Introducing Motivating Molly!

Hi my name is Kirsty, and this is my super-lengthy introduction.

I was born in South Africa where I lived until I was 18, when I suddenly and unexpectedly found myself in the U.S attending Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho). Shortly thereafter, I suddenly and unexpectedly, found myself married to my sweet husband Aaron. Aaron actually served his mission in South Africa, but as he likes to clarify, I was not a souvenir and our "story" is pretty cool (or at least we think so.)

May 18, 1995 Salt Lake Temple
There's more about that here, if you're in a "story" reading kind of mood..

I had lots of wonderful experiences growing up in South Africa, and lived for a few years in the tiny African Kingdom of Swaziland as a teenager where the Church was in it's early stages. I had some great (and at times bizarre) opportunities for leadership during this period of my life. Being RS President at age 16 (for a brief period before my parents wisely intervened), was one of those blind leading the blind, deer in the head-lights moments. Being YW President at age 16, was less of a stretch, but considering that several of my Young Women were older then me, did not speak the same language as I, and had become mothers prior to joining the church, it was was still a great adventure for us all.

Anyway, three or so years after becoming a child bride (19 is considered pretty outrageously young in my culture), I suddenly and unexpectedly found myself with a baby of my own, and then 2 years (to the day) and one move to California later, we gave him a brother for his birthday. Eighteen months after that, and yes, you guessed it, suddenly and unexpectedly, I had my third baby, who was also my first girl-child (life would never be drama-free again), two years after the princess made her debut, we suddenly (and super unexpectedly), found ourselves to be a family of six, when our third little boy joined us. By this stage I was 28, and living in Ohio.


My youngest will be 5 in May (ack, sniff sob etc) , my oldest is now 10, and we are still (unexpectedly, since I vowed to leave after the first Winter), living in Ohio. All of my family still live in South Africa, apart from my sister and her husband who live in Australia, so I am literally the only one left out in the cold. As much as I dislike the Winters here, and miss my family and "home", I have learned to love the other 3 seasons, and especially the wonderful people in Ohio. (Which is not to say that I do not dream daily of more tropical locations and plot to move).
My (original) family at our reunion in South Africa, January 2008

I have a degree in Organizational Management, which is helpful I suppose, since I am currently managing the Young Women's Organization in our ward. It is an intense calling with great highs and great lows. (Isn't that the case with anything involving teenage girls?) I love the girls and have learned a lot, and although I feel somewhat more ahead of the game then I did as a 16 year old YW Pres in Africa, I constantly feel as though there is a lot more to learn, and I have developed a deep and abiding fear of my own daughter's impending (give or take 5 years) adolescence. (AHHHHHHH!!!!!!-Did I just say that out loud? Sorry.)

I hope to go back to school to get my Masters in Psychology when my (4 year old) baby is in school full-time, but for now, I am a stay at home mom. I'm also a sometimes birth doula, prenatal/postpartum fitness instructor, elementary-school TA, freelance writer, avid blogger, volunteer, sister, daughter, friend and wife (although not in that order). In other words, there's not always so much of the "at home" part, but I feel very fortunate to have SAHM as my official title regardless. I feel like I hit the jack-pot with my kids, they are kind, funny, smart, sweet, beautiful and spiritually inclined, and no, I am not in the least bit biased! How could you even think such a thing? (I have to let you in on the secret that they are all these things, in spite of their mothering, rather then because of it.)

Mother's Day 2008
And I know I definitely hit the jack-pot with my (truly) sainted husband. No-one else could have stayed married to me this long and still profess to be happy.

Super husband Awesome Daddy

I love being a girl, I like to nest and decorate my home, but I'm not nuts about laundry. I keep meaning to become a gourmet cook, but until then my husband makes a lot of the meals, for which I (and I suspect my kids), will be eternally grateful. I love to run when I am in good shape, when I'm in not as good shape, I don't love to run but I do love how I feel after I do, so I run (or shuffle) regularly. I find that my happiness and mental stability, as well as my ability to fit into my clothes, rely heavily on regular exercise, and I am a huge advocate of it. I love learning about the body and how to make it stronger, healthier and more fun to be inside.

I also love helping people, particularly women, to become excited about their lives and their potential. I believe strongly that there is an inextricable link between physical, mental and spiritual wellness, and that it is up to each woman to take care of herself, and to show others how to treat her. I believe that when we do not take care of ourselves, we can't access our full potential, and we can't help others as well as we could.

From personal experience, I believe that there is nothing so motivating as getting a glimpse of that potential. Guilt won't do it, fear won't do it, but getting even a glimpse of how the Lord sees us, in all our spectacular glory-that is where the real power and motivation lies. I try to find and share ways to catch more frequent and clear glimpses of that divine self. I'm excited to share this journey with you.

Kirsty is a lifelong member of the church from South Africa, living in Ohio with her husband and four children. Visit her at her personal blog, Momedy.

Introduction: Meandering Molly

It's so great to be here! I'll tell ya a little bit about myself, so sit back, grab some chocolate, and enjoy.

My name is Shaina, although if you are at my house, I'm either "momma" or "babe", depending on who needs me. My husband and I met in high school, but we were just friends. There are some interesting tidbits to that story, though. First, he played my husband in a school play one year. Second, we had a double date my Sr. year, for prom. Each of us had different dates, but we ended up dancing with each other quite a bit. Third, when we finally crossed paths again, four years after I graduated high school, we email dated throughout our entire four month courtship, and only dated face-to-face just a few weeks before we were married. How's that for a fun story?

We were married in the Portland Temple almost 10 years ago, and we have four children (two boys and two girls). Currently we live in Colorado, but have only been here a few months. Until last year, my husband was in the Air Force, and we have jumped around from the east to the west, but now we are settled, hopefully, for a long time.

