When They Get It

I got a letter from my missionary son, Andrew yesterday.  Within the text he wrote something that he realized.  He was preparing for a talk and said this.  "If Ammon wouldn't have gone on his mission we wouldn't have the 2000 Stripling Warriors.  And if there were no stripling warriors, the strongest army of the Lamanites would not have been destroyed.  And if they were not destroyed, it would have possibly changed the outcome of the Book of Mormon.  So, because Ammon went on his mission he saved a lot of people from destruction.  It makes me wonder how my mission will affect generations to come." 

It is the recognizing and internalizing the Book of Mormon that thrills me as a mother.  I don't know whose life he will change.  I do know that his mission is changing his life and his future family's life.  His sons will be able to look at him and know that he did what was asked of him in serving the Lord.  They will know they have a responsibility as well.

Erin gets it.  I think she's always gotten it.  Next week we will have the opportunity to be in the temple together.  That thrills me as well.  I wish we could all go together as a family, but that day will come.  It just isn't yet.

My husband attended a CCM (coordinated council meeting) on Sunday in Neenah with the other Wisconsin stake presidents and the area authority, Elder Scott.  He came home with some information that he needs to teach his unit leaders and have them in turn teach in their council meetings.  From there it should trickle down to the family.  The subject is the Sabbath Day.  I love the Sabbath day!  I have come to appreciate it more and more as I work harder to try to indeed make it different than the other days of the week.  One of the brethren said in the video he brought home, "It is time to give the Sabbath back to Christ."  Wow!  What a statement!  It is His day and we as a people had no right to take it from him.  I ache as I see the blatant disregard for this special day.  I think I'm getting it.  I pray for my children to get it as well.  They have a good start.  They've been taught well.

Last week, a former member of my track team took his own life.  As I pondered over why he would do this, I wondered what was so horrible in his 22 years of life that he thought he would be better off dead.  He didn't get it.  I ache for his family and friends.  I spoke with the funeral director as I left the visitation this morning.  I said, "Babies and this circumstance have to be the hardest for you as a funeral director to deal with the families."  He agreed and said unfortunately there are too many of these.

Each time I observe one of my children do something positive that shows they understand the Lord's plan for them, I secretly do the happy dance.  They get it!  They get it.  One day, all will have the opportunity to "get it."  That gives me great hope!

Mother's Day 2015

 Anyone who has spent any amount of time with me knows that I'm not a huge fan of made up holidays such as Valentine's Day, Grandparent's Day, Mother's and Father's Days.  That being said, since having a daughter and now a son on a mission, Mother's Day is pretty special.  I get to talk to my missionary!!!!  Totally worth the made up holiday.  Here's a screen shot that Erin took of us on FaceTime with Andrew.

He is doing so great.  I cannot express my gratitude for his desire to be a missionary and for sacrificing his time to do this worthy thing.  He's learned so much and will continue to learn as he has another 14 months to go.

 All my grandchildren were here over the weekend and so it seemed like a good time to take a new grandchild photo.  Sammi and Clare did their best to get them to sit nice and look at the camera.  Believe it or not, this was the very first picture.  The rest are not nearly so good.  Love these little people!

 Sammi took this picture of us while we talked to Andrew.  I love this photo more than I can express.  Thanks Sammi!  I looked at a bunch of "incredible missionary" photos today and I think this one fits with those that I looked at.

 My children surprised me by getting me this necklace.  I love it!  Thanks girls for picking it out!

Once again, look at that smile.  He's radiating!  I received an email on Tuesday in which he said, "I am so glad I chose to come on a mission it has opened my eyes to things I never thought of before. I understand the bigger picture in life and I now feel like I have more purpose and direction. I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had and the things that I've learned for anything."  
 

What more could I as a mother want than to be able to talk to all of my children in one day when they are spread across the country?  I look forward to the day when we will all be together in one place.  That's just going to have to wait for a bit longer though.  At least 14 more months.

