General Conference

How General Conference Helped Secure My Decision for the Election

/ srabbott2 / 4 Comments

In recent years I have been grappling with political issues and my place in political parties. I grew up leaning Republican, I’ve trifled with the Libertarian Party, I find myself now most assuredly an Independent (however there were a couple months there where I was registered as a Democrat so I could vote in the Primary.)

I’ve been very vocal about being in the Never-Trump camp since the very beginning of his candidacy. In 2016 I voted 3rd Party because picking between the lesser of the two evils is still picking evil.

As this election has approached I have struggled with what to do as none of the options are ideal. One day while wrestling with questions and concerns, trying to figure out the right choice, a voice came to my mind that said, “Your decision of who to vote for in this election will not determine your eternal destiny or reward, however, the rhetoric and attitudes you develop and align with could lead you and others off the path.”

Ultimately between the first debate and General Conference my decision to vote for Vice President Biden has been secured. I do not presume to speak for the church, these are my personal insights based on our doctrine and the words of our leaders. I respect that others have reached different conclusions despite accessing the same information. I love you and I respect our differences and I request the same respect.

I have seen several members of the church question how members could vote for a Democrat. Through posts, memes, and comments they call us stupid, spread misinformation or over simplifications of our concerns about President Trump, accuse us of being overly influenced by the media, and some have even gone so far as to say that members who vote for Democrats should not hold temple recommends. I first want to remind you of an official church statement regarding politics and then I would like to address how General Conference solidified my vote for Joe Biden and my severance with the Republican Party.

From the First Presidency 6 Oct 2020: “Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties, and members should seek candidates who best embody those principles.”

CHARITY

President Dallin H. Oaks- Love Your Enemies: “Among other ways to develop the power to love others is the simple method described in a long-ago musical. When we are trying to understand and relate to people of a different culture, we should try getting to know them. In countless circumstances, strangers’ suspicion or even hostility give way to friendship or even love when personal contacts produce understanding and mutual respect.

An even greater help in learning to love our adversaries and our enemies is to seek to understand the power of love”

For several years now I have been on a journey of getting to know people of different backgrounds, listening to their stories, and striving to see them as Christ sees them. As I have journeyed deeper into the power of Christ’s love for me and ALL our brothers and sisters, that journey has taken me straight out of the Republican party. Truly out of parties in general, but furthest from the Republican Party’s rhetoric.

President Henry B Eyring- Sisters In Zion “It is not by accident that the Relief Society, the first Church organization specifically for Heavenly Father’s daughters, has as its motto ‘Charity Never Faileth.’ Charity is the pure love of Christ.”

I have seen my concerns about President Trump misrepresented and simplified down to him “just not being nice.” That is most definitely a concern, but it’s much deeper than that. His attitudes, the way he interacts with people, his rhetoric, and the rhetoric adopted by the Republican Party at large is devoid of charity. It is instead filled with anger, dehumanization, mockery, and trivialization of individual’s and groups’ deep heartaches and concerns.

Sister Sharon Eubank By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God “Jacob 2:17 reads, “Think of your [brothers and sisters] like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.” Let’s replace the word substance with mercy—be free with your mercy that they may be rich like unto you.

We often think of substance in terms of food or money, but perhaps what we all need more of in our ministering is mercy.”

I will come back to being free with substance and the poor later, but will focus on thinking of others like unto yourselves and free with your mercy. Too frequently I am seeing Pres. Trump and his supporters defining individuals by their “otherness,” the dems, the libtards, the blacks, the gays, the Muslims, the welfare queens, etc. The rhetoric is dehumanizing rather than seeing them “like unto yourselves” and too rarely is mercy applied. This dehumanizing rhetoric also incites violence.

“President Donald Trump has repeatedly distanced himself from acts of violence in communities across America, dismissing critics who point to his rhetoric as a potential source of inspiration or comfort for anyone acting on even long-held beliefs of bigotry and hate.

But a nationwide review conducted by ABC News has identified at least 54 criminal cases where Trump was invoked in direct connection with violent acts, threats of violence or allegations of assault.” ABC New 2018

Elder Quentin L. Cook- Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity “With our all-inclusive doctrine, we can be an oasis of unity and celebrate diversity. Unity and diversity are not opposites. We can achieve greater unity as we foster an atmosphere of inclusion and respect for diversity”

One of my greatest concerns about President Obama was that I felt that he was very divisive. But to be frank, President Trump has taken that to a whole new level of division. It would take hours to point out every divisive comment so I will limit to the one that was most concerning to me personally. On Oct. 23, 2019 President Trump tweeted “The Never Trumper Republicans, though on respirators with not many left, are in certain ways worse and more dangerous for our Country than the Do Nothing Democrats. Watch out for them, they are human scum!”

I am not on a respirator, though I’m not sure why it would matter if I was. My friends and family in the Democratic party do a whole lot more than nothing. And I am not human scum. This type of tweet and rhetoric is by no means an isolated event. It promotes division rather than seeking unity and it is completely lacking in charity.

Elder Dale G. Renlund- Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly With God: “To be Christlike, a person loves mercy. People who love mercy are not judgmental; they manifest compassion for others, especially for those who are less fortunate; they are gracious, kind, and honorable. These individuals treat everyone with love and understanding, regardless of characteristics such as race, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and tribal, clan, or national differences. These are superseded by Christlike love.”

This leads me to my next major concern with Pres. Trump…

RACISM

President Russell M. Nelson- Let God Prevail: “Brothers and sisters, please listen carefully to what I am about to say. God does not love one race more than another. His doctrine on this matter is clear. He invites all to come unto Him, ‘black and white, bond and free, male and female.'”

In case there was any confusion- this is how one denounces racism/ white supremacy. Directly, without deflecting to other issues, and without having to be asked repeatedly.

President Dallin H. Oaks- Love Your Enemies: “One reason the recent protests in the United States were shocking to so many was that the hostilities and illegalities felt among different ethnicities in other nations should not be felt in the United States. This country should be better in eliminating racism not only against Black Americans, who were most visible in the recent protests, but also against Latinos, Asians, and other groups. This nation’s history of racism is not a happy one, and we must do better.”

