FunnyBlog

Loving my body.

I feel very uncomfortable being called inspiring when it comes to my body. My mind, my faith, my writing, even my family…they can be inspiring, but not my body.

Why is that? Because I have a horrible self image. I believe myself to be a fat girl. I have always been the biggest of my three sisters. I have been teased as a child, adolescent, and adult because of my weight.

So I got a message from a friend the other day. She has been following me on facebook. She knows I started running again and she wanted me to know that I am her hero and that I am inspiring. It makes me cringe to write those words in reference to my body, even though I have read her encouragement at least ten times.

She wants to know how to start. She is sick of being over-weight. I feel 176% unqualified to answer her. In fact, I don’t really know what her answer is. I don’t even have full confidence that I can keep helping myself in this regard. Every day is a battle for me. I truly believe I have a less severe form of food addiction and every day I am still battling it. I don’t have all the answers for me yet, how in the world can I help someone else?

I have been on a self-discovery journey for a few years now. It started with just getting to know my past and my emotions and has advanced to making changes. My body is a place that I needed to change. I don’t know if anyone can heal physically without first the emotional healing.

I can’t even describe my whole journey. I am inadequate to express the process. So, I don’t know what to tell you. I wish I had the magic words to motivate you. I wish I had the magic words to make Oreos less appealing also. That would help me out a lot.

However, I do have three tips.

Number one. Get real. What is really going on with you? Why do you loathe yourself? I promise you that inward there is some self hatred. That was what made the final decision for me to start exercising. I really made it a matter of prayer about how I could change. My answer wasn’t anything I expected. My answer from God was a question. “Alice, why can’t you love yourself like I love you?” When I started really pondering that question I felt empowered. The master of the Universe loves me. He loves me even when I don’t love me. Shouldn’t I love myself as well as he loves me? And isn’t the way that I am treating the temple he gave me a huge indication of how poorly I am doing in the love department? If you really don’t know how to do this for yourself, I highly recommend using the 12 steps in your own life. The LDS church puts out a great manual, and the steps can be used by anyone to apply the atonement in their life and make lasting changes. The fourth step is a really great tool at getting to know yourself. Years ago, I became acquainted with the 12 steps for my codependency, but I truly believe that the principles I have learned there have been greatly beneficial with my body image also.

Number two. Just start. One step at a time. After I had my spiritual awakening (which I am still in the middle of – still figuring out) I made a promise to myself that I would get started. I’ve done all the calorie counting many times in my life, so this time I wanted to focus more on getting strong. I decided to go back to where I was when I felt strongest. It was back when I was 17 and running every day. I decided that I would once again run…no matter how hard it was to get there. I set a goal. I could barely run a lap. I decided that in two months time I could at LEAST do a 5k, even if I had to walk it. I would try my hardest to run it, but I would walk it if I had to. No matter what, I was going to do it. And I did it. I ran the whole thing. It only took me two months to get in shape enough to run a 5k. I surprised myself. I was way stronger than I thought I was. In the process, I got to see the me that God loves. All along the only thing keeping me from doing it was myself.

Three. Get real again. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Everyone says that a person should exercise first thing in the morning. I would always fail because I am NOT a morning person. Figure out how to make exercise doable for you. It has truly become a break for me. I like exercising in the afternoon. I decided my older kids could watch their baby sister after school two times a week for an hour. It’s the least they could do for me when I do so much for them. (Again I had to love myself enough to believe this to really be true – all part of the journey) A lot of the time the baby is napping and it isn’t a big deal. I only run three times a week. On Saturday my husband does baby duty. It has been working just fine for me for 6 months. 6 months. Wow, I didn’t realize it had been that long. I kind of feel proud of myself. See! See, how I just wrote “kind of: ?Downplaying!  That is what I do when it comes to my body. So excuse me while I say, “I am damn proud of myself.” I hope the Lord will forgive me for taking up the d word for a bit. It helps me get through to myself.

