Spirit of Our Religion

"The man or woman who enjoys the spirit of our religion has no trials; but the man or woman who tries to live according to the gospel of the Son of God, and at the same time clings to the spirit of the world, has trials and sorrows acute and keen, and that too, continually. This is the deciding point, the dividing line. They who love and serve God with all their hearts rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; but they who try to serve God and still cling to the spirit of the world have got on two yokes - the yoke of Jesus and the yoke of the devil, and they will have plenty to do. They will have a warfare inside and outside, and the labor will be very galling, for they are directly in opposition one to the other."

-Brigham Young

President Uchtdorf

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf—"The gospel is the way of discipleship. As we walk in that way, we can experience confidence and joy, even during times of peril, sorrow and uncertainty. We live in a time when many worry about their livelihood. They are concerned about the future and doubt their ability to resolve the challenges that confront them. Many have experienced personal misfortune and sadness, they hunger for meaning and purpose in life. Because there is such a great interest in these issues the world is not bashful in offering numerous new answers to every problem we face. People run from one new idea to the next hoping to find something that will answer the burning questions of their souls. They attend seminars and buy books, CDs, and other products. They get caught up in the excitement of looking for something new, but, inevitably, the flame of each new theory fades only to be replaced by another new and improved solution that promises to do what the others before could not. It’s not that these worldly options don’t contain elements of truth, many of them do. Nevertheless, they all fall short of the lasting change we seek in our lives. After the excitement wears off the hollowness remains as we look for the next new idea to unlock the secrets of happiness. In contrast, the gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to our problems—to all of our problems. The gospel is not a secret, it is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone's theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend, and with that knowledge He has given us the gospel—a divine gift—the ultimate formula for happiness and success,” (April 2009, Sunday Morning Session, General Conference).

Thank You Week

I've been wanting to get my kids involved in some service type activities but never know what to do. I found a book at Deseret Book called, 52 Weeks of Fun Family Service, and it has some good ideas. Some of the ideas are a bit out of my comfort zone, like the "Sing to Seniors" week because my husband and I sound like hungry, dying alley cats when we sing and I don't think that would be of service to ANYONE. However, this week is "Thank You" week. This we CAN do (or at least I thought we could do it). You just make a list of people that you and your children would like to thank (church leaders, teachers, friends, neighbors) and then have them draw pictures (if they are really young) and then write a little note. Then you can make a thank you tree. You cut out leaves and write things you are grateful for on each leaf and then glue or tape them to the tree. I think it sounds like a cute idea but when I suggested it to my 2 oldest kids I was met with 2 temper tantrums about how there is no one they want to thank and they will not draw a picture or write anything to anyone. I love this idea and hope it works for someone! :)

The Power of Women

So, I wasn't out of my first trimester until last week. I thought it ended at week 12 (you would think I'd remember by pregnancy #4) but I kept feeling bad so I asked a friend and she said her doctor said it actually ends at week 14... that was last week for me. I am starting to feel more energy and motivation. I just hope I can keep it going throughout the pregnancy.

I just found a great quote from Sheri Dew in her book, "Saying It Like It Is"

“We are here to influence the world rather than to be influenced by the world. If we could unleash the full influence of covenant-keeping women, the kingdom of God would change overnight.”