January 1st - Feb 5th, 2023

 2023 is well on it's way! Here's what we've been up to the first 5 weeks of the New Year:

* We started the year off with dad's Laparoscopic Sleeve Surgery on Jan 3rd. We had to be there at 6am and things went fairly fast in getting him prepped and ready! We were home by about 1pm and by that evening dad was up and dancing (seriously! He was dancing to his music and he made his "rounds around the house"! haha)... His recovery has been phenomenal and he went to Rugby practice the very next day and back to work at the 1 week mark (to the day!) He's about 4.5 weeks out from surgery (as I'm writing this) and he's down 33 lbs since then and 86 lbs since starting his health journey last Fall! 

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* The Girls finished up their classroom portion of Driver's Ed and had their final class at the Indoor Go Karts Place- Fast Lane, where they got to race the other kids in their class. The girls did really well and took 3rd and 4th in their race. They are now in the Driving portion of the class and will finish up in 2 weeks where they will then get their Driver's Permit.

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* We started back to school from our huge "summer break" that's been going on since November 1st. While the break was awesome, it was kind of fun to get back into our normal routine and start learning again. We've been keeping busy with schooling, Driver's Ed and Rugby! Here's one of the projects the kids did to turn in for their History Class. They all had fun making it and I loved how they got so creative!

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*The next pictures are of other things that filled our month with memories!

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Spiritually Speaking...

* We've been filling out evenings with Family History and have done more this past month that we have in past 2 years! haha... Dad got all of the new Swiss Ancestors put into the Family Tree and then we took a Saturday to do a family Temple (Baptism) Trip. The next week mom and dad were able to take some of those names and do their Initiatories. We've really been trying to attend the Temple each week and we've found great peace and solace as we do!

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* I thought I'd include a few of my notes/thoughts from my Scripture journal this past month. 

Friday - 1/6/23

3rd Nephi 17

• when we come across things, we don’t understand (particularly in the Scriptures, but can be applied to anything) make time to PONDER these things! Follow up that pondering with prayer and asking heavenly father for help in understanding.
• Prepare our minds to receive inspiration, revelation, and the word of the Lord
• HOW do we “prepare our minds” for this? I think the more we ponder on things and fill our hearts and minds with uplifting and virtuous thoughts and filling our souls with the word of the Lord through the Scriptures… All of these things will help prepare our minds.
• Jesus and heavenly father love us so very much and they want to help us in this life if we will just turn to them.
• Make time for pondering!

Thursday - 1/12/23

1st Kings 19 and Matthew 2

• the spirit speaks to us and it is typically in a still small voice
• We need to keep our minds free from clutter and “the world” to be able to hear what the Lord is waiting to tell us
• We need to be still. Take time to ponder and take time to write down the thoughts and feelings that come to us during that time that we slow down and try to tune in with the Spirit.
• The Lord can (and will) warn us
• It is very important to learn how to identify the principles in the Scriptures
• When we want to talk with the Lord, we pray. When we want to hear what the Lord has to say, we read the Scriptures.
• Quote from Elder Packer: “That sweet, quiet voice of inspiration comes more as a feeling than it does as a sound. Pure intelligence can be spoken into the mind. The Holy Ghost communicates with our spirits through the mind more than through the physical senses [see 1 Corinthians 2:14; D&C 8:2; 9:8–9]. This guidance comes as thoughts, as feelings through promptings and impressions [see D&C 11:13; 100:5]. …“This process is not reserved for the prophets alone. The gift of the Holy Ghost operates equally with men, women, and even little children. It is within this wondrous gift and power that the spiritual remedy to any problem can be found. …“You can know the things you need to know. Pray that you will learn to receive that inspiration and remain worthy to receive it. Keep that channel— your mind—clean and free from the clutter of the world” (“Prayer and Promptings,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 44, 45).

Wednesday - 1/18/23

Alma 16

This was a really cool chapter that heavenly father inspired me to study today. The takeaways are about inquiring of the Lord for answers, but then having the faith to follow through, and do what the Lord has told us to, or to have faith that what he has told us will come to pass.

For me, my situation lies in the latter. we have been given personal revelation about a job opportunity that will be presented shortly and it will be something that John loves. But as the days approach to his final day at work (Feb 3rd) I have to say that my doubts have been creeping in and I’ve been getting a little bit worried. This chapter reminded me that like Zoram and his sons when they went to the exact spot where Alma told them they would gain all of the captives from the Lamanites, I need to move forward in faith, and keep doing what the Lord has asked us to do – which is, family history work, couple, scriptures, personal scriptures, come follow me and putting the Lord first in all things.

Tuesday - 1/31/23

D&C 6

As I was praying to open up my personal studies today, I felt inspired to read doctrine covenants section 6. There were so many great verses that I felt were speaking directly to me, but a few more so than others. I have taken screenshots and included them below:

I really loved verse 14 because it was a gentle reminder from Heavenly Father that as we have been going through this journey and finding a new career that every time I have inquired of him regarding this issue, he has given me inspiration and revelation, and enlightened my mind. And all of that has brought us to this exact point in time on January 31, 2023! It goes on to to give more evidence that this is truly enlightenment from the Lord when he tells us things that no one else knows. I went back and listened to the blessing that Ben gave to John and realized all of that was certainly enlightenment, and to doubt my doubts before doubting my fears!

Verses 22 through 24 have extra special meaning to me since those were the ones that were the direct answer to my prayers 24 years ago when we were heading off to Korea! I think the Lord wanted to remind me of that again and apply it for this situation, where he has brought peace to my heart and mind over and over regarding this career change, and what greater witness could I have from him than that, and to recognize that that truly was a witness and an answer to my inquiries.