Peace

I just returned from Girls Camp as the camp director. I had the opportunity to go with all four of my girls this year. It was Brooklins last year and Gemmas first year, and I think everyone had a great time. I have never been good at handling stress and once again, as I have been preparing for camp, I have stressed my body out. I have had a lot going on the last couple weeks. Our neighbor has been sick and has been in and out of the hospital. He is a bachelor and I am the one who watches out for him, takes him to Dr appointments and such. I love helping him out, he is a really nice guy. However on top of that and doing schoolwork and taking care of kids and getting camp planned I have developed 'Stress induced esophagitis'. It started the day before camp and continued to get worse through camp. I wasn't able to hardly swallow, and when I did it would hurt so bad in my chest. As camp ended I has been lightening up and I ate my first food today. I have wondered why I have not been able to get in control of my stress. Everyone has stress in their life, why is it that others handle their stress and I cant. My goal over the next year is to work on overcoming this weakness. I hope to learn to take time for me, doing something that will bring peace into my life.  John 14:27 comes to mind. 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.' 

Chastity and Sanctity of Life.

"THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

WE DECLARE the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan."

Elder Bednar: Things as They Really Are. May 2009 

Because a physical body is so central to the Father’s plan of happiness and our  spiritual development, we should not be surprised that Lucifer seeks to frustrate  our progression by tempting us to use our bodies improperly. One of the ultimate ironies of eternity is that the adversary, who is miserable precisely because he  has no physical body, invites and entices us to share in his misery through the  improper use of our bodies. The very tool he does not have and cannot use is  thus the primary target of his attempts to lure us to physical and spiritual 
destruction.

The adversary attempts to influence us both to misuse our physical bodies and to minimize the importance of our bodies. These two methods of attack are  important for us to recognize and to repel.

When any of Heavenly Father’s children misuse their physical tabernacles by  violating the law of chastity, by using drugs and addictive substances, by  disfiguring or defacing themselves, or by worshiping the false idol of body image, whether their own or that of others, Satan is delighted.

Bear Lake

Three of my favorite things today.....Bear Lake, paddle boarding and my family! I have wanted my kids to try paddle boarding for a year now. I tried it and fell in love with it. Its so fun to get out on the water and also be with others as you talk and paddle in the river or lake. They all loved it. We had so much fun being together.