This week Brad and I celebrate 31 years of joy! I am so grateful to be married in the temple to the most amazing man! I love Brad Harr!
My dear Liesl and her new husband came down last weekend for the weekend. Brian returned to work, but due to CoVid Liesl has been working from home, a goal for her career for her whole life (now being tested by current internationally imposed health restrictions). What a blessing! Only "essential services" are working. The world is coming to see that most of our lives are NOT essential! But family will always remain Essential! Jed, Annie and darling Hannah came from Idaho while Jed is on his Law School break for a couple of weeks. They were here for my Birthday and Anniversary. We enjoyed a beautiful hike in Buckskin Gulch that day! Here is a peak:
It is interesting that education goes on! My college classes hardly changed because they are online. Except for a pathway gathering once a week only held in-person because there are several in our area that are also enrolled. It was seamless for our gathering to go to Zoom, and be held virtually. (haha I wonder what that word will mean in the future! Today that means that we have a camera and microphone on our computer, and we join an online chat room where we can see people from all over the world who also log into that room. This week for one of my classes we had 8 people joined in a Zoom meeting. One was from Russia, one from the Philippines, and the other 6 of us from all over the US Florida to Oregon. I was the only one in Utah.)
As my notes on this blog have recorded, I have several classes this semester including: Intro to Entrepreneurship, The Cycle of Cash, Family Relations, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, and University Studies (for Pathways). I have to admit that I have been struggling with the content of the Family Relations class. Not that my family is struggling (although my relationship with my own birth parents is essentially nonexistent. They have been dishing out silent treatment for 9 years now. It is hurt in my heart. I wish I could fix it. I can't. When I try it seems to constantly only make things worse!)
In the Teachings of the Book of Mormon class we have been learning to ask the questions: Who? What? Where? and "Therefore What?" Which was a question that President Boyd K. Packer taught Elder Jeffery R. HOlland to ask. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Therefore, What?” Address to Religious Educators, New Testament Symposium, 8 August 2000.)
We have studied four chapters from the Book of Mormon in the last two weeks. 2 Nephi 2, 2 Nephi 9, Alma 34 and Alma 42. These chapters talk about the Plan of Salvation, and the importance of agency. Oh, that thing called agency. We had to have opposition so that we could have agency.
The combination of all the classes I am studying this week, and in tandem with our Come Follow Me discussions on Abinidah, we have had lots of talk about opposition this week. Abinadi was only one person. His testimony was powerful. He sealed his life with his death. He was not afraid to stand up for what was right! Neither have the prophets through the ages been afraid to share! The light he shared in that dark place grew, and illuminated other lights and lives!
In my Entrepreneurship class, we have been talking about the importance of integrity. Of knowing what you stand for, and why. I was assigned to write a Personal Code of Conduct. I am grateful to know that I do have a Code of Conduct that I stand up for, and I am not afraid to stand up! It links perfectly with this quote from Elder Holland: “Therefore, what?” I think that is what the Savior answered day in and day out as an inseparable element of His teaching and preaching . . . These sermons and exhortations were to no avail if the actual lives of His disciples did not change." (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Therefore, What?” Address to Religious Educators, New Testament Symposium, 8 August 2000.) Therefore What? I will stand for what I know to be right at all times and in all things, and in all places as Ii do my very best to live the Gospel and be the wife, mother, friend, neighbor, and Daughter of God that I hope to be!
These teachings are all in direct contrast to the reading, studying and lessons of my Family Relations class the last few weeks. Oh, I am so grateful to be a Mom! I believe strongly that Motherhood is a Holy calling! I am so blessed to be a mother! I am tired of reading studies about the habits of those in poverty include large families and problems with lack of birth control. Oh, what a wicked world we live in! I have been reading about same-sex attraction this week. In such "Opposition" to my reading in 2 Nephi 2 about opposition. Quoting 2 Nephi 2:11 "all things must needs be a compound in one." I know that the plan of our Father had to include opposition. I am grateful for the scriptures in my family which teach me that all those things are part of His plan so that I can continue to learn and grow and discover who I really am! What is my "Personal Code of Conduct?" Indeed: "Therefore What?" I am so grateful to know of the Plan to return to the very presence of God!
I love this quote by President Hinckley: “Men and women of integrity understand intrinsically that theirs is the precious right to hold their heads in the sunlight of truth, unashamed before anyone” (Standing for Something, 29). I want to always have that freedom! To not have to hide anything before myself, before my spouse, best friend, confidant, eternal companion, but most importantly before my Savior! Indeed I want to be "True Blue" all the way through!
This week we also read about "The Formula" for success in Launching Leaders and a video. It appears that many successful people including Elder David B. Haight and Jim Richie have lived their lives by "The Formula" or six steps to success which are: "One, get up early. Two, work hard. Three get your education, get trained. Four so you can find your oil. Five, so you can make your mark. Six so you can get prepared to serve or give back."
I am so grateful to be married to my Hero Elder who lives and practices all these steps! I love to reach dreams with him! Right now that means I get up early to work on school work! I try hard to be on time with all my assignments. I honor the Sabbath Day, and I serve and love my family. Some days I fall short. I just do. I never want to fall short in matters of integrity! I view education as a role that I fill. It is not #1 on my priority list, although it is very high! Somedays, like today I just simply can't get it all done. On those days, I have to give myself permission to say, I am only human. I did my best to take care of #1 who is my Savior and his children (who I have been entrusted to care for). Therefore what? I did my best!
Laus Deo.