President Trump refuses to recognize the issues of systemic racism within our country and condemns those who bring up issues of racism in our country going so far as to ban racial sensitivity trainings.

On the other hand, President Nelson extended this challenge to us as Latter-day Saints: “I grieve that our Black brothers and sisters the world over are enduring the pains of racism and prejudice. Today I call upon our members everywhere to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice. I plead with you to promote respect for all of God’s children.”

While President Trump has come back and said that he denounces racism and white supremacy after his repeated miscommunications (such as after calling the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville very fine people and failing to condemn white supremacy then instructing them to stand-by during the debate) he is perpetuating and emboldening attitudes and actions of racism.

“Federal law enforcement authorities have privately told ABC News they worry that – although Trump has offered public denunciations of violence – his statements have been inconsistent and Trump’s style could inspire violence-prone individuals to take action against minorities or others they perceive to be against the president’s agenda.”

This style caused this horrific situation recently in Provo, Utah. Tamu Smith, an amazing sister who I have had the privilege to hear and follow as one of the Sistas in Zion shared this experience Sept. 8, 2020 (trigger warning- Racial Epithet):

“I had to go get a few items from the beauty supply today. As I was crossing the parking lot I saw a gray or white truck (to be honest I actually don’t know what color the truck was. I do know it was light.) It had a huge American flag and a blue lives matter flag on it. As the truck passed someone yelled “We’re taking our country back Nigger!” I didn’t give them the satisfaction of a response. I didn’t change my pace. I didn’t look toward the truck. I can’t tell you if the person was light white or dark white. I just knew they were racist white.”

Is this how we make America great again?????

This is also not an isolated incident. In June President Trump retweeted a video of some of his supporters yelling “White Power” at protestors. Meanwhile I have seen Latter-day Saint Trump supporters posting memes with racist tones such as joking that the rioters stole everything but the work boots, or suggesting that we take down statues of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Is that how we lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice?

As President Oaks stated this is not limited to racism and prejudice against blacks. In March of 2015 President Trump tweeted “I want nothing to do with Mexico other than to build an impenetrable WALL and stop them from ripping off U.S.” In June 2015 he said, “I love the Mexican people, but Mexico is not our friend. They’re killing us at the border and they’re killing us on jobs and trade. FIGHT!” In May 2019 at a rally in “Panama City Beach, Florida, Trump spoke about the border patrol agents working to stop migrants from crossing the border illegally. When he asked the crowd, “How do you stop these people?” one rally attendee shouted, “Shoot them.” At first laughing, Trump responded, ‘That’s only in the [Florida] panhandle, can you get away with that statement.'” He didn’t denounce it, he laughed. And it didn’t stay in the panhandle. In Aug 2019 a man opened fire targeting Hispanics in a Walmart. This man posted a manifesto justifying his attack due to Hispanic Invasion and their resulting Democratic votes.

He employs racist rhetoric, calls on people to fight, then laughs about shooting, are we then surprised when someone follows through with it.

Constitution

One of the frequent defenses I see given for why people support President Trump is their support of the Constitution. I am by no means a Constitutional expert. My husband is the history buff in the family and studies our founding fathers and our founding documents for fun (yes I married a nerd and yes that’s part of the reason I married him!) He recently wrote up his own response to these issues if you want to read more.

I will however bring up the issues that were addressed in General Conference.

President Dallin H. Oaks- Love Your Enemies: “At one extreme, some seem to have forgotten that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the “right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” That is the authorized way to raise public awareness and to focus on injustices in the content or administration of the laws. And there have been injustices. In public actions and in our personal attitudes, we have had racism and related grievances. In a persuasive personal essay, the Reverend Theresa A. Dear of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has reminded us that “racism thrives on hatred, oppression, collusion, passivity, indifference and silence.”11 As citizens and as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we must do better to help root out racism.”

The treatment that the protestors have received from President Trump and his supporters seems to forget this right. This spectrum goes from just wishing they would stop protesting, mocking their protest, trivializing their concerns, up to firing tear gas at those who were peacefully assembled, and killing protestors.

President Oaks continues: “At the other extreme, a minority of participants and supporters of these protests and the illegal acts that followed them seem to have forgotten that the protests protected by the Constitution are peaceful protests. Protesters have no right to destroy, deface, or steal property or to undermine the government’s legitimate police powers. The Constitution and laws contain no invitation to revolution or anarchy. All of us—police, protesters, supporters, and spectators—should understand the limits of our rights and the importance of our duties to stay within the boundaries of existing law. Abraham Lincoln was right when he said, “There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.” Redress of grievances by mobs is redress by illegal means. That is anarchy, a condition that has no effective governance and no formal police, which undermines rather than protects individual rights.”

Vice President Biden has repeatedly denounced the violence that is occurring. So while this minority is failing to listen to him, the flames of violence are being fanned by President Trump himself as he calls for more violence via his tweets about shooting looters and taking over with strength.

Vice President Biden said these words that follow suit with President Oaks remarks:

“The deadly violence we saw overnight in Portland is unacceptable. Shooting in the streets of a great American city is unacceptable. I condemn this violence unequivocally. I condemn violence of every kind by any one, whether on the left or the right. And I challenge Donald Trump to do the same. It does not matter if you find the political views of your opponents abhorrent, any loss of life is a tragedy. Today there is another family grieving in America, and Jill and I offer our deepest condolences.

We must not become a country at war with ourselves. A country that accepts the killing of fellow Americans who do not agree with you. A country that vows vengeance toward one another. But that is the America that President Trump wants us to be, the America he believes we are.

As a country, we must condemn the incitement of hate and resentment that led to this deadly clash. It is not a peaceful protest when you go out spoiling for a fight.”

President Oaks went on to say, “It also means that we peacefully accept the results of elections.”

