For the Strength of Youth Posters

My dad has always talked to me and taught me about the For Strength of Youth standards, I mean ALAWYS.  He used to talk to me when I was in the womb about the LDS church standards I was suppose to live up to.  That may sound kind of crazy to some people but its true and it worked, they truly sunk in.  I could repeat them back to my dad from the time I could talk and used to tell others all the standards; and when I was faced with temptations I found my dads words popping into my head and affecting my choices.  Now I'm not saying that I never made mistakes or made bad choices, but I like to think I turned out pretty well thanks to my parents raising me the best that they could and teaching me the standards early.

image source lds.org

So when I found out I was pregnant with my first child I knew that I wanted these standards concrete in her head early so that when she was faced with temptations she would have a strong foundation in which she could make good decisions.  So I started teaching her in womb and I have not stopped talking and teaching both my kids the For Strength of Youth standards as set forth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

That is why I decided to create posters for their bedroom wall, so everyday multiply times a day they can see them, I can see them and we can remember to talk about them all the time.

I only have girls so I made the posters to match my girls room, but don't worry I did not forget those of you that have boys.  In the boy posters some of the graphics are changed and the colors are changed.

Click Here to download the For Strength of Youth Posters - BOY

Click Here to download the For Strength of Youth Posters- GIRL

I hope you enjoy them and teach your children no matter how young or old these important standards.

Miley Cyrus VMA performance rant!

Ok truth be told I did not watch the 2013 VMA awards where Miley Cyrus preformed in fact I had no clue it was even happening or what VMA stands for, however Miley caught my attention with all the news over her latest performance and I can't not help myself but write about it.  I tried to find a picture but all them were too inappropriate I was embarrassed to share them on my blog.  So sorry no pictures of the performance.

First off I wish Miley knew that she is A Daughter of God, and that she does not need to act, dress, or behave like she does to get noticed.  I truly feel bad for the girl living in a world where she feels the need to behave in such a nasty manner.  And it really makes me sick that we allow that to be aired on TV.  I'm also worried about all the girls that look up to Miley as a example and someone they want to be, let me just say that she is not a good role model and you should never want to become like Miley.

I really think that it is sad how young women are portraying themselves in this over-the-top sexual manner.  I feel like shouting to the world that being over the top sexual does not make you beautiful, that you are beautiful just the way you are.  You can be beautiful by dressing modest and acting in a wholesome clean way.  In fact, in my opinion young women who do dress modest and act appropriate are way more beautiful then does that choose not to.

I believe strongly that it is my role as a parent to help my children learn right from wrong and what is appropriate and what is not.  When I was growing up my parents would of sent me back to into my room change before allowing me out of house. Actually it started well before I had the choose what I was going to wear.  When I was a baby, infant, toddler my parents dressed me in the way that they wanted me to dress as a adult MODEST!  Which for my family included nothing sleeveless, backless, too short (bottoms like skirts and shorts had to come to my knees, tops had to cover my back when I bent over), too tight, and nothing that a rude, crude or vulgar images or saying on them.   If at any point you could see my underwear or bra I was not allowed to wear it.  Then as I grew older my parent never handed me money and allowed me to go out shopping for clothes on my own.  They said "Their Money, Their Rules".  I was alright with it, heck they were footing the bill for my clothes why not?  So I went shopping with my parents to pick out almost all of my clothes all the way up to when I turned 18.  I know call me crazy but its the truth.  I say almost because I did get a job at 16 and started earning my money so I did occasionally by clothes for myself without my parents around.  But by that point I really felt uncomfortable wearing un-modest clothing because of the way my parents raised me, which by the way is the same way I'm raising my children.  I truly believe that the rules and guidelines you give your children when they are small reflects and dictates how they act as teenagers and adults.

To sum it up  Miley crossed a line with her performance but she was not the only one involved in that performance, someone along the line should have the courage to stand up and say "No, that's not appropriate and we are not airing it on TV for children to view and see!"

My wish is that all young girls and women out there remember they are daughters of God and we need to act like it.  When I was in Young Women's we used to sing a song titled "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God"  and it really brings together all my thoughts so I'm sharing the word with you a the bottom of this post.  There is one line that really stands out to me and I hope and pray that all can remember our great worth and not sell ourselves short of it for a performance or peer-pressure or any other worldly temptation that may arise.

Walk Tall, You’re a Daughter of God
words and music by Jamie Glenn
96941_000_005

1. Right now I have a prayer deep within my heart,

A prayer for each of you there is a special part.

That you remember who you are and Him who lives above.

Please seek for Him and live His way; you’ll feel His love.

Chorus:

Walk tall, you’re a daughter, a child of God.

Be strong—please remember who you are.

Try to understand, You’re part of His great plan.

He’s closer than you know—reach up, He’ll take your hand.

2. Long before the time you can remember,

Our Father held you in His arms so tender.

