Christmastime Thoughts (along with House Purchasing Thoughts...)

Once again it has been way to long since my last post, but I have a good excuse...ish. The move! It was crazy and stressful. Thankfully it is over and the last few weeks have been relatively nice and smooth.
One problem with all the stress is that I was having a really hard time focusing on the time of year.
Since things have calmed down, I have really found a great appreciation for Christmas time. School, while a little crazy the weeks after Thanksgiving, was really fun due to the excitement in the air for the holidays. Nothing can energize me like students who are young and excited. I really love the students I have in my class and those from previous years who stop in and visit. It seems that around Christmas time those students are more prone to stop in and say hello. I can't describe how happy it makes me when someone I have invested time and thought into stops by to say hello and chat for a minute.
At home things have been really fun. Our new home here in Orderville has turned out quite nice. There was some crazy remodel work and two days that were insane. I can't say it was all bad though. I did lose about 10 pounds in two weeks. Hopefully I'll keep that off! It was also fun knowing that because we own the home we can make any changes that we see fit. Of course if any thing goes wrong we have to be responsible for that also!
Having our own home around Christmas has been a great experience. As much as we have more responsibility as homeowners we also have more freedom attached. I have noticed that as we move through the stages of life and take on more responsibilities our "talents" increase and the Lord gives us more. He give line upon line in earthly responsibilities as well as in knowledge. Having these earthly items (homes, cars, bills, etc.) teaches us how to organize ourselves. While there is organization that must happen, these responsibilities add to our joy. This is something that has been impressed on me lately. The Lord states in D&C 111:11, " Therefore, be ye as ^awise as serpents and yet without ^bsin; and I will order all things for your ^cgood, as fast as ye are able to receive them." (lds.org) I really like this scripture. As we are wise and stay out of sin, the Lord will "order" things for us. To me this releases a lot of stress in my life. I do my part, the Lord prepares things for me. This requires that I wait on His time table, but if I can trust Him by waiting on him and doing my duty, He'll open the doors for us when we are ready. He determines that readiness! Not us.
Anyway. I say all this because the house worked out so well for Jenna and I. Jenna did do much of the work, and I am grateful for that, but things worked so smoothly that it could be nothing but a miracle.
Well, anywho, our family is doing really well. Our kids are healthy and happy. With the Christmas break I get to spend a lot more time with Jenna, Dallin, and Allison and that is so much fun. Allison is really developing a funny personality and can be so much fun. Of course she is MY little girl! Jenna and I are excited to treat them to a fun Christmas with family and friends. I am glad to spend more time with Jenna! After the stress of our move we need the time together! She has been really good during everything AND she always finds good ways to make the holidays enjoyable.
I hope everyone's holidays are full of joy. I also hope we get a chance to reflect on the Savior and his blessings in each of our lives. I am sure we will. Merry Christmas!