This is perhaps the issue I find most frightening right now. President Trump has repeatedly refused to promise a peaceful transition of power. I am aware that there have been leftist groups that have threatened violence, I denounce them, and as pointed out above, Vice President Biden denounces this behavior. The main difference between the two sides is that one has fringe groups threatening and the other has THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. In the debate he was asked “Will you urge your supporters to stay calm during this extended period, not to engage in any civil unrest? And will you pledge tonight that you will not declare victory until the election has been independently certified?”

This was his response:

“I’m urging my supporters to go in to the polls and watch very carefully, because that’s what has to happen. I am urging them to do it. As you know, today there was a big problem. In Philadelphia, they went in to watch. They’re called poll watchers, a very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They weren’t allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia. Bad things. And I am urging my people.”

He wouldn’t say it. He wouldn’t urge his supporters to stay calm, he urged them to do the opposite.

Additionally he tweeted on Sept. 3rd asking people to volunteer to be poll watchers with an image that reads “Fight for Trump” and the website to sign up is called “armyfortrump.com”

And here are two specific instances that show the effects of President Trump’s rhetoric:

  1. A self proclaimed Militia group in Michigan made a plot to kidnap the Governor and then place her on “trial” for treason.
  2. A close friend of mine, a single mom, recently went to drop her ballot off. She had nothing on her car or her person designating her political affiliation (truth be told, we’ve been friends for 25 years and I couldn’t tell you her political affiliation.) As she crossed the street towards the ballot box, a man in a large truck honked then yelled at her, “If you’re voting for Biden you better just go get back in your car. Don’t waste your time!” Then he revved his truck and let it lurch forward a few inches as if intending to hit her, while he laughed loudly.

You may argue that they don’t speak for President Trump, but it would appear that President Trump speaks for them.

I would like to point out that Vice President Biden, when asked the same question about telling his supporters to remain calm immediately responded, “Yes.” Then continued with “And if it’s me, in fact, fine. If it’s not me, I’ll support the outcome. And I’ll be a president, not just for the Democrats. I’ll be a president for Democrats and Republicans.”

As President Trump’s rhetoric is consistently divisive, Vice President Biden seeks to unite the country and work across the aisle. Which brings me to my next point…

Loyalty and Priorities

Elder D. Todd Christofferson- Sustainable Societies, referring to the fate of the Nephites, “By the end of another century, millions had died in internecine warfare, and their once harmonious nation had been reduced to warring tribes.”

Both sides are very guilty of tribalism. I fear that if we can’t get work through the tribalism it won’t matter who is elected, we will just tear ourselves apart, which is why I find it extra disturbing when I see Latter-day Saints prioritizing party and politics over the Prophet.

Prophetic CounselRhetoric from President Trump and his supporters
We value our Muslim neighbors across the world and hope that those who live by the tenets of their faith will not suffer. I ask particularly that our own people do not become a party in any way to the persecution of the innocent. Rather, let us be friendly and helpful, protective and supportive.Frequent Islamophobic messages and memes including calling for mosques in America to be shut down.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long expressed its position that immigration reform should strengthen families and keep them together,” the Church said. “The forced separation of children from their parents now occurring at the U.S.-Mexico border is harmful to families, especially to young children. We are deeply troubled by the aggressive and insensitive treatment of these families.”Continuing to separate families. Memes shared trivializing the concerns of those presenting themselves at the border or that they deserve to be separated. Or just turning a blind eye.
It is therefore with great concern and compassion that we observe the plight of more than 70 million people around the world who have fled their homes seeking relief from violence, war, or religious persecution.
We encourage Church members and friends to respond appropriately and legally, to help create welcoming communities by volunteering their time, talents and friendship to individuals and families who are integrating into our societies.		President Trump’s (pre-Covid) significantly limited the number of refugees allowed in. His supporters regularly post anti-refugee material.
Churches are dedicated for the worship of God and as havens from the cares and concerns of the world. With the exception of current law enforcement officers, the carrying of lethal weapons on church property, concealed or otherwise, is prohibited.When this wording in the handbook was updated many people were up in arms about it (pun intended). I saw individuals call the church stupid for this and said that they would continue to carry despite the prohibition.
We ask all Latter-day Saints in the Utah Area to be good citizens by wearing face coverings when in public.Individuals have suggested that this is living in fear instead of faith and evidence. There have been protests about wearing masks. Members have stated that the church should stay out of politics and that this statement damaged their testimony.

Elder D. Todd Chrisofferson- Sustainable Societies: “I think it safe to say that when people turn from a sense of accountability to God and begin to trust instead in the “arm of flesh,” disaster lurks. Trusting in the arm of flesh is to ignore the divine Author of human rights and human dignity and to give highest priority to riches, power, and the praise of the world (while often mocking and persecuting those who follow a different standard).”

President Trump is well documented in expecting loyalty to HIMSELF. Mitt Romney has been a great example of putting his morals and loyalty to God above his loyalty to the party and to President Trump. Others who have attempted this have been fired and even now there are groups attempting to recall Brother Romney. Some claim he flip flops, but rather he just is not “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.” He has a higher loyalty and he’s sticking to it.

President Trump has shown time and again to give priority to riches, power, and the praise of the world. The recent finding regarding his income tax evasion is an example of this. His defense is that he has paid millions of dollars in taxes, but Vice President Pence admitted in the Vice Presidential debate that those were payroll and other taxes. Those are different than personal income tax. He lied and manipulated the system to pay as little as taxes as possible. As I have been reminded several times by leaders and teachers at church, “Anything with the intent to deceive is a lie.” His other defense was “I don’t want to pay tax. Before I came here, I was a private developer, I was a private business people. Like every other private person, unless they’re stupid.” Thus mocking those who follow a different standard.

President Trump’s pattern of mockery leads me to my next concern:

Morality

President Dallin H. Oaks- Love Your Enemies: “In a democratic government we will always have differences over proposed candidates and policies. However, as followers of Christ we must forgo the anger and hatred with which political choices are debated or denounced in many settings.”