So I guess my answer is this. It’s a journey. An old Latin saying is “know thyself.” Knowing thyself is a journey that everyone should take. It’s scary. It’s actually totally debilitating for a lot of us, but it is so worth it. Because really, you are amazing. You are loved by the Supreme Creator, the Father of all. He wants you to love yourself like he loves you. The only way you can love yourself is to figure out how you don’t love yourself and change. The change starts in your mind.

So, I like to sing to myself when I get unmotivated. You’re gonna love me. Sometimes I just have to fake myself out. I have to tell myself that I am going to love me on the days that I know I don’t. Here’s your soundtrack. Get started. You won’t regret it.

The best thing about being at the bottom is that it gives you more reason to be pleased with yourself. Other people are worried about getting to that 8 minute mile mark. I am fighting against nobody but the couch. If I get off the couch I win. When you have neglected yourself for so long, the only way to go is up and out. Every time you get on the treadmill you feel like a rockstar. It’s totally awesome. I want that feeling for you. I have only lost 20 pounds. I mean I have lost 20 pounds!!! Amazing. See how that works. It’s all in the mind.

My dearest Abigail

My dearest Abigail,
Last week I wrote a whole post just for you 
after you sarcastically questioned what I do all day.
It took me an hour to write.
In detail I explained how my life revolves
around task completion.
80% of those tasks,
I do just for the happiness of my husband and kids.
When I switched from my laptop to my phone
to add this cute picture of your baby sister Caroline
(because it captured what I love about being a mom)
I lost the whole post.

I think God was watching out for me
because I intended to enter that post in an essay contest.
A few days later I thought of something better.
So instead of boring you with what I do all day,
here are my deepest thoughts about motherhood.
These are the thoughts I was too afraid to pen the first time
because I didn’t think I could do the topic justice.
How privileged we are to share the sacred name of mother.
Joseph Smith once said,
 “A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”

