It's that time of the year again and as of today (12/8/17) we already had our first snow and dove right into a tray Costco baklava!!!
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Christmas time is here
Caught this sitting in draft stage...better get it published!
It's that time of the year again and as of today (12/8/17) we already had our first snow and dove right into a tray Costco baklava!!!
It's that time of the year again and as of today (12/8/17) we already had our first snow and dove right into a tray Costco baklava!!!
The Swing
This has been sitting in our drafts for a little while. Thought we'd share as is :) Enoy!
Shout out to Katherine Ann for reminding us that our little man is old enough (and strong enough) to hold himself up in the baby swings! We took him to the park for the first time and he was soooo cute. He was a little apprehensive at first but then he would realize that after he swung away he would always swing right back to mom and dad's smiling faces, which solicited the greatest smiles and giggles. We tried the baby swing and the big swing - with papa holding him of course (he's not that old and strong). He did great until he got too cold.
Shout out to Katherine Ann for reminding us that our little man is old enough (and strong enough) to hold himself up in the baby swings! We took him to the park for the first time and he was soooo cute. He was a little apprehensive at first but then he would realize that after he swung away he would always swing right back to mom and dad's smiling faces, which solicited the greatest smiles and giggles. We tried the baby swing and the big swing - with papa holding him of course (he's not that old and strong). He did great until he got too cold.
Oh Canada! Part 1 of....many to come...
Well its been more than two years since we posted and a lot has happened in that time. We had a baby! We finished a PhD! We took our first "big boy" job at Vancouver Island University! AND we immigrated to Canada!
We now live on an island and while island life is tough (have to ferry or fly to get off island, no IKEA, high cost of living) we love living in paradise :)
Here are a few photos, with more to come!!!!!
We now live on an island and while island life is tough (have to ferry or fly to get off island, no IKEA, high cost of living) we love living in paradise :)
Here are a few photos, with more to come!!!!!
COVID-19, Fasting and Mighty Prayer
Today was fast Sunday and we were invited by our area authority to join in 'might fasting and prayer' in response to the current situation regarding COVID-19. The purpose of the fast was five-fold:
A quick note on COVID-19
We haven't blogged in a while but given that COVID-19 is like nothing we have ever experienced in our lifetime I thought I would document some of our thoughts and experiences for our posterity. In a nut shell, the WHO has declared the spread of COVID-19 (a flu-like corona virus) as a global pandemic and countries around the world are responding by sending people home, shutting down non-essential services and limiting travel. The extreme social distancing measures require people to work from home, cancel events (including Church meetings and activities), avoid face-to-face contact with friends and family, wash hands and engage in vigilant hygiene practices, etc. This has resulted in social isolation, social/physical/mental health issues (i.e., sedentary lifestyles, abuse, depression, anxiety), and what is likely to be an economic collapse.
While Michelle and I feel that the global response has been driven by fear, implemented with little thought for the future, based on insufficient/poor data, and led by corrupt or misinformed leaders we are still bound by humanities shared fate at this time. That said, we are faithful, optimistic, and sustain our Church leaders as prophets, seers, and revelators. We feel blessed to still have a job, one that allows me to work from home, and to have extra time together to strengthen our family, grow our garden, and serve others.
Prophets, SEE-ers, and revelators
We believe President Nelson, his counselors, and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators. Isn't it amazing that more than a year before we experienced this global pandemic the leaders of the Church revealed inspired adjustment towards a "home centered, church supported" approach to Gospel living, bolstered by a robust Come Follow Me home study curriculum. This increased reliance on home centered Gospel living and the increased attention on individual's using their agency to receive personal revelation has prepared us all for this period of time when we no longer have face-to-face Church meetings.
We are also blessed to live in a time where we can meet and stay connected via technology and we advocate often that social distancing does not mean social isolation. We can still reach out, minister, serve, and be connected via the many communication platforms at our disposal.