President Trump’s conduct in the debate was completely unacceptable. While Biden did interrupt a few dozen times (primarily to correct false information or to get a word in) President Trump interrupted 128 times despite frequent reminders of the rules he agreed to follow.

One of the interruptions that sent chills down my spine was President Trump saying, “Did you use the word smart? … Don’t ever use the word smart with me. Don’t ever use that word….Because you know what? There’s nothing smart about you, Joe.”

This is the behavior of a bully. It’s immoral, there is nothing Christlike about it, and it is part of a pattern of mockery and name calling that President Trump has engaged in from the beginning.

Recently an article came out with sources claiming that President Trump mocks religious supporters behind closed doors. Most of the sources were anonymous which brings credibility to question. However Michael Cohen reported that President Trump, “frequently made fun of Romney’s faith in private—and was especially vicious when he learned about the religious undergarments worn by many Latter-day Saints.”

I saw many question Cohen’s credibility in response to this article as Cohen has fallen out of favor with the President, however my question is then- if there was hard evidence that President Trump was mocking our sacred garments of the Holy Priesthood would that bother you? Even if it wasn’t enough to completely remove your support, would you hold him accountable for it and expect him to stop? If the answer yes it would bother you but you don’t believe it actually happened- what about all of the times that he has mocked individuals and groups that ARE verifiable? Does it only matter if he’s mocking you?

Elder D. Todd Christofferson- Sustainable Societies: “A society, for example, in which individual consent is the only constraint on sexual activity is a society in decay. Adultery, promiscuity, out-of-wedlock births, and elective abortions are but some of the bitter fruits that grow out of the ongoing sexual revolution.”

Abortion is a large issue, I know that this is a major issue that holds people back from feeling like they can vote for a Democratic candidate. This issue requires its own post but suffice it to say that it is complex and deep. But here’s the thing, I can advocate for the rights of the unborn and for legislation and programs that are proven to reduce abortions. What I don’t know how to fight is the culture of promiscuity perpetuated by electing a leader who is unabashedly promiscuous.

President Trump has had numerous affairs. He paid off a porn star. He makes inappropriate comments about his own daughter, “‘Yeah, she’s really something, and what a beauty, that one. If I weren’t happily married and, ya know, her father . . .’” He made reference to the size of his genitals during a primary debate. He’s bragged about grabbing women’s genitals. He boasted about his behavior while owning the Miss USA pageant:

“Well, I’ll tell you the funniest is that I’ll go backstage before a show, and everyone’s getting dressed, and ready and everything else, and you know, no men are anywhere, and I’m allowed to go in because I’m the owner of the pageant and therefore I’m inspecting it. You know, I’m inspecting because I want to make sure that everything is good.

“You know, the dresses. ‘Is everyone okay?’ You know, they’re standing there with no clothes. ‘Is everybody okay?’ And you see these incredible looking women, and so, I sort of get away with things like that.””

Contrast President Trump’s words and actions with these words from President Henry B. Eyring- Sisters in Zion “You sisters, your daughters, your granddaughters, and the women you have nurtured will be at the heart of creating that society of people who will join in glorious association with the Savior. You will be an essential force in the gathering of Israel and in the creation of a Zion people who will dwell in peace in the New Jerusalem.”

President Trump’s words and actions are promoting a culture of misogyny. In addition to the number of times he has spoken cruelly and derisively towards women, I have witnessed more men being more open in their sexism. I am not naïve that this has always existed, but since President Trump has been in office, they are more forward and direct about it. Here is an example of a comment directed towards a female journalist:

“You are a stupid (expletive) closing dining rooms hurts people that have to eat out do you know how many people died from natural causes or accidents last year 2,736,000 so people die so shut the hell up we need to go back to the old days when women kept their mouths shut and stayed in the kitchen women with big mouths are ruining this country.”

Is that what is meant by making America great again? Going back to the ‘good old day’ when women’s voices didn’t count? That’s not an America I am interested in.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson- Sustainable Societies: “The Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.”

The societies in these two examples [City of Enoch and 4th Nephi] were sustained by the blessings of heaven growing out of their exemplary devotion to the two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” and “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”6 They were obedient to God in their personal lives, and they looked after one another’s physical and spiritual welfare. In the words of the Doctrine and Covenants, these were societies with “every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.”

Bishop W. Chrisopher Waddell- There Was Bread: “It would be inconsistent with a compassionate Savior to ignore the reality that many are struggling and ask them to begin building a reserve of food and money for the future. However, that does not mean that we should permanently ignore principles of preparation—only that these principles should be applied “in wisdom and order” so that in the future we might say, as did Joseph in Egypt, “There was bread.”

President Trump instructed his representatives to stop negotiating a second stimulus bill until after the election despite the current struggles that individuals and families are facing. He and his supporters frequently speak very derisively of the poor. I frequently see memes calling the poor lazy or otherwise undeserving of our help.

I understand and support the church’s focus on self reliance. I have concerns with aspects of how government welfare is run. I respect concerns about Socialism and individuals losing the incentive to work. But I have never seen a statement from modern leaders or in scripture that says only help those that you think really deserve the help. Instead there are repeated commands to help the poor. And if a few receive it that don’t deserve it, or if a few become lazy- is that somehow worse or more sinful than violence, mockery, racism, sexual assault and harassment, and misogyny that is running rampant in President Trump’s actions and rhetoric.

Ultimately I keep coming back to the official statement from the church:

“Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties, and members should seek candidates who best embody those principles.”

I know a lot of people are voting for President Trump despite their concerns with his behavior because they feel that the Republican platforms align more closely with the church than some of the Democratic platforms. I’ve heard people say that they aren’t voting for the PERSON but for the PLATFORM. But that’s not what the letter says. It doesn’t say to seek the party or the platform that aligns with church standards. It says the CANDIDATE who best embodies the principles of the Gospel. While neither of them are perfect, in all the ways I have analyzed here and in so many others, Vice President Biden embodies the principles of the gospel in his charitable treatment of others, his desire to lead out in abandoning past attitudes of racism, his moral conduct, and his desire to unite our country in peace.

