Baptism by Immersion

The talks were so thoughtful. Elder Livingston talked about what baptism could do for me. He said I was a star. He pulled out a wooden star. He said every time I do something wrong, it's like a nail in my star, and he hammered two nails into my star. Then once you repent, the nails get pulled out. BUT, there were still holes in the wood from the nails. The only way to fill the holes is to be baptized. To show that, he used a special putty pencil out and filled the holes. Taking the Sacrament each week will help me stay clean for my whole life.

Elder Willis gave a talk about the Holy Ghost and he compared it to the Liahona. To make the Holy Ghost part of our lives we need to trust it or have faith, give heed which means listen, and be diligent. Elder Willis told me that every single person here was here for me. That made me feel good.

(My dad baptized me and then he confirmed me.)

When I was baptized by immersion, the water felt like the Holy Ghost. When I came out of the water I felt warm inside like the Holy Ghost was with me. A lot of people came. My family helped me make book marks, and I put my testimony on them. This is what it said:

Thank you for sharing this special day with me. I am very excited to be baptized today. I am getting baptized, because I know it is the right thing to do. I’m being baptized, because Jesus showed us by His example that we should be baptized. No matter how perfect we think we are, we still need to be baptized.

Jesus Christ gave His life for us so that we could return to Heavenly Father. That gives me a warm feeling in my heart. The Bible and The Book of Mormon help me learn what the prophets teach about Jesus. The prophet Gordon B. Hinckley told us we should be like Jesus and be grateful, prayerful, smart, true, clean and humble.

My favorite scriptures in

The Book of Mormon about the 6 ‘“B’s” are:

• Be Smart-Alma 37:35 pg 303
• Be True-Alma 53:17-21& 57:21 pg 343, 353
• Be Clean-3 Nephi 20:41 pg 449
• Be Humble-Ether 12:27 pg 510
• Be Prayerful-Alma 37:36-37 pg 303
• Be Grateful-Alma 34:38 pg 297

I also like the story about Helaman’s stripling warriors. Alma 53-57.

The prophet today, Thomas Monson said:

“My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith. I declare that God lives and that He hears and answers our prayers. His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and our Redeemer. Heaven’s blessing await us."

Of all our kids, Jeff is the best at opening presents.
He LOVES everything. It's so fun to watch.

He's back.

Elder & Sister deCesare have come back to the mission after a year hiatus. He's up to his old bag of tricks, including plenty of treats for Jeffrey. Have you ever even seen a rice krispie treat this big? Later I'll post a video of his first day back to ZDM's: cue fog machine.

(There were 8 of these strips total. I don't think anyone was able to finish theirs.)

The Assistants had some fun with President's birthday.

We've had a whole birthday weekend. Wednesday, the office brought over cake and balloons (since they knew we were leaving the next day for interviews.). The missionaries sang, brought brownies and cookies-they even saved the corner/edge for President-that's true loyalty. Gauger's sent a key lime pie. And then of course, presents from the kids! Happy Birthday

First Day of School

O Remember, Remember

Yesterday I decided to revisit my commitment to follow the counsel in Elder Eyring's talk, O Remember, Remember. In simple terms, the idea is to take time each day to reflect on how we saw the hand of God (often through others) in the lives of our family, or to ask yourself if you felt some inspiration from Heavenly Father during the day.

SO, during the day I'm looking for that special something. Mark and I came home just after our meetings (just in time to get a snack ready before the younger boys got home from school) and BINGO! There it was. But first, let me preset the scenario.

Jeffrey goes to the office every day to check the mail, just in case there's a letter for him. There's usually not a happy ending to this ritual (and yes, every time I remind him that if he wants letters he has to write letters! He says he did-to which I respond that letters written over a year and a half ago don't count. He stomps off upset. That pattern never varies.)

Back to the present. Waiting for us, wrapped in a simple card board box, was a present from Emy, Ben & Clara. There was a fun package for each of us. I had intentions of taking a picture to post and say thanks, but the contents were dissembled too quickly. We had a great time going through all those things. It felt so good to be loved and remembered. Thank you Ben and Emy! We love you, too.

