Check out Abby's photostream!

https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A75oqs3qd8noS

Baby Seth

Here are some picture updates!

I think this is what they call irony...

I guess even a skinny cow would break the shelf....

It's More Fun in the Philippines!

I had to do this for a project and thought you would all enjoy. I plan to change it a little to make it more mine instead of just following the rubric!

Baby Abigail!

Adorable pics of baby Abigail from Aunt Deb :)

Fun pictures

 Check out Chad's finished man cave!

Playing hide-and-seek with Nike...

Road trip home from Grandma and Grandpa Larsen's... 5 minutes into the drive and we've already lost them...

Shepherding God's Children

An amazing post by Mama Lyons:

Sheri Dew tells of a young mom, pregnant with her fourth child, who attended a dinner honoring an accomplished couple.  This stay-at-home mom felt slightly out of place in this professional gathering.  At one point, the honored quest turned to the young mom and asked the inevitable question, “And what do you do?”  In considering her reply, she felt inadequate and lacking in what she offered to the world.  Her explanation of being a busy mother of three children with one more on the way was met with the man turning away assuming he could find more interesting company.

Most people can relate to feelings of not measuring up—at least in some times or areas of their lives.  Sister Dew put an interesting twist on this mom’s life and purpose.  She suggested that in the future this mom, and others like her, could answer the ‘what do you do question’ with, “I am shepherding some of God’s children back to exaltation with their Heavenly Father.  And what do You do?”

Shepherding people is a beautiful description of what we are all about in this life.  I have a peaceful painting of the Good Shepherd standing watch over a single sheep as she draws refreshing water from a calm river.   We can be, and are, similar shepherds to others who the Lord purposefully places in our lives.  We guide, protect, lead, and love those around us.  We offer our lives—not through dying, but through living each moment in serving, lifting, hoping, encouraging, and following the example of the Good Shepherd.  We are shepherding our family members, loved ones, visiting and home teaching families, co-workers, neighbors, and even strangers all the precious moments of our lives.  Daily, even hourly, we pray for heavenly help for those who surround us.

Being mortal, we don’t always have the eternal view of our experiences, and we can become tired, irritated, and even unwilling.  We can lose focus.  But the eternal value of all we do remains.  We just need to be full of hope and good cheer.

The first thoughts of “be of good cheer” usually create an image of a smiling, happy, light-filled person. So true and so desirable.  But another view of the commandment to “be of good cheer” could be from a shepherding point of view.  Even if we are struggling, as is often the human challenge, we can “be of good cheer” in extending hope or courage to another fellow struggler.  We can rejoice in others’ successes and welcome fellow sojourners into our lives.  We are of good cheer when we comfort someone and lighten their burden.

Being of good cheer and being ‘full of the hope that is in us’ go hand in hand.  I love the definition of hope in Preach My Gospel.  “Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you.  It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.  It is believing and expecting that something will occur.  When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good.  Hope helps you conquer discouragement. The scriptures often describe hope in Jesus Christ as the assurance that you will inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom.” 

So what do we do? We live in hope and good cheer and we share it with others.  We pray daily realizing that “the influence of a [righteous person’s] prayers not only spans decades but can reach into the eternities.” (Sheri Dew) We shepherd each other on our way back to exaltation with our Heavenly Father.

Pictures

Symbol of the Savior

I have been thinking about how mothers are intended to be types of Savior since I read a scripture for Sunday School in Moses 6:59. I figured, however, there was no need to rewrite my thoughts when they've been captured just fine in this article I found written by somebody else! Enjoy. 

We are taught that as mothers, we are “partners” with Christ. We offer ourselves as vehicles through which spirits can come to earth. But perhaps we are more than just “partners” with Him.  Take a look at Moses 6:59:

“As ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit...even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten.”

Isn’t that stunning? Physical birth (from a mother) is symbolic of spiritual re-birth that will take place later in life (from Christ). So, as mothers, not only are we partners with Christ--

We are symbols of Christ. 

We offer our physical bodies in pregnancy and childbirth to provide life for our children. Jesus Christ offered His physical body in death, to provide life for God’s children. And both involve water, blood, and the Spirit.

But it doesn’t stop there. A mother’s offering does not begin or end with her body. Yes, a mother offers her body through sleepless nights, weary arms, a well-worn lap, an aching back, and a listening ear. But what a mother offers most is her heart. Her entire soul. And isn’t that what Jesus Christ has offered us as well? Just as we see it symbolized in motherhood, He offers us His body, and His heart and soul.

So I ask, how does this knowledge--that we are symbols of Christ--change the way we view motherhood? Does it change the way I see myself or my children? Should it? And what is the meaning of it all? Why has He chosen to use mothers in this beautifully symbolic way? 

