Playing Darts With A Cheater

All my life I have been taught to forget myself and try to help others because we know that, and I'm paraphrasing, that when you loose yourself in the service of others you find yourself.

In the past I've always been too afraid, or shy, or felt like I didn't know this person well enough to say anything. With the experiences of life and knowing that sometimes it is a stranger that saves someone's life most of the time has really helped me follow the spirit and help when I can.

I can't say that I've always gone about it the correct way, but with experience and being more intune to the spirit, I have to say I've gotten better. The responses I've receieved from most have been... well, not taken well. But I can say, without a doubt in my mind, that the things said were said in love, in concern, and by the spirit.

One example happened two or three years ago with a family in our Primay (3-11 year olds) group at church. Three of their four kids were on our rolls and they had not been attending Primary, specifically, in almost a year. (I knew the main reason, as well, and this had to do with my delay in bring our our primary presidency concerns to their attention). But with encouragment from Branch, Stake, and First Presidency leaders and a a challenge issued, I was asked/volunteered (after much prayer from our counsel and my, personally) to talk to the mother, who herself was less, less active.

The words I got back from her... Broke my heart. Nothing was said or even addressed with what she said I had said to her. My only question to her was, "How can I and the primary presidency help you as parents help to encourage your children to attend primary." Wow! You would have thought I had called her an unfit parent!

Moving right along, though, as to not dwell. I like to read blogs - blogstalk, you will. The ones I really love, connect with, find interesting, find encouraging, I publicly follow. Of this one that I'm speaking, I follow publicly and make semi-frequent comments. Without names and specifics, she has been having a really hard time for a while and knowing, somewhat, what she's feeling I try to offer uplifting words. Recently, she made a comment about not attending church and didn't plan to for awhile. This is never a good thing!

Jeffery R. Holland spoke at our Stake Conference about two years ago and he said something that has stuck with me. He said (again paraphrasing), "The time to jump ship is not during the storm. Neither before the storm or after." I tried to share a smidgen of my testimony or church attendance, taking the sacrament, and keeping the spirit close.

I don't EVER say these things for a "Thank you Emelie! You saved my life! I am indebted to you!" response! I always try to seek the spirit and to say (or not say) things that will help.

Wow at the comment back. I was judging and was blessed with a Pres. Holland requote. Which, by the way, if the scripture reference given was read, was not saying what it was saying. You know how you can leave out a sentence before and a sentence after and it changes the whole meaning of the middle sentence. Yeah... I know Pres. Holland, not personally, but he has ALWAYS... required... demanded... STRONGLY encouraged church/gospel attendance.

So, to give another quote from Pres. Holland, from the same website (BYU Speakers) in an address on March 2, 1997. He says,

"Come unto me, all ye that are labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

"That is my basic message to each of you tonight, wherever you live, whatever your joys or sorrows, however young or old you may be, at whatever point you may find yourself in this mortal journey of ours. ...I ask you to 'come unto him' as the imperative step in getting there, in finding your individual happiness and strength and success.

"When Andrew and Phillip first heard Christ speak, they were so moved,... they followed him... Sensing that he was being pursued, Christ turned and asked the two men, 'What seek ye?'

"They answered, 'Where dwellest thou?'

"And Christ answered, 'Come and see.' ...'Come follow me.'

So, my question to all those suffered or happy... What seek ye? What do you want? You know what, who cares what you want right now? Christ does! He wants us to be happy, but not just happy - He wants us to be find JOY! A full and true happiness. And where can we find that?! "Come and see! Come follow me!"

We find our happiness in Him! No where else in this world!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the ONE TRUE Gospel. His Church is perfect! The people, however, are not! People are people. They are so greatly imperfect! DO NOT LET SOME ELSE DECIDE YOUR EXALTATION! Like the two sisters in early church history, that we learned about in last weeks Sunday School lesson, do not leave Christ's perfect Gospel over stolen cream! That is so stupid, if I can speak boldly!!

No matter how offended or hurt I am by members, non-members, less active, alike, I will do what I have to do for MY exaltation! I will follow Him!

His Pot of Gold

I have been called anyone's Good Luck Charm, until Sunday night and Tuesday night!

