Our talks went very well

Our big day to speak in church finally came. Our church is at 9:00 am and so our day started at 6:30 am. Luckily, we bathed the girls yesterday in anticipation of today. We got dressed and out the door 30 minutes early. We got in the chapel 2nd and while the lights were still out. Kiera took Kembri to feed her and Alexa decided to go with her. I tried to study my talk while I waited, but that was not realized because Ashlyn was crazy and wanted to run all over. Also, one of the Elders started putting up chairs in the back and so I joined him. I felt that I needed to practice but felt that servicing was more important and felt that the Lord would provide if I helped. Anyway. sacrament started and come to find out we had two youth speakers and a musical number by the primary, Which should mean that I will only have about 10 Minutes, but that ended up not to be the case, Kiera gave her talk that was about 7 minutes and I was left with a full 20 minutes.

It was amazing because Sunday the 9th, I could not sleep and felt that I needed to write down my thoughts on the Birth of the Savior, without any research, just my thoughts. So I headed upstairs and ended up writing my entire talk. All I had to do was insert the scripture references and make minor changes but it was all done. The interesting thing is that when I timed what I had put together it was 16 minutes. I had figured, especially when Kiera only had about 7 minutes, that I would just cut some out. Well, the Lord knew that I would need all of that because I was left to fill 20 minutes.

I was semi-nervous for this talk because the more I practiced at home the more I got concerned. I can't express how amazing it was because from the moment I stood to speak the words just came out. I was able to bear testimony and I felt that the Spirit was there in abundance. I realized even more that I am nothing and it was all the Lord. I need to always remember that when I am on the Lords earned, I can rely on the Lord after all I can do and he will provide in the capacity that fits His will. I need to step aside and let the Lord do His work.

So here are our talks:

Craig- What the Birth of the Savior Means to Me

Kiera- The Birth of the Savior

I am updating my blog

I am inserting blog entries into the dates when they happened, so be sure to scroll down and see what is new. I am sorry I have been so bad at updating my blog.

We could not get home because of the snow

We went out to do some errands and went to eat at Red Robin (that is such a good place). Well we came out of the mall and it was snowing real hard. We stopped to get gas and could not get out of the gas station because the road was too steep, so we went another way and it looked ok at first until we got a few feet from the stop sign and we stopped. I had to get out and push while Kiera drove. I thought we where home free, but no. We started up the street before our street and we could not make it up. We tried another way and no luck the roads were too steep and our tires had no traction. We drove around for about 45 mins trying different routes and finally we stopped in the side of the road and decided to just walk up to our house and come get our van later. While we were getting the kids clothes on the snow plow came by us. We jumped in the car and took off, it went up the steepest hill and we were still unsure that our van would make it but thanks to our prayers we made it up the hill. Next we had to come down another very steep hill. I held the brake the entire way home, some times I had control and some times I did not. Well we made it to our house, finally but could not make it up our driveway. I got out and cleared the snow and attempted it again, but still could not get up so I put rock salt down and then was able to make it up our driveway. We are going to invest in some chains so that this will not happen again. This picture below did not turn out that good, but you can see how heavy the snow was falling. All together we must of gotten about 8-10 inches of snow. I am in the back left and Lacie, Alexa, and Ashlyn are to the right in pink but we are hard to find.

Got asked to speak in church

Two days ago I designed Kiera's blog header shown below:



Yesterday I decided to create one for myself also but wanted to focus more on the Savior and so I designed the one below (and my header).



Anyway, I enjoyed putting this together and it helped me think about the Savior and his life. Well, yesterday in the evening I got a call from the first counselor in the Bishopric and he asked Kiera and us to speak in church the following Sunday. The topic is the birth of the Savior and what it means to us. I thought it was kind of funny how it all worked out.

Suspicious characters at our yard

Last night we came home and there were three boys outside our house playing with our blowup Christmas decorations. They saw us and dropped on their bellies. Then, they realized that they were still in clear view and they all made a mad dash to get out of the yard without being seen, but to their dismay we watched everything. One of the boys tripped on one of the lines that were staked into the ground and fliped over, it was so funny. We stopped and got out to find that it was Lacie's friends, Jackson, Dustin, and Dustins brother. These boys all like Lacie and are always coming over just to say hi and to see her. Jackson, the one that had tripped on the line was kind enough to re-enact his flipping over, we laughed and then sent them on their way.

I was hoping that I had a few more years before I had to deal with boy trouble, but I was wrong. It seems that the boys these days are a lot more daring then when I was a kid.

New talk just posted

I have just posted a talk to my LDS Talks Blog.

Exaltation made possible through the gift of bodies

Also, Kiera posted a while back a talk that she gave in Sacrament meeting, so go and look at hers also.

My Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Cutest APX salesgirls ever

My girls are so funny, they love to take my hat and act like an APX Salesgirls. Lacie has a very funny impression of an APX Salesman. Here they are in the flesh. You can also see some of our backyard in these pictures.

I am now co-managing my team

As of yesterday I am the new co-manager for my team that I was a part of last summer. I am very excited because this will allow me an opportunity to help others succeed as well as earn more money.

