Harvest

Remember when I shared the planting seeds story
of our good friend, St. Terry Alaskus?
The one where I told you how we've known him for about 7 years
and the one where I told you I knew he would be baptized
over 6 years ago?

And since then,
we'd moved.
He moved.
We didn't see him for almost 5 years.
His life's pendulum swung wayyyyyy out
almost outta sight,
and I wondered how the Lord
was going to bring him back around to us?

And then,
He did last October?
And our good friend had the missionary discussions,
and visited with our good friends
Eric and Marilyn Shuster,
the authors of
"Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest"
last February while he visited here.


Guess what?





Oh Yes, He did.
Yesterday afternoon.
In the Willow Ward, in Wasila, AK.

That was the day after he married
a sweet LDS gal.

The Lord keeps His Promises.

A Family Mission Statement And An Invitation

When I  think of different people,
there are often particular images that come to mind--
like when I think of Southerners,
I think of hospitality, easy-going smiles, corner churches,
and Friday night football.

When I think of people I know,
I generally think of their family members,
the house they live in,
where they work,
but mostly,
how they treat others,
or what I know to be important to them.

The older my family grows,
the more clear our family identity becomes
to each of us...
my southern roots show when we invite others
into our home,
around our dinner table,
and share whatever we might have to offer.

If you were a fly on the wall at our house,
you would get an earfull--
lots of joking around,
laughter,
poking at each other,
and inevitably the conversations come around
to the topic of sharing the gospel.

That's just a natural consequence in our circles of friends.
We don't sit around and tap our noggins
trying to think of whom we can share our testimonies with--
we're not that good of planners, honestly.
But, being friendly to start with,
we make new friends easily,
and it goes from there.

IN his book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families",
Stephen Covey admonishes the creation of a
Family Mission Statement,
to create purpose and unity within the family.
And while we haven't sat down together and formally
created our own mission statement,
there is a recognition of at least one of our
familial callings,
Missionary Work.

Our family identity is centered on
The Restored Gospel.
We are missionaries.
It's what we do--
The Colonel does KFC chicken
and we share the gospel.

Last week,
Nana started a new semester in college.
In one of her classes,
she was chosen as a partner by a classmate,
as part of a class assignment to write about someone
and introduce them to the rest of the class--
he said,
"I wanted to choose someone who would be interesting.
I knew if I chose you, I wouldn't be disappointed. You're a Mormon.
I choose you."
Then he proceeded to tell her about himself--
he's married and has a child and he's an Athiest.
This last week, they set aside some time to work on the project
with another classmate Nana invited into their group as well.
Nana was surprised that he'd chosen her solely because of her faith,
and welcomed the chance to share what she knows and how she feels
about what she knows.

Nana was excited.
Before she left for the meeting,
we had a few minutes to talk about
what sharing the Gospel means to her,
and how much our family is defined
by this calling of missionary work.

All of us, from the youngest to the oldest,
share this calling together.
We are a Family,
A Work in progress,
and we are also missionaries for
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"...if ye have a desire, ye are called to the work."

So I'm just wondering--
has your family created their own mission statement?
As we are all missionaries for something,
What are you missionaries for?
If you'd like more information about creating a Family Mission Statement,
take a look over at Simple Mom.

Something to Share:
To my non-Lds friends--
Have you ever wondered what the Book of Mormon was?
Would you like to read it right where you are, to get a feel for it?
Well you can do that with no obligation to anyone or anything at--Read the Scriptures.com

I've set a goal to read the entire Book of Mormon in 100 days, and if you'd like to join me, start today.

That's just sixty-six verses a day...and get this, Read the Scriptures.com has an audio feature.  Just click a button, and listen to it right here at your computer.  Doesn't get any easier than this!  

The Book of Mormon is true.  And you can know it for yourself.  It has the power to change your life.

If you want to let me know you're reading/listening online, I'd love to share the journey with you!

To receive your complimentary copy of the Book of Mormon, check out https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon 

Something Good

So remember St. Terry Alaskus?
A dear friend we've known for years
whom we've shared the Gospel with?
Yeah.
He's been reading, pondering, praying.
He's on the water's edge,
ready to take the next step in,
and all I can think about is that
Heavenly Father keeps His promises.

A Missionary's Birthday

We had a missionary in our area,

Elder Grilliot, from IL.

come over and share his birthday with us.

 He'd rec'd a package from home, and opened it at our house.

I laughed when he pulled each item out of the box....

 Necktie.

 White shirt.

 Black socks.

 Contacts cleanser.

Homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Typical

Typical

Typical

Oh yeah, I made him point to his eye,

for the contact cleaner stuff.

It was either that 

or take his pulse.

~~The 1 I've been Promising~~

Finally,

I remembered to post this-- 

pictures from a Saturday Morning Breakfast

with the missionaries.

They surprised us one morning

as two of them

showed up dressed

like

WWF wrestlers.

I present

"Xander"

and

 "The Big O"

The Big O...outta California.

Xander, outta Canada--doesn't it show?

His shirt reads:

"True North

Strong & Free"--

gotta love Canadians!

These boys' Mama's miss them, I just know it!

I don't know exactly why

these fun hardworking missionaries

favored us with a WWF appearance,

but I know that we loved every second of it!

~

 I love our Missionaries

I love their glow

their commitment

their youth

their strength

their example

all of it.

I'm pretty sure

they know

we love their guts!

Sharing Goodness and Ripples

This past week,
a dear friend came to visit me.
I hadn't seen her in twenty-one years.
That's a long time not to see a friend
and still choke-up when you think of them.

Our friendship began when we were both
juniors in high school,
August 1977--
our families had moved to Charlotte, North Carolina
that previous summer.
Her family came from Gainesville, Georgia
and mine moved from Rock Hill, South Carolina.



