I *have* posted a lot of video lately. I know.
Hard not to in this day & age.
So, from another of Elder Dallin H. Oaks' powerful BYU-I Devotional talks, came not only the familiar admonition to stand as witnesses of God but three specific HOWS:
by asserting faith in private prayers and personal greetings
publicly recognize the blessings of God
and contend for the free exercise of religion.
In the scriptures we find our baptismal covenants; our obligation as children of God & members of Christ's church is to "stand as a witness of God in all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in..." (Mosiah 18:9) And that includes online. (Really isn't that much to ask of us, considering Jesus Christ gave his life for each us. The least we can do is be His witnesses at all times and in all things and in all places, in exchange for the precious gifts of the Atonement & Eternal Life.) As a result, our ward's youth joined the Mormon Channel's efforts to do encourage just that, through the #DidYouThinkToPray? campaign that started in March. Thanks to the participation of people like Al Fox(now Al Fox Carraway), the movement is all about taking a moment to show why or when you pray, at anytime and about anything, with a simple little Instagram or Tweet or FB post that includes the hashtag #DidYouThinkToPray? with the pic. From there Mormon Channel plucks the images up and shares them worldwide via their Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram feeds. It's universal in & open to all faiths really. It's all about prayer. It's all about God. For Mutual a several weeks back (before there was a video), my sweet friend asked me to help her pool as many of these images as I could for a slideshow to keep the youth occupied while they waited for their turn to be photographed with their own sign. We even tossed in a few of the new YW leaders' own pics as surprise Easter Eggs for the kids! The slideshow makes my spirit & heart happy. I love how it perfectly goes with my 2014 word! Once all the kids' photos were taken they were then individually posted to my friend's Instagram, they became part of the #DidYouThinkToPray? movement or virtual gathering. Reminds me about prophesies of the Last Days, that things will be happening at the speed of thought. So true. It's happening. Right.now. So we should be standing as witnesses of God in every lightning-quick thought. In every instant. Just like Mini-Me's fellow youth.
2013 has brought a new curriculum & approach to teaching our Young Women every Sunday.
Long gone are the old teaching manuals I grew up with. Now the lessons are updated using more current technology and teaching them is to be patterned after how Christ, our Savior, taught:
with love, patience, and through the Holy Ghost.
We as teachers are now encouraged to be more facilitators rather than sermon-givers. Silence is encouraged as well, for in moments of silence there stronger bonds with the Holy Spirit can be forged, testimonies fortified, and life-changing lessons can be learned.
As a Young Women's group, we had a chance to experience the power of silence in a Sunday lesson for our Christmas lesson. It was humbling & empowering all at the same time. It felt as though Jesus Christ were sitting right there with us in that room!
(Pretty sure our YW president borrowed from THIS lesson idea, but changed some stuff up. Also a member of our ward already had the stable & manger set-up, and were kind enough to let us borrow it. The manger was empty, and we had multiple different pictures around the room depicting different events in Christ's life. Each seat was assigned. Those are LED candles in clear cups, so each girl had her own light by which to read & write. The entire room was dark except for the faux candles, a few strategically placed lights to better emphasize the pictures, and the video screen. Only sounds were prayerfully selected songs and videos of the Savior. It made me tremble inside with joy!)
Now, granted the lessons shouldn't be great productions, and not all of our lessons are to be in complete silence either. Spiritual discussion amongst the youth is ideal, as often some lessons are learned better from each other, as they are more receptive to their peers and often tune adults out. Journaling & meditation play a big role in this new curriculum as well.
Needless to say, I am very excited about this new direction. Our youth are pretty brilliant, and very in-touch with the Spirit. I adore playing a small role in facilitating opportunities through which our youth can grow in spiritual strength. Think back to ancient scripture... often great spiritual epiphanies & miracles came about on mountain tops. Now we live in the desert here, with the nearest mountains about 90 minutes away. However, even our humble classroom can feel as removed from the outside world if we've work hard to make it a refuge. So I am hoping these Young Women will have mountaintop experiences together in our class.