I cannot explain myself without this quote. I am at a loss of words to communicate the depth of motherhood. The sanctity of it. The power and pride I feel at being among some of the most noble humans on earth. 
I have been pondering motherhood for several weeks now and writing an essay that captures my thoughts is daunting. Yet, that quote by the wise Joseph Smith explains so simply exactly what I concluded.
Motherhood isn’t limited to those who have given birth. It isn’t even limited to a certain sex or age. Motherhood is a noun, but like it’s counterpart charity, it’s also a verb. In fact, motherhood is charity. Charity at its purest. You know how the Bible teaches that God is love. Well, I am here to tell you that motherhood is love.
Another wise prophet said that 
“motherhood is the highest, holiest service assumed by mankind.”
Let me put this in math terms for you my dear Abigail
since it’s one of your best subjects.
God is love.
Motherhood is the closest we come to godhood.
a=b, c=a, therefore c=b.
I am chuckling at myself because 
I don’t even know if those equations are correct,
but you will.
I look forward to you correcting or congratulating me.
Isn’t it amazing that I am your mother,
but you are smarter than me at math?
That’s another thing about motherhood,
that I can’t go into today.
Let me just say this:
anyone can be a mother.
Anyone can give love.
Anyone.
And everyone should
because love is desperately needed by so many.
Nothing is more disturbing than a mother without love.
I would like to tell you 2 of my most beloved family stories.
One is about my grandma and one is about my mom.
These stories capture motherhood.
I hope to be just like the women I came from.
I hope that for you too.
They are the closest thing I have on this earth
to know what God is really like.
If I want to know how I can be like God,
all I have to do is think about my mom and grandma.
My first story is one the greatest stories of the life of my Grandma Dorothy.
Years ago, in the 60’s,
there was a department store clerk who was really rude to her.
Her two daughters were outraged.
This was an outing they had scrimped and save for.
They were going to buy their mom her first item of clothing
from a nice fancy store.
Grandma walked them out of that fancy smanchy place
and took them down the street.
She purchased a cheap scarf and a box with a bow
at the corner Woolworth’s.
The corner five and dime was a place 
where she shopped the most comfortably.
She took the gift back to the rude sales lady
and said,
“I thought you must be having a really hard day,
and I wanted to cheer you up.”
The woman started to cry
and told my grandma, mom, and aunt
that she had been so grumpy ever since her husband had died
and felt like nobody cared about her
and she apologized.
My grandma gave her a mother’s hug
and told her that people did care.
My mom and her sister Shirley
stared on in awe of their amazing mother
and her humility, grace, and love.
It’s women like Grandma Dorothy that
truly make this world a place worth living.
Their accomplishments aren’t even recognized by the world
like those of politicians, athletes, scientists, and authors
but they mean everything to those who need it most.
Knowing what kind of woman my Grandma Dorothy was
will help you understand the kind of woman my mom is.
In 1985 or so another family legend occurred.
My mom and dad and my six brothers and sisters and I
were leaving Chuck E. Cheese.
We walked out into the parking lot to find an ensuing gang fight.
Weapons were drawn.
My mom walked right up to the two kids in the front
and said,
“Boys, why are you fighting?
It breaks our hearts.”
She then turned to my dad and said,
“Rick, buy these boys some pizza.
They fight because they have nothing better to do.
And they need to know that people care.”
To me, there will never live greater heroes then my mom and dad.
As I watched my dad (with so many mouths to feed already
and a limited paycheck) fork out the cash to feed
20 gang members I was in awe.
Even more inspiring was the sight of my mom seating all those rivals
across from each other in the showroom.
She so easily spoke to each one,
bantered with them, and loved them into their seats.
They had put their weapons away
and were anxiously waiting for their pizzas as the big gorilla sang
“so happy together.”
I watched with a little trepidation but mostly I was beaming with pride.
Especially as I saw my oldest brother,
(your Uncle Erick)
who was a little younger than these boys
follow in the foots of his parents
and sit down with the kids to chat.
As you know Erick is now a football coach and a teacher.
He loves on big tough kids every day.
I personally think he would be very smart if he tries to live his whole life
for just one moment like that from long ago.
And I think that he is living his life for that.
He wants to be embody the finest of motherhood.
(Don’t tell his football team that.)
Is motherhood not loving the forgotten and the unlovable?
My mom is loved by so many.
Many many times as a teenager
I would come home to see someone else’s kid
sitting at our kitchen table.
My mom would be wrapping up her pep-talk
telling them just how loved they were
and how capable and blessed.
She expected the best from everyone’s kids.
She did this because if she knew one thing in this world
it was that love conquers all.
Love makes the world go round.
Love is all you need.
Grandma Dorothy didn’t think she was defining motherhood
during that simple little act of service
given in that small frame of time
in a place that no one noticed.
She was just being the person that she always was.
She was being a person who loves.
She was being a mother.
My mom didn’t love on kids because
she wanted some kind of recognition,
she did it because love was instilled in her
by her mother.
Forty something years later
because of this story
Grandma Dorothy’s grandaughter (me)
would hand over the fresh flowers she had just splurged on
to the cashier at Wal-Mart.
The elderly cashier had just confided
that she was feeling lonely this holiday season.
It would be her first without her husband.
I told her, “Please take these flowers;
I really feel like your husband wants you to have them
as a reminder that he loves you and is watching over you.”
Tears filled both of our eyes.
Motherhood was revealed in this tender exchange.
Motherhood and love.
Yes, my dearest Abigail, motherhood is a verb.
It is love.
Someday in the near future
(maybe even today)
I imagine you reaching out
to someone in need:
a kid at school who is obviously neglected, a homeless person,
a friend who is lonely, a new neighbor, or the sick, poor, elderly, downtrodden.
I imagine the smile that will cross your face.
It will be exactly like that smile you got in the car
that day when your buddy Ryan revealed he
got a rose at school from a secret admirer.
He was so happy and dumbfounded.
He had no idea it had come from you
because you had noticed that he didn’t get anything.
I will never forget your smile.
I made sure to see it in the rear-view mirror
while driving home the carpool.
You probably thought I was looking at Ryan,
but I was really looking at you.
In that moment, in you,
I saw my mom and my grandma.
I saw the face of God.
The face of love.
Yes! a=b, c=a, b=c.
Even if that isn’t correct math
my dearest Abigail,
I hope you will always remember
that motherhood is love.
And you can be a mother
at all times, in all places, and in all things.
And nothing will make you happier.

