Say Cheese!

So my awesome friend and neighbor Erin took some great pictures of our family for us last week. I think they turned out so cute. I can't wait to get them developed and hung in my house! Thank you so much Erin. You are the best!

It's Autumn time... the leaves are falling down!!

I am so excited for fall! I love the change in the air, the colorful leaves, all the recipes for yummy pumkin treats and especially confrence. It seems that I start getting excited for confrence at the beginning of September. I can harldly wait for the Relief Society Broadcast at the end of the month. For me it is a time to get away, to feel the Spirit and be refreshed and rejuvinated, this year was no exception. And I wasn't disappointed. I loved all the talks by our General Relief Society Presidency. The music was beautiful, so happy and joyful and I can't even tell you how valitdated I felt hearing President Uctdorf talk about creation and compassion. Some of the things he said that spoke to my heart were...

"Remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn't it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it-- your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty function and capacity beyond imagination."

"Creation means bringing something into existance something that did not exist before--colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter."

It made me realize that I am pretty talented but I still have a lot of things I need to work on, especially the harmonious home, and the family memories and the flowing laughter.

I loved the quote he used from Brigham Young: "Progress and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Build cities, adorn your habitiations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations. In the meantime continually seek to adorn your mindss with all the graces of the spirit of Christ."

On compassion I loved his quote from James Barrie the author of Peter Pan: "Those who bring Sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

"You wonderful sisters render compassionate service to others for reasons that supersede desires for personal benefits. In this you emulate the Savior, who though a king, sis not seek position, nor was he concerned about whether others noticed Him. He did not bother to compete with others. His thought were always tuned to help others. He taught, healed, conversed, and listened to others. He knew that greatness had little to do with outward signs of prosperity or position. He taught and lives by this doctrine: "He that is greatest among you shall be your servant."

His ending was so inspiring, "As daughters of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage....You will make the world a better place. Lift up your chin; walk tall. God loves you.

Those words were just what I needed. I know it is important to be happy but sometimes I just don't know how to do it. I think this was some wonderful instruction on how to be happy. I think he is saying that satisfaction and happiness will come as we create and step outside of ourselves into the lives of others. I am so excited for the next two days of confrence. It is a time for reassurance and redirection. I can hardly wait!!