Skin Deep

His arms were covered in tattoos. Maybe tattoos are more on my mind because of the viral blogpost experiences of a tattoo covered Mormon you can read about here:  http://alfoxshead.blogspot.com ?
You would think he spent his nights in seedy smoky bars until you looked in his clear blue eyes and there was no denying the goodness evident there. We could see him through the glass door as he fixed the windshield and tightened our window wipers but couldn't see his thoughts.

Suddenly he opened the door and said, "You're set to go!"
I asked him if we should pay at the counter now and his response surprised me as he shook his head, "Naw, it wasn't repaired properly the time before now and I just fixed it. You're good."
In awe, I asked, "But, you fixed the window wipers?"
"I gave them a good tighten and they should work now but you can bring it back if you have any problems," he said as he shrugged his shoulders.
Stunned, we got in the car and exclaimed how incredibly nice it was to find someone who was perfectly content to just serve without expecting anything in return.

Not 24 hours later a kind unassuming young man with a sweet cowboy drawl came to repair our water slogging broken furnace. Patient and deliberate, he explained the problems and how to fix them. He was so kind, I asked him if he had time to look at our gas fireplace that hadn't worked in two years. Of course it turned on immediately for the expert, as he slowly explained how it worked. Gratefully, he said he would clean it for me because I couldn't comprehend the process of deconstructing it for a good cleaning. As he took his jacket off I couldn't help noticing his forearms… a big elaborate tattoo adorned each one.

Thank you God, for always always teaching me. I love it.

Keystones

So my beautiful daughter is home from her LDS Mission and loves running into people so dear to her. This week we were out doing errands and ran into her ballroom teacher. The joy and rejoicing was immediate but short-lived. Someone very important to her had chosen not to remain within the church structure that forms her life. Anti-Mormon literature, designed to sow seeds of doubt into the very most elect members, had slowly influenced their testimony and they longer felt they had one. My daughter had experienced some of this herself in the last months of her mission and it was very fresh on her mind. They marveled at how doubts had been fed and nurtured at the expense of the forever known.

The very fact that the Book of Mormon exists is proof enough. No wonder it is called the "keystone" of our religion. I love reading it and never fail to find comfort, reassurance and frequent encouragement to make my life resemble Christ's more closely. How can that be bad?

Sleeves...

I wore long sleeves… to the gym… to a class where everyone else was wearing clothes to really sweat in. I had massive second thoughts as I stood outside the glass door, biting my lip and fighting the urge to walk away. Too late. My sweet, encouraging friend saw me, brought me in, got all the equipment I would need and quickly set it up for me. How could I walk away now?

The class began and I found myself moving my body in familiar forms, keeping time with the music and rejoicing in the fact that maybe I could still do this! Two years with a trainer and consistent daily exercise had toned my muscles and they remembered! They remembered the movement at least… but the last three months had taken a toll I did not realize until I looked at my hands. They did not match. My right hand was swelling, bulging slightly around the bottom of my compression sleeve. At the next break I sat on the end of my risers, holding out my hands and taking stock of what I was actually looking at. Was one hand bigger than the other? Really? My friend came over to see if I was ok and agreed that I probably shouldn't keep going.  Thus began another public admission (try going through airport security with a Jackson Pratt drain - as humiliating as you can imagine!) that I was not the same as everyone else there. Not any more. I put my equipment away, fighting tears and fears of having my arm swell up to the size of Pop-eyes massive forearm before I could get out of there.

Something I wouldn't care to experience again

Tender mercies of the day:  For some reason I hadn't worn my glove which would have masked the swelling, I did get home before my arm got any bigger, and most importantly, my husband was still home and could enfold me in his arms and tell me it would be alright and what to do because he knows...

An agonizing week has gone by. My arm has slowly deflated like a balloon with the air released, as close to matching my other arm as it may ever get. My loving husband, who says that ANYTHING is better than having a single cell of melanoma in my body, continues to love me in spite of the scars, bumps, and losses incurred from health problems. How was I so fortunate to have this man choose to love me? That is a subject for another blog on another day.

