6 Muffins and a Few Unspoken Wishes

This is the first of a series of posts in which I will share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Background: From the age of 27 to 30, I served as the Relief Society President in my congregation (ward) in Austin, TX. The Relief Society is the women’s organization of my church. Every adult woman at church is a member of the Relief Society. A Relief Society President sits in council with the priesthood leaders of the congregation and works closely with the Bishop (similar to a pastor) of the congregation in seeing to the temporal and spiritual needs of women and families. A Relief Society President presides in Relief Society Meetings, overseeing the teachers and doctrines taught. She assists the Bishop in the welfare program of the church to provide opportunities for work, food, and other necessities for those in need. A Relief Society President spends time visiting the homes of members. She provides special service to families after the death of a family member, providing comfort and assistance. Under the direction of the Bishop, a Relief Society President oversees the women in the congregation in service and sending them to visit and teach other women. She seeks out those in need and those who are not attending church. The ultimate purpose of the Relief Society is to help save souls.

Six Muffins and a Few Wishes

It was 2003 or 2004 in Austin, Texas and I was serving as the Relief Society President of my congregation (ward). My purse was empty and my baby Timothy was always on my hip. Our budgeting over the past few years had led to a cash-in-specified-envelopes system which gave me tangible proof that our income was limited and that my natural impulse to buy gifts had to be curtailed.

A woman in our congregation had just brought home her new baby from the hospital. She was new to the area and had not had an opportunity to make friends. Although I didn’t visit every new mother as one of my Relief Society duties, I knew that it was important that I visit this one.

“How could I visit a new mother without a baby gift?” I sighed. I had a blueberry muffin mix in the pantry, so I baked her some muffins, loaded my children into the wagon, and began the walk to her apartment.

As I pulled my little wagon with two little boys inside through the wooded apartment complex, a woman opened the door of her apartment and called out to me, “Could you use some baby shoes?”

She had in her hands two new pairs of baby girl shoes that she wished to give to me. She told me that she had seen me and knew that she should give them to me. I didn’t have baby girls, but I told her that I was on my way to visit a mother of a new baby girl and that the shoes would go to her. I thanked her for following the impulse to be generous to a stranger.

The woman with the shoes was not a member of my church. I had not prayed for a miracle. I was just acting in my calling, following an impression that I needed to visit someone in need.

I call this my loaves and fishes experience because my gift was miraculously multiplied. The Lord knew the woman I was going to visit and He loved her. The feelings that I had were strong that I should visit her. He knew my financial situation and my heart and he placed someone in our path who could help. Through this experience and many others, I saw that the Lord’s hand is in the work of the Relief Society. He trusts women to do important and difficult things in His church, but sometimes it is the simple acts that make the biggest impact. I saw His love for the individual and a concern for details. He provided a beautiful baby gift for this new mother when all I had to offer was 6 muffins and a few unspoken wishes that I could give more.

Daniel Plays Praise to the Man

Daniel played this in church last month in his new suit and tie. We love the big finish.

My Day with Timothy

I got to spend the day with Timothy and four of his friends at This is the Place Heritage Park for a school field trip. Timothy is a good kid, laid-back and fun. These boys were adorable.

I am still not “over” being in Utah. I get so excited about seeing temples and monuments and churches everywhere. I kept waiting for the guides at the park to mention something about religion, but they didn’t. I suppose they aren’t allowed to talk about that with school groups. However, it’s impossible to tell the complete story of the Mormon pioneers without mentioning their faith. The pioneer journey wasn’t just a big trip. They were hunted because of their religion. They were motivated by their faith. They were led by someone with priesthood keys to organize such a trek. My ancestors rode with them. Some of my ancestors walked. They did it because they were being obedient to a prophet.

Despite religion not being mentioned, there was a feeling about the place, similar to the feeling at a national cemetery or memorial. As I looked up the green canyon where the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, I felt it. When the 10-year old boys circled around the statue of Bodil Mortensen from the Willie Handcart Company and discovered that she died at age 10 and was their height, I felt it. As they lined up to pull handcarts, I felt the familiar swell of admiration and respect for the handcart pioneers.

It was a beautiful day, sunny and breezy and the canyon was so green. I bought the boys some candy and let them run. What a sweet day.

Prom & a Birthday

It was a weekend of lovely moments. Mark’s 7th birthday came and we celebrated with a trip to the dinosaur museum, a treasure hunt, and strawberry shortcake. We love our red boy whose enthusiastic oohs and aaahs at the dinosaur museum reminded us how great it is to discover something new.

Lovely Paige went to the school prom. She had a lot of compliments on the hairstyle that her aunt Susan created.

Thanks for all of the help, Susan!

Prom, a birthday, a trip to the cabin, and hosting a ward party at our house have taken all of our energy. I have a few regrets about the weekend, and one is that we didn’t get pictures of the beautiful homemade decorations and homemade ice cream bar that we made under a charming tent in our yard.

I sewed 30 feet of bunting in reds and blues to drape around the tent. There were blossoms from the yard in red and cream bud vases; there were red and blue dishes of chocolate, mixed berries, cookies, and nuts, arranged on a red and white gingham tablecloth. There was a candy machine with a jar of coins for the children to use. There were happy neighbors who stopped by to enjoy the festivities.

I’m not trying to write a design and lifestyle blog, so these lovely details will need to live in your imagination and my memory.

