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Monday, December 30, 2019
Children and Youth Program Printable
With the new program change for children and youth in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I made this for my children to plan and write their goals so they can keep them in a visual place. I might as well share!
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Monday, April 29, 2019
Angels Around Us
If our eyes could be opened to see the unseen, I wonder what they "they that be with us are more than they that be with them" would really look like. I realize periodically that I'm listening to messages and voices that aren't angelic, and have to kick them out - again. I wonder what the battle for us really looks like, especially as the battle continues to heat up. "Time is running out" (Russell M. Nelson, April 2019).
My husband's grandmother passed away in December, and a statement made at her funeral struck me with so much truth, I felt like it echoed through me for the next few weeks, and still comes to mind.
"She will continue to take care of us in ways that her body would no longer allow her to do here on Earth."
I reflected on her life and the way she lived. I'm grateful for the truth she knew and knows, and the many ways she will continue to nudge at her family to choose good, to love, and to serve.
Claudine Bigelow gave a talk at BYU on creativity. It's inspiring and beautiful, and helps me think about ways I create that have nothing to do with art. This quote from that made me think of the painting above as well.
"All textiles interest me. I am an avid knitter, embroiderer, and quilter. I love to work with my hands. I am a maker. It is hard to explain why I am good at it, but it is almost like I have a genetic connection on a cellular level with all of the generations of grandparents who have had these same gifts before me. My fingers just know what to do... I feel warmth, comfort, and connection to my ancestors who had these same talents and to God, who gave them to me. I feel at peace with handwork because I am doing what I was created to do. There are moments it feels sacred."
Both my grandmothers, my husband's grandmother, my mother, and my husband's mother all were or are blanket makers. One of them took it as a personal project during the last several years of her life to bless the world by making hundreds and hundreds of blankets (I wish I knew numbers) and donating them to the Linus Project. A special story that stemmed from that - my aunt set up a quilt in her elementary classroom for the children to work on when they had a break, and that was donated to the Linus Project as well. One of those children ended up at Primary Children's Hospital and received that exact blanket. #tendermercy
A few months ago when a friend was adopting three orphans from Ukraine, I thought and thought about what I could do for them. The thought came, make them each a blanket! Everyone loves a good soft blanket, right? Cuddling up, feeling safe and cozy. It wasn't until I was making them that I realized that special legacy and felt that "genetic connection." What a sweet, loving service they've given to so many, and especially their families.
I've felt angels while doing family history and temple work. I've felt people tapping me on the shoulder and whispers to keep looking on their line.
I've felt angels while doing family history and temple work. I've felt people tapping me on the shoulder and whispers to keep looking on their line.
So thankful for all my angels.
Monday, February 25, 2019
What Kind are You?
Benjamin Franklin once stated that, "All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move." If I simply listed that and asked, "What kind are you?" I'm sure I would get a variety of answers. One scripture that I'm sure you've all heard shows partially why, stating that we should be "steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works." Isn't that saying we should be immovable, but also moving?
For a moment, focus on the "always abounding in good works" type of immovable, movable, or mover. So now, what kind are you? Are you the kind of person that may see good things happening around you, good things to do, or opportunities, but other distractions or tasks stop you from moving? Are you the kind of person that is movable if the right reasons persuade you, if the right person is also involved, or if you see how it can benefit yourself personally? Or, are you the kind of person that sees things to be done, lessons to learn, a person that needs help, and moves forward, even if it's hard?
In Handel's Hallelujah Chorus he included the words "King of King and Lord of Lords.“ If we look to Christ as a leader, we can see that He was not a king as we normally think one, sitting on a throne making grand statements and declaration. He didn't wait for others to serve and minister to Him. He was the servant. He was a teacher. He watched, went, healed, lifted, succored, and gave all.
To look at both sides of the scripture above, Christ was the most immovable and the biggest mover. With Him as our ultimate example, we should also strive to have our core strong and align our purpose with Heavenly Father's, then be quick to move where He leads us. That way, we won't be just moving, but moving in the right direction.
God needs service-oriented leaders. Be immovable, and move.
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Sunday, October 15, 2017
2017 October General Conference Files
Sharing the wealth - enjoy these printable PDF files of the October 2017 general conference.
Friday, August 18, 2017
Caterpillar Decisions
We've raised loads of Monarch butterflies the past three years. We carefully scan our milkweed plants for tiny eggs, and have seen many special stages. Tiny just-hatched babies, shedding skin to allow more caterpillar growth, caterpillar into chrysalis, and emerging as a butterfly. So many quick moments, so many miracles in just a few weeks' time.
