Primarily Speaking

Shout out to an amazing primary teacher! Tina Watson​​ and her daughter Sierrah didn't even know my grandson would be in her class but this stack of prepared notes and activities is what he came home with. She does this extraordinary job for all her Sunbeams every week! 
Our fabulous music leader, Lauri Pratt called all three boys up to sing the "visitor" song to them and the 7 yr old got to be a priest in the Good Samaritan story reenactment. The Whitneys gave my oldest grandson THEIR treat from the Primary Presidency because he was the only child in the class who didn't get one. 

All our Primary leaders are wonderful and make such a difference in children's lives. 
I love Primary. If Jesus came to church I think he would spend a lot of time with the Primary! The songs are so fun and memorable. "Gethsemane " gives me chills! 
"Click here to listen to "Gethsemane"

AND what could be better than being called to the Nursery??? Sitting on the floor, playing with toys and eating snacks for a couple hours? There are always unexpected little upsets that make Primary exciting... for instance... last Sunday no one had keys that would work to the nursery closets! We had no idea until it was our turn in the new year to open them up! No toys or treats for the little ones for 30 minutes until the Bishopric from the other ward in our building came to rescue us! Yep, always memorable! Lucky are you if you serve in the Primary!

Click Here For More Primary Songs

Sand or Rock?

Sand
or
Rock?

Last month my family visited our homeland, the Piedmont Valleys of northern Italy. There in the Italian Alps, Waldensian families hid for hundreds of years from the persecution brought upon them by holding fast to the truths taught by Christ's ancient apostles. Early church missionaries, led by Lorenzo Snow, discovered these families prepared to be taught the fulness of the restored gospel. We hiked overgrown, narrow paths to find the rock- solid home of these early saints hidden in the steep hills of Eissart, Italy. How the missionaries ever found them I will never know. Abandoned for over 180 years, it still stands as a monument to the conviction and sacrifice of faithful ancestors to the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Facing persecution again from their own neighbors, they left their ancestral home in the middle of winter, with little more than the clothes on their backs. They crossed the Alps, traveled to England,crossed the Atlantic and arrived in Council Bluffs to begin their pioneer trek in the first handcart company during the summer of 1856. Arriving penniless and having lost their youngest child to illness, they came with faith founded on the rock of the Redeemer, the Savior of mankind. They would instill this in their children, to serve and rely upon this firm foundation. Their descendants would return through the years to share His gospel of happiness as missionaries themselves.

Like the wise man who built his house upon a rock, not sand (Matthew 7:24), we should build our testimonies upon the firm foundation of the immovable Rock of the Redeemer which will protect us from the storms and trials that lie ahead. Helaman speaking to his sons stated it perfectly, " And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

Recently, we have seen the effects of shifting sand on a society of changing values. Only those whose testimonies are built upon a foundation centered on Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel will be able to withstand the winds, rain, and storms of adversity.
As we approach this Christmas Season, let us be reminded that He is the Only Begotten One, the Savior born for all mankind, that all might live again because of Him. He invites, "...follow me, and do the things ye have seen me do." (2 Nephi 31:12). May we seek to do those things that will cause us to become more like Him, that we might have a fulness of joy. He is the way, the life and the light of the world. I testify of His gospel of happiness and unconditional love for all.




Michael Beus, Farmington Utah North Stake

Doubting Our Doubts

Family Photo

This week my lovely daughter in law was awarded the Workplace Hero Award for her excellent work ethic, great attitude and significant contributions to her department. Co-workers and the division head said THE nicest things about her! They obviously loved her and appreciated the very things we do about her!

I could not have been more proud of her and couldn't keep the tears from flowing! Her beauty and strength shown through in every frame and her words filled me with encouragement and hope.

I'm so grateful for her determination and diligence, two wonderful qualities I wish I had more abundantly. As wonderful as it was to see that, her next words gave me even more admiration for her. I told her that she should post it to Facebook and I would "like" it. She said that Facebook has become very difficult for her lately as some of her closest friends are angrily expressing views that are directly contrary to hers and it makes her sad and uncomfortable to see it. She then expressed her testimony about marriage being between one man and one woman, making me even more proud of her and reconfirming my testimony as well.

