With a struggling economy, unresolved war, and upturned morality seeking justification in our court systems, there’s no question our nation is in turmoil. However, rather than a time to fear, this is a time to stand for righteousness and reclaim America’s divinely mandated role for these final days before the Savior’s Second Coming. What is that role? President John Taylor described America’s destiny this way: “When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States, the elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth, and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations.” L. Tom Perry further explained: “The land must continue to remain strong and great and good. It is destined to be the major supplier of human and financial resources, to build the kingdom of God here in the whole world, and to prepare the world for the return of the Lord and Savior. The adversary knows all too well that a weak America will literally stop this building process and thwart the work of God.”

These two quotes, along with many not mentioned here, indicate that we, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints along with our God fearing friends of other denominations, must work to preserve our nation. To this end, President Ezra Taft Benson offered five vital standards we must live by. In brief, they are:

1. “Keep your families strong.”

2. “Live by the fundamental principles of work, thrift, and self-reliance and teach your children (to live by these principles) by your example.” (Italics added)

3. “Learn about the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and other basic documents of our great country so that you can sustain it and the free institutions set up under it.”

4. “Seek out good, wise, and honest men for public office, and then support them with your vote.”

5. “Heed strictly the commandments of God, particularly the Ten Commandments.”

In conclusion, some final words from Elder Perry:

“Fifty-six men represented 2.5 million in 1776 to bring about a new nation that has literally blessed the whole world. That was one man to every 45,000. Today I’m calling on each of you to exert an influence over about 220 million people in this land. The odds are even better for you; the advantage is on your side. This is the time for you to be bold enough to stand up for what you believe, to let the world know that God still blesses this great land of America—if we will live righteously, according to that which he has commanded.”

Bibliography
Ezra Taft Benson, “America at the Crossroads,” New Era, Jul 1978, 36
L. Tom Perry, “God’s Hand in the Founding of America,” New Era, Jul 1976, 45<< MORE >>

RONDA: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

JOSI: I’m a mother of four, ages 15-7, and an author of 9 novels, with a tenth coming out in August. I have been a member of multiple writing groups, large and small, and a committee member and former conference chair for numerous writer’s conferences. In addition, I’m a frequent presenter to schools and groups, a fabulous cook (if I do say so myself) and amateur chicken farmer.

RONDA: You are the conference chairperson for an upcoming writers' conference for kids. Please tell us about the purpose of the conference.

JOSI: Several of the committee members and myself have been involved with putting together writing conferences for several years. We started small and have grown until our most recent conference had well over 250 attendants. Over the years, we have had some teenagers attend our conference, and while they have enjoyed the experience, it seems to also be a bit overwhelming to walk into a two day, morning to night information-fest. So, we began discussing the idea of having a conference where the format, classes, and overall environment is created specifically to give youth, ages 13-19, the best overall introduction to writing conferences as well as instruction that will be most helpful to where they are now on their journey of being a writer. From there we started throwing out ideas and it really just rolled all together until we have this; THE Teen Writer’s Conference.

RONDA: What is your purpose for the conference? What do you hope the teens who come discover?

JOSI: Our hope is that the attendees will discover a lot of things: 1) They are not the only kids that write, 2) Whatever goals or ambitions they might have in regard to becoming a writer are within reach, and 3) It takes knowledge and time and concerted effort to accomplish those goals. Those of us on the committee, all of us being writers ourselves, have spent years honing our craft and are excited to help set these kids on that same path—perhaps earlier than we ever started.

RONDA: What kind of classes will you be offering?

JOSI: We will have classes that focus on actual elements of writing, as well as classes on book markets, the publishing process, and what attendees can do now to best prepare themselves for a future in writing. We have a variety of classes which will appeal to both new and experienced writers.

RONDA: What if a teen would like to come, but is really shy? Will there be anything that will put him or her at unease?

JOSI: Our entire focus and reason for putting this conference together is to create a comfortable place for young writers to come, learn, and flourish. We have been and will continue to put their comfort as our first priority, because we know if they are intimidated and anxious, they will not benefit from this experience. However, we also expect them to be ready for this experience. Each youth, along with their parents, will need to determine if they are ready to be a part of this. Not all teen writers will be, and that’s okay. We hope to make this an annual event, so if this year won’t work, then perhaps by next year they will be ready.

RONDA: What is your overall goal for every youth that attends the Teen Writers' Conference?

JOSI: That they leave encouraged and inspired to do their best, to hone their craft, and to truly reach for the stars in regard to their writing and their life. We also hope they will make friends with one another and feel a sense of community among other writers their own age.

RONDA: How were you able to get such excellent editors and famous writers to attend?JOSI: Well, in all humility I have to admit that they are my friends—my very good friends. We are like-minded people that saw a common goal and made it happen. I admire each and every person on this committee, and understand the sacrifice they each make to be a part of this. We are joined in this purpose as well as in our passion for great writing. I am blessed to rub shoulders with some of the best writer’s out there and the attendees get to benefit from that gift in my life.

RONDA: When is it and how do teens register?

JOSI: Registration is open for another 4 weeks. To register, attendees need to go to the website http://www.teenwritersconference.com/ and print off the registration form. Those attendees under the age of 17 will need parental permission to attend; then they will mail the completed registration, along with payment, to the address printed on the page. They and their parent will receive a welcome e-mail upon receipt of their registration as well as updates as the conference gets closer. Updates will also be posted on the website.

RONDA: Finally, this conference is for 13 to 19 year olds. Why that age group?

JOSI: We discussed this issue at length, and then simply decided since it was a TEEN conference, we would make it open to TEENS only. We feel that having them among their peers will help them relax and yet be willing to ask questions, meet other kids, and focus on the instruction we’re providing. For the older attendees, this will likely be a kind of introduction to adult-focused writer’s conferences, showing them what to expect and how the typical conference is organized. For the younger attendees, we hope they will come back year after year and continue learning about what they can do in the future.

RONDA: Any other information you'd like to share?

JOSI: We’ve had some parents express concern in regard to leaving their children at the conference without them. Again, this conference isn’t right for all teens, or all parents, but we do ask that parents consider the value of letting their children experience the independent nature of this conference. As a committee, we are dedicated to their safety and comfort; they will come to no harm while attending. And while we ask that parents stay clear of the conference rooms, there are many places on campus that are great for reading or getting some other work done if they worry about going too far away. We will also allow attendees to keep cell-phones on silent throughout the conference so that parents are only a phone call. For those attendees without cell-phones, they are welcome to use a committee members phone at any time.

RONDA: Where can people go to find more information, and especially to learn about the writing contest made available just for those who attend?

JOSI: http://www.teenwritersconference.com/ has all the details of the conference, contest, venue, etc. If something is not answered, there are e-mail links that will send you to us so we can give you the details you are looking for.

RONDA: Thank you very much, Josi. This sounds like an event teen writers won't want to miss.<< MORE >>

They’re everywhere: faithful yet heart-broken Latter-day Saints sitting alone in Sacrament Meeting because their family members have chosen “other paths.” I know because I’ve not only seen them, I’m one of them.

Not in the usual sense, for I’m not the parent of a wayward child, but I do have other family members who’ve either become apathetic toward church attendance or who’ve lost their testimonies through sin or miss-choice. And it grieves me. Grieves me to the point that many Sundays are tearful days of mourning, days that remind me my family’s opportunities for God’s blessings, including Eternal Life together, are at stake.

And yet, though this Sunday “cry session” has gone on for more years than I’d like to count, I have learned to hope.

