Choosing Good Friends

A lot has changed since I last blogged.  I am now the 2nd Counselor in the Primary and that along with work and the kids have consumed my life (in a good way)  but I realize my blogging is getting neglected.   So I will do the best I can to update this blog weekly.

As a 2nd Counselor we rotate teaching sharing time on Sundays.   This has actually been such a blessing because it has helped me become more creative at teaching my kids.  One of the lessons I taught was on "Choosing Good Friends".   I searched high and low for a way to really help the children learn how to choose a good friends and there were a lot of different ideas out there, but not exactly what I was looking for.  So I decided to create my own.

1. I asked the children what they wanted in a friend.  Here were some of their answers - someone who is nice, someone who doesn't kick you, someone who loves you, someone who likes your mom (my favorite answer) and someone who won't make fun of you.
2. I found a picture from the church primary book and did some editing to it using photoshop and created a diagram to what they should be looking for in a friend.  The image is attached below.  I left the face off so that they can draw their own face in.

 

I told them when they are choosing their friends do the following:

• Look at their head - Does this person have Clean thoughts and Actions.
• Look at their eyes - Does this friend look for good in others
• Look at their mouth - Make sure they do not use bad words or speak unkind about others.
• Examine their hands - Are their hands found serving others
• Look at their heart - Is it filled with love for our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and others.
• Look at their Legs - Will they be quick to run from evil and temptation
• and Last Look at their Feet - Do they stand for truth and righteousness.

Then look at your self in the Mirror - Are you that same friend?

The kids loved this lesson and it really helped them know what to look for in a friend.  Their favorite part is when I covered up the words and pointed at the parts and they had the chance to tell me everything back.  They loved the challenge plus it helps them always remember what they are looking for in a friend.

* I find this extremely important to teach to your children.  As they grow up they will be faced with challenges we never dreamed of.  How can we help them surround themselves around people who will lift them up in the light of Christ and not bring them down.  We must teach them while they are young to surround themselves around friends with these attributes and to also be that same friend.

After the lesson I ended with this movie given by our Dear prophet President Gordon B. Hinckley and then followed up with my testimony. 

I hope that you enjoy this lesson and share it with your children you won't regret it for a second,

Much Love,
Lyza

Arise and Shine!

Today was such a great day. The highlight of the day was being able to take my 2 beehives Destany and my niece mina to their first young women's conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2012.

I remember when I was young how I would go with my mom and sisters to theses meetings. It brought back some sweet memories. Today's memories made me want to cry. The spirit was so strong and it meant so much to me to be able to join my daughter and niece along with the young women of this church and hear messages prepared by the young women's leaders of this church and of our dear prophet Thomas S. Monson.

The messages they shared tonight were to help us improve our life and become closer to our Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ. They were messages of love and uplifting words. It's amazing to me how such caring people can dedicate their entire lives to helping our dear young women receive vital messages and tools to be able to keep on a path that will help them stay happy, healthy and in harmony with the savior and his teachings. The main focus on tonight was to remember to live by the youth theme which is

"Arise and Shine forth, that they light may be a standard for the nations"

Doctrine and Covenants 115:5

The light that we need to have is the light of Christ. To arise is to arise from the ground after offering a prayer. To arise in the morning and read the scriptures. To arise and defend our standards and beliefs. We must arise and use our knowledge of knowing right from wrong and NEVER fail in living our personal standards. Which are the standards of the strength for the youth, the Scriptures, the commandments and more. We must stand for right even if we must stand alone.

To have this light we must have knowledge. We must seek learning by study and by faith. Sister Mary Cook the first counselor of the Young women's gave a talk on how it is very important to learn and develop a study pattern. This study pattern that we develop is what is going to be the outcome of how we learn and study new things. We must train our mind and Sacrifice NOW! for the future of the unknown.

