We had a very sad event in our ward on Saturday.
A sweet new member family lost their 3 yr. old son.
Chad and I have spent countless hours with them the past 3 days.
It's been heart wrenching but another great growing
moment for me! I love it when the Lord sends his tender
mercies! We feel blessed to be a part of this family's healing process.
I am continually amazed by the learning I go
through during these types of experiences.

I am truly grateful for my knowledge of the gospel
and for the comforting influence of the Holy Ghost!
Again....so blessed!

Daddy's Girl!

Just a little post dedicated to 2 of my favorite people!

Ellie has a very unique relationship with her Daddy!

I'm so grateful for that! I was not blessed with that myself and so it just melts my heart to see how much she loves and adores him! They have a sweet nightly ritual where he tucks her in and reads her a story from the Friend. I just realized recently what a choice experience this relationship must be for both Ellerie and Chad. I hope that as the years come and go that their enduring friendship will grow deeper and deeper and that Ellerie will desire and develop that same closness to her Heavenly Father!

I love you both so much!

He Is The Way!

Again...countin' my blessings! I had the opportunity to teach the lesson on Sunday b/c my advisor was out of town! It was Lesson 2&3 in the yw manual....Jesus Christ, the Savior and Following the Example of Jesus Christ. How great is that topic?

I really spent lots of time preparing because I wanted it to turn out just right! Of course we all know that the preparer usually gets so much more out of it and that the lesson is usually just what that person needed! I can say that was truly the case for me!

I'm so thankful for my Savior! The spirit confirmed to me over and over again throughout the lesson of the great gift of the Atonement. I know HE is the WAY!!!

Light Keepers

Can I just tell you how excited I am about the new mutual theme for 2009!

"Be Thou and Example of the Believers" ...taken from Timothy 4:12

So we gave all our YW the new Jenny Phillips CD for their Christmas gift.

I have been listening to it off and on throughout December but then today

I actually put it on and logged online so I could see the lyrics of each song!

It started out just fine. I would hum along to the ones I recognized etc. But then...

I listened to the CD title song "Light Keepers" by the end of the first verse I was

bawling! What in the world...and no, I'm not P.M.S-ing! ha ha ha I continued through the entire song just cryin' a river! I guess it goes to show that even "Leaders" sometimes need reassurance that...

"even when the world is telling you it's not worth the fight

hold on to your light, hold it tight, light keeper.

Oh how you shine, you are filled with Father's love

you are worthy of His trust"

I wish I could figure out a way to get it onto my playlist so you could all hear it but truly, it has already made a huge impact on me! I am definitely one of those people whose spirit is highly stirred by music, I love to sing, I love to play piano from my heart. (not a good sight reader)

So it's no wonder that music is the most effective tool the Holy Ghost has for me! Just wanted to share! I feel so blessed to be a part of these AMAZING young women's lives right now! What a cherished calling the Lord has blessed me with!!!

Ho Hum....

Just feeling a little out of sorts after all the Christmas Festivities!
We're all happy and healthy and lovin' life just don't have much to blog about yet!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our Christmas Advent!

Another Project...Our Christmas Countdown! Calendar and treat bag

A new family tradition: A Christmas Countdown (a.k.a. Advent Calendar)

It turned out great! I'm so happy with our new advent calendar for Christmas! Ellerie is loving it! She is definitely my girl! She wakes up every morning excited to see what the Scripture, Activity & Treat of the day are! I decided to combined all 3 into one. We are reading scripture passages all about Christ and his life. We then have a Christmas oriented family activity for the day and of course what would an advent calendar be without treats! I pre-packaged them and numbered them for each day! It's been going great so far! I love CHRISTMAS!!!!