It's Baptism Day!!

There have been so many special moments for our family over the last couple of weeks.  And today...we get to celebrate one more!!  Today is Cecelia's baptism day.  In our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, when we turn 8, we get to choose if we want to become a member.  If we do, we are able to be baptized and make a promise to Heavenly Father that we will follow His commandments and try to follow the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Also on that special day, we receive a gift from Heavenly Father, the gift of the Holy Ghost...he gets to be with us all the time!  He helps us to know what is right in all the things we do.

Cecelia has decided to become the newest member of our ward and be baptized.  She is so excited to be baptized.  She was able to choose whether Dad or Cole was going to baptize her...and she chose Dad.  She also decided that she wanted to wear Kaylie's baptism dress since she wore Lucy's for her pictures.  She is so excited that her friends and family are going to be there to watch her....she is also hoping that her mom, Jeni will be there too.  I told her I thought she would be.

After her baptism, as she was coming out of the font, she looked at me and said, "Mom, its soo cool that my old mom got to see that!"  We're all so glad we got to be a part of this special day!!  Cecelia we love you and are so excited for you to continue to grow and learn more about our Savior Jesus Christ and His ministry.   Happy Baptism Day sweet girl!!

💗💗💗💗💗💗

Heather

Families are Forever

Today is one of my most favorite days!!  Ever since she was born, I hoped for a day when I would get to have my daughter sealed to me forever!!  As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we believe that we can be with our families forever.  Through the sacred ordinance of sealing, we can have this blessing for our family....and today was that day!

It was such a special experience to have all of our children in the temple with us for the event.  We were all able to participate in Kaylie's sealing.  The temple workers were incredible and were so excited to have children in the temple, since most times the youth are only there to do baptisms for the dead, which is in a different part of the temple.  Our kids felt like royalty and were definitely treated that way!  They had their own special changing rooms and things to do while they waited for Rex and I to get ready.  Then we were able to meet together in the special sealing rooms.  We all dressed in white.  We all felt the Holy Ghost.  We all knew that this was God's will for us.  He loves us and wants us to be happy and return to Him someday to live as families with Him.

After the sealing, we of course took pictures outside of the temple.  Then we went home and had pizza with our family who came to witness this special time in our lives.  We laughed and ate and enjoyed the time we had to spend together.  Families are a gift from heaven.  They are there to celebrate the good times and help us through the bad times.  They are what brings meaning to our lives!  We are so thankful for all of the love and support we get from our families.

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Heather

If you want to learn more about our church...click on the link here.

Daily InstaGrams

Hey everyone!!  I have started an instagram account called heatherbspage where I have been posting daily general conference talks to enlighten my days...and hopefully yours!  It all started when I was looking for some daily motivation, something to get me thinking, something to bring me closer to the Savior, something to learn from.  I have followed a few accounts on Instagram myself for these talks...@gen365conf and @trekthruconference.  They are great accounts.  I even found myself sharing the talks with my family & friends.  They wanted me to text them the links to those talks.  So, instead of texting them each individually, I thought I would add them to my instagram...that way, as many as want to read them can!  The links to the talks change daily, but I have included the link in each post so you can find it if you miss a day. 

Its been fun sharing these words of wisdom with my friends and family and I'm excited to share with anyone who needs a little pick me up for the day!  Hearing the words of the prophets daily makes me feel happy, peaceful and have hope that I can continue to grow spiritually and become a better person!  I know hearing these words daily will strengthen my testimony and help me to see the positive in my life every day!

I hope you follow along with me and leave comments on your thoughts and feelings too!

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Heather

In the Details

I have been blessed with some tiny miracles, some tender mercies, some little experiences that show me that God is in the details of our lives.  That He wants to be in the details of our lives.  He knows us and loves us individually.


As I have said in the recent past, I am a newly called 2nd counselor in our Young Women's presidency and I have the privilege of working with the 12-13 yr old girls in my church.  I love them!  They are full of life and energy.  They are funny and caring and kind.  It's such a joy to be able to share experiences with them.


