I have had the Atonement at the forefront of my mind this week, partly because my weaknesses have seemed to loom in front of me, partly because I just finished re-listening to conference again, but mostly because I experienced a profound visual and emotional reminder of it's tangible truth last Sunday. Because it was a 5th Sunday, our Bishop had all the ward members, except the Primary, combine for the last hour and invited a missionary couple who are serving locally in the Addiction Recovery program to come speak to us. I admit that I anticipated the lesson with a detached interest, thinking it would be a reference lesson to gain information that didn't pertain personally but would be good to know. (By the way--that is never a good approach to a lesson--no matter what the topic=) What I didn't expect was the young man the couple asked to assist them with the lesson who was probably in his late 20's or early 30's and had gone through the program seeking help for "multiple addictions" some of which had begun in Junior High. He was what they called a "facilitator" for the program here. He had just recently had all of his temple blessing restored and had brought with him a powerful testimony and a visual confirmation, standing in front of us, of a beautifully clean and humble young man. He was very anxious about coming in case someone might know him, but said he had been persuaded by the Spirit. I was so touched by his courage to put his faith before his vulnerability and be willing to stand in front of a crowd and share his experiences (carefully and not in any detail) with the atonement so recently in his life. I think sometimes I forget how pure we can become, RIGHT NOW, through our continual and diligent efforts to accept the atonement in our lives every day, even IN THE MIDST of our mortal weaknesses, but he was a reverberating reminder as he stood there emanating the light of Christ. Because some anonymity is important to keep private things private, he went by his first name only, but I was able to tearfully thank him after class and it was a potent and immersive experience that keeps going through my mind. I haven't had to fight addictions so far in my life, but I often feel like my spiritual growth is so slow and sometimes even stagnant and it can be oppressively discouraging, so I need constant reminders of whose voice I need to be listening to and discouragement is not His.
Another powerful confirmation began yesterday morning as I was reading a magazine which is mailed, complimentary, to our home. It is LDS oriented, but often not doctrinally well-rooted, so I don't know why I ever read anything from it--curiosity I guess. Anyway, I was reading an article about a young LDS man who is becoming quite famous and has chosen to make many good choices about his environment and the way he portrays himself to the media and the lyrics he chooses to sing, but has chosen not to serve a mission because he thinks the righteous impact he can have in the spotlight is the path Heavenly Father wants him to take instead. I don't know much about him and I don't know his circumstances, but I can imagine the incredible impact someone like that could make, especially on his own generation, by momentarily sacrificing that spotlight to serve the Lord full time. The scriptures show us that there are exceptions to many rules, and it's not my place to say where he stands in all of that, but the thought did come to me that I need to be so tediously careful about ever making myself an exception to the "rules", because I will one day have to answer for that to the Maker of the rules. I'm not sure exactly how Abraham gained his knowledge that he may have had to be an exception, but I can only be convinced that he had a SURE confirmation and not a just a feeling before moving forward and even then didn't want to be the exception. Maybe that is the key. His direction wan't prompted by self justification or desire or personal gain or comfort. We had a lesson in R.S. today on Not Taking Offense/ Forgiveness and a comment was made that sounded like a call for personal justification and pulled the lesson off track. With all of these thoughts in my head, I was reminded of a "Mormon Message" about a man whose entire family minus one son were killed by a drunk driver. You've probably seen it. If any mortal could seemingly justify himself for not forgiving it would be him, but he shared a perfect example of allowing the atonement to lift that burden from his heart. I felt prompted to share that experience in class. I don't know that this particular sisters heart was changed, maybe the pain is too fresh and she still needs time to soften her heart, but the Spirit returned to class and so many other sisters made profound prophetic and scriptural comments about the atonement that other hearts were changed as was indicated during the brief testimony meeting afterward. And all because the teacher was inspired to teach the particular topic and pressed forward. I am so grateful to have access to truths that make it possible for minute by minute course corrections in my life.
Our FHE Harvest party was fun. I won Jeopordy=) but only because Mikayla was acting more reserved than usual (she didn't try to tackle me once=).
Fourteen more days until Eden's birthday. Fourteen more days until she realizes that life goes on pretty much like normal=). Of course we'll have a fun party and the weekend will be magical, since it will be spread that far with a Sunday birthday. I'm still working on that aspect of it. She wanted a girl party for awhile but has switched back to co-ed and we have to fit in her date during the same days that Fred is heading out of town so it is going to be tricky and BUSY.
Fred's in Florida on business until Tuesday and has to go back out of town next week for four days which is no fun. I miss him!!! I am so grateful that we are past those years of night shifts and crazy schedules and that these trips are infrequent because I don't enjoy shouldering his presiding roles while he is gone. We lose so much stability in that process--at least I do.
Quote of the week: "I repeat the challenge to strictly abide in the spirit and by the letter of the Lord's commandments--his divinely prescribed code for successful living. Doing so will not only bring us temporal success but also that which is of infinitely greater worth: peace, self-fulfillment, joy, and eternal happiness." (Marion G. Romney)
BLOOMQUIST HARVEST PARTY 2011
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| Family Jeopardy |
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| The Remains of our Harvest Basket Exploration This Year |
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| Kyle dressed up by Lily and Sophie |
