Positive Reaction to more Reality

This picture says it all for me. I don't remember consciously comparing myself to Barbie. But I have compared myself to many girls who are much more thin than myself. But when I saw this "new" Barbie, my mind rushed to praise the person who did this! Thank you, because this is much more real! (I'd buy that Barbie for my pretend daughter...)

Church wide Broadcast

A week ago, the church had a broadcast event that the ward councils were asked to attend, along with any other interested members. It was a great broadcast and I recommend you take some time to watch all 2 hours of it.

http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/special-broadcast?cid=HPL1P01W01031&lang=eng

I came away with a renewed and hastened sense of what I should be doing. I fall short often, but I know what I should be doing. Sometimes, the work gets tiring. Sometimes people don't want to get involved either. And, each person has to make a decision on where they are and how much they are willing to offer up of themselves. I've been reading the book "Rough Stone Rolling" that attempts to take a look at Joseph Smith's life from both sides of the coin. While written by an LDS author, he tries to portray for the reader the situations of the time, so everyone can understand what context the restoration took place in. It's been interesting so far. As I have read the book, which is a pretty large and wordy undertaking, I've been struck by how much work and effort the restoration and living the gospel took. And quite frankly, living any religion of the day took. Compared to our fast and furious technological capabilities now, the effort anything required during the early 1800s seems like so much. Yet, they did it. These religious pioneers changed their lives! I am currently reading in a chapter that discusses the settling of Kirtland, and the religious fervor that took hold in that area before the Mormons moved in. There were Methodists, Campellites, Free Baptists all in that newly formed village. These folks had to build their own churches, pack up for a day at church as they came in from their various farms. Participate in other activities the churches organized, paid for their ministers, etc. Then the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints moved in, and similarly, they built their temple over the course of years, had to run their farms, met on Sunday's to hear the word taught to them, took care of the sick and the needy, made most everything they had, etc. And in the mix there, many newly baptized men were being called on missions, to leave their families and go for their new religion, many times just days after being baptized. And they went! So as I watched this broadcast, I was struck with where this request and commandment falls in with the timeline of the church's restoration to the earth and how we fall into this grand timeline of commandments, sacrifice and blessings. Sometimes I feel that we don't fully understand what it means to fully commit to the gospel, and then other times, I see it in the lives of many members in my ward. They have committed to living and serving ALL those around them and that, according to our leaders, is just the beginning of this new period in the restoration.