Nearing the End

So, we are nearing the end of this semester and final projects are being handed in left and right. Today, my blog is due. I have had such a wonderful time focusing on family and digging in deep to the Proclamation. I know that the knowledge and experiences that I have gained from this project will bless my life and the life of my family through and through. 

Today, Pedro and I will be attending our first sealing ceremony in the temple, (other than our own)! My cousin is going to be married today at 2pm in the Newport Beach Temple. What a beautiful way to end this course, by attending a sacred ceremony and watching love sweethearts kneel together to be sealed for time and all eternity to begin their own family. I am very excited, and my heart is so full. I couldn't be more happy for them. This event also turns my heart towards my own husband, and I thank my Father in Heaven for the eternal marriage we have together as well. I also thank Him for giving me such a wonderful man to spend eternity with. 

I know that families are essential to plan of salvation. I know that marriage is ordained by God between a man and a woman. I know that there are needs and responsibilities that need to be met by the parents within a family. I know and understand that The Family, A Proclamation to the World is an inspired document that will bless my life. I love this gospel. I love my Father in Heaven and I love my family. I am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who has made eternal families a possibility here on the earth. I am in love with this church. I would not be in this wonderful position in life without the church bringing me here. I could not be happier, but I know that the Lord has plans and he will help me find even more happiness along the way.

I hope you enjoyed reading through my blog, because I have really enjoyed writing it. I hope that it has helped you strengthen your own testimony of families, and has given you some ideas on how we can defend the traditional family in this crazy world today as well. I want to wish everyone well, and know that I am constantly praying for the safety and watchful care of those wonderful members of our church, no matter where they may be. 

With love, 

Leah

My Inspiration- The Proclamation

"Drawing Specific Inspiration from the Proclamation"

When my husband, Pedro and I were married last September, we had the opportunity to be sealed together for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles temple. We waited together in the Celestial room, as our family entered the sealing room, Pedro was nervously trying to crack jokes to ease the slight stress. I was excited and nervous at the same time. The sealer came over to meet us just before we were taken in to begin the ceremony. He talked about how things would go and asked us a few questions about ourselves. We were excited to meet him and thought that he would do a wonderful job. 

The sealer, gave some very inspirational word during out sealing, just as we had expected. But something important to me has particularly stood out. He referenced the Proclamation. He told us to heed its teachings and honor the responsibilities that it has provided for us as a family. He told us to learn from it and keep it in our home, because it would surely bless our lives. 

Now, Pedro and I have been married for ten months, and I often find myself looking back at the Proclamation to judge myself and my efforts. I want to obey its teachings, and I want to make a habit of following it. Living in this day and age, I have seen so many different people fall away from the church and give up their eternal families. I refuse to be one of those who give up. I will raise a family that is proud to be members of this church and cherishes family.  I will follow the Proclamation with all of my heart and soul because I know that it is an inspired document. I have seen my parent's marriage and family life flourish because of their followings of it. I know that they do their best to live up to its teachings as well. 

I am so thankful for a sealer who engrained the words of the Proclamation into my mind on such a pivotal day in my life. I will forever remember his advice and I will know where to turn when times become confusing. I do not think that it was a coincidence, but I know that he shared these ideas and promptings with us for a reason. Our Father in Heaven wants us to pull from the Proclamation and use it as inspiration in this world, especially when the light from the traditional family is continually growing more and more dim. 

This is my husband and me walking out of the temple for the first time together as husband and wife!

After receiving great counsel and advice inside of the temple during our ceremony, we were excited to walk outside to to greet or families and friends!

Eternity with Them, My Family

Chapter 32 "The Eternal Family: A Plain and Precious Part of the Plan of Salvation" 

"The family is central to the creator's plan for the eternal destiny of his children…In the pre mortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped  God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress towards perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life."

Being members of this wonderful church, we have the privilege of knowing about the plan of salvation, the plan our Father in Heaven has created for us in order to help us return to him one day. 

Thankfully, in my family, thus far I have not lost a close family member or relative yet. I have not had to struggle with death or loss in my life at this point. But, I have had a life changing experience with my family that helped me better understand the Plan of Salvation at a young age.

