Last full week of summer

 Eli starts school on Wednesday! I can't believe we celebrated our last full week of summer. My heart is still breaking so much to see Eli leave, but I also love having a schedule and I know Eli will thrive in 1st grade.  We found out this week who his teacher is and we get to meet her tomorrow evening at back to school night!! A friend in Eli's primary class is also in his school class. This is such a blessing for all of us!!

My parents didn't leave until Tuesday so on Monday, we all mowed the grass and pulled the weeds. My mom is always so helpful and likes to be busy. ;) Eleanor loved working beside her. It felt like the summer days when I was a kid - we worked in the morning and then headed to the pool for some swim time!

Eli and I got to have our annual back to school lunch date. We went to Panarea and then grabbed froze yogurt for dessert. My mom use to do this tradition with us when we were younger and it's quickly become a tradition my kids love too. We talked about a new school year and Eli said he's excited and a little nervous, which I told him is completely normal! He'll do great!

My dad arrived from St. Louis on Monday afternoon and we went to Liberty Jail together. We then went on a walk around the neighborhood. We were so sad when they left. We gave them billions of hugs that we hope will last until we see them again. 

On Tuesday, we had friends invite us to the lake about 20 minutes away. We played the day away!

The rest of the week was spent cleaning, visiting the library, getting hair cuts for the boys, Aaron fixed my flat tire, and I prepared a talk for sacrament meeting. Friday evening we had a back to school party with candy we each picked out from the dollar store and a movie from Red Box. 

I've been wanting a letter board like this so when I found one on Amazon I was excited.

Eli is getting better and better at reading. Saturday morning we woke up and Eli read the message I put on the board - "Today, let's go to Lego Land!" I found a Groupon that was reasonably priced so we decided to go when Aaron could come with us. The boys have been dreaming about Lego Land since we first found out we were moving to Kansas City. 

Here are some thoughts that I shared in my talk today:

Brother Robert J. Whetten of the Second Quorum of the Seventy asked, “Do you administer spiritual or temporal relief to those who need it?” The Lord didn’t say, “Tend my sheep when it is convenient; watch my sheep when you aren’t busy.” He said, “Feed my sheep and my lambs; help them survive this world; keep them close to you. Lead them to safety—the safety of righteous choices that will prepare them for eternal life.”⁵

At times, I’ve felt overwhelmed wondering how I’m going to help everyone and where to start. Sister Jean B. Bingham – Ministering as the Savior Does. “Sometimes we think we have to do something grand and heroic to “count” as serving our neighbors. Yet simple acts of service can have profound effects on others—as well as on ourselves."

President Hinckley, in 2004, said

 “We have a greater challenge than we realize. …

“… ‘Do the best you can.’ But I want to emphasize that it be the very best. … We are capable of doing so much better. …

“… We must get on our knees and plead with the Lord for help and strength and direction. We must then stand on our feet and move forward.”¹⁰

This is the first time Aaron and I have lived this close to a temple. We love driving by it and seeing it daily. When we were house hunting here in April, our relator drove us by the temple and she said, “Oh you should see how bright the temple shines at night.” If you’ve seen the temple early in the morning before the sun comes up or even late at night, then you have a visual in your mind of the temple’s brightness. I’ve had the thought multiple times about how lost and dark the world is around us, but like the temple shinning so brightly against a dark sky, as followers of Christ, we will shine brighter against a lost world as we do our part to give spiritual and temporal relief to those around us.

“Lord, I Would Follow Thee”

Savior, may I love my brother

As I know thou lovest me,

Find in thee my strength, my beacon,

For thy servant I would be.

Savior, may I love my brother—

Lord, I would follow thee.¹⁰

I pray each of us can try a little harder to be a little kinder and find simple ways to share God’s love with others.