My parents met on a blind date, and subsequently, my dad joined the church before my parents got married. I am the 4th oldest out of 10 kids, and the only thing I ever wanted to do, was to grow up and have kids of my own, but didn't get married until after I had graduated from BYU.

I named myself Meandering Molly, not only because we lived in 3 different states in less than a year, but because I am constantly going between different crafts and activities in my free time. I love to scrapbook, bake, write, throw parties, tweak recipes, read, take pictures, and clean my kitchen. Yes. A clean kitchen makes me very happy. I am also teaching myself how to sew, and it's been a bit obsessive lately. All in all, I'm always willing to try something new, which brings me back to the topic of recipes. If you need some good ones, come see me (or check out my long list of recipes on my blog). Although I warn you, as much as I try to give exact measurements, most of my recipe instructions include adding "globs" of this, or "a small handful" of that, and "season to taste", but if you try them, I guarantee that they will be added to your list of favorites. Currently I am serving as a sign language interpreter in my ward, and I am also a Cub Scout Assistant. My favorite calling of all, which I had to be pushed into, was Primary Chorister. I have a very low voice, and dang it all if those primary songs are meant for high sopranos, but I absolutely LOVED it, and secretly hope that if I hang around the primary room often enough, they'll take pity on me and let me be the chorister again.

So that's about it for me. I look forward to getting to know everyone!

A bit obsessive about her personal blog Just Because I am Me, Shaina always has a humorous story to tell, a picture to show, or a great meal to make. Add a growing family into the mix, and things are sure to be entertaining.

My Bucket List

image from Marleymax

I love the idea of a bucket list. I've never seen the movie, but I thought it would be fun to share my bucket list here.

As morbid as it sounds, I have been thinking about death and dying more often lately. (I blame the BBC.) A very famous reality TV star here has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only a few months to live. The news has been covering her recent moves, and watching her prepare for her last days. They have reported on her final requests and preparations, like marrying her boyfriend. She is very young, and doesn't have much time to accomplish everything she might have wanted to do.

It has made me think more of my as yet unwritten bucket list - you know from the movie, the things you want to do before you 'kick the bucket'.

More important than my bucket list is what I'm doing to achieve my bucket list! So far, that adds up to almost nothing - shame on me! I should never be so complacent in my life that I stop trying to do better.

Mormon advises us to 'be wise in the days of [our] probation', (Mormon 9:28) in the sense that we shouldn't waste time in repenting and coming to God. But in another sense, it can be applied to the (relatively) limited time we have here on earth and what we can do with that time.

So without further ado, my Bucket List:

• learn to sew well enough to make practical things like clothes, curtains, crafts, etc
• learn to garden and be able to eat what I grow
• read the classics, aka Dickens, Thackery, Hugo, etc
• learn Spanish
• write a play that will be produced
• be a full-time writer
• own a piano
• own my own home (with hubs, of course!)
• whether or not my own children come, be a good mother to the kids in my life
• drive a long distance by myself
• go to the temple in a country where they don't speak English
• own a dog
• do a walk/run for charity
• do a genealogical trip to Scotland and Holland
• go to Clare Island in Ireland with hubs
• visit South Africa with hubs
• fly first class (with a bed!) on a long flight
• own my own cafe
• be the favorite aunt

That's probably not all-inclusive - my moods change from day to day, but I'd say that's pretty on-target! It's not as adventurous or worthy as others' might be, but who cares? This is what I'd like to accomplish here while I can.

Remember the scriptures tell us that 'Men are that they might have joy' (2 Nephi 2:25). Let's take the time to have joy in our lives - and do the things that will make us happy!

Annike is a lifelong member of the church, married to her sweetheart, and taking life a day at a time. Feel free to stalk her blog at A Great Adventure.

What's in your Bucket List? Share with us over at the Modern Molly Mormon Forums!

No More Broken Records

How many times a day do you hear "Mommy!Mommy!Mommy!"? Whether you're a mother of one or many, you probably hear it a lot. Sometimes I let it wash over me and I'm able to stay calm. Other times I get frustrated and will tell them, "I heard you the first time!" All I want is for them to give me a minute to address their needs. But kids can be insistent about and focused on instant gratification.

I'm humbled as a parent when I realize that sometimes I go to my Heavenly Father in prayer the same way my kids come to me with their wants. I hear myself urging, "Ohplease!Ohplease!Ohplease!" when submitting my heart's desires to the Lord. I'm stopped short when I realize that He heard me the first time, and that what I need to do is exercise faith in giving Him time to address my needs.

In the Book of Mormon, Enos tells us "all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens." (Enos 1:4) And while we are counseled to pray always, we are also commanded to "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalms 46:10) As with early members of the church who were in crisis, we can gain peace from Heavenly Father's assurance that "it should be granted unto them according to their faith in their prayers." (D&C 10:47)

If we were to truly understand the term "submit," we would realize that it means to give up, to yield or give away to another. When we submit ourselves in prayer to our Father in Heaven, we are putting our concerns in His hands, and should be yielding them to His control. Under most circumstances, there is no need for insistent or worried repetition of prayers. He does hear us, and always will, and will use His time to make things come to pass in our lives. If we can stay focused on the Lord's time line instead of ours when we pray, we can gain greater peace of mind and renewed opportunities to exercise our faith in just how powerful prayer can be.




 

You can read more about Stacey and life in her full nest at Tree, Root, and Twig.

Sunday WILL Come...

The thing that gets me through each and every day...the one thing that helps me take more happy moments then sad is the fact that I have faith and hope for the life after this one.

