Joseph's 11th Birthday

Joseph's 11th birthday was yesterday.  He and my father-in-law Arthur Sanders share a name and a birthday.  A few weeks ago in talking with Art I found out that he didn't know about the scrapbook and pictures we have of our little angel baby, so I scanned in my scrapbook pages and made him THIS book, had it printed, and presented it to him at their joint birthday party I hosted for them on Monday evening.  Yesterday I added a few other pictures of our family visiting his graveside over the years.  I wish I would have remembered to add those into the book I had printed for Art.  :(

This week has been very emotional for me.  Most of Joseph's birthday weeks aren't particularly hard on me, but I've had an extra busy week so the stress brought out lots of emotion.  My niece Sarah happened to share her experience about loosing her baby Alma on Facebook this week as well and while it was healing for me to read her experience it also brought my memories closer to the surface.  I feel such a bond with Sarah and Jayze and with all parents who have lost a child.  It is good that we have each other to help bear one another's burdens, but more importantly it is good that we have the Savior who "hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4) and whose atonement has made it possible for us to be eternal families.

2014 Coronado 2nd Ward New Beginnings - Seek the Sweet: Come Unto Christ

We did it!!  We completed new beginnings on Tuesday of this week.  It went very well.  The girls all got to participate and they had lots of fun.  Here are some pictures of the decorations and the final version of our script that we used for our program that night.

One of our young women drew this welcome sign and all the value posters for us.  She did such a great job.  She spent a lot of time on it.

This was the table after we finished setting things up in the morning.  We didn't add the other decorations and fill the jars with candy until right before it started that evening.  I'm sad I forgot to get a picture of the finished table.  

Seek the Sweet: Come Unto Christ – 2014 New Beginnings

Conducting:  Sydney (Laurel President)

Opening Song:  Sweet Hour of Prayer

Pianist:  Jane

Chorister:  Gabby

Opening Prayer:  TBA

Narrator: (Our Counselor over the Beehives was the Narrator)   Welcome to new beginnings!  The purpose of new beginnings is to help young women and their parents learn about the Young Women’s program in the church.  We are excited for each of the new 11-year old girls to join us in Young Women’s as we SEEK THE SWEET and Come unto Christ.  Tonight each of the young women in our ward will tell us a little bit about what you can expect when you join Young Women’s.  We’ll get started with Abbey Schenck and Madison Hall as they tell us the 2014 Mutual Theme. 

Abbey & Madison - 2014 Mutual Theme:  (Show Slide #1)** - The 2014 Mutual theme is: “Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32).

      **The slide show we used was found HERE.  We only used the first 7 slides.

Bailey & MiKylah - YW Motto and Logo: (Show Slide #2) – The Young Women motto is “stand for truth and righteousness.”  The Young Women logo is a torch surrounded by the Young Women motto.  The torch represents the light of Christ, inviting all to “come unto Christ.”

Courtney & Aaron - Young Women Theme:   (Show Slide #3) – We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability

Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

Narrator:  There are three different classes that each girl will attend while there are in Young Women’s.  Each class has a specific age group, purpose and symbol.

Laura - Beehives:  (Show Slide #4) – Twelve and thirteen year old girls attend the Beehive class.  The beehive was a symbol of harmony, cooperation, and work for the early pioneers of the Church. Beehive was also the first name by which young women were known. Beehives today learn to work together in cooperation and harmony as they strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and prepare to stand for truth and righteousness. This is a time to “arise and shine forth” (D&C 115:5).

Annabelle & Krishell - YW Share about a SWEET Beehive activity:

Melissa - Mia Maid:  (Show Slide #5) – Fourteen and fifteen year old girls attend the Mia Maid class.  The name Mia Maid refers historically to the Mutual Improvement Association, which adopted the emblem of the rose as a symbol of love, faith, and purity. Mia Maids today learn about love, faith, and purity as they strengthen their testimony and accept and act upon the Young Women values.

Hailey - YW Share about a SWEET Mia Maid activity:

Paige - Laurels:  (Show Slide #6) – Sixteen and seventeen year old girls attend the Laurel class.  For centuries the laurel wreath has been a crown woven from the leaves of the laurel tree. It is given to someone who finishes a significant achievement as a symbol of honor and accomplishment. Laurels today are finishing their preparation to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.

