Accepting Agency

Goodmorning everyone: 

I have been musing again and thought it would be good to write some of it down and therefore organize my thoughts into some kind of cohesive comprehensive unite.

I recently bought a book entitled, “If Only…”  In the preface there was this story that I will tell in my own words.  The author, Kim A. Nelson, a LDS therapist, explains that he was in a city giving a speech.  After the speech, a woman in a wheelchair, came to him from the audience and asked if he was LDS.  When he answered in the affirmative she asked if he was worthy to give a priesthood blessing.  He had to think about that for a moment and then answered yes again.  She asked if would be willing to give her a blessing as she was far from her home ward and did not know anybody else that she could turn to.  Brother Nelson asked if he could go get a friend who he knew was at the conference also to assist in the blessing.

Together they found a room that was private and asked the woman what kind of blessing she required.  She then told them that she had been baptized about 18 months before.  Shortly after that she had been diagnosed with MS, her husband had left her and she had 3 boys, 2 with ADHD and the last one had been diagnosed with some form of autism.  Brother Nelson and his friend were overwhelmed with her story.  How could they bless all her problems away!  Brother Nelson asked her what kind of blessing she was seeking.  She said simply, “I need you to bless me that I can learn to love my new life.” 

She did not ask for any of her trials to be removed or made easier.  She was willing to accept what the Lord gave her, she just wanted to right attitude to enjoy what she had been given.  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  It made me think of different circumstances I have observed in my life.  Sister Harless’s way of approaching her death (accepting and enjoying the time she had) and Sister Doty’s (who has mournful endured it).  The way the Stewart Family and the Bench Family have approached the death of their loved ones versus the way Sister Walker has mourned the death of her three sons to the point of not enjoying the lives of those who still live. 

The title of the next section is, “Accepting the Gift of Agency.”  The 60’s era part of me immediately thought on reading that, “Wow, man!  That is deep!”  Do I fully accept that gift?  I do not know?  Do I feel that I just hang on for the ride and endure what comes my way? 

Recently a sister in the ward said, “It is easy for you to be happy.  You have never had to struggle with your kids or your family.  You have the perfect life.”  At first I agreed with her, and even felt guilty for my joy.  Then I thought---“WHAT!?  Lady, you don’t know me.  You have no idea what I have been through in my life or what I am going through right now.  I am happy, because I choose to be happy!” 

People feel the same way about Pam.  I have been told many times that they envy Pam and her perfect husband, home and family.  Oh, if they only knew.  We look around at others and envy their money, their perfect children, their perfect spouse, their perfect home.  We are idiots.  We have no way of knowing what they are experiencing behind their closed doors.  No one gets away without having trials to overcome in their lives.  I have also learned that those trials at many times are so severe that we feel we cannot overcome them.  They need to be that bad, so that we will turn to our Father in Heaven and our Savior and rely on him. 

Am I happy, because I have learned to trust the Savior and to lean on him?  I have some heavy trials right now.  I do a lot of praying, but I don’t do a lot of stewing.  Have I come to the point in life where I can endure well?  I don’t want to say yes for fear God will put me to a bigger test.  I don’t need more testing.  At least that is my humble mortal opinion.  But I can endure what I have experienced and what I am experiencing with hope for a better life here and in the hereafter.  Perhaps I have accepted that “gift” of agency and am putting it to use.  At least so far in my life I seem to be able to choose life and liberty and happiness. 

Perhaps I am writing this down so that it will be of use to me in the future.  But I hope that I am beginning to accept the atonement as a power in my life.  I hope I am begging to accept that promise that I exist so that I can have joy.  Yes, I have trials and sorrow, but at the same time I have a lot of joy in my life.  I am an orphan, but I have the joy of knowing that my parents are my parents for time and eternity.  They are still a part of my life.  I received comfort just the other day from my mother.  I don’t even remember right now what the situation was.  Something in my life, some question or discouragement had arisen, and I felt her spiritual arms around me and seemed to hear her whisper, “You can do this.  I am right here.  You have done it before and you can do it again.”  I think it is amazing that I cannot remember what crises had developed at that moment.  I know it had been a big one, but I pulled through it or at least that part of it, healthy, happy and ready to face the next problem. 

