Mormon General Conference

If you have any Mormon friends, you may have noticed an increase in scattered inspirational messages here and there, all over Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and everywhere else.

You may find it strange or neat or a little annoying (hopefully not), but it's with good reason. Us Mormons love spreading our happiness to others, you see. If you haven't experienced the happiness the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring you, then let this be an opportunity for you. You may not even think you want to experience it. Or maybe you have been curious about what Latter-day Saints believe. If that is the case, this is a perfect chance for you to find out.

A brief background:
Twice a year, in October and April, Latter-day Saints (or "Mormons" as most people know us by) sit down on a consecutive Saturday and Sunday in front of a TV at their church or home, or (if they're fortunate enough to be near Salt Lake City where it takes place) gather at the LDS Conference Center to listen to a live broadcast of our modern-day prophet, the president of our church, President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors, Presidents Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and Boyd K. Packer, and Elders L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, and Neil L. Anderson. In addition, we often hear from female leaders of the church and other men from different quorums. The messages are uplifting, inspirational, and feel very personal to me. I always feel like any concerns I have or struggles in my life are addressed perfectly every time I listen to conference.

If you choose to take me up on my offer, you will most certainly see why Latter-day Saints look forward to Conference weekend and why we are eager to share the messages we have gladly received.

Please realize that when a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints asks you to watch conference with them, we are not expecting you to convert. We are hoping that you will feel peace, hope, and joy in the message. There are so many good things in these talks for everyone, that we do not want anyone to miss out. We are not going to be offended if you do not start going to church with us each Sunday. We won't make you talk to the missionaries. We won't even stop being your friend. We just want you to feel that spirit of happiness that we feel when we listen to a prophet of God speak words of comfort to us.

If you are feeling lost, alone, sad, hurt, broken, angry, bitter, or confused, this message is for you. 
If you think you have your whole life together and love everything about your life right now, this message is still for you. 
If you have been feeling as though something is missing in your life, this message is for you.
Truly, the messages in conference are for everyone.

If you are nothing but curious about what Mormons are talking about, then conference is for you. We won't force you to convert or to keep listening. Turn it off if you don't like what you hear. But if you have a true desire to know, then you will enjoy these messages.

I challenge you to watch a talk or two. They're all so good, but pick a title that piques your interest to start. Elder Holland, Elder Ballard, and Elder Uchtdorf are always favorites.

Here is a link to watch general conference.

Watch one, or even part of one, and then tell me what you think. Ask me questions, share your opinions. Just do it. You might even like it. ;)

And if you are not Mormon and take my challenge, please let me know if you watched any of it! You can even stay anonymous and just say "I did." Make my day and let me know.

Be fed spiritually. You may be starving and not even know it.

Being Comfortable With Husbands

WE MADE IT TO ALL THREE HOURS OF CHURCH TODAY AND LAST WEEK.
Sorry but that deserved all caps because 8:30am church is cruel and we have a very hard time making it (at least on time) half the time. We were still late for the first hour, but hey, we made it.

I never regret going to church. But I do feel regret any time I miss it. Church just starts the week off right for me and every time I go, someone gives a message that seems like it was meant specifically for me. This week, that happened in Relief Society (third hour, when all the women gather for a class). I missed the first part of the lesson because I had taken Tenley in the mother's lounge to feed her. It would have been easy to stay in there, rocking in one of the many nice comfortable chairs, but I wanted to hear the message.

When I came into the Relief Society room, the lesson discussion seemed to be about husbands and dealing with marital trials. The woman speaking told of how she decided to try treating her husband as a guest in order to improve their relationship. I was so surprised to hear her say that because that was something I also had tried during the last few months to improve our relationship. And because it helped both of us, I decided to share my experience.

