Sunday December 2nd

I felt like things were a little crazy during Sacrament.  Wil and Ava couldn't stay in their seats.  We didn't get to church as early as I would have liked and we were in the back on the metal chairs.  The Madsons were two rows ahead of us, I should have sat right behind them because Wil and Ava didn't think we were close enough.  I subbed for Paul, he teaches the 12/13 yr Sunday School class.  The lesson was on Genealogy.  The lesson went really well.  The kids didn't have as much to share this week but I think that it was because they didn't have a real connection to doing genealogy and also that they were feeling the spirit.  Madison told me she felt the spirit and almost cried, that she had to blink the tears away.  I think this made her happy cause she feels like she doesn't always feel the spirit when other people do.  I have explained that she isn't always in the right mind set and that is why.  We talked about my ancestor Katie Schmidt and how her father was led to believe that her whole family had died of small pox while he was away.  Years later she told someone in Chicago about losing her brother, sister, and mother to small pox and that her father thought they were all dead.  That person knew a man that had been told that very thing and introduced them.  It was her father.  The kids had all kinds of questions that I explained I couldn't answer but that someday I wanted to ask her about it and what happened and how she felt.  That knowing that little bit turned my heart towards her.  The lesson wanted the kids to understand "turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the heart of the children to their fathers."

Ashley Price mentioned that she had an ancestor that was in the mormon battalion and that she would love to hear his stories.  Olivia and Avery Stewart talked about a grandfather that had fought in WWII and of the stories he told them.  I mentioned my Grandma & Grandpa Ingram and that I want to ask more about their courtship and what things were like.  I have such a great respect for them and feel I know them so well but that I don't know very much before they had my dad and aunt and before all of us grandkids came along. 

We ended with discussing why Journals are important.  I talked to them about having my mom's journal and what that means to me.  That it is great to be able to remember conversations with her and find her thoughts about the same conversation and to be amazed at what she thought.  It has helped me to know her better.  I also mentioned that one of my brothers has said that he wonders if he ever had a testimony, if he ever believed anything one his own or if it was just what his parents wanted.  I old him that I knew he had a testimony at one time, that he had told me what he wanted from life and I could feel the spirit when he spoke.  He didn't deny it but he doesn't remember it.  I asked the class if he had a journal would he be able to remember more, would he possibly be able to feel the spirit when he read his own words.  We agreed that he would.   It was a great lesson and I feel that journals and turning our hearts to our ancestors is important.  I hope they all went home wanting to find something out about someone.

In Relief Society I conducted....Grrr....I always mess up.  I started talking before I let the piano player know.  I was trying to speak over the piano and sisters.  What a goof!!  The lesson was great.   I didn't know that the story about Pres. Monson and his train set that we read every Christmas had been made into a book.  I will have to get it.  Sis. Taylor played Pres. Monson reading that book and then spoke about gifts and led a discussion.  When I closed the meeting I just had to share, I feel like I'm always sharing, they probably get tired of listening to me. :)  The story of the Cobler came to mind.  Of how he had a dream that the Savior was coming to visit him.  That day he served many people and awaited the Savior, at the end of the day he was disappointed and prayed asking why the Savior had never came.  The Savior responded that as he served those that came to his door he had served him.  I told the sisters that Heavenly Father and Christ want to comfort us, hug us, help us when we are in need but that they can't physically so they send our friends, families, and Relief Society.  How wonderful it is to serve others and while doing so we serve our Father and Savior. 

I didn't mention this but it also came to mind.  In a talk or lesson from this year I read that the greatest charity can be not taking offense when someone reacts in a way that we think the shouldn't.   It is important to not judge what other do or say or take offense.  Christ would never have taken offense.  I love Christmas and I am excited to start our Christmas book tomorrow.  Maybe I can find a few new stories!