Notes for my sister

During the summer when we were in Utah, I took the girls to the BYU Museum of Art. This painting by Brian Kershisnik, called Nativity, is huge and incredible up close. You see angels of different ages, some weeping with joy, some singing. Look closely at the holy family: in Joseph's face you can see an expression of relief and maybe wonder? I can't even find words to describe it. Zoom in next to the virgin Mary, you see two women with hands covered in blood, probably midwives who attended the birth of baby Jesus. I remember feeling surprised at the depth of detail, and then it made me think about more details surrounding his birth. A picture is truly worth a thousand words. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe he was born in Bethlehem, and that an angel came to announce his birth to shepherds. I believe Jesus is the Good Shepherd spoken of in the New Testament. Believing has been easy for me, so I really can't take much credit for it. I hope that my actions show that I

Healing, Christmas time, and a broken statue boy Church talk/sermon, Lehi Utah, December 2016 During the Christmas season, we reflect on our Savior’s birth in Bethlehem.   We rejoice in this lovely tradition, and we honor Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, angels and wise men who came to honor the baby Jesus.   But we recognize that without the events that happened 33 years later at the end of his life, there would be no singing and no festivities for his birthday, if not for the Atonement and resurrection that he completed.   Today I’d like to share some thoughts with you, not about the little baby Jesus, but about the healing and power of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.   At our church general women’s meeting a few months ago, Carole Stephens gave a beautiful sermon called The Master Healer . My remarks are based on her comments, and I’ll share some ideas and experiences of my own.   First I’ll talk about the need for healing during the holidays, next about how that healing comes, and

Yes, we drove. My kids had five days off school for Thanksgiving break. It takes about 20 hours each way, so yes, we spent lots of time in the car. (At gas stations Amber did jumping jacks just for fun.) It's interesting to see places you've never been; this was our first time driving through Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland. We stopped at Shenandoah National Park on the way, to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. Three main purposes for this trip: learn about US History, deepen my kids' gratitude for this great nation, and spend time with my sister's family! We loved sharing a Thanksgiving feast with them, complete with homemade cheeseball, rolls, and pies from the Amish market. And my kids loved eating cookie salad as a side dish. Here are a handful of highlights from places we visited. The Capitol building is huge. Supreme Court below. Once again, the scale and beauty of these buildings is impressive. It's humbling to think about justice, a