Christmas

This may possibly have been the most delightful Christmas with my family that I have ever had. There was no drama, everyone was kind, and we got to spend two quality days together as a family. I don't know how long it has been since we have had an holiday go about this way. I'm so grateful that we were able to put all issues and arguments aside to just love each other, and to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I tried to document the last few days in photos from my phone, so of course the quality is bad. A lot of laughs and good times were shared this week, my time was well spent. I just want to say how grateful I am for my family. I love them so much. And even though we aren't perfect, and sometimes we do and say harmful things, we are able to put those things aside, and keep progressing as a family. I know that my family loves me, no matter what happens. And knowing that has made all the difference. I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and were able to spend it with the people who matter most to them. :]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nikki's Pick: D&C 88:41,67

Nikki's Pick:

"41He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever.
67 67 And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things."

Scripture of the Day: Alma 5:12-15

"12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

  13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.

  14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

  15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?"

Carmel popcorn with Papa

Tonight my dad and I went Christmas shopping for my siblings, and wound up buying all the needed ingredients for caramel popcorn. I've never made it myself before tonight, but might I say I did a fantastic job! The popcorn was delicious! The only down side? We ate so much of it we're now sick to our stomachs! Haha. I love being in the kitchen and making tasty treats. Tomorrow's project: Gingerbread house.

[Note: pictures were taken on my cell phone so they aren't the best quality and some are pretty blurry.]

dad let the popcorn overflow!!

the magical ingredients.

 stirring the caramel.

sifting through the popcorn to get all the seeds out before adding the caramel.

still sifting through the popcorn,

the delicious from scratch made caramel. mmmm yum!

the finished product!

Scripture of the Day: 1 epistle of John 4:18; Thought of the Day: Love

John 4:18

"18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Thought of the Day: Love

"Love is a feeling of deep devotion, concern, and affection. The greatest example of God's love for His children is found in the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ. Love for God and fellow men is a characteristic of disciples of Jesus Christ.

We manifest our love for Heavenly Father by keeping His commandments and serving His children. Our expressions of love for others may include being kind to them, listening to them, mourning with them, comforting them, serving them, praying for them, sharing the gospel with them, and being their friend.
Our love for those around us increases when we remember that we are all children of God—that we are spirit brothers and sisters. The love that results from this realization has the power to transcend all boundaries of nation, creed, and color."

--www.lds.org--

Weekend ish thing.

This weekend was a little rough.  The b2bpc sort of fell apart, which saddened me greatly. Some dear friends in the group made poor choices that the rest of us had a hard time dealing with, especially me. But after tears and apologies, all is well. I'm so glad that even when things get really hard, we're all still there for each other, and all can be forgiven. I truly love you all.

I was supposed to DJ for a dance at my church on saturday, but the guy who normally does it showed up and relieved me of my duties. I was pretty upset. I spent hours of my time putting together a playlist of great music that was church dance appropriate and that kids love. I felt like I'd put in all this effort for nothing. I ended up staying at the dance and hanging out with some friends, and watching my dad and his date in action, so it was alright. Seeing my dad having so much fun made me real happy. He needs more days like that.

Also, my mom and I had a talk this week. It didn't go very well. I listened to her talk for most of the hour and a half I was with her. I didn't argue, or try and correct her when she said something I disagreed with. I just didn't say anything. A lot of things were said that greatly hurt my feelings. I feel as though the relationship we'd once had is completely gone. I miss my mom. My real mom. And how things were about 3 or 4 years ago. I feel like the more she tries to talk to me about everything, the less I feel like this is my mom. I feel like she's someone else's almost. I miss my momma. I've decided that despite everything, I'm just going to keep treating her, and caring for her, the way I have as long as I can remember. I love her so much. And even though things seem to keep getting worse, I'm going to always love her, and visit her, and do things with her like I always have. Kind of like I'm pretending nothing has happened, except that I know they did, and I'm just letting it go. [Not too sure how much of a difference from pretending that really is, but I'm trying!]

Sunday was by far my best day this week. It usually is. I had the opportunity to teach our gospel doctrines class at church for the investigators and new members of the church. I believe I'm teaching next week as well. I think it will be fun. I spent the afternoon reading The Peacegiver, napping, coming to terms with the b2bpc, and then all evening at the Showalters home for dinner, games, and friends. To make the evening even better, when I returned home my brother and I snuggled up on the couch and watched the movie Enchanted on t.v. together. I love being able to spend time with him like that. Michael has always felt like he was my little boy, and not my little brother. Steve[Rachael] and I stayed up a good portion of the night watching season 2 of Gossip Girl after Michael went to bed. I love spending time with her as well. Steve is a wonderful girl, and a great friend. I love you Steve!