If we truly accept the “gift” of agency we accept the responsibility for our actions, our choices and our consequences.  We realize we will make mistakes and that we can learn and try again.  We accept that Christ will forgive us.  That He suffered for all our stupid mistakes we make over and over again.  We accept that He is there with His hand outstretched to us through all our efforts of trial and error.  He lifts us up when we allow Him and He does not leave our side when we let go.  He is right there when we decide to take hold once again. 

If we accept our “gift,” then we have to allow others to use their own “gift.”  We cannot accept our own and try to manipulate others’.  We can invite, entreat, and encourage but we cannot force anyone else.  We have to allow others their right to their gift and their right to “accept” it. 

Thanks for reading.  I can’t force you to do anything. (As a mom, I might try, but in the end I will fail.) Thanks for making the choice to read my poor ramblings.  Love you all.

Bored!

Yep, I am bored and it is my own fault.  I exercised using William's P90X on Tuesday morning and on Wednesday I used the elliptical on extreme resistance.  So yesterday morning I decided I would do some keetlebell.  I swung the bell between my legs and squatted.  "Ow!"  My thighs hurt from the P90X stuff, so I eased up on the pressure on my legs by using my back and "Double OW!!!" I wrenched my back.  No it hurts to sit, stand or lie down.  It is best to lie down, but one can't do much on your back in bed and there is so much I could be doing.  I get up about every 20 minutes and change the laundry and then go lie down again.  So for these few minutes.  I am enduring a little more pain to type out my frustrations.  Ow!  Thanks for reading.  Now I will go change the laundry and go lie down again.  Yippee!

Lessons from my Mother

Why do we all read?  My mother!  Why do we all read with inflection?  My mother!  Why do we read fantasy?  My mother!  Oh how she would have loved to read Harry Potter.  From the earliest of memories I remember story time every night before bed.  I loved it when she read poems, particularly "There are Fairies at the Bottom of Our Garden."  I knew there were fairies at the bottom of my own garden, right there by the rock garden.

My mother's grandmother came from Sweden (the Johnson grandma).  My mother told me how the only book she had was her Swedish Bible.  She had been very particular and had insisted that all her (I believe there were 8) children had to learn to read and write.  They learned in the village church.  The Book of Mormon was not translated into Swedish when the missionaries came to her village, but some how she gained a testimony and she and her husband and all of her children joined the church.  When they reached America she encouraged her children to learn and read English (even those who were grown and already married).  Strange that some cultures don't have this same attitude. 

She cherished her Swedish Bible for it was all she had to read for the rest of her life. 

Grandma Johnson (Merle Snelson, my grandma) loved to read also.  The odd thing is that the son of the Swedish grandma (my grandfather) thought reading was a waste of time.  For him it was just like watching TV for us today.  There was no practical benefit in frittering away your time reading a book when there was so much work to be done.  So my grandmother and my mother worked out a plan.  When the boys and Grandpa would come in from the field they had to pass along a hedge that ran by the side of the house.  The hedge was just low enough for grandpa's hat to be seen above it.  After the boys and grandpa left to work in the fields, grandma or my mom would start the house work and the other one would start reading out loud.  The one working was responsible for keeping an eye on the hedge and a lookout for Grandpa's hat.  If the hat was spotted, the one reading would be warned, the book would be tucked away and a dust rag or broom would be grabbed and when grandpa walked in, both mother and daughter would be busy working. 

My mother loved Dickens, Shakespeare, and other classics.  She also loved poems.  She loved the rhythm.  She liked how the sound of many words gave you the feeling of what they mean.  She loved to read with expression.  She was an actress at heart (hey, now you know where I get it).  She loved to develop a characters voice and mannerisms when she read.  I loved it as a kid.  When she would read to me as a little kid, she made my siblings go to bed.  This was supposed to be just me and mom time.  She said they had all been read to and now it my time.  Well, I am sure she probably knew this, but all three of them used to sit on the stairway very quiet and very still so they could listen to her read to me.  I didn't know this until I was married and Kathleen confessed. 

