A whole new life!

Well, again, I have procrastinated writing LONG ENOUGH!  I didn't realize it had been almost an entire YEAR since I last wrote!  I knew it had been a while, but I didn't think it had been that long.  Of course, since a year has past there is a lot to catch up on, so I'll try to make it as quick an overview as possible.


First of all, let's say that Bryan, Isaac and I are now living in Lovelock, Nevada!  Bryan graduated and finished his Student Teaching in December 2011, and now he has a job here teaching music for grades K-12.  Definitely a full-time, busy schedule job.  He had been applying for jobs the whole time he was student teaching, but nothing had been working out.  All of a sudden, in January, this job came up in Nevada.  We drove out for an interview, and got the job the same day.  They asked us if we could be moved and start the job in a WEEK!  It was crazy!  All of a sudden we weren't Idaho residents anymore.  We just kinda left.  And now here we are!  The reason they needed us so quickly was because it was the middle of the school year (sadly, their previous music teacher was killed in a tragic car accident.  Very sudden...very sad and hard on the community), and the students had already had a substitute for about a month and they weren't getting much done.  Festivals were coming up, and the kids really weren't prepared.  So, really, there was no other way to do it.  They needed him right away.  So it was super fast, but it was a blessing for us in a lot of ways.

This job has kept Bryan extremely busy!  Picking up a job like this in the middle of the school year has been very difficult.  For now, it seems that he's just treading water.  He's just trying to finish out the school year the best he can until he can get things set up more as his program for next year.  On top of that, he spends a couple of hours after school each day giving private piano lessons as well.  So usually he goes to work around 7:00 a.m. and doesn't get home until 6:00 p.m. or later.  In a lot of ways it has been a really rough move.  But overall I think it has been a good growing experience for our family.  And with Summer approaching, things are looking up!

I just finished all the requirements for my Associates Degree in April!  Now I'm going to focus more on my growing family and figure out where to go with my schooling in the future.  I am currently 30 weeks pregnant with our second child!  We're expecting a little girl to join our family at the beginning of July.  We're so excited to have a girl and a boy.  I can't wait to see how Isaac handles being a big brother.  We're trying to prepare him as much as possible, but so far it is hard to tell how much he really understands.  We've tried to talk to him about there being a baby in mommy's belly, but I don't know that he gets it.  Sometimes he gives my belly kisses or rubs it like he sees daddy do, but usually he likes to punch it or push on it or sit on it and bounce...not very gentle...and not very comfortable.  So we'll see how this goes!

Speaking of Isaac, he is over a year-and-a-half now!  On the 19th of this month he'll be 21 months old.  I can't believe that the last time I wrote he was only 9 months old.  I thought for sure that I had written about his first birthday, but apparently not!  He says a few words, and sometimes you can tell that he's trying so hard to copy things your saying.  Sometimes he looks at me and is speaking babble, but he looks so serious and expects me to understand what he's saying, so when I'm still trying to figure it out he gets a little frustrated sometimes.  But his vocabulary is definitely growing.  We're also starting to get into the age where he doesn't always like to do what we ask him to, and sometimes he needs to take a time-out.  It's hard for me sometimes to realize that he's old enough to know that what he's doing is not what we're asking, and that he needs to be disciplined.  But he really is, so I'm trying to remember that and be consistent with the rules.  But I find it quite difficult sometimes.  At least now that I've finished school I can focus more on him and being a good mom.  I love having the time to take him outside and just let him play.  He's such a character!  Gotta love that cutie pie...

Well, that's the basic update!  Of course, a lot more has happened, but it's hard to write about it all in one post.  So maybe I'll leave it at this for now and just do better to keep it up from now on (haha....lol!).  Really, I want to be a lot better at this, especially now that we're away from a lot of our friends and family.  So wish me luck!  Happy May, everyone!  Hope your year is going swell so-far!  Until next time...love to all!  <3

Been WAY too long...

Ok, so again I haven't posted anything on here in a while. Sorry! I'm sure you all know how life goes...all of a sudden months go by without you noticing, and then you have to catch up. So here we go!

Bryan is finally in his last semeter of classes on campus! (Woot!!!) In mid-July he will graduate, and then this Fall he will be doing his Student Teaching in Ashton, ID, which is about a 30-minute drive from Rexburg. (I know, usually you do your student teaching first...all I know is that this is how it's working. haha!) Also, he recently passed his Praxis test (which is basically his "teacher test". He needed to pass in order to be a teacher). We're really excited to be almost done! One step closer to opening a new chapter in our lives.

