SiZ (Test)

Have I done any Good In His/Her World Today?

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wWR-ek8A5sVBq9tmkgoYge6NWBcuTStAzqNSDS7rin-dBDdvP6yoNdkoCNhi5CeEV-zwvG8LMo0OvDBd0EQjT4QR_R6dRHPjD_eZ7OpGVDzjqob1O79M06rnfyFx5N36tAqWc2kHZgY/s1600/black-children-endangered-species.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wWR-ek8A5sVBq9tmkgoYge6NWBcuTStAzqNSDS7rin-dBDdvP6yoNdkoCNhi5CeEV-zwvG8LMo0OvDBd0EQjT4QR_R6dRHPjD_eZ7OpGVDzjqob1O79M06rnfyFx5N36tAqWc2kHZgY/s400/black-children-endangered-species.jpg" width="282" /></a>What did I do to help shape his/her world today? This is a question mothers and mother-figures often ask themselves. The discussion of motherhood seems to arouse strong emotions in us. We all come to the discussion with our own personal experience, yet one thing that we can all agree on is the relationship (or lack thereof) between a mother and a child is a vital part of helping to shape us. And how we see ourselves in the world. The relationship with our mother often establishes a pattern of future relationships.Which is why many of us will sit in church today silently battling the internal conflict of the “Good” mother. As Sista LaKeysha (a safe name for us because there isn’t a LaKeysha in our wards...currently) stands up today and shares how wonderful her mother was. You’ve heard it before: “I’m so grateful for my wonderful mother and the example she was to me growing up. Everyday when my 12 brothers and sisters and I came home from school, my mother had fresh baked cookies for us with a cup of freshly squeezed milk from our family cow Daisy. She got her Ph.D. from BYU in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Psychology, just so she could be of aide to her children when we needed her. I don’t know what I would have done without the love and support of my wonderful mother…" C'mon Sistas, sit up a little higher in those seats. Please stop beating yourselves up because you weren’t like Sista LaKeysha’s mother. The person we make our mothers out to be in our adult minds are often very different from the mother we had as young children, and that person is different from the mother we had in our pre-teen and teen years. The point is, we should no more beat ourselves up over Sista LaKeysha’s experience than we should over Sista Becky’s. Whose story we may have heard as well: “Hello, I’m Becky and I honestly don’t know why the Bishop asked me to speak today. Ummm, and I really don’t know why he asked me to speak right after Sista LaKeysha, because our lives couldn’t have been more different. Ummm, I really struggle with Mother's Day. I didn’t have the best mom growing up. My mother was emotionally and physically abusive. She had some addictions and we often went without because of her issues. She often left my two brothers and I in adverse situations that were beyond our control. If it weren’t for the mercy of strangers our lives may have turned out completely different. My number one goal was to be completely different then she was, and I am…!" Okay, that was a bit dramatic. However, just as you shouldn’t celebrate not being like Sista Becky’s mother, you shouldn’t beat yourself up for not being like Sista LaKeysha’s mother. As we start down the rocky path of motherhood most of us have no idea what is going to be asked of us in the process of parenting another one of God’s children. Even when we start that journey with the best of intentions, the entire process holds countless surprises. Some women can’t wait to be mothers and then realize too late they probably should have waited. Some women wait then realize they could have started earlier (we don’t know that person, but one of you might). The reality is being a mother offers up multiple opportunities for helping or hindering our children toward adulthood. As mothers we have many truths (not really, but we believe them to be true). When children behave inappropriately (in public), it’s the mother’s fault. When children are well behaved, it’s because they were brought up “right”. Because of the widespread tendency within our culture to blame the mother, it's common for those of us who have braved the rapid waves of mothering to live with haunting questions about what we did or did not do in shaping our children's lives. "Mother's guilt" is a common ailment, especially among LDS Women. Whether you have mild, infrequent discomfort or full anxiety attacks, very few women (even those who don’t have children) escape “Mother's guilt.” The truth is, motherhood (womanhood) is difficult. For some, the demands of both are met with ease; for others, the demands are simply too much. We are the bridge between generations. It is wise for us to try to remember and be merciful towards those who have and still stumble as they continue trying to establish a foundation on motherhood. Also, we should celebrate with our sistas who seemingly have it figured out as they soar beyond the limitations we may have set for ourselves. Today it is wise to remember the women who have influenced our lives with some justice (Lest we deceive ourselves, setting standards that would make even Mary the mother of Jesus feel inadequate), but mostly mercy. Because we are all simply doing the best we can with what we've been given. As our MoDea (Mormon Madea) says “When you know better, you do better.” Here is to wishing us all better days ahead. Happy Mothers Day, Sista Beehive and Sista Laurel

Have I done any Good In His/Her World Today?

