A couple of months ago, I realized that I was feeling sick after eating dairy or gluten. It was after a long trial and error to figure out why I was feeling so sick. I’m still in the process of getting a diagnose but at least a feel a little bit better being off dairy and gluten. This may be another auto-immune disorder to add to my great list of auto-immune disorders.
Last month, my gluten free friend and I went to the Gluten Free Expo. It was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures.
So this Thanksgiving, my mother in law made me some gluten free stuffing… which is probably my favorite Thanksgiving dish. I’m super grateful because pretty much you can find anything in gluten free now-a-days… well… except for butter croissants. I’m still waiting for the day when I can eat those again. 🙂
I have a lot to be grateful for. My husband has been so kind during my journey of finding out what is wrong with me.
My kids are so funny. They make me laugh even on days when I don’t feel good. Being a parent makes you have to work even when you’re sick but it’s worth the sacrifice because of the joy I feel when I’m with my kids.
I’m grateful for my parents who have taken care of me during all my childhood health problems and for the great doctors I have.
I’m super duper grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. I mess up everyday but I’m soooooo grateful that I can try again and pray so God can forgive me. Seriously, it’s the greatest feeling ever to feel forgiven. I’ve notice I’ve been getting better at accessing the blessings of the atonement. I can tell that it doesn’t take me as long to ask for forgiveness.
Thanksgiving really is a nice time to spend with my family and think about all the things I’m grateful for.
Back this March we went to visit Grandma in Illinois. We flew into St. Louis. This was the second time we visited Grandma. The last time was back in 2010 (see post here).
Here is a picture of the famous arch. When we were driving around the arch I received the idea to create the WordPress Ward which is finally a reality. The WordPress Ward recently was awarded Honorable mention at the 2014 LDS Tech Conference! This motivated me to find my St. Louis pictures because I remember distinctly that right next to the Gateway arch is where I received the inspiration from the Holy Ghost to create the WordPress Ward.
The arch is a monument to Thomas Jefferson and the pioneers who went west during the Westward Expansion between 1830 and 1870.
The Mormon Pioneers were among the first people to trek across the terrain to find a place to safely practice religion because of persecution.
In 1847, Brigham Young lead the first group of pioneers to Utah where President Young declared that, “This is the right place”. Salt Lake City is now where the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The church membership is now 15 million and there are currently 141 operating temples.
This time when we were at the St. Louis Temple it was closed for cleaning but I decided to take pictures anyways! 🙂
I’m so grateful for the pioneers who suffered much to get to Salt Lake City! Their example and sacrifice is a blessing to us all. The church has been blessed because of the great faith of the Mormon Pioneers.
The week before General Conference I’m usually feeling really down and I know it’s just Satan trying to make me sad right before a really spiritual General Conference.
Dallin’s research lab was going on a hike on Saturday morning of General Conference. At first Dallin really didn’t want to go and miss conference but then we decided to take a radio up the canyon.
It worked out great! We got to listen to conference and we got to participate in his lab hike. Here’s me with a little handheld radio we borrowed from our neighbors.
Micah, who just turned 3, walked 2 miles by himself! I was impressed.
Elder Godoy asked us a question about our patriarchal blessings: “If we continue to live as we are living, will the promised blessings be fulfilled?”
He concluded by saying:
We are children of Almighty God. He is our Father, He loves us, and He has a plan for us. We are not here in this life just to waste our time, grow old, and die. God wants us to grow and achieve our potential.
In the words of President Thomas S. Monson: “Each of you, single or married, regardless of age, has the opportunity to learn and to grow. Expand your knowledge, both intellectual and spiritual, to the full stature of your divine potential”
This talk was very inspiring to me because I felt like I wasn’t living up to my full potential nor trying to achieve all the promised blessings in my patriarchal blessing.
The main reason why I don’t think I’m living up to my patriarchal blessing potential is because I have no idea where my patriarchal blessing is! I need to request a new copy!
The Ogden Temple Re-Dedication is my fourth temple dedication I’ve attended since getting baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints only six and a half years ago. I guess it’s a great time to be a member of The Church because of the plethora of temples being built and the blessing of attending temple dedications!!!
Every time I attend a temple dedication, I just can’t be more grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!! I just want to shout to the world that “This church is true!!! I know it’s true!! It really is!! It’s amazing!!! Jesus lives and loves you!!”
The minute I walked into my church house, where the temple re-dedication was being broadcast live, I felt so much peace come into my heart. I felt like I was actually inside a temple! For those who don’t know, Sunday Church services was canceled today in our area for the Ogden Temple Re-dedication. All members of The Church over the age of eight could attend the dedication if they had a temple recommend.
I went to the first session. I had so many favorite quotes but I’ll resist to only sharing my FAVORITE.
President Monson said “God gave us memories, that we might have June roses in the December of our lives” (paraphrasing James Barrie, in Laurence J. Peter, comp., Peter’s Quotations: Ideas for Our Time [1977], 335) then he added “Temples provides roses in every season of our lives!”
It’s so true! Every time I’m struggling or have an unsettled heart. All I have to do is go to the temple and I can feel peace again.