Game 1 of the NBA finals was... last Thursday? ...And the Spurs won. Barely, but they won. And I was watching the game with Ava. Game 2 was this past Sunday and I didn't watch it with him (I had a ton of homework to read/do) and they lost. Then, Game 3, since he told me I had to watch this one with him, they won again! By a lot!

Ava has informed me that I am to watch all the games with him from now on.

Baking Bread

Food for thought:
All symptoms listed, minus the boobs part (kinda), um... yeah... CHECK!

Not getting my hopes up, but... my hopes are WAY up.

We'll see. I'll keep you posted!

Say What?!

I was reading an older entry and I had mentioned that we had 56 days until our proposed wedding date... Know what day we're on now?!

WE HAVE TWELVE DAYS LEFT UNTIL OUR WEDDING!!!!! 12 days!!! 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12!! So close to the day I've wanted more than anything else in this world!

But something more than that actual day, I've wanted to BE married more than to GET married. Make sense? I've wanted nothing more than to wake up at 4am with my husband - with my Ava - and make his breakfast and pack his lunch. I've wanted nothing more than to wash clothes, wash dishes, sweep and dust, cook dinner for my family. To HAVE a family with a man who loves the Lord and love me!

So surreal! I love it!

So Fresh and so Clean

Today is the day!



Well, today is the day of my Bridal Shower, anyway!

Over the past four or five months in planning for MY wedding I'll have moments of *WHOA I'M PLANNING MY WEDDING*!!! Most of the time I'm in my OCD mode, like, totally planning and making my lists - but I've been making my wedding lists since I was 14! To be actually crossing those things off of my lists - surreal!

I'm am so excited to be surrounded by my family and friends to celebrate with me. To be surrounded by people who have encouraged me for so many years!

Plus, I am a bit excited to get some awesome loot! :)

AND - we all get to talk to Elder Odom today for his Mother's Day call!! AND - we get to see Elizabeth!!

Its going to be a good day!

PS, to explain the title of this entry. I have had so many guys tell me that showers are good before wedding - takes the stink away! Oh boy... so fresh and so clean.

Speed Bumps

The hardest thing about planning the Temple side of this wedding has been deciding who to invite to the actual sealing. We've reserved the 35 witness room, but we are having serious difficulties narrowing our list down to 35!

Lucky to be in Love with my Best Friend

We are now at 40 days left until I marry my bestest friend! This past week has been so awesome! Tuesday Ava and I had our living ordinance interview with our Stake President. (We passed, by the way!) :) We called the Temple Wednesday morning! (May 23rd (officially) at 1pm!) With some help from my sister, Sarah, our invitations have been ordered. (They are GORGEOUS!! I SO LOVE THEM!) And (suprisingly) they should be delivered by Monday!

Got a message from one of the Sister's that served in this area... She's coming for a day in Woodville and has totally asked me to chauffer her around! AWESOME!!! :D

** Found out that Ava's work visa ID will work to get our marriage license - BIG sigh of relief because every other form of picture ID he has has expired!

Funny Moment: (in the process of finding out what forms of picture ID he has) I asked Ava if his passport has a picture it in. He responds with, "Yes! Of me!" I laugh. He laughs. "Of me and myself." What a silly man! . . . We get back to his house and he shows me his passport and I turn to this picture part of it and say, "Heeeey! It is you in this picture!" Hahahaha... Funny kids!

Awkward Moment: I called the Temple and when the lady answered the phone and I said I need to schedule our sealing date and time I immediatly burst into tears. When I could finally calm down and actually schedule it she kept saying, "Its okay... Congratulations! Its okay..." I hang up the phone and the tears stop - just. like. that. *Palm Slap to Face*

A Too Happy Moment: After calling the Temple (again, with help from my dear sister who has a credit card and not a check card from a small bank that won't let you make large purchases online after two large checks have cleared...) the invitations get ordered! I'm looking at the receipt, making sure they were actually ordered and not not, like, reserved or...whatever... and I get really excited and scream (I'm home alone), "I JUST ORDERED MMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY WEDDING INVITATIONS!! MMMMMYYYYYYYYYY INVITATIONS!! FOR MMMYYYYYYYYY WEDDING!!!!!"

Picking up the dress, hopefully, next Friday!