Ready for Tax Time?

So its almost tax time again. Are you ready? Have you kept your files in order?

Did you know that many times hiring a book keeper to help you throughout the year or even at the end of the year will save you potentially hundreds of dollars!

Its true. Every CPA I know and work with, they will charge you CPA prices to have to go through that box of receipts you bring in. Its much easier for them to have someone else do that part, whether they pay them (and tack it into their prices) or you you pay them..and then bring them in a nicely printed out report with the numbers on it.

They put in the numbers, hit enter and walla! Your tax return is submitted! It saves them time and you money! There are many options for book keepers. You can find some local in your area, or even save a little more money and go virtual. Its amazing what technology allows us to do today!

I want to go over a few different programs to give you a little idea of what is out there. Please keep in mind.. the programs I will share about today are only ones I use professionally and/or personally. There are always going to be many other options available out there. This is mostly just for informational purposes.. in case your thinking about it and need help with a starting point.



If your looking to do your books yourself, and like to keep track of things without haveing to do a lot of work.. Quicken might be what you need.

You can download a FREE trial from their website and then upgrade for around $30 or so. You enter in your bank information and it automatically pulls the information from your account into the program. You then go through it and clarify any transactions you need specified and then run a reconciliation at the end of the month. It has lots of helpful tutorials and is very user friendly. At the end of the year you print out your Profit and Loss, and your Balance sheet for the year and take those to your CPA. That's it!

Another favorite I work with is Quick Books. Now with Quick books there is a little more work involved. You can set it up to automatically download your account info but then you do have to manually pull it over. Its not as hard as it sounds. Again... they have great tutorials and are working to make it more and more user friendly every year. You can try it FREE here!

Regardless what program you use.. the end goal is the same. You want to be able to track your spending, see where your money is going and be able to save time/headaches and money at tax time.


It makes it really fast when doing your own taxes on turbo tax or other software.

SO here is a list of some of the things to remember to count when preparing for your taxes:

* w2's or 1099's
* gas and meal receipts if they were work/school related
* receipts for anything school related
* Childcare costs

Just total them up, staple them all together in each individual category and write the total on the top one for easy reference.

If you work from home, in most states I believe you can write off a percentage of your cell phone, rent or mortgage, car payment, utilities and anything else you have to pay for to maintain a home office.

There are many ins and outs, and it IS different for each state. I invite you to take control of your money and your time and get rid of that headache that you get whenever you think taxes/finances.

Jess is happily married to her best friend and mom to three kiddos..You can read about their adventures on her blog, Life Learning Leonards .

Be Smart: Education

My parents are very different. My mom stopped attending school once she finished third grade because "she was going to get married anyway". My dad is a general surgeon. Growing up I had the clear view of the impact education makes in ones life. Even though my mom didn't have an education she's the one we always turned for help and taught us many things we know. Education was left to good private schools and mom was always involved in our education. She encouraged us and supported us. In Brazil I had school in the morning and extra-curricular activities in the afternoon which included private English lessons, ballet, swimming, and other activities. I was always taught by both of my parents that education was of utmost importance.

I took it seriously. I came to the US as a foreign exchange once at 13 years old for one month to study English, and the second time at 15 years old for ten months. I was fluent in the English language after being here for three months. During my senior year in high school many of my peers decided to take "easy" classes, I took three AP ones. I graduated high school with high honors as a member of the National Honor Society.

I started college as a nursing major. I never changed my mind and not finishing it was not an option. I have been in school for almost 23 years now. My parents put me in preschool when I was eleven months old (things work differently in Brazil, it was actual school). I am proud of my academic accomplishments. I have worked and studied hard and will proudly wear RN next to my name this May. I am grateful that education is a strong principle that belongs in our church.

President Hinckley said: "You are moving into the most competitive age the world has ever known. All around you is competition.You need all the education you can get. Sacrifice a car, if necessary, sacrifice anything that needs to be sacrificed to qualify yourselves to do the work of the world. [...] The Lord wants you to educate your minds and hands, whatever your chosen field. Whether it be repairing refrigerators, or the work of a skilled surgeon, you must train yourselves. Seek for the best schooling available. Become a workman of integrity in the world that lies ahead of you.I repeat, you will bring honor to the Church and you will be generously blessed because of that training."

What a wise man!

Have you ever thought how your formal education blesses ward members and the Church?

I think of my wonderful bishop who's a vet, and made a house call to my best friend late at night when her doggie got run over by a car. I think of daddy who is a computer science professor who has gotten many calls from member to help them with problems and is a wealth of knowledge on how to protect your family against the evils of the internet. I think of my own husband who's a software engineer and helps me with many projects for my calling as a young women secretary. I think of my girls and how I could be their camp nurse this summer. All due to our formal educations.

Nowadays we are privileged with easy access to education. The internet has enabled us to take classes from the comfort of our own homes and take our times in learning what we need to learn. We have been blessed with technology to help us become more educated. There are night classes, community college, online classes, and many other resources for us to get an education. The Church has different resources for it also, including the Perpetual Education Fund.