When I was eleven years old, my little brother Scott was born. My younger sisters and I were so excited to finally have a little brother! We had waited and waited for him. After visiting him in the hospital, our father told us that Scott would be staying for a little while longer in the hospital because he had become sick. This sickness turned into more and more issues, and our little Scott was not able to come home for quite some time. He became very close to the face of death, multiple times. Being a young eleven year old, and trying to be strong for my sisters, as well as trying to help my parents bear this large burden, I knew that I had to find some answers. I had to turn to my Father in Heaven and find the faith to accept his will. I was scared and nervous. I hardly knew how to handle myself at times, all I knew was that if I was upset my sister would follow suit and that wasn't going to get us anywhere. With many prayers and conversations with loved ones, I came to understand that our little Scott had come to our family for a reason. We may never know this reason as to why he joined us, but there is good to it. He was able to come to the earth, and gain the body that he needed to house his spirit. I was able to better understand the love that our Father has for all of his children here on earth. I knew that the Plan of Salvation was real and that no matter what happened, my family would be together forever. We would be able to meet again in heaven no matter the circumstances. Thankfully, ten years later, our little Scott is healthy and strong, and has moved forward and far away from his wrestle with death. I was definitely able to learn a wonderful lesson about having faith, prayer, and the plan of salvation during these nerve-wracking times in my life. 

Meet our "Scotty"

He has continued to teach our family so much about the gospel and Father in Heaven.

Now eleven years old, he is a happy and healthy little boy who loves trains, trucks, and dirt. We definitely love him and are so thankful that he was placed in our family!

"True to the Faith that our Parents Have Cherished!"

Chapter 34 "Sharing and Defending Family Proclamation Principles"

"We call upon responsible citizens…everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society."

When I think of defending my beliefs as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the hymn, 'True to the Faith' instantly starts playing in my mind. What better lyrics than these, to pump you up about standing firm and letting the world know that we are proud of being members of this great gospel.

 Shall the youth of Zion falter

In defending truth and right?

While the enemy assaileth,

Shall we shrink or shun the fight? No!

True to the faith that our parents have cherished,

True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,

To God's command,

Soul, heart, and hand,

Faithful and true we will ever stand.

While we know the pow'rs of darkness

Seek to thwart the work of God,

Shall the children of the promise

Cease to grasp the iron rod? No!

We will work out our salvation;

We will cleave unto the truth;

We will watch and pray and labor

With the fervent zeal of youth. Yes!

We will strive to be found worthy

Of the kingdom of our Lord,

With the faithful ones redeemed

Who have loved and kept his word. Yes!

I have had an experience recently where I have had to stand up for my beliefs concerning the Proclamation and the safeguarding of the traditional marriage. 

I have a very good childhood friend who has decided to leave the church because her ideas and opinions about the practices of the church. I was hurt when I heard this news, and quite frankly shocked to hear that she had chosen to live a life committed to her same-sex attraction. Unfortunately, she allowed the gates of sin to open completely, and is now fully involved in a life of  alcohol, premarital sex, partying and does not support the teachings of the prophet or the church. I was able to have a conversation with her about the church principles and teachings of the family. Although we did not see eye to eye, I was able to bear my testimony to her about how I felt. I can only continue to do this with her, as well as pray that she will remember the feelings of the spirit and someday come back to the fold. Though it is not always easy, I have continued to try to be Christ-like and show her an unconditional love as well.

I would like to challenge other members of the church to show love and compassion to those who are struggling with their testimonies and faith. It is important to let those people know that we are true Christian, and that we do not just turn the other cheek. We need to be prepared to show compassion, as well as help other understand or beliefs and feel the spirit  as often as possible. If we are prepared, our approach and our answers will come easier and kinder. 

Dare to Stand Alone By President Thomas S. Monson

President Monson also encourages us to stand up for what is right, even when times get tough. 

Learning to Let Go, Working on Forgiving our Family Members

Chapter 20 "Repentance and Forgiveness in Family Life"

"Successful marriages and families are establish and maintained on principles of…repentance [and] forgiveness."

When I was a high school student, I was always busy… I always had something to do or somewhere to go. One day in Sacrament meeting, a ward member included this story, "Seminary Donuts" in their talk. Let's just say that it gave me a whole different perspective on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the gift that he gave us.

