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I had the opportunity to go teach with the sister missionaries a few months ago.  We knocked on the lady's door and immediately when she opened it I knew I was in trouble - she had several cats.  I said a silent prayer that I would be able to handle being in her home for at least part of the lesson.  I didn't want to distract from the message with my sneezing/wheezing/runny eyes.  The discussion was wonderful.  They were talking about the Word of Wisdom and I had just recently taught my Laurels about the same topic - so I had lots to share.  She is a wonderful lady and we had a great time.  They ended up teaching her 2 lessons in a row 'cause she was going out of town, so we were there for two hours!  I didn't have a single problem.  I was wondering if maybe this pregnancy reset my body and cats were no longer an issue.  We left her house and started walking to the car.  We were half way to the car when the wrath of the felines attacked my system.  I had to take 2 Benadryl in the car and do my rescue inhaler just to make it home.  As I look back to that evening I can clearly see the Lord's hand helping me in that moment.  He didn't make my allergies disappear, but He delayed the reaction long enough for the spiritual message to be shared.  What a tender mercy!

This year we switched to 9am church.  We only have 2 wards that meet in our building, 9am and 1pm, so we never cross paths.  1pm was a bummer with nap times, but 9am just seems cruel.  The first Sunday my alarm went off and I seriously thought "I can't do it, we'll just have to stay home today."  We make an effort to go to church every Sunday, but man in that moment I just didn't want to leave the comfort of my nice warm bed.  I turned my alarm off and tried to fall back asleep.  Two seconds later Scarlett came in my room "Mom, I had a potty accident in my bed."  She doesn't have potty accidents very often and with the timing I don't think that this was an accident at all.  I think that Heavenly Father was gently reprimanding me and helping me realize that I could get out of bed and we can be on time for 9am church.  Well played.

One Sunday Siena was just not herself.  She would randomly be upset and we couldn't really tell what was going on.  She kept saying her foot was "itchy" and wanted her boots off, but we were about to go to nursery so I left them on and just squeezed her shoe to help with the itch.  Well, when we went to get the twirls after class her new teacher (the Deveys - I love them so much!) told us that they took her boot off cause she was complaining and they found an extra sock stuffed in the toe.  Oh sad!  Poor girl!  No wonder her shoe was bothering her.

Scarlett's teacher gave her a tiny Book of Mormon, she loves her scriptures and she likes to bring them with her every Sunday.

So a few weeks ago Scarlett was playing at a friend's house on a Friday afternoon.  I went to pick her up and while we were getting her shoes on the friend's little sister threw up all over their living room.  We quickly left and I prayed that we didn't get contaminated.  I would take a head cold over a tummy bug any day.   Well on Sunday morning Scarlett kept telling me that her tummy hurt.  I figured it was 'cause she drank her chocolate milk too fast and she often tells me she's "sick" or that her "bladder hurts" (spending time with Aunt Jami).  We rushed out the door and even got a comfy pew.  Well in the middle of the Sacrament Scarlett came and stood by me to tell me her tummy hurt again.  A minute later she looked up at me and said, with panic in her eyes, "I'm going to throw up!"  I bolted out of my seat and whisked her away - we almost made it to the doors before the vomit started.  I noticed a trash can just a few steps away, so I tried to catch as much vomit as I could in my hands as I led her to the trash can.  She was just puking like crazy.  I didn't feel like I could move her mid-vomit so we just stood there in the corner of the chapel 'til she was done.  The trash can was smack dab next to a lovely sister in our ward who is a grandma and super compassionate.  She brushed Scarlett's hair back and everything.  After Scarlett was done puking I took her and the trash can to the rest room.  I stripped her down and cleaned her off.  Then I gave the trash can a good bath in the sink.  We used another trash liner to store her dress til we got home.  A few minutes later (when the Sacrament was done) several sisters came in the restroom and asked how they could help.  I told them I didn't know what to do about the vomit spillage on the carpet in the chapel.  Scarlett's teacher came in and kept her company while I went back in the chapel to get Jake and the twirls to go home.  I came back in the restroom with Scarlett's coat and her teacher had wrapped her in her sweater and they were singing songs.  I was so grateful for all the good people in our ward family.  There were a few older gentleman in the janitor's closet getting out the bio-hazard stuff to clean the floor.  After we loaded our girls I sent Jake and the girls home - I still had to teach 3rd hour.  I went inside to the bathroom to wash my hands again.  The first sister who was sitting by the trash can was in the bathroom cleaning vomit off the side of her purse!  I felt terrible.  She was so kind and said "You need to go home and be with your babies, they will figure out the lesson without you.  Your babies need you."  That's exactly what I needed to hear.  I guess I just needed someone to give me permission to go home too.  Funny how sometimes we are just kids ourselves.  I called Jake and he turned around to come pick me up (he wasn't too far away).  While he was driving back I was able to catch Christina's eyes and she came in the hallway to chat with me.  I had made several handouts for the lesson - it was actually an easy lesson to hand over.  I now see why I needed to make those handouts - tender mercy!  We went home and Scarlett was much better.  She threw up once more, but about 30 min after being home the stomach bug hit me!  Oh man, what a miserable day!  Thank goodness I was at home instead of teaching!  It hit Jami a few days later, but luckily the twirls and Jake never caught it.  A few days after the vomit incident I came home from an errand and Scarlett said "MOM!  Come follow me, I have something to show you!"  She led me into the bathroom, I was guessing she wanted to show me a glow in the dark toy or something; she was so excited so I just followed her without hesitation.  We got in there and she lifted the toiled lid and said "Look, diarrhea!"  She was so proud that she had clogged the toilet with her loose bowel movement!  What a silly girl.  Let's just say that I'll be more wary next time she leads me into the bathroom!!

