GCBC Week 2: “The Power of Scripture” by Elder Richard G. Scott

Posted in General Conference Book Club by

First, a small item of business:  The General Conference photo contest actually ended in a tie.  Diane and Amanda both got exactly 35% of the vote.  I hadn’t anticipated a tie, so I had to resort to a highly-scientific method to determine the winner:  a coin toss.  So, congratulations to both of you, but the coin determined that Amanda was the winner.  Please send me an email with your mailing address and I’ll drop your prize in the mail.

“My daughter spent an entire session making this.”

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The general conference talks are all posted online now, so let the studying begin.  I decided that we’ll just go through them one-by-one in the same order they were given.  That means this week, we’ll tackle Elder Scott’s excellent talk about scripture study:

The Power of Scripture by Richard G. Scott

What stood out to you as you studied this talk?  His counsel seemed heavy with action items; what kind of goals did you walk away with?  Share your thoughts in the comments below.

And are you up to a little GCBC challenge this week?  Pick a scripture to memorize and come back here to report when you’ve done it.  Then we’ll have a “new friend” that will act like a “packet of light” in our lives.

To anyone who is checking out GCBC for the first time, the goal is to read one General Conference talk a week and discuss it together as an on-line “book club.”  If you want more information about how it works, go here.  And then join us.

Find-A-Friend Friday: Meet Rachel

Posted in Find-A-Friend Friday by

Thanks to all of you who have patiently survived the wave of General Conference posts. I promise we’re heading back into more calm (a.k.a. boring) waters.  By the way, all the talks are now online to read.  Yay.

This whole meeting new people is just as fun for me as it is for you.  Some of them, like Rachel, are names I’ve seen pop up in comments threads, and it is so fun to meet the real people behind those hyperlinked personas.  And now that I’ve had the chance to learn more about her, just like I have with so many of you, I’m so glad that I get the chance to cross paths– even Internet paths–  with such cool people.  Meet Rachel:

Hey everyone!  I’m excited to tell you a little about myself and my family.

So here’s my life story in a nutshell:  My name is Rachel.  I’m 33 years old.  Often people will ask me where I’m from.  I usually respond everywhere and nowhere.  My Mom is Canadian (she lived all over Canada) and my Dad grew up in Idaho.  They met at BYU.  After they married they moved to Delaware where I was born.  My Dad was working for a company that transferred us often.  Our first transfer moved us to Texas.  After that we moved to the mountains of North Carolina.  (Honestly if I could move back there I would.)  Then we moved back to Delaware.  Next was upstate New York (20 minutes from Palmyra!) and finally we settled near Nashville, Tennessee.  After 4 different high schools in 3 different states I graduated and headed off to BYU.  Four years later I graduated there and moved back home.  I had plans to continue school and get a teaching certificate.  Thankfully the Holy Ghost convinced me to scrap my plans.  Shortly thereafter I met my fantastic husband, John, at an institute Halloween party held in the basement of my parent’s home.  We were married one year and 2 days after the day we met in the Nashville Temple.  This November we will celebrate our 10 year anniversary!  Since that day we have had 3 children – Karena and Hannah (7), identical twin girls and Tyler (6), our extremely energetic boy.  When Tyler was almost one my husband’s father (now 84 years old) moved in with us.

What’s your favorite part of motherhood?

Teaching my children.  We made the decision to homeschool about a year and a half ago.  We began as the girls were starting first grade and my son was entering kindergarten.  It was scary and overwhelming but we jumped right in.  It’s difficult at times but I wouldn’t pass this job off to anyone.  I love sharing what I love with them and encouraging them to try new and hard things.  Seeing those light bulb moments, especially as we teach the gospel, are times that I cherish.

What part of motherhood would you subcontract out if you could?

Dealing with the fighting and the whining.  There is nothing that makes me more crazy than whining.  They even whine when there’s nothing to whine about. Anyone have any tips for getting rid of the whining?

Brag for a minute.  Do it.  What are a few things that you’re pretty good at?

  • Cooking.
  • Reading really fast.  I can read a long book (300-400 pages) that I like in a day to a day and a half.
  • Making digital art.  The rest of my family seemed to get all the regular art skills (drawing, painting, etc.).  I did not.  I do well to color in a coloring book.  I love to use my computer to create art.
  • Using Microsoft Word and Excel to make charts, schedules, list, etc.  This may not be something to brag about but it’s something I’ve been doing a lot of lately trying to plan our school year.  Plus I kind of enjoy doing it.

