Forgive me for speaking boldly. I know that some people don’t like it, but I feel like I have no other choice. I must tell others what I believe, because I believe it so strongly. I believe that the NUMBER ONE thing that makes my family strong and brings us closer together is church. The gospel. Jesus Christ. All of the activities and principles and doctrines that surround the church I belong to. 

For those of you who don’t know, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. It is more commonly called the Mormon church. The media likes to portray it as a cult, but it is anything but. By following the teachings of the church, I am able to grow closer to God, closer to my husband and children, and closer to Christ. 

I know that many people wonder “what is that mormon church all about, anyway”? You hear about it all the time now whether you’re watching Jeopardy, attending a play on Broadway, or driving down the highway and happen to pass one of the beautiful temples or church buildings. I know that many people have a peaked interest in the teachings of the church. I want to tell you that it doesn’t have to be a mystery. You can know everything you want about it. The church services are open to anyone. This website  will tell you where the closest meeting house is to you and what times the people meet. Most buildings have more than one service, feel free to go to any of them. A typical Sunday service includes Sacrament meeting, Sunday School, and Priesthood/Relief Society. Your children will go with you to Sacrament meeting and then they will go to their own separate classes with other children their age. The church has AMAZING youth programs for youth 12-18. Boys as young as 8 are involved in the scouting program and there are programs during the week for girls as young as 8 as well. I don’t know of any other organization that has better programs for youth. 

I know the church gets a bad rep by people saying that it is a sexist church. Not true at all. There is an amazing organization for women in the church called The Relief Society. The motto of the Relief Society is Charity Never Faileth. It is a great organization that focuses on helping others and lifting up women. It is a place I go every Sunday to get my much needed time with other women and to be spiritual uplifted. 

I guess the reason I’m writing this post is to invite you. Come to church. Don’t worry if you are going alone, I can promise you that someone will greet you and make you feel welcomed while you are there. Typically, women wear skirts/dresses and men wear white shirts & ties, but if you don’t want to or can’t wear those clothes for any reason, don’t let that stop you. No one is going to kick you out for it. 

So stop wondering. Find out what it’s all about. If you used to go to church but don’t anymore, come back. We miss you. We need you, and you need us (or the gospel, rather). I promise that if you open your mind to learning about and understand the teachings of the church, your family will become closer, and your life will change for the better. 

One more thing. I have an on going offer on my blog for anyone who is interested in a copy of the Book of Mormon. The Book Of Mormon is scripture that is unique to the LDS church. It is an account of what was going on in America during Christ’s time. We believe that He loved the people here as much as He did the people He was teaching and He testified of Himself to the American people. The Book Of Mormon is an account of that. If you want a copy, you can have one. I’ll mail it to you, free of charge, no questions asked. If that is something you’re interested in, please email me . I cannot stress enough how much I want each one of you to learn more about this wonderful gospel. I can’t wait to hear from you. 

The post Going To Church Together appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.

I have made no secret that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly called The Mormons). I believe that this church is true, and I know that a lot of my happiness comes from learning and following it’s teachings. I know that anyone who is seeking for truth will eventually be led to this church (is that you, seeking for truth? Maybe that’s how you ended up here!) There is no doubt in my mind that this church teaches truth. 

One of the key things that the LDS church teaches about is the importance of families. In 1995, Gordon B. Hinckley, a now deceased Prophet of the church, read what’s know as The Family: A Proclamation To The World.  This proclamation has become a key reference point for members of the church. It states the LDS church’s stance on families and their purpose in this life. 

Click here to download this print of The Proclamation To The World

It is interesting to me that this proclamation was created in 1995. That is a testament to me that the prophet knew what was coming. In 1995, while the family was under attack, it was NOTHING like it is now. The church released the proclamation in preparation of everything that was to come, so that the members of the church and anyone who reads this proclamation will have no doubt in their mind about the importance and sacred nature of the family. 

