Personal Progress - Good Works Value Experience #1

Started - January 26, 2016

Finished - February 11, 2016

Personal Progress - Good Works Value Experiences 1

Learn why service is a fundamental principle of the gospel. Read Matthew 5:13–16; 25:34–40; Galatians 6:9–10; James 1:22–27; Mosiah 2:17; 4:26; and 3 Nephi 13:1–4. Others often give service you may not notice, such as preparing meals, reading to or listening to younger children, repairing clothing, or helping a brother or sister. For two weeks record in your journal the quiet acts of service your family members and others perform. Acknowledge their service in some meaningful way.

Why service is a fundamental principle of the gospel

As we let our lights shine by doing good things for others it brings glory to Heavenly Father.  (Matthew 5:13-16)

When we serve others we serve God.  (Matthew 25:34-40)

We should not get weary of serving others and doing good things to them.  We will reap the good things that we do if we don’t give up.  We should do good unto others every time we have the opportunity, especially to those of faith.  (Galatians 6:9-10)

It is not enough to hear the word of God we must do it.  Pure religion is serving and visiting others. (James 1:22-27)

We have wisdom when we learn that when we are in the service of our fellow being that we are in the service of our God. (Mosiah 2:17)

Serving others—“ imparting of our substance to the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants”— allows us to retain a remission of our sins. (Mosiah 4:26)

It is important to serve others without desire to be seen or them or for recognition.  Service should be done anonymously if possible.  Those who tell everyone of the service they have done are hypocrites and their reward is the glory of men.  Those who serve in secret are rewarded openly by Heavenly Father who seeth in secret. (3 Nephi 13:1-4)

Quiet acts of service I’ve seen family members and others perform:

• Tilly took her siblings clothes baskets to their room for them while they were at school.
• Mothers (or maybe fathers or other caregivers) brought choir uniforms to their children at BFHS when they forgot their uniforms for choir pictures.
• Andrea Taylor gave me a heads up this morning, Jan. 26^th, that the parents of 11 year old YW who are turning 12 this year did not get notified that new beginnings was changed from today, Jan. 26^th, to Feb. 10^th.  That allowed me time to apologize and to let everyone know of the change well before they went down to the church.
• Tim Reed offered, without me asking, to pick up all the laurel’s tickets for the ASU family devotional with Elder Andersen while he was picking up the priest’s tickets and he delivered them to my house.  This helped me SO much not to have to go down to Tempe to pick them up on such a busy day.
• Karalee opened the front door for Spencer to signal to the carpool that Spencer would be out in a little while.
• Karalee got Tilly’s boots from out in the yard and brought them in the house.
• Shon forwarded Molly’s missionary letter to me and other family members and friends.
• Doug forwarded Lindsay’s missionary letter to me and other family members.
• Chad and the kids, Devin and family and Anna and Tyler helped Heather move.
• Brenda had Grammy days for Tilly and her cousins her age.
• Spencer babysat while I took Bryant to basketball practice.
• Several people cheered me on when I posted my resolve to lose weight on Facebook.
• Robert Skouson told me about a good supplement I should use to help regulate my hormones.
• Celeste helped me pick out which brand of supplement was a good brand.
• Karalee unlocked the door for Spencer so when he came home he wouldn’t have the ring the bell.
• Marlee and Tilly threw away my crochet scraps of yarn for me.
• Bryant brought me scissors while I was crocheting.
• Spencer brought me a drink of water while I was crocheting.
• Chad, Spencer and Bryant helped the Patterson’s move.
• Chad installed a new cord on Heather’s dryer.
• Mom and Shon wrote a letter to me and to the family.
• Theresa Schenck volunteered to take our ward’s laundry assignment at the temple.
• Jessica Carr, Brittany Call, Kathy Walker and Chelsea Snell offered to make a dessert for our upcoming Stake Relief Society activity.
• Bryant got all his sisters vitamins this morning.
• Tilly put Karalee’s scriptures away for her.
• Lindsey Bowen took Spencer to and from his game last night.
• Jenny Reed called and offered a ride to Karalee to activity days.
• Nicole Rudd had Jorsyn Taylor over to play with Emmie while her Mom was working.
• Marlee picked up Karalee’s sunglasses.
• Natalie Sandall offered to watch Tilly so I could go help in Marlee’s class.
• Spencer sat and listened and helped Marlee do her reading homework.
• Chad went out back and shot baskets with the boys and taught them skills and tips.
• Courtney Rae offered dinner to members in the ward when she made too much.
• Tilly helped clean up the older girl’s forts.
• Brenda wrote a letter updating us on her life.
• Mom wrote a letter to the family.
• Brenda emailed a great article.
• Karalee took Bryant’s scriptures to him at church when he forgot them.
• Marlee picked lemons so we could have lemonade with Sunday dinner.
• Spencer went to church early to set up chairs and prepare the sacrament.
• Marlee and Bryant went early with Spencer to help with the chairs and hymnbooks.
• Sherry Sedillo made arrows for New Beginnings decorations.
• The YW leaders planned, made cookies for, decorated and executed the new beginnings program for the young women.
• Jensen Bailey conducted the music for the closing song.
• Liv Wilcox accompanied the YW special number and the closing song.
• Jenny Reed let me borrow white table cloths for New Beginnings.
• Natalie Sandall, Kristie Kerr, and Kathy Walker shared a spiritual thought at new beginnings.
• Spencer prepares a come follow me lesson for our family each Monday morning, Chad prepares a come follow for the family every other morning before school.
• Tena Moore picked up after school sports carpool when it was my turn.