This post was written for my dearest Abigail and the nienie “motherhood is” essay contest
and anyone else who will be inspired to be a better person by my amazing mom and grandma.
Thanks be to God for giving me the inspiration and the courage to write it.


I just read that I was limited to 500 words, here’s the short version. Not as good.

My dearest Abigail,
Motherhood isn’t limited to those who have given birth. It isn’t even limited to a certain sex or age. Motherhood is a noun, but it’s also a verb. Motherhood is charity. Charity at its purest. You know how the Bible teaches that God is love. Well, I am here to tell you that motherhood is love.
Let me tell you two of my most beloved family stories to illustrate my point.
Years ago, in the 60’s,
there was a department store clerk who was really rude to my Grandma Dorothy.
Her two daughters were outraged.
Grandma walked them out of that fancy place
and took them down the street.
At the corner Woolworth’s,
she purchased a cheap scarf and a box with a bow.
She took the gift back to the rude sales lady
and said,
“I thought you must be having a really hard day,
and I wanted to cheer you up.”
The woman started to cry
and told my grandma, mom, and aunt
that she had been so grumpy ever since her husband had died
and felt like nobody cared about her
and she apologized.
My grandma gave her a mother’s hug
and told her that people did care.

Next, around 1985 another family legend occurred.
My mom and dad and my six siblings and I
were leaving Chuck E. Cheese.
We walked out into the parking lot to find an ensuing gang fight.
Weapons were drawn.
My mom walked right up to the front kid and said,
“Boys, why are you fighting?
It breaks our hearts.”
She then turned to my dad and said,
“Rick, buy these boys some pizza.
They fight because they have nothing better to do.
And they need to know that people care.”
How inspiring was the sight of my mom seating all those rivals
across from each other in the showroom.
She so easily spoke to each one,
bantered with them, and loved them into their seats.
They had put their weapons away
and were anxiously waiting for their pizzas as the big gorilla sang
“so happy together.”
I watched with a little trepidation but mostly I was beaming with pride
as the power of loving others burned into my heart.
Yes, my dearest Abigail, motherhood is a verb.
You are the best of motherhood.
You proved it the day you
got a rose at school for your buddy Ryan.
He hadn’t received any all week
and you sent him one as his secret admirer.
I will never forget your smile
as he showed us his rose on way home from school.
I made sure to look at you in the rear-view mirror
while driving home the carpool.
You probably thought I was looking at Ryan,
but I was really looking at you.
In that moment, in you,
I saw my mom and my grandma.
I saw the face of motherhood.
The face of God.

The face of love.

Book Review: Hope’s Journey

Hope's JourneyHope’s Journey by Stephanie Worlton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is one I plan to bookmark for future use. It needs to be read by kids who are dealing with teenage pregnancy (both male and female) but I think it is also inspirational for all people who struggle with having self-worth or who have made bad decisions that they need to find a way past. I really want my girls to read it as I hope it will help them to understand their infinite worth as daughters of God, which will hopefully help them make good decisions. Relating one’s own self-worth with their ability to take good care of themselves is one of the major themes of this book.

The synopsis: a teenage couple winds up pregnant. The very foundation of their faith are shaken, as is their relationship.

I really enjoyed the way the author gave us the story chronologically from both character’s standpoints. She did a great job of giving them each their own voice and it is of no surprise that she herself has dealt with teenage pregnancy. Her portrayal of emotions was very honest and obviously from the inside of the problem, not from the outside looking in.

My only critique would be that it has a lot of LDS references which I think could have been flushed out to make this more appealing to a larger audience. Mormons aren’t the only kids dealing with this issue. As a Mormon, however, I really enjoyed the accurate portrayal, even if it is a shame that many of the members of my church really are judgmental and callous at times. Aren’t all religious people at risk of such?

