What's Most Important

Yesterday we went to Sara Matson's baptism. I was again reminded of the sacredness of this saving ordinance. I had a song come to my mind and it hasn't left. I felt I should share it with all of you. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir does an amazing job singing this one.

We do what we do because we love our Savior Jesus Christ and want to be like him. Enjoy the song "This Is The Christ".



1. They heard His voice, a voice so mild.
It pierced them through and made their souls to quake.
They saw Him come, a man in white,
The Savior, who had suffered for their sake.
They felt the wounds in hands and side,
And each could testify:

Chorus:
This is the Christ.
This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,
Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.
This is the Christ, the Healer of our souls,
Who ransomed us with love divine.

2. I read His words, the words He prayed
While bearing sorrow in Gethsemane.
I feel His love, the price He paid.
How many drops of blood were spilled for me?
With Saints of old in joyful cry
I too can testify:

Words: James E. Faust, b. 1920, and Jan Pinborough, b. 1954
Music: Michael Finlinson Moody, b. 1941

For Better Or For Worse

My good friend, Jenny Garcia, emailed me this cartoon strip. Lynn Johnston nailed this one to a T!! I just had to share!

For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston

Quick Update on My Crazy Life

It's been a whirlwind since we got back to reality! I did get the kids suitcases unpacked but mine is still on my living room floor! I still have items from the trip that need to come in from the car. I just keep reminding myself that I just have to survive until April 5th when my rough draft is due!

Here are all the things I've done this week:
1. Baked, cooked, tried, and retried 17+ recipes for the upcoming pudding book.
2. Filmed a coupon segment at Fry's for KOLD that will air in May. Thursday
3. Took 5 different treats to Pack Meeting on Thursday night.
4. Laundry
5. 2 Parent Teacher Meetings
6. Shopping for ingredients
7. Took treat to Teacher Luncheon
8. Delivered Treats to neighbors.
9. Kept my Savvy Savings Blog up to date
10. Worked, Worked, Worked
11. Answered a ton of emails
12. Had a phone publicity conference this morning for upcoming media in California and a possible Satellite tour in the fall for 101 Things To Do With Meatballs.
13. Helped Devan come up with a costume for the Wright Brothers book report.
14. Took kids to the library and book fair.

Not to mention tending to the needs of 1 spouse and 4 kids 10 and under! Homework, lunches, etc... No wonder I'm so tired each night!

Our Spring Break Adventure

I'm in the middle of hitting another book deadline. My newest book will be titled 101 Things To Do With Pudding. As of Sunday I have 90 recipes entered with 7 ideas that I still have to fill in. I'm still missing 4 recipes. Any one have any great recipes calling for a box of pudding?

The rough draft is due on April 5^th. Deadlines can be all consuming. I wish I would have worked a little harder earlier, so that I wouldn't have the need to be making 3-5 recipes a day for the next week or so.

With the deadline hanging over my head, we decided to still take the kids up to Utah and Idaho for Spring Break. I knew I had at least 30 hours in the car to type in all my tried recipes and recipes that I still need to finalize. I seriously had a two inch stack of recipes that I typed into our laptop computer. It actually forced me to work on it. I couldn't procrastinate. I had to get it done.

We left to drive up to Utah on Thursday the 12^th. We drove all day to get from Marana to Pleasant Grove. We were able to get tickets to attend the Draper Utah temple open house for Friday March 13^th. I was suppose to have a book signing on Saturday, so I had scheduled to do a cooking segment on KSL's Studio 5 program on Friday to announce it. The book signing didn't get scheduled in time to get books transported, so I just did a promotion of my newest released cookbook, 101 Things To Do With Meatballs. We showed 3 easy ways to “Dress Up” meatballs. I shared the Magnificent Meatballs, Ginger Ale Meatballs, and Maple Meatballs recipes. We showed how to make the maple meatballs on air and talked everyone through the easiness of the 2 other finished recipes. The meatballs were a hit. The crew and anchors devoured all 3 recipes! They were a huge hit.