At the beginning of the year I had the opportunity to speak in Sacrament Meeting.  The theme was New Year's Goals - I was so excited!  I love goals!  But the talk they assigned me to focus on didn't seem to be about goals at all.  I was so grumpy about speaking and kept putting off my preparations.  I finally realized that I'm a grown up and procrastinating only hurts me, so I got to work.  I put some thoughts from my talk at the end of this post.

After I gave my talk I sat on the stand and watched Jake and Jami wrangle the girls.  Jake had to take one twirl out 'cause she bonked her head.  I sat watching Jami holding the other twirls and I could NOT figure out which twin she was holding.  Such a weird feeling, especially since I'm their mother and should be able to tell them apart.  I don't know why it always catches me off guard when I'm reminded that they are IDENTICAL twins.

Stay By The Tree by Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the Seventy

I suggest you read this article if you don't remember it. I'll just share some thoughts that I used in my talk.

The theme of this talk seemed to center around enduring to the end. That seems like something you'd focus on in November when you're New Year's goals are a faint distant memory.

"Enduring to the end is a hallmark of true discipleship and is essential to eternal life. But when trials and challenges come our way, we are often told to simply “hang in there.” Let me be clear: to “hang in there” is not a principle of the gospel. Enduring to the end means constantly coming unto Christ and being perfected in Him."

So I guess we can call it “Improving” to the end. New Year’s Resolutions are all about improving, and that’s what enduring to the end is all about.

Elder Pearson focuses on six important principles we can learn from Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life that help us endure or "improve" to the end.

1. Don’t Forget to Pray

At the beginning of Lehi’s vision he says: "And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste. And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies. And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field."

The Lord was willing to help Alma, but first Alma had to ask. As we evaluate our lives and make new goals for the year, ask the Lord. He is always there, but first we must remember to pray.

Elder Larry R. Lawrence of the Seventy gave a talk this past conference called “What Lack I Yet?”

President Harold B. Lee taught, “Every one of us, if we would reach perfection, must [at] one time ask ourselves this question, ‘What lack I yet?’”

The Holy Ghost doesn’t tell us to improve everything at once. If He did, we would become discouraged and give up. The Spirit works with us at our own speed, one step at a time, or as the Lord has taught, “line upon line, precept upon precept, … and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, … for unto him that receiveth I will give more.”