My family was there in Charlotte for just one school year
before moving to Denver, Colorado the next summer.
But the friendship that formed between Vicki and I,
has only grown since the very beginning.
Because what she exchanged with me,
changed my life.
Gave me purpose
and hope.
Her family opened their home to me,
I spent many nights around their dinner table,
in their basement playing games,
writing letters to their missionary brother
in Mexico--
a brother I'd never met,
but because they asked, I wrote to him
along with the rest of them.
Her family was not perfect,
they had squabbles and fussed at each other--
but I knew they loved each other,
I could feel the love in that home.
It was such a stark contrast from my parent's home;
I wanted whatever it was that this family had
for myself.

It was their Faith that made them different.
And Vicki shared it with me.
I started asking questions,
then
she asked if I'd want to meet with the "elders"--
I was thinking of old men--
hardly the 19-21 year old young men
that came to the house.
And I listened to their message.
Being raised a Southern Baptist,
I had questions...
tons and tons of questions!
I kept a notebook and wrote all of my questions
down,
so when we met again,
I could write their answers down too.

In just a few months' time,
I had my answers
and felt it was right for me
to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
I told my parents--
my father, an inactive Holy-rollin-Pentecostal
who'd graduated in theology from International Bible College
in San Antonio, Texas
and
my mother, an Baptist only by name.
Their resounding reply was
absolutely, positively,
Not.
And then, they moved me to Denver to
"get away from the Mormons".
They didn't realize that once you cross the
Mississippi
the population of LDS increases exponentially.

It was hard to leave my new friend, Vicki and her family.
They'd been so good to me.
This was long before the days of email
and personal computers
texting
and unlimited long distance.
We wrote to each other
using good old-fashioned paper, envelopes and stamps.

My spiritual journey continued in Denver.
And finally,
after much tribulation,
and prayer and fasting,
my father granted his permission for me to
be baptized into the LDS faith.

There was still much opposition
I faced--
eventually moving out of my parent's home
and into members' homes
while I was still in high school.
But that was eons ago,
and the sting of those events
has faded.
I made my own choices as adulthood
came
and have lived my life on my own terms.

My family knows about Vicki
and her family.
My close friends have heard her name a time or two. Or six.
Whenever I have been asked to speak at a Missionary Fireside,
her name is part of my conversion.
It started with her.
She was just 15 years old,
and it started with her heart
planting the seed in mine.

As we stood on the grounds of the
Denver Temple
yesterday--
she'd never been there before--
I was taking pictures of her
and then she took pictures of me
holding my grandson, The Golden Child,
we both were overcome  with whatever those feelings are
that make tears erupt
and words so useless
and just hugged each other
long and deeply.

What could I say or do or give to her
that would even come close to matching what
she's given to me?
She showed me the path to the Temple
where I have been blessed to be sealed to my family
for Time and All Eternity.
How does one repay that kindness?

Vicki, ever the true southern woman answered,
It's like havin' the best lemonade you've ever tasted,
and wantin' to share it with everyone.  You just can't keep it
to yourself!"
I spent two and half days with her--
driving up and down the Front Range of the Rockies--
a constant conversation
fueling the car
turning miles into more memories--
laughing until our sides ached
with little moments of teary eyes
like good friends share.

She came over and met my family--
the kids knew this was important to me
and each greeted Vicki with respect
and my sweet Dani said as they parted,
"thanks for sharing the Gospel with my mom."
Dani has served a mission
and so has David Scott--
their lives have been blessed
and so have the lives of those they served and taught
in Montreal and New Jersey where they each served.
One good man whom I had the privilege of witnessing
David Scott baptize in Ontario,
in October 2006
is now the Branch President there.
Ripple.
Ripple.
Ripple.

Vicki left today.
I don't know when I'll
see her again.
But she left part of her heart
with me
and I am bent on keeping it.
That is the least
and the best
that I can do.

"The Lord does hear our prayers.

But it is usually through another person

that He answers them."

~Spencer W. Kimball.

Weekend Wrap-Up

The weekend was busy
as always.

Friday afternoon,
I went with Nana to pick up her rental car.
Why does she have a rental car, you wonder?
Because her cute little red convertible,
her very first car,
was t-boned as she was coming out of our neighborhood.
She's a bit sore (seeing a Chiro for it)
and her little car is repairable.
But-Ouch!
The other driver was cited, she wants everyone to know.
*****
Kelly and I worked on the house we're staging...
we were wondering what to do with the young boys' room...
it didn't have much personality
once we took their stuff off the walls--
we came across a Boy Scout picture (thx Nan!)
and using scout accessories,
it all came together.
*****

Friday night,
Nan had the family over to her house
for Navajo tacos.
Ever had those?
Her recipe is easy-peasy:
Rhodes rolls...let them rise, then smash them with a tortilla press,
fry them until browned.
Top 'em off with all the tacos fixin's you like!
So yummy!
*******

Saturday morning:
We got up early and had to
poop-scoop the yard
because the Scouts are doing a fundraiser
by aerating yards.
It was brrrr-freakin cold out,
and my fingers turned red and frozen,
but we got it done.
The Scouts didn't come.
argh.
*****
Saturday morning,
was our breakfast with the missionaries.
Instead of a big meal,
we had Panera bread bagels, shmear
and topped 'em with red onion and tomatoes--YUM!
Served up with some scrambled eggs & juice.
I didn't take pictures of this Saturday breakfast.
I have yet to put up the pics from the last one!
*note to Self: do it!
******
Mr W took the youngest yahoos out to the YMCA
for a youth orientation
and swimming
while I
had to run over to the house we're staging
and take a peek at what the owners were doing--
they had a load of mulch delivered--
which is a necessity when your spring flowers
have yet to fully pop-up,
the yard is still mostly dormant,
and you need your yard to shine like a new penny!
Today is the last day of staging for that house
I think.
And it looks really great--
the realtor's sign goes in the yard tonight!
In this market,
you really need to stage your home
with attention to details--
with so many options
buyers can be picky.
So before that sign goes in your yard,
hire a Stager!
*******

Okay, anywho--
Daisie had her bday party at a park--
the sun came out and the kids had a good time
there playing baseball, frisbee, etc.,
then they came to the house for pizza and a movie,
"Blind side"...
a totally awesome movie!
I cried. O my goodness.
******

Sunday,
we went to our new Ward.
Before we left the house,
I was feeling those feelings of
"What if?"--
What if we're uncomfortable?
What if we don't fit?
What if, What if, What if if if???