We have been studying the Come Follow Me material during this time and we were reminded that Nephi, and subsequently Mormon kept both the small and large plates of Nephi together as part of the gold plates that would later become the Book of Mormon. Mormon reveals that this was done for a "wise purpose" and that while he did NOT know that purpose, "the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me [Mormon] to do according to his will." We know now that thousands of years later, Martin Harris would repeatedly ask for and lose the first 116 pages of translated text that represented a significant chunk of the large plates of Nephi...and that those sections would be replaced by the second, smaller record written by Nephi and preserved by Mormon. We are so grateful for prophet leaders like Mormon and President Nelson today who "do according to HIS will", even if they don't know why, so that we can be prepared for anything, including pandemics. We are also grateful for prophet leaders like Enos who prayed with all his heart that the records would be preserved that they might one day come to us!
Hugulkultur
If you had asked me six years ago if I would ever be doing hugulkultur I probably would have said "hugul-what?" I'm so glad I married Michelle, who has helped us to "lay up in store" so that while everyone else is raiding the stores for food, water, and toilet paper (not sure why they need so much toilet paper - COVID doesn't cause diarrhea) we would feel secure and calm. We have a great financial reserve, water supply, growing food supply, growing emergency supply, and abundant cultivated, and planted garden space. Michelle has also been making our own soap and other toiletries, fermenting our own veggies and sauerkraut, making homemade applesauce from the fruit harvested in our own back yard, etc. She is amazing.
So back to hugulkultur...in addition to three planter boxes and multiple ground level planting areas, we just recently prepared a hugulkultur mound. Basically, you dig a trench, line it with split would, branches, and mulch and cover it with healthy soil (making a mound of earth) and then plant seed in this mound. The idea is that the organics buried beneath the ground enrich the soil and increase its fertility drastically compared to a nearby patch of earth that doesn't include these elements. We plan to grow pumpkins and other sprawling plants on this mound, however, for the time being it looks like a lovely burial plot in our backyard and we suspect any day the police will be knocking to see whose body we've buried in our yard, only to be disappointed when we unearth branches and logs.
Besides the hugulkultur we have moved multiple rose bushes, built terraced steps in the front yard so we could plant on flat surfaces rather than a hill, and are actively pruning our fruit trees back to life! We see all of this growth and preparation as a blessing associated with living the law of tithing! God has opened the windows of Heaven and poured out blessings that there is not room enough to receive it! We love these words in John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." We thank God for our abundant life!
The Most Important Work
It has been said that the "most important work [we] will do is within the walls of [our] own home" and that "no success in life will compensate for failure in the home". As we have been contemplating the extra time we have to spend at home, we have come to realize (AND HOPE) that our children will not remember the stress, the fear, the uncertainty, the lost employment, the anxiety, etc. associated with COVID-19. Instead, we hope they will remember receiving the sacrament and Church lessons at the hands of their parents each week or that they will remember that both dad and mom got to snuggle up and hide under the blankets, join in dance parties, and otherwise play in ways that were previously less frequent or less possible due to busy schedules, out-of-home obligations, etc. We have done three weeks of at-home Church now and had great lessons focused on Building on a Strong Foundation (Wise man and the foolish man, built foundations with blocks), Working in the Lord's Vineyard (Allegory of the Olive Trees, literally had the kids dunging one of our trees with rabbit poop) and Praying and Receiving Answers (Enos 1, coloring pages and role plays). These opportunities have been priceless and have shifted our priorities and our approach to parenting, living the Gospel, and teaching the Gospel in our home! We've started incorporating more, good music in our daily lives, having more family discussions with the intent to start family councils, scheduling weekly parent-child date nights, and much more!
It has also been fun to work with the Youth in this environment. We held our first zoom activity last week by playing Come Follow Me Jeopardy and it was a huge hit! The kids loved it and seemed to crave the social time! We are looking forward to a Conference Kahoot in two weeks!
