From our Family Blog: Picking Up Leaves–the Simple Things

Leaves brought in after a walk

Sometimes even when I am watching Olivia I am not fully giving her my attention. When we go on walks, we don’t get far because she is constantly picking up a leaf then ditching it when she sees a “better” one. The other day she kept letting go of my hand after picking up a leaf. While this was unusual, I didn’t think anything of it until I got caught up in one of those “Wow, this is my kid” moments and really paid attention to why she was letting go of my hand.

When Olivia picks up a leaf, she grabs it by the stem. That’s the real fun of the game is giving those little pincher fingers some exercise. Once she does have the leaf and starts walking again, she will wave the leaf and squeal in delight. In this moment of really observing her, I noticed she would let go of my hand after picking up a leaf whenever she grabs the leaf upside down. She promptly exchanges the leaf between her hands so she can hold it upright and wave it.

It sounds simple, even silly I am sure to those with out kids. I am telling you however, there is something fascinating about seeing a little child not only manipulate such a tiny objective with their immature coordination but also seeing them “prefer” something one way over another–to show their personality.

This simple observation got me thinking about some of the other almost unnoticeable milestones Olivia has achieved. I am so thankful for her personality as it blossoms little by little. She is such a blessing and happy addition to her family. We are so excited for January, when we met our second addition too!

Sorry for all the leaf talk. I guess I will just leaf it at that. Har har har 🙂

via Blogger http://valentineslovehere.blogspot.com/2012/11/picking-up-leaves-simple-things.html

From our Family Blog: Halloween 2012

We actually celebrated Halloween this year! Last year with a new born, the festivities were limited to…nothing. Tuesday night was our ward trunk-or-treat party. I know I have a good ward when I get more excited for trunk-or-treat than Halloween night. After the trunk-or-treating (which had a good turn out of trunks and treaters) there was a chili dinner. We enjoyed spending time with friends and watching Olivia toddle around.

Bumble Bee!

James and I went as newly weds

Olivia is working on her aim when pointing to “nose”

Since Olivia was finally in her Halloween costume, we could also finally send Grandma a photo for her birthday.

With her bumble bees

On Halloween, Olivia and I took a few walks (in her last minute bumble bee costume I am pretty proud of). She loves picking up leaves. I should say she loves picking up stems. She is very particular about grabbing the stem of the leaf. I enjoyed watching her practice her motor skills today when she would pick up a leaf upside down, she would switch hands to grab it right side up. It’s the “simple things in life we treasure” right? Olivia also really enjoyed this holiday’s decorations around our apartment complex. Between her decoration exploring and picking up leaf after leaf, our walks take a very long time and yet we don’t make it very far.

Exploring the small pumpkins on our porch

A leaf!

Mom, guess what I got you. A leaf!

Carry me now.

Toddle Toddle Toddle

One friendly old lady encourages little ones to explore her decorations

Olivia and I also went to a local libraries class “Wiggle Worms”. It’s always so nice to get out of the house, meet other moms and kids, be reminded of nursery rhymes and songs, and have someone else be the focus of my kids attention. She of course went in her costume. We came just a minute late and were surprised by a welcome of lots of moms and the coordinators saying, “she came just in time!” I don’t know anyone that well so I was a little confused. Then someone clued me in, “We are gonna sing the bumble bee song.” Oh, I thought we won something for a moment.

I love this face. She was watching another kid build with blocks.

We sing songs and wave scarves.

We also sing songs and shake shakers

We wound down the afternoon by trick-or-treating at our leasing office (and random people who saw outside) and walking with friends. Olivia was chewing on the wrappers of some of the candies as she got them (teething) but I didn’t notice until it was too late that she broke through a Kit Kat wrapper. We were able to grab a picture with her good friend Tessa before the night ended.

Happy Halloween everyone!

via Blogger http://valentineslovehere.blogspot.com/2012/10/halloween-2012.html

Honoring the Priesthood

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught us how we can take steps to better honor the priesthood. He said,

“Let us embrace and understand the wonder and privilege of the priesthood. Let us accept and love the responsibilities we are asked to fulfill—responsibilities in our homes and in our Church units, no matter how large or small they may be. Let us constantly increase in righteousness, dedication, and priesthood service. Let us find the joy of serving in the priesthood!
We can do this best by applying the principles of knowledge, obedience, and faith.