Within our ward, our Bishopric procured a case of small composition notebooks for each of our kids, so as to further encourage them to journal their spiritual experiences or favorite quotes or scriptures or lessons learned. Kind of like how Nephi kept plates: the historical record went on large plates, and the sacred spiritual record went on small plates, this Bishopric has asked that our youth each keep their own "small plates" along this new journey.
So as to keep these small comp books in better shape, and unique for each of my girls, I spruced them up a tad. I can't WAIT to give them out on Sunday!
If you'd like to do something similar, you're welcome to use the simple bookplates I whipped up for the covers. Enjoy! My Small Plates Book Plate
a larger workflow which I've been chipping away at this week.
Have been gutting & re-organizing the teenager's room of all the stuff she doesn't know what to do with, so instead it's been stock-piling. Hard work. The most rewarding part, though, is hearing her say how much more she likes her life when it's purged of all the distractions & confusion.
Just thinking...can't we all relate to that statement?
Lastly, I'm prepping for this week's lesson on self-discipline.
Should be a good one, and in my humble opinion, the timing couldn't
be better since the girls are gearing up to start a new year of school in a matter of days.
Almost forgot, infertility treatment efforts have started... and oh yeah, I cut my hair!
(La-la-la-LOVE it!) Liberation from oppression of any form is delicious... even if it's just from a dusty old womb or too much lackluster hair. Feeling like myself again!
(Those are sunglasses, NOT headgear - lol!)
So that's our most current update from the Ranch. Hope all's well with each of you.
Please keep your fingers crossed for us & maybe a baby.
Plus, feel free to use the handout below if you find it pertinent to your needs. ::hugs::
In Beehives today we discussed Lesson #31(from YW Manual #1), "Group Activities: A Basis for Wise Dating."
How do you teach the wisdom of this to 12 and 13 year old girls... who most of still think boys have cooties? ...And the few who no longer stress about cooties, have already chosen to date early?
Dating is a hard subject at this age. But broach it, as well as the consequences of not following the prophets' counsel (= commandments from Heavenly Father), we did.
Rather than dwelling too much on the group dating aspect of the lesson, instead the discussion seemed to focus on not dating at all until the appropriate time. We called it what it is: early dating = disobedience to commandments & unnecessary risk at this age.
Impressively, the girls handled it well and were QUITE engaged in this lesson. We laughed & talked turkey. Not one of them seemed shy about asking questions, nor were they unable to grasp the gravity of possible consequences that follow (such as teen pregnancy)... not to mention what sacrifices may have to be made if they were to choose to date earlier than Church standards or their parents' rules. Definitely brought a wave of relief over me that they were "getting" it.
So the companion handout for today's lesson (tastefully) did not mince words:
On top of the lesson, each girl was given a quote from the lesson to ponder, study out, and pray over for the next week. From that quote and study, each girl was asked to record their thoughts, official stand on dating & personal declaration of their standards regarding the temptation to date early. The hope is that this lesson will stick, and their documented declaration of obedience will be more powerful in their lives than the temptations which they will eventually face.
I will say that I loved this lesson. My touched heart was poured into it.
Even one of my favorite quotes, from one of my new-favorite movies, came to my mind & was incorporated into the lesson (from Courageous):
"You can't go out on a date with anyone until they come talk to me, and
they have no business talking to me until your 17. If a boy has asked
you to go anywhere with him, it's a date." -Nathan Hayes (emphasis added)
(If you haven't seen that movie yet, do it. The full conversation that character has with his daughter is priceless & quite validating!)
And if you haven't taught this lesson yet, or feel it would be a great Family Night lesson, feel free to use the handout printables below.
***OH! And by the way, got to spend a beautiful Friday morning photographing the most splendid little miracle baby this past week. You should go see how lovely the session turned out with Lil' Miss J!***
Honestly, my brain's still a bit fuzzy. That side-effect I would've expected would have faded by now, since the Lupron injections have been over for more than a month now. That junk should be out of my system by now. I will say, however, that the craziness has lessened.
