Realize The Promise...

This weekend, as a combined group of Young Women, Young Men, and Leaders, our ward set out on a HUGE challenge. We planned to read the ENTIRE Book Of Mormon in two days, and 'Realize The Promise' offered by Moroni to discover the truthfulness of it. After all was said and done, it ended up taking 21 hours. We listened to most of it on CD (at 1.2 times it's normal speed), read some aloud as a group, and had some guest readers. We started Friday afternoon at 4 PM, and went until 10 PM that night. We were back at the church at 7 AM on Saturday, and ended at about 11 PM, after we cleaned and set up the church for Sunday's meetings. We had planned to read the last chapter, Moroni 10, together in a combined meeting during the third hour on Sunday, but ended up reading 8 chapters together in that meeting to finish up.

Thanks to Suzanne Brenchley, for photo documenting this event, and allowing me to steal her pictures!




As YW leaders, we were in charge of feeding this group of about 60 people, four full meals, and LOTS and LOTS of snacks in between. It was a big undertaking, so we recruited the help of the ward members to donate baked goods, and come and help with preparing, serving, and cleaning up. I was so impressed with the people in our ward and their willingness to sign up and help. It was a bit overwhelming to realize how much help we had, and all that were involved to help make this event a success. We had invisioned the ward members doing all of the work, allowing us as leaders to stay in the main room the entire time. That of course, didn't happen, because there is always more to do than you think of, but with their help it was executed much more easily! We knew that food was the key to keeping the kids awake, and excited about the hours and hours that we spent at the church. My goal going into this, was to make it feel like a cruise ship, where you could get whatever food you wanted to, whenever you wanted to. I think it was an overall success! We all ate too much!!!




I was overwhelmed, and completely touched by the STRENGTH of our Youth. I received a strong witness that they are truly a chosen generation, much stronger than any other before. I was impressed by their overall desire to be there. Truth be told, there were times of boredom, and difficulty staying awake, but overall they did much better than any of us as leaders expected them to do.





I serve with an amazing bunch of women, and was grateful for the chance to get to know them each a bit better (we've only been serving together for a few months). Through this experience, not only did my testimony of the truthfulness and power of the Book of Mormon get strengthened, but I also received a strong testimony that my Heavenly Father knows each and every one of us personally, and individually. He has a plan for us, and for the orgainization of His Church. When our Gina conducted her first meeting as a new YW President, she powerfully told each of us that she had received personal insight regarding the people she chose to serve with her, and felt strongly that each of us was there for a reason. I received that witness this weekend, too. I know that these ladies are the right ones to help strengthen the young women of the Davis Creek 3rd ward, and to help strengthen me too!




We had 11 of our 15 AWESOME young women attend. They are great girls, and I'm so glad I get to be their leader, and get to be taught by them and their examples each week!

Sammy


Alana


Sidney (on the right) and her friend


Elizabeth


Brittney



Jordan


Marissa



Bree


Ashlyn


Olivia


Samantha


We ended on Sunday after we finished reading, with a testimony meeting, where EVERY single youth bore testimony of this great event, confessed to it's difficulity, wished that they had been more awake, more attentive, (I wish the same thing for myself), but the most touching part was when they testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. They testified that they felt like they never before had while reading, that they knew that Christ loves them, and that he gave His life for them. They bore strong testimony that the prophets in the Book of Mormon are real people and that they sacrificed so much, including their own lives, in some cases, for the truth. Some said that this was the first time reading the entire Book of Mormon, and that they gained a greater understanding of it's importance in our lives and know that it can be their own personal guidebook in their lives.

I was touched and grateful that I was able to be a part of this amazing event!

Lucky!

Since I started working in August, my girls are so lucky to spend three days a week with their Aunt Janelle, also known as Berta. Berta is a preschool teacher, artist, potter, amazing sister, and wonderful aunt. She is creative, and smart. Addison has learned so much in the last few months. She can write her name, and is practicing all the other letters in the alphabet. She can count, and reason through decisions. Aunt Berta has been the best preschool teacher! Not only have my girls learned so much with Berta, but I know that they are loved and well taken care of. Below are pictures that she has taken, and also Addi quotes from the time she's been with my girls. If I can't be home with my girls, I am beyond LUCKY to have Janelle watch them. Thanks for all you do for us, Berta! We love you!


















These quotes, and questions and answers are a treasure to me! I'm so glad that Janelle took the time to write these down. I seem to take Addison and my time with her for granted. These little sayings reminded me how LUCKY I am to be her Momma...what a sweet, SMART, funny little girl!

