Testimony

Today was our Stake conference and during our stake president's talk a question popped in my head, had my brother ever born his testimony in front of his girl friend? I am not really sure why this question was in my head, and I still don't know. But I do know that for thier relationship, what ever that is that they have, it would be wonderful for them to bare their testimonys to each other.
I thought about the last time that I bore my testimony in front of my wife, and it has been a few months during fast and testimony meeting. And worse, I don't remember the last time that I bore my testimony in front of my wife when it was just us. We have gosple conversations almost everyother day and in those conversations I share parts of my testimony. That God will take care of us. Yes we are in a difficult situation, but God IS watching and He DOES care about our happiness. All this is good, but I haven't taken the time to, unprovoked share my testimony with my wife.
As I sat in the back of this meeting, I thought about being a missionary, and how easy it was to bare my testimony to perfect strangers; to boldly testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. To share Joseph's story expecting and knowing that the Holy Ghost would burn in their hearts. Most of those people I have never seen since, and I will never see them again, and if I do, I know I won't recognize them. - So if I can, with boldness and conviction share my personal beliefs with people that I will never see again, why can't I do the same in front of my wife, my sister, friends, family people who have the same beliefs as I do? Why do I get nervous, timid, even a little worrisome about what they are going to think? Why can't I share an even more powerful testimony in front of them? Is it because as a missionary in St. Louis people were expecting me to bare my testimony? Is it because as a missionary my testimony was stronger than it is now? Is it because I knew that I would never see those people again? and because I will see my family and friends all the time and I want them to see only the parts of me I deem the most entertaining and fun to be around. - I have tried to follow the example of Joseph Smith, who followed the example of the Messiah, to pay attention to children, to listen to them, to play with them, to let them know that I care for them. This usually ends up in me being the mobile playground for all my nieces and nephews. Joseph too would play games with the children, wrestle with them. Christ called the all the little children to come unto him. But unlike them, I don't bare my testimony to those I love the most. I must change that! I can have and do both. I can play, I can be "entertaining". But I must also let those same people know that I do know that Jesus is the Christ! He, the Son of God born of the virgin Mary, whose birth is the reason for the holiday of Chistmas, Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. He died, not because people killed him, but because he gave his life willingly to save mine, and yours. He is called our Savior because we all need to be saved! He lives! His body was in the tomb for three days and then He broke the bands of death for us all! The Book of Mormon testifies of these truths! It contains the words of Christ! Joseph Smith translated those words for us by the gift and power of God! And I know that if I am true and faithfull the the covenants that I have made I will live with God and Jesus again. I will then as I do now kneel before and honor my King! The Lord Jesus Christ!

I am not sure if my wife is going to read this, I assume she will, but I will tell her too. When she wakes up from her nap. I will tell her. Not because I asked my brother to do the same in front of his girl friend, but because I love her, and I want her to know that the covenants that I have made with her are more important to me than anything else and I want her with me when I stand before the bar of the Almighty God!

This is my testimony, in part, and I stamp it and seal it and close it in the sacred and merciful name of my King, my Savior, my Brother, in the name of Him who I try to be friends with: Jesus Chirst. Amen

Watch out!

I am going to do it. I am going to start blogging more than Facebooking! It may seem like it could take up more of my time, but I don't think so and here's why. If I am on Facebook then I am going to look at my friends pages, then their friends pages because I know them too. Then I am going to have to think of some sort of crazy and off the wall remark to try and get a response out of the friend of the friend and try to add them as a friend. And I wish it stopped there, but it doesn't. Then I will play my MobWars game and deny all the other crazier people who try to get me to be their neighbor on FarmVille, or some other crazy thing.
But one major reason that I want to start blogging again is that on Facebook I can't throw-up my thoughts in a status update like I can here. I will warn you, a lot of my thoughts right now are about church stuff and how it makes me who I am. I will have lots of life sucks, life is great kinds of posts. But I am warning you, to whom ever reads this, it may be no one, and I am just writing for my own sake, but if there is someone who happens upon it: I am going to be honest. Frank and silly. I am going to try to make myself laugh, and I am going to announce often how much I love my wife! If you can handle that, feel free to enter my world. But for now, it is time for bed and my wife is REALLY tired! So that means I am really tired too!

Yummmy

This was Gabe's first attempt at feeding himself with a spoon! Mashed patatoes! He did really well until he wasn't hungry any more. Then it was finger painting! This is two days before his 13 month mark!

