💯August

 100% Responsible & 100% Honest

• Solution focused. 

My dad brought me to go to my heavenly father, Jaron brought me to the Holy Ghost, and my kids have brought me to my savior. 

“Do not let anything get in the way of your relationship with Jesus Christ.” Kimball

Heber C Kimball serve without stint his entire adulthood. 

“My ministry”

“Disconnect to connect” Whitworth 

There is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone. Bishop Brown

Missions might not have a lot of comfort but there is a lot of growth. Brown 

“Thankful Thinking” 30 seconds of silence 

Teach loving and positive conflict communication. Showing compassion in the midst of conflict.  

Develop talents all of your life plus leave a trail (share to lift others). 

Peace at home is more important than chores. 

“Let’s make a list” gets people out of reptilian brain. 

“Fish have slimy gills” 

(things that happened today)

Funny

Happy

Sad

Good- have I done any good to them?

Go be in his space. Make the effort to truly get to know another individual and to our Savior. 

“Lord, teach me how you speak to me.” Dew

Nels Hansen: "The Connection between Ministering and Exaltation"

The people around them were no longer Obstacles to their happiness. 

Goodbye closed mind. Hello open heart. Oprah

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage — pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically, to say ‘no’ to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside.” — Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”

Preface: Alma 8: Ammonihah, Alma, Amulek 

Alma 16: Ammonihah is destroyed by Lamanites. 

Alma 49 (Ammonihah 19 years later) v. 8 prepared this time. 

V. 13 weak became strong

V. 28 Gratitude in God

Story of hope and resilience in overcoming weaknesses. 

Merril: proverbs and Ecclesiastes

Prov. 17:22 Joy. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. 

“Where is the life we’ve lost in living?”TS Elliott 

Prov. 13:10 Pride. Judgmental. Nazareth 300-500 residents during time of savior. 

Prov. 3:5-6 Trust. Lead kindly light. Be willing to step out into the dark. Trust me. Tell youth to trust the Lord in getting married and having children. Trust Jesus. 

“I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”

Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!”

Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.” -Nelson

“Growing up, the FHE lessons didn’t usually make a difference, but seeing my mom doing it week after week, year after year, and even though it wasn’t fun for her, the faith that my parents had made all the difference.” AG lesson

We CHOOSE the gospel. Over and over again it’s a choice. To pray, read our scriptures, go to church, etc. Choose ye this day. Every day. We really do have to make intentional choices. 

Repent at the end of each day. 

Aspen Lodge beams: appear to be one beam but are actually multiple boards bound together to be one strong beam. 

Griffin

Multigenerational faith. 

Exemplary people exemplify Christlike attributes. 

Mediator between us and HF and between us and others. 

‘How could there ever have been a veil thick enough that would keep me from remembering that face/ Him?’

Brother of Jared. 

• Gives step by step solution/ instructions.
• Don’t worry about it.
• Silent. Invitation: what wilt thou that I should do? Give me your step by step solution. Jared presents best efforts. 

Our very best effort isn’t going to shine until the Lord touches it. (Stones for light)

Agency: God likes giving us as much agency as possible. We grow to trust Him. 

That which is easily obtained is not appreciated. 

HF did not delegate prayer. Direct line of communication with Him. 

“Faith is more than a feeling. It is a choice.” -Anderson 

Law of indulation CS Lewis Trust, especially when times are rough. 

“Daddy (Father), are you looking at me?” -MD Hanks

“ often I come to thee with a list of things I want. Today I’m wondering: what’s thine list for me?”

Blessings of losing my voice and/or vocal rest:

• Intentional in the few things I do say
• Better Appreciate voice and ability to converse/ communicate
• Desire to have more meaningful conversations with our boys. 

FORGIVENESS FLOUR 

by Marguerite Stewart

When I went to the door, at the whisper of knocking,

I saw Simeon Gantner's daughter, Kathleen, standing

There, in her shawl and her shame, sent to ask

"Forgiveness Flour" for her bread. "Forgiveness Flour,"

We call it in our corner. If one has erred, one

Is sent to ask for flour of his neighbors. If they loan it

To him, that means he can stay, but if they refuse, he had

Best take himself off. I looked at Kathleen . . .

What a jewel of a daughter, though not much like her

Father, more's the pity. "I'll give you flour," I

Said, and went to measure it. Measuring was the rub.

If I gave too much, neighbors would think I made sin

Easy, but if I gave too little, they would label me

"Close." While I stood measuring, Joel, my husband

Came in from the mill, a great bag of flour on his

Shoulder, and seeing her there, shrinking in the

Doorway, he tossed the bag at her feet. "Here, take

All of it." And so she had flour for many loaves,

While I stood measuring.