Despite the hormones no longer pumping through my veins, my memory's still fogged. Only thing I can figure is that its still a bit jumbled from the accident. Occasionally there are still headaches... but those symptoms & a little bit of residual back stuff is all I think is left from April. So that's good news.
The reason I mention all this is simply because I cannot recall what I've done this week besides 4 things. Mind you, I'm sure TONS had occurred, since my calendar is always jam-packed. However what has been most memorable has obviously been on the skinny side.
“Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to
succeed gloriously…Sometimes we unwisely try to face life by depending on our own
experience and capacity. It is much wiser for us to seek through prayer and
divine inspiration to know what to do. Our obedience assures that when
required, we can qualify for divine power to accomplish an inspired objective." -Elder Richard G. Scott, LDS General Conference April 2012.
2) I shuttled Mini-Me back & forth like crazy into town for Driver's Ed classes, drives with one of her instructors, and to bid farewell to her BFF who will be a foreign exchange student in Germany for the next 6 months! (They are just growing up too quickly for my mama-heart.) There has been some hyperventilation on Mini-Me's part, and tears for both of them. But it'll be a strength-building experience for both of them to stand on their own... and at least it'll only be 6 months! :)
3) I helped out at my old orthodontic office for a morning. It was a zoo, we were so incredibly booked with school just around the corner! Yet it was great to get in some belly-laughs with my office & clinic girls. Smiles & laughs make the soul stronger, so when storms come they're easier to weather through.
4) Mr LKP was my glamorous assistant on THE best senior shoot! (Mini-Me is usually my stand-by assistant, but she was in driver's ed that night.) This girl we were working with was a photog's dream come true. She moved so easily and with such poise, that really every single of the 250 shots were phenomenal shots! You should definitely check out her TWO preview posts over at www.latchkeyphotography.com
This week in Beehives, we'll be discussing the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and hopefully helping them realize how intricate each girl's role is in preparing for the Savior's return. (YW Manual 1 - Lesson #29 "The Second Coming")
Sadly, I see my young girls stuck in predicaments & battling to overcome
circumstances which I didn't have to face until I was almost out of High
School! ...and with those battles, it's their self-esteem which sustains the most fatal blows.
Considering how volatile self-worth at ages 12 & 13 can be, and
almost certainly has become since I was that young, this lesson couldn't come at a better time, in my humble opinion.
All that said, I'm very excited about the handout I've been able to put together this week! (It gives me hope, especially when feeling very helpless as to how I can reach these girls.)
Now, I know I'm not going to save every kid in this generation one handout at a time... I mean really, how can a piece of paper vanquish the adversary's fiery darts?
But, it's not really the paper that empowers my girls, it's the priceless messages on the paper. I understand that. However, bonus points for attractiveness, right?! If it looks good, then chances are greater that the message will stick with them. At least that's my prayer.
Therefore, I apologize if any readers out there are bored with all the handout ideas lately. Note: I'm apologizing for your boredom, NOT for continuing to share my ideas. They're not going to cease & desist anytime soon.
We've all been blessed with talents + we have been commanded to cultivate & develop those talents. I suppose that's what I'm finally realizing and appreciating here, that Heavenly Father has a purpose and a need for my mild-mannered talent. If those little slips of paper (of His messages, garnished with all the love in my heart) help further His Kingdom, then so be it.
Doctrine & Covenants 87:8 teaches us this: "Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen."
When I'm designing and perfecting layout ideas for His Word, it feels like I am in a holy place.
Really, in creativity? Most definitely, yes!
May sound strange, but when I'm about His work in this manner, I feel as though I'm am sitting in His hands. Does that make as much sense out of my head as it did inside of my head?
One of my favorite songs goes like this:
"Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken-hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see."
When I'm creating these handouts, I feel that Heavenly Father is by my side, answering this prayer by guiding me to spiritually reach beyond what I can physically do. Through this He's helping me to see where I am fulfilling a further depth to my purpose in preparing the way for the return of His Son, Jesus Christ.
