Searching the scriptures

Dear family,

I enjoyed our scripture study today with everyone.  Based on mom/Grandma's comment, I added a few more people to this daily email list.  I hope each of you know how important you are to me.  I hope you feel that love through this (mostly) daily email.

Much love,

Dad

Sunday, October 18, 2020
9:00 pm

Today I joined the 4^th Ward Council.  They do a great job watching over their ward.  I was glad to share a couple ideas that hopefully will help them.

Most of us family attended another ward in the area to watch Spencer and a friend from school do a special musical number.  Spencer accompanied on the piano as Donna sang Reaching Out (I think that was the song).  They did a great job.  As he played, I realized how proud I am of my children.  Each of them is talented in his or her own way, and uses those talents to bless others.  I stand in awe.

We attended our ward remotely today since Abbie is still technically in quarantine.  (Don't bring up the fact that she attended the other ward with us this morning.)

This afternoon Dad, Mom and Randy came over for a scripture activity.  We talked about searching the scriptures.  I pointed out that searching often implies that we are searching for something. We don't search aimlessly; we have a purpose, objective, or question in mind.  Julie suggested that another way to search the scriptures is to make time to ponder after studying.  Sometimes a quiet mind provides the opportunity for the Holy Ghost to answer questions we didn't know to ask.  Both approaches are good, and are better when done intentionally.

After this discussion, everyone wrote on a slip of paper a reference to a scripture that is meaningful to them, then hid that paper in the house. We then all went and "searched (for) the scriptures."  Each person was supposed to find the scriptures hidden by another person.  When we found them, every person shared their scripture and why it was meaningful to them.  It was a really meaningful exercise.

After dinner and dessert we read Boxes for Katje.  I can never read that story without crying.  It makes me appreciate generosity and hate war.  And now everyone is in bed and I'm writing in my journal on time! 😊

Thankful: I am thankful for so many things.  I'm grateful for the sacrament and the chance to think about what I am doing and how I can improve with God's help.  I'm thankful for good experiences with my family.  I'm thankful that the Holy Ghost can change me and is changing me.  (I just wish I was better at my part of it…)

Ministering: I hope I ministered to the Fourth ward through my calling.  I also worked with Evan Clements to get a better mic setup for the sacrament meeting broadcast today, and it helped all three wards in our building.  And I tried to say "yes" to my children as much as possible today.

A birthday note from Emma to Lila