The sparrow in its fall...

Well, ours was the Lessor Goldfinch, but nonetheless...

On Saturday, we were in the back yard in the evening. I. looked up and saw something falling. A bird had fallen straight down onto the grass. It was beautiful. The markings were perfect, more beautiful than this picture. When T. picked up the bird with a scoop to put in the trash to wait for the vector control (West Nile Virus tests), the head delicately hung off the edge of the scoop. Until then, it just looked like it could be asleep, or waiting for the surrounding crowd to dissipate, but when T. gently scooped up its body, there hung the head and it was evident that it was dead. We told H. I. and A. that its spirit was with Heavenly Father and that body wasn't alive anymore.

Sunday, in church this was one of the verses sung from Hymn 75 In Hymns of Praise:

3. The little flow’r that lasts an hour,
The sparrow in its fall,
They, too, shall share his tender care;
He made and loves them all.

[Chorus]
Exalt his name in loud acclaim;
His mighty pow’r adore!
And humbly bow before him now,
Our King forevermore.


Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ tenderly love all. It was interesting that I never would've thought about the meaning of that hymn had not that bird died in front of us the evening before.




Monday came along, today, and I called vector control, who gave me a number to call, which gave me a website to enter my info regarding the body of the bird. So, after all of that waiting, we could've reported it on Saturday and had the poor bird's body tested for West Nile Virus.

SO, if you have the same experience, do not wait to call. Call right then so that bird's death can actually help the studies going on for a cure and a tracking of the West Nile Virus. Here is the CA Gov't website: http://westnile.ca.gov/report_wnv.php

Revamping our schooling style

My son was to write about a place he doesn't like. He couldn't think of any place, so he put homeschool, because it takes up time. On the next page, he was to write interesting sentences...so, I suggested telling about his rock collection. I said nothing more. He's now been writing for 10 minutes about his peanutbutter rock.

I've been searching for Project-based classroom websites since just last night T. and I were talking about making our children's learning useful. I thought to make our school science project based and branching the language arts off of that...spelling words from what we're learning, reports, books, etc.

Today's writing lesson confirmed that my child is more gifted than the average student and since I haven't enjoyed our school's state-adopted curriculum and neither has my son, it is time for a change. My sister-in-law's sister-in-law suggested a couple of years ago that I use what the school gives me and then decide what is best for our children and go from there. I don't know if she said that, or if that is what I learned from our conversation, but that is definitely what we need to decide soon since we will have 2 school-age students next year.

I found this: Project-based learning. I think that we will change to this approach.

I'll post more as I figure out what we are doing...

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Recently, the Bishop told us that for the newly remodeled Los Angeles LDS Temple visitor's center, there would be a film presenting some members' testimonies of the Book of Mormon, I have been contemplating what I would say if asked to participate. This is what I have come up with...

I know the Book of Mormon is true. Every time I read it, think about its teachings, or tell about what I've read in it, I feel the Holy Spirit witnessing to me that it is true. In the last chapter of the last book, we learn that the Holy Ghost will witness the truth of all things. This is true. A few times that I have learned of The Book of Mormon's importance have really built my testimony, but also the small things like just reading it daily gives me strength.

As a missionary in Romania, my mission president, President Orton, challenged the missionaries in a zone conference to spend 2 months highlighting the verses of the Book of Mormon in two colors: color 1 for verses about the Savior Jesus Christ and His atonement, color 2 for verses about the Savior Jesus Christ not about His atonement. I was worried about this assignment due to the speed in which we were to finish prior to meeting again for another zone conference in two months. This assignment was on top of our other duties that were already in place. I did this. I was able to read, highlight, and feel. I saw the overall picture of the Book of Mormon rather than individual truths. Pres. Orton explained his experience doing the same task as such: "I could see the forest through the trees and Christ was by everyone of those trees." In my book, that I still have, nearly ever page has highlighted verses, and I was quite conservative in my highlighting...only getting the verses that we directly about Jesus, not even the verses that were symbolically about Him like the parable of the olive branches. From this experience, I learned that the Book of Mormon REALLY contains the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Another Book of Mormon truth I learned on my mission came through my study of the Bible. As Joseph Smith the prophet wrote, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly". By reading the Old and New Testaments of Jesus Christ, I see the importance of Another Testament of Jesus Christ...the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon was written by another people scattered from the time of the Tower of Babel, as well as some groups sent away from Jerusalem at the time of Zedekiah the Prophet. As it is with everything that God does, there was a purpose to these branches of Israel leaving Jerusalem, and having the records of the Jews (Old Testament writings). The Book of Mormon is a testament to the world that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus even came to the Nephites after his ascention into heaven from Jerusalem. In 3 Nephi, we read about the signs of Jesus' birth where it was light for two days and a night, with a new star, His death, where there were earthquakes and darkness for three days, His own testimony that He is the Savior, http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/10, and His resurrection from those inhabiting the American Continents. These things were happening simultaneously with the same happenings on the African continent and other continents I'm sure saw and felt the same wonderings. It is said that a door with only one hinge can't hang right, but that with at least two can stand the door straight. Such it is with the Book of Mormon and the Bible. These two books testify of the Savior Jesus Christ, that He lives, that He suffered for our sins, that He died, and that He overcame death through resurrection.

In addition to the Book of Mormon containing prophecies and written record of the prophets of the teachings of God, AND that the Book of Mormon and Bible stand together to prove through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost that they are true and that Christ lives and died for us, there is something else that the Book of Mormon does for us. When you know the Book of Mormon is true, you can know that that he who translated the Book of Mormon from the Gold Plates carved with Reformed Egyptian symbols into English is true. Joseph Smith received the Plates from the Angel Moroni, translated them by the power of God, and through him, the Church of Jesus Christ was reorganized in our time after so long a general apostacy. When you know that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, you know that the priesthood power of God is alive on the earth today, that the current Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators. They learn from Jesus Christ what to tell the world and how to lead the Church. This is why Joseph Smith testified that the Book of Mormon is the Key Stone of our Religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Without the Book of Mormon, we would've have more proof for the world, we wouldn't have the plain and precious things that have been translated and retranslated out of the Bible.

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love reading it. I love cross-referencing to the Bible. I love that a very compassionate side of Jesus Christ is reiterated in it. It is true. I have felt it. I feel it as I write this. Here is a link to it as well as the other scriptures that we read: the Old Testament, the New Testament, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.

Please enjoy this YouTube from Elder Jeffery R. Holland about the testimony of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith of the Book of Mormon:


Testimony of the Book of Mormon

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

But as for me and my house...

We just turned down an "episodic HBO" show for H. He looks just like the main character he could've been a son for. But, after researching the show, it is definitely not the kind of show with which we would like to be involved.

It is crazy how the devil tempts you. "It's just 7 lines...most of which is with voice-over." "Most of it is pieced together, he won't see much." "It's a great opportunity for his career."

And then there is the Holy Spirit bringing back memories of the Prophets' voices: "Learn what you should learn. Do what you should do. Be who you should be." "Make sure children are taught what Heavenly Father wants both secular and spiritual." "Look to your mother for a pattern to follow, NOT to society that hasn't an eternal perspective." "What would the Lord Jesus do?" "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." "Choose the good part." "Run as Fast as you can to higher ground...listen to the prophet." and one of my favorites: "NEVER let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually!"

Well, I wrote back about the opportunity: "That is not a show that we will participate in." Yes, it was grammatically incorrect, but that is all that I could write.

So, as it was told in Joshua 24, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." There has to be many worthy works out there that our children can work with, something worthy of God's approval. Something that we wouldn't want to shut out of our home. That is the type of movie or TV show for which we'll wait.