I just wanted to write out a few of the key points from the proclamation in this post. If you would like to read the whole thing (it’s only about a page long), you can do so here.  

The very first line in the proclamation is this: WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

The church has made it no secret that marriage is sanctioned by God and is key to the progression of His children. I know for a fact that the church will NEVER change this stance, no matter how much pressure the world puts on them. Why? Because they can’t. Marriage is between a man and woman. Period. Hate me if you want for saying that, but I didn’t make that rule, God did. It isn’t that way because he wants some people to be miserable. It is that way because he wants everyone to be happy. I believe that in time, we will see more clearly why this is the way it is. It may not be in this life that we understand completely, but we will understand. 

The next line is this: ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.

How wonderful is that? We are loved. Each of us. We all have a divine nature and destiny. God has a plan for us. We are loved by Him in ways that I don’t think we can comprehend. I think the thing that comes closest is the love of a parent for a child here on this earth, but I am sure that it pales in comparison to the love that our Heavenly Father has for us.

 On to the part about families. One of the next paragraphs states: THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

In a world where child raising can be seen as optional, even as a burden to some, the church made a bold stance by saying this. But it’s true. I believe that all spirits were created before the earth was. All of the spirits need to have bodies. The only way they can get bodies is if those of us who are already here decide to have children. However, it is important that those children be brought into stable homes and into loving families, which is why the church states that the powers of procreation should be used only between a husband and wife. 

A little farther down, the proclamation states: Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.

I love this. In order that increase your chances of having a successful marriage and family, you must give your family and yourself a firm foundation. You must root yourself in Christ. I know from experience that when my husband and I are saying prayers together each night and reading scriptures together and on our own, our family runs much more smoothly. We are both more in tune with what our Heavenly Father would have us do. We are quicker to forgive, happier to serve, and more patient with each other. 

The proclamation then gives a warning: WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

The world likes to take away consequences. One pill can make it so you won’t get pregnant, even after the deed is done. Immunizations & condoms can make it so you are less likely to get STDs. You can always blame others for what you did and avoid consequences all together. Sunscreen makes it so you can be outside all day long and never burn. Diet pills make it so you can eat all you want and never gain weight. (I’m not saying eating and the sun are bad things here. I’m just saying that the world likes to get rid of natural consequences). But guess what? There will still be consequences for sin. No matter what the world tells you, no matter what kind of product they come up with, no matter what your friends, family, or psychiatrist tells you. Either in this life or the next, all sin must be accounted for. You can hate that idea all you want, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s true. Don’t buy into the lies that the world tries to tell you. 

The last line of the proclamation states: WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

It’s a call to action. Strengthen your family and then strengthen the families around you. Build a foundation that is so sure that nothing will crumble it. Stand up for good, and stand against bad. Be someone who can look our creator in the face one day and said, “I did it. I worked will all my might and I did everything I could to protect my family and those around me. I was faithful and I was strong until the end.” Because that day will come. 

I would LOVE to hear your comments about how you make your family stronger. How do you fortify your loved ones? 

The post What Does The Mormon Church Believe About Families? appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.

I realized the other day that I hadn’t really introduced myself super well before I wrote my first Sunday post. This post will be a bit short, and sweet. But I hope to explain a bit of my beliefs to you as best I can. Please note, that I am not very eloquent in speaking, obviously But I hope to share some of the sweet truths I believe. {You can check out this video for a short introduction to what We Believe}

First, I know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and has a purpose for me, and sent me here to become like Him. I know that He knows I will make mistakes, so He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to be a Savior and Redeemer for me and anyone who will follow Him. He wants me to become like my Savior, and also sent His son to be an ultimate example of what I could be.

I know that prayer is real. I know that our Heavenly Father still talks to us and inspires us on what we should be doing.

