Savoir's on mount zion

At one point in the recorded experience of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, we are allowed to peer in on a moment of exhaustion experienced by our Savior on his way to the cross. So physically, mentally and emotionally battered, he collapsed from the weight of his cross he had to bear.

Then something absolutely breathtaking happened.

One kind soul helped our Savoir carry his physical cross part of the way up the hill of Calvary.

Even our Savoir was able to feel a moment of partial relief during the most agonizing trial any person has ever experienced.

And it was all because one person decided to help bear another's burden.

It is no wonder that when we are baptized to become his we covenant to "to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort"

We may think that we are just one mortal man or woman, but we truly can help be "Saviors on mount Zion" just like that one mortal man was that day to our Savior on the hill toward Calvary.

I will follow God's Plan for Me!

OK, So some follow up from last week.

The kids LOVED pin the kiss on Daddy. To save on time, we had them come up in groups to pin their kiss on Daddy. It kinda helps to get their wiggles out, and at the same time they learn the song. We will pull out "Danny Daddy" again next week to practice for our father's day performance on June 19th!

But, now is the task of preparing for the primary program.

It is HARD teaching 12 children 7 and under songs like "Praise to the man". Our ward is a student ward, and most children move out by the age of 6.  Most my little ones are sunbeams. So I gotta go outside the box to try to help these little kiddos remember. Laughter and fun help my brain to remember songs, along with the spirit. So we are going to try this to learn, "I will follow God's Plan for Me."

My life is a gift; my life has a plan.

My life has a purpose; in heav'n it began.

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth

And seek for God's light to direct me from birth.

I will follow God's plan for me,

Holding fast to his word and his love.

I will work, and I will pray;

I will always walk in his way.

Then I will be happy on earth

And in my home above.

I read this and thought, PLAN OF HAPPINESS, yes! But in a song!

So why not make this song into a game? Like a treasure hunt where the plan of salvation is your map, to get the next clue you have to learn a few lines in the song, and use the clues as visual aids along the way to help them learn and remember the song. We will build upon each new line, and sing the ones we learned before every time we get a new one. So here is how I am thinking of introducing it!

OK kiddos. I got a problem,

Heavenly Father wants me to teach you this song! But it is kinda hard for me. BUT!! guess what, he left us a GIFT. And inside of it, he left us a map, or a plan to get back to him! At the end of this map, we will find a GREAT TREASURE that Heavenly Father has given to us. Will you help me to find this treasure!!?? Awesome. Now, the clues to get us to the treasure are in the new song we are learning called "I will follow God's Plan for Me." And the only way we can get the next clue is through singing and learning the lyrics of the song! As we learn more and more of the song, we will get closer and closer to finding the treasure and learning what Heavenly Father's plan for us is! So lets get started.

Week 1 plans! (Verse)

My life is a gift; - Gift box

my life has a plan.- plan of happiness map in gift box. After they learn these two lines, give them instructions on how to find next 2 clues.

My life has a purpose; in heav'n it began.- Inside gift box have picture of preearth life

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth- Picture of earth somewhere (I did it on the box)- 

Place clue to find a light somewhere on back earth.

And seek for God's light to direct me from birth.- Light source. 

Week 2! (Chorus)

I will follow God's plan for me, 

Holding fast to his word and his love.

(stepping stones the kids can physically step on (I added the 4th article of faith on the stones since we just learned that) with a string tied from one chair to another like the iron rod that has hearts and words on it.) Each stone has the lyrics of the next line on it, and you come up with actions together).

I will work, and I will pray;- walk back to seat while hammering invisible hammer. fold arms for pray.

I will always walk in his way.-  March in place

Then I will be happy on earth- point to smile

And in my home above.- Make tepee with hands that slowly go up to sky.

Second week is a lot more hand movements than the visual. But this is just a two week plan to help teach the kids (That would take FOREVER to do this every week). Every week after that you can use the few props to help them remember  the words,and slowly remove the proper (just like a game, by saying "Do you think you can remember without the light!!?)