Megan - YW Share about a SWEET Laurel activity:

Kathryne, Lindsey, MyKaila, Alexa, Lily - Special Musical Number – “Come Unto Him” by Sam Cardon

Narrator:  While in Young Women’s you’ll get a change to strengthen your talents and abilities through the personal progress program.  As you participate in Personal Progress, you join with thousands of other young women who are SEEKING THE SWEET and striving to come unto Christ

Gabby and Addison - The Purpose of Personal Progress:  (Show Slide #7) - Personal Progress will help you strengthen your faith in and testimony of Jesus Christ as you learn His teachings and regularly apply them in your life. It will help you strengthen both your present family and your future family. It will help you prepare to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.  Young women work with their parents, Young Women leaders, and other exemplary women to set and accomplish goals based on the eight Young Women values.  Personal Progress can help parents and leaders improve their relationship with young women as they work together.

Narrator:  Now I’d like to invite each of the new 11-year-olds up.  (Give each girl a treat bag.   A few young women come up one at a time and give each 11-year-old girl a candy that represents the color of each value and then explain why that value is SWEET to them.)

Megan - Faith: (Hand each 11-year-old girl a White candy) - The color white represents Faith.  Faith is SWEET to me because….

Alyssa - YW share a Faith value project they completed:

Kyleigh - Divine Nature:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Blue candy) - The color blue represents Divine Nature.  Divine Nature is SWEET to me because….

Jane - YW share a Divine Nature value project they completed:

Jessica - Individual Worth:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Red candy) – The color red represents Individual Worth.  Individual Worth is SWEET to me because …

Allison - YW share an Individual Worth value project they completed:

Ashley - Knowledge:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Green candy) – The color green represents Knowledge.  Knowledge is SWEET to me because …

Sydney - YW share a Knowledge value project they completed:

Annabelle - Choice and Accountability:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl an Orange candy) – The color orange represents Choice and Accountability.  Choice and Accountability is SWEET to me because …

McKenzie - YW share a Choice and Accountability value project they completed:

Isabelle - Good Works:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Yellow candy) – The color yellow represents Good Works.  Good Works is SWEET to me because …

Jensen & Elizabeth - YW share a Good Works value project they completed:

Hailey - Integrity:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Purple candy) – The color Purple represents Integrity.  Integrity is SWEET to me because …

Taylor - YW share an Integrity value project they completed:

Chantelle - Virtue:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Gold candy) – The color Gold represents Virtue.  Virtue is SWEET to me because …

Minni - YW share a Virtue value project they completed:

Narrator:  Now we would like to get to know a little bit about each of the 11-year-old girls who will be joining Young Women’s.  Could we please have a parent of each girl come forward and introduce us to their daughter?

Lily

Gracie

Kelly

Liv

Claudia

Bishopric Member Concluding Remarks

Closing Song: #176 Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love

Closing Prayer: TBA

Refreshments:  Mini Fruit Pizzas and Candy in all the YW value colors

March 2014 Scripture of the Month

Learn more about the scripture of the month club HERE.

Scripture of the Month

Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you.

-Doctrine and Covenants 88:63

Gilbert Temple Cultural Celebration and Cornerstone Ceremony

I'm too tired to write up a letter tonight, but my Mom wanted me to share some pictures of my boys putting mortar on the cornerstone of the Gilbert temple.  The didn't get to do it with Pres. Monson during the actual ceremony, but they still got do it and that was pretty cool.  I'll also add some pictures of the Temple Cultural Celebration.  It was so memorable to perform the cultural celebration in the pouring rain.  It's fun now that it's over, but it was a little cold and crazy last night.  It was worth it though and I'd do it all over again.  Last night I kind of wondered why the Lord didn't stop the rain from coming until the performance had ended.  Then I was taught a lesson, which I hope to be able to teach my YW.  The lesson was this:  Life is not always going to be ideal.  Hard times will come, but we still need to put forth our best efforts and have fun and find joy in less than perfect circumstances. Plus I know all those Gilbert pioneers who were watching from Heaven probably wanted to send the rain down to join in the celebration.  I'm sure that back in their day, anytime it rained it was something to celebrate about. At least I know that's how the Snowflake Pioneers felt.  Even though the Lord didn't keep it from raining until the performance was over I feel like He did keep it from raining on us all afternoon while we rehearsed. The winds kept shifting to keep blue skies over us while we rehearsed.  To me that was a miracle.  If the youth would have been drenched all day, I think they would have had a hard time keeping their spirits up.