Today I got to spend my entire afternoon making origami butterflies and hanging out with Bryan. That was the first time we have ever hung out, just the two of us, EVER. It was nice. We talked about family stuff, what he wants to do, we read scriptures, had lunch. It was just lovely. I have very much so enjoyed the friendship that we've shared through our letters while he was away. I'm hoping now that he is home from serving a mission that we can become really great friends.

Although the weekend started out not so good, it ended very nicely. I'm glad that even though things get hard sometimes, that there is always a positive to everything. The outcome will always end up good. I know that with all my heart. We just have to be patient enough to wait out the storm. <3

Slacking

I'm sorry I've been slacking so much in my blog posts. I've gotten so far behind I've decided to not even bother catching up by doing the daily posts. But I'm going to start back up again. I've been spending a lot of time with my friends tyler, devin, sean, and steve [aka rachael]. We named ourselves b2bpc. It's an inside joke that only our little group understands. I love hanging out with them so much. We always have fun even when we aren't actually doing anything. 
This week I got to see my grandma on my dad's side. I hadn't seen her since my cousins wedding back in September. It was really nice to see her. I also got to spend a lot of time with babies this week. It made me want my own little baby so badly. They are definitely a lot of work and not easy! However it makes me that much more stoked for when I'll be a mommy some day.
My friend Bryan flew home from Colorado today. He spend the past 2 years serving as a missionary for the church. I'm so proud of him. :]
I'm dj-ing for a church dance for kids 14-18 tomorrow night, I think it'll be a lot of fun. Especially since my dad will be there. I love hanging out with my dad.

I saw AVATAR with b2bpc last night in 3-D and in the imax theater last night. That movie was incredible. The graphics were phenomenal, and the story line was great. I would love to see it again. However paying 14$ to watch it will stop me from seeing it in theaters again. I'll just wait until it's out on dvd. Definitely one that would be awesome to get on blu-ray!!

Happy weekend everyone!

Mr. Kruger's Christmas

When I got home from church today I put in a short little video about Christmas the church put out called Mr. Kruger's Christmas. I hadnt seen it in a couple of years. I cried. It was beautiful and had a great message to share. It's always a great reminder for me of why I celebrate Christmas. It's not about the presents, Santa Claus, gingerbread houses, any of that stuff. It's about celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Our brother, friend, and redeemer. It's about spending time with the ones you love. Reading scriptures together, praying together, being a family. I hope that we can all remember the true meaning of Christmas this year and not be so caught up in "who's getting what."

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88:119; Thought of the Day: Home

D&C 88:119

"119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;"

Thought of the Day:

"Recently, in a stake conference, all present were invited by the visiting authority, Elder Glen Jenson, an Area Seventy, to take a virtual tour of their homes using their spiritual eyes. I would like to invite each of you to do this also. Wherever your home may be and whatever its configuration, the application of eternal gospel principles within its walls is universal. Let’s begin. Imagine that you are opening your front door and walking inside your home. What do you see, and how do you feel? Is it a place of love, peace, and refuge from the world, as is the temple? Is it clean and orderly? As you walk through the rooms of your home, do you see uplifting images which include appropriate pictures of the temple and the Savior? Is your bedroom or sleeping area a place for personal prayer? Is your gathering area or kitchen a place where food is prepared and enjoyed together, allowing uplifting conversation and family time? Are scriptures found in a room where the family can study, pray, and learn together? Can you find your personal gospel study space? Does the music you hear or the entertainment you see, online or otherwise, offend the Spirit? Is the conversation uplifting and without contention? That concludes our tour. Perhaps you, as I, found a few spots that need some “home improvement”—hopefully not an “extreme home makeover.”

Whether our living space is large or small, humble or extravagant, there is a place for each of these gospel priorities in each of our homes.

In order to keep the temple and those who attend it sacred and worthy, the Lord has established standards through His servants, the prophets. We may be well-advised to consider together, in family council, standards for our homes to keep them sacred and to allow them to be a “house of the Lord.” The admonition to “establish … a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God”9 provides divine insight into the type of home the Lord would have us build. Doing such begins the construction of a “spiritual mansion” in which we all may reside regardless of our worldly circumstance—a home filled with treasure that “neither moth nor rust doth corrupt.”10
 
There exists a righteous unity between the temple and the home. Understanding the eternal nature of the temple will draw you to your family; understanding the eternal nature of the family will draw you to the temple. President Howard W. Hunter stated, “In the ordinances of the temple, the foundations of the eternal family are sealed in place.”11"

Gary E. Stevenson, “Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples,” Ensign, May 2009, 101–3

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88:118; Thought of the Day: Education

D&C 88:118

"118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."