On week 2 at the end once they have learned the WHOLE SONG post a picture on the wall somewhere OF "IN MY HOME ABOVE" and ask them to find it. 

(I used this one) from library. And behind it I wrote, "The treasure is in the bishops office!!"

I still need to ask my bishop if he is willing to do this, but I was thinking of getting chocolate coins with a picture of jesus that on one side says "I know God's plan for me." for the treasure, and have the bishop share his testimony to them about the plan of salvation. 

It will probably change a little as I talk to my president about it and see what she thinks. But that is an idea for now!

Tata for now! Wish me luck!

Cast The First Stone

Brock Turner

A name I had never heard until about a week ago when it showed trending on my Facebook feed.

I read the story, was upset, and decided to click into the victim's letter to the judge.

Thoughts crossed my mind, "How could 6 months be enough jail time for what this cruel monster did to this poor girl?"

" The means don't justify the end."

Just because he was drunk does not excuse his behavior. It doesn't help that his father tried to defend his boy and take no responsibility for what his son did in a letter released. It poured gasoline on a raging forest fire.

My initial reaction to this kid's story was that since the US justice department did not deal justly in his sentence (in my -and it seems the whole world's- opinion) that it was now our job to make sure justice is served by destroying this young man on social media and publicizing his sins. So I took up my stone thinking "Isn't this what I would want if this had been my daughter in this situation? Social media rolling behind us, destroying the filth that harmed my family?"

And then I felt guilt.

I realized that my testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is not where it should be.

Just a few days before this I had wrote a comment on facebook about my views on the atonement

"It is not true that someone can use the atonement more than another. It doesn't work like that. It isn't a well I sinned 5% today, and that person over there sinned 80%, which means I am a better person because I needed to use less of the atonement. No. It doesn't work that way. Once we sin in the least degree, whether it is 90%, 50%, or 0.001% , we all disqualify ourselves for heaven, which makes us all sinners with equal need for the atonement. The Lord has said that He “cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance” (D&C 1:31). He doesn't say "small sins" or Large and egregious sins." he just says SIN.  All of us need the atonement 100% of the time, and if we think we don't, then we obviously don't understand it. "

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?... He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone..."

I think God was trying to test my words to see if it matched my behavior. If this is truly how I felt, my reaction to the Brock Turner case would be Mercy and pain for a fellow sibling who made a mistake that caused another harm. And I would be OK with him receiving that mercy, because I know on the other side of the problem, the rape victim would receive the same comfort, care, love, and peace from the Savoir as well. And knowing that quenches my thirst for justice in her behalf.


I guess what I am trying to say is that if I truly believed my above statement-my reaction should not be to be the master of justice, Because, at this point, the act has been done.  I don't think casting stones at this poor boy at this point is going to lead him to repentance, only the God of Israel can do that. And I would rather not be one of the Pharisees or scribes seen holding a stone at the last day when God asks me, "What did you try to do to help bring your fellow brother to salvation when he made a mistake?"

I do feel that a major mistake has been made on the part of the Justice system in his sentencing. And I feel that it needs to be addressed and adjustments made to prevent this kind of mistake in the future. But that is where why energy will go. Not to declare damnation to the boy who committed this crime. I am pretty sure if he was the one to make the choice between being crucified on social media and going to prison for 5 years, He would choose the latter. The Judge's ruling of 6 months in jail unfortunately created a lifelong sentence for the 19 year old Brock Turner. The world will forever remember him for his one big mistake in life. 

Does this mean I think Mr. Tuner is not guilty? Not at all. He is 100% guilty. Do I still fight back feelings of anger because of what he did to another daughter of God? Yes.  But the beauty of the atonement is that we can be 100% guilty, and still be 100% forgiven if we decide to repent and forsake our sins. And those hurt by another's agency can be healed and find peace as a result of that same Atonement of Jesus Christ

I may view him as one of those 95% sinners and myself only 20%, but I need the atonement just as much as he does, no matter what degree our sins are. And for his sake I hope he uses it to find peace from a world that would try to convince him his sin is unforgivable. I will put my stones down and direct my desire that God will grant all of us Grace and Mercy for the unforgivable things we all do.

