His Day

I love this picture because we have one where Grandpa Johnson is the dad and Andy is the kid.

A. turned 8 this year.  In our church, it's the year you get to be baptized.  (Go here for more about baptism in our church.)  Since he turned seven, A. has been telling people (even complete strangers!) that when he turns eight, he gets baptized and he gets to go to cub scouts.  He has been really looking forward to it.  Aunt Charlotte gave the talk and Uncle Stan gave the closing prayer.  Uncle Arnie and Uncle Spence were the witnesses.  And I got to welcome him into the primary.  (You know, since I am the primary president again... The main reason I was sad to be released last time.)

It was an emotional day for Andy and I.  We were remembering how emotional we were the day he was born and the day we blessed him.  And how emotional we were at our wedding.  Andy said something about maybe being less emotional as we baptize each subsequent kid.  I'm not betting on it, because important family moments make us blubber every time.  :)  We were so proud of him-- the boy he's becoming, the choices he's making-- and just in awe at how quickly his life is flying by.  We are blessed that God sent him to us.  He has blessed our family and he is a strong spirit.  I am grateful for his influence on my other boys.  Just the other day, I noticed G. saying his personal nightly prayer.  I hadn't reminded him.  I think it's the combination of seeing A. be so good about it and the teachings of his church teachers.  (I go to bed so much later than him, that I'm sure it's not much of my influence.)

We were so grateful to have such support from so much family.  It was so fun to have them see our new place and spend time with them.  We have missed the Johnson's and living so close to cousins.  We saw them all the time before we moved, so my kids were going through withdrawals.  My sister's family drove five hours and stayed the weekend.  It was the first time we had met their beautiful baby boy and he's such a sweetheart.  We were also excited to have my aunt's family come.  Their son had a cross-country meet here so their trip was extra worth-it.  I really appreciated that they came all the way.  It's funny that she was always my faraway aunt and now she lives close enough to come to A.'s baptism.  :)  Her boys were so sweet to the Johnson cousins.  

The weather was perfect and it was a fantastic reason to get together.  We shared a lasagna dinner before most of them had to leave.  The only bummer of the day was that Anna twisted her ankle, but luckily Spence (the trained EMT in the family) taped her up.  And she says she is healing nicely.

I think A. had a very memorable day.

My Future Missionary

Uncle Spence took all the stylin' pics of A.

Click on this pic to see it BIG.

Our family.  They are all growing up so fast!             
And yes, we bribed G. to get him to smile.  It worked a little too well!          

8 years ago, this guy came into our lives.  :)

The following  are some of my thoughts in preparation for A.'s baptism.  Some background info:  Mormons know how to have a good time and we have activities that are noisy and joyous.  But if you have never been to a service, you should know that we teach our children to show their respect for Heavenly Father by being reverent.  Also, when they are quiet, they will learn the way the Holy Ghost speaks to them- spirit to spirit.  This means that in our meetings, we attempt to get our children to talk in hushed voices and we don't applaud during services.  Needless to say, when I have been in churches with electric guitars and drum sets, I am a little out of my element.  :)

     I attended a baptism once where the family of the child to be baptized were relatively new to the church.  Because of this, no one was surprised when after he emerged from the water, many in the family applauded.  This response was quickly, but politely, hushed. 

     My oldest child will be baptized in a few weeks.  We have looked forward to this day almost his entire life.  I often contemplate how though joyous for us when our children are born, it must be a bittersweet day for our Heavenly Father.  I am sure He misses us and worries about us even though our sojourn on this earth is part of His plan.  On that day of baptism though, we as parents share with Him in the excitement of the moment.  This is the day where that son or daughter chooses to become His. 

     I recognize the appropriateness of reverence at worship meetings, as well as baptisms.  But I also have heard sacred music sung when I longed to have some way to express my appreciation.  At the baptism that day, perhaps the applause of joy was not the norm.  But it did express how we all felt.  When Alma asked the people if they desired to be baptized, to be called His people and come into the fold of God, "they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts." (Mosiah 18:8,11)

     It has been years since my baptism and I only remember a few things.    Now as I prepare the program for my boy's baptism, I cheer inside that our Heavenly Father lets us be old enough to choose his plan.  On that day, I will have to cheer on the inside that my boy has the desire to come into the fold of God.  I won't clap, but I will want to.

