My Brave Daughter

(random photo taken after church on Sunday)

We go to church almost every Sunday and have forever. Today it paid off because Lexi was able to share the gospel with her class at school. She has an amazing teacher who is so into the kids learning new things. Lexi's bff is Muslim and doesn't celebrate lots of the holidays that the rest of the kids do, so their teacher asked her to bring a book in about her religion and they would all learn about it.

They talked about it for awhile and then Lexi's teacher asked Lexi to share about her religion. Lexi wasn't prepared but was able to tell them a lot of great things! The teacher looked up some information on the Internet and showed the class pictures of the Salt Lake Temple and they talked about some of the similarities between Muslims and Mormons (modesty, Old Testament beliefs etc.). Lexi said she was nervous at first but as the teacher asked more questions, and the kids responded well, she felt more comfortable and was able to tell them so much and answer their questions. They talked about the temple, baptism, weddings, the prophet, and modesty. I am so impressed and amazed by Lexi being able to do this. When I was her age I almost didn't want anyone to know I was Mormon because I knew we were different and didn't necessarily want to seem different!

Lexi said that the kids in class thought everything she said was "cool" and that almost all of them talked about other Mormons they know and like. I am thankful for her teacher for teaching them about different religions and bringing up this sort of thing in class in a very positive way. I think it is great for everyone and especially Lexi and her Muslim friend who have the most "different" religions. Most of the other kids are Christian and/or Catholic. Tonight when she was telling us I was so glad that she could answer the questions and knew so much. I'm thankful she was confident enough to share something that is special to her. She is a good example to me!

That's all. Good night!

Because of Easter, A Spiritual Post

For as long as I can remember church Hymns have always been a favorite thing of mine. So many of them have messages that, combined with the music, touch my soul more than anything else can.

I find at different times of my life, different hymns have meant things to me and have brought me comfort. For whatever reason the hymn, "Be Still My Soul" has been my favorite for the last few weeks. Tonight I was playing it on the piano and I realized that the words are my testimony of Jesus. Since it is Easter I thought I would post the words here:

"Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side.
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heavenly friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: The hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe anad blessed we shall meet at last.

The message of this hymn is what I believe and have witnessed in my life. Christ is on my side. He is in charge and is always there in every change and guides us through thorny paths. Things that we don't understand now will be understood someday. Our lives are in His hand. Someday grief, sorrow, and troubles we experience here on earth will be gone and there will just be love and happiness, and peace.

The best part about the gospel is the truth that families can be together forever. That relationships we have with those we love do not end at death. I know that Jesus Christ died for us and arose from the tomb as a resurrected person. And that we, too, will be resurrected someday. It is a miracle and something that brings me peace.

I love this Easter video:

On My Mirror and On My Mind...

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not."
Thomas S. Monson

Delightful Denae will not let infertility ruin her life.

You see, I happen to know that God has a plan for me. Some days I get really mad and almost forget that I know. But really I can't forget. Because really, I know. How do I know? I'll tell you.

When I had my 3rd miscarriage last September I was thrown. I cried for weeks. In the midst of that crying I started to come up with a plan. I'm that type of person. I have to have a plan.

I needed three questions answered by God.

They were:

1. Will I ever have another baby?

2. What do you want me to learn?

3. What do you want me to do with my life in the meantime if I can't have babies?

I decided I would pray, write, and read my scriptures all day every day until I got my answers. Well, my first answer came and it was... "be patient... the answers will come on God's time not yours." Ok-dokey.

So, I kept up with my part and waited. Slowly, and at the most unexpected times, the answers to my questions came. They really came and I knew that God knew me and knew what I needed to know. Can I pretend that didn't happen? Of course not.

Time went on and I was having hard days again. I made another plan and really dedicated myself to obtaining a lasting feeling of peace. I had my answers but I still felt so sad.

Then one day, peace came. It came because I prayed for it. It came right after a really hard few days. It came when I really, really needed it. It was overwhelming and amazing. Once I had it, it stayed with me. It was really, really strong at first. Over time it has lessened a bit but I will never forget that gift from a loving Heavenly Father to His (desperate) daughter in need.