Faith and Trust pt. 2

So. How's it going? It has really been a while. If blogging was a religion, I would be inactive. Thankfully it is not. I don't have any real reason for not blogging lately, just that I haven't. I would say laziness, but I don't think that would be completely accurate (It could be related to Mario...) ANYWAY!
Our family is doing really well. Our kids have had their bout with the "flu". Jenna is doing such a good job with them as a mother. She is great, I married very well. I am grateful I listened to the Lord and my dad. Of course it was my decision, but I know I didn't do it alone. I don't think I would have been as happy if I had.
We have been pretty busy with the house purchasing process lately. It has worked out so well that it can only be the hand of the Lord. I got some information at school about USDA loans for rural development, typed a few things into the internet, was contacted by some of the workers of this place. Had a house here in mind and it has just flowed. One of the other things is that this home we are buying just fell into our laps. It is too perfect to have been anything other than divine assistance. I know the Lord has a sense of timing and blesses us according to our readiness to progress. I had been holding back on a lot of things until this summer, and when I finally decided to commit to getting my Master's degree in Educational Leadership and get really organized in my teaching, things started to fall into place.
It is interesting that the blessings didn't come until a certain time. I really believe in the time table of the Lord. We often in our human impatience try to rush things along. If we will but trust the Lord, we would avoid a lot of our mistakes. Frustration can lead us to rash decisions, rash judgments and mistakes we would otherwise avoid. I don't believe the Lord creates stress for us, He is the one telling us to "trust in [him] with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding." (Prov. 3:5-6) If our hearts and lives are in order "all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly" (D&C 100:15). "Be still and know that I am God." (D&C 101:16).
It is interesting to me that we spend most of our lives stressing, when the Lord instead is telling us to "hold on thy way" (D&C 122:9) He wants us to continue down a strait and direct path. We know our goals. He knows our hearts. We go straight. We aren't to be troubled. D&C 123:17 is one of my favorites: "Therefore dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God and for his arm to be revealed." (emphasis added)
These are a few things I have learned the hard way, but I feel like maybe I am starting to learn them. It is a long journey for all of us, and I believe that the journey is to teach us to become like God. It is a training, a lesson, a class, and a test. All the different events we face, worldly pressures, oppositions, doubts, buffetings, and fears are to "prove [us] to see if we will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]." (Abraham 3:25) I am not saying I pass every test. I fail quite often, but I have seen that when I doubt or fear things pass me by. It happened to Oliver Cowdery. He was counseled in D&C 6:36, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." Oliver was told in D&C 8:10, "Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith". Oliver didn't prepare or exercise enough therefore when the time to translate came...he couldn't do it. D&C 9:11 says it clearly, "Behold, it was expedient when you commenced; but you feared, and the time is past, and it is not expedient now." Oliver missed an opportunity for a blessing due to his fear and lack of preparation.
I am not condemning Oliver Cowdery for this, for in his experience I have seen myself many, many times. Opportunities waiting for me and my family that I didn't take because I didn't prepare and I doubted. I know I am not alone in this.
There was a point with this house where I was about to do like I usually did and say, "Well, maybe we should wait." But then I felt strongly, even though I was tempted to quit, that I should see the process through and see what happens. I guess I had to exercise a little faith. Things are working for our good. Things are being provided as we move forward. The Lord wants our family to have a home. We want to serve the Lord in this area as much as possible. We are not perfect in this, but we desire it. I know the Lord blesses us for that, and makes up for our weakness. God is sure. He is constant. If he promises, it will come to pass. His time table is perfect for us. If we will make the steps to improve ourselves, to do the "hard" things, life will become easier. Because we will know in "whom [we] have trusted" (2 Nephi 4:19) and when we know that God will NOT let us down, we will no longer fear.

Dallin and Allison

Jenna loves to get the kids pictures taken. While posing children may not be my idea of a good time, I am always happy she does it. Her friend, Anne Hepworth, here in Orderville does such a good job. So, here I am posting some of my favorite shots from the last session.
I love seeing the the expressions on their faces, how Allison is so happy and Dallin can be so funny. The more steps I am taking along the path of fatherhood, the more grateful I am for the opportunity to be a dad and a husband. When the Psalmist wrote that "children are an heritage of the Lord", it wasn't just a nice thing to say, or something that sounded good. It was and still is the truth. Nothing has helped Jenna and I to grow more and bring us closer than our kids. We worry about them, we talk about them, we live for them. Sure we still have the things we were interested before them, but I think our perspective of what truly matters in life has changed.
Some people worry about finances and things, which is a real concern, but I am of the belief that things work out. I see it all the time around me, when people of faith have the faith to have a family, the means are provided for them. The Lord intervenes when he must. I believe He deserves a lot more credit for our well-being than we realize.
Anyway. These are our kids. Jenna is such a great mother to them. Maintaining children is a lot of work, and Jenna does more than her share. I am gone most of the day and she has chosen to be with them during that time. I know this is a lot of work on her part, and it is often without a lot of reward. But she does such a good job. I do not think anyone could do better. I know she realizes how valuable she is to our children. I also know she needs a break once in a while. I get to come home from my students in the afternoon. For her, many days there isn't any break, until I take them for an hour or a few minutes.
Well, If there are any reasons our kids are so cute and great I would say the responsibility likes mostly with my wonderful wife who takes the profession of motherhood very seriously and loves it. Thanks honey bear, I love you!