Once inside the Chapel
there were many familiar faces
and friends.
We found our place where we always sit--
on the front row--
open and waiting for us.

Bishop S. came over and greeted us
as an old friend,
as did a few others.
As soon as the meeting started,
I had a peace come over me
that just felt so right.
We are home.
Our family is going to be fine, ya know?
I knew that,
well, I hoped that,
and now,
I know it.
That's one of the most peculiar things about
going to the LDS church.
We don't pick our Wards--
we can go to a particular building
be in a particular congregation for years,
and to accomodate growth,
that can all change,
new boundaries are set
new callings extended,
and we don't skip a beat.
We all show up,
ready to build a new ward family
and do our part.
Can you think of any other 500 + persons organization
that matches that?
Pretty amazing.

Okay, and I have to share my ridiculous-ness--
In the woman's meeting,
Relief Society,
they had everyone stand and introduce themselves
and share a tidbit.
Well, I was on the last row
and was busy writing notes about each woman
next to her name
so I could remember her--
(I'm terrible with names),
then it was my turn--
I stood and this is what I said,
"I'm Dawn. I'm also a convert. I...I have a hot husband. Six, no, seven kids.
My husband and I serve as the Stake Single Adult Reps--so if you're single, let me know! Hmmm..I"m a doula and a home stager.  Oh! and I'm glad to be here!"

Can you believe I said I have a hot husband?  Sheesh.  Someone shoulda put a cork in me.
*****
It's Monday and another busy day lay ahead.
Spring is buzzing by
and the yahoos will be on Summer Break before I know it!

I've been on the South Beach diet
and I've lost 10 lbs. already...
so easy, really.
Just putting that out there for any of you who are looking
for a sane diet,
this seems to be it
for me.

Okay, that's all I got today!

Have a super week!

Changes and Refining & Church

Yesterday was an exciting day.
first we only had two meetings at Church
because we had a Stake Reorganization meeting later
in the day...
the kids were delighted at the shorter meeting.
So was Mr W.  (lol)

I have to say though,
our Sacrament meeting was awesome!
We had just two speakers--
one newly-called young missionary B., (to Mexico)
and a young man, A. who just returned from his mission to Italy.

There was such a contrast between the two,
it stayed with me all day, really.
B. spoke first--
he is not a very eloquent, out-going young man,
but rather soft-spoken, shy.
Just a really good kid.

He said he'd written his talk earlier
but felt impressed to ditch his notes
and speak simply on the Atonement of Jesus Christ
and his testimony on that.
B. was earnest
and at times emotional
raw
the one thing he said that still rings in my ears
was this:
If, when we repent of our sins
and the Savior remembers them
no more
why should we?
We remember them to protect ourselves
from repeating mistakes,
but that we shouldn't be weighed down
with the guilt anymore.

I really soaked that in...

When B. sat down,
he looked relieved, a bit frazzled even
from the experience.
I was too.  I'd been sorta clinched up
listening to B.--
silently praying for him to be able to express
the desires of his heart
in a way that would bless him
and the rest of us.


Then A. presented at the podium.
I remember A. when he was just a squirrelly kid
running with the other scouts around the Church building
years ago...
I hadn't seen him in 5 years since we moved,
he graduated high school
and left for his mission to Italy.

When he stood up,
he was composed
and focused.
He spoke with humility.
His fingers poured over his scriptures
with ease and exactness.
His message was beautiful.
He spoke of Christ
like one who knows Christ.


The longer I listened to A.
the more calm and peaceful
I became.
He spoke of the Symbols of Easter:
-the rolling stone
-the linens that wrapped the Savior in the tomb--
specifically the napkin that covered His head;
how it was not cast aside and lay in a heap
but found to be carefully folded.
A sign that in those times,
meant
"I will return."
And His disciples understood that symbol.
-the lamb
-and two other things that escape me right now.
A. brought it all together in an offering
that encourages God's children
to have Hope in this Life
for a grander purpose in the eternal life to come.
just beautiful.

As I sat observing these two young men
this is what stuck out:
Here is B.--
a willing, worthy and prepared servant
much like an unpolished instrument
ready to serve a mission.
He has no idea what lay ahead of him
for the next two years.
He has a new language to learn
a new culture that he will be immersed in
and will leave all else behind.
But he is willing to do whatever is required.
I love his example.

And there is A.--
the polished instrument.
He too, left all behind
and learned the beautiful Italian language
lived among the people
ate their food
learned their culture
and came to love and be loved of them.
A. is an example of what becomes of us
all
when we give our will to God.
When we sacrifice our own
"I wants" for others.

It occurs to me only now,
that B. could stand for "BEFORE"
and
A. for "AFTER".
wow.

It was an awesome meeting.

Then at the Stake "shake-up"
we had a great time
as ward boundaries changed,
ward names were changed,
a new ward was created
and many new callings were extended
while many us of were released.

We're in a new ward
with old friends,
a new Bishop.
No callings-which is weird.
A change in the meetinghouse we'll attend
and a new time--ouch! (instead of 11am, we'll be going at 9am)

Change is good.
It pushes us out of comfort zone
and forces us to
show our best
in the new surroundings.

The fact is,
we're in this "new" ward
about 10 years ago
before the area grew so big
that now 6 wards make up the same area.
We saw familiar faces as we all stood
together
as the newly-reorganized ward
and
I'm happy.
This is gonna be good.
We're in great company.

