For my posterity (part 2)

I have always been someone that believed in Christ. I knew that God existed even though at times I had felt forsaken. I had been to many churches as a youth and had tried many with Tim and never found the one that seemed right so it would never last.

In the years of trying to have a baby and not being successful I had all but given up on God. I felt betrayed, hurt and downright angry so I stopped talking to him. Not until I asked that question of Mark did I start thinking about Him again.

Mark I talked a little bit about the church at that time. He explained the LDS church and what it was all about it. As our friendship grew, I gradually asked more questions. Mostly because I'm nosey like that but I also like to think that I was searching again. He would answer my questions but never pushed the issue. Eventually he introduced me to his brother-in-law Gary that happened to also be one of his missionary companions way back when. By this time we were talking on the phone and I got to know him better as well getting to know his family. Mark and Gary both were/are married and each had 4 kids at the time. (they now each have 5, they are competitive like that) As the time went by, I asked more questions and often we would all three talk about the gospel.

It's now April of 01 and get a package in the mail. In it is a whole bunch of Utah goodies and a Book of Mormon with Mark and his wife Denise's testimony written in it. It also had several scripture references highlighted for me. By this time, hubby knew of Mark and Gary and their families even though he thought it a little odd. I can see why looking back on it how one might feel that way but believe me it seemed as natural as anything ever had.


I would occasionally pick up the Book and thumb through it. I would even try to read a few verses but it always seemed like I was reading another language. A few months went by and Mark asked if I had read it yet. I told him that I was having trouble getting into it and he and Gary challenged me to read 10 pages a day. They would also read 10 pages a day and we would meet once a week on the phone to discuss what we had read and so I could ask any questions that came up. I took the challenge and we did just that. Before long, I had completed the entire Book of Mormon. Somewhere along the way, I just knew that what I was reading was another testament of Jesus Christ. I could feel it and it seemed vaguely familiar. That's kind of how hearing about the gospel seemed to me, vaguely familiar.

As the guys told me about a modern day prophet and apostles it all seemed to make sense. Why would God leave us alone in these troubled times. It made sense in my head and then I started feeling the conversion in my heart.


Mark and Gary called the missionaries and in November of 2001 I started taking the discussions. Tim wanted to sit in because he wanted to know just what I was getting myself in to. I had my doubts that these 19 and 20 year old "kids" would be able to teach me anything but I soon realized that they had been given a special mantle to carry. They were on God's errand and each time they taught me, I felt more and more of that sweet warm feeling burning in my bosom. I knew it was true. But more than that, I knew that God knew that I knew that it was true. There was no way of getting out of it. I had a decision to make. To be continued...

For my posterity (part 1)

As the date of our sealing approaches I have been reflecting on my journey into the church and the years leading from there to here. It's truly been an amazing ride. Nothing short of a miracle. I want my posterity to know more about how this whole "Mormon" thing came to be.

It all started on a blustery fall day in October of 1971. Wait, that might be to far back. Let's fast forward a bit to some random night in November of 2000. Tim is working yet another swing shift and I'm home alone again. We've had our computer now for about 9 months and I'm discovering all the things the Internet has to offer. In the last little while I've found these new fangled things called chat rooms. Here you can go in and talk to people all over the world. Little did I know that doing so that night would change my life forever. In one of these random chat rooms (I honestly don't know which one or what kind), I met a guy named Mark. I know *gasp* I met a guy online. Well, it wasn't like that so stop the gasping and eyebrow raising. This guy was at that very moment "working"at a dam in Utah and was in the same chat room. We started chatting and almost instantly I felt that I had known him all my life. I decided to add him to my instant messenger and from that moment on, we were friends. We chatted for hours about his family, my family, his work, my work and everything else under the sun. Eventually over the weeks the talk turned to religion. I asked him "Do you go to church?" and he said "Yes, I'm LDS"

That little simple question that has probably been asked a million times by a million people changed my life forever. To be continued.....

Is it just me?

Or does the playlist on blogs bug anyone else. Now, I just love music. It is a part of my life in a major way. It has the power to move to the core and speak to my soul. However, I always turn off the playlists when reading a blog. It turns out that I can't listen and read at the same time. I'm sure there are some great songs on these that I turn off but I just can't take it. Am I alone out there?

Happy Baptism-versary my honey

Timmer Don,

It's unreal to me that it's been one year ago as of Sept 15th that you joined the church. I can't tell you how much it's meant to me to get to watch you grow and progress in this gospel. It has been a blessing to see you become the man you are today, a priesthood holder and the spiritual leader of our home. I thought I would burst when you gave our son his first fathers blessing. It was such a sweet moment.

Thank you for your faith, your love and your patience all these years. As the saying goes "We've come a long way baby" Our next step is less than a month away and I know it will be wonderful. It's been a long bumpy road getting there but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I know the road will still have a pothole here and there as we continue this journey but I can't think of a single person that I would rather go with. My heart is full of gratitude for you and the blessings we have received.

I look forward to spending the eternities with you.

All my love,

Me

In case you were wondering

what your hard earned tax dollars are paying for, here's an example.

My sitter picked up my son from kindergarten Tuesday and on the way back to her house she asked him how his day was and asked what he had done. The conversation went like this

Sitter: What did you do today Blake?

Blake: nothing, we didn't even go anywhere

Sitter: well what did you learn in your classroom?

Blake: nothing

Sitter: what did your teacher talk about?

Blake: I don't know, I wasn't listening

Sitter: Blake you didn't listen to anything she said?

Blake: no, but I will listen to you at your house miss Paula

Oh boy, it's a good thing that this is the first year of school and he'll get a lot more practice.

First day of School

Officially a student

The following picture pretty much sums up the day. It speaks volumes doesn't it?

The first day of school? How in the world did that happen? I'm sure that I just brought him home from the hospital. I can remember it all like it was yesterday. On one hand, I'm glad I've gotten him to the point that he is secure and feels okay about us leaving him in this scary new world and on the other, I wanted him to cling to me and say he wasn't ready to leave his mommy.
Well, that's enough of the mooshy stuff. Today went well. We got up early and he was eager to get dressed in his new clothes and shoes. His backpack was nearly as big as he is. Last night he asked me "Mom, are you and daddy going to walk me to school?" I said yes and he said "Why, I know the way." Such an independent little guy.

Here he is "working hard" with his friend Zach.

This the sign outside the school.

Ready to go.

Okay, who is this big kid and what have you done with my baby?

See, I told you the backpack was just about as big as he is

Good weekend and lessons learned

We had such a nice laid back weekend together. Now I am back to work for a day and then off again tomorrow for Blake's official first day of school. He went in yesterday for some testing so they could see where he and the other kids were with academic skills etc. Tomorrow will be the backpack and tears day. No tears from Blake of course, he is such a little go getter and always up for a new adventure.

Yesterday after the testing we had some errands to run and some friends to meet for lunch. One of the errands was to go and get some clothes for hubby. While there, Blake found and was playing with some of those little things that go on the hanger to identify the size (they probably have a name but I don't have a clue what it is). We didn't think anything of it until we were at lunch and realized that the little clepto but about 10 of them in his pocket to take home. So, after lunch we went back to the store and made Blake go in and tell the person working there what happened and that he had taken them and that we was sorry. I could tell that Blake was hoping that a giant hole would open up and swallow him so he didn't have to do this. The man was very nice about it and I think/hope that Blake learned a good lesson about taking things that don't belong to him.

Maybe someday I'll be independently wealthy. I could really get used to not working :o) Can't complain too much though as I'm only doing 2 days this week. Well, I could complain but I won't..LOL