Remembering

My newest favorite chapter is Helaman 5.  So much happens!

Helaman turns over the Judgment Seat to his son, Nephi and gives him some great advice.  The word "remember" is used @ 15 or 16 times in the first verses, that's why it's sometimes called "The Remember Chapter."  That is such an important word.  We tend to remember things that really matter to us.  I asked the youth what they remember their parents telling them.  The answers were unique.  From, "Remember who you are" to "Don't do anything stupid" to "Clean up your room!"

I remember reading once that a Mom asked her kids what the one thing was that she said the most.  These were little kids.  The answers were "Get your shoes on!" - "Come on!  We're leaving!" - "Stop fighting!" and "Clean up this mess!"  It really shocked her that those were the words her kids remembered.  It really shouldn't be surprising.  We usually save the most special words for special times.  We have a life to run which requires us saying some of those Mom-isms.  (Over and over and over!)

What do you remember your parents telling you?  One thing I remember my Mom saying is, "People are more important than things."  I remember the day she taught me this.  She was sitting at her desk writing notes to people.  She loved to send people handwritten notes and cards.  I asked her why she did this and she taught me that taking care of others is more important than taking care of "stuff".  It has had a big impact on me.   For years I would start my day by thinking, "Who needs something from me today?" and I would write, call, drop something by, or just say a prayer for them.  I would do it before I started doing all the "stuff" that I needed to do.  It was a great way to start the day!   I have let that fall by the wayside and I miss it.  (Disclaimer:  I never was perfect in this regard at all!  But I tried.)

Well, the second half of Helaman 5 is completely amazing!  Nephi and Lehi (who are brothers) quit their prestigious positions of leadership and travel all over the land as missionaries.  Are they successful?  YES!  8,000 baptized in just Zarahemla alone.  But as most good things go, they run into some trouble and get thrown into prison.  A few days pass before they are to be put to death.  As the guards prepare, they notice that Nephi and Lehi are surrounded by fire!  And they are not being burned!  Then there are earthquakes and clouds of darkness!  It's quite a scene!   And finally, they hear a still, small voice speaking to them, telling them to repent.  One of the guards recognizes what is going on and explains it to the others.  Jesus Christ is speaking to them!  And they find themselves included inside the ring of fire.  And then the part that brings me to tears......they hear another voice.......the voice of Heavenly Father bearing witness of His Son.  It is a wondrous miracle that we don't talk about nearly enough.  The Lamanites that witness this, number @ 300 people.  They are converted and go tell all the other people and most of them are also converted, in fact at this point, more Lamanites are converted than Nephites.  So we have a little switch-a-roo in righteousness, really all starting with the missionary labors of Nephi and Lehi among the Lamanites.  Meanwhile there is great pride which has slipped in to the very happy and peaceful Nephites.  The pride gets so out of hand that many Nephites join with the Gadianton Robbers.  Talk about a story twist!

It's a great story.
A miraculous story.
Quite the turn of events.
Quite a lot to REMEMBER:

Remember how quickly people can turn.
Bad to good.  Example:  Lamanites.  Don't think that others are not ready for the gospel.
Good to bad.  Example Nephites.  Don't think that others are so converted that they will not fall away.  

It's a great chapter, great story, and now I hope you will look it up, and remember it!

If you break my cell phone.......

I absolutely love this picture of the Savior.  It speaks to me. This is my "go-to" picture.  He is holding up the light and reaching out to me.  Right to me.  At least that's how I feel when I look at it.

I'm so grateful that we aren't forced to follow Him.  There is no force or coercion or fear pushing us.  We get to make our own choice.  We can follow closely behind, staying as close to Him as we can, or hang back a little, or just move along very slowly.  We can even stray and come join Him again.  It is our choice.  He loves us no matter where we are on this journey of following Him.

Today we talked about Justice and Mercy in seminary.  We talked about how the students would feel if a little brother broke their cell phone!  They would want justice! 

"What have you done?!  You should not have been touching my phone!  I need this phone and now it's broken!" 

But their little brother would want mercy. 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to! Don't be mad!" 

Justice vs mercy.  Some of the kids said they would have a hard time forgiving their brother.  "He shouldn't have touched it.".  Some felt bad for the little brother "He's so sad about what happened!" But they all agreed they should receive a new phone!  :)

Now look at the opposite example:  What if you got caught cheating on a test in school?  It truly was your one and only time you ever cheated!

The teacher would demand justice!  "You get an automatic "F"!" 

But you would beg for mercy! "This is the first time I ever did anything like this! I didn't have any time to study!  I won't do it again, I promise!  I need a good grade in this class!"

(In this example the kids unanimously said, "Teachers never show mercy!")  :)

I'm grateful that I have a Savior who is able to mediate my injustices and hear my cries for mercy, and fulfill them both, in His loving and yet very painful and agonizing way.  His infinite and eternal way.  I felt like I received this, this very morning.  I did not properly prepare my lesson for today.  This has never happened all year.  I prayed (begged/pleaded) while driving to seminary, for help.  I didn't deserve it (needed mercy) because I had procrastinated (needed Justice).  But the kids deserved a good lesson because they make such a sacrifice to be there! 

I received mercy today.  And to show my thanks, I'm doubling up my preparation for tomorrow's lesson!  And the one after that, and the one after that, and so on......until June 8th (who's counting??)

Now if you break my cell phone?  That will put my ability to show mercy to the test.  No one breaks my cell phone but me!  (yes, I've broken more than one cell phone.........Reid has been merciful!  Thank you, Dear!)