As a codependent in recovery I think this book will speak powerfully to many other suffering codependents who look to others to define their own worth. In fact, I would love to hand out a copy of this book to every woman in my weekly support group.

Well done Stephanie Worlton. Your labor of love is inspiring and I hope it will end up in the hands of every person who needs the message of self-love and self-acceptance delivered. Sometimes God speaks through fiction and this is the kind of book that I believe He will use for his purposes. As a writer you have achieved the miraculous with this book. Not all books can draw one into the story and also give a portion of self-help but yours has.

I loved it.

You can go to the author’s blog here.
You can even read a few chapters of the book here.

View all my reviews

This was my first review where I was contacted directly by the author. Thanks Stephanie. Go on over to her blog tour to purchase or enter for a chance to win a free copy of the book.

Book Review: On Little Wings

On Little WingsOn Little Wings by Regina Sirois

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I reviewed this book on the kindle, so coming over to goodreads to write my review and seeing the actual cover has made my day. And it’s only 10am. The cover is perfect. I love the title of this book, especially when it reveals itself in the actual story. One could say that this book is a compelling argument for the saying, “Let love go, and see if it comes back to you.” More than likely if the love is true, it will fly back to you on the wings of angels, even if it takes far too much time.

While reading this book, I mentally added another place in the good ol’ United States that I must visit. I want to go up and experience the fishing industry in the Northeast. It sounds like a place that an honest tough girl like me would fit in just right.

What is the book about? A teenage girl from Nebraska finds out she has a family member that her mom has never before mentioned. Feeling very betrayed, she takes a summer visit to her long-lost auntie’s (her mom’s sister) house on the coast. The story is the ultimate summer adventure full of great characters and lessons of love. Great characters really sounds way too modest. They are amazing characters. Amazing. So amazing I would love to see a sequel. An old cantankerousness woman named Little was by far my favorite character. She is where the wings all come together.

Throughout the book the author ever so sly-fully included lines from classic literature, putting a large focus of the book on the power of words. I loved this aspect of the book and I loved the author’s voice. She wrote beautifully reminding me that the power of words is not limited to classic writers, but it lives within all of us.

Thank you Regina for letting me review your book. I highly recommend it to everyone. Great great story.
The paperback is only $10.95 and the kindle ebook is only $2.99. That’s a steal! Get it NOW. You won’t regret it.

Read this article about how Regina’s book shot up in sales in January right between Water For Elephants and The Help. Be jealous; she’s self-published and living the dream. She deserves it. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I think this may be Regina’s blog. I am going to be a follower once I figure it out for sure. I am so stinkin proud of her and so enamored with her work.

View all my reviews

Jesus Said Love Everyone
The other day at work one of the students asked me 
how I was always in such a good mood.
Why not?
I have so much to be happy about.
Like this for example.
Last week, as I was reading,
I heard Caroline break out into a song.
It was a song I had not taught her.
She must have learned at church it in nursery.
And she sang every single word
out of the blue
while playing with her puzzles.
See.
So much to be happy about.
Toddler Translation:
Jesus said love everyone.
Treat them kindly too.
When your heart is filled with love,
others will love you.
Caroline just reminded me:
Look mom, that’s me.
I’m naked.
{smiles}
Yes it was during bathtime
that I remembered to pull out the camera.

Your Book

I love my job at Discovery Academy.
I work with teenage boys who are finding their way in this world.
Many of them are really really lost,
and some aren’t,
but they all share one thing in common:
they are at the beginning of their journeys.

Tonight I will witness my first graduation. One of my favorite kids will be venturing out on his own. He’s graduating and I am very proud of him. I feel the full gamut of emotions, but most of all, I wanted to give him the secret to happiness. It may be the last time I ever see him or talk to him and I want him to have a long and full life. I want him to live up to his potential.

What did I come up with? A gifted journal with the following poem.
(I cringe to think about where I would be without the power of my own words on a page)

There are secrets inside of you
that only you will know.
The discovery and understanding
of your secrets
is your most important mission.