I am pretty much just being a stay-at-home mom. I am taking a choir class on campus on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It's nice to get out once in a while and do something that I enjoy. And it works out great because Bryan has a break in his classes at the same time that I have class. So I bring Isaac with me to the music building on campus, and Bryan watches him there! And Isaac loves playing with Bryan! He always comes home tired from playing with daddy. :)

Speaking of Isaac, he has changed so much! He's 9 months old (as of this past Thursday, the 19th). He's extremely mobile now! This video is a little old...it's his "army crawl" he was doing for a while.

He's been crawling for quite a while now. I wouldn't be surpised if he starts walking really soon. He's been "cruising the furniture" for a while too, and he can even stand all by himself for a few seconds before losing his balance. It amazes me how quickly he's learning and developing! Since I last posted he's also gotten two teeth in on the bottom! (Which actually happened back in, like, February...so it's been a while.) They both came in within a day of each other. So there were a couple of days where he was quite grumpy and not sleeping well. And then his teeth popped up and we knew exactly why. :) No more have come in since then, but sometimes he acts like his teeth are hurting him again, so maybe we'll be seeing more again soon. Until then, he's been exploring lots of new foods. I've been making him baby food at home (just pureeing steamed vegetables and squashing fruits and stuff). So for a little while that was all he was eating (along with nursing). But he was doing really good with it. No complaints about eating, and he has a lot of fun with it. He gets really excited. He's always watched us while we're eating and kinda had a longing look in his eyes. Now, he really begs for our food. I started giving him little peices of some of the things I eat, and now anytime Bryan or I am eating he comes right up to us and stands there staring, babbling, whining, and sometimes panting, until we give him some. And he stays there until he can be sure that the food is all gone.

This is the most recent video we have of him. This was just this past Sunday when we were cooking dinner on the grill outside, and we had Isaac out there playing.

A few weeks ago our ward boundaries were changed, so half of our ward was moved to a new ward. We were part of that half. So we're now in a new ward that has a whole new Bishopric, Elder's Quorum Presidency, and Relief Society Presidency. It was a HUGE change. So both Bryan and I are currently calling-less. We'll see how long that lasts. I'm kind-of excited to see what is next, you know? I was in the Relief Society Presidency in our old ward, and I LOVED it!!! So I was really sad to be moving wards and not have that calling anymore. But I am honestly really excited for the new opportunities coming our way! Can't wait to find out what the Lord has planned for us next.

So anyway, that's all I can really think of to update. I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting...but oh well! 'Til next time! Love you all! <3

Family Update

Wow, I'm so bad! I can't believe how much time has gone by since I last posted here! I apologize for the wait. And now I have so much to catch up on!

Well, Isaac is 5 months old today! I still can't believe it. He's growing so fast! He has discovered his voice, and keeps experimenting with different sounds and noises he can make with his lips. Sometimes he's very talkative! But usually just at home. When we go out he's usually pretty chill.

He rolls over constantly to get around. He has begun to realize that there are more things to see than just his toys, so he rolls and scoots until he can get to something and then has fun eating it/drooling all over it. So we've had to keep a bit of a closer eye on him when he's playing on the floor. He no longer stays on the blanket for very long. Haha! But we love him so much! In general, he's a very happy baby. He LOVES it when Bryan gets home from school. He always gets so excited! He loves playing with Daddy! :) But he usually falls asleep better on Mommy.

He has definitely started teething. You could tell he was feeling it starting around 3 1/2 or so months. But now we can feel a tooth coming through on the top. So sometimes this causes problems at night when he's trying to sleep. But it doesn't happen every night. We still get some nights of full sleep. It could be a lot worse!

Bryan is still in school this semester, and plans on graduating mid-July of this year (which means only 2 semesters to go)! Then he'll do his student teaching this Fall semester. He no longer works his job down in Ammon at the gas station. He is still working on campus, however, at the Music Department's Property Office. So he spends more time at home now, and has Sundays with Isaac and I. It's so great to have him home! Isaac definitely enjoys it! It's great to watch the two of them finally have time to play and interact. Bryan makes him laugh a lot!

Lately I've had A LOT of migraines again. Since Isaac was born I hadn't been having too many. But in the past week or so I've had 5, some lasting more than one day. Some have been more intense than I've had in quite a long time. It's really sudden, and really strange. But having Bryan home more often has been such a blessing when it comes to that! It's made it so much easier to deal with.

