tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70156271209996909992024-03-13T10:39:39.115-07:00Being Martha, Becoming MaryTwo Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-55132729411400192502014-03-27T08:00:00.000-07:002014-03-27T08:00:09.662-07:00Calling the Fishermen.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76hvKA99y-LUpHTt8c0WOZUKDc3d45LRUk6kX8yKmy1bIR-AqoXM1EANsVswnFywkHhROP-RN3Gsd7X4UiQhA2IYtX0lHqfPl32m3aE7bknN2JOQSPNgnE2qFH2CX-TVyXHPw4GWOLD3O/s1600/calling-the-fishermen-39547-gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76hvKA99y-LUpHTt8c0WOZUKDc3d45LRUk6kX8yKmy1bIR-AqoXM1EANsVswnFywkHhROP-RN3Gsd7X4UiQhA2IYtX0lHqfPl32m3aE7bknN2JOQSPNgnE2qFH2CX-TVyXHPw4GWOLD3O/s1600/calling-the-fishermen-39547-gallery.jpg" height="608" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/gospel-art/new-testament?lang=eng" target="_blank">{VIA}</a></td></tr>
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I love this painting, I always have. I love the colors, and the way the water ripples, and the way Christ looks. I just like all of it. But there was one thing I hadn't really taken note of. Well, I guess that's not fair. I've noticed it, but never thought about it in this way before. <br />
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This last Sunday, there was a really interesting speaker in my ward. You see, we all take turns speaking during our worship meeting, which is a meeting we call Sacrament. It's the most sacred meeting of all our church meetings, and is the time when we partake of the Sacrament. Bread and water are blessed and partaking of it allows us to renew our covenants made with our Heavenly Father at baptism. If taken properly, we become clean again. We carefully and thoughtfully consider the sacrament prayers and the covenants we are renewing, such as: eating in remembrance of the body of Christ, and promise that we will always remember his sacrifice upon the cross, drinking in remembrance of the blood shed for us, which atoned for the sins of Adam and allows us to be freed from our own sins, on condition of true repentance, covenanting to take upon us the name of Christ, and avoid anything that would bring shame to His name, and covenanting to keep His commandments.<br />
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After we take the sacrament, we hear from church members who have been assigned to speak on certain topics. It's a time to learn and reflect upon the Lord. <br />
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So, as I was listening to this certain speaker (his name was Brother Lillywhite, if you're wondering), he mentioned something so interesting, I'm surprised I'd never caught on. <br />
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Brother Lillywhite mentioned this picture, and the way Christ's feet are positioned. In it, He is calling to Peter, asking him to come to Him so that He may make them "fishers of men". In the painting, Jesus' feet are parallel to the shoreline, and His left heel is raised, as if He is still walking. He is calling to them, and moving forward with His work. He wanted them to come, and come when He needed them. His feet are not perpendicular to the shoreline, as they would be were He begging them to come. He asked simply, and allowed them to make their choice.<br />
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This is still how it works today. When our Heavenly Father calls us, or prompts us to do something, we have our choice. But the work doesn't stop. We have to act when we are prompted, for if we are prompted, it is important and needs attention now. We need to move our feet to keep up with His, so that we may serve each other in the best way possible. When He calls us, He is calling us specifically because we are the best person for that job, in that particular moment. And while His plan will not fail, it is made that much better by our willingness to stand and go where He wants us to go. <br />
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I'm glad to say I've gotten better at this, standing up and going when He needs me to. I'm not perfect at it yet, but I have seen situations that were time sensitive, and the outcome wouldn't have been as good had I waited and not followed the prompting. I have a strong testimony of angels on earth, and strongly believe we can be those angels for other people if we will listen to promptings and go when we are called. <br />
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Have you had any situations where you acted when you were prompted to? Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-60975871650552251142014-03-20T08:00:00.000-07:002014-03-20T08:00:11.986-07:00The Power of the Priesthood<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As conference approaches we are reminded of how sneaky the adversary is and how determined he is to destroy all things that are important to Our Heavenly father, our Savior, His church, and us, His children. President Monson once said, "Today, we are encamped against the greatest array of sin, vice, and evil ever assembled before our eyes. … The battle plan whereby we fight to save the souls of men is not our own. It [came through] the inspiration and revelation of the Lord.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Thomas S. Monson, “Correlation Brings Blessings,” Relief Society Magazine, Apr. 1967, 247.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To live in this world and not of this world is a very difficult task at times, but we must remember it may be difficult in this moment in time, but it will not always be difficult. It is not just possible but it is very certain that we will win this battle against the adversary. We are a part of The Church of Jesus Christ, His church that is now as it was when He walked the earth preaching. It was not easy to live the gospel then, it was not easy in the early days for the early saints, and it certainly can be difficult in today’s world. It has been many years since that day when the priesthood was restored to us here on Earth. Our numbers have grown to astonishing numbers since then, but compared to the billions of people here on Earth it is still a small fraction. We must keep in mind who we are, remember what we know, and we must step out against the adversary and preach the gospel to all those who are around us. We will be able to accomplish all things great with the power of the priesthood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many people have begun to question why we, as women, are not given the keys to hold the priesthood. Many of which are mis-lead, I am here to remind you that woman are just as much a part of the priesthood as the men. We all hold a very important role within the Church. It is important that we all understand this because as woman we are wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of the brethren that the priesthood keys are bestowed upon. We have influence on our husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. If we are not working as a whole we cannot progress and the complete greatness the priesthood can posess will not be reached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the worthy priesthood holders standing in his own place standing strong, along with all members of the church women alike<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Lord said,” the weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Doctrine and Covenants 1:19)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With Our Heavenly Father there is a plan, He loves each one of us and would not leave any of us out of the plan. After all He wants each of us to return and live with Him once again. His plan is that even those homes without the priesthood are being watched over by the quorums of the church. The true power of the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants. It increases by exercising and using the priesthood. Just imagine by allowing the priesthood into our homes, families, and lives how strong we will become spiritually to keep out the adversary and his followers. As we look around in today’s society it is so very clear that he and his followers are persistent on attacking the home and the family. President Boyd K. Packer reminded us in the April General Conference of 2010, because the power of the priesthood has been given to us to guide us and protect us we will not be fearful of the future. We will move forward knowing that the Lord will watch over us, our families, and homes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-67797619573928027882014-03-17T08:00:00.000-07:002014-03-17T08:00:05.577-07:00Gospel Principles Monday: There Is a God. <em><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Gospel Principles Monday! Have a question about Mormons? Ask!</span></em> <br />
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Have you guys heard of <a href="http://soulpancake.com/" target="_blank">SoulPancake</a> yet? Chances are you have, even if you don't recognize it by name. Awesome people like <a href="http://www.kidpresident.com/" target="_blank">Kid President </a>and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKid_CNBQaE6cZuXbwNVke2TDf3ekia3K" target="_blank">Zach Anner (of Have a Little Faith fame) </a>are associated with Soul Pancake. Could Kid President BE any cuter? I love him.<br />