After the show, we packed up and picked up our friend, Tina Stephens, who we had not seen for 6 years. She went with us to my mom's condo where we met up with my aunt Kathy and uncle Bob who were visiting from Illinois. We all headed over to my aunt's hotel in Provo to go swimming. My brother, Derek, met us there to swim with the kids. After swimming, we had pizza at my mom and dad's place. Then, Derek, Valerie, my mom, Tina, and our family headed up to Draper for the open house.

We try to take our kids to as many open houses as we can. They have been to the Nauvoo Illinois, California Redlands, Rexburg Idaho, and now Draper Utah temple open houses. Our kids love the temple. And I am amazed at what they remember from the other open houses. They love the mirrors in the sealing rooms! The whole way up and back, the kids pointed out the temples that dot the landscape in Utah and Idaho-St. George, Provo, Mt. Timpanogus, Draper, Jordan River, Salt Lake, Bountiful, Idaho Falls, and Rexburg.

It was neat to go through the temple with our friend Tina. Tina has been learning more and more about our church over the last few years. She loved the temple and had some questions that she had in her mind answered while we were there. The spirit is so strong in the temple. There is so much peace there. I was grateful that Tina and our children could feel why we love to go to the temple.

On Saturday, Ivan and I hit the amazing case lot food storage sale at Maceys. We were concerned that we wouldn't have room to bring the kids home after we started trying to arrange the buckets of flour and oat and bags of sugar and rice. I wish we could have bought more. Ivan helped my mom replacing burnt out lights on vehicles and getting my brother Troy's car listed on Craigslist.

Later, we picked up Scotty Catt, our old home teacher who is going to BYU and teaching at the Missionary Training Center. We all met up with Jenny and Peggy Boshard to climb the Y. The kids were so excited to find snow along the path up to the Y. I, miraculously, made it to the top of the Y. It was quite the trek! After the hike, we all went to Cafe Rio for dinner. I wish we had Cafe Rio in Tucson!

Sunday, we slept in and went to my mom's ward at 11 a.m.. After church, we headed up Provo Canyon up past Sundance and Aspen Grove to a huge meadow of snow! We built a snow man and played in the snow. It was so much fun! We headed back down the mountain in time to have dinner with my parents and grandma.

On Monday, we took the kids to the church distribution center in Salt Lake to get Devan and Elizabeth their own scriptures. We got Spencer a small Book of Mormon with his own name on it as well. The kids were so excited to get their own scriptures. Elizabeth and Devan read their scriptures all the way up to Rexburg. The kids were happy to see there was a little snow left in Rexburg.

We got to Ivan's parents' home in time to have a great Family Home Evening with Grandma and Grandpa and Ivan's cousin Nathan's family. We had fun visit. We went over Nathan's house to see their food storage room. For those who have seen my little room, imagine one 4-5 times the size. It was pretty amazing!

On Tuesday, we spent the day with Ivan's parents. Lizzie and I went to get our hair done by my talented niece, Netti Holdaway who works at Mystic in Rexburg. Lizzie got a cute hair cut, and I got my hair cut and permed. Then, Liz and I checked out the Scrapbook store next to the hair saloon. I went to the store to pick up ingredients, so I could try 3 recipes while we were there in Rexburg. We took one of the ideas to a family dinner at Ivan's brother Sid's house in Hamer. After dinner, we went to see our nephew, Christian, receive his eagle scout award! 7 of the 9 children that Ivan's parents had were there with their families! It was so great to see everyone and to be able to take part in such an important event in one of our nephew's lives.