I have gained in my OWN soul the truth that we will see our Savior again...we will live with our families and loved ones forever.

This stuff I KNOW...it is ingrained in every thought and deed that I do in my life. It effects who I am and who I want to become.

But life also gets in the way. And we go through trials and tribulations that mold us into better people, but are still rough to get through. We cry, we lament, we hang onto sadness while we grieve...either for a lost family member physically or even spiritually. We get mad, frustrated, and even depressed when something turns our life upside down by something as simple as losing ones job. (picture was found here at this site: http://ohwowthischangeseverything.com/)

We are definitely thrown out of our comfort zone at those times and darkness seems to be the main theme in our lives.

I understand that those are just moments in our lives...and that things will get better, time will pass, and the darkness can and will fade for our Heavenly Fathers light is always there, always behind the clouds seeking to permeate the despair and anger.

This may sound bad, but it has been a while since I have REALLY felt the spirit. To the point where my heart felt full to bursting and my eyes couldn't seem to keep in the tears, no matter how many times I blinked.

I felt that way last Sunday. It was during Sacrament...and a young couple talked who were new in the ward.

Having had my own difficult time recently...last Sunday was inspirational, beautiful, and I felt heart lifting.

It's good to remember...and it's good to hear things in a way that makes sense.

The speaker that spoke last Sunday quoted this part of the late Elder Wirthlin's talk given in the October of 2006 Conference entitled, "SUNDAY WILL COME"...I found and liked the New Era's condensed version of it, but here is what he writes:

The Dark Friday of the Crucifixion
I think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross. On that terrible Friday the earth shook and grew dark. Frightful storms lashed at the earth.

Those evil men who sought His life rejoiced. Now that Jesus was no more, surely those
who followed Him would disperse. On that day those men stood triumphant.

On that day the veil of the temple was rent in twain.

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were both overcome with grief and
despair. The superb man they had loved and honored hung lifeless upon the cross.

On that Friday the Apostles were devastated. Jesus, their Savior—the man
who had walked on water and raised the dead—was Himself at the mercy of wicked
men. They watched helplessly as He was overcome by His enemies.

On that Friday the Savior of mankind was humiliated and bruised, abused and reviled. It
was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls
of those who loved and honored the Son of God.

I think that of all the days since the beginning of this world’s history, that Friday was the darkest.

Sunday Will Come

But the doom of that day did not endure.

The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind.

And in an instant the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had
whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise,
for Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, stood before them as the
firstfruits of the Resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of
a new and wondrous existence.

Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. (This photo was found here: http://www.heavenlyascents.com/tag/resurrection/)

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, in this life or the next, Sunday will
come.

It's hard to be logical in times when life is rough. But I know that I will forever remember 'Sunday will Come'...and it was our Saviour who allowed that for us because of his selfless sacrifice.

So I just wanted to share that with you all. Remember that no matter how tough life gets or how dark you FRIDAY is remember your SUNDAY WILL COME!!!

Shelle is a wife of 1 and a Mom of 2. Lifelong member of the Church. She is a graduate in Marriage and Family Science from Brigham Young University. Shelle also believes in living life one laugh at a time! Find out more about Shelle on her personal blog, BlokThoughts.

What I Know..

The past three months or so I've really felt blessed. I've recently been given a new calling which has been VERY humbling to say the least. With this calling, I've been able to visit several Wards & Branches in our Stake. I love this calling and from it I have learned many things in the short time I have been serving.

This is what I KNOW:
- I KNOW without a doubt that Heavenly Father knows ME and has a plan for me. It has taken me years to finally get this. But I know this without a doubt!
- I know that Heavenly Father doesn't care what type of building we meet in for church, just that we bring the Spirit into that building.
- I know that prayers are answered. Not always when we want them answered, but they are ALWAYS answered.
- I know that I've been given a second chance to gain a testimony of the Young Women program and the blessings it can provide our Young Women if they attend activities, do Personal Progress & live the Young Women Values.
- I know that having a prayer in your heart can help throughout the day.
- I know that.

Shalee is a lifelong member of the Church, happily married and mother of two awesome girls. Read more from Shalee at her personal blog,leave a note and follow her blog The Florida Morrills.

Foto Friday--Q&A Time!

Recently, a reader emailed me this question, and since I've been asked similar questions by others, I thought I'd base my Foto Friday post today on my answer to her.

Hi Lolli,

I am trying to teach myself how to use our Nikon D80 , and I saw your post today and you gave me hope. I feel so overwhelmed by all the info you have to remember in order to break out of "Auto" mode. I was wondering what lens you use most, especially to take pictures of your children?

I was also wondering if you had any good book recommendations, that could help me try to understand it all better. I am hoping a community photography class pops up so I can can learn hands on, I do so much better that way. What has helped you to learn photography the most?

Beth

There have been many, many times along the way when I have felt overwhelmed by all of the information that I needed to learn and really understand (you know--more than just on-the-surface knowledge). I also suffer from inferiority syndrome, always feeling like everyone else had better pictures than me. ;)

There are a few things that helped me really progress.

First, I started practicing like crazy. Instead of taking pictures only when I "needed" to take pictures, I started taking pictures all the time--of things I normally wouldn't have photographed. This year, to kick it up a notch (hopefully!) I began my own Project 365, where I have committed to take a picture everyday for the entire year. Practice and experimentation have been my #1 help. Try taking your camera out of auto when you don't "need" a perfect shot--in other words, don't try to learn a new technique at your daughter's first concert, but try new things when you're relaxed and can stand to throw away a shot or two (or 50).

Second, I read. Basically, I went to my library and checked out everything they had, one at a time. :) I read the PC Magazine Guide to Digital Photography cover to cover like a novel. There are plenty of "Dummy's Guides" and "All You Need to Know's" out there. Anything helps!

