Just Make it to Lunch!

I'm sure you'll think this is about food. It's not! It's about trying to reach your goals.

The New Year always brings with it baggage! "This is the year I'm going to lose weight!" "This year I'm going to get out of debt!" "This year I'm going to read the scriptures (pray every day, go to church, go to the temple etc.)

Most of our goals should be achievable without much trouble, like reading the scriptures and praying. How hard is that? You get out of bed, get on your knees, pray, get back in bed and read the scriptures. Easy! NOT!!! You get out of bed, you go to the bathroom, then you see the laundry on the floor and take it to the laundry, throw a load into the washer, take out the load from the dryer, fold it, put it away, then you notice the rugs need vacuuming. You vacuum and while vacuuming the bedroom you make the bed and straighten the books on the nightstand and go about your day! By the way, one of the books on the nightstand is your Book of Mormon! At the end of the day you didn't do the two things you wanted to do.

Goals are sometimes hard to reach because we set ourselves up to fail. We let time get away from us because we think too big! We keep looking at the year in advance and it becomes a daunting task. I, personally, can't stand the thought of trying to lose weight if I have to think about it in terms of doing it for a whole year...but I can achieve it if I just think about doing it in smaller increments of time. Most of the things I want to achieve will be like that. As it says in Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 16:29 "...and thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things."

Today, my goal was to post something on this blog. I did it! And I did it before lunch...

Tomorrow, I'm going to start conquering the world...one lunchtime at a time!

Beauty of the Scriptures

I've gained a real appreciation for the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. I've read it several times (or more if you count the piecemeal reading), but never really studied them until our mission. The reason for this new found joy in reading them is the study we do with our young Marines on Tuesday nights. The doors of understanding open wide and my testimony grows with each chapter and verse. I love the concept of likening the scriptures and I now use this to understand the trials of my own and my family's trials. The following are just a couple examples of stories from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, the ones that really touched my heart and soul.

Mary at the feet of the Savior at His crucifixion:

How blessed was she, the mother of the Savior of the world and oh, how she agonized at His death. As I've read the account of Mary and listened to Rob Gardner's Lamb of God (which if you haven't heard, you must do immediately), I'm filled to the brim with emotion, that any mother had to endure (or will have endure) what Mary did. What I've learned, though, is that Mary was always in the Father's hands and comforted with the knowledge that her Son was part of the grand Plan of Salvation.

As a mother, I've cried many, many tears for my children and grandchildren who've suffered pain and agony with the trials of this life. What I've learned from Mary is that all of us, regardless of standing, still remain in the encircling arms of our loving Father in Heaven and He is aware of our pain. If we can remember that this life is about learning, then each pain or trial can be met with joy; joy in the knowledge that we don't stand alone. HE is always with us!

Adam, Lehi, Mosiah and Alma:

These men were Prophets of God! How is it that they failed so miserably with their children? If they, as Prophets, couldn't control their children, what hope is there for us mear mortals? It's called free agency, one of God's eternal principles. We can't beat ourselves up for the things our children do (assuming we have done all we can to raise them with correct principles). They get to choose whether or not they want to partake of the fruit of the Gospel or not. One of the biggest things we learn from two of those men (Mosiah and Alma) is that petitioning the Lord in behalf of your children can be instrumental in the outcome; people can and do change! We can't EVER give up on our children, because the Holy Spirit has the power to heal and change lives. I've been witness to it here in the mission field. Someday, I'll tell of Ryan Hyde, our own Alma the Younger of sorts. It happened in my own life, again, another story for another time.

We've had the opportunity to watch many miracles unfold in the course of the last twelve months of our mission, here in North Carolina and at home. We will continue to see others unfold in the next six months.

I love the scriptures!

Praying For Daniel...

Daniel Allen "A Very Brave Soul"

Not too long ago in Heaven, there was a little soul who took wonder in observing the world. He especially enjoyed the love he saw there and often expressed this joy with God. One day, however, the little soul was sad, for on this day he saw suffering in the world. He approached God and sadly asked, "Why do bad things happen? Why is there suffering in the world?"

God paused for a moment and replied, "Little soul, do not be sad, for the suffering you see unlocks the love in people's hearts."

The little soul was confused. "What do you mean?" he asked.

God replied, "Have you noticed the goodness and love that is the offspring of that suffering? Look at how people come together, drop their differences and show their love and compassion for those who suffer. All their other motivations disappear and they become motivated by love alone." The little soul began to understand and listened attentively as God continued, "The suffering soul unlocks the love in people's hearts much like the sun and the rain unlock the flower within the seed. I created everyone with endless love in their heart, but unfortunately most people keep it locked up and hardly share it with anyone. They are afraid to let their love shine freely because they are afraid of being hurt. But a suffering soul unlocks that love. I tell you this −it is the greatest miracle of all. Many souls have bravely chosen to go into the world and suffer−to unlock this love−to create this miracle−for the good of all humanity."

Just then the little soul got a wonderful idea and could hardly contain himself. With its wings fluttering, bouncing up and down, the little soul excitedly replied, "I am brave; let me go! I would like to go into the world and suffer so that I can unlock the goodness and love in people's hearts! I want to create that miracle!"

God smiled and said, "You are a brave soul, I know, and thus I will grant your request. But even though you are very brave, you will not be able to do this alone. I have known since the beginning of time that you would ask for this and so I have carefully selected many souls to care for you on your journey. Those souls will help you create your miracle; however, they will also share in your suffering. Two of these souls are most special and will care for you, help you and suffer along with you, far beyond the others. These people are your parents" God and the brave little soul shared a smile and then embraced.

In parting God said, "Do not forget, little soul that I will be with you always. Although you have agreed to bear the pain, you will do so through my strength. And if the time should come when you feel that you have suffered enough, just say the word, think the thought, and you will be healed." Thus at that moment the brave little soul was born into the world, and through his love and suffering and God's strength, he unlocked the goodness and love in people's hearts. For so many people dropped their differences and came together to show their love. Priorities became properly aligned. People gave from their hearts. Those that were always too busy found time. Many began new spiritual journeys−some regained lost faith−many came back to God. Parents hugged their children tighter. Friends and family grew closer. Old friends got together and new friendships were made. Distant family reunited, and every family spent more time together. Everyone prayed. Peace and love reigned. Lives changed forever. It was good. The world was a better place. The miracle had happened and God was pleased.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/danielallen6/mystory

Best. Friend. Irita.

Eighth grade must have been a tough year for me. It certainly seems to have been my naughtiest! There was a set of Hawaiian twins, Irita and Lovita. Irita was one of my best friends. She and her sister couldn't have been more different from each other. Lovita was tall, slim and quiet. Irita was more of a tomboy and she was a large person. She wore muu muu's a lot. She was also really good at lots of sports that required strength. One of our favorite past time was having her pick us up by one arm and one leg and twirling us around. There wasn't anyone she couldn't lift!

In those days we got weighed and measured in class. They called your name and you went to the front where the teacher weighed and measured you in front of everyone. She recorded your information in a book and it wasn't public knowledge...unless you happen to see it while she was writing. Well...I did, see it! I have no idea what in the world I was thinking but as I walked back to my desk I whispered to a friend, "Wow, Irita weighs two hundred pounds!" Again, I don't know what I was thinking because, stupid me! Irita's desk was two desks behind mine and after I finished whispering I looked up to see her staring at me with the most sad look I'd ever seen...on anyone! She never said anything about it to me. She could have pummeled me but she NEVER said a word. In fact, she continued to be my friend.

It was another one of those moments from my past that cause me pain. Pain that I could have ever been so cruel to another human being. I often wonder and hope that Irita has had a good life because she certainly deserved it. She was kind, soft spoken, humble and forgiving; just the kind of qualities you would want in a mother.

I've spent my life sufficiently punished. For as long as I can remember I've battled the bulge and on many occasions been over the number that the teacher recorded for Irita in the book. Yup, life has a way of evening things up!

Mr. Applin. Letter.

I'm trying to keep going with my Three Word Journal so, with that in mind I decided to write about something I did in the eighth grade. It was really naughty and I've repented of it over and over all these years!

Mr. Applin was probably my favorite teacher, EVER! He and his little family moved into a small rental home down the street from ours in La Verne. Funny! Looking back, they probably weren't even out of their twenties. His wife, Marian, and their son, Kenny, were so cute. My parents took them under their wing (good grief, THEY probably weren't even out of their thirties!) and helped them any way they could to feel part of the community. They were from Michigan, I think and after a couple of years here, they went back.

Mrs. Michael was one of the other eighth grade teachers and she was a sour puss! I can't remember ANY time that she smiled! I wonder if I would have liked her now, knowing how hard it is to teach...especially unruly students.

We had a lesson on Benjamin Franklin and I remember vividly a quote from him that Mrs. Michael gave us. "It is impossible for an empty bag to stand alone!" I'm sure I thought what followed was a great idea at the time, not thinking that so much now. I wrote a note with the quote followed by, "How does Mrs. Michael do it?" I attempted to pass it to a friend at the same moment that Mrs. Michael turned around and I got caught! She told me to give her the note. I'm sure I was thinking something like, "No way Jose!" So, I did the only thing I could think of...I quickly put the note in my mouth and tried to chew it! She was quicker and made me spit it out into her hand. Gross! She read it and didn't say anything about it. Later that day, Mr. Applin called me into the classroom and told me Mrs. Michael had come to him really upset by the note. I was pretty sure that my parents would be receiving a call telling them to come and pick me up because I'd been suspended. My punishment was worse than that. Mr. Applin told me that he was so disappointed that I would hurt anyone like that and he didn't know if I could ever be his babysitter again. I WAS CRUSHED! I would rather have been suspended! Spanked, even! I was in tears, "Mr. Applin, what can I do?" He then told me it would be a good start if I apologized to Mrs. Michael. I would have done anything to make amends...but THAT was going to be tough! I dragged my feet, literally, to her room. It must have taken five minutes to go from his classroom to hers next door. It took less than five seconds to spit out my apology, "I'msorryIwrotethenoteaboutyoubeinganemptybagIwon'tdoitagainIpromise!" Out the door I flew! Truly, I would have rather been suspended!

Open Letter to my Grandson, Alex

Alex,

I remember, with fondness, the day you were born. Your grandparents, all four of them, were there. Your great-grandparents were there. Only a handful of our grandchildren can make that claim. Grandpa Morales died in 1996 and Grandma Alice in 1999. Needless to say, we were all beaming upon your entrance into our family.

Oh, how the years have flown by and we've watched as you've gone from boy to young man with style and pazazz. Do you know how blessed you've been? How many can claim trips to Australia, Costa Rica or a drive across the country to see such sites as Nauvoo, Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore? Not many! You have your parents to thank for so much of that; their sacrifices were great.

You have a gift for making people feel special. That's why you have so many friends. You also have a wonderful talent for performing. I wish to let you know that you can thank me for that!

Now...you've graduated and entered the world of "adult" living. That's the longest stage of life just before "senior" living. Are you ready to live in an adult world? The joys are many but as with all things in this life, where much is given, much is expected.

Before we came to this life, we made promises that we would do all we could to return to our Father. We knew it would be a tough road. We knew we would be challenged every minute of everyday to make choices between "good, better or best". The question now is, have you paid attention to the lessons you were taught these past eighteen years? Are you ready to hold fast to those principles which bring true happiness?

Here is what you have going for you:

1) You were born to goodly parents! You notice I didn't say "perfect" parents because we still get to make our own choices. We do the best we can with our limited knowledge of how to raise children. After all, you don't come with instruction manuals! YOU, won the lottery, Alex. Your mother is a "one-in-a-million" mom. She has sacrificed countless hours to help you have such wonderful opportunities to learn and to grow; to see our big wide world. She's patient, kind and thoughtful. Have you ever noticed how much joy she brings to others through her service? She asks nothing in return.

2)You came to this earth with wonderful talents and you've used them to enrich the lives of others. You are funny, you can sing (again, you can thank me for that), you are smart! The question is, do YOU remember where those talents came from? You were given your talents by Father so you could bless the lives of others in the Gospel. Your talent is necessary to reach certain people at a point in their lives where they are looking for true happiness. How many lives do you have the potential to change because they came into contact with Alex Mortensen?

3) All through your life you've been given the tools you will need for success. You've been taught how to read the scriptures and how to pray. Were you listening? Were you paying attention to how much better things go when you do those two things?

So now, you're leaving the safe surrounding of a home filled with people who love you and entering a world where you will have, for the most part, charge of what you put into your life. Will you fill it with good things or worthless things, things that bring temporary happiness or eternal joy? That's the beauty of being an adult, it's now yours to choose.

Choose wisely, Alex, but if you make mistakes, learn from them and go on. THAT is the beauty of the Atonement of Jesus Christ! No mistake is too big or too bad to recover from. However, use the power wisely. Don't go into anything thinking, "Oh well, I'll do this or that because I can always repent tomorrow!" It's the adversary's biggest weapon and he will use it when you least expect it. As I've heard your mom say often, "Make good choices!" I echo that!

As you more seriously enter the dating world, I encourage you to treat ALL young ladies with the reverence you will treat the mother of your children. They are, each and every one, eternal daughters of God. Never take that which does not belong to you or let them give that which you have no rights to. The cost of things cheaply given or too loosely spoken is too high!

We love you more than words can describe. There is always and forever only one "first" grandchild. We are pleased with the young man you've become and can't wait to see where you are in the future.

I offer one last bit of counsel. Our mission has been such a blessing in our lives. I would not want you to feel like you are getting pushed to go on one. I can only testify that there is so much joy in being an instrument in the Lord's hands and helping people change their lives. YOU would be such a great missionary! Keep the dream alive...

Much love,

Sister Zollinger

(Grandma Vicki)

First Hand Account of the Tornado

This was written by Elder Farr. I used his account because he was there, this happened to him and he tells it so well...

(I left it entirely as it was written on his blog)

April 18, 2011

hey family, first off, today I am pretty tired.. the last two days have been crazy. and we only have two hours for preparation today because we are going to the temple this weekend on the 22 so I am really excited about all of that! I am glad everything is going great with everyone, so I am probably only write this once.. so if you could forward this and make sure everyone can read it in the family, that would be great! sorry I am not writing everyone. Well on Saturday we had tornado warnings but we get them often and paid them no heed. Our whole night just fell through.. so we had an appointment at 8 right down the street. so we grabbed our umbrellas and walked down, it was raining pretty hard. so we walk down the street look around the corner, he is not there, so we start walking back home. and it stopped raining, elder Phillips chuckles and says, the calm before the storm.... hah really funny I thought. so we walk in and the lightning is amazing~!! I recorded some of it. it's like a light was being turned on and off outside. so I was recording at the door right when we got in, I was recording for about a minute and I could hear the wind... and it quickly got louder and louder I could hear it coming across the street and roofs, they say it sounds like a train.. I heard that train coming.. and elder Phillips casually says, it's a tornado.. and starts walking to the bathroom.. and I then try to shut the door, but I couldn't... the wind was to strong, so I hurry and slammed the door shut and was standing there and I could feel the wind pushing the door in, and I felt the wind coming through the door... and lightning flashing behind it... so then I run to the bathroom, I slip on the floor and crawl in and slam the door shut.. the power is out and its black in there, we hear the wind howling all through the apartment, glass just shattering the whole time.. later I find out elder Phillips was clinging to our toilet.. ha well it stops and we turn on my camera for light.. we walk out an our front window is destroyed and leaves are plastered to the walls, garbage everywhere, we had tree limbs in the house, and so we start to clean it up and call the sisters, their place is totally fine. so we move the couch, put a blanket over the window to keep out the pouring rain. we find my flashlight, and people are outside checking on people. we couldn't get out the front door, the whole wall was blown off the foundation and pinched the door shut. then water is running in through the ventilation, and lights,. then the rough falls in and it was crazy. so we have to get out the back door to go and check on the sisters. we walk back there, and we had a lot of big trees back there, and they were all blown over.. up rooted. if the tornado was 5-10 feet closer to us, we would have died and our apartment would have been destroyed.. so we walk out, water, wood everywhere I walk around kick in our front door. The house is messed up but all apartments in our circle are standing.. so that's good. so the z are coming to pick us up but our whole area is down, and our corner is blocked off on the street from downed trees and power lines, that's what was told. so we packed up our essentials and walked out we came around this corner and it was terrible.. houses were completely gone.. brick houses blown to pieces you know those pictures you see of natural disasters. yeah we were walking though one.. so we walk out and people are crying and screaming looking for their families and crying where is my house. sirens were going, lights are flashing from the cars. I know I won't forget that night... so we walked through all the debris and met up with he zollingers. we stayed with the 2nd ward elders. it was a long night. So we wake up the next day go to church for a few minutes then get called that the sisters are cleaning our stuff out because of looters are coming in.. so we head over there, this great family packed all of our stuff, and put it in their car. so we walked in, more ceiling came down, insulation all over the place. so we move what we could out, my desk and the beds and a dresser is about all we had left.. our bikes were fine. so we finished up there, and went to work helping those whoms homes are gone.. we were in white shirts and ties and cleaning out this ladies pieces of house. we worked there then went and changed when the car came with our stuff. then we went to work on members home in the area, not to bad massive trees downed. a members trailer home was completely turned and torn apart.. so we worked there and then the members show up with chainsaws, so we clear trees and debris and then I walk around the moved trailer and its terrible back there... trailers cut in half by trees, cars smashed in, trailers look like shredded cheese... so we worked from nine to five out there cleaning and moving and cutting and just doing what we can. so at five we got our stuff and moved in with the 2nd ward elders, they have a nice place so I am now in a four man apartment out of my area by 6 miles plus on bikes. They said we will be there until they fix out apartment.... so who knows how long that will be probably 2 months, if they do it right... So we moved in, set up shop and this is where we are. my gps and my clothes are all fine nothing is lost. all is well. and we are planning to go back and help with all those people who now have nothing... WE were blessed in many ways. Well I think I got most of the story.. I hope. A four man missionary apartment in Raleigh was hit and its roof was blown off.. but they weren't home so that is good. i love you!

Well love you all! love elder Farr.