A Choir of Angels...

Jantsen was asked to sing in the children's choir for Stake Conference yesterday.  They practiced the two Saturdays before.  They sang several songs for the prelude and then 3 songs during the conference.  During the prelude, everyone was so reverent and there was such a sweet spirit as we took our seats.  Each speaker mentioned how special and touching the "choir of angels" were.

Jantsen was awesome.  Two hours of sitting on the stand is hard to do, but he was quiet and reverent.

The message given was to "Enjoy the Journey".  It was a beautiful meeting and I felt the Spirit so strong...especially when the children sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" and the closing hymn, "I Know My Redeemer Lives".  I'm so glad we were all there!

Going to the Temple...

Friday, January 16th, Payton and Jantsen were both able to go to the temple.  Payton went to do baptisms for the dead with 2 of his best buddies.  Bruno Frampton took Payton, Hummer,and  Kaden to the Provo temple.  They were each baptized for 10 people.  Payton said these people were from India and born sometime B.C.  Bruno did the baptizing.  These boys got up at 6:30am to be to the temple at 7am.  Friday was teacher prep day which meant no school.  I am very proud of Payton for making the effort to go, especially because I know how much he would have liked to sleep in.  He said the temple experience was "pretty cool".

Jantsen was asked to go to the Draper Temple Open House also on Friday the 16th.  He woke up early...7:30am in order to leave with the Elisons at 8am.  He was able to walk through the entire temple and see each room.  He loved the baptismal font and the Celestial room.  He talked about the 12 oxen holding up the baptismal font and representing the 12 tribes of Israel.  He talked about the crystal chandeliers in the Celestial room and the altar and eternal mirrors in the Sealing room.

This was a great day for both boys.  I am proud of them for their desire to follow Christ, to learn more about Him and His Church on the earth today.

New Year's Resolution...

This year we are studying the Doctrine & Covenants in Sunday School.  We have decided to read it as a family.  We will try to read a little every night.  Hopefully we can make it a habit and accomplish our goal of reading the whole book this year.

Nick's persistence...

Just this last Sunday (Fast Sunday) we went to Sacrament Meeting in Greg's Singles Ward.  After Bruno Frampton (1st Counselor) gave his testimony, Nick started to say he wanted to bear his testimony.  He did not want to go up alone and asked me to go up with him.  I said I would, but I was really just hoping he would chicken out.  He had never wanted to bear his testimony before.

Once he knew I would go up with him, he could hardly sit still and kept saying, "Let's go!"  He told me what he wanted to say and he kept repeating it softly to himself.  We went up as three other people went up.  We had to wait our turn up on the stand.  He was going crazy trying to wait his turn.  When I finally said okay, he jumped up and went right to the microphone.  He had no fear.  I, of course, was shaking and my heart was beating so loud, I thought anyone could hear.

Nick did a great job, short and sweet!  I got up after and could hardly speak.  I was a blubbering mess knowing my little boy had a strong enough feeling about the Gospel and Jesus Christ that he wanted to share it with no reservations!  I am proud of you, Nick!!