---

Braden Bell grew up in Farmington, Utah and earned degrees in theatre from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. from New York University. He and his wife, Meredith live with their five children outside of Nashville, TN, where he teaches theatre and music. Braden enjoys reading, writing, gardening and long walks with the dog. His first book, The Road Show, will be released by Cedar Fort in June of 2010. Read more at www.bradenbell.com

Recently in Sunday School, we talked about Noah, and how people lacked the faith to act on prophetic advice that would prepare them for dangers that were coming, dangers that they could not see nor anticipate.

The teacher made an analogy about his high school football days when the coach would have them watch game film of their upcoming opponent to prepare to compete against them. I thought about the analogy for a while and raised my hand (I’m one of those really annoying can’t-keep-my-mouth-shut kind of Sunday School participants): “The game film is actually much like the scriptures. It shows us patterns from the past and gives us the examples of what works and what does not. A living prophet, then, would be like if the coach watched a film of what WILL happen and explains to the team exactly what should be practiced and prepared in order to meet the opponent and all that will occur.” And I mentioned this talk that I only vaguely remembered, but now I want to study.

The talk is “The Past Way of Facing the Future” by Elder L. Tom Perry, from the Sunday morning session of the October 2009 conference. He said,



Upon reviewing the talk, I realized it wasn’t quite what I had remembered. But he relates some specific accounts from the lives of pioneers as well as other historical events, and then harvests important lessons from them that we should learn and remember. And as a living apostle, sustained as a seer, he must speak of principles pertinent to our future.



You can read the talk here, listen to it here, or watch it here.

Referring back to Noah, what things do you find in Elder Perry’s talk that would help us to build our own arks or be protected from the coming floods or calamities?

---

Stephanie is a mom of three young and relentless children. Her interests include latin music, naps, restaurants, writing, travel, teaching, housework denial and long showers. Stephanie seeks for the divinity in motherhood--- tries to share it when she finds it, and tries to laugh when she doesn't. She blogs for fun, posterity, and therapy. Her musings are chronicled at Diapers and Divinity, and if you know how to send chocolate as an attachment, you're welcome to email her here.

Building up a food storage supply can feel like a daunting task. What do you store? How much of it? How the heck do you use wheat? Where do you buy these items? And how do you store it all? All of these questions come to mind when you try to get started. We felt very overwhelmed when we first started too. So we split the process up into ten simple baby steps which will hopefully make the task feel less overwhelming.

Getting Started:
Put together Disaster Kits (including 72 hour kit food kits) for your whole family, have an emergency plan in place, make sure your computer is backed up, and organize your space to ensure you have a large, clean storage area.

Step 1:
Determine which type of shelf system you want to use and purchase one shelf to get started. You can do anything from building your own wooden shelves, buying inexpensive plastic or metal shelves from Wal-Mart, or splurge and buy a fancy can rotation system.

Step 2:
Store a 2 week’s supply of water (1 gallon per person per day). You can buy 55 gallon barrels, get several 5-6 gallon jugs, or fill up empty soda/juice bottles. Just make sure it is food grade
plastic, and milk jugs don’t count!

Step 3:
Purchase a three month supply of foods you normally eat. You can come up with meal plans for the whole 90 days, or simply buy extras of the things you use a lot. If you plan to use these foods a lot, buy MORE than 90 days worth so you can use some but still have your three month supply on hand.

Step 4:
Educate yourself on long term food storage and determine the types of foods, recipes, etc. your family will want to eat. Use an online tool or spreadsheet to figure out the actual amounts of each
food you are planning to store for a year supply of food. (You can start with 3 months and move up to 1 year eventually).

Step 5:
Purchase your grains and learn how to use them: wheat, corn, barley, rice, pasta, etc.

Step 6:
Purchase your legumes and learn how to use them: dried beans, bean soup mixes, lentils, soy beans, etc.

Step 7:
Purchase items necessary for baking such as oil, sugar, powdered milk, salt, etc.

Step 8:
Purchase or preserve fruits and vegetables to supplement your core foods.

Step 9:
Purchase any comfort foods that would be pleasant to have should you be forced to live off your food storage for a long time. This could be things such as hot chocolate, pickles, jell-o, salsa, spices, etc.

Step 10:
Purchase non-food item necessities such as toothpaste, deodorant, female products, diapers, etc. Also, paper products such as paper plates, plastic utensils, etc. are helpful to avoid wasting precious water by washing dishes in an emergency situation.

Beyond the BabySteps:
Once you have finished these steps you can move on to more complex survival issues such as heat/cooking sources, long term water solutions, growing and canning your own foods, etc.

---

To learn more about the babysteps of food storage and to see the progress we are making, visit Jodi and Julie at Food Storage Made Easy

I grew up in a family with four children- 2 girls and 2 boys- and we all have unique names. My parents gave us all just the right mix of creativity and normalcy. We don't have bizarre spellings, we don't get "Your name is what?" from little old ladies, and our names seem to fit our personalities rather well. Our names can either be used in full or shortened to a nickname. We are all individuals with the names to prove it.

I think this sense of individuality has given me a mild complex about naming my future children. For a long time I thought I knew what I wanted to name my kids... and then I learned that both of my favorite Girl names were in the Top 10 in America for the last few years. And then I met at least 3 couples expecting little girls with plans to give them My Favorite Name. I was enraged. That was MY name! How dare they? And my Boy names too?! The horror!

