House of the Lord

We had to renew our temple recommends tonight and I thought about this quote:

Under the definition of ‘Temple’ in the Bible Dictionary, we read the following: ‘It is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth,’ followed by this insightful statement: ‘Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.’ For me this suggests a sacred relationship between the temple and the home. Not only can we turn the doors of our homes to the temple, or the house of the Lord; we can make our homes a ‘house of the Lord.’

Gary E. Stevenson, “Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples,” Ensign, May 2009, 101

I like the comparison of the temple and homes. I had a friend tell me today how she loves to walk in our home because she feels happy. That's how I always want it to feel. I want joy to radiate from the walls because the spirit can be felt. This means, each and every day, my family needs to be a little better. Soft words and kind tones instead of loud and accusing voices. Listen to uplifting music instead of questionable material. What we choose to bring into our homes can make each moment feel temple worthy. Our homes and temples are sacredly intertwined and we can bring out that potential.

What an incredible prospect!

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

This is the newest Mormon Messages video. I know I've needed words of encouragement on those days when my two-year-old tries my patience. Even those who aren't mothers yet are mothers at heart. We help our nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, cousins, ward members to be better through our divine qualities of Motherhood. In using these qualities we grow closer to the Lord.

Enjoy!

A New Life!

This week has been a week full of wonder and love. Our baby boy was born this past Wednesday and we are in utter amazement at his sweet little life. We are grateful that he is healthy and here safe in our family. Today I wanted to share some thoughts from my husband about the birth. I was so touched by his perspective that I thought it would be wonderful to share with all of you. He said the following:

Spiritually speaking, there exists no better example of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and parallel suffering of our Heavenly Father. Meagan, in her beautiful own way, suffered selflessly for another who was powerless to help himself. I had to watch and reassure and love Meagan and baby as best as I could having no power to relieve their suffering. Heavenly Father, on the other hand, had all power to stop his Son's suffering and had to exercise Godly restraint to stay His almighty hand to allow Christ's sacrifice for us to be efficacious. In the end, Meagan was delivered victorious from her suffering, Bennett's deliverance was complete, and Meagan enabled a sparkling new soul to live a life full of joy in a way profoundly similar to what Christ has done for us.

I don't know if my words do the thought justice, but that's what I learned and I learned it in a more intense and beautiful way than I have ever before experienced. Welcome Bennett, we love you forever.

Now, meet baby Bennett:

Mothering

I often ask myself this question: 

"Do all mothers feel the same way I do? Like they are failing...like they will never be the kind of mother they wish they could be?"

Answering that question may be a different feat for every mother. So my thoughts are on how I have felt about that question today. Yes, babies can be very draining to a mother's energy. The more my baby cries, the more I feel like I am going to lose my mind. 

But what I realized in his time of need was that I needed to be more fully present and understand his ordeals. He is just so little and so many think that such a small being isn't capable of much feeling or thought at all. But I disagree with those who would say that. I think my baby is aware of much. And although his memory may not be fully developed as of yet, his feelings are present..... until they change.

What I had to admit to myself lately was that I need to be less selfish. It feels like I had nothing much going on in my life until my little boy came into the world. I spent way too much time entertaining myself...basically just waiting for him to show up. And now that he is here I feel like suddenly I have all these pursuits that I have been undertaking and sometimes because of them I cannot give myself fully over to being a mother. And it isn't that my pursuits are bad or dishonest. It is that I let them overwhelm me, and take more time than I ought to sometimes. 

It is funny what music can do for our hearts. 

My husband was a dear and suggested something that I had never uttered the other day, but that I was feeling and thinking about already. That was to play the music from a CD I got at a baby shower for the baby while he is going to sleep. We just had been using the mobile and other little fishy contraption for this purpose. But that music doesn't play very long and I don't know if it is really best suited for helping a baby fall asleep. Anyway we pulled out my old CD player that I was sure wasn't working well, and put the CD in it. We have been playing it the last few days for him while he sleeps. I think it must affect him in a better way than the chimes do/did. It affects me in a much better way. 

I wrap him up in a blankie, turn on the music and just give him all of the snuggles and love from my heart. I decided to just listen to the music with my heart instead of focusing on "When is this baby going to fall asleep???!" (so I could go get something done) Wow. You know what? That approach real well. It appears the babe knows when my heart is fully vested in him and he sleeps quicker and better.  He knows when I am really "loving" him. Also it is a time of contemplation for me. The spirit talks to me. I feel good inside. My heart is touched and my gaze is guided to the place it ought to be.