A couple weeks ago I realized there was one part of the process that I hadn't seen - when a caterpillar goes into a J formation, the very beginning point from "I am a caterpillar" to "I am changing into a butterfly."
The very beginning of that process involves the caterpillar deciding its eventual hanging spot, then spreading silk strands lightly in seemingly random patterns. It goes on another eating binge, something it also does leading up to that point, packing away almost an entire large milkweed leaf (the only food they eat) in just a few hours. It heads back to its spot, creates a little ball of silk to hang from, maybe eats a little more, rests for a bit again, then attaches to the ball of silk, finally stating, yes, I'm doing this.
The caterpillar I was watching had already attached its back feet, so I knew I would soon see what happens. Soon is a relative term, though - I watched intently for about an hour and a half to see the full process. That's coming from a girl that can't hardly sit through a TV show.
This particular caterpillar had chosen to attach to a milkweed leaf that was leaning at the side of a jar. It was upside down along the leaf, all pairs of feet attached. Later in the process it seemed each set of feet was holding to some of the randomly placed silk. Maybe not so random to the caterpillar?
As I watched, its body started to pulse, and suddenly its front three pointy pairs of feet weren't holding on anymore, the front section of the caterpillar hanging maybe a centimeter from the leaf, but unattached. The caterpillar "rested" (I guess?) about 10 or 15 minutes, then again the body pulsed for a minute, and the furthest back pair not attached to the silk weren't attached to the leaf. Another long period of rest, pulsing, and another front section of feet detached. Rest, pulsing, and another back set away, leaving only the final center set holding it to the leaf. More rest, pulsing, and they were off, the caterpillar officially hanging, visually declaring, I'm becoming a butterfly. Amazing!
It took a little time for it to straighten then curl into the J, but the *decision had been made, and the J is the final show of that decision, before all the big changes start happening. It's still another day before its skin splits for the last time, revealing the chrysalis.
It surprised me how powerful the whole experience was. So normal in a Monarch's life, so brief, so seemingly unimportant verses into a chrysalis and out as a butterfly, but really, for all of us, isn't the decision the most important point? The, I'm not going to be the same anymore. It's time to be different. It's time to be more than just a caterpillar. I want to fly!
I have to wonder if any of the process is painful - shedding skin, chrysalis, all the changes inside. It seemed changes were possibly already happening in the pulsing as each section of feet let go.
An interesting thing to note - when the caterpillar sheds that last layer of black, white, and yellow skin revealing the bright green chrysalis, before it hardens you can see various butterfly elements, especially wings and body, that just need to develop, take form, beautify, and emerge.
The butterfly was always inside.
Think about that again. The butterfly was always inside.
The caterpillar just needed to grow enough and make the decision it was time to change.
Before and after. Caterpillar to butterfly. Am I still crawling, on the ground in some aspect of my life? What change do I need to make so I can fly?
Alma 30:44 - "The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."
Moses 6:63 - "And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me."
Since that day, I've watched two others through the same step. One from the top of a jar lid, the other on the side of a jar. Both were very similar processes. I think it's my new favorite part.
* When I was talking to Sam about all I'd seen, he matter-of-factly stated, "I'm sure it doesn't actually decide. It probably just does it." Well ... so? :)
Some other interesting links:
My favorite video about Monarchs.
Chrysalis Damage - This also leads to another page with loads of detail on chrysalis to butterfly issues.
A couple weeks ago I realized there was one part of the process that I hadn't seen - when a caterpillar goes into a J formation, the very beginning point from "I am a caterpillar" to "I am changing into a butterfly."
The very beginning of that process involves the caterpillar deciding its eventual hanging spot, then spreading silk strands lightly in seemingly random patterns. It goes on another eating binge, something it also does leading up to that point, packing away almost an entire large milkweed leaf (the only food they eat) in just a few hours. It heads back to its spot, creates a little ball of silk to hang from, maybe eats a little more, rests for a bit again, then attaches to the ball of silk, finally stating, yes, I'm doing this.
The caterpillar I was watching had already attached its back feet, so I knew I would soon see what happens. Soon is a relative term, though - I watched intently for about an hour and a half to see the full process. That's coming from a girl that can't hardly sit through a TV show.
This particular caterpillar had chosen to attach to a milkweed leaf that was leaning at the side of a jar. It was upside down along the leaf, all pairs of feet attached. Later in the process it seemed each set of feet was holding to some of the randomly placed silk. Maybe not so random to the caterpillar?
