Hallows Eve

Evs and I decided this year for Halloween that we wanted to spend it with Evs sister, Erin, and her family in San Marcos,CA. After spending the morning working we headed down south and were excited to see them. We have been so busy lately with working on Saturdays that we havent seen them for over a month..time just slipped by us. Anyways, we were able to go with them to a friends house a carve pumpkins (I picked the design and Evs traced it and carved it out..what a guy!) the kids seemed to have fun. The stuff inside was gooey and the boys didn't really want to touch it, but we made them at least touch it once. 

Evs and Kai

Kade

Mia

Forcing Kai to help clean out his pumpkin

  

Kai and his pumpkin

Kai's attempt to mimic his pumpkins expression

Evs hard at work

Trace curious about the inside of the pumpkin

Evs finished our spider pumpkin! He did great!

Kade and the spider pumpkin. He didn't want to help clean it out so Evs told him it wasn't his pumpkin then. But Kade got sad, so Evs said if he cleaned out one scoop and the rest of the newspapers, it could be his.

The gang all dressed up!

We went simple. 80's costumes.

Passing out candy at the trunk or treat party

It was an awesome night! Thanks for all the fun Uda family!

***FOR HALLOWEEN*** We just hung out at home. We had the missionaries for dinner and then when they left we watched Amazing Race. We didn't get one trick or treater. 

In the Eyes

I was at the gas station the other day. It was pretty busy. Cheapest gas in town. I was waiting in line and this lady decided she was going to cut me off. I didn't get mad, but she could have asked, I would have let her go in front of me. So I switched lines and looked her way to kinda make her feel bad, not sure it worked..my looks don't exactly scream "I cant believe you Lady, you are rude." I got up to the pump and was about to swipe my card. I heard a voice. A lady was standing next to me and she asked,"Do you have any cans or bottles?" I looked at her to answer and was almost speechless because..I knew this woman, but I wasn't sure from where. Her light piercing sky blue eyes were tattooed on my mind. I kept thinking, "where do I know her from?" But I answered her hesitantly and said," No, I dont." Which I really didn't. While pumping my gas I couldn't help but think about where I knew her from. I overheard her ask the lady at the pump next to me (the lady that cut in front of me) the same question, "Do you have any bottles or cans?" To which the lady replied, "Umm, Ya." The blue eyes lady told her she needed money for food. The lady proceeded to search her car and gave her three cans/bottles + $1.00. So kind, I thought. It was at that moment that I remembered, "I remember that blue eyed lady was at church a few weeks ago." I really did recognize her from somewhere! I turned around to see if she needed a ride somewhere..etc. She was gone. The rest of the day I couldn't help but think about how I lost an opportunity to serve a sister in the ward. I lost an opportunity to serve her when she was in need. I guess I have become so jaded with panhandlers on every corner here, that I just never know who to help and what they are going to use my hard earned money for and if they are really going to get food, or clothes for their family..etc. The painting below flashed in my mind and stuck with me the rest of the day because if the lady's piercing blue eyes (much like the Savior's). I reflected about how she is a child of God and what Christ would do to help and serve others. I still play that scene over in my mind and see this lady's piercing blue eyes and her cry for help and then the image in my head fades to this picture of the Savior. 

The very next person in need I decided I would help. As I was on my way to work I saw a man standing on the off ramp with a homeless-need food sign. I rolled down my window and gave him $1.00. I can only hope and pray that he used it to get a burger from McDonalds or some .39 cent tacos from Del Taco. Something..if he really was hungry and cold. I suppose we cannot help everyone, but when we feel that desire or even when the image of the Savior comes into our mind it is then that we are reminded to serve. And I hope I can always remember to serve others as Christ served.

Simple thoughts.Deep meaning.

God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!

 For what we love determines what we seek.

 What we seek determines what we think and

do.

 What we think and do determines who we are

 —and who we will become.

Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.

When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden.

--President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Sunday with the Fam

The girls loving the broken down lawnmower.

 Naders really driving the lawnmower. Her first driving lesson.

Double Trouble                                                           

Jade hanging out with Jesse

                                      Such a great day! Love family and spending time with them.

Meet Puppy #2::Jade.

We adopted our sweet Jade on Monday and she just fits right in! Jade is 12 weeks old. She is such sweetie pie and has such an outgoing personality! Jade and Sage are the best of friends. They have so much fun running around, stealing each others toy, eating the others food and most of snuggles with each other.

