WORLDWIDE TRAINING ONLINE.

Did you attend the worldwide training last Saturday afternoon? I was all set to attend because of my calling in Relief Society and then with the whirlwind of events in our family, was unable to make it at the last minute.

I was happy to learn that the entire training could be watched or listened to online. I am hoping to get to this in the next week or so.

From the Church's website;

"Changes to Handbook 2: Administering the Church are more extensive. A principle- based approach is meant to reduce the complexity of Church programs and allow some local adaptation where necessary without sacrificing the uniformity of policies, procedures, and programs.

Other changes of note include reduction of the bishop's workload by enhancing the role of the ward council and its members, the possible increase in the frequency of ward council meetings, a clarification of the mission of the Church, folding the work of the ward welfare committee into the discussions of the priesthood executive committee (to which the Relief Society president may be invited as necessary) and ward council, eliminating a standing ward activities committee and handling activities through the ward council, and other changes."

It will be interesting to see if and how things change in our individual wards.

The entirety of Handbook 2, can be accessed online as well.

CULTIVATING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

While most of the trees around us have lost their leaves, the painted tree in our kitchen is filling more and more each day--with leaves of gratitude.

During a painting expedition with my daughter last week, I harnessed my creativity, and with a bit of brown paint and some posterboard we now have our thankful tree. Each night since then we have each shared something to be thankful for. Amongst our many blessings sit long naps, jogging strollers, the Scouts and the gospel. I have been amazed at just how much our little daughter gets what it means to be thankful.

With just a bit over a week to go until the big day, we've got to get counting those blessings so that our tree stands tall and full come Thanksgiving. We'll ask the Elders, who are joining us for dinner tonight, what some of their greatest blessings are.

Any more fun Thanksgiving ideas out there?

P.S. The quote comes from an excellent talk by President Monson entitled, An Attitude of Gratitude, given in 1992.

THANKFUL TRADITIONS.

 

Photo via Missy Heid. Project Thankful printout from martawrites.com.

With Thanksgiving almost a week away, I thought it was time to share a few Thanksgiving traditions. You all know how much I love traditions. 

I asked Missy, a blogging friend, to share some of her family's thanksgiving traditions with Mamas Who Know. Missy and her husband, Devin, live in Southern California where they are parents to two young girls. 

Thanks for sharing your ideas Missy!

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So happy to be a "guest" on Mamas Who Know. November is a favorite month at our home as we decorate with pumpkins and experiment with new turkey art projects.

Last year we started a tradition called our Thankful Jar. On November 1st I gathered my little family together and announced we would be filling the jar with things we are thankful for. Each day, we would each write something on a slip of paper (of course I helped my little girls) and stick it in the jar. It was fairly easy to figure out what my 1 year old was thankful for each day and my 3 year old caught onto it quick!

By Thanksgiving day we had just over 100 slips of paper. The results were even better than what I hoped for! Once we started writing things, more kept coming and we didn't limit ourselves to just one a day. It ended up being 2 or something 3 things a day. Small and big things alike, as we read them before eating our turkey dinner my eyes filled with tears. After a particularly tough October last year, the feelings overwhelmed me.

And so we started it again this year. My (now) four year old remembered it. My two year old understands and loves coming up with things. My husband is traveling more this year for work, but still drops in slips of paper when he is home. When he is out of town, my daughter Avery asks him what he is thankful for so we can add it to the jar. It makes me happy that she wants to hear what we as parents are grateful for each day! Again we are finding out that once we begin writing things down, the number multiplies and I find myself jotting 2, 3, or 4 things each day.

I look forward to going through them again before eating Thanksgiving dinner.

Some other things we like to do around our home...

* I got this book and my four year old loves it! We read it together and she is fascinated by the facts it provides (what do pilgrim children wear? did they take baths on the Mayflower, what was the pilgrims first winter like?) and I love that it teaches the history behind Thanksgiving day and why we celebrate it.

* I picked up a pack of multi-colored feathers at Michael's and plan on hiding them around the backyard for a turkey-hunt (think: egg hunt at Easter, but with turkey feathers!)

* Both my girls love to help me in the kitchen. So, we have been baking lots of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! We always end up taking some to our neighbors with a hand print turkey card made by my girls which they love (they always get shy at the door dropping it off though;)

I would love to hear what traditions other families do! I think it is my favorite holiday as it kicks off the season with what it really is all about.

Me too mamas, what things are you doing with your family to get the spirit of gratitude in your home?

"SUNDAY WILL COME."

We got news on Friday afternoon that my cousin's wife had passed away. She had been sick for some time, but her death has still come as a shock, especially for her two kids, ages ten and seven who are suddenly left to navigate this life without the guidance and support of their loving mother.

We have grown close to this family over the past few years here in Texas, as my cousin has been stationed in this area with the Navy. We love them and will surely miss Amanda. She was a wonderful person and an exceptional mom.

As we drove away from their home Friday evening our conversation naturally turned to things eternal. As my cousin and his family are not members of the Church, my husband, Jimmy suggested that I send them a copy of Elder Wirthlin's talk, "Sunday Will Come." I had forgotten about this wonderful message and have it printed for delivery later this week.

Tonight I am grateful for the hope and peace of the gospel. What a blessing the resurrection is, to all of God's children. It is especially wonderful to contemplate the magnitude of the resurrection for someone who has dealt with physical distress or illness.

I love Elder Wirthlin's words, who when spoken, had recently lost his own wife,

"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. 

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. 

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come."

Isn't it wonderful to know that Sunday really will come?


Image via ldsnewsroom.com

THANKFUL THOUGHTS.

I spotted yet another Mormon Message on gratitude. It looks new, by the relatively low amount of views. I did love it though, it talks about living in thanksgiving daily and being grateful for even the smallest of blessings. Helps us to find evidences of the Lord's hand in our lives.

Did you know they are producing a new Mormon Message every two to three weeks. I am so impressed with the Church.

This post of fun Thanksgiving crafts made me smile. I am hoping to do a few of these with my daughter in the next week.

Have a wonderful weekend. Yet again, ours seems very full.

THIS DAY.

I marked a big, fat check mark next to something I've been meaning to get done for what seems like years. In fact, it has been over a year since I've wanted to accomplish this task.

What, you ask? Well, our home video footage of the last two years is now safely burned onto DVD's. May seem little, but it's something that I've wanted to get done for some time, and just today, got it done!

Gotta say, it feels good.

A few weeks ago I started making some serious lists. With lots to be done, I figured I better figure out how to do it. The detailed lists each day have been helping me get to things that have been on the back burner. It feels good to see things accomplished that I have been wanting to do.

I came across this President Eyring talk about procrastination a few evenings ago and these words rang true, both about accomplishing secular and spiritual tasks. Reminded me a lot of Sister Beck's talk.

What do you mamas do to keep yourself moving in the right direction? Lists, organizers, what keeps you going?

THE CONFERENCE ENSIGN.

Did this gem show up in your mailbox this week?

As a missionary the arrival of the conference edition of the Ensign was akin to Christmas. Seriously, I remember devouring it. And, almost as exciting was looking at the photos taken during conference weekend. I always hoped to recognize someone.

Did you notice that the photos are a bit different this time? Color. I love it, it seems happy and fresh. When we subscribed to the Ensign when we got married we selected the option of having two conference editions delivered. So, this copy here, is all mine. Can't wait to dive in.