Happy Holidays!

Such a busy, FUN time of year!  We have had so much going on!  Family parties, Nate's work party, holiday group runs, and lots of shopping and Christmas movies.  I love it all!  I am SO excited for Christmas this year.  The kids get more fun each year, and this will be the best one yet!  I can't wait to see their faces and watch them be so happy!

My gift to my Savior this year was to finish the Book of Mormon by Christmas Day.  I was in Alma, so that put me reading 19 pages a day.  It's been tough, and I've had to sacrifice some tv time to get the pages finished at night, but I DID IT, and it was amazing.  I learned SO much.  The Lord truly opened my eyes and gave me new light and understanding.  My love for my Savior grew, and my desire to serve Him and trust His wisdom increased.  I love the Book of Mormon!

Sunday was a beautiful Church service.  The music and messages were perfect.  I felt such a reverence for our Savior's birth.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Just Stuff

We've had a busy and fun past few days, but I'm waiting for pictures before I can post about them.

So, let's see, what else can I ramble about??  Cuz we all know I'm good at rambling!

Nate has decided to defer to next year's half marathon.  We were going to walk it together, but my foot is feeling better than his knee, so he didn't want to slow me down.  So he'll bring the kids out to Foothill to wave when I run by, and he can get me at the finish line.  Hopefully he'll be able to run it in 2014.  I'm nervous!  I have NOT been running very much, but I think I'll be able to push through it.  I'm so upset about the Boston Marathon incident.  So awful.  Horrible injuries to innocent bystanders.  What a terrible way to have this great event probably changed for forever.  I don't understand the evils of this world.  Why can't people just leave each other alone and let runners and their families enjoy their day?  It's very frustrating and sad.  I'm grateful all will be made right in the end.

Cam and I had a rough morning.  I ended up in tears, and Allie came up and said "Mom, let's smile that frown away."  My little peacemaker.  But oh that Cam.  I love him so much.  I need more prayer and humility and patience.

My family (as in the Warner clan) has been dealing with some tough news involving Sam and Michelle.  No details here, but I just want them to know how much we LOVE them and are thinking about and praying for them.  Sam, you are such an amazing young man, and we truly think the world of you.

Phew, okay, I need something lighter!  How about salad?  I'm on a salad kick right now, which happens about once every few years!  I've been trying to triple my veggie intake this week to prep for my race, and I'm feeling awesome.  Yum.  I already can't wait to make another one today.  What are some of your favorite salad toppings?  My tip is to use cottage cheese instead of salad dressing!  And add in some lightly steamed broccoli and cauliflower.  Oh the goodness.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE the Book of Mormon?  :)  It's my rock.  It's my baby blanket or stuffed dog or "Meow" if you're Claire.  I cling to it for comfort.  And it works like a charm.  Every single day.

Peace

I'm feeling better.  Prayer and studying the Book of Mormon have allowed the Spirit to bring me peace.  This time around, I'm slowing my reading down a little and focusing on some topics and labeling.  I can tell that the Lord has been granting me more clarity and a more "mature" view on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I understand the scriptures better now than I ever have.  I cannot get enough...

On Sunday evening, Ashley and Robert had us over for hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies and our gift exchange.  Hoping to make a tradition out of that!  They have become like family to us this past year, and we love them so much.

Nate has been enjoying his break from school.  I haven't felt well all week, so we've just been hanging out here.  This nagging head cold has kept me from running, and I feel so antsy and sluggish!  Nate ran 7 miles the other day though!  He rocks.  My world.

I can't believe it's almost Christmas!  Our countdown chain is short, I'm finished with shopping/wrapping gifts, and so I'm hoping to finish up the week with some baking, if I can feel better! 

Cameron's latest obsession is Ninjago.  See, he cut his Spiderman mask to become a Ninjago mask.  He's so creative and intense...never know what he'll be into next!  I love that about him!

Darth Claire.

Pretty Roo with long hair.

Claire in a Cart.  She likes to go fast.

Claire in a Basket.