One learning experience came while I, as a Young Women’s leader, was attending a Stake Young Women’s girl’s camp. I was participating in a familiar, spiritual activity in which all the participants were blind-folded, given a “name” (actually, I think it was something like an animal sound), told we needed to find the rest of our “family,” and then while holding them close to us, complete a specific task which brought us “Home.” As luck would have it, shortly after I found my family I lost them again. For the rest of the activity, I was a lone person in the field.

Until the end. That was when, after all other groups had succeeded with their tasks, someone noticed I was lost and sent my “family” to retrieve me. Finally, tearfully, I returned “Home.” But I wasn’t tearful because I was embarrassed I was the last one on the field (though I slightly was); I was emotional because one of Christ’s parables had suddenly become alive in me:

Matthew 20:1-16

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

In other words, it doesn't matter whether my family and I make it to God’s Kingdom first or last. What matters is that we get there. And when we get there, we’ll each receive the same reward: Eternal Life.

A second lesson came while I was praying for a specific loved one, pouring out my sorrow and hopelessness. I felt alone and at the end of my “How do I hang on?” rope. But then, very distinctly, I heard the voice of another loved one who’d passed beyond the veil in recent years say to me, “Don’t give up on . . . .”

Yes, her voice taught me I was not alone in this trial, that our deceased loved ones are working, perhaps mourning for our “lost” family members, too; but mostly, it filled me with hope. I still carry her words and that hope inside me.

Finally, I’ve learned to hope because the Lord has heard my prayers. I know He has. I’ve seen His answers. Sometimes in small ways, sometimes in large, but one answer I’ll share here because I believe it can help others.

Some time ago, I was searching LDS.org for an article to supplement a Sunday lesson I had to give as part of the calling I had at that time. I don’t remember the subject I was researching, but I do remember one article that appeared on the computer screen. It had NOTHING to do with my subject but everything to do with the specific, “wayward child” trial I then faced. It was a talk given by a general authority which told me exactly what I needed to do in this situation (I’ve included it in the following list). I immediately read it, recognized it for the Heavenly Answer it was, printed it, and now keep it in my journal where I’ve read and re-read it almost as much as I read my patriarchal blessing. It’s another one of my life-lines from God. Something that guides me as I struggle, as I worry, as I work to help Heavenly Father bring my family—and His—back Home.

 Keeping the Door Open and the Stew Hot: Loving and Helping a Wayward Child

When Our Children Go Astray

Loving My Wayward Child

Begin Where You Are—At Home

“You Have Nothing to Fear from the Journey”

Four Simple Things to Help Our Families and Our Nations

Your Personal Influence

<< MORE >>

I love General Conference. Always have. Even when I was a kid. Because of that, I wanted my children to learn to love conference, too, in spite of the other, conflicting influences that surrounded them. So this is what I did. And it worked!

Ever since my children have been old enough to read and write, we have made one conference day a "candy day;" meaning, while we listen to both sessions, we take notes. All of us. I take my notes, however, in the form of questions.

When each session is over, I then ask my questions and they take turns answering them. I ask many simple ones, like what was the opening song? Who spoke first? And, "so and so said we should do what if we need help?" (Pray).  But I also occasionally ask more complicated ones of the older children, related to specific stories and scriptures. When they answer correctly, I give them a piece of candy (fun sized candy bars, usually). They love it!

And so do I. Not because of the sugary treats (which I also enjoy!), but because I not only have the opportunity to go over—and sometimes reteach—every talk from that session, but I see that my children now have fond, family memories of conference as they've learned to feast on the real "treats" of the gospel.  

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This activity was amazing! One of the young women's mother told me her daughter, who's usually not very vocal about our activities, couldn't stop talking about it when she returned home that night. To me, that's success!

What we did:
1. They (the Young Men's organization was in charge) gathered random information (description, likes, where serving, etc.) about the current and recently returned missionaries in our ward.
2. They had men from the ward who went to those missions or parents of the missionaries prepare and bring a food item to share with the youth.
3. They had each "mission" set up in a different room throughout the building, and had the youth rotate between the rooms to not only learn a little about that country and eat their food but also guess which ward missionary was currently serving in that country.
4. The Young Men began the evening by quoting Section 4 from the Doctrine and Covenants.

If you try this activity, let me know how it went. I'd love to hear about it.

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Although this wasn't an "original" idea, going bowling has been one of our most successful yw/ym combined activities. Even the expense was little compared with the success of the event, for we had youth attend who have never attended a mutual activity before. We even had a non-member relative join us.
Another great thing about this activity was it gave the youth and the leaders a chance to "let their hair down." Sure, the boys were competitive (they still had fun), but the girls just enjoyed their time together by visiting, trying goofy ways to bowl, and laughing. LOTS OF SMILES that night. It was amazing. 

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It's happened! Last week I received a "we want to publish your book" message from Linda Prince at Leatherwood Press. I can't tell you the title yet because it is going through reformation, but for your information, it is the book I've previously won awards for and referred to as "Flip-Flop" and/or "Distraction."

I also don't yet know an exact date for its publication , but Linda initially told me she wanted to publish it this spring or early summer. I am so excited! I've been working on my craft in one form or another since I was twelve years old, and finally, FINALLY, I'm starting to see the light. Yeah!

Be sure to check back soon for more updates!<< MORE >>

One of the "first keys" to understanding scriptural symbolism, our teacher, Brother Michael Weir Allred, said, was to look for obvious and simple meanings for those images. He then, as an example, gave us a brief list of some common symbols and what they can mean.<< MORE >>

This is a great deal to all of you bloggers out there. But more than that, it's an opportunity to get to know the work of a great, up-and-coming artist. I loved these pictures!

I wanted to share these beautiful pictures and what the artist has to say about each one of them! You can ALL win a FREE signed 8x10 print of your choice (out of the three prints), by copying and posting to your blog or website this whole post! After you post then send an e-mail to David (contact@bowman-art.com) with your website or blog address telling him you posted it and that you read about this offer on my blog. Also send him your name and mailing address and he will send your signed 8x10 print of your choice This piece conveys an intimate, up-close-and-personal feeling of the Savior's love. Notice how all the lines draw your attention and point towards Jesus' face in the center. I chose the name "My Child" because the only thing that could compare (even remotely) to Christ's compassion for us is the love of a parent for his/her child. This image is also intended to put things in perspective. Above all, we are God's children first. He allows us the privelege of experiencing parenthood for ourselves and we are entrusted to be the mothers and fathers of His children here on earth.<< MORE >>

Today has been the most "obstacled" Christmas I remember ever having, and yet through it all, a Christmas miracle.

Our obstacles began three days ago when our laptop suddenly caught the virus, Spywareguard. It took over our entire computer, but though that was extremely aggravating, what we most hated was we had important pictures stored on it. and nowhere else, stuff like children's graduation, trips, and special events. Ugh!

Two days ago, my husband "ran into" a friend of ours, a computer guy, who out of the kindness of his heart, worked on our computer for several hours that night and then a bit (we don't know how long) throughout yesterday, Christmas Eve, and eventually returned it to us around 9:30 p.m. Christmas Eve night because he believed we needed it the next day in order to talk to our son who's on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (We use Skype). We felt very grateful for him, felt bad he'd spent his Christmas Eve working on it, and learned there was still work to be done on it, but it worked right now. At the time, while we wanted the laptop in order to test our system, making sure everything was okay so we could call our son (we didn't think we wouldn't be able to talk to him without it), our biggest concern was those pictures. So my husband stayed up most of the night copying all our pictures, just in case.