Image by Please Don’t sell My Artwork AS IS from Pixabay

Come Follow Me Family Home Evening for Little Ones- Aug. 2020

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Sorry I missed July, we were in the middle of moving into our new house!  I’m going to try really hard to keep up the next couple of months, but if you see my last post, we made the very difficult decision to do online school for first quarter so….. I’ll probably have tons of time and not be crazy at all….Please send prayers, chocolate, and some Dr. Pepper.

July 27- Aug 2 The Great Plan of Happiness

Materials: Bury Swords, Showing and Strengthening Faith, Baptismal Covenants, 10 Commandments, People of Zeniff Preparations, Natural Man-Saint Printable, Straight and Narrow Path Printables, Manner of Happiness Printable, Fruits of the Spirit, Righteous ammo

One of the suggestions for this week is to go over the law of chastity.  This discussion needs to happen repeatedly, I’ve already posted a lesson plan for it in the past so you can go over that again and use the videos they suggest in the manual.

Here’s another fun activity for this week:

Print out some or all of the old printables I linked above, cut out the pictures and spread them around the room.  Set a timer and have the kids pick up as many as they can in the time given (you could repeat the activity with a few different times set on the timer).  Then talk about Alma 42:4.  We have been given a certain amount of time in this life and we’re supposed to use it to improve ourselves and serve Heavenly Father.  Talk about the pictures and how each of them helps us be better and serve.

 

Aug 3-9 Stand Fast in the Faith of Christ

Children’s Scriptures: Book of Mormon Stories Chap 31- 33; Book of Mormon for Young Readers Captain Moroni’s Flag; Heroic Stories from the Book of Mormon- Captain Moroni; My First Scripture Stories- Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty; My Book of Mormon Friends- Captain Moroni; Girls Who Choose God- The Maidservant Spy

Materials: fabric, paint/ markers

Make your own Title of Liberty using pieces of fabric (if you sew you probably have a closet full of random fabric like my mom, but you could also cut up an old worn out sheet, pillow cases, old towels, etc) or large pieces of paper.  Pull out fabric paint or permanent markers.  This is great for varied ages because everyone can draw or write on their own level.  For little ones the pictures can be super simple like a heart for love, stick figures for a family, the Sun to remind us of Jesus, a rectangle with squiggles for the scriptures, etc.

 

Aug 10-16 Preserved by His Marvelous Power

Children’s Scriptures: Book of Mormon Stories Chap 34-36; Book of Mormon for Young Readers The Stripling Warriors; Heroic Stories from the Book of Mormon- Helaman; My First Scripture Stories- The Army of Helaman; My Book of Mormon Friends- A Lamanite Mother; Girls Who Choose God- Mothers of the Stripling Warriors

Materials: Pin the Shield to the Stripling Warrior

Use the shields from the printable to talk about different attributes of the Stripling Warriors.  Then post the picture of the Stripling Warriors on the wall and play pin the shield (like pin the tail on the donkey).

 

Aug 17-23 Rock of Our Redeemer

Children’s Scriptures: Book of Mormon Stories Chap 37; My First Scripture Stories- Nephi and Lehi

Materials: Rock, sand, house materials (legos, cardboard, etc.)

Build two little houses.  Put one on some sand (or sugar) and one on a rock (or brick) in a large plastic container.  Then read Helaman 5:12 and create some of the storm conditions it talks about and see which house is able to stand.  (You might need to use tape or something to ensure that the house on the rock doesn’t move.)

 

Aug 24-30 Remember the Lord

Children’s Scriptures: Book of Mormon Stories Chap 38-39

Materials:Prophet Counsel Printable

Show the kids a picture of President Nelson, explain that he is the Prophet.  Prophets warn us and tell us what Heavenly Father wants us to know.  Use the printable to go over his counsel from last General Conference. Maybe tape the pictures around a picture of Pres. Nelson.

Note: I did leave out fasting which was a major point he made, but because fasting is generally not recommended for young children I did not include it (my kids would LOVE an excuse to not eat meals).

Mask and social distancing– General Conference April 2020 Opening Message “…as part of our efforts to be good global citizens and do all we can to limit the spread of COVID-19.”

Church Newsroom Follow public health agency recommendations for using a face mask. Maintain at least six feet (two meters) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

First Vision- Opening Message This year, we commemorate the 200th anniversary of one of the most significant events in the history of the world—namely, the appearance of God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith.

Hear Him– Now as we contemplate this significant time in the history of the world and the Lord’s charge to gather scattered Israel in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, we, the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles, issue the following proclamation.

(The video of him reading the Proclamation is embedded in the talk, I would suggest watching that with the kids).

Silos- Opening Message The Lord has told us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”1 Of course, we can store our own reserves of food, water, and savings. But equally crucial is our need to fill our personal spiritual storehouses with faith, truth, and testimony.

Church Name- Opening the Heavens for Help As we commemorate the event that was launched in 1820, it is important to remember that while we revere Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, this is not the church of Joseph Smith, nor is it the church of Mormon. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. He decreed exactly what His Church should be called: “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”2

I have spoken previously about a needed course correction in the way we refer to the name of the Church.

Picture of Christ- Hear Him However, messages from our Heavenly Father are strikingly different. He communicates simply, quietly, and with such stunning plainness that we cannot misunderstand Him.  As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.

Temple- Hear Him We can also hear Him in the temple. When these temporary COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, please schedule regular time to worship and serve in the temple. Every minute of that time will bless you and your family in ways nothing else can.

Family History- Hear Him While worshipping in the temple is presently not possible, I invite you to increase your participation in family history, including family history research and indexing. I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him.

Dove- Hear Him We also hear Him more clearly as we refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now.

First Presidency- Hear Him And, finally, we hear Him as we heed the words of prophets, seers, and revelators. Ordained Apostles of Jesus Christ always testify of Him. They point the way as we make our way through the heart-wrenching maze of our mortal experiences.

Home- Go Forward in Faith make your homes true sanctuaries of faith, where the Spirit of the Lord may dwell.

