"Beam-ectomy should precede all mote micro-surgery. Just saying." Ginger Conrad paraphrasing Jesus Christ.

Paradigm Shift

“The list of health problems I think it would very hard to live with is SO much longer than the list of foods I previously thought I couldn’t live without,” Merrill Alley.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

let everything go as it should

Gayle and Claire at the Aquarium, April 2015. Claire looks like a triplet to the twins.


Hello Claire!


It was so nice to see you, when I was there for Spring Break and Oakley's baptism. You are growing into a wonderful young lady. I love your reserved, gentle, kind, smiling, but open and intelligent personality. You very much live up to your name, which is derived from the Latin clārus, meaning bright and clear. As I observed you, I was thrilled to see you walking in Jesus' footsteps and adopting His character.

Wasn't the aquarium fun! When I was a little girl, my dad raised angel fish and ciclids, so we had dozens of fish tanks. He even built a large room behind the garage to accommodate more tanks. The gentle hum of the pumps and the humidity released into the air felt quite comforting to me. However, I did not like coming home from school one day to find a huge tank of baby sharks in my bedroom; that was going a little bit too far. Nevertheless, one tank by our front door had beautiful fan tailed gold fish, to which I'm still partial.

Although the aquarium was a great adventure, going to places like that doesn't allow time for visiting. So, I still don't know what you like to do or read. I hope you enjoy the books and activities we send. We hope some of the books are the right level for you to read yourself or at least team read with your parents.

Twice now I've fostered Uncle Jason's little Yorkshire Terrier, Gucci, for several months. After she went back home last September, I thought I would be glad to move on from that responsibility. Nonetheless, I discovered I was very attached to Gucci and missed having a little companion. I'm alone quite a bit with Papa always working, so I decided to look for a little Yorkie of my own. I think I've found her and will be checking it out this week. Please, pray for me that everything goes as it should.

I've found that prayer is a quite effective tool if we don't go into it demanding our own will. Sure, I want thus and such right now, but I don't demand anything in prayer.  I've learned over the years to tell Heavenly Father what I want, but only if it is according to His plan for me. Watching things unfold according to His plan, I'm always a lot happier than if I push my ideas forward at any cost. Some of my schemes have been mighty pricey. Now, I'm content to let the Holy Spirit and Heavenly Father guide me in the way I should go.

Witnessing Oakley's baptism, I made a memory that will be a highlight of my life. She was so happy to make covenants with Heavenly Father. Interestingly, the next day I taught a Primary lesson on the baptismal covenant. On the chalkboard, I drew a picture of two children and another of Heavenly Father. Between the two, I drew an two-way arrow. Above the arrow I wrote Baptismal Covenant=two-way promise. Under the children, I wrote keep the commandments. Under Heavenly Father, I wrote forgive us when we repent, gift of the Holy Ghost, and live with him forever. One little girl in the class was just barely five the others were 6-9. After the chalkboard discussion, I asked each child to explain the baptismal covenant using the words and illustrations on the board. Even the youngest one could explain the covenant. Can you? Then, I asked the children to tell me what some of the commandments are; they came up with many including obeying parents, not stealing, treating others with love, praying and studying the scriptures, not lying, keeping the sabbath day holy, attending church meetings, paying tithing, and a few others. What other commandments can you think of?

Well, Claire, keep yourself on the track you are following right now. Keep the commandments. Be kind to others. Obey your parents. Work hard in school. Listen during Primary. Choose to be cheerful and smiley. Follow Jesus' way. I hope to see you all again this summer or fall.

LYL! P&G