This morning, Christmas morning, the rest of us woke up to blizzard conditions and no power. We were supposed to call our son through Skype at 11 a.m., but as the hour grew closer and the power stayed off, we began looking for other options. Because he's on a foreign mission, using the cell phone would have been too expensive for much more than a "hi—good-bye" conversation—not something we wanted after not talking to him since Mother's Day. Also, our main line is a dsl, so it was affected by the power (our battery kept it going for a little while, but even so, when we eventually tried calling him on it, the "phone powers-that-be" wouldn't connect us.

To make a long story short, we considered many options to get power or internet, but eventually decided we would drive a block, park at the bottom of "the hill "(the drive was impassable), and hike in the blizzard with our laptop up to one of our neighbors who still had power to use their internet. By then, it was 11 a.m.

Well, we didn't even make it out of our driveway before our 4-wheel drive van high centered. My husband then got the dump truck (with a snow plow on front) and tried to pull it out, but it, too, got stuck. Finally, we hand dug the van out, somehow made it out of the driveway, then started up the street when about four houses later we ran into a downed and broken power line. Two houses later, we hit another one. Before we reached the end of the block, we decided to park our van at the nearest house (a ward member) and walk from there. But first, we stopped to tell that ward member what we were doing. There, we found out they had power and high speed internet and said we could use theirs. Yeah! Our entire family piled into their house and started pulling off our snow clothes when their power suddenly went out. By now, it was 11:30.

We then called the original neighbor who we'd planned to hike to, and learned their power was now down, too, so we started calling businesses that had wi-fi and found no one with power. Meanwhile, the "original neighbor" made a few phone calls of her own and learned what part of town had power. Fortunately, one of our friends, another computer guy, lived in that area. We called him, and at 12 p.m. we made it to his house, hooked our laptop to his computer system, and called our son. Fortunately, our son was still there and was still able to talk for a while. In fact, we got to visit with him for over 2 hours. It was my best Christmas present. But that was not the miracle. At least, we didn't know it was.

At about 5:30 p.m., our power finally came back on. We relaxed for a while, and then at about 9 p.m. my husband turned the laptop back on to play solitare or something, but it locked up. Nothing worked. The virus had returned. That was when we realized our prayers had been answered even more profoundly than we'd realized; the laptop had "lived" only long enough for us to retrieve our pictures and to talk to our son. It was a miracle.<< MORE >>

For the past three years, a good friend of mine—a violin teacher (and and her students)—and I (with my piano students) have presented a Christmas program of music and narration for a local nursing home. Since it is a generalized program that can incorporate different music titles each year, I thought I'd share it with you, my readers, in case you're searching for something similar.


CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

SONG:             JOY TO THE WORLD

NARRATION:    
Christmas is a sacred season. It’s a time when love increases, friendships deepen, and hearts join together to celebrate the birth of Christ. Tonight, several young music students will celebrate these feelings and their love of Christ through their music. The first numbers are traditional and folk carols; but just as all things that are filled with the Christmas spirit, their ultimate messages reflect unity, joy, and peace in Christ.

SONGS:          GOOD KING WENCESLAS
                       GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMAN
                       I SAW THREE SHIPS

NARRATION:
Favorite Christmas symbols also reflect the Savior, such as candy canes for shepherd’s crooks, candles for lights that can not be hid, and wreaths as the promise of Eternal Life. But what about the snow? Could it be that it represents all that is white, and good, and pure? Or, perhaps it is because, that while we know Christ was born in the spring, we continue to celebrate it in the winter because it represents the hope Christ brought to our dark and dying world.

SONGS:         IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER
                     JOLLY OLD ST. NICHOLAS 
                     SLEIGHRIDE 
                     O CHRISTMAS TREE

NARRATION:
“And (Mary) brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

SONG:         AWAY IN A MANGER

NARRATION:
This is what we think of when we picture Christ’s birth. But what were the first sounds the holy child heard? Was it the gentle lullaby of His mother? The calming low of cattle? Or was it the peaceful jingling of bells—bells worn by lambs?

SONGS:        CAROL OF THE BELLS
                     JINGLE BELLS
                     SILVER BELLS

 NARRATION:
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David as Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

SONGS:        OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
                     HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING
NARRATION:
Christmas is a sacred season. It’s a time when love increases, friendships deepen, and hearts join together to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is also a time to remember one of Christ’s greatest promises: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

SONGS:        SILENT NIGHT
                     WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

End

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For Young Women's in Excellence, we had a Personal Progress Pageant.
1.  The girls dressed up in prom dresses, either their own or some we borrowed—This gave us the opportunity to "enforce" and talk about modesty, too—and we made banners out of three inch, white ribbon with the name of their value written (sewn) on it. 
2. We set up an archway similar to those put together for wedding receptions, placed a red "rug" (I used three, brick red bath towels lined side by side to form a platform), and then outlined a runway with crepe paper.
3. One of the fathers was our MC. He called each girl out, one at a time, from the curtain behind the archway (the cultural hall room dividers), asked her to tell about what she'd been doing in Personal Progress this past year, and then asked her a random, "silly" question from a box which another advisor had prepared earlier. 
4. The girls stood on the platform, received a rose and a crown-shaped handout which referenced the D&C scripture about inheriting principalities, etc, answered their questions, then walked the runway.  During and after, another father took their pictures. The girls really liked this event—they planned it, actually—we had a good turn out, and it's my hope that they not only felt like Young Women in Excellence, but that their feelings about Personal Progress improved.

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When it comes to debt reduction and money (self) management, there are no secrets. In fact, the Lord has already revealed through His prophets sound guidelines on these matters. The only trouble is it’s up to us to follow them. << MORE >>

Here's another one of our more successful activities. The title basically says it all, but . . .
We invited the girls to bring their parents (at least one of them) and while the leaders interviewed the girls and parents about their Personal Progress, we had an informal volleyball game going on in the gymnasium for those who were "waiting" for their turns. It was a fun and effective way to strengthen family ties and encourage parents to work with their daughters on Personal Progress. << MORE >>

I am currently the Young Women's President in my ward, and since I'm always looking for good or new activity ideas, I thought it might be helpful for others in a similar situation if I post some of my more effective ideas here. Also, I always love comments, so even if you have "nothing" to say, but you do have an idea you'd like to share, please add it in a comment. Someone out there, besides me, will truly appreciate it.

STANDARD'S DAY
On a weekday morning, shortly after school dismissed for the year, my counselors and I took our young women to our local temple to do baptisms for the dead. After that, we assembled them in the temple waiting room and presented a short (about ten or fifteen minutes) narration/talk about the importance of the temple, the strength and blessings that come from making covenants there, and retold a few stories about how much the early pioneers sacrificed "just" for the temple. The temple meant everything to them and was worth all they could give and do and sacrifice to get there.

Next, we took them out for ice cream. Youth always like to go out for ice cream, so that was not only a plus in and of itself, but it also gave them another "good" memory related to temple attendance. Also, before we left the waiting room, I said, "When you're eating your ice cream, think, 'ummm, this is good, but the temple is better.'" Whether they did it or not, I don't know, but at least the words went through their minds.

After that, we retreated to my counselor's home where we changed clothes, played games, and prepared for a wiener roast (we were combining camp certification requirements at this time, too). After the wiener roast, we had a special speaker, a woman, come, gather us around the living room, and candidly discuss with them the importance of keeping our standards, especially modesty, and not letting ourselves lose sight of our greatest "marriage" goal: being sealed in the temple.

