Sunday Thoughts

While sitting in the movie theater watching "Admission" with Lori and Whitney yesterday (it wasn't really a kid show) I leaned over to Whitney and said, "Usually something bad has to happen before something good can". I was explaining a basic theme in story telling, but really for life as well.

Fast forward to today's Sacrament Meeting where one of our much-beloved youth was speaking because he is about to leave for a mission to Atlanta, GA. He told a amazing story of a kayaking trip the 16-18 year old Young Men took a couple years in Oregon. The river was dangerously high and fast, and they all had some near-death experiences. After one particularly terrifying experience he found himself on the shore scared out of his mind and asking God where He'd gone?! He was angry about his near-death experience and scared that more were to come since they still had 70 miles of river to traverse before finishing the trip. He told us how this experience had humbled him greatly and made him rethink his relationship with the Lord.

But here he is two years later giving a farewell talk weeping and saying that Jesus Christ is one of his best friends and that he is grateful he had that awful experience. It was powerful and thought provoking. It has got me thinking about life-altering experiences that have changed me, and what part I play in the lives of others. Needless to say I'm a weepy mess.

Sunday Thoughts

It's time to face facts, I have become a cryer...especially on Sundays! How can church be so uplifting yet so emotionally draining (in a fill you up sort of way) at the same time? I guess it just is.

We had a recently returned missionary from Chile speak to us and his enthusiasm was positively contagious. These are my notes from his talk.

• It is wonderful to go and serve a mission for the Lord.
• You learn charity out on a mission, otherwise you'd turn into a red ball of steam. (From people slamming doors in your face and calling you names.)
• The Lord fortifies you, He puts you in a pair of bigger shoes.
• I learned a lot about pride, I went in confident but learned quickly that I didn't know anything.
• I learned there are many ways to teach something.
• I cried over that relationship quite a bit. (About his 1st companion's lack of obedience.)
• I started to learn to give myself to the Lord, I learned to give more.
• All your preparation ahead of time helps!
• You get lost in the work and find out what really makes you happy.
• Take away all the stuff you think makes you happy, then through the gospel you find real happiness.
• Happiness is not given, it is earned.
• The less I had the more happiness I found.
• I was happy when I had work to do.
• You really learn charity when someone is yelling at you for knocking on their door. You learn to really feel for that person because you are representing Christ and they are ultimately slamming the door on Him.
• New converts have an amazing spirit.
• Open your heart and widen your circle of friends so you can share the gospel.
• Preach the gospel and if necessary use words.

Edited to add: The original quote is "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." from Francis of Assisi

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I was walking down the hall after Sacrament meeting today and said hi to this man (a former boss of mine) and he said, "Jill, you look happier than all get out, what's going on?" and I said, "I'm alive in Christ John, what can I say?" How funny is that? It just came out. I talked to him for a minute longer and he was kind of laughing at me (just like he used to 18 years ago when I worked for him) but in an affectionate sort of way.

Five for Friday--Rather Summery Edition

1. Whitney, Austin and Olivia got to participate in the Soccer Camp put on by the High School Girl's Soccer Team. They went Monday-Friday for 2 hours each day. I was so excited for Whitney to get to do this so she could improve her skills and hopefully catch soccer fever. I just know she's great, but her motivation level isn't.

2. The missionaries are living in the basement of the house across the street from us, so we are super aware of their comings and goings throughout the day. I really need to talk to them and find out what their favorite treats are so we can hook them up with something.

3. I really wish I was a faster reader because there are just so many books that I am currently reading and want to read, despite the amount of time I spend reading every day I don't seem to be going through them at a very good rate.

4. I felt very accomplished for finishing Far From the Madding Crowd for book club this week. I ended up really liking it, but it took a lot of focus and some level of translation to understand everything I was reading. There's definitely a feeling of accomplishment for this one.

5. Holy crap, the house got up to 84 degrees the other day and I felt like I was going to lose it. It had been pleasant with the windows open all day even though it was hot outside, but whenever evening comes around the house has absorbed all the heat and there is no relief...we knew we wouldn't sleep well if we relied on open windows and fans alone so we turned the A/C on at 10:00pm.

6. Bella and Tess spent the night on Tuesday while Megan, Olivia and Ashley slept over at my mom's house. Of course it took many phone calls and organizing to figure out how to get everyone everywhere, so the return trip ended up like this.

My mom drove Olivia, Ashley and Megan to meet Robyn at the Anytime Fitness in Saratoga Springs, then Robyn drove them all to the Target parking lot in American Fork to meet me, then Megan got in our car and I drove the girls to the Kohl's parking lot in Draper to meet Amy! Good grief! It was the loudest 20 minutes and I am seriously going to bring ear plugs next time...there's just so much Megan! You'll notice that Megan is holding a plate of sugar cookies she made and decorated (generously) at my mom's house, well most of those sprinkles ended up on the backseat of my car.

7. My mom took Austin and Landon to Trafalga Fun Center yesterday for the afternoon, so Whitney and I went out to find her some new shoes for church (she wears a women's 7.5!) and then to the cheap theater to see "Rio". She liked the movie but I thought it was kind of obnoxious and may or may not have dozed off for a bit.

**Do read very fast?

How hot do you let your house get?

Have you seen Rio?

Have you ever had sprinkles all over your backseat?**

Comment Window Tidbit: Oh my goodness, it's already July! That means it's only 8 more days until my 40th birthday, eek!

Sunday Thoughts

At Stake Conference a few weeks ago, the wife of the visiting General Authority spoke and gave a great talk. She said...

