Alright, so this past week. George is more mobile. He can turn like a clock and face any direction he wants. He likes rolling onto his side and is getting close to rolling from his back to his stomach and vice versa. He will be rolling all over the room soon. He likes being scared. The more he jumps the more he laughs. He is also very vocal- not necessarily unhappy but just loud sometimes. He gets distracted while eating too. He'll stop and look up, kinda like a child peeking around the corner and then when he gets caught, turns abruptly and acts shy. He likes songs more now. He especially likes Raffi and Disney songs. Jon even got the guitar out and sang a live version of Raffi's 'Bananaphone' that George especially liked.
I've been helping the missionaries out a lot. The sisters were without a car and I had an investigator over to our house who came to church. The sisters taught her the Word of Wisdom and then committed her to live it, without telling her the blessings. They emphasized that it was a revelation from our prophets and that prophets are the mouthpiece of the Lord and she committed to give up her coffee- just like that. No questions asked. Then I gave them a ride on P-day from a Drs appointment, to the library and back home. Then I took them out to Greene County- about 20-30 minutes away to a member's house (a man) whose brother lives with him and is investigating the church. Then I went with the elders to a lesson with a member- an inactive member who doesn't remember the last ward that had her records (because she's been inactive for that long). It went really well. They were teaching Alma 32 on faith and asked me to share a testimony on how it's helped me. After, she just up and says, "I'd like to come to church on Sunday". Sadly she didn't come. She had forgotten that she had offered to babysit for someone.
We recently got a membership to the YMCA. Saturday we went and Jon took George to the pool while I worked out, then we were going to switch. I could see them from the elliptical machine upstairs through a window, so that was fun. When I was heading down the stairs I was careless for just a moment and took a longer stride than the stair. By so doing, I missed the next step and when I landed my ankle twisted and I collapsed. It seemed alright- a little sore, but just like it had been twisted. About 6 hours later my ankle decided to become stiff and swell like a golf ball was in there. So I have a sprained ankle. Fun stuff.
Also, Friday night we had our married student institute class. Saturday Jon had a friend over, and Sunday was church and we had choir afterwards and that evening I talked with Jim and Janet Danials. For those of you who don't know, I contacted them after finding that they had done some work on the Davis side. Janet is our 4th cousin twice removed and Mom's 4th cousin once removed. I forgot to ask if they had kids but they joined the church back in the 70s and I know they have one son (at least) who would be Mom's 5th cousin. So I feel like things have been busy.
I'm trying to think of where my thoughts have been and I'm not entirely sure. I miss George pulling his hair and looking at me with this look of "This hurts Mom. Why are you doing this to me?" Such a sad look but funny at the same time. I miss his hair sticking up- it still does sometimes but it lays down more. And spiritually I've been thinking about my testimony. The experience I shared with Alma 32 was when I first started gaining my own personal testimony. We were raised with good parents who taught us well and I don't feel I ever really doubted much, but there was a time I consider the turning point in forming my own testimony- knowing it was true for myself. Mom had me talk to Sister Barrus and ask how I could best prepare for seminary (she was going to be my Freshmen teacher). She told me to read the Book of Mormon. It was the first time I read it on my own and when I got to Moroni it tells us to reflect and ponder and pray if these things are not true. I started thinking about everything we're taught. Then I started imagining a world with no Book of Mormon. No God who loves His children. No prophets. No Jesus Christ. The picture was very hopeless. In coordination with Alma 32 I decided I WANTED to believe. That desire was all I needed. Then I felt a peace as I started to accept the things I had been taught and things I've learned since then have only strengthened my testimony. But for me, it started with a choice. A choice based on a desire to believe. This church is good soil and the desire was all that was needed for the seed to grow.