It was a long day, but turned out really well.<< MORE >>

One of my favorite movies is "You've Got Mail." In it, Meg Ryan's character "throws" her thoughts into the "void," hungering for an answer from someone (in her case, Tom Hanks' character), yet not really knowing how to voice the question. That's how I feel right now, like I want to throw my thoughts into the great void and see what comes back to me. So this is it:
Several months ago, I walked into our local Middle School where I work. The lunch bell had just rung and the halls were crowded with students heading to the cafeteria. Most times when this happens, my only thoughts are based on how to avoid head-on collisions with them as I make my way to the office. But that day was different. That day I saw an army of righteous youth. Some of them I recognized or had church related relationships with, but most I didn't know. And yet, I saw their "cleanness." Their "goodness." And the thoughts that coursed through me were, "Do they have any concept of how much righteous power they have and can influence on this world? Do they recognize their value?"
I don't know. I hope so. And I hope the desire to "save" this world fills "every fiber of their beings." (JK!) But I do hope it touches every breath, every pore, every blood cell.
But if it doesn't, how can we, as their parents and leaders help them to "see?"
That's my question, Dear Void.
Is anyone out there?<< MORE >>

My husband has developed this family favorite to perfection. So much so, that to us "spaghetti" without this sauce isn't spaghetti!

Hinrichsen's Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. hamburger
½ lb ground sausage (optional)
1 or 2 green onions, chopped
1 small can mushrooms
(5) 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
(1) 6 oz. can tomato paste
3-4 garlic cloves (pressed) or ¼ - ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1½ tsp. smoke sauce
¼ tsp. red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

1.   Brown hamburger, onion and pressed garlic.
2.   Pour into crock pot then add remaining ingredients. Mix well.
3.   Slow cook for 2 or 3 hours.

Note: all seasonings can be adjusted to taste.  In fact, the above measurements are only approximate because we make this sauce so frequently we simply "eyeball" the amounts. Good luck and happy eating!<< MORE >>

This quote went so well with the theme of my blog, "Your value is in your individuality," I decided to share it with you here, rather than on my "how-to-writeblog."

"Originality is not seen in single words or even sentences. Originality is the sum total of a man's thinking
or his writing.
  ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer
(1904-1991)
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Over the years, I’ve gradually come to know this crucial truth: each of us is better—kinder, more talented, more capable of good and noble actions—than we think we are.

My first memory of this developing understanding came when I was a young woman attending girls camp. I had decided I’d watch for the good in the other girls. I then reported to them during testimony meeting that I had found something good in each of them and they could ask me what I’d learned if they liked. After that meeting, a new Beehive asked me to tell her what was good about her. I answered her, and though I didn’t know how my words had affected her, I felt grateful—grateful I’d looked for the good in others and hopeful that I’d lifted her self-esteem.

I’ve had other similar experiences, such as the time I gave a Christmas gift to a girl who not only thought she’d been forgotten, but was perhaps the least accepted, most friendless young woman in the school. I wish I could describe to you how she beamed when I gave her that gift. I hoped—still hope—it made her feel some measure of worth.  

And yet, though I hope those things, and though I know, really know, that each of us is of more eternal worth that we believe we are, I’m still subject to thoughts of inadequacy, self-debasing depression, and hopelessness.

Why is that? I believe the answer can be summed up with these three words: Satan the Deceiver. In an article titled “Overcoming Feelings of Inadequacy,” from the August 2007 Ensign, David S. Baxter, said:

The Savior invites improvement to encourage us in reaching our potential (emphasis added). The adversary deploys derision to discourage us with feelings of worthlessness. Satan “seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27). He uses the circumstances of life to drag us down so that we think less of ourselves than we should. He would have us look at how far we have yet to travel and the challenges en route, in the desire that we might give up in a state of discouragement and hopelessness.

            Please do not misunderstand me. I fully realize there are biological, emotional, and psychological reasons people become depressed and require medical attention; however, for the majority of us, I believe the fallen Son of the Morning is the main perpetrator. In fact, I recently attended a young women’s camp where we had a special speaker, a Seminary teacher, who taught us about Satan’s tempting devices. One of his statements, which I’ll paraphrase here, made a lasting impression on me. “Think about it. Satan resentfully attacks us through our bodies. He does this because he is forever banned from having such a precious gift.”

Isn’t that exactly what Satan’s doing when he whispers demeaning nothings in our ears? Words that lead us to believe ill of ourselves or slip into depression and/or laziness? I believe it is, but I also believe we do not have to be deceived. We can recognize and overpower Satan’s treachery. Consider Moroni’s counsel: “Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil . . . I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do (and believe) good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do (and believe) evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil (parenthesis added)” (Moroni 7:12-17).

            With that introduction, let’s look at a few of Satan’s lies and their corresponding, eternal truths. That way, we can judge for ourselves.

First, lets look at a few attacks against the body:

Satan’s Lie: You can’t because . . .

                      A. You’re incapable.

Christ’s Truth:
Matthew 19:26  “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

President Harold B. Lee: “Whom the Lord calls He qualifies.”

                     B.  You’re too weak.

Christ’s Truth:

1 Cor 1:27  “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty . . ."

D&C 1:19  “The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh . . . ”

Ether 12:27  “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

 

                     C.  You’re too out of shape.

Christ’s Truth:

D&C 89:3  The Word of Wisdom was “Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.”
1 Cor 9:25, 27  “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. . . But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Satan’s Lie: You have no worth to anyone.

Christ's Truth:

D&C 18:10  “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. . .”

PS 8:5  “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour”.

PS 82:6  “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”

My Thought: An old adage of home organization is “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Since God’s house is a house of order, doesn’t that imply there’s “A place for everyone and everyone is in his or her place?”

Satan’s Lie: Women have less value than men.

Christ's Truth:  President Howard W. Hunter, the 14th President of the Church, counseled: “A man who holds the priesthood accepts his wife as a partner in the leadership of the home and family with full knowledge of and full participation in all decisions relating thereto. … By divine appointment, the responsibility to preside in the home rests upon the priest-hood holder (see Moses 4:22). The Lord intended that the wife be a helpmeet for man (meet means equal)—that is, a companion equal and necessary in full partnership. Presiding in righteousness necessitates a shared responsibility between husband and wife; together you act with knowledge and participation in all family matters. For a man to operate independently of or without regard to the feelings and counsel of his wife in governing the family is to exercise unrighteous dominion” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 68; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 50–51).

My Thoughts: I recently attended a class titled “Enmity and the Mission of Mother Eve” by Cherie Burton at BYU-Idaho’s Education Week. There, she defined “helpmeet” from its Hebrew root word “ezer conegno” to mean in paraphrase, “one who has the power to give help—often someone in a superior position.” She further explained, as far as I understood it, that man and woman were equal in strength and “saving” power; they, together, through their differing roles and unique abilities, had the power to complete God’s purpose of bringing to pass the immortality of man. Some other notes I found both interesting and empowering: Adam’s abilities, as man, had obedience, a sense of divine duty, and a willingness (oath bound) to serve God. Eve, as woman, had wisdom, intuition into the mind and will of God, and the ability to see the “whole picture.”

Satan’s Lie: You’re unworthy, too imperfect, and unable to ever be good enough or “perfect.”

Christ’s Truth: Isaiah 1:18  “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

My thought: This is an obvious example of truth shrouded by evil. YES, we are unworthy, imperfect, and unable to reach perfection ALONE. We cannot cleanse ourselves of sin. We cannot do everything. Nor can we run faster than we are able. Each of these can only be tempered and accomplished through Christ and His Atonement. He’s our Savior. Remember that. He’s blessed us with the supreme gift of repentance. I hope we accept and use it. Remember, too, that Christ didn’t even refer to himself as perfect until after He’d completed His work on earth, been resurrected, and returned to The Father. All things were done in order for Christ just as they will be for us if we are obedient and rely on Him.

