What a week!

For those of you who check and read this blog, this is a follow-up to last week's entry. Stan was called to serve as Young Men's President in our ward. It will be a new experience for him, he`s never served in Young Men`s. But he will do well, as he always does. Pray for him. It will take a miracle to be able to balance full time work, part-time MBA program that starts tomorrow, family, and his new calling. We aren`t sure how it will work out but we know the Lord will bless us with what we need. I knew as soon as he was called that last Sunday was a good preparation for me. I needed that spiritual boost to give me the strength to say that I would support Stan in his new endeavor. It won`t be easy but sacrificing isn`t supposed to be easy. If it was, we wouldn`t learn and it wouldn`t help us to grow. So, here`s to a crazy 3 years at least! (The MBA program will take 3 years, the calling will most likely be longer, as long as we don`t move.)
I`m really grateful for the past 4 months I`ve had to have Stan around. It has blessed our marriage greatly. I`m so glad that we had a little breather, to have so much family time, be able to renovate our house (we`re almost done with the last of the flooring and it looks awesome), and give me the support I needed as we lost our little boy.


Stan`s birthday is tomorrow! He prefers to keep things simple so we are having Whitney and his cousin Marlene over for dinner, SKOR cake and ice cream. I`m so grateful to be married to him. He is everything that I need in a husband and has really helped me to be a better person. That was a big reason why I married him. I knew he would help me in the ways that I needed to be strengthened but couldn`t do on my own. He is a fantastic father, the kids are so blessed to have him. I`m grateful to his parents who raised him in a wonderful, loving, and gospel-centered home. They were and continue to be great examples in our lives.

Refining

I've not been blogging since my pictures are on my computer that I don't have hooked up. And we have been painting and getting new flooring. It's taking all of my energy to keep up with that, get back in the school routine, and do other daily tasks that are necessary.
The purpose of this post is to share some thoughts.
We were blessed to have Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi preside at our stake conference this weekend. I feel like the Lord is teaching me so much this year!
I felt the spirit so strong throughout the whole meeting today. I sang in the choir so I was able to have one of the best seats. It also meant I wasn't wrestling with kids and so I got to take notes and pay attention and receive answers to my prayers. It felt similar to attending the Temple. It was a very special experience for me. Member missionary work is huge in our stake. As a family or as a couple, Stan and I have committed to set goals regarding missionary work and be more bold to share and more in tune with the spirit so we'll know who is ready.
Some things I learned today:
-pray to have the spirit with you as you say a prayer- i.e. similar to when someone is about to give a blessing to someone else, a prayer is said so the person giving the blessing will say what Heavenly Father wants them to know. I'm so excited to implement this. It will bring me that much closer to my Heavenly Father.
-The Lord REQUIRES a willing heart and mind in ALL things, not just the things I choose to do. I need to pay tithing with my whole heart, it's not about the money.
I need to serve with all my heart, not just when it's convenient
I need to share the gospel with my whole heart, not just when I get the chance or someone asks me about the Church.
I need to serve my family, even when I'm tired
I need to visit teach, even if the sisters don't need me or want me to come. I can still do something.
I need to strengthen my marriage with my whole heart, not just when Stan is being extra sweet or when I'm feeling good.
I need to sacrifice with my whole heart, even when it hurts and it is hard and you have to be creative with your time.
The Bishop just called and is meeting with us tonight. Interesting. I wonder if today I was being prepared for something.
I received impressions today in regards to missionary work and what I need to do with specific people I've been praying for. I'll share what comes...