Ponder The Path of Thy Feet

President Monson's talk "Ponder the Path of Thy Feet" from October 2014 General Conference really touched me.  And as the afternoons have been getting shorter I realized it had been a while since we had gone on a hike together.  And THEN I realized that a family walk on a path through the mountains would be a great opportunity to review these words from our prophet.  

 I wrote out 10 points I wanted to make sure we discussed by quoting and paraphrasing in more simple terms key parts of the talk.  Then I stuck each one in an envelope and hid them along the trail.

 The kids took turns finding and opening their mail from the prophet!

 Sammy got a little too eager!

 Although the focus may have started to shift on finding the envelopes quickly, before others walking the path could mess with them, we did our best as parents to slow things down and focus on really understanding what the paper said.

 Here is what we felt was important our family remember from this talk:

1)Heavenly Father made us and made a way for us to become like Him.
"All of us commenced a wonderful and essential journey when we left the spirit world and entered this often-challenging stage called mortality. The primary purposes of our existence upon the earth are to obtain a body of flesh and bones, to gain experience that could come only through separation from our heavenly parents, and to see if we would keep the commandments." -Pres. Thomas S. Monson
2) He did not send us here alone though.  He gave us tools to help us know how to return to Him.
 "Although we are left to find and follow that path which will lead us back to our Father in Heaven, He did not send us here without direction and guidance. Rather, He has given us the tools we need, and He will assist us as we seek His help and strive to do all in our power to endure to the end and gain eternal life." -Pres. Thomas S. Monson
3) "We have the words of God and of His Son found in the holy scriptures."
4) "We have the counsel and teachings of God's prophets."
5) "We, with Jesus, can walk the path of obedience."
6) "We, like Jesus, can walk the path of service."
7) "Jesus walked the path of prayer."
8) Jesus was merciful, a peacemaker, & brave. (This idea really stuck out to the kids.  The idea of it taking more courage to be humble and turn the other cheek was a little hard for them to wrap their head around.  But I'm so glad we talked about it!  It was a good lesson and trait of the Savior for me to remember too!)
9) He asks us to let our lights shine.
10) Jesus tells us it is much more important to lay up treasures in heaven than on earth.

Learning from Daddy.

  Such a pretty day!  I told the kids that after the last paper was found we had to search for our hidden treat.  First though, I wanted to try taking a family feet picture.

   These were my first two attempts...I love them though!

 And there we are in our favorite footwear and with my youngest on his toes!

And there's the snack!

 I went with powdered doughnuts for a couple reasons.  I wanted something that was convenient, but I also wanted something with some symbolism.  We have been journeying and progressing as a family, which is what we do everyday, in hopes we can be an eternal family someday in heaven.  The white of the sugar represents heaven and the circle shape is never-ending, just like our forever families can be.  Maybe it sounds like a stretch, but the kids loved it.  It was great to find at the end of our path!  And that's because not only were they delicious, but it meant no one else had snatched our treasure!

 Kids being silly... (redundant, I know)

 And asking for seconds...

 As we headed back I made sure hubby took a picture with me in it to show I really was there too! LOL

 The kids wanted to run up and down the paths at top speed.  I wanted to take pictures of their free spirits!

 These little faces are the reminders I look at each day that help me remember I can be better.  I need to practice what I and the prophets preach.  I want to do a better job of pondering the path of my feet and the words I speak to them.

   As we walked back to the car my daughter put her arm behind me and started trying to walk in sync with me, as though we were in a three-legged race together.  I find it ironic, considering the lesson topic.  Am I walking in sync with my Savior?  Am I going where he would go and doing what he would have me do?  Have I chosen to stay close to him, linked and ready to keep up with his pace? 

I sure hope so.  Love, Eva

The Truth Behind Bunnies, Money and Eggs:Telling The Easter Story Through Symbols

As I prepared our Easter egg hunt today I found myself remembering the symbolism in so many of the decorations and rituals.  It's easy to just mention the following to our families, make moments for spiritual conversation and set the scene for that most important event of helping our children feel the Spirit...

The bunnies we see represent fertility, that everything that has ever lived, lives or will live again will do so through Christ.

The chicks represent the resurrection.  They are born from an egg that from the outside looks dead, or like a stone.  Just as we have seen loved ones pass, their spirit is alive and will someday be reunited with their bodies for eternal life.