        I realize these are not all of Satan’s lies nor are they all of Christ’s truths related to those lies. It may also be that other scriptures will more powerfully help you combat Satan, but what I truly hope you’ll take away from this article is you can ignore Satan’s buffetings. Heavenly Father has blessed us with that ability. And even if we don’t yet know what Christ’s truth is connected with the lie Satan is currently hitting us with, we can and must do what Christ did when Satan tempted Him. He said, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” And obey. And believe.

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With the summer olympics taking place in Beiging right now, I thought I'd share a few more China pictures with you. These pictures were taken in Beiging in the spring of 2007. Some depict the new, glitzy part of China, and others show a bit of how most of China really is. One thing that was amazing to me when I visited Beiging and Shanghaii was how closely the glitz and the—well, you decide what to call it—stand together. You can literally take one step away from the glamour and be in the . . . And these pictures are only a taste.<< MORE >>

            I have a question. In the October, 1976, issue of the Ensign, President Marion G. Romneysaid, “Reverence is the soul of true religion. Its seedbed is sincerity. Its quality is determined by the esteem in which one holds the object of his reverence as evidenced by his behavior toward that object. When that object is God, the genuinely reverent person has a worshipful adoration coupled with a respectful behavior toward Him and all that pertains to Him. . . Judged by their superior knowledge of God, Latter-day Saints should be the most reverent people in the world (italics added) . . .” If his last statement is true, then why is it that more often than not, when I first enter an LDS chapel in preparation for Sacrament meeting, what I see—and hear—reminds me more of a subdued ward party than a worshipful service?

Some may respond by saying reverence is a private feeling or something we can feel no matter what events are taking place around us. Besides, members of Christ’s church are friendly, aren’t they? They work together, too, and they try to accomplish much in a short time.

While I believe such characteristics are good and represent our love for each other and our dedication to God’s service, and while I also believe we can feel our love for Him even as we are chatting or “catching that person we just have to talk to before we leave the room,” I can’t help wondering. . .

Last summer, I toured a Buddhist temple in Shanghai, China. Due to my background, I assumed the building would be a no-longer-used, cultural landmark, similar to a historical site in the United States; but I was wrong. It was a “working” temple, where believers worshipped, monks studied, and tourists, like me, paid to enter, then paid again to enter the “holiest” room, walking throughout the building, examining and visiting at our leisure. However, I also noticed that even though all was in commotion around them, the few worshippers in attendance appeared riveted to their rites. How could this be, I wondered?

I had these same feelings a year earlier when I entered the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Italy. That revered room, one of Catholicism’s most holy places on earth, housed wondrous, awe-inspiring paintings by history’s esteemed artists. Yet I, along with many other paying tourists, found myself bustling among committed, reverent worshippers. Their tear-filled eyes were focused upward, and their mouths were silent. I did not doubt their devotion. But, while I marveled at them, as I later did the Buddhist worshippers, my wonderings eventually turned more thought provoking: Since reverence was so obviously an inward feeling, when it came right down to it, was there really that much of a difference between those places of worship and our own Sacrament Meetings? 
            Another thought. The same year I toured Vatican City, I also visited several Austrian cathedrals. These, too, were open to the public, but I remember one edifice in particular which exhibited a major difference from its counterparts: there was a glass-walled entryway where tourists or other non-worshippers could watch the ceremonies without disturbing the sanctity of the meeting. I appreciated that. And even though I didn’t stay long—I felt uncomfortable gaping at the local Austrians like they were performers—it reminded me of the truths taught in our simple Primary song, “The Chapel Doors.
                              

The chapel doors seem to say to me, “Sh, be still.”

For this is a reverent place to be, “Sh, be still.”

We gather here on the Sabbath day,

To learn of Jesus, to sing and pray. 
            So when we come through the chapel doors, “Sh, be still.”

Similarly, Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone in the September, 1976 Friend, described reverence in this way:

“Reverence during meetings is a very important part of the responsibility we have as members of His true church. We are all impressed with the reverence shown by children in Primary who enter the chapel quietly with arms folded. Their reverence is an example that all members of the Church should appreciate and remember when attending any meetings in the chapel.

“However, reverence is not shown only in the chapel. Boys and girls who have learned how to be reverent do not run up and down the halls or yell and talk loudly inside the church. Reverent people also do not offend or hurt people’s feelings or make fun of others’ clothing or appearance. They try to be kind to everyone they meet.

“At Sunday School and sacrament meeting we have an opportunity to show our Savior how much we love Him by being reverent. It is not reverent to walk in and out of a sacrament meeting while it is in progress. We should get a drink of water and go to the rest room before the meeting begins. It is very disturbing to a speaker when someone leaves. The attention of other members in the congregation is also distracted.

“Those who speak and provide music have prayed and often fasted for help with their assignment. The reverent person listens carefully and receives the message from the speaker.

“Determine to be reverent in sacrament meeting by never speaking out loud. Speak in a whisper and then only when it is absolutely necessary. Sing the hymns with your parents. Children have beautiful voices and it adds much to the meeting when they sing. It is appropriate to take the sacrament with your right hand. And during the administration and passing of the sacrament, we should try to think of the Savior.
“Boys and girls who have smaller brothers and sisters should not tease them. They should not keep asking their mothers or fathers to let them take these little ones out. Your brothers and sisters and often older people can learn how to be reverent by watching your behavior.”

    I welcome Elder Featherstone’s depiction of reverence. It’s not only simple, but it also teaches us exactly how we should behave without ignoring the fact that reverence is a feeling. However, what I appreciate most about it is it gives me hope that we Latter-day Saints can follow the Austrians’ example and leave our outside cares in the entry way before we walk through those sacred doors. That way, we, too, can see and hear and feel reverence; we can more fully worship the True and Living God.

Another Helpful Article:

“How We Improved Reverence”

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Bavaria and Alps pictures<< MORE >>

I recently attended a bridal shower. The bride bubbled with radiance, beauty, and optimism. Her mother looked on with gratitude and hope. Her friends hugged and congratulated her. It was a moment not to be forgotten. But as I watched her, I couldn’t help but think back on my own bridal shower—how I’d felt and what I’d imagined for my future life with my husband—and at the same time, I also saw bits of my twenty-two years of marriage—the trials, the heart ache, the times of true joy—and thought, “Knowing all this, can’t I offer a wedding gift that represents more than this moment? Something that can help them reach their ultimate goal of oneness with each other and with God?” Yes. Which is why I have created this “Top Ten” list of practical, yet meaningful, wedding gifts: << MORE >>

As I've said before, my husband and I went to China last summer. While there, our eyes, noses, and taste buds were awakened to many new senses. Sometimes we liked what we saw, smelled, or tasted, and sometimes we didn't, but there was one dish my husband tried (I wasn't there at the time) at one of his favorite restaurants in Shanghai which he loved so much that when he got home, he searched the internet until he found a recipe that seemed to contain all the flavors he remembered. Then, he went directly to the store, bought the ingredients, and soon after cooked it up. His first try wasn't quite right, he said, so he experimented with the cooking time and the amount of garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper until he finally found his—now our—favorite combination. My family LOVES this dish. Including the kids. We've even had a few family, late night snacks of just this broccoli, so I thought I'd share it with you. I've copied this recipe directly from sneakykitchen.com. I hope you enjoy it. Actually, I bet you will!
Broccoli with Garlic
1 1bunch of broccoli, OR 1 lb. frozen chopped broccoli (we only use fresh broccoli)
6 garlic cloves
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional—we use it!)

1.  Wash broccoli and cut into small florets.  (We do not use the stems.) 

2. Steam in a microwave steamer or over boiling water until barely tender and still bright green (about 3-1/2 to 5 minutes in a microwave, depending on the volume of broccoli and water). Don't overcook: with all cruciferae, this is a very important guideline!

