Fred and Paula’s Most Excellent Adventure

We had the opportunity to go to a Mission Conference with Elder Renlund as the key speaker.  Elder Renlund is one of the 12 apostles serving today.  He is wise and you can feel the Spirit when he speaks. He bore a powerful testimony of President Russel M. Nelson as the living prophet that leads us now.  Sister Renlund was also present.  She shared an object lesson that has stayed with me and caused me to ponder about my focus over the few past months. Sister Renlund asked us to hold our fist in front of our face.  She instructed us to focus on our hand. Then she asked, "What do you see?"  The fist becomes the only thing in our vision.   It seems large and prevents us from seeing little else. She then asked us to continue holding our hand in front of our face but to focus on something in the distance. My vision instantly became broader. The fist is still there but I can see other things and my perspective changes. We all have challenges that can obliterate our view as we focus

We are back from a wonderful visit with our grandchildren.  We had planned to visit just after Christmas but our oldest grandchildren had COVID so we had to wait. Family brings us so much joy. Last Sunday evening, we enjoyed a party with homemade ice cream and fresh cooked waffle bowls.  There was a lot of happy chaos as everyone was visiting with lots of energy and excitement of being together.  Someone was playing the piano; others were playing chase and screaming; we were loud and animated.  I thought this is truly "Joy". We are blessed. We continue to wait as Japan is hitting daily record highs of COVID cases. In the meantime, we count our blessings.

"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 2 Nephi 25:23  Some would take that "...after all we can do" and say "I can't do it.  It's too hard." Others would ask "Are you saved by grace?" Yes, we are completely saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ. He paid the entire price of our salvation. We do not earn our way to heaven. It is through the grace of Christ that we are saved. Then why do we need to do anything if he has already paid the price? A mom pays for piano lessons so that her child can learn to play the piano.  She paid the whole price.  Because she paid, she has the right to ask her child to practice.  The child's practice doesn't pay the mom or the teacher.  That price has already been paid.  Their practice brings about change and improvement. Mom is r

  It's a new year with new opportunities.  We always took time when our family was young to gather together and write new goals for the new year. It is good to reflect on the past and think about what we should strive to improve.  If we don't do this from time to time, we stay in our life ruts never growing. Some people joke about the futility of making resolutions, but once we stop then we've lost. This year definitely wasn't what I expected, but blessings have come along with the disappointments.  I had a conversation with my daughter last night about things we might want to do different this year.  I told her I keep running into the same thought when I read my scriptures. "They began to bear their journeying without murmurings"  1 Nephi 17:2 Hmm, I wouldn't say I've been "murmuring" but "stressing" would be a more accurate word.  I think this could be a good thing for me to work on.  More appreciation for where I am now.  More gr