The eggs represent life because life is within them.  Life comes from them when we eat them for our nourishment and strength.  And of course, the empty egg represent the empty tomb after Christ was alive again.

The bright colors represent spring, a time of new births, growth and the chance to blossom again.  Being reborn, having second chances, growing and blossoming is what the Savior wants for each of us as we come unto him. 

Of course I filled eggs with candy, but we also left some empty.  The kids knew those were the extra special ones to find and it was sweet to see them more excited about the empty ones than the ones with treats.
And I filled some with 30 cents in silver coins. 
I did this because of a story with plastic filled eggs and symbols  my father told us every year, the story of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Of course the 30 cents represents the 30 pieces of silver for which Christ was sold.  The other eggs, scripture references and symbols are listed below. 

EGG # 1: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people waved palm branches.	Matthew 21:1-11	Piece of palm branch or plastic leaf
EGG# 2: Mary poured expensive perfume on Jesus' feet.	John 12:2-8	Small perfume sample or cloth with perfume
EGG# 3: Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples.	Matthew 26:17-19	Piece of bread or cracker
EGG# 4: Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.	Matthew 27:3	3 dimes or plastic silver money
EGG# 5: Jesus carried His own cross.	John 19:17	Popsicle stick cut and glued in a cross form
EGG# 6: Soldiers placed a crown of thorns on Jesus' head.	John 19:2	Small thorny branch( rose bush  cutting is good)
EGG# 7: Soldiers parted Jesus' garments and cast lots for His coat.	John 19:23	Piece of cloth
EGG# 8: Jesus was nailed to a cross and pierced in His side.	John 19:18,37 John 20:25-29	A nail
EGG# 9: They gave Jesus vinegar mixed with gall on a sponge to drink.	Matthew 27:34	A small sponge
EGG#10: Spices to prepare Jesus for burial.	John 19:40	cloves , bayleaf or other spices

EGG #11: The stone covering Jesus' tomb was rolled away	John 20:1	A small rock
EGG #12 : "He is not here, HE HAS RISEN, just as He said Come and see where He lay"	Matthew 28:6	empty egg

I found the chart with the Easter story of my childhood at http://nitewriter.net/easter_story.htm so I need to give them credit, though I modified it slightly based on our family's choices for symbols too.  I challenge you to fill a few surprise eggs with these items.  Open the scriptures.  Read about the Greatest Gift ever given, even the willing sacrifice of the Son of God.  Doing so will truly help you have a happy Easter.  Love, Eva

A Spiritual Easter Egg Hunt!

First, wasn't General Conference incredible?  From the sessions I did hear there were so many talks about families, children and parenting.  I can't wait to write about those later, but for now I would really like to share this Easter-inspired activity.

 

We had SO MUCH fun doing this easy game- more fun than I expected :) - so I wanted to share it with you. The real meaning of Easter can easily be forgotten with the yummy goodies, cute bunnies and other festivities.  None of that usually focuses on the Savior.  So we decided to have a Spiritual Easter Egg Hunt too.

 First, cut out or print out pictures of different blessings we have because of the life and sacrifice of the Savior. It can be anything really because everything comes from God, but try to connect how he is specifically responsible for that gift. The atonement allows us to be clean and go to the temple and be sealed to families. His coming to earth and being a Savior meant we could all get bodies too. He created this beautiful world and the animals on it. His lessons and comfort are there for us in the scriptures...the list goes on and on and it was great to talk about with my kids and think about myself.

 Next, fold up the pictures and put them in the Easter eggs...

 We put little white marshmallows in a few of the eggs too.  This was a great time to remind them about what white symbolizes, how the Savior is clean and pure, and how through baptism and the sacrament we can be clean and pure too. 

 And of course, we left one egg empty to remind us of the empty tomb.

 Then just hide and find the eggs!  What amazed me was how excited the kids were about finding the pictures of blessings they had cut out.  I thought they might be kind of bored about it, but they really weren't.  They understood how Easter was about Jesus and his love for us.

 Even my daughter was happy to find the egg that was empty.

 I really hope you can find a few minutes to do this with your kids or grandkids.  It could be great on Sunday even.  The Lord lives and there are so many reasons his life, sacrifice and resurrection should make us happy.  During a week that I've kind of had the blues I'm so glad that I could do this with my children and remember that all is not lost, because hope lives always in my Savior and big brother, Jesus.  Have a Happy Easter!  Remeber, the Gospel is true!  Love, Eva