I guess my main point or final thought here is that when we as mothers have our priorities straight (focusing our heart on our children) then we are more able to receive what we require and desire in our lives. Things work out. Our children are taken care of. We feel good about it. Our heart continues on in worthy pursuits. 

Sometimes it might not be easy but it is worth it.

Before the Call

I found out today that my youngest brother had his mission papers sent in last night. I'm so very excited for him, the experiences he'll have, and the lives he'll touch. I know he'll be amazing. I'm grateful to call him my brother and for him to be an example for my kids, especially my little boy.

My son is only a toddler, but it is important for me (and my husband) not to forget that he's two going on 19. As his parents, we have a divine responsibility to teach him NOW to have the DESIRE to love the Lord and serve Him. Not if he'll serve a mission, but when. Elder Bednar, in {Becoming a Missionary}, said:

My dear young brethren {and sisters}, the single most important thing you can do to prepare for a call to serve is to become a missionary long before you go on a mission. Please notice that in my answer I emphasized becoming rather than going. Let me explain what I mean.

In our customary Church vocabulary, we often speak of going to church, going to the temple, and going on a mission. Let me be so bold as to suggest that our rather routine emphasis on going misses the mark.

The issue is not going to church; rather, the issue is worshipping and renewing covenants as we attend church. The issue is not going to or through the temple; rather, the issue is having in our hearts the spirit, the covenants, and the ordinances of the Lord’s house. The issue is not going on a mission; rather, the issue is becoming a missionary and serving throughout our entire life with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. It is possible for a young man to go on a mission and not become a missionary, and this is not what the Lord requires or what the Church needs.

My earnest hope for each of you young men is that you will not simply go on a mission—but that you will become missionaries long before you submit your mission papers, long before you receive a call to serve, long before you are set apart by your stake president, and long before you enter the MTC.

A future missionary needs to have good examples set before him. I'm so grateful for my husband, father, and brothers---who have set an example for my little boy. Because of their examples I'll be able to have teaching moments with my children. We can write to their Uncle, learn about what he's teaching to others, and become more like Jesus.

Even though I didn't serve a mission I hope I can be the example they need. I hope I'm up to the challenge, to show my children just how amazing this gospel is. I hope they see the light in my eyes when I talk about my Savior, the temple, and having the chance to be with our family forever.

Like everything in this life worth having, it will not be easy. In December 1979, a man working for the Ensign related what parents can do before a mission call. He talked about sitting at the dinner table with his parents while he refused to eat his cauliflower. At one point in the dinner, his mom mentioned this, "missionaries eat everything on their plate whether they like it or not because that’s the polite thing to do. When you’re a missionary, somebody will eventually serve you something you won’t like. If you don’t eat it, you’ll hurt their feelings. So you might as well get into the habit now of eating everything on your plate.” Eventually, he ate his food, and it wasn't that bad.

I want to be that kind of Mom. I want to have the ability to teach gospel principles of kindness and sacrifice---then allow my children to make the choice for themselves. Further in the article, he gives suggestions on how parents can help children prepare for missions. Frankly, there's a lot and it's all good, so go read it! He ends with this:

If preparing sons for missions sounds like a big job, it’s because it is. But the challenge is not beyond reach—and the blessings are truly great, both in the home and in the lives of those involved. Rewards don’t come without effort, though, so parents should start preparing their sons now, no matter how young they are. My present concern is teaching my two-year-old son to like cauliflower. The next step will be the scriptures!

What Parents Can Do... Before the Call

It's a noble work to spread the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our children were, and will be, born in the church for a reason; they are MEANT to become missionaries. They are meant to gain a testimony and proclaim its truths to the world. We are here to show them the first step and be their examples.

FYI:The New Era had {a special issue} all about missions a few years back and I went looking through it today and found lots of amazing gems. Take some time this week and glance over this issue. I recommend: Missionary Mail, The Five M's of Missionary Work, and Gifts to Bring Home from the Mission Field. It's a wonderful issue full of insights for anyone---I'm really excited to use the Missionary Mail one! :)

Teaching Your Children

I wanted to talk today about General Conference last weekend. It was absolutely wonderful! I am so excited to get our copy of the May Ensign with all of the conference addresses. I have decided that it will become our "Parents Manual." I loved that almost every talk focused on the family and teaching your children in the home. I think that they are obviously trying to tell us something.

