Apostles, Prophets, Temples, and Gospel Art Matching Game Fun

I am not positive if these matching games are new or not but I just discovered them on The Friend's site. My little boy loves them. There is a different song playing in the background of each game and it is a great way to learn about a few gospel centered things.

Also from a previous post: "I never realized what great resources were online on the Friend page. You can color online while listening to a nice song, play games like putting puzzles together of gospel art, listen to or read stories from the Friend, and much more. Check it out!"

I hope you all enjoy!

Friendship to All, Pass it On

Ever since The Foundation For a Better Life started putting out these videos I have absolutely loved them.

The videos below are about friendship, something that is much needed in these days filled with pressure to look a certain way, pressure to act a certain way, and increasing amounts of bullying in many forms (including cyber-bullying).

I have sadly heard of a few instances where members of the Church will not be friends with those of other Faiths. How horribly wrong and sad. There are many great people with high standards to which we can be friends.

In the For Strength of Youth pamphlet is states, "Choose your friends carefully. They will greatly influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become. Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards. A true friend will encourage you to be your best self."

Choosing friends carefully is, of course, very important but we need not narrow our friendships simply to Mormons or even Christians. We could learn much and gain great friendships from all. Enjoy the video below of three friends with very different backgrounds.

The pamphlet continues on to say, "To have good friends, be a good friend yourself. Show interest in others and let them know you care about them. Treat everyone with kindness and respect. Go of your way to be a friend to those who are shy or do not feel included."

This video is a perfect example of this.

And finally this is one of my favorite stories from the March, Friend magazine. The story truly shows what a huge difference one friend can make. (click pictures to enlarge and read)

Sunday Stations

“This is the season of opportunity for families to stand tall and be counted among the faithful who obey the fourth great commandment: ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.’ ” Bishop H. David Burton, Presiding Bishop

That is what this great article titled, "Sunday Stations", by Marci Cole, is all about, keeping the sabbath day holy. When I read this story in the Friend I thought it was such a great idea.

Sometimes I think some of us can fall into the habit of making a list of don'ts for the sabbath day but might forget to spend our time doing great and very sabbath appropriate things.

My little family tends to spend a lot of time together on Sundays but often we are merely lounging around rather than engaging in wonderful, uplifting activities like those that can be found in this article. If you haven't read it yet, whether you have children or not, it is a must read. I think we all could find something worthwhile that works for us individually or for our whole family.

The activities that they had in their Sunday Stations were working on Faith in God or Duty to God, sending an email to someone they loved, calling a grandparent on the phone, reading a scripture story, and reading a story from the Friend. But these are only a few of the many wonderful things we and our children could engage in on Sundays as part of our own versions of Sunday Stations or whatever else works for our families.

There are other simple things like writing in a journal, writing a letter to a missionary or to someone in the military, watching a church movie (short movies can be found on the Church's YouTube page - Mormon Messages), singing or listening to Hymn's or Children's songs, and of course there are many other great things we can engage in.

I never realized what great resources were online on the Friend page. You can color online while listening to a nice song, play games like putting puzzles together of gospel art, listen to or read stories from the Friend, and much more. Check it out!

Well, now with all of that said I would love to hear how you make your Sunday's interesting, engaging, and uplifting each and every week.

The Blessings of the Priesthood

We just subscribed to The Friend in hopes to have a more toddler friendly magazine. I meant for it to be mostly for the enrichment of our son but I have found myself reading almost every morsel of our first magazine. It is wonderful. I love how short and simple the stories, experiences, and articles are. The children of the church are so strong and such good examples.

I really enjoyed President Monson's Message in the February Friend. He shares an experience of being in the military and having the opportunity to use the power of the priesthood. He had just recently become an Elder and had never given a blessing before when a fellow member in the military asked him for a blessing because he was very sick. He received a prompting to go to his bag where he had the missionary handbook in the bottom of his suitcase. It directed him in giving his first blessing. The man whom he gave the blessing to fell asleep quickly and felt much better the following morning. The power of the priesthood is great.


What a great blessing it is to have the power of the priesthood in our homes and/or in our lives. I remember hearing this story before, but this time it brought back a powerful experience to my memory.

My husband and I had just moved into a new ward. We had only been married for about 4 months or so. We were excited to start our family and to be living in a new place. We quickly received callings. I was called as the Assistant Camp Director for the Young Women. I was excited by the calling. A few weeks after moving into the ward and receiving our callings I got pregnant and I became quite sick.

I was put in charge of doing all of the shopping for our week long excursion with the Laurels. It was to be a long shopping trip. I was just in the beginning stages of sickness but I remember it took all of my will power to handle rows and rows of foods and smells while in the midst of excited and squeally teenage girls, all the while trying to keep my stomach where it should be. That afternoon was exhausting.

Things only got worse. I got sicker as time went on and as girl's camp drew nearer. I wasn't sure if I would be able to make it and if I did I wasn't sure if I would be any help while we were there. I was not very far along so I wanted to keep the news to myself but because of the circumstances I ended up telling the YW's President and the Camp Director that I was pregnant and sick. Telling them helped a lot and I ended up deciding that I was going to go, sick or not. I felt like I was supposed to.

The morning we were to leave I asked my husband for a blessing. Before I walked out the door to my week long girl's camp and pregnancy adventure I had already lost-my-cookies three times. I just knew it was going to be a long week.

Something extraordinary happened that week. I felt better that week than I had in a long time. I only threw up once the whole week. I had more energy. I had a better appetite. I could keep almost everything down. I felt amazing...well amazing for that point in pregnancy. I still had a few moments here and there. I still stayed in bed a little longer in the mornings. I still munched on things quite often. I didn't join the other's on the hike or playing kickball. But...I was there and was okay. The difference was night and day.

On the way home from our adventure the car had to be stopped and I had to step out and the fun began once again. When we made it back to our town I went straight for the bushes and the fun began again. When I got home the fun continued for several more months. I was blessed that week by the power of the priesthood to be filled with the strength, health, and peace I needed to fulfill my calling and to enjoy it.

I know that the priesthood is real. I know that we all can receive the blessings that priesthood has to offer. I know that throughout that week the Power of Priesthood took a great role. I was blessed with strength and health. I was blessed to be able to receive those things for a time by the priesthood.

I am so grateful to have a worthy and loving priesthood holder in my home and to be surrounded by many other great men who hold the priesthood. The blessings of the priesthood can strengthen, uplift, and bless us all. We can receive comfort, guidance, and healing from the priesthood. We are blessed with sacred ordinances because of the priesthood. The priesthood is the power of God on the earth today. It is real. I know that we all have access to the blessings of the priesthood and that through our faith those blessings can strengthen and direct us in our lives.