Raising boys to serve missions

I heard a shocking number the other day. It pertained to the number of young men serving missions in our stake. 3 out of 60. Yeah I almost fell on the floor, too.

How can we help these young men become active again, is the question circulating throughout the church. I think we are forgetting to teach the primary kids that "holding the priesthood comes with the obligation for young men to carry the message of the Restoration to the world. "

Attitude is the key. Young people need to commit themselves early in life to the idea of a mission. That way, when they get older and begin to face some of the world’s temptations, those temptations will be less likely to penetrate their hearts or minds. They will resist the temptations because they are focused on becoming a servant of the Lord. It helps if they live in a gospel-sharing home. A missionary spirit is generated in a home where parents and children share the gospel with one another. I also recommend that youth study and follow the guidelines in For the Strength of Youth. Missionaries need to be morally clean and spiritually ready. If they live the principles in For the Strength of Youth, they will be spiritually prepared to be great missionaries. - M. Russell Ballard

I remember about 10 years ago the church leaders "Raised the bar" for the youth. Requirements to serve missions was also raised. It isn't enough to just attend church on Sunday and YM/YW during the week. These meetings are great and should be attended regularly, however, work on their own needs to be done. Living cleanly isn't a casual thing. It needs to be the most important. I really love Elder Ballards comment that "They need to avoid the mischief of the world."

I have heard adults give talks in church where they have said "It was alright that I didn't serve a mission because I got married". That is fine for them but that doesn't need to be taught from the pulpit that to forget serving a mission. Instead get married. I have also heard talks about parents who knew their kids were into "mischief". Yet, nothing was really done about it. The kids were still permitted to run around with the same kids they were getting in trouble with. Later, when serious offenses were committed they prayed to the Lord that he help their children return to the gospel.

I would like to share my story here of bad friends in my earlier life. I had a particular friend in Jr. High who was continually pulling me in the wrong direction. My mom and dad decided what to do about it. I was no longer aloud to have anything to do with this individual. It was a struggle for them. I resisted. Hard. But in the end they saved me from a dark path. I didn't make that many new friends. They kept me busy with sports, my mom stayed home with me so I wasn't able to "run around", later I got a job, and I was expected to keep an early curfew.

My husband had a similar situation in High School. He made friends with the wrong crowd and was getting into trouble. The difference in his story is that he removed himself from the situation. He disassociated himself with the group. And because he had a bad reputation it was hard for him to make new friends. He didn't care. He decided to choice the right path. He served a mission in Uruguay.

Hard decisions and choices need to be made is some cases. Sacrifices will need to be made.

Around the world members are sacrificing much for their membership in the church. Family members disown them, employers dismiss them, they aren't getting promotions because they refuse to break the word of wisdom, just to name a few I am personally aware of with friends I have met.

During a Relief Society meeting a lesson on Sacrifice was taught and time seemed to be the one thing most people said they were sacrificing. I think we are missing out on teaching our kids what it is to really sacrifice here.

This to me is the reason so few young men are serving missions in our stake. They aren't asked or required by family or friends to sacrifice immediate "joy" in order to serve a mission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQIQA6s2_Hw

This is a great video.

Provo heard our voices! No Daytime Curfews!!!

I have a new found admiration for government.

I got wind of the Provo City Council voting on a city Day Time Curfew and emailed three of my email groups and word spread fast. Before long there was a protest organized and letters written. Our voices and concerns were heard and the Mayor wrote a letter to the council members the morning before the meeting was scheduled and told them he was going to take the vote off the agenda.

I am so happy I could cry! Oh, I am crying!

Her is the link to the news coverage.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=14564753

Love makes the world go 'round.

I thought about when I was in high school and wanted someone to put a valentine in my locker. grin. I helped my kids get their valentines ready. They happily went to our co-op and passed out their candies. A fun tradition.

My dear husband took me out the week before Valentines Day. Missed all the crowds and higher prices. We went to Outback and had a lovely dinner. We then went and walked around Pier One Imports like kids. Then saw a great movie. It was so nice to have a wonderful date with my honey! On Valentine's Day we had a family night. Cooked steaks, cuddled on the couch as a family and watched tv together and laughed, and sat in the hot tub before bed. grin

I saw so many posts about Valentines Day being "single awareness week". grin again.

I stood behind a young man in the grocery store on Valentine's Day. He had a big bunch of roses and was buying steaks. The check out lady grinned and asked him if he was cooking for his girlfriend or wife. He smiled and said "I am cooking dinner and taking flowers to an 89 year old widow down the street". My heart melted.

My son was looking at chocolate covered strawberries on a commercial while watching T.V. with his dad. They started talking about his sisters, and he got an idea stuck in his head. He was going to get them those strawberries and come to the door as their Valentine. He bugged me all day. I finally got to take him to the store. He picked through all the boxes of chocolate covered strawberries until he found the perfect ones. When dad got home he went to the door and asked for the girls. They came to the door and there stood my son with a box for each of them. They were so excited. My oldest daughter picked him up and kissed him and told him it was the best Valentine ever.

I think love starts with loving yourself first. Then you will find love all around you. The young man in the grocery store didn't feel bad he didn't have a date. He made someone else feel special. My son didn't care about the candy he didn't get from friends, he wanted to make his sisters feel special.

I was so happy to see the wonderful things going on around me this Valentines Day. I felt the love.

Memories are the only thing that last throughout time.

The yearly daddy daughter dance is a big event.

