The Marlow Memoirs: Mis Padres

(That means "my parents" in Spanish.)

I am truly very grateful for them. They brought me into this world. They raised me. They put up with me. They taught me well...although these last two things I've mentioned I never really realized until I was out of the house and older. Much older. And with kids of my own. *sigh* The things I would do to go back in time and not make my parents suffer like I did!!! But there's nothing I can do to change the past. All I can do now is live for the future and show my parents how grateful I am by living my life in a manner that will make them proud and to raise my children as well or better than they raised me. *fingers crossed!*

Les amo, Mami y Papi!!! Gracias por todo...especialmente por su amor y paciencia!!!

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Today was a special Sunday. It was fast and testimony Sunday, which meant that at sacrament meeting (the first hour block of church), those who wanted to could stand before the congregation and bear their testimony. As more and more people shared with us their testimonies, Alegria turned to me and told me that she wanted to go up and bear hers, too. I had a feeling she would, which is why we had our Family Home Evening focused on testimonies last Monday (last month she'd asked to bear her testimony, too, but she didn't, so I wanted to prepare her this month so that she could)... Well, before she went up to bear her testimony, I reminded her what a testimony is and asked if she was ready to share it all by herself (Cameron and I have said that we want our children to get up and bear their testimony on their own right from the very start without us having to whisper in their ear). She said she was and marched straight up there (of course, she told me that I had to go, too!). Once they had her standing on "the box" behind the pulpit and had the microphone to her level she said, "I have a testimony...and I want to go to the jungle with elephants and Grandma and Grandpa and Abuelito and Abuelita." I quickly got out of my chair next to the pulpit, where I was waiting with Odette, and whispered in her ear that she had to say that she knows that Jesus loves her and that she loves Jesus, so she did, and then she was done. Oh, my child!!! :) I don't think everyone understood everything she said...but I sure did! I know the Lord knows her heart, though, and I'm proud of her for feeling the Spirit prompting her to go up there and share with everyone about the things and people that she loves!!! I then got up and bore my testimony as well...not about elephants, though! :)

After sacrament, we practiced the Primary Program again. I can't wait for it to be over next week! I'm sad that Cameron has missed out on Alegria's first time bearing her testimony and will miss out on her first time being in the Primary Program, but I'm learning that I can't hold our children back for Cameron's sake. It's sad that he misses out on things, but I know that he wouldn't want to hold her or any of our children back, either, especially on spiritual things. It's a sacrifice he knowingly makes in the line of work he's in. I held Alegria back last month on bearing her testimony because I wanted to have an FHE focused on it first, so she would comprehend what it's all about and for her to be prepared if she asked to go up again, so when she did, I knew I had to let her share her testimony because that's one way in which it grows. I know it will be a bitter/sweet thing for Cameron to read about it in letters and to know he missed out, but I also know he'll be proud of her for having a testimony and feeling the Spirit.

Back home, it was time for lunch and I was excited to use a new "kitchen tool" that I'd purchased the other day. Odette found it fascinating, too!