I encourage everyone to work towards an education. Does it have to be a Bachelors degree? Absolutely not. President Hinckely wants us to acquire a skill that will be able to provide for our families and help the Church grow. I am grateful for my education, loving parents, and a wonderful husband who have supported me throughout many years of school. I am grateful to know that if anything happened to my husband, whether it is death or the loss of his job, I would be able to support our family because of my education. I am grateful that because of it I am able to serve and care for many members and nonmembers. I hope we can all find a skill where we can feel fulfilled, and that we can be helpful to other in it as well.


Images courtesy from here, here, and here.
Quote from President Hinckley's book: Way to Be!

Thais is a convert from Brazil of six years, married to her hubby of three years, mom to two yorkies, and a nursing student. Find out more about her at The Winmill Family.

Are we on target?

As we end January ...I am curious as to who is on target with the goals they have set for themselves?

Talking of goals this Sunday in Sacrament meeting we had a visit from our Stake President and being (in popular stake opinion) the UK version of John Bytheway we cant help but take his counsel that bit stronger to heart after he delivers the message with such conviction, heartfelt compassion and inspiration that for the first time in my ward I saw so many people reach for notepads and pens! (Yes, I did too!!) Our stake theme this year is the same as it was in 2008 because we had such a success at baptisms and so many were phenomenal at doing their own missionary work that the inspired direction was to keep the theme the same. Based on a quote from President Hinckley, this is what we are working towards:

{As we} "focus on Proclaiming the Gospel and Redeeming the Dead then
Perfecting the Saints will take care of itself"

I sat there making notes of all the points President Lowater offered, wrote down my own ideas and generally let my thoughts wander. Last year my daughter turned 12, but she hasn't had the blessing of going to the temple yet, that is something I should do with her for the first time and make it a family memory. I haven't spent enough time on my family history, and as I'm the only member in my family (my mum is a member but inactive) I really have to prioritise this to do the Lord's work and keep my responsibilities. We (individually or as a family) instigate too much conversation towards the church or the gospel in our every day lives so we are now thinking that we could have missed on so many opportunities. I write to people all over the world via regular snail mail, I've never really dared to mention too much about the actual gospel to them, perhaps I should. I/we don't often think to invite friends to FHE so that's something else we've passed by.

Instead of all these missed potentials being negatives, I take President Hinckleys and President Lowaters words to heart and move forward in the faith that I can be lead and inspired to do MY part in this great work that we members are so blessed to already have!

The next part of President Lowaters talk was about our journals, setting goals, realistic small steps that we can look back on this time next year and see how we, personally have travelled, what has worked, what hasn't etc. So many times I am guilty of setting goals for worldly achievements that don't often put the Lords work first and really if we put the Lord first then our personal goals are more likely to happen. Some of the things suggested are:

• inviting one family/person to FHE once a month
• start the day 15 mins earlier with family scripture reading, its amazing how much gets in to a half sleeping mind!
• be more earnest in your prayers, really take the time to think what to pray about/for before you begin
• have faith to speak out about the gospel, maybe say a little prayer in your heart first
• live to be the example
• work on making scripture study being part of your routine, not a to-do list task to be checked off
• invite friends or family over to dinner who are not members or inactive members
• let the kids do their own missionary work, support them when the come up with an idea, help them carry it out
• keep your journals up to date, don't forget to share your feelings in them as well as family, personal and worldly memories

These are just some basic ideas but they can all be effective. I remember a friendly debate a few nights ago with a friend, he argued that he could never make time for scripture study more than perhaps once a week. I asked what he does to relax, he said he goes to the gym, he has time with his kids, he takes the dog out for a walk. My argument is this (please dont shoot me for it!!):

If rushing around doing cleaning, errands and washing is an essential part of life...isn't our spirits more in need of its fulfillment to enable us to have the energy to do it all? Is it a change of routine or a real chore to replace 15 mins of one thing for another? Does the washing HAVE to be done right now? Can you not listen to the scriptures as you do your chores and keep a note book nearby to jot down notes? I mean, the internet is so full of information and our church is probably THE best at making information, scriptures and variations available for us! So why do we find it hard to 'fit it in'? Why do we also leave it till the end of the day to read/study? Ok the study part is probably not best for everyone on a morning but reading? Not to sound too crude here, some mornings I will read my scriptures whilst sat in the bathroom, purely because I know I am up a bit later than I should comfortably be, I know that when I make the effort in the morning I feel better and the day goes that bit easier. I also know it lessens the effect of disappointment and challenge because spiritually I am in the right place! I admit that some mornings the last thing I want to do is read a book, much less one that I sometimes struggle to read the language of! But when I dont, there is just something missing, like i'm going out undressed or unprotected on the busy roads. See where I'm going with this?

Ok, back to topic! I am on target with a few things so far, not all or even most but the important things for me right now is to maintain our family theme for 2009 on a daily basis which is 'Love at Home'. Single parents peddle that bit harder sometimes to keep the family unit together, and those of you who have read my blog recently will know of the challenge I have with my daughter BUT because of my faith, because I am putting the Lord first (as often as I remember to let go of my pride and independence!!!) things are going pretty much ok. The Lord does bless us when we do what we can, He does wait for us to go to Him and He does need us to help Him do His work.