Meal Planning - Personal Progress – Good Works Value Experience #2

February 11, 2016

Personal Progress – Good Works Value Experience #2 

Service is an essential principle of family living. Help plan your family’s menus, obtain the food, and prepare part of the meals for two weeks. During that time help your family gather to share mealtimes. Report to your class what you have learned.

I have learned that in meal planning it is helpful to plan ahead.  I choose 5-8 dinners to shop for at a time.  In addition to that, I try to always keep things for breakfasts and lunches and quick, easy dinners on hand in my pantry.  When I have chosen my 5-8 dinners I make a list of things we will need to buy to make those dinners, I also add lunch items, breakfast items and fruits and veggies that we are running low on to the list.  Then about once a week, I go to the store and purchase those items.  Each morning I decide which of the meals on my list I will make for dinner that evening.  I make a mental note of how long it will take to make dinner and what activities we have going on that evening so I can try to do as much prep ahead of time as possible.  When I am cooking if I notice I am running low on spices or condiments I put that on my shopping list right away so I won’t forget to buy more.  I try to do this with cleaning supplies as I am cleaning and every other type of household good too.  In addition to that, I try to keep at least two of each spice, canned food, cleaning supply, etc. on hand at all times and then when the one I am using runs out I have a backup on hand and then I replace the backup right away.  (I’m not sure if that makes sense, but I don’t know how to explain it better.)  Planning ahead makes things go much more smoothly.  It helps my life go better because dinner becomes less of a hassle...most of the time anyway.  If I'm able to keep food, fruits and veggies, and snacks on hand I don't hear my kids grumble about be "starving" quite as often. ;)  Sometimes I love cooking, sometimes I don't love it, but I feel it is a necessary skill when raising a family.

Personal Progress – Knowledge Value Experience 2

Started January 19, 2016
Finished 1-21-16

Personal Progress – Knowledge Value Experience 2

In your journal list talents you have and others you would like to develop. Read Matthew 25:14–30. Learn a new skill or talent that will help you care for your own future family or home (for example, playing the piano, singing, budgeting, time management, cooking, sewing, or child care). Share with your family, class, or Young Women leader what you have learned.

My talents are:

·         Playing the Piano

·         Organization

·         Playing the Organ

·         Good choir voice

·         Playing the violin and viola

·         Volleyball

·         Basketball

·         Understanding

·         A good listener

·         Good at keeping confidences

·         Budgeting

·         Saving money

·         Cooking

·         Baking

·         Diligent at reading scriptures

·         Diligent at exercising

·         Multi-tasking

Talents I would like to develop:

·         Staying calm and not yelling at my children

·         Crocheting

·         Being more reserved

·         Missionary

·         Patience

·         Charity

·         Better manners

A new talent I am learning that will help me care for my future family is crochet. I will continue to practice so when I am a grandma I can make beautiful baby blankets for my grand babies like my mom made for her grand babies.

