Family Blog

Dear Friends,

Thanks to my very dear friend Misty I have created a new family blog that is anonymous.  I will post a lot more pictures there then I do here (which is zero).  Hopefully you can get to know us all a little better.

We still do not have the internet so I won't be posting a lot for another month or so.  By July we hope to have the internet up again.  It has been a wonderful break not having the internet, but it is time to reconnet.

Liberty has started on line classes through Williamsburg Academy.  Determination wants to take classes from the Leadership Education Academy.  I need to connect again with my family.  This will be achieved by blogging and emails.  Also I am almost out of family history names to take to the temple and so I need to start researching again.  One last reason is that we will not have to cut down a tree to get the internet! (We do live in rural Idaho).

Thank you also for being so kind regarding my last post.  I think you all "got" what I was trying  to say and I appreciate your kind comments.  I know it is a touchy subject and I think we were able to communicate it all so kindly.  What a tribute to all of you!

I hope you all had a family filled Memorial Day weekend.

Love, Deanna

Here is the link to our family blog.

What’s My Mission?

One of the great problems I see among the youth (and that I personally experienced) is the phenomena I will call split personality. Growing up I was repeatedly asked, "What did I want to be when I grow up?" I learned by first or second grade that any answer was acceptable except for one, I should not say, "mother." I learned how to answer other questions asked like, "How was the world created?" I also learned I was supposed to give the answer, "mother" at church and home. Thus I had a set of answers for school and a completely different set of answers to the same questions at home and church. This may eventually lead us to become a totally different person in each situation. I see this "split personality"manifested among the youth at a whole new level than even I experienced. Satan is ramping up his game well!

I have talked regularly to my children about being the same person no matter where they are. However, within the Leadership Education circles I am starting to see the split personality creeping in among the "leaders." Recently I listened to several seminars and read a book that all are promoting this. In the TJEd world it is called, "Finding Your Mission." Youth are encouraged to seek out finding what their "mission" is. Often it is not expected to be discovered until the youth are a little older, but an ongoing fascination exists in that it is all the talk while the youth are in scholar phase. One seminar I listed to said, "Nothing will be more satisfying in your life than figuring out what your mission is and then having the courage to fulfill it."

You may be wondering why I see a problem in this. It is simple. We have already had our missions revealed to us. We are to be mothers and fathers. Of course I know in the TJEd world that they encourage motherhood. I appreciate that, it is certainly different than public education, BUT, motherhood is still considered a side note. In the book I recently read the woman (who is a high profiled TJEd leader) cried to her husband that wasn't she created for something more that to change poopy diapers and clean up vomit? When was she going to be able to embrace her mission? Her husband lovingly told her, that he was sure it would be soon.

I fear these statements convey to our youth that there is something more to life than parenthood. It would seem that being a mother is just one of the things you do in this life. Somehow, you must be defined by something else though. This would be a potentially lifelong dedication to a "mission." I believe this is misleading. Consider this:

• Heavenly Father chooses to be called Father.
• His work and His Glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. This means ongoing parenting.
• Keeping our First Estate enabled us to have bodies and procreate.
• Godhood is Eternal Parenthood.
• If we qualify for Exaltation we will be granted the ability to have a "continuation of seed."
• Those not qualifying for Exaltation will be impotent, even those obtaining the lower two degrees of the Celestial Kingdom will be denied the right of continuation of seed.

Simply put eternal lives is about parenting forever. Why not embrace mortality and strive in every way to submit to this high and noble calling? A calling so noble that that is what our Heavenly Father does. When we choose to place lesser value on this holy calling we will lose power in our lives.

The noise of this world is LOUD. It is hard to hear the voice of the Father calling us to this high calling. Satan, the father of lies, is louder than God, telling us we were made for something more or better. It takes great faith to turn off the tantalizing noise of the world and tune into the sweet, still small voice of the Spirit. I have come to personally know for myself that great blessings come from turning off the noise. I am hearkening to the voice of the Lord and I am just beginning to have a glimpse of His wonderful and majestic plan. It is more holy and more awe inspiring than anything that Satan can counterfeit.