Photos from our dating days

I know I'm not alone after talking with several other wives about the subject, so I will try not to feel bad when I say that in the last few months I was not sure what was happening to my marriage. Things were not bad--nothing had really changed in our relationship, but things weren't GREAT. My attitude had changed. I grew repeatedly frustrated when I realized how different we were from the time we had gotten married more than two years before. Where was that lovey-dovey feeling from when we were dating? Where was the romance? Where was the passion when we kissed? Marriage changed that. Suddenly, we could do anything we wanted and because we could do it, there was less of a yearning for it. We could kiss whenever we wanted. We could do more than kiss. We didn't have to say goodbye ever. We stopped doing things for each other the way we had while dating and engaged. It was not like we never did things for each other, but they were less often and far between. And that angered me.

What is happening to us? I would ask in my head over and over. Why can't things be the same as when we were dating? I even asked Dalin this a few times and he finally told me that it hurt his feelings when I asked him that. I realized that in saying that, I sounded as though I did not love him as much as I did then. But that wasn't true. I loved him more. So what changed?

The answer: our attitudes. Specifically mine, because mine is the only one I can actually fix anyway. Time changed our attitudes. I do not love Dalin any less than when we were engaged, but over time, I have grown used to feeling that love so constantly that I do not notice it as much. It doesn't seem as magical or exciting because it has become the norm. Other things have changed, too--we have a daughter obviously for one, and we are in different places in our lives than we were then. We don't buy each other candy or flowers or write notes as often anymore because sometimes it feels like we've done it all, and we've said it all. We have grown too comfortable with one another.

That was something that I also allowed to bother me--us being too comfortable. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't like that we were so comfortable with one another that farting/tooting (whatever you say) was no big deal. Just because we're married doesn't mean we should give up being polite in front of one another. Dalin did not like that I had no problem burping in front of him (though obviously burping is way less gross than tooting...;) so we made a pact. No burping or tooting around each other intentionally and if we fail, the other person gets a freebie. (We're weird. And gross).

But anyway the point is, that just because we've grown comfortable doesn't mean we can't do new things for each other. We can serve each other. I can treat Dalin like I would a guest. By that I mean I can offer him something to drink and ask him questions like I did when we were dating. I can get him a snack once in a while. I can treat him like a friend because that's what he is to me. Why is it that we would be more willing to serve a guest than our spouse sometimes? (Well, this applies to me anyway.) I think we need to work on that. I'm going to work on that. I'm not going to complain when my husband asks me for a favor (at least, I'm going to try and stop myself when I start to). I'm going to be more polite around him. I'm going to be loving especially when he gets home from work. I'm going to thank him more often. I'm going to compliment him more often.

Another thing we discussed that will help us strengthen our marriages is going to the temple as often as possible. You may feel like you are incredibly busy or even like you do not want to be around your spouse. If you get to that point, know you can change your relationship. You can fix it. It will take work, but if that desire is in your heart, you can turn your relationship around. This is where the temple comes in. When we put the Lord before ourselves, we often find that everything else in our busy lives somehow falls into place. (It's the same as the principle of tithing). Dedicate yourself more fully to your spouse. If you are not yet married, you can still serve your future spouse. That may sound weird, but I'm serious. You can pray for him or her. The thought of doing that did not occur to me until I was sitting in a lesson in Young Women's during high school. Pray for your future spouse. Pray that he will make good choices. Pray that he will be safe. Pray that he will be happy. Prayer works.

I guess the goal of this post is to encourage men and women especially to re-commit to their spouses. You may have been feeling out of tune with your spouse lately and if that's the case then fix it. Fix it now before it gets worse or it's too late.

I need feedback. 
How do you stay in love with your husband (or wife)? 
How do you encourage your spouse? 
What are some ideas you have for serving your spouse?

Our Little Missionary Experience

Dear Guy Who Sat Next To Us On The Airplane to Orlando,

Thank you for making our third flight that day more entertaining than it otherwise would have been, particularly because we were on an old plane with no wifi which meant entertaining ourselves the old-fashioned way.

We enjoyed hearing about Kansas which was a state we knew nothing about and about your cute grandkids which you showed us several adorable pictures of on your tablet. They had sweet curly blonde locks like our nephew Maddox, which we told you.

