The Atonement Is For All of Us

I was feeling a little down today.  And a little overwhelmed.  Then I looked on my Youtube channel and there was this video waiting for me:

It's about the point in the ancient church when Peter received the revelation that the gospel could be preached to the gentiles.  I love how Peter explains to Cornelius that Jesus Christ atoned for and died for all of us.  Every single one of us.  It made me think of a conversation I had with my sister earlier today.  We were talking about how we don't all have to do all things the same way and it's ok.  I told her about a quote I had read by President Uchtdorf that really impressed me and we looked it up together.  Here it is (if you want to read the whole talk go here):

"Without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, life would be a dead-end road without hope or future. With the Atonement, life is an ennobling, inspiring journey of growth and development that leads to eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

But while the Atonement is meant to help us all become more like Christ, it is not meant to make us all the same. Sometimes we confuse differences in personality with sin. We can even make the mistake of thinking that because someone is different from us, it must mean they are not pleasing to God. This line of thinking leads some to believe that the Church wants to create every member from a single mold—that each one should look, feel, think, and behave like every other. This would contradict the genius of God, who created every man different from his brother, every son different from his father. Even identical twins are not identical in their personalities and spiritual identities."

 

I think this video and this quote go perfectly together.  It doesn't matter where we were born, who our parents are, how we look, how smart we are . . . the Atonement is for all of us.  We have been given agency to receive it and through it become the best version of ourselves.  I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and the sacrifice he made for us.  I am thankful that he has given me the opportunity to repent and keep trying to become like him.  I am thankful for agency to go about this in the best way I know how.  I am also thankful for the opportunity to have others in my life who are using their own agency to draw closer to Christ.  I learn a lot from them and it helps me in my own journey.  I love that we are not all expected to be exactly the same.

 

I love the Bible Videos and how they bring the scriptures to life.  And I love the scriptures and how they can chase my blues away by helping me feel the Spirit.  If you would like to see all of the Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos you can go here.

Cookie

I had a bit of a surprise a few days ago when I went out to the garage to get something out of the freezer.  It was this little guy:

I startled him and he ran for cover.  The trouble was, he was only using his two front paws and dragged the rest of his body behind  him.  He was really fast, though.  I called the vet to see what could be done for him (I thought he must have been injured and was paralyzed).  The vet said they couldn't do anything if it wasn't my cat.  Well, I thought he could at least have something to eat while I figured out what to do with him.

You can imagine my surprise the next morning when I went out to check on him and saw this:

He wasn't paralyzed, he just was so hungry and dehydrated he couldn't stand up anymore.  I was so impressed that he kept going and trying to survive even though he could barely move, so I've decided to try and find a home for him.

I've been feeding him plenty of food and water.  He's getting better every day.  He'll even let me pet him.  In fact, he loves the attention.  I've named him Cookie (because he's a tough cookie).  Anyone want a sweet kitty with an amazing determination to survive?

Fast Fact Friday #3

What was the last movie you saw in the theater?
I think it was The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  I love the Chronicles of Narnia movies.  I think this one was my favorite.  I love how it shows how important it is that we have a relationship with God.
What was the last movie you watched at home?
North and South.  It's based on the novel North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.  It's about a young woman who grew up in southern England and had to move to northern England with her family.  It was a very different place and she had trouble fitting in.  She eventually came to love it there because of the people she met and the friends she made.  It shows that it is possible to "bloom where you're planted."
Who is your favorite movie star?
Richard Armitage (He's in North and South and Robin Hood (the TV series)), Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon,   Kenneth Branagh (He has done a lot of Shakespeare movies.  I love him in Henry V.  He was also in one of the Harry Potter movies.)  Also, Christian Bale (he's been a favorite since I was a teenager.)
What movie can you watch over and over again and not get sick of it?
Any Jane Austen movie, North and South, Our Mutual Friend, Wives and Daughters, Jane Eyre, Strictly Ballroom, Daniel Deronda
What movie will you never watch again?
Nothing comes to mind right now.  If I'm not enjoying a movie I usually just turn it off.