Here's the story

Seminary Donuts

Brother Christianson taught Seminary. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's Seminary class. Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over. One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?" Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do." Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?" Steve said, "I do about 200 every night." "200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?" Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time." "Do you think you could?" Again asked Brother Christianson. "Well, I can try," said Steve. "Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said. Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it." Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday." Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend. Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?" Cynthia said, "Yes." Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?" Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.. Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?" Joe said, "Yes." Bro. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Bro. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When Bro. Christianson asked, "Scott, do you want a donut?" Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?" Bro. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them." Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then." Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?" Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!" Bro. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk. Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?" Jenny said, "No." Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut. By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved. Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely. Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Bro. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?" Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You can do them any way that you want." And Bro. Christianson went on. A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!" Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come." Bro. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him." Steve said, "Yes, let him come in." Bro. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?" "Yes." "Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down. Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room. The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut? Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you." Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?" Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda. Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?" Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Bro. Christianson, can I help him?" Bro. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?" As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor. Brother Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, pleaded to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten." After hearing about this real life demonstration of the Atonement, I realized that it is my obligation to utilize the powers of forgiveness and repentance in my life. It is not my choice to withhold forgiveness from anyone, because our brother, Christ, suffered for each and everyone of us, even our own family members. I have been hurt before, and I have become frustrated and upset because of the actions and words of my own family members, but when I calm myself down and remember the love that I have for them and the special meaning they hold in my heart, I realize that forgiveness is always the best option. In family life, we cannot afford to turn against one another. We need to constantly have each other's backs, no matter the circumstances. We cannot allow grudges to create wedges between relationships within our families. We are here to build one another up, and we all have a common goal of making it to the Celestial and being there together. When we look at the bigger picture, grudges and arguments do not even hold a candlestick. This story, about the donuts and the price that had to be paid for each and every student, is a great demonstration of the Atonement, as well as how the Atonement should be used in our lives. Reading this story for Family Home Evening can definitely help a family understand that forgiveness and repentance is truly essential to the plan of happiness. I am grateful for a family who understands that we are here on earth to learn and at times we may make mistakes.  They are not afraid to forgive when needed. Thankfully, we know and understand that together we can accomplish our goals!

"Temples are more than stone and mortar…"

"They Cannot Be Lost: Temple Covenants Save Families" Chapter 16

President Monson shares a beautiful story about how the temples of the Lord have pulled families together.

Elder Nelson teaches us more about covenants!

These are great FHE lesson videos that can help children learn more about the temple and what making a covenant means, and how it will affect them after receiving their own endowment. 

Definitely share this Mormon message with your family as well!

Help the youth build confidence in the temple, and help them better understand that the temple is beautiful and sacred blessing that the Lord has provided for us. Help the youth focus on more than the wedding or the mission call, and truly understand the meaning behind temple attendance and what we can gain from visiting often.

Before I entered the temple for the very first time, I had no idea what to expect. I was confident that it was where the Lord wanted me to be though. At times, I feel like we stress marriage to the youth more than entering the temple for the first time. We should hold more family home evenings on temples and have regular conversations about temples within our homes with our families. Parents should work to set an example of regular temple attendance to show the children how truly important it is for a marriage relationship as well!

 These are some of my all-time favorite quotes about the temple!

"The temple provides purpose for our lives. It brings peace to our souls—not the peace provided by men but the peace promised by the Son of God when He said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.”" President Thomas S. Monson

"I urge our people everywhere, with all of the persuasiveness of which I am capable, to live worthy to hold a temple recommend, to secure one and regard it as a precious asset, and to make a greater effort to go to the House of the Lord and partake of the spirit and the blessings to be had therein." -President Gordon B. Hinckley

"I urge all who have not yet received these greatest of all blessings within the walls of the temple to do whatever may be necessary to qualify to receive them." -James E. Faust

"As we come unto Christ and journey to higher ground, we will desire to spend more time in His temples, because the temples represent higher ground, sacred ground." -Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Each temple building is an inspiration, magnificent and beautiful in every way, but the temple building alone does not bless. The endowed blessings and divine functions—come through obedience and faithfulness to priesthood authority and covenants made." -James E. Faust 

"Each holy temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families." -Russell M. Nelson

"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." -Doctrine and Covenants 88:119

"Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father." -Brigham Young

Hopefully these will help you get thinking more and more about the temple, and visit it some time soon, or even commit to become prepared to enter!

Love, 

Leah

Memorizing the Proclamation!

This post is inspired by chapter 29 from the text book, "The Proclamation: A Guide, Banner, and a Doctrinal Summary of the Church's Emphasis on the Family"

When doing some research on the Proclamation and how it came to be, I was able to find one of President Hinckley's talks. This talk is entitled, "Stand strong Against the Wiles of the World", and it introduced the The Family, A Proclamation to the World. I really enjoyed this talk. It is crazy to think that it was written back in 1995, who would have guessed it would have been so plausible for our day now in 2014. In fact, I think it fits our day and age even better now than it did back then. I think that this talk is wonderful testimony of the connection our prophets have with the Lord. Read it to your spouse and your children and have them guess when it was written, I bet they will think it is a much more modern talk.