In November, Isaac and I drove to Oregon with Chanel for Thanksgiving. Bryan couldn't come with us because there was no way he could get work off. I really didn't want to leave him here alone for Thanksgiving, but he told us to go anyway. Isaac actually did pretty well on the drive! He slept most of the time (especially at the beginning). When he'd wake up I'd feed him a bottle, and he would go straight back to sleep. We only had to stop a few times to change him. By the end of the drive, he began to get a little restless, but overall he did better than I expected him to. We got to be there for James' birthday(video below). I can't believe he's 10 now! In fact, everyone's getting so old! It's so different visiting home now. Chara and James are both getting so much older every time I see them, it's sometimes hard to recognize them at first. And I still have a hard time believing that Chanel is in college. But anyway, it was great! The whole week we were there, Isaac had a lot of fun playing with (and getting spoiled by...haha!) his aunts, uncle and, of course, "grandma and grandpa"(It's still really weird for me to think of them that way. haha!). We had a really great time! I'm sad I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted to. Who knows exactly when we'll see the family next. But it was still a great time! The weather made us have to leave a little earlier than we had planned. But we eventually got back to Rexburg safe and sound. :)

Bryan's parents and little sister, Hannah, were able to come visit us here for Christmas! I was so glad they could come and meet Isaac for the first time. Even though it's a LONG drive, and can be pretty scary during the winter. Again, Isaac just loved getting spoiled by them! And opening Christmas presents with him was a lot of fun! He loved pulling on the wrapping paper, and the sound it made. Once the gift was out of the paper, he usually just wanted to eat it! But since then he has put most of those gifts to good use! While they were here we got to make some wonderful food, take a nice little trip down to Idaho Falls, and just enjoy each other's company! Sadly, some of our plans fell through...the weather caused them to have to leave early too. But, in the end, they left at the perfect time! They just beat the snow. It was really sad that we didn't get to finish the visit like we'd planned. But what a blessing that they were able to come in the first place, and then make it home safely! Again, I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted to. But it was a wonderful time!
Other than that, I don't think much else is new. I'm sure I'll think of something later. Haha! But again, I'm sorry it's been so long! I will try to do better now that we're through the holidays. Love you all!

What are Bishop Storehouses

History
“The office of bishop is in administering all temporal things, … having a knowledge of them by the Spirit of truth.” (D&C 107:68, 71.) In his calling he is to be endowed with the spirit of discernment to detect those “professing and yet … not of God” (D&C 46:27); he is to search “after the poor to administer to their wants by humbling the rich and the proud” (D&C 84:112).

“Thus to the bishop is given all the powers, and responsibilities which the Lord has specifically prescribed in the Doctrine and Covenants for the caring of the poor, to him go the funds necessary therefor, and to him are given the gifts and functions necessary for carrying on this work. No one else is charged with this duty and responsibility, no one else is endowed with the power and functions necessary for this work.     UAdd a Note 

“Thus by the word of the Lord the sole mandate to care for and the sole discretion in caring for, the poor of the Church is lodged in the bishop, and short of actual transgression no one can call his action into question. It is his duty and his only to determine to whom, when, how, and how much shall be given to any member of his ward from Church funds and as ward help.     UAdd a Note 

“This is his high and solemn obligation, imposed by the Lord Himself. The bishop cannot escape this duty; he cannot shirk it; he cannot pass it on to someone else, and so relieve himself. Whatever help he calls in, he is still responsible.”-Reuben J. Clark

It's the Bishop's duty to be over the storehouse and be fair and equal. 

Our Responsibilities
 

First, prevention. Paramount is the responsibility to coordinate personal and family preparedness efforts, including food storage. Also to be emphasized is the continuing need to insure that gainful employment is had by heads of families. Beyond this effort is the desirability to upgrade employment for those who may be underemployed. Such a duty involves the encouragement of wage earners to become skilled, that they will not be the last to be hired or the first to be fired.

Second, production. Participation on ward and stake welfare projects is a vital concern. Though times change, fields yet need to be plowed, crops to be thinned, buildings to be built, and storehouses to be filled.  

I am grateful I learned to top sugar beets on our stake welfare farm. I am also grateful that we do not have to top beets in the same way today. That farm was not situated in a fertile belt of land but rather in the area of today’s industrial section of Salt Lake City. I testify, however, that when put to this sacred service, the soil was sanctified, the harvest blessed, and faith rewarded.

