Helaman 5:12

"...My sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundations...Because of the rock upon which ye are build, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men would build they cannot fail." Helaman 5:12

My sweet Pyper and Hadley at the Manti Temple

My twins, Pyper and Hadley love the Temples. Their favorite one is Manti Utah. In fact, Pyper's first thing she said upon seeing it... "Mom...it's gorgeous". We drive down every now and then and take the afternoon and visit the temple. I sadly have not done a session or been inside yet, but I know one of these days I will. It brings such joy to my heart to see my daughters (and my son) know that the temple is a place of God, and that they love it as much as I. It's something I try to focus my life around. Especially in these last few months. I have made it a goal it attend a temple twice a month - I'm building that strong foundation.

Have you heard that primary song? My kids love it..."oh the wise man built his house upon the rock." We do the gestures and we scream it a loud when we sing it. I'll even catch Hadley singing it as she falls asleep. It's a song that to me...since I didn't grow up in the church....was just a fun little song. It taught to build your house upon a strong foundation, that when the rains came down and the floods came up - you would be safe. Don't be the foolish man and build on the sand. The foolish man - didn't build his foundations.

In September last year, our Relief Society Counsel was to study the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. I hadn't read it since I was baptized - so I really took that advice. I started it that night. And really paid attention. It was then a good friend turned me onto Line Upon Line. a new company of two amazing gal who made a journaling edition of the Book of Mormon. (Check them out if you haven't!! www.lineuponlineco.com). I HAD to have one. I ordered it right away and waited...and waited... when it came it was the best day. Yet - I was afraid to mark it up. (Much like the bullet journal!) But after I marked my favorite scripture (Mosiah 7:19) I couldn't wait to make it mine.

It was such a blessing, getting used to read my scriptures each night. It became a need. I had to read them before I went to bed or I couldn't sleep. When our prophet, Russel M Nelson, gave the sisters a challenge to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year - I just knew I was on the right path to build up my relationship with God.

I honestly didn't know that was what my life was missing at the moment. God. The gospel. The Temple. I was missing a firm foundation!

This Journaling Edition can be found at Desert Book

There is times when anxiety will hit me. I start to think I can't do it anyone. I get so discouraged that life is at a road block and there is literally no where else to go. I'll be the first to admit that these anxiety attacks don't go much further than that moment, I do worry over nothing. When I have an anxiety attack I get completely irrational. I don't want to listen to anyone. I don't want to be calmed down. I just want SOMEONE to listen to ME. Sometimes those people are hard to find. They are busy themselves. My husband and close friends work - they have lives outside of worrying about me right! It took me awhile to figure out that there was always someone there who would drop everything to listen, and all I had to do was read my gospel and pray. God will always...ALWAYS...listen to what you have to say. (I screamed a lot of prayers his way....) He's always there...you need to have built your foundation around him.

Think of it as bricks and mortar. Every brick is something you build to your foundation. Family, friends, the gospel, the temple...whatever you need. The mortar is what holds it all together right? FAITH. Faith holds it all together. With your faith in Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father - your foundation will be extremely strong that when you start to break it will not fall apart.

Jesus Christ, my Savior, is my rock. Each and every day I build my relationship with him and my foundation, and each and every day I can feel it getting stronger. Whether your are a member of the church, catholic, baptist, Lutheran...any religion... Christ should be the corner stone holding everything together.

I am trying to raise my family with the same love I have for the gospel. My kids see me reading my scriptures and they want to read there too. My kids look forward to seeing a beautiful temple, even if its just on side of the road. They beg to travel to Manti and they want to spend time on the hill next to the temple. I am so very happy that they are beginning to build their foundation now!

Keep your foundations strong and you too will not fail!!

With love - Stefanie