Stand Strong Against the Wiles of the World By President Gordon B. Hinckley

I also thought that something great for my little family at the moment would be the memorize the whole proclamation. I think that memorizing it would help us both defend our religion and our beliefs when questions come up, and to be honest, a lot of questions from friends who are not religious have already been asked. I know that if I have the proclamation memorized to my long term memory, I will always be able to refer to it, and so I'm going to make my husband do it with me too :)

If this little guy can do it…so can we!

I also stumbled across this blog where the mother and her children were able to all memorize the Proclamation through index cards and share it with their father/husband as a christmas gift! Such a sweet idea!

Memorizing the Proclamation

Overall, we know that the Proclamation is our safe guard. We are going to need to begin utilizing it more often in our daily lives because of the current attacks on traditional marriage and family life. Tough times are coming and we need to be prepared, both adults and children. We need to work together to learn and practice correct principles that will help us get closer to our Father in Heaven!

Family Bucket List- Summer 2014!

Chapter 22. Wholesome Family Recreation

"Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, respect, love, compassion work, and wholesome recreational activities."

Bucket Lists are loads of fun! So why not sit down with you family, kids, husband, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, whoever wants to take part in this awesome adventure and make your own!

Family unity stems from togetherness. We have to spend time together, if we plan to build relationships that will last through the eternities. Memories go a long way in life, and help you draw close to the people you experience them with. When I was 16, I hiked Half Dome in Yosemite with my Dad and two younger sisters. It was probably one of the best experiences of my life thus far, but it would not have been very special if it was just me at the top of rock by myself. Family makes the difference.

Take the time to make your bucket list, and let each child turn in ideas about what you can do! It doesn't have to fall under any guidelines or rules, just list everything out! You don't even have to complete the list, in fact, you should keep adding to it!

Once again, Pintrest can help you make a project out of this idea if you'd like! Just type in Bucket List into the search bar and tons of ideas will come up!

I threw together some ideas of what I would like to do with my husband before the year ends! Let's see how many we can actually accomplish between our busy schedules!

Leah + Pedro Bucket List 2014

-Visit San Francisco

-Visit San Diego Zoo

-Buy a new car

-Visit New York City

-Have a picnic in the park

-Go rock climbing

-Visit a Spanish ward

-Run a half marathon together

-Go wakeboarding

-Go on a weekend camping trip

-Have a movie marathon all night

-Have a beach bonfire with family and friends

-Visit downtown LA

-Cook a full course Mexican meal

-Stargaze in the desert

-Teach Pedro how to ride a dirtbike

-Go shooting in the desert

-Go to the World Cup 2018

-Visit another country

-Meet Pedro's family members who are still in Mexico

-Visit Catalina

-Kayaking in Sunset Beach

-Paddle boarding

-Ride the hot air balloon in Irvine Park

-Visit 1,000 steps beach in Laguna

-Visit Top of the World Park again

-Go to Griffith Observatory

-Do the Hollywood Sign Hike

-Hike Half Dome

-Go Backpacking

-Learn Spanish/Teach English in another country

We did get to go beach camping in April with my family at Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu! This was also where we got engaged last summer as well! Check that off the list!

So far that is what I have come up with! I am sure that Pedro will want to add his ideas as well! Summer is a great time to work on you bucket list!

Wholesome Family recreation will help you children draw inwards to the family unit. It will help them build memories that they will one day want to pass down to their own families. Keep the family unit and the principle of the family strong by instilling these principles in your own kids at an early age! I promise that these memories will stick with them and will often become topics of conversation in future family get-togethers!

Check out this site on family activities from LDS.org!

LDS Family Activites

Faith in Family Life: Bringing the Family Back to the Table

"Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith and prayer."

This chapter talked all about restoring faith back into the family unit. I think that this is something that needs to become a priority in everyone's life during this time in the world. I know so many people who are quickly loosing faith in the marriage and family. I have friends who refuse to get married, refuse to have children, and refuse to create a family of their own, all due to the facts of bad experiences, the responsibilities, and the finances. I seriously have watched the family unit lose its popularity with my generation day by day. There are so many reasons and excuses why people are not interested in having their own spouse and family. Personally, I know that these people are missing out. Missing out on the joys and happiness that come with children, and the love of your life by you side through thick and thin. Just the other day, I was speaking with my grandmother who told me, "The more children you have, the happier you will be." She had six kids, and would have had even more if her husband did not pass away so soon. My mother agreed with this statement, and said that it proves to be true because she had six kids too and is pretty dang happy!