As a challenge to them and to help them complete their personal progress, (Click on the link to find out more about that program) I have issued them a challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 90 days.  I have reading schedules and a book where they can write down their thoughts, feelings and favorite scriptures as they are reading, treats to be earned, a group text to share our thoughts with each other or to share on social media and other fun things to get them motivated to read!  (If  you are looking for some great ideas on this, check out The Red Headed Hostess!  She has some great stuff)  When I was preparing this, I kept looking for talks by our church leaders about the Book of Mormon and the blessings we receive from reading it.  I prayed for experiences outside of what I was going to do for the girls so that they would see how important it really is to study the Book of Mormon.  Each time my prayers were answered in little small ways...ways I couldn't have imagined.  Of course...because the Lord knows what each of us need to hear and how it will impact us the most!  Time after time they came....people bearing their testimonies in church about the strength the scriptures, specifically the Book of Mormon, gave to them.  At a fireside our bishop's closing statement was almost an exact copy of what one leader taught the girls in our Sunday school class about how they needed to not only know the scriptures in their minds, but they needed to feel it in their hearts by witness of the Holy Ghost that they are true. 


Then there were messages in our group text about what the scriptures meant to them and why that particular verse stood out to them.  I love hearing their thoughts and feelings.  Then one girl shared her favorite verse for the day...1 Nephi 4:6 "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." She then said that we should follow the spirit the first time it prompts us to do something.  It reminded me of the blessing I received when I was set apart for this calling..that I needed to act on my first impression.  Then again at a fireside I attended last night, where the incredible Josie Solomon spoke.  She too quoted that same scripture.  We need to trust in the Lord and follow Him and serve Him and our fellow man.  We never know whose live we need to touch.  We may be the only person who can touch that person in a way that will change their lives for the better.  But if we ignore that first prompting, we may miss our chance.


By the way...if you haven't read or heard Josie's story...you should!  Here is a link to her blog.  She is inspiring.  The things that she has done with her life are incredible.  She is truly amazing...a light to people.  I can't say I would fight back as hard as she does if I was in her situation.  She is a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Just BEAUTIFUL inside and out!


I guess in short...I am saying that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father love us.  They want to help us and they are there for us always.  Even if we can't see it at the time.  They are woven into the details of our daily lives.  I'm so thankful for this knowledge, for this inspired help and for the opportunity I have daily to make a difference in the world around me.

Love you to Pieces

I was recently called to serve as 2nd counselor in our young women's presidency in my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I had a really cool experience with this.  I knew that our current leaders were being released, because I was an advisor within the Beehive class.  I had only been in a few months so I wasn't surprised when I didn't get a message that I was also going to be released.  NEVER did I think I would be called to the presidency.  One of the other advisors was teasing me that I would be the new "Beehive President", which is the 2nd counsel of  the presidency...right I thought...but then I had  gentle reminder that Heavenly Father calls who he knows is the right fit at the right time.  I remember thinking...Ok Heavenly Father, if you want me to have this calling and work with these amazing young women, I will gladly do it.  There was this warm, peaceful, burning feeling and I knew it was the Holy Ghost.  I still brushed it off and went about my day.  Later that evening, I was visited by a member of our bishopric and was extended the calling.  I knew for a surety that Heavenly Father was preparing me earlier in the day for the call that would later come.

As preparation for changing leaders and in an effort to reach out to each girl, I found this cute little handout from Pumpkin and a Princess.  I laminated them and put the names of the advisors who now would be working with the girls.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to get to work with such great women and to hopefully influence the lives of the girls I'm working with!!

"If you desire to make a difference in the world, you must be different from the world"
          -Elaine S. Dalton

Light

Every morning on the way to work I listen to a talk given by speakers from my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or the Mormons as most know us by.  It's a way for me to hear inspired words to uplift me and give me something positive to focus on for the day.  I feel like it brings me closer to God and helps me to remember things that are important for me to grow as a person.


Today I listened to a talk by John H. Groberg from the October 1976 General Conference.  (Here is the link in case you'd like to listen or read it, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1976/10/there-is-the-light?lang=eng)  He recalls an experience he had while in the South Pacific and the prompting he got from God to get a young man, a missionary for our church, to the main island because he was sick and need medical attention.  However, there was a storm raging and in order to get him to the hospital they would have to go by boat.  There was only a small opening in the reef, which they needed to pass through and a small light that lit the narrow passage to get them to the island where the hospital was.  They were afraid they might not be able to see it.  The storm was gaining power and the conditions were worsening, but he knew he needed to get the young man to the hospital, so they went.  He talks about the brave captain who despite all of the adversity he was being challenged with, stayed calm and focused on the reef to find the light and get them safely through the reef.


It reminded me of our daily lives.  There are challenges we never expected to encounter, but if we stay fixed on Jesus Christ.  If we are kind, charitable, and loving, if we ask for help and try our best to do what is right, we too will be able to see the small, yet beautiful light.  May we all strive to share our love with others and come ever so close to being a light in places of darkness.