Fast Fact Friday #2

I know it's not Friday, but I wasn't able to post then so I'm doing it now.  :)

Here are the questions for this week:
1. Where is your favorite vacation place?
If I could live in the mountains I would.  Trees and streams and birds just give rest to my soul.  There's a beautiful campground just 12 miles from my house and I love to go there.

My niece, KayLee, at Malad Summit Campground.

2. How long do you like to go on vacation?
I think a week or two is the perfect amount of time.  It's long enough to really get away from it all and it makes coming home so nice.
3. Where did you go on your favorite vacation?
When I graduated from college I went on a trip to Europe with my two best friends, Shalyce and Liesl.  It was such a fun trip and I learned tons!  We went to Ireland first, then Wales, had a short stop in Shrewsbury, and then we had a two week stop in London.  Next we went to Paris and our final stop was Sweden.  I loved how friendly the people were in Ireland and how green everything was.  In Wales the scenery was just breathtaking.  Shrewsbury had a great small town atmosphere and we got to tour a castle there.  I also discovered Cadfael, a crime solving priest.  I have since come to love the movies based in this town.  In London I got to see the Tower of London and lots of musicals.  In Paris we went to the Paris Opera House to see the ballet, Giselle.  We completely dressed up in formals and everything.  We were a little disappointed to find that we were the only ones dressed up, but it was still an amazing experience.  In Sweden we stayed with Liesl's sister's mother-in-law.  She was so hospitable and it was a neat experience to interact with people who live there.  We discovered a small meadow behind her house and had so much fun there.  I am so grateful for all that she did for us, including taking us to Kungelf (I think that's how you spell it) Castle.

Liesl, Shalyce, and I in Sweden.

Shalyce and I at Shrewsbury Abbey.

Shalyce and I at Kungelf Castle.

Me in Paris.

Me at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Ireland.

Westminster Abbey in London.  Some of my ancestors are buried here!

4. Where was your most recent vacation?
My last vacation was to Malad Summit campground, one of my very favorite places.  I was there with my nieces, nephews, and my brother, which made it even better!  We had tons of fun having a tea party up there.  Read more about it here.
5. If money were no object, where would you like to go?
I still have lots of places I would like to go.  I have always wanted to go to Israel so that would be my first choice.  I would also love to go visit friends I have in South Africa.  They said they would take me to a park there to see the wild animals.  I would sure love to see a giraffe!  I also want to go to Scotland and see where my Miller ancestors came from.  I also think it would be really fun to take a tour of the United States and visit some of the places my family is from like Missouri (where my grandpa Aldridge grew up), Pond Creek, Oklahoma (Isn't that a fun name?  It makes me think of Little House on the Prairie.  That's where my grandma Barnes was born.), Kansas (my mom was born there), Star Valley, Wyoming (where my great-grandpa Harrison grew up), Kirtland, Ohio (where my ancestor, Rosel Hyde was converted to the LDS Church), and Nauvoo, Illinois (where several of my ancestors lived).  I better get busy!! :)

Fast Fact Friday

One of my favorite blogs has a list of questions to answer every Friday.  I'm going to try doing at least this every week.  We'll see how it goes.

This is Ashley with one of my cats, Yzma, as a kitten.

1. Do you have any pets?  I have four cats.  My sister and I picked up a stray one night and she stuck around.  She even figured out how to open our door.  We would come home every day to our door being wide open.  She had some kittens.  We gave away as many as we could, but ended up keeping some of them.  We also made sure there won't be any more. :)  I really love having them around.  There's always one in need of a cuddle!
2. What's your favorite animal?  My favorite animal is the giraffe.  I don't know why.  I just like them.  :)
3. What animal scares you the most?  Definitely spiders.  In my first apartment on my mission (in Paraguay) there were constantly spiders about the size of the palm of my hand.  I really wondered if I could make it.  My companion was scared of the lizard that kept appearing in the kitchen so we made a deal.  She took care of the spiders and I took care of the lizard!
4. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?  I'd probably be a dog or cat.  I think I would enjoy hanging around people and being their friends.
5. What's the most exotic animal you have ever seen before?  While on my mission I got to visit Iguazu Falls.  There were some animals there called Coatis.  They kind of remind me of raccoons.  We put our bags down and they started going through them looking for food.  They showed absolutely no fear of people.  I'll post pictures as soon as I can.