I'd say I've discovered a pretty great lesson for myself this week, even if no girls show up to class.
Feel free to use the printables below. They were designed to be printed on a bold color of cardstock (like a royal blue or indigo), and for a more detailed cut-out than previous handouts. Hope it helps however possible! A Royal Generation 4perPG
They're pretty handy. Great for short attention spans, like mine. Keeps me tuned in for the full message. (Sounds lazy, but really isn't.) Some of the most powerful things come in the smallest, most unassuming packages. Had that lesson in & of itself re-taught to me a couple Sundays ago.
One of the sisters I serve with in YW, was asked to speak in the Sacrament Meeting (similar to Communion services in other churches). She was the second speaker to follow Mini-Me, who was asked for speak for 2 1/2 minutes on Family (she did so beautifully with scripture, prophetic quotes, and even her own clever analogy how life is NOT like a box of chocolates but that the family is like a box of Cheez-its). So this sister who followed, was asked to speak on the teachings found within President Uchtdorf's talk from April 2012's General Conference, titled "The Merciful Obtain Mercy."
In his talk, President Uchtdorf shared one-such two-word sermon: "Stop it!"
(Told ya it was powerful.)
Now this sweet sister has been through the ringer in her life; has suffered trials & heartache she's never done anything that would warrant such strife. However she's weathered it all, including criticism for the style or methods by which she's overcame her trials. Yet, rather than run from the challenge & whole a grudge against those who have wronged her, she instead learned a valuable lesson which led to her adding her own powerful two-word sermon: "Let go."
Sitting there in the congregation, listening to her teach about forgiveness & extending mercy, even when the World would say we don't NEED to grant mercy to those around us, my heart was touched - inspiration flowed - and I could literally SEE the handout materializing. Funny part was, it would be hours before I would be home to my computer to design it, and I had nothing to sketch my idea out.
Instead I just texted the message "STOP IT. let go." from my husband's phone to my phone which I'd forgotten at home, and went on about church.
When I got home I fretted that whatever I created would pale in comparison to what I'd seen in my mind during Sacrament Meeting. However, that was not the case. It was as if my fingers remembered better the design than my brain had. And when it was completed, I was speechless.
I'm not sure why it needed to materialize, besides the fact that I need a constant reminder, perhaps on my mirror or fridge, of the truth in those four words. Beyond that however, perhaps someone out there desperately needs the reminder even more. ::shrugs::
If it touches your heart, you feel you need it for you or perhaps for a friend or a class, please feel free to download the printable below. (Perfect size to slip in a wallet, just saying.)
We've been given living prophets to lead and guide us in these latter-days. This was a true principle of Christ's ancient church then, and therefore a great indicator of and necessity in Christ's true church today.
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; ...And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone..."
Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in the northwestern United States are preparing for a regional conference this weekend. Where direction and inspiration pertinent to the details & needs of their lives where they are living, will be received. Simply stated, the regional conference will be an opportunity to be spiritually fed by those in authority to receive revelation on that area's behalf.
Three weeks from now, members & officers of the church from all areas of the world, will gather in Salt Lake City, Utah, to receive counsel and instruction from their church leaders. Other members will gather in their homes & their meeting places for General Conference. The weekend of October 1st-2nd, 2011 (aka the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) will be devoted to learning once more at the feet of those in authority to receive revelation. For this conference, the included feet will be those of the Twelve Apostles, the Prophet and his two counselors --- these honorable men hold the authority & keys by which to receive revelation for the world.
The time which we have prior to each of these conferences is busy, and filled with not only our everyday tasks, but also much preparation. To help us along the way, Heavenly Father has scattered preparatory resources throughout our lives. Such as our own personal scripture study, prayer, church meetings & leaders, Family Home Evenings, and the study of past conference talks.
My friends, we have been given an extra special treat!