Difficult Things

I had a seminary lesson this week and it was about plural marriage (polygamy).  Last time I taught Church History I don't believe we studied this concept.  I spent quite a lot of time studying over the weekend so I could understand this concept better.

I thought about how I would respond to this if I lived at that time and was asked to allow my husband to take an additional wife/wives.  I certainly responded as any woman would, with absolute repulsion. As I talked about this concept with my students, I came to understand that the Lord never makes things easy for us.  He expects us to make decisions that are difficult.  I am very thankful for the Spirit that bore witness to me of this concept of doing hard things.

Each of us will be asked of the Lord to do hard things.  I thought about Andrew going on a mission. He was very nervous and homesick in the beginning and it was very hard for him.  It was a hard thing!  When I knew I was going to be called as the Relief Society president, I cried.  I did NOT want to serve in that capacity.  It was only because the Spirit prepared me that I was able to accept.  I did NOT want to serve as a stake missionary.  It took me a whole week to accept that call.  I did NOT want to teach seminary.  I didn't think I could do it but then again, the Spirit spoke to me four years before I was called to let me know that one day it would be my opportunity.  What was the result of those callings?  I LOVED being a stake missionary.  I learned to LOVE the sisters in my ward.  I LOVE teaching seminary and being in the scriptures every day more than just reading.

The Lord does ask us to do hard things.  Perhaps not to be in a plural marriage, but still there are things that may not be hard for me that are very difficult for you and vice versa.  I am grateful that I have gotten through the hard things.  I am thankful for the opportunity and responsibility to get on my knees and find out the Lord's will for me.

What's your hard thing?

A Pleasant Surprise

Andrew was transferred a week ago.  Before he left his area this photo was taken and sent to us by this wonderful bishop.  I can't say how much I love these random text messages/photos that people have sent to us.

Today Pat was talking with a man from who lives in the Salt Lake area and also works for the church.  At some point in the conversation he asked if we have a son serving a mission in Utah.  Pat responded in the affirmative and this man told him that he had Elders Pleshek and Craig in his home only a few days ago for a meal.  How small is the world???

He reported that Andrew and his companion are doing well.  He also said he has a great spirit about him.  Of course he gave us praise for raising such a great son.  He said they are doing some new cutting edge things in their area and they should have plenty of teaching opportunities in the very near future.

There are not words to express what these reports mean to parents. Whenever I email the mission office I get a return email that always says something like, "We love your son and he's doing great!" I always take that with a grain of salt as it is coming from someone who loves our son and has a biased opinion.  What are they going to say?  "You raised a lousy kid.  Wish he didn't have to be in our misson."?  I think not.  My heart swells to hear a perfect stranger tell us how impressed they are with our son.

I love that he is serving and serving well.  Can't wait for Mother's Day when we get to hear his voice and see his handsome face!

Spring 2015

 It has been a long winter and it is time for Spring!  I love the newness of the spring season.  I can see the snow is melted.  Even that which fell overnight is already gone.  I see the green grass peeking through and the spring flowers are coming through the ground.  

Here are a few highlights of the past month.  Brock remains my "little buddy."  I didn't think I would get another once Andrew grew up, but this little guy loves me.  I had to spank his fingers a while back and I think it hurt his feelings more than his fingers.  It also hurt me.  I felt so bad for days.  

 Sammi and Jeff were able to come for a visit over Jeff's spring break.  We loved having them here for 10 days.  Unfortunately, a deer decided to commit suicide on their way here via their car.  The car can be driven but is not worth fixing.  The absolute miracle in all of that was that we had fixed their other car and never even made an attempt to sell it.  So, the Lord works through us even when we don't have a clue.  I so love having them here!

 Little Robert Butch was blessed on March 22nd.  Grandpa and Grandma Pleshek came for the event and I was able to take a four generation photo for the girls.  I'm in love with that little man.

