November 24, 2009

Personal Revelation

Mom's Moment
November 24, 2009

So, I wasn't sleeping very well...finally got up at 2:00 a.m. to be "productive!" There are so many things I want to share, but need to pick and choose so as not to be too long-winded...you can thank me later!

In a conference talk given by Elder Richard G. Scott, he talks about receiving spiritual guidance. One of the most important things we can learn in our lives is how to discern promptings of the spirit. Elder Scott said, "Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer, or [may be] unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it, such as when you are in danger and do not know it. However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily."

He also explained something of the Adversary:

"I share a warning. Satan is extremely good at blocking spiritual communication by inducing individuals, through temptation, to violate the laws upon which spiritual communication is founded. With some he is able to convince them that they are not able to receive such guidance from the Lord.

Satan has become a master at using the addictive power of pornography to limit individual capacity to be led by the Spirit...it is one of the most damning influences on earth."

"Have patience as you are perfecting your ability to be led by the Spirit. By careful practice, through the application of correct principles, and by being sensitive to the feelings that come, you will gain spiritual guidance."

There are many other important elements in Elder Scott's talk. I'd highly recommend reading it several times. Personal revelation is real and it is our responsibility to seek out. Our Heavenly Father will not force it upon us.

I love each one of you SOOOOOOOO much!!! Hope you continue doing well!!

Love,
Mom

November 22, 2009

Crash Site Beauties

Nat and I headed out to do a ride, but we wanted to go someplace "different." Well, we did. We ended up going with Sam Edwards out to where he crashed with his ultra light back in October. We started out at the bottom of Sunset Ranch, and headed up the riverbed a couple of miles. It was truly a different ride, and we could see how very protected Sam and his dad had been!

November 20, 2009

ONE THING. . .

November 16, 2009 - Mom's Moment

Tonight, for Family Home Evening, the family went to Snow Canyon High School's production of WILLY WONKA. It was really good and we had fun being together even though it was "just" Dad and I, Kristy, Natalee and Dallin.

A couple of weeks ago was our Regional Conference. I had just torn my right calf muscle and was extremely sore, so I didn't attend the Saturday evening session. Last Monday, Dad gave the FHE lesson. I want to pass on some of what he shared...

"At Stake Conference on Saturday evening, Pres. Graf spoke. He mentioned how a couple of years ago he invited the Stake to read Gospel Essentials and use this in our Family Home Evenings...and many did. Last year he invited the Stake to plant gardens...and many did.

He extended a new invitation to us that I think we should all think about and try to implement. He said: "I would like you to think of ONE thing you could do, or change in your life, that would draw you closer to the Savior, and implement that in your life."



So, through the order of the Priesthood (from Pres. Graf, to Dad, to the family...), I would like to make sure our entire family is aware of this invitation. Let's each find ONE THING that we can do, or change, that will draw us closer to the Savior.

We've been doing this for a couple of weeks already, and I am amazed at how much it has helped me to improve. I hope it helps you, too!

Love you!!!

November 3, 2009

TRUST YOUR SPOTTER!

RETRO-Mom's Moment
February 11, 2007

One of the things I miss about Brandon and Tannya not living here is that we aren't exposed to rock climbing gear, or adventures, or mishaps, etc. I don't worry nearly so much either...well, I didn't really WORRY before, but I sure prayed hard whenever I knew Brandon was climbing, or when he would take some of you kids climbing!

I want you to think about the first time you saw Brandon climb at Chuckawalla, and then think about the first time you tried it. My very brief experience with it was that it didn't look hard at all when Brandon was climbing, and from the perspective of my being on the ground, it didn't look like it was that far up. I could easily see the places where climbers could get a good hand or foothold, and it all seemed relatively easy from my inexperienced point of view. I had never climbed before, and yet I was sure I could.

So, I tried it! It was kind of weird putting on the safety harness, but it made me feel secure to know that Brandon would be belaying me if I got into trouble and fell. After he gave me a few tips Brandon told me to go ahead and start climbing. Hmmmm, okay. . .where do I start? What should I grab first? All of a sudden things didn=t seem quite so easy, and I was still on the ground!! But I got started and managed to get about 3 feet off the ground before I started to doubt my ability. It was kind of frustrating to hear from other climbers on the ground, "Just grab that spot above your head and pull yourself up!" Or, "Step over there, it's not that far, just reach!" It was scary, even if I wasn't that far off the ground, and even if I knew Brandon was ready to catch me on belay! Not long after I started, I told Brandon to get me back down on the ground. After he good-naturedly stopped laughing, he let me down!

I recognized a few things from this experience: I didn't have the right gear. My large, cushioned running shoes were not well-suited for finding the tiniest toe-holds to stick my foot in and to push up on. My legs muscles were okay, but my arm muscles were definitely not ready for the work of pulling my body weight up to the next handhold, which was a mere scrap of rock!

I also observed some other things. The spotters on the ground had a much better perspective of where safe places were than I did. I couldn't see squat from my perch on the wall! And I hadn't gone very far.

If a spotter is good, he can help encourage the climber, pointing out places where to go, and spots to avoid. From the climber=s perspective it may not look right, but if he TRUSTS his spotter he can climb higher, faster, and farther. If he doesn't he may get stuck, and may even end up falling.

A climbing spotter is very much like our parents, and sometimes siblings. They have been on "climbing walls" before, and have had experience we may not have. They have gained wisdom from their experiences. Your "spotter" might see things more clearly than you can, and give counsel that will help you overcome the challenges facing you. Perhaps, if you listen and follow the directions, you will bypass some hazardous areas, and reach greater heights than if you "go it alone."

The best spotter of all, of course, is our Savior. He is the perfect One to follow. He knows where the tricky spots are, and how to get through even the toughest areas. He has smoothed out the roughest paths, if we will just follow in His steps. I hope we do.

November 2, 2009

Good-bye Facebook. . .

Mom's Moment
November 1, 2009

Have you ever become aware how the "obvious" sometimes goes unnoticed? Well, several "obvious" things have come to my consciousness the past little while, and I'm finally paying attention. I'd like to share my discoveries.

The first few years MySpace and Facebook were introduced, I staunchly opposed the children opening accounts. I did not feel like being on-line in that capacity was a good thing. There were lots of stories of on-line predators, and I didn't want to have anything to do with it.

But over time, it was easy for the kids to be unrelenting with the "all my friends are doing it . . . it's a great way to stay in contact . . . I'm careful who I add as a friend. . ." etc., and I gradually thought maybe it wasn't too bad. Eventually, I opened my own account so I could see what it was like, and to be more aware of what my children were involved in.

I am technologically literate. Computers don't befuddle me, and I LOVE how they can help us accomplish many things with greater ease and skill than ever before. However, this is what I've learned:

1. Myspace and Facebook DO initially help connect people. However, it subtly disconnects relationships. Are we really so busy that we have to do one-liners of "Patrice is...happy she got some practicing done today!"
2. If we are THAT busy, why are we on the Internet in the first place!

3. What kind of ads do YOU want to be exposed to? Do you really think the service is FREE? Well, maybe it doesn't cost you money, but someone is paying for those ads that pop up all kinds of things that I don't particularly care to see, and I DEFINITELY don't appreciate my children (teenage or adult) being exposed to. Why would we knowingly put ourselves in the position to have to choose whether we pay attention to them or not? People can say, "Oh, I don't pay attention to them...they don't affect me..." Well, they affect someone, and LOTS of someones, or businesses wouldn't pay big bucks for the advertising space.

4. As I look at ways I can improve myself, and hopefully help my children improve themselves, I think it's vitally important to listen to the prophet and the apostles. May 3, 2009, Elder David A. Bednar gave a talk at a CES Fireside for Young Adults that was broadcast from BYU-Idaho.
http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4830-1,00.html

Here is a brief quote from his talk:

Today I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls. The concerns I raise are not new; they apply equally to other types of media, such as television, movies, and music. But in a cyber world, these challenges are more pervasive and intense. I plead with you to beware of the sense-dulling and spiritually destructive influence of cyberspace technologies that are used to produce high fidelity and that promote degrading and evil purposes.
If the adversary cannot entice us to misuse our physical bodies, then one of his most potent tactics is to beguile you and me as embodied spirits to disconnect gradually and physically from things as they really are. In essence, he encourages us to think and act as if we were in our premortal, unembodied state. And, if we let him, he can cunningly employ some aspects of modern technology to accomplish his purposes. Please be careful of becoming so immersed and engrossed in pixels, texting, ear buds, twittering, online social networking, and potentially addictive uses of media and the Internet that you fail to recognize the importance of your physical body and miss the richness of person-to-person communication. Beware of digital displays and data in many forms of computer-mediated interaction that can displace the full range of physical capacity and experience.

Dad and I are raising the flag of warning. Let's take a good look at what we are choosing to spend our time and energies with. Perhaps it's nothing "bad," but is it something GOOD? We need to be selective more than ever with what we choose to do with our time, with our relationships, and with our spirits. We want to encourage each of you children to be very selective. Strengthen TRUE relationships. Don't take them for granted. Nourish them, cultivate them. Learn to communicate in person! Don't let the Adversary short-circuit the wonderful opportunities in your lives by even the most subtle means.

We understand there are many people who use these Internet "opportunities." That is their choice. However, a scripture comes to mind that explains our feelings pretty well: Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve. Whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Ammorites in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

LOVE YOU TONS, FAMILY!!!