Last night Wesley and I attended the adult session of stake conference together. Weird and wonderful. We haven’t been able to do that for a long time; the adult session always seems to overflow with the Spirit. Perhaps because it’s slightly quieter. Perhaps because there are fewer distractions. Perhaps because it requires more sacrifice to go. The First Presidency determined the topics for the speakers. No one remembers this happening before. The entire conference focused on hastening the work of salvation. What does that really mean? Developing a personal relationship with the Savior and inviting others to Him? Helping people actively participate in the ordinances throughout their lives? Expressing the love of Heavenly Father in all we do? (and how?) Jared Thomas spoke on how penguins huddle in the arctic to help everyone stay warm. He said that sometimes when he needs relief and prays from standing on the outside, Heavenly Father allows him to stay on the outside a little longer both to teach him that he has more endurance than he thought and to enable him to serve more. We all need to huddle around each other, and help others learn how to huddle as well. One of the suggestions was to ask the missionaries who they are they meeting with that we can help. Our stake president, President Hollingsworth, told stories illustrating that “Faith with hard work produces miracles.” He instructed us to hold FHE studying three scriptures that help us understand faith then memorize one. Then hold another FHE on prayer with the same approach. Doing so will help us remember how to share the gospel. WE need to show that we can be trusted to care for the Lord’s children. If we work to care for them, we will find those that are ready—even unexpectedly. President Hollingsworth promised that as we love others and share the Plan with them that our homes will be filled with peace and we will be directed by the Spirit. We are still processing and holding a family council on how to improve. I think it comes down to, “How am I doing the Lord’s work today? What does He need me to do?” We sang “The Spirit of God” in closing and could feel the presence of the angels who are assigned to our stake and to our families committed to the work of salvation with us.

Although Wesley was home this week, we didn’t see much of him. Welcome to real life! My gratitude for his flexible schedule and how cushy our life has been thus far increases as our abilities and responsibilities expand. He went on a campout over the weekend, came home in time to shower and change, then headed out to more meetings. I’m so glad that he honors his duties and work—and that he wants to be home. He is such a blessing. When I took some sisters to a Relief Society meeting this week they asked about Wesley; I have a hard time even talking about him without swooning. My heart really overflows. When I wake at night and see him I’m grateful Heavenly Father allowed me to have him. When I wake at night when he’s gone, I’m grateful for how often he is with us and for his constant love.

The events of the week blur, so I’ll just mash it together. Wes and Levi felt gross on Monday, but thankfully it passed. Tuesday the boys screamed until 4 p.m. Wednesday the temperature dropped to 37 degrees; today it is back over 80. We dug out our jackets: Lincoln mumbled all day, “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” We took one of the young men register for high school (he’s been homeschooled) which took over two hours—so we played hide-and-seek in the courtyard. We watched a few kids, we met with our friends the Haywoods for the first time in a month (baby Olivia is only a month old!). We went to meetings. We visit taught and played with darling girls where all of the kids tried on my glasses. (Levi: “Why is everything bigger in your glasses, Mom?”). We met with our friends the Klewenos at the park. Keller has officially joined the crew in all things (yelling, laughing, tackling, climbing, building, dancing, singing…). He climbed up the play space at the park and slid down face first over and over again. They raced each other. Lincoln and Levi went down at the same time, giggling, “We are in your tummy, Mom! We are twins and we’re coming out!” Oh, my. We went to the library and forgot the stroller. Ah! Not a good idea when you’re checking out 50 books…We went to the grocery store too late on a Saturday—and a lot of people had interesting comments. Not that I blame them. Levi organized the shelves, pulling the things that had been pushed back to the front and lining up cans. Lincoln jumped in the shelves, rolled on the dog food, and shouted, “I’M HIDING!” And yes, I laughed. I even let them run laps down the empty aisles. Keller chewed the foil box, a few can labels. Then we made it home. Who says miracles don’t happen!

I’m learning to laugh more readily, forgive more quickly, and move forward. Thankfully we work one day at a time.