Sabbath Thought

In church yesterday, I heard a quote that I LOVED! President Joseph F Smith said that a person who pays tithing will never apostasize.

Paying tithing not only takes faith but it builds faith. This faith will help people to obey the Lord's commandments.

I thought that if I ever have a friend or family member that is less active and wanting to come back to the church but is struggling, the best advice is to have them start by paying an honest tithe. I believe this will give them the added faith needed to come back. Just a thought.

Habla Espanol

This morning as I was slowing leaving dreamland and waking to reality. Not my favorite time of day and NO I am NOT lazy!!!! I was thinking of the little boy in Ross's Kindergarten class that is having to learn English. His parents do not speak English and they are not the only ones in our neighborhood like this.

I know of five families on our block alone like this. Some of them speak broken English and one family does speak English quite well.

As I was laying in bed, I was wishing I could speak with these ladies. Then the thought came to me that I should offer to teach them English in exchange for them to teach me Spanish!

I got really excited by this thought. On my mission we offered free English classes to the Italians (although they said we did not speak English, we spoke American. They thought they were two different languages). It was a fun night and a powerful missionary opportunity.

I want to go to the MTC and see if I can buy the books they give to the missionaries to study Spanish from. Then I will talk to all my Spanish speaking neighbors to see if they will exchange English lessons for Spanish.

I am excited! I really really really want to learn to speak Spanish. I understand so much but when I go to speak it only Italian comes out. I am improving but not as quickly as I'd like to. I hope this works out and gets me more fluent in Spanish!

A Powerful thougt from General Conference

Where there is faith there is no Fear!

Power of Prayer

This is from my sister, Mechelle's blog. Wanted to pass this on!
During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England , its people and peace.

This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped. There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America . The United States of America needs prayer more than ever.

Join us by spending one minute in group prayer for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, for wisdom and courage for our leaders, the up-coming election and that our hearts will turn to God.

Eastern Time 9:00 pm

Central 8:00 pm

Mountain 7:00 pm

Pacific 6:00 pm

What will you be doing at the appointed time in your neck of the woods tonight?!

So Close Yet So Far!

David and I wrote and presented two separate offers on the same home over the last few weeks. It is a foreclosed home and the amount that is owed on the loan is far more than it is currently worth.

We obviously offered what it is now worth and the banks just feel they can not lose that much money. The people making decision are out in the East somewhere. They have never seen the home, the condition it is in, the area or the surrounding homes.

The only communication the listing agent has had with these bankers is via e-mail. This agent is even frustrated that they did not accept our offer since it was a good and fair offer.

I am not mad, angry, or sad. I can not even say I am much frustrated. I am a wee bit disappointed but also a wee bit relieved. Mostly I am just numb.

I had wished to be in a home by the start of all the upcoming holidays. I am a bit startled (if startle is the right word?) I will still be in this little two bedroom one bath apartment for the second holidays in a row.

I do feel like a loser that we still have not bought a home. I can just imagine the thoughts of all our aquaintances. Those who know us but don't really know us or why we have not bought a home. I am sure they all think financially we are in ruins. That we are destitude and can not afford a home. That it is all a facade that we are house hunting.

I don't entirely care what people think. I trust God and that is all that matters. I just wish I knew what His plan for us was however He will tell me when I need to know. In the meantime I must trust Him.

September, is always such a fun month!

Canning, the school book fair, and being ill last week, OH MY!!! I hope someday to get back to blogging on a regular basis! For now, it is a bit here and there.

Janell, I am thinking of you!

I want you to know that I am thinking and praying for you. Despite the fact that I am not blogging these days.

My cousin, Janell, is having her brain tumors removed on Monday. Please remember her in your prayers.

We love you, Janell!