One more additional spiritual primer, available now in the form an article from our current prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. His words have been published by the Washington Post, in regards to the 10th anniversary of 9/11:
"The calamity of September 11th, 2001 has cast a long shadow. Ten
years later, many of us are still haunted by its terrible tragedy of
lost lives and broken hearts. It is an episode of anguish that has
become a defining moment in the history of the American nation and the
world. This week, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, along with Tom Brokaw, will pay its own homage to the unforgettable events of September 11, 2001.
There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following
the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for
God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times
were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for
the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it.
Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.
Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the
years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has
indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow
moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of
our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful.
When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our
minds and hearts as well.
Our Father’s commitment to us, His children, is unwavering. Indeed He
softens the winters of our lives, but He also brightens our summers.
Whether it is the best of times or the worst, He is with us. He has
promised us that this will never change.
But we are less faithful than He is. By nature we are vain, frail,
and foolish. We sometimes neglect God. Sometimes we fail to keep the
commandments that He gives us to make us happy. Sometimes we fail to
commune with Him in prayer. Sometimes we forget to succor the poor and
the downtrodden who are also His children. And our forgetfulness is very
much to our detriment.
If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of
that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness
that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a
commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the
crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember
Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our
faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.
The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him
every week and each day. We truly “need Him every hour,” not just in
hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve
Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will
mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be
mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.
It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely
opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight
to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our
lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than
we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus
Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God
in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm."
So profound. So true.
Like any other learning opportunity, the responsibility of the situation does not lie 100% squarely on the shoulders of those who teach. In fact much of the responsibility is on the student as well. The same is true in this weekend of remembrance, as well as with the upcoming conferences.
...For instance, while sitting at a desk in geometry class, it can be easy to become distracted by the whimsical butterfly engaged in an aerial ballet just outside the window. The butterfly is in fact beautiful & good, however it is still a distraction when the student's immediate attention is needed at the front of the room, in the lesson being offered. This is the same when it comes to each one of us in our day-to-day lives.
Heavenly Father has an entire curriculum for us, that he is offering through instructors whom he has hand-chosen. We should be more dedicated to the learning processes at the front of these coming conference "classrooms." The beauty outside our windows will still be there when the class is dismissed. May we be more attentive in our spiritual learning experiences, that the beautiful distractions of this unsettling world would not interfere with our learning the great eternal lessons necessary for our salvation. This is where we can not only find increased strength in our lives but, more importantly, peace in our lives. Thus allowing us to be more faithful to our Heavenly Father (who has ALWAYS been faithful to us) --- in our sorrows, as well as our calm times.
May we be ready to receive profound answers to the questions troubling our hearts, and a steady direction to the path that will lead us back to our Heavenly Father. May we readily accept the blessings He has granted us in our mortal experience, that we can be prepared to weather the refining process necessary to grant us the ability to be in & remain in His presence.
"...Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven."
...with a little additional, round-about help from Mr LKP... and Mini-Me.
So, the slumpy blues I've been in have not been fun. But airing it all out here in the space helped ease the pain a bit. The supportive response has been such a blessing. I can't sufficiently express my immense gratitude. So please accept this, my meager thanks - thank you.
Mr LKP happened to read the last post Saturday evening. I can't quite explain it, but his hugs have been more tender. His kisses more sweet. He's just been more gentle. Even in church, yesterday, he hardly left my side (besides Relief Society in the last hour). Considering all the Mother's Day talk, Mr LKP was very attentive & protective of me. And it felt good to know I was physically not alone.
As for that last hour of church, without my husband by my side & surrounded by other women (many of whom were not suffering as I was & over the moon for Mother's Day), there was respite. The lesson, surprisingly, was on Honesty. I was soooo grateful that our Relief Society Presidency felt it was important to not deter from this year's lesson manual just to focus on the holiday. I was so relieved. In addition, Mr LKP's aunt was teaching, and I adore her, as well as her matter-of-fact style of teaching. It's so clear, concise, educated, smile-inducing, and always, spiritually eye-opening. Not usually is there a whole lot of run-away emotions when she teaches, and I think I learn best in that type of learning atmosphere.