What homemaking job/task gives you the most satisfaction?

Cooking or creating something for my family.  To me those two things are similar.  Whether it is a meal or a piece of clothing I sewed I love seeing the joy that comes to my family from something I made.

What are you loving lately?

Pinterest – Unfortunately its addicting but I love, love, love it.  I’ve really found some amazing things through that website and connected with a lot of new people.  Plus there’s no drama like other social sites!

Crocheting – I’m slowly working with a lady from church and trying to teach myself.  I like it but I keep trying to tackle projects I’m just not ready for.  Patience is not one of my strengths.

Do you have a favorite scripture or quote?  Why?

1 Nephi 21: 14-16 – There is also a similar scripture in Isaiah 49.

“But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me – but he will show that he hath not.

For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”

When times get difficult I know on many occasions I have been as faithless as Zion and asked the Savior if He had forgotten me. I have been assured each time that he cannot and will not forget me. He has “graven [me] upon the palms of [His] hands.” His atonement, death and resurrection weren’t done for all of us as a collective whole. They were done just for me. Not only did he do those amazing, miraculous works just for us he is continually helping each of us.

And my new favorite quote is from Pres. Uchtdorf: “I do know now I was never forgotten. And I know something else and as an apostle of our master Jesus Christ, I proclaim with all the certainty and conviction of my heart and soul, neither are you. You are not forgotten! Sisters, wherever you are, whatever the circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love. Just think of it! You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful and glorious Being in the universe. You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time. He who created and knows the stars knows you and your name. You are the daughters of His kingdom!”

What parts of your testimony are you the most sure of?

I know Joseph Smith saw our Father in Heaven and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know the scriptures are true.  Reading them daily brings a peace to my life that I can’t find anywhere else.  I know our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, know us as individuals and that there is a plan for us.

Name 2 or 3 items on your “bucket list.”  (Some things you’d like to do before you die.)

1.  Travel more, especially with my family.

2. Attend a cooking school.  I LOVE to cook.  I can follow most any recipe but I have a desire to understand the principles behind cooking.  I’ve attended a few classes and have come away with so much knowledge.

3.  Live on a farm.  I used to be a self-proclaimed city girl.  I needed stuff to do, people to see and places to go.  I even contemplated applying for some NYC universities.  Since then I’ve married a man born and raised on a farm.  We were so different, it was funny.  We settled into the suburbs together, but I could always tell it made him a little claustrophobic.  Over the past few years I have moved closer and closer to his way of thinking.  I want my kids to learn how to work.  I want fresh milk and eggs every day.  I want to know where my food is coming from.

Deserted Island Question.  If you were stranded on a deserted island (most moms would actually crave this) and could only take 3 items with you, what would they be?

  • Plenty of turtle related desserts.
  • An iPad with internet access – I’d have access to almost any book that way plus I’d have my scriptures available still.
  • My great-uncle’s cabin he built in Island Park, Idaho with an added indoor toilet.  Actually I could just skip the deserted island and go there by myself.

Give your best advice to a newlywed or expectant mom.

Newlywed – Say “I love you” a lot.  Do go to bed angry.  That’s not a typo.  The morning will often bring a fresh perspective than the night before when you were tired and not thinking straight.  Forgive and then forget.

Expectant Mom – Have patience.  Say “I love you” a lot.  Give out compliments more often than criticism.  Apologize when you are wrong.

What’s something you don’t usually want people to know about you, but that they need to know if they’re going to be your friend?

I am really good at bottling up my feelings.  I may complain about whiny kids or a messy home but I’m not going to tell you what is truly troubling my heart.  I have perfected the “Sunday face.”  You know the one we see on most people at church on Sunday that doesn’t show what is really going on in their lives.  I want to share what I’m feeling but I can’t seem to.  I am slowly working on getting better at this.  My poor husband gets to be my guinea pig.

What’s something unexpected in your life, and how have you dealt with it?

When my son was a year old and my daughters were two and a half my father-in-law came to live with us.  He was 79 and I was 27 years old.  When I was younger (like 25) I never once considered having to be a permanent caregiver.  So to say this was unexpected is an understatement.  In some ways it’s like being a mom to a teenager.  It has been an incredibly challenging few years.  It has been hard to help someone who in many ways does not want to be helped.  BUT, there have been blessings.  I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching to see what things I need to change.  That sounds like a weird blessing but it has been.  This has also brought my husband and me closer together.  We are continually having to readjust and daily deal with the situations that come.

