Some of Amanda's Favorite Scriptures

Psalms 46:10 " Be still and Know that I am God."
When Mr. T. was lost last year, I knelt down and prayed to ask for help and heard this scripture in my head. Matt and I searched for Mr. T. for two hours. I finally decided to take the scripture quite literally. I sat down close to where Mr. T. had taken off (with some pizza as a lure) and waited for T. Within minutes T popped his head out into the clearing of the forest where I was stationed and gradually came to me. The reunion was sweet!

Matthew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."
When I was in the MTC, I felt unworthy to be there. One night when I was upset and unsure about my place in the "Lord's Army," I felt like I should look up the scripture Matthew 5:7, not knowing what the reference was. It was one of the first moments that I really felt like Jesus is our Savior.

Alma 20:4 "Now Lamoni said unto Ammon: I know in the strength of the Lord, thou canst do all things."
Another missionary scripture. In the MTC, I felt lonely. Although I liked my district and companion, I hardly received any mail from the people that I loved. When I struggled with my loneliness, I chanted to myself, "I know in the strength of the Lord, thou canst do all things."

1 Nephi 8:12 "And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit."
This is a scripture that is bitter-sweet to me. I want my family to feel the same joy that I have felt through the atonement. I love them and pray for them, hoping that in a small way I can contribute to their happiness.

All of Moroni 7
This is the scripture that I have read the most. It is the scripture that motivates me the most to be the best that I can. It also helps me to have more faith in Christ.

Eliza Photos

Eliza wanted to take a picture with her arm around Joshua's shoulder. So we got a couple shots of strangling/hair/running away, etc.

 

Hyrum likes to pursue me when I have the camera. 

This is Eliza's model pose.

This is a hat I got for free that advertises my stuff. Give me money.

Eliza's Scary Bear Story (translation below)

This is from several months ago, but for some reason I haven't been able to put it online until now. Here it is in all it's thrilling glory.

Translation, if needed:

ELIZA: Once upon a time...
Grandma and Daddy and Mommy, went on a walk in the woods.
And...
Grandma Morrison said, "Eliza! There's a big brown bear! It's really scary!"
And...
Eliza say, "Yikes! Big brown bear?? It's really scary?? WHAT?! Mean Egyptians? Mean Egyptians...aaajjjdfkjdfjhk..mean Egypti---"

ME: (interrupting the "mean Egyptians" rant): Then what did you do with the bear?

ELIZA: I kill him.

ME: You did?

ELIZA: Uh huuh.
And...he died! And the mean Egyptians take him home. The End!

Man, I like this blog!

That's all. I just really like this blog.

I wasn't sure where it would be appropriate to make that comment, so I thought I'll just make a post.

On a related note: I really like everyone involved in this blog.

That's all.

First Haircuts!

Look at those handsome boys!

Why Johnny Burns His Schools Down

Steve and I recently visited a used book store which he often frequents. It's a great store and we found a book there which we feel is a must-read for our Family Book Group. The book is, Why Johnny Burns His Schools Down, by Richard J. Stoller, Ph.D. The blurb on the inside jacket cover reads:

"In this book Dr. Richard Stoller presents a convincing--if at first startling--diagnosis of the widespread disorder both in our schools and in society. The fact is that in penmanship classes schoolchildren are being programmed with negative attitudes day after day. How could this be? Because the power of the pen reflects the power of the subconscious, and recent research--presented in evidence here--shows positively that not only does handwriting reveal character traits, but that it can also be used to instill them in the subconscious.

Thus, in the schools, negative character traits are daily being transferred from the teacher to the pupil through the compendiums used, and also by the students' emulating the handwriting of the teacher--who has herself been negatively conditioned. What appears to be a complex problem is thus basically a simple one: what is needed is a change in understanding of the significance of penmanship by educators and a new approach to the teaching of handwriting. If this solution doesn't solve all the world's problems, it will be a significant factor in salvaging many unhappy lives. This is an important book-one that ought to be read by anyone concerned with our younger generations."

Think of the ramifications of this research! Dad could use this in his classes and revolutionize the way teachers teach and impact the lives of young children. I can use it in my class at school. But more importantly, think of the ways this could impact families! If you just read this book, you will be able to instill in your children the character traits you feel are important, just by the way you teach them to write. Perhaps, you could even change some of your own more odious character traits just by changing the way you write. Steve and I feel that if we all read this book, we can take over the world!

Five Scriptures (Steve)

Five scriptures I love and that have meant a lot to me. With brief commentary. Read them below.

1.
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
And I will bring them...to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.
-Ezekiel 34: 11-16

God is never far from us. Wherever we go, he personally seeks after us, just as we seek after him.


2.
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
 -John 9: 39-41

If we think we see, we have no faith. We need to admit that we know almost nothing, and trust God to lead us on.


3.
And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.  
-Ether 6: 10

No matter what chaos is crashing around us, we carry a divine light within us which makes night day.



4.
My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.

-Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-9

Life is painful, but pain is growth. And if we're lucky, we'll have warm hearts and friendly hands to help us along the way. Either way, we can always trust that God is there and that the hole the hurt carves into us will always be too small to contain the joy that eventually comes to fill it up.

5.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 8: 38-39

It's impossible to move outside of the sphere of God's love.