So happy, so carefree… so FALSE advertising

Adam and Eve's Clothing

I've been enjoying a book called "Your Endowment" by Mark Shields and thought of something I never have before. When Adam and Eve were given animal skins as garments to cover their nakedness, it is not improbable to think that the animals would have probably been "sacrificed" to provide coverings for them… It is also not improbable that was probably a "type" of the sacrifice of the Atonement, right?! I just had the thought that it might have been lambs!!! Lambskin is SO soft it would make sense... and how poignant would it be to think about Adam and Eve knowing the lamb from the time spent in the Garden of Eden? 

But if you think about it, we ALL know "The Lamb" as our Elder Brother. The book talks about how the whole LDS temple ceremony points to our Savior and teaches of the Atonement, and that everything is symbolic. I am looking forward to seeing more meaning in the symbols as I attend.

Trials Make Us Good Timber

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shotslot/8147080749/

Interesting article here "When Trouble Comes" about trees that grew in the Biosphere dome experiment. New trees planted in the protected atmosphere grew rapidly but toppled over before they could reach their height and reproduce. Adding to the tragedy was the final failure, the wood was too soft to be useful. Without the wind to buffet them, the trees did not develop the strength to stand tall with strong, sturdy trunks and branches. So it goes with men and women. This poem says it perfectly.

Good Timber

by Doug Malloch

The tree that never had to fight

For sun and sky and air and light,

But stood out on the open plain

And always got its share of rain,

Never became a forest king

But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil

To gain and farm his patch of soil,

Who never had to win his share

Of sun and sky and light and air,

Never became a manly man

But lived an died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease.

The stronger wind, the stronger trees,

The further sky the greater length,

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and man good timbers grow

Where thickest lies the forest growth,

We find the patriarchs of both.

And they hold counsel with the stars

Whose broken branches show the scars

Of many winds and much of strife.

This is the common law of life.

"Marriage Isn't For You"

My daughter sent me this link because she thought it was so profound. I agreed and enjoyed reading the thoughts I've been having the past few months expressed so simply and so beautifully. Yes, there are many more facets to marriage, and in every relationship we have actually, but thinking of someone besides yourself is a great place to start. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.
It turns out this young couple was born and raised under our very noses. We are good friends with both of their parents! The wisdom Seth's father bestows his son is not uncommon or exclusive to this particular time. He and his wife are already great examples of this truth and many others. Their family is a great benefit to our congregation. Much love to them and a shout out to Seth and Kim!

Click here to read "Marriage Isn't For You" by Seth Smith

What a blessing to have this message receive so much national attention.
They are especially eloquent in this brief interview on Good Morning America

Click here to see interview

Relationships Have Risks

We sit side by side in the same room, listening to the same things, and hear it so differently.  As the competent and caring cancer specialist spells out the numbers and their meaning, I hear the 80% chance of me surviving 10 years but my physician husband hears the 20% chance of me dying in 10 years. The specialist shows us a graph of my 10 yr survival chances so we can have a visual. I see how close the line is to the top of the page but he sees ANY space between my death and his life continuing beyond that as a vast Sahara desert.... still too much risk to ever be comfortably peaceful again. I wish I could calm his fears... but he knows so much... so much more of death and unexpected outcomes than I ever will.

As the doctor is speaking to us, my mind leaves to explore other paths. I wonder at everyone's desire to stay on the earth when if we truly believe what we are taught as toddlers, that life is INFINITELY better on the other side, (I mean that IS why we call it Heaven...) then why do people fight so hard to stay here?

I look down at his hand holding mine and think, “Oh... the unknown distance between the joining of hearts and hands again. That, I do understand....”

I also wonder what makes men wear bowties...

The Will of God

When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, 
but merely opening your hands to receive something better. 

--Liz Jessop Woodfield

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiltti/2366525488/

I was watching my 18 month old granddaughter eating the fleshy part of an orange her mother had cut into a piece she could manage. She ate the juice filled triangles and didn't stop as she reached the rind and peel. Her mother tried to replace it with another delicious piece of orange but she continued to want the peel. 

Sometimes we are that determined to consume what is spiritually inedible... 

unable or unwilling to partake of the delicious fruit of the Tree of Life God has so freely placed on the earth for all of us. Ever the child, we can trust in our Heavenly Father to provide all that we could ever want or need, and bend our will to His with perfect faith and trust. 

