My Personal Mission: Part III

Here is the last step for studying your patriarchal blessing. I am in the process of completing this part. Here are the instructions:

(page 8)
Cross-Reference Your Blessing with the Scriptures:
Since our blessings are personal scripture, "cross-reference" your blessing with scriptures. It can be a time consuming exercise in scripture study, but truly a wonderful learning experience. Take key words from each paragraph and look them up in the topical guide. Read the listed scriptures until you find one that is similar in usage or touches you with its meaning. List this scripture in the margin of the copy near the key word for later reference. This process will open new vistas of truth, enlightening you to a greater understanding of the message of your Patriarchal Blessing.

(page 9)

Recognize the Three Phases of the Plan of Salvation:

Another way to increase understanding is to recognize the three phases of the plan of salvation within your blessing.  By identifying sentences about your pre-mortal existence, post-mortal existence, and specifics for this earth life, you will increase your understanding of your station and purpose and your blessing will magnify the truth of who you truly are. Identify and write down existence specifics to help you understand your purpose and blessings.

(this is placed on the last page at the very bottom)

Read Your Blessing Often:

A patriarchal blessing is personal revelation available to you.  Patriarchal blessings help us learn the truth about ourselves.  It is our responsibility to prayerfully read it to receive the direction we need to fulfill our life's mission and to avoid the pitfalls that will take us off course.  A patriarchal blessing is your opportunity to learn firsthand Heavenly Father's confidence in you...His plan for you…YOUR PERSONAL MISSION.

-Once I finish this step, I will add my own personal thoughts.

My Personal Mission - Part II

The next part for your patriarchal study is to define keywords in your blessing. I really wasn't sure about this step but truly it does change the meaning.

When driving to get set items for my relief society activity, that still small voice whispered to me an answer to my question on my patriarchal blessing I have had for twenty years. How cool was it to finally get the answer and to be able to see that I was accomplishing parts of my blessing without even knowing it. Studying my blessing has defiantly increased my testimony of how it is a guide for me and how the blessings that are entailed to us do take place, especially when we are fulfilling God's specific mission for us in the best way possible.

Here are the directions for part II:

(page 7)
My Father’s Meaning For Me:
Find keywords in your patriarchal blessing and look up the meaning in the dictionary, gospel doctrine. If possible, check the Hebrew meaning ( this is what can really change the meaning.

Here is an example to highlight the above step:For example, the word 'delight' and phrase 'to be a source of delight' appears in my blessing. For years I assumed that it meant to bring pleasure or enjoyment to those around me. As a result I continued to do everything I could to make others happy and to please them. By today's standards that is exactly what 'delight' means. But that is not what the Lord meant for me to do, or be.

When I sincerely studied this, I found, that being 'a delight' was to be a source of joy. Meaning, I didn't have to measure myself by how happy those around me are, because others happiness is dependant upon them taking joy, [in this case] in who I am. This inspiration was confirmed to me at the time as what the Lord meant, and the whole experience became a defining moment for me. It liberated me from the responsibility of trying to be everything to everyone. If what I 'delight in' isn't what makes others happy, it is no-longer my focus. So I am free to turn my energies to other spiritually productive pursuits.

So even though you think you know what a word or phrase means, I ask, my Father, if that is what he meant? After all, his thoughts are not our thoughts.

Once you have done this exercise, you may then choose to plan how you will bring the blessings that are to be yours, about. 

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Film

Last night I watched the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. What a fantastic movie on many levels. I especially love the quotes on life and how true they are to life. Here is the movie trailer. Who doesn't enjoy a movie with Judi Dench?

The movie is about British retirees traveling to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways. The paths the characters take on can be lessons for ourselves to follow. The movie was fun, witty, hilarious and it got  to your heart as well.

Here are some of the one liner quotes:

• “The only real failure is the failure to try. The measure of success is how we cope with disappointment.”
• “When someone dies, you think about your own life. And I don't want to grow older. I don't want to be condescended to. To become marginalized and ignored by society. I don't want to be the first person they let off the plane in a hostage crisis. .”
• “Is it our friend we are grieving for, whose life we knew so little? Or is it our own loss that we are mourning? Have we traveled far enough that we can allow our tears to fall?”
• “People here see life as a privilege not a right.”
• “Everything will be all right in the end. So if it is not all right, it is not the end.”

I loved this movie and I hope I have encouraged you enough to view it too. 

Tea Anyone...Almond Pecan Gluten Free Biscotti

#13 - Make 36 Recipes: Almond Pecan Gluten Free Biscotti

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-7 oz box Odense Almond Paste, grated
• 1 stick ( 8 tablespoons ) very cold butter
• 2 cups gluten free flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sliced almonds or pecans
• 4 large egg whites (no larger)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Hot cup of herb tea or hot chocolate

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or foil
2. Add grated Almond Paste, butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
3. Mix together well, with fork or pastry cutter until crumbly. Add sliced almonds.
4. Whisk together egg whites and vanilla until frothy. Add to mixture. Mix until dough holds together. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter.
5. Roll dough into a 2 inch thick log. Cut in half and roll each piece 10 inches long.
6. Transfer rolls to cookie sheet. Flatten to 3/4 inch thickness.
7. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden. Cool cookie sheet on wire rack for 10 minutes.
8. Cut into 3/4" diagonal slices. Return to cookie sheet, cut side down. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Flip and bake 10-12 minutes more.
9. Cool on wire rack and store in air-tight container for 2-3 weeks.

