Notes From a Funeral

I take notes at funerals. I don’t know if I’m the only that does that, but I find when I’m attending a funeral my heart and mind are more inclined to listen to the Holy Spirit and what he has to tell me.

Last week my Uncle Don passed away at the age on 97. He was my grandmother’s twin brother, she having preceded him in death in 2006. Uncle Don was a frequent presence in our family’s life, even though we lived in Arizona and he lived in Utah. When Uncle Don would come to visit, you could count on a fun time, lots of good, thought provoking conversations and the inspiration to be better and do better. He always called life a “spiritual high adventure” and lived that way. These themes were repeated in the many tributes that his family gave of him during the service.

Here are some of my notes:

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What I Learned In Primary: I Am Blessed When I Obey

Teaching the CTR-7s in our Primary continues to be a fun calling.  These kids are excited for their baptisms, and to follow the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Today we learned about our choices and how they determine the way our life will go.

Every day, all day, is a series of choices.  We choose to wake up on time, we choose to eat breakfast. We choose to do homework, read the scriptures, watch TV, or be helpful in our homes.  Sometimes we make good choices, sometimes we make bad choices, and mistakes.  No matter what we choose, there will be a consequence or reaction to our choices.  Apparently this week everyone had their TV and video games taken away at some point.  They were all able to earn their privileges back, but they are learning.

And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence. (2 Nephi 1: 20). Continue reading

What I Learned in Primary: The Covenant Path

I teach the CTR-7 Primary class in my ward. I’ve taught this class several times over the years, and these 7 year olds turning 8 are always a hoot.

Today’s lesson was on Lehi’s Vision of the Tree of Life.  I let the kids tell the story.  Here were some of their observations:

7 year old boy:  “I would go to the Great and Spacious Building…..and PUNCH IT!

Me: “Why does’t this building have a foundation?”  7 year old boy, “Because the devil can’t build Legos!”

8 year old girl:  “I would throw the fruit at the people on the path!”  “Why?”  “Because so they could have a snack!”

7 year old boy, “You better be careful around that water!  You could drown!”

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Love Makes a Family and Other Lies

This morning for our family devotional I felt prompted to take a slight detour from our regular Book of Mormon reading and read the Family Proclamation.  I found out a few days ago my older son was having a lesson on families today.  The school district we live in has partnered with a prominent LGBT activist group to teach “kindness, tolerance, and diversity”.  That’s not really their goal though.  Their goal is to introduce and normalize LGBT propaganda to young children.  There are plenty of programs out there that teach tolerance, kindness and diversity without an LGBT focus  I found out about this group and their program at the parent night which was held the first week of school.  As much as we all hate going to those things, it was a good thing I went, and noticed in the display of books on the teacher’s desk of the curriculum materials from this group.  Friends, pay attention, and be “that parent”.  I’ll share my experiences meeting with the superintendent of the school district about this program in a later post. Continue reading

Pres. Nelson’s Second Challenge

Pres. Nelson issued four challenges to the sisters in the Saturday night Women’s Session of General Conference. They are:

1. Participate in a 10 day social media fast — removing negative influences from your life, and things that cause you to have impure thoughts.

2. Read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of year (that’s 84 days as of today).

3. Establish a pattern of regular temple attendance. If you’re far from a temple study the standard works and other church materials on temples.

4. Participate fully in Relief Society.

Saturday night and over the course of Sunday, my Facebook feed filled with girlfriends signing off of social media for 10 days. But, let’s not forget the other three parts of the challenge. I wanted to focus first on the Book of Mormon reading challenge — as that is something I can do without having to rearrange life too much. Continue reading