And then I met Curious George, who hated My Favorite Names. What? How could this be? These names were perfect. They were just the right length, they were classic, beautiful... these were my babies he didn't like. When I brought up names for our children to him he looked at me like I was crazy.

"You've already named our children?" he asked, "Don't you think that's a little premature?"

"No!" I argued, outraged, "It's not premature. With all the babies being born around us we need to stake our claim on the good names, let people know that they belong to us."

"Well, what about family names?" he countered.

"I was planning on using family middle names," I replied, with a bit of a pout.

So my name list changed. And grew. And evolved. And now we have some of the most beautiful names picked out for our daughters, some of the most dashing names for our sons. All of them fit with our last name. They are individual, poetic, and they are my new babies... until I have some real babies to give them to.

Our names help shape who we are. They carry us through our lives and they give us our first sense of self. Whether using our given names, or renaming ourselves later in life, our names are our sole claim on who we really are.

So, I would counter Juliet's argument of "What's in a name?" with one simple word:

This describes how I feel about spring in general, nasty stuff. But then you add taxes to the mix and it gets worse.

I’ve done my own taxes since I had my first real job at age 16. My tax situation now (married, filing jointly, self-employed) has gotten a little more complex, but with the help of tax software, I’ve managed to survive, spleen intact.

Now, before you place implicit trust in me and my tax advice, here is a disclaimer: I am not a tax professional. I stab myself in the eye when forced to do too many mathematical equations. I do not have a degree in accounting. These are practical tips, meant as a starting point for you if you feel brave enough to do your own taxes. If you really feel like cutting out your spleen (what good are they anyway?), consult a professional.

• Gather all relevant documents in one place. I keep a filefolder and as we receive 1099s, 1098s, W2s, and I throw in anything else that looks formal and tax-like. This includes your end-of-year tithing settlement document. Charitable donations are big! Make sure you use that to get some of your money back from Uncle Sam.

• Find a software that you are comfortable with, and that will do all the mathematical work for you. Tax filing software basically reduces taxes to data entry. I can’t do complicated math, or understand an over 3,000 pages-long tax code. But I can handle data entry and most yes or no questions.
  

• Check out the IRS Free File web page. If your Adjusted Gross Income is less than $57,000, then you can file for free using online tax software!!! I have used Turbo Tax (it has a nice sense of humor and a great FAQ section) and H&R Block’s Tax Cut (it has a great help section and walks me through everything.) You don’t have to physically buy a disk, you can use it over the internet on a secure connection. With both of these programs you pay at the end (if you don’t qualify for the free file).

• I once felt the urge to torture myself by filling out two returns on two different programs, but they churned out the exact same amount owed. E-file is usually included in the price and there is an option to include state filing for an extra charge.

• Do what the software tells you. If you are unsure about something, ask the company or find some relative that has tax knowledge and pump them for information. If you still feel nervous, call an accountant and pay them to do your taxes.

• Efile! Efile! You’ll get your return much faster, or if you owe taxes, you will have it out of your hair sooner.
  

• If you qualify for the free file, before paying for the State file, check out your state tax commission website. If you live in Utah, they have a free filing system (for those under a certain income) and your state might too.

Good luck!

---

Stephanie hopes to one day go pro, but for now she’s working at becoming the best amateur wife, mother, runner and writer she can be. Sometimes she pretends she is a cook and a crafter as well. The cooking usually ends well, but the crafting always involves injuries and perhaps some cursing.

Her accomplishments include winning the minutes-read contest in first grade and taking second place in a spelling bee in eighth grade. She is also good at test taking, a skill that has proven absolutely useless in her current role as a wife of one Mike and a mother of two girls, four and two years old.

She currently enjoys freelancing for the Ogden Standard-Examiner, singing children’s songs with too much vibrato, and imagining a plot for a bestselling novel tentatively titled “Susan Plotter and the Cup of Hot Coals.”

When she’s not pregnant, which she currently is, due in June, she will try to kick your butt in running. Otherwise, she is very humble, unless you bring up her successful spelling career.

If you want to hear all about how well she spells contact her at chambers.steph@gmail.com or leave a comment on her excellently spell-checked blog, http://excitedandconfused.blogspot.com/.

Photo by AlanCleaver

Meet Moxie Mona.


Mona is traveling to all 50 States and she has been privileged enough to come and stay with me for a while, in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. She is in awe of my Snuggie. What Mona didn't know was that she was coming to stay with a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as a Mormon. (Insert gasp here.)


Like many inanimate dolls, Mona had a lot of misconceptions about Mormons, and had heard a lot of stereotypes about us. I really tried to keep my judging of her to a minimum, but it was a little difficult. Do you see what she's wearing! She makes Britney Spears look modest!

But after the end of her stay with us, I think she came to an understanding about what Mormons are all about. And together, we can fight Mormon stereotypes, just like Mona fights wearing pants. She and Lady Gaga have a lot in common.

Here are some of the myths and stereotypes Mona had heard about Mormons:



1) Mormons are polygamists.

If only this were true. Do you know how difficult it is to have to do the laundry, take out the trash, try to destroy the earth, and take daily naps, all by myself? I could really use a sister wife right about now. And I'm sure Adam would LOVE to have two or three more dishtowels to throw out on the landing.

Polygamy was discontinued by the LDS church in 1890, and is illegal in all 50 States. Any member of the LDS church caught practicing polygamy would actually be excommunicated from the church. There are break-off sects of the LDS church that do practice polygamy, such as the sect in Texas whose compound was raided, but these sects are not affiliated with the Mormon church in any way.