Blog paragraph:  My blog is called “You Are My Sunshine.”  It’s really just a way for family and friends far away to see what we are doing.  I used to post very inconsistently but recently have made it a goal to give my blog some priority.  Also, in an effort to confront my fear I’ve started sharing my feelings on different topics.

Thank you, Rachel.  As always, it has been a pleasure.

Please visit Rachel’s blog or give her a quick hello in the comments here. Have a great weekend!

General Conference Trivia Answers and Winners!

Posted in Divinity, General Conference Book Club by

Reminder:  If you haven’t added your voice to General Conference Book Club: Week 1 yet, you still can.  Don’t be shy.  🙂

Well, you people deserve little general conference trophies or something.  Man, you were good listeners!  There were 28 questions.  Everyone who answered at least 27 questions correctly was entered into the prize(s) drawing– also known as Random.org.  (There were 11 people in the high-scoring category!)  Rest assured that I was not a tyrant grader; there was plenty of wiggle room when someone obviously had the right idea about an answer.  All the talks are available online to watch and listen to, so if you have issues with any of my questions and answers, feel free to submit a complaint form through the mail.  (All complaint forms must be accompanied by a handling fee of one bag of peanut butter M&Ms.)  Anyway… the winners!

Congratulations to KIMBERLY T. who won the temple print and SIERRA A. who won the Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD!  Send me an email with your mailing address by Sunday, and your prizes will be in the mail by … well, definitely by the next general conference.  I’ll do my best.  Thanks also to Lesa at Notes About Music who helped me host all this conference craziness and donated the CD for the trivia contest.  (If you don’t remember what these lovely prizes look like, go back here to peek.  I’m feeling a little too lazy to upload photos today. It’s been a busy week on the blog, people.)

Would you like to see the answers now?  Drumroll………..  Ta Dah!

GENERAL CONFERENCE TRIVIA CONTEST

 SPOKEN WORD

When President Monson addressed the congregation for the very first time in this conference, what was the first thing he said?            HELLO!

How many new temples were announced?  And which one does President Monson want to dedicate himself?      5-6: (PROVO TABERNACLE,COLOMBIA, SOUTH AFRICA, CONGO, WYOMING, +PARIS);  STAR VALLEY, WYOMING.

Finish this clever rhyme from President Uctdorf’s talk.  “The Lord doesn’t care if we work in marble halls or      (?)     .      STABLE STALLS

What kind of bird did President Packer refer to when teaching youth to learn from their elders?       CROW

Elder Perry spoke about the Church in the media.  He asked us to share the church and the gospel with the outside world the same way that volunteers do at what kind of event?      TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE

What did Elder Scott give his family as a Christmas gift in 1991?       AUDIO RECORDING OF HIMSELF READING THE BOOK OF MORMON

According to Elder Scott, what endeavor/achievement is “like forging a new friendship”?      MEMORIZING A SCRIPTURE

Elder Bednar suggested that young people are gifted in technology for a purpose.  What does he encourage them to do instead of video games, Facebook and surfing the Internet?            FAMILY HISTORY

Elder Christofferson said that we should smile when we speak about what principle?      REPENTANCE

Which apostle quoted a mommy blogger who said, “Motherhood is not a hobby; it is a calling.”?      ELDER ANDERSEN

 In Sister Thompson’s talk, she told the story of a woman during WWII who was asked how she kept a testimony through all her suffering.  Complete the woman’s response:  “I didn’t keep a testimony, …….”      A TESTIMONY KEPT ME.

Elder Whitney L. Clayton was able to go into the presidential palace that he had once taught in front of on his mission.  In what country?      PERU

Elder Ian Ardern gave a great talk about managing our time.  Finish this wise piece of counsel:  “Let us be as quick to kneel as we are to _______.”      TEXT

Elder Carl B. Cook found himself riding in an elevator with President Monson when he was feeling very discouraged.  What was the prophet’s advice?  IT’S BETTER TO LOOK UP.