I know that my marriage to my amazing husband is eternal, and forever, and I treat it that way. We were married in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple, and sealed for Time and Eternity. I made promises to not only my husband when we married but also to my Heavenly Father and Savior. I know that I also get to be with my sweet children forever, and that they are sealed to us as a family. I know that families are soo incredibly important, and the relationships we have with our families is something I hope to work on and become better at. So that we can become better together, and lift each other up! I know that families can be together forever…{You can watch an introductory video about temples, here!}

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church. That being a member, has helped me draw nearer to my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ- Who know and help me become the best that I can be. {You can learn more about how our church is organized in this video here}

I know that our loving Heavenly Father, has called a Prophet for us, to guide us and direct us and keep us from danger. That just as there used to be prophets of old, we now, too, have a prophet called of God. Not called by men, or voted on by a group of people, but a prophet called by our Heavenly Father. Our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, is truly inspired by our Heavenly Father. President Monson is such a joy to learn from, and just radiates goodness and love. I know that he is inspired to lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I know that Christ lives, and loves us, and knows us better than we realize, and is constantly trying to help us, if we will let Him. I know that he has comforted me through many things, and will continue to be my center, and the person I rely on most in life. The only person you should put your entire faith and dependence on, He will never let you down. I know that He died for me, and each of us personally. I love my Savior SO Much, and hope to do my best to get to know Him better, and draw closer to Him, so when the day comes, I will recognize Him, and rejoice

I know that the Book of Mormon is a true book, and supplement to the bible. And as I read it daily, it strengthens me and gives me the courage and understanding and sweet spirit I need to be the best wife, mother, daughter, friend… etc. that I can be. The Book of Mormon teaches me about Christ, and every day I read it, I learn something new, something that I need to understand right now with my current joys and struggles. Markell has this awesome deal where if you want a Book of Mormon, she will send you one, for free, no strings attached. You just email her with your info, and she will send you a free Book of Mormon, as well as the testimonies of 30 other bloggers who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.You can check that out here…

I hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday, and hope you got to know me a little bit better through my beliefs. You can learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints {or Mormons} Here.

Happy Sunday!

Traci

A few other bloggers are sharing their faith today. Check out their posts:

Babes In Hairland

Brassy Apple

Girl Loves Glam

Mormon Mom Of Six

Dreaming About Someday

Morrell Fairytale

The post These Things I Know appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.

My son just turned three, and is WAY into superheroes. It’s a lot of fun, and I love zooming around the room with him saving the world. But at the same time, I really want him to have real heroes to look up to in his life, you know what I mean? I am so lucky to have married a wonderful man who I know is my Son’s ultimate hero and man he looks up to and strives to be. I am so grateful to have the Bible and Book of Mormon, to teach my son about heroes that lived long ago, and have their life stories to share with us. They don’t have super powers as far as super heroes go, but their power is something even better, I think.

My son’s favorite from the scriptures is a man named Nephi. He lived around 600 B.C. and is one of my absolute favorite people from the scriptures. If you don’t know what I am talking about, Markell and I are memeber’s of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You can learn more about us here… Markell has also gotten with a bunch of other members {and bloggers!} of our church {mormons!} Who would LOVE to send you a Book of Mormon if you are interested. You can check out that here! We believe in the Bible, and we also believe in a book also written to supplement and go along with the bible, an extra and wonderful book called The Book of Mormon. We learn about Nephi a lot in the Book or Mormon and the type of person he is.

My little boy LOVES Nephi. I am so grateful for his example, and would like to share a few reasons why I hope that my little boy grows up to be just like Nephi {or develop similar traits}. I love that he loves superheroes, but really hope he has real life people with real life problems to be able to look to as an example as he is growing up and facing real problems.

1. Nephi is Humble.  Several times he is harassed by his older brothers. Never once does he yell at them or try to fight back, even when they are trying to kill him. He takes it humbly, and always forgives them when they ask for forgiveness.  I don’t know many people that could do that, including myself. Humility is a trait I feel that in our society we misunderstand as weakness. I feel that as a whole as a society we think if you are humble, that means you just don’t have the guts to fight back,  or that we should hold grudges and get our revenge {watched any movies lately? This is the plot, revenge} I want my son to grow up understanding and learning from a humble example like Nephi, who never let pride enter his heart, but tried his best to be humble in ever circumstance.