3.  Place olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Chop or mince the garlic. When the oil is hot, add the salt then the garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, just until the garlic starts to soften. Quickly add the water, and the cayenne pepper if desired. Turn heat low and simmer for a couple of minutes. Place the broccoli in a large glass or crockery serving bowl. Pour the garlic mixture over it, mixing gently to coat. << MORE >>

In the April 2008 issue of the Ensign, our newly sustained prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, provided three guides to eternal happiness. Speaking of the first guide—"Learn from the Past"—he said it was our privilege and responsibility to build on the "firm and stable" examples of, as well as the faithful lessons learned by, our stalwart forebears. As I read that story, I pondered on the faith and sacrifices of my own forebears, a few of whose stories I have had published in the Friend, and I wondered, what more can I do to remember my past? Or, more importantly, what more can I do to help my children remember and learn from their heritage? Three ideas came to mind: << MORE >>

Consider these two events:
1)-A child and her sister were noisily sitting in Sacrament meeting at the far end of a long row, and their parents were near the middle row, a few siblings away.

Soon, an elderly gentleman calmly moved from his bench, which was several seats ahead and across the aisle from the two girls, and sat next to them. Then, with very few words, he removed a piece of paper and a pencil from his suit pocket and showed them how to play a silent game on the paper. The girls remained quiet for the rest of the meeting and forever after thought of that man as their friend.

2)-In the days when Sunday School was the only meeting held on Sunday morning, a twelve-year-old girl walked into Sunday School opening exercises and made her way to the front of the chapel to sit with her class. There was little room next to the other students, but since the meeting was about to start and another girl had her leg turned up onto the bench, the first girl sat down on the edge of the bench, thinking the other girl would move her leg. But the second girl didn't, even after the first girl asked her to. The first girl sat through the entire opening exercises squished on the edge of the bench.

Later, when the students went to their classroom, the Sunday School teacher (He'd been sitting on the also-crowded bench directly behind where the two girls had sat.) immediately ripped into the first girl for rudely trying to force her way onto the obviously full bench. And his yelling continued until the girl, between sobs, was allowed to explain about the second girl's leg. The teacher said nothing, or at least nothing comforting, after that, and when Sunday School was over, the girl went home and spent the rest of the day in her bedroom, crying. Needless to say, she never trusted that teacher again.

Both these events happened to me, and while I hadn't realized it at the time, now that I'm an adult, I see these incidents are similar because both represent times when an adult "disciplined" another person's child.

The word "discipline," according to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, is defined as "training (teaching) that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character." This training, according to some, can be accomplished through punishments or enforced rules. However, I believe one of the most important criteria of effective discipline is the love found within the heart of the trainer. In the LDS manual, "Teaching, No Greater Call," it states:

"The Lord taught that those who have desires to assist in His work must "be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity (D&C 12:8). Only those who are motivated by love will have a positive, powerful influence on those they teach. Pray to be filled with Christ-like love toward every person you teach, especially those who sometimes behave inappropriately (italics added)."

So what does this mean? Or rather, how can we apply this counsel to those times when we believe we should discipline someone else's child? A few possible techniques for situations in and outside your home are listed here and here, but unfortunately, in none of these examples was love or kindness shown. Self-controlled, level-headed responses, yes, but not kindness. And yet, I can't help thinking that if we really wanted to correct—train—a child's behavior, not just put a temporary band-aid on it, we would do better to follow the example of the scriptural man who saw a need and helped with love: the Good Samaritan.

In Christ's parable, the Samaritan didn't chastise or berate the wounded man for his unwise actions—hadn't he known it wasn't safe to travel that road alone? Instead, he cleansed his wounds. Similarly, he didn't leave the man on the side of the road, wallowing in his misery; he lifted then carried the man to the arms of another caretaker. Isn't this how we should respond to children who misbehave? Shouldn't we show caring, guidance, and kindness as the man in my first story did?

A couple of years ago, I was on a long-term, substitute teaching assignment at our local middle school. One lunchtime, as I walked down the hall, I saw a crowd of students ahead of me. In the middle of them, two young men were fist-fighting. My first response was to scan the hall, looking for another adult, but the closer I moved to the fight, the more I realized I was the only adult around. I had to do something.

Fortunately, I knew one of the students and believed I had an "okay" rapport with him, so he was the one I approached.

First (this all happened within a few seconds), I calmly but firmly told him to stop fighting. That didn't work, so I took hold of his upper shoulder and pushed myself between the two boys, trying to separate them while continually telling them (without yelling) to stop. Finally, they moved apart enough that I could begin pulling the first boy down the hall and toward the office. While they continued to yell at each other (another teacher had arrived and taken control of the other boy), they didn't fight us, and we were eventually able to turn them over to the principal and police officer.

True, part of the reason I wasn't hurt in this altercation may be because the boys were fighting over one's treatment of a girl, however, I fully believe if I hadn't really cared about that young man, or if I had yelled, been harsh, or spoken disrespectfully to those boys, the fight would not have ended; it would have escalated. (Note: In telling this story, I'm not, in any way, advocating that we put ourselves in danger. Rather, we must first assess the situation with wisdom and then try to act with love.)

A final story:

"A young mother on an overnight flight with a two-year-old daughter was stranded by bad weather in (the) Chicago airport without food or clean clothing for the child and without money. She was two months pregnant and threatened with miscarriage, so she was under doctor's instructions not to carry the child unless it was essential. Hour after hour she stood in one line after another, trying to get a flight to Michigan. The terminal was noisy, full of tired, frustrated, grumpy passengers, and she heard critical references to her crying child and to her sliding her child along the floor with her foot as the line moved forward. No one offered to help with the soaked, hungry, exhausted child. Then, the woman later reported, 'Someone came towards us and with a kindly smile said, "Is there something I could do to help you?" With a grateful sigh I accepted his offer. He lifted my sobbing little daughter from the cold floor and lovingly held her to him while he patted her gently on the back. He asked if she could chew a piece of gum. When she was settled down, he carried her with him and said something kindly to the others in the line ahead of me, about how I needed their help. They seemed to agree and then he went up to the ticket counter (at the front of the line) and made arrangements with the clerk for me to be put on a flight leaving shortly. He walked with us to a bench, where we chatted a moment, until he was assured that I would be fine. He went on his way. About a week later I saw a picture of Apostle Spencer W. Kimball and recognized him as the stranger in the airport'" (Edward L. Kimball and Andrew E. Kimball, Jr., Spencer W. Kimball (1977), 334).

I've often heard this story repeated as an example of President Kimball's act of service to the mother in the story. But what about the child? Wasn't she crying? Weren't her wails adding to the frustration of those around her? Hadn't her mother probably asked her to "hush," but she, perhaps confused and uncaring, disobediently continued to howl? Yes. And President Kimball comforted, guided, and disciplined her responses. With love.<< MORE >>

(A Reader's Theater for Children)

Note: See Genesis 25-47

Characters
1st Narrator
2nd Narrator
Jacob
Esau
Joseph
Brother
Judah


1st Narrator:         Joseph's father, Jacob, taught his family to live in peace. He taught them through his example.

2nd Narrator:        When Joseph was a young boy, God told Jacob to move his family and animals to the promised 
                              land.

1st Narrator:         The promised land was in Canaan.

2nd Narrator:        On the way, they approached the place where Esau lived. Esau was Jacob's twin brother.

1st Narrator:         Jacob had left home twenty years earlier, because Esau had hated Jacob and wanted
                              to destroy him.

2nd Narrator:        Jacob knew he must find a way to live in peace with Esau, so he sent messengers to him.