The tyrannical nature of grandfather's reading policy was of benefit to me and my siblings.  We were given chores to do but as soon as those chores were done, we could spend as much time as we liked reading.  It was wonderful.  One summer vacation I spent with Ishmael searching for the great white whale.  I sat on the back porch everyday and read and read.  I could smell the sea salt on the breeze.  I swear I could hear the waves lapping against the boat.  It was one of the greatest adventures of my life.  After cleaning my room and helping my mom clean up the house, I was left to go on my adventure everyday for as long as I wanted.  I read through lunch and had to be called to dinner.  As soon as dinner was over, I was back outside and one of the crew of Captain Ahab.  Thank you, Mom for letting me discover the wonderful world of my imagination through books. 

Grandma inspired my imagination.  She would ask me what I saw in a leaf, what lived in that leave, what kind of world was under the leave.  I could spend what seemed like hours lying on the ground under the lilac tree and imagining a world filled with little tiny space cars flying from leave to leave.  It was probably only 10 minutes and then I was back in bugging my mom.  But she would suggest another imaginative activity and I would be outside again and imagining all kinds of things. Who needed toys.  One fall, a girlfriend and I created a mansion in the field behind the house with a kitchen, bedrooms and ballroom.  We flattened the wild wheat into squares for the rooms and had hall ways between rooms.  It was great fun and we were allowed to spend hours at it. 



Mom wanted her children to be cultured and have good manners.  We all were required to play the piano.  Mom had had just enough lessons to teach her the notes and how to count.  She could fiqure most melodies out and play them with her right hand.  But it was very hard for her.  She could not help us with our music but she sat in the front room for years with each of us, listening.  It must have been hard for her, because she always felt there was housework to do.  But she took the time to sit in that living room and listen to us practice in order to stop us if we just ignored a mistake and to encourage us to practice for the entire 30 minutes and not play around.  After we improved enough on the piano she would work in the kitchen while we practiced.  We were still reminded when something did not sound just right and she was usually right, a mistake had been made. 

Michael, loved to practice.  I think it was how he got out of work.  He would play and play and play, until we would all want to scream at him to stop.  One day he had played the same song over and over again for about 3 hours.  Mom finally had had enough, "If you play that song one more time, I am going to break your fingers! Stop it."  As I think back on it now, I think Mom thought Michael was doing it on purpose just to annoy her (maybe she was right).  For some strange psychological reason, I desired to be yelled at to stop practicing too.  I began to play the "Spinning Song" over and over.  I must have practiced that same obnoxious song for at least 4 hours straight.  I could not stand it any more and Mom did not seem to be the least bit upset about my practicing.  Finally, I said, "Aren't you listening to me.  I have been playing the same piece now for the last 4 hours and you have not yelled at me like you did at Michael.  I don't think you even listen to my playing." 

Rather taken aback (why would any child want to be yelled at), my mother assured me that she had been listening to me and she was so grateful that I had been practicing it had not bothered her in the slightest that I had been playing the same thing over and over again.  I never tried that one again. 

When Mom called you, you learned very early in life to come immediately.  I have a hard time with this because my children do not come immediately.  My father even came immediately when Mom called.  It did not matter if he was sawing a long piece of wood.  If he heard mom call for dinner, he stopped and came for dinner.  Whatever we were doing stopped the moment that Mom called us for dinner.  It really drives me nuts that my children continue doing whatever and so does my husband.  I have to give them warnings and even then it is not a guarantee that they will come.  We were taught it was an act of respect for my mother.  She spent the time preparing the food to perfection, we owed her the respect to eat that food when it tasted the best and looked the best.  If she was ready to eat, we were ready to eat. 

Well, I am apparently running out of room and time.  So look for further blogs about both Grandpa and Grandma Cates.

Happiness

Rachel sent me a quote by text that I need to place on the tip of my nose and leave there right in front of my eyes for the rest of my life.  She did not tell me who said it, but it sounds like a Dr. Laura.