On Wednesday, we went up to check out the new BYU-Idaho bookstore and to sign my cookbooks there. They are always so excited when I come to sign books there. They were one of the first 2 stores to sell my self-published cake mix book when no one knew who I was. They have been one of my biggest supporters over the years! After signing books, Ivan and I headed to the cafeteria in the Manwaring Center to meet up with Aaron Van Horne who served as a missionary in Marana a little over 2 years ago. It was great to see and eat lunch with him. Then, we headed up to the Ricks Building to visit our friends who Ivan knew from his year as visiting faculty at BYU-I. It was great to see the few we were able to see.

I also finished the 2 other trial recipes while there at Ivan's mom's house on Wednesday. Around 6 p.m., we took out kids to Ivan's sister Debra's house. She watched the kids so I could go to Jamie Ashcraft's bread class. She did a great job teaching how to make bread! I learned something new from her class. If you spray your hands and counter with cooking spray, you don't have to worry about having the dough stick to your fingers! The stickiness is the part I hate about making bread. With this new trick, I'll be doing it a little more often! Ivan hung out with Nathan and his boys while we were in the class. The kids had a blast playing with their cousin Cameron while we were gone.

On Thursday morning, Ivan and I got up @ 4:40 a.m.. We wanted to be in the 6 a.m. Session at the Rexburg temple. It was neat to walk into the temple and to see so many familiar faces from Sugar City. We saw at least 6 people that we knew there at the temple. I love going to the temple where ever we are. I hope someday we can have our own temple in Tucson. I love that they swipe your temple recommends how when you go to the temple. Now, they can track who is actually using the temples. If they note lots of visits from people in the Tucson area maybe we will be able to get our own small temple someday!

After the temple, we came back and started to pack the car. Ivan and the boys went out to help grandpa knock down a fence line that he no longer needs. The boys had so much fun and I was even able to finish knocking out one of the planks! There was still some snow in the field. There was a good pile of snow the size of the 25 ton snow pile they brought into Gladden Farms at Christmas. I can't imagine how much snow they get there in a given winter. After cutting up some of the wood, we headed down to Utah to my parent's home. My dad made his specialty- Chicken and Dumplings- for dinner. Derek and his wife Valerie came over. I ran over to Maceys and picked up ingredients to make 3 more recipes. We made all three and sampled 2 of them. The third had to be frozen.

On Friday, we made a quick stop at the Quilted Bear-one of my all time favorite stores in Utah! Spencer was in desperate need of a zipper tie and they sell them for $8 there. It's a good thing that we had no extra room in the car, because there were lots of cute decorations calling my name! But, I got only what I needed and left. We headed south to meet up with Ivan's brother Ben's family to go camping at the Red Cliffs campground just north of St. George.

We loved camping when we lived in Utah, but the huge number of rattlesnakes scares me from camping in Tucson. The Red Cliffs campground has to be one of the best that I've seen. It was absolutely beautiful. The kids had so much fun climbing up the cliffs and crevasses of the mountain. Emma just wanted to go. For a 2 year old, she is quite the hiker! She has no fear and loves to explore. She had so much fun! So, did the other kids. Ben made an incredible Dutch oven Bacon Cheesy Potatoes. The kids had fun roasting hot dogs and marshmallows for Smores. It was fun to sit by the fire again!

In the morning, we had breakfast burritos, pancakes, and hot chocolate. Ben is quite the proficient outdoor chef! After breakfast we hiked the Red Cliffs trail to the water pools. It was a beautiful hike. The water level was higher than normal which added to the adventure. After the hike, we packed up and headed back to Ben and Ang's home in Hurricane. Our kids had so much fun playing with their cousins and hanging out at their house. That night we stayed up late and watched the movie, Fireproof, with Ben and Ang! What an uplifting movie! It's a must see for every married couple!

Sunday we packed up and enjoyed an amazing breakfast with Ben and Ang's family before we hit the road. We usually go to church with them and then take off, but their church didn't start until 1 p.m.. So, we started driving. I wrote this post while driving home. We stopped to grab a bite to eat in Kingman, AZ and it was 43 degrees outside at 2 p.m.. I had the kids wearing cool clothing today, so they were freezing!! We were excited to see 70 degree weather when we hit Phoenix!

