Enjoyable Events

We had a couple of enjoyable events this past week.  Nick took me out to lunch for my birthday and we had a nice conversation.  It's a little unusual to spend time one on one with my adult children--at least the ones that have kids.  This is one of the joys of being a parent--your kids grow up and become your friends.  They are still our children--that never changes, but the relationship changes and becomes richer.  

We also had the opportunity to watch Yuli for a couple of hours while Dan took Jieun to a doctor appointment for a procedure to help with her back pain.  It was nap time, so Roy took her downstairs to get her to sleep.  I got home a few minutes later and went down to try to take over.  Yuli would not settle down for me, so Roy took charge again and got her to sleep within a few minutes.  She slept the rest of the time.  When Dan came to pick her up, she was still asleep, so I told him to leave her.  Of course, she woke up within five minutes of his leaving.  I was holding a presidency meeting, so I just held her in my lap until it was convenient for Dan to come and get her.  She just stayed in my lap and cuddled for about 45 minutes.  I really enjoyed it.  Usually I don't get that "just after waking up, cuddle time."  

The third enjoyable event was dinner at Nan Oblad's house with 5 out of my 6 siblings and their spouses.  Bruce and Barbara were unable to attend.  

Steve, Christine, Charlotte, Phil, Bruce, Nan, Catharine, Roy, Glenn, Rosilene, and David.  Becky's taking the picture.

After dinner

I threw in another one with Becky in it, but she's hard to see there in the corner

 We were in for a surprise when Nan opened the door to go try out Charlotte's new car.  There was probably 8 inches of snow that we were not expecting.  Nan changed her mind about driving Char's car.  Then everyone started panicking about getting home.  We waited for about an hour to see if the plows would come by, but they didn't, so we just braved the storm.  We left in order of where our cars were parked.  I think Glenn had the hardest time driving home (to Jed's house in Kaysville) because he's not used to driving in snow and he was driving a rental, so he was unfamiliar with the car, but we all managed to make it home safely!

I was contemplating what to write to make my letter worthwhile, and I noticed an older issue of the Ensign open to an article that is so apropos for today.  It's worth reading, but I'll note a few of the passages I had previously underlined.  Elder Ballard, Watch ye Therefore...  The heading says, "Today I expand my call for prayer to all people from every country around the world."  He pleads with us "to pray for this country, for our leaders, for all people and for the families that live in this great nation founded by God."  He continues, "No matter how you pray or to whom you pray, please exercise your faith...and pray for your country and for your national leaders...we stand today at a major crossroads in history and the nations of the earth are in desperate need of divine inspiration and guidance."

President Ballard says, "Among the things that shall come to pass before His Second Coming are "wars and rumours of wars...famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.  In the D&C the Savior said, 'And all things shall be in commotion...for fear shall come upon all people.  

He counsels us to "rely more fully upon God and to turn [our] hearts to Him through sincere prayer.  Humbling ourselves and seeking heaven's inspiration to endure or conquer what is before us."

 He invites us to pray: "I invite you to pray always.  Pray for your family.  Pray for the leaders of nations, Pray for the courageous people who are on the front lines in the current battles against social, environmental, political, and biological plagues that impact all people throughout the world..."

And I love this, "Sincerely praying for those who may be considered our enemies demonstrates our belief that God can change our hearts and the hearts of others.  Such prayers should strengthen our resolve to make whatever changes are necessary in our own lives, families, and communities."

Then he tells us that "praying for justice, peace, the poor, and the sick is often not enough.  After we kneel in prayer, we need to get up from our knees and do what we can to help--to help both ourselves and others."

This talk was given in November 2020, and looking through it today I thought how very timely it was then, and still is.  "We need to pray for peace, for comfort, for safety, for opportunities to serve one another." 

 I have written many entries about the need to follow our prophet (and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who are also prophets, seers and revelators.  We need their guidance more each day.  We also need to remember that their job is not to be politically correct--they are to guide us as they are guided by the Lord.  

Cousins getting to know one another better.  Camden, and Yuli