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The reason I bring this up is because I recently watched an epsiode of my favorite web series, Have a Little Faith. In this series, host Zach Anner connects with people of different faiths to find out what they are all about. To see what they believe and open our horizons a little. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_qJnpZd-qE&list=UUPLAYER_soulpancake" target="_blank">The episode</a> I watched was a reunion of all the people Zach interviewed during Season 1. Per the video caption: "What happens when you put two Mormons, two Baha'is, one Jewish person, a Quaker, a Muslim and one Baptist man in a room all together?" The answer? A great discussion. <br />
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One of the questions brought up was whether people can live a happy and fulfilling life without God, because some people wonder whether He exists at all. I think the answer is yes, because our Father in Heaven loves us whether we believe in Him or not. There is joy found in all things, and even if you don't believe in Him, you still get to see the incredible things He's created for us. This beautiful earth, mountains, sunshine, love. This question reminded me that this would be a great gospel principle monday question. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Q: What do mormons believe about God?</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A: As Latter Day Saints, we believe God to be our Heavenly Father. He is the </span><a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-1-our-father-in-heaven?lang=eng" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Supreme and Absolute Being in whom we believe and whom we worship".</span></a> <br />
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We believe that our Father in Heaven created the earth, through His son, Jesus Christ. We believe that His work is all around us, that we can see His hand in everything. <br />
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I have a personal testimony of this through my experiences in the medical field. Our body is so incredible. The way all of our systems work together, the way it can heal itself, the way we can take care of it so it will do what we want. It is so fascinating to me to think about how our complex our bodies are, there is no other explanation. It is so obvious to me that we were created by a loving God who knows everything and created us so we can grow and learn during our time on earth. <br />
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There are so many scriptures that testify of His existence, in addition to our own sacred and personal experiences. As Latter Day Saints, we believe that God dwells in heaven, that he created the earth through His son, Jesus Christ, and that He made man in His own image to be a ruler over His other creations <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/1?lang=eng" target="_blank">(See Genesis 1-26-27).</a><br />
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So now that we know there is, in fact, a God who loves us, how do we come to know Him better??<br />
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The greatest commandment is "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart" (<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/22?lang=eng" target="_blank">(Matthew 22:37).</a> <br />
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There are some things we can do to better know God in our lives. We need to:<br />
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<li>Believe that He exists</li>
<li>Study the <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures?lang=eng" target="_blank">Scriptures</a></li>
<li>PRAY</li>
<li>Obey His commandments </li>
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There is so much more I could say about the nature of our Heavenly Father. He does love us unconditionally. He cares about us, whether we believe in Him or not. He wants us to return to Him, and He blesses our lives continually, whether we are aware of those blessings or not. <br />
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If you don't yet know whether God exists, please know that He does. Pray to Him, even if it feels silly initially. He will testify to your heart of His existence. If you're still not sure, pray and ask to have your eyes opened to His blessings, that you may see His hand in your life as you go day to day. He will bless you, He will comfort you, and He will love you forever. <br />
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If I know nothing else in this world, I do know that our Heavenly Father exists. I see His hand in my life everyday. I feel His love every single day of my life, no matter how terrible a day it might have been. He knows us personally, I know for sure that He knows my name and my circumstances. He lives, and wants you to know of His love. I have seen so many miracles, big and small, that testify to me of His love. <br />
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<br />Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-44473194190129973752014-03-13T13:25:00.000-07:002014-03-13T13:25:43.563-07:00In Which I Make a Huge BlunderHave you guys seen this? <br />
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/191754896607415692/" target="_blank">Via Pinterest </a></div>
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It cracks me up, for real. Probably because I can identify so well with it. Seriously, there are things I did/said years ago that still embarrass the heck out of me. Even though it's been years, and I know that person likely does not remember it and would think I was the biggest weirdo if I brought it up again and said sorry like I want to. </div>
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"Hi, Sally. Remember that time I did that one thing that was inconsequential to you a couple years ago but I felt like the biggest idiot so it has stayed with me for two years of my adult life? Um, yeah, just wanted to say sorry. Again. Over something you don't care about. K bye." UGH, let it go, girl. </div>
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Anyway, I had one of those experiences last night, one that I will regret for a long time. I made some poor judgment calls and really hurt someone's feelings during an argument. It was one of those times when you are arguing over something ridiculous but it turns into so much more because you've been bottling things up to be polite. Yeah, not good. Like want to slap yourself why-did-you-even-bring-that-up not good. </div>
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Naturally, I cried to Kerri. Being the awesome woman she is, and knowing how I beat myself up over things, I found this in my inbox this morning: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIk-Ihn99qAC3tTPN2GJn7E4Ro8PG2TZ2O0Hyij3cIpeFIXNDjYghHB8dU4ze9xj9uzCAhVcYpjG_xJ7yC9uC7jozYJD68L54U_7_Dn5ZQ7EZcckMFOdsKZEHVVBqGQQsjzcr3XgARr8vm/s1600/Be+Gentle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIk-Ihn99qAC3tTPN2GJn7E4Ro8PG2TZ2O0Hyij3cIpeFIXNDjYghHB8dU4ze9xj9uzCAhVcYpjG_xJ7yC9uC7jozYJD68L54U_7_Dn5ZQ7EZcckMFOdsKZEHVVBqGQQsjzcr3XgARr8vm/s1600/Be+Gentle.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
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I mean, really, can we all take a moment and appreciate what a sweet pea she is? This didn't fix it, but it let my little heart breathe a little easier. And shortly thereafter, I listened to <a href="https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/ces-devotionals/2014/03?lang=eng" target="_blank">this </a> devotional by <a href="https://www.lds.org/church/leader/linda-k-burton?lang=eng" target="_blank">Sister Linda Burton </a>for young single adults a few weeks ago (for those of you not familiar, young single adults are classified as single adults ranging in age from 18 to 31). Sister Burton is such a beauty. I love her so much. She always has such great insight and lovely ways of making a girl feel better. </div>
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Sister Burton discussed ways of tuning our hearts to the voice of the Spirit, something I sorely needed in my life at this time. As Latter Day Saints, we believe in the <a href="http://www.mormon.org/faq/the-holy-ghost" target="_blank">Holy Ghost </a>, the third member of the godhead and a personage of Spirit who comforts us, warns us, guides us, and sanctifies us. I was definitely not tuned into the Spirit when I made my poor decisions last night, and hearing Sister Burton's words reminded me that, although I made some not so great choices, I can always turn my heart to the Spirit, to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and try again. </div>
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It's never too late to try again, even if you've made some mistakes. I have a temper and I'm learning to work through that, even when I wake up with my sassy pants on. Turn your heart to Jesus Christ and let go of the not so great things, let Him work in you. </div>
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-Christi </div>
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Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-87998794773418495312014-03-10T07:30:00.000-07:002014-03-10T07:30:00.936-07:00Gospel Principle Monday: Why do Mormons think Family is so Important? Welcome to Gospel Principle Monday!! Today's topic is Family, and why they are so important to us as a central unit to our faith and society. It's a question I've been asked a lot, because I grew up with only one brother and that's like, a sin around here. Ok, not really. But it is something that people find pretty funny, because out of state they think we are all living in polygamist families with 90 kids (we're not). <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>Why Do Mormons Think Family is so Important??</em></span><br />