I hadn't been on Facebook for a few days and logged on to see what she was talking about. One of the very first posts in my newsfeed was of a dear friend announcing that she was so disappointed in the latest announcement from the church insulting children of gay couples not being allowed to be blessed or baptized until they were 18, that even though she knew it would hurt people close to her who loved the Mormon church, she was publicly announcing that she was an apostate. Insulting children? The church? I doubted that could be true. It didn't make sense that a church so thoroughly Christian that it has the name of Jesus Christ in it's title, would insult children? I doubted my doubts and read further...

In a clarification from the First Presidency it very clearly states that it does NOT AFFECT those who are already baptized and active, NOR WILL IT AFFECT those who have one gay parent but don't live with them, AND each situation will be examined on the basis of what is the most beneficial for each child. 
"Our concern with respect to children is their current and future well-being and the harmony of their home environment....[this change will] apply only to those children whose primary residence is with a couple living in a same-gender marriage or similar relationship. When a child living with such a same-gender couple has already been baptized and is actively participating in the Church, provisions of Section 16.13 do not require that his or her membership activities or priesthood privileges be curtailed or that further ordinances be withheld."

read full text here

I can only imagine what had influenced my dear friend to reach this point, I don't know and I certainly can't judge. If you read the New Testament you can see how Jesus loved all people.... truly loved them and didn't condemn them. As he told the woman taken in adultery, "Go thy way and sin no more." He acknowledged she had sinned. SHE HAD SINNED! Well, so have I sinned! I am no better than anyone else on this planet and have no reason to judge or condemn either. I thought of all my sins and how beyond grateful I am for the Atonement, and that I KNOW because of it our family can be together forever if we keep our covenants, a thought I CLING to... especially lately. I also KNOW without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true, I have read it many times and each time become more convinced of its truth... and how SO MANY truths follow THAT knowledge.

A friend sent me a link to a blog and I loved what she so beautifully said a few weeks ago about being true to what we KNOW before we are true to our doubts and to always keep our covenants. Here is a quote from her blog I totally love:

Oh, how Satan would love to cause us to stumble over things like seer stones, marriage, gender identity, polygamy, etc. And sadly, he’s having encouraging success with some closest to us.

Another question things of late cause me to ask: Is faith an endurance exercise? After all, we are encouraged to “endure to the end.” What does that mean? I think it means that under all circumstances we keep our covenants. I think it means that the Lord expects us to remain faithful even when we have doubts and questions. But faithful to what? ... faithful to what we do know, and have developed our testimony upon...

The marvelous thing about gaining a testimony of Jesus Christ and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His Church here upon the earth today is in how we obtain that testimony – it can be stellar because properly obtained it comes not of man but from God Himself. 

http://wellbehavedmormonwoman.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-seer-stone-faithful-membership-not.html

Courage... Good News and Gratitude

The good news is that the treatments are working. I can tell because I feel so much better than I did in the summer. I actually feel like exercising and doing yard work. It's wonderful!

The gratitude I feel is intense. I'm grateful for every single experience I've had this month, and there have been a plethora of positive ones! I'm grateful for every single human I've interacted with this month, and there have been the best of the best in my life!

I'm grateful for the strength my Heavenly Father gives me to keep going in this journey called life. People have commented on the courage I must have and it reminds me of a saying I have had taped to my bathroom mirror for many years.

"Courage is only the second virtue in a soldier, 

the first is endurance of fatigue."

 --Napoleon Bonaparte

We are blessed with the agency to respond to the daily emotional and physical challenges in our lives. We are also blessed with the opportunity to learn whatever Heavenly Father wants us to learn from those challenges. We make a choice every day, sometimes many times a day, as to what the legacy of our lives will be. 

