Happy 45th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Today is my parents' 45th wedding anniversary.  That is quite a milestone that not many people make nowadays.  Happy 45th anniversary to my wonderful parents!

Then

And now

The following are random pictures through the years.

Congratulations on 45 years together!

I love you!

Neill F. Marriott Quote

"Do you know how important you are? Every one of you—right now—is valuable and essential in Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. We have a work to do. We know the truth of the restored gospel. Are we ready to defend that truth? We need to live it; we need to share it. We must stand firm in our faith and lift our voices to proclaim true doctrine."

—Neill F. Marriott, "Sharing Your Light" October 2014 General Conference

Happy 95th Birthday Grandpa!

Today is my maternal grandpa's 95th birthday!  Since this is quite a milestone I decided to post some pictures of him I found on my computer.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

 

Grandpa holding Lisa steady while I take the reins.  :-) 

Me with grandpa right before he baptized me. 

Me with grandpa at a daddy daughter date.

Grandpa carrying me in a bucket.

Grandpa, me, uncle Ron

Grandpa five years ago on his 90th birthday.

Grandpa posing with a gun and hat at his 90th birthday party 

Grandpa with three of his children -- uncle Don was not present

uncle Gary, uncle Ron, mom, grandpa in front  

October 2009

Happy 95th Birthday Grandpa!!!

President Kimball Quote

I was reading the gospel doctrine lesson for next week -- just to clarify for those of you who may think I am perfect, I know I'm close but I'm not quite there yet ;-), this is something that I have rarely done in the past but I've been trying to do lately -- anyway, I came across this quote from President Kimball that I really liked.

President Spencer W. Kimball said: “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 135).

Just an interesting observation-- It seems to me like when we are the farthest away from divinity, is when we need that relationship the most. Yet, that is when we are less inclined to seek it.

I also find it interesting that President Kimball's solution to narrowing the chasm we create between us and divinity is to study the scriptures. That, along with prayer, seems to be the solution to a myriad of spirituality issues.

Anyway that's what struck me today as I was reading through the gospel doctrine lesson for next week. I just thought I'd share.

That's my two cents.

Joseph Fielding Smith Quotes

“I think if all men knew and understood who they are, and were aware of the divine source from whence they came, … they would have feelings of kindness and kinship for each other that would change their whole way of living and bring peace on earth.”

-- Joseph Fielding Smith

"I believe it is our solemn duty to love one another, to believe in each other, to have faith in each other, that it is our duty to overlook the faults and the failings of each other, and not to magnify them in our own eyes nor before the eyes of the world. There should be no faultfinding, no back-biting, no evil speaking, one against another, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We should be true to each other and to every principle of our religion and not be envious one of another. We should not be jealous one of another, nor angry with each other, and there should not arise in our hearts a feeling that we will not forgive one another our trespasses. There should be no feeling in the hearts of the children of God of unforgiveness against any man, no matter who he may be. …

"… We ought not to harbor feelings one against another, but have a feeling of forgiveness and of brotherly love and sisterly love, one for another. Let each one of us remember his or her own individual failings and weaknesses and endeavor to correct them. We have not reached a condition of perfection yet, it is hardly to be expected that we will in this life, and yet, through the aid of the Holy Ghost, it is possible for us to stand united together seeing eye to eye and overcoming our sins and imperfections. If we will do this, respecting all the commandments of the Lord, we shall be a power in the world for good; we shall overwhelm and overcome all evil, all opposition to the truth, and bring to pass righteousness upon the face of the earth. For the Gospel will be spread and the people in the world will feel the influence which will be shed forth from the people of Zion, and they will be inclined more to repent of their sins and to receive the truth." -- President Joseph Fielding Smith

Chapter 20: Love and Concern for All Our Father's Children -- Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, (2013), 252–61

The above quotes are quotes that resonated with me from our Relief Society lesson yesterday. So I thought I would post them on my blog for all of you to read.  FYI President Joseph Fielding Smith was the prophet when I was born.  :-)

When Prayers Seem to Go Unanswered

I think all of us, at times, have wondered why our prayers seem to go unanswered. This is a wonderful quote by one of the 12 apostles that addresses that concern quite well.