The world is changing so much in the way that they view the family, but our church is standing firm! The family is the most important unit in society. Without the family our country is doomed. We need to stand up and speak up for the family! The best way I think we can do this is by starting in our own individual homes. We must teach our children so that together as a family we can be an example to the world. I encourage us all to spend more time IN our home WITH our children and our spouses. Our children need to hear the gospel from us every single day. We must be reading our scriptures and saying our prayers together as families every single day. Family home evening is more than just being together. It is about teaching our children the gospel in a place where they feel safe and in place where they can trust their teachers. We NEED to have family home evening every week.

My favorite thing that was said in conference was that we can start teaching the gospel to our infants. This was particularly important to me at this time as my husband and I prepare to welcome our first little one into our family. Infants are very aware of what we say and what we teach. We need to start right from the beginning. Even if our babies cannot fully understand everything we teach them we are still creating good habits as a family that will carry with us for many years. If we build good habits while our families are new and growing then we will be able to improve upon them over the years! I encourage you all to make these good habits. Read the scriptures and say prayers with your children, even your infants, every day - starting NOW!

Dedicate Your Home

Quick Question: Have any of you dedicated your home?

If your answer is no or you are wondering what in the world I am even talking about then you MUST read this post! If your answer is yes then you rock, way to go you!

Dedicating your home is a wonderful thing to do! It is very simple and it helps you create a home where the spirit can dwell constantly! My husband and I have been meaning to dedicate our home for months, but somehow we kept forgetting. We finally were able to dedicate our home last Sunday evening. It is a simple priesthood ordinance that is much like a prayer. You women who are reading this go tell your husband's that you would like them to dedicate your home.

“Church members may dedicate their homes, … as sacred edifices where the Holy Spirit can reside” (General Handbook of Instructions, p. 11-5). If your husbands do not know how to dedicate your home then have them refer to their General Handbook of Instructions under Priesthood Blessings.

If you are single and would like to have your home dedicated then you can ask either a family member who holds the Priesthood or a home teacher. I highly encourage all of you to dedicate your homes so that you can better be guided by the Spirit of the Lord each day!

PS: Remember that you don't have to own your home to dedicate it. My husband and I live in a little 2 bedroom apartment but it is our current "home" so we have dedicated it as such! This would be a perfect Family Home Evening lesson tomorrow night!

Cherish Each Day

I got this in the Family Gems a couple days ago:

"Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, 'I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.' Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. 'Where did the years go?' they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present."

Thomas S. Monson, "Dedication Day," Ensign, Nov. 2000, 66

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Ashley G. and her daughter came to visit us this past week and it was fantastic. It was so nice, I ended up moping around yesterday (they left that morning) wishing the week hadn't gone by too fast. Then I looked at my son... the boy who is about to turn two and began to mope some more. He's growing, changing, (along with his little sister) and some days I forget to stop and enjoy the little things that mean much more than finishing the laundry.

I seem to relearn this lesson every few weeks, and I hope to never stop. I want to live the best I can in the present, so I can cherish my memories and look forward to tomorrow. So---don't forget to cherish each day because what you have right now is most important.

Abounding Love

Just a thought:

Let us lower our voices in our homes. Let love abound and find expression in our actions. May we walk the quiet ways of the Lord, and may prosperity crown our labors.

Gordon B. Hinckley, "An Humble and a Contrite Heart," Ensign, Nov. 2000, 89

It is so simple. Does our love for our family members guide the choices we make---or---the love of ourselves or the world? Do we do cook, clean and change poopy diapers because we have to or because we love and we want to serve our family members?

I notice a difference when I don't have the right attitude and since I'm the Mom it affects the whole house. I've learned---it starts with me. Since my kids are young, they feed off of my attitude. I would rather have my 21 month old mimic acts of love then frustration. I want to be the example that I mother should be. I want him (his sister and their Daddy) to know that everything I do is because I love them.

So--the question is---do I tell them and then show it in my service? Those days that I do are always much sweeter than the days that I don't. My goal is to show and tell them--every day, especially if I don't feel like it--- why I do what I do. I do what I do because of love. I do what I do because Christ first showed me (and us all) to serve---with love.

I sure hope it's love--because there's no other reason I'd touch poop.