Still Around

Just checking in real quick. I have been thinking about different things to write about, but nothing has settled in long enough.
Things are going really well so far this year with school. I have an excellent group of students and really enjoy them. I took some extra time to get more organized and it is really paying off.
I have also been getting things together to begin my Master's in Educational Leadership this Summer. I am really excited about starting it. It took the Lord giving me a pretty major kick in the behind for me to get rolling on this, but ever since I "opened the door", EVERYTHING has been falling smoothly into place. I know this is the Lord opening the way before me.
Our family is being extremely blessed, our babies are healthy, Jenna is doing so much as a mother and wife and I love her so much. I am very grateful that I married a woman with the same ideals as myself. She was a good choice. Very good. Once again the Lord directed my path.
It seems the more I allow Him to do so, the better things go. Always. My only problem is the hard-heartedness I have in thinking I am more wise than the Lord. This is obviously not true as He has the clear blueprint for what He needs me to be. Perhaps I should be more open minded to the possibilities.
Anyway. Things are going well and doors really seem to be opening. There are times of trial, but there is always light in the Narrow Path.

Getting Ready! Mostly...

Well. I think I have officially hit the point of summer where I am starting to get excited about school again. This last year was pretty stressful, I had some very interesting class dynamics going on. It was all a bit crazy. Between the group of kids (The combination was phenomenal! It was wild and crazy, but I enjoyed them immensely!) I had and a constant stream of people through my classroom (aides, SPED, whoever else felt like it...) I was pretty worn down by the end of the year. I probably would have written more about it, but thinking about it was somewhat painful...
ANYWAY.
I am now getting to the point in the summer where it is all about the future and looking forward. I think that there are many things I will do the same, but I have been working more on some of the mechanics of my class, my procedures for students and my expectations. I have taught these things over and over to my previous classes, but I believe I will put even more emphasis on it this year.
Education is a tricky thing. The actual planning, teaching, and relating to students is very enjoyable and quite simple. The expectations, communication, and measuring up are somewhat difficult. Especially for the teacher, not to mention the students. I suppose interpersonal relationships can be the hard part. I am more afraid of disappointing an administrator than of being a bad teacher. The hard part of an administrator's job is that they have too much to do, too many teachers, too many papers, and too much to report. This of course carries down to the classroom where, instead of being able to enjoy teaching and building student relationships, stress comes into play and unrealistic expectations are put upon all involved. Teachers are worried about reports, tests, and performance. Students are worried about reports, tests, and performance. Administrators are worried about reports, tests, and performance. We should have these things. Reports. Tests. High Performance. They are crucial to measuring progress. But, somewhere in all this achieving, we lose something.
How do you get it back?
I think being organized solves a lot of these problems. I do not feel that I am a poor organizer or manager, but I realize I can improve. Classroom structure sets a precedent for kids to follow. They want to know what is expected. I want them to know what is expected. I believe teaching and learning should be fun, that it should really apply to life. Just like life, there are consequences at times, but if I can teach them to go through my class and learning to follow our class procedures they are learning success patterns for the rest of their lives. My most successful students are those who give their all. If my students are struggling with a concept, verbally lashing them is not the answer. Pulling them back to my desk is the answer. Having an aid assist them is the answer. Gentleness. Meekness. Love Unfeigned.
I guess in all of this it is about people. If we lose the trust of the people we are responsible for, it is very difficult to get it back. Reports, tests, and performance are important, but I feel my main responsibility to my students is to be a trusted adult that can offer some guidance. Not just on their math, or language arts, but in their lives as well.
So. I am getting ready for a new year. I have been organizing a little more. I have been planning different things to do. I think it will go well. But please remind me if I start freaking out about reports, tests, and performance, that this whole education sphere is really about kids and helping them be ready for the future.
It's interesting to me that in the course of my teaching thus far, the Lord has been teaching me many, many lessons and giving me insights I wouldn't have gained otherwise. It is about people and kids and service. A teacher has a responsibility to give their all for these kids. They may be a little crazy at times, but so is there teacher, and I wouldn't trade the opportunity I have had to teach any of them! (Just make sure you ask me on the right day!)

Marriage and Divorce

I realize I have been in the habit of posting a lot of videos lately. You may have seen this one already, but I really think it is valuable. Very valuable. It's really short, so if you haven't seen it take a couple minutes to watch. The part that hit me hardest was where Elder Oaks says that repentance is part of solving marital problems. I have experienced that first hand! I hope you enjoy this video.

4th Anniversary

Tomorrow is our anniversary!
It has been four years already and a lot has happened. I am grateful for her and her putting up with me. I think she is a wonderful girl. She is good with our kids and awesome with everyone around her. Mostly she is good to me and everything I ever wanted and want!
So that's it. Happy Anniversary Jenna! I hope it is great for you...though it will be pretty busy, eh?