So now I am about to readjust some of my goals for 2009, because looking at the list now, they just don't quite feel the same as seeing someone feel and enjoy the spirit or share the gospel with someone who has so many questions and eagerness to gleen your every word in response. Not much compares to the feeling of going through baptisms for the dead, knowing that we are in the Lords house, offering all these people the opportunity to accept the gospel when they couldn't have when they were on this earth, it is truly amazing.

So I urge you to think about your goals for 2009, I urge you to 'Put the Lord First' in all your thoughts, feelings, actions and desires and let Him bless you. After all, He is the one person we KNOW we can trust, right?

[Debs] More of Debs waffle over on Life as Me.

Eating RAW & Juice Feasting

Its a new year, and I'm pretty sure that many of us have made the resolution to lose some weight. TO eat better and be healthy so we feel good.

Many people don't know that you CAN lose weight and be healthy.. and just change the WAY you eat. There are two concepts I will share with you a little today. Please click the links if you want to explore more about these ways of life on your own.

Eating RAW and Juice Feasting



Juice feasting is just exactly what it says. Your feasting on juices. Carrots, mixed greens, fruit...whatever you want juice...Make your own, or buy it at the store....

Many people do this for a specific time frame, but you do what works for you. I have tried this one and lasted about 3 days.... I did feel better.. and I lost a few pounds, and the juice was delicious. I didn't go longer though as I wanted to maintain a RAW life style and the 3 day juice feast was a jump point for me.

Eating RAW. I love explaining this part to people. You wouldn't believe how many people have asked me if I eat MEAT raw!! No way!! Eating RAW is simply eating fresh fruits and veggies without cooking them. Nothing processed, no sugars, no diary, no animal by products. Its a very simple, cost effective, and healthy way to live.

The link above takes you to Victoria's site. There is a free newsletter you can get from her,as well as tons of other useful information on this lifestyle. Its not a diet. Its not a fad. Its a lifestyle change. And it works.





A few months back I did a 7 day RAW DIVA Cleanse. I lost 10 pounds during that time. And then I got tired and lazy. And I stopped. I hit that transition period and just gave up instead of pushing through it.

Its one of my goals to get back on track with my way of eating, and to bring my family along for the ride. This way we can enjoy the benefits if being healthy and happy together!

I want to point out here... that right now.. as I'm writing this post, I am only about 50% RAW. I also eat a lot of vegetarian, and I still indulge in a SAD diet. (Standard American Diet). I give into cravings for french fries and chocolate cupcakes just like anyone else. I do know though that when I am really working to keep to my RAW eating, I don't have those cravings any more. In my house its a little harder as the hubby isn't ready to go totally RAW yet.. lol.. but we are working on it!

So I hope you will check these options out. Why work to lose the weight, just to find it again later? Lose it for good and be ready to be a healthier you!

Jess is happily married to her best friend and mom to three kiddos..You can read about their adventures on her blog, Life Learning Leonards .

A pillar of light!

Ok, so this month has been one crazy one! I am sorry for not posting my usual post. But as I now finally have a quiet, CLEAN house, with the shopping done, I figured there is no better time, then now, to do this post.

Last week in Sunday School, we talked about the First Vision. How prior to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appearing, Joseph Smith felt a darkness around him and how he said he thought he was to be utterly destroyed, when just then a pillar of light appeared (read JSH for exact words). I sat there thinking about our past two years and how they have been the hardest for us, or so I thought. We started the New Year with some VERY dark weeks, the darkest they had ever been in two years.

So where was OUR pillar of light? In my husbands NEW job, in finding what was truly wrong with me and how to get help.

I sat there in Sunday School realizing that it had been our darkest moment, and that I really did feel as if I was going to be destroyed. But no sooner that I thought that, our pillar of light came through. Everyday since then, the light has been getting brighter and brighter.

It really is always darkest before the dawn!

Julie has been married for 4 ½ years and has a wonderful son named Crew. Read more from Julie. If you‘d like to read more from Julie, send her an email for access to her personal blog..

Foto Friday--Composition

What is it that makes a photograph stand out? It is certainly more than just correct exposure or whether or not the photographer has achieved perfect focus. Even photos that are technically “correct” can be BLAH if they are not well composed. And I’ve certainly seen plenty of photos that were not focused or exposed correctly that have still had plenty of visual appeal
because of the way they were presented.

So what are some basic tips to improve your composition?

1- The rule of thirds.

Wikipedia’s describes the rule of thirds as "a compositional rule of thumb in photography and other visual arts such as painting. The rule states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines.” The idea is to place the main subject on, or close to, one of the intersecting lines. Human tendency is to place the subject directly in the center.
Here's the way most people would frame a shot of a couple (special thanks to my sister for taking this picture of us--centered--just because my husband insisted on it).....


My sister and I convinced my husband that an off-center photo of us would look even better. He didn't believe us until he saw the image later. Now he wants it framed. :) See how our heads are near one of the intersecting lines?


2- Try a different angle

Have you heard of the Dutch tilt? The Dutch tilt is “a cinematic tactic achieved by tilting the camera off to the side. The shot is composed with the horizon not parallel with the bottom of the frame.” Recently, I’ve seen this technique being used quite a bit in photography. While it is not a technique that you would want to use on every picture, it certainly catches the viewer’s attention and can be really fun.