Jacob:                    Go to Esau and say: I am coming with animals and servants, and I have sent to tell my Lord
                              that I may find grace in thy sight.

1st Narrator:         When the messengers returned, they told Jacob that Esau was coming with an army.

2nd Narrator:        Jacob was frightened. He prayed to Heavenly Father to help him and his family.

1st Narrator:         Then Jacob divided over 550 of his animals into several groups. He put his servants in charge of 
                              them.

Jacob:                    Take these animals ahead of me to meet Esau, and put a space between each group. Then, 
                              when Esau asks you who you are, where you are going, and whose animals these are, tell him 
                              they are a gift to him from me.  

2nd Narrator:        The servants presented the animals to Esau one group at a time.

1st Narrator:         But Esau and his army continued on toward Jacob.

2nd Narrator:        When Jacob saw him coming, he still wanted peace with his brother, so he respectfully bowed 
                              down to him.
 
1st Narrator:         Esau ran to Jacob. He hugged and kissed him.

2nd Narrator:        Jacob and Esau wept. They had missed each other. They had forgiven one another.

Esau:                    Who are these women and children?

Jacob:                   They are my family.

1st Narrator:         Jacob's family came forward. They respectfully bowed down to Esau, too.

Esau:                    Why did you give me all those animals? I have enough, my brother. Keep your animals unto
                             yourself.

Jacob:                   No, please, if I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my gift at my hand.

2nd Narrator:        Esau accepted Jacob's gifts. This was a sign that they were friends again. Now they would live in
                             peace.

1st Narrator:         Joseph saw how hard his father had worked to live in peace with his brother. And when Joseph
                             grew up, he followed his father's example. But it was very hard.

2nd Narrator:        Joseph was seventeen years old when his ten older brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt.

1st Narrator:         Joseph suffered many things because of his brothers' actions, but he remained faithful to the 
                              Lord.  

2nd Narrator:        The Lord blessed Joseph to become a ruler over the people.

1st Narrator:         One day, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy food because there was a terrible famine in 
                              the land.

2nd Narrator:        Joseph was in charge of selling food to the people.

1st Narrator:         Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Joseph:                 Where have you come from?

Brother:                From the land of Canaan. We're here to buy food.

Joseph:                 You are spies!

Brother:                No. We are twelve brothers. The youngest is with our father, and one is gone.

Joseph:                 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of 
                             your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me.

2nd Narrator:       The brothers were frightened. They spoke among themselves.

Brother:                We are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he pled with 
                             us, and we wouldn't listen. It's our fault this has happened.

2nd Narrator:        Joseph knew his brothers were talking about him. He turned away from them so they wouldn't 
                             see him weep.

1st Narrator:         Joseph's brother, Simeon, stayed behind. The other nine brothers returned home.

2nd Narrator:        When Jacob found out what had happened, he was sad and worried. He still believed Joseph 
                              was dead, and now he had lost another son, Simeon. He did not want to lose any more sons. 
                              He would not let Joseph's youngest brother, Benjamin, go to Egypt.

1st Narrator:         But after many days, Jacob's family again ran out of food.

Jacob:                   Go again, buy us a little food.

Judah:                  We can not go without Benjamin. I promise I will take care of him. If I bring him not back unto 
                             thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever. 

Jacob:                   If it must be so, then also take these gifts to the Egyptian ruler. And God give you mercy before
                             the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin.

2nd Narrator:       When the brothers returned to Egypt, Joseph invited them to a feast.

1st Narrator:        The brothers gave Joseph the gifts.

Joseph:                 Are you well? Is your father well?

Brother:                Thy servant our father is in good health.

Joseph:                 Is this your younger brother?

Brother:                Yes.

2nd Narrator:        Joseph was happy to see Benjamin again. He loved him very much.

1st Narrator:         But Joseph still did not know if his brothers had changed. Had they learned to love and be kind 
                              to his younger brother? Had they repented of what they'd done to him? Could they live with
                              him, in peace, again?

2nd Narrator:        Joseph tested his brothers a second time. He saw they did love his younger brother. He 
                              knew they had repented, so he told them who he was.

Joseph:                 I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Do not be angry with yourselves anymore. 
                             God has brought me here that I might preserve your lives.

1st Narrator:         Joseph and his brothers hugged and kissed each other. Then Joseph asked them to bring his
                             father to Egypt, too.

2nd Narrator:        Finally, Jacob, Joseph, and their entire family were together again.

1st Narrator:         They had suffered many wrongs, but they had forgiven each other. Now they could live together 
                              happily.

Both Narrators:      They had built peace.


                                                                                      The End

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   As a mother, I have struggled to find a simple, effective method to help my children understand and gain personal testimonies. I have found one such method.

   Several years ago, Utah’s 19—Mother of the Year, Joan Erickson, received a direct, personal revelation which helped her teach her own children about testimonies. She had recently given a Relief Society Spiritual Living lesson on testimonies and decided to share that lesson with her family in Family Home Evening. At one point in the evening, she quoted President Heber C. Kimball: “To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves . . . the time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand?”

   As the quote ended, her young son’s face clouded with worry. “Mama, do you think I have a testimony?”

   Sister Erickson knew that her son was a spiritually sensitive young man who said his prayers, attended church, and tried to do the things that would please our Heavenly Father; so instinctively she wanted to respond, “Of course you do,” but she felt restrained. She looked steadily at her son, silently praying to know what to say.

   Suddenly, the light of knowledge filled her mind. She picked up a piece of paper and a pencil and drew a circle. She then divided the circle in half and asked, “Son, do you believe that Heavenly Father is the father of our spirits, that he loves each of us very much, and that he hears and answers our prayers?”

   Her son answered, “Yes,” and Sister Erickson wrote the words “Heavenly Father” in the top half of the circle.

   Next, she said, “Kevin, do you believe Jesus Christ lives and that he died for us that we might live with him again?”

   Again her son answered, “Yes.”

   Sister Erickson wrote “Jesus Christ” in the bottom half of the circle and then formed a ball with her hands. “You see,” she continued, “this is the core of a testimony. No matter what else you believe, if the core is not there to sustain it, it will fail.”

   After this explanation she asked, “Do you believe in the Holy Ghost and know that He will protect, prompt, and comfort us?”

   He nodded, and his mother drew a line straight up from the top of the circle. She then asked several other, gospel-related questions, including:

   “Do you believe Joseph Smith was a true prophet?”

   “Do you believe the Book of Mormon is true?”

   “Do you believe the present day prophet is called of God?”

   To each, he answered, “Yes,” and she added another ray to the circle’s perimeter.

   When she finished, she referred to her drawing and asked, “What have I drawn?”

   “A sun,” he answered.

   “It looks like a sun,” she replied, “but what I’ve really drawn is a picture of your testimony. And yes, your testimony is like a sun. Just as the sun gives life, light, healing, and warmth to your soul. As you continue to grow in the gospel, the rays will become thicker and brighter.” She put down her pencil. “Now, do you have a testimony?”

   Her son’s eyes opened wide, and with obvious relief, he said, “I do!”

   Sister Erickson now witnesses that Heavenly Father knew her son needed to know for himself that he had a testimony. I am very grateful she has shared this experience, but I am even more grateful to Heavenly Father for revealing it to her. Now I know I can not only measure the strength of my own testimony, but I can also teach my children; I will simply start with the Son’s core and work outward.

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With President Hinckley's death, I can't help thinking about all those who've paved the path of righteousness ahead of me, serving as my righteous examples, loving me as only they could. And with those thoughts have come memories of a poem I completed several years ago in response to a neighbor's grief after the untimely death of her daughter. It brought my neighbor comfort. Perhaps it will comfort others, too.