Testimony

Well. Jenna and I are giving talks in church this Sunday. The topics are Joseph Smith and Testimony. Jenna's going to cover Joseph Smith and I am going to address Testimony. So of course, as soon as this assignment was given, my mind started trying to organize thoughts about testimony and just what it is.
First. I think that there are two parts to testimony. (Well, AT LEAST two...) First we all think about the question, do I have a testimony? Is it strong enough? How should I share it. Part of testimony is a very, very personal thing that involves the gaining and sharing of it. Not only do we need to gain the testimony but the testimony needs to be of truth. We go about gaining a testimony much as Alma described in Alma 32. We plant the seed-the idea. We nourish the seed through study and obedience to the principles we are working on. If the seed is good it grows. Simple right? I have seen this process work on any number of gospel principles. Tithing. Fasting and Fast Offerings. Repentance. Missionary work. Faith. Temple Work and Ordinances. Chastity. Charity. Baptism. Celestial Marriage. All of these things have proven to produce good fruit in my life and as long as I continue to nourish them, they stay healthy and strong and guide my life.
The second part of testimony that I probably don't think about as much but is crucial to its development is listening and heeding the testimony of others. Especially those ordained as our leaders. Prophets. Apostles. Seventy. Stake Presidents. Bishops. Relief Society Presidents. Our teachers. These persons have been given authority in many instances to teach us. Those who bear powerful testimony of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith, as well as other gospel principles are adding strength to our testimonies. The responsibility we have is to be hearers of the word and then doers.
I find myself worrying often if I am keeping my testimony strong enough. I think the reason this is such a concern is because a testimony is alive. When I get busy with life, sometimes I feel like I haven't given it the attention it needs. Feeding it and nourishing it every day will keep it alive. Sharing it with others will keep it alive and nourish another's testimony. I have noticed that those who lose testimony have usually done something or aligned themselves with someone or something that is contrary to gospel principles. They begin to question and apostatize. I believe it is okay to ask questions. That is how we learn. But the intent of those questions must be pure.
Anyway. Some thoughts for me to ponder. I hope the talk goes well, if not at least I learned something!

"Hope Ya Know"

Maybe some have already seen this, it is from the church web site. I thought it was really good.

This one is also great.

Happy Birthday Jenna!

Today is my wife's birthday. She is a great, great wife and friend. So. I just wanted to post about that. I really can't believe I actually survived for 25 and a half years without her by my side. She has made everything I do better. She even helps me think straight when I get frustrated, "anxietied", or over-worried. She takes wonderful care of our children and me. She teaches them the gospel and proper and upright things and I couldn't have married anyone better. She is beautiful. She is loving and caring. She is a perfect companion and keeps me doing the right things. I love you honey!

PUNCH OUT!!

This is way off of the beaten path of my usual posts, but I am a Punch Out!! fan and I have to say this commercial/advertisement is hilarious...
At least to me...

Ah...
Nintendo.

Leadership

I love Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-46. There are several reasons why I love this selection of verses, but a lot of it is because it is a perfect guideline for leadership. I had an experience this week that brought these verses to my mind. I am not going to get into any detail as it is the lesson learned that is the important part.
Here are the verses in case you don't want to look them up:
34 Behold, there are many ^acalled, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

35 Because their ^ahearts are set so much upon the things of this ^bworld, and ^caspire to the ^dhonors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

36 That the ^arights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be ^bcontrolled nor handled only upon the ^cprinciples of righteousness.

37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to ^acover our ^bsins, or to gratify our ^cpride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or ^ddominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens ^ewithdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.

38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to ^akick against the pricks, to ^bpersecute the saints, and to ^cfight against God.

39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the ^anature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little ^bauthority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise ^cunrighteous dominion.

40 Hence many are called, but ^afew are chosen.

41 No ^apower or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the ^bpriesthood, only by ^cpersuasion, by ^dlong-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

42 By ^akindness, and pure ^bknowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the ^csoul without ^dhypocrisy, and without ^eguile—

43 ^aReproving betimes with ^bsharpness, when ^cmoved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of ^dlove toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of ^adeath.

