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Ben gave a really wonderful talk yesterday in Church on how to have a Christ-centered home. He might be a little mad but it was so good I just had to share it! :) So here it is...
* * * In 2011 Richard J. Maynes of the Seventy testified: “We understand and believe in the eternal nature of the family. This understanding and belief should inspire us to do everything in our power to establish a Christ-centered home.” The Family: A Proclamation to the World states “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Elder Richard G. Scott spoke on centering the home on Christ in his conference address of April 2013. He began by saying: “Many voices from the world in which we live tell us we should live at a frantic pace. There is always more to do and more to accomplish. Yet deep inside each of us is a need to have a place of refuge where peace and serenity prevail, a place where we can reset, regroup, and reenergize to prepare for future pressures. “The ideal place for that peace is within the walls of our own homes, where we have done all we can to make the Lord Jesus Christ the centerpiece.” The bible dictionary says that only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness… So how do we achieve that? We do as Richard G. Scott says and make the Lord Jesus Christ the centerpiece of our homes. He goes on to say: “I’m sure you can identify the fundamental principles that center your home on the Savior. The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world.” While it seems like those things may be simple, I love a quote from Sister Shirley R. Klein, a professor at BYU. She says, “Prove faithful in the little things, and the bigger things will be added on.” The ways we can center our home on Christ are simple: daily scripture study, daily prayer, and family home evening. Since the day my wife and I got married, we have not missed a day of family scripture study and prayer. I testify that it has brought the spirit into our relationship and we have felt the blessings in our home. While we lived in Idaho for school, our home there became a refuge away from the world, and from work. Now, here in New York, our apartment has become the place I love to go to get away from the stresses of work, and pressures of the world. Elder Scott explains one of the blessings of centering your home on Christ by explaining: “As you center your home on the Savior, it will naturally become a refuge not only to your own family but also to friends who live in more difficult circumstances. They will be drawn to the serenity they feel there. Welcome such friends into your home. They will blossom in that Christ-centered environment. Become friends with your children’s friends. Be a worthy example to them.” My mother was an incredible example of this. She always strove to create a welcoming, Christ centered environment and I saw the impact it had on my friends. Elder Scott testifies that “living an obedient life, firmly rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, provides the greatest assurance for peace and refuge in our homes. There will still be plenty of challenges or heartaches, but even in the midst of turmoil, we can enjoy inner peace and profound happiness.” In 2015 Elder Maynes said that “Centering our lives in Jesus Christ and His gospel will bring stability and happiness to our lives.” And when we focus our lives on Christ, it is only natural that our homes become focused on Christ. One way to make Christ the center of our lives and homes is to study Him, to get to know Him. This past April during general conference, President Nelson issued an invitation to everyone listening to come to know Christ through study. He said: “How can you increase in your discipleship? I have an invitation for you that will help—it’s an assignment, actually—if you choose to accept it. Commence tonight to consecrate a portion of your time each week to studying everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the Old Testament, for He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. Study His laws as recorded in the New Testament, for He is its Christ. Study His doctrine as recorded in the Book of Mormon, for there is no book of scripture in which His mission and His ministry are more clearly revealed. And study His words as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, for He continues to teach His people in this dispensation. This may seem like a large assignment, but I encourage you to accept it. If you proceed to learn all you can about Jesus Christ:
He said of his experience: “I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide. When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, “I am a different man!”” My wife and I have since been working our way through each reference of Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide and have felt the blessings of a concentrated study of our Savior and an increase of His spirit in our home. I bear my testimony that if you will take this challenge as well, and build upon the small and simple things that the prophets have taught; prayer, family home evening, scripture study, that you will receive the blessings that come with having a home centered on Christ. Just a couple of moments over the weekend that I want to remember:
The other day, B and I borrowed another couple's car so we could run a few errands. Ben wanted to go look at surf boards at Sam's Club and I needed enchilada sauce for our Sunday dinner with Dallin and Keara. :) While we were at Sam's Club, we decided to get dinner at their food court, but when we got there they were closing up and only had cheese pizza. And since we are not five year old kids we opted out of the cheese pizza hahaha. But then the guy closing up just gave us a couple of soft pretzels! One with salt and one with cinnamon and sugar. (Perfect for a guy who loves savory and a girl who loves sweet!) So we sat down and had ourselves a pretzel dinner. :) Then we went over to Target to see if they had the enchilada sauce. (I know, Target?? For enchilada sauce?? Crazy, right? Well the main grocery store was all out of green enchilada sauce which is what I needed, and here the Walmarts don't have a ton of food like the ones I'm used to, but the Targets do! So off to Target we went.) And as we found the aisle, fingers crossed, I looked to see that again there was plenty of red enchilada sauce, but no green. It's like someone went and bought all the green enchilada sauce in every store. I'm making this story way longer than it needs to be haha, but I'm getting to the good part. So I start looking up more grocery stores on my phone, and when I looked up Ben was nowhere to be seen. I walked down a couple aisles and there he was, talking to an employee, asking if they had any green enchilada sauce in the back. And they did! So thanks to my knight in shining armor, we had these delicious enchiladas for dinner. :) It was a good weekend. :) R So last night we went out with a few other couples to Smokey Bones, a restaurant/sports grill. I got mac and cheese loaded with chicken tenders and bacon, and Ben got a BBQ burger that he said was the best he's ever had (tied with the Smoke Shack from Shake Shack). It was a fun night :) Then tonight we went out again to walk around Patchogue, a neighboring town. We got some ice cream and fudge (and a couple bug bites). It was pretty fun. I've realized that I'm not much of a night life kind of person - I'm more one to stay home and watch a movie. But the fudge was good :) Oh and we found a weird mural with good lighting so we took a picture in front of it. And Ben's hand looked really creepy hahaha Goodnight :) R
I fell in love with Thai Red Curry when my sister-in-law took me out to Thai food one night (thanks again, Crystal). Then when we moved to Idaho Falls, we scoped out a good Thai place that happened to be just down the street from our house. :) Since then we've ordered lots of red curry. Because it is SO GOOD.