So, tomorrow we are back to work. I've got 23 recipes to try this week. If you live close to us and want to sample, please let me know!!!

Winter Coats and Food Storage

I love Utah in March! I know everyone else here is anxious for it to warm up, but we are grateful for the small patches of remaining snow and the chance to wear our winter coats for the second time this winter!

It's so beautiful here! I love the snow capped mountains. I love being able to wear sweaters! We're getting ready to hike the Y in Provo with Scotty Catt, whose going to BYU. Then, we are heading to Cafe Rio! Both are things you can't find in Tucson.

Another thing you can't find in Arizona- a 45-pound bucket of white/red wheat for $18.99 (Reg. 46.29)! Maceys is having their caselot sale and they are basically losing money on this deal. If you live in Utah and need wheat, RUN to Maceys and get this before it's gone! They also have their sugar 50 lbs for 18.99 and 50 lbs of flour for 12.99. They have 20 lb bags of rice for 9.99. Plus their powdered milk, eggs, and butter products are also on this sale. We hope we have room in the car for the kids on the way back! :-) We are going to have to drive the truck route home verses crossing Hoover Dam. I can just see the Homeland Security people making us open the cans and bags to make sure that is what we are actually carrying if we went via the Dam.

Watch Me on KSL's Studio 5 Friday

For those who can tivo or watch, I'll be on KSL's Studio 5 program on Friday at 11 a.m. We'll be introducing my newest cookbook!

Is Couponing Really Worth It?

Sometimes I ask myself if the time and effort I spend trying to save money is really worth it. Today I think it was.

Let me share with you what I was able to get this morning paying only $ 6.03 out of my personal pocket! You read it right SIX dollars and THREE Cents! Ready for the list of what I got. Plus I returned home with $22 in Register Rewards from Walgreens and $4 more Extra Care Dollars to spend at CVS on my next visit.

Here were my stops!

I bought 2 Herbal Essence Hydralicious Sham or Cond $2.88
Get $1.00 ECB
Use $3.00/2 Herbal Essence 2/8/PG
=.38¢ each after coupon and ECB

I picked up 1 Crest Pro Health Toothpaste (4.2oz) at $2.99
Get $2.00 ECB
Limit one
Use $1.00 Crest ProHealth 2/8/P&G
=$.01 overage

I used the coupons and a $4 in CVS Extra Care Bucks that I received on a previous visit. My total came to $1.13 and that included the tax! Plus she handed me $2 ECB for the toothpaste and $2 ECBs for the Shampoo and Conditioner. So I have an additional $4 off my next purchase!

Today is the last day for Safeway's $5 off a purchase of 5 Cereal Sale. That brought the Life cereal to .99 and the Quaker Oatmeal Squares to 1.49 and that was without coupons.

Gratefully I had coupons! Safeway double coupons up to $1 off everyday. Thanks, Safeway!

Quaker Life Cereal, andy boxes $1 off 2 boxes and Quaker Oatmeal Squares Cereal, any 16 oz or larger .50 off 1 box (both expire 3-31-09) and both can be found in Red Plum2 that came in my 1/4 Sunday paper.

I separated my orders into 2 transactions. I bought 2 Life and 3 Oatmeal Squares per order. My total after coupons for 10 boxes of cereal was $4.90!



And then, we hit Walgreens! I love Walgreens! I really love Walgreens! They basically pay me to shop there. I'm not joking! With their great rebates and amazing deals plus with great coupons, I save so much money at this store! Plus they just announced they are bringing one to my neighborhood soon! I think they love me back!!

Last month I received $51 in rebates placed on my giftcard! When you monthly tell them to place your rebates on your gift card, they even give you more money back! I love it!

So, today here is what I was able to get from Walgreens with nothing paid out of my pocket!!!

