Week 12

Dear Hermana Lutze,

I hope this e-mail finds you well and happy. We spent time with the Weights, Millers, and Papa during this last week since we talked to you. There was lots of sledding and hot chocolate with a few rounds of laser tag thrown in and a viewing of the new Star Wars movie. Of course, we also had lots of yummy food for New Year's Eve and enjoyed New Year's Day with football games and more food. I worked on my blog. I'm actually blogging about our great trip to the DR right now.:)

I enjoyed your e-mail this week especially your new acronym I.L.L. (Infectious Love of Life)  I'm going to have to work on that some more with my siblings. Getting together is sometimes stressful and requires a great deal of patience. I'm so grateful for Bishop Sanchez and his wife and their willingness to serve you and your companion. Always remember their great example of service to you and try to emulate it. I've been so grateful for all the service I've received over the years and the opportunities that I've had to serve other people... This week I was able to take a meal over to the Howell's. Michelle's dad passed away on New Year's Eve. The funeral is this Thursday. I was also able to help Kathy Harvey who I visit teach. She fell and tore her quad muscle so I was able to take dinner to her and then will be going in this week in the morning for a little bit to help her get up and started for the day. Hermana Lutze true happiness comes to us as we serve those around us. As you know, it is through service that we learn to love others.

I must say you've had some interesting experiences this past week in teaching and I know there will be more. I'm so glad that you recognize the importance of the Spirit in teaching. I found it interesting that you talked about setting goals at the beginning of your e-mail. Our Relief Society lesson was on that today. Raegan used the December Ensign article "Navigating the Currents of Life." Do you get the Liahona down there? If so was this article in it? The article talks about taking the first steps forward, making an evaluation (which I'll talk more about in a minute), deciding on worthwhile goals, making it happen, and then grabbing an oar, a paddle, anything to help propel us forward and move us out of stagnant water. So in sacrament meeting I happened to be re reading a conference talk "What Lack I Yet?" that goes along with setting goals. In it Elder Laurence talks about the importance of the sacrament and using that time to ask that very question "What Lack I Yet?" Doing this during the sacrament is so important because the Spirit is their in abundance and will guide us. He said, "The Holy Ghost really does give customized counsel. He is a completely honest companion and will tell us things that no one else knows or has the courage to say." We must not be like the rich young ruler in the Bible who was humble enough to ask "What lack I yet?" but not faithful enough to follow the counsel he was given. "We must be willing to act when we receive an answer." "The Holy Ghost doesn't tell us to improve everything at once, if He did, we would become discouraged and give up. The Spirit works with us at our own speed, one step at a time, or as the Lord has taught, "line upon line, precept upon precept, ... and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, ...for unto him that receiveth I will give more." "Most of us clearly understand the Atonement is for sinners, I am not so sure, however, that we know and understand that the Atonement is also for saints-for good men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better." "The Spirit can show us our weaknesses, but He is also able to show us our strengths. Sometimes we need to ask what we are doing right so that the Lord can lift and encourage us." "Be persistent, but never be discouraged. We will have to go beyond the grave before we actually reach perfection, but here in mortality we can lay the foundation." President Kimball taught, "I have learned that where there is a prayerful heart, a hungering after righteousness, a forsaking of sins, and obedience to the commandments of God, the Lord pours out more and more light until there is finally power to pierce the heavenly veil...A person of such righteousness has the priceless promise that one day he shall see the Lord's face and know that he is."

I love you!

Mom

P.S. The girls went to the temple last night with the Millers and as part of the 2016 Bishop's challenge they are being asked to go once per month. :) I'd already given Jakob that challenge this week. Any encouragement from your end to them would be much appreciated!