Then one day I realized it would probably be a lot cheaper if I just learned how to make it myself. So I looked it up on Pinterest and found a bunch of different recipes, all of which called for a million ingredients. A million. Now in the past few months I've really come around to the idea of cooking things that have a lot of ingredients, since I usually already have half of them and the other half I can get for a great price at Winco. Plus I just view it as building my kitchen and food supply. But, since we're only in New York for the summer (and there's no Winco in sight), I didn't want to go buy a bunch of ingredients that I would just have to throw out in a few months. So I sadly said goodbye to the hope of inexpensive Thai Red Curry. Until... (Are you so sick of this story yet? Me too. Don't worry, we're getting to the good part.) I was at Trader Joe's and BEHOLD! The heavens opened to reveal a bottle of ready-made Thai Red Curry sauce! Just put it on chicken, vegetables, and rice and you've got yourself some quality "homemade" curry. So I made it tonight! I cut up two chicken breasts super thin (like the Thai lady at our beloved restaurant does), and sauteed it with red bell pepper, peas, and carrot (I forgot onion, darn it). Then I added the magical sauce, and BAM. Thai Red Curry. I am obsessed. But the real reason I am so obsessed right now is that the curry is done, sitting on the stove, and I'm waiting for Ben to get home from work so we can eat it! The delicious smell is torture! If you've never had Thai Red Curry before, I will personally make it for you next time you visit. That's how much I love it. :) R Still thinking about Idaho Falls. :) I was stalking my husband on facebook yesterday because he was at work and I was missing him, and when I saw this picture he had taken my heart literally skipped a beat. He took this picture in the middle of our street on Christmas day, after a huge snowstorm. (Later that night he spent hours outside shoveling our snow and helping neighbors with theirs.) It was such a good Christmas. :) Dear Idaho Falls, I miss you. I didn't love you in the beginning, but you won me over in the end. And now that we're apart, I see how much you really mean to me. I love your river, your cleanliness, your trees, your abundance of nearby restaurants, and your Winco. I miss your fresh evening air, your green grass, your scent, and your updated Walmarts. Thank you for taking care of us in our first months of marriage. We look forward to seeing you again in a few months. Love, R (B misses you as well, but he doesn't like to talk about it because it makes him too sad.) (What I've been listening to lately, thanks to Gilmore Girls.)
Saturdays here are nice because B goes out to work a little earlier in the morning, and comes home a LOT earlier in the evening.
The morning went by fast because Keara and I made brownies (yes, again) and watched Pushing Daisies. Then I went home just in time for Ben to get home. And then Ben and I had a relaxing day together which is just what we needed. (He needed the relaxing, and I needed the together.) ;) It was a good day. I love Saturdays! R Tonight I was feeling a little sad, and Ben was really great about it like he always is. He was being so nice, in fact, that I decided to test my luck and I asked him if I could put some of my hair extensions in his hair to cheer me up. ;) He said yes, and it was HILARIOUS! I didn't get a picture, but he bore a strong resemblance to Burt Chance from Raising Hope when he has long hair... And now we're thinking of being Burt and Virginia Chance for Halloween.
Goodnight :) R |
AuthorI'm R and he's B. We've been in love since we were teenagers, and now we're married. We're Mormons, students, and Californians at heart. This is our daily love story. Archives
July 2017
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