You Matter to Him!

     I have been taking an Institute Class the last few weeks.  It is especially for the mid-single adults in the Pocatello region.  We have been studying The Pearl of Great Price and we started on the first chapter of Moses this last week.  One of the things our teacher said that really hit me is that if we really know that we are children of God, we can resist the temptations Satan sends our way.  I've been pondering that a lot since then so you can imagine my ears perked up when President Uchtdorf started talking about that same chapter in General Conference yesterday morning.  I loved his talk.  It was exactly what I needed to hear.  If you would like to hear it go here.
     When I was talking to my friend, Shalyce, about Conference we discussed that moment when Moses came to realize how we are nothing in comparison to God's creations.  I suddenly realized I have been there.  When I was in the eighth grade I learned in science class that the universe is so vast that we could never get to the end of it and even if we could, it is constantly expanding so that when we got to the end there would be more.  At the time I lived too far from a church building to be able to attend church and I had forgotten that Heavenly Father is right there.  Ever since I was a little girl I have looked up to the sky at the moon and the stars and they somehow comforted me and helped me remember that I am not alone.  I remember, that year in eighth grade,  I would sit outside with a quilt my grandmother gave me and I would just look at the sky and feel so tiny and insignificant and lost.  A few months later I was able to return to where I could go to church again.  That first time I walked in the building I felt like I had come home.  I remembered my Heavenly Father and that He is there.  Now when I look at the sky I feel that connection again.  I know that He is somewhere out there and that I matter to Him.  And the beauty of it all is that if you ask, He'll let you know the same thing.

The ABC's of Me

Here's another idea I got from This Is Me Challenge.

If you click on the image it will show up large enough to read.

A Day to Remember

This morning as I was getting ready for church I was listening to a radio broadcast talking about the events of September 11, 2001.  It brought back a lot of memories from this day ten years ago.  I lived in Riverside, California at the time.  I was teaching school there (2nd grade) and I was getting ready for work.  We didn't have a TV so I was listening to the news on the radio.  I turned it on at a point when everyone knew something terrible was happening, but we didn't yet know the extent of it.  Even after I got to school we didn't have a completely clear picture of what was going on.  We were told that we were not to bring up what was going on unless the children mentioned it, and then we were to reassure the children and try to keep things as normal as possible.  That was one of the hardest days I can ever remember.  Riverside is near Los Angeles and I remember that all of the planes were grounded and the silence was disconcerting.  Ever since I was a little girl I have looked up to the sky when I was in need of comfort.  I guess it's because I know Heavenly Father is out there and it's my connection to Him.  I felt a deep sense of sorrow for those who had lost their lives and a sense of vulnerability because my source of comfort, looking at the sky, now brought visions of terror to me.  I felt a little lost.
But I wasn't lost.  Heavenly Father was still there.  He spoke words of comfort through his prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley (which you can read here), and I felt peace. 
As I was pondering this during sacrament meeting today I was reminded of the time that Elder Merril J. Bateman visited my mission.  He spoke to us about the Atonement.  He told us that in the Garden of Gethsemane the Savior didn't suffer for us all at once, but one by one.  During that difficult night he went through all of our sorrows and pains, not just for our own sins we committed, but every pain, sickness, sorrow, every bad thing that has ever happened to us.  Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we don't have to be lost and we are never alone.  There is always One who can perfectly understand what we are going through.  I guess what I am trying to say is that He can take our sorrow for this day and turn it into hope and forgiveness and peace through His Atonement.  Here is a message that explains it from the perspective of someone who lived through this tragedy.
A few days ago the Washington Post published the statements of religious leaders from around the world about their thoughts for this tenth anniversary of September 11.  Here is what President Thomas S. Monson said.