"It is not the man's job to make the woman happy.  It is her job to make herself happy.  His job is to make her happier."

Think of what the world would be like if we all gave up letting others control our emotions.  Actually, no one has control over our emotions but us.  It is a choice we make to have our feelings hurt or to laugh or to cry, to be offended, to be insulted, to be flattered, or to be honored.  We make the choices every minute of everyday.  If we have a bad day, sure it is nice to complain and blame it on others, but we have no one to blame but ourselves. 

I spent the whole day looking for a stupid tax return, which by the way, was right where it was supposed to be and I looked there at least 60 times.  You could say, that it was becoming a rather frustrating day, but when I looked in that same place for the 61st time, pulled out the envelope again for the 61st time and then realized what it was, I had to just laugh.  Sure I could have been upset, blamed it on Kreed or some ghost.  But there was no reason why I had not comprehended what it was other than my own blind stupidity.  I just sat on the bed and laughed.  I could have sat on the bed and cried, but laughing is so much more fun. 

I had a student today who was driving me nuts.  She is so literal!  It is like working with an eight-year-old Dr. Brennen.  She will not do anything without being told precisely what to do and if you don't give all the instructions she wants, she will not fill in any missing areas with the obvious.  Any distraction is definitely a distraction and you have to start all over with explanations and directions.  Aaah.  I was about to get really frustrated, but I thought, "Why?  It won't help her and it certainly won't help me."  So I just smiled and repeated everything I had said 3 times before and low and behold, she got it on the 4th try.  She was happy and so was I. 

There are times that Kreed teases and I choose to be offended.  What good does that do?  I feel awful, he feels awful, the rest of the family feels awful.  He is going to tease me again...soo...why fight it.  Why not tease back or just change the subject.  Laugh and he will laugh and then my family will laugh and we will be happier and I am sure that my husband will try even harder to make me happier if I am happy more times than not. I know I don't want to try to cheer him up much if he is in a bad mood or ornery mood.  Why should I be surprised that he doesn't want to cheer me up when I am moody?  Who wants to be around anyone who is moody, depressed or ornery? 

So I am going to try to get that quote (Oh, Rachel texted and said it was from a BYU talk she was listening to) tattooed on my eyeballs (metaphorically speaking) and I hope I can be a happier person more of the time!  Hope you all try to do the same.  It would be nice if the rest of the world our do so too.  But we can't let them affect our happiness now can we. 

Lessons from my Dad

My Dad. 

I thought it was so appropriate that the Honor Guard had to redo the flag and do it with such dignity.  Dad always told us that if the job was worth doing, it was worth doing well.  We were taught to do it over again, sometimes all the way from the beginning if it did not meet his expectations.  In today’s society average is so acceptable. 

I remember a time when I had raked the yard and had left some grass spread about.  I must have said something sarcastic and rude (me? Never!).  For the next thing I remember was that dad had emptied all of the lawn I had gathered all over the lawn and informed me that I needed to do it again and I better do it right this time. 

I know I did not appreciate the learning of this lesson very often, but it is something I have been most grateful to have learned as a child then to have had to learn it in college or as an independent adult.  My life has been much easier and better because of the mastering of this lesson. 

This next lesson may seem almost like the same lesson as above, but there is a difference.  If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.  Keep trying, not blindly, but evaluate what is going right and what is not.  Continue with the successful and adjust the unsuccessful.  He taught us to never give up in anything that we felt was important.  School, grades, music, water skiing, anything we attempted.   I remember attempting to do a full spin on the parallel bars in Jr. High.  We were to spin on the lower bar and reach up and grab the high bar.  I did it over and over and over and over, falling every time.  But when most of my friends finally gave up, I continued and eventually I could do it.  I remember that feeling of accomplishment. 