She was just barely getting started, when a member of our Stake Presidency stepped in to share a few words with us sisters about Mother's Day. My stomach plummeted through my chair, I'm sure of it.
He gazed at each of us, and proceeded to share with us that when Mother's Day is celebrated within our church that it is not strictly meant for those who are actively engaged in chasing toddlers around or cradling an infant in their arms at that moment. He said that within the Church, motherhood = womanhood, as all women were given the power & talents to create.
This can mean many things, as some women may create children, while others create art. Some women may bear children, while others may raise those children. Some women may raise many children, while some will raise one child, yet unknowingly will have helped raise that child's peers. Some women will help nurture and mold nieces, nephews & grandchildren, while some may help nurture and inspire children of their "village."
We were literally created with the purpose of becoming mothers at some point in our future existence... guaranteed we will experience some form of motherhood. Whether we enjoy the blessing of earthly posterity or not in this life, we have the potential to enjoy the blessing of worlds without number after this life... and worlds without number will need to be populated with even more spiritual children!
This member of our Stake Presidency went on to teach us how very important women have been throughout the history of the Church, as well as the history of the Earth. We are important. We are of worth. We are Heavenly Father's crowning jewel. He finished by expressing the love of our Stake Presidency for each of us, and testified to Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ's love for us as well. With that, he was finished, and I was a teary mess. But in a good way. I knew that someone with a MUCH greater perspective was aware of my aching. I no longer felt as lonely inside.
So maybe my biological reach will remain with only one child. But that child is loved & cherished by my husband as if she were his own. That is a phenomenal blessing. I often worried that Mr LKP would be disappointed that I could not give him someone to carry on his family name. After discussing it, he told me that he wasn't concerned since his older brother has two sons who will do that for his family. He's just grateful to have his two girls: me & Mini-Me.
And just because my biological reach may not extend past Mini-Me, that doesn't mean I can't be a positive impact in the lives of her friends. So, apparently it IS possible to be the village momma while only having one bio-kid in the village! :)
So, that's how this weekend played out. But the message didn't end there.
This morning, as I was seeing my family out the door, I noticed that Mini-Me's rushed, disorderly cleaning job in the "living room" area of my shoebox house had been less than adequate... and a might bit sloppy. Especially in the vicinity of the piano. Namely, the piano bench. No lie. The lid would not, and COULD not close completely. If one tried to sit to play a song, they would've slid off and bit the keys! So I went about the task of organizing the bench's contents properly. One task led to another... so I found myself in a binder, organizing all our loose sheet music into their own sheet protectors. (When I was finished it was so clean, and lovely feeling!) Then I put the rest of the bench's items in order (one stack of "mine" and one stack of "Mini-Me's"). At the bottom of the main pile I rediscovered a book I'd overlooked, and sadly forgotten about. It was placed on the music desk of the piano, and I finished reconciling the bench.
This book is a collection of songs sung by Jessie Clark Funk. I sat down, perused through many of the sungs, and even plunked out the melody for "Come Thou Fount," one of my most ultimate favorite songs ever. As I continued through the book, my heart leaped, my eyes teared, and my fingers danced for my heart had settled on the song, "How Do You Move a Mountain." Each word sealed within me the blessings Heavenly Father had given me this weekend, including each of you, my husband, my daughter, the knowledge that He knew.
Painful & tear-inducing that our life experiences and emotions may be, FAITH in Him is how we manage to get through, how we heal, and how we move mountains (even those that are within ourselves).
"Standing like David
before my Goliath,
Difficult, yes,
but impossible, no.
Learning like Nephi,
it's his will to triumph,
I'll learn, I'll try,
I'll go.
But how do you move a mountain?
How do you soften a heart made of stone?
What makes a king fall down on his knees
or a rich man to leave all he owns?
Christ said "believe" and all that you need
is the faith of a tiny seed.