Thought of the Day:

God Knows What You Need to Know

"Part of the tragedy you must avoid is to discover too late that you missed an opportunity to prepare for a future only God could see for you. The chance to learn another language is for me a painful example. My father was born in Mexico. He grew up speaking Spanish as his first language. I lived in his home for more than 20 years. Sadly, I never asked him to teach me a word of Spanish. But my Church assignments have caused me to have contacts in Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. It was no accident that I was born into a home with a Spanish-speaking father.

My father was a great teacher. He was a chemist. He even kept a blackboard in our basement for his children. He was eager to teach me mathematics. He spent hours trying to help me solve problems for my physics classes. He pled with me to think more often about those things that then seemed so uninteresting and unimportant. Years later I was called by the Lord to the Presiding Bishopric of the Church and given responsibilities for computing and communications systems. What a blessing I might have had if I had followed with my father the counsel I am giving to you now.

Your life is carefully watched over, as was mine. The Lord knows both what He will need you to do and what you will need to know to do it. You can with confidence expect that He has prepared opportunities for you to learn. You will not recognize those opportunities perfectly, as I did not. But when you put the spiritual things first in your life, you will be blessed to feel directed toward certain learning, and you will be motivated to work harder. You will recognize later that your power to serve was increased, and you will be grateful. Your service may not be in what the world would recognize as a lofty calling. But remember that when the real value of service becomes clear in the judgment of God, some people who worked in quiet anonymity will be the real heroes."

Henry B. Eyring, “Real-Life Education,” NewEra, Apr 2009, 2–8

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88:86; Thought of the Day: Repentance

D&C 88:86
"86 Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes."

Thought of the Day:

"Satan wants you to think that you cannot repent, but that is absolutely not true. The Savior has promised you forgiveness if you will do what is required."

--For the Strength of Youth - Fulfilling our Duty to God - Repentance

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88:77-79; Thought of the Day: The Essential Role of Member Missionary Work

D&C 88:77-79

77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

Thought of the Day:

"First, we should exercise our faith and pray individually and as families, asking for help in finding ways to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to open the way. Prayerfully set a date with your family to have someone in your home for the missionaries to teach. Remember, brothers and sisters, this is the Lord’s Church. Let Him guide you through constant prayer. With a prayer in your heart, talk to everyone you can. Don’t prejudge. Don’t withhold the good news from anyone. Talk to everyone, and trust in the promised power of the Spirit to give you the words you should say. Let them make the decision to accept or reject your invitation. Over time, the Lord will put into your path those who are seeking the truth. He is the Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep, and they will know His voice, spoken through you, and they will follow Him (see John 10).

Second, leaders must lead by example. The Spirit will prompt and guide you in finding those interested in our message. Your personal worthiness will give you the courage and the spiritual power to inspire your members to actively help the missionaries.

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have made it clear that missionary work is to be centered in the ward. Stake presidents and bishops have the responsibility and accountability to help members find the pure in heart and prepare them for baptism and for a life of service within their wards and stakes. President Hinckley has also said, “I would like to suggest that every bishop in the Church give as a motto to his people, ‘Let’s all work to grow the ward’ ” (“Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep,” Ensign, May 1999, 106; Liahona, July 1999, 120).

Third, member missionary work does not require the development of strategies or gimmicks. It does require faith—real faith and trust in the Lord. It also requires genuine love. The first great commandment is to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. … The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:37, 39).

So let the power of love guide us in sharing the gospel with family members, friends, neighbors, business associates, and any other people we encounter as we go through life. Most everyone wants to enjoy peace and happiness. That is a natural human desire. People want to find answers to the problems they face. This is increasingly true in the world we now live in.

But as powerful as our message is, it cannot be imposed or forced upon people. It can only be shared—heart to heart, soul to soul, spirit to spirit—by being good neighbors and by caring and showing love. We need to be watchful for one another and reach out to one another. And as we do so, we will radiate the gospel in our own lives, and it will radiate to the people the blessings the gospel has to offer."