Choices

Challenge #2 on This Is Me Challenge is the question: What are some choices in your life that affected where you are now?

There are several choices I have made that have had a huge impact on my life:

• Studying Spanish.  I have always had a strong desire to study other languages.  When I was in 4th grade a girl moved into my class who didn't speak any English.  One day at recess we started playing together and we just seemed to be able to communicate even though we didn't speak the same language.  My teacher picked up on that and assigned me to help her with her English.  She was to teach me Spanish in return.  This sparked my interest in other languages.  I wanted to learn French, but when I started ninth grade in the Junior High the only language offered was Spanish.  From then on I grew to really love the language.  I ended up taking Spanish all four years in high school and I took every undergraduate class available in college.  I even ended up serving a Spanish speaking mission.  It's interesting to me that ever since I graduated from college, every job I have been offered has been because I speak Spanish.
• Going to Ricks College.  This was a wonderful time for me.  I loved all of my classes and I loved the atmosphere.  I also got to know a great group of friends whose influence is still with me today.  
• Serving a mission.  I think this has been the decision that has had the most profound impact on my life.  I learned that the world is much bigger than what I knew in my little hometown.  I met amazing people who taught me a lot through their humble examples.  I learned the gospel in a way that I had never known and I grew to love the scriptures.  I think one of the reasons I was sent to Paraguay was because of my mission president.  From him I learned about hard work.  I also learned about grace and the part it plays in my relationship with Jesus Christ.  He also taught me that the gospel teaches repentance and forgiveness and to never give up on people.
• Attending BYU.  When I started at BYU I went to the employment center and was given a job as a custodian in the Smith Family Living Center.  I had an amazing boss who expected our best work and did her best to make it fun.  Through this job I met my two best friends, Shalyce and Liesl.  These two women have always been there for me and helped me through many a hard day.  We have also traveled the world together and done lots of other fun things.  I'm so glad to have them in my life!
• Becoming a teacher.  My little students are the light of my life.  I love seeing them every day and watching the wheels turn in their heads.  They make me laugh and they teach me things, too.  I love that have been able to live among them here.  My first group of students that I ever taught are adults now, but I don't really know what has happened in their lives.  It's fun to watch the students here as they grow up and develop talents.

My Top Ten

I found a blog called This Is Me Challenge.  The author posts a challenge each week to help us record our personal histories.  It looks like a lot of fun.  The first challenge is to write down the top ten modern conveniences you would take with you if you traveled back in time.

Here's my Top Ten:
1. My Doc Martin shoes.  They're super comfortable and I need comfortable shoes.
2. An air conditioner.  I hate being hot!
3. A refrigerator/freezer.  I could make ice and keep things cold.  Did I mention I hate being hot?
4. My Cuddle Ewe.  I have fibromyalgia and I wake up feeling really achy if I don't sleep on it.  It's amazing!
5. My MP3 player with my music.  I would really miss my music if I couldn't listen to it.
6. My glasses.  They are made of a special plastic so they aren't as thick as they would have been back then.  And believe me, they would be thick!
7. The microwave.
8. The internet.  I love that I can almost instantly find information.  It also allows me to keep up with friends and family.
9. A hot water heater so I can have hot water when I need it.
10. My tooth brush.

Where Can I Turn for Peace?

Don't they look peaceful? 



It seems like peace is difficult to find these days.  I see in the news that London is burning, Wall Street is making wild swings, our government can't seem to work together for the good of our country.  The last few days have been a bit stressful in my own personal life as well.  I have found today that my mind keeps going back to a scripture I came across recently in my scripture study.  It is found in Phillipians 4:6-13.  In the 6th verse it says, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  There are times when I feel that peace which passeth all understanding.  I want to always have that in my life.