Provo City Center Open House

Today we were able to attend the Provo City Center Temple open house.  It was FREEZING!  But soo worth it!  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We believe that sacred ordinances are performed in temples.  Learn more about temples HERE.


This temple was so beautiful.  It is the 2nd temple in Provo and was previously the Provo Tabernacle until it was destroyed by a fire.  Read more about its history HERE.  I am thankful we were able to walk through it with our family before it was dedicated.  Our kids loved the baptismal font and the celestial room.  I think what they loved most was being able to experience it with their cousins!


I'm thankful for my beliefs and for the Savior Jesus Christ and for all of the people who worked so hard to bring this blessing of the temple to us all.

💗💗💗💗💗💗
Heather

So I'm marrying a Widower...

So its official!  I'm marring the man of my dreams.  Someone I didn't see coming.  Someone who ended up being EVERYTHING I thought I wanted and someone who is so much more than I could ever have imagined.


I didn't think remarriage or love was in the near future for me.  I have been single for about 6 years.  I was dating, but didn't think I was going to find a companion any time soon.  However, I wasn't dating the guys who were looking to be married.  I was dating the guys that were looking for a good time, no commitments and whatever was convenient for them in the moment. 


Lets see, there was the "milkman", who worked for Winder Dairy.  Our first date was to Music and the Spoken Word.  He was nice, but no real connection for me.  He would randomly text me after months of not talking to see if I wanted to go out.  Then there was Rocky Mountain...he worked for Rocky Mountain Power.  He was an outdoorsman and athletic.  He was always running or playing volleyball.  I liked to WATCH sports, but I wasn't as big on playing all different sports.  We weren't a match.  And then, there was the Nurse.  He was mean and degrading.  I did everything I could to not make him mad or to disrupt what he wanted to do.  No matter what problem arose, he was never to blame.  It was everyone else.  I dated a few other guys that were fun to hang out with and I would rearrange my schedules to hang out with them, but I would never get that in return from them.  I was just a thing of convenience.  They were attractive and fun and had LOTS of girls at their disposal.  I finally had to take a look at the kind of men I was dating.  I always dated guys that deep down I knew I would never marry.  I think I was afraid of being loved, afraid of failing at marriage again since I was so great at it the first time around, afraid of being who I knew I was but not being accepted for it.  As I started to recognize the things I did to sabotage myself, I began to change.  I began to look for guys that had traits I wanted in an eternal companion.  I started to see myself worth increase.  I began to believe I was good enough to deserve the type of man I knew I wanted to have in my life.  One who would value me as much as I did him. 


Then, one night online I saw Rex.  As I read his profile, I liked it.  He seemed honest and sincere.  I thought he was cute and had a good sense of humor.  But then there it was....He was a widower.  I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I didn't really think I would get serious with him.  I mean, this was one of my first attempts at actually talking to a "good" guy.  We communicated online for a little bit and then we finally met.  Ironically, he came to the same office building I worked in for work himself periodically.  We started dating.  He met my daughter and I met his kids.  Things got more serious & we decided to date exclusively.  I remember thinking that I might need to break it off with him because I wasn't sure how I felt about marrying a widower.  I also remember my mother giving me some of the best advice I have received..she told me not to let my fear take away my happiness.  I needed to give him a fair shot to see if he was truly someone I could spend my life with.  I took that to heart.  I saw the kind of man he was.  He wasn't just in this relationship for himself.  He actually cared about me and wanted to take care of me and my needs.  He was exactly what I was looking for.   And then one day...we were picking out rings, tuxes and dresses, planning a wedding and looking for houses. I can't imagine my life without this guy!!  He is kind, funny, loving, accepting, a provider, my best friend, spiritual, intelligent, handsome...and I could go on, but I think you get the picture! But if not, here is one you can look at !!

I never knew that someone could be so loving and complete me so fully.  I didn't really know what a marriage was before.  My first marriage wasn't an example of what a loving, fulfilling relationship should have been.   Heavenly Father has plan.  I am convinced more of that now than I ever have been.  Nothing happens by chance.  It is all part of His divine plan for us.  He loves us and wants to be happy.   I am so excited to start my life with this guy, and our kids, and our families.  I'm thankful for the opportunity I have been given to be married.  I feel extremely blessed to have found you, REX!  You are the perfect match for me!  I love you!!


I said YES!!