I guess I will have to continue to throw Styrofoam cups into the Great Salt Lake, all by myself. Sigh.



2) Mormons have horns.


Hahahaha. What a silly myth!

Everyone knows that Mormons have giant green ears, like Shrek.


Why else do you think us Utah Mormons love giant, ratted hair? The Bumpit was an answer to my prayers. It completely hides my Shrek-like ears.


(Last time I checked, I didn't have horns or green ears. A tail is an entirely different matter, of course.)


3) Mormons have a gazillion children.

Listen, The Duggars are really putting a cramp in our style. They aren't even Mormon!!! How are we supposed to compete with 19 children? My uterus hurts just thinking about it.

The family is the main focus of the LDS faith. We believe that families are eternal and will be together after this life as well. Many Mormon couples do have large families. But it's not required to have 10 children in order to be a good church member. The focus is mainly on having healthy, strong families, whether it's a family of three or a family of twelve.

We don't have any children yet. And I'm very old. I'm almost 32! I feel like Sarah from the Old Testament. I did have a near miss with a lightening strike once, but I somehow managed to escape.



4) Mormons and the Amish are one and the same.

I'm pretty sure I watch more TV than the editor of TV Guide. And in a fire, if it came down to saving my framed picture of "The Hoff" or one of my DVRs, I would have to go with my DVR. That way, I could still watch "The Hoff" every week, as well as KBYU, of course.

I'm also a bit more of a hussy than Amish women. I will show a bit of an ankle now and again. I've even been known to flaunt my elbow on special occasions.

I think that a lot of people confuse Mormons with Mennonites. The Amish, or Amish Mennonites, live very simple lives, dress very plainly, and don't adopt most of modern society's conveniences, such as electricity. Mormons LOVE electricity. Have you noticed how many of us bloggers there are? If I could put electricity in green jello and eat it, I would.



5) Mormons don't drink soda.

This is true. Most Mormons actually have a Diet Coke IV shoved into their veins. Drinking it takes too much time.

Mona got a little carried away up there, and is actually in a Diet Coke coma.

Mormons do follow what we call The Word of Wisdom, which is a type of health code. We don't drink coffee, caffeinated tea, or alcohol. Also, we don't smoke, or use tobacco. Soda is not off limits, but many Mormons choose not to drink caffeinated soda as well. However, it is not prohibited by the LDS church.



6) Mormons are all white, Republican, and live in Utah.

I think I saw a Mormon Democrat once. I couldn't be entirely certain, as I didn't get close enough. It was kind of like trying to capture Sasquatch or The Loch Ness Monster on film.

Oh, and since no one is going to read this, I feel like I can safely say this here. I am a registered Independent. Did I just hear someone faint?

Only 12% of Mormons actually live in Utah, and there are more LDS members outside of the United States than inside. Mormons are affiliated with all political parties and there have been many high-ranking LDS church leaders who are registered Democrats.

And lastly,



7) Mormons are not Christians.

The full name of our church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The very first and main tenet of our religion is faith in Jesus Christ. Our church may not fit the traditional mold of a Christian church, but we profess a belief in Jesus Christ and follow his teachings.



So there you have it. Moxie Mona and I had a delightful time visiting the sites in Salt Lake City, including the This Is The Place Heritage Park. I really had to wonder why the pioneers just didn't use cars. Seems like things would have been a lot easier!

---

Kristina lives in Utah with her husband and her well traveled Snuggie. Kristina is a full-time social worker, bringing joy, rainbows, and metaphorical unicorns to all the people she works with, on a daily basis. In her spare time, she can be found reading blogs, knitting blankets for disadvantaged hairless animals, shunning Twilight, and wearing high heels while vacuuming. Kristina's dream job is to write for Conan O'Brien, or to move to Alaska and work on an oil rig. She'll take whichever one gives her squeezy cheese for lunch. She blogs at Pulsipher Predilections.

I have been trying to lose weight...well...my whole life. Sometimes I succeed. Most of the time I don't. This constant battle with my body is such a source of frustration! I often find myself looking at this body of mine and feeling hatred, repulsion, and resignation. I go through phases of thinking, "That's it! I'll just be fat the rest of my life!".

I suppose one could say my thought processes are unhealthy. Well, I agree. And this is where my latest thought process regarding this problematic body of mine has taken me.

So here it is. I have a body. And that body is far from perfect. I am no size 2...or 4...or 10. And chances are pretty good that I never will be.

Well, so be it.

I have a body. It is imperfectly shaped (pear-shaped in fact!), but it is strong and capable. It is chubbier than it should be, but it is whole and healthy.

This body of mine is some kind of amazing. It can heal itself. It can defeat disease and infection. It can protect itself. It can heat itself. It can nourish itself in order to survive. It can perform and compete. It can reproduce. It can communicate its needs.

I have a body. On this body I have a face. It is not perfectly symmetrical or shaped, but it is beautiful. It has two eyes that can see sunsets and read touching words. It has two ears that can revel in inspiring music and perk at the sound of my husband driving in from work. It has a nose that can detect dangerous smells (like smoke or even worse: Poopy diapers) or delight in delicious scents (like fresh-baked bread and fresh-bathed babies). It has a mouth that can grin with enthusiasm and lips that can kiss little tear-stained cheeks. I have two cheeks. Chubby they may be, but those cheeks can blush with emotion or elate in the sensation of human touch when my husband kisses them.