What we learn becomes how we raise our children. It determines how we teach our children. A mother will become the most important teacher a child will ever have. We must be knowledgeable and seek and study by faith to make sure we are teaching what our children need to know. As we learn and study the Holy Ghost will enlighten our minds.

Before I end I will end with the 3 signals from the Lords lighthouse shared by the prophet.

1-Believe-

Believe that we are a daughter of God.

Believe in our values and accept and act upon those values.

Have a Testimony

2-Obey-

Obey our parents.

Obey the commandments of our Heavenly Father.

3-Endure-

Take things day-by-day to repent.

"Life by the yard is hard, but Life by the inch is sinch"

We must stay strong and never give up. Effort is required in life but this will be effort we will never regret.

Tesimony

I know that everything I have heard tonight is truly meant for me and everyone alive on this planet. I know that this church is true and that Christ is the Light of this Gospel. I know that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson is a true and living prophet and speaks to God. I know the leaders he has picked are chosen to help us and guide us through these Latter-days. I will make an effort through my life to stand for what I believe in. Even if I must stand alone, because I know though the appearance may be as I am alone I know I will have an army of angels behind me standing for what I believe in. Which is that Christ Lives and is the head of our church. Heavenly Father is our God and that this church is the true living church of Jesus Christ. Most importantly I know Heavenly Father Loves me and wants the best for me and my family and I love him. I will Arise and Shine forth and share his light with all those I come across.

Scholarships and Filming!!

So I needed to find a way that I can feel like I'm writing in a journal but with out the actually writing part. So I decided that I will make a 1 month goal and see if I can try to actually blog for a full month.
I will try to take things slow and hopefully post once a week. But in reality I would LOVE to post on a daily basis. But we will see how things go.
So there are many positives to home schooling for me and this would be a couple of the reasons why I love to home school my kids.
So this last week has been such a blast. My oldest Destany received a scholarship for her guitar playing!.......That would have cost me a lot of money that I just don't have at the moment. I'm so proud of her and her great talent. But now she has to work hard. Because along with this scholarship comes extra work. She has to be the Lead Guitar player. Now ask me how this could ever have been possible if I didn't home school her last year. The only reason I say that is because she was able to have a music class with me and I was able to teach her how to play the guitar. I taught her everything she knows and now she plays better then me !!

More great news is that my little one Jewelz was in a mini commercial for pinnacle security over the weekend. She had so much. It was a last minute gig. They contacted me a day ahead and needed dancers right away so a group got put together and the kids learned the dance pretty much the same day! It was a paid gig and they also got a free shirt and hat.
It was so much fun for everyone, that you almost forgot that it was a job.
I'm so amazed at how talented the dancers are at C.S. they pick up choreography so fast. And I can start seeing my little one being able to do the same. I also feel like she is always ready to learn something and willing to take on a good challenge despite her size and age.
It has just been such a fun weekend and looking forward to this week and what fun it will bring. Here's a few pics I took while they were filming.
Enjoy!!!

LIBERTY

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole."

And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—

These words choke me up every time I read it. It defines the love that one man had for his country, his people and more importantly his God.
What better way then to be reminded of how a person should feel during the 4Th of July & 24Th or July for pioneer day.

I believe to be truly patriotic is to bow down to the earth and thank God for all the blessings of liberty and freedom he has given us. Captain Moroni could not have written these words any better then he has in the "Book of Mormon" in Alma.

I love this country I live in. And I am thankful each and everyday for the freedom the lord has blessed me with. The freedom to be able to live in a country where I may worship my Lord. Where I may choose to home school my children with the belief of my religion. Where I can speak and blog freely with my own thoughts. I love my life. And must do all I can to preserve and protect it.
May we all have the opportunity to read from the book of Alma 46-63 and learn what is means to truly love this land. To teach our children to have a "standard" they must live by, and to live up to the example of such a great man.

In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children.

Happy Holidays this Month!

With standing the Storms......

