I love teaching Relief Society

So, last Sunday I taught Relief Society again.  This time as an officially called teacher.  I teach the 4th Sunday, teachings for our times.  The lessons come from General Conference talks.  This month's lesson assigned was the talk given by Elder David A. Bednar called...

The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn

DAVID A. BEDNAR

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As I prepared and studied, this talk literally sang to my soul. I have had experiences like this before but it has been a while. I took dad's big, framed photograph of William Carter and Sophronia, the photo of Grandma and Grandpa Dunlop on their wedding day and a photo of Paul and I on our wedding day as well as my big William Carter book and the book daddy wrote.  I also took handouts of the poem If You Could See Your Ancestors and chocolate.    As I began to teach I had to pause and breathe because the spirit was guiding me in a direction different than I had planned.  It was amazing to be led by the spirit and to testify with all of my heart.  I am so grateful for this calling and for the Lord's love.  May we all be inspired by the Spirit of Elijah and be blessed with a desire to do our genealogy, to go to the temple and to continue to build the kingdom of God on the earth as we prepare for the second coming.    

Here is the poem I gave as a handout.  

If You Could See Your Ancestors

By Nellie Winslow Simmons Randall
If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row,
Would you be proud of them or not?
Or don't you really know?
Some strange discoveries are made
In climbing family trees.
And some of them, you know,
Do not particularly please.

If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row,
There might be some of them perhaps
You shouldn't care to know.
But here's another question
Which requires a different view -
If you could meet your ancestors
Would they be proud of you?

poetry I love

I love poetry! Especially love poetry! The kind of poetry that make you think of that special person in your world. The kind that makes you want almost melt into them. If you have never read poetry by Pablo Neruda, I highly recommend it. He is magical! Here is one of my fav's:

I Crave Your Mouth, Your Voice, Your Hair

I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair.
Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets.
Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day
I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps.

I hunger for your sleek laugh,
your hands the color of a savage harvest,
hunger for the pale stones of your fingernails,
I want to eat your skin like a whole almond.

I want to eat the sunbeam flaring in your lovely body,
the sovereign nose of your arrogant face,
I want to eat the fleeting shade of your lashes,

and I pace around hungry, sniffing the twilight,
hunting for you, for your hot heart,
like a puma in the barrens of Quitratue.


Translated by Stephen Tapscott

Pablo Neruda

SHE'S 1!!

Beautiful Amelia Elaine, 1 year old!

Milly has the sweetest, most fun personality ever!!

She has really made a huge impact on my life in this short year. I love her so much!

She crawls, laughs, smiles, points, has taken a few steps, and is my little sunshine!

a miracle to me!

Last week, I got the amazing opportunity to witness a miracle. My best girlfriend Jenna gave birth to Amelia Elaine, a beautiful 7lb 1oz, 21.5 inch long baby girl. The labor wasn't long and Jenna was powerful. Jenna's mom, Carol and son, Isaiah were there too. Just after she was born there was this reverence and quiet energy in the delivery room. I am so grateful and blessed to have had this wonderful experience. I love you Amelia!

If you feel it...say it!

Have you ever been afraid to say I love you?

Been afraid they won't say it back. Or won't say anything at all.

Or do you just not want to say it first?

I heard a very wise woman say once,

"Love with conditions isn't love at all, it's something else."

So if you feel it, say it!

Shout it! Show it!

Celebrate that love lives one more day!

new poetry :)

love and life
life and love
ebb and flow
i wish i could know
how it's going to go. . .

give and receive
without expectation
it's a cycle
a creation
with your participation
IF you choose

live in the moment
the moment is now
only you know how
and what works, for you
it's never too late to start anew

life and love
love and life
it's not for me to know
how it will go
let go, let it go

baby steps

i find myself wanting to be in love so badly that i find myself broken hearted every other week or month or day. . . argh!!! why do i give myself so freely to those who really don't deserve me or those who tell me one thing and do something completely different.

my new favorite phrase/quote, "you can't just say I love you, you have to live I love you"

- Ben Harper

so love, once again, here i am. please be kind. oh, and no more jerks, I'm done with 'em.

FAMILY

Interesting how

7 adults

born to the same parents

and raised in the same household

can be SO DIFFERENT

opinions

style

life experiences

personalities

talents and abilities

careers

parenting styles

choices

and yet

still love one another

I live!

I know it's always been there, I just had to remember.

I am a loving, courageous, passionate woman.

Through my love and passion I create joy and inspiration.

thank you to all of my GL buddies, staff and Analee for assisting me in discovering who I am and my purpose! I feel a new dawn breaking in my life and see endless possibilities. I love the way I feel - my heart is truly full.