God always provides safety for the soul, and with the Book of Mormon, He has again done so in our time. Remember this declaration by Jesus Himself: "Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived" (Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:37)--and in the last days neither your heart nor your faith will fail you. -Holland 

Faith: Ether 2&3

Courage: we’re just helping people remember what they already know. D&C 138:55-56

Determination: 

Sacrifice: John 14:31

Unity

A mission is not a saving ordinance, but for me it might as well be. Swain

“They’re (parents At child’s homecoming) looking at a miracle that has happened to their son” -Erickson 

Marriages today are happier and more satisfying than they’ve ever been.  Because self actualizing -Eli Finkle

People in it for the long haul; committed.  -Gottman 

Positive attribution: enhancing positive 

-Give them a platform to communicate and take criticism. 

-thank you so much for doing this, but for me I would prefer this. 

-praise sandwich: thank you (for intent), but this, but you’re wonderful. 

Communication vs. intent

-make continual efforts

“He blesses us with small daily miracles, and with over time with marvelous works

“never suppress a generous thought” sister kimball

“Mom, I feel like my armor is starting to weaken.”

“Too blessed to be stressed”

I wasn’t planning on posting a back-to-school pic, but these guys melted my momma heart as we met them on their walk home from school. I love these faces, we’ve shared a summer of memories, they all have nice teachers, they were excited to catch up with friends, etc. but what really got me was when James picked up Derek and hugged him as soon as he saw him. 

Biggest regret of YSA years: I worried too much. I tried too hard I spent too much emotional energy on things that I didn’t need to. I banged my head on doors that weren’t worth my effort. 

I’m doing that now as a mom. I’m worried about my boys’ achievements. I waste too much energy on trying too hard and not just letting them be their own. I should’ve just relaxed and let things run its course. Party it up. Have fun. 

Same thing with London. I can sit and worry or I can let it go. Let things run their course and trust self, others, and God. 

• Me focused or mike focused. Do I really care about his happiness? Do I consider it?
• After all. Everyone has good hearts. Everyone. Well, everyone I associate with. We have good hearts, deep for some people and very deep down inside for some. Some are protected, some are guarded, some are broken, and some haven’t healed properly. But most all of us have good hearts. Trump and hitler might be exceptions. 
• Mom, is this good? New response: Better than some, worse than others”
• Let us off speak kind words & home can be a heaven on earth

Dinner meal time: sacred, uninterrupted. 

Through the “preponderance of the evidence” (60 %) put spouse first. Beyond dutiful. High love, high connection. 

Intrapersonal: how you tell yourself you’re feeling. Before marriage keep your eyes open, after marriage keep them half closed. Make yourself your best friend. Kind on thoughts. 

“We are so lucky.”

“How will they feel more connected?”

Ebb and flow of marriages, relationships, & life in general. 

Make sure the service is meaningful in your spouse’s eyes. 

If one spouse initiates the parenting, they end it. When you hand them the baton, you don’t take it back. 

Daniel needs 1) to know that we love, adore, cherish him no matter what, 2) to be able to make his own choice, 3) more quiet, alone time, 4) consequences for not attending, and 5) meaningful service opportunities. 

If we got everything we prayed for, we’d be Spiritual spoiled brats Byron merril 

There’s no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone. Merril

• Maybe “you have fought a good fight” in my PB also refers to fighting for my children and the ones I love. 

The Lord bless you and the devil leave you. -Benson 

There is more salvation and security in wheat, than in all the political schemes of the world." -- Orson Hyde 

Ed Week

Service makes my heart sing. 

Cave: are the formations the same or different? Both. Appreciate both. 

“In this dream I was in the presence of my Savior as he stood mid-air. He spoke no word to me, but my love for him was such that I have not words to explain. I know that no mortal man can love the Lord as I experienced that love for the Savior unless God reveals it to him.”

“If only I can be with my Savior and have that same sense of love that I had in that dream, it will be the goal of my existence, the desire of my life.” -George F. Richards

Learn to love and treasure the son of God that God gave to you. 

Learn to love and treasure the daughter of God that He gave to Mike. Learn to love, appreciate, and cherish how HF made your husband, your children, and you. 

Life is pretty muddy. HF doesn’t want our lives to be perfect, He wants us to become perfect. Our parents made mistakes that messed us up and we’ll make mistakes that will mess up them. But we have to have some rocks to clear the water (in a muddy, flowing stream). 

When we understand the plan we learn to love, appreciate, and respect our imperfect but growing and trying selves. 

Before things get clean they have to get messy.