Baptisim

Hope was baptized on Oct 13. It was a great day. Aunt Sondra bought her beautiful white dress for her birthday and came down for her baptism. Zoey Michelle played the piano for us and Autumn was the chorister. Tymber said the opening prayer and Autumn gave a talk on baptism. Richard was able to baptize her. This was wonderful because he was not able to with Tymber and Autumn. My dad and Rick were witnesses. Rich had to do it twice because he forgot to say her name the first time. After she was baptized KennaDee sang a song and Sondra gave a talk on confirmation. Then her dad confirmed her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost. The spirit was very strong and we could feel Bishop Adams and Grant in the room with us. Caralyn gave the closing prayer and Bishop Chapman said a few closing remarks. What a special day, one Hope had been looking forward to for a very long time. I am so proud of her and love the sweet spirit she brings into our home.

Tymber's talk

Tym was asked to talk in Sacrement tomorrow. She is less the thrilled. I,  we wrote her talk on Saturday. I think she will do great job.
I, we used a lot of quotes ant talks from the Ensign, but I think that is okay for her first talk. sorry it is long and the formating is weird, but whatever.

I was asked to talk about families. Each family is unique and different, just as each person in the family has his or her own personalities. Our families are a sanctuary for safety, love, and protection. Heavenly Father wants us to return to him and has provided us parents and leaders to help guide us as we grow and teach us the importance of the gospel.

It is easy to take family members for granted and forget we are here to learn love, obedience and patients. Fighting with siblings or rolling eyes at parents as they give advice is easier than putting the needs of our family member before our own.

The Strength of Youth quotes “Strong families require effort. Your family will be blessed as you do your part to strengthen it. Be cheerful, helpful, and considerate of family members. Many problems in the home come from family members speaking and acting selfishly or unkindly. Seek to be a peacemaker rather than to tease, fight, and quarrel. Show love for your family members each day. Share your testimony with your family through words and actions. Your righteous example can make a difference in strengthening your family. Honor your parents by showing love and respect for them. Obey them as they lead you in righteousness. Willingly help in your home. Participate in wholesome family activities and traditions. Join your family in family prayer, family scripture study, and family home evenings. Keeping these commandments strengthens and unifies families. Strengthen your relationships with your brothers and sisters. They can become your closest friends. Support them in their interests, and help them with challenges they may be facing” (end quote)

As we grow up and go through school years, friends come and go. Today’s society is especially hard for youth with all of the temptations Satan puts in our paths. Our friends will come and go throughout our lives, as we change but family will always stand by our side no matter what. When we make mistakes there will be no one better to pick us up and brush us off then our family.

We must all remember we are on this earth for a short time to learn,  grow, and do all we can to return to our Father in Heaven. We also must remember we will have to answer to Him when our life here ends.

How can we become more like our Savior in this life is we can’t get along with the people we were sent here to love and live with. How will we live with them eternally?

 There is a story I came across while preparing this talk it is called

“Lessons from the Geese”

written in 1972 by Dr. Robert McNeish

This fall, when you see geese heading south for the winter flying along in "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way.

FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates”uplift" for the bird immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock has at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

LESSON: Families who share a common direction and sense a community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

FACT: When a goose flies out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of  flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.

LESSON: If we have as much common sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation, and another goose flies to the point position.

LESSON: It makes sense to take turns doing the hard tasks and share leadership. As with geese, families depend on each other’s skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

FACT: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

LESSON: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In families where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement is the quality of honking we seek.

FACT: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two other geese will drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with the fallen goose until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation to catch up with their flock.

LESSON: If we have as much sense as the geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong!

I would like to bear my testimony….(bear Testimony) and hope that we can all remember to become more like the geese. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Bishop Adams

David Randall “Dave” Adams, 61 of Blackfoot passed away Thursday, May 10, 2012 at his home following a valiant battle with cancer.
He was born Dec. 1, 1950 in Wendell to William David and Imogene Cannon Adams. Dave was raised in Wendell and has also lived in Idaho Falls, Boise and Blackfoot. He spent 37 years in Groveland surrounded by friends and family.

On March 8, 1974 Dave married Dorine Munk in the Logan, Utah LDS Temple.
Dave was an active member and missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served faithfully in many callings, including bishop, home teacher, stake Young Mens president and temple worker. He served a full-time mission to Brazil, Sao Paulo, and later served with his eternal companion and wife to the Canada, Toronto mission.
He retired as a captain in the Idaho National Guard after 21 years of service. Dave was outdoorsman, coach, Scoutmaster and avid Scouter, friend and, most importantly, a family man.
Dave worked as a service technician for Intermountain Gas Company and was loving known as “The Gas Man” for over 30 years.