Daddy's Homecoming

So, I have been subbing as singing time teacher the past few weeks in Primary and have been having a lot of fun! Some ideas have been better than others, but I am excited to see how this week goes with teaching the kid's Daddy's Homecoming for fathers day!

1. I'm so glad when daddy* comes home,
   Glad as I can be;
   Clap my hands and shout for joy,
   Then climb upon his knee,
   Put my arms around his neck,
   Hug him tight like this,
   Pat his cheeks, then give him what?
   A great big kiss.

So, I searched Pintrest all over for a fun creative idea to help these kids learn this song, and I couldn't find anything that inspired me.

Then I had an epiphany...

"PIN THE KISS ON DADDY!!"

Oh so great.

So I made my own little "Stick daddy" that could fit on a chair. Each child will get a pair of colored "Lips" that they get to try to pin on Daddy at the end of the song, but to be able to earn their shot at pinning the kiss on Daddy, they have to come up and act out the song sitting on "Daddy's" lap.

I am hoping the kids will think it is silly and funny, but also by seeing other kids doing the actions while we sing the song over and over will help solidify the lyrics! 

Each kid will get a "Chocolate kiss" after they make their attempt (I am doing starbursts because we have some lactose kiddos...but they will get the point.)

I thought it was pretty clever. We will see how it goes this week!

The Girl in the Purple Skirt

I saw the most touching thing this morning.

There is an elementary school bus that stops outside my house every day around 8:00 AM. I have to keep extremely close watch after I drop Jake off at school because there are cute little hooligans running around everywhere trying to make it to the bus on time.

So as I was waiting to pull into my driveway I saw the bus pull up and stop and the little kids start to pile onto the bus one by one.

As I was starting to pull into my driveway, I could see a little girl about 5 to 6 years old running her little heart out down the street with her pink princess backpack that was a big as she was flopping back and forth on her little back screaming "wait! wait!" with tears rolling down her cheek. I could see her, but I doubt the bus driver could.

I just thought "That poor little girl is gonna miss the bus even though she is running her heart out to get on it."

The first time I missed the bus for school I bawled.

Then, I saw something that pulled at my heart strings.

There was a girl, maybe 7 with a purple skirt, who was the last in line to get on the bus. As she was walking toward the bus, I noticed she caught a glimpse of that little girl sprinting down the street. I watched this little 7 year old girl take one look at the girl, then the bus, then back to the girl, and then continue to walk towards the bus. Then, she hesitated, and stopped right in her tracks about 6 feet from the bus as all the other kids piled on the bus. I could hear that busdriver yelling at her saying "Comeon! get on the bus! I can't wait forever." But the girl in the purple skirt stood her ground outside that bus until that little pink princess huffed and puffed her way onto that bus, and then followed her on.

Now you may think. OK Kait, that is really cheesy. Seriously? That almost brought you to tears this morning? You are pathetic.

This little seven year old girl in a purple skirt risked her guaranteed spot on the bus to help a friend (or maybe a complete stranger). Although the busdriver couldn't see that little girl with the princess backpack running her heart out, the girl in the purple skirt could. And she knew the busdriver Could see her and communicate with her. So, at possible personal cost, she stood her ground to help someone in need.

Sound familiar yet?

Sometimes in life I feel like that girl with that princess backpack. The stuff packed inside of my backpack of life seems more than I can handle-and it is heavy. But I know that I need to make it on the bus to go anywhere in life, but it just seems so far away, I have too much to carry, and I know I am already past the deadline of when I should have been on the bus. I am running my little heart out crying and just anticipating the worst- that I will be left on the sidewalk alone in my pity because I just couldn't run fast enough.

But then there is the girl in the little purple skirt.

Or should I say, our Savior, Jesus Christ, In his royal robes of violet.

As I was watching this scene unfold this morning, the spirit just spoke so strongly  to me and said "He will wait for you too."

