Sanders' Saga: Letter - Bryant's birthday and Ordination, Modern Day Gadianton Robbers, Create things Spiritually before physically

August 14, 2016

Bryant is now a deacon! He was ordained by Chad after our block of meetings got over. As Chad put his hands on Bryant’s head and started the ordination I got emotional. Bryant has been such a comfort to me his whole life. He helped me heal after losing Joseph. I’ve learned that the babies who are born after losing a baby are called rainbow babies. He is my rainbow baby. I felt like Joseph was present at his ordination today. Bryant’s been talking about Joseph this week so he’s been close in our hearts. Bryant has a special spirit and will do great things. I’ve felt very accountable for how I mother him.

Chad had the kids interested in his FHE lesson about strong foundations on Monday evening.

Tilly got to start preschool on Tuesday. She was SO excited for her first day of preschool yesterday. In her excitement she was so sweet to be concerned that I would be all alone while she was gone.

Tilly: What are you going to do while I'm at school?
Me: I think I'll go to the temple.
Tilly: Oh good then you won't be alone.
Me: (rethinking my day) Actually, I think I'm going to have to go to Walmart to buy groceries.
Tilly: No! You won't have any friends there!

I teared up a little bit after dropping her off as I thought about how she worried about me. She is a good little friend to me.

Friday was Bryant’s birthday. He got an RC Batmobile for his birthday. Tilly was looking at it and she said "Wow. This is a nice car. Batman did a good job on it." She is so cute and says so many funny things these days. We were so lucky to have a ½ of school on Bryant’s birthday, giving us more time to celebrate together. He requested that I make French toast and buy apple juice for his birthday breakfast, so of course I did. For lunch I took our family and two of Bryant’s friends from school to In and Out and then we went to Flip Side to play. We had a nice time. For dinner that evening per his request we had ribs, mashed potatoes, broccoli and donuts instead of cake. After dinner he and I went to Joe's Farm Grill for more dessert to get his free birthday credit. It was a fun, free date. Bryant talked a lot about Joseph that evening. He has been concerned that Joseph doesn’t get to have birthdays and get ordained to the priesthood and grow up in our family. I told him that Joseph will have a chance to get all those things after he is resurrected and that Chad and I will have a chance to raise him. Bryant was feeling sad that he is missing out on having another brother in this life. I told him that if Joseph lived then he might not have been born when he was because I might have waited longer to have another baby. To me wishing away Joseph’s death is almost like wishing away Bryant. The Lord knew what was best for me and our family and I don’t feel cheated. I know I will have my opportunity to raise Joseph and he will have the opportunities that come from life. Even if we are sad sometimes that he isn’t here to be with us, I know all will be made right and he gives us extra incentive to live righteously.

I predict that in 2 years on Bryant's 14th birthday he will be taller than me.

Bryant asked for a candy poster for his birthday. It says: Dear Bryant, You are 12! It seems like forever since you were a crawler. You were sent to the Milky Way betwixt Spencer and the girls. You get along with them like the 3 Musketeers. When you were born you were not very Hari (Harry, ok that one was a big stretch). We are glad you are not a Jerk. You are fun and give us lots of snickers with your jokes. We love you. Love Mom and Dad

Today in Sunday school we discussed the Gadianton robbers. I realized that there are things that we buy and things that we do that are modern day Gadianton Robbers that can rob us and our children. I know that there are times that Facebook robs my children of my time, there are times that video games and tv rob our family of better things we could be doing. Other things I thought of are: hiring people to do labor around the house can rob your children of learning to work and rob them of the opportunity of working alongside their parents, expensive hobbies can rob, the list could be endless. I hope I like the Lamanites mentioned in Heleman 6:20 can recognize the robbers in my life and rid myself of them. “And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that there were robbers among them they were exceedingly sorrowful; and they did use every means in their power to destroy them off the face of the earth.”

In Relief Society it was pointed out that the Savior said he had overcome the world before he had performed the atonement. (John 16:33) He created that spiritually for himself before he did it physically. We also can create goals and things we need and want to do spiritually before we do them physically.

My quote today is from James E. Talmage. “To the many who profess to regard the necessity of toil as a part of the curse evoked through Adam’s fall, the Sabbath should appeal as a day of temporary reprieve, a time of exemption from labor, and as affording blessed opportunity of closer approach to the Presence from which mankind has been shut out through sin. And to those who take the higher view of life, and find in work both happiness and material blessing, the periodical relief brings refreshment and gives renewed zest for the days that follow” (James E. Talmage, Jesus The Christ, p 191-192). I love this quote for its teaching about taking a higher view of life in the way we view work and for its teachings about the Sabbath.