Gavel- Go Forward in Faith In every country, this Church teaches its members to honor, obey, and sustain the law.5 We teach the importance of the family, of being good parents and exemplary citizens.

Blessing- Go Forward in Faith (Read the whole blessing) Dear brothers and sisters, I express my love for you. During this time of tension and uncertainty, and invoking the authority vested in me, I would like to confer upon you an apostolic blessing.

I bless you with peace and increasing faith in the Lord.7

I bless you with a desire to repent and become a little more like Him each day.8

I bless you to know that the Prophet Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness.

Should there be illness among you or your loved ones, I leave a blessing of healing, consistent with the will of the Lord.

Heart- Go Forward in Faith I so bless you, adding once more my expression of love for each of you, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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Christ-Centered Easter Activity Countdown- 2019

/ srabbott2 / 2 Comments

Time to get inspired for Easter!  With Easter being April 21 we will start our countdown on Friday March 29th.  A lot of these will be repeats from last year but I’m also going to incorporate some of this year’s activity from the Friend Magazine.  They don’t start until Palm Sunday so I won’t be going along day by day because I like to give Easter as much attention and preparation as we give Christmas.  I hope this helps you as you make your Easter preparations more intentional.

  1. Friend The Miracle of Easter (Day 2) “When Jesus was a boy, He lived with Mary and Joseph in a city called Nazareth. He always did what Heavenly Father wanted Him to do.”  Date with Dad- It’s our ward’s Father/Son camp out but you could substitute any activity with Dad!
  2. Friend (Day 3) “When Jesus grew up, He went to the Jordan River. He asked His cousin, John the Baptist, to baptize Him. Then He began to teach others about Heavenly Father.”  We will have cousins in town so we’re going to party with cousins, but you could also attend a baptism if possible.
  3. Jesus is the Light of the world.  Use trick candles on cupcakes, as the kids blow them out and they re-light explain that even though they tried to put out Jesus’ light, his light did not go away.  (Got this from The Joy Journey, scroll down, it’s one of the last activities, this is also a great resource for ideas!)
  4. Jesus created the World for us- visit a zoo or aquarium to see some of His creations.
  5. 2018 Friend activity #3– “Jesus said, “I thirst.” Jesus felt pain and was terribly thirsty. He understands whenever you feel sick or tired or hurt. Jesus wants us to help others who are ill or tired. What can you do to help someone in your family who isn’t feeling well or is very tired?”  Serve someone who has been ill (take a meal, make a card, take treats to the hospital, etc.)
  6. Read the Easter Story from this month’s Friend Jr.
  7. He is Risen cut and paste, there’s also a tracing one
  8. Jesus rode in to Jerusalem on a donkey- go to a petting zoo with a donkey
  9. Resurrection Eggs for toddlers
  10. Jesus continued His church by calling a Prophet.  Read about President Nelson in the Friend and watch General Conference.
  11. Friend Jr. Life of Jesus Christ Sequencing activity.  I will put each picture in an egg and make it an egg hunt and then sequence and talk about each part of Christ’s life.
  12. 2018 Friend activity #5– “Jesus said, “Behold thy mother!”  Before he died, Jesus asked one of His disciples to take care of Mary, His mother.” Mom date!  Our ward will be having a mother/daughter activity this evening but again, this could be any fun activity with mom.
  13. Jesus prayed in a garden and after his Resurrection he visited Mary in a garden- visit the Botanical Garden (they have butterflies this time of year!!!)
  14. Jesus was the Lamb of God, make a lamb craft
  15. Easter Movie Night, we will probably watch To This End Was I Born, and one of the VeggieTales Easter shows.
  16. Friend (Day 1)- “Our Heavenly Parents love us dearly. They want us to live with Them forever. Before we came to earth, Heavenly Father knew we would need someone to show us the path back to Him. We would need someone to save us from our sins. Who could He send to save us?”  Talk about our Heavenly Family, and Jesus as our older brother.  Explain that because they love us they gave us our Earthly Families as well.  Extended family Easter Egg hunt.
  17. Friend (Day 5)- “Some people were angry with Jesus because of His teachings. They didn’t believe that He was the Son of God. Jesus knew it was almost time for the greatest miracle of all. Jesus gave His disciples the sacrament to help them remember His sacrifice for us. Then He went with some of the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. There He prayed to Heavenly Father, and He felt the pain of all of our sins. He did this so we could repent and return to live with our Heavenly Parents.”  Take the sacrament at church.
  18. Friend (Day 6)- “After Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, people came with swords to arrest Him. They took Him to Pilate, the governor of Judea. Then they took Him to a cross on a hill called Calvary.”  Make palm frond crosses- my little brother will grab some extra palm fronds for us from the Palm Sunday service at the Episcopal church he attends.  Here’s a simple tutorial.
  19. Friend (Day 4)- “Wherever He went, Jesus taught and helped people. No one had ever seen anyone do miracles like He did! He healed people who couldn’t walk and people who couldn’t see. He blessed children and taught people how to pray. He even brought a girl who had died back to life. What greater miracles could there be than these?”  Do a service project to be a miracle for someone else.
  20. Easter Sequencing Activity– this one focuses just on Christ’s death and Resurrection- the other one I’m using covers His whole life.
  21. Show a picture of Jesus washing the Apostles’ feet, then wash each others’ feet in a foot spa or just in the tub.
  22. Make an “Easter Garden” in a pot with some little plants, a rock for the tomb, etc.  Mine will be much simpler than the one in the link, but it gives a good idea for reference.
  23. Make Resurrection Rolls, and tell the Easter story as you do it
  24. Friend (Day 8)- “Jesus really did live after He had died, and so will we! He visited with His disciples for 40 days. He ate with them and talked with them. What a joyful time it was! Then He asked His disciples to meet Him on a mountain. He told them what they should do after He went to heaven. And He gave them a promise that He would always be with them. This wonderful promise is for us too!”  Use a glove and your hand to explain the Resurrection.  I explain how I do this in my Family Home Evening post for this month.

