire and it will be all the more enjoyable).
I am grateful for the temple. Everything that is good and precious to me in this life is eternally linked to me there! I am a daughter, a grandaughter, a great grandaughter...a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother......These are the things that define me and the things that will be mine forever, all because of the temple!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Good Advice for my Kids
This morning while I was getting ready for the day I asked myself this question (I do this sometimes...I have great conversations with myself while I do my hair, oh, and when I bake, that is also prime pondering time): What is the best advice that you have ever been given?
Now, while I am not sure that this is the BEST advice, or that it applies to this audience, I will share it anyway. It will apply to my kids and I want it preserved for their future.
It may be a little known fact that I was once a teacher (in a formal setting). I taught for 4 years before I married Jared, and then 1 year before I had Ally. The first 4 years I taught at the COOLEST little Elementary school in Bear River, UT, called Century Elementary. My name was "Miss Foster!" and I loved it there! The community was great, the principal gave me all kinds of great opportunities, and the staff was the BEST. Looking back at it now, it was a priceless experience for me. I taught 4th grade and the other 4th grade teacher was Mrs. Joy Haws.
As it all came to an end, I started packing up my classroom because we were headed to Rexburg, ID to finish Jared's schooling. Mrs. Haws came in and I could tell that she had something she wanted to say. It started with small talk and then she came to the "Best Advice" part.
"Kathryn, do you always plan on teaching?" No, I want to have kids soon, and I want to stay at home when that happens. "Well, then let me give you this advice. Once you are at that point, DON'T EVER START TEACHING. Once you are making 2 salaries, you will never be able to make it on 1. If you start by making it work with 1 salary, you will always be able to make it on 1."
It is funny how Jared's check seems to be JUST ENOUGH to get us through. I bet it would be even funnier that if I were working, both of our checks would be JUST ENOUGH to get us through.
These are my thoughts for the day! I love being able to stay at home! I love my FULL TIME job!
Now, while I am not sure that this is the BEST advice, or that it applies to this audience, I will share it anyway. It will apply to my kids and I want it preserved for their future.
It may be a little known fact that I was once a teacher (in a formal setting). I taught for 4 years before I married Jared, and then 1 year before I had Ally. The first 4 years I taught at the COOLEST little Elementary school in Bear River, UT, called Century Elementary. My name was "Miss Foster!" and I loved it there! The community was great, the principal gave me all kinds of great opportunities, and the staff was the BEST. Looking back at it now, it was a priceless experience for me. I taught 4th grade and the other 4th grade teacher was Mrs. Joy Haws.
As it all came to an end, I started packing up my classroom because we were headed to Rexburg, ID to finish Jared's schooling. Mrs. Haws came in and I could tell that she had something she wanted to say. It started with small talk and then she came to the "Best Advice" part.
"Kathryn, do you always plan on teaching?" No, I want to have kids soon, and I want to stay at home when that happens. "Well, then let me give you this advice. Once you are at that point, DON'T EVER START TEACHING. Once you are making 2 salaries, you will never be able to make it on 1. If you start by making it work with 1 salary, you will always be able to make it on 1."
It is funny how Jared's check seems to be JUST ENOUGH to get us through. I bet it would be even funnier that if I were working, both of our checks would be JUST ENOUGH to get us through.
These are my thoughts for the day! I love being able to stay at home! I love my FULL TIME job!
Monday, May 23, 2011
From the Inside Out
Last night I was involved in Reader's Theatre. I quite enjoyed it! The script was based on Joseph Smith's life and written by S. Dillworth Young, a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for 36 years, starting in 1945. ElderYoung was a gifted author and poet. (By the way, I LOVE that President Packer carves wood and Elder Scott paints, it does my heart good! Like I have heard my friend Annie say several times, "when culture goes by the wayside, so do so many other things." I am paraphrasing Annie :) I think in many instances, art in it's truest form, is a spiritual gift...those are my deep thoughts).
Back to the Reader's Theatre. It was comprised of poems describing personal details from the life of Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Church. I had an instant attachment to the following verse that describes what happened to the 6 men who met in Fayette, New York on April 6, 1830 to organize our Church:
“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 people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.”
I recently read an article about a man who won a 2 million dollars from a lottery ticket, yet still remains on food stamps.....As grave as the situation in our country appears, I think it might be time to start looking at HEARTS instead of CIRCUMSTANCES.
Back to the Reader's Theatre. It was comprised of poems describing personal details from the life of Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Church. I had an instant attachment to the following verse that describes what happened to the 6 men who met in Fayette, New York on April 6, 1830 to organize our Church:
Evening
All days must end;
This day of marvels
As all others do.
The darkening landscape
Has not changed.
Here and there
A candle twinkles forth,
Its tiny light a beacon
To home-coming men.
The new Church members
Look the same
As yesterday, when
Ordinary things were taking place.
They wend
Their slow way home,
Sobered, it is true,
And filled with awe
And wonderment,
Marveling at the
Things which have been
Said.
The stars come out,
The night birds call.
The early peppers
Trill in nearby ponds.
And tired men,
Their hunger satisfied,
Retire to rest
On corn shuck beds
To sleep the night away.
And morning comes and
Yet another day.
The land must still be plowed,
And planted too,
The livestock sheltered, fed,
The cows milled, clearing done,
Then
More land readied
For the planting
Things don't change.
But these few men-
Their lives would
Never be the same
Again.
It is interesting for me that the Lord took ordinary Men and CHANGED THEIR HEARTS. He did not change their circumstances, he lit a fire of testimony inside, that would change millions of people (14,131,467 living today). I have found in my own life that this principle is true. THE LORD DOES NOT CHANGE MY CIRCUMSTANCES, HE CHANGES MY HEART, THEN I CHANGE MY CIRCUMSTANCES. This poem instantly reminded me of a quote from President Benson, one of my personal favorites:
I recently read an article about a man who won a 2 million dollars from a lottery ticket, yet still remains on food stamps.....As grave as the situation in our country appears, I think it might be time to start looking at HEARTS instead of CIRCUMSTANCES.
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