Babies and A Good Story!

Love these two and love a good (true) story!

The twins are now 2 months old and will be blessed on Sunday!

Jacob

Lily

Dan received this in an email from a missionary serving from our stake:

January 7, 2013

"My companion and I just finished a lesson … and we were rushing to our next appointment.  …  On our way we had to cross a bridge over a river.  As we approached the bridge we saw a man in his 40s … leaning against the guardrail of the bridge.  We almost passed him … but I decided … to just hand him a card with our number on it and keep on walking.  Once I got close, he waved at me to go away, but I continued to walk towards him and simply asked how his day was going. … 

He replied, “What does it matter to you?”  I replied, “Well, it matters to me a lot.”  Then I could tell he was sad about something.  I asked him, “Can we help you?”

He said, bursting into tears, “I miss my dad; I can’t get over the death of my parents; there’s no other way out of this pain; I can’t take it anymore.” 

We began to ask him what happened to his parents.  They had died recently and he couldn’t get over it because his dad had been his best friend.  We simply listened as he told us about his problems and how hard his life was; he works long hours to provide for 11 kids, and at the end of the day, his wife is worrying about money ….  I began to cry with him, put my arm around his shoulder and told him it’s going to be fine.  We can help you. … 

It was what he needed to hear.  After talking with him for a while … he told us it was a miracle from God that we passed by in the very moment he was going to take his life.  He had prayed and prayed for God to help him, and we arrived at just the right moment.  He hugged us both and said he would always be in our debt.  He also agreed to let us teach him about the plan of salvation."

The missionary concludes his story with this:  “I know for a fact God heard this man’s prayers and that the Spirit told me to talk to this man; not a voice, just a thought in my head.  Just to say “hi.”  I thought nothing of it at the time, but then I realized afterward that Heavenly Father entrusted me, a 20-year-old kid, to save someone’s life.  It was the most spiritual experience that I have had in my life.  God is a God of miracles--don't ever forget that."

Rising Generation!

I love the "Rising Generation"!

This amazing young man is one of our home teachers.

He and his brother wanted to be better missionaries to their friends so they designed this T-shirt and they wear them to school.  They get lots of questions about what the design means on the front and numerous people have zapped the QR code on the back which is a link to an LDS site.    Can you figure out what the design means?  

Last summer a young woman had a part time job.  She felt impressed to save as much  money as possible, so she got two more part time jobs.  Her parents did not have health insurance and she thought maybe she was going to get sick and would need the money for that.  Then at October Conference she knew why she had been inspired to save money.  She is now serving as a full time missionary in the Sacramento mission! 

A young man was on track to play Division 1 basketball.  Then he was diagnosed with cancer.  The doctors gave him several treatment options.  Most of the options required treatment over a long period of time and a long convalescence.  He asked if this would preclude him going on a mission and they said: Yes for a long time.  Was there any option that would allow him to serve a mission sooner?  He could have his leg amputated.  The young man said: I want to go on a mission now.  Take the leg.  He is now serving as a missionary in the Sacramento mission!

"...and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity;
Alma 53:20

Words With Friends!

I love having friends over!

(even if it means I have to cook!)

I knew I would forget to take a picture of the people so I at least remembered to take a picture of the table before they came.  

Our dinner with the stake presidency and the 6th Ward bishopric:

 Then we had the Melanchuks over to celebrate the new baby boy coming to their family:

Our fun dessert: Blue sprinkles

 P.S.  Extra surprise: Kathryn and Amelia showed up wearing these fun dresses!

 Amanda wore them when she was their age and insisted I keep them for her.

I'm glad I did!

Family Home Evening!

I love Family Home Evening!

"Here are the promised blessings for those who will hold a weekly home evening: 'If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them.' First Presidency, April 27, 1915, in Improvement Era 18:733-34."

We always found that a little humor helped. Recently, I saw this clever idea giving "Favorite Hymns" for various occupations.  Here are some of my favorites:

  Favorite Hymns

The Politician's Hymn: Standing on the Promises

The Optometrist's Hymn: Open My Eyes that I May See

The IRS Agent's Hymn: I Surrender All

I thought it would be fun to try and come up with some"Favorite Hymns" using the LDS Hymnbook.   Here is what I came up with.  Can you think of any more??