The more I read the news and see the craziness of the world and things happening in the public school system and in the government, the more I am grateful each day that my kids are safe at home with me. Protected by the winds and the storms of the world. Don't get me wrong it's not that they never feel the draft, every now and then the door will swing open from the winds. But we always run to shut it as quickly as it opened.
Since home schooling I've ran into a few people who tend to disagree with my decision and feel that a child must face the world in order to live in it. Or they will not function with real people when they are adults. They feel that a child must face certain experiences in order to be strong and successful in life. They feel that a child should have to deal with being faced with drugs, sex, alcohol, friends, bullies, popular kids, fights and party's. Not that they want kids to do these things but that they should be faced with it and whatever choices they make whether it be wrong or right will only make them stronger.
My concept is, what mother in her right mind feels that a child should learn the cold realities of the world by sending her child out in the middle of a thunderstorm or tsunami to make them stronger?
Yes, we should be faced with choices and have to learn from what ever choice we make. But we do not have to smoke the cigarette to know it's bad for us.
I have been the type of person to learn the hard way. And there was a time I felt that "if it doesn't kill you it only makes you stronger."But with age and studying the scriptures, I have learned that if you surround yourself with the teachings of Christ, your life becomes directed down a different path. You will still face opposition but it will be in a different form because of your obedience to be a disciple of Christ.
How grateful I am to be able to teach my children the way that I know the Savior would want me to teach them. How grateful I am to know that my kids are safe and protected from those demons of the world looking for any way to lure a child in with there devices of the devil and their devil worshipers.
I see life as a test. In order to pass it, we must study it until we are ready to pass it off. It doesn't mean to just blindly take the test with out studying or preparing for it. Why would you want to retake it over and over until you finally get it right.
We must study and understand are problems and learn to find the best solution.
Every day I wake up I see my 2 little girls and know that I will never get back theses moments I have with them. Yes they could be at school having these moments with friends and teachers. But those relationships will never last as a long as family relationships does.
I will never regret the time I have spent with my little ones. Even the times it took us forever to solve one problem.
I will always cherish in my heart the time I have with them.
As a mother you must do all you can to protect your children and teach them, there will then come a day that your child will be like unto the 2000 strippling warriors who marched off in battle with no fear.
Being left with only what their mother have taught them.

Alma 56:47
".....they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them."

Please protect your child from the storms of the world do not throw them in the middle of it trying to make them stronger. The only way to build them stronger is by helping them build a foundation of gospel principles first. And then the rest will come. Just remember your child does not have to be of the world to live in the world.
So protect them from the craziness of the world and value them like a treasure. And like a diamond they will never lose their value.

Whats in a Name !!!!

