Our Divine Constitution

So I mentioned in my previous post about some mixed feeling while listening to God Bless America during the fireworks show in Logan.  I felt a deep abiding love for my country.  I also felt a deep sadness for the road we are finding our country headed down.  I have heard several reports where people within our goverment have made comments about the Constitution being outdated and in need of reform.  If these people truely loved this country they would see the importance of this document.  It hurts to see their hatred for something so wonderful and sacred.  I get it that they don't believe in God.  Fine.  That is their God given right to believe so.  Yet, they are trying to get everyone else to see things their way.  Last week, the new RS president in our ward gave the lesson on President Benson's talk, "Our Divine Constitution."  I highly recommend that you read it here. 
Furthermore, on September 17, 2010 Elder Oaks gave a talk titled "Fundamentals of Our Constitutions."  In it is this quote,  "President J. Reuben Clark, an honored authority on the Constitution, declared that 'our allegiance run[s] to the Constitution and to the principles which it embodies, and not to individuals. All that we say about the Constitution and our reliance upon it depends upon the rule of law and not of the men or women who hold the offices under it.' "  This is something that I fully agree with.  Therefore, if you are against our Constitution then you are against my country, my God, and you are against me.  I pray everyday that the people of this country will wake up and fight to save our Constitution and our country. 
Here are some other talks to read from church leaders on the Constitution:
The Divinely Inspired Constitution - Elder Oaks
Fundamentals of Our Constitutions - Elder Oaks
Seeing the Constitiution as Covenant - Lynn D. Wardle
Just and Holy Principles: An Examination of the U.S. Constitution - Avro Van Alstyne
God's Hand in the Founding of America - Elder Perry
Wise Men Raised Up - Frank W. Fox and LeGrand L. Baker
The Constitution - A Glorious Standard - President Benson
The Miraculous Constitution - President Benson

There are so many more to be found on the church's website.  It is our duty as citizens of this great nation and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to study the Constitution and the Founding Fathers.  There is much we can learn.  There is much that others are trying to change.  We must preserve the truth and defend our Constitution.  I pray that God will watch over and guide us as we do this.  May our Father in Heaven preserve our nation.

My dear, sweet, genius husband

This last week has been a true trial. The first part I already talked about. For an update Emma is doing great. No sign of a fever anymore. She has rebounded nicely. I have to admit brain damage did cross my mind. However, she doesn't seem to have regressed. I am so grateful for that.
As for the rest of the week . . . isn't the saying that when it rains it pours. It has been pouring here. Les' motherboard is going bad, my hard drive (not yet 3 months old) died, and something else is wrong with my computer.
The genius part comes in when Les was able to salvage the majority of my pictures. He was able to take my last hard drive and resurrect almost all the information that was ever on it. He also used Picasa to bring even more pics back. The sad part was that I was slowly fixing imperfections in the pictures so that I could burn them to a DVD. If I had worked harder and faster I wouldn't have lost some of the pictures that I did lose.
As for the other stuff Les has been looking for a new computer. If a new motherboard didn't cost as much as new computer I think he would have gone that route. As it is his laptop keeps shutting down on him. Which is the same thing that mine has started to do. Les thinks my motherboard is going bad as well but he isn't sure yet. It wouldn't be so bad if Les didn't need his computer for work and I didn't need mine for my computer class. We will make do for now. Les' boss let him bring home a desktop to use. I don't think he was counting on my using it too. However, since I need a computer to put my adobe programs on so I can finish my final project it looks like I will be using it more than Les.
So here is to my wonderful husband . . . I love you so much and I want you to know that I think you are the most talented person in the world. Thank you.