Thank you also for complimenting our daughter's behavior--that made us feel really good (even though we did nothing to teach her how to behave her then four-and-a-half month old self on an eight-hour trip).

We really did enjoy talking to you even when you made a few beer references that we (well at least I) didn't understand. Everything was great, even when you mentioned Margaritaville and said, "You guys like margaritas, don't you?" I then told you that we actually don't drink alcohol but we like drinks that are similar to margaritas. You seemed surprised but continued to talk to us.

When you learned we were from Utah, you asked if we were Mormons and we told you we were. Your next comment was, "That show 'Sister Wives' must be giving you guys a hard time." Your wife sitting in the row in front of us reached behind her seat and gave you a smack along with a look that clearly told you to drop it, causing you to smile sheepishly.

I almost burst out laughing right then but I didn't want to embarrass you so hiding a smile I responded, "Actually that show is not about our church. We don't believe in that at all." You said, "Oh," then I explained further. "That's actually a branch that broke away from our church." Then I added, "Trust me, our church doesn't support that at all."

You nodded then we changed the subject, and for the remainder of the trip we had a nice time talking about our individual plans in Florida. We only brought up subjects like going to BYU and other beliefs in passing. But I hoped in my heart that our brief discussion about the church would stay with you, and that because of it you would someday open your heart to hearing a little more about the gospel.

Since our trip, I've wondered about you a few times, mainly wondering if you met an LDS missionary whether you'd be more interested about our church because of the example we set. If we had gotten your name, I might have looked you up at Kansas State University where you teach and sent the missionaries your way (don't worry though--I didn't have your name so I couldn't).

Anyway, thank you for being friendly and talking to us and also allowing us to have that little missionary experience. It reminded me of why I love living in the world (but not of the world) so much. I am so looking forward to having more of those experiences wherever we end up after BYU because I know the joy the gospel brings me and want to share it with everyone.

So thank you for that. And I hope you had a marvelous Christmas with your family in Florida.

Sincerely,

Olivia Gunnell

P.S. And thank you for being so personable! I always appreciate that quality in others.

Thoughts of a Conservative (and a Mormon)

I do not understand some people in America. I really don't. I do not understand how some of them can justly call themselves "American" and harbor the misconceptions that they do.

Fact: America was founded on religious principles. It was settled by pilgrims seeking religious freedom from an oppressive king. As much as some try to deny it (if you do, see here), this country was formed as a nation under God.

If you know anything about me, it's that I consider myself very conservative.  I found this great quote which reflects the views of The Social Science Encyclopedia: "Conservatism is a condition found among the mature, who have discovered what it is in life they most value." I would say that sounds about right. I will tell you the five things I most value: God; my husband and family; my religion (which goes along with my belief in God); freedom; children/life. When people suggest that my religion or conservative values are "outdated," I think to myself that their beliefs, in contrast, are unrealistic and ideological. I look at the world and see a lot of good people but also a lot of evil. Those on the opposite side of the fence see only the best of human nature. They think everyone deserves to live exactly how they want to live and, if given the freedom to do so, will choose to live responsibly. Their unrealistic expectations of the world and their ideas relating to this are attractive to those who similarly believe in the potential for an ideal society. They are also attractive to those who are "victimized" in actual society because it gives them a false sense of hope for a better future. The point is, these beliefs are unrealistic and ultimately impossible.

As a Latter-day Saint, I believe in agency. Before coming to earth, God gave us the ability to choose right or wrong for ourselves. Before choosing this, Lucifer (Satan) presented the plan that those who come to earth would have virtually no agency. They would only be able to "choose" goodness, which we realize is no choice at all. Lucifer's plan was rejected because God loves us so much He wanted us to be able to choose our own fate in this life--whether that meant returning to Him or choosing another path. I feel like those who believe in some kind of ideological world do not see the flaw in their thinking. Because people have agency, there always have been and always will be people who choose evil. This is one of our Heavenly Father's greatest gifts to mankind. I'm sure it makes Him very sad when one of His sons or daughters chooses this path but He loves us enough to allow us to choose for ourselves.