I brought home 4 boxes of Kotex 18 ct tampons, 3 jumbo packs of Huggies diapers, 1 jumbo pack Huggies Pull-ups (we're getting close to potty training), 2 Glade Sented Oil Lasting Impressions air fresheners (regular price each is @ $10), 2 Glade Sense and Spray Motion-Activated Air Fresheners (regular price each is @ $10), 2 containers of Lysol Wipes, and 1 4 oz (large size) Right Guard Xtreme Gel Deodorant.

Using my rebate money on my gift card and some amazing coupons, I used $50.31 from my giftcard ($7.37 was tax). Plus, they handed me $22 back in Register Rewards to use in their store before 3/24th! Click here to see all the Walgreens deals using coupons this week.

I couldn't use the $5 off diaper coupons.com coupons because they only go up to size 2 for that type of diaper. But I ran my coupons over to a neighbor who just had a baby. She's going to be able to purchase 3 packs of the newborn diapers for $15 and Walgreens is going to hand her a $10 off her next purchase coupon that she can use on her next visit.

Is Couponing Really Worth It? Today I decided that sometimes it truly pays to be coupon savvy!

FREE Family Home Evening Pack

I was checking some of my favorite blogs and found this posting at Bargain Moms! Yeah!

"If you've been wanting some more great things for your Family Home Evening collection, here's a great opportunity!

'So I stumbled across this FREE offer from LIVING scriptures and I couldn't believe it!!! They just started giving the Hinckley Family Fun Gift Pack away as of yesterday!

Just enter your information you'll receive:

Journey to the Promise Land Animated Book of Mormon DVD
The Trek West "Docudrama" DVD
A 48-Page Family Home Evening Activity Book
8 Animated Book of Mormon character magnets.

All FREE and no shipping cost!!!'

CLICK HERE!"

Thanks again for the info, Bargain Moms!

To Learn, To Do, To Be

Today I gave my first talk in Arizona. Yes, we have lived here for 3 1/2+ years. Somehow I had managed to slip under the Sunday talk radar. On Wednesday morning, my phone rang at 8:20 a.m.. It was Brother Carranza who nonchalantly asked if I knew who had the DVDs from a class we had taken with them. I told him we had just gotten them last Sunday, but that we had so much going on in our lives trying to get ready for an upcoming trip and trying to get our corporate taxes done. He was welcome to take them and watch them if he wanted. We've become very close friends to the Carranzas. We started talking about finance and the economy for a few minutes. Then, I told him that I better let him go because I needed to run my kids to school. Then, he dropped the bomb. There was something else he needed to ask me- if we would speak in church on Sunday.

Of course, I said we'd speak. So, today Ivan and I spoke in front of (I'm guessing) 400+ people. I wrote out my talk this morning with lots and lots of help from above!!!! I thought I'd post it for those of you who were unable to hear it in person.

MY TALK

We were asked to speak on President Thomas S. Monson’s talk given to the priesthood session of General Conference last October. I’m grateful for the chance I had to study this talk.

I was touched with how in tune the prophet is with what has been happening in the world around us.

President Monson said, “Many areas of the world have experienced difficult economic times. Businesses have failed, jobs have been lost, and investments have been jeopardized. We must make certain that those for whom we share responsibility do not go hungry or unclothed or unsheltered. When the priesthood of this Church works together as one in meeting these vexing conditions, near miracles take place.

We urge all Latter-day Saints to be prudent in their planning, to be conservative in their living, and to avoid excessive or unnecessary debt.”

As long as I can always remember the leaders of the church have urged us to get our homes in order. Lately, our bishop has been giving different families in the ward the opportunity to live off their food storage. I was grateful for the chance my family had to do this recently. I realized that I need to be prepared with more than just food and water. It’s nice to have extra diapers. They can’t be rationed like goldfish crackers!

Our neighbors and friends are noticing as individual families participate in this challenge. Lately one of my friends asked what it was all about. For those who are new to the church or just learning about the church, let me explain.