Instead of always taking photos of people “straight on”, try shooting your subject from lower or higher than their eye level. This works particularly well when taking close-ups or head shots of people.


3- Some photos require a wide zoom. Others work better zoomed in close to your subject. Think about what you’re trying to say in your photos. Is the focus of your photo a person or a landscape? What ever your focus, FOCUS on that.


4- Learn the “rules” and tips of composition and then be prepared to break them. Photography is an art. Be creative.


Remember that art is subjective. A photo that is very aesthetically pleasing to one person may be completely boring to another. My best tip--Move around and try something new!

Lolli is a lifelong member of the Church, married to a convert. She has five kids--3 girls and 2 boys. and loves staying at home with the kids and photography. Read more on her personal blog, Life is Sweet.

Linky Love - Molly's Love Humor

Modern Molly's Favourite Gem of the Week:

"President Hinckley . . . admonished both men and women to be nurturers. He said, 'How much more beautiful would be the . . . society in which we live if every father . . . and . . . mother regarded [their] children . . . as gifts from the God of heaven. . . and brought them up with true affection in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord' ("These, Or Little Ones," Ensign, Dec. 2007, 9)."Susan W. Tanner, "My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord," Ensign, May 2008, 82

Modern Molly's Favourite Posts This Week:
The Window Through Which We Look - Purple Diva's Diary
The Great Debate: Allowance - Financial Sacrifice
Small Spaces Storage Solutions - Food Storage Made Easy
Learning to Manage Our Time - Homemaking Cottage Blog
Adoption and Abortion - Seth Adam Smith
PROPHECY: World Destruction, Change, Fear, and Hope - Mormon Soprano



Modern Molly's Favourite New Sites:
Now We're Cooking!
My Religious Blog

Modern Molly's Favourite Comic:
The 9th Ward

 Modern Molly's Weekly Laugh:
Important Notice for Husbands - Five J's
Songs of Motherhood - Becoming LDS

If you would like to have your site, blog or post featured on Modern Molly Mormon's Weekly Linky Love, email UntypicallyJia@gmail.com with the subject: "Linky Love" and please include a link to what you would like to be featured!

FHE: The Armor of God

Well, this started as an attempt to keep our little toddler occupied at church and ended in a random, thrown together FHE lesson that turned out to be simple but a success.

So I printed off a coloring sheet of a little boy with armor. (I couldn't find the one I originally used but this one at this link is cuter anyway.) We had our little boy color it at church then Monday night rolled around and once again we were not so prepared. It has become a bad habit at our house especially when it is our little man's turn to do the lesson. I just tend to forget that it really is "my" turn again. Anyway, that was a side note.

So my husband says, "Should we start FHE?" Now you have to read this in a hurried manner...this all happened in approximately 5 minutes or so. I look at the clock and then at our FHE chart and my brain starts churning. Lesson...Thinking...Lesson...Hmmm - Got it! I grab the coloring sheet out of the diaper bag. I cut and cut and cut, and cut some more. I run upstairs to look the Armor of God scripture up on the computer - Ephesians...Ephesians chapter 6...11..got it! While searching for the scripture another idea pops into my head and I run into our play room and grab our knight helmet, a shield, and a few other items. And then...(you can read more slowly now) we sit down for FHE and it goes a little something like this:

With a little direction from me and some tape our little boy put together the most fearsome looking, crooked looking, armored man I've ever seen. It was great and we had ourselves a little paper man wearing the Armor of God.

Then we read the wonderfully short (perfect for an almost 2 year old) but powerful scripture - "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." We didn't go into the detials of what each of the pieces of armor meant (although this would be great to do with older children) but stuck to simple things. We made a short list of things that can be our armor like: prayer, scripture study, family home evening, and attending church (all things that our boy somewhat grasps).

Then without much connection to spiritual things our little boy dressed up in the "Armor of God". With a grin on his face and a helmet on his head this week Family Home Evening was a success.

It wasn't the usual battle of wanting to sing "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam" for the tenth time instead of having a lesson. Or the battle of convincing that FHE is fun when blocks, puzzles, and balls are in the next room. Or the giving of a lesson over the screaming-tantrum-thrower in the corner.

It was simple, it was fun, but the most important part was that it was with our family, home together for the evening. So every week, rain or shine, scream or smile, FHE will go on.

I am sure you all can relate to the successful FHE nights and well, the nights that almost seem to be good-for-nothing. When it comes down to it though we "have [been] promised that our dedication to this program will help protect our families against the evils of our time and will bring us abundant joy now and throughout the eternities."

We had a simple lesson on the Armor of God but all the while we were creating and strengthing a small portion of our literal armor, we were helping to protect our family from the evils of our time. So the next time Family Home Evening rolls around and whining persists or chaos prevails just remember that through the screams, the whines, and the groans you are putting on the Armor of God.

You can read more from "Mysti" at her spiritual blog, Becoming LDS. You may also enjoy reading or submitting to her other two blogs filled with Conversion Stories and Testimonies.