“It is so hard when sincere prayer about something you desire very much is not answered the way you want. It is difficult to understand why your exercise of deep and sincere faith from an obedient life does not grant the desired result. The Savior taught, ‘Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you.’ [D&C 88:64; emphasis added.] At times it is difficult to recognize what is best or expedient for you over time. Your life will be easier when you accept that what God does in your life is for your eternal good.”

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Liahona, May 2007, 9.

We need to remember that we have a loving Heavenly Father who knows what's best for us.  We need to trust in Him.

That's my two cents

Family Home Evening Lesson -- Modesty and Respecting Our Bodies

Tammy’s Family Home Evening Lesson

October 5, 2014

Modesty and Respecting Our Bodies

From For the Strength of Youth pamphlet:

Dress and Appearance

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? … The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” -- 1 Corinthians 3:16–17

“Your body is sacred. Respect it and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show that you know how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and that you love Him.

“Prophets of God have continually counseled His children to dress modestly. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and you can be a good influence on others. Your dress and grooming influence the way you and others act.

“Never lower your standards of dress. Do not use a special occasion as an excuse to be immodest. When you dress immodestly, you send a message that is contrary to your identity as a son or daughter of God. You also send the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval.

“Immodest clothing is any clothing that is tight, sheer, or revealing in any other manner. Young women should avoid short shorts and short skirts, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and clothing that does not cover the shoulders or is low-cut in the front or the back. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. Young men and young women should be neat and clean and avoid being extreme or inappropriately casual in clothing, hairstyle, and behavior. They should choose appropriately modest apparel when participating in sports. The fashions of the world will change, but the Lord’s standards will not change.

“Do not disfigure yourself with tattoos or body piercings. Young women, if you desire to have your ears pierced, wear only one pair of earrings.

“Show respect for the Lord and yourself by dressing appropriately for Church meetings and activities. This is especially important when attending sacrament services. Young men should dress with dignity when officiating in the ordinance of the sacrament.

“If you are not sure what is appropriate to wear, study the words of the prophets, pray for guidance, and ask your parents or leaders for help. Your dress and appearance now will help you prepare for the time when you will go to the temple to make sacred covenants with God. Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?” --For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet

From the teachings of President Joseph Fielding Smith: (Pardon the typos)

“We are living in an evil and wicked world. But while we are in the world,we are not of the world. We are expected to overcome the world and tolive as becometh saints. … We have greater light than the world has, andthe Lord expects more of us than he does of them.5

“If we are living the religion which the Lord has revealed and which wehave received, we do not belong to the world. We should have no part inall its foolishness. We should not partake of its sins and its errors—errorsof philosophy and errors of doctrine, errors in regard to government, orwhatever those errors may be—we have no part in it.

“The only part we have is the keeping of the commandments of God. Thatis all, being true to every covenant and every obligation that we haveentered into and taken upon ourselves.6 

“Do not get the impression from what I have said that I feel that we shouldkeep aloof from everybody outside of the Church and not associate withthem. I have not said that, but I do want us to be consistent Latter-daySaints, and if the people of the world walk in darkness and sin andcontrary to the will of the Lord, there is the place for us to draw the line.7 

“When we join the Church … , we are expected to forsake many of theways of the world and live as becometh saints. We are no longer to dressor speak or act or even think as others too often do. Many in the worlduse tea, coffee, tobacco, and liquor, and are involved in the use of drugs.Many profane and are vulgar and indecent, immoral and unclean in theirlives, but all these things should be foreign to us. We are the Saints of theMost High. …

“I call upon the Church and all its members to forsake the evils of theworld. We must shun unchastity and every form of immorality as wewould a plague …”

Dressing modestly and keeping the law of chastity

“The Latter- day Saints should not follow the fashions and the immodestyof the world. We are the people of the Lord. He expects us to live clean,virtuous lives, to keep our thoughts clean and minds pure and faithful inthe observance of all his other commandments. Why should we follow theworld, why can we not be modest, why can’t we do the things the Lordwould have us do?17 

“As I walk along the streets on my way to or from the Church OfficeBuilding, I see both young and older women, many of them “daughters ofZion,” who are immodestly dressed [see Isaiah 3:16–24]. I realize thattimes and fashions do change. … [But] the principle of modesty andpropriety is still the same. … The standards expressed by the GeneralAuthorities of the Church are that women, as well as men, should dressmodestly. They are taught proper deportment and modesty at all times.

