Humble Pie

My health has been on the down swing the last few weeks. When ever this happens it's really hard to have a positive attitude. I get down on my self a lot. Then I get down on my knees and ask for help, answers, and direction. And this time with the release of my calling I've been struggling with so many more and different emotions. I almost feel lost going to church, not because I've lost my testimony, I just don't have a million things to do anymore. I just go, sit down, and wait for the lesson to start. Sometimes I even feel disconnected from everyone. Today was one of those days. I could feel it coming so I went out of my way, even though I didn't feel good, to say hi to people and truly care about what they said in return. To be honest it did help. But the thing that helped the most was the lessons and testimonies that were shared. I felt some of my prayers were answered, and I was humbled.
One woman in Sacrament meeting talked about the difference between enduring something and enduring it well. Boy did I need to hear that! I really haven't been enduring this trial well the past few weeks. Then in Sunday School we talked about Joseph who was sold into Egypt (Genesis 39-45). Talk about a man who endured his many trials well! To be sold as a slave by your brothers. And the scriptures say that God was with him, that's amazing! To have God with you you have to have a good attitude. God doesn't dwell with those who murmur and complain all of the time. I sure need to be more like that. We also talked about how you could look at Joseph's life and see God's hand in it. God was able to save so many people because of Joseph. That part of the story helped me to look at my life. To see God in my life. It helped me remember some things about my trial. The last few priesthood blessings I've been given, I was told that I could help many people because of the knowledge I've gained thought this trial. It truly is amazing how many people I have come in contact with who have struggled with their health the same way I have. Then I remembered how I've felt when I was able to help them. To give them hope. If I have to go through something so I can help others then it isn't so bad. Now I just have to remember that on my harder days.
In Relief Society the lesson was on the Book of Mormon and the power that you get when you read and study it. With my calling I had the opportunity to teach and that made me study more. The past few weeks I haven't been studying, just reading. The lesson reminded me that I need to study it more. Then I can call on the powers of Heaven for help because I'll have the spirit with me more. I'll be more ready to hear when the answers come. After all the Lord never said it would be easy, He only said it would be worth it.

Easter Count Down

Things can get really crazy around the Holidays and the true meaning can get lost. My husband and I have really tried to help our children understand the true meaning behind Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas the most. Since Easter is right around the corner this year, I would like to share with you what we do in our home.

First, we do a 12 day count down to Easter. This is how it works: We have this basket. Each morning the kids get to choose an egg out and open it, except for the purple one. That one is for Easter morning.

Inside the eggs are things that remind us of the Savior and some scriptures. Here is a list of the things that we use. I'm sure there are many more things you can use.

Toothpicks in the shape of a cross and John 19:17

A small band aid (Healing) and Matt 8:7-8,13,16

Mud and John 9

Apiece of bread and Mark 6:30-44

A cotton ball (sheep) and John 10:27

A picture of a heart and Moroni 7:48

A small nail and 3 Nephi 11:14

Small white cloth and John 11:1-6,11,14,17-44

Picture of Jesus and Matt 28:6

A piece of paper with this written on it: Name 5 blessing you have because of the Savior.

A piece of paper with this written on it: Go outside and see how many things you can see that are miracles like the Savior's Resurrection (ie Tulips, buried in fall and in the spring turn into flowers/bloom again, a little egg inside a nest becomes a baby bird)

Leave one empty (my purple one), after it is opened read the story of the Empty Easter Egg and the Empty tomb, "What was in Jeremy's Egg?" By Ida Mae Kemple.

When they open the Purple one on Easter Sunday we read the story and then give a lesson on the Resurrection. It really is a wonderful way to start Easter Sunday.

Second, we have the Easter Bunny come Friday night. The kids wake up and find their baskets, play with their toys, do our Easter Egg hunt, roll our colored Easter eggs down the hill, and do all of the traditional things on Saturday. That way they are not missing out on the fun worldly things. Don't get me wrong I love all of that stuff, I do tons of it, just as long as they know the real reason behind the holiday. And this way we get all of that out of the way so on Sunday we talk more about Jesus.