GUNS
I will just be scratching the surface in sharing some thoughts on this subject. To start, do people honestly believe that banning guns would eliminate gun violence? I will put my two cents in (since this is my blog and the First Amendment is still operative)--No, I do not believe that military grade weapons need to be in the hands of average citizens. Sure, it's a good idea to perform background checks before guns are sold to the public. Do we need semi-automatic guns in regular society? No. Do I think guns are bad? NO! I eat meat and I'm completely okay with hunting for the purpose of feeding one's family. I'm also okay with guns used for recreational purposes. But back to the original rhetorical question (do people honestly believe that banning guns would eliminate gun violence?), the "answer" is clear. There are always evil people out there. There are always those who are selfish and willing to hurt others to achieve their ends. Were there murderers and crimes committed before guns existed? Obviously. The point is, stricter regulations on guns does very little. Look at Mexico, which does not allow citizens to own anything larger than a .22 caliber weapon. Evidently, this law isn't very effective based on the fact that drug lords and criminals still find a way to make or purchase larger weapons. I've already discussed how eliminating guns entirely would never be effective. As proven by Australia, complete eradication of guns always results in greater violence, more crimes, and ultimately, public outcry. Criminals prey on the defenseless. I do not intend to foolishly leave my family vulnerable against an armed criminal. If someone does not share my views about this and can explain their thinking in a realistic way, I'd love to hear it.

I intended to go on into other subjects, but lucky for some of you, I am very tired and both physically and emotionally drained from the day. Don't worry though, I'll undoubtedly be sharing some more of my "old-fashioned" ideas in the future.

If you would like to read my views regarding abortion (another touchy subject), you can do so by clicking here. You can read about my opinion that the family unit is sacred right here. 

Spring is Here! Easter Weekend!

So since I work so much, I knew it would be hard to go to the Gifts of the Heart Exchange put on by ladies in the Church this past Saturday. As a result, I asked a few wonderful ladies in the ward to keep an eye out for cute girls' clothes when they went. Dalin and his sister Shaina and her husband Layton ended up being able to go for me, too, so I ended up with a great selection of baby girl clothes.

Yesterday, I finally got some time to sort through everything and try to put them into size piles. Too bad like half of the clothes were completely inaccurate. I wish I could just show you a few of the onesies that are supposed to fit a 3-6 month old. Yeah right! They would barely fit a newborn! Still, everyone found some really adorable onesies, dresses, and pants for me. They are so stinking cute! And the best part (for me) is that they found a surprisingly good variety of colors! (I do not want to overwhelm our baby with pink (especially because it is not really one of my favorite colors) so I was very happy to get lots of purple, green, yellow and blue for our daughter.)

On Easter, we saw that the Easter bunny had come when we woke up. Dalin searched for 13 eggs around the apartment, each filled with a treat. Our baskets were also filled with candy. Dalin gave me a cute sock monkey with bunny ears and some beautiful (and wonderful-smelling) yellow and red striped tulips for Easter. He KNOWS I love getting flowers almost more than anything else. He's the greatest!

Love them.

Little bunny sock monkey is so cute! 

The Easter bunny came! 

Dalin and I wore purple and walked to church like always, finally able to soak up the beautiful weather. It was basically the best weather we've had since living in Provo, which for me has been nearly two years now. After a terrific lesson in Primary on Christ's Atonement, we had a special program in sacrament meeting for Easter. By the time Church ended, Dalin and I (and baby girl I might add) were starving. At home, I cooked hamburger and combined it with taco mix for homemade tacos! My mom always does the best homemade tacos so I decided to take a leaf from her book and make them her way. 

Preparations for Easter lunch...all the Easter Fiestaware colors I could find 

Grandpa French's French Toast. I miss him. 