The Will of God

The will of God will never take you,

Where the grace of God cannot keep you.

Where the arms of God cannot support you,

Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,

Where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you,

Where the spirit of God cannot work through you,

Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,

Where the army of God cannot protect you,

Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you,

Where the love of God cannot enfold you,

Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,

Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,

Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The will of God will never take you,

Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,

Where the Word of God cannot feed you,

Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,

Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

--Anonymous

Because I love YOU!

Sometimes because of pain and sometimes because of mind puzzles that never sort themselves out, I've spent a lot of time awake during the night. I often marvel at the Atonement.

Last night I asked, 

"HOW, Heavenly Father... how did you sacrifice such an amazing son, so beloved a child?”

Immediately, an image similar to the one above flashed in my brain and I heard the words, 

“Because I love YOU!”

I stand all amazed... or actually lay here, all amazed....

Couldn't have scripted anything better!

Click here to open the link --press play then come back to this page and read slowly

This beautiful soundtrack from "Exodus" by Henry Mancini just happened to begin playing just as I began to read the chapter on the Exodus in the Book of Mormon. I couldn't have scripted anything better! Thanks Heavenly Father! 

Click open the link then come back to this page and read slowly. 

You should be at verse 20 when the music is at 2:50. 

Beautiful and inspiring! Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 Nephi - Chapter 25 from The Book of Mormon. 

1 Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I

have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For

behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my

people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of

prophesying among the Jews.

2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the

manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and

their doings were doings of abominations.

3 Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall

receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know

the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according

to the word which he hath spoken.

4 Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of

Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of

Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto

all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. But I

give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me;

wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath

been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my

father; for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my

people, that they may learn.

5 Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came

out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the

Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things of the

prophets, and there is none other people that understand the

things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be

that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews.

6 But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the

manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at

Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about;

and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments

of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children,

according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not

write them.

7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my

plainness; in the which I know that no man can err; nevertheless,

in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men

shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to

pass.

8 Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he

that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak

particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people; for I

know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last

days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for

their good have I written them.

9 And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews

because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from

generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never

hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the

prophets of the Lord.

10 Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction

which should come upon them, immediately after my father left

Jerusalem; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts; and

according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be

those which are carried away captive into Babylon.

11 And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me.

And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return

again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore, they shall

be restored again to the land of their inheritance.

12 But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and

when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea,

even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself

unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of

their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the

stiffness of their necks.

13 Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a

sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the

dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe

on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my

soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his

day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.

14 And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath

risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people,

unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall

be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and

the people of his church.

15 Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations;

yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews

shall be scattered by other nations.

16 And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath

scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations,

yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be

persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the

atonement, which is infinite for all mankind--and when that day

shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the

Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look

not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the

day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should

believe these things.

17 And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to

restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore,

he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the

children of men.

18 Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which

words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given

them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who

was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they

need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there

should not any come, save it should be a false Messiah which

should deceive the people; for there is save one Messiah spoken

of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected

of the Jews.

19 For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah

cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left

Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also

the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the

Son of God.

20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot

err. And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of

the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal

the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents,

if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise

up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the

rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you,

that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there

is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus

Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.

21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me

that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and

handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the

promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never

perish as long as the earth should stand.

22 Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to

generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go

according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who

shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words

which are written.

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children,

and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled

to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after

all we can do.

24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of

Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the

law shall be fulfilled.

25 For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath

become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of

our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of

Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our

prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may

look for a remission of their sins.

27 Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may

know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness

of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ,

and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is

fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts

against him when the law ought to be done away.

28 And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people;

wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot

misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as

a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man

the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny

him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the

law.

29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to

believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One

of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him

with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and

if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.

30 And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the

performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be

fulfilled which was given unto Moses.

Read more about it at http://www.lds.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32YPozK5Y-0&feature=related

To listen again...

True Friends...

True friends go check your blog to balance out the views....

ALL BETTER NOW!!!

Once they got on, I felt safe!

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!

Shout Out to Sean at Marie Callender's

It was my birthday... so I stopped into the local Marie Callender's Restaurant to pick up our traditional Chocolate Satin Pie for our family gathering at our home that night and was absolutely horrified to hear that they didn't have any!