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So it's no secret that Kerri and I live in Utah, the land of families with a million kids. Most of my friends come from families of at least 5 kids, most of them with more. That's just how we roll, Utah likes big families. A lot. <br />
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Icebreakers at school/church/camp/whatever (you know, the kind everyone hates? Or am I alone in that?) were always interesting for me. It usually involved some type of question about how many siblings you have. And my answer always resulted in wide eyes and a collective gasp of "really?" As in, "you really only have TWO kids in your family??" Yes, really. Only two kids. We were the perfect pair, boy and a girl, a sassy pants and a fairly straight arrow. We had our own language, only each other to turn to, and some sweet moves to pull out if there was a potential for kidnapping. That last part is a true story. Our plan, should there be an attempted kidnapping on one of us, was to go back to back and seesaw kick so they couldn't take us away. I'm not really sure where the fear of kidnapping came from (we had a super happy and not scary childhood), but we were prepared, you guys. No thug was gonna pull one over on us, that's for sure! (And I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "wait, isn't this blog by 'Two Sisters??'" The answer is yes! Kerri is my sister from another mister. Deal with it. Heh.) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Brother and I, circa 2010. I don't wanna brag, but we have a knack for taking hot pictures. </td></tr>
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Anyway, I digress. What were we talking about? Oh, yeah, families. And why they're neat. And so important to our faith as Latter Day Saints. <br />
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Families are central to our Heavenly Father's plan for His children. Families give us an opportunity to learn to serve each other, to grow, to learn patience and kindness with shortcomings, to forgive quickly and without condition, and humor. Lots of humor. Growing up, I taught my parents patience because I was a hooligan at times. I am positive I am responsible for more than a few of my parent's gray hairs. I also <span style="font-family: inherit;">learned</span> to forgive quickly after my younger brother said some not so cool things to me in the heat of sibling arguments. Families teach us to live in harmony and order with each other and others around us. <br />
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We also believe that families can be together for eternity, and as such, are sealed together as a unit. This means that even death cannot tear your family apart. Isn't that a great promise?? It gives such peace to my heart to know that even when my parents pass away, I will see them again. They aren't gone forever. <br />
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We also believe the family is the fundamental unit of a functioning society. In fact, we even have a proclamation dedicated to the family unit, called <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation" target="_blank">The Family: A Proclamation to the World.</a> It's that important, you guys. Stable, functioning families with a mother and a father in the home are vital to a society that works in harmony. <br />
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I know it's not popular right now, but when I say mother AND father, I mean it. We all have different roles. Everyone plays their part. Fathers provide for the family with love and righteousness, and mothers nurture. Everyone chips in to make the family function as it should. Fathers and mothers should operate as equal partners within the family. No one is better than anyone else, and this goes for men and women as well. When families are strong, society is strong. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kerri and her mama, back when permed lady bowlcuts were cool.</td></tr>
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Before anyone has a panic attack, I realize that it is 2014. Things happen, and families aren't always traditional anymore. There are single parents, widows/widowers, and various other situations where families aren't whole. Sometimes mothers and fathers are left with kiddos and not a spouse, for various reasons. Sometimes people make poor choices. Sometimes spouses/parents pass away. That doesn't mean your family means any less, or that you don't have a place in God's kingdom. <br />
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Kerri and I get it, the family situations. Our families aren't always peaches and cream. Kerri is the only member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in her family. In fact, they harbor some pretty hard feelings toward the LDS church because of some things that happened to their family a long time ago. I live in a family where all of us are active members, but my dad passed away a couple of years ago, and so he isn't able to be here with the family every day. Everyone is different, and every familial situation is different. We can't control other people's choices, but we can control our own. We can work everyday to make our families as harmonious as possible. <br />
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There's so much more I can say about families. I cannot stress enough how important they are, and the happiness you'll feel if you put the effort into making your family just a little better in the coming days. Learn to forgive. Reach out to that person you don't call all the time. Make your marriage stronger by turning to the Lord and each other in hard times, instead of away. <br />
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If you'd like to learn a little bit more about how mormons feel about families, <a href="http://mormon.org/values/family" target="_blank">click here!</a><br />
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<br />Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-63673895252132623492014-03-03T15:05:00.000-08:002014-03-03T15:05:00.060-08:00Introducing Gospel Principles Monday!! Have questions? Ask! Over here at Being Martha, Becoming Mary, we understand that people have questions about our faith. While awareness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is increasing in the world today (thanks to the examples of everyday members in our communities as well as prominent members of our faith), there are still lots of questions, misconceptions, and downright lies out there about us, what we believe, and who we worship. <br />
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One of our goals here is to open the conversation a little bit. To provide a place where questions can be asked and honest answers are given. Honestly, I didn't think our faith and practices were odd or different until I moved to Tenneessee for a bit. I met many really neat people there, and was asked a lot of weird questions. Mostly about polygamy and how I feel about it (I don't believe it appropriate). <br />
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So, in response to questions people may have, we're going to start doing Gospel Principles Mondays! We'll focus on a different topic each week, include our feelings about it, and direct to further resources if interested. Ok? Ok. <br />
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Our topic for the inaugural Gospel Principles Monday seemed an obvious one, and one that seems hotly contested. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Q:Are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) Christians?</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A. Yes!</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As Latter Day Saints, we worship our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus Christ is the center of our faith. This is His gospel, and we strive daily to be like Him. We focus our efforts on living Christ-like lives and serve as He did. </span><br />
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We recognize Jesus Christ as our savior, the only way through which eternal life can come. We are eternally grateful for His sacrifice and atonement. All of our teachings are based on His teachings. He is the center of our belief and we are nothing without Him. <br />
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President Gordon B. Hinckley, prior president of our faith (and one of my personal favorites!) said it best: <br />
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"We are Christians in a very real sense and that is coming to be more and more widely recognized. Once upon a time people everywhere said we are not Christians. They have come to recognize that we are, and that we have a very vital and dynamic religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. We, of course, accept Jesus Christ as our Leader, our King, our Savior...the dominant figure in the history of the world, the only perfect Man who ever walked the earth, the living Son of the living God. He is our Savior and our Redeemer through whose atoning sacrifice has come the opportunity of eternal life. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pray and worship in the name of Jesus Christ. He is the center of our faith and the head of our Church. The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and witnesses of His divinity, His life, and His Atonement.”<br />
