Life at the Jones'

Life seems to be busy most of the time - but a different kind of busy.  I am looking forward to Track starting in a couple of weeks.  I enjoy watching my kids participate in activities - it won't be long before that privilege is gone.  Can you believe Spencer (my baby) will be 16 in a few weeks?  Hopefully I will have grandkids close by I can see occasionally to keep me busy.
Last time Melanie came up she helped me make a Family Subway Art.  She did it in her Relief Society with word strips, but I decided to do it on my cricut with vinyl letters.  I like how it turned out.  I have more projects, but its not as much fun to do them alone-Here's to wishing at least one of my daughters lived in the same town - but I guess I will have to settle for within 2 hours.

Spencer had a Court of Honor the other night and received his Star and a few merit badges.  Things are messed up at the Scout Office so I've got to get all the things he earned in Arizona straightened out.  He was quite sick that night and people asked me if he had pneumonia - luckily when we did take hime to the Dr. they said it was just a bad upper respitory infection or bad cold.  He has been home from school for 3 days plus the long weekend - hopefully he will be able to go tomorrow.

I guess that's all for now - Oh Trevor took his first ACT test and we are anxiously awaiting his perfect score -haha - not really.  Just a good score and better idea of what he really needs to work on for the next one.  We heard Emily Pitts got a perfect score.  Wow!

Unusual Temple Trip

Saturday we decided to head into Provo to go to the temple and to check out Alex's apartment for the Fall.  We almost didn't go, because the weather was suppose to be horrible, but the more I checked it sounded like it would be light snow with rain and we decided to take the 4 wheel drive and chance it.  The way there was mostly rain and we had no problems.  We did a few errands and then headed to the temple.  Provo is always a very busy temple, so we opted to do sealings when we saw a sign at the entrance desk as we figured we wouldn't have to wait so long.  I even had a few names with me that were ready for sealings to parents that Trevor and I had submitted.
  We had a very nice sealer and things were going well.   We were the first couple and did a couple sealing and then proceeded to do our family names.  I really felt a strong spirit and hoped that some of these names have accepted the gospel on the other side.
  Others took their turn and a short while later the lights went out - yes all over the temple.  We opened the door so it wasn't quite so dark and waited.  The sealer said this had never happened before - the storm wasn't excessive- and no one seemed to know why it happened.  One of the other couples with us became upset as they had flown in from Atlanta to do some family names with their son (who was attending BYU; I presume).  I suggested maybe we could continue with a flashlight and the sealer said he thought there were some in the office.  He left and came back with one and said we would go forward and the light would be restored soon.
We continued and were able to complete the family names and a few others- the lights did come on, but it helped me reflect a little on light and how we can obtain it.
Sometimes the darkness could symbolize the world around us that makes it hard to focus on the things of God, but if we can just find the light or the flashlight and turn it on (the seeds of the Gospel) - the path is much clearer - although the darkness is still all around us and if we lose our focus it is easy to lose our way, and just like before the lights went out we knew the plan just like in heaven and eventually just as the lights came back on in the temple - we too will have an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ and have all the light illuminated to us.  For now we must be ever watchful that we keep our flashlights bright - that we keep our batteries charged - and that we focus on those things that will help us return to our Heavenly Father where we can be a Family Together Forever.  There can be no greater joy in this life or the next!
  I love my family so much.  I have been blessed beyond measure.  You all bring joy in my life and help me want to live the Gospel.

Journal entry

Well my weekly journal entries are a little behind.  Not that I haven't thought about them, just that Sunday's have been so busy and I have been working Mondays.  Today is my first morning home so I am trying to catch up a little.

A few weeks ago I was reading the last conference Ensign and was reading a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott entitled The Transforming Power of Faith and Character.  I thought this talk was so profound.  It really helped me to understand that by living the Gospel each day we build our faith and our character.  Some quotes that I really liked are:
"Faith and character are intimately related. Faith in the power of obedience to the commandments of God will forge strength of character available to you in times of urgent need."
"Your exercise of faith in true principles builds character; fortified character expands your capacity to exercise more faith.  As a result, your capacity and confidence to conquer the trials of life is enhanced.  The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to benefit from exercising the power of faith."
And my favorite:
"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.  Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you are becoming."

When I was younger I struggled alot with feeling that I never measure up to what I should be doing.  Yes I strived to live the Gospel, but at heart I feel that I was too lazy and selfish to really do all that the Lord requires of me.  One day I was teaching Relief Society on a subject I don't remember, but several times I discussed my short comings.  Afterwards a sister came up to me (She was probably 15 years older than I was, and had only been active in the church for 5 years or so, I believe) she said to me:  "If you think you have no hope, then what hope is there for the rest of us?"  This one statement helped me more than anything else.  It really made me contemplate where I was on the road back to my Heavenly Father.  Was I one of the valiant?  Was I doing my best?  After this I started to give myself a little mercy.  I realized that although there was always room for improvement I was trying to live the Gospel, and no I wasn't perfect, but the Lord knew my heart and my intentions even if I didn't get around to doing all of them. 
   I don't think this sister will ever know that her one statement helped me so much those 10 - 15 years ago, but it truly did.  Elder Scott's talk further helps me to want to strive to rid myself of unchristlike attributes and do my best to live the Gospel and become what I truly want to be.

A Week in Arizona

I have had a lot of fun this week with Kamry and Richie.  We celebrated Kamry's 1st birthday.  She really enjoyed the cake and ice cream.  We had dinner at chic-filla?? and they had a little play area her and Richie enjoyed.  Later in the week we went to Anthem park and mostly just spent time cuddling and playing at home.  I brought my Wii and Richie has enjoyed playing Mario Cart - he is pretty good at (I can't even stay on the track).  Here are some pictures from her birthday --

This is the dress I made Kamry for her birthday.  She looked so cute in it for church.  Richie was styling in his new church clothes he got for Christmas as well.  He and I have been best buds all week.  He even let me sleep in his bed, while he had to sleep on the floor (he wasn't too happy about that part).  The last picture is him sliding down the slide at Chic-fil-a.  At Anthem I took him on one of the big slides, and he decided he really liked it, so he continued to go down by himself.

I love all my grandchildren and am grateful my kind husband lets me spend time with those that live far away on an occasional basis.  I'm heading home tomorrow on a 10 to 11 hour journey and am sure I will find my three boys at home have survived well without me.