I have been lucky this week to attend my mothers 81st birthday dinner celebration. I enjoyed being there with family. It was fun. I will cherish these times with my mother because I never know when she will leave this earth. I love her and even more than ever I realize what an incredible woman she is. We have a family reunion at the very end of this month. It is at Neil's parents ranch. I hope it turns out to be amazing. Michelle is helping me and has made a lot of phone calls, as a matter of fact it has been continually. When you have 16 brothers and sisters plus parents. My parents have about 110 grand children and about 100 great grand children, but I think we finally have a count. Now the big key is to have enough money. We only asked $10.00 a person 3 years and older, it should have been $10.00 a person 2 and under. I think that is what was initially decided. I don't know how it changed, but it makes things rather difficult. I just pray that everything will come together.
I have learned a lot over the past few months. I think the thing I have learned the most is the principle of obedience. My father in law was teaching us about types and shadows, they are referred to a lot in The Book of Mormon. They are a teaching tool. We had the opportunity for a couple of years to attend a institute class in Dad Cravens home. It always amazed me at what an awesome man he was. He believed in strict obedience, especially when it came to his responsibility in the institute program, he was a teacher, over many states as a coordinator, then at the church office building over the seminary and institute program for years. The last few years he wanted to teach, he was sent to Hawaii, and Fiji. But he never taught his own children so we asked him to teach us. It was fun to sit in his home and listen to him. My husband is doing a blog now, that he is passed on to the next life. I had the opportunity to read one of the lessons he wrote that he probably brought to our attention in that institute class, but I just can't remember it. But he compared men that were fathers to our Heavenly Father and his children to our Savior Jesus Christ. Our Savior was in strict obedience to his Father, he was even crucified for all of our sins because our Father-in-Heaven asked him too. These kinds of stories are all over in the scriptures. It is amazing to me that so many people don't listen to their fathers. Lehi was a goodly man and a father, Sam and Nephi listened to him, Laman and Lemuel did not. After Nephi and his brothers went to find food with there bows and arrows, all the bows and arrows broke. The families were starving so Nephi felt as though he needed to do something about that, so he fashioned his own bow, everyone was mocking him and he still went to his father to get directions on where to go for food. Because he loved and respected his father. There are so many stories that teach us to follow our fathers, they know best because they have been on this earth much longer than we have. They are stewards over us for a reason, especially when they are seeking the Lord in everything they do. I love my father and I am grateful for the wonderful man that he is, I am also grateful for a good husband who has helped teach his children correct principles which can sustain them through life. I hope each of my children know that their father is there for them and will listen to them and help them find the right path for them.
We belong to the true church where we follow leadership. It starts at the top with our prophet, we are all blessed with a wonderful family that The Lord puts here on earth to be our example and to give us help along the way, that is why we are here. I feel sorry for anyone who does not believe that simple principal .
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