Test Blog from phone

I have downloaded a program for my phone/handheld that allows me to post to my blog from my phone. We have been without the internet exapt on my phone for almost 2 months. So needless to say I was pretty excited to find this program, even though we should hare our internet set up on Monday.

- Posted using Pocket Watch Software Mobile GBlogger.

Quick update on our family

The summer has been over for several weeks and I am loving spending all my time with my wonderful family. For those that have not heard yet heard we have had our 4th girl (really 5th including Lexi) just one week ago. Her name is Kembri Ella and she is so small and precious. Ashlyn loves her so much and we fear sometimes too much. She loves to get about 1 millimeter from her face and just stare at her for ever. Today she tried to comb her hair and scratched her pretty bad. But we are glad that she loves her. Lacie and Kembri must know each other very well because she can calm her down immediately and she is perfectly content in her arms. Alexa loves her also but only holds her for a minute or two and then she is off playing.

We are now moving up to Utah. There is a lot to update everyone on, but we have been without a computer for the last month or so. Once we get settled in our new house in a few days I will have more time to write. I am in a hotel lobby waiting for Kiera to put Alexa and Ashlyn to sleep. I will write soon.

Moving to Utah

The summer has been over for several weeks and I am loving spending all my time with my wonderful family. For those that have not heard yet heard we have had our 4th girl (really 5th including Lexi) just one week ago. Her name is Kembri Ella and she is so small and precious. Ashlyn loves her so much and we fear sometimes too much. She loves to get about 1 milimeter from her face and just stare at her for ever. Today she tried to comb her hair and scratched her pretty bad. But we are glad that she loves her. Lacie and Kembri must know each other very well because she can calm her down immediatly and she is perfectly content in her arms. Alexa loves her also but only holds her for a minute or two and then she is off playing.

Having our newest girl Kembri Ella

Here is Kiera going in to have her baby. This is her in front of the hospital sign and you can see her full belly.



This is me walking into the hospital.



This is Kiera right before they took her into the c-section room.



I am all ready to head in and see our baby born (c-section).



Here is Kiera on the table right before Kembri is born. She does not like to be on her back when she is pregnant but she is trying to be a good sport.

One of the first pictures of our newest addition, Kembri Ella Conover.

This is Kembri when they brought her back from the nursery. They kept her in there for a long time.

















Here we are as we leave the hospital to take Kembri home.

Here is Kembri today which is 12/9/07. I took a while to post about her birth.

Work by faith

Yesterday, I called my families home and my dad answered. It was a pleasure to talk to him. I had not talked to him for a long time because I had been working so hard. I was still on the doors knocking and so I could not talk long but it was still nice to talk to him. He then just out of the blue told me to work by faith. He told me of Jacob in Genesis 30 and how he made a deal with Labon (who he was working for at the time and the Lord had blessed him in abundance for Jacobs sake) that Jacob would have all the speckled and brown flocks. He told me how the Lord blessed Jacob from that time forth with the strongest speckled cattle and an abundance of them.

I am so thankful for my dad and his great inspiration. All day my mind envisioned this story and it gave me greater strength to truly work by faith. I have tried all my life to work by faith but never as hard as with this job. It is absolutely amazing how the Lord has blessed me. The day before yesterday I was so tied because of the heat that for the first time this summer I felt like calling for a ride and go somewhere and just sit for an hour or two. But instead I decided to just pray very hard and after 3 doors I got inside and sold my third door. It gave me the much needed time to rest and recuperate. I can remember on several occasions that I felt that I could not go on and I prayed in faith and was blessed in just a few doors. I have gained such a testimony of faith and the power of God in our lives if we will just qualify ourselves for his help.

One of the funniest video I have seen.

Building a personal relationship with our Father and Jesus Christ

Last night I finished reading the book Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph. I have grown to love the Prophet Joseph Smith so much from this book and learned so much about him and his teachings. This book is journal entries of his discourses from many sources including those called to write Joseph's journal. I have also grained a greater testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ and understand in greater detail what type of a true relationship that we can have if we seek it out. In one of the last discourses Joseph said, "all can cry Abba Father." If you remember in the garden Jesus cried Abba, Abba which means Father, Father. Joseph in this discourse he talked about our ability to become Gods and how many times in scripture the Lord has designated someone as God over others like Moses who was God unto Aaron and Aaron was his spokesman. Joseph was saying that we all can develop ourselves in like manner. We must of course build a similar relationship with our Father in Heaven.

I for one am going to strive starting today to build a much better relationship with my Savior in two ways, first through sincere and mighty prayer and second through obtaining greater knowledge of my Savior. Joseph Smith has said many many times that we are saved through knowledge. I know that if I can know more about my Savior than I will be more able to draw closer to Him in prayer. I challenge everyone that reads this post to make a new determination starting today to improve your relationship with your Savior through study and prayer. I know that all that accept this challenge will have power from on high given to them to gain a special and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and His and our Father so that we too may feel at home saying Abba, Abba.