Third, I studied the photos of better photographers and tried to "recreate" the things that I liked of theirs.

As for my favorite lenses (and camera), I have tried a bunch of lenses and really believe my true "favorite" is still out there to be found. But right now, I have a Canon 40D with a 50mm f/1.8, a Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8, and a Canon 70-200mm f/4L. I like each of them for different reasons. The 50mm is a classic. Small and light, large aperture, great for portraits. I use my 18-50mm the most because it is relatively versatile and still has a nice large aperture. The 70-200mm takes the most stunning pictures because it is a pro lens, but it is MUCH harder to use. It's big and heavy, which means that it's tough to keep it steady enough to get a crisp shot without a tripod. It's also hard to use indoors without a flash and fast shutter speed. But outside, it's a beauty. I also love my Speedlight 430 EX flash.
I would love to answer more of your questions in future Foto Fridays! Feel free to leave a comment in the forum or here.

Lolli is a lifelong member of the Church, married to a convert. She has five kids--3 girls and 2 boys. Visit her blog, Life is Sweet.

Cottages

I grew up in a small L.D.S. town where summer cottages in Zion were quite common. It’s probably the biggest reason my brothers and sisters and I fell away from the church. I saw many people that lived one way all week long, but felt that they were ok as long as they were at church. These were people with callings, taking the sacrament and calling themselves active church members. Their Sunday church attendance was a summer cottage in Zion.

When I first started coming back to church when I was 20 or so, I went to church, but I wore immodest clothing, I shopped and ate out on Sunday, read trashy romance novels, drank cappuccinos, watched inappropriate talk shows and rated R movies, didn’t pay my tithing, etc. I would say I was also in the summer cottage in Zion category. I didn’t realize it at the time. Those aren’t necessarily the “big” sins, but they were still sins and living that way was wrong.

Slowly I gave up those things one by one… the last being my beloved romance novels about four or five years ago. It was hard making the transition but now I can say I’m mostly in Zion. How do I or anyone else go from being mostly in Zion with summer cottages in Babylon to taking up a full residence? How can we go from just living better than those around us to being the absolute best we can?

I think the biggest thing we can do is to take an honest look at ourselves and the way we’re are living. Do we justify our actions? Are we really doing our best?

Picture yourself next to the iron rod. Are you grasping tightly with both hands or are you reaching out away from it as far as you can while still keeping a finger on it? Most of us are probably somewhere in between.

I know my grasp on the iron rod is growing tighter each day, but obviously, like everyone else, I still have things I’m working on. Reading scriptures daily and family prayer are two things we are lacking in our home and they are not small things to be lacking. I’m trying to be completely honest with myself and really work on the things I need to change.

I invite everyone to take a serious look at your life. In this dispensation we are not in a position to be fence sitters. It’s all or nothing. The lines between good and bad and black and white are being drawn. Most of us don’t want to see it. We don’t want to offend someone by taking a stand or by saying something is wrong. We all want to be politically correct and not cause contention or controversy.

President Marion G. Romney said about this, “Now there are individuals who try to serve the Lord without offending the devil. They raise in the minds of many truth seekers the vexing question, is there not some middle ground upon which peace may be secured and maintained? Must the choice lie irrevocably between peace on the one hand, obtained by compliance with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and contention and war on the other hand? In answer to this question, I feel safe in saying that if there is a middle ground it is as yet undiscovered; and that, too, notwithstanding the fact that the search for it has been long and tortuous.” This was said in October 1983. It is still true today.

We must decide what side we are on! Where our permanent residence will be!

Elder Larry W. Gibbons said in his October 2006 conference address, “In this day of moral relativism we must be prepared to take a stand and say, "This is right, and this is wrong." We cannot follow the crowd! Now, I am not suggesting, of course, that we move to the wilderness and lock our doors. We can be in the world, go to school, go to work, join worthwhile community organizations, and so forth. But we must hold to the Lord's standards.”

I challenge all of you to be honest with yourselves… to do a full evaluation of every aspect of your lives. Let’s all live up to the name Latter Day Saints!

For awesome recipes, crafts, decorating ideas and more visit Angie at The American Homemaker.

What Matters to Me!

Right now in my stage of life, I have many things that "matter" to me. I am trying to be able to find something that matters to me and is dear to my heart that I would think you would like to hear. So I have decided to do my first official post as "Matter Molly" dedicated to Mental Health. I hope I am not stepping on any toes. But I just want to let you all know the dealings and pressure of my life and many other lives of the world. I look around my street and ward boundaries and think to myself. Wow pretty much everyone has a better life than me, nobody is suffering through medical, and mental problems. I have many visiting teachers in the past and present that kept repeating to me that their are more Sisters in the ward than you think that have the same problem. So I think this would be a great post.

I was doing some research on this topic at LDS.org and these are some of the things that stuck out to me.

Mental Illness in Search of Understanding and Hope by Jan Underwood Pinborough Ensign February 1989

First off I find it very interesting that this was written in 1989 and stuck out to me like a sore thumb.

She first starts off with a saying. "Many struggle alone with Illness. We can express love and interest, withhold judgment, and increase our acceptance of them"

That saying just says so much, and also demands so much for our fellow Sisters, and Brothers of our ward and our religion. The article goes on to tell a story of a "gospel oriented" boy that was preparing for his mission. Friends and ward family members would comment and exclaim their gratitude and admiration's they have for this boy. To even tell his parents that they would be so grateful for their children to be able to turn out like their son. After some time he prepared for his mission and then went to serve. After a year of serving something happened. He began to be overcome by the illness of schizophrenia. So much so that he had to cut his mission short and come home. This young boy came home and had a hard struggle with it, to the breaking point of hurting his mother. Which led to the phone call they call a "miracle". The Father called their Stake President and explained to him their sons situation. He quickly proceeded to give him a name off the High Counselor that specializes in mental illness. So after trial and error, hospital visits and many days of living in limbo between life and death. He was able to be stable and live with his illness to the point of living a some what normal life.