My son is only three, and has already been bullied {I know, really?} As a mother this was really hard to watch and handle. I just wanted to go punch the other kid in the face {Yes, I admit it}. It was really helpful to realize that Nephi had also been bullied multiple times, and to be able to teach my son how to handle the situation as Nephi did, and to help my son be able to relate and learn from a real hero that lived long ago and handled bullying better than anyone I know.

2. Nephi was Faithful. He had faith in his Heavenly Father, and Savior Jesus Christ. He was asked by his Heavenly Father to go and get the scriptures from an evil king, and he says “I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do”. He was asked by his Heavenly Father to do something, and he just went to do it, knowing that God would let him know what he should do the entire time. I am so grateful for such an example of unwavering faith. I hope that my son can also have this trait as he grows older. That he trusts in his Heavenly Father and Christ, with all of his heart, even with others including me, his mother, may not handle things always as I should. Or if something should happen to me, or my husband. I want him to learn that he always can follow and lean on his Heavenly Father and Savior, no.matter.what. I also appreciate the trait of being faithful for all relationships in life.

I hope that he learns to be faithful to his wife, his children, all of his family, to his work, and most importantly to his Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ.

3. Nephi was Patient. Nephi travels with his family in the wilderness and their mains source of obtaining food, a bow, breaks. The family is devastated. They all complain and get angry {I would too, I don’t like missing a meal!} But Nephi doesn’t ever complain, he just keeps on praying and asking for help to get food. He has faith in every circumstance, and is patient even when he is hungry Patience is a very hard thing for a three year old, but something I hope I can learn right along with him. {Even when I am hungry

4. Nephi is a Go-Getter. He doesn’t just sit on his bum playing video games all day {no offense to anyone who loves video games}. But he goes- and he does. Heavenly Father asks him to build a boat, and instead of procrastinating, complaining or just wasting time, he gets right on it and works hard to build the ship. Even when his brothers make fun of him, and are being lazy themselves. He is also willing to work when he is experiencing a hard time in his life, or a trial. He is bound and tied to the ship {he built} by these same older brothers, and he prays to Heavenly Father to “give me the strength to burst my bands”. Woah! He not only prays for help, he prays for strength to do be able to have help to get out of this bad situation. He doesn’t pray that Heavenly Father will fix everything, he asks for help to be freed. He isn’t a bum. He gets things done. I hope that my son does the same. That he serves his Heavenly Father and Savior with all his might, and that he works hard for his someday family and his current family with his Mom, Dad and little sister. That he serves others willingly and is always spending his time doing something good.

5. Nephi is Smart, he is educated. He was constantly learning, and praying for help to understand the scriptures, and to understand different skills he was learning. I hope that my son as he learns and grows learning from the scriptures and learning in school. That he prays for understanding, and help to retain and learn and understand all the principles he is being taught. That he can glean and take the good and remember, and be able to get a good education, and become the best version of himself.

I love that my son is into superheroes, but I am most grateful for Real Heroes in the scriptures, like Nephi, who teach my son real life solutions for real life problems, and teach him to follow his Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that he will face similar challenges, and already has. And I hope that he can always look to the heroes from the scriptures. I know that the Book of Mormon is a  true book, and teaches us to follow Christ. And if you want to learn more about Nephi, and some other amazing men, we can look to as our heroes, we would love to send you a copy, no charge. Check it out the info here.

Traci

Check out some of the other Mormon bloggers that are talking about what they believe today:

Sugar Bee Crafts

Babes In Hairland

Dreaming About Someday

Mormon Mom Of Six

The post Nephi {What it means to be a real hero} appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.