I know that Christ was willing to wait for us, even when it meant it could-and absolutely did- come at great personal cost. Heavenly Father will never leave behind his Only Begotten Son, and Christ will never get on that bus without us as long as we are running to him no matter how long the distance to him is. Christ waits for us in our sins, in our pains, in our trials, in our sicknesses.

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. (Alma 7:11-12 Book of Mormon.)"

That he may know, according to the flesh, how to "run to" His people- according to their infirmities. 

I don't know what everyone's infirmities consist of. But I do know and testify that the Master of all, Jesus Christ, knows how EVERY pain feels, every heartache, every sorrow, every emotion, every sin, every disappointment, every stress.

He loves us. And he does run to us.

The Everlasting Well

OK. It's gonna get real here for a second.

Guys, life gets pretty tough sometimes.

I tell that to myself sometimes. And sometimes my mind screams back at me. "You are just a wuss!"

I guess its kinda like Bryan Regan's Skit on going to the ER. I can't bring myself to say I have a life "pain" or "trial" level of ten because, man... someone else has got a broken femur out there, and they have exclusive rights to a "10". And if I ever were to say my life is hard, someone with a "life toughness" level of ten would come out and say “Who the HECK… had the AUDACITY… to say he was at a level ten?!? You know nothing about ten. Give me a sledgehammer, and let me show you what ten is all about, Mr. Tummy-ache!”

How can I really say my life gets hard sometimes when someone is dying from cancer? Or is a single mom who's husband died young? Or who is grateful for being able to eat one meal per day?

Nope, my life is pretty cush. I am EXTREMELY blessed.

Which makes it all the worse when I can't help but feel sorry for myself when my blessed, cush life seems a little hard sometimes. But I feel like I have more first world problems. Stella got sick, stressing about debt from medical school, seeming like I have too much to do in a day and not enough time to accomplish it. Sometimes I just want to kick myself in the pants and say "HEY! At least you are able to GO to medical school! At least you can afford antibiotics! Ect." It doesn't matter what my trial is, my mind always tries to find a way to tell me my trials are so much less than another, and I am pathetic and selfish for even thinking my life is hard.

This process in my mind usually just makes me feel worse. Not only do I still feel like my life is hard in that moment, but I then feel GUILTY about FEELING my life is hard!

And as a result, I go to self  pity to soothe myself. "I just can't do it anymore, I have no more energy, I have NOTHING left to give. My well is dry. How can anyone expect me to give anything more because its gone." And as I repeat this phrase over and over again, I just feel more and more sorry for myself . But feeling this sorrow seems to justify my actions and behavior. I can act this way because "CAN'T YOU SEE I AM SAD?"

One of Satan's greatest tactics is to get us to compare ourselves to others. It is OK that I feel my life is hard sometimes, because those are MY feelings. And he tries to tell me that it is not OK to have those feelings so I feel that my problems are too small, too trivial compared to others, to go to Heavenly Father in Prayer about. And the only other way I have found to soothe that pain is directing that pain inward, internally, to beat myself up and justify my pain. It is selfish, internal, and keeps Satan right where he wants you, in a pit of despair right with him.

As I was repeating I have NOTHING left to give. My well is dry. over and over to myself one morning, I decided the Stella and Jake still needed me, and I needed to do something about it. I thought, I am telling this to myself over and over, maybe I should try to direct this pain externally instead of internally.

So I got on my knees.

I literally just said the exact same thing that was going through my head the past few mornings over and over again in a prayer. I just can't do it anymore, I have no more energy, I have NOTHING left to give. My well is dry. How can anyone expect me to give anything more because its gone. And instead of directing it internally, I said these same words as a prayer. And As I was repeating those words, This thought came to me immediately.

"I KNOW your well is dry, I have seen you struggling for some time just HOPING you would just TALK to me about it. I know you feel empty, I know you feel like you have nothing left to give. And that is ok, because you really don't. But I, I have living water. Your well may be empty, but my well is everlasting, and if you rely on me, I will fill your well. I don't just carry the lost sheep! I carry the wounded and weak sheep too!" Come unto me, ye who labors and is heavy laden, and I will give ye rest unto your soul.