It goes on to say many of us not know how common this problem is. It is everywhere, it could be in your family, a friend you know, the sister you visit teach, the home teacher or even priesthood holders with powerful callings.

There are many causes. "Chronic Mental Illness can happen in any family" says Tom Baxter assistant to the director of LDS Social Services. "Church members sometimes feel that if only they had lived the gospel better, these problems would not exist." But this is not the case he says, "We now know that mental illnesses have multiple causes, including genetic and biological factors-factors we usually cannot control."

It goes on to continue to tell some of the cause that could have caused the mental illness, how to survive them and how to cope with them.  After that, then it continues to show us how we can help. They list 3 ways to help the ones suffering cope.

1. Express love and interest in both the victim and the family.  Remember everyone is human and if properly treated not likely to be violent.

2.Withhold judgment and increasing our acceptance. "It's important to realize that each person has his own time, his own moment, his own struggles." Says Sister Murdock. No one is immune to serious problems, including mental illness.

3. Give needed help. If you really listen you can hear and understand what help a family is in need of.

I feel that those are wonderful steps anyone can take to help one another and love one another.

Understanding Mortality- Lehi teaches this greatly in 2 Nephi 2: 11, 23, and 25. Not only do we get joy but great joy also comes from opposition.

Faith and Hope

The Spirit of the Lord can bless the lives of families who are dealing with mental illness. Some spouses and families members speak of comforting priesthood blessings they have received-and of subsequent inspiration to know where to find help; some fell they have been blessed with long-suffering and an increased measure of charity toward the afflicted loved one; some speak of a simple assurance that, although the day-to-day burdens are heavy, the Lord is aware of them and is sustaining them. "There are no easy answers," one explains, "But our Father in Heaven doesn't leave us alone in the struggle."


This article and lesson I found and used in this post gives me great joy and peace. That there are more people than you think with mental problems. I am not alone. Which is such a comforting feeling. Also that it isn't my fault. I have been dealing with my mental issues really my whole life but didn't come to life until I moved to Utah. I have received help from doctors, visiting teachers, bishops, home teachers, hospital visits and therapist. But I found the greatest help I got and still am getting is from the mercy of my Heavenly Father. I know that He is having me go through this to better myself, make me stronger, but also to be like an advocate to my fellow peers.

You can always read more on Bethany's blog at, Confessions of a Mom of Four or more of her creative side at, Be" Creative.

You're Grounded!

I don't know about you, but I occasionally participate in overreaching idioms...

I bite off more than I can chew. I burn the candle at both ends and also the midnight oil. I work against the clock. And even though I'm often all thumbs or find myself at wit's end, I still go on working my fingers to the bone.

When I was a 19-year-old college student I was even worse. I was living in an almost constant state of hyper-activity. I attended school about 80 miles from my home and would occasionally go home to just CRASH.

After one such trip home, I found myself headed back to school still stressed. I had so much going on that I just wasn't sure how I was going to do it all. I was over-scheduled, over-worked and especially I was over-tired. And so, I prayed.

I love to pray while I drive. It doesn't take the place of a good kneeling prayer, but I love having a large amount of uninterrupted time to talk with my Heavenly Father. I love this quote by President Kimball:

"[Personal prayers] fall into at least two categories. There are the formal prayers where we kneel regularly. Here we talk to the Lord more intimately. We pray for some of the same things as in our family prayers, but more for our immediate and pressing needs. We express our innermost thoughts. We confess our weaknesses. We plead for help to overcome and for forgiveness of our transgressions, our evil thoughts. We bare our souls...

[And] there are the personal prayers which are less formal. We always have a prayer in our hearts that we may do our best on the football field, that we may appear well in the classroom, that we may remember the things we have learned when the test is on, that we may be impressive to our friends. We pray as we stand to speak, as we walk, as we drive. "

So, I prayed. I poured out my heart to Heavenly Father. I told him how I was feeling and what I was doing. I asked his advice and the answer came very clearly. A voice in my heart said distinctly, "You're grounded." It is interesting how the Spirit speaks in a language we best understand. The phrase was spoken in a soft, distinct, loving voice and with some humor. It actually made me laugh right out loud.

And then I pondered. I thought about what it would mean for me to be grounded. To stop participating in activities that took me away from the ones that mattered. To stay in my dorm room and work on the "big rocks." And so - I grounded myself. When friends asked why I wouldn't come to this or that, I would smile and say, "I'm sorry. I can't. I'm grounded."

As I said, I occasionally still get caught up in the frenzy of life - but I really try to stay grounded.

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

Linky Love -- Contests Galore!