Me: "What? You don't have ANY????"

Carla: "We haven't had any for a week!"

Me: "Is it the sale you have going on? I mean... ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

Carla: "I don't know, but they haven't sent us any?"

Me: "Does the Bountiful store have any?"

Carla: "The Bountiful store closed..."

Me: "ARE YOU SERIOUS? Is there one in Ogden?"

Carla: "No, only Salt Lake..."

Me: "My world just shattered! No Chocolate Satin Pie! I need one! How far away is the Salt Lake Store???" (I was frantically trying to think if I had time to make a trip down and back to SLC before skyping with the grandkids back east.)

Carla: "I can call them and see if they have any..." Bless her heart she got right on the phone and saved me two... and a double cream cheese lemon. If you haven't had them... make an effort! Awesome!

By this time the manager, Sean, heard the commotion at the desk and came out to see what was up. He cheerfully offered to go to Salt Lake and to BRING THEM TO MY HOUSE! 

Me: "ARE YOU SERIOUS??? Today is my birthday and I honestly don't know what else would do?"

Sean: "Sure, I have to be back up here tonight and I am happy to drop them off."

We exchanged texts throughout the day and he ended up meeting my brother-in-law at the nearest freeway exit to our home, bringing the pies just in time for the traditional "Candle-in-the-pie-birthday-song." My world was put right....

THAT is service for you! Sean went the extra mile with a big smile for someone he didn't even know! Beautiful.

We Are Never Lost To God

I loved the Sept 2013 General Relief Society broadcast and especially loved Pres. Monson's talk. The story about the overwhelmed and depressed Tiffany whose only wish is for a loaf of homemade bread and the way it got fulfilled was so inspiring. I thought to myself, “Wow, I could do a lot of good in the world if I would listen to and obey promptings like that!” Funny thing... the very next day I was mailing postcards to the grandkids and on a whim decided to turn left instead of right, heading toward the east bench of old Farmington. There was zero traffic. I wound my way up and around the quiet streets to an intersection where the level road met a very steep hill and came upon a young teenage girl in a small white car, waving desperately out the window to me. She was facing up the hill but couldn't move forward. Every time she took her foot off the brake she would roll backwards. I stopped and asked her if she had a clutch. She said she did and I figured it was too hard for her to manage on a hill and I would just do it for her. She then showed me that it wouldn't drive forward at all. I tried to direct her to a safe parking spot on the side of the road, which we finally managed, in fits and starts. Once safely parked, but leaving the car idling, she called her mom who told her to just drive it home to Bountiful. She offered me a candy bouquet she just happened to have, HAHA! I told her to keep it because she wasn't home yet and she might need it for someone else. I followed her to Centerville and when she didn't seem to be having any trouble, turned off for home. WOW! I mean, what are the odds I would take a strange way home and run into a young woman in need RIGHT at the right time! 

Thanks, Heavenly Father!

But that is not all, oh no that is not all! Because of a wide excision surgery and removal of lymph nodes, I couldn't put any strain on my arm for two weeks! It felt like an eternity as I watched the beautiful fall days go by without me riding. I was so anxious to go biking the first day I could and see how my arm would hold up! My wonderful husband, taking his usual excellent care of me, had readied the truck and already put my road bike in the back. 

It was so tempting to just immediately start out, but I wanted to clear my head and ride for a long time. Hmm, I didn't want to risk putting any further stress on my freshly healing stitches by leaning forward for so long on my road bike and I'm not that great at using my road biking shoe clips yet either. Just then, God inspired me to trade it out for my mountain bike! That way I could sit up straighter and wear regular shoes and ride as long as I wanted to! 

Thankful for my many blessings, I happily headed out into the gorgeous morning! Perfect temperature and my legs felt SO good! I took a different route from the usual and felt like I could ride FOREVER!!! I got to Bountiful and the trail ended! I couldn't see where it connected so I turned right, hoping to find someone to direct me. 

Well, I hadn't gone more than a few yards when a huge dog jumped a fence and came over and bit my shoe! Holy cow, that was scary, I can't go back THAT way! I guess I'll have to figure out how to get to the bike path on the far west side. I said a prayer that someone in this nice little neighborhood would come out and help me. 