M. Russell Ballard, “The Essential Role of Member Missionary Work,” Liahona, May 2003, 37–40

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88: 62-63; Thought of the Day: "Draw Near Unto Me"

D&C 88: 62-63

"62 And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near—

  63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Thought of the Day

"Praying is not only a commandment but also one of the greatest of all privileges given to the sons and daughters of God. There is solace in knowing that He hears and that He cares, but we must take advantage of His invitation to call upon Him. “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (D&C 88:63).

Jesus Christ set the example regarding how to pray as well as unto whom we should pray. He clearly taught that we are to pray to our Heavenly Father. While visiting the inhabitants of ancient America, the Savior instructed, “Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed” (3 Ne. 18:21).
Children of God have many reasons to pray to their Heavenly Father. These reasons include a heart’s sincere desire to express gratitude for blessings received, calling upon Heavenly Father as a family, petitioning Him in public prayer, pleading for forgiveness, or seeking divine intervention to preserve life itself."

John B. Dickson, “‘Draw Near unto Me’: The Privilege and Power of Prayer,” Ensign, Feb 2001, 19

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88:49,67; Thought of the Day: The Light of Christ

D&C 88:49,67
"49 The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him.
67 And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things."

Thought of the Day


Most members of the Church have a basic understanding of the Holy Ghost. Most have experienced its promptings and understand why the Holy Ghost is called the Comforter.
They know “the Holy Ghost … is a personage of Spirit” (D&C 130:22) and a member of the Godhead (see A of F 1:1).
But many do not know that there is another Spirit—“the light of Christ” (D&C 88:7)—another source of inspiration, which each of us possesses in common with all other members of the human family. If we know about the Light of Christ, we will understand that there is something inside all of us, and we can appeal to that in our desire to share truth.

The Holy Ghost and the Light of Christ are different from each other. While they are sometimes described in the scriptures with the same words, they are two different and distinct entities. It is important for you to know about both of them.
The more we know about the Light of Christ, the more we will understand about life and the more we will have a deep love for all mankind. We will be better teachers and missionaries and parents, and better men and women and children. We will have deeper regard for our brothers and sisters in the Church and for those who do not believe and have not yet had conferred upon them the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Boyd K. Packer, “The Light of Christ,” Ensign, Apr 2005, 8–14

Scripture of the Day: D&C 84:106; Thought of the Day: Strengthening the Inner Self

D&C 84:106

"106 And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also."

Thought of the Day

"The strengthening of the inner self must come about as Saints are strengthened spiritually. The admonition to the Galatians was, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal. 6:8). Problems will yield to a spiritual solution, for the higher laws involve the spiritual. The Lord said, “All things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal” (D&C 29:34). But invoking these higher laws and then putting them into operation do not involve the claiming of higher rights; rather they require the performance of higher duties.
Often we feel that we need help beyond our own natural gifts and abilities in finding our way in a complex, challenging, and difficult world. The prophet Alma made clear the source of his understanding in many matters: “They are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God” (Alma 5:46). Many in this world now walk the streets and byways in fear of their lives, but if they had an inner strength and security, there would be no need for concern. The Savior said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matt. 10:28)."

James E. Faust, “Strengthening the Inner Self,” Ensign, Feb 2003, 2–7

Scripture of the Day: D&C 84:45,61; Thought of the Day: A Life Founded in Light and Truth

D&C 84:45,61
"45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
61 For I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment—that you remain steadfast in your minds in solemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto you."

Thought of the Day

"Obedience to commandments is the way we build a foundation of truth. Here is the way that works, in words so simple that a child could understand: The truth of most worth is to know God our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and Their plan for us to have eternal life with Them in families. When God communicates that priceless truth to us, He does it by the Spirit of Truth. We have to ask for it in prayer. Then He sends us a small part of that truth by the Spirit. It comes to our hearts and minds. It feels good, like the light from the sun shining through the clouds on a dark day. He sends truth line upon line, like the lines on the page of a book. Each time a line of truth comes to us, we get to choose what we will do about it. If we try hard to do what that truth requires of us, God will send more light and more truth. It will go on, line after line, as long as we choose to obey the truth. That is why the Savior said that the man who obeyed His commandments built on a rock so solid that no storm or flood could hurt his house."

Henry B. Eyring, “A Life Founded in Light and Truth,” Ensign, Jul 2001, 6

Andrea & Lawrence

Some friends of mine are getting married in march, and they asked if I would do their engagement pictures. I thought they turned out quite well. Let me know what you think!