December

 Saturday December 2nd, we had our ward Christmas Party at the chapel. I had signed up to make a Breakfast Casserole (note to self don't sign up for that next time lol) We had to go early cause I had to bring my casserole at a certain time. It was just us and not the newlyweds, Jaxon came a little later. All the food was yummy and the decorations were Christmas. Kage had come with James, but he sat with us, next to his favorite cuzzie Leila. We wrote Christmas cards to our Ward Missionaries. We were entertained by people in our ward. Sadly we found out there was no Santa. Bro. Morley couldn't be Santa cause he had surgery on his knee. Bro. Ashworth was suppose to fill in but last minute he got sick, so I heard. As I looked around the room I was thinking Bro. Masina, Bro. Foot, Bro. Jones, Bro. Latta could've been Santa. I mentioned Santa to Jan Jones and she went irate about it lol like she had been stressed about it and was done, cause she was in charge of our Christmas Party. Anyways went to put up the Christmas tree in the Primary room for the Primary kids to see during Primary. 

In the afternoon we took the girls downtown for a concert 'Christmas with Marie Osmond'. I had won tickets from work and I asked Jay if he wanted to go but he didn't so I let the girls go. But kinda silly that Jay and I ended up going with them to drop them off and then getting something to eat at the Food Court at City Creek Mall and then waiting there for the concert to finish..... like we could've just went to the concert? Anyways the girls enjoyed it especially Leila, Erana would've enjoyed it more had it not been for her sore tummy pains she was experiencing during it cause she held in her gas lol. She was a bit grumpy with Leila and Leila didn't know why, poor Erana. 

Thursday 7th, was my Dad's Birthday. And I was asked to give a talk about 'The Light of Christ' for our Relief Society dinner which I thought was today. I had prepared my talk and Jay made checked it and made changes to it, helped me with it to make it amazing. Anyways I got myself dolled up and dropped the girls off at their YW activity and went to the chapel. But no one was there? well then I remembered I'm a week early lol so I went home and told Jay. 

Thursday 14th, got off of work early to go to Brent Woods Dads Funeral. Jay picked me up, and we went to the funeral service. Sat next to Shaun, Scott played the Piano and he also gave the prayer at the gravesite. Grandkids gave talks about their Grandpa Eugene, he was Utah's first incubator baby, and that's how he lost his site, too much oxygen. I had bought flowers in behalf of Barney and Barbara's family, siblings chipped in. Tania had done the program and the date of his death was wrong lol Shaun made fun of it to the Funeral Director. 

That evening I got dolled up again and went to the chapel for the Relief Society dinner. Luckily Jay asked me what time was it at and I said 7pm, but I said but I better check that to make sure. Luckily I did cause it was at 6pm and Jay said lucky you checked or else you would've showed up a week early and an hour late! baahahahaaa he's so funny.  

The decorations in the gym were amazing, there were huge white canopy's set up with amazing decorations like a Winter Wonderland. I was at the table with Eliza Morgan, Linda Morgan, Sis.Emma Brown, Tiffany Brown, My neighbor Sherri and her daughter. We had yummy salads, rolls, mashed potatoes and pot roast meat. I chatted with Eliza, she had broken up with her boyfriend and I said to her there's always 'Jaxon', she cracked up laughing lol Sister Emma Brown sang a beautiful song. Kendra Garcia spoke first, and then me, JoDee Barham and then Shauna Morley. I brought my stool to sit on for my talk, I also used my phone to give my talk (first time ever, I should've taken my glasses off though) I hopefully gave my talk clearly and at a good pace. Anyways I loved my talk before I gave it, I knew it was special. I got compliments afterwards and text msgs too. Sharlene Coomb absolutely loved it, said it was like a General Conference talk lol. 

Friday 15th, dropped of Scott, Heather and Boys at night to the Airport. Their cruise to the Bahamas cancelled and was changed to a Canada Cruise, how dreadful lol. Anyway they will be gone till the 24th Christmas Eve late at night I'll pick them up. 

Sunday 17th, we had invited Seamus, Moleni Bros, Duane Gudgeon and Ollie Wolferstan for dinner at Scott's house (since were house sitting) Only Duane and Ollie's families came including Imogen, Jake and baby. But I was kinda sicky and my voice sounded horrible so I tried to keep a distance with everyone. Jaxon invited his friend Zander he came too, since he knows the Gudgeons. Shaun showed up to eat and mingle a little. We had a lot of yummy food. I was going to make a Brisket but Ollie said he'll smoke up some pork roasts so I let him. I made japchae and Lupulu, Tyrell and Alisa made yummy Asian otai, there was a lot of leftovers. I gave each family my 'tomatoe and zuchinni relish'. 

Tuesday 19th, my sister Lian and my nephew Leo flew in from Dallas, and NZ. I went and picked them up at the airport in the afternoon, after work. It was my last day of work before Christmas Break. I stopped and picked up baby from school and went and went through Apollo Burgers drive through to get Lian and Leo a burger for dinner.  When I brought them home they unpacked and gave me all my New Zealand goodies. They had Christmas gifts for everyone too. We got ready for our trip to Las Vegas tomorrow. 

Wednesday 20th, we set out on our way to Las Vegas about 10am. Jay, me, Leila, Erana, Lian and Leo. The girls sat in the back seat. We had very little boot space we only brought one pair of clothes because we only staying for 2 days. We stopped in Beaver for Rootbeer milk, but they didn't have any, sad. We got ice-cream and cheese curds. 

Went to China town when we got into Las Vegas and got us some Korean hot dogs and Boba drinks. Walked around a bit. Checked into our Hotel and went for a little stroll around Vegas at night. Got me a pink cardi with polar bears lol. Girls and Leo went on the roller coaster at NYNY. 