Why this picture insists on being sideways, I do not know. 

I would say they came out pretty dang good!--at least, Dalin, Layton, Shaina, and I ate until all the tortillas were gone so I would consider that pretty successful! After, we ate pazukis (pictured below) courtesy of Shaina (who is awesome at making them I might add...) on a blanket outside in the sun.

It was one of the best Easter Sundays I've ever had. I love celebrating holidays with Dalin! He makes everything so much better. Well in three days, I will be at five months! That is five months pregnant! Meaning only four months left! I can't believe how fast it's going. It's exciting (because in just a short while, we will have a little person living in our apartment with us and she'll be ours!!) and sad at the same time because I really like being pregnant. The first few weeks in the beginning weren't too fun when I felt sick all day, but other than some aches and pains at night, being pregnant is awesome. Also, there's the small matter of not having that one thing that only a girl can relate to...yeah that part is great, too. 

Looking tired but cute

Just had to show my mom how clean our apartment finally is...for the first time since moving in a month ago...

A few little Easter decorations (chicks on eggs spelling out "Spring," two lovebirds in a nest (obviously representing Dalin and me ;), and a wind-up chick toy. This is pretty much all I had time for.

Anyhow, life is terrific. Work is hard, but I keep reminding myself of Doctrine & Covenants 121:7-8:

"My son [or daughter], peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." 

Plus, after I have this baby, I will most likely be taking a break for a while. I can't wait until she is here!!!!! It's going to be the best birthday present ever!!!!!! 

My Little Stand for the Family

Well you all know me and how very conservative the majority of my views are. This time around, I will admit, I was intending to stay completely clear of the recent discussions on marriage--not because I do not have a valid opinion to defend, but because I wanted to preserve the peace. But something about marriage just causes my heart to burn with emotion and I feel so strongly that it needs to be defended. Maybe it's because as a Latter-day Saint (or, Mormon), my beliefs are frequently mocked and trodden on. Maybe it's because I am stubborn and have to get a word in when I feel passionately about something. Either way, here I am, putting my "two cents" in. I will boldly say though, that I know the following things are worth so much more eternally than a mere two pennies.

The words I want to share are not my own, but I felt they were written so beautifully and articulately that I wanted to quote them. Because the first woman's comments are in response to words of others, there may be a little confusion which I will clear up if necessary.

I have never met these women and do not know anything about either of them except that we share the same views in regards to marriage. Disagree with us if you would like, but I will simply (and as politely as I can) reply with a defense of our belief that marriage is sacred, and ordained of God for one man and one woman. 

Written by Aly R. Taylor:

I do believe my entire world and life will change if gay marriage passes and that within 20 years our entire society will look more different than imaginable. I also know that it will affect my children and their children, for the worse...I also believe that divorce rates will go up if people do not appreciate the sanctity of marriage. Marriage is an important institution that makes our society better for many reasons, including an increase in stability which is better for the economy, and raising good children. Take a look at this article for an interesting opinion from someone who is a libertarian and not pro/against marriage but describes that in all likelihood it will make a change our life as we know it: 

[This is a very interesting read if you have the time to get through it]
 http://fireflydove.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/a-libertarian-view-of-gay-marriage/

Divorce rates would easily go up to 80% plus within 10 years if we keep ignoring the importance and sanctity of marriage, and our society will be worse off. From my experience divorce often creates unhappy or bitter people and broken families. That is but one of my 100 concerns with gay marriage.

It saddens me that very few people think of consequences to their actions nowadays. But you are right -----, it is a choice and hopefully my children will have such a burning desire and love for God that they will choose to follow him over any carnal desire.

Everyone is so concerned with making "history" that they don't think through the actual impact and the eternal perspective. I believe in eternity, and don't understand individuals who can say they follow Christ and go directly against his Word. To love Christ is to follow him. I love my fellow man, but that love for them and for God is what drives me to help his cause. It's like if you knew someone was about to commit murder, wouldn't you do what you can to stop them from committing this sin? Why would you not help your fellow man and do what you can to help them find eternal happiness versus worldly temporary happiness?