Now when the hard days come, when I start to get all panicky about my fertility and my future, when I start to desire a baby so bad I want to steal one, I always look back to that day when the peace came. I remember what a gift it was. It changed my life to know that God loves me that much and will bless me with peace when I thought my heart would feel broken forever! He really can heal us! What a relief to know we don't have to always feel heartbroken over our struggles, sins, missed opportunities, losses. God will give us peace if we ask for it.

The point of this post is to say this: I know God loves all of us, each individually. Our prayers are not always answered the way we want them to be. BUT in the midst of pain, sadness and struggle He is there. I know it and I can't deny it. As mad as I might get, as frustrated as I might get, as impatient as I always am, I know that this is what God wants for me at this time, and he will give me strength to bear it.


WAIT
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried:
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said, 'Child, you must wait'.
'Wait? You say, wait! ' my indignant reply.
'Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By Faith, I have asked, and am claiming your Word.
My future and all to which I can relate
hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to WAIT?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
And Lord, You promised that if we believe
we need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again, 'You must wait.'
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
and grumbled to God, 'So, I'm waiting.... for what?'
He seemed, then, to kneel, and His eyes wept with mine,
And he tenderly said, 'I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.
All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want But, you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.
You'd never experience that fullness of love
As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save.... (for a start),
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
The glow of My comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.
You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for Thee.'
Yes, your dreams overnight would come true,
But, Oh, the Loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you!
So, be silent, My Child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.
And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still, 'WAIT.'

(author unknown)

Gordon B. Hinckley

The wonderful prophet of my church, Gordon B. Hinckley passed away tonight. He had been the prophet and president of our church since 1995- a very long time! I will miss him and his teachings. One of my favorite qualities he possessed was his optimism.

My recent favorite quote of his is the one below (he said this at his wife's funural):

"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worth of his blessings, He will hear our prayers."

I have often though about how he said in the last conference that he was like the the last leaf on the tree and the wind is blowing! He was 97 years old, and I'm sure, very tired and looking forward to resting after this life. I will miss him but know that he's happy and at peace.

What a great example he was to everyone everywhere! His teachings will continue to live on to guide us all in our lives.

My Religion

I feel like I need to write about my religion today. I just read an article from a leader of my church that said we should use the internet to share with others what we believe. A lot of talk is going on about my church because of Mitt Romney running for office. Some of the "talk" is not exactly accurate so I am now going to share a little bit about my church. (Click HERE to read the article from Elder Ballard).

I am a member of The Church or Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka the Mormons).

What do we believe? We believe in God, who is our Heavenly Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost. We believe that all 3 of the members of the godhead are separate individuals and that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies just like ours! They are not spirits.

We believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us personally and love us. They want us to return to live with them, and those we love, someday. We can do this by following the teachings of Jesus Christ and His gospel.

We believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to a boy named Joseph Smith in 1820, in response to his heart-felt and sincere prayer desiring to know which church he should join. He was 14 at the time and felt confused about what religion was right.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ told him to join none of the churches of the day, that they were "incomplete." They then restored, through Joseph, the true Gospel that had been set forth in Christ's time. That true gospel is our church today.

We believe Christ appeared, after His death and resurrection, to a people in the America's and the record that they kept, is the Book of Mormon. We believe in the bible and the book of Mormon, both witnesses of Christ and his life and teachings.

There are a lot of misconceptions all around about the church. Mostly people who hold those misconceptions, and believe them, are people who are afraid to ask. If you ask any member of our church any question, they will gladly answer you and clear up any confusions you might have about the church and what we do and believe!

I love being a member of my church! It answers all of life's questions. It gives me direction on which way to go. It brings me comfort and happiness. It gives guidelines on how to live to find the most satisfaction and peace in life. I love to teach my kids the things that I believe. I hope they will grow their own faith and find for themselves that following Christ and His teachings brings happiness and peace.

We are normal, everyday people. We have the same struggles and trials as everyone else does. But our church gives us the hope, faith and comfort to go on in life and teaches us how to find peace.

I hope if any of you reading this have questions or confusions about "the Mormons" that you will ask a member of the church that you know, or even ask me on my blog and I will answer you!

Thanks for reading. Sometimes I feel nervous about sharing these things because they mean so much to me and are so close to my heart. But I feel like so many people don't know what "Mormons" are all about and I want everyone to see us for who we really are and know what we really believe!

For more information, go to the Church's website. Click Here!