A Mighty Power of Healing

How can praying for those who have wronged us bring peace?


"[Cast] all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:7).


During his final days, the Savior's chief Apostle denied even knowing Him. The Savior could have condemned Peter, but he did not (see Luke 22:55-62). And Peter responded with deeper faith and commitment, eventually presiding over the Lord's church.


Jesus Christ could also have condemned the Romans' cruel crucifixion. But, as he hung on the cross, even in his agony, Jesus forgave those who crucified him, asking his Father, "Forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).


From "A Mighty Power of Healing," Liahona, May 1996.

If Jesus Christ will forgive Peter for denying him, he will forgive us for our mistakes. We are asked to forgive others for their mistakes, as well. We can become better people, more like the Savior, if we choose to forgive those who have wronged us, no matter how difficult it may be. If we pray to Heavenly Father for them, the way Christ did, we can show our willingness to forgive to the Lord. We will be casting our cares upon Him, and He will bless us.

Cornnut is an art lover and an advocate for child abuse prevention. She loves being a wife and a mother. Check out her personal blog, Picture of Experience .

A Mighty Change of HEART . . .

There are only a few more weeks until Valentines Day! The widely proclaimed holiday of love and all things pertaining to love. It's really time to get those hearts in shape. Is your heart currently in need of a makeover?

In a previously published article "Where Your Heart Is . . . " we examined the question, "What is the condition of your heart today?" Do you possess a soft heart? A hard heart? How do you know? Each one of us should seek to be found in possession of a soft heart, one that "yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, is submissive, meek, humble, patient and full of love" as described by Mosiah.

Looking at definitions for the word render, one would find the following:

• to give or make available
• to give in return
• to surrender

When we render our hearts to another, be they husbands, wives, children, mothers or fathers, neighbors or friends, we make our hearts available, to be given in return, or surrender our hearts to another. With the exception of our relationship with our Savior, there is no more important relationship to demonstrate a soft and humble heart, given and made available, than that eternal relationship with our husbands and wives.

"It is not good that the man should be alone," said our Father in Heaven of the unmarried Adam. "I will make him an help meet for him." And He did: a wonderful companion, Eve." And indeed, it is through covenant marriage that one can experience the greatest joy, the deepest satisfaction, and the most poignant impressions of the soul. Truly, a divine and inspired institution from a loving Father in Heaven.

Interestingly enough, it is through cultivating ourselves personally, that we can be prepared to fully give our hearts to another, be it an eternal companion or our Savior. As we cultivate a desire within ourselves to live in harmony with the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, we can receive those enticings or promptings in our lives that will lead us to put off the "natural man (or woman), and become meek, submissive, humble, patient and full of love for another.

Elder Uchtdorf shares an inspiring message in his General Conference address titled "On the Wings of Eagles". It is amazing what we can do and accomplish under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

"The Latin source of the word comforter—com fortis—means “together strong.” As the Holy Ghost visits your own spirit, you become stronger than you are by yourself. When you receive the Holy Ghost, you receive strength, power, peace, and comfort."



Only then are you prepared to give your heart away. Be it through an expression of love for another, or offering that selfless service that follows in the path of the great Master, even our elder brother, Jesus Christ.

Invite the example and love of the Savior into your life, let that Spirit enhance all your relationships and refine your heart into a soft heart. There's no better time than now! You'll be all set for that great holiday of love - Valentines Day!

This Latter Day Mom, just trying to "Endure to the End" one day at a time. You can follow these antics and more at Alpine Klein Bunch.

You'll find these great photos credits and more here and here.

Overcoming Pride

I was reading the following today in Jacob:

"And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren, ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they." (Jacob 2:13)

I was thinking about the warning that Jacob was about to give the people, and reflecting on how many times the Nephites (and other groups) had become entrenched in pride, and the effect this sin has on society.

I noticed the following:

1. When we slip into pride, we judge our brethren based on riches - in an unrighteous manner. Remember - the Lord looks on the heart (see 1 Samuel 16:7), and we can't see the heart of others. This is why we have to be kind and accept people as they are. In other words, we need to give people the benefit of the doubt in spite of their appearances. This point has a direct relationship to the second commandment that Christ gave: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," (Matthew 33:39). When we become lifted up in pride, we break this commandment.

2. When we are blinded by pride, we also often end up doing as the Children of Israel did in that we "forget the Lord [our] God, which brought [us] ... from the house of bondage," (Deuteronomy 8:14). In this instance, our pride causes us to break the first commandment: "...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," (Matthew 22:37-38). Pride generates enmity and ingratitude which are in direct contradiction to the first and great commandment of loving the Lord.

So - what's the solution? I mean, it seems simple - don't have pride...right? But really, how do we overcome such a sin? It seems to happen so naturally among us. How do we keep from having a high mind that blind us from loving our Lord and our brothers and sisters?

Oh - and here's the other thing...everywhere else in the Book of Mormon, the progression is related - the people were blinded by pride, then followed envy, strife, malice, adultery, murder. It is the source of wickedness in that when we choose to have pride, we choose to turn away from the Lord. It is then easier to sin as we allow ourselves to be subjected to all of the wiles and temptations of the devil.