Living today
in this world isn't easy.
How do I face
insurmountable odds?
Finding I'm more than I am
when He's with me,
My power, my strength
is my God.
But how do you move a mountain?
How do you soften a heart made of stone?
What makes a king fall down on his knees
or a rich man to leave all he owns?
Christ said "believe" and all that you need
is the faith of a tiny seed.
...Standing like David,
before my Goliath..."
I'm so grateful for each of you... for my Heavenly Father... for my husband... and for Mini-Me, rushed and sometimes disorderly.
For this year's Relief Society Birthday dinner we wanted to provide each sister in the ward with an opportunity to have a very intimate, spiritual experience at the Tree of Life in Lehi's dream.
What better way for this to happen then for our Relief Society to experience Lehi's dream in a very tactile way? First-hand(ish) was the best way we figured that could happen.
So, we read and re-read the scriptural accounts found in 1 Nephi 8 and 1 Nephi 11. From there we identified four major elements of the dream and recreated them in individual rooms throughout the church, starting with the introduction of the Iron Rod in the Multi-Purpose room.
This room is where our night began, as we sang "The Iron Rod" as our opening hymn and then we had prayer. Our Relief Society President then shared her testimony of the evening's purpose, and introduced the sisters to the rod...as well as bid they join her on the journey.
The sisters then took hold of the Rod and followed it out of the multi-purpose room, along the hallway, and into the Relief Society room where they beheld the Great & Spacious Building and the raging river. Here a member of our Bishopric spoke to the sisters about the Great & Spacious, as well as the river, and what they represent in our lives today. He also helped us to better see where and how we can avoid being distracted and beckoned to the danger that they are. They were again invited to continue along the rod further on the path which led them out into the hallway.
While surrounded by darkness in the hallway, they cautiously made their ways, all while holding firmly to the Rod. Then the heavy mist arose around them, complicating the journey. Each sister pressed forward, and eventually wound up in our Young Women's room (which is quite narrow), and there they heard from another counselor in the Bishopric regarding the darkness & mist, how they are the small but most dangerous distractions in our day-to-day activities and can lead us into apostasy. Once the brother had borne his testimony, he invited them to once again cling to the Rod and continue their journey.
The combination of the particular doorway and the limited space in the room and the adjoining hallway made exiting the narrow room a little bit of a squeeze...but it was the "strait & narrow" so it worked out nicely in the end.
The Iron Rod then led the sisters into the dark gym, where the Rod continued right up to the Tree of Life itself, which was lit from its roots to its top-most branches in white light. At the tree, waiting for the sisters, were the Relief Society Presidency with open arms to welcome them to the tree, to share a smile and to give them a gift from the tree.
Once all the sisters had come and been received at the Tree of Life, they sat at the tables surrounding the tree, and listened as our Bishop explained further the meaning and importance of the Tree in our lives... what it represents, and how it is truly "precious above all." He also shared his testimony of the program they had just completed, as well as a most precious experience he'd had with a similar evening centered around Lehi's dream. All of the talks given that night were wonderful, however the Bishop's talk was my favorite. His testimony was so strong, and even he was emotional as he spoke of the scriptures and his experience....caused me to get teary (and I wasn't even seated in the room, I was watching from behind the scenes).
At the conclusion of the Bishop's remarks, a closing prayer was offered and 3 of our finest young women immediately rolled a cart filled with dinner for all of the sisters. And there we all feasted together, at the tree!
It was simple, and well orchestrated... like clock-work! Seamless. :) (Why do I figure? Because it was the Lord behind it all, not me.) All of the details of the night just flowed. They were simple enough. Putting it altogether for two days straight left our committee exhausted, however it was worth every single minute! So, do you want a run-down of the details? What, you want pictures too?! Well, you're in luck. I took some set-up pics, and only a few from the end of the night. But I also took a run-through video earlier that afternoon just for a clearer idea (audio might seem a little loud, as I took it with my phone). So, buckle your seat belts, cause this is the best I can give you from here:
The Iron Rod = PVC masterpiece ala Mr LKP! (Have I mentioned lately how amazing he is?)
