O! For a clever title!

So, I got my errands done (some grocery staples and those keys copied) and Michael got home.

We went and grabbed some lunch, then hit the comic book (satellite) shop here in town.
Now, when I say that the shop is a satellite, it's because it's a SMALL off-shoot of the next town's established comic book store.

Michael was a little sad to see that this store was more about gaming (as is the other comic store here in town ... Apparently, table-top gaming is where it's at!). Still, we looked through the bookshelf of comics ... and browsed through everything else.

I did buy something ... a game that had caught my eye when Roxy and I had a Girls' Day Out. She took me to the Thai market and a comic/gaming store that she loves.
It's called "Timeline" ... you put inventions in order. Yes, I know. TOTES geeky.
BUT ... It sounds like fun (to me) and we can play it with Bruise and Bucket.
(No, there is NO hope that they will escape our nerdish tendencies. They WILL be assimilated.)

Then we went to Costco ... where we discovered that, of all things, Bubbles doesn't care for parmesan cheese. Strange, huh? But we got most of the food for vacation ... so that's one less thing to fret about.

We unloaded groceries. I put Bubbles down for a nap (when the girl is obviously wilting and sucking on the grocery cart, yeah, time for bed-byes). The kids came home from school just after Michael took the van to get the brakes replaced.

Bucket EVENTUALLY ate all the previous night's dinner. Then we could FINALLY eat our (cold at that point) pasta ... but we had ice cream afterwards ... so that was okay.
Bubbles went to bed early ...

This morning, Michael went to help on a service project. I took the kids and we had the oil changed in the van and got it washed (Bruise and Bucket enjoyed hot cocoa and popcorn while I read the paper -- Bruise was happy to hear that the Oregon Ducks lost their last game. Yeah, he's funny). Then we headed back home and cleaned it out. Yay for it being ready for a trip!
After that, we hung around until Michael got back. Bubbles was taking a nap, so he jumped in the shower and we headed over to the local kids' club activity. Bubbles picked up a coloring book. They both got temporary tattoos about recycling. And I helped them build little birdhouses.
(I can wield a hammer and some glue LIKE A BOSS. Didn't even chip my manicure! ... Nope, did that cleaning the car. Nothing a nail file couldn't fix. Phew!)

Michael's had them clean up the front room while I'm on a mission to get dishes and laundry caught up.
And we need to pack. Ugh. This is the hard part of vacationing ... the planning, planning more, and last minute plans.

Oh, I only realized last night that I TOTALLY SPACED going to either the School's PTC meeting OR our ward's Relief Society weeknight meeting. Whoops! ... We were busy trying to get Bucket to eat her damn dinner ... which was enough to make anyone's head explode. Good times (not).

So, I should read stuff, huh?

Here goes!

Mosiah 12:1-12:16

• Abinadi had to go into hiding for a couple years, since (evil) King Noah and the other people all wanted him dead. But, well, a prophet's work is never done ... so he comes back to call them to repentance (like Jonah ... when he was done running away. Just without the great results. *sigh*)
• Abinadi prophesies ... and, golly, but it does NOT look good for the Nephites if they don't decide to repent and be a whole lot better. But, well, the people don't like that ... So the priests are all, "Hey, Noah, you're not a bad guy! This guy's just a lying McLiarpants saying mean stuff about you and us and the rest of the people. Here he is! Do with him what you see fit. Since we know that you wouldn't do anything wrong!" (Paraphrased, of course.)
  (Also, they're cowardly jerks. ... Well, most of them.)

And the Conference Talk of the day -- "This is My Work and Glory" by Elder M. Russell Ballard.

• First, Elder Ballard starts speaking of the wonder that is our universe ... and how our home, being in the Milky Way, is only one of 200 billion similar galaxies. ... He's right, it's completely wondrous to think that creation is so, so huge. (Yes, I believe in Creationism. I ALSO believe that there's room in it for evolution. Yes, I buy into both. So what?)
  And, still, for as BIG as the universe is, as small as we are in comparison to it all ... we are, each one of us, so special and loved. ... What?? I've just got SOMETHING IN MY EYE, okay?
• Elder Ballard goes on to teach about the priesthood ... It's through priesthood power that everything was created, that the Atonement was made possible, ... the Savior used priesthood power in performing the miracles He did. We have the priesthood on Earth, to bless and to bind.The power of the priesthood is "a sacred and essential gift of God."
• The power of the priesthood is different from the authority of the priesthood. The authorization (or ordaining) is the authorization (through the laying on of hands) to employ priesthood power when worthy and acting in accordance with God's will.
• I think that I'm just going to have to quote him in this one ...
  
