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Testimony meetings tend to have a theme and today's was about remembering. Remembering the Lord. Remembering the tender mercies that happen. Remembering the blessings that come to us. For me, if I don't write it down, I tend to forget which is one of the reasons for this blog. Hence I'm documenting the following story lest I forget.
Youth conference has come and gone again.
Two years ago we were camped in the exact location and watched as the bishop went off the zipline . . . . with his glasses on. My counselor and I both yelled glasses as he plunged into the water, never to find them again. On that particular trip he ended up traveling 45 minutes to get another pair in order to drive home.
This trip we chided and kidded and reminded him to take his glasses off. Our group split in half with some going on a hike to Indian writings and the other half staying to play in the pond. My group arrived back from the hike to hear that the bishop couldn't find his glasses and thought someone had taken them as a joke. My counselor who stayed behind was pretty sure he had dove into the water . . . with his glasses on. He wasn't around when we heard this so a couple of kids dove in the general vicinity of where he was thought to have gone in, searching for a lost pair of glasses.
No luck.
When he returned, Bishop Steinagel ventured further down the pond than anyone had been searching. He relates that he was diving down trying to spot them with his eyes and not having any success. He stopped a moment, said a quick prayer for help, and immediately had a thought to step to one side. As he did, his foot felt the glasses and he was able to pull them up with his toes.
He told this story to my dad who was in awe that he was able to locate them. It's a fairly good size pond and can get deep quickly.
Dave Davies, one of his counselors and a covert jokester, fashioned some eyeglass protection should he ever attempt to go in the water again.
Isn't it wonderful that the Lord knows our needs and is able to help should we only ask. He wants to help and bless us, but he also knows it helps us to grow when we humble ourselves enough to ask when we are in need. This story is so characteristic of Bishop Steinagel. He is a man who listens intently to the promptings he gets and follows them. It is a gift I greatly desire and am working on.
Ferron was calling us again for Youth Conference 2017 so we headed back per the kids' request. How grateful I am for parents who willingly lend out their yard. Not just for us, but for groups all the time.
President Davis, first counselor in our stake presidency, is over the safety for the the power plant outside of Ferron and others around the state. He graciously offered to meet us down there and give us a tour of the power plant. I don't know how many countless times I've driven past that plant and have never been inside. I also learned on that tour that our bishop is not a fan of heights.
Some of us hiked to the Indian writings again.
The priests helped haul some hay one morning.
Everyone played in the pond.
And we offered our services to a lady in need. Here is her story.
This year our youth conference didn't quite get planned until last minute. We had been before so it wasn't too stressful other than figuring out who was in charge of what meal and did we have enough seats for everyone. I called the nursing home to see if we could come and perform a little talent show for them again but nobody got back with me. The Sunday before we were to leave I started to worry a little about finding a project for our group to do when I had a thought to ask Cindy Astill about her sister that lives in Ferron. I knew this sister was a widow and might need some help. Cindy almost immediately responded to my text with a huge YES and gave me her sister Darline's phone number.
Later that night I called Darline to arrange a time for us to come. She was more than ecstatic and wasn't one bit worried about having 40 or so people in her yard. When we showed up in our matching blue shirts, it was an awesome sight to see.
She pulled me aside to tell me that she had just started a new job as a counselor at the high school and somehow their files had been lost and she was spending 12 to 14 hour days trying to get everything up and running before registration the following week.
Sunday night she had pulled into her garage with her daughter in the seat next to her, wondering to herself how she was going to tackle the yard projects that needed to be worked on, when I called. After our little exchange she turned to her daughter and said, "You are not going to believe this. We have 40 people coming on Friday to help us."
I knew then that the reason the nursing home had not gotten back with me was that we were to be helping hands to someone with a greater need. There is no greater feeling of joy than knowing you have been an instrument in God's hands.
Three birthdays . . . kind of.
We celebrated Kiersten's 4 days before school let out.
Erik's was 4 days later on the last day of school.
Alex turned five 4 days ago.
Kiersten is playing her wrapping paper. I think she liked it more than any real present.
Her birthday happened to fall on Siesta Sunday and since it was a big one -- 16 -- I invited some of her friends over for cake and ice cream.
Erik received a gift from Savanna Lawson, a girl from our old neighborhood who dubbed him Roadrunner in first grade since he always ran to school. They were in the same English class this year, and for the Shakespeare unit, Erik got cast as Romeo and Savanna was Juliet.
Alex reminded me months in advance that since he was turning 5, it was the big year for his first birthday party. I do believe this was the most low key party I've ever come up with. Splash pad, popsicles and chocolate chip-m&m cookies, open presents, send kids home with a punch balloon. The best part is my older kids pretty much ran the show.
Payson Temple open house was part of our summer plans and Training Table afterwards.
A last minute race for Kiersten with her friend Hannah.
Quick day trip to Ogden to the Dinosaur Park and Smith & Edwards -- funnest store around.
Seems like we hit the dino park every so often. First time ever was on Erik's 4th birthday and the terror that filled his little heart. It took us the entire trip through the park to convince him they weren't real. Then we had to go back through again and see it with new eyes.
2011
2007
2004 (notice Erik is not in this picture)
Youth Conference in Ferron. One of our impromtu night activites was instigated by the Tovar family. We had a little rap fest where the kids would face off and come up with a rap that was complimentary about the other person. What a riot! My rap pretty much sums up the amazing group of young people we have in our ward.
"We have the best Youth in the entire stake. The live in a Ward on the Point by the Lake!" :) Get it? Lake Point Ward Youth. Ha ha.
I won't lie; it was a little stressful knowing we were headed home and I just prayed they would all behave themselves and not be stupid. They far exceeded my expectations. I didn't stress a minute we were there. The feedback I got afterwards was that they all want to come again and how much they loved all the free time. They pretty much lived in the pond the entire two days.
Friday morning we went on a hike out to some Indian writings and then later that day we performed a little talent show at the nursing home.
Toward evening a game of capture the flag commenced. The pond was neutral and each team was on one side of the pond and the other. I went undercover for one team and acted as the garbage lady picking up trash when really I was gathering information about where their flag was. As I came upon the flag I debated about how I was going to get it back to the other side. Meghan, who was guarding the flag somewhat, asked if I was playing and before I could really respond she said, "Oh, you're just the garbage lady." A minute later I took that flag and jumped in the pond, clothes and all, yelling, "I got their flag" and swam it to the other side. I took everyone by surprise since I hadn't been in the pond yet. It was a very clever move and won me many high hives, hugs, glares, cheater comments. It was definitely a moment that will live on in infamy with the youth of our ward.
Rootbeer tasting party for Fathr's Day. I do believe the winner was IBC.
And tomorrow we are hosting a neighborhood party. Welcome summer!