Favorite Hymns

The Dentist's Hymn: O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown

The Weatherman's Hymn: Master The Tempest is Raging; There is Sunshine in My Soul Today; Today While the Sun Shines; Hail to the Brightness of Zion’s Glad Morning

The Contractor's Hymn: How Firm a Foundation

The Golfer's Hymn: There Is a Green Hill Far Away

The Reformed Gossip's Hymn: Nay Speak No Ill; Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words

The Candy Maker’s Hymn: Sweet Is the Work

The Electrician's Hymn: Lead, Kindly Light

The Telephone Repairman’s Hymn:  Israel, Israel God Is Calling

 The Dry Cleaner’s Hymn: Press Forward Saints; Let Us All Press On

The Large Family With Small Children on a Road Trip’s Hymn: Does the Journey Seem Long

The Waiter’s Hymn: Called To Serve

The Army’s Hymn: We Are All Enlisted; Onward Christian Soldiers; Behold! A Royal Army

The Carpenter’s Hymn: Again We Meet Around the Board

The Farmer’s Hymn: We Are Sowing; The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare

The Veternarian’s Hymn: All Creatures of Our God and King

The High School Band’s Hymn: We are Marching On to Glory

The Potter’s Hymn: Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

The Parent Who Just Raised a Teenager to Adulthood’s Hymn: I Stand All Amazed

The Baker’s Hymn: I Need Thee Every Hour

Everyday Missionaries!

I love this book!

It helped me see a new way to be a member missionary.

There is also a great website that has a lot of the same information:

www.everydaymissionaries.org

Too much to tell in one blog post, but if you have a chance to read it, you will get more excited about sharing the gospel!

Mormon Channel!

 I love listening to Mormon Channel!

One of my favorites is the series "Everything Creative."

"Everything Creative explores creativity through interviews with artists and creative people of all types."   Without checking, does anyone know what a "Luthier" is?

Two episodes I really enjoyed were the ones about 

The Bells on Temple Square and...

 The Christmas lights on Temple Square.  Fascinating!

 I also enjoy the Series "Conversations."

"Conversations features interviews with General Authorities, auxiliary leaders, and faithful Latter-day Saints conducted in a style that allows the listener to become acquainted with those being interviewed in an informal way."

 Without looking it up, does anyone know who this General Authority is?

"As a young missionary in Chile, Elder ?????? and his companion were arrested by military police and placed in prison. Later in his life, another test of faith occurred with the death of a son. Despite adverse events, and perhaps because of them, Elder ?????? and his wife, Lynette, have developed an enduring faith over a lifetime of service, including his present calling as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is an unusually diverse and interesting interview filled with lessons learned that can uplift and encourage all."

Families!

I love our families!

(Answers to Valentine's Game)

The Josh Harrisons: From Utah the Beehive state and they have 5 children!

The Melanchuks: They have pizza every Friday and the panda represents China where Amanda taught English!

The Harrisons: Both served missions in an Asian country, Korea, and they live in the cowboy state of Texas!

The McClellans: McClellan is a Scottish name and Charles majored in Russian and lived in Russia for a year!

The Jeff Harrisons:  Jeff works at Spirit where they make airplanes and Sam has always loved dinosaurs!

The Perrys: They just had a double scoop known as twins and Brian is a high school teacher!

Exclamation Points!

I love Exclamation Points!!

Have you noticed I use them in the title of every post?!

I use them in the salutation of every email!

I want people to know I am happy to contact them 

and that I mean it when I say something!!

P.S.

They are having a major snow storm in Kansas!

The kids have been busy building snowmen.  

McClellans above and Harrisons below.

C.S. Lewis!

I love C.S. Lewis!

I was looking for a quote of his to use in my lesson and during the process I found many other wonderful quotes.  He certainly seemed to understand Christianity.  I believe he is the most quoted non-member by our General Authorities.  He was quoted in the current month's Ensign and in last October Conference.  

Here are a few favorites:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which,if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.  Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - These are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

C. S. Lewis explained this teaching of the Savior: “The moment you have a self at all, there is a possibility of putting yourself first—wanting to be the centre—wanting to be God, in fact. That was the sin of Satan: and that was the sin he taught the human race. Some people think the fall of man had something to do with sex, but that is a mistake. … What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could ‘be like gods’—could set up on their own as if they had created themselves—be their own masters—invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come … the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy."   Quoted by Dallin H. Oaks April 2009

Grandkids!

I love my grandkids!

(photo below taken yesterday by MaryAnn)

It's a big day for our family today!

The twins are two months old

AND

Darryl and Amanda will find out this morning if they are having a boy or a girl!

Let's Hear It For Dan!

  I love Dan's hearing aids!

 He's only had them for a few weeks but it has made a big difference in my life; 

I can't imagine how much it has made a difference in his!

We can whisper in the temple and he can hear me!

Now it's me who wants to turn up the volume on the TV!

I can call to him upstairs or in another room and he will answer!

He doesn't need to ask me what people said during dinner conversations!

What a miracle!!

I read recently that 38 million people need hearing aids but only 4 million actually have and use them.  

Hooray for Dan  

(He says it's the first time in years he's heard the blinkin' car turn signal blinker!)

Ensign!

I love the Ensign magazine!

I have been a fan for all the years it has existed and at one time had a copy of every issue.

It took up space in my closet but I loved having them and using the yearly index to search for things in them.

Now we can have every issue on a small little device and search through them all in the blink of an eye!

I always finding something uplifting and helpful in every issue; it's always worth the time and effort!