Blessed

Friday afternoon Dave and I volunteered to work in the temple kitchen from 4pm-8pm. It was a little crazy but overall I'd do it again =). Apparently they're shorthanded a lot because it's fairly common for volunteers to not show up. Me and Dave were there with 4 other people. Two Mexican men work there all the time as their normal jobs. There were two old men there too. One just shows up everyday and works in the kitchen voluntarily so he doesn't get paid or anything. I think that's pretty awesome! The other guy goes pretty often too I think. Black Mountain Ward was supposed to have 2 volunteers working with me and Dave but they didn't show up for some reason and "lucky" for me and Dave the kitchen was busier than usual. lol! When I got there my trainer told me she'd stay with me until the rush ended. She was also a volunteer but she usually volunteers every Wednesday. Anywho, she ended up staying an hour past her shift to help me. I was a server so when people were in line they'd give me their orders and I'd dish them up. It was really confusing at first because you give different portions depending on the size of their order, their are a handful of food options, and you have to keep all the foods stocked, serve food, and keep the area clean. When it was busy (which was most of the time) it was hard to do anything but the serving part. lol! Dave was on dish duty. I wish I had that job..haha! I was surprised at how rude some customers were. We were in the TEMPLE for goodness sake! Most people were nice though. I told Dave about some of the people who were rude and impatient and he said I should've worn a tag that said "Just 'cause you're in the temple doesn't mean you're going to Heaven...so BE nice." That would've been awesome =)! Me and Dave were able to take our dinner break together which was awesome! We could eat whatever and however much we wanted. I got a salad, roast beef, rice with chicken gravy, a roll, and me and Dave split a HUGE cinnamon roll (the temple cook gave Dave the recipe for the rolls and cinnamon rolls!!!). The food was soooo good! Me and Dave felt guilty eating when the kitchen was so busy so we ate as fast as we could. Dave said,"How can such a holy place serve such sinful food?" haha! He was referring to the cinnamon roll. It was GINORMOUS!!!! Dave saw that and was like,"That HAS to be against the Word of Wisdom!" lol =) Anywho, it was pretty fun despite it being hectic and having some "special" customers. It's amazing how strongly you can feel the Spirit in the Temple even when you're just serving in the kitchen =). Me and Dave might work in the kitchen next time we go to the temple if they're shorthanded again. It was a good experience.

Saturday morning me and Dave took the kids off-roading in the desert around Boulder City. We stopped about 10 miles or so out of town and cooked lunch in a dutch oven. After we packed up and were ready to leave Dave tried to start the truck and the battery was dead! I told Dave we needed to pray so me and Dave stood in front of the truck and Dave said a prayer that we'd be able to get the truck started. We were in sand and the ground was pretty flat but Dave pushed the truck a ways and I sat in the drivers seat with my foot on the clutch. When Dave yelled for me to let out the clutch while he was pushing to start the truck it didn't work. I got out and Dave said he didn't know what else to do to get the truck going. He said we should build a fire but I told him I wanted to keep trying to get the truck started. Dave tried to push the truck again but it wouldn't move so me and Dave pushed the sand and dirt out of the path of the back tires and then I helped Dave push the truck down the road about 10 yards. Mind you at this point I was starting to panic so I was crying (I'm always great in emergency situations...haha!). Dave would have to push the truck and I'd have to sit upfront and steer and push the clutch in again. I had to steer us around a corner and then the ground sloped downward slightly which would make it easier for Dave to push. Dave said it would be really hard for me to steer around the bend because the truck wasn't running. During the second try I said another prayer asking Heavenly Father to help us. Dave said the truck was much easier to start pushing the second time and it was super easy for me to steer as well which really surprised Dave. Dave got the truck going pretty fast and I let the clutch out and the truck started. I think Heavenly Father allows things like this to happen to us to humble us and to refocus us. Before we realized the truck wouldn't start I was mad at Dave because we were going to be late to a Halloween party the kids were invited to and I was frustrated with Porter because he kept getting rocks and dirt all over the place. When I realized the truck wouldn't start all that stuff I was so worked up about really didn't matter at all. What mattered was my family and their safety. I really do think Heavenly Father helped us. Sometimes we can rationalize things happening or working out but I believe he answered our prayers. When Dave got back in the drivers seat and we were making our way back through the trail he was talking to me and I was still sniffly. Ella said,"Dad, don't talk to mom! She's crying!" lol! She thought Dave made me upset I think. I looked back at her and she winked at me. For the next hour every time I looked back at her she'd wink at me again. I wink at Ella when she's sad or when I tell her things will be ok. Ella's such a sweet little girl. She tries to take care of me sometimes. It's amazing to see a toddler do things like she does. If I'm sick or not feeling well she'll bring me a blanket and spread it over me and ask me if I'm ok. Dave's patriarchal blessing says that our children will be special spirits and that they will be a blessing to us and I truly believe that. Whenever anyone babysits for us they always tell us how much they love our kids. The girls in my ward always tell me they love babysitting my kids and sometimes they won't take money either because they said they had so much fun with them. lol! I've really felt so blessed this week. I'm so thankful for the gospel in my life. I'm so thankful for Temples and for having one so close that I can go to and serve in and receive the blessings from temple work. I'm so thankful for Dave and I really feel that we strengthen each other. We are total opposites in almost everything but in a weird way it works to strengthen our marriage and he is definitely my best friend. I believe Dave is also a special spirit. He has his weaknesses as we all do but his strengths outweigh them. I'm so thankful for Porter and Ella. They are THE sweetest little kids and I am so blessed to be their mom. I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love my kids. It's a difficult thing to comprehend until you have a kid of your own. It really helps me understand a little better how much our Heavenly Father must love us. I feel so sorry for people who choose not to have kids because they feel it will interfere with their life goals. It really is a sacrifice but it's one that comes with a far greater reward.

That night after we got back from off-roading we went to our stake conference adult session. We didn't get a babysitter so we just packed a bunch of toys and took the kids with us. We sat in the primary room, just me, Dave, and the kids and listened to the talks over the speakers while the kids played. All of the talks were on adversity. One of the speakers related a story of one of the general authorities breaking down on the side of the road with his wife and two small kids and how he had to walk a long way to get help and leave his wife and kids with the car. I could relate to that story that day. lol! Some of the things that really stuck out to me from the talks were:

1. Having faith in the Lord also means having faith in the Lord's timing.
2. Everything happens for a reason. Many small things that happen that may seem like mere coincidence are really things that Heavenly Father causes to happen for a specific purpose.
3. If we are faithful and righteous we need not fear. The Lord will always help us through our trials. He may fix our problem or he may help us endure it.
4. It is through our trials that we grow the most.
5. Every pain and sorrow we experience in this life is for our betterment.

I am so thankful for the gospel in my life and for my savior Jesus Christ. I know that through him all things are possible. I know that life isn't always rosy but that I am never alone in my trials. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know me and love me and want the best for me. I have been so blessed.