Good news first, Sport received his mission call! He is going to Fort Collins Colorado! The crazy thing about that is Fort Collins is the same mission Scuff spent an entire year in while he awaited his visa to Brazil. Upon hearing the news, the mission president's wife contacted Scuff via Facebook and said, 'We get your brother!!' That will be great for Sport! We are so grateful to know where he is going and that he won't be too far away. Sport is suppose to report the to MTC at the end of March.
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| copyright: Karen Larsen photography |
On the crazy side of things, my sister had applied for a job here at the court where Drew works. We have had her visit during her interview and we have waited for three weeks to get the results. But alas, she did not get the job, which means she and her five daughters will not be moving in with us. It would only have been for a little while, but trying to figure out how we would manage all of that and then having those conversations with my sister took some time.
Also on the crazy side of life, it appeared that Drew was going to be getting another job. Out of nowhere, he was recommended to be the interim CEO for a neighboring court. The plan was for him to travel there twice a week and work here the other three days. We were suppose to do that through July. We even signed papers to that extent. That was at the end of January. Then things got super complicated and people changed their minds, after he attended a CEO conference for the state and was introduced as the interim CEO. Anyway, he ended up only traveling one day and not staying the night and later that week they had reconsidered and decided to go a different direction. Super crazy. In the same week, they reached out to him and asked him to apply for the job when they opened it. The announcement went out on Friday. Drew and I are not even sure we will apply. I don't think we are going to. But we will see. I guess we have the right to change our minds too. So....that's where that is.
On top of all of that life craziness, I have just been feeling overwhelmed with seminary and the rest of life. I have been on an emotional roller coaster. I think I am finally settling down. On a good note, I have not been eating my feelings, so that is a huge positive. And my relationship and communications with my husband are definitely improved. Through all of this chaos, Drew and I have had to communicate much more effectively in much shorter intervals, which has meant we had to clarify our positions and feelings.
While we were trying to figure out what our life was looking like, we rearranged Speedy's schedule so that he could graduate early in case we actually moved. But now we aren't moving, but are still graduating him early. That was more chaos and speaking with people and figuring out what that would look like and how it would work. Now we have to plan graduation and college attendance for Speedy. I think he is going to stay home this next year and finish at the junior college where he's at and then apply for next summer (2017) at the Y.
And in the process of all of this, two computers have bit the dust. Yes, seriously.
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| copyright: Karen Larsen photography |
He also asked us to pay the price to know our scriptures and know the doctrine and to know the students, then we will be able to be the teachers inspired of the Lord needed to help this generation gain knowledge necessary to give them a testimony born of study and faith, and to become converted to the doctrine, to know it, participate in it, live it, and defend it---which is what I think every seminary teacher wants. I just want to be able to help my students gain a testimony that will help them withstand the trials of their mortality because they are willing to pay the price necessary for it. And that through their obedience as they exercise their faith unto repentance, their faith will be strengthened and enlarged. But those things don't come because I force information into them. They do not even come because they read their scriptures or memorize scripture mastery. It only comes because they are willing to experiment upon the doctrines as they exercise their faith through their obedience--even unto repentance. That decision can only be made by each individual inside of their own heads and hearts. The goal then, becomes to do what inspires each individual to desire to do that for him or her self, for I cannot violate their agency in the process.
He also told us to hold a personal interview with ourselves periodically to assess where we are spiritually. Here are the scriptures he told us to use:
2nd Nephi 26:29-32
Alma 5:14-30
D&C 121:33-46
I have yet to do that. But here is my favorite line from the evening. "James didn't say, 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him Google." Elder Ballard. He was trying to explain to us that we all have to pay the price to know the doctrines. That price is to learn by study and by faith, which requires experimenting upon the word, and enduring to the end. We don't get that knowledge because we can find it on the internet. We get it because we are obedient to the principles and through our study and faith (which implies action---because faith is acting on the information) we receive the knowledge and testimony promised. Faith is hard work--more so, I think than the physical work necessary to have a great body or that ripped six pack. It requires bending our whole will to do what He asks of us, which will be what is hardest for each of us, because that is where the growth is necessary.
But instead of continuing on, I really do have to get people ready for church today and take care of the responsibilities I have at home. Poor Sport is feeling kind of sick. He had his flu shot on Wednesday. It is finally catching up with him......
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| copyright: Karen Larsen photography |
