More stuff ... Nothing exceedingly clever ...

Okay, Bubbles is MOSTLY napping before church. Mostly.
And the kids and I are all dressed. And I have a little bit of time. Instead of eating breakfast so that I'm not a crankypants, I'm going to blog, instead.

We had to replace the bathroom hall's doorknob. The spring inside the old one was giving out ... so we couldn't get IN to that bathroom. Yeah. Not cool. Since we HAVE to close that door to keep Bubbles from playing in the toilet.

We also put a new doorknob on our bedroom door, so we can lock ourselves in (PHWOAR!), but it didn't come with the needed screws (NOT a pun), so Michael will need to go back to Home Depot ... but not today, because it's the Sabbath.

I've gotten Bucket's hair done ... and, well, there's a lot of yelling going on. And she and Bruise are crashing around like a small herd of elephants ... and since Bubbles IS down for a nap, I'd like her to GET that nap.
So, no matter what, I DO sound like a cranky McCrankerpants.

Well, let's get somewhat spiritual ... let's read.

Today's section is Mosiah (duh, right) 12:17-13:4

• King Noah puts Abinadi in prison and he and his dudes council together what to do with him. They question him, hoping that he'll get tripped up in his words and they can accuse him of lying and then put him to death. But, instead, they're confounded in THEIR words.
• Abinadi teaches of Christ and His commandments. The priests say that they teach the law of Moses. And Abinadi's all (paraphrasing), "If you teach the law of Moses, why aren't you keeping it? You know that I'm telling the truth. So, tell me, does salvation come by the law of Moses?"
  And they're all, "Um ... yes?" But Abinadi's all, "Dudes, if you KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS, yes, you will be saved ... and here's what those commandments ARE ... (and he lists some of them) ... And REALLY, dudes, you're not even TRYING. And, even more than that, you've led the people astray."
• King Noah is getting REALLY angry at this. And he commands the priests to take Abinadi away and kill him ... because he's crazy (or so Noah says).
• BUT!! When the priests go to grab Abinadi, he's all, "Don't touch me. Because, if you do, God is going to smite you DOWN. I'm commanded to deliver this message. And I am going to do it. Besides, you've asked me questions and demanded answers ... and I haven't finished. You might think that I'm crazy, but that's just because you're angry with what I'm saying." (YES, it's paraphrased. Do you even have to ask?)

So, yeah. do NOT mess with Abinadi when he's got a message to deliver.
(The cast of Romeo and Juliet, what with all their messages to deliver, could have learned a lesson or two, amirite?)

Okay, now for the talk of the day:  "Come Unto Me" by Henry B. Eyring

Before I start, I'll confess that I'm a bit of an Eyring fangirl. A few years back, pre-children, our University Ward choir had the opportunity to provide the music for a Stake Conference ... where President Eyring was presiding (and spoke at). It was pretty amazing, being able to sing for him. We didn't get to shake his hand or anything; he was kept REALLY busy ... but he's amazing. And I was so very sad when he had to go ... because it was so awesome, being in the same room as he was. You could FEEL the difference when he left the room.

Okay, so let's go through the talk ...

• Doctrine and Covenants 88:63 - The Lord instructs us that how close of a relationship we have with Him depends on us. (We KNOW that He is always there ... we just have to make the effort. And, through making that effort, we will feel Him ever so much nearer.)
• President Eyring testifies that he, himself, has experienced that joy that comes from coming closer to the Savior. He has accomplished this mostly through simply keeping the commandments. He shares an example of one of those times.
• He then speaks of, after the crucifixion and burial of Christ, how He appeared on the road to Emmaus, how He spoke to his disciples. Even though they did not recognize him, He taught and testified to them. And walked with them. And, when the day was over, they entreated Him to stay with them.
  And He did.
  They ate together ... and their eyes were opened. They recognized Him ... and He vanished from their sight. They KNEW, they had a testimony of His identity. And they rushed off immediately to share this good news with the eleven Apostles ... And, as they did so, He appeared again.
  And, after teaching them again, He declared to them that they were all witnesses of these things.
• We, also are called as witnesses. We are entreated to keep the covenants stated in Mosiah 18:8-11.
• We have also been entreated by modern-day prophets who have reminded us of the Savior's promise -- that He will be with us (Doctine and Covenants 84:88)
• Other times that President Eyring has especially felt himself coming closer to the Lord has been when he partakes in acts of service. The Lord will also draw closer to our family members. There are loving servants and opportunities that will be given to draw our families closer to Christ.
• As we pray and serve the Lord, we may not have EVERY blessing that we desire, BUT we will have the Savior close to us and our families. He will bless us with what is best. We will feel His love and comfort. As we serve, we will be strengthened through His power. In the end, we will witness the promises made by the Lord.
• Follow His example. Come unto Him.
• And President Eyring closes with his testimony. And in it, he states:
  
  I am a witness of the Resurrection of the Lord as surely as if I had been there in the evening with the two disciples in the house on Emmaus road. I know that He lives as surely as did Joseph Smith when he saw the Father and the Son in the light of a brilliant morning in a grove of trees in Palmyra.
  This is the true Church of Jesus Christ. Only in the priesthood keys held by President Thomas S. Monson is the power for us to be sealed in families to live forever with our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We will on the Day of Judgment stand before the Savior, face to face. It will be a time of joy for those who have drawn close to Him in His service in this life. It will be a joy to hear the words: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”¹⁹ I so testify as a witness of the risen Savior and our Redeemer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Yes, I really did like this talk a lot, too. It's wonderful to be made aware of such (for lack of a better word) amazing blessings that are available to us ... all we have to do is make an honest effort.

Okay, I have about ten minutes to get us ready for church.
I have enough time to wake the baby, get her dressed, make sure that Bruise and Bucket have their stuff for church, and get in the car. We can do this.