Thanks to the Men in my life

Today is Father's day and I feel extremely humbled today. Jake is still in Texas but I have celebrated the men in ,my life today. I had to speak in sacrament (the last speaker, so lots of time to fill) and last night as I went to bed and began to think about my talk, my mind quickly jumped to the many years ago that my Mamaw passed away. It was fathers day and I remember the night distinctly that I left and most of the next. There are days that I wish I would have never left that Saturday night. Last night I was feeling discouraged and decided to try to call Jake, however there was no answer, probably because it was 1 am. So, I left my room and went to the dining room, where I wept in peace and spoke to my Heavenly Father. It was within minutes that  felt a peace overcome me and I know it was the Spirit providing comfort from my Father. What a lesson I learned about the love of a father, especially my Heavenly Father's love. I know He is there, hears my silent cries, and answers my prayers.
So as I ponder the men that I adore or love in my life, I also reflect on my Father in heaven and elder brother, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my dad too, who has always been an example of serving others and developing a love for the scriptures. Like wise, I am thankful for my father in law, who helped mold the man I adore into the man he is. I am thankful for a Papaw, who is so proud of us grandchildren. I am grateful for brothers and brothers in laws that always seem to do something to impress me. I am thankful for my sweet boys, Jacob William and Christopher Wade, and the boys they are becoming. Above all, I am grateful for the man that makes me me. Jake is a wonderful husband and father. Life without him so unimaginable. I am grateful for the love he shows me, the example he is to our children, and the man he is becoming. Here's to the men in my life that I love!

Talk on Godhead

“We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” To many of us, even the young primary children this is a familiar sentence but how many of us have actually pondered the power within this statement and the relativity it has in our personal lives. President Hinckley taught; “They (speaking of Godhead) are distinct beings, but they are one in purpose and effort. They are united as one in bringing to pass the grand, divine plan for the salvation and exaltation of the children of God. In His great, moving prayer in the garden before His betrayal, Christ pleaded with His Father concerning the Apostles, whom He loved, saying: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:20–21). It is that perfect unity between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost that binds these three into the oneness of the divine Godhead.” This is the same unity that should exist between married couples and even our ward family.

About Us---end about dad or Jake

Just as we have an earthly father or father figure, likewise we have an eternal father or an Heavenly Father. Today, I will briefly discuss the Godhead, to those who may be unfamiliar with the term godhead, for the purpose of my talk today it is defined as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Now, I know it is father’s day and when I received the topic and realized it was father’s day, I was a little surprised. Shouldn’t our meeting primarily be focused on fathers or those influential male figures in our lives? However, the thought soon occurred to me that this was a most appropriate topic because all that we are blessed with, we owe to our Father in Heaven and elder brother, Jesus Christ. So, doesn’t it make sense that as we celebrate fathers today, that we acknowledge our Heavenly Father as well?

Jeffrey R. Holland states; “Our first and foremost article of faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” We believe these three divine persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner, in testimony, in mission. We believe Them to be filled with the same godly sense of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness, and redemption.” It is my intention to briefly touch on each member of the Godhead. It is vital to understand that the members of the Godhead are three distinct individuals with one purpose. If there is anyone in the congregation today that seeks to gain their own testimony or understanding of the Godhead, or may be struggling with their personal testimony, I urge you to pray and ask our Heavenly Father. Seek out the answers to your questions, ultimately, the Holy Ghost will provide that sacred assurance. The scriptures are full of references, I am confident the bishopric, missionaries, ward leaders, or even myself can provide references but seek the understanding from our Father. He is exactly that, our Heavenly Father and wants to help us and hear from us. He is not out of reach and awaits our visits. God is loving, merciful, and wants us to seek Him out.

 I, like President Hinckley, “believe without equivocation or reservation in God, the Eternal Father. He is my Father, the Father of my spirit, and the Father of the spirits of all men. He is the great Creator, the Ruler of the Universe. He directed the creation of this earth on which we live. In His image man was created. He is personal. He is real. He is individual. He has “a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s” (D&C 130:22)…. This is the Almighty of whom I stand in awe and reverence. It is He to whom I look in fear and trembling. It is He whom I worship and unto whom I give honor and praise and glory. He is my Heavenly Father, who has invited me to come unto Him in prayer, to speak with Him, with the promised assurance that He will hear and respond.”

The second member of the Godhead, is Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. He is the firstborn of the Father and the only begotten of the Father in flesh. He is an individual separate and distinct from his Father. He is our elder brother and friend. None so great has ever walked the earth. None other has made a comparable sacrifice or granted a comparable blessing. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world. I believe in Him. I declare His divinity without equivocation or compromise. I love Him. I speak His name in reverence and wonder. I worship Him as I worship His Father, in spirit and in truth. I thank Him and kneel before His wounded feet and hands and side, amazed at the love He offers me. President Uchtdorf stated in the last GC that “we all depend on the Savior, none of us can be saved without him. Christ’s atonement is infinite and eternal. Forgiveness from our sins comes with conditions.”