Modern Molly's Favourite Gem of the Week:
“A happy home is but an earlier heaven. President George Albert Smith asked, ‘Do we want our homes to be happy? If we do, let them be the abiding place of prayer, thanksgiving and gratitude’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1944, p. 32.)”
Thomas S. Monson, “Precious Children—A Gift from God,” Ensign, Nov 1991, 68


Modern Molly's Favourite Posts This Week:
72 Hour Kits for Pets - Safely Gathered In
3 Month Food Supply Planning Tools - Food Storage Made Easy
How Do I Love Thee? - Rebecca's Blog
What Does Your Bible Say About You? - In Pursuit of Proverbs 31
March 2009 Presidency Message - Emma's Place for Church Stuff
March 2009 Visiting Teaching - Emma's Place for Church Stuff
Seed Chart - Happy to Be at Home


Modern Molly's Favourite New Sites:
Mommy Diaries
Women Doing More
Mormons Made Simple 
I Dare You To Eat It

Contests!:
DYHIW TODAY!!! COME ENTER...WIN FREE STUFF!!! - BlokThoughts
Our Park City Ski Day & Giveaway - Make and Takes (Ends February 26th)
February Giveaway- Mormon Mommy Blogs (Ends February 26th)
It's another GIVEAWAY - First Aid Kit! - Safely Gathered In (Ends February 27th)
Shelf Reliance Recipe Contest!!! - Shelf Reliance (Ends February 28th)
All Growed Up Honey Kix Giveaway - Gourmet Mom on the Go

CONTEST - TWO BOOKS PLUS CD - Not Entirely British (Ends March 3rd)

$50 Target Gift Card - MeckMom (Ends March 4th) 
Giveaway - Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox - Tip Junkie (Ends March 4th)
Eleven Collection Shoes Giveaway - Life is Sweet Reviews (Ends March 5th)
Mean Mom Giveaway!!! - The Meanest Mom (Ends March 20th)


Modern Molly's Favourite Comic: The 9th Ward

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!

Cheap Beauty Tips

I'm sure we've all felt the pinch when it comes to money, especially lately. Even though we're going through a tough economic time it's still important for us to look nice, even if it's just so you have great self-esteem! So I've complied a list of my favorite cheap beauty tips. I hope you enjoy them!

-I adore body scrubs! I love them so much that I can easily go through one a month and at $30.00 a pop...ouch! I was talking to my friend, who works at my favorite Spa in town, and she gave me this awesome substitute. Take a cup of olive oil and about 3T. of regular sugar and mix the two together. You can also use coarse salt if you want something a bit more rough. Then apply to your body in circular motions for 2 minutes and rinse off. Your skin will be so smooth! You can also use it to exfoliate your lips, I always have to do this in the winter because the cold makes them chap! Be more gentle when using on your lips. You can use either the salt or sugar for lips, the only difference being the salt will in a way irritate your lip's surface and temporarily "puff" them up. If you're looking for that bee stung look without the price and scary needles this is the way to go! Price: $0.00 since you probably have all 3 in your house right now.

-This one may not seem like it's saving money but hear me out. Go to a salon and get your eyebrows waxed, threaded, sugared, etc. professionally once! Not only will the stylist be able to shape them to a way that's flattering for your face (did you know that the right shape of eyebrows can make your face appear thinner?) but if you keep on top of it you will always have a guide of where you should be plucking. Well groomed eyebrows and lip gloss can instantly make you look put together. Even though it does take a bit of money up front it's so well worth it in the long run because after the initial purchase you can do all the upkeep yourself! They say eyes are windows to the soul. Those windows will sure look a lot more attractive if the coverings above them are well kept right? Price: $10-15 initial and $0.00 forever more!

-Who doesn't have an almost empty lipstick container shoved somewhere in their drawer? Grab that lipstick, a small spoon, a paper plate and some facial moisturizer. Scoop the remaining lipstick out with the spoon and put it on the plate. Next, put it in the microwave at warm it at 30 second intervals (don't exceed 2 minutes!) until it's slightly runny and then mix a few drops of moisturizer into the lipstick on the plate. You might want to play around with the mixture to find the consistence and shade you like. Add more moisturizer for a more sheer shade or less for a more condensed shade. Viola! Instant cream blush! The moisturizer should help break down the wax in the lipstick and keep your pores from getting clogged. Quickly pour the new blush into your small container, it sets up fast so you might need to warm it again. Don't be afraid to mix a few old lipsticks together to get an altogether new shade! You can find little makeup containers at the dollar store to store your new cream blush in. Price: $0.00 for the blush $1.00 for the container.

-Another thing you can do with that old lipstick is reinvent it by turning it into lip gloss and all you need in a ziplock bag, Vaseline and a small container! Take your lipstick and either scrape some out of the tube or just break it into the zip lock bag. Next squeeze a small amount of Vaseline into the zip lock bag and close the bag. Mash the two together and throw it into the microwave and warm for 30 second intervals, don't exceed 2 minutes! When it's slightly runny snip a small hole in the corner of the zip lock bag and squeeze the new lip gloss into a small makeup container (again, get at the dollar store). Now you have your very own personalized lip gloss. Price: $0.00 for the lip gloss $1.00 for the container.

-Grab that olive oil again! I dye my hair often andmy hair can get pretty damaged if I'm not taking care of it! When I can't afford to go in and get a hot oil treatment I turn to good old olive oil. Take ½ cup olive oil, 5 drops essential oil (this part can be skipped, I just add it for a spa like feel) and a TIGHT shower cap or 1 plastic bag that can fit over your hair. Pour the olive oil into a jar with a lid and add essential oil. Put lid on jar and shake well to mix in the essential oil. Let sit for 24 hours in a cool, dark place. Shake again before use. Hop in the shower and rinse hair with warm water. Warm 1 tablespoon of oil treatment in the palms of your hands. Using your fingertips (not nails), gently massage the oil into the scalp in a circular motion. Repeat until the entire scalp has been massaged. Rub the ends of your hair with the remaining oil. Place that cap or plastic bag over your hair, secure the ends of it but tying or with a hair clip and allow the oil to remain for at least a half-hour. Extra points for doing this while catching up on your housework since your body will sweat a bit and heat makes the olive oil penetrate your hair easier. After 30 minutes rinse well and then shampoo as usual. Your hair will feel so silky your husband won't be able to stop running his hands through it! Price: $5.00 for the essential oil at Wal-Mart.

