Tithing Settlement & Fabulous Fireside

This morning we had a relaxing morning and watched a few Disney movies & then got ready for the day and went to tithing settlement at 11:30.  We took the Bishop some rice crispy treats b/c we figured he could use a treat since he has tithing settlement meetings all day before & after church.  Autumn looked so cute in her dress & bows that I had to get a picture of her while we waited for our turn.

After that, we came home and had some lunch before going back for church.  It was so nice to go Sunday School and learn something instead of being the one teaching, although I missed my kids.  In YW, Sis. Lee taught the lesson about finances & how they affect every aspect of our lives.  It was really good and I enjoyed hearing the girls’ comments and being able to share a few of my own.

After church, Autumn & i went to the Bishop’s office so I could be set apart for my calling.  It was a beautiful prayer and I’m so thankful for the personal messages that were sent directly from my Heavenly Father that I needed to hear…that He is aware of me and my needs, that I am a good example to Autumn & need to continue to nurture my relationship with her, and many other things that touched my hear.  Of course I was crying by the end of the setting apart b/c the Spirit was so strong.  I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m always so awed and inspired by how much my Heavenly Father knows and loves me.

After church Autumn & I went straight to Mom & Dad’s b/c Mom had made a roast & carrots & potatoes & gravy.  I got a veggie/fruit tray ready and then went to the Single Adult Fireside.  It was SO GOOD!  Sis. Blacker & Sis. Slavens talked about the different characters in the Christmas story.  They shared some scriptures about each character & then told a personal story that applied.  My favorite parts where when they talked about Joseph and read this about him from the Bible dictionary.  This is what it said, “The birth of the child, Jesus, was miraculous, his mother being his only earthly parent; but Joseph was naturally regarded in Nazareth as his father, and the holy child treated him as such.”  We don’t know much about Joseph but this one little line gives us a glimpse into the relationship that he & Jesus shared.  I want to talk to Joseph when I get to heaven someday and hear what it was like for him to be like a foster father to the Savior of the World.  He must have been a phenomenal man.

Also, they talked about the wisemen and focused on Matthew 2:12, “And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.”  That really made an impact on me b/c they said sometimes we have to change our plans and follow the promptings of the Spirit b/c Heavenly Father wants us to go about our lives in “another way”.  Yet at the same time we are always supposed to be focusing on ways to find the Savior & let Him into our lives just like the wisemen did.  And when we “find” the Savior on a daily basis, our lives are changed forever and we want to go about doing things “another way” that leads us away from the evils of the world, just like the wisemen went home a different way to avoid the evils of King Herod.  That applies to me and my life in so many ways.

I’ve seen & read a few things that have really helped to bring the REASON for the SEASON into my life.  First of all is this saying.  I have never heard it before, and it really stuck a cord in my heart.  I tried finding the picture online so I could print it off and frame it and give it as gifts.  There were other graphics w/ the same saying that I found, but I didn’t like them nearly as much as this one.  So, I was able to track down the lady that made it through Heritage Makers and ordered some through her.

Another thing I read on someone’s blog (sorry, I can’t remember who it was now so I can give them credit) was this saying about how our Christmas should be celebrated:

Just some great things to think about.  After the fireside, we had refreshments (everyone loved the veggie/fruit tray I brought) and then I helped clean up and went to pick up Autumn.  She had fallen asleep right after I left and slept the whole time.  We stayed for a little while so I could check emails and get some things together for a little presentation I am doing on Tuesday at Homemaking about traditions.  It was already 9:30 before I knew it, so Autumn & I came home.  I was worried she wouldn’t sleep since she had taken such a long nap, but she went to bed just fine and slept the whole night.

At the end of the fireside, they left us about 10 minutes to share our testimonies if we wanted to.  I am kicking myself for not getting up and sharing mine b/c it was a great opportunity to express how I feel about my Savior.  I usually don’t bear my testimony in sacrament meeting on fast Sunday b/c I’m always worried about Autumn & if she’ll try to come up on stage w/ me or throw a fit, etc.  But I didn’t have that worry tonight so I don’t know what kept me from standing up.  So, I’ll just share my testimony here:

I know that we all have a Father that lives in Heaven and is the Father of our Spirits.  He loves us in such a perfect way, and if we don’t feel that then we are the ones that have moved away from Him, not vice versa.  He has so much love for us that He sacrificed His most special child to give the rest of us the opportunity to return to live with Him someday.

I have always wanted an older brother to love and protect and take care of me.  I have an older brother that did all of that and so much more for me.  I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Jesus to come to Earth and have to live a perfect life every moment of every day.  Yet, he did that because he knew how important it was.  The greatest gift the world has ever received came wrapped in a swatches of swaddling clothes.

I know that we have a living prophet on the Earth to lead and guide us, just like the people of Noah’s time.  And if we heed what the prophet says, we will never be led astray.  I know that President Thomas S. Monson receives direct revelation from the Lord for the whole world.  I know that I can also receive revelation for my own life as long as I live worthy to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost is my direct line of communication with my Heavenly Father.

That’s just a small portion of my testimony, and if you would like to learn more about what I believe, you can visit THIS website.  Also, I just found out yesterday that there are some INCREDIBLE videos depicting scenes from the life of Christ as told in the Bible here.  I watched the one where the angel fortells Christ’s birth to Mary and was so touched by seeing how that unfathomable news must have been received and processed by such a faithful woman.  SO POWERFUL!  Do yourself a favor and watch these videos as a CHRISTmas gift to yourself.