What did I do to help shape his/her world today? This is a question mothers and mother-figures often ask themselves. The discussion of mothe...

That Ain't Right!

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZaWDnOKOq2dbCPgQ5htZzBKPxWOqHV9SVThYUvGY7ae66uilkNs-tDu_aZfr7tAK-nW4mUiK5Q9Nk-nVrqWGC4yRyXf5aLK9vkDUXpQEQckmyAbnVusYau5LzxATc3bc9OrKvsOn6WM/s1600/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZaWDnOKOq2dbCPgQ5htZzBKPxWOqHV9SVThYUvGY7ae66uilkNs-tDu_aZfr7tAK-nW4mUiK5Q9Nk-nVrqWGC4yRyXf5aLK9vkDUXpQEQckmyAbnVusYau5LzxATc3bc9OrKvsOn6WM/s1600/1.png" /></a>Once we were visiting a Baptist church with some friends. The Pastor was giving a sermon on…well we aren’t exactly sure. At some point he began a tangent we like to call "That ain't right." It went a little something like this: If yo Priest lives in the big house and ya parishioners live in the po house, that ain't right! If the Reverend has a chef, and the congregation eats whatever's left, that ain't right! If ma Minister got a real nice suit, and all the church folk got holes in they shoes, that ain't right! Then he looked right over at us and said, if the Bishop got a BMW spinnin' on dubs (fancy rims) and the members drive a Pinto that needs a jump start and a shove, THAT AIN'T RIGHT! Whaaat! We looked at each other, we looked at the Pastor, was he for real trying to call us out for being <a href="http://www.mormon.org/">Mormon</a> in front of the entire congregation. Another time at a different church the Reverend was inviting people to come up to be prayed for. When no one was coming up on their own the Reverend decided to call for those who needed prayers. It went a little something like this: This young sister right here is 20 years old has three kids, two baby daddies and a one baby on the way, let us pray for her. Church this brother came into my office and said Reverend, I have transgressed. Church do you remember that he has been in AA? Well he has not been attending his meetings and just this morning he had a sip. Let us pray. This got us thinking how glad we are that the <a href="http://www.lds.org/">LDS</a> church does not have a portion of Sacrament meeting where we can share other peoples business or call people out. Can you even imagine it! You know that sister or brother in your ward that gets up every <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worship_services_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#Fast_and_testimony_meeting">Fast and Testimony Meeting</a> and tells all their business and we're all thinking TMI, TMI, TMI! Well imagine if they could tell yo business. It would probably go a little something like this: I just wanted to take this opportunity to share my testimony. I'm grateful for the Word of Wisdom and how it has been a protection to me and my family, let me be the first to admit that I struggle with the need to drink a diet coke occasionally, but it is nothing compared to the trials that Brother Brown and his family have to deal with because of his addiction to alcohol. I promised myself I wasn't going to do this, (as she starts to do the <a href="http://lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4689-1,00.html">Relief Society</a> fan and cry) but I'm so grateful for Sister Leak, she is such an example to me of the type of mother I'd like to be to my children. I mean, she makes it look so easy raising all those children alone. I don't think I would be strong enough to send my children to their fathers (plural) homes knowing that they were being taught things there that are contrary to what we believe. But she has faith that things are going to work out and that Heavenly Father is aware of their needs and she has been right so far. She is such an amazing example of a woman of faith. I know that if I can learn to have faith like her, that Heavenly Father will remember and not forget me. Brothers and Sisters, as Bishop, I am shocked at the long pauses between testimonies. There are many of you here who have had your testimonies strengthened just this week. For instance you there Sister Jones, the Lord has blessed you, the DNA test could have gone the other way, but it did not. You and Brother Jones are now blessed with a family. Come up and testify of how God answers fervent prayers. Let's all take a deep breath and on the count of three say it together...1-2-3, That Ain't Right!!! Like our Aunty use to say, "If the Lord ain't talking about it, neither should you!" God is Great, Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

That Ain't Right!