Working from Home
Fortunately for me, VIU has shifted classes online. I am still compensated, the students still get to complete the semester, and I get to sharpen my craft. I have shifted by incorporating recorded lectures that always have my face showing in the corner (to remind them of the human connection), hosting open/live zoom meetings, and by reducing the number of and adjusting assignments. I have also incorporated interactive technology like Netflix Parties and Kahoot trivia apps to engage students in creative ways. I have been excited by these opportunities and tried to be responsive to student feedback. I love what I do!
My one worry is that the mandated social distancing will drag on for so long that our enrollment numbers will decrease, funds will decrease, and therefore my job will be in jeopardy.
However, we will move forward in faith and hope for the best!
- To ask the Lord to bless and inspire our Church and government leaders and their efforts to protect the health and well-being of all people and to find solutions to address the challenges we are facing in all nations.
- To pray for all those who are suffering the physical, emotional, and economic impact of COVID-19, that they will be blessed according to their needs.
- To pray that the hearts of people everywhere will be softened and turned toward the Lord in humility and that faith in Jesus Christ will increase on the earth.
- To pray for spiritual strength to overcome fear and anxiety, for inspiration to protect ourselves and our families, and for the awareness and ability to minister to those in need.
- To pray for increased understanding and personal revelation in preparation for general conference and the prophetic guidance and messages regarding the bicentennial of the Restoration.
A quick note on COVID-19
We haven't blogged in a while but given that COVID-19 is like nothing we have ever experienced in our lifetime I thought I would document some of our thoughts and experiences for our posterity. In a nut shell, the WHO has declared the spread of COVID-19 (a flu-like corona virus) as a global pandemic and countries around the world are responding by sending people home, shutting down non-essential services and limiting travel. The extreme social distancing measures require people to work from home, cancel events (including Church meetings and activities), avoid face-to-face contact with friends and family, wash hands and engage in vigilant hygiene practices, etc. This has resulted in social isolation, social/physical/mental health issues (i.e., sedentary lifestyles, abuse, depression, anxiety), and what is likely to be an economic collapse.
While Michelle and I feel that the global response has been driven by fear, implemented with little thought for the future, based on insufficient/poor data, and led by corrupt or misinformed leaders we are still bound by humanities shared fate at this time. That said, we are faithful, optimistic, and sustain our Church leaders as prophets, seers, and revelators. We feel blessed to still have a job, one that allows me to work from home, and to have extra time together to strengthen our family, grow our garden, and serve others.
Prophets, SEE-ers, and revelators
We believe President Nelson, his counselors, and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators. Isn't it amazing that more than a year before we experienced this global pandemic the leaders of the Church revealed inspired adjustment towards a "home centered, church supported" approach to Gospel living, bolstered by a robust Come Follow Me home study curriculum. This increased reliance on home centered Gospel living and the increased attention on individual's using their agency to receive personal revelation has prepared us all for this period of time when we no longer have face-to-face Church meetings.
We are also blessed to live in a time where we can meet and stay connected via technology and we advocate often that social distancing does not mean social isolation. We can still reach out, minister, serve, and be connected via the many communication platforms at our disposal.
We have been studying the Come Follow Me material during this time and we were reminded that Nephi, and subsequently Mormon kept both the small and large plates of Nephi together as part of the gold plates that would later become the Book of Mormon. Mormon reveals that this was done for a "wise purpose" and that while he did NOT know that purpose, "the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me [Mormon] to do according to his will." We know now that thousands of years later, Martin Harris would repeatedly ask for and lose the first 116 pages of translated text that represented a significant chunk of the large plates of Nephi...and that those sections would be replaced by the second, smaller record written by Nephi and preserved by Mormon. We are so grateful for prophet leaders like Mormon and President Nelson today who "do according to HIS will", even if they don't know why, so that we can be prepared for anything, including pandemics. We are also grateful for prophet leaders like Enos who prayed with all his heart that the records would be preserved that they might one day come to us!