45 Let thy ^abowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let ^bvirtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy ^cconfidence wax strong in the ^dpresence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the ^edews from heaven.

46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant ^acompanion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of ^brighteousness and truth; and thy ^cdominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.
I think I realize more and more as time passes that a good leader will build inspire and carry those he or she is responsible for. I believe that many leaders are looking to help those around them.
I think it most important above all that a leader beware of the warnings in verse 37-39 and do their best to resist the temptation to abuse that authority. It most certainly is the "nature and disposition of almost all men" to exercise unrighteous dominion when they believe the are "in charge".
Along with that however, when the time for reproving does come, and it will, verses 43 AND 44 are imperative and must come TOGETHER.
In my line of work there is a constant stream of evaluation and pressure to perform. Not only is this pressure placed on the kids by myself, but it is placed on teachers, administrators, and other staff. The pressure is HIGH at times and many of us get stressed about how we will look if someone below us fails. Believe me, when my kids struggle or perform lower than my expectations, I feel the stress. (From myself mostly, and also others.) Unfortunately in my case this stress is caused many times by my desire to please man and "not look bad". This can be motivating, but it, at times, feels draining and uninspiring. There have been many times when I have chastised my class (or children at home/church) because of my selfish desire to "look good." This is not something I am proud of, yet I think that many of us face the same dilemma.
I cite these negative examples because they do happen, yet I believe that if one were to look at education in general, along with teaching in our homes, these negative examples would be few and far between. I think mostly I have seen positive examples. Now, I realize that the business of education is not completely comparable to the rights of the Priesthood, and yet, I think that the gospel we have applies perfectly to any situation given that people will do the work and apply it.
When it comes to teaching and leadership I love verse 44 especially: "That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death." This is a lot to ask of a leader. But it is possible. Those whom we have stewardship over, whether it be teaching, parenting, callings, community or otherwise need to know we love them. That we do care about their well-being. That we are not out "to get them", but that we have a sincere desire for them to succeed in a temporal and eternal life. This is where having our "bowels full of charity towards all men" comes into play. We all know this is not easy, and yet there is something comforting in the knowledge that we are trying, though not always succeeding.
I appreciate a leader who recognizes my successes and points them out while at the same time fulfilling their duty to offer words of correction or assistance. Not just words, but example and follow-up.
Ultimately if we can give an honest effort to verses 45-46 our confidence as leaders will "wax strong in the presence of God" and also of man. When we quit trying to impress the people around us and seek to do our duty sincerely to God and his children then our confidence that we are doing what is right buoys us through discouragement and opposition (AND there IS opposition to any good leader. Just ask the Savior, or Joseph Smith, or any person in a position of authority.). Preparation and study are essential and success cannot be achieved without them, but all the preparation and study in the world cannot make us good leaders unless we are willing to follow and apply the correct principles leadership is based on. We must forgo our natural desires and seek a higher good than our own good. The best part of these verses is the promise that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion along with the rest of verse 46. With the Holy Ghost as our constant companion our decisions will be right more often and our sincerity in our leadership will be more pure.

Baptism and Agency

Okay. We are taking shifts today with sick babies and we are at mid-shift and I am going quickly to church, but I wanted to write down a few quick thoughts I had before I lost them.
I was reading 3 Nephi 11 today and verses 33 and 34 stuck out to me a little more than usual. I have been guilty at times of wondering what the "big deal" about baptism is and have pondered it a little here and there. I think I am really starting to get it. Um...anyway. Here are the verses:
"And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned."
Pretty cut and dry if you ask me. The part that used to bother me is that I felt like the "damned" part was pretty harsh. However, as I have learned and understood a bit more, really, the Lord has no choice. Simply put he must enforce His laws. He has already chosen to do so. He has said that in order to enter the Celestial Kingdom we have to be baptized. In order to want to enter we have to believe in Christ and trust him and know that what He is saying is "for real". The other side, the "damned" part is simply that we choose not to believe, or trust Christ and we choose not to be baptized. Therefore we choose to NOT enter the Celestial Kingdom. So...we just damned ourselves.
I think this helps me with understanding the mercy of Christ. He loves us. He wants us to be with Him and the Father. He says we should be baptized (among other commandments) if we want to live where Him and the Father live. It's pretty simple. He NEVER takes our ability to choose our path. But the consequences for good or evil cannot be repealed.
It's just the same as if I choose to stay up late (which I do all too often). The consequence is...I am tired. No avoiding it. If I would have chosen to avoid college...I wouldn't be a teacher. If I had chosen to not be married...I wouldn't have a family. By taking on responsibility I have found further happiness AND progress. Hard somedays? Yes. Rewarding? Much more so. Progression is very interesting, what seems hard, but then achieved all of a sudden becomes, "I could never go back! Ever."
So back to something as simple as baptism. It is a very short (time-wise) ordinance that shows the Father we are willing to give life our best shot. It also shows we are willing to make preparations for the Celestial Kingdom.
So. Really I guess the Savior is right: "And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned."
And it won't be His fault, it will be ours.
That is a sobering thought to me and I hope I can continue trying to work hard. Yes, I have been baptized by Authority, but it is still up to me to endure to the end. Thankfully our Savior cares enough about our success to send help and support when we are in need.