Once we were visiting a Baptist church with some friends. The Pastor was giving a sermon on…well we aren’t exactly sure. At some point he be...

J. Golden Kimball, A Very Funny Mormon

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB9xs7zCyil6pyoiVgBRcAYEt4cO654ZBSCo4PHKvr6CrGUL00EAMj30I7QxuXGr42EjfefKFklpgbj3EUwVnEfTsfflLVCU0IkPLLhddTWGpvgF_1S1H6QwnPX-ne2rTH4_baT_8bck/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB9xs7zCyil6pyoiVgBRcAYEt4cO654ZBSCo4PHKvr6CrGUL00EAMj30I7QxuXGr42EjfefKFklpgbj3EUwVnEfTsfflLVCU0IkPLLhddTWGpvgF_1S1H6QwnPX-ne2rTH4_baT_8bck/s200/3.jpg" width="132" /></a>Our non-LDS readers may not know this, but <a href="http://www.lds.org/">LDS</a> Church leaders are actually known to have keen senses of humor. One of the funniest in our opinion is <a href="http://www.gapages.com/kimbajg1.htm">J. Golden Kimball</a>. There are many funny stories and quotes attributed to him and we don't know which stories are 100% accurate and which are <a href="http://www.mormon.org/">Mormon</a> folklore but we do know they are hilarious, here are a few: There was to be an impressive tour given to some dignitaries from other lands. J. Golden Kimball was assigned to the tour as a guide. They first took a bus trip to the important historical sites in and around Salt Lake City. Brother Kimball would constantly remind the visitors how fast buildings were put up by the industrious Mormons. Every time he would say so, one of the dignitaries on the tour would say, "Oh, is that right? In our country we could do it in half the time." J. Golden began to get madder and madder as the dignitary persisted to offer such comments. The tour was to end by having the bus drive around Temple Square. Then this dignitary asked, "What is that building there?" as he pointed at the Temple. "Damned if I know," said J. Golden. "It wasn't there yesterday." (<a href="http://wabei4.tripod.com/kimball/golden02.htm">http://wabei4.tripod.com/kimball/golden02.htm</a>) The story is told that someone stopped Elder J. Golden Kimball on the street on one occasion. There had been a little difficulty in Elder Kimball's family that had become publicly known, and whoever it was who stopped him, no doubt with a mind to injure, said, ' Brother Kimball, I understand you're having some problems with one of your children.' His answer was, ' Yes, and the Lord is having some problems with some of his, too.' (<a href="http://wabei4.tripod.com/kimball/golden12.htm">http://wabei4.tripod.com/kimball/golden12.htm</a>) President Grant sent a note to Golden. The note read that there was a member of the stake presidency from Coalville, who had passed away. His wife had requested Golden speak at the funeral. Golden didn’t get the note until he returned from a Church assignment in Southern California. By then the funeral was in an hour, and Coalville was almost two hours away He hopped in his Model T and drove as fast as he could. When he arrived, the funeral was almost over. The bishop saw Golden walk in. "Brother Kimball, come forward. We’d like to hear from you." He went up and said, "I’m very happy to be here. I’m sorry I’m late. I want to tell you what a wonderful person this man was. I knew him, I’ve stayed in his home. He was an inspiration to me. He was a good father, he was a good husband. He goes to a great reward." As he started to hit his stride, he looked out in the audience. About the eighth row back, there sat the man he thought was dead! So he looked down in the casket. He did not recognize the man lying there. Confused, he turned and said, "Say Bishop, who the hell’s dead around here anyway?" (<a href="http://wabei4.tripod.com/kimball/golden14.htm">http://wabei4.tripod.com/kimball/golden14.htm</a>) Be Blessed and Highly Favored, Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

J. Golden Kimball, A Very Funny Mormon

Our non-LDS readers may not know this, but LDS Church leaders are actually known to have keen senses of humor. One of the funniest in our o...

