growing a testimony

Sunday during church, while hip bouncing a restless Emmy in the hallways, my Bishop suggested we 'take care of that interview' while we were both free. In our church, there is a little card that is given to endowed members, meaning those who have been found worthy to go to the temple, and I hadn't had one for several months; you see, mine expired during the process of having a baby, moving twice, and all the craziness that goes along with that. Here's the little process' breakdown:

1. an interview with a member of the bishopric or branch presidency (the leaders of the congregation you attend).
2. a second interview is held with a member of the stake presidency (the leaders of a group of congregations, one of which you attend).
3. when all the questions are answered, conversation is exchanged, and a laugh is had, they fill out a sacred little card, then present it to you.

It is an entrance card, if you will, to being admitted into our temples. It is a very special and sacred opportunity to be admitted into the Lord's house here on Earth.

While in the interview with my stake president, he asked me if I have a testimony. Simple enough of a question - I answered, "yes." Then he asked me what I was doing to help strengthen that testimony. When he asked, Emmy was crawling all over my lap, clawing at my skirt and trying to reach my shoes. I laughed and said something about how I try to get more quiet, calm moments for scripture study.. he laughed too. He understood what I was saying.

I reassured him that however my days or weeks are, in some way or another, my testimony is always growing. Last year was a big year for my testimony of prayer. The sheer power of prayer is immense in its strength, and I learned a bit more about what it means for me to have faith and hope when praying.

This year, as I am now a den mother for a few young scouts, and a mother to two growing children, and a wife to a devoted husband and father, I hope I can have the influence they need. Hopefully through projects and scripture studies, stories, songs, and games, I can help their testimonies grow in some small [or great] way, and have mine strengthen right along with theirs.

photo

hat for a lumberjack

Not sure how, but he thinks he's a 'piwat.' But I say he's a pretty dang cute lumberjack. 

So here he is in "Hook's" hat:

Turns out his thumb is broken (you can see his wrapping in the first picture). I had a facebook status earlier last week saying that we were waiting to hear back from the doc who was waiting to hear back from radiology (the thanks goes to the small town-living). Anyway, we went in on Monday to get it casted, but I asked if we could continue with this removable doc-made splint. She said we could give it a try since it's such a small break, but we will be keeping a close eye on how he treats it, bruising, etc. We're beginning to see just how tough this kid is. He hasn't even had any tylenol for this, and he stopped crying pretty quickly after it happened. He's always getting hurt, and I try to tell myself that it's just partly because he's a boy, and partly because he's a two year old, but now I'm thinking it's because he has a high threshold for pain. I know he didn't get that trait from me... I'm a wimp and a half.

lights out

We were the last house tonight with our Christmas lights on... we had become that one family. Oops! So when Mark came out of the guest bedroom to take a study break, I filled him in all nice-like that it was a little embarrassing to look out at a dark street and a bright yard. ha! He then quickly ran out and unplugged them, I just hadn't the heart for it. Look at that tree! It had taken him some serious hours to get all 29 strands of lights on that thing. Good thing housing isn't privatized here on base quite yet. That would be one expensive power bill!

sisters forever

I love the girl in this picture with me. She has got to be the prettiest, most hilarious, most thoughtful and hard working girl I know. She always has me smiling when I talk to her, or when I hear from her, or whenever she impersonates Mont's way of talking. We haven't always been as close as we are now, but over the last few years of being so called adults, we have become more like the sisters I'm sure my parents always hoped we would become. I love my Tessa so much, I might just fall over.