LOVE SKYPE

I love that even though we cant always see our nieces and nephew that we can still see them via video chat.

Here is Bria. 2 years old. She doesn't live far from us, we saw her last Saturday, but missed her.

 

Here are Kayla, Brian, Charlotte, and Audi. They live in Oregon. Last time we saw them was in July. We miss them. They are so funny and animated! Tonight, Audi sang a solo. "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga and then the rest of the gang sang "Come follow Me" a song they learned in primary. We sure do love them! 

Excitement!

Sun

68°F | 55°F

Mon

70°F | 55°F

Tue

72°F | 53°F

Wed

68°F | 54°F

Since we moved to So. Cal I have waited for rain. Hawaii gave us rain often, 

especially when we were least expecting it.I guess So. Cal sorta has seasons. 

Its getting colder finally.I missed the cold season after living in Hawaii for 
almost 3 years. We are excited for this weeks forecast.

Sad.

Fire destroys LDS church near Seattle

October 16th, 2010 @ 6:39pm

MUKILTEO, Wash. -- Officials in the Seattle area are investigating a fire that destroyed a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A Seattle NBC affiliate, KING 5 TV, is now reporting the fire was deliberately set.

Fire crews responded to the fire at 3 a.m. in the city of Mukilteo Saturday. When the roof collapsed, firefighters quickly realized they would not be able to get inside to fight the flames, so they took a defensive position.

"They were walking around the building and they could hear movement, which sounded like the roof was going to collapse. They called for a second alarm," said Brian McMahan, assistant fire chief with the Mulkiteo Fire Department.

"The building has collapsed in the middle and has burned outward through the sides, and collapsed all the way through," McMahan said.

The building serves as a meetinghouse for two wards, or roughly 800 members of the Church in the area. One member said, "It's devastating. The good news is they'll rebuild it and it'll be another great building to serve the community and members around here."

I feel sad for the people that set this fire. Its unfortunate that people would use their agency to make such a terrible choice. If the church wasn't true we wouldn't be continuing to be persecuted, but we are and will be until that great day!

Remember this great prophecy:

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; . . . the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

Church Responds to HRC Petition

This response is very very clear about the misunderstanding that caused an uproar because of President Packer's General Conference talk: 
While we disagree with the Human Rights Campaign on many fundamentals, we also share some common ground. This past week we have all witnessed tragic deaths across the country as a result of bullying or intimidation of gay young men.  We join our voice with others in unreserved condemnation of acts of cruelty or attempts to belittle or mock any group or individual that is different – whether those differences arise from race, religion, mental challenges, social status, sexual orientation or for any other reason.  Such actions simply have no place in our society.

This Church has felt the bitter sting of persecution and marginalization early in our history, when we were too few in numbers to adequately protect ourselves and when society’s leaders often seemed disinclined to help.  Our parents, young adults, teens and children should therefore, of all people, be especially sensitive to the vulnerable in society and be willing to speak out against bullying or intimidation whenever it occurs, including unkindness toward those who are attracted to others of the same sex. This is particularly so in our own Latter-day Saint congregations. Each Latter-day Saint family and individual should carefully consider whether their attitudes and actions toward others properly reflect Jesus Christ’s second great commandment - to love one another.

As a church, our doctrinal position is clear: any sexual activity outside of marriage is wrong, and we define marriage as between a man and a woman. However, that should never, ever be used as justification for unkindness. Jesus Christ, whom we follow, was clear in His condemnation of sexual immorality, but never cruel.  His interest was always to lift the individual, never to tear down.

Further, while the Church is strongly on the record as opposing same-sex marriage, it has openly supported other rights for gays and lesbians such as protections in housing or employment.

The Church’s doctrine is based on love. We believe that our purpose in life is to learn, grow and develop, and that God’s unreserved love enables each of us to reach our potential. None of us is limited by our feelings or inclinations. Ultimately, we are free to act for ourselves.

The Church recognizes that those of its members who are attracted to others of the same sex experience deep emotional, social and physical feelings. The Church distinguishes between feelings or inclinations on the one hand and behavior on the other. It’s not a sin to have feelings, only in yielding to temptation.There is no question that this is difficult.

Obviously, some will disagree with us. We hope that any disagreement will be based on a full understanding of our position and not on distortion or selective interpretation. The Church will continue to speak out to ensure its position is accurately understood.