For example, if the Holy Ghost has been prompting you to say “thank you” more often, and you respond to that prompting, then He may feel it’s time for you to move on to something more challenging—like learning to say, “I’m sorry; that was my fault.”

A perfect time to ask, “What lack I yet?” is when we take the sacrament. The Apostle Paul taught that this is a time for each of us to examine ourselves. In this reverent atmosphere, as our thoughts are turned heavenward, the Lord can gently tell us what we need to work on next.

I am a high-stress individual. I often feel overwhelmed and stressed at life. I've even broken two molars from clenching my teeth so tightly at night from the self-induced stress. When I asked the Lord what I was lacking, I got the distinct impression that I needed to learn how to say "no" more often. It's not easy for me and I'm still working on it, but I know it was a specific prompting that I needed to improve my own life (and the life of my family).

2. Come unto Christ and Be Perfected in Him

The tree of life is the central focus in Lehi’s dream. Everything points to the tree of life. The tree represents Christ, who is the clear manifestation of the love of God. The fruit is His infinite Atonement and is great evidence of God’s love. To realize this gift, we must “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.” He is “the way, the truth, and the life.”

Elder David A. Bednar once observed: “Most of us clearly understand that the Atonement is for sinners. I am not so sure, however, that we know and understand that the Atonement is also for saints—for good men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better.”

I remember as a young kid I was riding in the car with my parents. We went to pick Jami up from Dana's house, but she had her bike. Since Dana lived down the street from us, my dad told Jami to ride her bike home and we would follow her in the car. As we got closer to our house we could see Kandy's brown Mercury Comet parked in front of our house along the street. My dad said to my mom "Watch, she's going to crash into the Comet." My mom replied “No she's not, she’s in the middle of the street, she’s not even close to it.” My dad said again “watch, she’s going to crash into it.” So we slowed down and watched the events unfolding before us: Jami made a wide arc attempting to get into the driveway, but instead she crashed straight into the side of the comet. My mom jumped out to make sure Jami was fine (while my dad made sure the car was ok). After everyone was settled down and inside the house my mom asked my dad "How did you know she was going to crash into it?" My dad answered “Because she was so worried about the car that she kept her eyes on it. You will steer where you set your focus.”

That principle is true with our own lives. Just like everything in the vision of the Tree of Life pointed to Christ, we need to make sure that everything in our own lives, including our goals for improvement, point to Christ and the fruit of the Atonement. He is way. It is only by keeping our eyes on the Tree that we can be sure that we will eventually crash into it someday (well, hopefully not crash).

3. Press Forward with Faith

There is a path that leads to the tree of life, to Christ. It is straight and narrow, strict and exact. God’s commandments are strict but not restrictive. They protect us from spiritual and physical danger and prevent us from getting lost. We must “Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.”

2016 Mutual Theme

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).

Press forward means to me to push through obstacles and to keep moving forward no matter what is in our path. I remember as a youth we went to Martin's Cove for our trek experience. One afternoon we were hit with a sand storm. I had never been in a sand storm before, it was awful. Sand in your eyes, nose, and mouth. Plus it would stick to our sweaty skin. We were so close to our tents, but first we had to get there. The leaders kept encouraging us to keep moving forward. They didn't say we needed to take big strides to get there, only focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes our steps were big, sometimes they were small, but only by pressing forward were we able to reach the safety of our tents.

4. The Book of Mormon Is Key to Spiritual Survival

Life’s journey is challenging. It’s easy to be distracted, wander off the path, and get lost. Trials are like great mists of darkness that can blind our eyes and harden our hearts. Unless we are “continually holding fast” to the word of God and living it, we will become spiritually blinded rather than spiritually minded. Search the Book of Mormon and the words of the living prophets every day, every day, every day! It’s the key to spiritual survival and avoiding deception. Without it, we are spiritually lost.

Several years ago I got a message from an old friend that I hadn't seen in almost a decade, this is what she wrote:

I have to thank you for actually saving my life. When we were in Jr. High, do you remember when I was gonna go out with that boy and you talked to me about keeping my standards high? Well, ever since then I've really looked up to you with regards to standards. When, in seminary, we got stickers for reading our scriptures and they posted the stickers for everyone to see, I noticed that you read every day. That made me decide to read every day. I have read every day since that time.