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I couldn't have expressed it better. I know that, personally, Jesus Christ is my friend as well as my Savior and the person on whose teachings I try to base my life. I have a personal relationship with Him and our Heavenly Father through prayer and personal revelation and know that He loves us infinitely. We consider our faith to be His gospel, and include His name in the name of our faith to make sure the world knows we have our eyes single to the glory of God. <br />
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Please visit <a href="http://www.mormon.org/">www.mormon.org</a> for more info on this topic and more! <br />
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Well, that's it! I hope you enjoyed the first installation of Gospel Principles Monday, and I hope we answered the question for someone dying to know. If you have suggestions, questions, comments or concerns, please let us know in the comments section or email us at <a href="mailto:beingmarthabecomingmary@gmail.com">beingmarthabecomingmary@gmail.com</a>!! <br />
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Have an awesome week. <br />
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-Christi <br />
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(Photo credit unknown, if you know, please reach out so we can give credit where it's due!)Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-86852288482015464802014-02-25T14:23:00.000-08:002014-02-25T14:23:12.633-08:00Taking a New Direction We are taking a new direction here at Being Martha, Becoming Mary! Who's excited for changes?<br />
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After a year absence, we've decided to go a new direction. When we originally started this blog, it was just going to be church things that spoke to our hearts, things that moved us. But over the last year, we have realized (well, remembered) that it is not just thoughts that occur to us that are here for us to learn. <br />
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It is the daily experiences, the challenges (which we all have plenty of, I'm sure!) which teach us the best lessons. I don't know why this just occurred to me. I've known it for a long time, but we wanted a place to share our testimonies and stuff that occurs to us. I mentioned in my last post that 2012 was a refiner's fire. I lost my dad, moved home to help my mom, lost friends, gained a couple friends, and got stuck in some places that weren't very pleasant. 2013 proved to be more of the same, an incredible growth experience that has helped me stretch in ways I never thought possible.<br />
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But blogs that focus only on thoughts aren't as uplifting, and, let's face it, those kind of blogs are bohhhh-ring (said in the voice of Michelle from Full House, anyone remember that?) I like to read stories and experiences and relate to them through blogs. In most cases, I don't know the blog owner or family. But I can relate to some of the experiences, or I can learn from them. <br />
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So we're taking a new direction here. And if this little blog reaches even one heart, we have a chance. <br />
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In the meantime, here is a pic of Kerri and I from our recent trip to Moab, UT. Kerri is not into hiking (like, at all) but she humored me and went on more than a few. It was 40 degrees the day we went on this hike in Arches National Park. Can you see how happy she is in the background? What a champ. <br />
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Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-62062128109352768872013-01-09T08:47:00.002-08:002013-01-09T08:47:21.456-08:00Waking Up Happy Just a quick one this morning, folks. <br />
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I woke up with happiness and hope this morning. This is great! I haven't woken up like this in a long time, I usually have to work at it. I know, this shouldn't be the case. I should always have happiness and gratitude in my heart. But that is why this blog is called Being Martha, Becoming Mary. Martha wasn't doing anything wrong, she just had her priorities mixed up. That happens to me quite often. Since 2012 turned out to be a refiner's fire, I found myself always needing to re-center and fix my priorities . My entire life changed (and that is no exaggeration!), right down to my daily routines. I wasn't too pleased initially. I felt like I was thrust into a new stage of adulthood against my will and spent the first half of 2012 walking in a cloud of grief, for many things. I may write a post about losing my dad in early 2012. I may not be able to get through it. The point is, waking up happy is a happy change. The Lord is always by my side. <br />
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Moroni 10:5 came to mind this morning as well:<br />
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"And by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things."<br />
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What an awesome promise that is. How has the Holy Ghost blessed your life? Are you out there? Who is reading this blog??<br />
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Happy Wednesday! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>Christi</em></strong> </span><br />
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Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-27772929125906501172013-01-03T20:12:00.000-08:002013-01-03T20:12:22.382-08:00Cheap is Great, Free is Better: Getting Fiscally Fit. Can I get a "WOOHOO!"?? 2013 is here, ya'll! F.I.N.A.L.L.Y. <br />
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Yes, I know that Presidents Monson and Uchtdorf, and even Eyring, have reminded us that we need not wait for happiness. That joy can be right now. Don't wait for your golden ticket. Honestly though, I could not WAIT to get 2012 behind me. What a doozy. Stress city, I tell you. <br />
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Well, onward and upward, friends. As a kid, my dad always used to say "Christi, cheap is great and free is better!" I would always dramatically roll my eyes and groan in that way that only kids and teens can. Usually because we were salvaging something during community dump week, or at a thrift store. I HATED it!! Now? Thanks, dad! I learned every single frugal thing I know thanks to my parents. I can change my own oil, brakes, and hoses on my car. I can squeeze a buck out of a penny. I'm the princess of finding free things to do. However, that doesn't mean that I have always taken advantage of the skills my lovely parents gave me. Ah, the beauty of nature and getting old. <br />
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I don't believe in resolutions. We never really keep resolutions, do we? Kind of like yo-yo dieting. It might work for a bit, but if it isn't a sustainable, manageable, life change, it won't stick. This girl is not really good at resolutions. I do, however, believe in improvement. Making goals is a great way to ensure you are moving forward, both temporally and spiritually. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The What</span> <br />
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So, my (totally not a resolution) <strong>goal</strong> for 2013 is to get fiscally fit. I know, I know. It totally sounds like a resolution. I don't really feel that it is, because it's a life change for me. I am making it my goal to change some, ahem, not so great habits I've picked up as a single lady. <br />
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The point is, I've always <strike>mismanaged my money</strike> liked to spend. And I've always liked adventure. That got me into trouble, because spending on adventures can get out of hand. That giant poster that you will probably decide is too ugly to hang when you get home? Need it. So, I racked up some debt. The major problem with that was that my attitude was in the wrong place. Because I was an idiot, I felt that I would just pay it later. WHAT? I was a genius, I tell you. You can't just not pay people back. That isn't what good people do. It's also not becoming of someone who has taken upon them the name of Christ.<br />
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So, <span style="font-size: large;">once I pulled my head out of you-know-where</span>, I started working on it. Now that my debt is down to a manageable level (as in, less than $2,00 without my car), and there are only little things here and there to be taken care of, I want to get my finances to a better place. Work toward home ownership. I'm not married yet. I'm not a mama yet. But someday, I will be. And I will want to be in a place where I can be a good example and have my life in order. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The How</span><br />
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I guess the burning question now is how? Well, I definitely did my homework. In taking on something of this magnitude, you definitely need to figure out what works for you. Everyone is different. Everyone has a different learning style. After much research, I decided to create a mish mash of sorts. Different styles together. <br />
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The interwebs introduced me to Miss Anna Newell Jones over at <a href="http://andthenwesaved.com/total-savings/" target="_blank">And Then We Saved.</a> Facing her own debt like Wonder Woman, Anna created what she calls The Spending Fast. She managed to pay off over $17,000 in debt on a $33,000/yr salary. I'm telling you, this girl IS Wonder Woman. Anna's style is based on getting back to basics. It's an extreme level of frugality, wherein you spend only on necessities and cut out ALL non-necessary spending. Sound extreme? It is. But it's a way to get out of debt quicker than you would otherwise. She also offers advice on a Spending Diet, in which you simply cut down spending. <br />
