Testimony of our missionary, Spencer!

This is Elder Hadlock’s testimony. It was written separately in the Christmas package he sent home. At the end of his testimony in a P.S. He said, “Tell Grandpa Hadlock that there is popcorn here. That reference is from when Ken’s parents were living here, and Spencer was eating a lot of popcorn, Grandpa Hadlock told him he would have to go without popcorn for two years! lol As a side note, Spencer is slowly loosing his English skills as he picks up the Spanish language more fully. I did need to rearrange some of the words to make sense. We also received pictures, trinkets for Gary and Avery, letters for all four of us and best of all his testimony!

My Christmas Testimony

I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. That as we in this time of season of year, look towards His life and teachings, that we will see our God’s hand in our everyday lives. It means so much to me to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father, who gave His perfect self, that he atoned for our sins. I know the through the atonement of Christ, that we will find mercy and peace.

I love all of you very much! I want you to know this: “I know that my Redeemer lives!” I know that Joseph Smith was given the Priesthood Authority to restore His church again. I know that we have God’s authority here on the Earth today. We can all know of this same truth through reading and praying about The Book of Mormon.

Sincerely,

Elder Spencer Steele Hadlock

Missionary blessings....

Those who have missionaries serving or have served as missionaries, know missionary blessings. We received missionary blessings yesterday. Our city was hit with 8 hours of sustained winds of 100 MPH and wind gusts of up to 106 MPH. We were without power for 17 1/2 hours in 30 degree temperatures. The blessings? Very little damage! Homes around us and around our home we rent out lost shingles, fences, trees, siding...etc., etc., etc. The home we live in sustained no damage that we have been able access. Our rental home no longer has any fences. When we bought the lot, it was completely fenced. So, we have never seen it open like it is. We share fences with 5 other homes, now it is completely open. Wow, weird! The wind took down the big cherry tree in the backyard. I have fond memories of our children climbing in that tree. With the fences, we lost a 20 year old grape vine. A very large and stalky vine. We will see what grows in the spring. Except for the inconvenience of no heat or power, we walked away virtually unscathed. The homes are in tact, the neighborhood is a mess! We were blessed with physical safety!

Another recent blessing was that of a job. I have worked in the school system for the past eight years in various capacities. Last year I took on just a 3 hour a day job as a teaching assistant. Even though it was less hours than I wanted, it was consistent work. When I work as a substitute, it is hard to make plans. I never knew what would come tomorrow. With this job, I can make other plans.

At the end of last year, the Principal told me that she would not know if she could hire me back on, because of funding cuts. She said that she would get back to me in early August. When late August came around and I had not heard back from her, I started wondering what to do. A couple of days before school started I got a call. She said she could offer me 1 1/2 hours of work a day!

With that kind of offer, it seemed I would need to go back to being a substitute. The principal offered four teaching assistants 1 1/2 hr. a day. Slowly but surely the other assistants turned her down. The outcome? I was offered 5 hrs. a day, four days a week. I love the kids, I love the people I work with, I love the school and it is nice to have a guaranteed income that I can plan around. I love those missionary blessings!

Thank you to those of you who worried about us, checked in on us, offered us a place to stay, etc! It is great to be warm again! Yesterday I had a hard time staying warm. Thanks to a car, I was able to warm up occasionally in the car. There were not gas stations or fast food places open. All of the traffic lights were out which made traveling difficult. Power lines were down, especially on Main street which made travel dangerous. Flying projectiles made being outside difficult and dangerous too! I am thankful for a good nights sleep and a warm house and a wonderful family!

Ninja...

Avery has been interested in everything Ninja lately. Last night we went by my sisters house. She had an extra kicking bag. We brought it home and it is now hanging in the storage room. We should all have a kicking bag, right?

Today he mowed the lawn. He got his first paycheck last week and wants to buy a Ninja Uniform. With most of his check and money from mowing the lawn, he picked out just the one he wanted. We got it from Karate Depot.

http://www.karatedepot.com/

Day 8 of 29-Days of Giving

Today I substituted in a Special Education class.  The class has around 12 kids with special needs.  I don’t know of many other instances when I feel as close to God as when working with children who have special needs.  A woman once when talking about her Grandson with Angel’s Syndrome.  She said he was more of a devil than an angel.  I know that children with special needs are heaven bound, not question in my mind.  Here is a wonderful inspirational story!http://youtu.be/ciYk-UwqFKA

Day 6 of 29 days

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=17258130

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a member of my church, service to others is really just a part of every day life. So, as I sit and contemplate service rendered, a lot of the service I do, is stuff that is just part of my normal routine.

