{marlene's new bloggity blog}

Marlene created a new blog that is now hyperlinked to her and Le's picture on the sidebar. Click on it to hear straight from the mother of the family! The blog address is fingerpolish.blospot.com, and she titled the blog yourfavoritemom.com, which I think is so cute and clever.

What does Joseph Smith mean to you?

This question was posed in Sunday school today.  The teacher asked us to think about how our lives would be different without Joseph Smith.  The following thoughts are informed by that discussion.

Would I even be here?  I would certainly have a different DNA as my ancestors from Europe came to the Salt Lake Valley because of him.

How would I have met the people I know, including my spouse without him?  There would have been no church parking lot with a cute girl in a white shirt and baseball cap without him.

In high school and at other times in my life when I have seriously questioned my self worth the revelation that I am a literal spirit son of God has been an anchor for my soul.

I would never have traveled to Argentina, learned Spanish, let alone Portuguese, learned and experienced all that I did as a missionary, gotten a degree in Latin American Studies, become an immigration attorney [that one may not be a plus] or ended up living in Park City.

All of my friends from BYU?  Gone.  Singles wards - LA and Mesa?  Gone.  All those people from the  ward in London?  Gone.  How would I have met so many of the amazing people I have met over the years were it not for Joseph Smith bringing us together for Sunday meetings.

Growing up which hero would I have wanted to follow instead?

How about the word of wisdom?  How would that simple direction changed how my ancestors lived?  Would drinking or drugs have been a part of our family culture without him?  When I was young and
feeling small and weak in high school would steroids have tempted me to go a different route?

My sense of purpose and eternity?  Without the doctrines of the degrees of glory and the plan of salvation that explains why we are here on earth how would I have approached life differently?

How would I have handled seeing Lucy lay in her bed in the hospital, and living out the months and years since then without the knowledge that Joseph Smith revealed regarding little children, life and death and eternal families?  My understanding of the resurrection?  What kind of difference did it make listening to Elder Oaks, a living apostle of  Jesus Christ, teach and testify about the Resurrection just 18 days before?  How would things have been different had I not received a witness from the Holy Ghost  that day listening to Elder Oaks?

My understanding of Jesus Christ and my relationship with him [if existent] would be drastically different.  The desire to follow the Savior and return home to a loving Heavenly Father that has motivated and been the source of the majority of the best experiences of my life wouldn't be there.

My darkest hours have been lightened and my greatest joys increased because of the work of Joseph Smith.

For a man that lived approximately 200 years ago he makes a profound impact directly on my life....

Thank God for Joseph Smith

Sundried Tomato Pesto Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Rounds

Chris here.  I made this for dinner tonight from a Paleo diet website.  Turned out pretty stinkin' good.  Give it a try.

 

Click here for the recipe. 

The snow was so deep this year, this poor deer was stuck and couldn't get back over the hill with all the snow. We tried to help him but, you know how hard it is to get a deer to trust you.

Storms and talents

Hi Family,

Thank you so much for posting your pictures. 
First, talents. We have been reminded to appreciate the talents we have and that of our loved ones. I was reading Pauls patriarchal blessing. I got the idea that your Father in Heaven knows you better than anyone else. I hope you read yours and that you can see the talents that you have, also through living,you develop talents and use them in your callings. Vic asked me once if I was proud of my kids, all having college degrees and getting married in the Temple. I am more than proud. You are better than anything I have done. I credit it to the people you were to begin with. I am Thankful that I was allowed to have you.
Second, testimony.
I wanted to share two things that I have heard lately. I work in the Temple on Sat. mornings. It is just so sweet! I can't tell you how fun it is. Especially when I can do my part easily. Memorizing took me awhile.
A temple worker that worked on Sat. died at home. She went to the temple that morning.They found her in her garden that afternoon. Apparently she knew she was going because when they found her she had her hands together (like a prayer pose) under her cheek. She was laying on her side. Then they found her dog had died also,they figure after she died. I know this sounds simple after the death of Lucy,but Heavenly Father is in charge and decided she didn't need anymore challenges.
We went to Hal and Verla's ward for Rachel's homecoming,which was very special and touching. It was also a fast meeting. A women got up(she works in the Temple with me) and stated that in life there is Thunder and Lightening and great storms that have to endure. We can't change them. She then said she decided to "dance in the rain" and let storms come in and not to fight them. Then her husband got up and said that this week he found out he has Pancreatic Cancer. He and she are in their 70's . He stated he prayed about what treatment he should try. One night he had a dream and saw his father and his father told him to  come as soon as he could. So there will be no treatment but just an acceptance of moving on to a new life.   She is accepting too but still is starting to grieve, I can tell.
So, my testimony is that the Lord knows our storms and will still send us tender mercies at times. I know this gospel is a huge,magnificent truth. One convert in our ward said, this is what Plato and Socrates was looking for. This is the truth that the world needs to live by, and someday it will.
Have a good week and I hope the storms are small. Love Mom