Keep It Up

This past week I had A LOT of family in town. They came to celebrate my daughter's blessing with us. Family in town tends to do havoc to a toddler's routine. It's kind of ridiculous; but again worth it because it's family. So, I thought it was rather amusing that this came as the Family Gem this week:

Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. ‘Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great’ (D&C 64:33).

David A. Bednar, “More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 19-20

My little boy was so thrown off from his norm with so many visitors, but as long as he had myself or my husband there, he was okay. He needed to have some kind of consistency to feel safe and protected. The same goes when we are teaching our children (and reminding ourselves) about the importance of the gospel and its principles. We feel safe when we know the answers are not going to change; how we each get to them may be different, but the gospel is still true all around.

It's nice to know that even though FHE is more of a battle to keep my son still, we are still trying. No matter what we are still trying to live the gospel to the best we know how.

So--I say to you, dear sisters--keep it up because the gospel is always true and you never know what little thing will help another person realize it.

Unlock the Treasure

First off--- grab our new button and put it on all your blogs! I know this blog and the personal testimonies of each of you have helped mine grow, so you never know who could need the message at the right time.

Second--- I want to take a moment for Family History. The church has recently revamped the FamilySearch website. It makes it easier to find relatives, reserve them, and quickly and efficiently do their temple work. Here's an example:

My maternal grandfather isn't a member of the church; his parents are the only great-grandparents that I remember. My Grams death was the first time I had to face it; so naturally, when the time came, I really wanted to do her work. In 2006, the time came; my mom and sister prepared their names, did the baptisms and confirmations and sent their slips to Provo so that my husband and I could complete the work.

Living in Wymount, we had numerous opportunities to go to the temple, but the time we went for my great-grandparents will always have a special place in the memories of my mortality. Unfortunately, we decided to only do their initiatories and endowments, so other members of the family could participate. Looking back, I realize that wasn't our decision to make.

Fast forward to 2009, during a Sunday School lesson about Family History work I get the strong impression, that Grams and Gramps are still waiting. I then have a baby and the rest of the year becomes a blur.

Last month, we receive our weekly Mormon Times/Church News and they have {an article}, beginning a series of four, about the New FamilySearch website. As I read the article, I have another impression to look for my great-grandparents. But, I'm apprehensive; I've been on FamilySearch before and it isn't exactly user-friendly. I shrug it off and try to go on with my Sabbath, but can't because all I can think about is my Grams and Gramps---waiting, and wanting, to be together.

So--- I go to the new website. After a little bit of searching I find them both; unlinked---still waiting to be sealed for time and all eternity. Using this new site, I'm then able to link them up as husband and wife and reserve their names so we can do their work. I want to correct the mistake I made four years ago. The next time my husband and I can get away our first date will be to the temple---to do what should have been done.

Ladies, we cannot let our family members down; they are counting on us to find them and help them receive the work they NEED. Even if you think you're work is done, use this site to CHECK AGAIN. I've discovered a few holes in the other lines of my family that I hope to fix. The time is now! We are needed to help those who cannot help themselves. If you need any more nudging here's a prophetic promise:

I testify that when we do all we can to accomplish the work that is before us, the Lord will make available to us the sacred key needed to unlock the treasure which we so much seek.

~President Thomas S. Monson

Use New FamilySearch to unlock your treasures; you'll never know what (or who) will be waiting for you until you look.

Click HERE for hints on how to get started.

Isn't It About Time?

Forgive me for merely posting a video again. I have had one of the hardest weeks ever and have not had a chance to prepare anything. Enjoy, and hopefully I will have something poignant to say next week.

On Selflessness

It's been a tough week at my house (and it's only Tuesday!)-- my daughter has been teething (molars) and it has drained nearly all my patience. This Family Gem came to me at a perfect time:

“Just as Jesus used a child in His mortal ministry as an example for the people of the pure love they must and could have to be like Him, He has offered us the family as an example of an ideal setting in which we can learn how to love as He loves.“That is because the greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships. The joys come from putting the welfare of others above our own. That is what love is.”

--Henry B. Eyring, “Our Perfect Example,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 70-71

Being a parent, especially a mother, means a lot of lessons in putting others first. That's a hard one sometimes, but Elder Eyring said (and it's true, by the way) that "the greatest joys... we experience are in family relationships."

Sometimes it's hard to remember that when nobody in my house has slept through the night and we're all grouchy and temperamental. But because we serve each other, and put each other first, we do have a lot of joy and love in this house.