Third, processing. Oh, the joy of harvest time! Picture the scene of ward members canning peaches, sorting eggs, or cleaning vegetables, all for the use of those who are in need. Brows are sweat-lined, clothing is soiled, bodies are tired—but human souls are refreshed and lifted towards heaven.     UAdd a Note 

Fourth, storage. The Lord in the revelations spoke frequently of his storehouses. On one occasion he counseled, “The storehouse shall be kept by the consecrations of the church; and widows and orphans shall be provided for, as also the poor” (D&C 83:6). I am happy that over the entrance to our storehouses are the words Bishops’ Storehouse! Those who labor therein are recommended and sent by their respective bishops. Within such buildings there is found an atmosphere of love, of respect, and, indeed, of reverence. I am inspired each time I visit such a storehouse. There is no steeple or spire, no carpeted floors or stained-glass windows, but here is found the spirit of the Lord.

Fifth, distribution. This is where the bishop’s judgment is most severely tested. He cannot shirk this God-given responsibility. President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., summarized the bishop’s role in welfare services: He “is ‘to administer all temporal things’ … ; in his calling he is to ‘administer to the … poor and needy’; he is to search ‘after the poor to administer to their wants’ [see D&C 107:68, D&C 42:34, D&C 84:112]. …
     U

Temples, Why are they Important?

Historical

The Lord has always commanded that we commune with him in holy places.  Since the time of Adam, men have been making sacrifices.  These holy spots were often found in the tops of the mountains.  These were viewed as the closest place we could be to God.  Then God commanded Moses to erect a tabernacle (Num. 4).  There were designated times when the Lord would command Moses to build it so that the people could burn their sacrifices and commune with God (Ex. 40:2).  Solomon builds a temple that uses all the finest materials found in the area (1 Kings 6).  The tradition of building temples continued to the time of Christ.  The Nephites also had their temples (2 Ne 5:16, Jacob 2:2, Mosiah 2).  These temples were places of worship and sacrifice.  Temples in our days are used for the same purpose.  Instead of using animal sacrifices we commit to sacrifice our hearts for God.

Temples in our midst

Temples used in our days have specific purposes.  In the temple we are united for eternity with our families.  Our loved ones who have gone before us can be baptized and united with their families.  Member of the church make sacred covenants or promises with God to obey His commandments and live as He would have us live.  Pres. David O. McKay said in the January 1972 Ensign “… temples are built for the performance of sacred ordinances—not secret, but sacred.”  The things we do and say inside the temple are so special to the members that they are not repeated outside the walls.  

Temple Experiences

I have been through many temples throughout the United States and abroad.  The most remote temple I’ve been to is the one in Manila, Philippines.  The ordinances are performed both in English and in the native tongue weather that is Tagalog, Cebuano, Pangalitoc, Ilicono, etc.  All my experiences have been the same, rewarding and spiritual.  I have come to know the Lord in a way I never knew possible.  Temples are his house on this earth.  My absolute favorite temple I’ve ever been to is the Nauvoo, Illinois Temple.  When I visit, I feel the presence of the Pioneers who built the first temple there.  They’re sacrifice has made an impact on me that I never knew possible.  I’m so grateful for the doctrine of temples.  I know that because of the promises made inside, I can be together with my family in the eternities. 

The Mission to the Shakers

In Doctrine and Covenants section 49 we learn of a mission for Sidney Rigdon, Parley P Pratt, and Leman Copley to go to the Shakers or the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing.  Here is a list of simple beliefs.

• Christ’s second coming had already occurred and he had appeared in the form of a woman, Ann Lee
• Baptism by water was not considered essential
• the eating of pork was specifically forbidden, and many did not eat any meat
• a celibate life was considered higher than marriage

Now the Lord gave direct revelation through Joseph Smith about these doctrinal issues.  On a side note, Leman Copley had converted from the Shakers by this time but was still having issues adjusting.  Here are some things the Lord said in Section 49.

• V7- I, the Lord God, have spoken it; but the hour and the ^aday no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes. 
• This is the Lord saying that no one knows when He is coming until He comes.
• V13-14-^aRepent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the holy commandment, for the remission of sins;  And whoso doeth this shall receive the ^agift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the ^bhands of the elders of the church. 
• Baptism is the ONLY way to receive the Holy Ghost and full cleansing of sins.
• V15-17-And again, verily I say unto you, that whoso ^aforbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for ^bmarriage is ordained of God unto man.  Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one ^awife, and they twain shall be ^bone flesh, and all this that the ^cearth might answer the end of its creation; And that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his ^acreation ^bbefore the world was made. 
• Marriage is Ordained of God.  It is part of God's plan to have us marry legally and lawfully someone of the opposite sex.  
• V18-19-And whoso ^aforbiddeth to ^babstain from ^cmeats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; For, behold, the ^abeasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ^bordained for the use of man for food and for ^craiment, and that he might have in abundance. 
• This is the reason why I eat lots of meat...just kidding.  But in all seriousness, God gave us animals to be used for food and clothing, but not for abuse.  In verse 21 we are commanded not to waste but to only kill as much as we need.

