I HoPe THeY CaLL Me oN a MiSSioN !!

From the moment Cody (aka: Dakota) was born, 

we dreamed of him serving The Lord 

on a mission through the 

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

On April 26, 2014 he received his call...

Mexico Hermosillo Mission

leaving on July 23rd, 2014

for the Provo MTC for 6 weeks

then off to Mexico!!

We were all SO happy and excited for him!!

 (a wee bit scared too)

Elder Smith's first area was in Agua Prieta. 

He served there for 5 months 

before he was transferred to Nogales.

Elder Smith served in Nogales for about 3 months when he hurt his knee. His right knee cap slipped out of place and he tore some ligaments so he was sent home for medical treatment. The Dr.s in Mexico felt that there was a tare and that Elder Smith would need surgery. When he came home he went to the Orthopedic surgeon and had an MRI and X-Rays on his knee. They didn't find any tares and felt that physical therapy would be all he would need. It has now been 3 months since he has been home and going through PT. He's not completely healed but doing much better and was just released from medical treatment. He has an interview with our stake president soon to discuss what they feel would be the best next step, going back out on the mission or to start on his college education. Elder Smith served 9 months, he had great success and he loved teaching the peoples of Mexico. His investigators lived in humble circumstances and he loved serving them in what ever way was needed. He was so sad to leave Mexico and his new friends. He had many experiences that helped him grow as a young man and as a spiritual giant. We are so very proud of him and of all his loving service.

Class Time in the MTC

Elder Smith with his Mission President, Elder and Sister Hernandez

Agua Prieta Missionaries

Elders Smith and Ensey

Elders Smith and Filgueira

Nogales

Nana's Babies

 

I think we need an update on all my sweet grand-babies!!

 

       

  

The Circle of Life

We are eternal beings. 

We lived as spirits before we were born 

 and we will continue to live after we die.

We are eternal beings, spirit children of an eternal God. Our lives can be compared to a three-act play: premortal life (before we came to earth), mortal life (our time here on earth), and postmortal life (where we go after we die). God has had a plan for our lives since the beginning of the first act—a plan that, if followed, provides comfort and guidance now, as well as salvation and eternal happiness in our postmortal life. [lds.org]

*****************

Recently, within the last couple years, our family has experienced the loss of a loved one. My mother-in-law, Brenda Jo Hughes Smith, passed away with kidney failure. But not all is lost! We have the pure knowledge and the comfort in knowing that the mortal life is just a temporary state and that we will see her again. We know she continues to live and serve, just as she loved to do here on Earth.

We miss Vic's mom and we cherish our memories of her. She was a woman of faith and dignity. God be with you til we meet again Mom!

We also had a new birth in our family recently. On May 28, 2015 baby Rylan Lewis Patton joined our family! So new from the Heavens, he is our Lil' Moose weighing in at 10lb 3oz. He is such a happy baby and has brought much joy into our lives.

 

I love that Families Are Forever and the Circle of Life continues!!

The Family: A Proclamation To The World

When I began my adventure with BYU-I, the one class that I was looking most forward to taking, was the Family Foundations class. The study of The Family Proclamation. Family means EvErYtHiNg to me, so I was anxious to go into the depths of what The Lord desires regarding the family unit. I have not been disappointed! The Family: A Proclamation To The World is an amazing piece! You can go here to read it in full.

I want to testify that Christ lives, and he atoned for our sins so we can return to Him. I know that as we center our lives with the Gospel and His teachings, we can become an eternal family unit. We will feel his peace and love abundantly in our lives. I also know that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. "Children are an heritage of the Lord," and the blessings of bringing spirit children into mortality will bless our lives throughout the eternities. I am thankful for the opportunity of taking the Family Foundations class to enhance my knowledge and for the desire to become better within my own family.

BYU-I Pathways Program

  I have been taking on-line classes through BYU-I for the past two years. I've loved every second of it, even on those days that I don't... so much!!

It all began with the Pathways Program...

The Pathways Program is perfect for those who either want to continue or to start their education in later years. Growing up all I ever wanted was to be a wife and a mom, I had no desire nor did I feel a need to get a college education. I was living my dream. I became a mom of five beautiful children, I was blessed to be a stay-at-home-mom and raise my children. Then one day when I was 47, the Pathway Missionaries came to our ward promoting the new program. I was intrigued, but not really interested. However, Heavenly Father had other plans. For about a year the Spirit kept whispering to me that this is what I needed to do. I kept fighting the feeling, but...

 you can't fight the Lord!!

I told myself that I would fast and pray about it, in which I did. Immediately I knew that I had to do what the Lord wanted me to do. Even to this day, two years later, I do not know why this is so important. Nor do I know what I should major in. So right now I'm just working on an Associates in General Studies. I figure that when the Lord is ready He will reveal what I should do and everyone needs the basics, right? 

I am very proud of what I have accomplished these past two years. It's hard going back to school after being out for 30+ years. But, I have gotten A's in every class, except for Math in which I got a B. I work hard for my grades. I have proven to myself that... 

I can do hard things!!

Even though I'm still not sure why I'm on this adventure, I can say I am so thankful for it!

I am also thankful for obedience. I know my family has been blessed in so many ways through being obedient to the laws and commandments of the Lord. And for heeding the spirit when it speaks.