A Friend in Elsa :)

Any day off from school quickly becomes my "favorite day." :)

I love having my kids home, and the calm feeling of  NOT having to rush off anywhere...

It's a rare thing, but I love it.

On Monday there was no school for the holiday and soon the phone was ringing 

and everyone needed a friend! All of the boys had a friend over and then Kambriella's friend

 called and invited her to go swimming! 

To say that Kambriella was excited would be an understatement!

She quickly ran upstairs to her bedroom to grab her suit when I heard her squeals of excitement turn into "words to a friend!"  :)

(Kambriella) : "Elsa! Guess what??!! I get to go swimming with Emrey! Can you believe it?"         

("Elsa" voice by kambriella) : "Wow! That's so exciting! I'm so happy for you!"

(Kambriella) : "I know, right?"   :)   (Can you hear the teenager in her voice?;)

I loved hearing her tell "Elsa" about her plans and how excited she was.

 It made me smile. :)

With this cute little "heart string moment" I realized that I had never posted the cute pictures from Kambriella's "FROZEN" birthday party! So, here are some "Elsa" gems...

Kambriella "Letting It Go"

Kambriella's Snow Globe cake

The "Ice" on the cake..

Pin the Nose on Olaf :)

Kambriella's invitation...

(Back of Invitation)

And, if you couldn't have guessed...

Kambriella was "Elsa" for Halloween. :)

Our cousin Xaxton the ninja, Gavin and Dallin the sumo wrestlers, Autumn as Spider woman and friend Hayden as a patient.

Fun times! :)

                                

Embark in the Service of God

Embark!

Here we are together eager and ready to embark

On a journey to serve God; Let your desire be the spark!

Then let the spark ignite a flame to share the gospel light,

To serve our loving God with all our heart and all our might!

A testimony strong that you are precious in His sight,

Clears the darkened skies in a world that can’t tell wrong from right.

Our actions send a message for the entire world to see,

With all our mind and all our strength we will serve Him faithfully.

It’s like an SOS coming across a stormy sea…

We’re engaged “Serving Our Savior” as He bids “come follow Me.”

There are confusing messages the worldly waves toss to and fro,

But the SOS gives direction and tells us where we want to go.

“Search Our Scriptures” daily and words of prophets quickly heed.

“Stand On Sacred” ground right where you are through word and deed.

Let the temple be a constant source of safety, peace, and love

And like a lighthouse lead the way back home to Father up above.

We’ll be “Strengthening Our Sisters” and having fun along the way,

As we sacrifice our time we’ll “Set Out to Serve” from day to day.

It’s time for “Serving Our Savior” with all the energy of heart!

That we may “stand blameless before Him” as we embark and do our part!

~By Susette Trickett

January 17, 2015

Tears of Joy

Some nights when it's time for bed (or should I say "past" time for bed), Kambriella is so tired or overly exhausted that she just doesn't know what to do with herself. So, after all of the normal bed time routine is done, it's usually best for me to tell her that I will give her a few minutes to herself and then be back to check on her. 

It never fails that when I return, I find one little sleeping beauty. :)

The other night however, she was being so sweet and cuddly that I couldn't help but feel excited at her invitation to cuddle by her.

I plugged in her fairy lights, pushed "play" on her CD player and laid right beside her sharing her pillow. She threw her little arm around my neck and together we lay there talking quietly and listening to Josh Groban's Christmas album. I was feeling especially loved. :)

Then, just when you think a moment can't get any sweeter, the 3rd song on the CD began to play...(which Kambriella has told me over and over is her very favorite song) 

"I'll Be Home For Christmas."

If you have ever heard this song by Josh Groban you will know that his version of the song has military service men and women and their families sending each other tender Christmas wishes since they are so far apart for the holidays. It is a very touching song.

As I was laying there next to Kambriella listening to what she had to say, she suddenly got very quiet and listened as the song began. Then she said to me...

"Mom, do you know sometimes I cry tears of joy?"

Hold on...Wait a minute...Seriously?????????

I was speechless and felt this overwhelming spirit pour over me and a large lump forming in my throat...you know the ones where you think you are going to cry but you "are strong" and you just KNOW you can hold it back???

I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything at all. 

I just listened. 

"Mom, I just love this song so much! It makes me feel so happy inside that I even cry tears of joy! Do you know that there are some people who dress in green costumes and they are far away from their families, and they love their families so much that they just want to be with them?"

I could see where her little heart and mind were going...She was talking about these military people, and the sincere messages that they were sending their families was helping her to feel just how much they loved them and how much they wanted to be home.

As I looked over at her little face, I too almost began crying tears of joy because she had closed her eyes, and was folding her arms, and I felt her little body quiver with emotion as she was truly feeling the spirit of the message in the song.

I then took the opportunity to teach Kambriella because I knew that the Spirit was there and that she would know the things that I was teaching her were true.

I told her that she was so sweet to feel how much love those people had for their families and that she was a sweet little 5 year old girl with a heart as big as the moon!

I told her that she was a special daughter of God and that he loved her just like those people loved their families, and that Heavenly Father wants us to do as much good in the world as we can so that one day we can go "home" to Him.

She didn't say much else, other than "I love you Mommy."

But she didn't need to say anything else at all.

Her heart said everything loud and clear, and the spirit of love was so strong in that room.

I know that there are many ways that we can feel Heavenly Father's love in our lives, and that there are many times each day that I truly do feel His love. Listening to good music is definitely one way that I feel close to Him and feel His love...and another is through tiny tender mercies such as this little experience with my sweet baby girl. 

I felt His love for me so much, along with the love that He has for all of His children.

And I felt the enormous amounts of love that He has for Kambriella too.

What an amazing little girl with a miraculous tender heart.

Happy Birthday to My Sweet Angel Mom!

Today was such an awesome day.

My mother is a living angel.

She is the most Christ like person I have ever met.

Each day that passes with my dad no longer at her side, is a hard day for her...

she tells me each day how she "misses him so much..."

But she puts on a smile, and puts one foot in front of the other, and heads out into the world to make someone out there smile. :)

So, from her great example came my idea to take a one day road trip...there and back... to surprise my angel mom for her birthday!...I wanted to make her SMILE!

My brother Craig was already down her way for business, so lucky for us, he was there for all the fun, and to help distract my mom and make the surprise that much better! :)

He took my mom with him for a drive to Las Vegas to swap a work truck. 

They were able to spend time in the car talking and catching up...

But when they got back to her house in Mesquite she had a surprise there waiting for her!

My mom and Craig went in the house...

Then my sister Tiffany and I doorbell ditched my mom! :)

We wrote her a love note and signed it and left a heart plaque on her front doorstep.

I knocked on the door and ran into the garage to hide with Tiffany...

We held in our giggles as we listened to her and my brother at the front door, as she was trying to figure out how the card and gift got there??? :)

After they went back inside, Tiffany and I ran and knocked super loud on her door and then ran and hid behind her car...

We heard her open the door...and then it was quiet...

It was only a few seconds and then we couldn't take it any longer...

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!

We yelled out loud as we jumped out laughing from behind her car! :)

She stood there in complete shock with amazement on her face, and then quickly scooped us up in her arms for a big, warm, cuddly hug. :)

All of us laughed together as we recounted the steps it took to get up so early, drive all the way there without her knowing what we were up to...(She had called Tiffany and I both separately to say hello, and we both had to lie through our teeth about where we were and what we were doing!!! :)

We laughed about how fun it was to hide and then surprise her...

and then to see the look on her face...

HER smile made it all worth it.

I would go to the ends of the earth for this woman who has done so for me...

8 hours in the car was pure joy just to be able to see the SMILE on her face.

We sat in the house and talked and laughed...

We went to the closet where my mom gave each of us some of my dad's jackets to keep...

We drove to St. George and had dinner together where we laughed and laughed some more!!! :)

Then we took my sweet mom to the mall where we had her pick out some new clothes and shoes for her birthday :)

My sweet mom is so selfless that this was very hard for her to let us do...

She insisted that she didn't "need" anything...

We kept having to "hide" the price tags from her or else she would have only chosen to let us give her the most inexpensive items...

And when we went into Sears, my angel mom sobbed and sobbed cuddled up in our arms as she remembered being there before with my dad...

I knew that her birthday would be one of those exceptionally hard days for her without my dad here.

And so to see the laughter and the smiles, to feel the warmth of her hugs, and even just to physically be there to give her a hug and hold her tight when she would undoubtedly need it...was the best birthday present I could have given my mom this year.

But as always, in trying to give, the love received in return was overwhelming.

She was so happy, so grateful, and so surrounded with the gift of love on her birthday. :)

I love you mom! 

Happy 73rd Birthday!

:)

A Beautiful Bit of History...

(Kierra in front of the head stone of Gordon B. and Marjorie Pay Hinckley)

Early this fall, our family along with our good friends and neighbors  Kami and Adam Sage, went out on a picnic on a Sunday afternoon and visited the Salt Lake City cemetery where many of our beloved prophets have been buried.

The history and the spirit that was there within that sacred ground was absolutely amazing...

(Carew, Kierra, and Adam in front of the monument to Hyrum Smith)

(I loved the rainbow that we captured in this picture! It sprinkled lightly off and on as we wandered through the cemetery that day. It was beautiful.)

There was a very special spirit there at this cemetery. I felt a special connection through the spirit of those who have gone on before...and at times I felt myself becoming lost in thoughts as we read little bits of history on the different markers. There are so many wonderful people throughout the history of the church that made so many things possible for the saints today...

Like this man for example...Truman O. Angell (who is actually one of Kami's relatives!)

Builder of Temples, Tabernacles, The Beehive House, The Lion House, The Eagle Gate, mansions, factories, and forts...

It's humbling to think that I have been in many of his buildings, and that my family has been richly blessed because of his talent and dedication that came before. Simply amazing!

(Kambriella in front of the Prophet Wilford Woodruff's memorial)

This little sweetie had such a good time exploring with us! She would say the cutest things and ask the most interesting questions while we walked around everywhere...

The one thing that we have joked about ever since this day, was a funny comment she made as we were on our way driving to the cemetery. She said, 

"Mom, when we go to the cemetery are we going to see prophet zombies?"

WHAAAAATTTT?????

The entire car erupted in laughter !!!! :)

This little girl has watched one too many Scooby Doo movies with her brothers!! ;)

Here is the headstone of David O. McKay...

there were so many names to find in this cemetery that we weren't even able to cover a quarter of it and we were there for about 3 hours!

We definitely want to go back again and see some of the others that we didn't get to see. (There is also a Christmas Angel monument there that I would love to go back and find...)

This was a very fun name to find! Although you can't see it very well, 

it is Porter Rockwell...body guard to the Prophet Joseph Smith, prophet of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and translator of the Book of Mormon.

What a privilege and honor it would have been to meet some of these men in person.

Visiting these graves was somehow a link to the past, and although I did not get to meet any of them, my testimony of what they all have done for us is even stronger because of the Spirit that bore witness to me while we were there.

I can't wait to go back again. :)

Walk In His Path

I have a lot of really amazing artists that I love, but this painting that I have hanging in my home is one of my very favorites. :)

This picture of the resurrected Christ is by Simon Dewey, and I love everything about it! 

I love how strong He looks knowing that He has overcome death, 

and I love that there is light shining directly on His face as His first priority after exiting the tomb is to look up - to His Father...

Sometimes when I pray in the morning, I will go into this room and stare at this picture for a long time before I kneel down. It may seem silly, but I love to imagine His face and think that He really is right there in the room with me. :)

Something interesting happened to me yesterday as I knelt down to pray...

I had said a prayer, and then as I lifted my head and opened my eyes, they were drawn to a particular spot in the painting that I have never really focused on...

His feet.

I stared for a long time at the spot of ground that He stood on and noticed the direction He was going..

In my mind it was very clear the message that I was receiving...

His step was straight forward symbolizing to me the direction that I need to go.

"Come, follow me!"

Jesus Christ always "took the steps" of obedience and love and sacrifice...whatever it was that His Father needed Him to do...and as I try each day to learn "how to be like Him," I know that I need to follow in His ways and make the steps that I take be the ones that are steps towards Him and our eternal and heavenly home.

My steps need to be sure, and always firm on the gospel path.

They always need to be steps that will go before my children and hopefully lead them in the right way.

I love simple little lessons like this that the Spirit teaches me, and I love the righteous example we have in our Savior Jesus Christ.

Finding the "One"

Scriptures to Ponder

Foundation Scriptures:

Articles of Faith 1-3

Joseph Smith History 1:16-17

Bear Personal Witness:

D&C 76:22-24

Alma 5:44-48

D&C 88:68

D&C 93:1

The Atonement

Isaiah 9:6-7

Matt 11:2-6

Matt 28:1-7

Mark 1:6-11

Mark 2:1-12

Luke 22:39-39-45

John 11:20-27

John 17:3

1 Cor. 15:19-22

1 Nephi 11:31-33

2 Nephi 25:26

Mosiah 15:18

Alma 7:7

Alma 7:10-14

Alma 36:17-26

3 Nephi 11:3-19

3 Nephi 17:6-10

Moses 7:60-62

This is quite an extensive list of scriptures to study that was delivered to the auxiliary leaders in our ward...we were asked to read, ponder, fast, and pray over these scriptures and our role as disciples of Christ. 

As I did so, I was moved by the Spirit time and time again as I felt myself drawing closer to my Savior, and as my testimony of His divinity and the power of His atonement were becoming more sure and steady in my heart and soul. 

I went to the meeting where we discussed our desires to reach out to the "one"...

The Spirit bore witness to me yet again that the work of discipleship is so important, but never as important as the "one" we may be seeking...

As Clint and I both have recently been to general training meetings taught by Sister Marriot of the General Young Women's Presidency, and President Chamberlain of the Salt Lake City Mission...we have both felt impressed that the Lord is truly hastening the work and seeking to find all of His children. How we choose to seek them out will be up to us individually, 

and being close to the Spirit is essential.

It is my prayer that I will listen to the promptings of the Spirit as I try to do what the Savior needs me to do...as we strive to be the "instruments" in His hands.

I thought it was interesting at the end of our ward training meeting where we were asked to read, ponder, fast, and pray over the above list of scripture, that we were told that this list of scripture is the same list of scripture that was given to the leaders of the church as they sought inspiration for the talks they delivered at the last general conference...

I felt that much more gratitude for the already strong feelings that I had received as I studied them...

I know that this gospel is true.

I know it with everything that is in me...

It is where we find answers to all of life's questions, and it is where we will find true and everlasting joy both in this life and in the life to come.

I also know that it is where I feel the love of my Heavenly Father and my Savior each and every day.

Now help me dear Father to spread that light and love...

to the "one."