“To be a warrior is not a simple matter of wishing to be one. 

It is rather an endless struggle that will go on to the very last moment of our lives. Nobody is born a warrior, in exactly the same way that nobody is born an average man. 

We make ourselves into one or the other.”

--Carlos Castaneda”

 

I'm so very very grateful for my team of warriors!

Stones

My most unfavorite thing is kidney stones. I have SUCH sympathy for anyone who deals with them! I've been blessed to live in an age where you can have mulitple lithotripsies to prevent them from killing you off, haha! Everything you hear about them is true... 

In all the bad news my MRIs have brought, I couldn't help but rejoice that my kidney stones were staying the same size and NOT moving! FABULOUS news!

While I was reading Ether 2 in the Book of Mormon the other morning the last couple verses jumped out at me. The brother of Jared and the Lord are having a planning meeting about the courageous voyage they are about to embark on in tiny little dark boats for an extended period of time, submerged in the blackness of the depths of the sea.

The answer..... was STONES! 

The Lord has prepared me for "crossing this great deep... the waves and winds... even a flood" of trials by giving me kidney stones! Who could ever have thought something good could come of that constant unrelenting pain that lasts for hours. That great King of Heaven and Earth, my Lord and Savior, unto whom I completely "commend myself"  knew! (Ether 6:4)

I pray that I will be "found faithful" at my last day. (Ether 4:19)

The Worker's Seal

The Worker's Seal 

We know very little about the Savior's pre-ministry career other than that he was referred to as a carpenter and a carpenter's son. Calloused hands he most assuredly had.
Recently at the airport, while watching my nephew return home from his mission, I was struck by how absolutely worn out and worn through his shoes were as he stepped off the plane.
The world has need of willing men (women and youth) who wear the 'worker's seal' (Hymn #252, Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel). What is the worker's seal? Is it calloused hands, worn out shoes or could it be the tired expression found on a mother's face from caring for a sick child through the night? The seal can be represented in countless ways. 

Opportunities to demonstrate a willingness to work are all about us. The Farmington Utah North Stake of Zion has an abundance of faithful members with helping hands. Time after time, when needs arise, brethren, sisters, and youth step up and serve. They constantly show their dedication to lift where they stand, sacrificing their time, talents and what they have.
We express our gratitude to you who respond to the invitations to serve people in need, whether here, at home, or throughout the world. Welfare service assignments are truly sanctifying for those who are willing and able. President J. Reuben Clark Jr. taught: "The real long term objective of the Welfare Plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this church." (Handbook 2 6.1.2)

President David O. Mckay stated that a primary purpose of the Welfare Plan of the Church is to "increase among the members of the Church the true spirit of the brotherhood of Christ, having in mind in all their service the divine saying, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'” (Matt. 25:40)

m.deseretnews.com/photo/865623031

During this month of September, many members will be asked to work at the the Kaysville Deseret Mill and Pasta Plant. It will require a significant sacrifice of time and energy to fulfill these assignments. Character and brotherhood will increase as the worker's seal is exemplified by the wonderful saints in our community. Thank you to all those who are able to serve. As you put your shoulder to the wheel and push along rich blessings will follow. 


Michael L. Beus, Farmington Utah North Stake

The Unthinkable

Well, the unthinkable happened. I wasn't worried a bit about the regularly scheduled CT scan but I should have been. I was stunned to see the cancer had returned. It had returned with a vengeance. What wasn't there in February was over 3 cm in June. Golf ball sized in 4 months in liver and growing lesions in lungs. Not good. I spent the first week in a daze, not really wanting to think about it. The Land of Denial is a better place for me than thinking of the worst case scenarios.

Taken with a SelfieStick given to me by dear friends!

Even as I type this... feeling the keyboard beneath my fingers... gives me pause. Are these some of the last days I will have earthly physical sensations surrounding me? Surely not! Fortunately, although  experiencing mild side effects from the treatments of Pembro I receive every three weeks, I have not lost my appetite. I still enjoy food, the taste and smells are welcome when I'm hungry. That is one of my greatest blessings. The other greatest blessing is the ability to see the faces of the ones I love, to hear their voices and feel their hugs.