One thing on my Grateful List

I'm feeling grateful this year for the opportunity I have to teach seminary.  It has been so, so hard on me.  Physically this year the kids have made me sick!  Ha, ha, it's true.  I have one boy in particular who has made me sick.  Physically, but not spiritually.  Oh, if you could meet him.  He has so many health and mental issues.  He had a traumatic birth and he was left with some serious issues.  His father committed suicide a few years ago.  The very first time I met him, I had no idea about any of this.  He looks normal.  He was walking towards me and I had this amazing "whoosh" feeling go up and down my whole body and I just KNEW he was a very special spirit.  I can't describe it.  When I learned that he has disabilities, then I understood why the Lord blessed me with that experience.  Because without knowing that he is a Celestial spirit, I would be very frustrated with him as he interrupts and makes noises and makes slow comments.  I would surely be complaining about him every day.  But the Lord blessed me with seeing him as a Celestial being stuck in his crazy body, and I love and respect him.  I let him sharpen his pencils while I'm telling a story.  I let him tap his pencil during movies.  I let him hug me every day because he loves to hug me.  But he is often sick.  He sneezes on me and coughs on me.  I'm pretty sure my sickness recently has been from those hugs.  But I'm getting hugged by a celestial being!

I drive home and I see the sun rising.  How can you have a bad day when you've seen the sun rise that morning?

I study the Book of Mormon every day.  I read from it and delve into it and mark things every day.  

There's plenty of things that make being a seminary teacher not only hard, but sometimes even miserable!  When I'm driving down the driveway in the pitch black in my same old skirt, nylons, and heels, freezing in my car, waiting for the heat to kick in, trying to see out a fogged up windshield, or one that needs more scraping, and I start wondering what on Earth I'm doing out here, the only car on the road??  What kind of craziness is this??  But then I arrive at the church.  The lights are on.  The building is warm.  And floods of parents pull up in cars and drop off their kids.  It's an amazing scene!  Such devotion from tired and busy parents.  It reminds me of the feelings I've had as I've watched lines of parents dropping off their sons and daughters at the MTC.  What kind of craziness is this?  The Celestial kind.  I'm afraid if I lived in Provo I would go sit and watch that scene every Wednesday.  It strengthens my faith and makes me choke up with tears just picturing it.

I am so, so grateful for the support I get from my family.  We really can't do hard things without our loved ones pushing us along.  Seminary is one of those callings that is a "family" calling.  Dad pays a great price.  My kids pay a price.  I'm not as available as they'd like.  I can't get away easily.  I get sick.  I am often too tired.  But they support me.  I'm so grateful for this.

I'm grateful that I occasionally get these bursts of appreciation for being a seminary teacher.  Maybe I needed to miss these 3 days of teaching, to appreciate the experience once more.  

I often tell the youth stories from my life or really cool things I've learned in the scriptures and I'll think, "I don't think I've told my own kids this story!"  or, "how can I share this insight with my own kids?"  But I think they know how much I love the scriptures and love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And they had seminary teachers who told their life stories and shared their insights.  And their kids will have seminary teachers who will do that, too.  Maybe they won't hear mine, but that's ok.  Sometimes we learn better from people other than our parents.  We're all trying to do that for each other's kids.

So as thanksgiving approaches, to my list of gratitude, I add, "Being a seminary teacher."  I hope you get the opportunity to do so some day! Knowing that comes with all the sunrises, cold mornings, sickness and hugs that go with it.

Believe!

I have 32 seminary students who come to class every morning at 6:15 AM to learn about the Book of Mormon.  They are awesome!  I just love these kids and the sacrifice they make daily to strengthen their testimony. 

I have always loved the Book of Mormon.  I don't remember the first time I read it.  I do remember my Dad reading a Children's version to Jody and I as we went to bed at night.  Maybe my first reading was when I was a Freshman in seminary, like some of my students.  I can still quote a few of the Scripture Mastery verses I memorized at age 14.

I have always thought it was a correct book.  I remember actually being surprised to learn that other people had doubts about it!  I just never have.  It's felt right to me as long as I can remember.  I have felt my life change by making this book part of my daily life.  When it's not, I feel an emptiness. 

My copy is pretty worn yet I just don't want to replace it.  It contains years and years of my study notes.  I have added some notes to my cell phone, but I still like the feel of opening my leather book, smelling the familiar smell, and knowing that I can flip to literally any page and see what I have marked.  These are special things that bring back memories and feelings to me.  Some of my markings are worn and I find myself wondering why I marked a particular verse many years ago?  But I love knowing that sometime in my life, that verse was meaningful enough to me that I marked it!  I have page corners turned down, lots of cross references, and even a  ripped page from one of my babies.  It makes me smile when I come to that page, remembering how hard it used to be to fit in a minute or two for personal study.

About 10 days before seminary started, I was looking frantically for my precious book.  I couldn't imagine where I would have put it.  I checked the lost and found at church.  I looked at all the normal places in my home.  I recruited Claire and Reid's help.  We looked under couches, in my car trunk, in closets that I hadn't even opened.  I was desperate.   I wrote to my other kids and asked for their prayers, and in our family prayers we would pray that "Mom would find her scriptures."  It came down to minutes before I had to leave for our Seminary Back-to-School night, with actual seminary starting the very next morning.  I sat down to dinner and asked Reid to pray for my book as he blessed the food.  I quickly ate and got ready to go.  And then, it happened.  A modern day miracle!  There it was, right on my desk in the kitchen!  The most obvious place of all and where all 3 of us had already looked multiple times.  I cannot describe this moment.  It was such joy and I knew I was the recipient of a miracle!  How did it get there?  Who put it there and when?  I have no idea but I am as positive as I can be, that it was not there the past 2 weeks, or even minutes earlier.  I sit at my desk every single day and had never seen it there before. 