Grandpa Sanders' biography

Chad's cousin shared this biography of Grandpa Vearl Sanders on Facebook.  It's wonderful.

A little more of my Dad's biography

My brother Doug has been working on a biography of my Dad.  He has shared parts of it throughout the years.  He recently wrote these pages and gave them to my Mom for her birthday this week.  They are awesome.  (Doug if you don't want this posted here let me know and I'll delete it.  But really I only have like 6 readers on most of my posts so I didn't think it would matter much.)

Personal Progress - Virtue Value Experiences 4

Started on January 5, 2016 

Finished on January 7, 2016

Personal Progress - Virtue Value Experiences 4 

Determine what you can do daily to remain pure and worthy, and write your plan in your journal.

Each day I will come unto Christ by reading the scriptures.  I will do my best to deny myself of all ungodliness and love God with all my might, mind and strength by keeping the commandments.  I will try to recognize the hand of God in my life and deny not his power. (Moroni 10:32-33)

I will also remember that I have taken upon me the name of Christ so that I will do my best to act as He would act.  I will try to always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given me. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79)

I will kneel down before my Maker, and cry unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul.  I will have faith in Christ.  I will feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren.  (Enos 1)

I will confess and forsake my sins daily.  I will do my best to daily turn away from sin and turn to God.  (For the strength of youth)

Personal Progress – Knowledge value experience 1

Started on January 8, 2016  

Finished on January 15, 2016

Personal Progress – Knowledge value experience 1

Learn about the importance of gaining knowledge by reading Proverbs 1:5; 4:7;2 Nephi 28:30; and Doctrine and Covenants 88:78–80, 118; 90:15; 130:18–19;131:6. Think about why you need to gain knowledge and understanding about how to apply gospel principles to your present and future home and family life. Write in your journal what you have learned about knowledge, and discuss it with a family member or Young Women leader.

I need to gain knowledge and understanding about how to apply gospel principles to my present and future home and family life so I can help bring happiness to my family members and to myself.  Learning the gospel allows us to live the gospel and that brings blessings and happiness.

I have learned that to be wise I need to increase my learning and seek out counsel from other wise people. (Proverbs 1:5)

I have learned that it is important to gain wisdom and understanding.  (Proverbs 4:7)  I think this is important because understanding comes as you live what you learn.  That is how we grow and become more like Christ.

I have learned that God teaches his children line upon line, precept upon precept.  That is why we can continue to learn from the Book of Mormon each time we read it and each time we go to the temple even though we read and hear the same things each time.  When we receive what heavenly Father teaches us he gives us more knowledge.  When we say we have learned enough and don’t try to learn anymore our current knowledge is taken away.  (2 Nephi 28:30)  

I have learned that the Lord can give us knowledge about everything.  “Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms.”  He does this so that we “may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.”  It is also important to seek out of the best books words of wisdom so that we can teach others to have faith with our wisdom.   That will take work, action and trust in the Lord.  (Doctrine and Covenants 88:78-80, 118)

I have learned that it is important to be organized, especially in my church callings.  It is commanded that we study and learn and to be acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people.  To me that means I need to be familiar with those who I am sharing the gospel with.  I need to learn about them to be an effective gospel teacher. (Doctrine and Covenants 90:15)

I have learned that the intelligence we get in this life will rise with us in the resurrection.  I believe intelligence is the righteous and wise use of knowledge which comes through diligence and obedience.  Those who gain more knowledge and intelligence in this life will have an advantage in the world to come.  (D&C 130:18-19)

I have learned “it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance” (D&C 131:6).  To me that means everyone will have to be taught, exercise faith, repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost in order to be saved.  If people don’t get that opportunity in this life then there are missionaries that will teach them in the next life and temple work can be done for them by those who are living.  When we are taught, exercise faith, repent, get baptized and receive the Holy Ghost we are no longer ignorant and have the potential to be saved.