 Pete is still battling lymphoma.  He doesn't have any pain with it other than the tumor on the side of his head is tender.  Hospice comes and sees him every Monday.  Back in the end of October they gave him six months to live if he didn't treat the cancer.  We are in month six and he is doing alright considering.

 I have noticed something about Pete that I never saw before.  He is quite tender with the children.  I love this picture of him patting Cami's hand.  Clare said he volunteered to hold a crying Butchy last week.  That had to be a first.  Any time he was holding a baby and it began to even squeak he was looking to have someone else take the child from him.

 Evie loves her great grandpa Pleshek.  She had a lot of hugs for him and shared her toys with him.  I'm so glad I have these few precious photos.

 Cami was baptized by her daddy on the 22nd.  It was a wonderful time for us as a family.  She is a good girl.  Clint's Mom and step Dad were able to come for a long weekend.  That was very special for them.  She held baby a lot but I told her to get all the holding in she could because I can do it pretty much anytime I want.

The Gourley family on Cami and Butchy's special day.  

My brother Brett had some pretty intense surgery on his neck.  He is recovering nicely.  My sister, Bonny had her divorce hearing in Texas and is now completely separated from that man that used to be her husband.  I'm so glad she has that peace in her life now.  Andrew is doing so well on his mission.  He is loving this opportunity and the time is flying by for him.  Erin has spoken with her bishop about the possibility of receiving her endowment.  Another special occasion for us to look forward to.

I worked full time for three weeks while Rosy was off with her maple syrup production.  I am so glad I don't have to work outside the home on a regular basis.  I will have to work two more week when she goes to visit her daughter in Alaska later in the month but there's an end date and that makes it a lot easier to do.

I am not coaching!  The track season has begun and I cannot wipe the smile off of my face when I think about the fact that I do not have to go to practice every day.  I love the sport and will in fact, work a few meets this season.  That being said, I love to support the kids but I'm so thankful that I hung it up when I did.  Todd and Chad are doing a great job!  I knew they would.  I take my sister to a lot of appointments and I just wouldn't have been able to take care of everything if I had still been coaching. 

There are only seven weeks left of seminary.  Wow!  That went really fast.  I love these kids and I'm really enjoying the new manuals.  This one dealing with the D&C is so much better than the one I had four years ago.  I did not enjoy teaching it four years ago but have loved it this year.

My life is incredibly blessed.  I love the opportunities I have to teach and testify.  I also am looking forward to a weekend away somewhere with my sweetie.  

Personal Revelation

Last Saturday and Sunday we had Stake Conference.  I really enjoy those conferences.  On Saturday night I was kind of wishing I could be at the boy's regional basketball game but knew I was where I needed to be.  If I had chosen otherwise, I would have missed out on a piece of personal revelation.

On Saturday evening, President Munk was speaking about some of the trials people have to go through.  He said he suspected that even our stake president probably feels overwhelmed at times.  I smiled to myself and then the revelation came.    Not everyone knows but over the past several years, my sweetheart has applied for a few jobs.  He has been asked to apply for some while others he applied on his own.  He has been offered some but has turned them down for specific reasons that I don't need to share.

I have never felt settled about the possibility of moving but really wanted to support my husband in his vocational pursuits.  Thus, I felt torn each time he would apply.  On Saturday, I had this overwhelming feeling that he is to be the stake president in this place at this time.  No wonder I felt unsettled.  He was not to accept any of the jobs as the Lord had more important things for him to do.

I am so grateful for those feelings of comfort and the warm spiritual confirmation of my husband's calling.  I never doubted that he should hold this calling.  I did doubt whether he should leave it because of a job opportunity in another place.  If those jobs are to happen, they will be made available once he is released.  What a blessing to know that God is mindful of each and every one of us.

A New Grandson

Meet my new grandson, 

Robert Butch Gourley

He was born on Saturday, February 21st @ 1:05pm.

Named for two of his great-grandfathers.

Robert Gourley &

Sanford "Butch" Hoffman

He's an absolute doll and I'm in love again.