Diary of a Mad Black Mormon

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyXrg5xIxPaVTfYKhZfWYqZ-nhXbtHvSeQYV2v0zi1n3r7RnEnPapr659XRf5rwzehDHW71qfPavXd0W7rXqZnlczlZix1S-wnU5ezRgiKTJojLOz1bmZ4mq_vFqBbq9QEb-Wwx-5MVY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyXrg5xIxPaVTfYKhZfWYqZ-nhXbtHvSeQYV2v0zi1n3r7RnEnPapr659XRf5rwzehDHW71qfPavXd0W7rXqZnlczlZix1S-wnU5ezRgiKTJojLOz1bmZ4mq_vFqBbq9QEb-Wwx-5MVY/s400/1.jpg" width="283px" /></a>Dear Diary, today I was chased in an <a href="http://lds.org/temples/">LDS Temple</a>. It startled me because the temple is a very reverent place where people aren't usually speed walking. I didn't recognize the woman at all, so I picked up my pace and I tried to get to where I was going as fast as I could. When the out of breath woman finally caught up to me she said, "How do you say welcome in Ghana?" You know that song, I Stand All Amazed...well I was standing there...in the temple... looking at her... all kinds of amazed! "I don't know," I finally said. She started telling me a story about somebody in her family, who is or was going on a <a href="http://mormon.org/missionaries?gclid=CLmytsXAsKgCFQU6gwodrAGHHA">mission</a> to Africa, I'm not really sure because I was too stunned to process correctly. What made this probably nice and usually sane lady ask me that? Dear Diary, today I attended an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_(LDS_Church)#Singles_wards">LDS singles</a> ward dance. I was doing my thang and having a great time when this overly confident young man approached me and asked me to dance. While we were dancing he said, "You know why I asked you to dance?" "Because I'm one of the few girls here with rhythm," I said. "No," he said "I want to touch your hair." Now, I know that Mormon guys can be awkward, but this dude was way past that. "Excuse me," I said. "Oh no, it's cool," he said "One of my mission companions was black and he had the coolest hair, I use to rub his head all the time, but I've never touched a black girls hair, and I..." That’s all I heard, as I was walking away. Dear Diary, today I was at the swimming pool and this man kept staring at me. Finally he came over to me and said "Where are you from?" I named a city and state, but then he said, "No, I mean where are your people from?" "Oh," I said and then told him the state my people were from. "No, I mean before that," he said. Now I was getting frustrated so I said, "Before that they were probably on somebody’s plantation, and before that they were on a boat, before that they were probably somewhere in Africa, before that the <a href="http://lds.org/study/topics/plan-of-salvation?lang=eng">pre-existence</a>, look what's it to you.” You’re from Nigeria,” he said, “I served my mission there, and you look just like the people there." He was grinning from ear to ear, and I was picturing myself pushing him into the pool. Dear Diary, today I attended <a href="http://lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng">General Conference</a> at the <a href="http://lds.org/placestovisit/eng/visitors-centers/conference-center">Conference Center</a> with my family. An older couple walked up to us and the wife said, "Can I please give you a hug?" Before I could answer she wrapped her arms around me and started crying. She then began hugging each of my family members in turn. We were very scared and hoped some of the men walking around in black suits were secret service agents. Her husband said that they had just returned home from serving as <a href="http://lds.org/service/missionary-service/senior-missionaries?lang=eng">senior missionaries</a> in St. Louis. They had served in the poor areas and seeing our family had caused them to be overcome with great joy because we reminded them of the people in St. Louis who they had come to know and love. Brothas and Sistas, we aren’t really mad, and we know that people from all cultures have experiences like these with missionaries who have served in their neck of the woods. Usually after the initial shock and embarrassment wear off, we get a really good kick out of it. We were just wondering is there a class they could teach in the <a href="http://www.mtc.byu.edu/">MTC</a> (Missionary Training Center) that would cover what not to do, say or ask people who look like they could be from where you served your mission…lol! Have a blessed day, Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

Diary of a Mad Black Mormon

Dear Diary, today I was chased in an LDS Temple . It startled me because the temple is a very reverent place where people aren't usually...

Caption This!