It has been quite a while since I've blogged. It's not that I haven't wanted to blog but that I have found myself to be extremely busy with my life. I've been in the process of remodeling, my girls are so busy with school, dance and life that I haven't yet caught my breath.
I thought I'd finally sit down and just take a minute to give my blog some TLC.
Today's subject I'll talk on is "Whats in a name?"
A while back I taught a lesson on names. I wore a cute badge with my name on it. The kids laughed, they were like " we already know who you are mom". Then I had them make there own badge too and introduce themselves, they giggled about that.
Then we played a game, I told them I would say a name and they would each tell me 2 things that they first thought about when I said that persons name.
We have a very close family on my side so I named off some of their aunts, uncles and cousins. It was so funny to hear what each of my children thought about when I named that person. I asked them what they thought of when I said the name "Mama" (for their grandma) and my youngest shouted out "fashion Diva!!" it was so cute. And then my oldest said she thinks of the sweetest most nicest most loving grandma in the world.
Then I asked them what they thought of when I mentioned one of there boy cousins and my youngest yelled "cry baby" then my oldest said a "brother from another mother". It was so fun to see all the different things they thought of.
I used names of family and friends and sometimes the kids had good things to say and some times they had bad things to say such as a person being to loud, or driving them nuts.
The game was fun, until I asked them what they think other people might think of when they hear of your name?
All of a sudden the laughter turned into concern, my youngest looked at me with a serious face and said" I think they might think I talk to much". My oldest said "people might think I'm a spoiled brat".
It was so funny to see how they finally got the point of the lesson. Because they were quick to answer about others but nervous when it came to them.
I took that moment as a teaching moment. We named maybe 2 or 3 things that people might see negative in each of my children and things that they needed improvement on. Such as being a little more reverent, humble or not talking so much and try listening more. Also Being a little more helpful around the house and being a peacemaker.
Then I named 3 good things that I think of when I hear each of their names. And it brought smiles to their faces and made them want to be more like what I had said.
I then taught them how when we are baptized we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. And asked them what they think of when they hear the name Jesus.
I explained that it is important for us to always represent ourselves as good examples because we have upon us the name of Christ. I also explained that it is important for us to also take our family names we have been given and represent our parents by being kind, reverent and loving people.
That even their own individually names will define who they are and will be remembered as good or bad. We should always honor our name, our family names, and the name of Jesus Christ. And honor him and be like him in all we do.
As a child I have the same scriptures that my mom raised me up with, and had me mark. I will always cherish it and remember the markings. I came across a particular scripture that my mom had given a lesson on and had us mark it. And always remembered it not only in my book of Mormon but it was implanted in my brain when ever I thought of my name"

Helaman 5:6
............when you remember your names ye may remember them, and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.

Teaching our children to understand the importance of their name will help them honor their name more it will help them understand how important they are as a son/ daughter of God. And teach them to learn to love and respect their name and also honor their parents with their last name and be prepared to honor the name of Christ.
I feel their are to many kids and parents who don't understand that their family name can carry good or bad and reflect their entire family by their actions and examples. My background is Tongan and in my culture you are known by your surnames. Your family is identified by just a last name. So by that name you carry you can can bring respect or shame to your family.
By practicing and living this way you and your children will learn the importance of carrying the greatest name you will ever have. And that is to take upon you the name of "Jesus Christ". If you teach your children to respect and honor their own names and surnames than you can also expect them to respect and honor the name of Christ.
May we teach our children to bring honor to their names and to learn to love them and use them for good. To use their names the way that Christ would want them too. And to understand how important they are and how there name is known by Christ and he knows them individually and loves them.

lesson ideas from the primary 3 manual lesson 1.

10 minute club

What is the 10 minute club you ask. Well it was an idea I came about when I had taken my niece to her first beehive interview with her beehive leader. And they asked me if my niece had mentioned to me about their 10 minute club.
Then they told me that the 10 minute club was a club for the young women to join and make a commitment to work in there personal progress book for 10 minutes a week. And if they did that a week at the end of every month they would get a treat or a prize.
So I thought what a great idea. 10 minutes a week is not that much to ask for. So I thought how could I implement that into my life. Then I came up with the idea. Why not have a 10 minute club with my whole family. Including the kids and even me and the husband.
So the way it works is that each person in my family commits to reading any church published material, for instance the Scriptures or any books, manuals, articles and magazines issued directly from the church (church distribution center or Lds.org resources)
We only take 10 minutes out of our day and read something uplifting. This is the time I usually get a chance to catch up on my Relief Society reading "Gospel Principles book" or the "Ensign". And then every day we mark it in our family 10 min club chart sheet (the kids have one in each of their binders).

feel free to click on the image and save and print for your own use. Anyways I felt like this might be of interest to you moms. Who have always wanted to start a club (yay now your the club leader!!!...lol) Hope this helps a little I know it has helped me and my family out a lot. I can't believe my husband is even trying. He has such a busy schedule and works so hard but even he knows 10 minutes isn't even to much to ask for. So hopefully this helps you out this New Years!!!!
Love you all- HAPPY THURSDAY!!!!