The girls look forward to it for weeks. This year they did a princess theme. Shelby jumped at the chance to wear her gown again. Taylor was less enthusiastic about sporting a fancy dress. But in the end she went with a beautiful dress my sister made.

It was a fun evening full of silly antics and fun with their dad.



These are such awesome pictures. Dad loves goofing off with his girls.

Ricky and I spent the night eating pizza and watching a fun movie together. These moments pass so quickly.

Discounted ski school/pass

A great friend of ours, whom also is part of our homeschool group, was able to get Sundance ski resort to give homeschoolers a discounted ski package. The kids get two hours of ski school and then a pass to ski the rest of the day. This is our second year participating. It has been so much fun for them.

Rick was able to get a free ski pass as the chaperon and has enjoyed having that time with the kids.

This year Rick took the girls up to the top and had them ski down with him. It was steeper than they like. But they did it and felt a great sense of accomplishment. Shelby and Taylor both like a slower journey down the mountain. I think Ricky will be the speed demon going to the top with dad and liking every minute of it. LOL.

Remembering Grandma Smith

On December 19, 2010 my loving Grandma Loria Smith passed away and is singing with her husband as they continue to watch us all carry on their loving legacy.

My mom and 3 uncles answered a sweet prayer of mine to be able to speak at her funeral. It was so amazing to talk with cousins and remember the sweet memories of this great woman that played a big role in molding us into who we are today. When I remember Grandma it will be with a smile.

I'd like to share my talk. There are so many more memories. Maybe by reading these words more memories will come and big smiles will follow.

I was asked to retell the great memories of all the grandchildren that we have of grandma. I hope you don't mind me chewing gum today. This isn't meaning to be disrespectful. It is actually a tribute to grandma. She usually had a piece of gum. I remember fondly showing me how she made the gum POP!

We all didn't call her by the same name. For some it was Grandma Smith, Grandma, maama, etc. But in collecting memories one thing was the same. Grandma made all of us smile.

When Grandma was in her house I'd call her and we'd spend most of the time catching up on what you all were doing. I knew what everyone was up to, who came by, who took her shopping or to the doctors, how everyone did at wrestling matches, cheer competition, races, car shows, and how much fun she had at birthday parties.

She always made me smile.

There are a number of things that would bring memories back of wonderful times at Grandma's, and all I need to do is mention a few words and everyone can picture the whole scene as if it were yesterday.

She always made us smile.

Grandma's door was always open and she always had food ready on the stove. She gave us all wonderful traditions of chicken and dumplings, jello salad with fruit, the best canned green beans, little debbies, banana baby food, and coke was always known as "pop".

Christmas was the best time of the year. Grandma didn't have much in money but we never knew that. There was never a shortage of love. We would all sit in her front room with a stocking full of my favorite Christmas gifts. Socks, underwear, and a book of lifesavers and other hard candy. And she wouldn't start until everyone was there. I remember waiting for Uncle John until what seemed to an 8 year old girl like midnight before we opened our gifts. (It was really only 9pm)

The best memory the great grand kids have is the "party" grandma had at her house on the 4th of July. She loved her grand babies. Even when her health started getting bad she just wanted to see and take care of the grand babies.

Everyone can remember the Ouija board. We were in trouble for knocking everything down s we all piled on top of each other down the stairs. Grandma was there telling parents to "leave those babies alone". "They didn't hurt anything".

The Athena restaurant was where grandma made those amazing salads and where some of us sat and ate chips with blue cheese dressing, Greek olives, and talked to grandma while she worked.

Grandma would always let us get pizza from Casano's across from her house. I felt so grown up. She'd let us call ad order it and walk over to pick it up.

Nikki tells a story about just how much grandma enjoyed us all and loved to help and be a part of everything we were doing. It was her first date with Josh and she wanted to make chicken and dumplings. She called grandma and grandma stayed on the phone as she took Nikki step by step until it was done.

Kim tells a story about how inventive grandma was. Nothing was to hard and there was always a solution. Chelsea was a baby and grandma was babysitting her. Kim called to make sure grandma had what she needed and grandma said Shaun forgot diapers. Grandma told Kim she found something and she was alright. When Kim got off work and went to pick Chelsea up, she saw that Grandma had used dish towels and maxi pads. Everything was just fine.

She always made us smile.

Grandma made the best macaroni salad. It was at all the family gatherings. She had the kids always help out. Some of us used a knife for the first time cutting up pickles for her. Do you remember the year she lost her band aide?

She always made us smile.

It was so much fun at grandma's house. I loved her big tree. We used that tree as "base" for hundreds of games of tag and hide and seek. Grandma would sit on her front porch and watch us play.

We always made her smile.

When grandma got frustrated and tried to call one of our names, she'd run threw all 9 of the other grand kids names until she got to the one she wanted. This wasn't a bad thing. Just one thing that made us smile.

Kmart was one of her favorite stores. Grandma took me there when I was about 8 and got my picture taken. She had gotten me a pair of purple corduroy overalls that I loved. I kept wearing those even when they were to short. That was my favorite picture.

Grandma loved doing things with us.

She always made us smile.

The best memories would be the 45+ years we grand kids were blessed to spend with her.

She loved us and always made us smile.

Miss Perfect

We were so excited yesterday to find out that Pageant Perfect (a pageant coach) had submitted Shelby's picture to a photographer and she was chosen as Novembers Miss Perfect.

More benefits to doing a pageant just keep rolling in. This news gave Shelby such a confidence boost.

Her is the link to see her picture on their website. You will need to scroll to the bottom.

http://www.pageant-perfect.com/