Week 23

Querida Hermana Lutze,

I hope this finds you well and busy serving the Lord. Work continues to be crazy with learning our new charting system. I'm finally starting to feel comfortable with a good portion of it. We go live in about 6 weeks. Our presidency met with the Stake Primary and YW presidencies this week to plan the General Women's meeting in a few weeks. We hope to meet semi-annually to create more unity among our leadership for all the women in our stake. Hannah attended the RS birthday celebration with me on Wednesday. It was really fun to learn about the different sisters in our ward and to see them welcome and love Hannah. (She, of course, felt a little out of place.) I was so glad they invited her. I helped serve lunch to the men serving our stake today at the Stake center for the Provo City Temple dedication. Elder Oaks presided and pronounced the dedicatory prayer. The most moving talk to me was by Elder Robbins. He talked of the importance of always having a current temple recommend or CTR :) and relating it to the The Parable of the Ten Virgins. I've always thought of that parable in terms of a temple recommend and he confirmed my thoughts and feelings. He also spoke of a woman he knows that knew she was dying and her last request was to have her Bishop and Stake President come to her hospital room so she would have a current temple recommend before she passed away. What better way to ensure your worthiness to meet the Lord on the other side? I've always tried hard to never let mine lapse and I feel very blessed for it. (I let it lapse once for a few days and I truly felt Satan's power.) 

Hannah is having a bone scan on Tuesday to check for any stress fractures. She has really bad shin splints this year and they could be stress fractures. She's, of course, bummed that she's having to wait to run track. It always seems to be something with her health. Natalie is becoming quite the piano player and cook. She played a 10 minute piano solo on Saturday at the recital and made Dad's cake in cupcake form. They were delicious!!! I know Jakob e-mailed you regarding his incident with his braces stuck to his lip. He's really lucky it didn't tear all the way through. After some Orajel application, we were able to get his lip unstuck from his braces. I'll take him tomorrow to see Dr. Swenson. 

So I've been thinking about Proverbs this week since that was the institute class on Tuesday. I love Proverbs 31. This is truly what a queen would do and sets a very high standard for each of us. It is the ideal and a standard by which we as women will be molded.

·  It is awesome for our husbands to always know their name is safe with us.

·  What a beautiful gift to give our children… our tongues only speak kindness. 

·  She is a hard worker… very industrious

·  She has diversity in what she brings to her family

·  She is following the Word of Wisdom… she takes care of herself

·  She gives a portion of what she has to others

·  She is good with business… she has education and learning

·  Wool and flax…  can see the end from the beginning. She takes the wool and works it into what she knows it can become. She is able to create. She creates goodness in the things she touches.

·  Her children love her for her service to them.

·  She spiritually strengthens herself

·  Her strength/virtue comes from the Savior… she clothes herself in the enabling power of grace

·  Righteousness is what brings honor from the Lord

·  What is inside the person is what matters… be genuine, be righteous

·  These things describe a woman making temple covenants

·  Snow references the storms of life… Scarlet references the Atonement… she is not afraid of the storms because her household knows to turn to the Atonement in times of trouble

·  She worketh willingly… even the hard things. There is joy in the work. There is hope.

·  She has an eternal perspective

·  She stretches her hands to the poor and needy

·  She is honest in all her relationships and dealings with her fellow men

·  She is a planner… she greets every morning with a plan

·  She is busy… all these responsibilities of womanhood… we should be grateful for the

·  This list should give us hope and guidance… we shouldn’t feel overwhelmed and inadequate…

·  We need to just keep trying

If you haven't read Russell M. Nelson's "A Plea to My Sisters" from last October recently, read it in conjunction with this Proverb! Wow!

I love you! I'm praying for you! 

Love,

Mom

P. S. Did you get the drive that was in the package? Does it work for your card in your camera to upload pictures?