first temple trip

Cole's prayer

cole said the prayer in sacrament meeting two weeks ago. it was so cool! he was very thoughtful and calm as he prayed. i love that bishop prescott includes the youth in so many meaningful ways.

there is little else more powerful than teenagers filled with the love of God. they are more influential than a thousand old men and women preaching the gospel.

on the stand

most sundays cole sits with the bishop on the stand as a part of his Priesthood duty. chas did it as well when he was a deacon. i love it. i love how the bishop (tom prescott) is sensitive to the boys' need to develop an awareness of other people; to develop an awareness that the Priesthood is a service responsibility.

one sunday in particular, the bishop leaned over and whispered something to chas. i could tell he was looking at someone in the back on the chapel. i turned around to see a mother with her four kids looking for a seat large enough to accommodate them all. chas quietly and kindly walked to the back of the chapel and whispered something to her. she followed him to the front where chas showed her to an open seat.

that was it. so simple. but really meaningful to the weary mother and to me. hopefully to chas as well. women are not weak, but love to be supported in their work. when men notice their needs, women are uplifted. plus, what is Priesthood if it isn't helping and lifting burdens?

i'm so grateful for bishop prescott's desire to use his Priesthood callings to serve others and to teach the young men to do the same by letting them participate with him.

Preach Junie! Preach!

last week i was tucking the kids in bed and was laying by june singing songs. after singing four versus of Come, Come Ye Saints -- my favorite hymn forever and ever -- i was tears. in fact, i was barely able to finish the song. i got very quiet for a minute trying to collect myself and avery, always very aware of my moods, asked if i was crying. i said yes, but the tears were tears of joy and gratitude and strength because i always feel so much of god's strength and love when i sing that song. and then i said something like, "and i love that song because it teaches us that 'God will never us forsake' which means..." and i paused trying to come up with easy words for them to understand and June emphatically replied, "it means that God will always be by your side!" oh she was just so sure there was no way anyone of us could have denied it! yes, june, yes! you get it! God will always be by your side. He never leaves us.

elder george q. cannon said: "when we went forth into the waters of baptism and covenanted with our Father in heaven to serve Him and keep His commandments, He bound Himself also by covenant to us that He would never desert us, never leave us to ourselves, never forget us, that in the midst of trial and hardships, when everything was arrayed against us, He would be near unto us and would sustain us."

here are those most beautiful words that never cease to inspire me to keep enduring as best i can. these words have literally saved my spirit on many occasions and have helped me through nearly every difficult thing i've done in my adult life. i cannot wait to thanks william clayton. his words have been God's arms around me many times. through his words, i have seen God's strength and felt his love.

1. Come, come, ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear;
   But with joy wend your way.
   Though hard to you this journey may appear,
   Grace shall be as your day.
   'Tis better far for us to strive
   Our useless cares from us to drive;
   Do this, and joy your hearts will swell--
   All is well! All is well!
2. Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
   'Tis not so; all is right.
   Why should we think to earn a great reward
   If we now shun the fight?
   Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.
   Our God will never us forsake;
   And soon we'll have this tale to tell--
   All is well! All is well!
3. We'll find the place which God for us prepared,
   Far away in the West,
   Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
   There the Saints will be blessed.
   We'll make the air with music ring,
   Shout praises to our God and King;
   Above the rest these words we'll tell--
   All is well! All is well!
4. And should we die before our journey's through,
   Happy day! All is well!
   We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
   With the just we shall dwell!
   But if our lives are spared again
   To see the Saints their rest obtain,
   Oh, how we'll make this chorus swell--
   All is well! All is well!
5. Text: William Clayton, 1814-1879
   Music: English folk song