This is my time to be refined.
Each ward has their own "language"
and some minor "custom-changes"
and we'll be in a different meeting place--
it's all to refine us
stretch us
and grow us.
Yeah, I'm really excited that it's my turn to
be in the Hands of the Refiner....
I hope I can glow brightly
and come out polished.

Polynesians, Roadshows and Prophets

Someone else inspired these memories to come flooding today,
so I'm running with it, because, well,
the way my memory comes and goes,
I gotta get this stuff down before
it's gone.

When I joined the LDS Church
I was introduced to what is called
a "Roadshow"--
it's an original theatrical production
put on by members of the Ward--
there's an original script
original music
dance numbers
costumes
backgrounds & stage managing
lighting
the whole she-bang!

And it's all done voluntarily...
that is,
noone is paid to be there.

Each ward produced their own,
even had a budget set aside for it,
and then on a particular weekend,
there was ROADSHOW Weekend--
for two nights,
the productions were performed
in a rotating fashion,
between the different Church buildings in the area
(if you lived in Utah/AZ/Idaho where there are many buildings)
or in the Stake Center
(if you lived anywhere else, where the miles between buildings was too many).

At the end of the performances--
there was a panel of judges who gave awards
much like the Oscars
to the entries...
Best Script (had to have a moral)
Best Music
Best Costumes
Best Scenery
and on and on it went.

The powers that be,
had to cut out the judging part
because egos got injured
and then it became a
"It's just a good experience for us all to share our talents, isn't it?" deal.
And then the fire just blew out of it
years later,
and without the competitive spirit
people lost interest
and the budget for it was put towards other,
more worthy things.

But, that was AFTER
long AFTER
my experience being
called as a Director of the Roadshow
with my husband
and another college couple.

The background on this is important--
we lived in Independence, Missouri.
I was 23 and had 3 kids...one of which was born
during the production phase.
My husband at the time,
was a full-time student at a Chiropractic college
and he worked full-time
and taught Sunday School to the 12 year olds.
I was also on the Releif Society board--
remember "Spiritual Living" teachers?
Yup. That was me.
 !!!busy busy busy!!!

So our ward was Unique
with a capital "U"--
it was 3/4's Polynesian ( Samoan/Tongan/Maori/ Hawaiian)
and the rest were
*haoles.  
I was in the haole group,
in case you're wondering.
Our Sunday meetings were unique
in that half of our meeting was in Samoan
and half was in English--
our prayers
our songs
the sacrament
the talks.
Nearly ALL of our Ward activities
were luaus...cellophane noodles, kahlua pigs, fire dances--
no kidding.
Our Bishop was American Samoan
his wife was from New Zealand.
The Sunday School President
was Brother Talimatasi--
who is actually a Bishop these days,
back there.

Polynesians are passionate people--
if they love you today
they love you forever,
if they don't
your name is "Mud".
I've never been in a ward
not before or since
where Hymns sounded so powerful.
They sang loud enough to raise the roof
off the chapel
and reach heaven's gates.
Our Polynesian ward family
was fun and friendly
and I loved them and was loved by them.


When we were there,
President Kimball was the Prophet then.
I loved him.
His raspy voice,
his twinkly eyes...
it was actually President Kimball
who had dedicated the  Independence Stake Center.

Okay, so
we happened to be a ward
where not everyone was as loved
by the Polynesians as we were...
some haoles were
"mud"...
and when it came time to put together this
Roadshow
we sorta got wind of the all the
"mud people".
There was a division in this sweet ward
that we had been ignorant of up to that point.
Turns out, some of the haoles
didn't understand or approve of some of the cultural differences--
it was a "US vs. THEM" deal.

But ya know,
Ignorance CAN be bliss sometimes.
Our Roadshow team
worked hard--
and there were more than enough like-minded souls
who were just as ignorant to the division as we were,
and before long
we had a fun script
great music
fantastic choreography (altho known for their fire dances, polynesians can really move-it, move-it!)
and the only glitch came when it was time to sew costumes.

The "known seamstress" in the ward
was a haole woman old enough to be my mother,
Sister Mud.
And she called to tell me
that it was against her "better judgement" to sew costumes
for the Roadshow
because of the cultural differences--
which she aptly named
and I can't recall for the life of me
what her beef was??
But, I do remember that I said,
"If it makes you that uncomfortable,
I'll find someone else."

I hung up from her call,
stumped.
I thought for a moment--
about the costumes
the time involved
and the friends I had.
I made up my mind
that I could pull this off
without Sister Mud
and made a few phone calls.
Within an hour
I had 6 seamstresses lined up.
But guess what, chicken-butt?
Sister Mud
called back
apologized
and said she'd do whatever she could.
I just love it when people CTR.

The production was called
"A Step In Time"--
the movie
"Back to the Future" had come out
and was a huge inspiration for us.
Basically,
the story was about music, youth and dancing styles...
going back to the days of bobby socks and cuffed t's
thru the 60s with the bell-bottoms,
70s with disco-balls,
and the 80s with break-dancing and leg warmers.

It was awesome.
We had over 90 people participate in the
dancing scenes--
all of them so dedicated to learning the choreography
and lines
all of it.
We had the highest participation
than any other ward in the Stake.
Even our Bishop played a part.

But wanna hear the BEST PART??

There's two other acts besides the main one--
one is called the Entre' Act
and the other is called the Olio Act.
Each were part of the program to give the different wards
time to change up the sets
between acts
so as not to bore the audience.
The Entre' Act was MY specific assignment.
I recruited two full-time missionaries to
sing a song called
"Spencer"
written by Joseph Grayson and Elder Holgate--
two missionaries I'd met when I was a new convert
in Colorado.
It was a lovely song about Spencer W. Kimball
and the Lord...like a conversation between them.
I'd called then-married-and-living-at-BYU Brother Grayson
and he sent me the music for the show.
The two missionaries practiced and practiced--
it was truly a beautiful song.