 Another lesson…hard work can be very relaxing.  Sounds contradictory…but you know doing some mundane physically had work can give your mind the time to meditate on a lot of things.  In the book “Holes” the inmates are asked to dig holes in order to build character.  This was supposed to be a bad thing.  But I have dug holes for my Dad and it was amazing work.  Straight walls, right angles in the corners, and nice flat bottom, dug within mm of exact measurements.  I learned to pay attention to detail and to take pride in what I was doing.  I don’t even remember what the hole was for and I it was filled in shortly after I dug it.  But it was a fantastic hole! 

Take pride in your work.  Another lesson, taught in conjunction with the above lessons, but important.  A well mowed and raked lawn brings a lot of satisfaction and I don’t even need a sticker on a board.  A clean house, a neatly made bed, a straightened closet, the dishes washed and in the cupboards, children fed, washed and in their beds.  Any job I do, I like to evaluate and take a moment to enjoy the satisfaction of a well done job.  It is better than any Dr. Pepper high and is almost on the same level as a really good piece of chocolate.

I suppose the most important lesson Dad taught me, he probably doesn’t know he did so.  The atonement can change you.  When my mother married my father, he was a really rough guy.  She refined him and made him quite cultured.  He could attend a ballet, or an opera but he really enjoyed musicals.  He read all kinds of books from Louie Lamoure to history, gospel, science, everything.  I never heard my mother criticize or laugh at my father’s unrefined ways or language.  But her quite example and her love inspired him to improve himself.  As far as his religion and his spiritual life was concerned, I watched that change first hand also.  He was an abused young man and he knew no other way to discipline his kids.  I remember him picking fights with some of his workers.  I don’t remember actually fist to cuffs occurring, but I remember him posturing that he would be willing to knock some jack *** on his bottom if he didn’t get busy or if he wanted to smart off to the boss like that one more time.  I remember Dad yelling at other drivers and people he thought had slighted him in some way.  But after his baptism, all these things began to change.  It started in our home.  It was not over night, but slowly his discipline changed from physical to reasoning and exhorting.  At work, his demeanor also changed.  As he came to understand the atonement, its power began to work within him.  I am sorry that my siblings have not been able to see that change in their father’s life for what it was.  If Christ can forgive my father, so can I. 

Dad loved the gospel and he loved to discuss it and debate it during dinner.  My siblings did not have the benefit of the family I had.  By the time I was in Jr. High and the others were out of the house, we were having family scripture study every morning.  I was not real enthusiastic, but I went.  Family Home Evening was held in a rather relaxed manner, but we had it.  Family morning prayer came with the scripture study, but our nightly family prayer was not done. 

Temple attendance is important and Dad was going once a week when I left on my mission and came home.  We went every week on Wednesday after I got home and we had gone 3 times before the guy at the recommend desk noticed that Dad’s recommend had expired over 3 months before.  He had been coming every week for 3 months with an expired recommend but he had to wait for me that morning outside the temple.  He thought that was dumb. 

Family is important.  Dad took us waterskiing every Thursday.  There was no question of if we wanted to go.  We just knew it was the time for water skiing and we got everything ready and went.  We loved it.  Until the older kids were high school, there was always a summer vacation.  I don’t remember many.  I went almost every year, even during high school to Lake Powel.  There were trips to Disneyland until I was about 6 and the older ones were in high school.  Time spent as a family was very important to Dad. 

I love you Dad.  Thanks for the lessons. 

Jesus Christ is amazingly patient!

Good Morning my four little followers!

 I had a great walk this morning.  I have to brag.  4 miles in one hour with 1.5 miles going up the hill!  I feel invigorated, but my hands are shaking and it is hard to type slowly.  If I type fast, I don’t miss keys.

But, now on to the blog…

For the past few months, I have been studying patience in my personal scripture study.  I am sure everyone wishes that I had studied that topic earlier in my life, but I have been helping you all develop patience. 

Proverbs 14:29  He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. 

I am very foolish very often and exalting folly all around me. 