In the other verses I found a list of things I can do to invite that peace into my own life.  Here they are:

Verse 6 says, "Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."  I found three things in this verse.  First, I need to stop worrying, especially about things that are not in my control.  Secondly, I need to turn to Heavenly Father for help through prayer.  The third thing I should do is to live with gratitude for my blessings (I have so many more blessings than problems, but I focus on the difficulties.  If I put my focus on my blessings, I remember that I have a Father who loves me and will never give me a trial I can't handle).

Verse 8 talks about our thoughts.  It says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  I think this means that we need to control our thoughts.  As it says in the Doctrine and Covenants, ". . . let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God . . ." (D&C 121:45) I am a firm believer that our thoughts affect our feelings.  I need to pay more attention to the good things in life and surround myself with uplifting things.

Verse 9 is about the example of the Savior.  If we follow His example we can find peace.  It says, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you."  I think there are two parts to this verse.  First, we need to learn of the Savior by going to Church and studying the scriptures.  Secondly, we must do what we have learned.  I think a lot of that would be to serve others, just as the Savior did constantly in His life.

Verse 11 says, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  I think another way of saying this is bloom where you're planted.  In other words, learn to be happy, whatever your situation.  When I was in college I got very sick my last year.  Keeping up with my work and school responsibilities was very difficult, but I look back on that time as one of my happiest because I was able to turn to the Lord for help and I was blessed.  I had no doubt during that time that I was loved by my Heavenly Father.

Verse 12 is a little hard for me to decipher, but I think it is talking about being humble.  It says, "I know how to be abased and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both  to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."  To me, this says that we need to remember that everything we have is from God.  Nothing we have is through our own doing.  I always think that true humility means to know and understand my relationship to the Lord.

Verse 13 is the last verse of this list.  It says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  This means that nothing can stop us if we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ.  In other words, we have to believe Him that He will do the things He has promised.  I must believe that after all I can do, through His grace, I can become like Him, something that I would never be able to accomplish on my own. 

So, here is that list again (just because I want to be able to look at it again).  I can have peace in my life if I:

• Don't worry too much (especially about things I can't control).
• Go to the Lord in prayer.
• Am grateful.
• Let virtue garnish my thoughts.
• Learn of the Savior and His teachings.
• Serve others.
• Am content.
• Am humble.
• Have faith in Christ, which will strengthen me.

I'm feeling better already!

Happy Birthday, Emma!

Today is Emma Smith's birthday.  The writer of a blog I follow challenged her readers to share their testimonies of the Book of Mormon today in Emma's honor.  She sacrificed so much to bring this book of scripture forth and I am very grateful for this.  The full title of this book is The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  That is exactly what it is.  Some of my favorite scriptures about the Savior are in this book.
One of these is Helaman 5:12: "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."  It gives me peace to know that if I try to follow Jesus Christ and build my life around what he taught I will be able to return to live with my Heavenly Father.  
My favorite part of the Book of Mormon is when Jesus came here to America to visit the Nephites and Lamanites after his death and resurrection.  They had just endured terrible storms and earthquakes.  They had gathered together at the temple and were talking about what had happened when they heard a voice.  They did not understand at first, but the third time they heard the voice they understood Heavenly Father as he introduced his Son.  Then the Savior descended.  He told them who he was and what he done for them.  The multitude fell at his feet and worshiped him.  Then he invited them, one by one, to come and touch his hands and feet and the wound in his side so that they would know it was really him.  The Savior stayed with them for several days and taught the gospel to them.  
I love the Book of Mormon.  I know that it truly is scripture given through the people who lived here in America anciently.  In the Book of Mormon we are promised that if we will read it and pray to ask Heavenly Father if it is true, our prayers will be answered and we will know that it is a true book.  I have done just that and I know that it is true.  The prophets who wrote the Book of Mormon saw our day and wrote what they thought we would need.  As I read this book, I find the answers to my questions and I gain the strength I need to do what is right.  Thank you, Emma and Joseph, for your sacrifice!

