Is my Life Like Sariah's?

It seems to me that Nephi didn't have sisters until after the family traveled into the wilderness. (In 1st Nephi 2:3 he says his family consisted of only his father, mother and 4 sons, but later after reaching the promised land he mentions his sisters) could it be that during that time of trial, his mother was blessed with at least four more children two girls and Jacob and Joseph? That seems like it is very possible. I wonder if Sariah had longed for more children and thought her family was complete since she had been unable to have them. I wonder if she lost any of her children to miscarriage and they were not mentioned in the record.  Maybe she rejoiced with surprised enthusiasm when she found out she was expecting a child again. Those Children would certainly be worth all the things she had been asked to  leave behind.  And all of those miracle children decided to follow the commandments and be faithful when asked to follow their older brother to flee with him again to safety from the murderous older brothers.  Maybe my life is more like Sariah's than I ever imagined.

Not Like Nasty Medicine

The speaker at church today had a great quote about how reading the Book of Mormon should not be like taking nasty medicine or having a shot.  (I believe he said the quote came from Elder Russell. M. Nelson?)  I thought that was a very clever way to help me remember to keep family and personal study interesting and fun. Hubby is really great at that.

This week's Family Theme Scripture

I was feeling really tired.  As I walked past the front door, I remembered that the most important things for the day are already complete. I need to Remember I am doing well.

Organized

Feels so good to be organized on the first week of school. . .

Time for Me: Study Schedule

I want to try and get back to my weekly study schedule with at least 15 minutes of study time I get to do myself,  (not including  the time I get to read scripture stories with the girls).
All it takes is 15-30 min a day:

-Daily: Book of Mormon
-Mon: Relief Society Lesson
-Tue:  Sunday School lesson
-Wed: Ensign (wk 1--FP Msg,wk 2--VT Msg, Other articles)
-Thur: Young Women Personal Progress
-Fri: Nursery, Primary and Come Follow Me
-Sat: Hymns
-Sun: General Conference

Am I a "Brave, Steadfast and Immovable Warrior?"

"What a difference it would make in the world if all people would see themselves as makers of righteous homes. Let us defend the home as a place which is second only to the temple in holiness.

"Sisters, I am grateful to be a woman in these latter days. We have opportunities and possibilities which no other generation of women has had in the world. Let us help build the kingdom of God by standing up boldly and being defenders of marriage, parenthood, and the home. The Lord needs us to be brave, steadfast, and immovable warriors who will defend His plan and teach the upcoming generations His truths." 

DEFENDERS OF THE FAMILY PROCLAMATION"  

By Bonnie L. Oscarson

Young Women General President

Constantly Unfinished Business

"When priorities are in place, one can more patiently tolerate unfinished business." ( "Lessons From Eve," by Elder Russell M. Nelson, Ensign Nov. 1987, p. 87)

This quote gives me hope.  I constantly battle feeling overwhelmed by all that is simply undone in my life.  How can my priorities become more grounded in what Heavenly Father wants them to be so I can feel more patience?

Don't Look Back

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrZij9MSTRI

November 2014 Family Study Plan

Lady Slipper Study plan

Primary  1 lesson 36 I can be a good example the stories of Zacchaeus and Jesus praying with the Nephites

She is also interested in tithing. It would be fun to play paying tithing  by earning 10 of her play gold coins and then paying 1 for tithing.

The October  primary  outline is focused  on the Family a proclamation  to the world.  My Family Home Evening lesson can follow week 1 in the outline: give each person 1 sentence from the Family proclamation  and let them choose A song that goes along with it.

Scripture: John 15:11
"These things I have spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full."

Article of Faith 10

"We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the ten tribes that Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be built upon the American continent, that Christ will reign personally upon the earth and that the earth will be renewed and receive it's paradasaical glory."

Song: review songs for the  
primary program this month.

Today's Victories

As I started to feel overwhelmed with all I wish I could get finished today, I was thankfully brought back to what I have  accomplished today.  Here are a few:

Made sure I was wearing blue and white for pioneer day myself and helped LS dress like a princess ( as she requested).
 
Enjoyed  time as a family while we explored the plants at Lowe's.

Budget review.

Laundry and clean kitchen.