My early Christmas present.  It inspires me.  And the navy jersey fabric is SO comfy.

She did it!

Back in September, Nate and his little sister, Mallory, were chatting online.  He was just asking her how she's doing, because he's an awesome big brother like that.  They got on the subject of scripture study, and Mal told us she has never read the Book of Mormon all the way through.  Ooh, this is my favorite thing in the world, so I immediately offered to read it with her.  You all know how much I love to make reading goals and schedules.  So we agreed on 5 pages a day, which starting on September 19, would have had us finishing right at New Year's.  Perfect! 

So I wrote us up a schedule, and off we went.  At first, I kept bugging her, "Did you read today?".  Well, in the middle of October, I found out that she was kicking my trash!  She was already 60 pages ahead.  I was shocked and SO SO proud and excited!  She said she can't stop reading!  Ooh, best thing ever!

I couldn't let her get too far ahead, so this made me kick my reading up a ton.  I started reading 10+ pages a day.  It was so wonderful!  I felt the effects of that immediately in my life.

We stayed ahead of schedule, but I'm still in the middle of Ether, I have about 45 pages left.  But last night, Mallory texted us and said she FINISHED!!  She finished 25 days ahead of schedule!  That is AWESOME!  So now I know what I'll be doing this weekend!!

Mal, we are so proud of you!  The Lord is so proud of you!  You didn't just read the Book of Mormon, you read it in less than 3 months!  That is such a huge accomplishment!  We love you!  I'm taking you out for dessert when you come to Utah!

Now go read it again.

And again.

By the way, I have a plan for how I'm going to study that wonderful book next time around.  And then a different plan for the time after that.  Can't wait!!

Mosiah 16

I don't know how many times I've read the Book of Mormon.  The only time I kept count was on my mission.  I read it 7 times as a missionary.  I'm so proud of that (in a non-prideful way!!).  I've only read it a handful of times before/after the mish though, but still...you'd think by now I would have figured out my favorite verses and found the ones that impacted me the most.

Tonight I read Mosiah 16, and it hit me like "a lightning bolt stuck my brain" (Nate's words, he's on the couch).  It was SO powerful.

Verse One, immediately, felt so relevent with all of the political happenings going on in America right now.  This election is huge.  Prophecies from the scriptures are being fulfilled left and right (and ironically, it's those who don't believe in prophets or scriptures who are actually fulfilling them!).  People can get pretty intense about it all.  But for me personally (and maybe this is a bad thing?), I sit back with a quiet peace (or maybe it's ignorance, I don't know!).  BUT, I know God is still in control.  Despite the craziness of this world, His hand is still over us all.  I feel so much peace in focusing my energies on keeping His commandments and keeping my standards above what the world is setting them at.  In the end, it will come down to the Individual.  How have we spent our time here on Earth?  Did we truly work our hardest to become as Christlike as we could? 

Mosiah 16:1 - "The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just."

One of my favorite lessons from the Isaiah Chapters in 2 Nephi is how we are ALL equal in God's eyes.  In the end, when it comes down to it, we will ALL stand to reveal ourselves for who we truly are.  Who we became while on earth.  We will have nothing to hide behind.

It can all sound kind of scary, but that is where Christ comes in.  Mosiah 16 is a beautiful explanation of the purpose of Christ.  I love it.  Because of His Atonement, we can have endless light and life. 

"There is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless."

It is TRUE. I know it is. And like Abinadi, the prophet, I will not recall my words.

It's so amazing.  It's so perfect.  I love it with everything I have.  I love Abinadi.  Like I said, I'm not sure why the Lord chose this time to enlighten my mind with how great Abinadi's teachings are, but I'm grateful He did.  Line upon line. 

I LOVE the Book of Mormon!  I had a sweet and hilarious Korean companion, Sister Gwan, in Suwon, and one morning, she told me that she loves her scriptures so much that when she dies, she wants to be buried with them.  We laughed about it, but I agreed with her.  These tattered pages have been through a lot with me.  They are like coming home. 

Okay, well I'm off to bed. 