Audiobooks: So that talking to myself isn’t my only adult interaction of the day

/ srabbott2 / 3 Comments

I love having the opportunity to be home with my kids.  We do our best to get out of the house, have play dates, go to museums, etc.  They require a lot of brain power sometimes, especially when figuring out discipline.  But it’s a different kind of brain power than I used while working and going to school.  They are a little less intellectually stimulating.

I see women, especially stay at home moms, commenting regularly on the internet about feeling like they are losing themselves.  Me too.  I’ve been there, still there sometimes.  I mean we all love our kids, and for many of us the staying home thing is a CHOICE we made.  But if you’re not careful, kids and basic child and home care can suck the life out of you.

As I mentioned in my birth stories post, I started suffering from depression while I was pregnant with my second.  I then faced a very traumatic birth experience which left me with Post Traumatic Stress on top of PPD and a predisposition to anxiety.  When I say a predisposition to anxiety I mean that when I am at my typical baseline I can cope fine without the help of medication, certain situations and circumstances can put me over the edge, but overall I’m fine and functional.  That wasn’t the case during the pregnancy or after.  I ended up being treated with medication after, which I am so glad I did, but I also didn’t want to be on it forever.

I found a really great primary care doctor who wanted to help me with my goals, we set up a plan for me to take the meds for 6 months and in the meantime work on building up my ability to cope so that I could wean off the meds and be fine.

So she asked me what I could do for ME, something that had nothing to do with kids or home or even my husband, just ME.  I was pretty stumped.  I sing in a community choir once a week, which is awesome and a great outlet, but it’s once a week.  She wanted me to figure something out daily.  She asked me what I used to do before kids that was for me….uh…..this shouldn’t be that hard to think of, but I mean back then everything was for me because I didn’t have kids.  So that was my homework assignment, to take some time to figure something out that could be just for ME.

I did some soul searching.  I mean whatever it was going to be it couldn’t really take up much time because then you have to find babysitters which can end up just adding extra stress and anxiety because then you have to find someone that’s available and hope that you aren’t causing them extra stress, and do you pay them or trade because too much of both would just add more stress and then there’s the financial commitment of going to something like Yoga which is everyone’s first idea of what you should do if you struggle with anxiety, but I’m not flexible so yoga might just be frustrating and add to my anxiety anyway…. and now you probably feel anxious as well as you realize how much my brain over thinks and can’t just do something for me.

So needless to say, yoga was out.  I started thinking about what I felt like I was missing that I used to have.  The two things that came to me were intellectual stimulation and frequent adult interaction.  I have awesome friends, but we’re not together all day like you are with coworkers.

Then the little light bulb went off in my brain.  When I have light bulb moments all the crazy racing thoughts calm down.  For me, that’s how I know that the Spirit is telling me something, the storm of thoughts calms down and I can think clearly through a plan.  Audiobooks that little voice said.  They take no extra time away from my family so I don’t have to worry about babysitters or the mom guilt of leaving them.  I can listen to them while I drive which also fixed the annoyance I was starting to feel at every song on the radio (I think I got old, I can’t stand what the kids are listening to these days).  I can listen while I do housework which makes housework more fun because I try not to think of it as chore time as much as audiobook time.  I pick books that are intellectually stimulating and there’s an adult voice talking at me.  So it doesn’t remove my need for actual adult interaction, but it’s way better than the little voices on Umi Zoomi and Bubble Guppies (although of the kids shows out there I do find these ones less annoying).

Pause- why not just actually read?  For me I struggle with taking the time to sit down and read when there are so many things I feel like I should be getting done.  Also, nothing puts me to sleep faster than reading.  In high school my mom legit read the entirety of Jane Eyre out loud to me because when I sat down to read it within ten minutes I would be asleep.  This also might sound silly, but holding a book hurts my neck and arms- pathetic right, like I should probably do some arm exercises so I can hold the weight of a book up.  Finally, you can’t read and drive so it would cut out a significant amount of my “reading” time.

I’ve been listening to books basically constantly now since January and I’m loving it.  It’s been a great way to use my phone as a tool instead of a trap.  I’ve been very inspired by a lot of the books and also feel like I can have more meaningful conversations.  I was struggling a lot when people asked what I was up to in life, well….kids.  And again, I love my kids and I will tell people about my kids, but now I also have something for ME to add in to conversations.

Side note- I was able to successfully get off my meds a few months ago.  Now, I’m not suggesting that audiobooks are a CURE for depression and anxiety.  But for me, finding something that is fun, stimulating, and focused solely on my interests instead of the interests of my family has helped me feel like me again which in turn has helped me be a better mom and wife.  You’ve gotta take care of yourself before you can really take care of others.

So without much further ado…what have I been listening to and how I access them?  Here comes some unsponsored reviews.

First off, how I access them.  I primarily use the app Overdrive, but also sometimes use Audible.

Overdrive:

Pros:  It’s FREE!!!  You sign in to your library using your library card and then you can access a bunch of audiobooks (or e-books if that’s your thing).

Cons:  It’s free…which means that there are frequently wait lists for more popular books.  Once a book is checked out you have 2 weeks before it disappears on you (but hey, you never have to worry about late fees).  I’ve run into issues before where I’ve been on a few wait lists and suddenly 2 books are checked out to me at the same time, I think if you are watching your place in the lineup and you realize that might happen you can let someone go ahead of you in line, but I don’t pay enough attention and haven’t tried it, so then I have 2 books to finish in only 2 weeks.  You’re also limited to what they have available, you can suggest books for them to buy, but you are left to them to decide if they will or not and on their timetable.

Audible:

Pros: Lots more books, no time constraints because you own it.

Cons: Not free.  Audiobooks can be a little pricey but you can subscribe and then use credits to buy books typically at a discount (except some books cost less than a credit is worth to buy them outright).

I use Overdrive most of the time because I enjoy free, but periodically we subscribe to Audible for a month or 2 to get credits and my husband and I buy a few books at a time.  We have very different book interests so we share an account, but for the most part don’t share books, every now and then we find something for a road trip that we both find interesting.

