Young Women Lesson -- Testimony

Today I had the opportunity to teach the young women in our ward. I received a call about a week and a half ago asking me if I would teach the girls about testimony. So, of course, I agreed. It has been over 20 years since I set foot in a young women’s classroom. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go but the girls actually were quite good and even participated. My lessons never go quite like I want them to – I always end up leaving important things out that I want to say –but it went okay. Anyway, I thought I would post my notes – overheads that we put on the chalkboard – like I do for my Relief Society lessons.

A testimony is sure knowledge received from the Holy Ghost that:

Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world.

Joseph Smith is the prophet through whom God restored the gospel.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true Church and is led by a prophet today.

How to

Gain a

Testimony

Alma 32:27

Doctrine & Covenants 11:22

Moroni 10:4

John 7:17

Alma 5:46

Desire to believe

Study the scriptures and the words of the modern prophets

Pray with real intent

Live gospel principles

Fast and pray

College Football Picks 2012 Week 4 Results

1. Rex -14 tiebreaker 59

2. Tammy  -17  tie breaker 37
3. Juliet -17 tiebreaker 55

4. Dad  -19  tie breaker  60
5. Michael -21 tiebreaker 49
6. Lisa- 22 tie breaker 38

7. Mom  -22  tie breaker  45

8. Richie- 22 tie breaker 53

9. Chanelle- 24 tie breaker 45

 

Actual tie breaker (BYU/Boise State) 13

Relief Society Lesson -- Only upon the Principles of Righteousness

Only upon the Principles of Righteousness

Elder Larry Y. Wilson, Of the Seventy

April 2012 General Conference

We must lead by “principles of righteousness.” Such principles apply to all leaders in the Church as well as to all fathers and mothers in their homes.

Anytime we try to compel someone to righteousness who can and should be exercising his or her own moral agency, we are acting unrighteously.

When setting firm limits for another person is in order, those limits should always be administered with loving patience and in a way that teaches eternal principles.

We simply cannot force others to do the right thing.

Learning opportunities are lost when controlling persons pridefully assume they have all the right answers for others.

Unrighteous dominion is often accompanied by constant criticism and the withholding of approval or love.

If parents hold on to all decision-making power and see it as their “right,” they severely limit the growth and development of their children.

Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them.

Helping children exercise their agency properly requires teaching them how to pray and receive answers to their prayers.

There must also be teaching about the value and purpose of obedience as well as about all other essential principles of the gospel.

Without a link to the Spirit, children and parents alike would be able to rationalize all sorts of poor decisions in the name of exercising their agency.

 “Of all the help we can give … young people, the greatest will be to let them feel our confidence that they are on the path home to God and that they can make it.”  President Henry B. Eyring

Get Your Free Yard Sign

I got this in my e-mail this morning. I signed up for a yard sign. I thought some of you might want to as well. So I’m including the e-mail I received, I did go ahead and delete all the references to asking for donations. I’m hoping the link will work but if not you could go to www.preservemarriageWashington.com where I’m sure there’s a link to the volunteer section where you can sign up to receive a sign to put in your yard. There are a bunch of other things you can sign up for to volunteer, such as making calls or hosting a party or the like. Anyway, here is the e-mail: Dear Marriage Supporter, You will soon see thousands of our bright red and white yard signs all across Washington State! The attention-grabbing signs read: “Don’t Redefine Marriage. Reject R-74. Marriage = One Man + One Woman.” Your strong support for preserving marriage as the union between one man and one woman has made these signs possible! Want a free yard sign before we run out? Just sign-up to volunteer and check the box “Yard Signs,” and someone will be in touch with you! Recent polling shows that we are within reach of preserving marriage by REJECTING R-74 this November. If we bring in the resources we need to get our message out to voters, we will WIN. The more people see our yard signs and TV ads, the more conversations will happen on the harms of Referendum 74. As supporters like you engage their neighbors on this issue, voters will realize there are serious consequences to society if marriage is redefined, which is what will happen if voters approve Referendum 74. When Washingtonians understand the consequences of redefining marriage, we are confident they will vote to reject R-74. Remember these three key points when talking to your friends and neighbors about R-74: A: Same-sex couples ALREADYenjoy full legal equality in Washington. Washington’s Domestic Partnership Act, the “Everything but Marriage” law was approved by voters in 2009 and provides full legal equality to same-sex couples. B: BOTH parents are necessary. Kids need a mom and dad and that's what the current definition of marriage recognizes. C:CONSEQUENCES are too much. The impact on children's education as well as the reduction in personal liberties and religious freedom are too much. Thank you for your continual support. We cannot win this fight without YOU! Sincerely, Joseph Backholm, Chairman Preserve Marriage Washington

Family Tree Wall

Yesterday Dad put up my new portraits for the ancestor tree wall. I had 21 new pictures to put up. And it was pretty evenly split between both sides 10 on  Dad’s side and 11 on Mom’s. Although mom’s were on two generations only and dad’s covered 4 generations.

Dad worked real hard climbing the ladder up and down risking his life 20 feet in the air pounding nails and reaching to hang pictures. So, thanks Dad.

I think it turned out awesome! I love it. Some of the ancestors are not in the exact spot where they should be but we did the best we could with the space we had.

Juliet looked at it this morning and said that one of our ancestors looks like Frankenstein. :-) Maybe it’s just my Photoshop skills or lack thereof.
:-)

Anyway, I’m really excited to finally get these pictures on the wall. Regardless of their artistic quality. It’s fun to look at and see the family resemblance in our different ancestors.

College Football Picks 2012 Week Three Results

1.Rex -14 tie breaker 49

 2. Tammy -15 tie breaker 47
3. Michael -18 tiebreaker 57
 4. Juliet -21 tiebreaker 47
5. Lisa -23 tie breaker 51

6.Dad -25 tiebreaker 42
 7.Mom -29 tiebreaker 49

8. Cody -31 tiebreaker 40
 9. Chanelle -36 tie breaker 40

 Actual tiebreaker 30

I made 12 packets. We should have 12 people participating every week. Seems like it gets fewer and fewer as the weeks go on.

College Football Picks 2012 Week Two Results

1. Rex -17 tie breaker 0
2. Michael -18 tie breaker 43
3. Tammy -20 tie breaker 43
4. Lisa -20 tie breaker 42
5. Juliet -23 tiebreaker 41
6. Dad -24 tie breaker 52
7. Richie -27 tie breaker 53
8. Chanelle -28 tie breaker 41
9. Mom -29 tie breaker 42

Actual tie breaker 47

Before and After

Over the past month or two I kept myself occupied by photo shopping ancestors photographs to put on our family tree wall. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body so, some of them look quite amateurish. But, I did the best I could. Especially considering everything was done using voice commands. There are a few things that Dragon cannot do with Adobe Photoshop. But I’m pretty pleased with the results of all my hard work.

I went ahead and included my Picasso version of Richard Steele. I over Photoshopped him and had to start over. I decided to include it so everyone can get a joke.

Anyway, I was going to include a picture of the family tree wall with all of the pictures on it but it still is not up yet L.

Believe it or not, there are over  a hundred hours of work in these photos. There are 21 photos and most of them took at least one day to complete. Some of them took me several days. I’m so excited to see them up on the wall soon!