Today's spiritual thought taken from Elder Bednar's talk on the atonement:
"King Benjamin teaches about the journey of mortality and the role of the Atonement in navigating successfully that journey: 'For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord' (Mosiah 3:19). I draw your attention to two specific phrases. First - "putteth off the natural man." The journey from bad to good is the process of putting off the natural man or the natural woman in each of us. In mortality we all are tempted by the flesh. The very elements out of which our bodies were created are by nature fallen and ever subject to the pull of sin, corruption, and death. But we can increase our capacity to overcome the desires of the flesh and temptations "through the atonement of Christ." When we make mistakes, as we transgress and sin, we can repent and become clean through the redeeming power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
I was up at my normal time, 4 am but instead of studying the gospel I was cooking. I started out making my Calico Easter beans. After I got them in the crockpot I started mixing up a batch of sugar cookies to replace Stacy's that got eaten yesterday. Next came Marci Lamoreaux's strawberry cupcakes, then the cheesy potatoes and the ham. Thank goodness for Sheri. She picked up Darrel's girls, frosted the cupcakes and the cookies for me so I could take a shower.
Oh yes, she also hid the Easter eggs, and made delicious homemade rolls. Kim brought two desserts and with the cookies and cupcakes I made we had four desserts. I also had cranberry celebration from Fry's because it is a family favorite. After eating the kids went out to find the Easter eggs. Everyone had two eggs with their names on them. Each egg had a dollar in it. Most of the rest of the eggs (there were 110) had quarters, and a few had either gum or candy. Ian hid the two $5 eggs, one for the kids 8 and under and one for the kids over 8. Max found the one for the younger kids and Dallin found the one for the older in a drain pipe and his $5 was all wet.
Sheri was the lifeguard for the kids who wanted to go swimming. James did the dishes so I could go lie down. Darrel offered to but I knew he was tired from camping and his feet really hurt from his arthritis.
James and I went to Costco this afternoon to get some of their yummy filet mignon steaks to cook for dinner tomorrow. We also got some Alpine Valley bread. I spent a relaxing evening in front of the tv just vegging out. I watched Pioneer Woman and American Idol while the Gonzo's were gone to Rudy's.