As my service action yesterday one of the things I did was to go visiting teaching. Visiting teaching is done once a month in our church, or more often as our sisters need us. We go as a pair of women that are matched together. Every so often our districts change so that we get the opportunity to serve with and serve other members, so that we get new opportunities. My companion and I visit three sisters.

We usually visit with them for 30-60 min. each month. Yesterday morning we were able to visit with all three in one morning. That is sometimes hard to do, to schedule around five womens schedules but we were able to do it. When we visit, we access their needs, share a short lesson on the gospel, share a testimony and end with a prayer. It is a highlight of my month. It is an opportunity to share our love of the gospel together.

We also come together at the drop of a hat it there is a need in our ward such as: a death, birth, sickness, etc. You can expect that women in the ward would drop everything to help in any desperate situations. We take in dinners, help with small children, help clean a house, provide our time to sit with you by your hospital bed, bring in groceries to your home, drive other children to lessons, etc. I have done all of these things and more but it is just something that I grew up watching my mother do, so they are just something I have always known I need to do. Both my mom and dad who are still alive were my greatest examples of service.

I still have early memories of my dad and brothers grabbing shovels early in the morning to shovel every front walk on our side and the opposite side of the street on our block, which was around 50 homes. It is just something they would do. When my mom would make cookies, we always knew 1/2 would be going to another family! I am grateful for the great examples of service that lived in my own home!!!

Day 4 of 29 days of Giving....

My gift today is that of hope for another day! After watching all the images from September 11th 2001 it might be easy to get discouraged and down. But today is a new day! A day filled with love and hope for a better tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that!
We live in a time where there is so much evil upon the earth! A time of wars and rumors of wars. A time of earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunami’s, hunger and thirst. We also live on the earth at a time that the fullness of the Gospel exists on the earth. We have a Savior who lived and died for us! There will be a day where he will once again come to earth and all will be made right.
I know my Savior lives and loves me. I know that I am a daughter of God! I am thankful and grateful for that knowledge and the knowledge that a Prophet of God lives on this earth today. I am thankful for President Thomas S. Monson. I know that Joseph Smith saw what he said that he saw. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. I know that he saw an angel and brought forth the Book of Mormon, the only true book of scripture.

29-Day Gift Giving Challenge

I have joined a site called 29-Day Gifts. The idea is a 29-day cycle of giving gifts. After 29 days you start a new cycle of giving. The gifts can be big or small. As small as sharing a smile or opening a door that you might not have thought of doing before. Today is day 1 of my 29 day cycle.

My gift today is that of the gift of love, hope and the gift of one life! I found this link and want to share it! It is a a young man from war-torn Iraq. He survived out of the ashes and had some reconstructive surgery and he and his brother were adopted by an angel woman. She turned their life around and gave them the one thing that they needed. The unconditional love of a mother!

Here is a link to my profile on the 29-Day Challenge:

http://www.29gifts.org/profile/hadlockd

...and here is a link to the video I mention above!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXSLjgsl6MI

Entitled Society.....

Do you feel like our children are being raised in an entitled society, like never before. Everyone seems to want something for nothing. Why work for it if you can get it for free! I also think that children expect their parents to answer “Yes!,” to everything!

I can’t tell you how many times and how many different ways that both Ken and I have told Avery “No!,” to something. Not just one thing, but several things. It’s like he think if he continues to ask, we will change our minds. He ask me, he asks Ken, he asks me again and Ken again. His two big things right now are, “Can I buy a __________________ and I want to take a Ninja Sparring Class. Ken signed him up for Tikwando, against my better judgement. They signed up for a year contract. The year is not up and Avery is looking for every excuse to end the contract so that he can sign up with a different establishment that teaches more fighting and less technique and self control. I have learned over the past 10 years or so that he has a hard time making up his mind and then even a harder time sticking with something. This is a concept that he needs to master and learn now! Not something that we can just let slide. He needs to know that when he agrees to do something, that he needs to stick with it and do it!