-You've stayed up late with a sick baby or finishing a project that has a deadline looming. Normally not a problem but your alarm goes off at 6am the next morning and your eyes are so puffy you can barely open them! Grab 2 normal sized metal spoons and toss them in your freezer. Come back 10 minutes later and take them out, they should be just cold enough when it's only slightly uncomfortable to squeeze them in your bare hand for long. If it's painful to even hold them then run them under warm water. Lay down and place the hollow of the spoon over each eye. Let them sit there for 5-10 minutes. After 10 minutes has passed take them off and the swelling should be down noticeably. Sleeping with your head on 2 pillows will do the same. Price: $0.00


-Sometimes you have to be creative. I have really fine hair and so I'm cursed with little flyaway hairs at the crown of my head. Take a dryer sheet and lightly skim it over the top of your hair and all those pesky little hairs will bow down. It also helps calm frizzy hair. Price: $0.00





-Sometimes you have to be REALLY creative! If you're ever caught out and about and your skin looks like an oil spill has occurred run to the nearest public bathroom. Grab one of those toilet protector sheets, yeah the ones that feel like tissue paper. Take 1 sheet and lightly press it over your face. It sounds so wacky and gross I know but you'll be glad you did. That thin paper is going to absorb all the extra oil on your face while leaving your makeup in tact and without you having to spend $25.00 on a small pack of cosmetic blotting papers, which in my opinion do the exact same thing as the toilet seat cover! Price: Your pride if anyone happens to see you with a toilet seat cover attached to your face! Haha! $0.00 if you can do it discreetly!


Isn't it great to know that you don't have to break the bank to look good? I have a ton more of these tips so if you'd be interested in hearing more like these, leave a comment and let me know. :)

Leslie is the wife of a programmer, the mother of 2 fur babies, and an avid collector of beauty and craft products. Read all her adventures at www.scottandles.com.

For more Works for Me Wednesday, visit We Are THAT Family.

Mormons Made Simple

I just received an email from a couple (Doug and Laurel) informing me of their wonderful new site called Mormons Made Simple. It is in the beginning stages but has a few wonderful videos (with more to come) that explain basics about Mormons in a very simple way.

In this first video you will find out what it is like "Attending a Mormon Church Service". In the video you will find "A simple explanation of what to expect when attending a Mormon worship service. You'll learn: how to find a chapel, what to wear, and what to do when you arrive."




The second video is about "The Book of Mormon". "This video provides a brief introduction to the Book of Mormon. You'll learn where it came from, what it contains, and how to receive your own free copy."




You can find out more by visiting their website at the link provided at the top of the post. These videos are great tools. Doug and Laurel are encouraging others to add a video to your website, blog, facebook page, or simply email this to a friend. Both members and those who are not members can be benefited from this great resource.

Thanks for sharing, Doug and Laurel!

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.

Impure Thoughts

What would you do if someone - your husband, your brother, your son - confided in you that they were having impure thoughts? Take a minute and just ponder what advice you would give to him. Would you tell him to pray when those thoughts creep in? Read the scriptures? Hum his favorite hymn?

Have you ever sat through RS looking around you at all of the perfect women in the Ward. Have you wondered why they even let you in the door? Do you spend time comparing yourselves to those women - thinking, "If only I was as beautiful as Sister Prettypants," or, "If only I was as intelligent as Sister Smartypants," or, "If only I could bake like Sister Betty Crocker?" Sisters, these are impure thoughts.

Brother Steve Gilliland, in an Ensign article, said, "Once we can turn off the negative voices, we can see their source. Discouragement is not the Lord’s method—it’s Satan’s. Satan emphasizes your weaknesses; the Lord, your ability to overcome. Satan urges immediate perfection to make you feel inadequate. The Lord leads you toward perfection." (emphasis added)

Sister Sheri Dew said, "[Lucifer] wants us to compare ourselves to others and then to criticize and judge one another."

I love what Sister Holland wrote on the subject. She said:

“Our Father in Heaven needs us as we are, as we are growing to become. He has intentionally made us different from one another so that even with our imperfections we can fulfill his purposes. My greatest misery comes when I feel I have to fit what others are doing, or what I think others expect of me. I am most happy when I am comfortable being me and trying to do what my Father in heaven and I expect me to be.

“For many years I tried to measure the oft times quiet, reflective, thoughtful Pat Holland against the robust, bubbly, talkative, and energetic Jeff Holland and others with like qualities. I have learned through several fatiguing failures that you can’t have joy in being bubbly if you are not a bubbly person. It is a contradiction of terms. I have given up seeing myself as a flawed person because my energy level is lower than Jeff’s, and I don’t talk as much as he does, nor as fast. Giving this up has freed me to embrace and rejoice in my own manner and personality in the measure of my creation. Ironically, that has allowed me to admire and enjoy Jeff’s ebullience even more.

“Somewhere, somehow the Lord ‘blipped the message unto my screen’ that my personality was created to fit precisely the mission and talents he gave me. For example, the quieter, calmer talent of playing the piano reveals much about the real Pat Holland. I would never have learned to play the piano if I hadn’t enjoyed the long hours of solitude required for its development. This same principle applies to my love of writing, reading, meditation, and especially teaching and talking with children. Miraculously, I have found that I have untold abundant sources of energy to be myself. But the moment I indulge in imitation of my neighbor, I feel fractured and fatigued and find myself forever swimming upstream. When we frustrate God’s plan for us, we deprive this world and God’s kingdom of our unique contributions, and a serious schism settles in our soul. God never gave us any task beyond our ability to accomplish it. We just have to be willing to do it our own way. We will always have enough resources for being who we are and what we can become.”