I feel like I am, at times, troubled by such pride. It usually manifests itself in my through criticizing/judging others. I can see how such judgement can then cause me to envy others, and I don't want to go down that road any further! I feel like the only sure solution is through sincere prayer, dedicated scripture study, journal keeping, repentance, and service. I feel like I need to remember this lesson and seek to build others up rather than let my pride overrun me and then destroy them with criticism. I think that the sure solution comes when we take off the blindness caused by pride and instead look to Christ.

How have you overcome pride in your life? Does it haunt you? How do you keep things in perspective?

Catch the lighter side of Catania at her blog - Read Me.

Modern Mollies Are Blissfully Domestic

Have you checked out the new weekly blog carnival going on over at Blissfully Domestic? Because Modern Molly Mormon never wants to be left out, we're participating too! Every week, a post will be chosen by Jia or Tiffany to be submitted as the official post for the Blissfully Domestic carnival!

This week, Jill's article "Modesty Make-Over" has been chosen. Congrats Missionary Molly!

Don't forget to check out Blissfully Domestic and see what other people are posting about!

Faith of a Child

One of the first real testimony building experiences in my life occurred when I was about 7-years-old and lived in a mortuary.

My father was a mortician and my family lived in the basement of the mortuary. The mortuary was a very old building in a part of our small town in Arizona where the wind always blew. The attic had bats and the basement had rats (okay, they were probably just mice but still!). The basement also had a room where the caskets (empty and new, of course) were stored. My bedroom had a door in it that was always locked and I was convinced, although it wasn’t true, that the door adjoined the casket room (in my imagination the caskets weren't empty, either). In case I’m not conveying the feeling strongly enough, let me just say it flat out; that place was creepy. None of my friends ever wanted to “sleep over.” And, it’s a cinch that nobody showed up to my house on Halloween trick-or-treating.

I’ve always had a vivid imagination and while I lived there I often let my fears get the best of me. I had a lot of bad dreams and I hated going to or being in the basement by myself. One night my parents had company upstairs and I was in the basement alone with my two sleeping younger sisters. It had gotten quite late and I’m not sure if I was still awake or if I had awakened from a bad dream, but I do remember lying in bed scared to death. All I could think of was that I wanted my Mom to come down and sing to me. She often sang me to sleep and I really, really, really wanted her to come and sing to me. So, I started to pray. I was too afraid to get out of bed and kneel down, but I definitely poured out one of the most sincere prayers I’d ever uttered. I really believe, although I was so young – maybe because I was so young, that I had the faith spoken of in the 1st chapter of James, “nothing wavering.” And I was very specific. I asked Heavenly Father to please let my Mom know that I needed her to come downstairs and sing to me.

And, she did.

She came downstairs and into my room and asked me if everything was okay. She said that she had been visiting with friends when the Holy Ghost had prompted her to come and check on me. Then she sang my favorite bedtime song, “I Wonder When He Comes Again.”

I wonder when he comes again,
Will herald angels sing?
Will earth be white with drifted snow,
or will the world know spring?

I wonder if one star will shine
far brighter than the rest;
Will daylight stay the whole night through?
Will songbirds leave their nests?

I'm sure he'll call his little ones
Together 'round his knee,
Because he said in days gone by,
"Suffer them to come to me."

I wonder when he comes again,
Will I be ready there
To look upon his loving face
And join with him in prayer?

Each day I'll try to do his will
And let my light so shine
That others seeing me may seek
For greater light divine.

Then, when that blessed day is here,
He'll love me and he'll say,
"You've served me well my little child;
Come into my arms to stay."

As my Mom sang these words, I felt her love for me. But, I also felt something else. I realized that in this vast wide world with all of its many people Heavenly Father knew me. He knew me, personally and he had listened to me and he had answered my prayer. I knew it. And I knew something else. I knew that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ loved me at least as much as my Mom loved me. I could feel it as my Mom sang the beautiful words of that Primary hymn. It seemed incredible at the time and honestly, it still seems pretty incredible. But from that scary night so long ago to this very day I have known that it is true. I AM a child of God and he loves me and hears and answers my prayers.

You can listen to Whit on her podcast, The Mormon Mom-Cast.

Modesty Make-over...

During my college years, one of my work associates made a comment that left an impact on my life. She was a fashionista in all respects. She was always dressed well, cute designer clothes, shoes, accessories-- even when she dressed down, she would still look amazing.

I have always been a casual dresser, dressing in what I love and feel good and confident in, not in the latest trends, labels or styles.

I recall one day we were at work and although I don't recall exactly what I was wearing, I vividly remember the remark she made.

"Why do you Mormonize all your cute shirts?"

I laughed at her surprising question and asked. She was Catholic and we would always talk about the differences in our churches, but I never expected this type of question, nor did I know what she was really trying to say.

She explained that I wore T-shirts under shirts that would look better without them and wondered why I did so. I explained that we dress modestly and that I was more comfortable doing so. I didn't know whether to take her statement/question as a compliment or a wake-up call. Was I trying to wear something that I shouldn't be wearing in the first place and tried to make it fit my church standards by adding a T-shirt? Or was she simply noticing the fact that I put in added effort to stay true to the principle of modesty?