Just not a lot of sleep. :-)

Lest We Forget

Motherhood. Most of the authors of this blog are young/new mothers trying to figure it all out. As we progress down the road with our families, it can be discouraging or lonely. It is so easy to forget the blessings and joys when one is sleep deprived and dealing with a fussy child. As I have been dealing with my own inadequacies as of late, I came across a quote by Neal A. Maxwell. He said:

"We salute you, sisters, for the joy that is yours as you rejoice in a baby’s first smile and as you listen with eager ear to a child’s first day at school which bespeaks a special selflessness. Women, more quickly than others, will understand the possible dangers when the word self is militantly placed before other words like fulfillment. You rock a sobbing child without wondering if today’s world is passing you by, because you know you hold tomorrow tightly in your arms.”

Just a little reminder as to why we sacrifice so much so willingly. Just in case you forget for even a moment.

Begin at Home

I just wanted to share a Family Gem I got last week:

We need to stand tall and be firmly fixed in perpetuating Christ like virtues, even the ‘ity’ virtues, in our everyday lives. Teaching virtuous traits begins in the home with parents who care and set the example. A good parental example encourages emulation; a poor example gives license to the children to disregard the parents’ teachings and even expand the poor example. A hypocritical example destroys credibility.

H. David Burton, “Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 77

This is one of the reasons I stay at home with my kids; anyone can watch them, but only I can be their mother. I just hope, even through all my faults, to be the type of parent that my children what to emulate.

More than Just Peanut Butter

Meals in our house are always fun. Jared, my son, knows the routine, so when I tell him it's time to make lunch he usually beats me to the kitchen. We decided today was sandwich day so I went to the pantry to get the peanut butter. As soon as I pulled it out, he opened the silverware drawer, grabbed a fork and started pushing me towards his highchair. He saw the peanut butter and knew that was what he wanted AT THAT MOMENT.

When it dawned on him I wasn't going anywhere, he did what any toddler would do: he threw a nasty all-out-screaming-and-crying tantrum. He decided to whine and complain because he wanted just the peanut butter, while I was still pushing forward because I knew the peanut butter was only a small part of the whole sandwich. I was frustrated he was screaming, but I wasn't going to bend my will to his because I knew what would happen in the end. I tried to tell him this in ways he would understand, but he wouldn't listen because he was so focused on the peanut butter. We continued this way until our wills met with me finishing the sandwich; our perspectives were finally in line.

It dawned on me this is how Heavenly Father feels when we forget to focus on the eternal perspective while in this mortal realm. We only remember this earth, so when decisions/situations don't go the way we planned, we tend to complain or wonder why. We are so focused on the peanut butter that we forget about the whole sandwich.

Luckily, as members of the church, we have the chance to realize our full potential beyond this earth, Elder LeGrand Richards said:

God bless[ed] you to realize where you came from and the great privileges that are yours. If the veil were rolled back and you could just see one glimpse of God’s great eternal plan concerning you and who you are, it would not be hard for you to love Him, keep His commandments, and live to be worthy of every blessing that He has had for you since before the foundations of the world were laid (“Patriarchal Blessings,” New Era, Feb. 1977, p. 7).

Heavenly Father gives us the tools to remember our potential; it's up to us to stop focusing on the peanut butter and look forward to feasting in the eternities.

Families

One aspect of the belonging to this church that I feel especially fond of is the focus on families, and eternal families. Now that I am a mother this has taken on a whole new meaning. This gospel isn't a race to the finish, or all about trying to outshine the next person. It is about having a family and finding our way back to our Heavenly Father's presence together.

I am especially thankful for the Family Proclamation that was given when I was in my youth so that I could grow up with it and now cherish each part of it as I endeavor to raise a celestially bound family. I want to share a part of it today and hope that we can each reflect on it with a stronger faith and testimony of the principles taught within it. I pulled an excerpt out for reflection but feel free to click the above link and read the entire thing.

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

I pray that we will always hold true to these values and be a good example of them to our family and friends. What blessings have you noticed in your life as a result of holding true to these values?