This is my very favorite picture of all the celebration and practices.  I think I'm going to have it printed on canvas and hang it up in our home next to Spencer's Title of Liberty.

Here is Spencer's Title of Liberty.  I love how it's all wrinkled from getting so wet.  I'll probably keep it that way to remember the crazy, wet night.
His Title of Liberty says: I will live true to the Faith by honoring my priesthood and keeping my baptismal covenants.  I will try to bring others to the church and be kind to all.  I will be a peace keeper and keep the holy Ghost as a constant companion.  I will be a constant servant to the Lord and i will keep myself spiritually clean.  I will study the scriptures, serve my fellow friends and I will watch and listen to good things.  I WILL LIVE TRUE TO THE FAITH!  -Spencer Sanders

I saw Brandon and the Mowers and we got to visit while they had some down time and the kids were rehearsing.  My cousin Kent also walked over, after I had taken the picture.

Trying to stay warm and dry.

I took this to show how muddy the field got.

This morning dawned clear and beautiful.  This was taken on our way to the Cornerstone Ceremony this morning.  I had to report for rehearsal at 6:45.  Chad and the boys came with me so they could secure a good spot to see the prophet and the ceremony ... and to watch and listen to me sing in the choir.

Can you spot me in the choir?

Marriage and Family Interview

My sister-in-law Hayley asked me to answer these questions about mine and Chad's courtship and marriage for an essay she's writing for her marriage and family class.

How were they attracted to each other and how did they meet?

• ·         I was attracted to Chad because he was obedient, kind, respectful, fun, and we had common interests.  We both like to play sports.
• ·         I met Chad in college.  We were in the same student ward and in the same family home evening group.  We also had choir together at school and we both went to open gym and played volleyball.

 How would you explain their dating experience in terms of length, activities, etc.

• ·         We dated for about 1 ½ months before we got engaged.  I had a mission call and was set to report to the MTC two months after we started dating so we had to make a decision quickly.  Once we started dating we spent as much time with each other as possible, we spent every evening together.  We didn’t have a lot of money so we didn’t go out to eat or to the movie theater, but we went to institute and singles ward activities, hung out with our friends and watched movies at my condo.

 How did they know they wanted to marry one another?

• ·         I knew I wanted to marry Chad because he was obedient, wanted a family, and I knew I could trust him to help me make it to the Celestial Kingdom.

Did they have premarital counseling? What type? Would they recommend that couples have it? Why or why not?

• ·         No we didn’t have premarital counseling.  I don’t really know what premarital counseling is since I’ve never been so I don’t know if I’d recommend it.  I think as long as a couple has seen good role models with a healthy marriage then they will probably be ok without premarital counseling.

How did getting married change their relationship and them as individuals?

• ·         I feel like getting married made us closer and brought more joy into our lives individually.  I felt more complete, like part of me had been missing.  For several years before we got married I had a strong desire to be married, but not to be married to just anyone, to the right person.  To someone who viewed marriage and life the same way I did.  I found that in Chad and it has made life so wonderful.

How does this couple divide up chores and family functions, would you say they are more traditional or egalitarian? Explain with specific examples.

• ·         Since I am a stay at home mom and am home most of the time I do most of the household chores.  On Saturday nights after the kids go to bed we both work together to sweep and mop and clean the kitchen so the house is clean for the Sabbath Day.  I do the majority of the yard work too because I enjoy working in the yard and because I don’t want to spend my weekend watching Chad do the yard work.  I would rather get it done during the week so we can relax together and/or go on family outings.
• ·         For family functions we trade off each year which side of the family we visit for Thanksgiving.  For Christmas we stay at home.  We enjoy spending time with extended family on both sides of our family so we try to attend as many special occasions and family functions and reunions as we can.