As Richard and I waited up for Paige to return from her date, he composed and performed his own lyrics to the song Bring ~~Him~~ Her Home to keep me smiling.

It’s a lovely life.

25 words

Rosemary M Wixom, the Primary General President, spoke in General Conference about the importance of the words we speak and write to our children. She related the story of a prisoner of war who was allowed to write home after years of imprisonment, but he was allowed only 25 words. He wrote, “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”

Here are my 25 words to my family. If I did this next week, the words would be different, but this is what I am thinking about today:

Christ lives! Obedience brings power and understanding from heaven. Love one another. Find heroes in the scriptures. Develop charity. Keep a journal. I love you.

What would your 25 words be to your family?

A smiling Alli

One day when I was in California visiting my grandmother, I arrived at her home to find her waiting for me at the door, holding a photograph.

“You’ll never guess what I found while you were gone,” she said.

It was a photograph of her mother, Alli, which she had never seen before. The only picture we had of Alli as an adult is a very serious passport photo. The newly discovered photo was taken at a children’s birthday party in October 1925. She is sitting among the young children, beaming.

It was a sweet moment for us to see a smiling Alli. I keep a copy of this new photograph on my desk. Lovely.
During this past decade of research I haven’t found all of the family information I had hoped to find, but it’s small discoveries such as this photo that fuel my enthusiasm and love for the effort. In my journal I have begun a list of the “coincidences” that have occurred during this project that have brought new information, direction, and a sense that there are angels helping. I don’t feel peace, but an infusion of energy; I feel compelled to keep working, and even with the dead ends, the work is deeply satisfying.

My book grew after I visited California, but April 30th is my deadline.

I found an interesting article about the value of family stories for children. It seems that the time we take at meals and other family gatherings to share family histories can arm our children with a capacity to face difficulties in their lives. Knowledge of family (and the quality time spent with family to learn it) is “the best single predictor of children’s emotional health and happiness.” The stories give the children a sense of place and reminds them of the strength that others have shown. The New York Times article is here. A researcher commented in the article, “The [children] who know a lot about their families tend tend to do better when they face challenges.”

I love this thought. Sharing my family history research can help my children today. They can see that their grandparents faced challenges, succeeded in some things, failed in others, but they were REAL and they were strong.

This article clarifies that the value is not just in knowing facts, but the time spent weaving that family narrative into children’s lives that makes a difference.

Monster Hats

My Young Women group just completed several monster hats to donate to the kids who are receiving chemotherapy at Primary Children’s Hospital. We used my sister’s pattern and tutorial. I was especially proud of our 14 year old Mia Maid President, who worked so hard and was there for every step of the process, from purchasing fabric to making the final stitches. Look out world, this young woman is smart, capable, funny, spiritually strong, and she knows how to make warm, fuzzy monster hats.

General Priesthood Meeting and a New Suit

Our traditional pictures at the front door just before General Priesthood and General Young Women meetings may need to find a new location. It’s too sunny!

We bought Daniel a new suit. The salesman asked him where he was going on his mission. Daniel is compiling a list of things that he’s heard lately that you would only hear in Utah. On Sunday we went to Spring Lake to watch General Conference. There were a lot more flowers than we found last week. We roasted marshmallows outdoors. Grandpa let the boys use hatchets. It was a good time.

As we drove home, Mark exclaimed, “I love spring!” I do, too. I have poppies & irises from Spring Lake to introduce into my flower garden today once the April morning shower ceases. Hooray!

General Young Women Meeting Year 5

Paige and I got to go to the Conference Center tonight to see the General Young Women Meeting.

It was a powerful experience. Even the art in the halls and the smiling ushers were special to me. I was so grateful that Paige and I could have this opportunity. When all of those young women began to sing the opening hymn I couldn’t join them. I just tried to breathe and wipe the tears away as quickly as possible.

I watched the General YW President before and after the meeting, walking about and greeting people. This taught me a lot about her leadership style and her capacity to love. People can teach us even when they aren’t speaking to us. She was just a tiny speck from where we were sitting, but I could see how people reacted to her focused attention and how she maneuvered from shaking hands with apostles to hugging a little 12 year old girl. It is a skill to be able to greet so many people in a meaningful way.

I love General Conference season. When I am listening to the apostles and other leaders, gospel living seems well within reach. Their words inspire me to do better.

A Wonderful Story

I’m at 9,300 words in my grandmother’s history. This week I have written about forbidden marriages, ocean voyages, WWII valor, sacrifice, family traditions, family recipes, and a lullaby. I’ve gazed at baby pictures of people I only knew after they had wrinkles. I have laughed, I have cried. I have seen how my great-grandfather looked in Paris and smiled at his beret. My source materials include letters written in the 1990’s to me, copious notes from Grandma’s stories, photographs that Paige took of photo albums and objects, my great-grandmother’s collection of newspaper clippings and photos, slides that I have painstakingly scanned over the years, and previous histories and careful genealogy work by my dad and aunt. I have had a Finnish letter translated. I have hoarded and identified every photo I can get my hands on. We have done some of my family’s temple work. Whenever I revisit family history, it fills my life.

My mom just finished her parents’ history and shared it with us on Sunday. It is a treasure and I came to love my grandparents even more through the reading of it.

The more I learn, the more I see that Norman Rockwell was painting OUR STORY! That little redhead on the top could be my Mark.