I was able to work on something that helped me strengthen my own family this week based on my readings. I was able to work on having family dinner more often. Now, if you know my husband, you know how busy he always is. He is always running off to a new soccer game, working, or sleeping. He is one busy guy. I am busy as well, working full time, and going to school full time also, so needless to say, we do not always have a lot of time for family dinner in the kitchen, sitting down around the table, enjoying our "free" time. Yeah, that doesn't happen a lot for us. So I decided to make a goal to plan dinners! Sunday nights will now become the dinner planning/scheduling meeting between my husband and me. I have a planner and a wall calendar that will help me stay organized and stay on schedule.

I wanted to share some of my suggestions that have helped me plan more meals for my husband and me. Pintrest has become my new best friend once again, there are so many hidden gems on that sight that can help any woman become a superstar.

The first thing I found was meal templates. You can simply print out some cute meal templates that will remind you what is for dinner each day, or you can pair it with a craft and make a whole project out of it. Here is the sight I looked at and found some ideas from, http://www.pinterest.com/explore/meal-planning-templates/

Now for me and my husband, we always have problem with making way too much food for just the two of us, and we are not big on left overs. Pintrest has a solution! We can type in 'meals for two' or 'easy dinner for two' and problem solved! If you have a family of 4, 8, 10, 12 or more, just type it into Pintrest and you'll find what you need!

Dinner time is so important. Everyone deserves a nice meal and some good company to end the day with, so don't neglect it. Include the kids and let them take part. Pintrest has suggestions for that too! Get everyone involved and make it a weekly routine! You will be able to watch relationships flourish within your own family. Some of my favorite memories with my sisters, brothers, and parents have occurred in our family kitchen, working together to create a great meal and then enoying it around the table!

So, check out Pintrest and get a head start on family dinners. Make it goal, and then make it habit. Make it a priority. Family dinners will make such a difference in the life of every family member! So get to the kitchen and start cooking!

Restoring Faith in the Traditional Family

Chapter 18: Faith in Family Life

"Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles  on principles of faith and prayer"

"Faith in family life".... The title of this chapter says it all. I can see people around me loosing more and more interest in having a traditional family almost on a daily basis. It's sad, but it's truthful, and there should be something done.

In this chapter of the text, three dimensions are discussed. Dimension one: Religious community and family. Dimension two: Religious practices and family and Dimension three: Religious beliefs and family.

Each dimension attributes faith and religion to reasons why the family is considered safer than those who do not practice any religious at all. Dimension one hits on key factors including, "Religious community and marital fidelity", "Religious  community and avoidance of pornography, violence and conflict",  "Religious community and mothering" and "Religious community and fathering" Dimension two hits on "The religious practice of prayer in marriage." and "The religious practice of family rituals". Dimension three talks about, "Religious beliefs and parenting". Each giving valid points of research and study as to why religion can play such a large role in guiding families to a successful life together that is filled with faith, unity, and happiness.

Having gone through a very hard struggle with my family, when I was only eleven years old, I can see how religion can build strong families. We were constantly praying together, fasting together, pleading to the Lord together to help get answers to our prayers. We relied on the priesthood powers of my father, grandfather, uncles and close family friends to help us get through the most hectic time in our lives. I know that my testimony of families was built strong and firm throughout that year. My parents had one of two choices...#1. fight, argue, hate one another and God, blame each other or #2. come together, mourn together, cry together, pray together, fast together... Thankfully, with their knowledge of the gospel, and with a combined faith in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they chose choice #2, which instantly taught me that when families and faith in Christ are combined...absolutely nothing is impossible. Being young, I had many questions, but I never questioned the faith that my parents showed, or their love for the gospel. They cherished and continue to cherish the eternal family they have created because of their decision to pursue faith and knowledge of the plan of salvation. All in all, 10 years later, our little struggle... named Scott Johnson Hicken, it now a healthy and happy kid...something that could not and would not have happened without two things...Family and Faith.

At this time in my life, I have so many friends of different faiths, and a lot of them, unfortunately, do not believe in traditional marriage. One very close friend recently told me that she was going to move in to an apartment with her long term boyfriend. It was hard to accept this, knowing that they will not be married while living together. My husband and I have discussed this, and we think that we can try to kindly turn them away from the idea, and help show them the true importance of marriage first and foremost. It has been a struggle, and we have been lost for words at times. But we know that the Lord will help us defend marriage and family life. We are working at it, and trying to help others see the importance, and with faith and diligence, we know that someday our labors will be fruitful. 

