"We learn to pray by praying. One can devote countless hours to examining the experiences of others, but nothing penetrates the human heart as does a personal, fervent prayer and its heaven-sent response." -Thomas S. Monson

For nearly 3 weeks my 6 year old had been looking for her lost library book she needed to return to school. She wasn't able to check out a new book until she returned this one but we couldn't find it anywhere! So one afternoon i gathered the kids (all 5, including baby) and knelt in prayer and asked for help in finding the book.  We began our search looking under cushions and lizzy excitedly found an unopened candybar! So we took a little break and cut it up so everyone got a piece...a fun little surprise! We then continued our search and soon after our 7 year old son found the lost book! It was in a place we had checked several times over the past few weeks but must have overlooked it somehow. We all cheered. I then gathered the kids again to say a kneeling prayer of thanks. I felt the sweet love of our Heavenly Father and i hope the children did too. 

"To effectively serve others, we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes." -Dale G. Renlund

Yesterday during our ward conference sacrament meeting, our stake president asked those who had not been ministered to by home or visiting teachers this month to stand up. Maybe half of our congregation stood. It broke my heart a little. It also got me thinking, why!? Just yesterday alone so many members helped me and my kids, ministering even in small ways by helping us get from the car through the snowy parking lot to the church, drew pictures for my kids in Sacrament, stayed with my sleeping baby while i ran upstairs to the primary with the other kids, shared donuts with our kids in celebration of our sons upcoming birthday, helped us get back through the snowy parking lot, etc... It made me wonder if i didn't have my five kids with me, would others minister to me as much?? Probably not. The majority of our ward is made up of married students without children.  Many feel alone.  It seems we are naturally drawn to help little children, but if we could just see each person, no matter how old or young, as a child of our Heavenly Father we would eagerly reach out to minister, to encourage and to love just as we do these little ones.  Surely that is one of the greatest compliments and joys for our Father in Heaven is to us blessing the lives of his children, all of his children.

The Book of Mormon

"My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives. I so testify with all my heart"
-President Thomas S Monson

When my sweet Lizzy was a baby she went through a long period of time where she would wake up about every hour or less wanting to nurse to go back to sleep.  This went on for many months. I was so so exhausted and would get so frustrated.  One fast and testimony meeting at church, one sister shared that the Book of Mormon literally saved her from going crazy.  That stuck out to me because i felt so sleep deprived i might go crazy so i began reading the book of mormon when i got up in the night with lizzy.  It saved me. I have sweet remembrances now of reading the Book of Mormon by the soft glow of the lamplight while cuddling my baby in the middle of the night.