Wouldn't you know it, about two houses later a woman came out to her car just as I was passing. (Thank you Heavenly Father! Again!) She tried to direct me to where the other Legacy Parkway bike path was, not really knowing either, but she gave it her best shot. I followed her directions as best I could, ending up SO FAR west I was at the Legacy Freeway! 

I pulled out my phone with the gps so I could see where I was and noticed my phone was at 6%! Dang! I really need to remember to charge it every night. I called my mom to let her know that my phone was almost dead and I was a looooong way from home but don't worry. I looked down and thought that my tire was looking a little bit fatter but no worries. Still perfectly fine! 

I began retracing my route back and as I turned a corner I noticed a strange sound.... pfbt, pfbt, pfbt in a regular beat. “What is that sound?” I thought. I looked around and then with a sinking feeling realized it was my tire! Flat, flat, flat... I was riding on the rim! I called mom again but she didn't answer! I left a message telling her where I was and that I would start walking toward I-15 and to come find me when she got the message. 

I had walked my bike maybe 60 feet when a pick-up truck pulled up next to me. I was just wondering what was going to happen next  as a very sweet woman with an adorable grey buzz cut leaned out the window and asked me if I would like a ride. I almost yelled, “ARE YOU SERIOUS? I need to get clear to Farmington Station Front Runner.” She said, “Yes, I'm serious.” Thank you Heavenly Father! Again!

I put my bike in the back of her truck, texted mom not to worry and hoped there was enough “juice” to get it to her before she started out looking for me for who knows how long??? 

I climb in the back as she turns to her 30 year old daughter and says, “I knew I should have worn my wig. Didn't think I'd see anyone.” My ears pricked up... this woman had cancer. 

I asked her, “What's your story?” She had just completed her sixth round of chemotherapy and was starting radiation tomorrow at Hunstman. I told her I was going to be there too! Our bond was immediate. 

I hadn't really cried about everything yet and for some reason, staring into the depth of her blue eyes as she literally willed me to feel of her strength, totally undid me. The tears streamed down my face as I told her my story. She listened as only the spiritually tried and tested can, and then said, “You need to hear this. God loves you and is watching out for you. There are a lot of reasons to fight to live and even if you help someone else avoid your struggle by being in a study, there is purpose in your life.” 

She told me that she hadn't even planned on leaving the house that day and wasn't even sure why she went to pick up her daughter who was enjoying a walk home on a beautiful day. She was driving on the street at the exact moment my tire went flat! 

Everything had happened to bring me to this point! From the change of bike, change of route, the scary dog, the woman who directed me west and the tire going flat, we both marveled at the way the events had unfolded that we would meet at that moment. SO COOL! I sobbed at the amazingness of it all with my flat-tired bike safely in the back of the truck before heading home. Thank you Heavenly Father... yet again.

Epilogue:

The very sweet woman (who now has hair long enough to be blown by the wind) turned out to be Tammy Mitchell, an amazing cancer survivor and a new life-long friend who continually inspires me each time we talk. Little gems of hard-earned wisdom spill out during our conversations and I constantly feel like I need to take notes when we talk. "We don't just survive this life... we can THRIVE in this life." and "We need to think about what we can give to others that come behind us as we climb our mountains." 
Like that... yes, she is the spiritual giant leading the way for me. 
Thanks, Tammy. I love you!

Glad Tidings!

As I pondered about what I would say, I opened my scriptures to this verse. It comforted me as well as gave me direction.

GLAD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY!!!!

The Power of a Converted Woman is Immeasurable

One of the best things I've ever done is go to Education Week, attending a series of classes with topics ranging from Neuroscience, Archeology, Parenting, Family History, and the Savior Jesus Christ.

This year the Keynote speaker was Elder M. Russell Ballard, an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He spoke in the Marriott Center at BYU to thousands of people, but I felt his words at 36:33 in this video were directed at me...

Elder M. Russell Ballard Devotional 8-20-2013 video

Thus... this blog. I want to share experiences that have shaped and changed my life and will hopefully shape yours if you want that as well. 

My very best wishes to you in your life's journey.

My Microphone to the World

When I was a little girl I always wanted a microphone to the world. Now, I have one! Hopefully I'll have something to say!