Last Sunday as Mother of Children at Home

Today was a momentous day for us. This is Lucy's last Sunday at home before taking flight. She gave a marvelous talk on testimony, played the organ, and did the Primary music. I thought how she has come of age. My mind also skipped across years of children at home.

Welcoming baby George Jameson Spencer

Rachael with Ryrie, awaiting baby George. His name didn't materialize, though until some hours after his birth. He took his precious time deciding to be born! This picture was taken on Sunday, James' birthday, and Rach still had to wait two more days!








This little munchkin has one job and one job only--that is to be cute and adorable. When Tommy wants your attention, all he has to do is grab your chin and jerk it toward him. There is a real danger of whiplash involved. He even does it to the story time lady and the Stay and Play leader, Mary Rose, while she is doing the circle time.



David love to wrestle with the grandkids. Owen and Ryrie are in the frey at the moment.







This is Ryrie, but all the boys have hockey gear like this. Most spare moments turn into a hockey game. Tommy would be able to jerk your neck around so you could see this in the proper way.







After baby George's arrival, here we are playing "Doggie Doggie Where's Your Bone." Tommy likes to be "it."









George Jameson Spencer newly home from the hospital, Jan. 20.








Ryrie with his new brother.








Proud daddy, James with Tommy and George at the hospital.










My first view of George, about 6 hours old. His hair is long and dark. In the front there are some crazy cow-licks going on. He is a very healthy-looking baby. All the student onlookers were instructed that his mother must have been healthy.



William and Ryrie have cubs on Mondays and this is what they look like decked out in their uniforms. They are working on doing a "good turn daily" and have to report on it at dinner time.






Born on Tuesday, the 19th of January, by Thursday George had received many kisses that needed to be rinsed off to prepare for new kisses. At first he thought he didn't like the bath, then he began to reconsider after we reigned in his flying fists and put a warm washcloth on his belly.




Playing games with four lively boys.







Boys helping set table and empty the dishwasher. Rach is hanging in there waiting for George. Many starts and stops.









How great to be able to see a brand new grandchild in the hospital newly born! I love it. These are some of the most special times, aren't they--sacred times.







More hockey and "Mars." Tommy always likes to have on the boxing gloves when "Mars" is on.

Results of Teaching

Thank you, Natalee, for your thoughts on posting. I wanted to write a little of what I have noticed lately about teaching. The stake youth leaders are preparing the stake youth council to teach in the ward conference hour of the conferences. In all our teaching and our activities we need to have a goal in mind. The goal of the auxiliaries, as I understand it, is to help bring others to Christ. I have recently noticed some examples in the scriptures.
First, President Ostergar asked stake leaders to teach at the last stake council meeting Sunday. He noted the example of Enos’ prayer as the result of teaching: “. . . he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it--. . . and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. . . (Enos 1, 3).” Because of the teaching of his father, Jacob (and I’m sure his mother too), Enos was eager to pray on his own.
Second, Nephi was “taught of goodly parents (1 Ne 1:1)” and went to seek on his own to know the truth of his father’s words and vision. “. . . after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, . . (1 Ne 11:1).”
The third and final example for now is the teaching of Mosiah. King Benjamin, along with prophets, had “labored with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul” to establish peace in the land (WoM 1:18).” Benjamin had three sons and he “caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their father, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord (Mosiah 1: 2-5).” He taught them the importance of records in understanding the ways of God and he bore his testimony to them. He taught them to search the scriptures and to keep the commandments of God. King Benjamin taught “many more things” to his sons but they are not included (Mosiah 1:5-8).

New Year Thoughts for Family and Close Friends

December 30, 2008 Tuesday
Happy anniversary to Rach & James!!! We are so grateful for your marriage.
Thanks for responding to my blog, everyone. I’m still trying to make a place in my brain for the purpose of a blog, but I suppose it becomes what one wants it to be.
My New Year’s Resolution is to pray about who to call, help, visit, write that day. I don’t have to DO anything (keeping it simple and reachable), I just need to pray about it.
I have been thinking about, studying about, praying about Virtue, since that is the new YW value. Here is the message that came to me while at Trent & Nat’s house: Please prepare to speak Saturday evening in stake conference 23 Jan, 12 minutes on the topic of 'how parents and leaders can teach the doctrine of chastity and moral purity to help each young woman to be virtuous and worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.' (28 Nov 2008 First Presidency letter re: YW Theme revision)

I would appreciate any help, ideas and suggestions from everyone! So far the best information I have found is on LDS.org in the YW category, and also in Preach My Gospel pp. 118-119. I am actually excited about this subject and opportunity.
Love,
Mom