                                                     As I Reflect
                                           By Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

As I reflect my mother's hands,
Nails cut short,
Callouses made soft by her caress,
I see sacrifice
Grow
Like a candle quickened on a hill.

As I reflect my father's hands,
Palms worn rough,
Fingers clenched tight in healing prayer,
I see Life's Staff
Stand
Tall in the winds of the harvest rain.

As I reflect my home, my hands,
Fingers washed white,
Palms pressed close against my heart,
I smile as winter
Melts
Spring into the Western Sunrise.<< MORE >>

President David O. McKay, and later, other general authorities, including President Hinckley, have reiterated this important truth: the gospel of Jesus Christ can “make bad men good and good men better.” Similarly, in her October 2007 conference address, titled “Mothers Who Know,” Sister Julie B. Beck challenged the women of the church to stand firmer, to step higher, to even “raise the bar,” so to speak, as they work to strengthen their families and homes. Convictions such as these are partially why, I believe, we optimistically try, time after time, even in the face of failure, to improve. But that doesn’t suggest we must over-extend our abilities. High jumpers, after all, don’t raise their bars to record breaking heights in one giant leap; they consistently work and persistently reach upward until the goal is obtained. That’s how we should approach our pursuits of excellence, too—with tiny, upward steps. << MORE >>

One Day
I'll tell you
how much
your kindness
meant
to me.

Life
hurt,
hardened,
hindered
until I saw
you.

White.
Washed
for me.

You didn't even
know me—
My Name—
but you
Knew
His.

And that
made all
the difference.<< MORE >>

            (A sacred, musical Christmas program for FHE, Ward Choir programs, or other inspirational services.)

Author’s Note: This program includes a list of hymns which may be sung by choirs, congregations, or family members throughout the course of the performance; however, these hymns are suggestions only and may be substituted by hymn arrangements or other appropriate music.

Performance Time: Approximately 40 minutes.

Speakers Needed: 
Narrator 1
Narrator 2

Suggested Hymns:

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Hymns #208)—sung twice

The Lord is My Light (Hymns #89)

Once in Royal David’s City (Hymns #205)

While Shepherd’s Watched their Flocks (Hymns #211)

Who Is the Child? (CSB, pg. 46)

With Wondering Awe (Hymns #210)

Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus (CSB, pg. 36)

I Believe in Christ (Hymns #134)

NARRATOR 1:           Since the beginning of time, prophets have testified that Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, would come to the earth. Moses said the Only Begotten Son would come in the meridian of time (Moses 5:57-59).

NARRATOR 2:           Isaiah declared: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14).” And Micah prophesied that the promised Messiah would be born in the little town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

SONG:                        O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM (Hymns #208)

NARRATOR 1:           Mary, Jesus’ mother, also testified of Christ’s coming birth. Soon after the angel Gabriel told her she would conceive and bear the Son of God, she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth. There, she rejoiced, saying: “My soul doth magnify the Lord,

“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

“For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

“For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

“And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

“He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

“He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.     

“He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

                                    “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

“As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever (Luke 1:46-55).”

SONG:                        THE LORD IS MY LIGHT (Hymns #89)

NARRATOR 2:           Several months later, God fulfilled His promise to the world by sending the Messiah. The apostle, Luke records:

“And it came to pass, in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed...

                                    “And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

 “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem...

                                    “To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

“And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

“And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:1, 3-7).

SONG:                        ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY (Hymns #205)

NARRATOR 1:           “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

NARRATOR 2:           “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:8-11).”

SONG:                        WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS (Hymns #211)

NARRATOR 1:           Some who saw the Holy Child may have asked: “Is this the One? Is this truly the Creator of the World?” But others knew the truth.

NARRATOR 2:           “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

“And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

“And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child (Luke 2:15-17).”

NARRATOR 1:           Because these humble men obeyed the Lord, they were privileged to not only see the Christ, but to also testify of his divinity. They knew that Jesus truly was the One.

SONG:                        WHO IS THE CHILD? (CSB, pg. 46)

NARRATOR 1:           The heavens also declared Christ’s divinity. In Matthew, chapter 2, it states:

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

                                   “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are 

                                   come to worship him . . . 

                                   “and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where
 
                                   the young child was (Matthew 2:1-2, 9).”

SONG:                        WITH WONDERING AWE (Hymns #210)

NARRATOR 2:          Those who lived on the American continent saw the star, too, but shortly before it appeared in the sky, Jesus Christ, Himself, testified that He, the Son of God, would soon be born on the earth. In the Book of Mormon we read:

“And it came to pass that... the prophesies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people.

“But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite . . .

NARRATOR 1:          “Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except     the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.

NARRATOR 2:          “Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.

                                   “And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily
                                   to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their
                                   faith in the tradition of their fathers.

                                   “And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the 
                                   Lord came unto him, saying:

NARRATOR 1:           “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

“Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfill all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given (III Nephi 1:4-5, 9-14).”

SONG:                        SAMUEL TELLS OF THE BABY JESUS (CSB, pg. 36)

NARRATOR 2:           Christ’s personal testimony, followed by the promised signs, not only saved His people, but also 
                                    brought peace and truth to all. This is what Christ always does for us. He teaches us. He
                                    strengthens us. He comforts us in our times of need. But most of all, He redeems us.

NARRATOR 1:           That is why we believe in Christ.

SONG:                        I BELIEVE IN CHRIST (Hymns #134)

SONG:                        O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM (Hymns #208)

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* Paul Aurandt, "The Old Man and the Gulls", Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story, 1977, quoted in Heaven Bound Living, Knofel Stanton, Standard, 1989, p. 79-80.
http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/t/thanksgiving.htm<< MORE >>

        

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Pictures from Beijing, China PLUS a challenge. How would you describe them?<< MORE >>

As a writer, I people watch. Here are some of the "people" truths I learned on my last trip to Europe.<< MORE >>

My family loves to travel. These are pictures we took while at Lake Bled, Slovenia in October, 2006.<< MORE >>

We are more intriguing than we think we are.<< MORE >>

Announcing my new blog: "The Write Blocks."<< MORE >>

Christmas, in its pure, undefiled state, represents all that is good. It is happy children with wide-eyed wonder, cherished memories of sacrifice and love, and an ongoing reminder that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, DID come into the world. That is why I love Christmas. And that is why I once dreamed of being the Christmas Lady.

The Christmas Lady, in my long-ago, newly-wed mind, was the woman with the Christmas-lit house on the hill—the house everyone could see from a distance, and the one passersby naturally flocked to. She was the woman who made Christmas cookies, decadent fudge, and yes, fruitcake—the good kind—and delivered it to all the neighbors. She was the lady who wrote the Christmas stories no one could resist and sang the songs everyone loved.

But children, jobs, and years of LIFE later, the Christmas Lady is still reaching for the dream. She does live in a house on the hill that everyone can see, but she owns only one outdoor Christmas ornament: a large star of David which blinks above the garage nearly thirty feet from the ground.

She does make Christmas treats—the fast kind, including decadent fudge and chocolate chip cookies with festive mint chips or M&M's—but only a few of them make it to the neighbors; the Christmas Gentleman and Kids get them first.

She does write irresistable Christmas stories (see "My Christmas Articles"), and she does sing Christmas songs.

So, what's left? THE BIG STUFF. The lights that put Tim Allen's house to shame. The treats, like home-made doughnuts and German delicacies that no one seems to have time to learn how to make anymore. And the best-selling Christmas novel (stay tuned for more informationon on that one).

But you know what? The BIG STUFF are only the spices to the home-kneaded goodness that is Life. And it is that spice, this Christmas Lady dream of mine, that makes my place on the web another reason I love Christmas.

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