As I watched, its body started to pulse, and suddenly its front three pointy pairs of feet weren't holding on anymore, the front section of the caterpillar hanging maybe a centimeter from the leaf, but unattached. The caterpillar "rested" (I guess?) about 10 or 15 minutes, then again the body pulsed for a minute, and the furthest back pair not attached to the silk weren't attached to the leaf. Another long period of rest, pulsing, and another front section of feet detached. Rest, pulsing, and another back set away, leaving only the final center set holding it to the leaf. More rest, pulsing, and they were off, the caterpillar officially hanging, visually declaring, I'm becoming a butterfly. Amazing!
It took a little time for it to straighten then curl into the J, but the *decision had been made, and the J is the final show of that decision, before all the big changes start happening. It's still another day before its skin splits for the last time, revealing the chrysalis.
It surprised me how powerful the whole experience was. So normal in a Monarch's life, so brief, so seemingly unimportant verses into a chrysalis and out as a butterfly, but really, for all of us, isn't the decision the most important point? The, I'm not going to be the same anymore. It's time to be different. It's time to be more than just a caterpillar. I want to fly!
I have to wonder if any of the process is painful - shedding skin, chrysalis, all the changes inside. It seemed changes were possibly already happening in the pulsing as each section of feet let go.
An interesting thing to note - when the caterpillar sheds that last layer of black, white, and yellow skin revealing the bright green chrysalis, before it hardens you can see various butterfly elements, especially wings and body, that just need to develop, take form, beautify, and emerge.
The butterfly was always inside.
Think about that again. The butterfly was always inside.
The caterpillar just needed to grow enough and make the decision it was time to change.
Before and after. Caterpillar to butterfly. Am I still crawling, on the ground in some aspect of my life? What change do I need to make so I can fly?
Alma 30:44 - "The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."
Moses 6:63 - "And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me."
Since that day, I've watched two others through the same step. One from the top of a jar lid, the other on the side of a jar. Both were very similar processes. I think it's my new favorite part.
* When I was talking to Sam about all I'd seen, he matter-of-factly stated, "I'm sure it doesn't actually decide. It probably just does it." Well ... so? :)
Some other interesting links:
My favorite video about Monarchs.
Chrysalis Damage - This also leads to another page with loads of detail on chrysalis to butterfly issues.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Topical Guide Study of Jesus Christ
President Nelson challenged first the young adults then the church world-wide to study the Savior by using the topical guide, and wrote about it in this blog post (with pictures of apostle study pages - bonus!).
I decided to take that challenge, however long it takes me.
One early experience - I opened up to study about Jesus as the Creator, read one verse and thought, "Okay, not much earth shattering there..." Before I could go on to the next verse, a family member came in to talk, and by the time they left I was ready to get to sleep. I sent a little prayer up, "Okay Heavenly Father, I only read one verse then this family member needed to talk for a while. What do I need to learn from that?" I immediately felt the powerful answer - not only did Jesus create the world, He created you, and He can help you create whatever you need to.
Wow.
With so many scriptures (President Nelson says it's over 2,200 citings on those 18 topical guide pages), I'm still at the very very beginning, but I know this will be a meaningful study. I was already getting frustrated with the flipping back and forth between topical guide and scriptures, so I was going to photocopy those pages, then thought I could create a document with them all (it's an addiction), then thought maybe someone else already did it. After searching I found that some had, but I didn't love any of them so I adjusted theirs to make by own.
And so, for your own Topical Guide study of Jesus purposes . . . here you go.
P.S. A couple months ago I read the book The Robe by Lloyd Douglas, which added so much to my love and understanding of the Savior as well. It turned my black and white reading of the New Testament to full and beautiful color. Highly, highly recommended. I loved it so much I had to read more of Douglas' work, so I got a copy of The Big Fisherman and loved that almost as much. Several more of his on my to-read list.
I decided to take that challenge, however long it takes me.
One early experience - I opened up to study about Jesus as the Creator, read one verse and thought, "Okay, not much earth shattering there..." Before I could go on to the next verse, a family member came in to talk, and by the time they left I was ready to get to sleep. I sent a little prayer up, "Okay Heavenly Father, I only read one verse then this family member needed to talk for a while. What do I need to learn from that?" I immediately felt the powerful answer - not only did Jesus create the world, He created you, and He can help you create whatever you need to.
Wow.
With so many scriptures (President Nelson says it's over 2,200 citings on those 18 topical guide pages), I'm still at the very very beginning, but I know this will be a meaningful study. I was already getting frustrated with the flipping back and forth between topical guide and scriptures, so I was going to photocopy those pages, then thought I could create a document with them all (it's an addiction), then thought maybe someone else already did it. After searching I found that some had, but I didn't love any of them so I adjusted theirs to make by own.