I was listening to the Eyer’s this morning on a program. They have written a new book about children and entitlement. Even though this is my 5th of five children, I may need to get the book and read it for ideas on how to teach this child that he is not entitled to anything! Everything we get in this life is a gift! Nothing is as necessity but family and the love we share with one another and our belief in God and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Nothing on this earth will go with us when we leave this life! All we take with us is the knowledge that we have received while here. When we put emphasis on the THINGS that we want, the THINGS we think we need and should have, we miss out on the bigger picture! We miss out on time with our families learning and growing together!

Work for what you want, work for what you need. No one is entitled just because he thinks he has earned it or thinks he deserves something, because everyone else has it. Well kido, we are not everyone!

Now maybe I can go to sleep!

Busy times.......

Spencer is doing well in Florida. He made it through transfers without being moved. He is adjusting to the spanish and the heat and humidity! He says he gets soaking wet through all of his clothes. He also said he is enjoying rice and beans more. lol

Avery turned 16 years old last Monday. I can’t believe our baby is 16! He wont get his license for a while because he doesn’t have enough driving hours. He has spent a ton of time this summer long boarding and not a lot of time driving. He also started High School. His birthday was also the first day of school. “Happy Birthday, go to school!” We celebrated Sunday with the family here for dinner. He will be set apart as a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday!

Sarah started her first teaching job. She was hired just a few days before school started. She worked hard and fast to get her classroom ready and is a 1st year, 1st grade teacher. Her classroom is cute! It was fun to watch her as she was nesting into her room. She is at a great school! We are excited for her! Josh has been busy working all summer and is started school back up in the fall. He has two years to go in his Engineering Degree. Sarah is in the Stake Young Womens as their Secretary and Josh is in the Ward Young Mens. They are busy and loving life! Hard to believe they have been married for 7 months.

Jack and McKell are making a move to Salt Lake. They have moved several times already but hopefully this will be a move where they can stay for a while, set their roots, etc. The home they have been living in was just temporary and they lived there for six months but are ready to move out on their own and set up a place of their own that they can call home. This month they celebrated their one year anniversary. Life is good and they are happy and cute together!

Amanda has had some exciting things going on in her life lately. She met and fell in love with one of her best friends, brother, Mike. They have had a fun couple of months getting to know each other. Unfortunately, he decided some time ago that since he had nothing exciting going on in his life, that he would go to China to teach English. He left on Wednesday to China. He will be gone for a year teaching English at a University. She has been really sad. What do they say, that “absence makes the heart grow fonder!” They will be able to speak via Skype and phone and mail. It will be a good opportunity to figure out if they want to be together. She is also making a job change and finishing up on her Master’s Degree, so she has lots to think about and to keep her busy.

Ken started up the new year at school. He is also involved in a play that will be starting up in September and will run September 3rd - September 30th. He is playing the captain in “Anything Goes.” It is playing at the Centerpointe Legacy Theatre, 525 N. 400 W., Centerville, 84014, (801) 298-1302. Come watch him if you can, he would love it! They have two casts, a M-W-F cast and a T-Th-Sat cast. I am not sure which one he is in.

Never a better hero.....

Beautiful pictures and song.

Link: Never A Better Hero

Finding joy!

Our Stake is planning a day of service in July which has got me thinking about meaningful service. As I was growing up, I had the best example of meaningful service, living right in my home. If I wanted to learn how to serve others, I had to look no further than my own mom!

As we serve others, we are serving the Lord!

Find a way to serve someone today!!!

Link: Joy Through Service

Beautiful pictures and music...

This video has beautiful music and pictures of the insides and outside of some of the LDS Temples.

Link: Power Of Heaven

Hadlock Family May 2011

As you may or may not know, getting this big a crew together and happy for pictures was quite a feat! We wanted to get a family picture taken with the two new spouses and before Spencer left for his mission. Spencer has been in the MTC for 3 weeks today! Almost half way through. He asks for prayers for him and his companion!

The day was like one of the few Saturdays this Spring that we could have gotten away with family pictures. When I told the photographer that I wanted outdoor pictures on Temple Square, he wasn’t too hopeful. He said it was probably too early for outdoor pictures but I think they turned out great! The other family picture I had made is too big to scan but the tulips are in perfect bloom and beautiful!!!

It was quite a cold day but you wouldn’t know it looking at the photos. Avery wanted his hair long for the picture. Yesterday he looked at it and said, “I need to grow my hair out long, like in the picture!” lol I was greatful the day he let me cut it but it is all part of our family history. McKell and Josh are great additions to the family! We love them both. One stands out more than the other. McKell fits in with the girls well!