“That means, first, we need to know and internalize the doctrine of the priesthood found in the revealed word of God. It is important for us to understand the covenants and commandments upon which the priesthood operates.

“Next, let us be wise and act upon this gained knowledge constantly and honorably. As we obey God’s laws, discipline our minds and bodies, and attune our actions to the patterns of righteousness taught by the prophets, we will experience the joy of priesthood service.

“And finally, let us deepen our faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ. Let us take upon ourselves His name and commit each single day to walk anew in the path of discipleship. Let our works make our faith perfect. Through discipleship we may be perfected one step at a time by serving our family, our fellowmen, and God. “

2012 October General Conference, The Joy of the Priesthood, Priesthood Session – By Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The Wonder and Privilege of the Priesthood

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf challenged us to see the priesthood for what it really is. He said,

“I feel a certain sadness for those who do not grasp and appreciate the wonder and privilege of the priesthood. They are like passengers on an airplane who spend their time grumbling about the size of the packet of peanuts while they are soaring through the air, far above the clouds—something ancient kings would have given all they possessed to try and experience just once!

“Brethren, we are blessed to be humble partakers of this great priesthood authority and power. Let us lift up our eyes and see, recognize, and accept this opportunity for what it really is.”

2012 October General Conference, The Joy of the Priesthood, Priesthood Session – By Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Sketchnotes: Sacrament Meeting 10/28/2012

Sketchnotes is simply the use of drawings and illustrations to capture ideas from a presentation or anything else you are studying, reading, listening to, or otherwise absorbing.

This is the inaugural attempt. These come from church on Sunday, for sacrament meeting.

Click on the image below to enlarge

Lucky us, no monkeys this time. – From Instagram [Pic]

via Instagram

We spent the afternoon down at Garner village for their witch fest, which was surprising well attended. Olivia got a lot of practice walking around, (she’s still getting used to the concept and practice of wearing shoes).

The scariest moment came for me when I had to use their public restrooms. I won’t give you too much details, but involved a naked grown man and a little kid with no aim.

That aside, it was fun to be out and about with the family.

Men of the Priesthood: We Have Work to Do

Elder D. Todd Christofferson challenged the men of the Priesthood to move away from worldly trends of diminishing men. He said,

“As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home. We cannot afford to have those who exercise the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, waste their strength in pornography or spend their lives in cyberspace (ironically being of the world, while not being in the world).

Brethren, we have work to do.”

2012 October General Conference, Brethren, We Have Work to Do, Priesthood Session – By D. Todd Christofferson

The Sanctity of Marriage

Quoting President David O. McKay, Elder Oaks reminded us of the sanctity of marriage and how it should not be misused,

‘Our Church leaders have taught that looking “upon marriage as a mere contract that may be entered into at pleasure … and severed at the first difficulty … is an evil meriting severe condemnation,’ especially where ‘children are made to suffer.'”

2012 October General Conference, Protect the Children, Sat. Afternoon Session – By Dallin H. Oaks

Our Doctrine is Not Hard to Find

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught,

“A few question their faith when they find a statement made by a Church leader decades ago that seems incongruent with our doctrine. There is an important principle that governs the doctrine of the Church. The doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk. True principles are taught frequently and by many. Our doctrine is not difficult to find.”

2012 October General Conference, Trial of Your Faith, Sat. Afternoon Session – By Neil L. Andersen

Forgive and Forget

Jeffrey R. Holland, while President of BYU shared the following story on forgiveness and mercy,

“I grew up in the same town with a boy who had no father and precious few of the other blessings of life. The young men in our community found it easy to tease and taunt and bully him. And in the process of it all he made some mistakes, though I cannot believe his mistakes were more serious than those of his Latter-day Saint friends who made life so miserable for him. He began to drink and smoke, and the gospel principles which had never meant much to him now meant even less. He had been cast in a role by LDS friends who should have known better and he began to play the part perfectly. Soon he drank even more, went to school even less, and went to Church not at all. Then one day he was gone. Some said that they thought he had joined the army.