I believe in miracles.  Small and large.  Modern and centuries ago.  Miracles are real.  God is in our lives.  Teaching, testing, blessing, providing, taking away, putting people in our lives and keeping us protected.  Reid and I got on our knees right then, next to the door out to our garage, and said a prayer of thanks.  Then we got in the car and drove away.  God took that miracle right down to the very second that I needed it to happen! 

Talking Teeth

I'm a flossing convert!  I used to floss regularly  (like, once-every-few-months-regularly!) 

But I got tired of my dental hygienist telling me I wasn't flossing enough.  So I decided to give it my full effort and BOOM!  I love it!  It didn't happen over night or even over a week.  But it happened.  I love the feeling of freshly flossed teeth now.  And I love how short my teeth cleaning's last now.  I feel like my breath is fresher all the time, not just after flossing.  I don't know why I'm blogging about this except that I wonder if someone had told me how awesome it can be, if I would have converted earlier.  Here's to flossing!  Give it a try and keep at it!  And you can be a convert, too!

The Millennium

Some may look at the Title of my Post and think it's going to be about this:

The Millennium Falcon

I'll admit:  I'm a Star Wars fan for the most part.  I haven't weighed in on how I feel about the new movies yet, but the old Luke and Leia movies were fun and exciting and clean and inspirational.  But I divert. This post is about this:

The Savior's Second Coming and the Millennium

We talked alot about the second coming of Christ as we studied the New Testament and I learned an awful lot.  I would love to know more!  I want the answers to the big questions:  WHEN? and  HOW?  The "when" is always interesting to think about.  I do know it's closer than it used to be because that's just turning-of-the-calendar obvious. But who will be on the earth?  Who will see it?  Who will come again with Him and be a part of it?  I'm also interested in the "how".  How is he going to appear to the whole world at once?  Will it be in the news?  Facebook?  A really loud noise?  Announced at General Conference?  And where will I be?  And who will I be with?  I'd like to be at home, church, or in the temple, and I'd like to be with my family.  That feels best.  But who knows?  And isn't somebody going to "miss" it?  What if they're distracted/sleeping/blind & deaf/or just really into the video game they're playing?  Will someone be the last to know?

Although I don't know all the answers, there are some questions I can answer!  Here's just a few:

Q:  Is it possible for a person to sit down with the scriptures and the writings of latter-day prophets and chart out an accurate sequence of events?

A:  Bruce R McConkie says, "It is not possible in our present state of spiritual enlightenment to put every event into an exact time frame.  We are meant to ponder about many things to keep us alert and attentive."

Q:  Are we living in the Millennium now?  (I have been asked this numerous times.)

A:  The scriptures and Latter-Day Prophets are clear that the Millennium is a thousand-year period of peace and righteousness that begins with the coming of Jesus Christ to the whole world, in great power and glory.  All of God's children will know when it happens.  

Q:  Who will be on the Earth during the Millennium?

A:  Brigham Young said, "There will be as many sects and parties then as now.  In the millennium men will be Presbyterians, Methodists, or Infidels, but they will not have the privilege of treating the name and character of Deity as they have done heretofore.  Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ."

Q:  How should we be preparing for the Millennium?

A:  President Spencer W. Kimball said it best.  "When Satan is bound in a single home or in a single individual's heart, we are preparing ourselves in a significant way for the Millennium."

Q:  Will every mortal be resurrected?

A:  Yes.  Think about that.  Every mortal who has ever lived will be resurrected. 

Q:   Was anyone resurrected before Jesus Christ?

A:  No.  Joseph Fielding Smith said, "On the third day after the crucifixion Jesus Christ took up his body and gained the keys of the resurrection, and thus the power to open the graves for all men.  But this he could not do until he had first passed through death himself and conquered it."

Q:  Is the resurrection going on now?

A:  Joseph Fielding Smith said, "That is pure speculation without warrant in the scriptures.  It is true that the Lord has power to call forth any person from the dead, as he may desire, if they have a mission to perform which would require their resurrection.  For example, we have the cases of Peter, James, and Moroni."  

Q:  Will all appear before Jesus Christ to be judged?

A:  Every single person who has lived on the earth will stand to be judged.  Bruce R. McConkie says, "The Son, not the Father, is the Judge of the whole earth.  His judgment will be made in accordance with the will of he Father and will be just."  

Q:  What will we be judged on?

A:  D&C 137:9 "For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts."  John Taylor said, "We may deceive one another as a counterfeit coin is considered true and valuable among men.  But He knows our thoughts, our desires, our motives, our feelings; he knows our acts and what prompted us to perform them."  And from Joseph F. Smith, "He does not judge men as we do, nor look upon them as we do.  He knows our imperfections - all the causes, and the why's are known by Him.  His judgments will be true, just and righteous."

I go back and forth between "Bring it on! Let's get on with that 1,000 years of peace!" and "Oh dear, I have so much to improve on first! It better be a long way off!"

But I do feel great excitement knowing that the Savior will defeat Satan in that final battle, and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  That sounds SO GOOD!  This will happen.  It's not just something we talk about.  This is truth!  Our Savior truly will reign on this Earth and Satan really will be defeated!  It may not be until man is flying around on the Millennium Falcon, but the Millennium is a true event that will be wonderful!

A dream since 2001 comes true

When Laura graduated in 2001, Claire was only 22 months old.  We were out to dinner as a family, with Claire sitting in a high chair.  We started talking about what life would be like when Claire graduated from High School.  We figured out it would be in 2017!  That sounded SO FAR away!  The kids started thinking, "Where will I be?  Will I be married?  Will I have KIDS?"  So we all put our hands in the center of the table and made a vow that no matter what was going on, we would all gather when Claire graduated from High School.  The kids probably forgot, but I kept that tucked in my head.