Erik’s Scripture Sunday blog made a big impression on me.  He used John 13:2-3 which says that Jesus knew he had God’s power in His hands.  Yet he allowed all those around Him to use their agency, Judas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate, the Roman Soldiers, all were allowed to choose their actions.  After all Christ endured during the atonement, he patiently endured all the rest.  Is there anything more godly than having the power but patiently waiting to use that power.  How much love did He have?  I cannot comprehend His love.   For me, he resisted the impulses he surely had to strike those Pharisees if not dead, then at least with a little leprosy.   For me, he endured the taunting, whippings and indignities inflicted by the Roman’s.  For me, he endured the pain of crucifixion.  For me, he suffered the withdrawal of His Father. 

I cannot imagine what it must have been like because He has never withdrawn from me. When I have finally humbled myself enough to turn to Him, there He is, right where I left Him.

He is still patient.  He allows me to use my agency, never exerting any power over me, but always by persuasion, long-suffering (oh He is good at that where I am concerned), gentleness, meekness, and unfeigned love.  I feel only kindness and absolutely no guile (another incomprehensible aspect of Christ’s love for me…how can He do it?).  Oh, he reproves me very often with sharpness but it is with such love, stronger than the cords of death.  Yeah, His love is Charity!!!   It is pure and fully accepting and amazingly patient. 

I so desire to be like that.  I really do.  I am so far from that, but His example is there, His atonement gives me hope.  I loved Erik’s blog because it really showed me how patient my Savior is.  I gained another few cognitive synapses into comprehending His love for me.  Thanks Erik. 

Thank you all for being absolutely the most fabulous kids in the world.  What blessings you all are. 

All Things Typify of Christ

Went to my first inservice for Seminary this morning.  Imagine, June inservice.  Everyweek there is going to be an inservice.  Imagine, training!  Brother Fatheringham is quite different from Brother Haddock. 

Well, today he gave us the "key" for teaching the Old Testiment.  2 Nephi 11:4.
"Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him."

He gave us a few items to compare with Christ.  He wrote the words "son" on one side of the board and on the other was the word "sun."  We each had to tell something that we new about the sun and then we discussed how that is respresentative of the Son of God.  Try it...The sun is in the "center" of our Galaxy.  It is "bright."  It ensures life upon the earth.  It's gravity hold the planets in their course. 

I am sure you get where this was going.  Christ is the "light", bright.  He is the life.  He is the center of the plan, the center of our life.  Following Him holds us on our proper course.  Etc. 

So the idea is that every lesson in the Old Testament will be centered on Christ. 

Brother Fatheringham asked to try this exerices often while we are preparing our lessons.  He challenged us to take one object found in the lesson and to make the same chart.  So in the first few lessons, we will be studying the creation.  His suggestion was to take something from the creation and compare it to Christ. For example, compare a blade of grass to Christ.  Write down everything you know about grass and then see how it typifies Christ.  After all, Nephi says that everything God has given us typifys Christ. 

So, here is my challenge to those of you who read my blog.  Can you try it.  Choose something from the creation story and write down everything you know about it and then see how it typifies Christ.  Then if you would share it with me, I will share it with everyone else and probably my class.  Yep, I am being lazy and letting the people I love most help me with my lessons.  But I thought it would be fun to share with each other what we discover.  So thanks.  I look forward to reading your comments.

Priesthood Power

When I started my Sabbath Studies, I found something to blog about.

Priesthood Power

One of the first scripture masteries for D&C seminary year is D&C 1:37-38 which tells us that whether it comes from God’s own voice or the voice of his servants it is the same.  The challenge was given…”What did the servants of God tell us to do in the last conference?”  I was pleasantly surprised to see that some students remembered some items.  I then asked them specifically to tell me what President Monson, the prophet, had said.  One or two items were remembered.  I challenged them to at least always read the prophets comments in the conference issue of the Ensign and to take notes of what he asks us to do and then to try to do them.  So in order not to be a hypocrite I am doing so with the April conference. 

FYI in his opening statements for this past conference he…

1.       Encouraged us to go to the temple more often and redeem our dead.

2.       Contribute to the mission fund.

I am attending the temple more often, but forgot about the mission fund thing. Will have to remedy that.

Next came his priesthood talk, Priesthood Power, pg 66.  I do not hold the priesthood, but I decided to follow Nephi’s advice and “liken” it to myself.  What an eye opener.