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I've decided to go with the fast, simply because this girl loves to spend money. I have a love/hate relationship with the word "Sale". Clearance? You betcha. But I had to get real with myself. Just because you buy on sale and on clearance doesn't mean that you are saving yourself money. It's just that instead of buying one shirt/cardigan/skirt/super cute pair of jeans, I would buy four. Same price, more clothing, saving money, right?! Um, no. Because in some cases, I would spend more that I would've had I purchased something at regular price. I'm telling you, I've got no filter. There isn't anything in my brain that says "yeah, maybe not a good idea". <br />
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I enlisted my bestie. You all know her as Kerri. Because we are both single and spend like, all of our time together, it only made sense that we did this together. There were some moans and groans when I brought it up, but I think I successfully got her on the wagon. I like to think it was my amazing skill at finding free and cheap things to do. Of course, during the fast, ALL entertainment has to be free fifty. <br />
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I don't know if you guys know this, but Utah is a virtual mecca for free things to do. Plus, we have a lot of stay at home moms here, because family is central to our culture. I am in awe of stay at home moms. They are AMAZING! They can whip you up an incredible breakfast while rangling a two year old and changing a diaper, all while telling you about budgeting. So, with a little internet research, I found LOTS of things to do to keep us busy for quite awhile. Oh, yeah, and Anna has a great list of <a href="http://andthenwesaved.com/things-to-do-instead-of-spending-money/" target="_blank">56 Things to Do Instead of Spending Money</a> if you're in need of a little inspiration! <br />
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So, I will list some things the bestie and I came up with:<br />
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<a href="http://www.dupinternational.org/pioneer_memorial_museum.php" target="_blank">Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum</a> Ok, Ok. I know this doesn't scream FUN at many people. But hey, they have a two headed lamb in the basement. Worth the trip. <br />
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<a href="http://utaholympiclegacy.com/" target="_blank">Utah Olympic Park</a> The site of the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake is now open, with free admission, to the general public. Word on the street says the tours are free. Now, if after your spending fast is complete, you want to take a ride on the bobsled down the olympic track, that will cost you. <br />
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<a href="http://www.downtownslc.org/" target="_blank">Downtown SLC</a> "The lights are much brighter there, you can forget all your worries, forget all your cares..." Ahem, where was I? Ah, yes. Downtown. LOTS to do. Especially in summer. Free concerts at all the major parks. Free outdoor movies. Those are the only things that make summer good. I hate heat. I'm a downer daisy. Don't fret, downtown has plenty to do in the winter. For instance, you can act like a tourist and visit all the major spots like <a href="http://www.lds.org/locations/historic-beehive-house" target="_blank">The Beehive House,</a> <a href="https://familysearch.org/locations/saltlakecity-library" target="_blank">Family History Library,</a> <a href="https://history.lds.org/place/church-history-museum?lang=eng" target="_blank">Church History Museum,</a> <a href="http://www.visittemplesquare.com/" target="_blank">Temple Square</a> (lots of free events all year). You don't need to be LDS to enjoy these, either. Lots of history and neat things to learn. <br />
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<a href="http://gallery%20stroll%20salt%20lake/" target="_blank">Gallery Stroll Salt Lake </a> Our local (free) art stroll. Pack on your hipster glasses and hit the town! <br />
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<a href="http://www.enjoyutah.org/2011/03/community-exploration-card.html" target="_blank">Community Exploration Card</a> This is a free card offered to residents of Salt Lake. It can be obtained at city libraries on the first of the month. The CEC allows up to four people entry into <a href="http://www.redbuttegarden.org/" target="_blank">Red Butte Garden</a>, <a href="http://www.theleonardo.org/" target="_blank">The Leonardo </a>, <a href="http://www.nhmu.utah.edu/" target="_blank">Natural History Museum of Utah</a>, and <a href="http://www.childmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Discovery Gateway</a>. We just got ours for January, we're excited! Although we will probably be giving it away once we hit the Discovery Gateway point. Nothing weirder than two adults without kids at a childrens museum. Ok, maybe there is. But we're not 18 and we don't want to look like creepers! <br />
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<a href="http://stateparks.utah.gov/rockin-utah/checkitout" target="_blank">Utah State Park Pass</a> Utah State Parks have partnered with our local libraries. This means you can use your library card to check out a pass to enjoy one of the 43 state parks! How cool is that? We have some beautiful hikes here! <br />
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So basically, Utah is neat. If you aren't from here, all it takes is a little research to find fun things to do in your area. I usually search Free Salt Lake City or something like that. I've done this in every city I've traveled to, and found some incredble stuff. <br />
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Wish me luck on this adventure, and let me know if you are doing something similar!! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Christi</strong></em></span> Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-48003047527665396002012-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:002012-12-29T08:00:06.943-08:00Thoughts on the Strait and Narrow. As I have walked down this path I am currently on, I try to see the relation to what I am reading to what I see with my own eyes. I found myself remembering Christi urging me to see this on many occasions, but not until recently had I had an open heart to see them. <br />
<br />As I read, 1 Nephi chapter 8 was speaking of a vision about the tree of life and partaking of the fruit. As people were partaking of the fruit, a building high in the sky was full of people scoffing at the ones partaking of the fruit and people were embarrassed that they were making fun of them. As the embarrassed ones left the tree, they strayed off the strait and narrow path. This spoke so clearly and straight to my heart I had to stop for a minute to catch my breath.<br />
<br />This is happening to me now, I feel like I have finally found the strait and narrow and people are questioning my every move and thought. It is also very much a part of everyday life for many members of the church, no matter how old a rumor is or a joke people poke fun at the church. <br />I keep remembering a talk I had with some missionaries awhile back about this, I then realized at that moment as well that the further we go down this path the days may be difficult, but if we remember what the ultimate goal is it is so worth it. The ultimate goal its to return to our Father in heaven and we must remain steadfast and true to what we know to be true within our hearts, souls, and minds. It may seem easier to just walk away from the path, but if you are quiet and open your hearts the Spirit will never let you down and the Spirit will help you every step of the way.<br />
<br />As a younger person, I read of the strait and narrow and I always thought straight, as in a straight line. Never did I realize it is actually spelled strait, as in rocky and not smooth at all. When it was pointed out to me recently, it hit me like a board to the side of my head. I always thought if I go to church and do all the things I am supposed to do, then life is cake. Never did I think it's supposed to be full of trials and moments of sadness and frustration. These are the things that help us grow. When I finally realized this, I was promised it was worth it.<br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Kerri</span></em></strong>Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-53345850242212157032012-12-27T16:23:00.000-08:002012-12-27T16:23:08.890-08:00Lessons Learned: The Snow Blower
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The air is cold today. My little fingers are freezing as I
write this, despite having both my space heater and the regular (house) heater
going. We’ve had quite the storm going on in our little part of Utah, one that
has been consistently dropping snow on us since Christmas Eve. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m grateful for the snow (deep down), grateful for the
water that will come from it during the dry months this summer. It’s
heartbreaking to see once robust creeks and rivers dwindle to nothingness in
drought years. I hate it. I hate to see dry rocks and a tiny trickle of water
where there used to be big swells and rapids. It makes me sad. I know, I know.
