"Saying It Like It Is" Wednesday

Read D&C 138 and Abraham 3 about the Noble and Great Ones, and ask the Lord if those verses have anything to do with YOU. Ask Him to talk to you, through the Spirit, about YOU. When you understand, without equivocation, that you were chosen and reserved for NOW, and when you live in HARMONY with that MISSION and with the PROMISES you made PREMORTALLY, you'll be HAPPIER than you have EVER been before. That is a PROMISE.

Sister Sheri L. Dew

I love how she is always taking about our MISSION here and who we were before we came. Sister Beck in almost all the RS Visiting Teaching Messages has been talking about our missions while on the earth, promises we made before we came, and our responsibilities we have here that are only OURS, and how we were taught before we came. I have pondered that for the last few years, and it is my constant prayer to continue to find out my mission and purpose while here for this short time. Many things have been revealed to me through the Spirit. But I have learned that I must be asking in faith, be worthy of the spirit, and really be listening with my spiritual ears. It is amazing all we can learn. I challenge you to read the scriptures above and take Sister Dew's challenge to ask.

What is one of your favorite scriptures or quotes?

How has it inspired you??

Saying It Like It Is

I just love Sheri Dew, and I love her quotes! They inspire me and make me want to be better. I've decided to post an uplifting quote from many of my favorites each Wednesday, and challenge you to do the same. I love reading quotes and finding new ones. I would love to hear what inspires you. I am going to call it Saying It Like It Is Wednesday. Her new book is a must have. I really love her direct approach to the gospel.

Now you tell me.....

That these aren't the cutest two teeth you've ever seen?? I had to hurry and post the bottom two teeth because he is already getting his top two teeth. He is growing up way too fast. He is such a HAPPY baby.

Can you Believe it????!!!!!!!

Unbelievable! I get up this morning, start making breakfast, and Savanna comes in all decked out like a princess. She looks so cute. She gets up on the bar stool and starts eating her toast and fruit shake. I just had to take a picture and thought I would post about how I ate breakfast with a PRINCESS this morning. So I go to turn on my camera, and it won't work. So I change the batteries, still nothing. The dumb thing is broken!! So now I am going to be camera shopping, since Jeremy said it isn't worth fixing!! Anyone have a camera they love and would like to recommend I look into to??? I haven't bought a camera in years! I can't live without a camera. I suppose I could, but life wouldn't be as much fun!

Too Much Chocolate Cake

There are always blessings from service!

When I was helping at Sister Norma Natividad's funeral last Monday a cake was brought in by a sister, that I could not resist tasting. I have to say it was one of best cakes I have EVER tasted! I saw the sister at another activity and told her I HAD to have to recipe. Well, lets just say, I've made it twice in one week! I gave it away once, to another Chocolate lover. Below is the recipe. I am printing a warning: Cook at your own risk of addiction!

Too Much Chocolate Cake

ingredients

1 devils food cake mix
1 pkg of instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix all ingredients together except for chocolate chips. Stir them in last and pour into a well greased bundt pan. The mini bundt pans are fun too.

3.Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake for at least 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours in pan before placing onto a plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Please let you know if you try it, and what you think!

A few things we've been up to.....


Here is Jeremy thinking he is a firefighter. He decides to burn some of the hundreds of tumbleweeds we have, and almost melts our fence! Thank goodness he didn't. That would have really been ugly!

Phoenix Zoo

We went last weekend to Mesa and stayed with my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Joe. Her granddaughter Tessa helped her with the kids while Jeremy and I went to a session at the temple. After that we took the kids to the zoo. Let me just tell you, each one of the photos below cost me a dollar! When we get there all my rechargeable batteries are dead. So Jeremy, the wonderful husband he is, went into one of the shops and bought camera batteries. They were 7.99 for 4 batteries. If any of you know Jeremy he is VERY frugal. So this was a huge expression of love for me. He knew I really wanted pictures.

I myself have been super busy. I have had two enrichment activities to be in charge of and help at. One really big one were anyone from the ward who signed up came to assemble 72 hour kits. One funeral to help with, the pleasure of a wisdom tooth trying to come in, preparing a lesson for this Sunday, (I haven't taught since Morenci) and then just trying to keep up with all the household things. Having a calling in RS has been a very good experience, but it will take some getting used to. It is taking some adjusting for the whole family. New schedules, Jeremy doing a ton more for the kids and keeping them alot at night and on Sundays, and just the fact that now I worry, keep in contact, and pray for over 160 sisters at different times. I never before realized how much our leaders pray and care for each member of the ward. My goal that I set at the beginning of the year was to enjoy the little things with my children and not stress so much about the house and things like that. It has been going pretty good. I still have a long ways to go. But I am trying. And now in my life, it has become so important I do because I am gone more.

Enjoying the Moment

I receive the LDS Gems from the church via email each day. Today this one came. I thought it was a wonderful reminder for such a busy world.


Enjoying the Moment

"What can . . . young mother[s] [do] . . . to reduce the pressure [of raising young children] and enjoy [their families] more? . . . "Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. "Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: 'The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less' (Loud and Clear [1004], 10-11)."
M. Russell Ballard, "Daughters of God," Ensign, May 2008, 109

Updates

I can't believe it! Fisher has 2 teeth on the bottom. He is only 5 1/2 months old. The youngest the others got teeth were 10 months! He is growing up too fast for me. He is still such a sweet baby. And so good too! He is a blessing in my life. He has made being baby number 5 easy for me. I am able to accomplish all I have to get done. I think Heavenly Father knew what I needed.

I am happy to report Hunter did much better this Sunday in Primary! I am very proud of him. Even without a bribe :) We did make cookies for both primary teachers with a card and he hand delivered them. I think it really made him think. He realized he really hurt their feelings. It was a sweet moment for me. He is growing up so quickly.

I have had a change in my life. I was called to be the 2nd councilor in the Relief Society Presidency last Sunday. This was something I was not expecting at all, (but who does??). I haven't been the Food Storage Specialist that long, and that was going really well. This will mean alot of things for me. First, I will have to face my fear of speaking in front of others. Second, I will really have to get out of my comfort zone and talk to others I really don't know. And last, I know this will be a wonderful opportunity to serve. I have mixed emotions. Nervous, excited, and many others. I just keep telling myself, " The Lord doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called". I really love that quote. Espcially now! It was a special time for me when I was set apart. I was given many blessings that brought alot of comfort to me. I am very grateful for the gospel and the oppurtunity it gives us to grow. The Lord truely does know each of us personally. I am so grateful for my testimony and the part it plays in my life. One of my favorite scriptures quotes is from Sister Dalton's talk in last conference. This will be my motto.

" In the strength of the Lord I can do all things."