What Easter Means to Me

     One of my favorite songs is "I Believe in Christ."  I love my Savior and this song, by Bruce R. McConkie, for me is an expression of that love.  I especially love the last verse and, as I sang it in the MTC one day, it really hit me that this song is true.  The part that brought tears to my eyes and gratitude to my heart was when it says, "From him I'll gain my fondest dream."  For me, my fondest dream is that returning to my Heavenly Father and spending eternity with him and my family.  The problem is, I can't do that on my own.  I make mistakes and I become unclean in the process.  The scriptures say no unclean thing can be in the presence of God.  Because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, and through his grace, I can be clean again and I can become perfect when I repent and do the best I can to follow Jesus Christ.  My weaknesses will become strengths.
     The other part of Christ's Easter gift was that, just as he rose again on the third day, we can, too.  During my last year of college, I started to get sick.  I felt lightheaded all the time and my body always hurt.  I felt nauseated all the time and it was so bad I couldn't read my school books.  I had no energy and I had constant headaches.  I finally went to the doctor and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  This was about 13 years ago.  Back then, doctors didn't really know what caused it and there was no cure.  I was facing a lifetime of pain and illness.  As the years have gone on I have found things that help and if I take care of myself things are pretty much ok.  I have flare-ups from time to time, but most of the time I can almost forget.  I have to lead a pretty quiet life, though.  On those days when I can't do what I want without pain I remember that, because of Jesus' resurrection, I will once again be able to do things without pain.  Not only that, I will be able to associate once again with those I love who have passed on before me.  I will be able to meet my sister, Sarah, and my niece, Graycee, who passed on before I even got to know them.
     All of these things are possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  It is because of him that I can sing:

I believe in Christ; he stands supreme!

From him I'll gain my fondest dream;

And while I strive through grief and pain,

His voice is heard: "Ye shall obtain."

I believe in Christ, so come what may,

With him I'll stand in that great day

When on this earth he comes again

To rule among the sons of men.

Over the River and Through the Woods

My sister, Ashley and our cousin, Jason.

My cousins and I in the sandbox.

My brother, Wade, and our cousin, Jonathan.

Outdoor Games.  Cousins.  Flowers.  Conversation.  Food.

     This is what I think of when my Grandma Aldridge's home comes to mind.  As a child I spent a lot of time there.  We would go visit just about every Sunday evening and we'd always watch Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw. 
      In the summer we played for hours with cousins.  We played games like Fox and Eggs and Starlight, Moonlight (our version of Ghosts in the Graveyard).  I also liked hanging out with the adults.  I would play hard with the kids and, when I was hot and tired, I would run inside where it was cool and listen to my dad and his family reminisce about their childhoods.  I remember driving home, squished between my brother and sisters, exhausted and happy.
     Grandma always had cookies and Popsicles for us when we came.  She still has cookies: sandwich cookies (my favorites are the lemon ones) and those fudge striped ones.
     I also loved the quiet times there.  Many times the whole family would be outside eating or sitting and talking in Aunt Janeal's back yard.  I would sneak in when I needed some quiet and sit in the living room.  Grandma had a big old swamp cooler in the back of her house and she put some wind chimes right where the air would blow.  I loved to sit there and just be quiet, enjoying the cool air and the sound of tinkling chimes. 
     Grandma always has flowers everywhere at her house: petunias, pansies, marigolds, violets, bleeding hearts, tulips, columbines, poppies, and probably more I can't think of right now.  I learned to love flowers from her.  It's fun to see how her flowers take over her driveway in the summer.  Someday, we'll probably have to wade through a field of flowers to get inside.

Nooks and Crannies.  Hills.  Zoo.  The Space Needle.  Green.


