The Eternal Blessings of Marriage

For Family Home Evening this evening we read this talk by Elder Richard G. Scott entitled "The Eternal Blessings of Marriage".

We were both touched by the sincere love that Elder Scott has for his wife. It reminds us of the kind of love that we need to strive to have. Steve commented about how important the "little things" are in life. "Little" notes of love or truly taking time to tell your spouse and family members that you love them. We love the part when Sister Scott tells her husband to take time to play with the kids instead of fixing the washing machine. Both things being good things to do but Sister Scott helped Elder Scott remember what mattered most. I was uplifted and reminded how sweet life can be when we choose love and happiness over annoyance and selfishness.

Feeling Patriotic

My little family visited America's capitol about a month ago. The whole experience was great and I left DC with many good memories. I also left with a great appreciation for the fathers of this country. Particularly George Washington. As we traveled from site to site, especially as we visited the Capitol building and Washington Monument, it was impressed upon me that George Washington was a very righteous man. Since coming home I have thought of George on occasion especially while in the temple. I know it was there that he, along with others of our founding fathers, appeared to have Pres. Wilford Woodruff be baptized and get his work done for him. While in Logan this weekend I was talking with my Aunt Kathy about our trip to DC and mentioned the respect I gained for George Washington while there. She got excited then and told me to come to her Relief Society lesson the next day because she was giving it on the founding fathers. Her lesson was amazing! She talked of the US Constitution as the Title of Liberty of our day. She told of this land being held in reserve by the Lord to one day bring forth a free nation in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored. She spoke of Christopher Columbus' journal entries in which he gave credit over and over to God and knew that He had sent him on this quest to the discovery of America. She spoke of George Washington and told this story that I had not heard before. She told of how George Washington had a presence about him, that he softened peoples' anger just by looking at them, and that people wholeheartedly trusted him. Some people trusted him enough that they wanted him to be their king and knew he would not allow himself to become too powerful as such. One of the main points of my Aunt's lesson was that any stories or truths about the founding of this country that prove that it was founded by God through choice men like George Washington are no longer told. You will not hear in schools today stories like the one above about the French-Indian War and how even the Indian Chief acknowledged God protecting George Washington. My dear Aunt Kathy wanted us to teach our children the truth about of founding fathers as well as this important truth that is echoed in the Book of Mormon:

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. 

It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

 -John Adams

The United States will only be protected and strong while it's people are righteous. We need to be humble and remember Heavenly Father's plan for this country. And as we celebrate our freedom today let's take a minute to remember our founding fathers and be grateful that they were humble and righteous enough to listen to and obey the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Here are links to a couple excellent talks about the founding of America and God's Hand in it from which I pulled much of my information:

The Constitution- A Glorious Standard

God's Hand in the Founding of America