Don’t be afraid,
don’t feel alone.
You are stronger than you realize.
Don’t turn away.
Look inside yourself
as your soul is pure perfection
in its complexities and flaws.

Someday in the future
when you are paralyzed
and on the verge of self-destruction,
find yourself a quiet place
and on the pages of your book
unlock your secrets
as they will truly set you free.

If you really want to know,
I promise
your secrets will flow freely,
as you sit down and write.
The words and you
will get acquainted
And when they reconcile,
you will know
who you really are.
Your soul, when revealed at last,
will bare its breathtaking uniqueness.

Your written words will create
your book of life.
If you let it, your book of life
will become your best friend.
It will disclose
your journey to happiness:
the things that were inside you all along.

Your strengths, weaknesses,
experiences, vulnerabilities, thoughts, feelings,
hurts, hangups, loves, and opinions.
Some will be right,
some will be wrong,
but all the words when placed together
will be who you really are.

Someday
because of your book
you will understand
that the only real secret
that needed to be found
was you.
Who you really are.

The real secret to your happiness:
You should be loved
by all
but especially
by your book’s best friend.
because your book
like all the others
is the most remarkable.

Baptizing the Dead

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from a good friend inquiring about the practice of baptism for the dead. This post is my response to her and I’m posting it here for all inquiring minds.

I know it may sound creepy to you, but really it is mercy at its finest. As a practicing Mormon, baptizing for the dead is something that I have participated in, and I can honestly say that it is a beautiful thing.

We don’t expect other people to understand. It’s not really surprising to us Mormons that the media has been using the practice as a way to criticize the church. In fact we expect this to happen. Believers have expected such ever since the days of the Savior himself. Look at how they mocked the Savior of mankind. Don’t you think that the mainstream will be mocking his followers still today? When my church is mocked, I actually accept that as further evidence of its truthfulness.

Go here for the church’s explanation of baptizing for the dead, but I would like to take just a minute to explain the practice of baptism for the dead from my own perspective.

Three doctrines that must be understood to even begin to wrap your mind around this practice are:
1- We believe that we are eternal spiritual beings having a most vital mortal experience. We lived with God as spirit children before we were born on this earth and our whole goal and purpose of this earth life should be to prove ourselves worthy to live with him again someday.
2- Our eternal glory is tethered to how we act on this earth. It is vital for our eternal salvation that we be baptized (as Christ was to show us the way.)
3- It takes a body to exercise our true God given agency and that is the purpose of this life, for our spirit to prevail over our body that is vulnerable to mortal temptation.

So, essentially, you were a spirit child of God that was sent to earth as a testing ground. You are given commandments from God to 1- assist you in your journey and 2- to prove your faithfulness.

Baptism happens to be a vital “must-accomplish” commandment in order to enter into the kingdom of God.
Christ taught in John 3:5 “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God while in our mortal tabernacle of flesh.”

The next obvious question is, “What about the people who never heard of this commandment of baptism, how is that fair for them in the next life?”

This is where baptisms for the dead comes in. The practice of baptism for the dead is for these very people. Worthy mortal beings can act in proxy for those who are without their bodies. (Because it takes a body to baptize and to make that choice).

I sometimes wonder if people think we go around digging up dead people to baptize them. The answer is NO. That would be creepy. We just get baptized in name only for those who have died and God has worked it out somehow that this practice counts as real baptism in their behalf.

Another thing that needs to be understood. It is our belief that as members of Christ’s church that this our responsibility, to provide salvation for all mankind. That is why we have different missions in our church. We perfect the Saints for our own salvation, we proclaim the gospel for the salvation of the living among us, and we perform temple work for the salvation of those who have gone on before.

Our beliefs drive our actions. In the temple, we don’t just baptize people for the dead, but we also, in proxy, provide the sealing ordinance (which is required for families to live together forever). We do this because we do not want to deny anyone from the blessings that God has so abundantly shared with us. With greater wisdom comes greater responsibility. We also do it because we believe that there will still be a chance in the next life for those who have never heard the truth on earth or who are repentant from their disbelief (to a degree I don’t understand).