Written by Annie Z. Edwards: 

It doesn't have anything to do with sin or feelings. I have no problem with gays having a union and any and all tax or whatever benefits heterosexual couples have. But the sacrament of marriage is partially for pro-creation which physically can only be done one way. I feel there should be equal and separate benefits for gay couples and their unions but disagree with changing the definition if marriage. And having my own opinion on the subject while respecting your right to have yours does not make me intolerant. 

This link conveys the reasoning behind my belief that children thrive best in a home with one faithful father and mother. It is so worth your time! It was created by Erika Bahr. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNahtS4XJ8E&feature=youtu.be 

“Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.” ~Rachel Jankovic

If you are wondering what we as Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) believe in, this article called "The Divine Institution of Marriage" is put out by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and leaves no question as to what members of the Church believe in.
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/the-divine-institution-of-marriage 

Here is a video about it if you prefer that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsR9HPhsjJ4

This beautiful document, entitled "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," additionally conveys my personal belief in the sanctity of marriage and the family order:  https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation

There is more to say and more things I could express, but for now, I would like to leave this post as it is and ask you to respectfully keep your differing beliefs to yourself unless you have a question or comment that in no way needs to be censored. Otherwise, I thankfully still have the right to monitor what is said here and I will utilize that right. 

I appreciate your tolerance of (and patience with) my beliefs. Once you have read everything on this page, I invite you to share your beliefs--but only once you fully understand where I come from. 

If you desire, here is a link from a Christian woman whom I am not acquainted with, but I appreciated her thoughts on children and the family, shared here: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank

"The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home."

~Confucius 

"The family is the first essential cell of human society."

~Pope John XXIII

"Science has established two facts meaningful for human welfare: first, the foundation of the structure of human personality is laid down in early childhood; and second, the chief engineer in charge of this construction is the family."

~Meyer Francis Nimkoff

"The family is the cornerstone of our society. More than any other force it shapes the attitude, the hopes, the ambitions, and the values of the child. And when the family collapses, it is the children that are usually damaged. When it happens on a massive scale, the community itself is crippled. So, unless we work to strengthen the family, to create conditions under which most parents will stay together, all the rest--schools, playgrounds, public assistance, and private concern--will never be enough."

~Lyndon B. Johnson 

"The important thing is the family. If you can keep the family together--and that's the backbone of our whole business, catering to families--that's what we hope to do."

~Walt Disney

"If a country is to be corruption-free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who make a difference. They are the father, the mother, and the Teacher."

~Abdul Kalam

Day 11: Little Children

Cute kids

I have a confession.

I was really, really freaked out when I got called as Primary President of the BYU Married 4th Ward. When I got called to Bishop Schroeder's office, I knew I was getting a calling. Dalin had just been called as Sunday School President, and I had just been released as Ward Bulletin Specialist. Still, getting called as Primary President had not even occurred to me. I happily accepted the calling. It wasn't until later that it sunk in that I would be teaching the children every week and additionally would be in charge of the primary program in the fall. I called some great women to lead with me and they have been a huge blessing for me in this calling. They know their responsibilities and do them well. But it is the primary children who have had the most significant effect on me.

They are so humble and pure of heart in all they do. They are joyful and love to laugh and share the things they know about the gospel. Children are great teachers. They teach me more about being like Christ than I could ever teach them. As I have taught primary (alongside my counselors) for the last seven or so months, I have learned that it is my duty to reinforce the principles of the gospel being taught in the children's homes. We are helping them to build a foundation of faith in the gospel. We are not forcing them to believe in what we are teaching, but rather encouraging them to make good choices and exercise their agency.

I love the primary children. They bring me happiness when I do not feel like being cheerful. They have taught me to strive to maintain purity in heart and have humility and meekness. The children have increased my desire to be a mother. They have the pure love--and light--of Christ within them.