Helped MG make a prioritized list for school supplies--red (need), yellow (should have), and green (want).

Lady Slipper Study July 2014

I am simplifying what I plan to study with Lady Slipper this week.  I have 2 goals:

1) continue watching a scripture story with her on my phone first thing each morning.

2) I have two picture sleeves on the wall (using command  strips so we can take them easily on and off the wall for study time) with Gospel Art Pictures suggested from a recent lesson plan she studied in Primary.  Change the pictures each Sunday.  (For example, today the pictures are about family: one is of baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph; one is of a family having fun together). Those can easily be used by any of us to tell her a story or ask her to tell us what she knows about each picture. 

"Come Follow Me:" Teaching in the Lord's Way

 "Teaching in this way is not a lecture but a conversation guided by the Spirit."

That is one of my most favorite lines from the FAQ web page about the new curriculum for youth: "Come Follow Me: Learning Resources for Youth"

Today I studied more about this new curriculum as I believe it is something I need to understand as a parent of girls who will someday be in the youth program.  I know the principles taught apply to me in teaching them right now and in all other teaching I do:

Prepare to Teach

Help Us Discover the Gospel

Invite Us to Act

Let Us Teach

Love Us

 



I am so thankful for inspired leaders!  This curriculum is a great blessing!! Since I have now finished reading "Daughter's in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society,"  I will now use my Thursday study time to learn more about this curriculum. I know it will help me to become a better mother.

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy

Watch a Video about "Come Follow Me"
View a list of frequently asked questions.
Explore Come, Follow Me.
Read a news article about the new youth curriculum.
First Presidency announcement

Preparing for a Transcript Review

In preparation for a transcript review for an Early Intervention Credential I am working toward, I spent a lot of time the past couple of weeks reviewing the things I learned while completing my Bachelor of Science Degree in Marriage, Family and Human Development from BYU. As I have stated in my profile, a definite highlight of that period of my life was the privilege to participate in the editing process of the book "Strengthening the Family: An In-Depth Look at the Proclamation on the Family" Edited by David C. Dollahite. I have been looking over the book again and reminding myself of the many truths within the The Family: A Proclamation to the World and how they apply to me in my own family and in my current occupation working mostly with parents and their children with special developmental delays.

My particular assignment in helping with the creation of the above mentioned book was to read early drafts of each chapter and mark them all up with my thoughts and suggestions for the authors (which meant I got to read a lot more information than is currently included in the book). Then the other students and I had the chance to meet most of the authors in person and give them our suggestions and our commendations on the articles. I was also able to help in creating a section of activities meant to enhance application of the principles found in the Proclamation. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and even back then, I felt inklings of the great magnitude of the importance of the Proclamation and in the work Dr. Dollahite and the other authors were doing to help spread the timeless principles included in that inspired document. Now it is even more obvious why families need the support and guidance called for in that inspired document.

September 2012 Mom Schedule

Daily

5 am:  I will get up and have my personal study time, pray, get dressed nice, quick breakfast, exercize 5-10 minutes
          Monday: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lessons 33-36
          Tuesday: Relief Society Lessons--Teachings of President George Albert Smith Chap 15- 16
          Wednesday: Primary Songs and Hymns--Choose the Right (Hymn 239),Choose the Right Way (CS 160)
          Thursday:  Daughters in my Kingdom Chapter 10 and Events  
          Friday:  General Conference
          Saturday: Ensign, September 2012, First Presidency Message, Visiting Teaching Message, . . .
          Sunday:  Study Plans/Materials for The Girls' study time

6am: Study Time with Morning Glory (and Lady Slipper if she wakes up with us)
6:15 am:  Violin with Morning Glory
6:30 am: Family Breakfast

Allowance Method One

 For the past several years, my daughter has earned a small amount of money for each of her usual jobs she does to take care of herself and for her responsibilities helping the family. We started this when she was four years old. Once a month we paid her in actual dollars so she could have the experience budgeting out her money into piles and visually see how much she had earned and where each dollar went. It also taught her math percentage skills.