If this were a MORMONAD what would the caption be?

Stake Dance Wars

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9apbwKJvI7cFqfNqPMIgzIsWEO-hQVKKFpYclWFBnl3eFnbDzIQFwOcH94kxyKJeh1jlAAq5j-FCwU0wbkaTVXvzTkl5RhAtwEQv3d8XmDqsojIPkutGS_gkLEnkW0wytXEiywOQJew/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9apbwKJvI7cFqfNqPMIgzIsWEO-hQVKKFpYclWFBnl3eFnbDzIQFwOcH94kxyKJeh1jlAAq5j-FCwU0wbkaTVXvzTkl5RhAtwEQv3d8XmDqsojIPkutGS_gkLEnkW0wytXEiywOQJew/s1600/4.jpg" /></a>I attended a very diverse <a href="http://www.lds.org/">LDS</a> <a href="http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Stake">stake</a> where I was <a href="http://lds.about.com/od/organizationsauxiliaries/p/church_callings.htm">called</a> to work with the <a href="http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Youth">youth</a>. Our stake was diverse in age, racially, culturally, economically, socially, you name it. Many blessings come from being surrounded by people who are different from you, yet all having common ground as brothas and sistas in the Gospel. Minus the out-of-whack hormones, I enjoy working with the youth. However, there is one youth activity that can get a little crazy when working with a diverse group...a stake <a href="http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Dance">dance</a>. Somehow I always find myself on music duty, which means sitting next to the DJ, keeping the girls from flirting with him and maintaining the requests list. If you think that sounds easy, you don't know how wrong you are. First issue, age, there could be a ninety year old sister serving punch and cookies and the youngest teens at an LDS dance are usually fourteen. What happens is: dear sweet Sister 1920's shuffles over to let me know that she finds the music too loud. Then Brother So-and-so wants me to translate every rap song because he can't understand what they're saying. Another sister comes by and asks that we try not to play so much rock music, it makes the boys jump in to each other and it's dangerous. Then there are the kids. The black kids inform me they came to the dance to get crunk (have a good time), but they can’t because the music is whack (bad). The DJ plays a hip-hop track. The Hispanic kids stop by to let me know that they want to really dance, and you can't really dance to what the DJ is playing, please, please, play some Bachata (a form of music and dance that originated in the Dominican Republic). The DJ obliges. Some of the Asian kids want to get a break dance battle going, so could the DJ hit’em with a tight (cool, hip, amazing) beat. The Polynesian kids would like to chill (hang out, relax) to something mellow. The DJ plays a little something-something with ukulele in it. A group of white kids come over, like (a word spoken in between each word in a sentence, usually used by teenage girls) do you like have any like High School Musical. By now the DJ officially thinks <a href="http://www.mormon.org/">Mormons</a> are crazy (there goes any chance of converting this dude) and he can't wait to get out of here. Play some Beach Boys and the leaders are on the dance floor, but the kids are a united front and clearly on strike. The girls say there are not enough slow dances the boys say there are way too many. It’s the end of the night, there are no satisfied customers. I tell the DJ to put a <a href="http://www.michaeljackson.com/">Michael Jackson</a> song on. The dance floor fills up. Leaders know his music; the kids are poppin’ n lockin’ (urban dance style associated with breakdancing). Finally everyone is happy. Brother so-and-so is boogieing this way (what now, he can’t possibly need me to translate Michael Jackson). In between his spazmatic dance moves, he tells me that he likes Jackson 5, but The <a href="http://www.osmonds.com/">Osmonds</a> are better. Now I’ve had it, the DJ announces last song and asks me what he should play. Everyone seems to be pretty happy with Michael Jackson, so I figure we stick with Michael and end the night on an up swing. “How about "Beat It",” I say. Here’s to hoping they all get the hint. ;-) God is Good, Sista Laurel

Stake Dance Wars

I attended a very diverse LDS stake where I was called to work with the youth . Our stake was diverse in age, racially, culturally, econo...

Have I done any Good In His/Her World Today?

That Ain't Right!

J. Golden Kimball, A Very Funny Mormon

Diary of a Mad Black Mormon

Caption This!

Stake Dance Wars

Popular Posts

Archive