Dunk biscotti in hot herb tea or hot chocolate

Whose side are YOU on?

Today I learned two lessons from reading a great book called, Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst.

Lysa Terkeurst quotes a few passages from Joshua 5 and 6. She relates the passage to two different thought patterns of how we should endure each day.

1) whose side are YOU on?
2) to TRUST God even when it seems the impossible

Lesson 1:
In Joshua 5:
13. ¶And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

14. And he said, Nay; but as captain of the a host of the Lord am I now come...

Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? I was really moved by this because so many times in our life we come to a fork...what path or what side do I take? Sometimes it is really hard to make a decision..."do I go left or right." This has been really hard for me especially when it involves my family. When I read this, I was reminded, I do not have to juggle which one, I only need to go the path the Lord wants me on, even when the voices around you say the opposite. 

Lesson 2:
At this point, Joshua knows he must break down Jericho. How would it of felt if you were Joshua at this point: Here is this tall, tall, tall wall of a city...could he of thought (how are we suppose to take down the city with only bows and arrows?) 

I can really relate to this with many issues I am currently dealing with. The big question, How Lord? 

Joshua 6:
2. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

3. And ye shall a compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

4. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

5. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

When I continually ponder this story, I love Joshua's faith he had when it came to following but also his faith to lead his people to follow through with God's plan to crumble the city. If you were one of the ones that walked around the city, would you have questioned Joshua's motives at first? Or would of you been like Nephi (I will go and do right away)?

20. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that thea wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

21. And they utterly a destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

Just as God said, the city fell. The impossible happened through God. What a great lesson to remember: when life or questions seem impossible to solve, God can DO the impossible.

Snowman Cake Pops

This month for Relief Society I choose to make snowman cake pops as my formal invitation. Who doesn't like goodies when your at church.

Ingredients:

• 1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
• 1 can frosting (16 oz.)
• Wax paper
• Lollipop sticks
• White candy melts
• Black confetti sprinkles
• Red Hots / Cinnamon candies
• Black edible ink pen
• Regular Oreos
• Miniature Oreos
• Toothpicks
• Styrofoam block/Cardboard Stand

Oreo cookies yum, if only I could eat chocolate

Separate Cookie. Remove Icing with Toothpick

Place the side with the icing scraped off down 

The miniature Oreos can get a lot of crumbs stuck to the side of the creme center, so take a toothpick and scrape the surface off for a white edge.

Use some of the melted coating to attach the miniature Oreo to the regular size Oreo half and set aside. 

Side View

Bake Cake as per Instructions on the back of the box

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

Assemble Cake Pop Stand

Assembled Stand

Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.) Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)

Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.) (use double broiler I tried the microwave way it does not work well). Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.)

Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up

Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too. Place in a styrofoam block or cardboard cake ball stands to dry. Place them back in the refrigerator to keep firm.

Dip the cake pops and while the coating is still wet, attach the sunflower seed nose and the Oreo hat and let dry. Then attach the confetti sprinkle eyes by dotting on a small amount of coating with a toothpick and attach the sprinkles. Draw the mouths with the edible ink pen and let dry standing in a cardboard stand.

I had plastic bag with twist tie and tag to cover my snowman

Tag: Formal Relief Society Super Saturday Invitation

Instructions:

1. Make Cake as per instructions on the back of the box
2. Prepare the hats first. Separate Oreos and remove the creme center. The miniature Oreos can get a lot of crumbs stuck to the side of the creme center, so take a toothpick and scrape the surface off for a white edge.
3. Use some of the melted coating to attach the miniature Oreo to the regular size Oreo half and set aside.
4. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
5. Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)
6. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)
7. Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.) (use double broiler I tried the microwave way it does not work well)
8. Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.)
9. Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.
10. Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too.
11. Place in a styrofoam block or cardboard cake ball stands to dry.
12. Place them back in the refrigerator to keep firm.
13. Dip the cake pops and while the coating is still wet, attach the sunflower seed nose and the Oreo hat and let dry.
14. Then attach the confetti sprinkle eyes by dotting on a small amount of coating with a toothpick and attach the sprinkles.
15. Draw the mouths with the edible ink pen and let dry standing in a cardboard stand.
16. Place them back in the refrigerator to keep firm.
17. Wrap each pop in clear plastic bag, close bag with twist tie and tag invitation.