So ROADSHOW WEEKEND arrived
and our ward was the last ward to perform.

First up, the Entre' Act with
"Spencer"---
at first, the audience was noisy and bustling...
then
it quieted down.

The audience loved the song.

After the performances that night,
alot of people asked about the "Spencer" song.

The next night--it was a Saturday night--
our ward's production was the talk-of-the-town--
so that when our missionaries took to the stage
you could hear a pin drop.
Silence.
The Spirit was as strong as I'd ever felt it.
Lovely.

Of course, our ward won a few awards...one of which was
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY...totally rocked that.

So here we were feeling so accomplished and relieved that it was done, and was done well.

But that's not the end.

The next morning
before Church,
my phone rang--
it was a member of the Bishopric
asking if I had the sheet music for the
"Spencer" song.
I did and was asked to bring it to Church with me.

The missionaries met me at the chapel door
and I gave them the music.
They said they'd been asked to sing it in the Sacrament meeting.
I thought that was really nice, ya know, of the Bishop to ask for that.

So the meeting began,
in the way of announcements,
our dear Bishop shared with us
the news that
President Kimball had died the night before.
And our sweet Bishop invited our missionaries
to sing the song,
while we reflected on our dear Prophet.


I wish we still did Roadshows.

*The Hawaiian word for a foreigner or a very caucasian person who is not native to the Hawaiian Islands.

Sounds of Snow Days

Snow.
I love it.
I am a Miami native.
I never even saw snow
until I was 15 years old...
and I decided:

SNOW

is freaking

AMAZING!

It's been snowing here
for five days
in a row.
It's not "official" yet,
but we're waiting
for the "TWO HOUR DELAY"
to turn into a
SNOW DAY--
the kids are still tangled up in their
warm covers
faint smiles on their lips
waiting for the news that
SCHOOL IS CANCELLED.


Daisie came up early to leave
for Seminary--
astonished that it was a two-hour delay,
she bristled
dumped her backpack
dropped her shoes
and proclaimed her new destination
was
back in bed!



We had a really good Sacrament meeting
yesterday.
I mean,
really good...
it was a Missionary Homecoming.
My favorite kind.

The Returning Missionary, *B*,
shared his journey--
not just while on his mission,
but his journey to GET on his mission.
In his words,
he was "blessed to be diagnosed with bi-polar depression"
in high school.
You'd have to know his family
to understand his gratitude...
they can take a pig's ear and turn it into a silk purse.
(just like Mulan!--isn't that just pathetic that a Disney song has implanted itself in my brain and pops out at it's own pleasure?)

ANYWHO,
because of B's diagnosis,
he was told several times
by as many Bishops and Stake Presidents
that his illness and consequent medications
prevented him from serving a Full-time Mission.
Yet, he still had the desire to serve the Lord.
He and the Lord worked things out
in due time.
The Lord called a new Bishop--
who, let me just say,
is hands-down the Most Loving Bishop
on the Planet--
and whom, when he speaks,
speaks as though angels touch his words
before reaching our ears.
We love our Bishop!
He has known this young man
for many years
and between the two of them
and the Lord,
they worked out a
Service Mission plan
together.
He got to go to southern Colorado--
the hometown of his granparents,
Manassa
and work in the Bishop's Storehouse
and alongside the full-time missionaries
while living with his granparents.
For one year.
It fit his needs and his desires perfectly.




Daisie just surfaced,
"Good-bye, Mom."
She's off to school.
Nope it's not a Snow Day,
just a snowy day.


Still, it's a Day. And I'll take it.

His Promises Are Sure OR St. Terry Ignatius Alaskus Polaroid

~For Terry~

A few years ago, Dani met a young Air Force guy in a college classroom
and for reasons only known to him, he followed her home.
We got to know him pretty well,
so we did what we love to do with all of the people we care about,
we started to share the Gospel with him...
had him kneel with us in family prayer
share in devotionals
meet the missionaries (yes, we've been lovin those missionaries forever!)--
in fact, he experience his first answered prayer during that time,
he shared with us.
It was just a real privilege to get to know him.

During this same time,
I had an experience wherein I saw
Mr. Wonderful standing in a baptismal font
with St. Terry Ignatius Alaskus Polaroid
both of them dressed in white,
Mr. W's hand raised to the square.
I interpreted that to mean that one day
Mr. W would baptize St. Terry I. A. Polaroid.

Well, for reasons only known between Dani & St. Terry I.A. Polaroid
things fizzled out;
we moved to Fort Collins
then onto Meridian-you-can't-swing-dead-cat-without-hittin-a-Mormon-Idaho
and Dani became Hermana Johnson in the New Jersey Cherry Hill Mission.
I kept in contact with St. Terry while she was gone.
The thoughts crossed my mind
that how on earth would that "vision" come to pass
if we didn't even see St. Terry
who by that time had moved from Colorado
to his hometown in Alaka??
What did that all mean?
Did I just imagine it?
Was I drinking too much Pepsi back then
and high on caffeine?
What was the deal, Neal?

So I kept in contact like I said
thru emails and such...
I used to have a wicked MYSPACE page
but deleted it because MYSPACE was too wicked
for my eyes to handle.
Anywho...
This past October I get an email from St. Terry
saying he's gonna be out our way later that month.
I was so surprised.
It had been at least 4 or 5 years since we'd last seen him.
So we invited him for dinner.
And
he came.

And we talked.
And I told him about my dream.
That he needed to look into the Church.
Read the Book of Mormon.
Pray about it.
And we've kept talking
texting
emailing
and
he's reading the BoM
and praying about it.
And guess what?
He's coming here at the end of the month
to visit us.
I hope he brings a white shirt.

Happy Anniversary to Me!

On this date in 1978
I walked down a few steps
into a warm water-filled font
to meet my Elder Brooks
in the middle.

I was nervous
anxious
teary-eyed
and overwhelmed
with gratitude
to be standing in that
very spot that day.