At the end of the temple dedication they always sing the song “The Spirit of God”. The first line of the song is The Spirit of God like a fire is burning! My heart was burning with the love of God and I was filled with tears of joy. It’s been a while since I’ve felt so much of the Holy Ghost in one setting.
I think as my years add up in The Church. I get used to having the Holy Ghost with me all the time and take it for granted. I am so grateful for Heavenly Father providing me with this opportunity to feel the Holy Ghost in abundance. It reminded me of the excitement of being a new convert.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and we build temples so we can learn how to become more like Him. Jesus Christ is the source of peace and happiness to this world. We need Him and He wants us to go to His temples so we can be with our families together forever!!
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Here are the pictures I took of the Ogden Temple at the open house at the beginning of September. Enjoy!!
It’s been awhile since I’ve consistently posted anything online. It’s been a rough busy couple of months. I haven’t been feeling good physically since March. I’ve been sick a lot since then and just plain not feeling good. My friends who know me know that it’s not the first I haven’t felt well in my life but I thought I was making it up in my mind or going crazy. Thankfully, through fasting and prayer I’ve been able to slowly discover what is wrong with me. I am so grateful for revelation from Heavenly Father that guides my daily life. I’m starting to feel better now and I hope the doctors can diagnose a problem soon!
Like I just said, I’ve had a real lack of desire to post online. I feel like no one reads it or no one really cares. It’s funny because I’ve had an real increase lack of desire ever since Elder Bednar told us to post more online and flood the internet with good things. I guess there has just been great opposition for me following an apostle’s request.
I’ve had the prompting to do the “WordPress LDS Ward” blog for six months now! I started templates but never got over the hump of publishing the site.
I’ve been reading my scriptures, attending the temple, going to the church and praying. What is wrong with me? Finally on Sunday I asked my husband for a priesthood blessing. I haven’t asked for one in a while. I feel like that blessing really helped me get back on my feet. The blessing counseled me to continue to share my testimony and photography online then my stress will go away. I have really felt power of the priesthood be pouring down into my life.
Another thing is that I’ve realized that I have a real problem with emotional eating and social media especially since I’ve been so stressed. I haven’t been posting very much but I’ve been wasting countless hours reading what other people are doing on social media… mainly Facebook. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading about your life but I’ve tried many times to put limits on my Facebook time and failed greatly. If I’m not on Facebook, I’m indulging myself on foods that make me sick. When I feel sick, I want to eat more food because I think it makes me feel better. I tried cutting things out cold turkey but I just realized my efforts wasn’t working!
Then I was chatting with my SIL online and she suggested that I start reading the LDS Addictions Recovery manual. It was the best advice I’ve gotten in a long time. After sincerely studying only the first two lessons, I feel so much more faith, hope and control in my life. I may even start attending the emotional eating meetings. The books also says writing is a good therapy. 🙂 I haven’t felt this good in a long time.
I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ works and if anyone out there is feeling a lack of hope just call upon God and He will bless you. Ask for help. Prepare yourself to ask and receive priesthood blessings.
I know that I can’t change all by myself but the atonement can change me even if it’s something as silly as getting rid of food addictions or heal me from pain. I have felt an increase of control in my life ever since I’ve been humble enough to seek for more help. I know that God will always give me more help when I need it whether it be through the priesthood or professionals. Because of Jesus Christ, there is always someone out there to help us feel better.
Sorry I really have tried to keep this blog about my blessings not my trials but it’s enviable… We all have trials even when I don’t talk about them much!
Question: How have you witness the blessings of the atonement in the mist of your trials?
I’ve include pictures of me and my husband in this post from our 4th anniversary back in May. We took these pictures in Logan, Utah on Old Main Hill where we first met and dated. We used a tripod on self-timer. My husband has been a great help and companion in my life. I’m so grateful for his willingness to serve me and our little family!
Someone made a really nice comment on my last St. George Temple picture post and I recently found this picture taken back in 2008. I re-edited it and I like it so much! So I thought I share it with you.
I took this picture with an Olympus Camera and Lens. I highly recommend Olympus SLRs for a good cheaper off-brand alternative to Canon/Nikon.
Update #1 7/6/2014 @ 3:00 pm:I just got back from church and I am overwhelmed with how well this worked out. Every child from nursery to senior primary got to baptize Jesus, granted it was a holiday weekend so the primary was small, but I sang the baptism song over 30 times today. I found a better container to represent the river and the puppets survived being immersed so many times. The water turned slightly yellow after everyone dipped their hands in it but someone commented “well, at least it’s a better representation of the Jordan River!” (since the Jordan River is a dirty river)…. LOL! I also made a stand for John the Baptist so he can just stand in the river the whole time. I made it using two popsicle sticks and hot glue. Everything worked out perfect. I felt the spirit so strong today during primary. The kids were engaged and SOOOO excited to baptize Jesus. I asked the kids questions about baptism before we started singing and they had a lot of great insight! This idea came to me after I was praying one night about how to teach the kids about baptism. Update #2 7/13/2014 @ 9:00 am: I’ve added a few printables for the second verse of the song. Scroll down to see it. Stay tune next week for the third verse!