As Claire's graduation creeped closer, I mentioned it to the kids.  But life is complicated and we had such a variety of obstacles.  The timing was awful with different family members trying to move, experiencing morning sickness, colds and sickness, working with no time off, and in the middle of job interviewing.  It seemed like it couldn't possibly happen.  Could it?

Through some great sacrifice, everyone miraculously made it work!   And it was a dream come true!

We gathered under one roof for a few days of fun, lots of laughs, and occasional chaos!  (That roof we gathered under felt pretty tight at moments!)  Lots of baby-passing, teasing of little girls, not enough eating (I under planned), and some fun in the sun.  Grandpa Ricks joined us and he was the star of our Kick-ball game when he caught a high fly ball!  We had a swingin' good time as you will see below!

The only time it rained was when we gathered for a family picture.  It was kind of ironic!  So we took one inside then braved the front porch for picture #2.  They came out really well!  Thank you to Laura for setting us up then running in for the shot, and  Jeff C. for some minor photo shopping, or should I say, "photo swapping" as he combined some pictures to get the kids all looking at the camera.

Sunday we were joined by Becky and Mike. More laughing.  Then the good bye's had to start.  First Mike, then Grandpa and the Wismer's,  The next day it was Jeff, Kate, and Blakely.  Tuesday was good bye to the Chapman's followed by the Tolsma's.

It's quiet again.  It's calm.  Things are back in their usual places.  And I'm missing everyone.  I love that we can get together and everyone gets along.  Everyone helps.  I already said to Reid this morning, "When should we do it again?  I have some ideas on what we could do.....and won't it be fun when the grandkids are older,......... and Mike and Claire are married, and.....and.......and."

I think I'd really like to be with these guys forever.  Ultimate family reunion.  Maybe we put our hands together and all agreed, in spite of life's obstacles, to sacrifice and all be together in the next life.....sort of a Graduation from Earth.  I hope we did that.  I hope we do it.

Claire was chosen as one of two Graduation Speakers and she did so amazing!  She even got a standing ovation!  She was eloquent, funny, poised, and passed along some great wisdom.

Plus she sang "The Star Spangled Banner" with a small group.  

Ok, done letting my pride fall out all over the place.

But she was AMAZING!!!

Now I'm done.  For now.

The Graduation Attendees

Siblings Reunited

Group Hug

Our last high school graduate!

Back Row:  Laura + Adeline, Jeff T., Claire, Kate + Blakely, Jeff, Mike, Jeff C. + Luke, Marie

Front Row:  Grandma + Rosalyn, Grandpa + Brielle

The inside shot.
A special thank you to supportive in-laws who sacrificed to make this reunion happen!  We love you!

The swingers

 Rosalyn, Jeff C + Luke, Marie, Brielle, Claire, Jeff, Kate + Blakely, 

Mike, Grandpa, Laura + Adeline, Jeff T, and me.

Look at that sky!

Sisters!
The True Swingers!
We know how to live it up at Shari's!

The World is Missing out on 90% of some very special people

I was driving to Claire's Theater Honor Graduation Ceremony last night.  I knew she would be performing numerous numbers including a solo and it would be alot of fun for her to do, and alot of fun for me to watch.  I was feeling light and happy!  All these fun graduation things honoring your child just make you burst with joy!

I casually turned on the radio where they were discussing Down Syndrome.  A new report has come out saying that since testing has been developed, 90% of all babies with Down Syndrome are aborted.  That's why you don't see many children with Down Syndrome any more.  In many countries, the statistic is 100% (even though there is a +/- 2.5 %  chance of error in testing).

Then it came painfully shooting back into my memory.  It was February 1, 1999.  I remember that exact date, even the exact moment.  I was due in July.  Tests had been done at my last OB/GYN appointment.  I was rushing out the door when the phone rang.  "I don't have time to stop and answer." I thought, "I'll let it go to the machine."  I was standing, keys in hand, one step out the door, when I heard a man's voice talking on my answering machine.  It was my Doctor asking me to call him to go over test results.  When do Doctor's actually call you with test results?  That's never good, is it?   I ran back in and called the office back and then sat down while he told me the news.  It looked like my baby might be Down Syndrome.

This was just news about our baby, not a decision to be made. This baby belonged to us.  This was just something about our baby we hadn't known yet.  When I shared the news with Reid he had the same instant reaction.  There is no decision.  This is our child.  And we already love her!

But here was the radio news telling me that most parents who get the same news, do face a decision.  And 90% of them make the decision to abort.  I just couldn't believe it.  I came home and googled a little about this.  Lots of varying points of view:  Some people think  it is such a shame that there are not more loving, kind, happy Down Syndrome children because they enrich our lives so much!  Others were writing that they aborted a Down Syndrome child and they are grateful they did and have gone on to have other healthy children.  Still others who have Down Syndrome children wrote about the ups and downs of it all.  It was alot to take in.

Am I grateful Claire was not born with Down Syndrome?  No.  Grateful is not what I am.  I would have been grateful either way that a beautiful child had joined our eternal family.  Has it been easier that she is healthy?  Probably.  But having a Down Syndrome child was something we had to face reality about.  And it confirmed in us that we actually did respond the way we had previously only hoped we would respond.  

She's graduating soon.    Perfectly beautiful, perfectly healthy.  A cheerful, loving, kind person who has her Chromosome 21 in tact.

They talk about life decisions that shape us.  This is one time when having no decision to make shaped us.  Because we felt and acted just like we had previously only hoped we would.  We don't get those opportunities to prove ourselves to ourselves very often!  Would you go into a burning building to save someone?  Would you risk your life to rescue someone dangling from a cliff?  I think you would.  It would be a "no decision" time.  You would react just the way you hope you would.  Maybe it's not life decisions that show who we are.  Maybe it's reactions that show our true character.