Here are my 3 babies.  I love them, I love them, I love them, I LOVE THEM!!!!  I could stare at each one of them for eternity and not get sick of it. 

Feeling Good and Making a Plan

Yes.  Another running post.  You fellow runners understand the obsession/euphoria that overtakes you.  The rest of you can just skip over this!

So, Staci has been taking a break from running to nurse an injured foot.  I have really missed running with her!!  I kind of slacked off and got lazy.  On 9/22, Nate and I ran our Stake 5K Fun Run.  I ran it in 30:35, which I was really happy about!!  Progress!!  I decided to re-commit myself to getting better and faster.  Earlier this week, I went out by myself and ran 5 miles.  I was so proud of myself!  I felt really good on the run, and that, along with the 5K, really boosted my confidence and commitment.

Staci came over yesterday morning, and we sat down and went over my goals for my running for the next few months.  She wrote out a detailed training plan for me, including speed work, cross-training and long runs.  I like not having to try and figure out what distances/intensities to run when.  Now I just follow my calendar!    We set some short-term goals for 2 upcoming races I have, and then we also decided to run the Salt Lake Half Marathon in April 2013.  I am SO excited!!  I have a solid 6 months to prepare, so I am confident that I can do it.

I feel great!  I love running!

***

I also made myself a Book of Mormon reading schedule.  Apparently I do everything better when it's on paper, and I can track my progress!  I need to make a chart for flossing, cleaning, etc...haha!Anyway, as expected, I have felt the blessings of consistent scripture study come, and I'm grateful for that.  I love how all of my concerns, doubts and fears in life just seem to melt away when I read.  I have nothing to fear!  The Lord is over all, and He loves us so much.

We Did It

Two years ago, in June 2010, I came home from a trip to Oregon and decided that our family needed to read the Book of Mormon.  Not the picture or simplified versions, but the actual scripture.  I knew my children wouldn't understand it very well, but I felt impressed that the Spirit would increase in our home and that the children would feel that.  I had stayed with my friend, Nikki, and she had read just one page with her family each evening.  It seemed doable enough, and I was committed.

So we opened to 1 Nephi that June, the day I got back, and started reading.  Sometimes we'd read in the evening, sometimes in the morning.  Sometimes we'd miss a day.  Sometimes the kids would sit (relatively) still, and other times they'd be off the walls!  But we pressed on.  One page, 2 columns, every day that we could.  I'd read one column, Nate would read one.

Last week, we read the last page, Moroni 10.  It was Friday morning, just moments before we headed out to Oregon.  Kind of ironic that Oregon trips happened on the first and last days of our reading!!

I am so proud of our little family.  We did it!  It wasn't easy, and most days I felt like I was just reading to myself (especially if Nate wasn't there).  But we did it!  The Spirit HAS been increased in our home.  My children love the Book of Mormon.  I am proud of our family for showing our faith to our Heavenly Father, and we have all felt His blessings and approval because of it.

So it's back to Page 1.  It'll take another 2 years to finish again, but we'll read it.  And then we'll read it again.

What I Know

I'm feeling a desire to share what I know to be true today.  I've said all of these things before.  I say them today.  And be assured that I will repeat them countless times in the future.

I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know it is Christ's true Gospel restored on the earth again through the prophet, Joseph Smith.  Priesthood authority has been restored to the earth.  I know that the Book of Mormon is a true witness of Jesus Christ and the importance, reality and need for His Atonement in our lives.  I know that we have a living prophet today, who leads and directs and counsels us with love.  I know that God lives.  He hears and answers our prayers when we are truly seeking to know and do His will.

Sitting outdoors all day, every day has given me the wonderful opportunity to read the April 2011 Conference issue of the Ensign straight through.  Such beautiful talks, full of hope and encouragement.  I love the message of becoming like Christ, not just doing the checklist items of scripture study, prayer, church attendence, etc.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks has said, "The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts -- what we have DONE.  It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts -- what we have BECOME."