Update #3 7/20/2014 @ 6:00 am:I’ve added my ideas for the final verse. THANK YOU Susan Fitch Design for providing the art for the baptism boy or girl. I’ve also realized after doing this for 2 weeks that this baptism idea works best for Jr. Primary and Nursery. The Sr. Primary is a little bit too old and cool for this. I thought I may be playing Baptism Hangman with the Sr. Primary today. Where I put a lines for a word on the board and then draw a man on the board and every time they get a letter right the guy can be lowered a little bit more in the water until he is baptized.
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I recently got a new calling as primary chorister. I’ve been doing it for about a month now. I haven’t spend much time on social media this month unless it’s looking up ideas for singing time. This month the song is “Baptism” in the Children’s Song Book. I got the idea to teach the kids the lyrics to the Baptism song using laminated stick figures. I couldn’t find the perfect pictures online so I had to make my own drawings and enhanced it with Photoshop. ( Sorry I’m not the best artist but feel free to use these drawings for you own projects and I’d appreciate the link up!) So I’m going to print these out, laminate them, then put them on popsicle sticks. I’ve attached the color and B&W versions. If you don’t have a laminator you can use clear tape.
Jesus Clipart Outline Black and White
Colored Jesus Clipart
John the Baptist Cartoon Color
John the Baptist Cartoon Black and White
I’ll have the kids help with the stick puppets but basically I’ll just go through each line of the song of the first verse:
-Jesus came to John the Baptist (Put the Jesus and John puppets together)
-In Judea long ago, (Put the puppets by a Judea map such as the one below)
-And was baptized by immersion (Put John and Jesus puppets in a container of water and have the kids help baptize Jesus in the water)
-In the River Jordan’s flow. (Label the container of water “Jordan River”)
First , I’m going to ask the kids “why do we have to be immersed in water?” and not just sprinkle or showered in the water. (Because that is the proper way and it’s a symbolism of full conversion, covenants with God and full cleansing).
Then I’m going to ask the kids “why did John the Baptist have to be the one to baptize Jesus?”. (Because he had the priesthood authority and Jesus was being obedient to God).
Hopefully someone else can use these pictures too since I spent the time making them! This also works as an objection lesson on teaching kids about baptism by immersion for FHE or Primary Lessons or Sharing Time.
Please share your thoughts and ideas!
Judea map picture credit: http://bibleatlas.org/area/judea.jpgSecond Verse: Use the speech bubbles to tell the story of the second verse. Use these speech bubbles along with the stick figures.
“To fulfill the law,” said Jesus
When the Baptist questioned why
Talk to the children about “What is the law?” (Answer: All the commandments of Heavenly Father such as commanded to be baptized.)
“And to enter with my Father in the kingdom up on high.” Cut out the door and have the Jesus puppet go into the temple. Then talk about why you need baptism to “enter into the kingdom”. The size of this picture is 11″ by 16″ but I’ve divided it into 8.5″ by 11″ below so you can print it on two sheets of paper. You can paste this temple onto a cardstock or cardboard box so it can stand up.
Top of temple 8.5″ by 11″ size
Bottom of temple 8.5″ by 11″ size
Third Verse:
I found these cute little baptism boy and girl on Susan’s Fitch Design. She is an amazing artist. You can go to her website to download the art for free. The third verse is an application verse. So when I call up a volunteer, I will give them a boy or girl depending on their gender then I will tell them to pretend that the puppet is them when they are 8 years old. This will definitely only work in Jr. Primary. The faith and obedience signs are optional sometimes I think it’s better to keep it simple.
Now we know that we must also (Give a boy or girl puppet to the child)
Witness faith in Jesus’ word, (Hold up faith sign)
Be baptized to show obedience, (Baptize the boy or girl puppet in the water then ask another child to hold up obedience sign)
As was Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Hold the boy or girl puppet next to the Jesus puppet that was used in the previous verses)
Then talk and ask questions about faith and obedience. Emphasize that we choose to get baptize when we are 8 years old so we can do what Jesus did. Remember this is the application verse of the song.
Good luck! I’ve been overwhelmed with all the nice comments. I would love to hear your stories about this activity!
Ok our family is totally not into sports. We don’t watch them on TV and we don’t play much sports. However, our little Micah who’s only 2.5 years old is all about sports! He loves all sports! So I bet this year for the World Cup we will be keeping up with the scores.
Also, my husband served his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manaus, Brazil so he’s always had a soft spot for Brazil and Brazilian people. He always tells us stories about being on the mission during the world cup and how crazy it gets over there.
Since we’ve been been married, we have met lots of Brazilian friends from around the world! We love all our Brazilian friends. We love their food. We love their culture.
One of our best Brazilian friends got little Micah this #10 Brazilian Soccer Jersey. Micah loves it! It is his favorite outfit and insist on wearing it all the time!
We’re excited that the FIFA world cup is in Brazil this year and I bet you that we will be watching a few games on TV or online!
Judea map picture credit: 
Hubbard's Cupboard 