Moving

My wife just told me that it's hubby night on the blog and handed me the computer. Wow I thought, what a great opportunity to share my experiences with people I barely know. I then asked my wife to tell me what I should write about and the helpful advice she gave was "something spiritual". With a topic that specific, how could I go wrong? I guess a big test of faith in my life somewhat recently has been moving to Salt Lake.
I grew up in a small town, Mendon, just outside of Logan. It's a tight-knit community and everyone knows everyone else. I was raised by loving and sheltering parents. The only significant amount of time I've spent away from Mendon was to serve a mission to Philadelphia (which was an eye opener, and no doubt). I give this history to give perspective on my somewhat recent activity.
I met a beautiful woman, who seemed to like me in return. We dated until I realized she really did like me, then I proposed and we got married.
Thus we are eventually led to my real story. Right before we were married I moved from my small town to West Jordan. The initial hardship was (and is) driving. It's way different here than in a small town. Then there was adjusting to a new home and meeting our funny neighbors. It wasn't until later that I found myself feeling somewhat depressed. I had left everything and everyone familiar for a city where I knew nothing and no-one. I had gained something far more valuable in return but there was definitely something lacking.
I found that I had to lean more and more on prayer to help me feel something familiar. I still feel alone sometimes, cut off from the familiar. I still feel like an alien sometimes. But the Spirit of the Lord always makes me feel lat home anywhere.
One day, I was alone in our apartment, I was feeling particularly out of place. I had no job, and no friends other than my wife. I was feeling so bad that I finally fell on my knees and asked for something to make me feel better. I knelt there for a couple of minutes, nothing happened. So I got up and started doing some dishes. A few minutes in I felt suddenly like I was at home. The same feel that was always around me growing up, and on the mission. It wasn't a huge spiritual moment full of tears and heartfelt repentance. It was just a comforting, loving feeling. Very subtle and still. The feeling lasted for several hours afterward, only leaving right before I went to bed.
Whenever I hold my wonderful, caring, loving, doting wife I get that same feeling. Like everything is ok. She is my home. My incredible Father in Heaven has given me a great gift. The gift of a home I can take with me anywhere. Sometimes I still feel lonely but whenever I hug my wife or even think about her, everything feels ok.
Two sister in-laws are pregnant right now so I've been thinking about babies. I wonder if babies feel that way. They just left all that was familiar, a family they had known for millenia, personal relationship with the Father. They come to this new, scary, and sometimes mean world. Our Father in Heaven provides earthly parents to help us remember that feeling, and eventually our awesome spouses. He loves us so much, he always wants us to have some way to feel his love.
Well that's my spiritual thought. I'm not a talented writer, which is probably apparent. But I do have a testimony of God and His son Jesus Christ. He has been so good to me. I am so grateful for the comfort of the Spirit and the gospel in my life.
Signed by yours truly,
Nate G.

Expressing Love to Our Spouses

My husband is not a writer, so... yeah, you're stuck with me again.

But my message has a lot to do with "Hubby Week"-- the idea of expressing love to our spouses.

This was one of the Family Gems this week:
"We can begin to become more diligent and concerned at home by telling the people we love that we love them. Such expressions do not need to be flowery or lengthy. We simply should sincerely and frequently express love.

"Each of us already knows we should tell the people we love that we love them. But what we know is not always reflected in what we do."

I think that last sentence is the crux of the matter: we don't always do what we know we should. But when it comes to our spouses, we must.

Luckily, there is a simple way to overcome this problem! Spencer W. Kimball said it himself, "Do it." Just do it.

JUST.

DO.

IT.

Right now.

Go tell your spouse you love them.

I love my husband more than anything and am constantly telling him so, but sometimes just saying it isn't enough. Demonstrating your love through service, kindness and respect is also important.

Enjoy the rest of Hubby Week!

P.S. There is a blog I follow called "The Generous Wife." She gives great tips and ideas on how to express love for your husband. Even if you don't think you need help in this area, I recommend it.

Most Important Thing

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, here's my reason why: our daughter Annabelle--I had her Tuesday.

So, here's my thought (emphasis added):

Brethren and sisters, material possessions and honors of the world do not endure. But your union as wife, husband, and family can. The only duration of family life that satisfies the loftiest longings of the human soul is forever. No sacrifice is too great to have the blessings of an eternal marriage. To qualify, one needs only to deny oneself of ungodliness and honor the ordinances of the temple. By making and keeping sacred temple covenants, we evidence our love for God, for our companion, and our real regard for our posterity—even those yet unborn. Our family is the focus of our greatest work and joy in this life; so will it be throughout all eternity, when we can ‘inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities … powers, dominions … exaltation and glory’ (D&C 132:19).

Russell M. Nelson, “Set in Order Thy House,” Liahona, Jan. 2002, 82

Make your family your greatest joy and all will fall into place. Love to you all!