And rest I did find.

It was amazing how literally just changing my frame of mind changed my whole attitude and look on life. There is NOTHING WRONG with thinking those thoughts. What is wrong about having those thoughts is when they drive us to pity and despair rather than to hope and light and GREATFULNESS that the burden CAN be lightened when we pray, and ask for Christ's atonement to strengthen us through our individual trials, no matter HOW big or small.

That day was a lot better. But it didn't get any easier. the next day I found myself leaning towards self pity again, but I decided to pray again, and I was filled again with the same answer- lean on me and I will help you walk today. And if you ask again tomorrow, I will be there to help you run. 

I am definitely not running yet, but I feel the strengthening power of the atonement help me walk through my days. Yes, Even though I am extremely blessed, that doesn't mean Heavenly Father doesn't want to help me through the small things I go through that can be big to me sometimes. And I am grateful for this wonderful gift of Grace that God has given me, that through the strengthening power of Christ's atonement, I can do anything.

"But why would you do this for me?

Because I love you..

But it doesn't seem fair.

That's right it's not fair-it's merciful. It is, after all, a gift.

But how can I possibly deserve such a gift?

Don't be silly. you can't. you don't - The gift is offered because I love you & want to help you, not because I owe it to you.

But how can I ever repay you?

There you go again. you can't repay me, not you or the billions like you. Gifts of this magnitude can never be repaid. For what I have done out of love for you, you can only love me back, and seek to become what I am- a giver of good gifts.

And that is good news."

Our Soul Account with Christ

 We often think that having faith in Christ means believing in his identity as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. But believing in Jesus's identity as the Christ is on the first half of it. The other half is believing in his ability, his power to save- to make stumbling, unworthy sons and daughters worthy... We must not only believe IN Christ, but we must also BELIEVE Christ when he says he can clean us up and make us celestial. 

He says he can MAKE us celestial material, no matter where we start, and we have the audacity to sit here and say ,"No he can't? I'm too broken? I am too far gone?" We may believe in Christ, but many of us don't BELIEVE CHRIST. We believe Christ makes promises he can't keep.

Many within the church are trying to save ourselves, to do it all with Jesus Christ merely as an advisor. But he wants to do so much more than that!!! Members know why Jesus can be called a coach, a cheerleader, an advisor, a teacher, our elder brother, the head of the church, and even God. Most of us understand all of that. But we don't understand why he is called the Savoir.

When we enter into the baptismal covenant, by taking Christ's name upon us, it is like our soul's our entering a "joint soul bank account" with Christ. Christ's balance in his bank account is ALWAYS positive Infinity. He earned that positively endless balance by performing the Infinite atonement. Thus, by joining our "soul account" with his, no matter what WE DO, as long as we try to keep the terms of the agreement, our balance is the same as his- making us perfect. Each week we come to resign that contract by taking the sacrament. Some weeks, we may have feel that we have over drafted, we fell short of our covenants, messed up, made mistakes, and made the balance go negative. But Infinity plus any number... 0, 2 million, negative 5, or even if we feel like we have hit negative infinity.... Infinity plus any number, positive or negative, is always infinity. 

That means whether you are the prophet and you feel you put in 1,000,000 a week to the "Joint account of your soul & Christ" --Infinity . Whether you try your best to wrestle with sin and slip up but covenant to try to do better each week- still infinity. Or even if you are an addict who has been authorized to take the sacrament for the first time in months or years...The moment we take the sacrament and TRULY enter into that covenant with a promise to do are best, we all join our account with Christ. We ALL become equal to the lord. Because when we have Christ we can do ANYTHING.  No matter how little you feel you can bring to Christ, if you will let him enter, HE (not we) will make us celestial. 

I want to gain a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ as my Savoir. I know he has saved my from many things, pain, sadness, sin, but I know there are many things that he has also saved me from that I haven't discovered yet. I believe in Christ when he can save me from my personal weaknesses too, and need to be better at BELIEVING Christ that he can save and help me with WHATEVER I need.