The church has published a pamphlet entitled All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage. In the pamphlet, we are given 4 steps to building our home storage.

The first step is: Gradually build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet until it is sufficient for three months. President Hinckley taught us “We can begin ever so modestly,” “We can begin with a one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months.”1

Second, we are counseled to Store drinking water.

Third, we are asked to Establish a financial reserve by setting aside a little money each week, and gradually increase it to a reasonable amount.

And the fourth and final step is that once families have achieved the first three objectives, they are counseled to expand their efforts, as circumstances allow, into a supply of long-term basic foods such as grains, legumes, and other staples.

Of the new guidelines, Presiding Bishop H. David Burton says, “Our objective was to establish a simple, inexpensive, and achievable program that would help people become self-reliant. We are confident that by introducing these few, simple steps we can, over time, have more success.”

During the 80s, my dad was laid off from his job for a whole year. He did odd jobs to help bring in what money he could. My parents had 6 little mouths to feed. I remember my mom constantly expressing her gratitude for the blessings that had come to our family because they had followed the counsel of the church leaders when it came to food storage. I know that as we that as we follow these 4 steps and the council of President Monson that we will be blessed.

President Monson goes on to say, “Let us make our homes sanctuaries of righteousness, places of prayer, and abodes of love that we might merit the blessings that can come only from our Heavenly Father. We need His guidance in our daily lives.” One way we can make our home a sanctuary is by following our bishop’s council to read the Book of Mormon everyday with our families. As we do this, the Holy Ghost will bless our homes with its presence. As the world and all the chaos happening outside spins around us, we can feel the same peace we feel here at church in our homes.

President Monson stated “We have the hands to lift others from complacency and inactivity. We have the hearts to serve faithfully in our priesthood callings and thereby inspire others to walk on higher ground and to avoid the swamps of sin which threaten to engulf so many. The worth of souls is indeed great in the sight of God. Ours is the precious privilege, armed with this knowledge, to make a difference in the lives of others.

He then shared 3 imperatives (or duties) for those who follow the Savior in this sacred gospel work.

First, learn what we should learn.

Second, do what we should do.

And third, be what we should be.

First, learn what we should learn. President Monson quoted the apostle Paul who said to the Philippians in Philippians 3:13–14., “One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”2 And to the Hebrews in Hebrews 12:1–2 he urged, “Lay aside … sin[;] … let us run with patience the race … set before us, looking [for an example] unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”3

One of my favorite primary songs is “I’m Trying To Be Like Jesus.” To try to be like Jesus, we must first learn how he was. How do we do this? We do this by trying to learn of him. As we study and ponder the scriptures, the Holy Ghost will teach us what we individually must learn.

President Monson went on to say, “Now, some of you may be shy by nature or consider yourselves inadequate to respond affirmatively to a calling. (That’s how I felt about giving this talk in Sacrament meeting.) Remember that this work is not yours and mine alone. It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.

Second, do what we should do. Once we learn what we should learn, we need to act on it.

President Monson stated, “No assignment is menial in the work of the Lord, for each has eternal consequences. President John Taylor warned us, “If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those whom you might have saved had you done your duty.”7 And who of us can afford to be responsible for the delay of eternal life of a human soul? If great joy is the reward of saving one soul, then how terrible must be the remorse of those whose timid efforts have allowed a child of God to go unwarned or unaided so that he has to wait till a dependable servant of God comes along.

The old adage is ever true: “Do your duty, that is best; leave unto the Lord the rest.”

People have asked me what my motivation is in sharing the gospel with my family, friends, and neighbors. My motivation is just this: When my life is over, I do not want to meet up with anyone that I loved down here on earth in paradise and have them ask me why I didn’t share something that I knew would bring them and their families joy and happiness not only on earth but for eternity. I could not live with that pain. So, I invite them whenever I can. I know how much joy and peace the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to me and my family and I want them to taste of those blessings as well!