I read cancer survivor blogs and feel assured that the little aches and pains I am feeling are normal and not an indicator of something worse to come. I take each day as it comes. I find comfort in the little things:

First thing I see on my phone every day

The grounding feeling I get as I open the scriptures on my phone every day. The satisfaction of clearing the weeds from the flowerbeds. The luxuriousness of a warm bath or feeling completely pain-free between clean tight sheets. Gentle foot rubs. The smell of homemade rolls and gorgeous fruit from kind visiting teachers and friends. Music that reminds me of good times and keeps me focused on the Savior. Weekends with my sweet husband and catching up with my children. Cards in the mail, texts and phones calls from dear friends, knowing I'm thought of and prayed for and most importantly, not alone. Life is good today... and that's enough.

Manti Temple Flower Beds

Chocolate Chip Cookies from my Visiting Teacher

Incredibly Good Bran Muffins - @lgmissmuffin

Grilled by my son-in-law

THE FINAL WORD IS

I SO TOTALLY DO TRUST IN THE LORD!

Being in His hands is "my happy place."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfosSggwQS0

Click here to listen to "Live Like That" by Sidewalk Prophets

Stake Young Women Conference

On March 14, 2015 the Young Women in our stake attended a long awaited and long planned for event to celebrate this years Young Women Theme: 

Embark In The Service of God

President Joy Hafen with counselors Leesa Washburn, Margaret Ferrin, Jackie Heagy and an excellent hardworking committee arranged for an exceptional conference that inspired all to rededicate their lives to service in the Lord's Kingdom here on the earth.

Upon entering the festive archway into the building they were greeted by the leaders wearing matching "stewardess" blouses who distributed leis (with hugs) 

and "passports" which contained the program outline. 

They were well taught by Elder Bruce Hafen and Sister Marie Hafen as the keynote speakers who related uplifting stories of their mission service and gave much encouragement. They introduced a new song, "Day By Day" which had been newly translated into English and put to music. Wonderful thoughts by President G. Andrew Barfuss summarized the testimonies borne and the girls were excused according to the stamps on their passports to different rotating breakout sessions.

Tamara Hall: Finding the Treasure Inside You

Vance Downs: Refuse to Sink Your Standards

Steve Mason: Q&A Guy Panel

Following the breakout sessions the girls were delighted to find a delicious lunch served in the cultural hall which had been transformed into an island paradise. Wonderful day!

Each breakout classroom had been decorated

Leesa Washburn and Tina Daniels

Sailboat Serving Tables

Even the trash bins were decorated!

Keep Paddling

KEEP PADDLING

A series of four framed prints painted by the late Thomas Cole in 1842 entitled "The Voyage of Life" hang in our home. The paintings depict an allegory of the four stages of human life: infancy, youth, manhood, and old age. In these paintings a voyager travels in a canoe on the River of Life.

Wikipedia

He begins his journey in infancy on a calm river with lush green surroundings accompanied by an angel. 

Wikipedia

As a youth, the river bends and turns with adventure and a magnificent castle in the sky. The angel is looking on. 

Wikipedia

As a man, the voyager looks up praying as he helplessly goes through the treacherous rapids with the angel watching from afar. The last painting depicts an old man in a worn and weathered canoe, being led upward toward heavenly light by the guardian angel who has been present since the voyage began.

abcgallery.com

Two weeks ago my wife and I paddled with our son and his family through the Boundary Water Lakes of Northern Minnesota. They are pristine and beautiful, just like they have been for eons of time. These lakes border Canada and are numbered in the thousands. In our small canoes we crossed several wilderness lakes and streams, paddling stroke after stroke. At times with the winds in front of us, it seemed that we were going nowhere. When the winds shifted to our sides, waves rocked the little canoes almost to a tipping point. Our grandsons sat trustingly in the center of the boats while we paddled. The journey was exhausting yet wonderful. It was worth it!