Phoenix Art Museum

The boys made good use of our culture pass this month. I didn't think they'd last long at the museum, but by the end of the afternoon, I was the one saying it was time to go. They loved the gift shop most of all (no-we didn't buy anything, but they had lots of wishful window shopping), but my favorite part was watching each of them with their sketch books copying down their favorite parts. The agreed favorite show piece was "Being attacked by fireflies" or something like that. A dark room filled with mirrors and 1000's of hanging LED lights that shifted colors. Walking through felt like you were in space. It was fun to vaguely see your silhouette among thousands of multi colored lights. I literally was dragging Jeff out of that one. Brandon had fun with some of the exhibits that played on light and shadow. Thanks for the date boys!

murmur, murmur, murmur

I love all the songs in the primary children's song book, but one of the kids' favorites is Nephi's Courage. (Do you think it's because of the hand motions?) And why not? It's a great story! What kid can't relate to being teased for wanting to do the right thing or has a big task ahead of them that they've never done before? What young boy or girl (grown ups, too) out there doesn't need more courage to do the hard things? We want heros that inspire us.

Certainly Nephi was courageous, but even more than courage, Nephi possessed a willing heart. Perhaps those two qualities can't thrive without the other. Reflecting over the last two years and rereading the passages of 1 and 2 Nephi again and again, I'm struck by how much attitude, not aptitude or opportunity, make the difference in a successful and happy 'journey'.

When I read 1 Nephi 3:5 & 6, it seems to me that Lehi is sad his older sons don't recognize his relationship with the Lord and his role as a prophet. They 'murmur' about the difficulty of the assignment. (Note that Lehi doesn't discount it is a challenging requirement.) Then, without any recorded comment from Nephi, Lehi knows Nephi will go without murmuring. For that willingness, Lehi responds, "go...and thou shalt be favored of the Lord..." It's only after these statements that we receive Nephi's inspiring words, "I will go and do..." How did Lehi know Nephi would respond positively? Can I think of specific responses I've made that put me in either the category of the 'doers' or the 'murmurers'? What possibilities opened up to Nephi due to his willing heart?

When Mark talks about Nephi, he often speaks of 1 Nephi 3:7 "I will go and do" and 2 Nephi 33:15 "I must obey" as the book ends of Nephi's life. I love that visual. I feel like I'm doing OK with the first end, now I only have to finish strong-and isn't the finish the most important part and the most difficult? So what do we do to maintain or even develop a willing heart?

Nephi knew the Lord would prepare a way-how? Through the same pattern that any principle becomes knowledge; through his own experiences and the experiences of others as taught by prophets-scriptures. [Alma 32, Bible Dictionary 'faith' and John 7:17-a pattern of persistent action and obedience.] Nephi had developed a relationship with God that Laman and Lemuel hadn't despite being taught by the same parent. (1 Nephi 2:12) Reflecting on the past and learning from it is a big part of that. We don't just read the scriptures, we apply those principles, or precepts, to our life. One of my favorite phrases in the scriptures is, "O remember, remember". And what is it that we're meant to remember?

'What great things the Lord has done for the children of men'. Each of those accounts deal with Him freeing them from bondage, healing them, guiding them, and being merciful to them-all shadows or types of the Atonement. To have a willing heart, we must come to know the Savior-who He is and why He is.

"As your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ grows, your desire to share the gospel [and obey any of God's commandments with a willing heart] will increase. You will feel, as Lehi did, the 'great importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth.' " (PMG pg 2) Increasing our understanding of the Atonement is a topic for another day, but I'll leave with one final thought. When we take the Sacrament, we do it in 'remembrance' and as a 'wittness' that we are willing, that we will remember, and that we will obey.

What happens at home when all the girls are gone?

Yes, Brandon was a willing participant.

He even managed to find a way to read...sort of.

Just so no one's worried, the whole ordeal only lasted a handful of minutes.

The most painful part...

Where in the world is Jessica?