God’s universal fatherhood and love charges each of us with an innate and reverent acknowledgement of our shared human dignity.  We are to love one another. We are to treat each other with respect as brothers and sisters and fellow children of God, no matter how much we may differ from one another. 


link to the article can be found here: http://beta-newsroom.lds.org/article/church-mormon-responds-to-human-rights-campaign-petition-same-sex-attraction

We had so much fun decorating this year! Its fun getting into decorating for holidays! Here is our porch all fun and scary...BOO! Time to get ready for HALLOWEEN!

My thoughts. My belief.

I truly believe that you can love a person and not love their choices. I believe that you can love a person yet not condone their choices or their lifestyle. Love is and should be unconditional. But unconditional love doesn't mean you have to give up what you believe in or stand for, to love others. 

In the past couple days there has been yet another uproar and protest about same-sex marriage, particularly stemming from an LDS General Conference talk given by Elder Boyd K. Packer, of the twelve Apostles. His talk "Cleansing the Inner Vessel" is being petitioned by the Human Rights Campaign. His talk was directed at teaching us that we can make changes in our lives so that we can enjoy happiness and that God is there to help us and not judge us. Also, for those that struggle with same-sex attraction that they can overcome the feelings that beset them. Here are bits and pieces of Elder Packer's talk.     

There is something very liberating when an individual determines of his or her own free will to be obedient to our Father and our God and expresses that willingness to Him in prayer.

     We are free to ignore the commandments, but when the revelations speak in such blunt terms, such as “thou shalt not,” we had better pay attention.

The adversary is jealous toward all who have power to beget life. Satan cannot beget life; he is impotent. “He seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.”⁸ He seeks to degrade the righteous use of the life-giving powers by tempting you into immoral relationships........

     Years ago I visited a school in Albuquerque. The teacher told me about a youngster who brought a kitten to class. As you can imagine, that disrupted everything. She had him hold the kitten up in front of the children.It went well until one of the children asked, “Is it a boy kitty or a girl kitty?”

Not wanting to get into that lesson, the teacher said, “It doesn’t matter. It’s just a kitty.”

But they persisted. Finally, one boy raised his hand and said, “I know how you can tell.”

Resigned to face it, the teacher said, “How can you tell?”

And the student answered, “You can vote on it!”

You may laugh at this story, but if we are not alert, there are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God’s laws and nature. A law against nature would be impossible to enforce. For instance, what good would a vote against the law of gravity do?      

     There are both moral and physical laws “irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world” that cannot be changed.¹⁷ History demonstrates over and over again that moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot. To legalize that which is basically wrong or evil will not prevent the pain and penalties that will follow as surely as night follows day.

     Regardless of the opposition, we are determined to stay on course. We will hold to the principles and laws and ordinances of the gospel. If they are misunderstood either innocently or willfully, so be it. We cannot change; we will not change the moral standard. We quickly lose our way when we disobey the laws of God. If we do not protect and foster the family, civilization and our liberties must needs perish.

     It has been said, unfortunately there has always been a tendency to "shoot the messenger." I don't think Elder Packer originated the concept that homosexuality was not a moral practice. You cannot change God's laws it doesn't happen like that. 

     You can love a person and not love their choices. I believe that you can love a person yet not condone their choices or their lifestyle. Love is and should be unconditional. But unconditional love doesn't mean you have to give up what you believe in or stand for to love others.

Cruisin' in the Bug

Evs had to take his GRE in Redlands. So I met my Mom and we went to Naders soccer game then went back to Tony's to hangout. Naders and I hitched a ride in Mom's yellow Volkswagen Bug and rode with the top down. We were feeling cool. We were feeling hip. Oh that Mom of mine..she's the "cool" grandma.

                  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Our Sage turned ONE! Such a milestone. haha..He certainly has such a fun personality! But he can also be a little brat too and has a mind of his own sometimes..you would think he was a teenager..But we love our Sage! He is so funny! I cant imagine coming home and not having him there wagging his tail rapidly, as it thumps against the inside of his kennel..separation anxiety..just a tad.. He is so cute! We are letting his coat grow out..love his shaggy look..for his birthday I gave him a ton of treats throughout the day..we were going to take him to the dog park, but it was rainy..so we will be doing that another day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAGE..