Convenient, Bank Robbery, The Lord Blesses His Missionaries

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Today I had a profound thought (at least it was profound to me) come to me as I woke early and was thinking over my day, and lets me honest, having a bit of a selfish moment.  Here’s the thought that came to me.  Things that are of great worth, and of eternal significance, will not always be convenient. 

I’ve had a long week.  I’ve been a single mother almost all week.  Not fun.  Chad was busy with work and a lot of young men activities that all just happened to be scheduled the same week and he had no control over the schedule.  It really hasn’t been that bad, there are lots of ladies whose husbands are gone more than Chad is or who have no husbands at all, but this morning I felt worn out.  I’ve had a good day though and I’ll be fine, just need to take it easy for a day or two.

Monday I did a lot of cleaning—laundry, master bathroom, sweeping and mopping the kitchen and bathroom. 

My winter garden is producing!  I love being able to go out and pick my lunch.

Tuesday Tilly had diarrhea again and got it all over the carpet so I had to clean the carpet where she had a mess and then took her to the doctor because she’s been having trouble off and on for over three weeks now.  This has been going on since before our trip to Mexico so I know she didn’t get some bug down there.  The doctor started her on some probiotics and I had to collect some stool samples and take them into get tested.  I never knew collecting stool samples was going to be part of my job description when I became a mother.  It was gross.  Tuesday afternoon Puring had her second discussion.  She accepted the date of Nov. 30^th to be baptized!!!   

Wednesday morning I got up and hurriedly got ready and took the girls out to Grammy days so I could get to my VT appointment on time.  I left my phone at home and when I went to pick my partner up I found out that I missed a text telling me that our sister had to cancel since her daughter was sick and needed to go to the doctor.  So I had lots of time to go run errands and get grocery shopping done.  Before I left to run all my errands I stopped back home to get my phone and Chad was still there.  He told me that the branch he was going to go visit that day had just got robbed so he ended up working from home the whole day.  I love it when he gets to work from home.  So the bank’s loss was my gain.  I joked that it was like a Monopoly card.  “The bank just got robbed; your hubby gets to work from home.”  I do feel badly the bank was robbed though.  I feel even sadder for the man who had such a cause to rob a bank.  I imagine things must be pretty desperate for him to have stooped to that resort.  Chad found out that the robber was caught right after he robbed the bank.  While he was in the act, there was a policeman going through the drive thru so all the policeman had to do was follow the robber and pull him over.  The robber would have been caught quickly even if that didn’t happen though because he robbed it by just passing a note to the teller so he was dressed in regular clothes, no ski mask or anything like that, so he will be on all the security cameras. 

Wednesday when I was out and about, I finally found some pumpkin spice popcorn from popcornopolis at Old Navy.  I’ve been wanting to buy some for over a year now, but it’s only sold around Thanksgiving time and it sells out quick.  Well, have you ever looked forward to something and built it up in your head and then when you got it, it wasn't as good as you remembered? That happened to me with the pumpkin spice popcorn.  I’d been craving that for a long time and then when I got it, it wasn’t as good as I remembered. However, that doesn’t always happen.  Way back when I heard Chad was off his mission, I really wanted to go out with him and looked forward into running into him sometime (we knew each other pre-mission, just as friends).  It turns out he was and still is a way better man than I could have imagined. Thirteen years and six kids later I still feel like a newly married, smitten honeymooner. Hope to keep it that way.

Thursday I watched my friend Riki’s daughter Emma, who is Tilly’s age, while Riki went to the dentist.  Emma and my little girls played outside while I worked on taking down our swing set for a while.  Our swing set is falling apart so we need to take it down.  The slide fell off while my family was over here a few weeks ago.  Luckily no one was hurt.  I’ve ordered a new swing set from Costco.  It looks nice and we’re excited for it to come and to get it set up.  Bryant and the neighbor boy have loved using Chad’s tools to take apart our old swing set.  Bryant rushes to get his chores done so he can work on it.  J

Bryant and our neighbor have been having a great time tearing down our swing set.

Friday was a really busy day.  I had lots of errands to run in the morning with the girls.  Then I got Tilly to sleep and hired a babysitter while I went to help with Karalee's Halloween class party.  We had a nice time.  Right after school, Spencer left to a scout camporee.  He was so excited.  Chad and a whopping two of his eleven teachers left to the same camporee Spencer did a little later.  Friday night Bryant had a soccer game at 8 pm.  Bryant scored the winning goal!!

Spencer's Halloween party

Bryant's class party

Karalee's class party

Karalee wouldn't model her spider hat, so I did.

Isn't this the cutest little vampire you've ever seen!!

I love Tilly's eyelashes. 

Yesterday Karalee had a soccer game at 8:30 am then we came home and worked for over two hours at taking down our old swing set and stacking up all the old wood.  We’re almost done now.  Then I made some chili and cornbread for our ward trunk or treat.  We had a great time at our trunk or treat.

On Tuesday at Puring’s discussion I was kind of disappointed in the way the plan of salvation was being taught to her.  I wondered how she was going to ever understand it.  Then the missionaries asked her if she would be baptized on Nov. 30^th and she said yes.  I’ve thought a lot about Puring’s progress with the missionary discussions.  Tons of things have gone wrong--the missionaries were really late at her first discussion, my kids were super noisy at stake conference, there are language barriers, the lessons have been presented in a way that are kind of hard to understand—and yet she still wants to be baptized.  This really is the Lord’s work and he uses those who are willing even though they may be weak and have imperfections to bring people his gospel.  You don’t have to have a perfect situation to teach someone about the gospel.  The Spirit is what does the teaching.  The Lord will make up where we lack, if we will do what we can.  He blesses his missionaries for their sacrifice and their desire to share the gospel.    The missionaries spoke in our sacrament meeting today and I was amazed at their testimonies.  I felt badly for being disappointed in their teaching abilities.  They are amazing.  I’m so thankful for what I have learned through this experience.

Spencer, Bryant, and Karalee have all passed off their scripture of the month.  Marlee is close.  Amy’s daughter Mary called me and passed it off too.  She was really cute.  She learned it all in one day. Good job Mary!!

My quote for today is from Sis. Carole M. Stephens talk Do We Know What We Have?  “We all need each other. Sons of God need daughters of God, and daughters of God need sons of God.”

Love,

Mindy 

P.S. Chad helped the kids make a little movie tonight and I edited it.  It’s funny, but they defiantly need some work on keeping the camera still.  http://youtu.be/e7JEUhfdpYo

 

Lazy Sunday morning Uno game.

Sister Sanders’ Budgeting Tips

A Healthy budget is a huge factor in creating a happy marriage, a happy, secure family, and personal self-worth.

• Husbands and wives should discuss and work together to create a family budget.

-  Before you get married, make sure your future spouse has the same idea of a budget as you do and will help you work towards self-reliance.  What is important to you should be important to them. 

-  Those that care the most are at the mercy of those that care the least.

• “Successful family finances begin with the payment of an honest tithe and the giving of a generous fast offering. The Lord has promised to open the windows of heaven and pour out great blessings upon those who pay tithes and offerings faithfully (see Malachi 3:10 and Isaiah 58:6–12).” www.lds.org/topics/finances

-  “The purpose of both temporal and spiritual self-reliance is to get ourselves on higher ground so that we can lift other in need.” – Elder Robert D. Hales

• Spend less than you make. 

-  “Reasonable debt for the purchase of an affordable home and perhaps for a few other necessary things is acceptable. But from where I sit, I see in a very vivid way the terrible tragedies of many who have unwisely borrowed for things they really do not need.” – President Hinckley

-  If you budget carefully you can avoid debt for cars and for a college education.

-  “Even if you are going into debt for a home or an education, you should still use prayer and wisdom to make good decisions about debt. If you do go into debt, you should pay your debts off as soon as you can.” - http://personalfinance.byu.edu/?q=node/88

• Learn about and understand interest. 

-  “Those who understand interest -- EARN it. Those who don't -- PAY IT!" - Albert Einstein

-  “Interest never sleeps nor sickens nor dies; it never goes to the hospital; it works on Sundays and holidays; it never takes a vacation; it never visits nor travels; it takes no pleasure; it is never laid off work nor discharged from employment; it never works on reduced hours; it never has short crops nor droughts; it never pays taxes; it buys no food; it wears no clothes; it is unhoused and without home and so has no repairs; it has neither wife, children, father, mother, nor kinfolk to watch over and care for; it has no expense of living; it has neither weddings nor births nor deaths; it has no love, no sympathy; it is as hard and soulless as a granite cliff. Once in debt, interest is your companion every minute of the day and night; you cannot shun it or slip away from it; you cannot dismiss it; it yields neither to entreaties, demands, or orders; and whenever you get in its way or cross its course or fail to meet its demands, it crushes you.” (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., In Conference Report, April 1938, page 103.)

•   Save some money from every paycheck.

-  A healthy budget will have 5-10% disposable income.

-  There will always be unexpected bills or repairs that come up.  Budget for them.  Learn to expect the unexpected!

•   Build and keep good credit

-  Good credit is necessary if you want to purchase a home.

-  You do not need to go into debt to build credit.  You can build credit by getting a low balance credit card, making a few small purchases with it, and paying them off every month.

-  If you don’t have the self-control to only buy things with a credit card that you already have the money set aside for, you shouldn’t use a credit card.

•   Read and live the principles taught on the church finances website. www.lds.org/topics/finances

Puring's discussion, stake conference

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

Mummy Dogs aka Pigs in a Blanket

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Yesterday I decided to make Mummy Dogs (Halloween themed Pigs in a Blanket) for dinner.  In the past I’ve never been able to get the right crust.  I refuse to use Pillsbury Dough anymore; I think it's gross and it leaves a sticky film on the top of my mouth.  When talking about Pillsbury dough with one of my friends she jokingly said, "they probably don’t even use real flour."  Ha Ha.  Anyway, after thinking about what kind of roll to use for the crust I decided to try my Mom, Mary Louise Flake’s, Quick Yeast Rolls.  It worked really well, the “blanket” was very light and airy. 

As you can see the Mummy dogs were going fast.  I had to snap a picture quick before they were all gone.

Pigs in a Blanket or Halloween Mummy Dogs

Dough

1 ½ c warm water (The original recipe calls for scalded milk, but my kids are lactose intolerant and warm water is way faster and still tastes great so water it is.)

2 T dry yeast

2 eggs

1 T sugar

3 T shortening

1 t salt

Enough flour to make a very soft dough

Mix well.  Let rise until doubled.  Punch down and roll out on a floured surface to ¼ in thick.  Use a pizza cutter and cut the dough into strips.  Wrap the dough around your hot dogs.  Let rise again for about 5-10 minutes.  Bake at 400 for 12 minutes.  This recipe made enough dough for 12 Mummy Dogs and a 9X13 pan of rolls.  So it makes quite a bit.  You can half it if needed.

To make rolls, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick.  Cut the dough into round circles with the opening of a cup.  Dip the circle into butter melted in the bottom of a 9X13 pan then fold the circle in half and put it in the corner of the pan.  Repeat and fill up the pan.  Let rise until double in size.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

Matsys Art Masterpiece Lesson Plan

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Quentin Matsys “The Money Changer and His Wife”

Art Masterpiece Lesson Plan

by Mindy Sanders

Artist biographical info.

(Most of the intro. info. is taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Matsys)

When you try to find out information about Quentin Matsys you can see that his name is spelled many different ways.  Not because he chose to, but because the records were not clear.  His first name is also recorded as Quenten or Kwinten and his last name as Massys, Metsys, or Matsijs. (Show Printout of different spellings)

Quentin Matsys was born in 1465 in Leuven, Belgium (Show Map) where legend states his father trained him as an ironsmith before he became a painter.  He was a painter in the Flemish tradition (Flemish is the Dutch language as spoken in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium).  After studying in Leuven, he moved to Antwerp by 1491. Near the front of the Cathedral of “Our Lady in Antwerp” is a wrought-iron well, known as the “Matsys Well,” which according to tradition was made by the painter-to-be.  Matsys was a founder of the Antwerp school, which is a term for the artists active in Antwerp, during the 16th and 17th centuries. 

Legend states that Matsys abandoned his career as a blacksmith to woo his wife, who found painting to be a more romantic profession, though Karel van Mander claimed this to be false, and the real reason was a sickness during which he was too weak to work at the smithy and instead decorated prints for the carnival celebrations.

The roots of Matsys' training are unknown, but his style reflects the artistic qualities of Dirk Bouts.  When Matsys settled at Antwerp at the age of twenty-five, his own style contributed importantly to reviving Flemish art. Matsys departed from Leuven in 1491 when he became a master in the guild of painters at Antwerp. 

Matsys work is considered to contain strong religious feeling—characteristic of traditional Flemish works—and is accompanied by a realism that often favored the grotesque.

Most of the emphasis in Matsys’ works lies not upon atmosphere, but to detials: emphasizing the melancholy refinement of saints, the brutal gestures and grimaces of gaolers (jailors) and executioners. Strenuous effort is devoted to the expression of individual character.

Matsys had two sons, Jan and Cornelis who were both painters.  Matsys’ grandson, who was named after him, Quentin Metsys the Younger, was also an artist and he painted the Sieve Portrait of Elizabenth I of England.

 Matsys died at Antwerp in 1529.  [He lived to be 64.] In spite of his religious devotion, several of his relatives died as a result of their faith. His sister Catherine and her husband suffered at Leuven in 1543 for what was then the capital offence of reading the Bible: he being decapitated, she allegedly buried alive in the square before the church. In 1629 the first centennial of Matsys' death was marked by a ceremony and erection of a relief plaque with an accompanying inscription on the facade of the Antwerp Cathedral. Benefactor Cornelius van der Geest is said to be responsible for the wording, stating: "in his time a smith and afterwards a famous painter", keeping in accordance with the legends surrounding Matsys' humble beginnings.

One of Matsys’ most famous paintings, A Grotesque Old Woman (or The Ugly Duchess) (Show the picture of it) is perhaps the best-known of his works. It served as a basis for John Tenniel's depiction of the Duchess in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It is likely a depiction of a real person with Paget's disease,^[5] though it is sometimes said to be a metaphorical portrait of the Margaret, Countess of Tyrol, who was known as Maultasch, which, was used to mean "ugly woman".

Historical info about the era

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_changer

Do any of you know what a money changer is? A money changer is a person who exchanges the coins or currency of one country for that of another. This trade is thought generally to be the origin of modern banking in Europe.

Have any of you ever seen money from a different country? (Show money from other countries)

During medieval times in Europe, many cities and towns issued their own coins, often carrying the face of a ruler, such as the regional baron or bishop. When outsiders, especially travelling merchants, visited towns for a market fair, it became necessary to exchange his foreign coins to local ones at local money changers. Money changers would assess a foreign coin for its type, wear and tear, and possible counterfeit, then accept it as deposit, recording its value in local currency. The merchant could then withdraw the money in local currency to conduct trade.

Activity

The Activity below is from: http://www.juneauschools.org/uploads/elementaryart/Sixthgrade/lessonplans/observeQuestionWritelesplan.pdf)

Photo taken from wikipedia

(Pass out Blank papers, have the kids fold them in half and only use the top half for now.) Before you tell the students anything about “The Money Changer and His Wife”, have them examine the painting quietly and write down 5 questions about it beginning with who, what, when, where and why.  After they are done writing their questions, have a few students volunteer to share their questions.  Begin with “who” and stay with it until about five good questions have been asked by the students.  Move on to what, then when and so on.  Encourage them to be specific and give detail within the questions, i.e. “Who is the person in the velvety red dress wearing the hat with white flaps?”  In this type of questioning, more information is gathered.

When students are done using the “five w” questions to gather information and have heard lots of ideas, have them improvise a progressive story about the painting.  The teacher will begin by starting the story with two or three sentences.  Tell the students they can take over the story at any time by raising their hands.  For instance:

“Isabella was reading her prayer book while waiting for a customer to come into the store.  She liked to make good use of her time because she had a lot to do that day.  Peter was sitting beside her weighing and counting the money from the last customer.  It was a bit chilly in the room that day, but…..

When the story seems to be done, give the students information about the painting, The Money Changer and Hid Wife.  Discuss how we may see things differently because of the times in which we live.”

(Have the kids put their papers aside for a while, but save them for later.)

The Story Behind the Painting

“The Money- Changer and His Wife [features] a professional man transacting business. He [has] a scale checking the weight of coins.  The painting [portrays] the importance of developing commerce and financial transactions. This became a prominent part of the secular life in the 16th century Netherlands. The values of society were changing from religion to economy. Money distracted Christians from their religion.  This was made obvious with the banker’s wife showing more interest in watching her husband count money than reading her prayer book.” (cias.rit.edu/~lel7081/2010-2011/Class/WesternArt/III/.../ExamI.doc).

A painting with a moral

In this painting Matsys “depicted … human vices and to reminding viewers of the frailty of human existence. Metsys is often considered one of the founders of the genre-highlights in this work. The shiny gold, pearls (a symbol of lust), and jewelry have distracted the wife from her spiritual duty, reading a work of devotion. The objects in the background have been carefully chosen to strengthen the work's moral message. The snuffed-out candle and the fruit on the shelf-an allusion to original sin and a reminder that we are all doomed to return to dust-are symbols of death. The carafe of water and the rosary hanging from the shelf symbolize the purity of the Virgin. Finally, the small wooden box represents a place where faith has retired” (http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/moneylender-and-his-wife).