 To Elder Holland’s witness, I add my own personal knowledge: “I testify that Jesus Christ is the literal, living Son of our literal, living God. This Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer who, under the guidance of the Father, was the Creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. I bear witness that He was born of a virgin mother, that in His lifetime He performed mighty miracles observed by legions of His disciples and by His enemies as well. I testify that He had power over death because He was divine but that He willingly subjected Himself to death for our sake because for a period of time He was also mortal. I declare that in His willing submission to death He took upon Himself the sins of the world, paying an infinite price for every sorrow and sickness, every heartache and unhappiness from Adam to the end of the world. In doing so He conquered both the grave physically and hell spiritually and set the human family free. I bear witness that He was literally resurrected from the tomb and, after ascending to His Father to complete the process of that Resurrection, He appeared, repeatedly, to hundreds of disciples in the Old World and in the New. I know He is the Holy One of Israel, the Messiah who will one day come again in final glory, to reign on earth as Lord of lords and King of kings. I know that there is no other name given under heaven whereby a man can be saved and that only by relying wholly upon His merits, mercy, and everlasting grace  can we gain eternal life.

My additional testimony regarding this resplendent doctrine is that in preparation for His millennial latter-day reign, Jesus has already come, more than once, in embodied majestic glory. In the spring of 1820, a 14-year-old boy, confused by many of these very doctrines that still confuse much of Christendom, went into a grove of trees to pray. In answer to that earnest prayer offered at such a tender age, the Father and the Son appeared as embodied, glorified beings to the boy prophet Joseph Smith. That day marked the beginning of the return of the true, New Testament gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the restoration of other prophetic truths offered from Adam down to the present day.” The miraculous appearance to the boy, Joseph Smith, builds my knowledge of the divinity of the Godhead.

The third member of the Godhead is the Holy Ghost. Unlike the Father and Son, the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. . The Holy Ghost can become our constant companion, if we remain worthy, after we enter the waters of baptism. The scriptures teach us that the Holy Ghost is our comforter, teacher, and helps us recognize truth by the good feelings Paul describes in the New Testament, of peace, temperance, pretty much the good feelings. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the divinity of our Heavenly Father and Christ.   That knowledge comes from the word of scripture, and that testimony comes by the power of the Holy Ghost. It is a gift, sacred and wonderful, borne by revelation from the third member of the Godhead. He is able to speak to spirit to spirit with us. To me, the Holy Ghost is like the sun, the sun is one thing but its warm rays are felt by thousands at the same time. It’s the same as the Holy Ghost, his is one personage of Spirit but his influence can be felt by many at the same time.

Miracle of miracles and wonder of wonders, they are interested in us, and we are the substance of their great concern. They are available to each of us. We approach the Father through the Son. He is our intercessor at the throne of God. How marvelous it is that we may so speak to the Father in the name of the Son.”

So today we celebrate the men in our lives whom we love and adore, may we not forget to say a prayer of gratitude and express our love for God the Father and our Savior. Let’s celebrate all they have done for us as well, the opportunity to live again, be eternally united with our families, enjoy a family, have life, be forgiven, and the list continues…..

Testimony      

Summer time has begun!!

School let out the end of May and our summer started with a bang. We were able to have family stay with us for a few weeks and we enjoyed it. The kids love being around their cousins and I enjoyed coming to know and love Amy more and Jake enjoyed have another man, Michael, around. We were happy to see them get to move into their house (which is fairly close (6 minutes) and James and Kara are 8 minutes away) but a little somber too. It was built in entertainment for the kids and company for the adults.
The last day of school as bitter sweet for me and the girls. It was a little sad to think this was their last year at Richland Elementary. Richland was a wonderful school for the girls and I can only hope their new school is just as good, both have similar ratings, so fingers are crossed.
James graduated dental school and had a small gathering in Jackson...the three boys (Chris, Riley, and Jack) are beginning to become mischievous together. Oddly, it was a cooler day but that did not stop the three from finding water and getting drenched.
Our summer is off to a good start. Family, zoo, cookouts...what more could we ask for. Jake and the three oldest left for Texas this morning to visit his family for a little bit. Christopher and I, we just hang tight and I am sure will find things to do to keep our lives busy. I am still learning the ropes to my new area at work but I really like the manager, so that is good. Unfortunately, I am on a non-planned break from school. My finger prints clearance did not make it back in time and I the FBI wanted a re-print because the prints were either too light, too dark, or blurry but I am hoping to get back enrolled very soon.

Happy 2nd Birthday Christopher

Here's to my small little boy.....I have toddler. Here are some things about our little man: Christopher is a man of little words. He still has a very limited vocabulary and recently his hearing was tested for a 2nd time. It is believed that he does have some minimal hearing loss but to us, he has the magic finger...he points, we listen. He enjoys playing cars and with balls. Some of his favorite things to eat are: mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza, candy, Doritoes, vanilla cupcake goldfish, bananas, chocolate milk, apple juice and ice cream. He loves almost anything sweet. We love having him as part of our family. He is a vital part of the family. One of my favorite things that he does, is he acts shy at times. When someone is speaking to him and he doesn't want to listen, he just closes his eyes like he is asleep. It is so cute and funny.

For his birthday, this year, I wanted to do a Dr. Seuss party but as not sure when it would happen, but the women in my family took charge and pulled off a cute little party on Monday night, his actual birthday. They planned it Sunday and we did it Monday.