     I only had the opportunity to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Barnes' house a handful of times.  They lived in Seattle so it was a long trip.  They lived in a two-story house near the Seattle Zoo.  Their home was so close to the zoo, in fact, that we could hear the animals at night.  I remember on our first visit there my brother was up all night because he thought he heard a woman being murdered.  In the morning he found out that it was just the peacocks.  :)
     I loved Grandpa and Grandma's house because it had an attic bedroom where we children got to stay.  (I was fascinated by attic bedrooms as a child.  I always had the hope that I would find an old trunk with old-fashioned clothes and other things from the olden days.)  There were some old dolls there and for some reason I was terrified of them at night.
     I loved all the hills in Seattle.  One time, an uncle showed us how to ride down Grandpa's hill on a box.  I don't think Grandpa was too happy when we got home. We tore up his lawn a bit.
     I love how green it is in Seattle.  There are trees everywhere.  Grandpa and Grandma had a little tiny back yard with trees and grass.  I would sometimes go back there just to enjoy the plants.

Gardens.  Weeping Willows.  Attic Bedroom.  Quiet. Horses.

Grandma and Grandpa Harrison

      My Great-Grandpa Harrison lived to be 95 so he was around until I was about 18 years old.  I feel blessed to have known him.  He was one of those people who stayed active until the end.  My Grandpa Aldridge passed away when I was just three and Grandpa Harrison tried to always be there for us so we would still have the presence of a grandfather in our lives.  I loved going to his house.  It was usually a quiet visit because the big family gatherings were most often held at Grandma Aldridge's house. Their yard had several huge weeping willows.  I loved to go play under them.
     My cousin, Kristi, and I got to stay the night at their house once.  We got to sleep in the attic bedroom.  I never found any trunks (although I was always on the lookout), but there was a huge old bed that was so high that I had to get a running start to jump in.  There was also a vanity and a little tiny window that I loved to look through.  As Anne of Green Gables would say, there was lots of "scope for the imagination" up there.  I remember that Grandma Harrison made us some french toast and she blended up the eggs with banana in them.  I thought that was amazing.
     Grandpa had a pasture out behind his garden and there were often horses there (Grandpa would let people use it from time to time).  He would take us out to look at them all the time.  I was fascinated by the fact that there were huge chunks of the fence missing because the horses would eat it.
     When Grandpa was 95 he got cancer.  My dad and I would go over to help out and give Grandma a break.  Dad would mow the lawn and I would sit with Grandpa to help him if he needed anything.  Grandpa was really too sick to talk, but I loved sitting there with him, just being quiet.  What a great privilege it was to spend those last few weeks with him.

Captained by Christ

This is one of my favorite quotes. Whenever I make a decision I try to remember these words from Ezra Taft Benson:
"When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed . . .
The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature . . .
Yes, Christ changes men, and changed men can change the world. Men changed for Christ will be captained by Christ. Like Paul they will be asking, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' (Acts 9:6). Peter stated they will 'follow his steps'(1 Peter 2:21). John said they will 'walk, even as he walked' (John 2:6).
Finally, men captained by Christ will be consumed in Christ. To paraphrase President Harold B. Lee, they set fire in others because they are on fire.
Their will is swallowed up in His will (see John 5:30). They do always those things that please the Lord (see John 8:29). Not only would they die for the Lord, but more importantly they want to live for Him.
Enter their homes, and the pictures on their walls, the books on their shelves, the music in the air, their words and acts reveal them as Christians. They stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places (see Mosiah 18:9). They have Christ on their minds, as they look unto Him in every thought (see D&C 6:36). They have Christ in their hearts as their affections are placed on Him forever (see Alma 37:36).
In Book of Mormon language, they 'feast upon the words of Christ' (2 Nephi 32:3), 'talk of Christ' (2 Nephi 25:26), 'rejoice in Christ' (2 Nephi 25: 26), 'are made alive in Christ' (2 Nephi 25:25), and 'glory in [their] Jesus' (see 2 Nephi 33:6). In short, they lose themselves in the Lord, and find eternal life (see Luke 17:33)."

I framed these words and posted them on my wall to remind myself of the person I am trying to become. I started this blog because I wanted a way to share my love for Jesus Christ and His gospel with my family and my friends. I hope you enjoy your visit and that you will come back often as I share those things I love that I feel are "virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy."