Week of November 19, 2012

Well, Happy Thanksgiving!  We have been stuffed to the gills since Thursday.  All the usual fare.  Except, we were low in numbers this year!  It was kinda quiet for Thanksgiving dinner, but alas.  Annie and Lainey did their best to make up for it.  Dad tried too…

Then, of course we went to the Macy’s Parade on Friday.  Dad went to Denver, though so for the first time in 9 years, he missed it.

And on Saturday…..?  I worked the day at the school helping to get the Christmas Tree lot ready. 

Drew, speaking of Gethsemanes… Elder Holland said this: “The road to Salvation always goes through Gethsemane and it will always require a journey to the summit of Calvary. If we say we’re disciples of Christ, we walk where He walked, we feel what He felt, we pray the way He prayed, and we shed the tears He shed, at least in some proportion; in some symbol. I do not know what it means to say the we’re disciples of Christ but I don’t want to do what He did, I don’t want to feel what He felt, but oh, boy, I’m in it! I’m right here, shoulder to the wheel!  I don’t think that will work. I think the invitation is always ‘Come Follow Me.’ 

“My convictions and my feelings for the Savior of the World have been borne in the most desperate hours of my life.  When I wondered whether the sun would ever come up again.  It seemed to come up for other people. It seemed to come up  every morning for everybody else I could see, but not for me. Now, it isn’t always like that, and it’s not supposed to always be like that and we’re  a little self-pitying if we act like it’s always like that but some parts of the discipleship require that walk.  Basically His walk.”

This was a tearfully delivered talk that really spoke to me after you expressed your feelings last week.   Thank you for that.

There was a sweet little boy named Logan Holt in Primary today who gave a talk on preparing to serve a mission.  After he was done, I told him I liked the scripture that he gave.  It was Alma 29:15.  “Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!” I told him that I have two sons serving missions right now and asked if I could share his scripture with you.  He smiled and said yes. 

I hope you go into the Christmas season with a smile in your heart.  I am so proud of all my sons and am always looking forward to hearing from each of you!  Only 29 days until our Christmas chat!