Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing

Being in the Primary, I haven't been able to attend Elders Quorum regularly, but I do get a weekly email from our EQ President with the lesson topic.  It is a nice way to stay connected and be able to have something to study each week.

This week it is the talk "Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing" by By Elder Dale G. Renlund.

Mission Journal - 20 Years Later

I've been meaning to start this project for nearly 20 years - longer than even blogs have existed haha! But the idea behind the book/journal has been in my mind for a long time, and it is finally time to get it down on paper. The source material is already written and typed - what is left is the organizing and contextualizing of the story.

My goal in writing is to share my experiences as an LDS (Mormon) Missionary in Brazil as well as my thoughts and experiences after my mission and how the mission shaped who I am today. It is written with a few different audiences in mind - first, myself and my family, second, prospective missionaries, and third, everyone else :) I hope it is valuable and I know that at least for me there will be a sense of accomplishment in finishing something I started so long ago. Enjoy!

Primary Program Musical Numbers

Recently I was called as the Ward Primary Music Leader.  For the past year I have been substituting on and off, and so I have been familiar with the music program in our Ward, but it is now a very different thing to be in charge of the program and to have to ensure the Primary kids are prepared to sing in the annual Primary Program.

To help the kids practice, I have created a playlist on YouTube that they can listen to at home:

2018 Primary Program Songs

New Evidence on When Bible Was Written: Ancient Shopping Lists - The New York Times

New Evidence on When Bible Was Written: Ancient Shopping Lists - The New York Times:



'via Blog this'

FHE from Elders Quorum Lesson

This is the Prezi I created based on our Elders Quorum lesson a few weeks ago to use as a Family Home Evening.  I had the thought a month or so ago to try and use the Sunday EQ lessons as the basis for a Family Home Evening lesson that would be taught the Monday after.  That way mom and dad would have talked about the lesson topic in their classes the day before, and it gives you a topic to use for your Family the next day

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FHE - The Commandments

Our second week of Family Home Evening was Lesson Two: The Commandments—Gifts from a Loving Father:

Loving Parents Give Rules for Their Children 

Explain that the first rules parents give children are for their physical safety, such as “Don’t go in the street” or “Don’t touch the hot stove.” But as children get older, parents also want to protect them from ways of behaving that will bring them unhappiness. They then make rules to teach them good behavior. List a few of these rules, such as “Be kind to everyone, “Share with others,” and “Be willing to help others.” 

Our Heavenly Father is also our parent. He loves us even more than our earthly parents. He is also much wiser than any earthly parent. He knows what will bring happiness and unhappiness, and he guides us to happiness. He planned it that way because he loves us.

How to Press Forward

We were talking the other day about looking "forward" and moving on from the past, and how it is important to keep developing your testimony and creating new spiritual experiences as opposed to just relying on old ones.  This article was on the main page of LDS.org today and made me think of it:

How to Press Forward by Elder Anderson

Press forward implies something more than simply going forward. Press implies something is preventing your advancement, and you must push through it. To go forward in this life, you must press temptations aside, press through obstacles, press the doubt and the fear under your feet, and embrace the divine qualities of faith, hope,and love.

And a scripture that goes along with the concept of being guided by the Holy Ghost as we press forward:

2 Nephi 32:5

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.