• We have to teach our children certain concepts hundreds of times before they learn them, and that is the same way that the Lord has to teach us.
• We are constantly teaching/sharing with others, we are ALWAYS an example to someone. (Yikes!)
• She talked about a wayward Young Woman she had in her ward years before who came back to visit years later as she was getting ready to leave on a mission. The girl said, "I know you didn't think I was listening, but I was."
• We never know when we touch someone's heart. They notice WHO we are.
• There are people in our lives who watch us, they see what we are and the light that shines from us as we live the gospel. Eventually they will want the same thing.

{My dad is on the left}

As I typed up these notes I was reminded of my dad's experience. He grew up in a staunchly Catholic family and attended Catholic school. After he graduated at age 17 he immediately joined the Army and was stationed in Naples, Italy. He worked with Generals other men of high rank on a daily basis, but was most impressed by a couple of young officers from Utah. He said he could tell by their "calm self-assurance" that they were more powerful than the Generals he was working with. These young men were returned missionaries who had the gift of the Holy Ghost and who possessed the power of the priesthood, and my dad watched them and was drawn to their light. He ended up asking them questions and being taught by them and by a set of missionaries serving in Italy. It didn't take long for him to accept the gospel because he "knew it was true".

{This is written on the back of that photo}

I find his story amazing in so many ways, and am so touched by the example of these two men (I don't have a photo of the three of them) and the way it changed my dad's life. He ended up going to BYU after leaving the army, then married my mom, and then had 5 children that he has raised in the gospel. He has never wavered in his beliefs and has a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: Happy Father's Day!

Sunday Thoughts

As I mentioned in my hilariously embarrassing post from yesterday, it was our annual Stake Women's Conference. I have gone to this for the last few years and posted about it all those times.

There were several good speakers, but the main speaker was Emily Freeman (an author and "famous" church speaker--Michelle recently posted notes from her) and she was fabulous. One of the great benefits of having a seasoned speaker is that they have confidence and are able to speak without apology and without bringing attention to themselves the way many insecure speakers do with self-deprecation and apologies for their weaknesses. I understand why people feel this way, but I feel like if you've been asked to speak somewhere it is for a reason and you should own that and take on the confidence the Lord has entrusted you with so that rather than drawing attention to yourself you can deliver your message. Enough said.


Anyway, she was clearly inspired and delivered a beautiful message about remembering the Savior through Commitment, Sanctification and Consecration. I took so many notes that I'm not sure how to post them, so I'm going to try to relate a story she told that had me doing the ugly cry.

She told us how 6 years ago for Christmas, she and her husband decided they were going to take their children to the store so each of them could choose a picture of the Savior to have framed in their bedroom. She said their kids took this very seriously and that it took a couple weeks for them all to find the picture that meant the most to them. She said her son, who was 13 at the time, really wanted a picture of Peter trying to walk on water toward the Savior, but that they couldn't find it. Eventually she found that picture in a book and cut it out and framed it for her son. Then each of the children wrote "I am a disciple of Christ" under the picture in the frame (I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea).



Fast forward 6 years later and her son is the only missionary in the MTC preparing to serve in Croatia. The time came for him to fly there all by himself and as he did she was worried that he would get lost or have trouble along the way. He had to change planes in Paris and somehow got stuck in the wrong section of the airport for 45 minutes and almost missed his flight. (This had me in tears thinking of Landon in 6 years, what is in store for him?) Fortunately, he got on the right plane and flew to Croatia where his Mission President met him at the airport...phew!

Later in a Zone Conference the Mission President was relating the story of going to pick her son up at the airport and likened him to Peter walking on water toward the Savior because of his great faith! Isn't that a beautiful story?

She also talked about how many of our stories/trials are in process so we don't know how they're going to end but that it's all part of our journey here on Earth and that by remembering the Savior always and exercising faith we will eventually see what we are supposed to learn from those experiences.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I got ANOTHER calling today! Now I'm on the Relief Society Activity Committee too.

Sunday Thoughts

Today we had a fabulous Sacrament Meeting because we had 2 return missionaries reporting. The thing that made it even more special is that they are brother and sister and the children of the Bishop and his wife. They both served their missions in Germany, and ended up in the same mission for the last few months because the 5 German Missions were condensed into 3. How cool is that? They even ended up flying home on the same flight and team taught the woman sitting near them!

They both gave such fabulous talks. They are clearly glowing with the Spirit and oozing goodness.

• Lauren said that when she felt overwhelmed or frustrated she was envision the scene at the airport at the end of her mission, coming down the escalator and into the arms of her family. She knew she wanted the feeling of returning with honor, and said this got her through all the tough times. (I think this is brilliant and totally applicable to all of us as we make our way through our mission in life.)
• She also said that she felt like her entire mission was an unveiling, because everywhere she went she knew that the Lord had prepared the way, so it wasn't a situation being created it was an experience being unveiled.
• The Lord loves to bless us.
• Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thin own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

• As they prayed for the Lord to pour out His spirit upon the people of their city they saw more and more tender mercies each day.
• "Prayer is the key to missionary work and to life really."
• When you're humble enough to pray, it will change your life.
• "I love putting things in God's hands, I'm just glad he's on our side."
• When we pray, the Lord answers.
• "The scriptures open my eyes."
• We are here to bring souls unto Christ.
• Sometimes the Lord is just waiting for us to ask Him for His blessings. (I found this reassuring and exciting, and made sure to ask when I said my prayer last night.)
• The Lord puts us in the right place at the right time, and often His plans are very different than ours.

Today was also special because it was Landon's first time passing the Sacrament! Our chapel was packed with tons of friends and family for the return missionaries (including their aunt Sister Beck) so it was a big crowd for his first day. He did great, looked very dignified and reverent (especially in his new suit jacket), and took his job seriously.


He also had his first temple recommend interview, and will be going with the youth to do baptisms there early Thursday morning.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I was so grateful it was Sunday today. I desperately need to regroup and replenish my soul.