I have faith.  I have faith that with humility, patience, and the endless outpouring of God's love, we can overcome our weaknesses and worldly desires to become like Christ.  I am grateful every day for His mercy and patience with me because I have such a long way to go.  I envision the kind of person I want to be, and I get discouraged at all of my stumbling blocks and faults and weaknesses that I know I have to overcome to get there.  But I know that it is through those faults, along with the hardships and pains and trials we all face in our lives that the Lord shapes and molds us.  His path and plan for each of us is so much better than our plans for ourselves.  I have seen God's hand guide my life with too much precision and too much love to EVER deny it. 

I invite anyone who is willing to read the Book of Mormon.  Pray with sincerity to know if it is true.  I know it is because I have read it.  On my mission, I had lots of people tell me that it isn't true, but none of those people had ever even held the book in their hands.  I would always invite them to simply read...and then they are free to decide for themselves.  I love the Book of Mormon with all of my heart, and nothing will ever make me deny it's truth or waver my knowledge of it's power.  It brings light where there is darkness.  I love sharing this light with anyone I can.  It is just too wonderful to stay quiet about, especially when there is so much darkness in this world.

That is what I know.  I am proud to share it with anyone who will listen.  I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ or any of His teachings.  I will always share what I know to be true, as long as I live.  I will bow down before Christ when the time comes, and I pray every day that when He sees me, He will wrap me in His arms and say my name and know me because I have lived a life of devotion to Him.  I live to hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." 

A Forever Family

Today is a very exciting today for the Wood Family.

Kamie & Alex are going to the temple for the first time.  And while there, they will be sealed together and to their little handsome Ari as an eternal family.  Together for time and all eternity.  Any children they bring into the world from now on will automatically be sealed to them as well.  What a beautiful blessing!

This little family has been on an amazing journey the past 6 months to get to this point.  It has been wonderful to watch their faith in Christ grow and solidify into a firm testimony and desire to go to the temple.  The Book of Mormon was a major key in this journey because it is real.  It is true.  It produced this miracle. 

Life is no longer just a day-to-day experience for this family.  Now it has real purpose.  Real direction.  Real hope.  An eternal goal that will make every day worth it.  Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that will bring families to the temple, thus allowing them to remain together after death.

I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know these things are true.  I know Christ lives and loves each of us.  The Book of Mormon is true.  I invite everyone to please open this book and just read.  Like I've promised before, it'll change your life in miraculous ways...just like it did for this family.

(I hope she doesn't mind, but you can read some of Kamie's beautiful thoughts on the Book of Mormon and temples here and here.)

It Never Has to End

Thank you so so much for joining me on this Book of Mormon challenge.  And thank you for sharing your miracles you've seen and felt.  My heart has felt joy in a way that I haven't felt since I was a missionary.

I have also developed the unshaken knowledge that the Lord WILL take care of those who love and obey Him.  When I saw the positive pregnancy test back at the end of November, it was definitely a surprise.  Nate thought I was joking when I told him!!  We knew that August is going to be a really crazy month for us, with moving somewhere and Nate starting a whole new career as a teacher.  So we had decided to put the 3rd baby plans on hold for a few months to let our lives settle down a bit.  So we just laughed and shook our heads when we saw that the Lord (yet again) had tweaked our attempt at making plans for our life!

So when I saw the positive test, my first instinct was to start panicking....How can we have a baby in August?  What if we are between jobs and don't have insurance?  What if we're smack in the middle of trying to move across the country?  What if we can't afford another 3-bedroom place?  How can Nate handle a brand new job with insane lesson planning and still have time to help me out with THREE kids??

The questions flew through my head, but then left as quickly as they arrived.  We were about 3 weeks into our Read With Me challenge, and the power of the Lord's promise "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land."  overwhelmed me.  I COULDN'T WORRY.....the thoughts wouldn't come.  I actually TRIED to worry about this summer, and I literally couldn't.  The knowledge of Christ's love was SO solid in my heart, that all I could do was smile and look at Nate and say, "Wow, Honey....the Lord wants this baby to come in August, and He will provide us with a job, insurance and a place to live."  I know it's true.  The Lord has so many amazing things planned for the Wood Family in 2011, and all of my fears and stresses and worries have been replaced by faith, love, confidence, excitement, and pure JOY!  Even though I've been sicker than I've ever been, I have never felt such happiness.