And so, for your own Topical Guide study of Jesus purposes . . . here you go.
P.S. A couple months ago I read the book The Robe by Lloyd Douglas, which added so much to my love and understanding of the Savior as well. It turned my black and white reading of the New Testament to full and beautiful color. Highly, highly recommended. I loved it so much I had to read more of Douglas' work, so I got a copy of The Big Fisherman and loved that almost as much. Several more of his on my to-read list.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
2017 April General Conference Files
I started putting these together for myself, but my missionary's birthday made me get them done really fast. Sharing the wealth - enjoy these printable PDF files of the April 2017 general conference.
General Women's Meeting
Saturday Morning Session
Saturday Afternoon Session
Priesthood Session
Sunday Morning Session
Sunday Afternoon Session
General Women's Meeting
Saturday Morning Session
Saturday Afternoon Session
Priesthood Session
Sunday Morning Session
Sunday Afternoon Session
Friday, July 22, 2016
Plates vs. Wives
What if Lehi's boys approached Ishmael like they approached Laban?
"I'm not going in there."
"Me either!"
"Why did we have to come all this way back?"
"Come on guys, Dad said need wives. Let's just cast lots and whoever loses goes in."
"Fine. Let's just get this over with."
"Aw man, it's me! I'm nasty from the journey, but I'm not showering for that old man. Wish me luck!"
*Angry father tosses out Laman.*
"Geez Laman, what happened?"
"I could tell he didn't like me the moment I stepped in there. Maybe he remembered the night I had a date with his daughter and yelled for her from my camel outside their gate. What does he think this is? The -700th century?"
"No kidding. What do we do now? Go back and tell dad we failed?"
"I've got an idea - let's go get all the gold and silver out of our house..."
Thank goodness they were thinking a little better retrieving the ladies than when they were getting the plates.
"I'm not going in there."
"Me either!"
"Why did we have to come all this way back?"
"Come on guys, Dad said need wives. Let's just cast lots and whoever loses goes in."
"Fine. Let's just get this over with."
"Aw man, it's me! I'm nasty from the journey, but I'm not showering for that old man. Wish me luck!"
*Angry father tosses out Laman.*
"Geez Laman, what happened?"
"I could tell he didn't like me the moment I stepped in there. Maybe he remembered the night I had a date with his daughter and yelled for her from my camel outside their gate. What does he think this is? The -700th century?"
"No kidding. What do we do now? Go back and tell dad we failed?"
"I've got an idea - let's go get all the gold and silver out of our house..."
Thank goodness they were thinking a little better retrieving the ladies than when they were getting the plates.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Commitments
"God's role is a constant, not a variable. He always keeps His promises. The only variable is whether we have the faith that we will be blessed with miracles if we make commitments to God and then obediently do what we said we would do." --Clayton M. Christensen
Christensen made that statement regarding member missionary efforts in his inspiring book "The Power of Everyday Missionaries," but this is an eternal truth. If we choose to be obedient and act, we will received the help we need.
Case in point - last year I took a good chunk of the year to read the Book of Mormon. My initial goal was to finish before Adam left on his mission, but I really wanted to make it a deep study, summarizing what I read and adding my thoughts. That took a lot of extra time and effort, but I did it, and it's a treasure to me.
The first Sunday of the year I was sitting in Primary, and the Primary secretary handed me the Relief Society newsletter and a 90 day Book of Mormon reading chart that had apparently been passed out in Relief Society. My initial thoughts came fast and strong, "I can't do that! It just took me most of a year to just read it. There's no way." And I shoved the chart in my bag. A couple days later I had the gentle thought, "Just listen to it when you drive kids to and from seminary." "Okay, I can do that," I thought back. In less than 80 days I finished the Book of Mormon doing not much more than that, just adding in other times I was alone in the car, which really wasn't a lot. It was a wonderful reminder to me that with Heavenly Father's help, I can do things I didn't think I could.
From just the page before, "When we engage in a covenant with God that we will do something that one of our leaders has asked us to do, [and I would add, things we received personal revelation to do], and we are desperate to do what we have committed to do, God truly comes to trust us."
I love the word desperate in there. In the chapter he is teaching about setting a date to have someone take the missionary discussions. Not just invite, but to actually have it happen. He shares that though his dates are set a year or several months out, it's a casual commitment until the date gets closer and he starts to panic, and that's when he gets serious, desperate even, about making it happen.
Makes me think about my own commitments, and if I am casual or serious/desperate about them. Daily scripture study? Personal prayer? Temple attendance? Visiting teaching?
