Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time... Aren’t those wonderful words to begin a story? “Once upon a time” promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. It may include tales of courage, hope, and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words “And they lived happily ever after.”

Sisters, those words are true! They are not made up in a fairy tale! Isn’t it remarkable to know that our eternal Heavenly Father knows you, hears you, watches over you, and loves you with an infinite love? In fact, His love for you is so great that He has granted you this earthly life as a precious gift of “once upon a time,” complete with your own true story of adventure, trial, and opportunities for greatness, nobility, courage, and love. And, most glorious of all, He offers you a gift beyond price and comprehension. Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest gift of all—eternal life—and the opportunity and infinite blessing of your own “happily ever after.”

President Dieter F Uchtdorf

I love everything about this wonderful talk by President Uchtdorf from the most recent Young Women's meeting. I had been feeling impressed to study the Young Women meetings for the last couple of years before marrying Danny in April. Soon after joining our new ward I was called to be the secretary in the Young Women's program. It is a great blessing to me and I love the girls very much. I want a happily ever after for each of them and can testify that God really does hear and answer prayers. I have witnessed and experienced miracles in my life. There is hope, there is happiness, there really are good things to come. I know it with certainty. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

With hope,

L

Only at the Fair

Oh how I love the fair! Danny and I went to the Utah State Fair last weekend. It was our third year going together! The fair is quite the place. Aside from the animals and unique displays, there is always an abundance of other "interesting" things to behold. For instance, the intoxicated electric wheel chair drivers (yes, there were several of them, and no, they did not need wheelchairs before partaking of the fair's many alcoholic concessions.) A particular fair delight new this year, was the angry auctioneer who kept yelling at either a cow or a person named Lynley, I'm not sure which. Either way, I thought it was funny to hear my name used so brazenly at a cattle auction! I don't know how many times I shook my head and said, "Only at the fair!" and yet, again and again we happily attend. As always I loved the goats and the ferris wheel most of all! I had fun taking photos and Danny was his usual good sport. What fun we had at the fair!

With love,

L

Loving this song!

I am totally loving this album! It is my new happy music! It is so positive and uplifting. I was so impressed with Mindy Gledhill at the spark concert. She spoke about how many times she was told "no" when trying to begin her music career. I know what it feels like with my art and music to be told that it isn't right the way it is. It can be so discouraging! It's so refreshing to hear that other artists feel that way sometimes too! I've been loving the song "All About the Heart" so much! The lyrics just move me...

"I don't mind your odd behavior

It's the very thing I love

If you were an ice cream flavor

You would be my favorite one

My imagination sees you

like a painting by Van Gogh

Starry Nights and bright sunflowers

Follow you were you may go

Oh, I've love you from the start

In every single way

and more each passing day

You are brighter than than the stars

Believe me when I say

It's not about your scars

It's all about your heart

You're a butterfly held captive

small and safe in your cocoon

Go on you can take your time

Time is said to heal all wounds

Like a lock without a key

Like a mystery without a clue

There is no me if I cannot have you

With hope,

L

That's So Mauri

I've taken lots of fun pictures this weekend but these are among my favorite! They are just so typically Mauri! I love the ruffled skirt and clogs, so bright and cheerful! Sometimes out of the blue she'll raise her hands in the air, grin, and say "Happy Day!" She makes my day happy every time I see her!

Happy Day!

L

It's All About The Heart

Last weekend I was able to attend the Spark Creative event. It was great to be surrounded by so many creative thinkers and to take some time out for myself. While practicing some of the photography skills we had learned in class I noticed something that made my heart so very happy! I looked at the ivy on the wall behind the SPARK logo and I saw something so simple and beautiful. As you'll see in the first photo, there was a large heart just waiting to be discovered in the climbing ivy. I happily hopped on a chair and adjusted the top corner of the ivy to expose a beautiful great big heart! It's moments like this that remind me of God's love. He is, after all the Master Creator. Despite all the beautiful displays and carefully placed decor at the event, this was a simple statement of beauty. "It is the sweet simple things of life which are the real ones after all" Laura Ingalls Wilder. Mindy Gledhill gave a lovely concert Friday night and sang a beautiful song entitled "All about

Your Heart." She wrote it for Stephanie Neilson, who suffered major burns in a plane crash last year. The song addresses the need to look beyond the superficial and to see the beauty of the heart. If I learned one thing at the event, it probably wasn't about scrapbooking or crafting...it was the value of true and simple beauty. The kind that can only be seen and appreciated with the heart. That was a lesson worth learning!

With hope, L