Perhaps along the way many of us will do great things. I suspect we will. We are the last laborers in the vineyard. We were saved and reserved because we were the best of the best. I simply say that in all our doing we must make sure that being mother remains our priority AND we teach this to our children.

There are times when we will literally parent 24/7. Then there will come a time that we will have more "time" on our hands. Perhaps at this stage we may ask, "How can I help build the kingdom?" "How can I further work on my parenting skills, which really comes down to bringing souls to Christ?" I would suggest that Relief Society and focusing on the Three Fold Mission of the Church would provide untold service opportunities.

As I have extra time I have sought out my faithful Relief Society Presidents through the years and asked for extra assignments. It is through the Relief Society (which is under the Priesthood) that my surplus of time and talents are dedicated. Through the years I have been given many extra opportunities to serve in this way.  I have learned that "there are chances for good all around." My talents are used to build the kingdom, but it hasn't come in the way I have often wanted. It has come as I have worked under the direction of my husband and within the ward.  There is more than enough to do in my family and ward to fill my time and build the kingdom. I am simply saying I don't need to go "find a mission," I simply need to live my mission already given to me. "There is work enough to do ere the sun goes down," and Zion needs to be built. We further that cause by submitting to our role of mother/nurturer. We further the work of the Father by striving to be mothers who also partake in the Father's work to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

So in a nutshell perhaps we could change the message to our youth to be, "Nothing with be more satisfying in your life than realizing that your mission is to be a mom/dad and then having the courage to reject Babylon's message that there is something more important than fulfilling your family roles."

Sister Beck and Women's Conference

I just had the opportunity to read Sister Beck's wonderful address at BYU Women's Conference last year.  She spoke on many things that have been close to my heart the last little while and she says it so much better than I do!

She spoke on her quote that I love, "When our priorities are out of order we loose power over our life."  She shares many great ways to help us keep our priorities in line while we live on earth.  She asked repeatedly throughout her talk, "Why are we here?" and "What is our mission?"

I read this talk to my husband just now as well.  We were able to discuss some great things.  I stated, "We as women are always so depressed and confused.  The simple answer is to get our priorities in order."  He responded, "Yes, women do, but it sure would help if the men and families also got their priorities in order as well."  I am grateful for a good husband who recognizes that men also must get their priorities in order.  The battle to recognize Satan's lies and deception is a battle that men and women face alike; together though, as a husband and wife unified we will be much more successful in casting Satan out of our hearts and homes.

Here is the link to the post I wrote a couple of weeks ago that goes along with her message.

Please take the time to read Sister Beck's important message.  The transcript of her article is found here.

The Blessings of Being God-Centered

I had a ‘lovely’ post almost ready for publication when “poof” off went the computer and gone forever (for whatever reason) went the ‘lovely’ post. Sigh. I wrote about the purposes of Relief Society and how important it is to incorporate them into our lives. It was really just another way of saying the same things I said in a previous post, “Mom, Needs Headgates Too!” So since I have already said that I’ll move on to some fresh thoughts.


I need to let you in on a little secret. For years and years I have not felt self-worth. So dumb huh? How could I feel that when I grew up with “I am a Child of God” and the Young Women’s Program? I think that it’s because I was seeking my worth from the world. I have always been a stay home mom that has tried to do the right things. Somehow though I kept worrying about what the world was thinking about me instead of God and my husband. Let me tell you that in the world’s eye a stay home mom doesn’t earn any prizes. That was the last place the world wanted me.

I’ve mentioned many times that the last two or so years I have diligently worked on submission to my Heavenly Father. Line upon line and precept upon precept God has taught me. (See Elder Bednar’s recent Conference talks to learn more about this wonderful principle). It has just been in the last couple or so months that I have really began to see I truly do have self-worth. I no longer beat myself up about all the things I can’t “do right.” I have come to absolutely love being a nurturer. Love it! I am happy. I have peace. I have a hope in a glorious resurrection.

I have wondered how this happened. I came across a paper when cleaning out things recently and it said this,

What happens when I am temporally (or self) centered?