I have two arms. They come complete with floppy Church Lady wings, but they also have the ability to hug, lead music, swim, and snuggle kids.

I have two hands. Hands that are rather large and always dry and cracked. But, I have two hands that can work and serve. They can knead bread dough, sort laundry, type school papers, clean, make thank you cards, paint, hold little hands, scratch my husband's itches, and play guitar.

I have a tummy. No matter how I try to flatten it, that tummy remains much rounder than I like it to be. But that tummy has been round three times with a sweet growing child inside.

I have two legs. They have varicose veins, cellulite, and other unsightly sights, but those legs can sway to music, run in a 5K, carry me through the grocery store, take me to the top of a mountain, and get me to the bathroom when duty calls.

I have two feet and they are humongous; much too big to fit into cute girly shoes. I have two humongous feet that tap to the beat of a great tune, keep me balanced and upright, moosh sinister bugs, and slam down on the brake pedal in my car to keep my family safe.

I have a body. It is an incredible thing to have. There are many out there who do much more and complain much less with bodies that are twisted and incapacitated by disease and defect. There are spirits out there who never even got to have one.

So, I think I can make peace with this body in spite of its imperfections because it is some body. And what I choose to do with it makes me Somebody.

---
guest post by Evelyn Perkins of The Perks of Life

My daughter has created in my life the need for an unusual talent: Apologizing. She regularly says things that are insulting and/or potentially emotionally injurious to friends, family, vague acquaintances and complete strangers. Examples? You got it.

We were sitting next to a lady at church whom I have known pretty much my entire life. This is a woman I admire and look up to and feel like she has been influential in shaping me as a person. So, of course, I had the poor judgment to allow my daughter - yes the insult producing machine - to sit next to her. Things started out nicely.

Then I noticed she was looking rather too closely at the woman's hands. I braced myself.

"What are all these lines?" my daughter asked.
"They are veins," was the answer.
"I don't have veins," my daughter pointed out.
"Because you aren't old," was the explanation.
"Oh."

I breathed a sigh of relief. That wasn't too bad. It also wasn't the end of it all.

"What are all these spots?" my daughter asked, pointing to a cluster of "age spots" on the arm of her victim.
"Those are just spots you get when you're old," she answered.
"I don't have any."
"Because you aren't old."
"I'm five," my daughter objected to the logic.
"That's not old enough to have spots."

I smiled apologetically. She didn't look offended. But my daughter wasn't done.

"Why do you wear those funny glasses when you read?"
"Because my eyes are old."
"My mom wears those, too," my daughter nodded with understanding. Apparently she understands that I am old.

A few minutes later...

Touching the poor, patient woman on her face (I couldn't tell what, precisely, she was looking at). "What is this?"
"I'm sure it's some kind of defect."

We were at the store the other day

"Hi," she said to the checker. "This is my mom." She pointed to me. "She's almost a-hundred."

So I apologized to myself.

Yep. I'm a good apologizer.

--
Sarah M Eden is a mom, a taxi and an author of historical romance novels, which her daughter describes as “Kissy, romantic books where the people lived a long time ago and talked funny.”  When not writing, Sarah sometimes sleeps, occasionally cooks dinner for her family and very rarely cleans her house.  Visit her at www.sarahmeden.com

The question I find the most in my inbox is “How do I refinish Furniture?” I’ve been doing it for so long and have quite a few huge projects under my belt (Giant Red refinished Piano is still my all time favorite to date!!) I forget that I, too, once wondered if I could tackle the likes of an Antique Buffett or a Dinning Room table that once done would be worthy enough for guests to enjoy over the age of 5!




Trust me when I say that anyone can do it! By following a few “Golden Rules” you’ll become a pro in no time. Yard sales, thrift stores and Grandma’s old furniture cast will all become your new best friends!

My rule of thumb when it comes to deciding if something is worth refinishing...

• It has to be a solid piece to begin with! Look for quality over aesthetics!
• Make sure it’s made of real wood and not a veneer. This technique works best on real wood.

Be sure to take a before picture because you will hardly believe what it looked like once you are done!


The biggest question on everyone’s mind is "Do you have to completely sand off a finish first before you paint?"

And the answer is NO!!!!! Thank goodness right? As long as you use an OIL BASED primer you don't have to sand. I recommend KILZ brand from Home Depot.

I buy it in a gallon size because I do so many projects and will use it all. I have also bought a KILZ spray can of oil based primer for a quick job. The spray can works great for smaller projects too, like a chair or stool or small desk.

I will say this... light sanding will be needed if you have areas on your project that may have splintering, or large peeling or chipped paint. Just sand the area to make it more uniform and smooth.

The only time you will need to sand off a finish completely before refinishing is if you are planning on staining a piece as opposed to painting. (I'll talk more about staining at the end of this post!)

Because you will be using an oil based primer, be prepared to toss the paint brush you will be using. Oil based paint is a BEAST to wash so I recommend using gloves too.

Prime your piece once and let it dry completely before moving onto the next step.


You will want to use a Latex paint. I LOVE BEHR brand from Home Depot the best! (Side bar: we painted all our rooms in our house with Behr paint and only had to do one coat!!! Good stuff!!!)

I always do two coats for furniture. You must allow each coat to dry fully before you paint the next coat.


I confess: I buy my brushes from the dollar store. I like the synthetic fiber brushes best. For projects that have a lot of flat surface areas, I'll also purchase a small foam roller. I roll the flat surfaces and use my brush for the "cutting in" (meaning the corners and seams and detail work.)

You can easily wash out and reuse your brushes when you use a latex paint.


Once the paint is completely dry you will want to add a Polyurethane Sealer. MINWAX is my favorite! It comes in Matte, Semi gloss and High gloss so be sure to pick the finish you want. I always do at least two coats, and again it's important to allow it to dry before adding the next coat!

I use a foam brush to apply poly. NEVER shake a can of Poly! It creates small bubbles that will dry in your finish. Instead, use a stir stick and stir your poly well as it tends to settle. They do sell poly in a spray can, but I generally avoid it because I want a very even finish that only a paint brush can achieve.




I love a good Faux finish! If you plan on adding a faux finish or rub, you would do this step before your poly step. I usually do a glaze on all my projects but that's just my personal style! My favorite technique is adding a brown glaze that settles in the details and seams of furniture...


I use Raulph Lauren Glaze in "Tobacco." This technique requires you to paint a thick coat on and then quickly wipe it off with a rag and leaving behind the glaze to get the aged look you want. It takes a little getting used to, but it's by far my favorite technique!

I have also used a crackle finish effect. If you want a crackle finish, you must use a FLAT finish for your base coat paint. It will not crackle correctly if it's an egg shell, semi, high gloss or satin finish.

Read all the instructions on faux finishing products! Ask your local expert for tips and just have fun!

• You can find "Oops Paint" or "Mis Tints" paint at a discount for $1-$5 a gallon. Ask your paint departments where they keep it! It's not always out in front! I have found some great colors and have saved a ton of money!
• Check your local Dollar Store and see what painting tools they sell. I was spending full price on brushes for almost a year before I discovered that the dollar store sold a three pack!
• Prime multiple pieces at the same time! Priming is my least favorite step but the most important! I just like to get as many things primed at once as I can.
• If you are planning on painting anything RED you MUST tint your primer gray! Home Depot will do this for you by adding black paint. Gray primer is the only way to get a true to color sample result. If you buy a gallon of primer and only have one project to paint red, just buy a plastic container in the paint section, pour a good amount to cover your project into the container and they will add black to that. That way you don't have to tint the entire gallon.
• I can't stress enough how important it is to allow proper time for drying in between each coat!
• You can sand in between each step...primer, two coats of colored paint and poly if you want a very smooth feel in the end. I rarely do this because I like how it looks and feels enough when I don't and I am all about saving the effort if I don't care! If you do sand, use a very fine grit and wipe it down well before painting again.
• Allow more time then you would think for the piece to dry before you bring it in the house. I have made the mistake of thinking it was dry before it was and got paint on my carpet! Not fun! I wait over night before I move it in.

Don’t be scared my friends! Start small! My home is filled with about 8 refinished projects and I can’t tell you how cool it feels knowing that I created that one of a kind look! Each piece seems to be a favorite for a different reason! So dive in and get painting!

Be sure to check out this POST for many of my before and afters!

---

Becca is one part wife, three parts mother and the rest is a mixed bag of genetic obligations, sass and reality! Her High School sweetheart husband and three energetic daughters are constant sources of entertainment and inspiration. While in the throws of motherhood Becca can often be found knee deep in Domestic Goddess training! Rooted in self taught sewing and having a borderline unhealthy obsessive for fabric and paper, Becca is always out to create! She lives by three mottos…1. Everything has potential and can become something wonderful! Everything and everyone! 2. Live the way you want to be remembered! 3. Mint Oreos are just as important in ones creative arsenal as Mod Podge, Ribbon and a Hot Glue Gun ! You can follow Becca’s adventures on her creative blog Blue Cricket Design.

We have problem.

Spencer, my adorable, precocious, aloof, and brilliant two-year-old boy is well, having an issue.

Spencer “doesn’t like Jesus.”

WHAT THE WHAT?

I know, it’s bad, right?

In my defense, I have NEVER EVER preached anything but that Jesus is our Savior and that He loves us.

Unfortunately, there is a nursery leader who has reddish-brown hair and a goatee. The problem is that Spencer thinks Brother Nursery Leader is the actual Jesus.

This particular nursery leader (bless his heart) has a habit of grabbing toddlers by the arm and swinging them (gently and kindly) back into nursery when they attempt to escape.

Ever since Spencer experienced this first-hand, he has been terrified of “Jesus.”

As soon as Sacrament Meeting is over, he begins to cry and shout, “I don’t like Jesus! I don’t want to go to class.”

Unfortunately for me, Spencer is a very articulate child who is easy to understand.

Plus he’s really REALLY loud.

And people stare.

I’m all, “SHHH!!!! Jesus loves you and you love him! We’re good LDS people, Spencer!”

To which he unfailingly replies, “I DON’T LOVE JESUS! I DON’T LIKE HIM!”

By the way, no amount of us talking about the real Jesus at home, (and that Brother Nursery Leader is NOT Jesus) seems to have had the slightest effect on Spencer.

He just wails, “I am afraid of Jesus! NO JESUS! NO NO NO!”

I drag him down the hall, with his daddy walking behind us, pretending he doesn’t know us, and I deposit him carefully in the OTHER nursery class (we had to switch classes after this started happening, so Spencer would stay in nursery. Unfortunately, he’s still afraid every week that we’ll put him back in Jesus’ nursery).

Every week, people. Every. Single. Week.

---

Morgan Ing wishes that her blog could achieve world peace, but it can’t. So instead, it just records her life with three sons, a husband and dog. Read more at www.ingfamily.blogspot.com.

The Saturday morning session of the most recent General Conference was my favorite session, and President Uctdorf’s talk, “The Love of God,” is one of the reasons why. Look at the questions he answers as he speaks:

How Do We Become True Disciples of Jesus Christ?

Why Should We Love God?

Why Does Heavenly Father Love Us?

How Can We Increase Our Love of God?

How Can We Hear the Father’s Voice?

Why Is Love the Great Commandment?

I was fascinated with the principle that all our actions, thoughts, motivations, and desires can and should be traced back to love. Even the simple things we do that don’t seem to mean anything to anyone–even to ourselves–appear more glorious when viewed as manifestations of our love.

“Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship.”

It’s a great talk, definitely worth studying. You can read it here. You can also watch it here or listen to it here. I was surprised to recognize that many of things I do really are motivated by love, but it was also a comfort to know that when a task seems difficult, it can become easier as I remember love for God or someone else I'm trying to serve.

What are things you do because you love God? (Remember that "The divine love of God turns ordinary acts into extraordinary service.")

--

Stephanie is a mom of three young and relentless children. Her interests include latin music, naps, restaurants, writing, travel, teaching, housework denial and long showers. Stephanie seeks for the divinity in motherhood--- tries to share it when she finds it, and tries to laugh when she doesn't. She blogs for fun, posterity, and therapy. Her musings are chronicled at Diapers and Divinity, and if you know how to send chocolate as an attachment, you're welcome to email her here.

When I was younger I really struggled with the question of why women couldn't hold the priesthood. In fact, for a little while my testimony was really shaken because I felt God was being unfair and demeaning to women.

Yet over the last few years, as I've really prayed and searched for understanding, God has given me tender mercies, pieces of understanding, that bring peace to my soul and answers to my doubts.



One of these tender mercies happened to me about a year ago when I was walking through my kitchen. On the wall next to the door we have a key shaped key holder on which we put all our household keys. The purpose of this holder is to keep our keys organized and in a safe spot, so that we always know where they are when we need them. When keys don't get put on this holder things get a bit chaotic at our house, resulting in frantic searches through the house for car keys, house keys, and shed keys which actually sometimes get lost for good.

As I looked at this key holder and reflected on its purpose, I realized that Priesthood authority is much like a key holder. In fact, we call men in the LDS church, who are authorized to administer and use Priesthood keys, Priesthood holders. Men aren't the priesthood, the Priesthood is the power of God, but men are the vessels that God has authorized to "hold" and watch over the keys of His Priesthood so that they aren't misused or lost. God has said that His house is a house of order and He has designated men responsible for keeping the keys of the Priesthood organized and safe so that when they are needed they will be available to all who seek them, both men and women.

Just because men have been given responsibility to hold the keys doesn't mean that they have more privileges, blessings, or power than women in the church, nor in spiritual things. The Priesthood is the power of God, and both men and women have equal access to the blessings and privileges associated with it. In fact, Priesthood keys can be "turned" by those who have authority in the behalf of women. Joseph Smith first did this in March of 1842 when he organized the Relief Society, which as one sister recalled his saying, “I will organize the women under the Priesthood after the pattern of the Priesthood.” (Sarah M. Kimball, “Auto-Biography,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Sept. 1883, p. 51.)

Just like the Priesthood quorums, the Relief Society is self-governing but receives instruction and direction from Priesthood leaders who hold responsibility for the Priesthood keys. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, “While the sisters have not been given the Priesthood, … that does not mean that the Lord has not given unto them authority. Authority and Priesthood are two different things. A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation, such as the work that our sisters do in the House of the Lord.” (Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1959, p. 4.)

Women don't lose anything because they don't "hold" the keys or administer the Priesthood. They are still given the authority to participate in the same Priesthood ordinances and receive the exact same blessings as the men who administer the ordinances. The truth is that it just isn't women's responsibility to be key holders. God has given women other responsibilities that are in every way just as important for the eternal salvation of God's children as holding and administering Priesthood keys. True, these responsibilities aren't always as clearly defined or as acknowledged as ordinations to the Priesthood or the administering of ordinances are, but just because the world (or even church members) don't recognize their value and power doesn't mean that God doesn't. God is very aware of the important jobs women do on this earth and accepts their offerings and sacrifices.

Often times the world teaches women that if they don't have the exact same responsibilities or opportunities as men, they are being cheated and controlled. This is just another of Satan's lies. Men and women are different and God has given each different talents, gifts and responsibilities that enrich the lives of all human beings. Joseph Smith taught the early women of the Relief Society that "...Being organized under priesthood authority, they were to reject worldly concepts of power and seek the power that flows down from heaven for those functions and to those individuals who are using their time and talents in the Lord’s way." (Dallin H. Oaks, "The Relief Society and the Church", 1992)

Men and women aren't here on earth to compete against each other, but rather are here to help one another return to the presence of God. When men and women learn to respect and sustain one another in their sacred responsibilities, the work of God goes forth at a brilliant pace, blessing the lives of all the human family.

I am grateful that when I ask, God answers my questions and He gives me tender mercies of understanding. Now whenever I hang my car keys on the key holder in my house I am reminded that even though it is not my responsibility to be a holder of Priesthood keys, it doesn't mean that I have less power, privileges or blessings than men who have. It just means that God has a different purpose and mission for me, one that only I can accomplish. It helps me remember that God is not a respecter of persons, that He loves His daughters and much as He loves His sons, and that women have a noble and divine role to play in God's work.

---
guest post submission from Heather of Women in the Scriptures

10--The peaceful quiet of the outdoors. Except for the hum of traffic on a couple of nearby highways, our neighborhood is normally quiet, but with the sound-muffling effects of two feet of snow and the almost nonexistent traffic volume, our neighborhood is now as silent as a day in the country

9--The sense of community. A snowstorm of these epic proportions (we got about 24-inches) takes our diverse community and puts us all in the same boat. Neighbors whom we rarely see have no choice but to spend hours and hours digging out and somehow that experience binds us together. The divorced mother next door, the widower across the street, the Asian family that barely speaks English, Mormon family with five kids...we're all in this together!

8--Forced winter exercise. Normally exercising in the winter's cold is kind of a pain in the patootie, but when two feet of snow are on the ground merely walking across the yard becomes an aerobic workout. Add in a good dose of shoveling and you've taken it to a major kick-butt routine. Who needs the gym when you've got your own heavy, white, although somewhat cold, personal trainer in your front yard?

7--Hot chocolate. We've been accused by a visiting five-year-old of making a wimpy hot chocolate, but there's still nothing that brings a smile faster to my kids' tear-stained faces after a sled crash than a steaming mug of our wimpy hot chocolate.

6--Christmas presents get a second chance. Winter Break #2 is giving the kids a whole lot of free time to foster new interest in all their mostly forgotten Christmas loot. Board games are getting a new life. Lego sets are reappearing. Craft kits are being tried. It's every toy's dream come true!

5--Cooking. It's cold, there's nowhere to go, trying new recipes seems like only a natural thing to do. I've knocked off delicious buttermilk biscuits that rivaled my mom's, honey-lime enchiladas that the kids went gaga over, and an all-in-one hearty breakfast dish that filled us up until mid-afternoon. Watch the recipe blog for a whole batch of snowy day recipes coming soon!

4--Sleeping in. With no school, no church, and no work I see no earthly reason to set my alarm clock. I love the distinctly satisfying feeling of waking up whenever I feel like it for once, instead of being at the beck and call of a busy schedule.

3--Snuggle time. Kids come in from being outside, they need a snuggle. We don't have to wake up early so my husband wants to snuggle late in front of a movie. The kids wonder when I'm going to finally get out of bed, so they snuggle in next to me until I wake up. I find myself secretly wishing for arms like Elastigirl's, so I could snuggle all day and get the laundry done too.

2--Comfort over fashion. I am never one to miss an opportunity to remain in baggy sweats 24/7.

1--Beauty. Our yard and house never look better than just after a snowstorm. There's something about a sparkling blanket of freshly fallen snow that makes even our 8-year-old Toyota Sienna look somehow romantic.

--

guest post by Lara of The Golden Seven

The last thing you can do to step up your picture taking is to get down on the level of your subject. This applies especially to children or pets, but also can apply to other people. Take a step into their world. Don’t take every picture from the same viewpoint. This will make your pictures more real and capture the moment much better.


Here is my son again, far away and sitting on the grass, while I am standing at a normal adult height. In the next picture he has not moved, but I have.



Sure, if you walked by right now you would see a crazy lady lying down with grass in her hair. But the image – wonderful! I also love to get my kids in the moment, but by this time he was tired of having his pictures taken and didn’t have any “cheeses” left in him. Does that make this picture worse? NOT AT ALL! That is true childhood, and I know it's what I will love to look at when he is grown.

Happy Photographing!

---


Anna has a BFA in photography which she uses to run her own photography business and a little bit of insanity and OCD which she uses to run a household with three sons and one wonderful husband. Catch up with her at her family blog or her photography blog!

All photographs by Anna Rasmussen

This was Brittany’s Merry Merry from the designer and me this year. Quite possibly my favorite gift we gave this year. It was one of the most challenging temples I’ve done so far. This was my 3rd canvas attempt. The previous two never made it past the sketching stage. They were both 16×20 in size. I finally decided the scale wasn’t working for me. When I began the final sketch, I knew it was going to work. Perhaps it was the scale, perhaps I needed to draw it a few times…:)

The San Diego Temple will always hold a special place in my heart. I was 16 when our Mutual Group took a trip to the Open House. I was amazed by the architecture and design. Even more impressed that non-LDS architects had designed the fortress. Truly, they must have been inspired, to be able to so perfectly design a place without knowledge of, or experience with, the events that would take place within.

My sister was sealed there, so was one of my BFFs. I loved walking the grounds, watching them take photos with their loved ones. I’m still in awe every time I see it approaching on the freeway. If only I could reach and point towards heaven everyday as the San Diego temple does!


---

katrina madsen berg is an artist living and creating in Midway, Utah. She is a creator of home, a lover of the designer, and a nurturer and teacher of 3 small souls in the daylight. As the day turns to night, she creeps in to her studio and paints till the designer tells her its time to sleep. You can read more about her quest for beauty and to create at the daily delights, or check out more of her art at the wasatch back artists online gallery.

I get to the airport with as little time left as possible before they tell me it’s too late to board. I don’t wanna sit around any longer than I have to with an infant. My bag is KILLING me as I walk to my terminal, it’s so heavy. I swear, I’m pretty sure I have the ENTIRE house packed in that small carry-on:

• Four baby bottles full of water
• 2 formula carry compartments
• Diapers
• Wipeys
• A rattle
• 1 burp rag
• 4 pacifiers
• My wallet, filled with a million meaningless business cards
• Hand sanitizer
• Chapstick
• A pack of gum
• My water bottle that I bought at the airport for about $8
• A baby blanket
• And don’t forget my People magazine!

I finally reach my terminal and what do I find? A big fat sign that reads,



Are you kidding me?

I look down at Gus and he peers up at me and smiles.

This is gonna be fun.

I decide to waste some time by heading to the bathroom. I go straight for the handicapped stall hoping the changing table is located INSIDE. Of course, it isn’t. I manage to use my arm as a hook while my hands are free to take care of business. Wow, easier than I thought! Oh wait, now I have to pull UP my pants and button them?! I glance down at the floor, should I? I DO have a blanket I could keep under him. The thoughts of parasites with slimy wormy bodies and big round mouths filled with fangs crawling on my baby haunt me. No, I can’t. I give Gus a kiss and I pin him between my knees and wiggle my jeans up. WHY did I wear the tight ones today? Oh well, wedgie and all, I gotta do what I gotta do!

I kill an hour by riding on the airport length treadmills. Gus likes the wind in his hair. When I finally get on the plane, I notice my seat is on a row of three and I’m the very middle one. I smile sweetly at both passengers on my row hoping ONE of them will offer up their window or aisle seat for the poor mother with a baby who is now crying because the plane is about 125 degrees and he’s starving and tired. Nope. They both try not to make eye contact, hoping I’ll keep walking past them. Sorry friends, that’s my seat.

Once I get comfortable, and that’s an overstatement, Gus needs to be fed. I’ve held off for as long as possible hoping to use his bottle for the take-off but I’ve given up. I’m feeling around in my bag trying to grab a bottle and formula as Gus screams his brains out. The man in front of me is on the phone saying, “Yea, you hear that? This is gonna make for one LONG flight.” He peers between the seats at me and I give him the look of death. The mother lioness inside of me is ready to tear his head off.

I’m finally able to get the bottle made and as soon as I give it to Gus, he passes out and ends up sleeping for the entire flight! I'm glad he's asleep but my armpit starts to cramp since I don't have a place to rest my elbows because both armrests are being taken by the people beside me. I just wanna look at my People magazine, but I can't reach it and I'm not about to attempt to reach for it for fear I may wake Gus up. I can't even enjoy the complimentary beverage because my tray doesn't have enough room to lay flat!! As we land, sweet Gus squirms a little and starts to whimper. He’s awake now and ready to start all over again for our connecting flight home. Good times…

---

Jessica is a TEXAN. BUT…she’s also a mother of 5 (4 boys and 1 girl) who has been married for 11 years to a super hot US Marine that she likes to call, “Lover.” She and her family live aboard Camp Lejeune in NC and they fantasize about the day they can move back home to the great state of Texas and build their dream home. She writes on her personal blog about other crazy adventures at
www.thelowefamilynews.blogspot.com.

Chapter 1

1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the two thousand and ninth year of reign of the judges over the land that the boy child was waxing old in years and large in stature. And in those days I, April was sore afraid that my womb would nevermore bear seed. And I pleaded daily with the Lord that I might add to my posterity.

2 But behold the Lord God, in his wisdom, answered that the time was not nigh.

3 Great was my disappointment and I was exceedingly wroth insomuch that I was determined to understand the cause of this neglect. But my mind was a stupor and my heart was heavy laden.

4 And while I pondered and lamented my life, behold, an answer came to me in a dream, appearing to me as a llama.

5 And I was chastened for my ingratitude.

6 And my heart was softened.

Chapter 2

And it came to pass that shortly after I humbled myself before the Lord that a messenger came bearing glad tidings.

2 And I was blessed with an iPhone through which I learned that my home would soon welcome a new babe, born of another woman's womb, but which was meant for me.

3 And this woman was fair in the sight of the Lord for her good works.

4 And the babe was brought forth and laid in my arms, and angels sang "Hallelujah" about me and I fell to my knees and asked the Lord for forgiveness for my faithlessness and iniquity.

5 And I gave thanks to the Lord all my days everafter.


Chapter 3

After these things were past, the Lord planted a seed in my heart that I might share a message of hope to those of his children who weep day and night in unbelief that their righteous desires might be granted them.

2 And I, being a lazy and slothful servant of the Lord, stalled.

3 But thus saith the Lord, speak these things that I have shown thee that others might find faith.

4 And I knew what the Lord would have me do, but my cynicism was nigh at hand, and I knew the hearts of the barren children of God, and I feared that they would stone me with nasty comments on my blog.

5 And this I did know because I had cast a stone or two in my unrighteousness.

6 And the Lord, knowing me to be a lazy and weak servant, presented me with opportunity to speak the things which he bade me speak.

7 And it is after that manner that I write these things and hope that thou wilts hear my message and that if it is to fall upon a heart of stone that it might bring hope and certitude.



(I've been known to pick the scriptures up every now and then. Shut up. It's true.)


Judge not, that ye be judged.

I don't mean any sacrilege, I just think that each of us is writing our own story and when you learn something valuable, you ought to write it down. The prophets of old did it and their posterity is still learning from them. I think I should, too. Infertility runs in the family.


Hebrews 11:11
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

---

April Meeker is the maker of jewelry, art and dinner in her home by the sea. You can read more of her everyday shenanigans at www.suaviloquy.blogspot.com and follow her tweets at @suaviloquy.