President Gordon B. Hinckley with some children

President Spencer W. Kimball said: 

"I should like . . . to pay special tribute to the divinely inspired Primary organization of the Church. It is just a hundred years ago that Bishop Hess, with the approval of the First Presidency, called Aurelia Spencer Rogers to organize the first Primary in Farmington, Utah. From that humble beginning has grown a worldwide organization that has touched the lives of millions of people. I am confident there is not one within the sound of my voice who has not had his or her life influenced for good by the teachings of the devoted officers and teachers of this Primary organization."

Jesus loves the little children

 President Boyd K. Packer gave a great talk on children. 

It is called "And A Little Child Shall Lead Them."  

“Children are an heritage of the Lord: and … happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.”

The creation of life is a great responsibility for a married couple. It is the challenge of mortality to be a worthy and responsible parent. Neither man nor woman can bear children alone. It was meant that children have two parents—both a father and a mother. No other pattern or process can replace this one.

The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children.

One of the great discoveries of parenthood is that we learn far more about what really matters from our children than we ever did from our parents. We come to recognize the truth in Isaiah’s prophecy that “a little child shall lead them.” In Jerusalem, “Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” “Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. “And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”

We read in the Book of Mormon of the visit of Jesus Christ to the New World. He healed and blessed the people and commanded that the little children should be brought to Him.

Mormon records, “They brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.” He then commanded the people to kneel. With the children around Him, the Savior knelt and offered a prayer to our Father in Heaven. After the prayer the Savior wept, “and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. “And when he had done this he wept again.”

I can understand the feelings expressed by the Savior toward children. There is much to be learned from following His example in seeking to pray for, bless, and teach “those little ones.”

I cannot wait to have little children to light up my life and serve as a constant reminder of who am trying to emulate.


I am grateful for primary and little children.

Did we even have October??

What. Just. Happened. 

October, how are you already over? There are 5 days left of the month! And I love October...so very much. I love every connotation associated with October--especially the burst of color that takes place around us in nature. This is true in most places, but no place more apparently than in New England. The maple trees there just ooze colors that seem unnatural. Driving through my neighborhood in New Hampshire during the fall is like being in Candy Land. There are pink trees! It is gorgeous. 

I get oh-so-excited for Fall clothes. I love wearing jeans and boots and scarves and sweaters and hats and leg warmers and clogs and tights and everything else.

I also love Halloween! My family was never extremely into it, but we did trick-or-treat and carve pumpkins, and my brothers and I dressed up. Dalin's family on the other hand, hosts an annual adult Halloween party and the two times I have gone have been a blast. 

Last year, we owned everyone with our creative and somewhat creepy costumes as entertainer stick people. Can you imagine these stick people creepily walking toward you down the street?? By the way, those are axes in our hands. Also, I wish we had a picture of our bums because we attached two circles to them haha. We won a soft orange blanket with little ghosts on it, and a black ghost throw pillow. Cute right? 

Guess which one is me, hahah....

This year, the theme for the Halloween party was nursery rhymes or fairy tales. Dalin and I chose an obscure fairy tale and dressed as an ogre and his maiden daughter. We literally put this costume together twenty minutes before the party. Pretty decent for such poor planning. 

 

This weekend, we had planned to go up to Boise for a quick trip with Shaina and Layton, but what with our crazy schedules tomorrow and Sunday, it just wasn't going to work out.  Dalin is Sunday School President and had to teach on Sunday, I'm the Primary President and need to help out with practicing for the Primary Presentation coming up in November, we have planned a walk to the temple to take pictures with the children's families, we both need to be present at Ward Counsel on Sunday morning, and we both need to do our home/visiting teaching.  Not only this, but we have a Trunk-or-Treat activity tomorrow night!  Clearly, the timing was just unfortunate. 

Still, October is just magical.  And let's just say, there will be even more magic over the next two months...

;)

General Conference

Today was the most wonderful day.