1. Life is not fair.
2. I am not sure I will qualify for the Celestial Kingdom.
3. I do not have enough time to get all things done.
4. I am overwhelmed.
5. I feel pressure most of the time.
6. I am not sure when the Holy Ghost is with me.
7. I rely on others to make me feel of worth.
8. I feel like a taxi cab driver.
9. My life is not mine.
10. I only enjoy the weekend.
11. I do not feel forgiven.

What happens when I am spiritually (or God) centered?

1. I feel closer to Heavenly Father.
2. I have great hope to be raised unto Eternal Life.
3. I receive more revelation.
4. What I do each day is now worthwhile.
5. I have less stress.
6. When my children make mistakes, I can handle it.
7. My feelings of self-worth have increased one hundred fold.
8. I feel free.
9. I am able to get all things done.
10. I enjoy each day.

As Elder Bednar has taught us we must submit line by line and precept by precept. As we act in faith and go through this process one day we will wake up and we will realize that we are changed. It will be a gradually change that will be so imperceptible that it seems that growth is not happening. But it is!

I have realized that little by little God has been changing me. I have been changing from a life that was temporal or self-centered to a wonderful new life that is now spiritual or God centered. I am becoming that spiritually centered person. Perhaps a number 11 could be added. I feel joy.

A life of submission is a journey that requires a lot of patience with ourselves. It requires a lot of repentance. It requires a willingness to play by Heavenly Father’s rules and not our own. Our progression is not always measurable. But it is worth it. I have a long way to go in my life, but I am beginning to truly see the blessings of submission.

My worth is no longer determined by the world’s standards or ideas. The world’s plan to push entitlements and worldly lust and pleasure on me is rejected. I know that I must stay centered in Jesus Christ. And bit by bit I can remove their damning influence in my life. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

AND I can enjoy Mother’s Day this year without a twinge of guilt or spending the whole day in tears. I am doing what my God wants. I am a mother in Zion that it building up the kingdom of God.

The above list was found in a workbook entitled, “Becoming Spiritually Centered and overcoming the World,” written by James B. Cox.

Heber C Kimball Prophecy

As the days go by and I work out my submission to the Lord I find that I do not post as much as I would like. That's the point though, doing what the Lord wants and not what I want. I always have plenty on my mind to share, but most thoughts seem destined to stay in my mind or shared with close family and friends. We will see what each day brings.

I have been impressed though to share a prophecy by Heber C Kimball that has been passed down in my family through the years. Elder Kimball was called as one of the original apostles in this dispensation by Joseph Smith. Later he was called to the First Presidency and served as first counselor to President Brigham Young in Utah. I've had multiple experiences lately that have brought to mind this prophecy; included in those experiences were many thoughts from our recent General Conference. This prophecy will be familiar to many but I feel to share it anyway. This prophecy contains timely information to those recognizing the signs of the last days that are upon us. You will see that several parts of it have been fulfilled and other parts are in the processing of being fulfilled. It is my hope that this information with prove useful to you and your family.

"An army of Elders will be sent to the four quarters of the earth the search out the righteous and warn the wicked of what is coming. All kinds of religions will be started and miracles performed that will deceive the elect if that were possible. Our sons and daughters must live pure lives so as to be prepared for what is coming. After a while the Gentiles will gather by the thousands to this place and Salt Lake City will be classed among the wicked cities of the world. A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the saints, and the results will be financial bondage.

"Persecution comes next and all true latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit. Many will apostatize and others will be still not knowing what to do. Darkness will cover the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. The judgments of God will be poured out on the wicked to the extent that our Elders from far and near will be called home, or in other words the gospel will be taken from the Gentiles and later on carried to the Jews.

"The western boundary of the State of Missouri will be swept so clean of its inhabitants that, as President Young tell us, when you return to that place, there will not be left so much as a yellow dog to wag his tail. Before that day comes, however, the Saints will be put to tests that will try the integrity of the best of them. The pressure will become so great that the more righteous among them will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes.

"Then the prophet and others will make their appearance and those who have remained faithful will be selected to return to Jackson County, Missouri, and take part in the up building of that beautiful city, the New Jerusalem."

Passed down in personal family records. Printed in the Deseret News, May 23, 1931.