A Thought on Mother's

A few years ago, Marie gave me this poem on Mother's Day. I have always loved it and it makes me think of my Mother.



THE WATCHER, by Margaret Widdemer


She always leaned to watch for us,
       Anxious if we were late,
       In winter by the window,
       In summer by the gate.

 And though we mocked her tenderly,
       Who had such foolish care,

The long way home would seem more safe
       Because she waited there.
       Her thoughts were all so full of us,
       She never could forget!

And so I think that where she is
       She must be watching yet.

Waiting till we come home to her,
        Anxious if we are late,
        Watching from Heaven’s window,
         Leaning on Heaven’s gate.

A mother's love is an example through the ages!

Break a Leg, or "Many Broken Bates Legs!"

I don't like to keep saying it out loud. But I do keep thinking it nonetheless:   "This is the last time........"(fill in the blank.)

With Claire graduating in June, I'm having lots of "lasts". I'm surprisingly sad about it. When I was going through school with my kids, I couldn't wait until I could say, "this is the last time......" but now that it's here, it doesn't feel as good as I thought it might.

The hardest so far has been the end of the Era of Bates kids singing and dancing on stage in their High School Musicals! Each year this has been a huge deal in our life.......

Announcing what the musical will be!
Preparing for auditions!
The auditions!
The day the parts are posted!
First rehearsals!
So many rehearsals!
Set Construction!
Getting the costumes!
Tech Week!
Opening night!
The run!
Cast parties!
Closing night and Strike!
Exhaustion!
Sadness that it's over!

I went through all of the ups and downs of this with them. Waiting, waiting, to hear if they were cast! What part did they get? Will they be bold enough to stand up for a modest costume? (Yes, every time!) Will they be able to learn all those lines? (Yes, every time!) Will their voice be loud enough/high enough/low enough/clear enough? (Yes, every time!) I was the driver for many of these rehearsals and shows, sometimes waking up a baby to get them there on time. I was also a ticket seller, usher, prop provider, early dinner provider, cast party host, Green room chaperone, treats provider, secret buddy gift buyer, costume repairs, wait-er upper until they finally came home, but mostly, I was the most enthusiastic and loudest cheering audience member!

Our 5 kids in High School did a total of 17 shows!

 Here is the list:
1. My Fair Lady (Laura) 1999
2. Oklahoma (Laura and Jeff) 2000
3. Guys and Dolls (Laura and Jeff) 2001
4. Music Man (Jeff) 2002
5. Into the Woods (Jeff and Marie) 2003
6. Darn Yankees (Marie) 2004
7. Fiddler on the Roof (Marie) 2005
8. Les Miserables (Marie) 2006
9. Foot Loose (Marie) 2006 (They did 2 musicals that year)
10. Once on This Island (Mike) 2010
11. Music Man (Mike.....and Claire as a child) 2011
12. Pirates of Penzance (Mike) 2012
13. Aida (Mike) 2013
14. How to Succeed in Business without really Trying (Claire) 2014
15. Putnam County Spelling Bee (Claire) 2015
16. Oliver (Claire) 2016
17. Little Shop of Horrors (Claire) 2017


I have proudly enjoyed each of them singing many songs, including some amazing solos on stage. My favorites were:

Laura: Guys and Dolls playing Adelaide and singing Adelaide's Lament
Jeff: Music Man playing Marcellus and singing Shipoopi
Marie: Les Miserables playing Cosette and singing In My Life
Mike: Pirates of Penzance playing the Modern Major General and singing I am the very Model of a Modern Major General
Claire: Little Shop of Horrors playing Mrs. Luce singing The Meek Shall Inherit


Side Notes:
1.  Our kids have married spouses who also love the stage.  Jeff T has toured all over the world singing and performing!  Kate has choreographed many musicals including the Music Man at our High School!  And Jeff C played Tevye in his high school musical of Fiddler on the Roof.  Marie played the Matchmaker in the same musical, of course they hadn't met yet.  But Marie's Matchmaker skills paid off later!
2.  I won't list the other musicals they have been in, in community theater.  They would have been in more, but we tried to stick to a "no rehearsals or performances on Sunday's" rule.   That limits your opportunities.  But Reid and I (along with Laura, Jeff, and Marie) were in a Stake Musical once. Reid and I even sang solos. Reid's was great.  Mine was, well, lackluster at best.  You can definitely put to rest any idea that our kids got their musical/stage talent from me!
3.  The day Oklahoma opened, back in 1999 was the day I found out I was expecting Claire! I remember sitting there wondering if some day I'd be watching this baby in his or her High School Musical! And I did!

Thank you to each of my kids for being brave enough to put yourself out there and up there! Trying out is not easy. Singing in front of your peers is not easy. Making your Mom proud of you is always easy!

So, as this era comes to an end, I'm sad but oh the memories!

As they say in show biz, It's a wrap!