Fasting

In his church class two weeks ago, A. learned about fasting when you pray for people. In our faith, we fast the first Sunday of the month for 2 meals and donate that money to the church to distribute to those less-fortunate. We also use that opportunity to consider those that may need extra faith and prayers going their way. A. was very excited and told us all about it on the way home. He wanted to do it this last Sunday.

On Sunday morning, I woke him and asked if he was still planning on trying it. He seemed really concerned and started talking about this boy in his class at school. It took me a while to understand why S. was relevant to whether A. would fast or not. S. is in a wheel-chair and I am not sure why, because he wasn't in first grade. A. told me that he told S. he was going to fast that he wouldn't be in a wheel-chair anymore. (Could he be more sweet and believing in the power of God!?!) S. probably didn't understand A.'s intentions because S. told him not to fast for him. So my 7 year-old was concerned that he didn't have a reason to fast, so should he still do it?

I assured him that he could come up with something else to fast for. He mentioned praying for everyone in the whole world that is sick. I told him that usually we try to be a bit more specific. So he decided on some people to pray for.

At church, he got a little hungry the first hour. Andy told him that he was hungry too because he was fasting, and then A. remembered and sat back down. He fasted the whole 3 hours and told me afterward that he was doing OK. He didn't even rush to the kitchen for lunch when we got home. We went to his room to close his fast with a prayer. He prayed and just said, "Bless all the people I am fasting for."

Andy and I were planning on having him start fasting when he is baptised on his eighth birthday and only one meal for a while. I told A. that and asked him if he wanted to wait until his summer birthday, or fast again in January. He told me he wants to do it again. I am so proud of him. What an awesome kid! :)

We Thank Thee...

A. gave this talk in September in church to all the children 3-7. I love how it simplifies what I believe about a living prophet on the earth today. I am thankful for the prophet's guidance in these days. It helps me know how to guard my children from the many things that could rob them of peace and security.

"Last weekend, my family went camping. It got very dark after the sun went down. My dad brought a flashlight so we could see through the darkness. It would have been really hard to find our way without the light.

We live in a world with lots of darkness. Satan wants us to get lost so that we cannot find our way. Heavenly Father knows we can't make it on our own, so he sent a family to help us. But to see which way to go, he gives us a Prophet.

A prophet is a man that speaks to Heavenly Father and teaches us what to do to go to live with Heavenly Father again someday. The prophet has all the keys of the Priesthood to lead Christ's church. He shows us how to follow Jesus and walk in His light. He will speak to us at General Conference next month. It is important that we listen carefully to what he says so we know what Heavenly Father wants us to do. We can share his counsel with our family and follow his instructions and all he says.

I know that President Monson is a prophet and that he teaches us what we need to know. If we follow him, our family can go the right way and get closer to our Heavenly Father."

http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-commandments/follow-the-prophet

So here is a bit of what President Monson taught this October.

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I greet you this morning with love in my heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for each of you. I am grateful for the privilege to stand before you, and I pray that I might effectively communicate to you that which I have felt prompted to say.

A few years ago I read an article written by Jack McConnell, MD. He grew up in the hills of southwest Virginia in the United States as one of seven children of a Methodist minister and a stay-at-home mother. Their circumstances were very humble. He recounted that during his childhood, every day as the family sat around the dinner table, his father would ask each one in turn, “And what did you do for someone today?”

The children were determined to do a good turn every day so they could report to their father that they had helped someone. Dr. McConnell calls this exercise his father’s most valuable legacy, for that expectation and those words inspired him and his siblings to help others throughout their lives. As they grew and matured, their motivation for providing service changed to an inner desire to help others.My heart is full now as I speak of the experience and contemplate the lives which have been blessed as a result, for both the giver and the receiver...

The words from the 25th chapter of Matthew come to mind:
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

My brothers and sisters, may we ask ourselves the question which greeted Dr. Jack McConnell and his brothers and sisters each evening at dinnertime: “What have I done for someone today?” May the words of a familiar hymn penetrate our very souls and find lodgment in our hearts:

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today

Because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?

When they needed my help was I there?

That service to which all of us have been called is the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. As He enlists us to His cause, He invites us to draw close to Him..."

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-27,00.html