So now, as we end this challenge and this year, I invite you to NEVER LET IT END.  Keep reading.  Keep feeling this power.  Study the scriptures and pay attention to how you FEEL.  Don't worry about if the Nephites were headed northward or southward.  It doesn't matter who was the descendant of whom.....or if Mormon is writing or Moroni.  What matters is that the children of God who humbly obeyed God's commandments always prospered.  And those who didn't....they were in Satan's power and had no lasting happiness or promise of eternal life.  IT'S REAL, my dear friends.  Let Christ into your life, and never let what you are feeling end.  Keep going, and Christ will call you by name and welcome you into his loving arms, and you will stand in His presense with your head held high.  It's worth it.  This is all that matters in this life.

I love you all.  Happy New Year!

(By the way, I'm reading the Book of Mormon again by my 30th birthday on March 7, if anyone wants to join me again.  Then I'm going to read the Old and New Testaments before August.....)

I am shocked at the response to this...just blown away! I thought 2 or 3 friends might do this with me, and we'd have a little group to keep tabs on.  Wow....nearly 30 of you have signed up, some of you I don't even know....and the list is still growing!  I couldn't list all of you on my sidebar because you overtook my blog!!  I love it!!  Satan is NOT very happy with all of us; he knows what's going to happen to our homes and families.  I hope you all enjoyed Day One, I know I did!  I love learning from Nephi's example of exact obedience to the Lord's commandments.  I'd love to hear your experiences as we go along, so feel free to share with us on your blogs, through emails, or leave comments here.  We're all in this together now!!  Happy Reading!!

Read With Me

It's already happening.  The blessings from truly studying the scriptures are quietly, but steadily pouring into my life and mind and heart.  It's real.  And it happened fast.  In a matter of days.

Starting today, I will be reading 10 pages a day in the Book of Mormon.  Read with me!  If we read every day, 10 pages, we will finish by December 31, 2010.  I'm doing it with or without you, but I'd love to have you join me!  Let's welcome power and amazing blessings into our lives together.  I guarantee it'll change you.

There are 2 options:

1. Start on page one - 1 Nephi, Chapter 1.  If you aren't reading the Book of Mormon right now in your life, start here.  If you've never read the Book of Mormon, please join me and start here.  If you don't have a Book of Mormon, I will get a free copy to you asap!  I am reading 2 Nephi right now, but I've decided to start over today since I'll catch back up in just 7 days anyway. 

2. Start where you are at if you're far into the Book already.  Read 10 pages a day, and end up back where you're at on December 31st. 

Here's what you do if you want to join me:
-Tell me you're doing it.  We'll make the commitment together!  I'll list our "team" on my blog and keep track of where we should be.
-Read with a purpose.  Have some questions to be answered or a weakness to be strengthened.  Answers will come.
-Read every verse with the question, "What does this teach me about Christ?"  I promise it'll open up the Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi for you!
-Read in a quiet place.  Have no distractions.  The Spirit speaks to us in a "still, small voice".  I read either when Cameron is at school & Roo is napping...or I read after they are in bed at night.
-Don't get discouraged if you don't understand every word.  Pay more attention to how you are feeling instead of trying to keep track of every detail you read.  Just keep going....I promise the peace and joy will take over.
-Do a blog post or email me on January 1, 2011 and tell me some of your experiences.  I'm going to hold you to it.  I can't wait to hear about the miracles in your life!!

Do you feel that?  Something inside you is curious, intrigued, excited?  Is your heart pounding a little bit?  Miracles in my life?  Can they really happen?  Can reading a book really change my life in a few weeks?  Those feelings are the Spirit prompting you to go ahead and give it a try. 

Here we go! 
Day One is 1 Nephi 1:1 thru 1 Nephi 5:11