I think it means He thinks we’re pretty special. 

I think it means that mothering should be reverenced and protected.

I think it means that by daily nurturing, loving, teaching, and sacrificing for my children, not only am I coming to know more about Him, I am coming to be more like Him. 

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

http://tofw.com/Mother-Symbol-Savior-Whitney-Permann%20of%20Mercy%20River/s/498

A Keeper of Sheepers...

My Old Testament study this week has revolved around the stories of Abel, Cain, and Enoch. A scripture I found in Moses 5:17 struck me differently this time as a good self-introspection question: Are you a righteous "Keeper of Sheepers" or a carnal "Killer Tiller?" I apologize for the cheesy rhyming, but once you understand the context, you'll realize that this is a very pertinent question!

Moses 5:17-

"Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." 

We all know the extreme differences between these two brothers, as well as the resulting, eternal consequences of their choices, and I find it fascinating that their life professions were symbolic of their personalities.... And because I want what Abel got, I'm thinking maybe I should switch from daytime therapist to night time sheep keeper! 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Although there may seem to be distinct similarities in The Adam's family professions when compared to my very own maternal grandparents' resume, I would like to make note that I intend to keep family peace by focusing on the spiritual symbolism of Cain and Abel's pursuits rather than their actual farming preferences. 

This story caused me to ponder the meaning of the word "worship." We use that word all the time... But what does it really mean? Well we worship through scripture study, church and temple attendance, serving in our callings... So here's what I came up with...

Worship is: Admiring, giving praise to, spending time with, learning about, loving, thinking about, respecting, talking to, listening to, motivated by, trusting in, focusing on....

So set that aside momentarily and ask yourself the following:

What or who do you just absolutely love? 

With whom or what do you spend the majority of your time?

Who or what do you spend most of your free moments thinking about?

When you have a problem or an excitement, who do you tell first? Who do you go to for advice and comfort? 

Well then... That or she or he is what you worship. Now I'm not saying you can't have relationships or interests or collections or simple thoughts.... But is God your first priority and your best friend? Is He really who you worship?

During his mortal life, Christ said, "If you love me, feed my sheep." Well how do we do that? We follow The example of The True Shepherd, the Lamb of God who gave up his life for His friends. As we strive to follow Him by obeying our covenants through appropriate sacrifice, by serving Heavenly Father's children, and by making heavenly pursuits our top priority, we begin to be "sheep keepers." A sheep keeper's pay day comes in the form of a fruitful mortal experience (Moses 7:17), the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and the eternal salvation of our souls (Moses 6:52). Compare that with the wages earned by killer tillers... Little worthwhile worldy yield, a vain existence (Moses 5:37), and nothing to look forward to in the eternities to come. 

So which job offer are you going to take? (2 Nephi 2:27-29).

Thoughts on the Fall

So my ward is a little bit behind in our Sunday School lessons because we had Ward Conference... And we will be having Stake Conference this next week, so I will be even more behind! But here are some interesting things I found on The Fall- the lesson my ward will be having tomorrow.

So have you ever had that conversation that sounds something like this? "I loved my college years... But I would never go back." Or... "I was so happy when I was a kid! Life was so simple and stress free.... But I would never want to go back." I've always kind of wondered about that and why it is that this is such a universally common thing to say and feel. 

Last week in Sunday School, our teacher read a quote that said something like this: "God does not intend for us to experience only the simple happiness that comes from the innocence of childhood, but desires that we achieve the eternal joy that comes from righteous living." (If anyone knows where that comes from, please let me know!) This makes so much sense! It also helps me to better understand why Adam and Eve chose to partake of the forbidden fruit. 

“And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

“But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:22–25).

Eve and Adam had a choice- they could continue to live in a simple state of endless innocence and happiness, or they could choose to face sin, death, and  sorrow in order that they may have the opportunity to experience joy. It put a new spin on this scripture for me- "Men are that they might have joy..." meaning "Adam and Eve chose to leave their state of innocence so they could have children who, through righteous living, would then have the opportunity to experience joy."

I also like the clarity Elder Oaks brings to the difference between the words "sin" and "transgression." 

"Some acts, like murder, are crimes because they are inherently wrong. Other acts, like operating without a license, are crimes only because they are legally prohibited. Under these distinctions, the act that produced the Fall was not a sin—inherently wrong—but a transgression—wrong because it was formally prohibited." 

By giving them two contradictory commandments, God intentionally put Adam and Eve in a state where they would have to choose innocence or mortality. He would not violate their agency by choosing for them, but knew by their character in the premortal life that they would listen to his teachings in the Garden and eventually use their agency to make the choice that would allow God's plan for all of His children to ensue.

What incredible insight the world is missing in their understanding of the Fall and of the character and essential role if Adam and Eve!