Sadness because of dry creeks and riverbeds? Silly. I just hate seeing nothing
where there should be something. Our spiritual riverbeds can dry up just as
easily, if not fed by the snow of scripture study and prayer. This is something
I am (unfortunately) all too familiar with. We need to feed our rivers and
creeks with the rejuvenating power of a strong relationship with our Heavenly
Father. In fact, Heavenly Father taught me a powerful lesson just this morning,
using snow and a finicky snow blower as His tools. I feel like I should share
it, because the lesson learned is one that is all too easily forgotten. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let me just start by saying that I LOVE Utah, but I HATE
snow. You can’t have Utah without snow, so I just have to pick my battles. I
woke up to about 7 inches of snow on my driveway this morning. This after
having snow-blown (is that a phrase?) approximately 5 inches last night. It’s
hard to be grateful and remember those empty riverbeds when you are faced with
an hour’s worth of snow blowing. So, as the grumpier version of myself, I
hitched up my big-girl panties and my snow gear and went out to face the
dreaded white stuff. Now, I understand that snow blowers make our lives
infinitely easier. I’m also keenly aware of the fact that not everyone owns
one. We didn’t have one in the last house I lived in, and that was a nightmare
(we lived on the side of a mountain. I’ll let you fill in the gaps). While I am
grateful for this piece of modern machinery, in all my first-world problems existence,
I wish they were easier. I want to turn a key and have it start like a car. I
don’t like all this pull-the-choke-out-and
prime-then-pull-ridiculously-long-string-to-start business. Oh, and as an added
bonus, I needed to add gas to the thing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although the grumpier version of myself, I went out with
youthful positivity that I would be able to start it, get it done, and move on
with my day. I had grand plans to get myself a new tire, since I shredded one
last night on my way to pick up a gift card that I purchased but never
received. And then, I pulled the cord. And pulled. And pulled. Pushed the
primer again. And pulled. Shouted “Are you kidding me?”. And pulled some more.
Whined something about my knight in shining pick-up truck, and where the heck
is he? And pulled. Then, I prayed. Just a little guy prayer. A quick couple
liner asking for help because I needed it. With renewed confidence that the
Lord would help, I resumed the task at hand and pulled with all my might. A
stutter, a whiff of gas, and…..nothing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With a huff I stomped off into the house, throwing off snow
gear as I stomped to the living room. A pouffy coat here, a beanie there,
gloves everywhere. As I sat on the arm of my couch, grumbling in frustration, I
saw a picture of the Savior on my mantel. “Why aren’t You helping me?” I said
to Him out loud. I am (usually) grateful for lessons, but was frustrated and
wondering why today had to be the day I learned one. Then, softly, I heard the
Spirit whisper to me “Try one more time”. I hurriedly put all my snow gear back
on and went out the garage where my nemesis sat in all its red glory. It had
now been an hour since I began trying to get this thing to work. I put my gloved
hand on the handle, reached down, and pulled that stupid string with all my
might. Fully expecting it to roar to life, I looked up happily, and then realized it
had not. There it sat, with my hand on the handle, stupid string in my
other one, not doing a dang thing. Just as I was about to have a Clark Griswold
style freak out, I saw it. The ignition, turned to the “Off” position. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are. You. Kidding. Me?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had forgotten to turn the thing on before I did my whole
pull-the choke-and-string process. You have to turn it ON before it will START.
Imagine that. I had just spent over an hour of my life trying to get this thing
going, and it wouldn’t simply because I had overlooked the obvious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then it hit me like a train. The Lord wants to help us.
He wants us to succeed and come back to Him. He wants to help us when we need
it, even with seemingly small things like starting a snow blower. But our
Heavenly Father also gives us a brain for a reason. We are here to grow and
learn eternal principles before returning to Him. But He won’t give us the
answer right away if there is something to be learned from guiding us in
figuring it out ourselves. I felt ashamed for asking why He wouldn't help me, as I realized that I hadn't done everything I needed to do in order for Him to help me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/9?lang=eng" target="_blank">Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-8</a>, we are reminded that we
must first figure it out, then go to our Heavenly Father and ask if the thing
we have decided on is right: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="7"></a><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7 </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Behold,
you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when
you took no thought save it was to ask me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(249, 246, 237); line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="8"></a><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8 </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But,
behold, I say unto you, that you must </span><sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a</span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/9?lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">study</span></a> it out in your </span><sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b</span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/9?lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">mind</span></a>; then you must </span><sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">c</span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/9?lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">ask</span></a> me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that
your </span><sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">d</span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/9?lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">bosom</span></a> shall </span><sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">e</span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/9?lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">burn</span></a> within you; therefore, you shall </span><sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">f</span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/9?lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">feel</span></a> that it is right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He could’ve fixed it right away for me. He could’ve turned
the key to on when I was in the house so that the machine would rumble to life
when I pulled the cord that last time. If he had, I wouldn’t have been reminded
of this valuable lesson. We always need to make sure we have our ducks in a row,
and that we are doing everything we should be doing in order to increase
opportunities for our Heavenly Father to work miracles in our lives and teach
us things we wouldn’t know otherwise. We need to make sure we have our
ignitions set to “On” in order for Him to do even more in our lives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After I switched the ignition, my nemesis the snow blower
quickly rumbled to life and I was able to clear my driveway and get my chores
done. The tire on my car remains, but there will be time for that later. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am grateful for snow, a loving Heavenly Father who knows
me better than I do. A Heavenly Father who wants me to be the best version of
me, and is guiding me in the journey to get there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What lessons have you learned recently that have had an
impact on your life?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-Christi</span></div>
Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-28870505755724196112012-08-28T13:12:00.001-07:002012-08-28T13:12:19.485-07:00Brigham City Temple<div>
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I don't know about you guys, but around here it's been a decent week! I've been struggling personally lately, and I'll admit that I've been pretty discouraged. Like full on, breakdown at the kitchen counter while talking to my mom kind of discouraged. Honestly, sometimes it is hard to understand why certain things happen and why the Lord's timing is the way it is. However, the Lord is truly aware of us personally and is always there to comfort us and provide us with just what we need. Which leads me to this weekend...</div>
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This past weekend, we had the opportunity to attend the Brigham City, UT LDS Temple open house. What a great experience! We piled Kerri, myself, my mom and my friend Di into the car and took ourselves a little hour roadtrip to the country. Temple Open Houses are open to any respectful person who would like the opportunity to tour a temple, and are done prior to the dedication of the temple. After the open house, the temple is cleaned and then dedicated. Because open houses are held prior to dedication, you do not need an LDS Temple Recommend to attend. </div>
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(Click <a href="http://www.lds.org/church/temples/why-we-build-temples?lang=eng" target="_blank">here</a> to learn more about why we build temples)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPONyD-BDKoiDPToUAZHWKT6IwOxnLh6cRi1425xJjs6V2TpVjkKTYlGmBOjJde_iVaMDPviIMJx0wFHnMh2w0DCOR7zvuBd8UpHOTZQ0d4GEoRBYUH2FMY1Xlq5XBCdpHJGfNiJJUHZB/s1600/Brigham+City+Temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPONyD-BDKoiDPToUAZHWKT6IwOxnLh6cRi1425xJjs6V2TpVjkKTYlGmBOjJde_iVaMDPviIMJx0wFHnMh2w0DCOR7zvuBd8UpHOTZQ0d4GEoRBYUH2FMY1Xlq5XBCdpHJGfNiJJUHZB/s400/Brigham+City+Temple.jpg" width="376" /></a></div>
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Brigham City, UT LDS Temple<br />
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No matter how many times I have been to each temple, the experience always takes my breath away. It is such a beautiful, touching experience to be able to serve our Father in Heaven and His children. It is a place for quiet reflection where we can be so close to our Heavenly Father, a place where we can ponder and remind ourselves that there is so much waiting for us beyond our earthly experience. While I am worthy to enter the temple, actually going to the temple inspires me to be a better person and to work harder to care for others. I have never known a more incredible happiness than the happiness I feel while serving in the temple.<br />
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This open house was special, because it was the first time Kerri has seen the inside of a temple. She did not grow up in Utah, and thus has never had the opportunity to attend an open house. Seeing her face as she experienced the architectural beauty firsthand was incredible. I felt the Spirit so strongly as we walked through, and I felt the promise of increased happiness for her.<br />
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Temple work is vital to Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness. It will also help you increase happiness in your life directly, as you serve faithfully. The temple has blessed my life in numerous ways, and I have had many sacred experiences in the temple that have solidified my faith in our Father in Heaven and his work, as well as his plan for us.<br />
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How has the temple blessed your life??<br />
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Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-28749501221264812002012-08-26T18:20:00.001-07:002012-08-26T18:24:40.174-07:00Special Edition: Stake Conference Part II (Kerri)<br />
I have been pondering this last week as to what to write and after many
times of starting, stopping, and erasing, I think I finally got it.<br />
There was
a talk given at my stake conference and the young man said it was time to stop
saying prayers and time to start praying. <br />
So my question to you is, do you
really pray with all of your heart? Or are you just praying, saying the right
words at the right time? <br />
I thought I was praying with all of my heart, but
after reading 2 Nephi chapter 32 I had to ask that question to myself again.
That young man at conference spoke volumes with that question of us. Nephi spoke
of it in <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/32?lang=eng" target="_blank">verse 9</a>, saying "I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint."<br />
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So, next time you get down to pray, remember those great words of Nephi. Do not
pray faintly but listen to the Holy Ghost, for He is a gift from our Heavenly
Father and He will never leave us alone. We just need to open our hearts and
speak to Him and listen to what He is trying to say.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Kerri</b></i></span>Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-46593162575207697832012-08-20T22:32:00.002-07:002012-08-20T23:04:34.478-07:00Special Edition: Stake Conference Part I (Christi) This weekend, I had the awesome opportunity to attend Stake Conference with Kerri. And how awesome it was, indeed.<br />
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For those of you not familiar, a perfect explanation of how our church is organized into local congregations may be found <a href="http://www.lds.org/topics/church-organization/how-the-church-is-organized?lang=eng" target="_blank">here.</a> Twice a year we have Stake Conference, a time to gather and learn together as a larger group and also see those we don't see often. It's a great time to learn and strengthen each other.<br />
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Alright. Now that everyone is in the loop, I can continue on with lessons learned at Stake Conference.<br />
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<b>Lesson 1: It's <u>NEVER</u> too late to come back. </b><br />
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I learned this lesson quite awhile ago, but this weekend was a nice reminder. 4 years ago, I made the BEST decision of my life when I decided to go back to church. Seriously, it was the BEST thing I could have ever done for myself. I plan to write down my (re)conversion story in a future post, but for now, just know that I really feel this was the best decision in all my 29 years. During the time I was "away", I met my best friend Kerri. So not all bad. But I will tell you that it took me a whole lot of tears, heartache, embarrassing moments and years to get back to a place where I am comfortable in the gospel.<br />