Bandanna Buttermints

I am on the reception golf committee for the WBEA (woman's business enterprise association). My Mother is a member of this organization  the organization is to better women in the work force. So far while volunteering with this committee I have on the workshop committee for the May Expo and now for the golf one. I have been able to decide on decoration and food. After pricing several themes. We have decided on BBQ. Our menu will consist of BBQ chicken and Brisket both my favorite when it comes to BBQ. I have decided on 10 round squares of Navy and 10 squares of Bright Red to cover each of the 15 tables interchangeably. I have then constructed 15 centerpieces of sunflowers, mason jars and bandannas.

One Mason

Hay

Bandanna cut in half

Stuffed Jar with Sunflowers and Hay

Tie Bandanna Around Jar

How Cute are these Buttermints

Center piece in the middle of the table along with the scattered buttermints

I placed a square liner of Red and Navy on very other table

These barrels were awesome they went well with the theme

It turned out great, many compliments 

And best of all, we came in under budget by $35

My Personal Mission - Part I

Goal #31 - Study my Patriarchal Blessing:

My sister told me about a great lesson she was taught about how to study your patriarchal blessing in depth. So I went ahead and made folders for the sisters I visit teach, my family and myself, so we could embark on this journey together. I have attached pictures on how I made the folders.

I placed a label on my folder

In the folders I gave my sisters, I placed a pencil holder at the beginning filled with four different colors to color code with. I did not want my sisters to have to hunt for materials.

I broke up the process so no one felt overwhelmed.

The process:

Part I:
- Color coding
- Write out two categories-blessing, counsel, warning, and command/promise

Part II:
- Write out the other categories-warning, and command/promise
- Write out my goals

Part III and IV will come later this year.

I have copied and pasted part I and II format for you, I thought I could upload but I have not figured how to accomplish this yet. 

I am very grateful for the opportunity to study my patriarchal blessing. I have learned more by doing this process than just by reading it to myself. I challenge anyone who has one to do so.

Color-Coding Your Patriarchal Blessing
Shared by Janice in Virginia

"Obtaining a Patriarchal Blessing may provide us with some glimpses into the book of our life possibilities and give us some general direction.  Wisely, perhaps, such      a blessing is rarely specific enough to guide us in day-to-day decisions. Instead, it              paints with broad brushstrokes." (R. Britsc and T. Olson, Counseling: A Guide to Helping Others.)

Directions:

ü  Using four different colored markers, you will highlight the statements in your patriarchal blessing into four categories: Blessings, Counsels, Warnings, and Covenants/Promises.

ü  When you have highlighted your blessing with each of the four colors, you can make a list of the things that are in your blessing in each category.  (This list holds all the blessings that are promised to YOU.  This can make wonderful reading when you are feeling low).

ü  You will have a page with blessings, a page with counsel, a page with covenant/promises, and a page with any warnings that are in your blessing. These four lists can be used to help you set goals to be able to accomplish your special mission in this life.

President Kimball has given this advice: "It is true of all of us that as we progress spiritually, our sense of belonging, identity, and self-worth increases. Let us create a climate in which we encourage sisters of the Church to have a program of self- improvement. It ought to be a practical and realistic program, one that is determined personally and not imposed upon them.  Yet it ought to cause them to reach for new levels of achievement.  We are not asking for something spectacular, but rather for our sisters to find real self-fulfillment through wise self-development in the pursuit of righteous worthy endeavors."

(Second Page)
Blessings:

These are identified as gifts from Heavenly Father. They are not subject to any future performance in that they are given to you as a child of God.  As long as your life is in harmony with the principles of the gospel, these blessings will be given to you at the time the Lord dictates. They will read similar to:

·         Friends and associates will be raised up unto thee in times of need.

·         You'll be privileged to experience and to enjoy the blessings of ________.

·         You are to be blessed with the gift of discernment..


(third page)
Counsel:

Instances where counsel is being given will read:

·          Be faithful…

·          Continue...

·          Be diligent…

·          Endeavor to...

·          Seek…

·          Prove yourself...

·          Thou shalt...

·          Use this ability to...


(  (forth page)

...

Warnings:
There will generally be only a few or none in this category. The wording of these lines should make them clear. The important thing is that when warnings are given, they must be carefully noted.  Highlight any of these in a third color, and impress them upon your own mind.

·         Sister, never...

·         Do 

(fifth page) Covenants /Promises:
These statements can be identified as statements where a blessing is mentioned which is connected with certain things you must do to receive 

the blessing; some examples:

·          Thy friends shall be a special blessing unto thee… in as much as thou shalt select for thine close associates those who are righteous.
 

·          If thou wilt give of thy time and talents in building up the Kingdom of God...thou shalt gain a certain testimony that Jesus is the Christ

(six page)

My Goals:

After praying for guidance read and ponder the page that contains counsel and warnings. Then read the page of covenants/promises.  Determine which areas you feel you can work on at this time in your life.  Prayerfully select a few, and then follow the procedure for setting goals by writing down what you want to accomplish and then your plan for doing so.