I had wanted to be baptized
into the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints
since early that Spring of 1978
but my parents wouldn't allow it.

I had met with missionaries
in Charlotte, North Carolina
since February of that year
at the invitation of my very good
friends at school, Vicki & Becky.

The missionaries there,
Elder Willcoxon and
Elder Larry Lavern Owens
taught me all of the discussions
in Vicki & Becky's livingroom.

I loved being in their home.
They loved each other in that home
and that love was palpable.
The time I spent there
remains a sweet memory to me.

The missionaries taught me
and I accepted their invitation to be baptized.
My baptism day, April 17th came
and where my parents had at first
given permission, withdrew it that day.

That was really hard.
The missionaries came over and tried
to soothe my parents' concerns.
At one point there were 6 missionaries
in my parents' livingroom--
but they went back and forth
and in the end
I ran upstairs to my room
and cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up
the house was silent.
Everyone was gone.
It was then that I opened
my parents' FAMILY BIBLE
looking for some kind of inspiration
an answer really,
when I read Mark 11:22:
"Have Faith in God."
I put the Bible down
and went and knelt in prayer.
While I had been raised to pray,
I hadn't been raised to expect an answer.

But Heavenly Father did answer me.
The Holy Ghost whispered to my heart:
"It's true. Hold on."
I felt like warm honey had been poured
over the top of my head
and covered my entire body...
I remember that feeling to this day.

But my parents had refused
permission to join the Church then
and then quickly decided to move
the entire family to
Denver Colorado
one reason was that the Broncos won the Super Bowl
and the other reason was
to get me
"away from those Mormons!"

They didn't realize that once
you cross the Mississippi,
the place is rotten with 'em!
But my folks didn't know that
thank goodness.

Once we got to Colorado
I found the church building.
It wasn't hard...
it was just down the street
from our new house.

I didn't tell my parents
and began going to the Baptist Church
with my brothers.
Since my folks rarely went to church with us
I divided up my "church time"--
going to the Baptist church for an hour
and then driving down the street
to the LDS Church for an hour.

Finally an LDS girl at school
recognized me at Church
and asked me if I were a member
I told I was...tho I was not yet
baptized.
It was thru her that I met my Elder Brooks
and his companion Elder LaVallee
and began to rec'v the discussions all over again.

These missionaries offered to
fast & pray with me
that my parents' hearts would be softened.
And they were so much so
that a permission slip was signed.

So on November 4th
I entered into those warm waters of baptism
after a long journey to get there.
I'll never forget that warm water
as it enveloped my whole self
head to toe...
it felt so good, so completely divine.
I was 16 years old.

And it remains in my life
the Most Important decision
I have ever made in this existence
and has influenced every other choice
I have made since then.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ
has the power to change your life.
It changed mine.
Changed Me.
And I am beyond words
to express my deepest gratitude
for the answer to that prayer
when I was just 15 years old.

Heavenly Father answers prayers.
He does.
And every year, I write my friends
Vicki & Becky and thank them
and I write my Elder Brooks
an email and tell him
"thank you"...
he says it makes his day
and I say it made my eternity.

So now you know why
I love love love
sharing the Gospel!
It's the greatest gift I have been given,
how can I not?

Why I love LDS Missionaries

Go read this.
Now.
Take a tissue.

http://lds.org.au/newsroom/article.asp?id=C6C01817-D5A0-46D2-B2F8-D37B0E1E80AD

How we send Missionaries to new Areas

Our Labors:

The fruits thereof...right there. A soaking wet Nana. We had a water balloon fight. We filled up a bazillion water balloons. Again. It's a Genetic mutation. Otherwise, why would I continue to participate in such silliness?

Oh yeah...because these awesome young men serve serve serve

And when transfers come around, you never know which ones are leaving...

So this is a good way to say Ciao! C-Ya! Love Ya!

That's Nana hosing down E. Nevels, with E. Macy and E. Torres' help.

This looks suspicious...two missionaries, one large bucket and a water hose. Hmmm.

Oh I see. E. Okerlund is on the sidewalk...and it looks like he's still got a dry spot.

Not anymore.

E. Nevels and E. Okerlund. Both were transferred last week. E. Nevels went to Goodland, KS. and E. Okerlund went to Parker, CO. SO if you see these guys, know that we give them an astounding "THUMBS UP!" and feed 'em right!

Yeah, Nana got paid back.

From L TO R: E. Torres, (MN.), E. Okerlund (CA.), E. Weber (AZ?/UT?),E. Leavitt (NV.), E. Macy (OH.), and front and center, E. Nevels (MO.) as always hammin' it up!

The Candy Game:

Buy a bunch of different kinds of candy. Go to the Dollar Store for a nice variety.
Put it all in the middle of everyone.

Give players a small handtowel or a brown paper bag to hide their winnings.

Each player takes a turn rolling Dice...every time they get doubles, they get to pick a peice of candy from the center and go again. Roll doubles a second time, take another pc of candy. Roll Double a THIRD time--OOPS!--player has to put all of their candy back in the middle pile.

Play continues until all of the candy in the middle is gone. NOW, set a timer for like 10 minutes,

and play a speed round, where each player who rolls Doubles can now "steal" candy from another player by asking for the SPECIFIC candy under the towel/in the bag without looking!

If another player hints or gives away what another player has stashed, the tattle-taler has to dump their candy in the middle! Now, if a Player guesses wrong, they have to dump their candy too--so be SURE you know what the other players have stashed!

Once the dinger goes off/time is up--you get one more turn each and that's it!

Players can exchange their loot with other players, etc.

We'll miss you Guys....Missionaries rock! I love that my kids love our missionaries.

Yesterday the Elders were in Primary, fielding questions from the kids about missionary life and work...one of the kids raises his hand, and E. Macy picks him.

Cole: "Uh. Missionaries are always at the Andersons."

Yes, yes they are. Always have been always hope they will be.