Element of Art or Principle of Design

“The two subjects are depicted half-length, seated behind a table. The scene is tightly framed, making them the focus of attention. They are in perfect symmetry. The man is busy weighing the pearls, jewels, and pieces of gold on the table in front of him. This is distracting his wife from the book she is reading-a work of devotion, as the illustration of the Virgin and Child shows. The mirror placed in the foreground-a common device in Flemish painting, allowing the artist to create a link with the space beyond the framed scene-reflects a figure standing in front of a window. On the right, a door stands ajar, revealing a youth talking to an old man” (http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/moneylender-and-his-wife).

“The coins are greatly detailed.  A small container is given depth from the amount of highlighting Metsys uses” (http://www2.students.sbc.edu/ogborn03/euroart116/metsys.html).

Depth and Perspective Activity

Were going to do a little experiment.  (Pass out pennies and have the kids pull out and use the bottom half of the paper you passed out earlier.)

1.     Place the coin under the paper and rub lightly with the pencil.  Do this several times on the paper in different locations, not too far apart but not touching.

2.     Again move the coin.  This time the coin can touch previous rubbing.  Rub a little more firmly to produce a darker image; but do completely not draw over previous rubbing.

3.     Again move the coin.  Now be sure that the coin intersects previous rubbings and rub a bit harder to produce an even darker image.  Do not completely cover previous rubbing with new rubbing.

Notice that the image on the paper appears to be a pile (with depth) of random coins.

Hidden Pictures Activity

Since our painting today has hidden meanings, we are going to do a hidden items activity. (Pass out the Hidden Pictures papers)

Miracles still happen!

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Sunday, October 13, 2013

8:27pm

Today a miracle happened.  So awhile back we fed the missionaries and they gave us THIS Member Missionary 21-Day Promise.  (The paper they gave us actually said the Tempe mission or whatever mission we are in, but I couldn’t find that paper so I looked for it online.  I’m sure that this promise has been given to several, if not all missions) But anyway, so as a family we committed to the 21-day promise.  We listed eight of our neighbors and prayed for them every day, morning and night.  We might have missed one or two prayers, but we tried to be so diligent.  I’ll have to admit that my faith wasn’t very strong.  I kind of didn’t think it would work because I have been trying to find someone for the missionaries to teach for a long time, and I really have a strong desire to have someone taught by the missionary lessons in our home, I’ve made invitations and opened my mouth and it just hasn’t happened.  I also was worried about my kid’s faith because they were each praying for the people on our list too and was worried what I would tell them if the promise wasn’t fulfilled.  I even secretly kind of hoped that we’d forget to pray one day so I could use that as an excuse to my kids if it didn’t pan out, but I didn’t forget on purpose.  But since the challenge said “the Lord promises that at least one of the names on your list, or perhaps someone else, will accept an invitation to hear the missionary lessons by the end of the 21-day day period.” and since I had a desire we gave it a shot.  Well the 21-day period came and went, still nothing, but we did miss a day or two in our prayers.  Luckily the kids never said anything about it.  Then about two weeks ago our neighbor Puring, who wasn’t on our list by the way, who is from the Philippeans and lives in her daughter’s care home in our cul-de-sac because she is on dialysis 3 times a week, knocked on my door.  I gave Puring some tomatoes from our garden a couple of times and she was so grateful and we became friends.  Back to the story, I can’t remember why Puring knocked on our door and came over, but I invited her in, and after talking for a while I invited her to church.  She came to church with us today, all three hours, and I introduced her to the missionaries and we have an appointment on Tuesday for her first missionary lesson, IN OUR HOME!!  I am so excited.  Today I bore my testimony that the Lord keeps his promises that are made by the apostles and prophets.  Last Sunday in General Conference Bonnie Oscarson said, “The Lord expects us to exercise faith. We have to consistently pay a full and honest tithe in order to gain a testimony of tithing. This same pattern applies to all the principles of the gospel.”  I know that is true.  I had to exercise my faith, even thought it was weak, to complete the 21-day promise.  This week I was reading Alma 32 and realized it says the same thing as Sis. Oscarson’s talk, We have to “experiment on [the Lord’s] words and exercise a particle of faith, … if ye give place that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold if it be a true see, or a good seed, if you do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold it will begin to swell within your breasts.” I know that is true too.  I’ve put it into practice many times in my life.  I am so thankful for the miracle of finding someone for the missionaries to teach in my life.  During conference I thought I remembered one of the speakers saying we should pray for miracles as we share the gospel.  I started doing that.  However, as I tried to go back and find that in the talks I can’t find it now.  Maybe it was the Holy Ghost prompting me to pray for a miracle.  Who knows?  So even though I DON’T know if Puring will accept the gospel and be baptized--I’m not sure how much she understands because she doesn’t know English that well.  (I wish my brother-in-law Elliot lived closer so he could come help teach her since he served his mission in the Philippians, although we have a few men in our ward who served in the Philippeans too.)  I DO know the Lord hears and answers prayers and honors the promises made by his servants the prophets. 