Dalin and I awoke at 9:57 and turned on our TV to watch the first session of General Conference.
For those of you who may not know, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds a General Conference twice a year (October and April) and broadcasts it across the world so that all members of the Church can view and participate. During Conference, we have the most special opportunity to listen to an inspired modern-day prophet who is led by the voice of the Lord. We also listen to his wonderful councilors, who advise us on things that we can do in our lives to find more happiness.

Our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, addressed the Saints first yesterday. He told us that he has seen that maturity of the missionaries from other countries where the serving age is 18 years old. He went on to announce that he would like to give all worthy, mature, and ready young men the same opportunity to serve at the age of 18. He went on to address the sisters in the Church, and added that all worthy, prepared young women may now serve a mission at the age of 19.

This is remarkable revelation for us as members of the Church. All young men are strongly encouraged to serve a two-year LDS mission. Since the Church was restored, the age for men has been 19, and 21 has been the age for women who desired to serve a mission. This revelation is therefore life changing. There will be hundreds, if not thousands, more missionaries going into the world to teach the gospel of Christ as a result. I also think that there will be many more marriages at a younger age in the Church. This will result in a tremendous burst of growing LDS families.

So after watching the first session from home, we hurriedly got dressed up for the second session. We met up with Dalin's sister, Shaina, and with her boyfriend, Layton. Together (and with Shaina and Layton's friend, Kyle) we all drove to Salt Lake and got in the unfathomably long line at the Conference Center. Shaina and I retrieved tickets from our gorgeous cousin, Taylor Moore, and rejoined the men in line. The second session of Conference was wonderful as always. Here are a few things that stood out to me:

Elder Lee Tom Perry spoke about families, parenthood, and marriage. He said that five things we can do to strengthen our families now is to:

1. Pray together as a family
2. Hold FHE (Family Home Evening) and eat family dinners together
3. Communicate with children's leaders (learn each child's needs and work to strengthen them)
4. Share testimony often
5. Set clear, simple family rules; give an allowance for performing chores as a way to teach budgeting and paying tithing at a young age

Elder Melvin Russell Ballard (whom I have met!) related the members of the Church to bees. Our small acts of compassion may seem insignificant, yet our efforts combined can result in a tremendous change. Each bee only contributes 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its entire life. How small this effort seems, and yet we know that this bee is crucial in its role in the hive. Elder Ballard suggests that each day in our personal morning prayer, we ask Heavenly Father to find an opportunity to serve others. Then, we should go about our day with our hearts open, seeking opportunities to serve. We can be an answer to someone else's prayer. We should be able to answer in the affirmative when we ask, "Have I done any good in the world today?"

Elder Dallin Harris Oaks spoke mostly of children and marriage. He encouraged us to guard marriage and hold it sacred in our hearts. He stated that the very prevalent and far too frequent immediate separation of marriages--without attempted resolution--is an evil in the world. He conveyed the importance of having children and raising them well mentally, spiritually, and physically. He also shared some startling statistics about how many children live in today's world. The facts are astounding.

Right after Saturday's conference :)

Such a funny picture--that couple was great.

Dalin, Shaina & Layton, Kyle, and me (Olivia)

As the second session of conference concluded, Dalin and I made our way back to Shaina, Layton, and Kyle and hurried through temple square (where I was forced to take all action shots, not having time to stop) and back to the car. We drove to Lehi, where we met one of the most wonderful families (Layton's). They invited us into their home (they have ten wonderful children and four grandchildren) and fed us. While Dalin went to the Priesthood session of conference with Layton and his brothers, Shaina and I talked to Layton's mother and met his sisters. I really had a great time and it was so nice to be in a home again.

They sent us away with some DELICIOUS honey dew melon and rhubarb from their garden. They truly blessed our lives last night.

The most adorable family...and a good example of the reason I want lots of boys and a big family.

I love General Conference! So excited for Sunday!
:)

If you do not know what General Conference is, and are curious, feel free to ask me!