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Kerri is on this journey herself at the moment. She has recently decided to come back to church, and I couldn't be more excited for her. I'm excited for her as she works toward remembering that our Heavenly Father loves her. Attending her first stake conference (well, sort of. She did come to mine so she could see me sing in the tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City!!) was nothing short of exciting. I never thought we would be in this place as best friends, and I am beyond thrilled. There is so much joy in the gospel, and it is so fantastic to be able to share that with someone, especially someone you love as your own sister!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you have wondered about coming back (or even joining) and are scared, it's ok. It can be scary making serious life changes. But they are changes for the better!! We are always here for you. The one thing I wish were different about that time period in my life was knowing someone who had been through the same thing. Someone to talk to as I made my way back. So <a href="mailto:beingmarthbecomingmary@gmail.com" target="_blank">email us</a> if you want to chat or just need some support. Believe me, Kerri and I have put ourselves through some pretty terrible stuff. So chances are, we have been in a similar situation.<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> <u><i>It's a process, but not one you have to do alone!! </i></u></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lesson 2: STOP IT. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b>Again, more of a reminder. Maybe this should be titled "lessons reminded" rather than "lesson learned"??Anyhoo, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the first presidency gave a wonderful talk on this very topic in the <a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-merciful-obtain-mercy?lang=eng&query=stop" target="_blank">April 2012 General Conference</a> of the church. He had this to say: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
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<div class="" style="background-color: #f9f6ed; border: 0px; color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" uri="/general-conference/2012/04/the-merciful-obtain-mercy.p21">
<span class="highlight" id="searchQueryTerm" style="background-color: #fefbbf; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stop</span> it!"</div>
<div class="" style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" uri="/general-conference/2012/04/the-merciful-obtain-mercy.p21">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The stake president brought this talk up in his own talk during the Sunday session. And what a great reminder it was!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Ok, dirty laundry time....I have trouble with gossiping. I do not like backbiting, and I believe people always have reasons behind why they are doing something, and so we are not to judge or speak ill of them. I don't like speaking ill of people, but I still do (in some instances) when I'm angry (Hey! That's why this blog is about becoming Mary. If it wasn't, it would be called Perfect Patty and probably not be of any worth). That being said, thanks to my parents and some wicked awesome genetics, I am sooooooooooooooooooo nosy. So nosy. I don't share info or spread rumors, but I like to know what is going on, how people are doing, what is happening. It isn't malicious, in fact it is usually the opposite. I like to know that people are doing ok, not talk trash about their outfits. Some of you may not classify that as "gossiping", but I do. Gossiping means discussing someone when they are not there to defend themselves. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">And this is a lesson I certainly needed a reminder in. Why, you ask? Because not one hour later, I was in a bad mood (veeery persnippety due to my headache and some other, ahem, lady issues). Riding in the car, I said something not so nice about a woman who had spoken in that day's meeting. It was something along the lines of "Wow, that sure felt more like a baptist revival than a talk in an LDS church, right?" <i>(Please note that this is in no way intended to be a negative comment toward those of the Baptist faith. I celebrate all those who come together in Christ. It was simply an observation of the different ways our faiths address our congregations.)</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Really, Christi?! Seriously?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A negative comment about someone who just spoke, even AFTER the reminder that we need to stop this behavior! I should have done the walk of shame for that one. Seriously. I am of the belief that church, above all, should be the one place where we are able to go and be free of judgement. There is enough garbage in the world today that we need a place where we can go to be 100% supported and uplifted. And there I was, spewing trash from my mouth without thinking about it. Great. Nice one, girl. I'm sure the woman I was referring to is awesome. In fact, the things she had to say were of great worth in regard to raising children in today's world. Someone should've slapped me. I blame Kerri for not making it happen. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">And so, lesson #2 has been duly noted. Put that one in the back pocket for future reference. As in:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> " Dear Christi, get your crap together." Thanks, conscience. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Do any of you struggle with these things?? What are your favorite parts of stake conference??</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">**K<i>eep your eyes peeled for Special Edition: Stake Conference Part II (Kerri) here soon!!**</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Christi</i></b></span></div>
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Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7015627120999690999.post-75367352040893793802012-08-17T00:54:00.003-07:002012-08-17T00:54:55.241-07:00Better and Best. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'm a Martha.</b></span><br />
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There, I said it. I typed it out loud for the world to see. And yes, I'm guilty, as we all are, from time to time. Guilty of being more Martha than Mary. It isn't terrible, but there are better things. I am also a member of <a href="http://www.mormon.org/" target="_blank">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints</a>, and as such have chosen to live my life pointed toward service in Christ.<br />
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For those of us unfamiliar with the story of Jesus' visit to Martha and Mary, it is a short parable found in the book of Luke in the Bible. A parable of only five short verses, it is one with profound meaning. When Jesus visited her village, Martha received him into her home. Once He was settled, Mary sat at Jesus' feet and "heard his word" (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/10?lang=eng" target="_blank">Luke 10:39, King James Version</a>). Martha, I imagine excited at having such a visitor, was busy preparing her home and preparing to serve. She went to Jesus, and had the following to say: "..<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me." (<a href="http://lord%2C%20dost%20thou%20not%20care%20that%20my%20sister%20hath%20left%20me%20to%20serve%20alone/?%20bid%20her%20therefore%20that%20she%20help%20me." target="_blank">V. 40</a>) </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In part, Jesus replied</span><span style="color: #2f393a;"> "</span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">But one thing is needful: and Mary hath </span><sup class="studyNoteMarker" style="background-color: #f9f6ed; border: 0px; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/10?lang=eng#" id="footnote48" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=nt&bookUri=luke&chapterUri=10&noteID=42a&lang=eng" style="background-color: #f9f6ed; border: 0px; color: #486fae; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">chosen</a><span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/10?lang=eng" target="_blank">V. 42</a>) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Was Martha doing a bad thing? Not in my opinion. She was attempting to treat her guest with respect and make Him comfortable in her home. Was it the best thing she could have done at that moment? No. There are good things, better things, and best things. It's a given that we should concentrate on the "best" things. I can't say I wouldn't have responded the same way as Martha. In fact, I know I would have. There were many times as roommates when Kerri and I would entertain our friends and I would be irritated or upset because I felt she was socializing more than helping to ensure the bruschetta looked just perfect. Do people remember bruschetta? Not really. They remember how much fun they had, and how you treated them and made them feel in your home. And whether you paid attention to them. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">In 2012, there are so many distractions. So many good things tugging at our attention. We are so busy developing relationships with those around us, trying our best to serve in the best way possible, serving as visiting teachers, friends, relief society presidencies and so on that it's becomes very easy to be more Martha than Mary. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">And so, when I realized a few days ago that I was in need of a major attitude adjustment, I decided to do something about it. I want to be more Mary than Martha, a woman who will sit at the feet of Christ and not let myself become too distracted by good things that don't matter as much as others. I enlisted my best friend, Miss Kerri, to aid me in my quest. Together, we decided to read all four books of Scripture: The Bible (King James Version), The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. We believe all four to be the word of God, with the Book of Mormon being another testament of Christ. In addition to our daily scripture reading, our hope is to do something each week to put into practice the things we've learned through scripture study that week and post our experiences on our blog. It is my hope that you will come with us on this journey, and learn with us as we seek to improve ourselves through the word of God and apply it to life in 2012. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Here's to new adventures!</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Christi</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>Two Sistershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17357354010069918624noreply@blogger.com0