We believe it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance, therefore as a merciful God, Heavenly Father will give all his children as many chances as it takes for them to be taught before the final judgement, which means that he will give all his children the same opportunity. (This last sentence is making me laugh because I guess in this way God is more of a Democrat than a Republican).

For those of you  who are still confused. Consider this verse in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 15:29
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they baptized for the dead?

I love this verse as it is such a testament to what those who have the Bible alone are missing. This is the only time that baptism for the dead is mentioned in the New Testament and it leaves one to wonder why Christ would not have taught more about this for those that follow the Bible alone. What if he did teach more and you are just missing it because in the many many translations of the Bible parts went missing? What if the only way to have ALL of God’s practices is through modern revelation or further scripture? These are areas of question  that my religion can also answer.

We believe that baptism for the dead was a practice in the ancient church also. And apparently so do other Christian scholars.

The thing that has been making a lot of fuss in the news lately is Jewish people were upset that this work was done for victims of the Holocaust. They wanted the work abolished all together. I think it was very very classy of our church leaders to go ahead and erase the work that had been done in order to satisfy the Jews’ insistence that their ancestors don’t need it nor do they want it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints clearly bowed out in order to be at peace with the Jews.

It is and always has been our stance the we do the work as called to do and that the deceased will have the option of accepting or denying that work for themselves from the spirit world. Therefore, we aren’t forcing the work on anyone including the victims of the Holocaust.

I have done this work for many people and I can honestly say that I had some amazing spiritual experiences that let me know that the people accepted the work on the other side. Sometimes I don’t experience anything and I am left to assume that these people didn’t want the work to be done.

Now that you understand baptism for the dead and a little more about the work done in the temple, you will also understand why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is known throughout the world for having the most extensive genealogy library and database ever. Yes, as members of the church we seek out our dead. We trace back our family lines as far back as we possibly can: preferably all the way back to Adam and Eve. We want to know of every living person who ever lived on the earth and it is our goal to provide the gospel for every single one before the earth is destroyed and sanctified by fire.

We daily fulfill the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6

Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

I could go on all day, but I will stop there. I hope this helped you understand my religious practices a little better. I am sure that some haters out there will leave their opposition in the comment section, but I invite those of you with further questions to feel free and ask away or click on over to mormon.org.

And if you are extra curious, I would love to mail you your own copy of The Book of Mormon, just send me your name and address via e-mail or FB message.

Beer for Mormons
At the beginning of this year,
I bought this stuff at Wal-Mart.I was glad the kids helped me down it
or I would have drank the whole 2 liter by myself.

In Utah we call this stuff Apple Beer.
It is served at many fine dining establishments.

Posted by PicasaShortly after consuming a good portion of this bottle
(I am estimating about 500 calories worth)
I started counting calories
towards better health.

But I just can’t stop thinking about this refresco.
(as it refers to itself on the bottle
– See photo above)

I think I am a Mormon applehoholic.
Help!

True Joy
Evan and Leah Wampler are friends of ours in Kingsport, TN.
They had little baby Liam a while back.
He weighed just a pound and has been confined to the NICU
for many long weeks
as he grows strong enough to meet the outside world.
Our prayers have been mighty on behalf of Liam
and we have been so pleased that
by the grace of God he has grown and developed.
The wonderful world of facebook 
has kept us updated every step of the way.

Leah posted this picture the other day.
It had the caption
Evan feeding Liam with a bottle for the first time.

It struck me profoundly.
What a beautiful beautiful moment.
How many times have I fed my four children
and never gave it a moment’s notice?
This photo so perfectly depicts 
one of the way God works in our mortal journey.
It’s a hard lesson to swallow
yet so necessary:
God lets us suffer
so that we can truly enjoy the non-suffering.
If we didn’t know the pain,
we couldn’t enjoy the joy.
I am so grateful for all the hard times I have endured
because those hard times
make my normal and even somewhat insignificant life
seem like such a miracle every day.
Thank you God
for my trials
and for Liam.