To make a long story short, I got really depressed in high school. I had some suicidal thoughts and the only thing that kept me from that was my testimony. Since the anchor of my testimony was my regular scripture reading, I have to say you really contributed to my still being here today. Thanks for being awesome! Just thought I'd let you know.

Now don't think I am sharing this story to make you think I'm awesome, 'cause the truth is quite the opposite. The humbling part was when she wrote me this note, I was spiritually lost. I wasn’t reading my scriptures regularly and I don’t think I knew just how lost I was. Her testimony of the scriptures inspired me to begin reading them again, and as a result, finding myself. Heavenly Father really does work in mysterious ways. And I can just testify that the Book of Mormon is so vital to our spiritual health. We need to read every day, every day, every day.

5. Don’t Be Distracted and Deceived

Two of Satan’s most powerful tools are distraction and deception.

One of my favorite talks is “Good, Better, Best” by Elder Oaks, October 2007

“We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives.”

 I feel like this principle is illustrated well in this parable:

“A jeweler … had a precious pearl he wanted to sell. In order to place this pearl in the proper setting, he conceived the idea of building a special box of the finest woods to contain the pearl. He sought these woods and had them brought to him, and they were polished to a high brilliance. He then reinforced the corners of this box with elegant brass hinges and added a red velvet interior. As a final step, he scented that red velvet with perfume, then placed in that setting this precious pearl.  

“The pearl was then placed in the store window of the jeweler, and after a short period of time, a rich man came by. He was attracted by what he saw and sat down with the jeweler to negotiate a purchase. The jeweler soon realized that the man was negotiating for the box rather than the pearl. You see, the man was so overcome by the beauty of the exterior that he failed to see the pearl of great price” (J. Thomas Fyans, “The Pearl of Great Price,” Ensign, Nov. 1982).

Don’t let things that seem “good” distract from the main focus of the gospel, those things that are “better and best”. Satan is so clever at distracting us! That is, Satan tempts us to become distracted from the simple and clear message of the restored gospel. We need to focus on things that will develop our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families – the real pearls in our lives.

6. Stay by the Tree

Lehi’s message is to stay by the tree.

I was thinking this week, why is the Atonement symbolized as fruit? It is not a vaccine that we can take just one time. It is something that we need to continually nourish ourselves with. Once we reach the Tree of Life, we need to Stay by the Tree to receive that constant nourishment.

"We stay because we are converted unto the Lord. As we yield our hearts to God, the Holy Ghost changes our very natures, we become deeply converted unto the Lord, and we no longer seek the spacious building. 

If we stop doing those things that bring about deepening conversion, we regress spiritually. Apostasy is the reverse of conversion. True disciples continue to awaken unto God each day in meaningful personal prayer, earnest scripture study, personal obedience, and selfless service. Stay by the tree."

No matter where our journey has taken us, if we are on the path pressing forward on the path, if we are next to the tree, if we are lost in the mists of darkness, even if we are wandering toward the great and spacious building – I hope that we can set our New Year’s Goals to get us back on that path to the delicious fruit of the tree.

"If you are struggling, confused, or spiritually lost, I urge you to do the one thing I know will get you back on track. Begin again to prayerfully study the Book of Mormon and live its teachings every day, every day, every day! I testify of the profound power in the Book of Mormon that will change your life and strengthen your resolve to follow Christ. The Holy Ghost will change your heart and help you see “things as they really are.” He will show you what you need to do next."

Enduring to the End – or Improving to the End – is a great test of our discipleship. Our daily choices will determine our eternal destiny. I pray that we can take this time of year to evaluate our own lives and ask our Heavenly Father in prayer that we might know the things that will help us to stay by the Tree.

I testify that our goals can help us “improve to the end” if we choose to: have daily fervent prayer, come unto Christ, press forward with faith, read the Book of Mormon, seek after the “best” things, and Stay by the Tree.

I know that this is called the Great Plan of Happiness because it can bring us so much joy!

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.