 The categories she had were: First, Pay Heavenly Father Tithing 10%. Second, Pay Yourself (savings) 40%.  Third, Pay Your Bills: violin lessons, ballet lessons and violin purchase (she paid off her violin $15 each month).  Fourth, Share (fast offerings, temple fund, etc.)  Finally, Spending.  We chose the amount given for each job according to how much she needed to earn to pay the above bills and have at least enough money left to buy a couple of items at the dollar store.  for us that meant a quarter per job.

This method worked very well in teaching budgeting, math, and a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.  If she didn't do enough of her chores, she didn't have enough to pay her bills and had to either pay us interest or do extra jobs to make up the difference.  She has also built up a savings account for college with the 40% she saved each month.  It also helped us as parents when we were out shopping and she wanted an item it was easy to answer, "do you have enough spending money for that?"

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy

Am I "Tending To My Ministry?"

Alma counsels his son Corianton who had made some serious mistakes. He let him know what was the beginning of his leaving the path of righteousness and moving to the pathway of sin. He said it began with "boasting in his own wisdom and strength. (The Book of Mormon:Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Alma 39:2)

Then he said "Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.(The Book of Mormon:Another Testsment of Jesus Christ, Alma 39:4)"

To apply to me I am thinking of "she" from the above verse as meaning anything that distracts or takes me away from the my ministry. What is my ministry? What things tempt or distract me away from that ministry? What can I do to improve my focus on my own personal ministry?

Waiting Brings Learning If I let It.

“The Apostle Paul was a wonderful friend who helped me be patient and continually confront challenges,” says Sung Eun. “He always had a positive attitude and willingly waited for what God had for him, rather than hoping for his own timing. “I learned something from his example: the period of waiting is not merely the process that we must go through to get what we want. Rather, it is a process by which we become who our Heavenly Father wants us to be through changes we make.” I was surprised to discover that I had measured my self-worth in worldly ideas of value,” she remembers. “I felt valuable because of my employment and position, which were taken away. I now find my self-worth in the eternal truths that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and I have divine potential. These truths can never be taken away.” Ensign July 2012 "When Good Plans Don't Work Out."

I really related to the experience of this woman. When I was first married and waiting for a large family to begin, I realized that I didn't know what I would do with myself if that plan didn't work. My self worth was in being a mother and even after I had one daughter my self worth was still wrapped up in having more. When I had to wait for 7 years I finally learned that my worth was in doing God's will for me. Since learning that lesson I have even been able to accept 5 miscarriages without losing my feeling of confidence and self worth as a daughter of God because I know I am following God's plan.

Finding Service Opportunities Trains me to be More Like Christ

"You wonderful sisters render compassionate service to others for reasons that supersede desires for personal benefits. In this you emulate the Savior, who, though a king, did not seek position, nor was He concerned about whether others noticed Him. He did not bother to compete with others. His thoughts were always tuned to help others. He taught, healed, conversed [with], and listened to others. He knew that greatness had little to do with outward signs of prosperity or position. He taught and lived by this doctrine: ‘He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.’”
(president uchtdorf, daughters in my kingdom, chapter 7)

“There can be no force in this program as I see it. It is a matter of encouragement and love. It is amazing how many people we can convert with love and inspire with love. We are ‘to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite … to come unto Christ’ (D&C 20:59), as the Lord said in his revelations. … “Don’t let us be satisfied with just visits, with making friends; that, of course, has its place. … Friendship, of course, is important, but how better can you make a friend than to teach somebody everlasting principles of life and salvation?" (President Kimball daughters in my kingdom chapter 7)

Little Women

Jo's marmee has such great wisdom in offering this counsel when asked how she continues on so patiently with her husband gone so long in the war:

"I gave my best to the country I love, and kept my tears till he was gone. Why should I complain, when we both have merely done our duty and will surely be the happier for it in the end? If I don't seem to need help, it is because I have a better friend, even than Father, to comfort and sustain me. My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning and may be many, but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father as you do that of your earthly one. The more you love and trust Him, the nearer you will feel to Him, and the less you will depend on human power and wisdom. His love and care never tire or change, can never be taken from you, but may become the source of lifelong peace, happiness, and strength. Believe this heartily, and go to God with all your little cares, and hopes, and sins, and sorrows, as freely and confidingly as you come to your mother." Jo's only answer was to hold her mother close, and in the silence which followed the sincerest prayer