Nothing better than being surrounded by family, especially on your own wedding day!

We Are Still a Family

Plan of Salvation

A Sacred Calling: Fatherhood

Chapter 13:“Honor Thy Father” Key Principles and Practices in Fathering

One of my very favorite Mormon Messages ever!

It secretly excites me to watch my own husband become a father in our future together. 

As you can tell, this chapter is based on fatherhood and the divine roles of being a father. The Family, A Proclamation to the World provides a guideline to fathers and tells them about the responsibilities they are to fulfill for their families.

It states,

"By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families." 

Now a days, a good Dad can be a rare find among the world we live in today. But, I must say, that I do know some of the cream of the crop, fathers, uncles, husbands, grandfathers, cousins, friends, bishops, etc. The church has provided me with faithful and righteous men in my life, who have been able to be examples to me and bless me with their priesthood. I am so entirely grateful for each and every one of them and the roles they have played in my life, no matter the size, especially including my own father. I love you Dad. 

In his talk titled, "Fatherhood, An Eternal Calling" Elder L. Tom Perry stated,

"Satan, in his carefully devised plan to destroy the family, seeks to diminish the role of fathers. Increased youth violence, youth crime, greater poverty and economic insecurity, and the failure of increasing numbers of children in our schools offer clear evidence of lack of a positive influence of fathers in the homes. A family needs a father to anchor it."

"Each person born into the world begins a journey that is often attended by confusion, challenges, and personal risks. The external world of stresses and threats to wellbeing sometimes intrudes upon immediate world of family life. For fathers, a primary life and preparing them over time for the external world  that they will have to navigate as they grow....The image of a father figure as a protective figure is common in scriptural symbolism. Indeed, the ultimate protective figure is the Savior, Jesus Christ, who protects and heals His children from death, sin, and suffering as they come unto Him....One definition of protecting in fathering might be to arouse one's sense of responsibility and actively woe to ensure that children avoid risks or personal harm by modeling positive behaviors, mentoring children in personal abilities, and monitoring their behaviors and environments." (pg. 146)

My Father-

            I have been blessed with a father who has been very involved. He is the head of my family’s household and is a very righteous priesthood holder. My father and I have a different kind of relationship, as in we often bump heads and are very sarcastic with one another. Even so, because of his constant involvement and support for the family, I have always known that he loves my mother, my siblings and me. My father was very stern while I was growing up. He taught my siblings and I the meaning of hard work. He also really liked to teach what he calls, “life lessons” about actions and consequences, and cause and effect.

            My father is a very outgoing man, who has many hobbies. He has instilled a love for the outdoors in me. He has helped me realize that life is not always easy, but we have to keep working hard. He taught me what kind of man I deserve, just through the example he set while I was growing up. He is always happy to greet me, and always walks me out with a kiss and wave as I drive away. My father is everything that a Dad should be, and I know that I am blessed. He has had trials, and he never let us children know about them. He gave us a worry free childhood, even if he had been laid off of his job, or hardly had any money to feed us. Overall, I am thankful for my father. I know that he is the man he is now because of his father and because of his dedication to the gospel. I love him with all of my heart.

Father-daughter dance with my Dad the reception after our wedding!

Love this guy!

My Husband and Future Family-

            When my husband and I decide to have children, we definitely plan to have him be an active and involved father in their lives. My husband adores children and is someone who will definitely dedicate his life to his own someday. My husband loves to play soccer and is a very talented player, we know for sure that he will be directly involved with our children in this aspect. He wants to teach them and pass down his talent and skill, as well as help them find a love and passion for the sport as well.

            My husband is also very passionate about the gospel. When our future children reach the age of

 accountability, he will be directly involved in helping them become righteous members of the church.

He will be able to baptize and confirm them into the church. He will also be able to pass on the 

priesthood to our sons someday as well. He will be able to share with them the gifts and blessings of the

gospel. For our daughters, he will be able to provide priesthood blessings at any given time, in order to help them come closer to the spirit.

The father's of today bear a large burden in raising the next generation and trying to keep them faithful and help them become a covenant people. Father's can make or break the family with his choices and where he sets his priorities. We should be concerned about the way we treat the men in our lives and help them realize their divine potential  to become a righteous father's who will provide, preside and protect. 

Thanks for reading!