“It is, in my judgment, a sad reflection on the “daughters of Zion” whenthey dress immodestly. Moreover, this remark pertains to the men as wellas to the women. The Lord gave commandments to ancient Israel thatboth men and women should cover their bodies and observe the law ofchastity at all times.

“I am making a plea for modesty and chastity and for all the members ofthe Church, male and female alike, to be chaste, clean in their lives, andobedient to the covenants and commandments the Lord has given us. …

“… The wearing of immodest clothing, which may seem like a smallmatter, take[s] something away from our young women or young men inthe Church. It simply makes it more difficult to keep those eternalprinciples by which we all have to live if we are to return to the presenceof our Father in heaven.”

n  Chapter 19: In the World but Not of the World, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, (2013), 240–51

From a talk given by President Gordon B. Hinckley --November 12, 2000:

“What creation is more magnificent than the human body? What a wondrous thing it is as the crowning work of the Almighty.

“Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, said: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. 3:16–17).

“Did you ever think that your body is holy? You are a child of God. Your body is His creation. Would you disfigure that creation with portrayals of people, animals, and words painted into your skin?

“I promise you that the time will come, if you have tattoos, that you will regret your actions. They cannot be washed off. They are permanent. Only by an expensive and painful process can they be removed. If you are tattooed, then probably for the remainder of your life you will carry it with you. I believe the time will come when it will be an embarrassment to you. Avoid it. We, as your Brethren who love you, plead with you not to become so disrespectful of the body which the Lord has given you.

“May I mention earrings and rings placed in other parts of the body. These are not manly. They are not attractive. You young men look better without them, and I believe you will feel better without them. As for the young women, you do not need to drape rings up and down your ears. One modest pair of earrings is sufficient.

“I mention these things because again they concern your bodies.

“How truly beautiful is a well-groomed young woman who is clean in body and mind. She is a daughter of God in whom her Eternal Father can take pride. How handsome is a young man who is well groomed. He is a son of God, deemed worthy of holding the holy priesthood of God. He does not need tattoos or earrings on or in his body. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve are all united in counseling against these things.”—January 2001 Ensign, a prophet’s counsel and prayer for youth, President Gordon B. Hinckley

From Susan W. Tanner, Young Women General President--October 2005 General conference, The Sanctity of the Body

“In the premortal realm we learned that the body was part of God’s great plan of happiness for us. As it states in the family proclamation: “Spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). In fact, we “shouted for joy” (Job 38:7) to be part of this plan.

“Why were we so excited? We understood eternal truths about our bodies. We knew that our bodies would be in the image of God. We knew that our bodies would house our spirits. We also understood that our bodies would be subject to pain, illness, disabilities, and temptation. But we were willing, even eager, to accept these challenges because we knew that only with spirit and element inseparably connected could we progress to become like our Heavenly Father (see D&C 130:22) and “receive a fulness of joy” (D&C 93:33).

…

“Satan learned these same eternal truths about the body, and yet his punishment is that he does not have one. Therefore he tries to do everything he can to get us to abuse or misuse this precious gift. He has filled the world with lies and deceptions about the body. He tempts many to defile this great gift of the body through unchastity, immodesty, self-indulgence, and addictions. He seduces some to despise their bodies; others he tempts to worship their bodies. In either case, he entices the world to regard the body merely as an object. In the face of so many satanic falsehoods about the body, I want to raise my voice today in support of the sanctity of the body. I testify that the body is a gift to be treated with gratitude and respect.

“The scriptures declare that the body is a temple. It was Jesus Himself who first compared His body to a temple (see John 2:21). Later Paul admonished the people of Corinth, a wicked city teeming with all manner of lasciviousness and indecency: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. 3:16–17).

“What would happen if we truly treated our bodies as temples? The result would be a dramatic increase in chastity, modesty, observance of the Word of Wisdom, and a similar decrease in the problems of pornography and abuse, for we would regard the body, like the temple, as a sacred sanctuary of the Spirit. Just as no unclean thing may enter the temple, we would be vigilant to keep impurity of any sort from entering the temple of our bodies.

“Likewise, we would keep the outside of our bodily temples looking clean and beautiful to reflect the sacred and holy nature of what is inside, just as the Church does with its temples. We should dress and act in ways that reflect the sacred spirit inside us.