Now for some book reviews!

I am Malala by Christina Lamb, Malala Yousafzai, and Patricia McCormick:  I kinda feel like this should be mandatory reading for our country right now.  This really helped me understand what has been going on in the Middle East.  It also helped me learn so much more about different groups within the Islamic faith.  I felt empowered as a woman and an educator, I felt my heart grow and develop greater charity, and I felt sad that so many people judge Muslims based on a such a small group of extremists.  If you only read one book from my list, make it this one.

My Story by Elizabeth Smart: very inspiring and well presented.  It’ll make you think twice about leaving windows open or picking up a hitch hiker.  She is very honest and straightforward about what happened to her without being uncomfortably graphic.

Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielsen: this is about the LDS blogger who was in a plane crash and burned over 80% of her body.  This was really powerful.  I loved how real and open she was about the struggles, both physical and emotional, that she went through in her healing process.  It was really inspiring.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand: Holy Cow!  This is the story of Louis Zamperini an Olympic track star turned second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps during World War II.  He survived 47 days floating on a raft (which is a crazy enough story as it is) only to then be captured and spend the next 3 years in various Japanese prisoner of war camps, only to have to come home and figure out how on earth to piece a life back together.  His story is a beautiful example of endurance, love, and faith.  I learned a lot of things about the Pacific Theater that I didn’t know previously.  I feel like the main focus in my schooling about World War II was on the European Theater, which is really important to know and understand, and there’s only so much time that can be devoted to it, but it was really interesting to learn more about what was going on on the other side of the world.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: Another World War II story, this one is a work of fiction.  This is book is beautiful.  He is really able to paint an amazing picture with words.  The book jumps back and forth following a blind French girl and a German orphan whose talent with radios lands him a high ranking place in the German army.  The story is very touching and really makes you think through difficult topics.  I loved every minute of it.

Animal Farm by George Orwell:  Not sure how I got through High School and then college without ever reading this, but I did.  So glad I finally took the chance to read it.  It’s pretty short.  I listened to it on the way to and from Tucson in a single day.  It’s scary how much it reminded me of our present political situations.

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo:  Some really awesome ideas, and I’m trying to implement things.  Mostly I wish I could afford to have her come over and fix my house because I’m not sure how I would ever find large enough blocks of time to do it on my own.  A lot of the ideas sounded amazing if you live by yourself, but living with a husband and children a lot of things didn’t feel super practical.  So, unfortunately it didn’t completely change my life like I hoped, but I do get rid of stuff and have found some better ways to keep things organized.  I also really liked her thought that we should say thank you to our possessions for what they do for us but once they are no longer serving a purpose it is time to put them to rest.

Rising Strong and Daring Greatly by Brene Brown: These were life changing.  I can’t say enough about how much I love Brene Brown, her work, her ideas, and her delivery.  I feel like we’re kindred spirits.  She explains her ideas using stories and personal experiences.  If you need help with parenting, leadership, marriage, or just general being a good person then her writing is for you.  I am excited to keep reading more of her stuff in the future.

The Power of Now by Ekhart Tolle: Mind blown- which might have been the point.  There were a lot of things I wholeheartedly agreed with, a lot of things I am still attempting to process, and some things I outright disagreed with.  Which is probably the mark of a good book because it really made me think.  Except his whole point was to stop thinking so hard, so I’m still not really sure how I felt about it.

Beautiful Bodies by Kimberly Rae Miller:  I loved this book.  I felt like in many ways she was writing my story of struggling with body image issues since an all too young age.  It made me cry, made me laugh, made me angry, and left me feeling empowered.  I could go on and on about this topic, but that probably needs to be its own post at some point.  Warning, there is a little bit of adult language and subject matter.  But seriously if you have ever struggled with body image or know someone who does, or you want to help prevent body image issues in your children then this book is for you.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly: I saw the movie first.  The movie was very compelling, interesting, and entertaining, but also stretched the truth a lot and added in story elements that aren’t in the book.  I’m assuming they did this to make it more interesting, because unfortunately while the book has a very interesting topic, I didn’t find the presentation very interesting.  I’m still glad I gave it a listen because I think it is really important to bring out the “Hidden Figures” of history across the board.

Magnolia Story by Chip Gaines, Joanna Gaines, and Mark Dagostino: This one I actually physically read, crazy right!  I had the opportunity to go visit Waco back in February and wanted to read it before I went so a beautiful friend loaned me her copy.  I couldn’t put it down.  They are some really inspiring people.  In fact, this book is part of what gave me the kick to get serious about getting this blog started (it still took me a few months after I finished the book, but here we are so obviously it worked).  I feel like Joanna and I have a lot in common with big dreams, but when she would share those dreams with Chip he would make them a reality.  While I’m still not as willing to take as many risks as Chip takes, in fact if my husband did half the things Chip did/does I would have pretty regular and major freak outs, but it really inspired me to realize that I did need to stop just dreaming, take some risks, and just get moving on things.

Past General Conferences:  These I listen to through the Gospel Library App, not Overdrive or Audible.  This is may be the best of both worlds because they are free and I can listen at my leisure.  Twice a year the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holds a worldwide General Conference in which the General leaders address us on pertinent topics effecting us in these times.  In many ways its a great opportunity to consider how the scriptures of old apply to us in modern times.  I started listening “backwards” starting with the most recent and then I’m moving backwards through the conferences.  I’m back to 2013.  I’m really enjoying re-listening, there’s been several talks that I had forgotten about that maybe didn’t apply to me in great deal at the time that are really hitting me now.  While this definitely doesn’t replace sitting down and studying, it’s a great way to get a little bit of inspiration in during the day.  And General Conference is coming up again next week!  You can stream it and watch from home or find a meetinghouse near you.

 

Thanks for reading!  I hope you’ve found some ideas for “me time” whether that’s going to be books or not, and if it is books, then I hope you give some of these a gander.

What have you been reading lately???  I’m always looking for more!