Bearskin Lake

In a way, we are all voyagers on the River of Life, paddling one stroke at time, with angels looking on. Faith, hope, trust and gratitude are only a few of the things we experience and rely on as we paddle away. Who can doubt the trust and faith of the young infant born into a family to be loved, fed, clothed, taught and protected. They are an heritage of the Lord and rely on loving parents and others to paddle for them. The youth have hope for bigger and better, energy for exploration and adventure. Those in the middle years of the voyage are sometimes just holding on as they pray to the Lord and trust in Him to make it through life's rough waters. As we near the end of our journey our gratitude unto the Lord swells within us as we come to a realization of how dependent we are on Him.

Alma speaking to his son Helaman said, "O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day" (Alma 36:3).

Nephi tells us, " Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31:20).

Portaging

Challenges will continue throughout our journey. Our arms may tire as we steadfastly paddle through life's turbulent waters. If we remember to feast upon the word of Christ we will learn His doctrine. It will brighten our hope, replenish our strength and increase our determination to endure. May we 'keep paddling' to the best of our ability and submissively trust in Him whose Atonement is all encompassing.

Michael L. Beus, Farmington North Stake Presidency 

Father Of The Year Award goes to....

If I asked you to picture a loving father, are you one of the lucky people who think of your own?

My husband and I were teaching a lesson on The Sacred Role of Fathers as part of our Family Relations class for our church. As we were prayerfully preparing to teach this principle, an example came to my mind of an experience that could help me convey the very real impact a father can have in a child's life. I have not shared this story until today, Father's Day. 

My father was the very best father he knew how to be. I loved and admired him very much but although he was a great example in many, many ways, he was not emotionally equipped to be warm and nurturing. As the oldest child, born during a period of poor health and an unsure future for him, I think he loved me beyond measure, but I was not able to recognize the ways he showed me until I was much older. 

At one point in my life, I wanted to understand the gospel principles more fully and began praying to really KNOW my Heavenly Father. I had been taught that He was very kind, loving and welcoming, and I believed that He was, but I could not imagine what that would be like. My friends had loving fathers, and my maternal grandfather was very much a comfort, but I could not visualize a father opening his arms to me in unconditional love. 

Jack Lake 1936-2010

While I was in this humble, “sincerely seeking answers” stage we attended a family funeral in another state. We greeted brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins, many people we had not seen for quite some time. As I approached the church, a very dear sister-in-law's tall, grey-haired father stood there on the sidewalk, waiting for me with open arms. He gathered me up in a big, warm hug and told me that he loved me. He kissed the top of my head and tears flowed as the spirit whispered to me, “This.... this is what it's like.” 

Because this incredible man listened to and followed the promptings of the spirit, I was able to confidently bear testimony of a loving Heavenly Father. I encouraged all the young fathers in the class to remember that as they parent their children, their example will form their children's view of our Heavenly Father and influence their desire to go to Him in times of distress and need. A child's image of a loving Heavenly Father will be tangible if we sincerely seek to respond to our children with the same kind of love and compassion that our Heavenly Father has for us. 

Earthly Father, Heavenly Father Video

My kids got really, really lucky in the Dad Department. 

He'd be the first one to say how imperfect he is but really, it would be hard to find a better Dad if you looked the world over.  

From the moment he became a dad he has taken his responsibility very seriously.

He has always challenged them to reach their potential.

He loves to expose them to the wonders of the earth.

He helps them however he can.

He makes playtime fun for them.

He's a great teacher when they will listen. ;)

"Always keep the covenants you have made."

"Always read your scriptures!"

"Always eat your vegetables!"

One of the best things he has done for his children is to Love Their Mother!

Love Her Mother Video

Lesson Manual: Sacred Role of Fathers

(Side note: think carefully about what you pray for. 

All the experiences I have had in answers to “sincerely seeking” prayers are not this sweet... which is another post for another day)