Fall break is over now and school resumes tomorrow.  It was wonderful while it lasted.  We started fall break last Sunday night with my sister Amy’s kids Mary and Josh staying the night.

My kids sure had fun playing with them and they were great guests.  Around lunchtime on Monday we packed a quick picnic and went to play at the blue park in our neighborhood.  Monday night we invited our friends over to our backyard for chili and cornbread.  We had a nice time visiting around the firepit while the kids played with the neighbors who could make it.

Tuesday we went on a bike ride and the boys played football at the park with their friends.  That evening we got all pack up and ready for a trip to Rocky Point the next day. 

Wednesday we left to Rocky Point.  We had a wonderful time.  The water was warm and the outside temperature was just about perfect.  Our resort was right on the beach and it was so nice to be able to run back and forth to the room for snacks, towels, drinks, etc. without having to walk a long way.  We didn’t feel like we had to spend all day at the beach we could spend an hour or two, take a break for lunch and naps and then go back.  It was so relaxing.  I especially liked seeing Chad so relaxed and stress free, enjoying time with the kids and me.  Wednesday and Thursday we pretty much had the beach to ourselves.  It got a little busier on Friday and Saturday but it wasn’t too bad.  Friday we took the kids to the “dirt mall” i.e the Mexican shops.  It’s actually paved now, but we still call it the dirt mall.  The boys really liked that they could barter on the prices.  We taught them that they could barter for a lower price, but that they couldn’t go too low or they would offend the merchant.  Each of the kids, except Tilly, bought something with their own money.  Three of our friends from Gilbert joined us at the resort on Friday.  We had dinner together Friday night and breakfast on Sat. morning.  It was fun to vacation with friends.  I don’t think we’ve ever done that before, but I was glad that we had a few days with just our family before they came.  

Here are the pictures from our trip.  They are totally out of chronological order, but I don't care cause I don't want to take the time to order them. 

This is a picture of one of the planes that we say patrolling the American side of the boarder.  We think it's to looking for illegal aliens.  They flew all over the place really close to the ground.  It seemed like it was remote controlled or something.

Bryant and Tilly were my early risers.

Spencer found a tentacle.  Not to be confused with a testicle.  Ha ha.  We think it was from an octopus.

Tilly fell asleep with one eye open!  I guess that's wise when you have 4 siblings who like to tease.

It was so fun to do my morning walk on the beach.

Yesterday we made it home in about 4 hours.  We didn’t speed a lot. (At least I don’t think we did, I read while Chad drove.)  I always thought that it was about a 5-hour trip, but with the short cut road between Maricopa and Gila Bend that doesn’t show up on very many maps and the fact that we ate snacks in the car instead of stopping for lunch it was only 4 hours.  Nice!  We’re already planning on going back to Rocky Point next year.  It wasn’t scary at all and we didn’t have any trouble with the Mexican government or rebels or whoever has made us too scared to visit for the last few years.  Does anyone want to go with us next year?  Start planning and preparing now because adults and kids 16 years and older have to have a current passport or passport card.  It takes a few months for those to be processed.  Kid’s under 16 only need an original birth certificte.

My quote for today is from Elder Hales Oct. 2013 Conference talk, emphasis added.  (I’ve decided to go through each of the most recent conference talks one by one to get my quotes for my letters.)  “In recent decades the Church has largely been spared the terrible misunderstandings and persecutions experienced by the early Saints. It will not always be so. The world is moving away from the Lord faster and farther than ever before. The adversary has been loosed upon the earth. We watch, hear, read, study, and share the words of prophets to be forewarned and protected. For example, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” was given long before we experienced the challenges now facing the family. “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles” was prepared in advance of when we will need it most. … if we listen and obey the prophets now, including those who will speak in this very conference, we will be strengthened and protected.”  This quote is both scary and reassuring to me.

Love,

Mindy