-Leah

Keeping the Spark

Chapter 7:The Warm, Happy Marriage: Cold, Hard Facts to Consider
"Marriage between a man and woman us ordained or God" The Family, A Proclamation to the World

This chapter often digs into intimacy and what it means within the bonds of marriage, and how important it is for a husband and wife to draw closer together.

Elder Parly P. Pratt stated

“Our natural affections are planted in us by the Spirit of God, for a wise purpose; and they are the very main-springs of life and happiness—they are the cement of all virtuous and heavenly society—they are the essence of charity, or love; …

“There is not a more pure and holy principle in existence than the affection which glows in the bosom of a virtuous man for his companion; …

“The fact is, God made man, male and female; he planted in their bosoms those affections which are calculated to promote their happiness and union” (Writings of Parley Parker Pratt, 52–53).

President Spencer W. Kimball

“Your love, like a flower, must be nourished. There will come a great love and interdependence between you, for your love is a divine one. It is deep, inclusive, comprehensive. It is not like that association of the world which is misnamed love, but which is mostly physical attraction. When marriage is based on this only, the parties soon tire of each other. There is a break and a divorce, and a new, fresher physical attraction comes with another marriage which in turn may last only until it, too, becomes stale. The love of which the Lord speaks is not only physical attraction, but spiritual attraction as well. It is faith and confidence in, and understanding of, one another. It is a total partnership. It is companionship with common ideals and standards. It is unselfishness toward and sacrifice for one another. It is cleanliness of thought and action and faith in God and his program. It is parenthood in mortality ever looking toward godhood and creationship, and parenthood of spirits. It is vast, all-inclusive, and limitless. This kind of love never tires or wanes. It lives on through sickness and sorrow, through prosperity and privation, through accomplishment and disappointment, through time and eternity” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, 130–31).

Much easier quoted, than written in my own words :)

This semester, I have been taking two courses that have covered family and marriage life, and to be honest, things look pretty dim in the world based on marriages. The divorce rates are high. The separation rates are high. The co-habitation rates are high. The domestic abuse rates are high. Everything that should be low, is high. I think it goes to show what a selfish world we are living in. When I was preparing for marriage last summer, I took a course through my singles ward. We focused on entering the temple and becoming a spouse. We were able to receive insight and advice from our Bishop's wife, a truly wonderful woman. We were able to discuss the needs and desires in a marriage. She strained the responsibility to fulfill those needs, intimate or not. Speaking with my mother, days before my own wedding, she stressed to me the importance of pleasing your husband. She reminded me that thoughtful and selfless service will truly help love grow. Now, being married for a short while, I have seen how serving your spouse in many different ways can be beneficial. The spark can easily grow dim, allowing for feelings of lost love or attraction to fill the voids. It doesn't take much to remind your spouse that they are appreciated or that they look beautiful. Keeping a marriage warm and happy is doable, we just need to stop focusing on ourselves and think as the Lord would think. 

This is the engagement picture we used in our invitations to our Wedding! Just thought it might be nice touch to this post!

In one of my other courses, I was able to share some of my thoughts with my instructor about marriage trends today, and I think that apply here as well.

First and foremost, I feel like I see more and more people treat marriage as a casual relationship, something that will not and does not have to affect them for the rest of their lifetime, if so be the case. Many people go in to a marriage, knowing that there is an easy way out at the signature of a document. I feel like people do not place enough time and effort into choosing a worthy spouse that is compatible and in tune with the other person. President Thomas B. Holman stated in the September 2002 Ensign, “Prophetic counsel teaches us that finding a marriage partner takes spiritual sensitivity, maturity, and preparation—including preparing ourselves to be the right spouse.” Not only are we jumping into the arms of anyone who proposes marriage to us, but we are not focused on the kind of spouse we should be. So many times, I hear or read about how someone else wronged an individual. We are so quick to place blame on others instead of accepting our own responsibilities. I think that this is another idea that factors into divorce and its affect on children. We often see divorcees blaming one another, teaching their children that this is an acceptable practice when things do not go our way. Overall, there are so many different actions that can affect young children. We know that we set an example for them with each action we do, and each word we say. It is so important for us to prepare and plan to have a successful marriage instead of being consistently casual with our thoughts about having a spouse, being a spouse, marriage and divorce.

Thanks for reading!