He is survived by his wife and best friend, Dorine of Blackfoot; children Jennifer (Shayne) Proctor of Rexburg, Becky (Jason) Young of Blackfoot, Debra (Neil) Schneider of Blackfoot, Davey (Lexie) Adams of Blackfoot and Stephen (Kayla) Adams of Lehi, Utah, ; stepmother Lorna Adams of Meridian; brothers, John (Jeri) Adams of Boise and Tom (Kathy) Hogart of Nampa; sisters, Billie Jean (Harold) Bratsko of Commerce City, Colo.; Pearl (Bud) Hogart of Boise and Linda McGee of Mountain Home; and 13 loving grandchildren: Brody, Coby, Hunter, Treyton, Carson, Emyrie, Addison, Darby, Ty, Kellen, Laramie, Chance and Bridger.
Dave was preceded in death by his parents, William David and Imogene Adams.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 14, 2012, at the Blackfoot South LDS Stake Center, 900 Riverton Rd., Blackfoot. The family will meet with friends and relatives from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday evening at Hawker Funeral Home and again for one hour prior to service at the church
Condolences may be sent to the family at condolences@hawkerfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Relay For Life, Team “Adams Family” would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be submitted online or with any member of his family. Dave’s family would like to thank all his friends, doctors, healthcare providers and all those who supported him and his family through his journey.






























































































































































.

Bishop Adams

Our Bishop, Dave Adams was released today. I knew it was coming and I am just beyond heartbroken.This man means the world to my family. Bishop Adams gave us the final push (or shove) we needed to get us to the Temple. I honestly believe with all of my heart if he had not been called to be our Bishop when he was we would not have gone to the temple. Rich has never responded to a bishop or any other church authority the way he does with Bishop Adams. I know Autumn had been praying for us for so long to go to the temple and be sealed, but I am not sure it would have happened if Bishop had not called us into his office the second week he was called in and bluntly asked us what in the heck we were doing and why were we not sealed.From that September day to a three short months later our whirlwind and all the blessings of becoming a forever family were reached and made a reality. Bishop Adams was with us every step of the way pushing, answering questions and most of all showing his love to my family. He dearly, dearly loves ALL the youth in our ward. He holds a special place for Autumn especially. He treats her like his daughter. After we were sealed he came over and seen our pictures of that day and immediately demanded I give him one. I offered a 8x10 to him and he took it home and put it in his home office. His wife asked him why he put it there and was afraid it may offend other members to have our picture prominently displayed on his desk. He explained to her he loved us so much, but it wasn't necessarily our picture but what we represent as a family and a forever family!

It was not the normal time to release a bishop, he did not serve as long as most. Bishop Adams is really really sick.He has fought cancer for years, went on a mission and the cancer was in remission. Immediately came home from his mission was put into the Bishopric and the cancer started again. He was able to control most of it until about 8 months ago. He has steadily gotten worse and the past few months has been in a wheelchair. In constant pain, hurting always. He missed many meetings because he was so sick he couldn't attend, and I know it devastated him. Rich once told me he feels a greater bond with Bishop Adams than he ever did with his dad. I cannot even explain how much we love him. He is a HUGE huger, loves to hug everyone, but also really good about never hugging the youth in his office or alone with them. He would leave his office, ask them for a hug, and make sure it was okay with them and if the parents were there ask their permission first.

Last week Lorie gave a farewell talk about in HIS time.Not our time. It is the Lord's will and thy will be done. I know it is time for him to be released. I have known for a while it is time. I know he is a faithful servant and the Lord is pleased with him. My families love for him is endless. What scares me is I know he is so sick and soon he will return home, where the Lord will smile and hug him and tell him "Well done faithful servant, well done."

We love you Bishop Adams and I know it hurt you to be released. You served our ward well and touched my families lives for eternity. A simple thank you will never be enough.

Roadshow

We had a church roadshow tonight. Most of the youth took part in it. Autumn was a Hells Angel, Tymber was a horse wrangler, and Hope was on a ship that pirates took their loot and also in a house that the family was kicked out of. The roadshow was on Genealogy. It was a little weird and even though there was A LOT of hard work on the adults part, it just didn't come off that well. The youth were all pretty wild and just really didn't care.

Teach them the meaning of Christmas

We went to our ward Christmas party tonight and this is the program they did. It was wonderful.



True Meaning of Christmas

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out next to the fireplace.

"What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement . . .

"TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children!

Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten." Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."

He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that
Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."

Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."

He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."

He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents
the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him.

Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son." Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that
the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."


Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL,. "Teach the children that as the
lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.

Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but
a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship him, our LORD, our GOD

Have I done any Good in the World Today?