"My personality was created to fit precisely the mission and talents he gave me."

Oh, sisters, I know that this is true! I know that we each have individual talents, spiritual gifts for us to accomplish what we have been commissioned by God to accomplish in this life. Paul, in a beautiful letter to the Corinthians, talks about this very thing. Corinthians, chapter 12, is an excellent chapter to read any time we are in a comparing mood.

Paul says, "The body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him."

Let's remember that impure thoughts come in many forms. And some of them, for us as women in the Church, come in the form of feelings of inadequacy. So, when we find ourselves in a comparing or a discouraged mood let us give ourselves that same great advice we would give to others. Let's hum our favorite hymn. Read our favorite scripture. And, especially, let us pray to Heavenly Father that he will help us remember and see our mission and our spiritual gifts.

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

Power of the Mouth

I decided I would do something a little different for this post and share a little bit of how I came to find out about "Mormons."

I was a freshman in high school sitting in my English class one day. We were all talking and messing around prior to the start of class. Across the room from where I was sitting was a group of people surrounding the desk of this one guy. It didn't take me long to notice what the group was doing. They were talking to him, in astonishment about how he had never cussed. They tried to get him to say just one cuss word-- after all, what would it hurt?!

I was dumbfounded when I saw this. Why do they care if he cusses or not?! He stayed firm and did not faulter in the least. 

I asked the person next to me why they wanted this person to say a cuss word so bad. Although I remember everything about this whole experience in detail, I can't remember who the person was that I talked to; however, what they told me changed my life--- forever.

They simply said to me, "That's David. He's a Mormon and they don't cuss."
A who?

What the heck is a Mormon?

I had always been very religious, but had never heard of a Mormon.
That peaked my curiousity and over the next four years in high school, I made friends with even more LDS peers and was drawn to them because they were "different." They seemed to have this glo and love of life and understanding and peace that no one else had. 

During my senior year, I was at my wits end with my previous church. The preacher no longer taught about Christ during his sermons, but focused on how much the church was in debt and we needed to give more money. 

When I decided to start to search for a new church, it didn't take me long to think of one option. In a nutshell, I starting meeting with missionaries about a month after I graduated high school and joined about a month later.
That was 12 years ago.

I have a strong testimony of the power of an example. Who knows if I would have had another experience that would have made the same strong impression-- enough for me to find out more?! 

We don't know who is watching us and when they're watching--but, we can control what they see.

Our challenge~
Watch your words. Watch your actions. Be a little more kinder, smile more often, grab a door for a stranger, perform more kind acts of service, love everyone a little deeper.

I know that this is indeed Christ's church on earth. I know that the Gospel has been restored in its fullness and for that, I am eternally grateful. I hope that we all understand the power of our mouths and that we can work harder on being the best examples we can be--- after all, you never know who is watching you!

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.

Giving To Charities That Really Make a Difference

Every day, there are children born with a variety of health challenges that are the result of premature birth. March of Dimes has helped the health community in their research to reduce the frequency of premature births that cause many of the health challenges.

A friend of mine is trying to raise awareness and $1,000 for the March of Dimes. I would really love to help him reach his goal. His post about this subject is a good read! Head on over to HighVantagePoint to read the rest.



I had an older brother who died of SIDS when he was 4 months old. My parents have shared stories of how difficult that time was in their life. From being accused by friends and neighbors of suffocating him, to being treated as a criminal by the police. In the end, they were stronger for those times, but, it made life very difficult. At that time SIDS was a very big deal. In the early 70's there was still very little known about SIDS. My parents story is a long one, and one that I might share at a later time. My older brother was born a premie and spent most of his little life in the hospital. My parents hadn't been married long, and this roller coaster they found themselves on, was a very difficult one. My parents also did not have insurance and did not have the money to pay for all of the medical bills that piled up. LDS Hospital came to them one day and said that Pennies by the Inch would pay for the medical bills. At this point their bills were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, in the 70's! A huge load was lifted off of them, and soon after they were able to take my brother home. One thing that always impressed my growing up, was that even in the times when one dollar was more than my parents could afford to give away, if they were presented with a Pennies by the Inch envelope they always gave, even if it was just pennies.

I think there are many people who have had similar experiences with the March of Dimes. Charities like these are blessings in the lives of families who need them. In today's economy, its harder to find those few extra dollars, but, even if its just a few pennies...it will go to help some child.

Mindful Molly Blogs @ Molly-Mormon, Molly-Mormon.

Doctrine and Covenants Series: The Only True and Living Church

The purpose:

To learn to apply in our own lives the instructions the Lord has revealed to other individuals in the scriptures.


Scriptures:

• Doctrine and Covenants 25

Scripture Chain:

• 1 Nephi 19:23
• D&C 82:1–6
• D&C 25:13–16
• D&C 93:49
• D&C 61:36–37

Lesson Links:

• Teacher's Manual Link - Lesson 10
• Student Manual Link - Lesson 10
• AUDIO Doctrine & Covenants Downloads
• Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Seminary Manual Link
• Institute Manual Link

Supplemental Links:

• Brother Beardall’s Gospel Doctrine Outlines
• BYU Doctrine and Covenants Series - Select Episode 12
• James E. Neumann Institute
• LDS Living
• Meridian Magazine Link

Discussion:

1. Read D&C 25:14 with class members. How can spouses show that they delight in each other?
2. What is pride? Why do you think the Lord’s warnings about pride are so strong and frequent? How does it affect our relationship with God?
3. 
   

Remember, that HERE is where all of the discussion takes place. Come join us today. I'd LOVE to hear all of your comments!!

Click HERE to read other posts in this series.

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