Boundaries
Abigail is gonna kill me for sharing this photo.
I’d like to entitle it
For The Love of Bacon.
This girl can actually out-eat her mom
when it comes the Western Bacon Cheeseburgers.
She also happened to get Straight A’s last term.
It was a big deal
because we didn’t require it of her 
or offer any rewards or anything.
She just decided she could apply herself better
and she did.
We were so proud.
But, this post isn’t about that.
I just wanted to explain why I bought 
her a Western  Bacon Cheeseburger.
We were celebrating

her awesomeness.
She makes us so proud
in so many ways.
I had a profound experience yesterday
and while I was just showering it dawned on me
that I was able to apply the lessons I have learned
about boundaries.
It also donned on me that boundaries
are really just agency.
God has taught us all about agency.
I thought about how so many people don’t get how 
to utilize the principle of agency in their lives.
They let people intrude on their agency
and they intrude on others’ agency without knowing it.
Yesterday I dropped Abigail off at a Valentine’s Party.
It was at the home of a boy that I don’t know at all.
When I dropped her off, 
I walked her in and met some of the kids.
I was especially interested in the host.
He explained that their chaperon 
for the night was his 25 year old brother.
I immediately cringed and questioned,
“Is he a good 25 year old brother or 
is he the kind that is going to buy you beer as soon as I turn my back?”
The kid’s reaction was very telling.
He looked shocked and said, “No way, he’s not that kind.”
I reminded Abigail to have fun.
I silently checked to make sure I had covered 
all the lecture bases on the way over.
Don’t go anywhere alone. Check.
If there is anything inappropriate 
and I find out later that you didn’t call 
with the key emergency word 
which means to come and get you now 
then you will not be trusted 
to go to other parties in the future.
Check.
You do remember the emergency word?
You do remember what things are inappropriate?
Yes mom. I know.
But I still had an uneasy feeling.
I sat out in the car and texted Abigail and told her how I felt.
I asked her if she would go in the bathroom 
and pray about whether or not I should leave her there.
She texted back and said “I am staying.”
I then went to the neighbor across the street 
that showed signs of a bunch of kids living there 
and questioned them if they thought I could trust this boy and his brother.
They assured me that they were “good people.”
I prayed and felt o.k. and then I called LG and he said he felt alright.
So I drove home.
Later in the evening, when we got the low down from Abigail 
about the party I asked her,
“Did you really go in the bathroom and pray?”
She surprised me and said, 
“Yes I did mom, and I felt o.k. about staying.”
I was floored. Was she just telling me what I wanted to hear?
I do believe she was telling me the truth.
I thought about that this morning.
I thought about how I didn’t intrude on my daughter’s agency.
I thought about how I acted like God.
I was a concerned parent, I communicated those concerns,
but then I laid the decision making where it belonged:
in my daughter’s lap.
I thought about how I was proud 
that I had taught her how to pray 
and listen for the still small voice to communicate with her.
LG and I have taught her to go to the ultimate source of wisdom:
not him and I, but to our loving and all-knowing God.
I then thought of all my friends who control their kids.
Who don’t let them utilize agency.
Who don’t allow them to grow and learn.
Which in turn keeps them from seeking out God in their lives.
And also in turn makes them want to rebel against being controlled.
I thought even deeper about why God gives us agency.
He wants us to learn to be like Him.
He doesn’t want to control us.
Because He knows that would make us resentful.
He has a perfect knowledge of boundaries,
and he doesn’t intrude on our boundaries.
And he doesn’t let us intrude on His.
Agency was awesome last night.
I am sure there will be days when my kids will choose wrong,
and I will dislike agency,
but I will come back to this post
and remember this incident
and know that agency is vital
and that agency is awesome
because it’s only the agency
that we can see our kids grow up
and make their own great decisions.
Don’t control people.
Do this.
“Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves.”