Are their child-rearing practices similar to their parents? Do they tend to agree on discipline?

• ·         Yes, our child-rearing practices are similar to our parents. 
• ·         Yes, we agree on discipline.

How does this couple maintain marital satisfaction?

• ·         To maintain marital satisfaction we try to have charity towards each other and to make each other happy.  It makes me happy to see Chad happy and I know it makes Chad happy when I’m happy too.

Have they ever had anything strain their marriage? How did they overcome the problem?

• ·         No we haven’t ever had anything strain our marriage.  Neither of us is confrontational so we get along well.  We’ve had some sad trials, but have comforted each other through them and we communicate well. 

What advice would they give to someone who is considering marriage? What do you think of

that advice?

• ·         You should have charity towards your significant other.  Their happiness should be your happiness and vice versa.
• ·         If you are willing and happy to serve the person you are considering marrying and if they are willing and happy to serve you then I think you can have a happy marriage.    
• ·         You should have similar goals, dreams and financial lifestyles.
• ·         Your significant other should be honest.  If you've ever caught them in a lie that should be a big red flag.
• ·         Don’t take offense easily.  Your significant other should never try to hurt you intentionally.  If you are offended by something, you should communicate those feelings quickly before they have a chance to rot and fester.  They need to be resolved quickly and behavior should be modified so it won’t happen again.

Seek the Sweet: Come Unto Christ - 2014 New Beginnings

Conducting:

Opening Song:

Pianist:

Chorister:

Opening Prayer:

Welcome:  Welcome to new beginnings!  The purpose of new beginnings is to help young women and their parents learn about the Young Women program.  We are excited for each of the new 11-year old girls to join us in Young Women’s as we SEEK THE SWEET and Come unto Christ.

2014 Mutual Theme:  (Show Slide #1) - The 2014 Mutual theme is: “Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32).

(There is a link to the slide show HERE.  I only use the first 7 slides.)

YW Motto and Logo: (Show Slide #2) – The Young Women motto is “stand for truth and righteousness.”  The Young Women logo is a torch surrounded by the Young Women motto.  The torch represents the light of Christ, inviting all to “come unto Christ.”

Young Women Theme:   (Show Slide #3) – We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

There are three different classes that each girl will attend while there are in Young Women’s.  Each class has a specific age group, purpose and symbol.

Beehives:  (Show Slide #4) – Twelve and thirteen year old girls attend the Beehive class.  The beehive was a symbol of harmony, cooperation, and work for the early pioneers of the Church. Beehive was also the first name by which young women were known. Beehives today learn to work together in cooperation and harmony as they strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and prepare to stand for truth and righteousness. This is a time to “arise and shine forth” (D&C 115:5).

YW Share about a SWEET Beehive activity:

Mia Maid:  (Show Slide #5) – Fourteen and fifteen year old girls attend the Mia Maid class.  The name Mia Maid refers historically to the Mutual Improvement Association, which adopted the emblem of the rose as a symbol of love, faith, and purity. Mia Maids today learn about love, faith, and purity as they strengthen their testimony and accept and act upon the Young Women values.

YW Share about a SWEET Mia Maid activity:

Laurels:  (Show Slide #6) – Sixteen and seventeen year old girls attend the Laurel class.  For centuries the laurel wreath has been a crown woven from the leaves of the laurel tree. It is given to someone who finishes a significant achievement as a symbol of honor and accomplishment. Laurels today are finishing their preparation to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.

YW Share about a SWEET Laurel activity:

Special Musical Number – Do you have any ideas for a good special musical number that a few of the girls could sing/play? 

While in Young Women’s you’ll get a change to strengthen your talents and abilities through the personal progress program.  As you participate in Personal Progress, you join with thousands of other young women who are SEEKING THE SWEET and striving to come unto Christ

The Purpose of Personal Progress:  (Show Slide #7) - Personal Progress will help you strengthen your faith in and testimony of Jesus Christ as you learn His teachings and regularly apply them in your life. It will help you strengthen both your present family and your future family. It will help you prepare to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.  Young women work with their parents, Young Women leaders, and other exemplary women to set and accomplish goals based on the eight Young Women values.  Personal Progress can help parents and leaders improve their relationship with young women as they work together.