Love, 

Leah

Learning to Live Through Marriage

Chapter 3: Foundational Processes for an Enduring, Healthy Marriage
"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other." The Family, A Proclamation to the World

This chapter opens with a great quote from President Spenser W. Kimball,

 "While marriage is difficult, and discordant and frustrated marriages are common, yet real, lasting happiness is possible, and marriage can be more an exultant ecstasy than the human mind can conceive. This is within the reach of every couple, every person."

Such an inspiring quote that should be shared with all, married and non-married. This is the kind of quote that I feel should be shared with the youth of the church in order to help them see the realistic side of marriage and also understand its potential. 

We soon learn about 'foundation processes' within a marriage in this reading. Foundational processes are "actions couples take in relation to each other to help their marriage flourish." There are many foundational processes that we can come up which have been to us throughout the years of our very own church attendance. In fact, the Proclamation guides us in a very straight path of foundational processes that can take place as well.

Teaching the youth about foundational processes can be a beneficial lesson, before being married. While I was a youth, I didn't think much more about being married other than happiness and great fun, and little did I know...things get tough. Marriage takes so much compromise and hard work. In my opinion, we do not prepare the youth enough for life after the temple marriage. We focus so much on getting to the temple, (which is definitely the #1 priority!) but we sometimes fail to neglect the rest of happily ever after....

This chapter provides six insightful foundational processes that I really liked and would like to share them.

Foundational Process #1: Personal Commitment to the Marriage Covenant

Elder David A. Bednar states, 

"The Lord Jesus Christ is the focal point in a covenant marriage relationship. Please notice how the Savior is positioned at the apex of this triangle. with a woman at the base of one corner and a man at the base of the other corner. Now consider what happens in the relationship between the man and the woman as they individually and steadily come unto Christ and strive to be perfected in Him. Because of and through the Redeemer, the man and woman come closer together." (pg. 28)

Foundational Process #2: Love and Friendship 

C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity states,

"Love as distinct  from "being in love" is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately  strengthened by habit...They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other...It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run; being in love was the explosion that started it." (pg. 28)

Foundational Process #3: Positive Interaction

President Gordon B. Hinkley stated,

"I have witnessed much of the best and much of the worst in marriage...Faultfinding replaces praise. When we look for the worst in anyone, we will find it. But if we will concentrate on the best, that element will grow inside until it sparkles." (pg. 32)

Foundational Process #4: Accepting Influence From One's Spouse

"Accepting influence refers to counseling with and listening to  one's spouse, respecting and considering his or her opinion as valid as one's own and compromising when making decisions together." (pg. 32) 

Elder Russell M. Nelson stated,

"Husbands and wives, learn to listen and listen to learn from one another."

Foundational Process #5: Respectfully Handle Differences and Solve Problems

"Every couple, whether in the first or the twenty-first year of marriage, should discover the value of pillow-talk time at the end of the day-the perfect time ti take inventory , to talk about tomorrow. And best of all, it;s a time when love and appreciation for one another can be reconfirmed." (pg. 33)

Foundational Process #6: Continuing Courtship Through the Years

President David O. McKay stated,

"I should like to urge continued courtship, and apply this to grown people. Too many couples have come to the altar of marriage looking upon the marriage ceremony as the end of courtship instead of the beginning of an eternal courtship." (pg. 35)

I think that all of these quotes hit the nail right on the head, and they are all things we can work on in our own marriages, and teach the youth to help them gain a better grasp on how marriage will be when they enter into the sacred covenant. 

Elizabeth Vandenberghe gave a talk titled "Happiness, Health and Marriage" that also gives great insight! Take a look!

Hppiness, Healthm and Marriage- Elizabeth Vanderberghe

Being young newlywed, Pedro and I have had some struggles, all of which we did not expect to hit us so soon. We have had conflicts that have affected us both in different ways, but the most important thing about that is, we are a team now. We have to rely on one another, and I can honestly say that my Pedro is rock solid. I do not want to brag or anything, (haha) but he is awesome. His testimony never waivers. He has a strong grip on who he is and what he can accomplish, and at times, when I am struggling, he is there and always will be. Now, we are certainly not perfect, like I said challenges and trials have already seeped into our lives, even after being married for only ten months. Even so, we know that the Lord is pleased with us for taking the high road. Marriage is not so popular now a days. Friends and even some family thought that Pedro and I were crazy for getting married so young and only having an engagement of five months, but I can full-heartledly say that I would do it again and again. Marriage is hard, and we must work at it, but with a dedicated companion and dedication from yourself as well, you will make it and it will be beautiful.

Pedro and I after our sealing in the Los Angeles Temple last September. The best day of my life!

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Leah