Third, be what we should be. In 1 Timothy 4:12, it reads “be thou an ^bexample of the believers, in word, in ^cconversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in ^dpurity.”

President Monson urged all of us “to pray concerning our assignments and to seek divine help, that we might be successful in accomplishing that which we are called to do.” He continued, “Man must seek, believe in, pray, and hope that he will find. No such sincere, prayerful effort will go unanswered: that is the very constitution of the philosophy of faith. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it.”

Each one of these 3 duties build on each other. Prayer is a great example. We first need to learn how to pray. We learn that we address our Heavenly Father, we thank him for our blessings, and we ask for things we stand in need of, then we close in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Once we learn that we need to act upon it. We act by praying individually and as families at the beginning and ending of our day and over the meals we eat. As we do, we are blessed. But then, prayer becomes a part of who we are. We find ourselves praying in the car or as we exercise. It just becomes an integral part of our day.

I pray that we can each do our duty to the best of our ability. I know as we do this Heavenly Father will pour out his blessings upon us. I know that President Monson is a prophet of God and that he leads Christ’s church on the earth today. I know as we act upon what he taught, we will be blessed.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

My Sister-In Law Camille's Baptism

My brother, Chad, and Camille on her baptism day

Chad and his wife surprised us by coming to our home for Christmas last year. We were so happy to be able to see both of them again. While in Arizona, they went to church with us. Once they got back to Florida, Camille told my brother that she really wanted to start going to church. They started going to church, and she started reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it was true.

In the Book of Mormon, there is a promise given by the prophet Moroni. He stated, “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:3-5)

Camille felt in her heart that the Book of Mormon was true, but she wasn't sure she knew enough to be baptized. She started praying about it. She opened up to Heavenly Father expressing a concern that she wasn't sure she really knew how to pray. She asked him to teach her. She also asked him to let her know when she should be baptized.

She flipped open my brothers phone and selected scriptures. Usually it made her select which book and which chapter. But this time, it opened up directly to Alma chapter 34. She thought to herself, "That's not where I was reading." But she felt impressed to read what it had to say. This is what she read.

17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your ^afaith^bcall upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; unto repentance, that ye begin to

18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is ^amighty to save.

19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in ^aprayer unto him.

20 Cry unto him when ye are in your ^afields, yea, over all your flocks.

21 ^aCry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your ^aenemies.

23 Yea, ^acry unto him against the ^bdevil, who is an enemy to all ^crighteousness.

24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

26 But this is not all; ye must ^apour out your souls in your ^bclosets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your ^ahearts be ^bfull, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your ^cwelfare, and also for the welfare of ^dthose who are around you.


Wow! There was her answer about how to pray. She kept reading.

30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have ^areceived so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, ye come forth and bring ^bfruit unto repentance.

31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and ^aharden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the ^bday of your ^csalvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and ^dharden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

32 For behold, this ^alife is the time for men to ^bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of ^cthis life is the day for men to perform their ^dlabors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many ^awitnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not ^bprocrastinate the day of your ^crepentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the ^dnight of ^edarkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

There was her answer to when she needed to be baptized. Camille was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sunday, February 22nd. We are so excited for her and Chad as they strive to get to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity a year from now. I hope to be there for that one!

The gospel is true! It always amazes me how Heavenly Father knows each one of us and answers each one of us individually as we come to him in prayer. We are his children and he loves us all so much. This much I know is true!

Amazing Grace

I love listening to the hymns! This is one of the best performances that I've heard of the classic hymn, Amazing Grace! How grateful I am for my Savior, Jesus Christ!

My Kids Creating Recipes

My kids were pretending to come up with their own recipes. They wanted to pretend they were doing a television cooking segment like their mom. The little blond girl with Liz is our neighbor, Abby.



Spencer wanted to have a turn as well! I love all the ingredients he chooses to mix together! It's classic!