Woman

Boy do I love teaching from the Book of John! I know I keep saying this as I progress through teaching the standard works, but this, THIS is my new favorite book! Today we studied John 2, the first recorded miracle and the first cleansing of the temple. We had great discussion. At the wedding Jesus said, speaking to his Mom, "Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? That will I do." We are to be like the Savior, to walk and talk like him......so I challenged the kids to go home and say these same words to their mothers and see what reaction they got. Boy the kids laughed......"If I call my Mom, "Woman" she's not going to like that so much!" So I told them to say the words Jesus spoke, but in our modern language which they agreed would be, "Mom, what can I do for you? I'll do it!" I'm anxious to hear what they report back about her reaction AND what she has them do! When Jesus was dying in agony on the cross, He looked down upon His weeping mother and asked John (the author) to take care of her by saying, "Woman, behold thy son!" In this moment, can you think of Him saying anything but a tender, loving, and respectful term? There's no question that calling her "woman" was full of respect and honor. Woman. I have been pondering that word. Such a beautiful and honorable word. Here are two of my favorite quotes about being a woman: "Women play an integral part (sometimes at the risk of their own lives) in God’s work and glory “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Elder D. Todd Christofferson I love feeling that I play such an integral role in Heavenly Father's work and glory! His work and glory would fail if women stopped playing this part! “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.” Former YW General President, Margaret D. Nadauld I remember when she said that quote and it just resonated with me. I felt something deep inside of me bearing testimony of the importance of being a woman.....that kind of woman......and the influence I could have on the world. In my world, anyway. And that I was doing ok by not trying to follow the world into being tough and overly bold as sometimes the world makes me feel I should be. It's ok, and even wonderful to be tender and kind! I would be honored to have the Savior call me "Woman". Or Claire. If Claire says to me after school, "Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee?" I will happily put her to work!

Excerpt from an email to Elder Bates

We had great seminary lessons this week on Elijah and Elisha.  I can't believe how many miracles are contained in those few short chapters on those two.  So many miracles!! 

One of the days, we got talking about Gay Marriage.  We agreed it comes down to one question:  Do you believe in God?  If yes, then do you believe he has a prophet on the earth today speaking for him?  If yes, then what does he say about it?  He says that marriage is between a man and a woman. 

If you answer no to the first questions, then study, pray, and find out if there is a God, and if he has a living prophet. 

The question is not, "Is gay marriage ok", but, "Is there a God?" 

I'm married to WHO????

Elder Poulson, in  April 1982 General Conference, tells a sad story about John and Gayle.

"John was a thoughtful, kind young man, affectionate, with a frank and open manner. He sincerely tried to obey the Lord’s commandments and found honest contentment in the joys of family life. Gayle, his wife, was young, attractive, high-spirited, but inclined toward more worldly interests and activities. The society in which they lived was, in general, one of affluence and materialism. People seemed preoccupied with temporal gain, social status, entertainment, and self-gratification. Religious leaders were concerned about the apparent breakdown in family life and moral standards.

In the early years of their marriage, John and Gayle were blessed with children, first a boy and then a girl; but Gayle seemed uninterested in her domestic responsibilities. She longed for glamour and excitement in her life and was frequently away from home at parties and entertainments, not always with her husband. In her vanity, Gayle encouraged and responded to the attentions of other men until eventually she was unfaithful to her marriage vows.

Throughout, John encouraged Gayle to appreciate the joys of family life and experience the rewards of observing the laws of God. He was patient and kind, but to no avail. Shortly after the birth of a third child, a son, Gayle deserted her husband and children and joined her worldly friends in a life of self-indulgence and immorality. John, thus rejected, was humiliated and brokenhearted.

Soon, however, the glamour and excitement that had attracted Gayle turned to ashes. Her so-called friends tired of her and abandoned her. Then each successive step was downward, her life becoming more and more degraded. Eventually she recognized her mistakes and realized what she had lost, but could see no way back. Certainly John could not possibly love her still. She felt completely unworthy of his love and undeserving of her home and family.

Then one day, passing through the streets, John recognized Gayle. Surely he would have been justified in turning away, but he didn’t. As he observed the effect of her recent life, all too evident, a feeling of compassion came over him—a desire to reach out to her. Learning that Gayle had incurred substantial debts, John repaid them and then took her home.

Soon John realized, at first with amazement, that he still loved Gayle. Out of his love for her and her willingness to change and begin anew, there grew in John’s heart a feeling of merciful forgiveness, a desire to help Gayle overcome her past and to accept her again fully as his wife."

Part way through this story, don't you just want to shake Gayle and say, "What are you thinking?  You've got a loving husband and children!  What does the world offer that is more alluring than that?" 

What  do you think about him taking her back and paying her debts?   

This story is basically the story of the Book of Hosea in the Old Testament.  Hosea married Gomer who was unfaithful to him.  They had 3 kids.  She left them for worldly pleasure-seeking.  But Hosea took her back.

Why is this story in the Bible?  Is it a lesson on overcoming infidelity?  It's in the Bible because it is a beautiful allegory about a faithful and loving husband.  The husband is Jesus Christ.  The wife is the Children of Israel.  Ah Ha!  Now this story makes more sense! 

How is the Savior like a husband and we like a wandering wife?  Jesus is the perfect provider and protector.  He continues to love us even when we sin and leave him.  The world tempts us.  It calls to us.  Surely something "out there" must be more exciting than how we see our life.  Jehovah had made a covenant (temple marriage) with the Children of Israel and they broke that covenant. The "wife" just couldn't stay away from false idols and immorality.   The Book of Hosea is actually a very true accounting of the Children of Israel and how the Lord was always willing to take them back.

Have you seen the video on lds.org called, "The Savior Wants to Forgive"?  It is powerful and reinforces how the Lord wants us back, like a husband who loves his wife.  He will never stop loving us.  He is the perfect husband.  How are we doing as a wife?

Fiery, Furry, Food

In seminary we refer to three of the story's in Daniel as Fiery, Furry, Food.  Food = Daniel & friends refusing to eat the King's food.  Fire = Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace.  Furry = Daniel in the Lion's Den.

But there are other lessons from these story's than the ones we learned in Primary. 

FOOD:  Yes, Daniel and his friends taught us about living the Word of Wisdom.   After 10 days, "their countenances appeared fairer".  But did you realize they also were given "knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams."  (Daniel 1:15,17)  That's some pretty mighty blessings!  Those blessings go well beyond just the physical!  Our creator knows what is best for our bodies and what's best for us mentally and spiritually too.