If you come up with other things to go into the eggs please share them with me. And may you have a wonderful holiday celebrating our Savior's Miracle.

Released

I was released from my calling yesterday. I knew it was coming, I felt it. I've had so many different emotions. To be honest my first thought was, 'now we can sell our home'. I know that's crazy. But now that I'm truly finished it feels different. I've been going through my things getting them ready for the next person. Making lists of things she should know so she doesn't make the same mistakes I did. Trying to organize so she understands what she is supposed to do and what she'll be in charge of. All of that really is making me sad, heart sick. I love the women in my ward! It has been a joy to serve them. It hasn't always been easy, but worth it. So many blessing have been given to me through this service. Blessings that someone else needs now. I can't help but feeling that I'm passing my 'baby' on. There are so many things I've worked on and felt inspired to do. I just want to tell her, "do it this way. This is what I've started so it really should keep going like this." When really I have no say in anything any more. She is and has been given the 'mantel' so she is entitled to all of the inspiration she needs. She'll do a good job, probably better than I did. I just need to let go and see what the Lord has in store for me next.

Hope quote

So here is my favorite quote from President Uchtdorf's talk on Hope:

"Faith, hope, and charity complement each other, and as one increases, the others grow as well. Hope comes of faith, for without faith, there is no hope. In like manner faith comes of hope, for faith is "the substance of things hoped for."
Hope is critical to both faith and charity. When disobedience, disappointment, and procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. The brighter our hope the greater our faith. The stronger our hope, the purer our charity.
The things we hope for lead us to faith, while the things we hope in lead us to charity. The three qualities-faith, hope, and charity-working together, grounded on the truth and light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, lead us to abound in good works."

I love that because it helps me not only too see how faith and hope work together, but also to see that we need and must have all three together. President Uchtdorf explains more in his talk about how the three make up a three legged stool. That analogy makes so much sense to me. When you have all three of them they lead "us to abound in good works". Isn't that just wonderful?!

They Prayed

Today I had to run a bunch of errands. One that I really really needed to run was taking a movie back to redbox. I got it free, and then forgot about it all week. I don't like it when that happens, oh well. I had the movie set out to take with us. I noticed that my oldest was looking at it. I asked him to put it back so I would remember to bring it with us. He didn't, so I forgot. I wasn't the happiest when I noticed we'd have to go all the way back home to get it. I looked all over the house while the kids were out in the car. I was very annoyed and went out to the car to get him so he could help me look for it. After he got out of the car my second child said, "mom we prayed that you would find it." My heart instantly was humbled and a feeling a peace came. I hadn't thought to pray and I wasn't happy that we couldn't find it. I went back into the house and I found it right away. I told my children 'thank you' for saying a prayer. My second child said she prayed that I would find it, and I did, it wasn't my oldest. Then they both said a prayer of thanks to our Heavenly Father for answering their prayer while I drove to the store. I was humbled by my 6 and 4 year olds. I should have thought to pray. No wonder we are to be like little children to inherit the kingdom of God. I have a lot of work to do. I'm so glad I have wonderful examples around me every minute of the day.

Hope

So, I am teaching this Sunday in Relief Society. It is on the last part of Moroni 7:45 "...hopeth all things..." I decided to take this part of the scripture a few weeks ago while finishing the Book of Mormon in my own personal reading. I had never noticed before how important hope is. The second to last chapter in the Book of Mormon, Mormon writes a letter to his son Moroni telling him all of the horrible things his people were doing and how awfully wicked they were. And then he says don't dwell on it and have hope. It hit me pretty hard. It sounded so much like what the world is today. There are so many awful things happening and so many wicked people though out the word. We all are going through are own trials that at some point seem unbearable. But we need to have hope. The more I've studied the topic the more amazed I am by it. Without hope we can not have faith. Without faith we don't have hope, and without either of those we can not have charity. They all go hand in hand. After I'm finished with my lesson I'll explain that a little more and give you some quotes. But until then, have hope in the Savior!