The Cell phone vs. the Scriptures

I found this little "article" (not really sure what to call it) at my Church's website mormon.org . I found it thought-provoking. I have recently been trying harder to study, not just read, the Book of Mormon and Bible. I wish I were better about turning to the scriptures when I'm struggling, but at least I'm working on it! Practice makes perfect, right?

I wonder what would happen if we treated our scriptures like we treat our cell phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we spent an hour or more using it every day?
What if we used it to receive messages?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to other kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled? What if we used it in case of an emergency?
This is something to make you go...."Hmmm..Dude.. where are my scriptures?"

Unlike our cell phones:
One Plan does fit all.
Unlimited usage. No roaming charges.
You always have reception.
You can use it in the mountains and in a tunnel.
It's free with no hidden costs,
AND you don't ever have to worry your scriptures being disconnected, because CHRIST has already paid the bill!

New Calling

Shad was set apart as the 1st Counselor in our ward's bishopric Sunday. We're all excited for the opportunity to serve our church congregation more, and I'm truly grateful that this calling did not come until after I finished teaching.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Tonight was our church Christmas party. Santa and his elves came in from the North Pole to remind us that Jesus Christ is the reason for this holiday season.

One of the elves looked surprisingly like our home teacher, Russ Kappellman. (I'll have to ask him if he has a brother.) Emily found him rather entertaining.

Peter assured Santa that he's been good this year, but I'm not convinced. Someone keeps eating chocolates out of the parents' advent calendar, and it's not Shad or me. Maybe Santa will bring Peter some chocolate so he'll stop eating mine!

What if the Mormons are right?

I was sent an email link to an article in the Belfast Telegraph. It was written by one of their columnists, Eamonn McCann. Apparently, there has been some frustration expressed in Ireland about members of my church using parish records to acquire names to do baptisms for the dead. He starts off the article discussing the Biblical reference to and history of baptisms for the dead (see 1 Corinthians 15: 29).

All of this was interesting, but I just had to share this paragraph from the end of the article. It's too funny!

The key point is, surely, that all religions believe that the soul, after death, at last knows what’s what — whether Hinduism, Free Presbyterianism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism or whatever is the true religion. What if it’s Mormonism? What if it’s an everyday occurrence on the other side that Catholics and Protestants are left standing dumbstruck at the Gates, gasping: “Mormons! Who’d have believed it?” And maybe a wife berating her husband: “There! I told you it would be the Mormons! But would you listen?! Now it’s eternal hellfire for the two of us, I hope you’re satisfied.”

I can just hear that irate wife and 

picture that poor hen-pecked husband!

Church Callings

My life has been rather hectic lately. My new calling as Young Women's president is proving to be quite time-consuming, at least at the outset. We have Youth Conference next week and YW camp is just 2 1/2 months away. So much to do, so much to do.

I got to thinking about all of the Church positions I have served in over the years. Here's a list of the ones I can remember (I suffer from mom-nesia):

• Gospel Doctrine co-teacher with Shad (This was our first calling when we got married. We were only in that ward for 3 months - definitely the shortest amount of time I've served in a calling.)

• Sunbeams teacher (I didn't have kids and at that point in time I didn't even want kids. Then I caught mono from one of my Sunbeams. After I hurt my back they had to release me from that calling.)
  

• Meetinghouse Librarian (My first calling after we moved to Albuquerque. The only thing I was in charge of was making sure the library had paper and that the copier had toner and got repaired if it broke down.)

• Beehive Advisor (My first calling in the Volcano Cliffs Ward. Some of my Beehives are married now and two of them served missions for the Church.)

• Ward Bulletin queen (My first FAVORITE calling. I loved that calling!)

• Ward Missionary (The first calling I ever considered saying "no" to! Through this calling I learned that the Lord really does qualify those whom He calls. I could never have done this calling without His help.)

• Ward Website Administrator 

• Relief Society secretary (I was made for this calling! I am an awesome secretary, which is also why I was great as Ward Bulletin Queen and Ward Website Administrator. I also loved the sisters I worked with in the presidency. Val Gardner was the RS president and I looked up to her as a best friend/surrogate mom.  She helped me see that I was rather normal in my parenting frustrations. I have to say it was quite traumatic when I was released from this calling. It happened two days after I gave birth to my youngest daughter.  The whole presidency was released and I was quite bummed that the new RS president didn't keep me to be her secretary. )

• Music Chairperson (Another fun calling. I enjoyed going through the hymnal finding hymns that would match the talk subjects on Sunday.)