After my mission, I worked in the Beehive Clothing Center in Atlanta. I count that as one of my greatest blessings in life. There are countless aspects

about that job that I cherish and a couple of them were to work with and understand a little more about the sacredness of the temple garments. I count as an honor to have helped others with their purchases of these sacred items; however there were some heartbreaking moments when I would help those that were insistent on getting items that were too small or short that would best help them wear certain clothes. We can't tailor sacred things around our wants-- it just doesn't work that way.

In these last days, I hope that we can pay more attention to the virtue of being modest.

"For clothing clearly does communicate. What we wear serves more than the practical functions of keeping us warm in the winter and shaded in the summer. Dress is a language that we employ to express who we are—to make statements—and dress that is modest in what it covers may still be immodest in what it communicates."

Another favorite quote about modesty~

"From the first to the last, then, clothing is more than a superficial matter. Clothes were provided by God to shield and protect us against not only the harsh elements of nature but also the temptations of our fallen natures, which the adversary seeks to exploit."

How true is that statement? I have made an effort to learn more about Mother Eve and her divine role in the Plan of Salvation. I read a wonderful book, Eve and the Choice Made in Eden,and one of the most powerful points I took from it was that since Eve thwarted the evil plan of Lucifer, he has waged a full-blown war on women. (Which this is very evident).

Here are some other thoughts form "To Clothe a Temple":

Two divine principles may help guide us in our choices: clothes should (1) cover our nakedness and (2) communicate who we truly are as children of God and, by covenant, disciples of Christ.

Guided by these principles, we might answer for ourselves specific questions such as these:

—Does my attire call improper attention to me? Do my clothes cause people to focus on my outward appearance in such a way that they might either misunderstand me or misjudge my character?

—Is my attire revealing? Does it properly cover my nakedness? (Here, the temple garments might serve as a guide to the Lord’s standards.)

—Does my clothing suit the occasion? Does it fit the environment in which I am wearing it? For example, we are asked to wear our best clothing (whatever this may be) to the temple and to Church meetings in order to lend reverence, restraint, and dignity to the atmosphere where sacred ordinances are performed.

—Do I feel comfortable with my grooming and dress in the presence of those I most respect and admire? Does my dress set a good example for those I love—my children, siblings, co-workers, fellow Saints? (We might choose different swimming, jogging, or car-washing attire if we knew we’d meet the prophet while we were wearing it.)

I would like to add my own--

- Does what I wear reveal the sacred garments? Too many LDS women wear see-through sleeves or shirts that are too short, pants that reveal too much when bending down and other clothing that reveals a portion of these sacred items.

I have joked that this is others "bearing their testimonies", w

hich I shouldn't really joke about.

We need to do better. Let us all resolve to do better.

Quotes are from "To Clothe A Temple" by John S. Tanner (Ensign, Aug. 992)

Jill is a convert to the church, wife, mother, former photojournalist and a small business owner. Jill loves to blog and is excited about meeting folks on MMM. Family Home Evening.

This post was chosen by Modern Molly Mormon administrators to be submitted for the weekly featured carnival at Blissfully Domestic!

Something to think about

I was browsing through some books a while ago and came across this, I didn't think too much of it till I read it again on Faith Folk Cafe blog when it kinda spoke out to me. As the scripture says, the natural man is an enemy to God, and here I can most definitely see my 'natural' self to give heed to!! Hope you enjoy.

My Name is Pride, I am a cheater.

I cheat you on your God given destiny....because

you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment...because you

"deserve better than this."

I cheat you of knowledge...because you already

know it all.

I cheat you of holiness...because you refuse to

admit when your wrong.

I cheat you of vision...because you would rather look

in the mirror than out the window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship...because

nobody is going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love...because real romance

demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because you

refuse to wash another's feet on earth.

I cheat you of God's glory...because I convince

you to seek your own.

My name is Pride, I am a cheater.

You like me because you think I'm always looking

out for you. Untrue.

I'm looking to make a fool of you,

God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...

If you stick with me

You'll never know.

By Beth Moore

[Debs] More of Debs waffle over on Life as Me.

FaMo of the Week: Mark Mabry

I absolutely love to browse at Deseret Book. Not only does it feed my shopping addiction (especially in bookstores) but it also gets me brownie points with Heavenly Father for seeking after “good” and “virtuous” reading material. Right? Right?

After I picked up two books by Don Aslett on how to clean my house, and a Joseph Smith calendar – something caught my eye.

It was a book featuring the art photography of Mark Mabry. I figured I’d flip through it, and I ended up finding some of the most beautiful photography I’ve ever seen. I mean, I am no photography critic or anything – but I literally felt like I was right there.

It wasn’t so much the quality of the pictures, or even the novelty (although both were superior anyway) it was the composition mostly. Mabry captured beautiful, memorable, painful, times in Christ’s life and made them really come to life with almost surreal lighting and emotion. You know, with all the reading material we have in the Church, and the many resources we have for learning more about Christ, it's just nice to have a compilation of photographs that express what we so often have to use our imaginations to understand. Seeing it in such an artistic form really made me remember what He did for us.