Thursday 21st, ate our Hotel's yummy breakfast, they had a nice selection of yummy breakfast foods, buffet style. You could get someone to make you eggs, omelette.  Went and walked around Vegas again went to see the huge flower display in Bellagio. Bellagio had a Christmas themed flower display with Christmas trees, nutcracker. Lian, Leo and girls went to see the Avengers Station in Treasure Island. Jay and I had seen it tons before so we just went and did a bit of shopping. Looked at Caesar Palace and then went to China Town again and got some Mochi doughnuts. We came home on Friday. 

Sunday 24th - We had a nice Christmas program. 

Monday 25th - Christmas Day! We opened gifts, had breakfast, and lounged around. Lian had bought Jay & I Maori Snuggies, mine was lilac and his was black, they are so Awesome. Scott, Heather and boys joined us for a nice steak dinner, they had gotten back from their cruise the night before. 

The rest of the week, we did some sight seeing downtown, malls, outlet stores and Ross. Till Lian and Leo left on Friday 29th. 

Saturday 30th - We had a family WIHONGI get together at Jody & Moni's home. We played our white elephant, ate pizza and took photos. We put one of Mum's last wigs in the White Elephant again. It was only Jody's, Scott's and our whanau. 

Sunday 31st - We had just Sacrament again - Yay! We had a New Year's party at our home for whoever wanted to come. It was just our family and Scotts family lol. We ate yummy finger foods, and played Scotts Trivia game and other games that Kage set up for us. He brought his friend to our party, I wonder what he thought of us when we'd put silly/potty answers on the game! 

The Light of Christ - Mum's talk for RS 12/14

When I was young, about 12yrs old, I was swimming at the river with my sisters, cuzzies and friends, like we usually do on a beautiful sunny day in NZ. That day we were swimming by one of the huge concrete pillars that holds up the bridge. We were standing on a fallen tree that was sticking half in and out of the water,  jumping off it into the current, swimming with the current down a bit, getting out on the side and doing it all over again. Out of the blue one of my mischievous cuzzies pushed me off of the tree and I fell into the water unprepared.  Immediately the current pulled me downwards right near the concrete pillar under the water, it was pitch black and the water got colder. I used all my strength to try and swim upwards back to the surface where I could see the light. I wanted so badly to get back up to that warm radiant light, where my sisters, cuzzies and friends were waiting….But the current was too strong, and the cold dark water enveloped me. I was scared. I was running out of breath and my fear turned into panic. At that point the only thing I could do was to pray -  

Sometimes life is like this experience I had. Sometimes in life we are in dark cold places, and sometimes it gets scary and it can happen out of the blue. Sometimes we make bad choices, we lose a loved one, you could be fighting an ongoing illness, going through unemployment or financial hardship, are alone and feel unloved. It is through Christ where we find the light to lead us out of those dark times.

During His mortal ministry, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

The Light of Christ is given to all who come into the world. It is the source of our conscience which tells us naturally what is good and evil. But it's more. It is His love, it is His grace, His mercy, it is His truth, it is His spirit.

A few weeks ago, Sister Belnap gave a wonderful talk in sacrament reminding us about the parable of the 10 virgins. I wanted to emphasize that again and talk a little about the oil and the light.

When we put oil in our lamps it is the same as receiving this light and it can grow within us. When we ask God for repentance, when we forgive others, when we pray and exercise faith in God, when we love and be kind, when we renew and keep covenants all these things give us more light, it can give us strength and we’re able to face any of the dark times.

Christ also said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

You can shine your light through your love. The Apostle John mentioned this in a recent Come Follow Me Lesson that, “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light”. 

Even though we may not be able to share the oil in our lamps, we can share the light. The oil in your lamp is your obedience to the commandments, sharing your light is your example of keeping those commandments.  The oil in your lamp is your faith, your testimony and sharing your light is bearing your testimony to others and sharing your faith. The oil in your lamp is the love you have in your heart and sharing your light is the love you are showing others through kindness and service and kind words. The oil in your lamp is having the spirit with you through your faithfulness and sharing that light is inviting others to have opportunities to feel that spirit, coming to church, ministering, teaching them. So although you can’t give away your oil they can see your light and they can choose to fill oil in their own lamps. 

There have been many people that have influenced me and shared their light of Christ with me, for instance I had a very kind Primary teacher who I loved, and if it wasn’t for her I probably would not have gone to church. In Seminary, I had the best teachers but one especially encouraged me just with her lessons to love my scriptures, I would carefully mark my scriptures and write little notes on the side of them. Because of her I had the desire to wake up at 5am and bike 6 miles to our chapel for that hour of Seminary before School starts. These wonderful sister’s shared their light with me and helped me want to be good and do good. You beautiful sister’s also share your light with me, by your examples, and service and lessons, and kind words and deeds to me and my family. You are my family and I love you and appreciate you all.

So back to that scary moment when I was sinking in the dark, cold waters of the river because I was tired and out of breath from fighting the current and all I could do was pray. After I pleaded for help from Heavenly Father,  I stopped struggling and swimming and let the current pull me down under the water and through a scary darkness, and I went under the pillar and popped up on the other side of it into the light where the water was calm. Never had the sun and the air feel so good. No one was there to see me cry and no one knew I nearly drowned, except my HF. 

I know because of my faith in God, that I could pray to him to get me out of that dark situation. He knew the best escape was to go under and through the darkness, the opposite of my natural instincts, but I came out on top, into the light on the other side. Sometimes the Lord allows you to go through those dark times but when you put your trust in Him, even when you think you’re at a point when all hope is lost, you’ll find calm waters and salvation on the other side - you’ll find His Light!  You’ll find that He was with you all the way. And you’ll find that your light will have gotten brighter because of that experience.

In D&C 50:24, it says, “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”

Testimony