  In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. And as husband and wife, a man and a woman should strive to follow our Heavenly Father. The Christian virtues of love, humility, and patience should be their focus as they seek the blessings of the priesthood in their lives and for their family.
  It is crucial for us to understand that Heavenly Father has provided a way for all of His sons and His daughters to have access to the blessings of and be strengthened by the power of the priesthood. Central to God’s plan for His spirit children is His own declaration: “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
• Then he tells us of tomato plants.
  A granddaughter showed her grandfather a tomato plant that she started, learning in her second-grade class, that one seed could produce many tomatoes, which would produce many, many seeds.
  She also told her grandfather how she almost killed her tomato plant. It was left in a dark room, unwatered, for many days. When she came upon her plant in its sad state, she cried for the millions of tomatoes that would never come to be.
  But, she was grateful for a little miracle ... Her mother told her that the plant wasn't dead. So, putting it into a window and giving it water, it was strengthened and grew into a healthy tomato plant, under the loving care of this little girl.
  
  We, each of us, are like that tomato plant. Our potential is truly unlimited, due to our divine heritage as spirit children descended directly from our Heavenly Father.
  We are, though, all capable of becoming spiritually weakened and withered, if we do not work to nourish ourselves with prayer, scripture study, and keeping our covenants and commandments. If we remove ourselves from the spiritual light and the living water that the Savior provides, we will, like that tomato plant, wilt.
• More good quotes:
  
  The same priesthood power that created worlds, galaxies, and the universe can and should be part of our lives to succor, strengthen, and bless our families, our friends, and our neighbors—in other words, to do the things that the Savior would do if He were ministering among us today.
  And the primary purpose of this priesthood power is to bless, sanctify, and purify us so we can live together with our families in the presence of our heavenly parents, bound by priesthood sealings, participating in the marvelous work of God and Jesus Christ in forever expanding Their light and glory.
• Elder Ballard has also worked on a video for the Church, Strengthening the Family and the Church Through the Priesthood. Its purpose is to show how each of us, regardless of circumstance (including age, gender, or marital status), can partake of the blessings of the priesthood. 
• If any person feels as if your faith or testimony of the Savior is less than it should be, turn to Him. Use that light and living water. Don't be a wilted tomato plant.
• More quotes:
  
  Joseph Smith said, “The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 104).
  God has freely given His power to those who accept and honor His priesthood, which leads to the promised blessings of immortality and eternal life.
  I testify that the work of Jesus Christ is accomplished through the priesthood.

He's always been a good speaker. And I think it's important to know about the priesthood. Really, there's very little of it that I really understand. I know that it's Christ's power for us to use on Earth, to accomplish His work. I know that it's powered through faith. I know that it's important.

I also know that I don't hold it myself. I do get to share it, since I'm sealed to a worthy priesthood-holder. Like I've said before, I find that acceptable. I think that having the priesthood is a huge responsibility ... And, in my life, I have enough to keep me busy.

I know that there are women out there who might not feel as important since they do not hold their priesthood. And that makes me feel sad ... because I want them to KNOW that they ARE important. Just as important, indeed, as anyone else.

I just want everyone to feel loved, appreciated, and valued. And respected.
If everyone could feel that way, couldn't we all be content? And, if we're happy about ourselves, won't we make sure to get everyone feeling good about themselves? ... And then we could stop all these bad things that happen. Because we won't want to hurt anyone else. *sigh*

Seriously, I'm ready to go out with a "Free Hugs and/or Compliments" sign. Maybe I should just get a button made. I could totally do that.

Oh, also, in other news, I've gotten lazy and frustrated in my foreign language studies. Accusative pronouns (in German) and most everything in Spanish, too, are haaaaaard. Waaaaaaah!!
I'll get over it. Either that or I'll be a loser-snoozer and give up.

So, if I act a little snarly, just assume that I've JUST gotten done with my Duolingo practice.