Sunday, April 13, 2014

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Back in the Saddle Again

Hello world!  Or at least the portion of the world that will read this :D

I have not been very consistent in my blogging since I've been home from my mission.  Last week, I attended LDS Share, a conference about spreading the gospel online, and was inspired to be better at sharing the gospel through social media.  There were a lot of fantastic suggestions as to how to increase the effect of things I already do and how to start doing things I haven't been doing.  So here I am!

This weekend was conference.  It is a weekend full of talks by the Prophet, Apostles, and other leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  It was fantastic.  I love being able to hear the words that our Heavenly Father wants us to hear at this time.

Life in general is fantastic.  I absolutely love living in my condo.  I love sitting here and knowing it's mine.  I love that I got to pick everything in it and being so happy with how it turned out.  I hope I'll be able to live here at least a few years with my husband so he can appreciate it too :D

I'll leave it at that for now.  Life is great!

Whit

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Great Sunday Ideas

My friend posted these fantastic ideas on his blog.  I wanted to link to them on Pinterest, but didn't want to risk his family's privacy, so I'm reposting and pinning them from here.

PIE Sunday
(Priesthood Interviews for Everyone)
On these Sundays, I will hold a priesthood interview with everyone individually. We will talk about personal prayers and scripture study, their goals, and resolve any concerns or questions they may have. This will also be when Amy and I hold our companionship inventory. After dinner, we will all enjoy a pie together.

MTC Sunday
(Missionary Training Center)
We have been counseled to make our homes little missionary training centers. On MTC day, we will study together one chapter from Preach My Gospel and one of the missionary lessons. Doing this will allow us to get through all 13 chapters of Preach My Gospel in one year, and go over each lesson four times. We will also try to memorize a new scripture each month.

CTR Sunday
(Current Temple Recommend)
These Sundays will serve as a focus on things we need to do to remain worthy to enter the temple, and will also help prepare each family member for sacred covenants made in the House of the Lord. When possible, we will visit the temple grounds on a Sunday together as a family.

FAN Sunday
(Fellowship a Neighbor)
This Sunday is an ideal time to do home and visiting teaching, although those assignments obviously won't be limited to this one Sunday only. Some ideas for this Sunday include: invite some over for dinner, visit someone in need, perform an act of service for someone, or plan a service activity for the following week.

SWM Sunday
(Sound of Worthy Music)
In the First Presidency message in front of the hymn book, they say fill our homes "with the sound of worthy music." These Sundays will give us an opportunity as a family to learn a new hymn or primary song together. We will also learn the history of the song and read the scriptures that go along with it.

The activities we do with these themes will change and vary as our children get older, but we are excited to use these ideas to help us focus on the Lord on the Sabbath Day and to do His will.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Catching up....

Remember that one time I hadn't posted since July...of 2012.  Yeah.  I think it's time to start posting again :D

Well!  In July of 2012 I was happily working at Deseret Book, just 4 months separated from my mission, and considering one of two options--teaching English in China or going back to school for my MBA. I had applications in at the Jordan and Canyons school districts, but hadn't heard back from anyone.  I was actually quite pleased!  I didn't want to teach and I was happy that I could say that I'd applied, but--ah shucks--no one had called for an interview.

Around that time, I was sitting in Sunday School when I had the thought, "I would accept a teaching job if I was offered one."  This was NOT a thought I wanted to have, so I knew it was Heavenly Father.  Right after that, I had the thought, "You will have a teaching job in the fall."  I wrote these thoughts down because I knew it was inspiration from Heavenly Father.

That week, Karen Thompson came by my house.  She was a leader when I was in the YW program and was also a principal I had worked under when doing a long-term sub.  I wasn't there, but she told my mom that if I wanted a teaching job, she would certainly pass on a recommendation.  Perfect timing.

So I started being more aggressive in my hunt for a job!  I looked on teachers-teachers and applied like crazy.  In the Jordan District, however, year-round schools abound.  That means that school starts in July for 3 of the 4 tracks.  Even those that weren't year-round would be starting the next month.  I realized most were already staffed.  As I applied for jobs, I got quite a few responses informing me that they'd already filled the position.  Despite that, I knew I would have a teaching job in the fall.

After work on Aug 10, I got a call from Herriman Elementary (where I didn't even recall applying) asking me to set up an interview the following Tuesday.  I was still at work, so I went to talk to my manager about leaving early that day.  I also mentioned that if I got the job, I'd have to start pretty soon.

I went in for the interview on Aug 14.  I met with the principal and one of the sixth grade teachers.  I had always wanted to teach the younger grades, but took what I could get.  They called me the next day to hire me and inform me I needed to be at the school the day after.  So I started on Thursday and the kids started that next Monday.  Talk about a whirlwind!


Almost immediately, I was so grateful for Heavenly Father's hand in procuring me this position.  Sixth grade is exactly where I need to be.  I loved those kids SO much.  I'm now in my second year of teaching and love these kids SO much, too!  I absolutely love being a teacher and am so grateful that Heavenly Father helped me to see that and that I was in tune enough to listen.