“My invitation with this book is for people to think about Jesus. To think about His humble life, but then step back and think about the ascended Christ – the resurrected Christ – the one who still watches over us, who pleads for us now and forever. He is amazingly graceful. We do all we can do, but after that, we are completely saved by His grace. He is the source of our salvation.”-Mabry

What if you could have been there the night of Christ's birth? Or the day of His baptism? What would it have been like to sit at His feet while He taught the people — the sinners, the children, the apostles? What would the sky have looked like over Gethsemane

Mark Mabry studied photography at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. He owns a photography studio and is a professional photographer focusing on family and commercial portraiture. Reflections of Christ is his first book. Mark and his wife, Tara, and their three young children live in Mesa, Arizona. (Courtesy of Deseret Book.com.)

I've noticed many of us Mollies are amateur (and some are even professional) photographers, so I thought this would be an excellent inspiration! (Thanks Tiffany for the tip too!)

By the way, I am having a giveaway this week on my blog April Showers. Check it out!

April graduated with 2 BA‘s in Advertising and Television Production from the University of Idaho. In addition to being a fairly new member of the Church, she also recently got married in the temple. She is the creator of Normal Mormons, and also has a personal blog and blog design site. Visit her personal blog April Showers.

Kelly McCaleb

One of the bloggers I follow and love dearly is in need of some help. She has a wonderful project she's working on for newborn babies and I wanted to pass the word along to all you wonderful women here on Modern Molly.

Her name is Kelly McCaleb. She's calling her project 31 birth days. She's an LDS mom who has been struggling with secondary infertility for five years. The following is her profile description: "i believe in family. i believe in simplicity. i believe in vintage goods and handmade lovlies. i believe in reading. i believe in good food. i believe in cozy homes, bubble baths, and pajamas. i believe in honest expression. i believe in the power of mothers to shape nations. i believe in the gentle toil of the needle. i believe in god. mostly, i believe in being happy."

So check out her post about it here for the help she needs, and join her in this wonderful project.

Thank you!

Save Now

Thais is a convert from Brazil of six years, married to her hubby of three years, mom to two yorkies, and a nursing student. Find out more about her at The Winmill Family.

Introducing Mnemonic Molly!

Greetings! My name is Nicole (aka Mnemonic Molly) and I'm chiming in from Decatur, GA. I am really excited to join the Modern Molly Mormon Team! I'm the wife of a regional pilot, the mother to an 8 year old daughter, and I work in healthcare philanthropy. I earned an Associates Degree in Humanities from Ricks College (Yes, it'll always be Ricks to me :) Since then, I've been picking away at my degree in business management at a few different schools, trying to find my academic niche. And SOMEDAY, I'll get that Public Relations job I've always wanted.

I grew up in Tualatin, Oregon, and still have a soft spot in my heart for the Portland area. All my family now lives in Utah, which is where I went to high school and lived for a few years after Ricks. I moved to California for two years for my husband's training, then to Michigan for a year, and barely arrived in Georgia this month. I feel that the world is my home, and having benefits to fly just about anywhere makes it easy to be with my friends and family.

This is the most recent picture of me. I chopped 7 inches off my hair this week, and I still have to take a double-take in the mirror.
This is my husband Taylor, the pilot. We met online at LDSMingle.com back in 2004. I was a divorced mom, and he was a BYU dropout. Perfect match! A few weeks after we got married, my flight-instructing home teacher asked Taylor if he had ever wanted to be a pilot. Little did our HT know it had been his lifelong dream. We prayed, filled out loan applications, and he was in the air in about 2 months. The next three years were spent training and preparing for his coveted airline job. He now works as a first officer with a regional airline in the CRJ-900, shown below:

There's something really awesome about having a husband in uniform...

And this is our daughter Rosie. She is 8 years old, and still talks incessanty about her baptism a few months ago. She's our little artist, and has a great creative streak...just like her mom. She wants to be a model and flight attendant when she grows up.

Rosie also has a "can do" attitude, just like Rosie the RiveterWe are so greatful to have the Gospel as part of our lives. My husband and I are members from a long line of faithful Latter-Day Saints. We've been through our fair share of trials, and hope our crazy life experiences may give you hope ...and something to laugh at.

As for my Molly Name, Mnemonic Molly...I had to be creative because all the other Molly names I'd considered were taken. Nevertheless, I feel that Mnemonic is appropriate for me (and that's not demonic, pneumatic, or melodic). And if you don't know what a mnemonic device is, check out Wikipedia. I love plays on words, and the hillarity that ensues when words are used incorrectly. Working in healthcare, and having a husband in aviation, we have many common acronyms with very different topics. I prided myself back in Seminary by memorizing the Scripture Masteries by learing silly songs. And 450 items of medical terminology??? Mnemonic devices.

I've been an avid blogger since 2002, and my beloved blog is found at www.cuteculturechick.com. Check me out and leave me some love!

Nicole is the wife of a pilot, mother of one, compulsive traveling, bargain shopping, blogging addict who works in healthcare philanthropy. Read her stories at The Culture-Loving Pilot Wife.

Don't forget to visit Nicole over at the forums and leave a message on her page!