November 2012

November 2012

Well, if the truth were known, I was doing about the same things in 2012 as I am doing in 2013.

On the first, I finally testified in this on-going court case, and we are now just awaiting the sentencing for the guy who was on trial. Thank goodness.  It's been a real trial for a while in our family, and now we can just put it behind us.  Counseling is still an on-going thing, but that is going really well for those involved, so YEAH!!

On the 17th the girls competed at the Starbound Regional Dance Competition.  Our dances were moved to Saturday because we compete on Sundays, so we had to wait several anxious hours to see what the girls won.  Turns out they did a tremendous job!

Cooper -

1. Dancing On My Own - contemporary solo - Terrill Mitchell choreographer

Elite Gold, and FIRST PLACE OVERALL!!!!  She got a $50 scholarship for this too.

2. Can't Buy Me Love - Tap Solo - Andee Wilson choreographer

Elite Gold, and 3rd overall

3.  Baby You Got What It Takes - tap solo - Mark Goodman choreographer

Elite Gold, and 6th overall

Cymbre -

1.  Sam's Last Boogie - tap solo - Andee Wilson Choreographer

Elite Gold, and 5th Overall

So, they brought home LOTS of trophies.  Way to kick off the competition season.  They didn't compete their duet this time.

The 18th brought my weekly Sunday School lesson....we are still doing the Book of Mormon so I try to do some fun things with these teenagers.

The topic this week was:  How Could Ye Have Departed From The Ways Of The Lord?

As part of the lesson, after using a nail to carve their personal testimonies in a brass plate (not as easy as it sounds).  After the class finished their testimonies, we made them into a book - a take off on the Book of Mormon - and then I took them outside and we buried our plates in the Church flowerbed, just like Moroni buried the plates of Brass that would later become the Book of Mormon.

So while we are out there doing the burying, one of the Boys in the class, Nate Ellis says:  "Sister Flanagan, we have to bury them where we remember because you are probably going to make us dig them up next year!"  He was referring to Joseph Smith getting the plates to translate them for the Book of Mormon.

Well, they changed the curriculum for the youth Sunday School lessons, so the plates are still buried in the flowerbed.  Someday when someone is digging around, they will find them.  That should be interesting when they start asking around...just saying!

The 25th the lesson was:  Never Has Man Believed In Me As Thou Hast.

It was dealing with the story of the Jaredites who were instructed to build some barges in order to travel to over an ocean.

As part of the story,  I took white stones and we talked about how the Brother of Jared had taken the stones and asked the Savior to touch them and make them glow and that would be their light on the barges they had built. While the Savior was doing that, the Brother of Jared sees the Savior's finger because of his personal faith.  So we had to stop and talk about how we would feel if we were in this kind of a situation.  Would our faith be strong enough to see the finger of the Savior, and then have Him show Himself to us because of our faith?  An interesting concept to think about since they say if your faith is the size of a mustard see you can move mountains....don't know about you but I haven't moved any mountains yet...just saying!

Then for a fun activity, we had Jaredite Barge races.  I had Guy make an ocean for the races using guttering and sealing the ends, took gallons of water to church, and got balsa wood to make boats.  We made the boats at home, and then took everything up to church....needless to say, it was a BIG HIT with the class.

Here's some Jaredite Barge Photos:

 

The building of the oceans...

 

 

 

The Barges

 

Let the races begin!

Cooper and Nate!

 

 

As you can see, a fun class activity!  And then we talked about how faith helps you accomplish the things the Savior asks of you.  How sometimes, we just need help, and if we go to the Savior, He is always ready and willing to help us with all of our problems.

 

A very good class even if I do say so myself!