We are in the middle of the family birthdays. Today is mine. Nate’s 25th birthday was May 21st, Spencer’s 19th birthday was April 5th and Ken’s birthday was March 31st. Still to go, Sarah will turn 22 in July, Amanda will turn 27 in August and Avery will turn 16 years old in August!!! Wow.

In September, Ken and I will celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary! Wow! Also in August will be my 30th year Highschool Reunion. I have been working for the last 1 1/2 to find names and addresses for former classmates.

Life goes on.....

It has been a week and a half since Spencer entered the MTC. He seems to be doing well. We have received one email and two notes in the mail. He sounds like he is doing fine. I have had a few hard days but for the most part I am able to make it through the day without crying. It has been odd as we move on to a life with just Avery home. We are still trying to make adjustments in that area. He has been making himself and his needs known. I guess he doesn’t want us to forget he is here. Who could forget him!

Yesterday Ken and Avery spent 7 hours working on a kayak. The teachers and priest quorums are all making their own kayaks for a trip to Yellowstone. Ken and Avery both came home sunburned. It is amazing what a nice day Saturday was considering all of the rain that has been falling in Utah.

Nathaniel Jack turned 25 years old yesterday. He and McKell spent the day together, stopping by here to change their oil together. It really was quite a sight. Amanda talked everyone into coming here for dinner tonight to celebrate. It was fun having everyone here except for Spencer. Our family has changed a lot in the last year. The kids all got along well and we watched some of our family videos. It is good to remind them how much they loved each other when they were young!

We have been blessed as a family over the past almost 29 years. That is an amazing number to me. One day you feel like you were just dating and then you have your own children getting married and making their own traditions. They are all wonderful, beautiful and successful people. I love them so...much!

A blog to follow.....

I have added blogs that I follow, to my blog. There is one in particular that has impacted me the most. It is called Sunshine Promises. It is the story of a sweet family in our ward that lost their young son Bennett a few short months ago. Although it is a sad story, Amanda, Bennett’s mom is taking us on a journey to experience the high’s and low’s associated with the loss of a child.

She is sharing her faith in Jesus Christ, with her belief as well as mine, that they will have the opportunity to be with Bennett again. The belief that families are forever. The belief that when this life is over, and we have each left this earth, that we will live again as families in heaven with our Heavenly Father.

I invite you to follow along on that journey. The journey to learn of our Heavenly Father, to follow Him and learn of His teachings! I am thankful for her faith and her ability to share her feeling in such a way, that I can feel of Heavenly Fathers love for her and her family.

The veil between this life and the next is very thin. I know that Heavenly Father has prepared and provided a way for us to live with Him again. May you and I grow and learn of His love and plan for us, as we take this journey together. I pray. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sarah’s married....

It has been a few weeks to get to this point but I didn’t want to go too long without blogging about Sarah’s wedding. On January 8th we took both Sarah and Spencer to the Bountiful Temple to receive their own endowment. It was a wonderful day and one I never want to forget. Spencer received his mission call to the Florida, Orlando, Spanish speaking mission, just three days prior. I took some family names that we did and later took those that stayed and we did sealings. The sealer called up Josh and Sarah. He told them that this was just a dry run. After the first sealing he said, “Now you two understand that I did not just seal you? You will have to wait til next week for that!” We all laughed. Spencer was called up to be a son, with Sarah and Josh, as mom and dad. Ken and I did some sealings with Josh’s dad, Duane as a child. Brandi Devey stayed and did some daughters, one of which she did the endowment for. Her first name was Gracie, just like her and Darin’s youngest, named Grace. Nate and McKell also did some couples sealings. Later we went to the cafeteria for lunch. We were in the Temple for a total of 6 hours. It was a beautiful, wonderful, uplifting and satisfying day!

When we got home Sarah and I only had a 1/2 hour before we needed to be at a shower being thrown for Sarah. We rested for a minute or two and then went to a shower that Stacy Smoot and Jeri Dabling put on and invited ward ladies. It was very enjoyable and the ladies we so kind and giving. Sarah has received so many nice things from the showers that she had. When we got home we both pretty much crashed!