…

” In For the Strength of Youth it says: “Your body is God’s sacred creation. Respect it as a gift from God, and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show the Lord that you know how precious your body is. … The way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside” ([2001], 14–15).

“Modesty is more than a matter of avoiding revealing attire. It describes not only the altitude of hemlines and necklines but the attitude of our hearts. The word modesty means “measured.” It is related to moderate. It implies “decency, and propriety … in thought, language, dress, and behavior” (in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 5 vols. [1992], 2:932).

“Moderation and appropriateness should govern all of our physical desires.

…
“The pleasures of the body can become an obsession for some; so too can the attention we give to our outward appearance. Sometimes there is a selfish excess of exercising, dieting, makeovers, and spending money on the latest fashions (see Alma 1:27).

“I am troubled by the practice of extreme makeovers. Happiness comes from accepting the bodies we have been given as divine gifts and enhancing our natural attributes, not from remaking our bodies after the image of the world. “ – Susan W. Tanner, Young Women General President, October 2005 General Conference, The Sanctity of the Body.

Link to a story I shared: LDS Olympian faces modesty challenge

The Marvel of God's Creations

We've had unseasonably warm weather this fall.  Today was no exception.  The weather station I'm looking at right now says it's 73° outside.  Needless to say I spent most of the day outside enjoying the weather and especially the sunshine.

While I was out basking in the sunshine an orange dragonfly landed on me.  This is not the first time it's happened.  In fact over the past week I would say that at least two or three orange dragonflies have landed on me.

Each time it happens I look at the intricate details of the wings and body and even eyes and marvel at God's creations.  The double wings of each dragonfly are created so symmetrically and delicate yet perfectly designed for flight.

Shortly after the dragonfly flew away an orange and black caterpillar scurried across the sidewalk right in front of me.  In fact I've had to be careful over the past week or two to avoid running over said caterpillars.  They are so cute and fuzzy yet able to move at a pretty good clip for how small they are.  Then I began marveling about the metamorphosis they go through to become butterflies.

It's truly incredible how even lowly insects are so carefully and intricately designed.  It makes me wonder how anyone could question the existence of God.

All of God's creations from single celled organisms such as bacteria, Unicellular fungi and algae all the way up to humans and everything in between contain DNA or the blueprint of life. Even plants contain DNA in every cell.  Having studied biology, it's truly amazing how complex even simple organisms are.

When I think of all of God's creations I marvel at His wisdom, knowledge and love for all of us. It brings to mind my favorite primary song.

My Heavenly Father Loves Me

1. Whenever I hear the song of a bird

Or look at the blue, blue sky,

Whenever I feel the rain on my face

Or the wind as it rushes by,

Whenever I touch a velvet rose

Or walk by our lilac tree,

I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world

Heav'nly Father created for me.

2. He gave me my eyes that I might see

The color of butterfly wings.

He gave me my ears that I might hear

The magical sound of things.

He gave me my life, my mind, my heart:

I thank him rev'rently

For all his creations, of which I'm a part.

Yes, I know Heav'nly Father loves me.

Words and music: Clara W. McMaster, 1904-1997. (c) 1961 IRI. Arr. (c) 1989 IRI

That's my two cents.

Elder Scott Quote

Another daily message I received in my inbox a few days ago.

""To be converted, you must remember to apply diligently in your life the key words “a love of God, with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments.” Your happiness now and forever is conditioned on your degree of conversion and the transformation that it brings to your life.

—Richard G. Scott, "Full Conversion Brings Happiness"

Another Great Quote

I was reading my cousin's food blog and occasionally she will give updates on her health status.  The article I read today was an update on her kidney transplant she had a year ago.  Anyway, there was a quote that I really liked.  Here's what she said:

"The attractive philosophies of men teach us to focus on ourselves to make ourselves happy.  But if we desire true happiness, we must look beyond ourselves and strive to emulate the Savior’s love and service to others."  --Jennifer S. Sattley

It's not often I quote anyone but General Authorities.  But my cousin is wise beyond her years :-), and I really liked what she said.

Here is a link to her post about her kidney transplant on her food blog:
Carlsbad Cravings -- Kidney Transplant Update

She also has some delicious looking recipes on her blog that are worth giving a try.  Go check it out.

That's my two cents.