Hugulkultur
If you had asked me six years ago if I would ever be doing hugulkultur I probably would have said "hugul-what?" I'm so glad I married Michelle, who has helped us to "lay up in store" so that while everyone else is raiding the stores for food, water, and toilet paper (not sure why they need so much toilet paper - COVID doesn't cause diarrhea) we would feel secure and calm. We have a great financial reserve, water supply, growing food supply, growing emergency supply, and abundant cultivated, and planted garden space. Michelle has also been making our own soap and other toiletries, fermenting our own veggies and sauerkraut, making homemade applesauce from the fruit harvested in our own back yard, etc. She is amazing.
So back to hugulkultur...in addition to three planter boxes and multiple ground level planting areas, we just recently prepared a hugulkultur mound. Basically, you dig a trench, line it with split would, branches, and mulch and cover it with healthy soil (making a mound of earth) and then plant seed in this mound. The idea is that the organics buried beneath the ground enrich the soil and increase its fertility drastically compared to a nearby patch of earth that doesn't include these elements. We plan to grow pumpkins and other sprawling plants on this mound, however, for the time being it looks like a lovely burial plot in our backyard and we suspect any day the police will be knocking to see whose body we've buried in our yard, only to be disappointed when we unearth branches and logs.
Besides the hugulkultur we have moved multiple rose bushes, built terraced steps in the front yard so we could plant on flat surfaces rather than a hill, and are actively pruning our fruit trees back to life! We see all of this growth and preparation as a blessing associated with living the law of tithing! God has opened the windows of Heaven and poured out blessings that there is not room enough to receive it! We love these words in John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." We thank God for our abundant life!
The Most Important Work
It has been said that the "most important work [we] will do is within the walls of [our] own home" and that "no success in life will compensate for failure in the home". As we have been contemplating the extra time we have to spend at home, we have come to realize (AND HOPE) that our children will not remember the stress, the fear, the uncertainty, the lost employment, the anxiety, etc. associated with COVID-19. Instead, we hope they will remember receiving the sacrament and Church lessons at the hands of their parents each week or that they will remember that both dad and mom got to snuggle up and hide under the blankets, join in dance parties, and otherwise play in ways that were previously less frequent or less possible due to busy schedules, out-of-home obligations, etc. We have done three weeks of at-home Church now and had great lessons focused on Building on a Strong Foundation (Wise man and the foolish man, built foundations with blocks), Working in the Lord's Vineyard (Allegory of the Olive Trees, literally had the kids dunging one of our trees with rabbit poop) and Praying and Receiving Answers (Enos 1, coloring pages and role plays). These opportunities have been priceless and have shifted our priorities and our approach to parenting, living the Gospel, and teaching the Gospel in our home! We've started incorporating more, good music in our daily lives, having more family discussions with the intent to start family councils, scheduling weekly parent-child date nights, and much more!
It has also been fun to work with the Youth in this environment. We held our first zoom activity last week by playing Come Follow Me Jeopardy and it was a huge hit! The kids loved it and seemed to crave the social time! We are looking forward to a Conference Kahoot in two weeks!
Working from Home
Fortunately for me, VIU has shifted classes online. I am still compensated, the students still get to complete the semester, and I get to sharpen my craft. I have shifted by incorporating recorded lectures that always have my face showing in the corner (to remind them of the human connection), hosting open/live zoom meetings, and by reducing the number of and adjusting assignments. I have also incorporated interactive technology like Netflix Parties and Kahoot trivia apps to engage students in creative ways. I have been excited by these opportunities and tried to be responsive to student feedback. I love what I do!
My one worry is that the mandated social distancing will drag on for so long that our enrollment numbers will decrease, funds will decrease, and therefore my job will be in jeopardy.
However, we will move forward in faith and hope for the best!
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