Now the first few things he suggests are not specific to the priesthood.  They are as follows (it is not a short list and I don’t think I got them all):

1.       Do not subject yourself, even to the innuendo of immorality in TV, film, or music.  Man, that takes away all TV watching.  That one will be hard to adhere to.

2.       Don’t swear.  I am doing pretty good with that one.  Don’t even think swear words much. 

3.       Don’t say or do anything of which you cannot be proud.

4.       Stay away from porn.  Good on that one, except for the innuendo’s I watch on TV.

5.       Avoid alcohol, drugs, tobacco and anything else that is addictive. 

6.       Read the Book of Mormon and ask God for testimony.

7.       Gain or strengthen your testimony.

8.       Obey the commandments

9.       Say your prayers.

10.   Read your scriptures.

11.   Repent.

12.   Reject false teachings.

13.   Get married in the temple (got that one).

14.   Avoid divorce.  Doing okay on that one too.

15.   Be fiercely loyal to spouse.

16.   Follow D&C 121

17.   If you want your spouse to be the right person, then you have to be the right person. 

18.   Monson says we should do whatever it takes so we can make our marriage as happy as it was when we first started out.  I don’t want to do that!  We are much happier now. 

19.   Be honorable and above reproach.

I was pleased to observe that I was doing most of these things.  But I would like to comment on a few of the things he said regarding marriage and the priesthood.  He quotes President Hinckley, towards the end of the talk, who was discussing D&C 121:41 (see 41-46).

Now, I know that a lot of women in the church just skip this as something that pertains to the priesthood and sure, we need to be kind and whatnot, but we don’t read it thinking how it specifically applies to us. 

Well, it does!  The ultimate priesthood unit is the home.  According to For the Strength of Youth, it is the most sacred unit in the church.  It is made up of a presidency, husband, wife and the savior.  It is a priesthood presidency and the wife is part of that presidency.  How well the priesthood works in our home is dependent on how well we live up to the criteria of section 121:41-46.  How well do we respect and treat the rest of that family presidency (all members)?.

 In the fourth paragraph before the end of President Monson’s talk he says,”

“President Hinckley taught that it is up to each of use who hold the priesthood of God (or share in its blessings as a partner, wife, mother, sister, or just a female) to discipline ourselves so that we stand above the ways of the world (which demeans men).  It is essential that we be honorable and decent men (and women).  Our actions must be above reproach (no gossiping, complaining, or degrading our priesthood holders).

“The words we sepak, the way we treat others, and the way we live our lives all impact our effectiveness as men and boys holding the priesthood (our behavior towards our fathers, brothers, bishops, uncles, sons, etc. affects how effective they are or can be). 

“The gift of the priesthood is priceless (how could we dare harm its effectiveness). It carries with it the authority to act as God’s servants, to administer to the sick, …”

I challenge my daughters and my cute daughter-in-law and any future ones I may have to really think about these verses.  Just as we want our husbands to live them, we must live them too and support our priesthood holders and let them know how much we admire and appreciate them.  Let us not do anything that would impede them in their work or ability to act in God’s name. 

Huh?

I had a muse this morning.  It was apparently a really good muse.  So I decided that after about a year, I would muse on my blog.  So I tried to find my blog.  I have a new computer and my blog spot was not on this computer’s favorites as it had been on the old one.  I could not even remember the name of my blog.   After some discussion with Erik, we both kind of remembered something about mother and musing and then I recalled it was mothersmorningmusings.  Well, if you don’t use your blog, they disconnect it.  So I filled out a great big long form on line to reactivate it.  The old one may come up sometime tomorrow or it might not. 

I wanted so much to record what I wanted to blog today, so I created a new blog.  But then I couldn’t figure out how to write and post a new blog.  So I had to call Elizabeth and after some time clicking different spots she suggested, I found the place to write a blog.  Well, now I am here, ready to blog and I have no idea what it was that I was going to write about in the first place. 

But I have a working blog!

This is a test

This has taken forever.  But I have a blog, again!