Just What Does a Saturday Morning Breakfast Look Like?

7 am...the prep work begins... This morning we're having Crepes with strawberries & Bananas, Eggs, Bacon, mixed grapes

And whatever else we decide. I start by making the crepe mix from scratch. (Recipe follows) Then I start cutting up the strawberries. While Mr W makes a "mess o' bacon" and scrambled eggs.

Diana is the Crepe Master! See? Sometimes teenagers are good for something!

...the Crepe Master workin' her magic...

The island covered with the fixins'~

Five Missionaries...from L to R...E. Nevels (who was havin' fun makin' his pouty-face--he's the youngest in his family back in Missouri, so we tease him about actin'-out to get attention), E. Torres from Minnesota, then E. Macy, who has been very very sick the past week but still manages a smile, E. Okerlund from CA., and E. Leavitt from Nevada, then there's Daisie-doo.

We do this most Saturday mornings and have been for about 10 years...I never have to chase the meal calendar sign-up at Church and we get to know our missionaries and serve them once a week. What comes around goes around. This is why LDS Families can send their kids off to foreign countries or other states around the US--because we take care of one another's kids.

And we love it!

BASIC CREPE RECIPE:

4 Large Eggs
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smoothe, stopping to scrape down the sides. Cover and chill 1 hour ( I never do that...oops!)
Place a lightly greased 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat until skillet is hot.
Pour about 1/3 c of batter onto pan and quickly tilt pan in all directions until batter covers bottom of skillet.
Cook 1 minute or until crepe can be shaken loose from skillet. Turn crepe and cook about 30 seconds.
Repeat procedure with the rest of the batter.
Stack crepes between sheets of wax paper.
Yield: 2 dozen.

Filling:
1 Large container of cottage cheese...large or small curd
1 cup of confectioners sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
Use mixer to blend.

OR
Yogurt...vanilla or other flavor.

AND:
Fruit of your choice...strawberries, peaches, bananas all work great!

Procedure to Make:
Lay crepe open on plate
Fill it with fruit and/or filling
Roll Crepe kinda like a burrito.
Top with Whipped cream or Cool whip
and add more fruit.
Enjoy!

His Hand is on His Children

Diana's known Kate since 6th grade.
They became closer last year, as Seniors.
Kate started coming around, nearly every day this summer.
Questions came from her about our faith.
She asked, we answered.
More questions, more often.
So Nana suggested meeting with the missionaries.
Okay, says Kate.
Missionaries ask Kate what she feels
about God
and His place in her heart.
Not much. She doesn't think He's real
or that He cares if He is real.
NO, not much.

The lessons are taught.
Testimonies are shared.
Tears, little tears roll down
Kate's face.
Ah yes, there He is.

Kate doesn't read the scriptures one day.
The next day, she does.
Kate doesn't pray.
and then she does.
and often.
everday.

The missionaries challenged her to
Baptism.
Wow. That soon? I wonder.
That's alot. Is she ready?
I listen quietly.
December becomes the goal for her baptism,
okay then.
December.
I went to bed thinking
December. Won't that be nice?

God had other plans.
He comes to Kate in dream.
Shows her the baptismal font
with Her in It.
All in White.
And the missionary in the water
with her.
Shows her receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost
by the laying on of hands.
It was so real, she wakes up smiling her biggest smile.
She feels it to her bones
so much that her entire body smiles and cries
at 3:30 in the morning.
She fights the urge to run down the hall and tell her mother.
To pick up the phone and call the missionaries
and Nana.
It's 3:30AM afterall.

She falls back asleep with a smile on her face.
Then she shows up at our door at 8:30AM
Tuesday morning.
"It's today!" she beams.
"Today?" I ask. "Are you sure?"
"TODAY!"
Okay then. We have lots to do!
"Is there another word for Joy?" she asks.
"Because I'm so filled with-- with-- whatever that is!"

Missionaries show up
full of His Love
and His Spirit...
afterall they are on His errand.

Then, Kate's parents change their minds
about supporting her.
Earlier they were good with Kate's choices.
Later, after talking to co-workers,
their hearts are closed.
NO, they won't support her choice.
"Any Church but that one." they say.

Kate's mom calls me. Me.
Why do they always call me?
As if I can control teenagers
and Dreams?
I listen and say, "You need to talk to Kate-- you need to listen to her."
NO, she is adamant.
Oh, why must her ignorance scream so loudly?
Doesn't she see the light in Kate's eyes now?
Can't she feel Kate's glow?
Didn't she know her daughter was empty
and searching?
And now her girl is filled to over-flowing?

So Kate comes alone.
Standing in her white jumpsuit.
I braid her hair.
I tell her that she will hear alot about "pioneers"
in her new Church...
they gave up everything for their faith--
their land, their homes, their families left behind.
Then I square her shoulders
smile in her eyes and tell her
YOU are the Pioneer in YOUR family.
Generations will follow your footsteps
and your name will be sacred
on their lips.

The moment of dreams comes.
She is standing in the font
with the same missionary from her dream.
The water is warm
she is giggling with excitement.
Then she comes up from the water
wet head to toe...
smiling...
beaming...
clean. every whit.

Hugs all around. and around. and around.
Her Mom should've seen this.
Oh she should've been there.
This moment was a blessed one for her daughter.
The hugs keep coming.

Then the laying on of hands.
Mr Wonderful is asked last minute
because her "choice" missionary becomes
ill...too ill to stand.
Mr Wonderful is grateful
and the blessings flow easily
from God
to Kent
to Kate.