Those loving arms released you as He sent you down to earth.

He said, “My child, I love you. Don’t forget your great worth.”

3. This life on earth we knew would not be easy.

At times we lose our way—His plan we may not see.

But please remember always—please—that you are not alone.

He’ll take your hand. He loves you! He will guide you home.

 

Copyright © 1995, 1984 by Jackman Music Corporation, Orem Utah. Used by permission. All rights reserved. These pages may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church and home use. Arrangements in simplified, solo, and trio available from Jackman Music Corp. (Original version printed April 1979.)

 

As Sisters in Zion

I have always loved the LDS Hymn "As Sisters in Zion"  it has touched my heart and inspired me on numerous occasions.  So when I was preparing to teach my Relief Society lesson and it was on Charity and the Relief Society I knew I had to share my thoughts and the story behind this hymn with my fellow Relief Society sisters.  It is a touching story of the power women have when they work together to carry out the Lords plan.

The story behind the hymn "As Sisters in Zion":

Taken from http://tellmystorytoo.com/julie-rogers/sisters-zion

Emily and Julia Hill were 12 and 15 years old, respectively, when a cousin came to visit their prosperous home in England, sharing news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth in its purity. Julia was curious and Emily wanted to be baptized right away. Her parents would not give their permission.

Some time later, Brother John Halliday visited the Hill home and "bore such a powerful testimony" that Julia also requested permission for baptism, which her parents again denied. Julia moved to another town to work as an apprentice to a milliner and Emily was soon permitted to join her. The girls were baptized when Emily was 16 and Julia 19, the only members of their family of 11 children to do so. Four years later they accepted the call to gather to Zion in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.
They sailed to America in 1856 aboard the Thornton and became members of the Willie Handcart Company in Iowa City, Iowa. These very pretty single girls were given inducements from residents to cut their journey short across the 300 miles of trail through Iowa. Weeks later in their journey, soldiers at Ft. Laramie also tried to persuade the young women to stay, but Emily and Julia persevered despite the shortened rations and coming winter storms.

The girls had volunteered to assist a young new widow, Martha Campkin, with her five small children. It was the only way Captain Willie would allow Martha to join the company. Martha and her little ones all arrived safely in the Valley of their hopes. When Julia’s health broke down on the trail, Emily and friends pulled her in the handcart. In a blizzard on October 23, 1856, Julia collapsed from hunger and exhaustion at the summit of Rocky Ridge. It was Emily who lifted her from the snow and got her going again. Both girls survived and raised large families.

Brother Halliday had given Emily a Priesthood blessing before she left England in which he prophesied "she should write in prose and in verse and thereby comfort the hearts of thousands." Emily’s life fulfilled this promise and she was hailed by Orson F. Whitney as the "possessor of a poetic as well as a practical mind . . . Her busy pen has brought forth many meritorious productions." Emily is best recognized today as the author of the words to "As Sisters in Zion." (See hymn 309, "Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", music by Janice Kapp Perry.) Originally 10 stanzas long and titled, "Song of the Sisters of the Female Relief Society," the words were sung to the tune of the hymn "Hail to the Brightness of Zion’s Glad Morning (see hymn 42 in same hymnbook)."

Having left a situation of wealth, education and privilege in England for the sake of their newly embraced faith, one verse from Emily’s original hymn reflects the lifelong efforts of both of the Hill sisters:

The Lord hath established the cities of Zion, The poor of His people are trusting in Him, He makes us a source for His poor to rely on; Oh! Shall we not brighten the eyes that are dim.

2 John 1:13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee.

I wanted to share with everyone her original words so I made this cute full sheet handout, Enjoy!

LDS Plan of Salvation

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in the church we have what we call The Plan of Salvation or God's Plan of Happiness.  This plan helps answers questions like: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after this life?  Click Here for more information about the Plan of Salvation and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

My husband has been bugging me for years to creates/paint a depiction of The Plan of  Salvation.  I've been putting it off because I was not very clear what his vision for this picture would be.  Usually in our church it is drawn with simple shapes and labels like theses examples:



So finally my husband decided to take matters into his own hands and create it himself.  So he took paintings & drawings that re commonly used in the church and photo shopped them together to create this picture of The Plan of Salvation.

Well that gave me a really good idea of what he wanted me to create in the first place.  So I said I could probably do something like that for him.  Well by this time he decided that he did not need my help any more to create his vision, which started a little healthy competition between the two of us to see who could make the better picture.  So I went to work and he is still working, so I don't have his final picture but here is a look at mine.  Although my husband says I should take it to the next level and actually paint it not just do it digitally but that would take me a lot longer so I went with this route.  I think it turned out pretty good.  It is a little hard to follow if your not familiar with The Plan of Salvation because it does not have any labels on it, but other than that I like it.

My husband agreed that I won the picture competition.  He had me print the picture and hang it up in our house.