Picture Perfect!

Christlike to be's cannot be seen...To be and to do are inseparable...

“To be, or not to be” is actually a very good question. The Savior posed the question in a far more profound way, making it a vital doctrinal question for each of us: “What manner of men [and women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27). 

To be and to do are inseparable. As interdependent doctrines they reinforce and promote each other. Faith inspires one to pray, for example, and prayer in turn strengthens one’s faith.

Many of us create to do lists to remind us of things we want to accomplish. But people rarely have to be lists. Why? To do’s are activities or events that can be checked off the list when done. To be, however, is never done. You can’t earn checkmarks with to be’s. I can take my wife out for a lovely evening this Friday, which is a to do. But being a good husband is not an event; it needs to be part of my nature—my character, or who I am.

Christlike to be’s cannot be seen, but they are the motivating force behind what we do, which can be seen. When parents help a child learn to walk, for example, we see parents doing things like steadying and praising their child. These do’s reveal the unseen love in their hearts and the unseen faith and hope in their child’s potential. Day after day their efforts continue—evidence of the unseen be’s of patience and diligence.

(Lynn G. Robbins 2011, What Manner of Men Ought Ye to Be?)

A Message to My Children

During my Pathway School Studies, I wanted to share these messages with my favorite people on earth.

Elder Cook…..

During his remarks, Elder Cook taught that an important element to achieving happiness in this life is gratitude—especially for one’s heritage—and through being humble.

“We live in a very self-centered age,” he said. “Social media, in particular, can easily be used for self-promotion. It has never been more important to be grateful and humble. Those who possess these attributes express appreciation for their blessings as they follow the Savior’s example."

What the Savior would want to know is the condition of our heart. He would want to know how we love and minister to those in our care, how we show our love to our spouse and family, and how we lighten their daily load. And the Savior would want to know how you and I grow closer to Him and to our Heavenly Father.

Elder Uchtdorf….

The Church is not an automobile showroom—a place to put ourselves on display so that others can admire our spirituality, capacity, or prosperity. It is more like a service center, where vehicles in need of repair come for maintenance and rehabilitation.

And are we not, all of us, in need of repair, maintenance, and rehabilitation?

We come to church not to hide our problems but to heal them.

I pray, that as we serve in our families, quorums, wards, stakes, communities, and nations, we will resist the temptation to draw attention to ourselves and, instead, strive for a far greater honor: to become humble, genuine disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we do so, we will find ourselves walking the path that leads to our best, most genuine, and noblest selves. 

Love, Mom

I love you all!!!!

Please watch this video of Elaine Dalton. Virtue... it's a gift.

https://content.byui.edu/items/eb5156e1-4c12-406a-8f54-401bcb52105f/1/?attachment.uuid=7f57d533-1b70-4361-b9e3-eaea56a3c476&attachment.stream=true

My Feelings on the Family Proclamation

1 - We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

This paragraph reminds us of the importance and purpose of our existence. Especially in our day and age. We are being lured by many of Satan's plans and tactics that make us believe that anything goes with God. People's thoughts are that God will be ok with all we do. But we know that there is a specific plan and purpose and the central of it all is families. I am very grateful to have this doctrine written out plain and simple and straight forward so there can be no mistake as to what God's plan is and what we are to teach and believe.

2 - All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

I love these truths!!  It is so important to have this doctrine in this day and age. We are so blessed to know our purpose and where we came from and who we are. I am so thankful I have the knowledge of our eternal nature. It is so valuable to all of us as we strive to overcome the tactics of Satan and the voices of the world. God is truly our Father and it is He that we should turn to as we struggle through our trials. If we will turn to Him and develop a relationship with Him, He will teach us of our divine nature and destiny. 

3 - In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

This paragraph is a crucial one in explaining our purpose here on earth. We have the understanding that we came down to earth for a body and we have the opportunity to be heirs of eternal life. What a vision that creates for us! Heavenly Father is so good to us that He gives us the steps to take to become more pure as we strive to be like Him.  I love being reminded about the Lord's plan and the possibilities that are ours if we will live faithful to our covenants.

4 - The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

This paragraph has some very vital doctrine for our day. Parenthood, procreation, to be lawfully wed, and the sanctity of life. All of these topics are hot topics in our society today that are debated and deflated. I love being reminded that these are precious constant truths  until the end of time. They aren't up for debate. Thank goodness God keeps in touch with us to keep us focused on these meaningful and sacred truths. I love having the knowledge of God's plan.

5 - Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

This paragraph gives great detail in the responsibility of parents. I love love love this section and I love how the Lord has an opinion in what we are teaching our children. There are things that He expects of us as parents. We are to rise up and honor the Lord by raising our divine families in the way that the Lord expects. When we have been taught, we will be accountable to God. There will be a day of reckoning. I haven't been perfect for sure, but I am so grateful for the gospel and for prophets and apostles that teach us the ways of the Lord so we can have happy lives and happy families.

6 - The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

I love reading this paragraph in the proclamation. It gives us wonderful guidance in our roles while we create a family and raise children to the Lord. I am grateful for the detailed instruction it gives to parents. I love seeing that the Lord is concerned with the children. He has an ideal plan for their happiness. If we will stay true to the laws of chastity we can provide a faithful and loyal home. I love the part that gives us examples of the things that create a successful marriage. Principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. They are crucial to learn and then assess our own relationships and help us to make sure that we are on track with the Lord and each other. I feel so blessed to have a prophet lead and guide me in my efforts to raise a righteous family and to live with Him again.

I Am a Friend of the Savior

The teachings of this gospel bring such light and direction to our lives. I am so grateful for the leadership and the guidance we have from our prophet and apostles. I want to follow Jesus Christ. I know that if I will obey and follow in faith, I will become the disciple of Christ I want to be and that the Lord hopes I will be. I took this excerpt from Elder Holland and sent this to all my children to remind them of their potential and of the Lord's love.

When He comes, I so want to be caught living the gospel. 

I want to be surprised right in the act of spreading the faith and doing something good. 

I want the Savior to say to me: “[Jodi]”—because He knows all of our names—“I recognize you not by your title but by your life, the way you are trying to live and the standards you are trying to defend. I see the integrity of your heart. I know you have tried to make things better first and foremost 
by being better yourself, and then by declaring my word and defending my gospel to others in the most compassionate way you could.” 

“I know you weren’t always successful,” He will certainly say, “with your own sins or the circumstances of others, but I believe you honestly tried. I believe in your heart you truly loved me.” 

God is calling— calling us to live the gospel of Jesus Christ personally 
in small ways as well as large, and then to reach out to those who may not look or dress or behave quite like we do, and then (where you can) go beyond that to serve in the widest community you can address. 

…know that God loves you, that He needs you in this last and greatest dispensation 
when everything is accelerated and more and more
is expected. I bless you, with apostolic authority, that your prayers offered in righteousness will be answered, that your personal fears will be lifted, that your backs and your shoulders and your hearts will be strong for the burdens that are placed upon them. I bless you as you strive to be pure in heart, offering yourselves as instruments in the hands of God for establishing Zion in these latter days everywhere you stand. I bless you to be true friends to each other and to those not of your circle to whom we should reach out. Above that, I bless you
to be friends of the Savior of the world, to know Him personally, and to have confidence in His company. 

(Israel Israel God Is Calling, Jeffrey R. Holland 2012)