What did President Monson lose as a child that helped him gain his testimony of prayer?      $5 BILL

What are the three points that President Eyring reminded us are part of our baptism covenant?      1. BE CHARITABLE   2. BE A WITNESS  3. ENDURE TO THE END

According to Elder Ballard, what 9 words explain exactly who we are and what we believe? THE CHURCH  OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

According to Elder Tad Callister, why are there so many Christian churches?  THEY INTERPRET THE BIBLE DIFFERENTLY

On Sunday morning, we were taught about fatherhood in one of the best talks on the matter I’ve ever heard.  Who was the speaker?      SISTER DALTON

Elder Russell M. Nelson said that the greatest compliment that can be given in this life is to be known as a    (what?)   ?      COVENANT KEEPER

 Brother Richardson told a story about mountain hiking with his children.  What did he do when they wanted to know how much further they had to go?      THEY TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED HOW FAR THEY CAME

  What happened to Elder Randall K. Bennet when he ignored a warning sign?      HE ALMOST DROWNED

When Elder Cornish wanted to eat a piece of chicken, how was his prayer answered?      HE FOUND A QUARTER ON THE GROUND

 MUSIC

Where was the children’s choir from?      PleasantView and North Ogden, Utah

What primary song did the Tabernacle choir sing during the Saturday morning session?      I am a child of God

During the Saturday morning session we were asked to sing the congregational song with full hearts. What was the name of the hymn? Redeemer of Israel

The women in the tabernacle choir wore two dresses during conference.  What colors were they?      BLUE AND PINK

What Hymn did Sister Dalton refer to in her talk?            RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD

Thanks for participating.  It was fun!

In case you missed it, the general conference photo contest winners are up now, too.  Go here to vote for your favorite.

General Conference Photo Contest– Vote for Your Favorite

Posted in Divinity, General Conference Book Club by

One of the (many, many) cool things about General Conference is how it gathers a family all together for something that really matters.  And any kind of successful family gathering requires one really important ingredient– an intentional mother.

I love these photos because they witness that there are mothers who have prepared the way for their children to hear and experience the word of God from living prophets.  And they’ve done it in way that build lasting memories.  This is the kind of influence that Sister Julie Beck is always talking about:  mothers who know, lionesses at the gate, disciples of watchcare and ministering– it’s all there in the small efforts we make to bring our families to Christ.

So, the contest.  Here are the Honorable Mentions.  Thank you so much to everyone who sent me photos.  I loved looking at all of them. Click on any of the photos to see them larger.

Carrie.  Watching from his tent with a Lego temple.

Amy. Reaching for treats when they hear the keywords.

Cheryl.  All prepared and ready to roll.

Crystal M.  Basking in the words of the prophet.

Brooke.  Her children painted on canvas during one session.  So cool.

Kimberly.  Baby loves the prophet.

The FINALISTS.

Please vote for your favorite.  You’re welcome to write in another if your favorites were different from mine.  The winner will receive Hilary Weeks’ book, Believe in What You’re Doing.

Lara.  Concentrating on the task at hand.  A beautiful image.

Diane. Sustaining the Lord’s Annointed.  Over donuts.  I love it.Amanda. A session-long’s effort to create a prophetic masterpiece.  Isn’t that a great First Presidency?Vote here:

Poll will close at midnight on Friday night.  The winner will be featured on Sunday’s GCBC post.  🙂

General Conference Trivia Contest and Photo Contest

Posted in Divinity by

Good heavens, this has been a busy week on the blog.  After all this conference hooplah is over (I love it), I might crawl under a rock for a while.  Send chocolate.

Anyway, this is the third post in the last 24 hours.  And frankly, it’s all fantastic stuff, so don’t miss week one of General Conference book club or the chance to participate in a General Conference blog-share.  Today however (This is the last thing, I promise), Lesa from Notes About Music and I are hosting a general conference trivia contest.

GENERAL CONFERENCE TRIVIA CONTEST

It is kind of a long list of questions, but I hope you have fun doing it.  Send me your answers via email at dd.stephanie@gmail.com.  Submit your answers by Wednesday night at midnight.  Winners will be announced on Thursday.  All the high-scorers will be placed in a drawing to win one of these two prizes (So, two winners).:

An 8×10 temple print by Brighter Side Art and this Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD


Clickety-Click right here to get the trivia questions.

And finally, the GENERAL CONFERENCE PHOTO CONTEST!

Here are some photos of my family during general conference.  Please do not click on the photo of me wearing my pajamas.  (You’re totally not going to obey me, are you?)

If you took a photo of your family or children watching/participating in conference, email it to me at dd.stephanie@gmail.com.  I will post them all and select a handful of favorites to go up for a vote.  The winner of the photo contest will receive the book Believe in what you’re doing…  by Hilary Weeks.

Submit your photo by Tuesday night at midnight, then all photos and finalists will be posted some time Wednesday for voting.  Please put the word PHOTO in the subject line of your email.