Answers

God answers prayers.  That's what I am thinking about right now.

I had something that was really bothering me and I didn't even know how to pray about it. I couldn't pray, "Please change that person's behavior/mind against his/her will."  I couldn't pray, "Please explain to that person that I am right and he/she is wrong!" Ha!   I couldn't pray, "Please make me feel happy about the fact that this person is doing/saying awful things."  I had chosen to not think about it. But it was gnawing at me.

I finally prayed something like, "Please help me with this even though I don't know what to ask for."

And today, while nursing the baby, I picked up a book to read.  It's one of the Sunday School manuals, called "Teachings of Presidents of the Church:  Joseph Smith."  I randomly opened up to chapter 29 and there were my answers.  So simple.

1.  Speak your truth --in a kind, forthright way (don't clam up, but don't meddle or impose either)
2.  Respect the other person's version of the truth.  This is liberty.  People have died for this right!
3.  Refuse to find fault; build up others as well as ourselves; put away ungenerous feelings.

I summarized these three ideas from the chapter. Here's a link to the whole chapter online: http://www.prophetjosephsmith.org/teachings/chapter-21-30/peace-and-harmony

"If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down?  No.  I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way." -Joseph Smith

Yay-- I made the first set of 72-hour survival kits

I am so glad I got around to this, finally.

I made the first set of 72-hour survival kits.

I am giving two kits to A.J. and C.E.'s father tonight when we do the kid-exchange for the weekend, because I highly doubt he'll ever get around to making them and I will have peace of mind knowing they have these under their beds at his house, as well as at ours.

I did some research online and learned not to use pop-top tin cans (they can explode) and not to use things that go rancid quickly (crackers, chocolate, etc.).  My kits do not have shoes, a poncho, a metallic "magic" blanket, a mini radio, or other things I'd ideally like to have, but I am so glad they aren't too heavy for the kids to carry out in the event of an earthquake or something.  I am glad I did this and I am going to be content.  For now.  Here's what I put in each waterproof-ish canvas bag:

72 hour kit (for one person)

6 bottles of water (2 per day)

1 roll of toilet paper (in a big ziploc bag to keep it dry)

approx. 6,000 calories: 2,000 per day:

1 can beans

1 can spaghettios

1 can spam

1 can evaporated milk

1 honeybear bottle

1 jar peanut butter

1 flashlight with batteries

1 small blanket

1 bag of candy worms (oil-free to keep from going rancid)

IN A ZIPLOC BAG:

1 mini-pack of pain reliever

some band-aids

a box of matches

a pencil

an "info" paper with medical insurance numbers, relatives' names, emails, phone numbers, etc.

a very mini hand sanitizer bottle

a small, simple can opener