“When I start achooing, I fall over…”

“Twinkle, twinkle little star how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a hippo sky…”

“Lady Gaga always wipes her mouth and hands on a napkin…”

“When you drink yellow sunshine you won’t get sick...”

“I’m going to cook some roastmellows on the campfire…”

“My mom doesn’t wear make-up on Wednesdays…”

“When you are sixteen months you can be a mom..”

“Berta, thanks for taking good care of my baby…”

“Your heart is in your boobies…”

“The rock was hungry so I fed it some red and black stuff, but he is still hungry…”

“Ask me about what a leprechaun is…” Berta’s Question: What is a leprechaun Addi? “A leprechaun ding dongs the door and says trick or treat…”

“When I turn four I think my preschool teacher will be impressed...”

“You burped right onto my cheese!!!”

“Berta you are getting a fat belly and that is so sad…” (Bert's having a baby)

“My mom lost her brain too…”

Question: What is a kiss?
“I use my mouth and put it on you. A kiss means I love you.”

Questions: What is your favorite animal?
“A dolphin ‘cuz I really love dolphins. I really, really do do. Dolphins swim under the water with fish and his family.”

Question: What is your mom’s job?
“She vacuums and cleans the bathroom. She watches tv. She ‘dooes’ some funny jokes for me and it makes me play upstairs and ‘laughes’. She comes upstairs and plays with me and loving me hugging me.”

Question: What is your dad’s job?
“He goes to work out the door and then he goes on his motorcycle.”

Question: What is your favorite food to eat?
“Crackers, cheese and jam sandwiches, oatmeal, and water.”

Question: What do you love about Jesus?
“His heart.”

Question: Who is in your family?
“Momma and Hailey and Daddy and Grandma Jer, Berta, Kason my friend, Ethan, Ian, and Finny, and Johnny in that picture and Tim and me too...”

Question: What do you like to make?
“I like to make soup and cook it in the oven. I put food and red stuff in it. It tastes yummy and you need a spoon to eat and regular stuff. I eat it up with a spoon named Ian…”

Question: Why do you like camping?
“Cuz I like to go sleep, and make campfire, and roast marshmallows. I like to roast hotdogs. I sleep in a tent with a princess sleep over bag. I sleep with my buggy and my mom, and Hailey, and my dad. I don’t see animals when I am camping, but I would want to see a deer. I get dirty when I camp and that is not okay cuz there isn’t a bathtub when you camp.”

Question: How do you go to bed at night?
“With Winnie the Pooh blanket. When there is sunshine I get up and eat breakfast like krispies. At night I go to bed. Mom and Dad hug me good-night and I go pee. I dream about dolphins…”

Question: What is your favorite thing at Lagoon?
“Dragon the Puff ride with yellow polka dots and green stuff on it. It goes fast up and down over that hill and then down, down, down the steep hill. I scream when I am on the ride, but it is fun and I ‘yahoo heeha’…”

Question: What is a dinosaur?
“He has eyes a tail and no hair. He has leaves in his throat to eat. Most dinosaurs are big and are mean. They are not here anymore except at the zoo with Kason. I like dinosaurs because they are always big and mean and scary. My favorite dinosaur is the Tyrannarompasaurus Rex. He is green and eats meat…”

Question: What do we do on Halloween?
“We dress up into costumes and do a show for me. I am dressing up into a dinosaur costume…

Question: What’s inside a pumpkin?
“Fire and a little pumpkin head. It is fired to orange. We use pumpkins at Halloween...”

Question: What is Trick or Treating?
“I don’t know.

Question: What do you think is scary?
“A bat is scary and a ghost cuz they are mean. They scare people and I am afraid of them…”

Question: How do you write a story?
“First you do an A. Then you write the story B and C. You get to the end and T, U, V. I draw pictures and then we stamp them together and read it.”

Question: What do you love about Hailey?
“I kiss her and then she is hugging me and kissing me. Hailey’s laugh makes me laugh because it sounds like ‘blebleblah’…”


Question:Who do you love?
“You, Momma, Ethan, Troy, Grandma Jer, and Ian backa.”

Question: What is Christmas?
“Snow comes down. Snow is frozen rain and rain is frozen snow. My baby wears a coat. Santa plays with toys and says goodbye.”

iPhone Pics

I don't plug my iPhone into the computer very often, as a result, every time I do, I have tons of new pictures. These pictures are from as recent as last week, and as old as last spring. I love the randomness of them, and that some of them are taken by Addison. It's fun to see her view of the world! Overall, I just love this stage in my life and my darling girls that fill my heart!!