• Senior Nursery worker (I was quite the nursery dictator. I wanted the kids to be ready for Sunbeams and in my mind that meant sticking to a schedule and teaching them be to sit still during the lesson and singing time. I think I succeeded. The Primary President must have thought I had something to offer because I was released from this calling to become the Primary 1st Counselor.)

• 1st Counselor in the Primary (I don't enjoy kids the way others might and so this was sometimes a hard calling for me. I would try and bear my testimony, but the kids were usually too wiggly, too tired, or "too cool for Primary" to listen. I worked with the best president, though!)

• Gospel Doctrine teacher (This calling intimidated me at first, but I came to love teaching from the scriptures. I wish I could be a Gospel Doctrine teacher forever - it motivated me to really STUDY the scriptures.)

• 1st Counselor in the Relief Society (Thankfully I was the Education counselor and not over Enrichment. I don't have a creative bone in my body.)

• Honorary Cannery Specialist (I was never officially called to this position, or even assigned to it. When the ward split, the cannery specialist stayed in our ward and was given 2 other callings and was about ready to have her 5th child. I took pity on her and took over the cannery job.)

• Young Women's president (So far, so good!)
  

New Experiences

The kids got to meet one of their two new cousins yesterday. Shad's sister Camille came into town along with her husband Patrick and daughter Charly. Grandma Bernadette surprised us by coming along as well. It was great to see them and fun to see Camille being a mom - she's already a pro and Charly's just 2 months old. (Unfortunately, Shad didn't take pictures of our kids with Charly, so we'll have to get Grandma Bernadette to send us some when she gets back to LA.)

The kids went on mini-missions this morning at our Church Primary activity.

Introducing...  Irma Laura Solis!

Her mini-mission was to Brazil.

"I hope they call me on a mission!"

Elder Peter Solis served his mini-mission in Bristol, England.

"I'll have some more of that dirty rice, please!"

Sister Emily Solis served in the Louisiana mission and was one of the few brave souls to try some authentic New Orleans food.

Holli - I need your dirty rice recipe. Emily especially loved the sausage!

Grateful Sunday

Last Sunday one of our sacrament speakers was sick. The Bishop opened up the remainder of the meeting to anyone who had a "talk" they wanted to give. I normally wouldn't be grateful for someone being sick or for an opportunity to speak in church, but I am grateful because I had a spiritual experience. I normally have a difficult time recognizing the Spirit in my life. Not that Sunday. It came and hit me right in the chest. It was very noticeable. I knew Heavenly Father wanted me to get up and speak. I ended up talking about Visiting Teaching, something of which I have a very strong testimony. What I said isn't what was important to me. Feeling the Spirit, recognizing the Lord's hand in my life, remembering that Heavenly Father is aware of me and where I am and what I'm doing - those are important to me and so I'm thankful that Bro. Christy was sick last Sunday!

Grateful Sunday

I'm going to steal an idea from someone else's blog. Sunday will now be my day to post a list of things for which I am grateful.

I had some trivial things to list, but I just found out that President Gordon B. Hinckley, the prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away this evening.   

And so I must express my gratitude for this man. I have been in several meetings where President Hinckley spoke, at BYU, at the dedications of the St. Louis and Albuquerque temples, at a regional conference, and at a stake conference. Shad actually worked security for both the regional and stake conference. At BYU I worked as an usher at the Marriott Center and was able to observe Pres. Hinckley up close and personal on several occasions. 

• I will always remember how tenderly he treated his wife. I hope to have that kind of loving relationship with my husband in my 80's!  I am grateful to know that families are forever and to know that right now Pres. Hinckley is with his beloved wife again. I bet he is so happy!
  
• I am grateful for the temples that now dot the Earth (including one right here in Albuquerque) because of Pres. Hinckley's inspired vision. 
• I am grateful for his optimism and his counsel to "enjoy the journey." 
• I am so thankful for modern prophets and I know that our new prophet will be called of God. I am thankful that God loves the people on Earth today as much as he loved the Israelites and that He speaks to us through a living prophet.
• I am grateful that I will be able to pray and receive my own confirmation from the Holy Ghost that Pres. Monson is Heavenly Father's choice to lead and guide His Church upon the Earth.

-Windy