FIRE:  Yes, the Lord will bless us when we stand up for him when the heat is on.  But the fact that "the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed" is only part of the story. Although a mighty miracle, it's not the real lesson.  The real lesson is in Daniel 3:17, 18, when they tell the King, Our Lord, "he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king, BUT IF NOT....." 

The lesson is in the three words, "But if not."  They were going to be faithful and true whether or not the Lord saved them.  They didn't know if He would.  It didn't matter what the consequence would be.  They were going to do what was right anyway.  Physical death didn't matter as long as they didn't die spiritually.  What faith! 

"Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not.....
Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not......
He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not.....
Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not.......
He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not......

WE WILL TRUST THE LORD.  We will have faith that in His time, and in His way, we will be delivered and receive all that He has."    Elder Dennis E. Simmons, Ensign May 2004.

FURRY:  Yes, the lesson is that we can be kept safe when all around us is danger.  But aren't we today put in a "den of lions" when we have to stand by our beliefs about, say, marriage as defined by God? We may have consequences similar to lions surrounding us. Mocking us.  Pushing us around.  Looking like they are going to eat us alive!  But as Daniel was not devoured, we can withstand our lions, too.  And just as the King was watching Daniel, there are people watching us. After Daniel was removed from the lion's den unscathed, the King declared that Daniel's God "is the living God, and steadfast for ever. That every domino\ion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel."  Facing our "lions" will bring others to Christ.  "Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee."  (Daniel 6:16)

I love Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendago!  If you want to see a great artist's depiction of these 4, look in the May 2016 New Era.  Their examples's from @ 630 BC are still relevant today.  We can obey, trust, and face our lions.

Thomas S. Monson

So if you plan a party for Saturday that includes swimming, picnicking, and other out door activities, what do you do if you get a weather report that says hail, lightning, thunder and stormy weather all day?  You just cut it up and burn that darn weather report, and go ahead and have your party anyway!  Right?  Of course not.  How silly!  Burning the weather report won't make the weather change.  Well this is similar to how many people treat prophecy.  In Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah had a scribe write down all of his prophecies and read them to the king.  The king didn't like them.  So he cut them up and burned them.  Did that keep the prophecies from being fulfilled?  Of course not.  But people don't like to hear things that are inconvenient.  Maybe, just maybe if they don't REALLY hear it, then they won't have to feel guilty for not obeying.  Have you ever had someone give you advice that you really didn't want to take, but you knew it was good advice?  But you fought it.  You didn't want to change.  You didn't want to admit that they were right and you were wrong and you could be doing better.

Such is the life of a prophet.  He reports the things we need to do and we can choose to listen and obey, or ignore.  And because he's not asking us to do things like build an ark or look at a snake high on a stick, we think he's not asking us to do anything!  But that's not true.  What are some of the things Pres. Monson has asked us to do since becoming our Prophet?  Up until March 2016, he has asked us to do these things, taken right out of the Friend magazine:

1.  Follow Jesus's example and love everyone.
2.  Pay tithing and donate to the missionary fund.
3.  Stay away from bad* movies, TV, and other media. 
*One of my students asked if this meant bad acting in a movie......
4.  Put a picture of the temple in every bedroom.
5.  Study general conference talks.
6.  Visit the elderly and be a good neighbor.

And in April 2016 conference he asked us to build up a great and powerful faith so that we can have our most effective defense against the adversary.  What does he know that's coming that will take great and powerful faith to help us endure?  Have you done anything yet to build such faith? 

Elder M. Russell Ballard says, "When we hear the counsel of the Lord expressed through the words of the President of the Church, our response should be prompt!  There is safety, peace, prosperity, and happiness  in responding to prophetic counsel."

Gee whiz!  I want those things!!

The Children of Israel were slow to follow prophetic counsel.  I need to be PROMPT!

Here are just a sampling of some of President Monson's quotes:

I LOVE THIS MAN!
Pres. Monson, I will be prompt!

The Children of Israel were slow to follow the words of the prophet.  We need to be PROMPT.

Stocks

Stocks.  Does that make you think of money and investing?  Well, in this use of the word, it means punishment!  Putting a criminal "in the stocks."

Jeremiah, the prophet was put in the stocks.  Can you imagine if our prophets, or missionary's were put in stocks today?  Well here was Jeremiah.  Its 600 BC.   And did it keep him silent?  No!  He just kept on preaching.  He had a lot of information he had to get out there!  Much of it was doom and gloom about how the people were going to be taken captive into Babylon for 70 years!  But chapters 30 & 31 are the "nice" chapters, about how the Lord will rescue them from captivity.  Jeremiah gives them 3 pieces of advice for when they are in captivity.  Now if you were talking to your city, telling them they were going to all be in captivity for 70 years, what advice would you give them?  Would it be the same as Jeremiah's?

While in captivity:

1.  Build houses

2.  Plant gardens

3.  Get married and have children

(Jeremiah 29:5,6)

And then the most wonderful news!  Jeremiah 31:31!  The Lord promises that He will then make a NEW covenant with them! 

If I was to sum up the Old Testament in a succinct phrase, this would be it:

"When the Israelites kept their covenants, God blessed them in many ways, including giving them a promised land.  However, when they broke their covenants, the Lord took these blessings away, and the people became separated from their promised land."  

Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary, pg. 294

The message of the Old Testament is to be a covenant keeper.

Elder Russell M. Nelson says, "When we realize that we are children of the covenant, we know who we are and what God expects of us.  His law is written in our hearts.  He is our God and we are His people.  Committed children of the covenant remain steadfast, even in the midst of adversity. 