January 15th was the day of their Sealing. It was fun going early with Sarah and getting the opportunity to help her dress for her wedding day. The sealer did a fantastic job and it was a special treat to have Milo and Jackie there with us. They have lived in our home since September 17th, 2010. After the sealing we went out for pictures. It was a nice day because there was no snow, but it still was cold. Our neighbor LuAnn Anderson let us borrow a cape for Sarah to wear outside. It made a big difference for Sarah. It helped her to stay warm!

The luncheon was held at the 10th Ward building of the Salt Lake Park Stake, located on 400 S. and 800 E. It was so....nice to be able to relax and visit with family. I wasn’t worried at all about setting up for a Reception. Josh’s family did a great job on the luncheon. We were able to invite all of our family members who wanted to come. We did not exclude anyone. It was fun to have the neices and nephews there.

The Reception was held on January 22nd at the Salt Lake Park Stake Center. Our neighbor Sara Dickes did the decorations! She did a fabulous job. Lots of ward members from the 31st Ward were awestruck with the beauty. Many of them said that they had never seen the building look so beautiful! It was fun to see ward members from both wards. We did live in the 31st Ward for the first 7 years of our marriage, so it was fun to see old friends! For the treats, we had cake, eclairs, punch, lemon water and Temple mints. Mandy and Lucine helped me to make 500 mints for the reception. I still have lots if you would like any for a treat at the end of a lesson.

Sarah loved the reception. She was excited when she saw the Stake Center being decorated earlier in the day. Sarah and Josh made their own cake, that day. I think that was a little stressful for Sarah, but they wanted to make their own cake! I couldn’t believe the support from our ward. The Smith family mentioned how many people came from our ward and how few came from their ward. I was grateful for the support!

The only bad part of the day was that earlier in the day, a darling little boy, Bennett from our ward, passed away in his sleep the night before. They did not find out until later in the morning. I was devastated! I cried for several hours and then had to pull myself together to pull of a reception. Bennett Wilkinson was 20 months old. Just the Sunday before, he spent about a 1/2 hour of Sacrament Meeting on my lap. I talked with him, brush his eyebrows, held his cute little hands and colored with him. I have been holding Bennett since he was a baby. Everyone who know me knows how much I love children, especially babies. Every chance I get, I have held Bennett, putting him to sleep more than once. His spirit was strong and beautiful. He leaves behind a loving mother and adoring father, two sisters and one brother who will all miss him terribly. After the autopsy still no reason for his death. Heavenly Father must have needed him badly. I will miss Bennett. It was hard to see his family at church without him on Sunday! I miss baby Bennett!

On January 23rd, Sarah and Josh opened gifts. They only invited Josh’s mom and me. We took all their gifts to their apartment since they had already been on a short honeymoon. They were blessed with many wonderful gifts! Sarah and Josh seem to be enjoying being out on their own! We have already seen her and Josh more since they have been married, than we have seen Nate and McKell. They got married August 10th, 2010. We now have two married children, one preparing for a mission, and one living in Ogden, two 86 year olds and a 15 year old, living with us!

Interesting....

I have been sitting at my computer for a while catching up and listening to Milo try to remind Jackie of times they’ve had. When you spend a lot of time with people you figure out, how they really are. I found a note in the door of their house in Murray and brought it home. They have spent the last 1/2 hour trying to figure out who the note could be from. Even though they signed it with the husbands and the wife’s name and their last name, neither one of them has any idea of who it could be.

Milo talked about some renters that they had a Murray several years ago. I remember Jackie talking about them quite a bit. Milo brought up them as a possibility of the senders of the note. Jackie has no memory of the renters ever living there. When I brought in the mail today, I sorted it. Once I had given them their mail and sat down to look at ours, Jackie said that with the pile of mail I had, some of it must be theirs. I also gave them a check that my son brought by on Saturday. Next thing I know Jackie is upset that I opened their mail and took out this check. Again, this is a check that Nate brought over Saturday. Sometimes I don’t know how to defend myself against non issues!

Today was the first day back at work. It has been nice to have the last two weeks off! I have enjoyed it and gotten some wedding stuff done. I still have plenty to do. This is a busy week and I hope I can keep up. We are hoping Spencer’s mission call comes this Wednesday, then we will have two children needing to go through the Temple.

When Nate got married a couple of months ago, he didn’t have any siblings at his sealing. Sarah will be able to have two of her brothers there. She may not realize it at the time, but that will be a true blessing! I look forward to that day!