Jon Schmidt

Okay. Growing up during my high school years, Sam Barker and I loved listening to this guy's music for our background to many conversations. I think he is a very talented man and very entertaining. Jenna showed me this video the other day and I realized the guy still has it! Anyway. Some of you may have seen this, but this song is quite good. I wouldn't post it if I wasn't impressed! Oh, the cellist is a man named Steve Sharp Nelson, he's also very talented.

Talents are amazing aren't they?

Back...

Okay. It's been a while. Jenna is definitely more dedicated to bloggery than I am, but in my defense it has been a CRAZY 6 weeks.
We are adjusting quite well to everything and just blessed Allison Elizabeth on Sunday. It was nice, I am grateful for revelation.
I think the second time around is much easier. With Dallin I could hardly sleep the first night...with Allison. I threw a blanket over my head (it was cold...but not to Jenna...) and went to sleep. Jenna couldn't wake me until she started throwing things. That is true love...and much more confidence in the gift of lungs. Though we did have a choking scare that first night due to quite a bit of amniotic fluid. More was sucked out the next afternoon also.
Needless to say we have been exceptionally tired this last few weeks. School has been more of a challenge, but things are looking up.
It is all worth it though as it seems to be that we grow closer to God in our extremity. A little over a week after Allison was born I got the root canal of my life. That is saying something, because I have had plenty. I thought I was being extra prepared and got into the dentist before it completely flared up. But I was wrong. The surgery was performed...and then the pain began. It got infected and not even very adequate painkillers could do very much for me. At one point during this week ordeal (yes, a week...) our bishop, who is also our neighbor, Shane Frost came to give a blessing. It was late. He then proceeded to drive me over to Cedar City after 11:00 p.m. so Dr. Brown could drill and little and numb me up. It really helped. I really appreciated Shane and Sean taking me over the mountain and Dr. Brown for coming late after Church meetings the day before he flew to Nebraska.
I guess in all this, with a baby and tooth and other adventures we have had lately, we have been made really aware how much the people around us care for us. We try to be helpful members of the community yet the community has really been the ones to take care of us. I believe the Lord is pleased for the most part with the people in this area. They are sincerely trying. I don't think we deserve the help we have received, but I am grateful the Lord has seen fit to help us out.
Anyway. Not much else to say for now. We are doing well and are very happy, if not very tired much of the time. We have a good life. We hope to continue to be worthy of what we are blessed with.

Almost here...