The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a Covenant Keeper.  The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter." 

Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, Nov. 2011, pg. 88

The message for us today is to be a covenant keeper.

Things really haven't changed .....except we don't put prophets in stocks.

Pottery Wheel

I've always wanted to try spinning on a potter's wheel.  I've never done that.  It looks pretty cool....the feel of the clay, adding water, pushing the pedal to make it move.  But then sometimes the potter loses brief control and the clay gets out of shape and you have to start all over again!  It looks hard to make even a simple pot! 

In Jeremiah 18:1-6, Jeremiah visits the home of a Potter.  He watches as the potter has the experience I described above.... making a pot on a potter's wheel.  But it becomes marred, so he starts over again. 

So is the Lord able to do with us.  He works with us and molds us and if we become marred, he can start again to make us a beautiful and useful pot of clay.  What a beautiful message of hope!  We are in the hands of a masterful potter.  What will he make of you?

Isaiah 53

What fun I've had teaching Isaiah to the Freshmen this past month.  Yes, I really did say FUN!  It has helped that a few years back (before I had any inkling I would EVER be a seminary teacher) I decided to study Isaiah.  After all, we are COMMANDED to study Isaiah.  So it has really made a difference that I already have a strong testimony and love of this book of scripture.  I make the kids say, "I love Isaiah" every day.  They usually mumble it and roll their eyes, but I can tell you I have seen light bulbs in class.  Seriously.  Light bulbs above their heads.  As things have started to mesh and make sense and even be interesting. 

Today was my favorite chapter, Isaiah 53.  It's only 12 short verses.  If you read verses 3-5, which just so happens to be scripture mastery verses, and put in "I, me, my" instead of "we, us, our" you will read a very powerful message to yourself. 

Here are two quotes from today's lesson:

"There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first.   In a moment of weakness we may cry out, "No one know what it is like.  No one understands!"  No human being perhaps know, but the SON OF GOD knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens before we ever did."   Elder David A. Bednar

I gave them each a card today with this quote and they are supposed to carry it around with them and look at it throughout the day.    I told them how our Stake President said, "Jesus Christ knows what it feels like to be me."  I love that quote.

Here's the second one - this one is hard for me to read.

James E. Talmage:  "Jesus suffered and was crucified for men's transgressions.  But few details of the actual crucifixion are given us.  We know however that our Lord was nailed to the cross by spikes driven through his hands and feet, as was the Roman method, not bound with cords.  Death by crucifixion was the most lingering and most painful of all forms of execution.  The victim lived in ever increasing torture, generally for many hours, sometimes days.  The spikes so cruelly driven through sensitive nerves and quivering tendons.  The welcome relief of death came through exhaustion caused by intense and unremitting pain."

I am so thankful for my Savior.  I'm thankful that he bought me with the price of His blood.  And all I have to do is keep the commandments and I can share in his eternal glory.  (See vs. 12).  He kept the nail prints in his body so that he would remember US.  Not that we would pay honor to him.  He wants no honor or glory for himself.  He wants us to have the honor and glory of becoming all that He knows we are capable of.  Can you imagine if we felt this way towards everyone?  That we want them to reach their very highest and full potential?  Instead we feel jealous and we tear others down thinking it builds ourselves up; we feel bitterness when others succeed.  So opposite of our Savior.

If anyone is interested in further study into Isaiah, I have looked at many books, and my own best choice is "Isaiah Made Easier" by David J. Ridges.  He only uses quotes by Apostles and Prophets.  It is in an easy to read format. 

By the way, if you read Acts 8:26-39, you will read a wonderful little conversion story about a man who was reading in Isaiah 53.  As was that Ethiopian man, so am I converted by Isaiah 53!

A Book Review

Do you want to read a book full of love, adventure, visions, murder, intrigue, kindness, trickery, and amazing miracles?  Then I have the book for you!  It's called  The Book of Moses from the Pearl of Great Price. It is 8 chapters of non-stop action!   It is WONDERFUL and full of imagery that will not let you put it down!  It is my new favorite book of scripture.  There is SO MUCH doctrine in there!  I've been teaching from it this past month in Seminary!  From the creation of Earth, to Adam and Eve, to Cain and Abel, to Enoch, Methuselah, and Noah!  From the huge contrast as Lucifer and Jesus both present their plan, to this important verse:  "Nevertheless, you may choose for yourself". There is the verse about Satan holding a large chain and laughing while his followers rejoice, followed by several verses of God seeing his wicked children and weeping.  From the angel telling Adam and Eve that they must repent (one of the first things they were told to do after being sent out of the garden.....and we are still being told to do so all these many years later at October 2015 General Conference!) to Cain making a secret promise with Satan after his offering was not accepted by God.  Enoch being called and answering, "I'm but a lad!  I'm slow of speech! And besides all that, everybody HATES me!" to the Lord answering him that he must obey anyway!  And if he does, mountains will move for him and he will know what to say.  Well, we know how that story ends.....the whole city being translated!  (I think he obeyed!)  Like I said, you won't be able to put it down!  Thank you, Joseph Smith and Moses for collaborating on this exciting book!  And thank you to all those who lived it!  What a book!

A good Cleaning Method

I had a professional house cleaner tell me that she always uses this product when she cleans homes.  I decided to buy some at Target and give it a try.  It's a keeper!  I love it!  I love the good smell it leaves, and how easily it cleans anything off my counter, table, cupboards, sink, microwave, fridge inside and out, stovetop, etc.  The trick is, you don't use water.  Spray your countertop, then use a clean, dry cloth to wipe it down and everything slides off....sometimes you need a slight rub, but not much.  If you use it with a damp cloth, it still cleans, but not as good.  I recommend it with two thumbs up!