Hey I Didn't Know You Quilted...

I didn't know I could either. Every year, Brad's brothers and sisters exchange Christmas gifts to the family of one of their siblings. This year, we had this cute family:

Dan, Abby, Kate, Lucy and Sadie

Then I came up with the ambitious project of making them a quilt. I have never pieced a quilt before, the whole idea scares me. There is so much precision and exact measuring involved, the whole idea gave me hives. I asked my hurricane-of-creative-energy-friend Kristen if she would be willing to teach me. Before I knew it, I was sitting on her floor looking at dozens of cute fabrics and making trips to specialty fabric stores and trying to figure out endless combinations of how the fabrics would go together. I also decided to make this my Individual Worth project for my Personal Progress. In the end, I came up with this:

I love the colors, I call it the happy quilt. I spent about a month and a half working on the quilt, fininshing just days before Christmas. Kristen made a similiar quilt excecpt that she had it machine quilted and I hand quilted mine (with a LOT of help from my dear mom). I even stitched Dan and Abby's initials on the center of the quilt. I thought it would give it a little more personal touch. Plus if I had their initials on the quilt, it would make it harder for me to keep the quilt for myself (which I was sorely tempted to do).

(I don't know why blogger keeps rotating this picture)

I was hoping that taking the picture without a flash so it would show the colors more true to life.

Back of the quilt.

I have always admired and respected someone that could quilt but now that I've actually done one, my admiration and respect has increased tenfold. I don't think I could have finished this quilt without Kristen guiding me through the process. Plus those rotary cutters scare the daylights out of me. I had a lot of fun making the quilt, piecing it with Kristen was a laugh a minute and I really liked talking with my mom while we sat around the quilting frame. Will I quilt again? Probably, but not right now.

Project: New Beginnings

For my Individual Worth project, I was in charge of and organized our ward's New Beginnings program on January 19.

Since the Young Women's theme this year is taken from the scripture Joshua 1:9, "Be strong of of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with the whithersoever thou goest". I along with my advisors and the beehive presidency decided that we would have the theme of the program be Courage.

We came up with the idea of the Cowardly Lion (a la 'The Wizard of Oz') as she is journeying along the yellow brick road that will lead her home to Heavenly Father. As she walks along,she encounters other travellers that give her advice and tokens that will help her have the strength and courage to go home.

I wrote the framework of the skit and I had each one of the girls write about the specific elements that would help a person which are: have a positive attitude, confidence, do your best, pray, be teachable, and be prepared.

Kristin, one of my advisors is super creative and she was in charge of the decorations and making everything look nice. She made a hood that looked like a lion's mane and paws. She also put up yellow squares along the front of the room so that it wood look like a yellow brick road. We got Rachel to be the lion and she looked sooo cute!

Sheryl, my other advisor was in charge of the refreshments and the creation and printing of the programs

The evening went really well. I learned from past experiences that it is important to really delegate the responsibilities and not step in and micro manage. It is important to let people really have ownership of their task and although they might not necessarily have done it the way you would have, it turns out just fine, if not better.

I was really impressed with the things that my twelve and thirteen year old girls came up with for the skit. They were well prepared and they had fun writing their own parts.

By letting everyone have real responsibilities, their sense of self-worth is increased.

I am very proud of everyone who helped with this program.

Gifts, pt.2

The second part of completing this experience is recording the thoughts I have on the matter of Spiritual Gifts. In Moroni 10:8-18, it lists some of the spiritual gifts that have been given. They include; wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, ministering spirits, and speaking of tongues to name a few. These gifts are big!

They are also not any of the gifts that others have noticed that I have.

People have noticed that I am kind, I have a good sense of humor, I'm really good with kids and that I'm patient and loving, and creative.

Before I despair that I don't have any of the "big gifts" that was listed in the scriptures, I know that everything good comes from God and although maybe being good with children isn't as dramatic as healing the sick, it still is a gift and that there is a reason I have it. Many times, it is these small gifts that help us obtain the bigger ones.

I've also learned that if there is a gift that you want to have and maybe you don't, you can work on it. First, observe others with that gift and try to learn what they have done to cultivate it. Second, pray for help. Third, work hard and try and develop it.

The Lord will not make us do what we are not capable of doing and he will give us all that we need if we but ask.

Gifts, pt.1

I am working on an experience in the value of Divine Nature involving spiritual gifts. I am so supposed to ask friends and leaders to write down some positive qualities that the Lord has given me.

I am also going to read several scriptures pertaining to that subject.

After I get some responses, I'll add to this post my feelings on the whole experience.

So friends and people that I admire, what do you think? Thanks for your help.