The Lord's view are very clean and straight forward.  We believe in letting men worship how, what and where they may.  We will not enforce our beliefs on anyone.  We just want to share our beliefs.  I do know that God directs the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as we speak.  He will come again, we just need to prepare for that day now.

Thomas B Marsh

Thomas B Marsh was in Boston the time the Book of Mormon was being printed.  He had heard about a "gold bible" and went in search of it.  "His curiosity led him to Grandin’s print shop; there he met Martin Harris, who gave him proof sheets of the first sixteen printed pages of the Book of Mormon and then accompanied him to the Smith home in Manchester. Oliver Cowdery spent portions of two days telling him about Joseph and the Restoration. Thomas returned to Massachusetts and taught his family about the new work." (Church History in the Fulness of times, 74-75).

He was then Baptized and sent on a mission to Missouri.  When he returned, the commandment to set up the Quorum of the 12 Apostles was given.  He, along with Joseph Smith, selected those 11 men who would join them.  He was named the President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.  In Doctrine and Covenants 31 the Lord calls Thomas "blessed...because of [his] faith in [the Lord's] work.  “As long as Thomas B. Marsh was faithful he was an eloquent speaker. At the time of the troubles in Clay County, Mo., he was elected a member of a committee to lay the grievances of the Saints before the authorities of the State. On that occasion he spoke so impressively that General Atchison, who was present, shed tears, and the meeting passed resolutions to assist the Saints in finding a new location.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 165.) 

But, like many of the leaders of the church, he ended up falling away.  Here is how President Monson describes the story. 

While the Saints were in Far West, Missouri, Elizabeth Marsh, Thomas’s wife, and her friend Sister Harris decided they would exchange milk in order to make more cheese than they otherwise could. To be certain all was done fairly, they agreed that they should not save what were called the strippings, but that the milk and strippings should all go together. Strippings came at the end of the milking and were richer in cream.

Sister Harris was faithful to the agreement, but Sister Marsh, desiring to make some especially delicious cheese, saved a pint of strippings from each cow and sent Sister Harris the milk without the strippings. This caused the two women to quarrel. When they could not settle their differences, the matter was referred to the home teachers to settle. They found Elizabeth Marsh guilty of failure to keep her agreement. She and her husband were upset with the decision, and the matter was then referred to the bishop for a Church trial. The bishop’s court decided that the strippings were wrongfully saved and that Sister Marsh had violated her covenant with Sister Harris.

Thomas Marsh appealed to the high council, and the men comprising this council confirmed the bishop’s decision. He then appealed to the First Presidency of the Church. Joseph Smith and his counselors considered the case and upheld the decision of the high council.

Elder Thomas B. Marsh, who sided with his wife through all of this, became angrier with each successive decision—so angry, in fact, that he went before a magistrate and swore that the Mormons were hostile toward the state of Missouri. His affidavit led to—or at least was a factor in—Governor Lilburn Boggs’s cruel extermination order, which resulted in over 15,000 Saints being driven from their homes, with all the terrible suffering and consequent death that followed. All of this occurred because of a disagreement over the exchange of milk and cream.  (School thy Feelings, November 2009 Enisgn) 

"Regarding this treachery, Joseph Smith remarked that Thomas B. Marsh

“had been lifted up in pride by his exaltation to office and the revelations of

heaven concerning him, until he was ready to be overthrown by the first

adverse wind that should cross his track, and now he has fallen, lied and

sworn falsely, and is ready to take the lives of his best friends. Let all men

take warning by him, and learn that he who exalteth himself, God will

abase.”24 Thomas Marsh was excommunicated 17 March 1839." (CHFT 199)

 "After 19 years of rancor and loss, Thomas B. Marsh made his way to the Salt Lake Valley and asked President Brigham Young for forgiveness. Brother Marsh also wrote to Heber C. Kimball, First Counselor in the First Presidency, of the lesson he had learned. Said Brother Marsh: “The Lord could get along very well without me and He … lost nothing by my falling out of the ranks; But O what have I lost?! Riches, greater riches than all this world or many planets like this could afford.” (School Thy Feelings)

This story shows what pride can do to us.  It will eventually lead to being left alone and being forced to be humble.  So what can we do to remain humble and have the things said of us that Joseph Smith said?  That is the question I'm going to leave you to ponder.  Feel free to comment!