“That was about 1959 or so. Fifteen or sixteen years later he came home. At least he tried to come home. He had found the significance of the gospel in his life. He had married a wonderful girl, and they had a beautiful family. But he discovered something upon his return. He had changed, but some of his old friends hadn’t—and they were unwilling to let him escape his past.

“This was hard for him and hard for his family. They bought a little home and started a small business, but they struggled both personally and professionally and finally moved away. For reasons that don’t need to be detailed here, the story goes on to a very unhappy ending. He died a year ago at age 44. That’s too young to die these days, and it’s certainly too young to die away from home.

“When a battered, weary swimmer tries valiantly to get back to shore, after having fought strong winds and rough waves which he should never have challenged in the first place, those of us who might have had better judgment, or perhaps just better luck, ought not to row out to his side, beat him with our oars, and shove his head back underwater. That’s not what boats were made for. But some of us do that to each other.”

“A Robe, A Ring, A Fatted Calf”
BYU Devotional

Satan’s Siege: Lessons from 3 Nephi 4

In our family we have reached 3 Nephi where the people of Nephi reach a critical point in their history. The Gadianton band of robbers and thieves has become so powerful and prevalent, they threaten to completely overrun the Nephites. After being delivered an ultimatum by the Gadianton leade to surrender or be destroyed, the Nephite leader brings the people together in the center of the land. They build and fortify a place of safety. They store up crops and bring their flocks. They have everything they need to last seven years. After a failed attempt to lure them out they switch tactics:

“And in the twenty and first year they did not come up to battle, but they came up on all sides to lay siege round about the people of Nephi; for they did suppose that if they should cut off the people of Nephi from their lands, and should hem them in on every side, and if they should cut them off from all their outward privileges, that they could cause them to yield themselves up according to their wishes” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi, Chapter 4).

As I considered this tactic, it occurred to me that Satan uses a very similar method today. When temptations and trials come, Satan will try to isolate us from those things that can make a positive influence in our life, those things that can bring us happiness and give us hope.

The siege on the people of Nephi was not effective because they had prepared sufficiently so they could outlast the siege. I believe there is an important lesson in their ability to outlast the opposition because of their preparation. If we are not spiritually prepared for the attacks and sieges that may come, we may not be able to see it through.

Elder Anderson in the October 2012 General Conference taught on the purpose of trials but the risk inherent in them:

“These fiery trials are designed to make you stronger, but they have the potential to diminish or even destroy your trust in the Son of God and to weaken your resolve to keep your promises to Him. These trials are often camouflaged, making them difficult to identify. They take root in our weaknesses, our vulnerabilities, our sensitivities, or in those things that matter most to us. A real but manageable test for one can be a fiery trial for another” (2012 October General Conference, Trial of Your Faith, Sat. Afternoon Session – By Neil L. Andersen).

We must be like the wise virgins who took thought to keep extra oil, so in the middle of the night, when they are called upon to show they are called upon to show their loyalty to the Bridegroom, there is no faltering in their ability to stand true.

In the words of Paul:

“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions …

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry”
(Hebrews 10:32,35-37)

Christ Heals the Ten Lepers, But One Becomes Whole

In the New Testament, when the ten lepers called out to Christ, they were instructed to go show themselves to the priest.

As they went about doing the thing they were told to do, they were healed. But only one turned back and cried with a load voice praising God. Christ reflects on how only one had truly acted in a manner that was in the spirit of true worship and gratitude.

The other nine are doing a good thing, they recognized the Savior and displayed enough faith to be healed, and were going and doing the very thing Christ told them to do.

But more important to the Savior than what we do, is who we become. The one, a Samaritan no less, became something more that day. He went from obedient leper to whole disciple because he allowed gratitude and humility to stop and turn him back to the Savior.

As was taught to Joseph Smith,

“And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.” (Doctrine and Covenants, Doctrine and Covenants, Section 59)

Who knew gratitude was so very becoming of us?