Sunday, October 20, 2013
It’s been a wonderful week. Monday I mailed Trigger his treat for memorizing Helaman
5:12. Did he get it Kari? I also planned out our meals for the
next couple of weeks and had a big shopping trip to Walmart. Chad was swamped with work that day
since he’d after been gone for three days so he ended up working from home the
whole day getting “caught up”.
Although, I don’t think he ever really gets caught up, his job always
had something else that can be done, he just has to stop working and come home
and pick up where he left off the next day. It was nice that he was home though because then we got to
start dinner and home evening right at 6:00 when he quite working instead of
waiting the 20-30 minutes for him to drive home. We were able to finish home evening before Spencer had to go
to soccer practice. I don’t like Spencer’s
Monday night practices, but at least it a short practice so we can still have
home evening before his leaves or after he gets back and then he doesn’t have
to miss his weekly Scouts night.
Tuesday morning I watched my friend's daughter while she went to work. She is an amazing single mother of two, she’s been married three
times, but they haven’t worked out.
She’s taught Spencer in scouts and was a great leader. I hope that she can find someone who
will be a good companion for her and that she can find the happiness she
desires. Tuesday afternoon was my
neighbor friend Puring’s first discussion with the missionaries. She came 15 minutes early and then the
missionaries were 30 minutes late.
I got to know a lot more about her. The discussion went really well. I think she understands a lot, but not all of it. She really liked it though. She went with us to Stake Conference
this morning. Chad was singing in
the stake choir so I had all of the kids with Puring and me. The missionaries saved us a spot in the
soft chairs in the overflow. My
kids…. lets just say they were less than reverent. It was a bit frustrating, but honestly two hours is really
hard for kids to sit quite and be still.
They tried really hard to be good.
They did well for the first hour and fifteen minutes. Then I had to start taking noisy kids
out, but I didn’t want to leave Puring alone the rest of the time so we regrouped
and came back in, … then we had to go back out awhile later. A kind sister, I don’t even know her
name but she’s an angel, came and helped me at that time and took Marlee to sit
with her and I was able to go back in and sit with Puring and manage the rest
of the kids. It was kind of crazy
and even a bit comical, but I wouldn’t trade it. I love my young family and I am so excited to have this
experience of helping Puring learn about the church. Puring didn’t seem bothered by it at all. That’s probably because she has eight
children. She’s used to it.
Wednesday I was able to go to the temple during Grammy
days. I did sealings again and
listened closely to the prayers to see if I could learn something new. I noticed in the husband and wife sealing
that what the husband and the wife covenant are a little bit different. The husband covenants to receive his
wife, the wife covenants to give
herself to her husband and to receive
her husband. I have been thinking
about that a lot this week. I hope
to further learn more about it.
Thursday evening Conner Rudd, one of Chad’s teachers, came
to pass off his personal management merit badge with me. I forgot to give him my sheet of
financial tips that I put together a year or so ago when I signed up to be the
personal management merit badge councilor. I’ll have to print it out and run it over to his house. I’ll attach it to this letter if you’d
like to read it.
Friday I taught Spencer’s class an art masterpiece lesson on
Quentin Matsys. It went really
well. I spent a lot of time this
week preparing my
lesson plan. I sure enjoy
teaching. Friday night Bryant had
a soccer game and scored a goal. I
really like his coach. During
Bryant’s first game I was worried that this was going to be a long season
because they got killed, but in only three weeks they have improved
tremendously. That night Spencer
was invited to a block party over in power ranch with some of his friends in
the ward. After Bryant’s game was
over, Chad and I picked Spencer up from his party since it was about over and
went on our date. We ate a Costa
Vida, and then got a new bike for Karalee at Walmart since her birthday is coming
up on Nov. 1st and her old bike is too little for her. We have it hidden so it will be a
surprise for her on her special day.
Yesterday morning Chad went golfing with Aaron, Devin and
Danny and had a great time. He
loves to golf and hasn’t been in about two years. He said he didn’t golf too badly. He got back in time to go to Bryant’s second soccer game of
the week. (This is his only week
with a double header.) Spencer and
Karalee had games yesterday evening too.
Chad and I tag teamed on those.
He had Stake Priesthood leadership meeting and as soon as that was over
at 6:00 he came to stay with the kids until the games were over and I went home
to change and to head over to the stake center to play the organ for the adult
session. Chad got to the session a
little late because Spencer’s game went long, but still heard most of the
talks. Last night was my first
time to ever play the organ in stake conference. I was a little nervous but it went well, with no
embarrassment. They sprung a
surprise rest hymn on me, but it was a hymn I’ve played in sacrament meeting
several times so it wasn’t scary.
Our adult session of stake conference last night was mainly
about missionary work. I’ll share
two things from my notes that evening.
Pres. Derek, our stake president, said in regards to the parable of the
talents, “When Heavenly Father gives us things he expects an increase.” Our visiting General authority, Elder J. Romeo Villarreal, said, “You don’t know how far
your service can reach.” He said
that in regards to missionary work and how you never know how many people will
join the church from the people you baptize. I think that quote can apply to all types of service.
Today in Stake conference my
friend, who I happen to visit teach, spoke. She talked about sacrifice and shared how she struggled with
depression when her fifth child was born and how she struggled to come to
church since her husband, who is in the bishopric in our ward, was on
the stand and she had all her little ones by herself. She did a great job and really brought a great spirit to the
meeting. Elder Villarreal
commented about her talk and said that there is purpose behind every calling in
the church and that they aren’t meant to separate families, but to help them
grow and develop. He said that he
takes his wife on more dates now, even with his busy schedule as a general
authority, than he did when they were courting. He said that’s because she means more to him now and that
with a little work its possible to find time to do things together.
My quotes for today are from Elder
Ulisses Sores Oct. 2013 Conference talk, emphasis added.
“We are blessed to be born with the seed of meekness in our
hearts. We need to understand that it is not possible to grow and develop that seed
in the twinkling of an eye but rather through the process of time. Christ asks
us to “take up [our] cross daily,” meaning that it must be a constant focus and
desire. … ‘We have our little follies and our weaknesses; we should try to
overcome them as fast as possible, and … should
[instill] this feeling in the hearts of our children … that they may learn
to [behave] properly before Him under all circumstances.’”
“Another important step to becoming meek is learning how to
control our temper. … Think for a few seconds how you react when someone does
not comply with your desires the moment you want them to. … At these moments
and in other difficult situations, we must learn to control our temper and
convey our feelings with patience and gentle persuasion. This is most important
within our homes and within our relationships with our eternal companions.”
The second quote really hit me during conference. I need to control my temper with my
children better. I’m trying not to
be a yeller. I don’t like myself
when I yell at my children. I have
made improvements, but still need “constant focus” in that area in my life.
Love,
Mindy
P.S. Here are two cute video’s of Tilly.
This is her cute way of saying sippy cup: http://youtu.be/_odYH0-bExM
This is her singing the ABC’s: http://youtu.be/j3zTwHzA8jY
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