Bob, Beth & Beyond

Where to start? Robert has applied to grad school at Utah State University in English. We weren't that surprised at the recent denials from the other schools. What can you say when you're 1 of 500 applicants trying to fill 1 of 8 available seats? We were not supposed to be there.

I like the Utah State alternative. Robert has decided to lean more about the rhetoric side of English and perhaps throw in a little technical writing to be a little more versatile. We had a fun time writing his letter for the application. 12 drafts! (Robert did 10 drafts on his own and I got to help on the last 2.) But I think the 12th one turned out pretty darn good. At least we really hope so... We won't know if we got in until sometime in July, and class starts August 24th! Yikes! None of that matters. We know we'll be able to get where we need to be and that the Lord takes care of his children. We just have to keep being obedient.

That reminds me of something I was thinking about the last couple of weeks. In fast and testimony meeting I wanted to get up and bear my testimony, but I just couldn't think of what to say. I guess the spirit of testimony just wasn't burning bright enough when Sacrament meeting started, even though I wanted to get up. Toward the end of the meeting, though, someone said something that gave me the push I wanted/needed, but the meeting was over so I couldn't get up.

However, I remembered that I get to bear my testimony almost every week to my primary girls. I love that opportunity. So I bore my testimony to them. What I wanted to say was about Joseph Smith. I have long marveled at Joseph Smith. My thoughts were directed to how he was a lowly farm boy with a third grade education and he became one of the greatest men to walk this earth. His capacity to 'do' was multiplied by leaps and bounds and he was molded into this incredible being. My testimony was that he was molded and became the man he is because of his willingness to be strictly obedient to the commands of God. He obeyed the plan given, the gospel. He accepted the Lord as his Master and he followed his every word. When the Lord commanded, he obeyed. This became the rule he lived by after he was chastised for losing the first 100 pages of the Book of Mormon. He obeyed, doubting nothing.

I want to be this way.

As I've been reading the D&C I've watched Joseph learn and stumble and be molded. I know I'm in the same process. I know I'll stumble. But I know it's possible. I'm grateful for the pattern the Lord has given me in Joseph Smith. Proof of what man can become if we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ.