My Life Forces

I have been spending a lot of time lately thinking about what I am going to talk about in stake conference. When I was first asked to speak, I felt very inadequate for such a task. Then as the idea settled in, I began to feel excited because I really enjoy doing the research part of giving a talk. I always learn so much in the process. Now I am beginning to feel nervous and inadequate once again. I know that the inspiration will come, but in the meantime, I am having lots of random thoughts and ideas that are not making a lot of sense to me. I talked to Dad about it the other day to see what he would talk about on the subject. My subject is based off of Doctrine and Covenants 82:14; which says; "...enlarge thy borders and strengthen thy stakes and put on thy beautiful garments...". Dad suggested talking about how important it is to work together as a stake and supporting one another. I had been thinking about it yesterday and I found an awesome way to relate it to the Nephites near the end of Alma. Captain Moroni had been unifying the Nephites and putting them under covenants and oaths that they would fight for their families, homes, and religion. They had strengthened and fortified their strong and weak cities and were able to defend themselves in an incredible way because the Lord had given them strength. After they drove the Lamanites off for a season, they began to have some contentions within. Nephihah, their chief judge, died and the people become divided upon what to do next. The freemen wanted Pahoran, Nephihah's son to be the next chief judge, and the king men didn't want to continue having chief judges and basically a democracy, they wanted to have a king. The freemen outnumbered the kingmen, which led Amalickiah, the leader, to take some of his followers (the dissenters) and not only join the Lamanites, but kill their king, take over, and entice them to go back to war with the Nephites. When they went to attack, the Nephites were not prepared because Captain Moroni and Helaman had been doing damage control due to the contention and dissenters. They were weak and the Lamanites overtook many of their strongholds. Symbolically speaking, I feel like that is a perfect analogy for the importance of supporting our leaders, strengthening each other, and working together to create a Zion within our own stake.

Yesterday I took the girls to the park. Katelund was climbing up a little climbing wall to get up to the slide. Cloey was trying to follow her, but it was very apparent that it was a little too advanced for her climbing skills. Just as I was about to pick Cloey up and help her, Katelund turned around, reached her hand down to Cloey, and said, "Come on Cloey, take my hand and I'll help you up". It brought tears to my eyes. It was very sweet, but it was more than that. It was another analogy to me of the importance of helping and strengthening one another.

I am so eternally grateful for the scriptures and my children who constantly teach me everyday of my life!!!! I couldn't survive without either one of them. In fact, the other night I was laying in bed with Cory and I was almost asleep when I realized that I had not read my Book of Mormon that day, which would have been the first time I'd missed in a LONG time. I told Cory that I hadn't read that day and he said, "Honey, go get your scriptures and and read them aloud to us, you don't want to miss a day." It was so ADORABLE!!!! Man, I love that MANN!!! :)