It's been a heavy few weeks...months... year or so. We have been tried, and stretched, and exhausted in unexpected ways. We have done our best to lean on the Father and utilize the strength of the Savior.
We are observing that this generation our kids are growing up in, find it deeply uncomfortable to do many required, normal life skills. For example: talking eye to eye, starting conversations, going out of their comfort zone. etc.
We have been working so hard to motivate and empower our teenagers. It's been a concerning challenge.
Dad is a good example of doing hard things that are way outside his comfort zone. He went from enjoying many years of working in a lab, to being given a position that requires him now to have daily meetings. He has to talk one on one with people all day long, something that has always been a pain staking task. It drains him so much. However... he steps up to do whatever he needs to do, every time.
Another way he goes out of his comfort zone, is taking me dancing. Dancing outside of our home, the idea of anyone watching him dance, is nearly intolerable. But not only does he take me dancing when the opportunity comes up, he even learned to dance for me! He bought us an online dancing course to learn at home. He's even good at it! But he still doesn't like it. He does it for me. Because I do love it so much.
Today during fast Sunday, your dad --my sweet introverted husband-- did the one thing you and I have never seen him do: he got up in Sacrament meeting and shared his testimony!!
The moment occurred like this:
Dad likes to poke me to get up every Fast Sunday. I don't like it, cuz sometimes in coincides with the Spirit poking me to get up. :) Today he joke poked me but I said, "I don't have it in me today. It's been a hard month, babe." He knew and assured me he was just being playful. Then he put his around me and let me sink into him.
Jeremy Dodge got up and shared a sweet testimony about God's work & glory being to bring His children immortality and eternal life. Then Jeremy shared what he felt was his own work & glory, raising his boys to come to Christ and be good men, etc. It was sweet and my eyes watered a little as my heart stirred with the love I have for the Dodge boys and their parents. I pointed to JC Raney who was sitting in front of us, and teased dad, "If JC gets up, then its a sign you should follow after both your friends & go up there..." He smiled and said, "If JC gets up after Jeremy, I'll get up." I was shocked he said that, even as a joke. I said, "Well, it would be good for the kids to hear you share your testimony up there. No pressure though, honey. I know how uncomfortable that is for you."
He had a look on his face. He was smiling softly and his eyes were searching the ground the way they do when he is contemplating something. I thought, "Is he actually considering going up there?" So I started praying, "Father, please inspire JC Raney to go up to the pulpit! Please, please, please..." and started pouring out my heart for all the ways it would be good for Spence and the kids and me, etc.
But JC didn't get up to share his testimony. A new member who just moved here named Bro. Hurst got up. His testimony was very nice, but I was bummed bc now there was no chance Spencer would get up. So I sat a little deflated. Then Spencer whispered to me, "You dare me to go up?" Me, staring straight ahead: "I dare you." To my shock, he was suddenly standing! I don't remember saying it, but Spencer heard me blurt "Oh MY GOSH!" And he walked to the pulpit!! I leaned over and made all the kids look up and pay attention. Perry had his head down in his arms like he was sleeping. I reached across Jo & Charlie and said, "Perry, look up this is something you've never seen in your entire life, sit up!!"
Dad stood there smiling and looking to me like an angel. He stated that it was probably a shock to see him up there because in our whole marriage he has only done it maybe once. (But that "once" was in Princeton. And I wasn't there. I was home with baby Kaden. I only learned about it from a sister who told me later that she enjoyed my husband's testimony the previous week. I was shocked and deeply sad I missed it. But this afternoon as we discussed that, Spencer admitted he has no memory of it. He is convinced that the last time he bore his testimony on fast Sunday was right after his mission. That Princeton sister must have mistaken him for someone else. So today truly was the first time in over 2 decades that he voluntarily braved the pulpit.)
He talked about the challenges & desires we have to raise our children to follow the Savior and to be strong good people, functioning adults, etc. He mentioned that we've been focusing on encouraring our children step up & out of their comfort zone and do the necessary hard things. So what better way to be an example then to get up here and do something that is so uncomfortable for him. Then he shared a sweet, simple, and spiritual testimony of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and families. I wept the whole time. When he sat back down next to me, I held him and cried into his shoulder. I was overwhelmingly proud of him and kept whispering that to him, "I'm so so proud of you!"
I'm so grateful for my husband. He has always been such an incredible example to our kids. Today was a very big deal to me. And for Spence. I hope you kids recognize what dad did for you today. Follow his lead, step up and step out of your cozy ways. Doing the hard things are scary sometimes, but the growth and confidence are so much bigger than the momentary discomfort & nerves. The gain is worth everything!
After Spencer came down, we sang the closing hymn. Then to our surprise, JC Raney did go up to the pulpit... to say the closing prayer! Dad whispered, "We both went up, just in the wrong order." :) ha ha
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Another sweet part of our Sabbath happened after church. Encouraging Perry & Charlie to get their patriarchal blessings has been on our hearts a lot. Dad thought we should have a family devotional about it today. So he gathered the 3 kids on our bed and we watched a talk on the computer. It was called When to Receive Your Patriarchal Blessing by Kazuhiko Yamashita in the April 2023 General Conference.
Dad asked if they had questions, and Charlie asked a few. We invited Josie to share how it's been helpful for her to have one. Dad shared some special parts from mine and he talked about why it's important for us all to have one. We encouraged them to pray specifically and ask "Heavenly Father, do you think I am ready to get my patriarchal blessing?" If you don't feel calm, peaceful, or get that warm loving feeling... maybe try asking, "What do I need to do or stop doing to be ready?" Then wait on your knees and see what comes to your mind. Maybe you'll think 'I should be more patient with my sibling, or I need to give more time to scriptures, clean up the music I listen to, language I use, etc. And when you are done praying, look at the calendar and pick a day to work for.
We encouraged the boys to go find a quiet space to be alone. Charlie went off into craft room and took a white noise device. After a while he came out, smiling sweetly and looked pleased. He asked to speak to me privately. Then he shared his special moment with Heavenly Father in prayer. Saying that he asked Him, then when telling me this next part, he teared up. He said "I felt so peaceful and full of joy & love and I know He thinks I'm ready." I held him and cried with him. He said they were happy tears. Then he confided some other important and special things with me and we had a really wonderful talk. Charlie is very good at verbalizing his thoughts and feelings, and it makes it so easy to communicate and know how to support him. It's such a blessing! He said he's ready to get an interview with bishop and get his Patriarchal blessing soon. I am so so excited for him!
Perry is also praying about when he should receive his. He is about to get his license, has been job hunting, putting out power washing fliers, etc. We know he wants to get his patriarchal blessing and we look forward to him having that sacred & personal "love letter from God" too.
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