Invite each of the new 11-year-olds up.  Give each girl a cute treat bag.  A few young women come up one at a time and give each 11-year-old girl a candy that represents the color of each value and then explain why that value is SWEET to them.

Faith: (Hand each 11-year-old girl a White candy) - The color white represents Faith.  Faith is SWEET to me because….

YW share a Faith value project they completed:

Divine Nature:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Blue candy) - The color blue represents Divine Nature.  Divine Nature is SWEET to me because….

YW share a Divine Nature value project they completed:

Individual Worth:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Red candy) – The color red represents Individual Worth.  Individual Worth is SWEET to me because …

YW share an Individual Worth value project they completed:

Knowledge:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Green candy) – The color green represents Knowledge.  Knowledge is SWEET to me because …

YW share a Knowledge value project they completed:

Choice and Accountability:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl an Orange candy) – The color orange represents Choice and Accountability.  Choice and Accountability is SWEET to me because …

YW share a Choice and Accountability value project they completed:

Good Works:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Yellow candy) – The color yellow represents Good Works.  Good Works is SWEET to me because …

YW share a Good Works value project they completed:

Integrity:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Purple candy) – The color Purple represents Integrity.  Integrity is SWEET to me because …

YW share an Integrity value project they completed:

Virtue:  (Hand each 11-year-old girl a Gold candy) – The color Gold represents Virtue.  Virtue is SWEET to me because …

YW share a Virtue value project they completed:

Introduce each of the 11-year-old who will be joining Young Women’s.  Have a parent of each girl come forward and introduce us to their daughter.

Bishopric Member Concluding Remarks

Closing Song:

Closing Prayer:

Refreshments:  Desserts and Candy in all the YW colors

Here are the sample invitation and decoration ideas I got from: http://courtneyaitken.blogspot.com/2012/09/yw-in-excellence-seek-sweet-this-past.html?m=1

I plan on using the YW value colors for decorations though.

  

Surprise Helicopter Ride

A few months ago when Chad and I discussed what we would like to do for our anniversary we opted to do a one night stay-cation here in town since we spent so much money on our backyard basketball court.  Chad then asked if he could plan the whole thing and surprise me.  Of course I said yes, I love to be surprised.  Well Chad planned a helicopter ride for us!!  It was so much fun.  I have to admit that I was pretty nervous.  I read Stephanie Nielson's blog and I worried that Chad and I would be burned in a crash like she and her husband were burned.  Well ...  our flight was perfect and we didn't crash and get burned.  Chad was even nice enough to let me sit in the front seat.  Probably for two reasons--first he knows I've wanted to go on a helicopter ride for a long time and second because when I was air-evaced (not sure how to spell that) from Show Low to Phoenix when I broke my neck in 2009 I was strapped to a board and he thought that flight was so cool except for the fact that he was worried about me of course.  Anyway, here are some of the pictures from our flight.

We saw the fountain in Fountain Hills

Salt River Dam

Fisherman on the Salt River (and my sleeve)

Cool little corrals

Bush Highway

The next three photos are Saguaro Lake Dam

The cliffs of Saguaro Lake

The Canyon Lake Dam, where Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake meet.

The pilot said the rock on the hill to the left is known as "battleship" rock

A little closer view of "battleship rock"

I was hoping to get a good shot of Weaver's needle, but we were always flying into the sun so there was glare on the cockpit widows.

Going around Weaver's needle

The pilot pointed out that these rocks on top of the superstitions look like a preacher standing at a pulpit preaching to a congregation and then they all turned to stone.  

Here is that same formation up close.  You can see the slant of the pulpit that preacher is standing at. 

The valley of the sun

Rocks on top of the superstition mountain

Going around and over the top of flat iron

A cool house on top of the mountain near Ellsworth Road.  The pilot said no one has ever even moved in there yet.

Coming in for a landing

Our shadow over the orange groves

Back on land, safe and sound!!!