This is Brylie Wynes. She lives in our ward and is in the Primary with me. (I am currently the Stake Music Coordinator and the Ward Primary Pianist) Her mom and dad are Angie and Mike Wynes and they are so awesome. Last Saturday we were at a birthday party for another of our friends' little boy Krew and Brylie saw me there. She came right up to me, took me by the hand and asked me if I wanted to watch her jump in the "bounce house". I said that I would love to and I walked over to it with her. On the way over she looked up at me and she said, "You know, I really like it when you are in Primary." It made my day. Sometimes you think that a calling may be a small one and that the kids don't even notice (especially sitting in the back, behind the piano) but to hear from the mouth of a beautiful child of God that she likes it when I am there made me feel so special. It was a tender mercy that I will never forget, and instantly brought little tears to my eyes! Sometimes the messengers that Heavenly Father sends to tell us how much He loves us are very small, but still so powerful. Thank you so much Brylie. We never know when we will be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. (Thanks for letting me "borrow" this picture from your blog Angie!)
Our couch broke because unnamed persons sat on it too . . . easily. It fell through the bottom and we had to ask for it to get fixed. BYUH wonderful maintenance came and took it to their shop, fixed it and brought it back. Ryan vacuumed the floor while it was out. I will say that if only four people sat on it, including Lacey, me, Ryan and Cory and it didn't break because of Lacey and it didn't break because of me...but I will not say who it did break when they both sat on it. :)
It is funny that we live in Hawaii and this is what we are doing in our spare time. Yikes. No wonder none of us has a tan. Just to defend our case a little though, it has been extremely cold here lately...like in the 60s even. Brrrrr.
A couple of weeks ago Ryan asked me if he could take me on a Friday Night Date! It was super fun. He took me to Cholos (our favorite place...if you couldn't tell) and then to Matsomoto's for the Island Famous snow cones! It was sure fun. We laughed and laughed and even invented a new game where you think of an actor, and a film they are in, tell the other person the actor's name and they have to guess which film you are thinking of. (it sounds cheesy, but it is SUPER fun...good thing we know a good patent attorney!) Anyway, we spent the whole night just laughing and having fun. It was nice to spend some quality time together like that without worrying about school or work or anything else. It was like we just took a night off from everything and enjoyed our time together. Ryan is the best husband in the world.
My parents recently received the location for their call...They will be serving in the Santiago, Chile East Mission. They are very excited to serve there and to spend three years there. It will be a fabulous opportunity.I figured that with how important this proclamation is to me, I ought to post it. I love this so much. We have several of them posted around our tiny apartment. I read through it almost every single day. What a blessing families are!
This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.