Beware! First Birthday photos and reports will soon follow!

What a Stud! 9 Months

Isn't this a good picture of Gabe and Jenn! I REALLY like it!




He get so excited when the water for his bath starts running! He loves bath time! I have to hold him back while I strip him down he wants in so bad.

Gabe quick up-date

So Gabe is growing teeth, and he isn't a big fan of the process. He was sleeping 6-10 hours a night, and now he is waking up 4-6 times a night. He is the greatest little boy that I have ever had! He is now 6 months old and wants more than any thing to crawl and be mobile. He has started to push himself backwards, and can get up on his knees, but his face is in the carpet. And he loves to laugh. Today at church there was a family with 5 children and two of them had Gabe laughing hard as the meeting started. He is a stud!

Will power, mostly

I know it is not much, but I wanted to post a victory that Jennifer had the other day. We are now training for a triathlon and as we were walking through the grocery store she walked down the ice cream isle and didn't stop to buy more ice cream! She may have had a little reminder that we are now in training mode, but she did it! Way to go Jenn! Your going to rock this tri!

See my youtube video

Yes I did film this. Let me tell you what is happening: We had 6 pallets stacked with a microwave on top of them. In side the microwave was a gallon of gasoline. We poured a bunch of gas on the pallets and lit it on fire. Also on the pallets were several new and unused propane tanks. The plan was that when we shot the propane tanks they would explode in the fire making a fire ball. Well I guess we didn't pour enough gas on the pallets to begin with and the flame went out. So Ben went back up to light the fire again and put more propane tanks up as targets. The rest, you will enjoy watching. It really was a lot of fun. Yes I did take my pellet gun, but I also took my 7mm, they are both a lot of fun to shoot. I think there were near 20 people there and I hope that we can do this again. I love my guns. I will continue to shoot my guns. I will continue to buy guns. My children will be taught gun safety, and how to shoot a gun. Education is in many ways better than elimination. Really, this was a lot of fun.

The School of Life

It has been some time since I have posted on our blog, and after taking my last final of the semester I thought that I would take a moment and remember what happened during this last three months:
Gabe was born, that is semi apparent on our blog. Having him around adds to life that really is indescribable. Some will say wait 'till you have your own, you'll see how they change your life. Initially I was thinking about the scheduling, and the sleep, and the dollar value of raising another person. I have learned that these are all minor changes in my life. I want to smile more because I want him to see his dad smile. I have recognized the true power and beauty of my heaven sent wife. She will be holding Gabe after feeding him watching the news, working on the computer, or thinking of all the possibilities of the day, and I sit next to her and rest my head on her shoulder because my day of joking with co-workers, talking with customers and playing with paper, boy I get tired after an 8+ hour shift. She is a wonder woman.
I am also a better student. When we first got married I still wasn't the best student, but now that I am responsible for being a good example for my own son, and if I want to be able to say "If I can get good grades, you can get good grades." I am also learning better to see the beauty in the moment. I have several nieces and nephews that are 4 and 5 so I am excited for that age because that is a fun play age. But watching him learn that he has hands, and a mouth that can be used for things other than eating. Watching him laugh. Watching him recognize me and my voice. I love being a dad!
School taught me to be more accepting of people and to look past the clothes, the hair, the accent of their voice, but to listen to what they are saying and try to understand why they have the point of view they do. But also that we are living in modern day Book of Mormon times and that people are selfish and prideful and willing to say anything to get them in office, I mean where they want to be. This has also boosted my faith in God. It has amazed me that some people put their trust in men more than God. They trust a man or woman who will say what they believe the public wants to hear and then flip to the other side to do what they want. Versus putting trust in a God that has a perfect record. If He says something, it will happen. A Being that has the ability to give and take life, to call the heavens together, compared to a man or woman that will say that they will change the country for the better, but can't take care of their health or marriage in a exemplary fashion.
I know that there is a God in heaven, life is to complicated, fragile and short for there not to be, and because I have felt His guiding hand in my life, I have felt His Spirit and seen His work in action. There is a God, and He is our Father.

Two Months Old

Still only in the 28% for weight, but he started in the 3%. Check out that double chin!

This is one of the best parts about being a mom.

Gabriel at One Month Old

Photos by Jamie Van Orden