The Great & Spacious Building = Built out of covered cardboard boxes, with tealights & flashlights under the fabric to create skyline definition and faux windows...this room was dark for its portion of the program. (Oodles of thanks to Karla for all of her help & creative genius!)
The Mist = Our handy-dandy fog machine (from Halloween a couple years ago) coming out of one of the classrooms in the hallway.
The Tree = One old sonotube concrete-form, from Mr LKP's family's construction company, wrapped in twisted & gnarly sections of blank newsprint paper, with fruit tree branches stuck in the top of it, and then lit from top to bottom with clear Christmas lights.
"Fruit" of the Tree = Gift = These awesome, custom laser-cut wooden pendants/tags which had our theme on one side and our tree image on the other side, handcrafted by THE MOST talented Rob of BullFrog Graphics.
Place Setting = Each place setting had at its center (where the plate should have been) a single Golden Delicious apple pinned with 2 paper leaves. One leaf had the theme along the edge, and the evening's tree was on the other leaf. (A Special thanks goes out to Dandee for her help in locating this idea!)
Dinner = Chicken salad. This was quite easy-breezy, but satisfying nonetheless. Each plate that came out of the kitchen had a bed of Romaine lettuce, topped with sliced chicken breasts (seasoned only with salt & pepper, and the lovely Alder wood chips from the Traeger grill it was cooked on- thanks to Ranae, who cooked chicken for us, despite her daughter's college basketball team progressing further in the NWAACC tournament that day!). The toppings were already at each table (almond slices, craisins, mandarin oranges, & dressing), that way each sister could customize her dinner to what she preferred or to what she COULD eat. (Another special thanks goes out to Jenn, as she made the most lovely chicken salads for us a few weeks back when we gathered at her house for dinner & board games. On the drive home that night I felt so very inspired by her awesome, simple idea!)
Dessert = Berry Parfait. Only instead of yogurt, it was with vanilla pudding. Each sister received her own berry treat...which was great that we were enjoying more fruit at the tree together! It all just went so well together. :) It was scrumptious! (Thanks again & again to Allyson for whipping up sooooo much lovely vanilla pudding, ON her birthday no less!)
Where the Iron Rod began.
The Great & Spacious Building
The Mist section. Notice the fog machine hiding along the right side wall?
THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION: The Tree of Life
The tables turned out so simple, yet so lovely.
Member of our RS Presidency working feverishly to get the Great & Spacious completed for lights out.
Bishop wanted to read from the scriptures, but it was too dark. Enter the iPad to the rescue! :)
OUR AWESOME KITCHEN HELP: Mini-Me and her two friends
This front & back of the gifts that were given at the tree, in a simple white glassine bag. (Many thanks to Rob!)
A close-up example of the apples at each place setting.
So, watch for the mist in this video. It was AWESOME!(And a lot thicker during the program.)STILL gives me chills, it was that much better in person and at night with the darker effects.
All in all, it was a beautifully successful evening. I loved hearing repeatedly from sisters how glad they were that they chose to attend. It is one thing for me to tell a sister how glad I am that she made it, but to hear her say that herself makes my heart very happy.
MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED!
And just so EVERYONE is clear, I am soooo very grateful for all of the hours dedicated to this project. For all of the helping hands involved in carrying out what seemed like such menial tasks...really each task made a HUGE impact. Whether you lifted where you stand/stood or lifted where you sit/sat, this evening wouldn't have been even remotely possible without you. So thank you all very, very much-from the bottom of my heart!
(P.S. In the beginning, the Multi-Purpose room had the only exterior door unlocked for entry, so that the sisters couldn't see the rest of the rooms or the Iron Rod that wove throughout the hallway in advance. And this way they HAD to remain in the first room...don't worry, in case of emergency we could exit through ANY of the doors in the building, the multi-purpose room's door was just the only one that someone could enter the building through.)