Christensen made that statement regarding member missionary efforts in his inspiring book "The Power of Everyday Missionaries," but this is an eternal truth. If we choose to be obedient and act, we will received the help we need.
Case in point - last year I took a good chunk of the year to read the Book of Mormon. My initial goal was to finish before Adam left on his mission, but I really wanted to make it a deep study, summarizing what I read and adding my thoughts. That took a lot of extra time and effort, but I did it, and it's a treasure to me.
The first Sunday of the year I was sitting in Primary, and the Primary secretary handed me the Relief Society newsletter and a 90 day Book of Mormon reading chart that had apparently been passed out in Relief Society. My initial thoughts came fast and strong, "I can't do that! It just took me most of a year to just read it. There's no way." And I shoved the chart in my bag. A couple days later I had the gentle thought, "Just listen to it when you drive kids to and from seminary." "Okay, I can do that," I thought back. In less than 80 days I finished the Book of Mormon doing not much more than that, just adding in other times I was alone in the car, which really wasn't a lot. It was a wonderful reminder to me that with Heavenly Father's help, I can do things I didn't think I could.
From just the page before, "When we engage in a covenant with God that we will do something that one of our leaders has asked us to do, [and I would add, things we received personal revelation to do], and we are desperate to do what we have committed to do, God truly comes to trust us."
I love the word desperate in there. In the chapter he is teaching about setting a date to have someone take the missionary discussions. Not just invite, but to actually have it happen. He shares that though his dates are set a year or several months out, it's a casual commitment until the date gets closer and he starts to panic, and that's when he gets serious, desperate even, about making it happen.
Makes me think about my own commitments, and if I am casual or serious/desperate about them. Daily scripture study? Personal prayer? Temple attendance? Visiting teaching?
Monday, May 2, 2016
Booklet Sequence Ordering for Double-Sided Printing
In the last few weeks I've made two programs for two different plays in our area put on by homeschoolers and directed by amazing mothers of some of these kids purely volunteering their time. The first one I had kids in the play and it was my way to help make it happen. The second one was a favor for a friend (and we get free tickets because of it - bonus!).
I know there is a way to print it and have it come out right, but the place the first one was done just printed it double-sided so things were out of order. It wasn't horrible, but I knew it was wrong.
I couldn't send off the second to be done the same way in good conscience, so I sat with the single-sided pages in the right spots on my lap, flipping back and forth. Of course when I had fiddled and messed enough, I finally figured out there is an easy pattern to it all, as seen in this graphic. Follow the black arrows down and the blue arrows back up, and voila, in the right order.
Like I said, for me next time. I have a feeling I will get to do this again.
Sorry this is so random...
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Wolf Scout Leader Files
Now that I'm a Wolf leader, I had to get myself all file organized for that too.Wolf Adventure Tracking - The basics for this file were passed on to me by the former Wolf leaders, but I did some tightening so it fit on two pages, or one front and back. They used colors to differentiate boys, but I've got a color and a black and white version to share.
You'll notice the numbers next to the Adventure name. The number on the left is the number of Adventure (1-6 required, then 1-13 electives), and the number on the right is the page number in the Wolf book.Wolf Adventure Tracking Color PDF
Wolf Adventure Tracking Color Excel
Wolf Adventure Tracking Black/White PDF
Wolf Adventure Tracking Black/White Excel
My one tip for this so far (since I'm still pretty new) is about the Paws on the Path adventure. After working with the Boy Scouts and encouraging them in gathering their 10 Essentials, I thought it was cool for the Wolves to need to gather the 6 Essentials. On the first week I had our Den Chief (you're missing out if you don't have one!) bring those and teach the boys about them, then when we went on our hike I made sure the parents knew with plenty of time that the boys needed to bring them along.
One of these items is a whistle...
I currently have 10 Wolf scouts. Ten 8 year old boys, with WHISTLES. As much as I encouraged them to not blow them so we could see the wildlife we were supposed to see, a noise making device is just too much for boys that age. I didn't want to confiscate, because they were seriously feeling super cool packing around their 6 Essentials (eating their snacks, drinking their water, hoping someone had an accident so they could use their first aid kit). A friend suggested maybe before beginning, or maybe another week pre-hike playing a hide-and-seek game at a park where a boy would hide then blow their whistle to be found. Then maybe they would be plenty whistled out and realize the purpose of the whistle (to be found if lost, not to give their awesome den leader a headache).
Maybe one more tip. Have a blast and love the boys! It's what all the best den leaders do.
If you know an 11-year-old Scouts leader that needs some good tracking documents, I've got those as well, right here.
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