A new life.
A sweeter journey
has begun.
And I saw it all with my own eyes.
I was there to see it.
More grateful than usual.
You see, I was in a car accident
yesterday.
On the interstate.
I was driving on the far right hand side
and after the impact of another car
ended on the shoulder
of the far left hand side.
Shaken, but not injured.
Profoundly aware that both
the Caboose and I
were protected.
It could've been so much worse.
I just knew the car was going to flip
just knew it.
And it didn't.
Ari was so shaken
she asked again and again
"Are we going to die now?"
"Are we going to die now?"
No. No. We're okay.
See? We're okay.
I called the house.
The missionaries were at the scene
in less than 5 minutes.
Like angels in white shirts and ties
they came flying towards me...
to make sure we were okay.
Is it any wonder I love them so much??

We're okay.
Diana and Kate arrive too.
And they take the Caboose home
once the Officer arrives
and gives the Okay.
In the car, Ari says
"I know why we didn't die today.
We needed to be at Kate's baptism."

Yes we did.

Because we are Willing, We are Asked

This time last year, we were still unpacking from our move. I was re-reading my journal entries this morning, recounting my emotions a year ago. Sometimes I do that--to see how far I've come.

I was so relieved to be back home. Idaho had been a trial and a blessing for our family. All of us were so grateful to be home in Colorado. I wondered in my journal at our Idaho experiences, and even then took comfort that all things happen for a reason. A year later, as things have unfolded before us, I feel the same way.

The events of this week have again, opened my eyes and helped me to see things as they really are.
While in Idaho, we had the opportunity to be involved in sharing the Gospel with our new friends there...a divorced young mother of 4 became our friend and was baptized, and a playmate of Arianna's who lived down the street from us also was baptized. Her parents were members, tho not active at the time, allowed her to rec'v the missionaries and be baptized. Both of those families became our friends.
Since we've been home and reunited with old friends and made new ones, we've had the opportunity to share the Gospel and our testimonies with them too. In January, you will recall, Diana's friend Taylor rec'd the missionaries, gained her own testimony, and was baptized. Then this past Spring, a friend of Dara's (T.) also rec'd the discussions in our home and was baptized.
This past Spring, one of Diana's old friends (Kate) from middle school began coming around. We welcomed her in, got reacquainted with her and came to know and love her. She began spending more and more of her time in our home...and came to know the missionaries too of course, because I love missionaries. So she's been here observing them and us and began asking questions about the Church along the way. We answered as she queried...not initiating the conversations but not shying away either. We know what we know.
Sitting around the dinner table we eat, play games, laugh till our sides ache and just have a good time. There's no agenda other than to share our time together.
Well last week Kate was asking more questions when Diana just asked, "Hey, you wanna get the missionary discussions?" Kate asked a couple more questions about what that entailed and then agreed.
Since she already knew the missionaries it wasn't hard to just go from there. Last night we had the privilege of witnessing a most powerful pouring out of the Holy Ghost in our home as the missionaries spoke of the Book of Mormon and the Plan of Salvation. Even now, I feel the residue of the evening. The elders invited Kate to read a selection of 3rd Nephi 11 and simply pray and ask Heavenly Father if what she was reading was true. And they promised her sacred blessings. So after they left, we all separated in the house and went about the evenings' duties.
Diana and Kate went to her room where Diana listened to Kate's feelings about the lesson. Kate said she's "never felt as happy or as light as when she is in our home." Diana told her it's not US--it's the Holy Ghost that is in our home because we try to do what's right. And then they read the pages of 3rd Nephi together. Diana then asked if she could say a prayer with Kate and then Kate could offer her own. Kate agreed. It was exactly what Kate needed.
When the two of them surfaced from the basment, Kate was beaming. Smiling ear-to-ear. She is going to pray about being baptized this next Monday. She heads off to college on Wednesday.
I get a lump in my throat from the gratitude I have for just being able to witness her spirit glow.
She is feeling after the Savior. She wants to feel His love for her. To know He knows her by name and knows her heart.
And He does. I know that because He knows me and the desires of my heart and the cares of my heart as well.
As I pondered these past few days, a thought came to me that I am still sorting out, really.
Our family is not one of those families that is "one of the cool kids"--we're not financially prosperous--in fact, I am sometimes intimidated by the wealth in our ward; there are no Sports stars in our family, or musical protegies, or academic geniuses...we're just a simple family really.
It seems to be that the one thing we are consistently able to do is share our testimonies with our friends and bring them to the place where they too gain faith and a testimony. It comes natural to us. It is not contrived in the least. We just go about our day, open our doors and hearts and somehow that simple behavior affects those who come in our home. I don't know how it all comes together like that, but it does.
We are the same no matter where we live...isn't that a good thing? Even when life is a challenge, we are firm in our faith. We can share our joy in the Gospel even while going thru trials that rock us to the core. I feel like we are placed where we are placed, by Divine guidance, because maybe this is our work to do...and because we are willing, we are asked. Does that make sense?
Just this morning I had the thought come to me that this will be our family's legacy...we won't have trophies covering the walls of our home for sports or music or academia (altho we certainly do have a few little ones!) but our door is open & our hearth is warm and hopefully it will be worn out from the many friends who pass our way and share a taste of heaven with us before they go...I hope they count it a blessing for coming our way in the first place.
This life comes at us pretty fast, if you have something, anything that blesses your life, don't ya wanna share it with people who come your way? That's the willing part...

Missionaries + Water Balloons = Good Clean Fun!

It all started July 11th, twenty-one years ago. The day Elder Nevels was born. The Celebration continued at our house Saturday...starting with breakfast of crepes and strawberries and later that night it ended with the following:
Posted on the Front Door. reads: "grab your guns and come to the back"

These were laying on the porch, each labeled with their "rappers names": Merdur and Lunch Money


My poor attempt at graffiti. It says "Word: Lunch $ "Legal" --he's 21 now.



We had 250 + water balloons and silly string ready...




The Bee had her stash.





Boofus taking cover.







With his personal stash.



Scenes from the fight!


When the water-balloons were gone, the hose was used!



Both hoses.







Soap with your shower, Dara?











E. Macy (Ohio) and E. Nevels...with his "ugh, I'm no longer a teenager look."

















Like I Said, Good Clean Fun!