I wrote this post on marriage a little while ago, and I was hesitant to post it because of some things going on in my extended family. I wrote it before any of those “things” happened, but I just didn’t know if I should post it or not. I decided I should. One of the main reasons I thought I should is because my little brother just announced that he is getting married. I am so excited for him and his fiance. I am ecstatic to have her as a new sister. I’ve only met her once, but I know that the two of them will be great together. That being said, I thought I’d post this in their honor  

You wanna hear my thoughts on marriage? Here’s my thought: Marriage is hard. I have a brother in law (who I know sometimes reads this blog. Thanks for letting me use you as an example in my post without knowing it. Love ya!) who used to think that if he got married, all of his problems would be gone. I remember him specifically saying if he only had a wife, he wouldn’t have to worry about anything. Guess what. He got married. While I know him and his wife are happy, he found out pretty quickly that marriage. is. hard. You know where I think he got this idea that marriage would be all bliss and amazingness? Disney. 

Think about it. In all the fairy tales, the princess gets married and lives happily ever after. Heather over at My Husband Ate All My Ice Cream just wrote a post about this. The movies never show what happens after the marriage. The honeymoon phase only lasts so long and then real life starts. There are bills, decisions to make, food to cook, a house to clean, socks to pick up off the ground, the list is endless. While some days seem like a fairy tale, and I often wake up thinking “how did I get so lucky to be married to this guy,” it’s not all happily every aftery. 

Being a Mormon, I don’t believe that it’s good to live with someone before marriage. Because of that, when I got married, it was a head first into this thing kind of deal. My husband and I had been living 200 miles apart before we got married, then one day we were living together, in the same house, in the same room even. It was a steep learning curve, for sure. 

I don’t want to go about airing our dirty laundry, but we do have plenty of it. We have hard times, just like every other marriage. Whenever I see a couple that seems perfect, I immediately get suspicious. Most of the time, when you get to know the couple well enough, you see that they have the same dirty laundry you do, they just hide it in different places. 

I heard a quote awhile ago that has really helped me get through some rough marriage spots. I’m not sure the exact quote or who said it but it goes like this: “Maybe marriage isn’t meant to make us happy. Maybe marriage was designed to make us holy.” 

Let that sink in a minute. 

I’m going to say it again, bolded this time.

 Maybe marriage isn’t meant to make us happy. Maybe marriage was designed to make us holy

So, with that in mind,  lets stop pretending that marriages are supposed to be perfect. Because they aren’t. Let’s stop getting divorced whenever things get rough. Relationships are hard. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Relationships are hard! It’s the hard times that allow us to appreciate the sweet times. It’s the problems we struggle through that give us the sweet satisfaction that comes when those problems are solved. Instead of getting divorced or separating when problems arise, work through them! Come out victorious on the other end, together. 

Here’s another quote: “Marriage is choosing to fall in love with the same person, everyday.” Some days, you will fail. Some days, you won’t be in love with your spouse. I’m not saying you won’t love him (or her), but what I’m saying is that being in love with someone takes work. It takes getting over little flaws (sometimes big flaws) and loving anyway. 

I believe that this life is setup to be a test as well as a practice for us. I believe that one of our main purposes in this life is to become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I can think of no better way to achieve this goal than to commit to being with another person for the rest of forever, no matter what. Sickness, health, poorness, wealth, even if he never picks up his underwear off the bathroom floor. You commit to serve another person for your entire life, and that person makes the same commitment to you. You accept them, flaws and all. You work through problems and build a life together. What an amazing way to become more like our Heavenly Father. 

I’ve only been married a little less than four years. I got married when I was 19 years old. Many people say that’s way too young, but I disagree. I’ve been able to learn and grow with my husband. We have come so far together and are stronger now then I ever imagined we’d be. I can’t wait to see where we are twenty, thirty, forty years from now. 

If you’d like to read another churchyish post, head on over to Dreaming About Someday. 

Do you have any awesome marriage advice? I’d love to hear it. 

The post My Thoughts On Marriage appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.