I have not done much here for a while! I don't really have any good reasons actually. We have been pretty busy getting things ready for our baby to get here, but I have somewhat neglected the "blogosphere". I don't think this is entirely bad, but I do notice that putting my thoughts out here is a great way for me to really settle into my own thinking and analyze things happening around me. I do write in a journal and that helps with the same process, however it is more a list of things I do and people I interact with.
Anyway. Today we are going to St. George for our last doctor's appointment. That is pretty exciting, and tomorrow is even more exciting as Jenna is being induced. Now, we did not request that she be induced, but with the almost two hour drive from Orderville, and wanting to avoid a drive filled with misery and "contraction action", Dr. Lunt decided it best that we come early. I am glad for this honestly, it saves Jenna and I a lot of worry. I see it as a blessing.
We are facing, I think, some of the usual nervousness and excitement at the prospect of a new child. Jenna and I worry about Dallin and how he'll adjust. We know he will have some moments of "what about me". We have discussed this and have planned on having him as involved as possible. Thankfully we have many relatives and friends in St. George that can help him. I am worried about Jenna getting that baby out. She is such a small woman and it was hard enough getting Dallin out, and Dallin was four weeks early. I worry about Jenna's health and hoping she can feel okay. It has been hard for me to watch these last several weeks of pregnancy. It is really difficult for most woman to get babies into this world and Jenna is not an exception. I definitely admire her pluck, because she keeps on going and stays busy and happy even though it is quite obvious her "pregnant state" is causing quite a bit of misery.
Of course I worry about some sleepless nights and teaching, but I think our main worry with this baby and with Dallin is that we'll take good care of them, that we will help them be healthy and be able to provide their needs. Along with those worries comes the concern that as parents we will teach them gospel principles appropriate to their understanding and conduct that will allow them to be a blessing to society. We take very seriously, as do most of you who read our blogs, the responsibility to raise responsible, enlightened, and worthy children in the Lord's eye's. I think the description of the Savior increasing in favor with God and man is the ideal objective for all of us and I am sure it is what we all strive for.
Please indulge me for a minute, but the Boy Scout Law come to mind for both our children and us and I thought I would post it here along with explanations from the Scouting website (You can substitute the word "scout" for "child" if it makes you feel better!

Scout Law

TRUSTWORTHY

A Scout tells the truth. He keeps his promises. Honesty is part of his code of conduct. People can depend on him.

LOYAL

A Scout is true to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school, and nation.

HELPFUL

A Scout is concerned about other people. He does things willingly for others without pay or reward.

FRIENDLY

A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own.

COURTEOUS

A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows good manners make it easier for people to get along together.

KIND

A Scout understands there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not hurt or kill harmless things without reason.

OBEDIENT

A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them.

CHEERFUL

A Scout looks for the bright side of things. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy.

THRIFTY

A Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for unforeseen needs. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property.

BRAVE

A Scout can face danger even if he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at or threaten him.

CLEAN

A Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean. He goes around with those who believe in living by these same ideals. He helps keep his home and community clean.

REVERENT

A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others.

(www.scouting.org/Media/FactSheets/02-503a.aspx)

Scouting is an inspiration for me because of being so involved in it when I was a young man. If our kids can take these principles seriously and realize this is the way to live, then not only will their lives be blessed but our lives also as parents, and I believe the Lord will also be pleased with our accomplishments. I hope Jenna and I can measure up!
This is where my thoughts go with expecting a baby. I am really excited for the next few days, but I realize with these next days comes the responsibility of raising this little lady and her brother with correct principles so when the time comes for them to make their own decisions, they can do it with knowledge and wisdom. I don't think it is something we can take TOO seriously, but along with that teaching we are going to have lots and lots of fun on the way, because that is part of the plan too!
Oh, and did I say I am SO excited to have a little girl to go a long with my little boy? Jenna and I are a little bit spoiled!
We'll keep everyone posted.

Missionary Letter and Other Ramblings...

