The Standard of Truth

Yesterday my mom was in charge of preparing and serving a meal the the missionaries in our area during their zone conference. She spent two days preparing the meal, many sisters in the ward also had a hand in the preparation and donation of food items. I took the kids the to church at the time I thought they would be cleaning up so the kids could run around in the cultural hall (this rain has kept us indoors and everyone was a bit stir crazy), anyway the missionaries had just sat down to eat when we arrived. We stayed anyway. Tatum and Lincoln took little baskets and walked around each table handing out dessert, fruit and/or handy wipes. The missionaries were so gracious and sweet with the kids. At the close of the luncheon the missionaries as a thank-you, stood up and recited "The Standard of Truth" and then sang "We'll Bring the World His Truth", one of my favorite primary songs. It was the best thank-you, it was so powerful and the spirit that filled the room was incredible. I literally brought tears to my eyes.

I think Tatum felt what I was feeling. On the drive home she kept saying that was the best  party ever.

“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick...

Was I Living the Gospel Fully?

By Carolynn R. Spencer

Carolynn R. Spencer, “Was I Living the Gospel Fully?,” Ensign, July 2009, 71

"My scripture study would have to wait. All three of our sons had awakened—and much earlier than usual. The youngest, Caden, then 18 months old, was screaming in his crib. I went into his room and saw instantly that he was sick.

Thus began a Monday of one challenge after another. At one point, shortly after I had changed Caden’s clothes and tried to feed him, he flung a large jar onto the floor, spilling applesauce everywhere and sending shattered glass across the kitchen. As I was cleaning up the mess, I thought about all the things I wasn’t getting done: family history, service, home storage, missionary work.

“How in the world can I do everything I know I should be doing when I am barely managing the basic tasks of my day?” I wondered. By early evening I was exhausted, but I set aside discouraging thoughts during dinner, family home evening, and the boys’ bath and bedtime routine.

Finally, with the children in bed, I sat down to do what I had not had time for earlier. I picked up the May 2006 Ensign, which was open to a talk by President Henry B. Eyring titled “As a Child.” My eyes fell on a passage I had previously marked: “To keep the blessing of [changed natures] in our hearts will require determination, effort, and faith. King Benjamin taught at least some of what that will require. He said that to retain a remission of our sins from day to day we must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally” (Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 17).

Immediately, I again felt that I wasn’t living the gospel fully. I wondered, “How can I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally when I can scarcely take care of my own family?”

That’s when I experienced an overwhelming feeling of divine approval. It was so clear, precise, and tangible that I knew I had to write it down so I wouldn’t forget. I could see my day replay in my mind—full of feeding the hungry, doing laundry to clothe the naked (I changed Caden’s outfit multiple times), gently caring for our sick baby, helping our five-year-old prepare a family home evening lesson on missionary work, and then discussing the power of example with my family—in other words, helping people spiritually and temporally.

The impression flowed with such an overpowering feeling of peace that I knew the Lord was telling me He had accepted my offering. In caring for my family, I was fulfilling the admonitions of King Benjamin and President Eyring.

Sometimes I feel like my offering is not enough, and at times it isn't. There is always more to do, more I can do, but this reminded me of how important my calling as a mother is. There are days when taking care of my family IS enough.

Popsicle Course

A few weeks back for our F.H.E activity we set up a little obstacle course for the KIDS. Tatum insisted that it was a Popsicle course and not an obstacle course, who are we to argue.

The kids loved it and watching Ben was the highlight of the night.

Now if only we were more consistent with F.H.E

We have answers.

Isn't it funny how, sometimes, we pray for answers and then we get them but don't really like the answers that we were given...not sure if it's valid to ask for a second opinion...

Tricia had an appointment with her Allergist today in which they went over some test results from her last visit. We got a definitive answer to our prayers: Tricia has a severe allergic reaction to...cow's milk and all products containing it.

This made some immediate sense as Tricia has always sensed that milk was a bit unsettling to her so she has never really had an appetite for it. Our next question was: if Tricia is allergic to milk, then why does she happen to have a huge, life-threatening reaction between the same small window of the last 5 months (25th to the 6th of each month)? Apparently, Tricia's body has some sort of tolerance level for milk product...up to a certain point. Under her current diet, it generally takes her 4 to 5 weeks to consume enough milk product before her body then has a severe allergic reaction from it.

So it came as no real surprise then to think back to the most severe reaction that she has had--which was this most recent one that led to her hospital stay. The diabetes doctors had her on a very regimented diet and the controlled carbs that they had her consume at every single meal in the hospital was...you guessed it...milk! 1.5 days of milk at each meal and she almost dies from it!

We will continue to be cautious for the next little bit as there are definitely some trace elements of milk product in Tricia's system and the Allergist will continue to conduct a few more tests. This will be a severe change in diet and lifestyle which we are trying to view as a blessing.

The timing of all of this is what is so unbelievable to me...I think many of you remember that Tricia was approved to get an insulin pump to help normalize her diabetes. She started the learning curve for the pump this week (which we are very excited about!). This will allow her to have a less diabetic-like diet. They say that timing is everything...consider this: Can you even imagine having to live off of a strict diabetic diet and, at the same time, not be able to eat milk products! Really, if this were the case, you could basically eat meat and grass. We feel blessed with the timing of all of this as the pump will help Tricia to have a normal diet (minus milk products) now.

Tricia and I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers, thoughts and words of hope and comfort...this has helped to give us hope and confidence. We truly feel like the Big Man has held our hand through this entire ordeal from the move to California to present time. We don't believe that we would have made the tremendous advancements that have been made recently under any other circumstance. Again, thank you.

Bennie
"Sometimes people need to learn to work together and cooperate. This is called sharing. They teach it to kids."--Dwight Schrute