It has been a LONG time since I have written or checked the blog! I apologize! Summer has been so crazy, but it was so much fun being with all of you!  I love you SOOOOO much and am so very thankful that WE ARE FAMILY!!! I promise to do better with blogging! Have a GREAT week and remember that you are loved so much by so many people, most especially by our Heavenly Father and elder brother, Jesus Christ.

This a a quote from a section of the book, The Infinite Atonement.

"A PHYSICAL SYMBOL OF THE ATONEMENT
   This reconciliation between God and man is figuratively and literally symbolized be an embrace. Lehi alluded to this in his dying sermons to his sons: "The Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1:15). The Doctrine and Covenants suggests the same imagery: "Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love" (D&C 6:20). Amulek preached in like fashion: "Mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety" (Alma 34:16). What a beautiful metaphor. What child doesn't feel safe in the arms of his kind and loving father? What peace, warmth, what reassurance, to know that in his arms he is safe from crime, anger rejection, loneliness, and all the ills of this world.
   Isaiah spoke of those tender moments when the Lord would "gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom" (Isaiah 40:11). Elder Orson F. Whitney experienced such a glorious moment when he saw a marvelous manifestation of the Savior. In his dream, he said, "I ran to meet Him. . . ,  fell at His feet, clasped Him around the knees, and begged Him to take me with Him. I shall never forget the kind and gentle manner in which He stooped, raised me up, and embraced me. It was so vivid, so real.I felt the warmth of His body, as He held me in His arms." Who would not long for tat warmth, that embrace?
...Contemplate for a moment the magnetic pull when a little child sees her father on bended knee with arms extended. The invitation is irresistible. The reaction to return is automatic. There is no intellectual analysis. It is like reaching for a blanket in cold weather, turning on a light in a dark room. Some things are not mind-driven, but heart prompted. These are natural yearnings of the soul, the need for warmth, light, and love. Likewise, our Father in Heaven is extending His arms with the intent to entice us home. How irresistible those arms are to those who seek His warmth, His light, and His love. He invites us to the day of reconciliation, the return to our true home, the day of reunification with our primeval family; He invites us to run to His arms and bask in His embrace. This was the Lord's promise to the children of Israel: "I will redeem you with a stretched out arm. . . . And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to a God" (Exodus 6:6-7). "

I really love the imagery that this shows, and the feeling it gives. I love thinking about what it's like for the Savior and Heavenly Father to embrace me.

June 3rd, 2018

1.Seven day fast from Social Media
2.Weekly sacrifice of time to the lord. (3 weeks)
3.Stay and the covenant path and do a life assessment.
4.Pray daily for all to receive blessing of the gospel.
5.Stand out.

Those are five things that Nelson asked us to do and I wanted to add one more.

6.Read and study the BOM daily and find out what you need to know.

Everyone that wants do in this challenge comment below.

By the way, What is your favorite scriptures?

 McKenna had this idea a few weeks ago and instead of doing a movie play we could do scripture skit. Once we took everything into perspective we decided that this was THE BEST idea. We ask for you to tell everyone in your family about this and tell them they are free to put as many or as few as possible suggestions ( scripture skits ) on THIS PAGE. So then we need each family as a family to choose 1 idea or suggestion and figure out how to act it out. Then we need you to practice, practice, practice. But even before you practice we need you to post your choice. Pretend you chose the story of esther, you would put ---bevans choice is -esther-. We need this info before June 20th. Thank you for any and all effort. Here are a few ideas.

Nephi

Australia temple

    * Esther
*The Good Samaritan
*Noah's Ark
*Nephi builds the boat
*Nephi gets the plates from Laban
*The 2,000 stripling warriors

Esther

Strong as the 2,000 sons

In Young Woman last week we were talking about the 2000 Stripling Warriors and how it was their mothers that had taught them to "Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them."  Later that week we read that story in our early morning devotional. So this week I have been think about it. How what we feel if Dallin, Willie, Neal,& Luke had to go to battle? What would we do? In my history class we are currently in the begging battles of the Civil War. Two battles that both had a good turn out. I think that the we need to be prepared for that and that anything can happen. It can be physical or spiritual. We need to remember what we have been taught and apply it to our everyday lives to be prepared.
Just something to think about. 

Never Know What Curve Balls Live is going to send at you.

-Grace



                                                                             

HEY EVERYBODY!!!!!

     Summer break is coming up quickly!!! Now that seminary is almost over, hopefully you have finished the Book of Mormon (personally, I still have some reading to do...), and now that summer break is almost here (!?), you can start thinking about some summer scripture study goals. My goals are to study (not just read) everyday, and to use an idea I got from one of the missionaries here, I'm going to start a study journal, where I have different pages for different topics. I LOVE that idea, and it's something I'm super excited to get started on! 

     Right now I'm reading in 3 Nephi, and right now is where Jesus is visiting the Nephites. One thing I found was that almost each chapter compares to a chapter from the New Testament. The things Jesus taught the Nephites were the same things He taught to the people in Jerusalem. 

     I also got to thinking about how wherever we go around the world, the same gospel is being taught. The church is the same around the world, and I am actually really glad for that.  It's reliable. The gospel is unchanging, just like Heavenly Father. "For He is the same yesterday. today and forever." (1 Nephi 10:18) 

PS-What are your guys's scripture study goals for the summer? 

In General Conference when President Russel M. Nelson spoke he said something close to this. 

As you continue in obedience, express gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and honor the timetable of the Lord, you will receive the knowledge and understanding you seek. 

When he said this it had a big impact on me because I've been trying to find answers to questions, and he laid down a way that we can receive answers and understanding.