Christmas Pictures

I really wanted a picture with all my kids in Christmas clothing in front of our Christmas tree, but alas it didn't happen. Here are some of the ones that didn't work out. If you want a real Christmas Card, just send me your address via email: kaylynntje at gmail dot com. No craft on Sunday because it is a day of rest.

I did teach Sunday School yesterday. It was on Ether 12, and Moroni's great discourse on faith. I love how he basically summarizes the Book of Mormon and explains that all things came by faith. I always think about other things that came about by faith: my first testimony of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon, answers to prayers, comfort that is given through the Holy Ghost. I also love these quotes on faith:

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, May 1994

My beloved young sisters, each of you needs to build a reservoir of faith so you can draw upon it when someone you love or respect betrays you, when some scientific discovery seems to cast doubt on a gospel principle, or when someone makes light of sacred things, such as the name of God or the sacred ceremonies of the temple. You need to draw on your reservoir of faith when you are weak or when someone else calls on you to strengthen them. You also need to draw on your reservoir of faith when some requirement of Church membership or service interferes with your personal preferences.

I know that I have dipped into my reservoirs of faith in the past, and right now I need to be filling it up again, if not for me than for others that may need to rely on my faith until theirs is strengthened.

The second:

Elder Neil L. Anderson, Ensign, October 2008, p. 13-14.

Several years ago a friend of mine had a young daughter die in a tragic accident. Hopes and dreams were shattered. My friend felt unbearable sorrow. He began to question what he had been taught and what he had taught as a missionary. The mother of my friend wrote me a letter and asked if I would give him a blessing. As I laid my hands upon his head, I felt to tell him something that I had not thought about in exactly the same way before. The impression that came to me was: Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision. He would need to choose faith.

I like how faith is a choice--it is more than a feeling, but we make the choice to lean not unto our own understanding, but to God's.

One of my favorite promises is in Ether--that if we come unto Christ we will be shown our weaknesses (the hard part), but with our humility and faith the Lord will make them strong. A beautiful promise to all that live by faith!