Update 1: The Great Baptism Challenge

On June 20th the Grand Mesa Ward took a trip to the Monticello temple to participate in Baptisms for the Dead. The end goal is for the Relief Society to baptize 270 women - the same amount of women we have in our Grand Mesa Ward Relief Society, by December 31st, 2015. A Relief Society 'there', baptized by a Relief Society 'here'.



Angel Moroni - Monticello Temple - Picture by Rodney Beynon

Our First Trip Results: 

15 women in attendance, 1 for the first time ever.
8 men in attendance, 1 for the first time ever.
93 female names submitted by Grand Mesa Ward members, 35 by the Monticello Temple workers.
39 male names submitted by Grand Mesa Ward members, 65 by the Monticello Temple workers.

128 female baptisms, total.
104 male baptisms total.

The workers at the Monticello Temple were so wonderful to work with. We're getting closer to our goal!

Grand total: 

232 baptized.

My heart is so full!

I truly do not have words for what an incredible and uplifting experience it was. I wasn't in the temple for very long, but the spirit there was so strong it was overwhelming. Just look at all of these wonderful people.

Rod and Joy Beynon
(A shout out to Brother Beynon for the awesome pics)

Bobbi Brunson and Christy Armendarez

Brian and Dina Day

Fred and Pat Jarvis

Louisa and Jerry Lewis

Mikayla Redd and Alec

James and Melissa Collins - Our 1st timers. So proud of you both!

Suzanne and Howard Sanders

(Not Pictured: Sandra and Jamie Woodring, Gaylene Ludwig and kids, and Bishop and Lisa Redd - We'll get you next time though! You can't hide forever)


Oh yeah, and let's not forget these nuts.

The Harkers - Living proof that you can take children on a temple trip and survive. (Thanks for the babysitting support Gaylene. Couldn't have done it without you!) 



Delicious Lunch - If you come, we will feed you. ;)

A special moment with Dad...Families are Forever.

Sisters - we are getting close to our goal. Our next temple trip is coming up in August. Now is the time to prepare to attend the temple. There is never a commandment given to us with out a blessing to go along with it. See if you can spot the blessing.

You can overcome every trial and each temptation...
I know it's not easy, but with God, all things are possible. I believe in YOU.

Here are five steps you can take today to help us with our RS temple goal:

1. Take a temple preparation course to help you toward your goal of attending the temple. Just ask Sister Elaine Wells about it. She will hook you up.

2. Make goals for yourself to begin to live worthily enough to enter the temple. Start small. Lean on the Lord for help. There is no earthly sin that can compensate for the blessings of the temple. It can be difficult, but nothing worthwhile comes without effort. Have faith in yourself, and faith in the Lord.

3. Meet with Bishop Redd and work toward obtaining at temple recommend. Ask Brother Beynon to get you an appointment. He can help you out. The Bishop can give you specific and inspired ideas to help you in your journey.

4. Pray. For guidance. For inspiration. For wisdom. For strength. Ask, and ye shall receive.

5. Visit the Grand Junction Family History Library. Anyone, whether they have a recommend or not, is welcome to research their own family history. Getting in touch with your kindred ancestors is a great way to connect with the holy purpose of the temple. We need temple names to take with us on our trip and anyone can contribute.

The family history library is located at the Stake Center, 2881 Orchard Ave. Call them at 970-243-2782. Their open hours are Tues 10-4, Wed 10-7, Thurs 10-4, and Sat 1-4. They will be more than happy to help you anytime, or contact Brother and Sister Lewis or Brother and Sister Sanders in our ward. They are experts!

We have 142 names to go.

We need you. We truly do.

One for here, one for there...I believe in us.

Love,
Your Relief Society Presidency

"The Infinite 'I Give Up' Bed"

Anyone who has a child with autism, knows what a real meltdown looks like. Sometimes I see other parents struggle with their children's little tiffs and tantrums at the grocery store and I always smile a little when they apologize and get a bit embarrassed. It tugs at my heart strings. Mostly because I'm thinking, "You wouldn't be worried if you knew what I've seen."

Clyde can MELTDOWN. Like full-fledged screaming, writhing around on the ground, kicking, sobbing hysterically, can't-cope-even-though-we're-at-Kinko's meltdown. And the thing about these meltdowns, is that they don't work like Henry's (typical child) meltdowns. I can't reason them away, I can't argue with them, I can't threaten them, I can't bribe them. I can't distract them. I can't even defer them until later - like maybe when Jessica-from-Kinko's isn't staring at me with judge-y horror on her face.

The meltdown is a monster, and chilling that monster out takes some time, patience, and considerable autism-mommy skills. The meltdown monster will not be commanded away. He needs to slink away slowly, and on his own time.

As Clyde ages, we are constantly trying to stay ahead of the meltdown triggers, but that isn't always possible, so this year, we've been trying hard to teach him how to self-soothe when he feels a meltdown coming, or how to calm down if he's in the middle of one.

One of our tricks is help guide him to a quiet place, like his bedroom, until he can get his bearings underneath him. Sometimes that helps, but sometimes, he's more like - "Mommy is going to watch me meltdown. She is going to acknowledge that it is all her fault that the internet has a lag, or that the velcro on my shoe scratched my foot, or that there are hornets on the earth even though one has never stung me." 

Sometimes I get the brunt of a meltdown. Well, if I'm being honest, most of the time I do. And sometimes, even though the last thing that helps a meltdown is another meltdown... I get frustrated. Really frustrated. And tired. I get sick of the meltdown monster. Especially when he's screamed and yelled at me for forty-five minutes - and kicked me in the shin - and tried to run down the street.

Then one day, after a big, difficult meltdown, I crept into to Clyde's dark room - to see if he was ready for a hug, or a popsicle...

...and I saw this...pinned above his bed.

Not just the "I Give Up" Bed. The INFINITE "I Give Up" Bed.

My heart broke.

And I remembered this:

And this:

And this:

But most of all, this:

I was humbled - and I deserved to be humbled. I was frustrated, but he was more frustrated. I was tired, but he was exhausted. I was sick of the meltdown monster, but he couldn't get away from it no matter where he turned.

So today - I took the sign down and replaced it with this one.

Clyde laughed when he saw it and said, "Much better, Mom."

Yes... much better.

I figure we all have a choice. When we're having our own meltdowns, we can sink into the "Infinite 'I Give Up' Bed" and let our stress, anxiety, depression, and despair take over - or, instead, we can maybe stop for awhile, in the quiet, in the dark, to pray, and catch our breath - on the, "Never Never Never Give-Up" Bed.

"There is no trial so large that we can't overcome it together." - Neil. L. Andersen