Power of the Priesthood

The last few days have been quite the trial. Monday night Emma had a temperature of 104 degrees. We gave her some Tylenol and put her in the bathtub to cool her down. The Tylenol helped for about half an hour and then her temp started climbing again. So we took her into the ER. If it hadn't been midnight we would have called Daniel to help give her a blessing. We should have anyway. Emma screamed the entire time they were trying to get a reading for her O2 level. She was upset because she did not want that horrible thing taped to her toe. She worked so hard to get to it. Then when I din't think she (or I) could take much more they took her to get a chest x-ray. She screamed even harder when they strapped her in with her hands above her head. Les would describe it as Emma in a bottle. I had to wait out in the hall while the did it. I don't know if it was the hormones or that I am her mother but I cried a lot while we were there.
When we got back to the ER the nurses came in with a catheter to get a urine sample. I had this internal battle. I hate to hold my child down for anything (I myself can't stand to be held down against my will) but at the same time knowing that if she isn't held still, more pain could be caused. All the crying wore Emma out and after the nurses left us alone so fell asleep. An hour later the Doctor came in to tell us the results. Everything looked fine. We were told she probably had a virus and that the only thing we could do is give her Tylenol/Motrin to keep the fever down while her body worked things out. Great, we waste a few hours in the ER just to go home and do the same things we had already tried.
We were all exhausted when we got home so we wrapped Emma up and placed her in our bed beween us. Every hour or so she would wake up crying and reach out for me. I comforted her as much as I could until she fell back asleep. Around 5 she woke up and couldn't be comforted. We gave her more Tylenol (her temp was back up to 103) and when it kicked in we could tell a difference. She actually smiled and was more like herself. I went to make some breakfast and while I was cooking she took her Elmo book that makes sounds and would dance around the kitchen. My heart felt so much joy to see her acting better. Les and I decided that she should have a priesthood blessing. Les had used the last of his oil when Kailey was sick so we called around to see who had some. Jana said she would hurry and warm some up so Les could refill his vile. Daniel was already at work so we were going to see if he would come out to the parking lot to help give the blessing. Les didn't want to bother him so when our old home teacher called back to say he had found his oil Les asked him if he would help give Emma the blessing. So we went to their house and a beautiful blessing was given. I can't tell you how Emma felt but I immediately had peace flow into my heart. Les dropped me off at school on his way back home. I was so tired that I didn't get much done at school. Les came to get me and took me home. I emailed the teacher of my afternoon class to let him know why I wasn't coming in. I was so grateful to be home where I could take care of my little girl. Off and on through the day she would run around and be so playful. Then when her energy wore out she would take a little nap.
I can testify that the Priesthood is powerful and that it is a great blessing in my life. I am grateful for a husband who is worthy to have the Priesthood and to use it to bless the lives of our family. Emma's blessing has come to pass. In it she was told that she would know that she is loved and that although she would be uncomfortable for a little while she would get better. She is better. Her temp hasn't completely gone away but it has not spiked back up to those horrible high temperatures. Little by little I see her body healing and getting back to that healthy state.
I would like to send a great big thank you to everyone who prayed on Emma's behalf. It means so much to our little family to know that we have so much support. We love you all.

Gordon B. Hinckley Funeral

New Prophet

Yesterday morning the church held a press conference to announce the new First Presidency. As we all predicted President Thomas S. Monson was confimed as the 16th President of the church. His first councelor is President Henry B. Eyring. With President Dieter F. Uchtdorf as Second Counselor. I knew that President Eyring would be in the presidency still, but I didn't put President Uchtdorf there. He has only been in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for 3 and a half years. Still, when I heard his name I instantly felt right about it. He was put in to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for a reason. He needed to be in place so that he could be put in this calling. When things happen like this I often wonder if the members of the Frist Presidency are surprised. For example, when Pres. Hinckley called Pres. Uchtdorf if he knew that in a short while he would be dead and Pres. Uchtdort would be in place to be put into the presidency. What would it be like to know that your death is near and that replacements are being prepared. For me I think it would be scary. If I had more faith and I knew Les was there waiting for me it would probably be easier. At the same time I would be concerned for my children. I know how hard it is to lose someone you love. I know the pain they will feel. I just hope that when the time comes for me to go that I will have taught them enough that they will know that I am not gone forever. I hope that I can help them know for themselves that there is an after life. That we will all be able to be together beyond the veil. I will need Heavenly Father's help to teach them right. I pray for his guidance.
On a slightly different note I was looking through You Tube for a video on the news conference announcing Pres. Monson as the new Prophet. I came across several videos that I felt mocked the church. I found out that the same person posted each of them. The guy who posted them had served a mission and even married in the temple. Then something went terribly wrong. Now he spends his time "to help others to discover what I have found and to know the "REAL TRUTH" and then be able to better deal with the pain of their discovery." I felt really bad for this guy. Some of the stuff he wrote was on the note of "by their fruits ye shall know them." He has somewhere lost his way so bad that he thinks that "good fruits" are brought about through anger and other bad fruits. If he thinks that he is on the good side he will be so surprised when he gets to the other side. As I thought about this man I had an overwhelming desire to pray for him. So I will be praying for him that he may either see the error of his ways or that God may have mercy on him. If you so feel the desire to pray for him too I say please do. I only know his screen name as TheUtahnite. I know when I pray for him that Heavenly Father will know who I am praying for.
That is all I have for now. Remember to pray for the new First Presidency.