GIRL's CAMP

So, I've been gone all week. We went up into the incredible mountains of Cedar City and spent 4 days being awed by the magnificence of all that the Lord's created. Another fun part of it is that I got to go with my little girl who, by the way, is not so little anymore. We had such a great time.

Stephanie Meyer Rant

All right, I've got to get it out. I don't usually put this kind of stuff out there, I'm trying not to be so critical. But here goes. I'm Mad AT STEPHANIE MEYER. Before you start to think that this is another, Edward v. Jacob discussion, or even a whine about Bella's insipid personality. THink again.

I am a mother of a 12 year old. I run my school's book fair. I watch one 6th grade girl after another come in and beg their mom to buy "TWILIGHT" for them and they do. I was a little twilight Nazi. At the register, if mom were there, I said "have you read it mom?" Invariably the answer is no. Well I have. And I admit to being selective about some of the stuff my kids read. But this is an "ABSOLUTELY NOT" Why, you ask? Because if you read Twilight, you're probably going to read New Moon. Both of those, by the way, I devoured, loved, thought about, enjoyed. Then came Eclipse with Pg 450+ others (look it up for yourself, my little girl reads this thing). NOT APPROPRIATE FOR MY 6th GRADER. SORRY!

So why am I mad at the author? She has the right to write what she wants. And I think it's kind of fun (though I'm not very enamored with her protagonist). I'm mad because she has put herself out there as a BYU GRADUATE, She's marketed this book up and down intermountain west. She knows that so many of her readers are young mormon girls whose moms say "oh, she's a BYU graduate, It's probably clean." Au contraire, mon frere. And where to go from here. Only down, as far as I can see.

All of that being said, I will be in line on August 2 for the release of Breaking Dawn. FOR MYSELF, though, NOT MY 6th GRADE DAUGHTER!!!!!

For Crying Out Loud

In deference to Sandy-loo who told me to "update my blog for crying out loud!!" I am attempting to come up with something super witty and cool to talk about, and not doing so hot. I'm supposed to be getting ready for my lesson on the Book of Mormon which is focusing on the Nephite system of Government and how important it is to have just people as leaders. Additionally, on another level, the lesson is about pride. There are so few doctrines I remember learning when I was a teenager and just starting out in the gospel. My testimony was legitimate, based on a spiritual witness that the Book of Mormon was true. But even as my heart burned within me, my knowledge of the gospel was very much in its infancy. I certainly hadn't been exposed to General Conference treatises or other important doctrinal works.

THe sole exception to this is President Ezra Taft Benson's talk on pride. This speech was seminal for me. I remember feeling like it was a mirror: pride is the universal sin, the great vice. It is enmity toward God and our fellowmen. I knew without a doubt that I was guilty of such enmity. I was full of pride (as are we all) and it exhibited itself in so many ways. But instead of feeling paralyzingly guilty (as I had after reading "The Miracle of Forgiveness") I was moved to root this pride out of my life. Back then and today. President Benson minces no words. We are guilty of pride when we are competitive, seek our own will above His, when we are competitive or contentious, selfish or gossip. We are guilty of Pride when we are disobedient or hold grudges. I may not be a mass murderer, but I've sure got a lot to root out of my life.

SUNDAY: well Rob got home from Youth conference and we spent the whole evening talking about the youth and how proud they are too. Anyway. Not an exciting blog entry, but a super good opportunity to examine my life a little. Thanks Sandy.

You Don't Have to Push a Handcart . . .

So, last year Rob & I were a Ma and Pa on our Stake Pioneer Trek. Cool, huh. We weren't allowed to push the carts because the experience was meant for the youth. I generally mumbled at the end of each day that we should have gone farther-- that they could have done more.

BOY, did I receive my comeuppance.

Last Saturday, our Relief Society held a women's trek--Which really turned out to be more of a PRIMARY trek because everyone brought their kids and grandkids-- Anyway, it was a lot of fun-- and a lot of work. We had some really steep inclines that really hurt my knees and with Nate and Katie in the handcart, their was no way I was going to do anything wild and crazy with it. The 5 miles we went was plenty. And it was fun for my kids to be pioneers for a day.