So, I wrote this letter to my brother this evening and thought I would post it. I hope you don't mind that I post it, but I was pleased with how things turned out and hoped that it would be motivating for all of us who are trying to be good missionaries.
Elder Corry,
TGD,
I remember going through weeks where we didn't have many lessons going on. It was pretty tough. I am glad you can do a lot of street contacting. We would talk to people outside when we were riding on bikes or walking down their streets, but I didn't do too much tracting. I really tried to work with members/media referrals/less actives and new converts. Street contacting is better I am sure because people can't just hide back in their homes, plus there is something about being outside that makes people more open and willing to talk. Oklahoma was a little more spread out and less populated than...Germany!
You asked what some of the biggest things I learned on my mission were. Well. The main thing that I took home with me was that my mission was to prepare me for the rest of my life. I really do think about it everyday since. I used an experience in a ward missionary meeting last year to motivate our ward to set higher goals for baptisms. So instead of 2 we set a goal of 10. That was unheard of for our area. Did we reach it before December. No. But we had 7 people join and that was a miracle. We all worked harder in our ward to come together. If I was you, I would make sure that you develop a good relationship with the bishop without putting too much stress on him. They have tons to do and thinking about missionary work can be overwhelming. I would stress that the best way for members to be missionaries is to set goals and then do their best to serve their neighbors and friends all around them. The Lord puts us where we need to be, there is no need to traipse around the world looking for missionary and service opportunities when there are thousands of people around us that can use our help. (Of course it may be a bit different for a full-time missionary...) For a normal member of the church our missionary work is in our neighborhood with our friends and family. Just being prepared to share the gospel through scripture study and praying for experiences will bring many opportunities and probably more converts than we can imagine. It really is as simple as "Ask and ye shall receive..." Of course there is work to do, but it is never more than we can handle. The Lord goes line upon line and will not overwork us, or overscare us, He works to our level and slowly helps us climb as we are able. Anyway that's some advice and things that I have learned since my mission, even better than when I was on it. Of course without it I wouldn't have had any of these experiences.
Well. I hope things find you well. We are all really excited for you to get home, but do it safe and with honor. Work hard and include the Lord. Listen to His voice and you will be given direction and miracles in every aspect of your life.
Take care,
Jeff
Anyway. That's my letter. Things are going well. It is amazing to me how much a Sunday, especially a Fast Sunday can restore my soul. Much more than sitting around at home on Saturday. I suppose a lot of this is because we are social by nature and it "grows" our spirit to be able to interact positively with our neighbors and friends.
Anywho, these are the things I have been thinking about...
Our last week has been pretty good. Thankfully not as exciting as Jerry and Shannon Moser's and JD and Valerie Crockett's. I am glad to hear that their babies are doing well. What a scary thing. I don't know how I would handle these things, I suppose when they arise you "just do it".
Again, I am glad to hear things are well for these two families and their babies. Babies bring so much joy and yet can make life so SCARY sometimes! I sure love our boy and soon to be born girl! Jenna is doing well. (Quite sore to tell the truth...) We are expecting our baby in 6-ish weeks. Dallin was 4 weeks early so really we are trying to be prepared for anything. As long as everything goes well, that's all we can ask from the Lord. I think having a perspective our eternity can soften any blow this life can deliver, because all the trials we receive will only be temporary if we'll stay close to God.

Checking in...

I know you all thought I died. But I didn't. (Sorry...for the haters...) Things have been kind of crazy. School is back in force, the New Year is already racing, and callings are....calling me. I am enjoying all these things, if not a little stressed out at times with the "juggle." Plus I have video games to beat...so please understand.
Anyway...
We had a good General Priesthood Meeting tonight in Kanab. I really appreciate our Stake Presidency here in this area. One thing that really stuck out was President Johnson's talk, I could tell he was really feeling what he was sharing. He talked about us making changes in our lives and how we often like to do big things and then fizzle out. (Not his exact words...) Instead of doing this he said if we will make little changes to the things that we are already doing, then those big changes we want will come. The example he gave was of prayer, how if we aren't praying then we can start small by getting on our knees once a day and showing the Lord we want to talk. If we are praying we can try to be more sincere or give thanks more in our prayers. It's doing the little things we already do better and not putting so much on our plate that we scream and give up.
This was very good for me. I go to a meeting, get extremely motivated, want to change and then a little while (sometimes minutes...) later I am DONE. This is not a good way to be! Thankfully I have begun to understand the line up on line principle better and realize the Lord loves us and cares and is happy that most of us really are trying and succeeding at most things. I don't think He gets mad as often as we imagine, rather he may be somewhat disappointed in some of the decisions we make, but mostly I think He must be grateful when we even WANT to be good. I am not saying that simply wanting is enough, there must be action, but when want is combined with sincere effort and pressing forward we are blessed beyond measure. Step by step.
I have really been trying to stay focused on missionary work in my daily life. I can't say I have done the perfect job, but I notice that I am happier and behave better. Really all we can do is set an example, talk about the gospel, and invite. Besides that, we have to do a lot of waiting, the thing is through our prayers for missionary experiences and scripture study, we will be prepared to recognize opportunities that arrive.
Anywho...
Some thoughts from today. It has been a while since I posted and things are going really, really well with our family. Dallin has continued growing and is so fun. Jenna is also continuing to grow! She's not very happy about it, but it's for the greater good! We will be glad to welcome our little girl to our home. Then Jenna can shrink if she sees fit! (I am sure she will!) I have to say that we have really been blessed lately and we are very happy. Not everything is perfect and things go wrong, but we always end up alright and we truly feel we are being blessed by God. He is a good Father. Especially when He sees we want to be close.