simple inspiration

my temple (free download)

I marveled at its spires. My little girl fantasy of princesses and castles presented a modern day fairy tale of the life I would some day lead.  It was my temple, the Salt Lake Temple, and someday my dreams would come true.

I thought about those feelings as I preparing my Relief Society lesson. I taught  last week:  "Chapter 10: Come into the Temples"  and I made this sketchnote that I refered to during the lesson.  It was so helpful for me as my mind was a little fuzzy from being my first time out of the house since my surgery. I was experiencing a little censory overload and fatiuged.  However I was so grateful to be a church again and I loved preparing for my lesson.

Since those first moments I have always had a kinship to the Salt Lake Temple,  my ancestors helped build it (one example here). I was married within it's walls, as were my parents and my grandparents. Generations of families have been linked with the sacred ordinances that take place each day.

It's my temple.  I feel possessive about it, not because I think no one else should enter in, but because I have had such sacred and special expereinces that have blessed and changed my life.

However, I rarely visit my temple these days.  Instead I worship in the Bountiful Temple a little closer to home and although I have been within it's walls hunderds of times I have had a hard time feeling a connection to this temple  until the big boys sealing.  This beautiful temple suddenly became mine.  A sacred place that I would always cherish and a place that I yearn to go.

I thought about these feelings as I decided to start a new project (I hardly need a new one, but I started it none the less). I drew a simple outline sketch of the Bountiful Temple and I'm going to create a simple book of all the temples I have been able to be in and record a few of the special experiences and feelings I had within the walls, making it my temple.

It's going to be a slow project, I can't imagine I would get more than one temple done a month and the sketches are just that sketches, nothing fancy.   If you are intersted in something more dimensional I noticed this designer had some lovely digital images available.  I printed this first page on a old 6.5" x 9.75" Rusty Pickle album (they are no longer in business sorry) that I've had in my storage bin.  

I also created these 4x6 tags as a lesson handout.  Both files are included in the zipped download, as well as the original png.  Enjoy.

Download Akimball_temple_Bountiful 

 

lazy morning

These two are usually the last to get out of bed and they usually spend a few hours in my bed in transition.  It's part of their morning routine.

When Loaf saw the camera she immediately wanted to give Dash a kiss and to have her picture taken in the process.  I was happy to oblige.

Dash's love for Loaf shines in his smile.  These two have become really good friends this year. They fight and argue, but they are best buddies and it's been wonderful to watch their relationship grow.

After each camera click they want to see the resulting image.  Dash loved them so much he wanted to give Loaf a kiss.  Their expressions make me smile.  Such love and happiness, wonderful little siblings.

Later that morning, after I had made the bed, Loaf climbed back into the bed with some crackers she pilfered from the pantry.  This is the resulting conversation:

"Loaf, you're making a mess on my bed."

"Sorry"

"Well, quit it."

"Okay, I'm NOT sorry."

Love this sassy girl.

 

family: our greatest work

(part of my mother's family)

“Brethren and sisters, material possessions and honors of the world do not endure. But your union as wife, husband, and family can. The only duration of family life that satisfies the loftiest longings of the human soul is forever. No sacrifice is too great to have the blessings of an eternal marriage. To qualify, one needs only to deny oneself of ungodliness and honor the ordinances of the temple. By making and keeping sacred temple covenants, we evidence our love for God, for our companion, and our real regard for our posterity—even those yet unborn. Our family is the focus of our greatest work and joy in this life; so will it be throughout all eternity, when we can ‘inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities … powers, dominions … exaltation and glory’ (D&C 132:19).”

(Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Set in Order Thy House,” Liahona, Jan. 2002, 82)

forger

Brick is an independent little man.  He likes to do things his way and in his time frame.  This past year he has had a little reading chart that I was to initial when he completed reading his book proficiently.  He would become quite irritated with me when I would tell him that he needed to keep the book one more day before passing it off.  

Then one night at the dinner table he learned something brilliant as he listened to his sisters tell John the reason they never let him sign any of their school papers: they forge his name.  They all decided that my name was too difficult to forge and so when they remember and need something signed they come to me, but if they forget a reading log or something trivial at school they forge his name.  Not having John sign gives credibility to their forged signatures.  

We laughed and laughed.  Now please don't misunderstand, we are not encouraging our children criminal activities, but there is a ridiculous amount of paper signing that happens day to day with each of the children.  Our girls are great students so their forging plan makes sense.

Little boy Brick saw this as the perfect solution to his pesky mother problem and this is what I found several days later:

Little man got tired and decided to forge my initials.  All I could do was laugh. I did try with my stern mother look to chastise him.  However clearly it did not work because I found another forged signature a few days later.  After serious conversation the forgery ended, but not without photographic evidence of the crime.  

I sure do love these criminals of mine.  

scriptures defiled

My parents gave me this set of small scriptures when I started my freshman year at the University.  This compact set went with me to all my classes as it sat in my backpack with all my other books.  I learned great truths from it's pages as my life changed. I married, started my family, moved a few times.  These precious words followed me from one event to another adding peace to my life.

Then one Sunday while teaching a group of young 14-15 year old girls the unthinkable happened.  I let a couple of the girls use my scriptures for the lesson.  It was a lovely lesson and each of the girls participated.  As I was preparing for bed that night I opened up my scriptures to find scrawled within the pages the most vile words and statements I had ever read.  I wept as I found page after page of hatred written over the word of God.

These blessed friends had been defiled and I felt violated.  I ripped the pages out and threw them away, but every time I looked at these books I felt only sadness and betrayal. How could something so beautiful suddenly be a filled with such darkness for me? When I opened up the book all I could see were the horrible things and not the beautiful message of hope and peace. I wanted to throw the whole book away. I didn't want to be reminded on a daily basis of the hurtful words. Besides how could one read from the texts with so many pages missing here and there.

John in his wisdom encouraged me to keep this precious volume of scripture that had been such a big part of my life.  He said they were still good and of value.  I didn't know how it would be possible, but I put my trust in his judgement and kept them.

Years later this particular set of scriptures is still used in our home.  It's in the bathroom and when someone soaks in the tub this is the set they can pull from the drawer and read from.  Long soaks (and occastional plunges in the water as you can tell by the warped pages) have been filled with great power as the word of the Lord pours from it's pages.  I weep as I write these words because I still feel the sadness of that day, but amazingly I don't remember the exact words that were so meanly written.  The Lord has helped me forget (a tender mercy)and taught me a great lesson.

I understand that like these scriptures we each have our horrible moments, our mistakes and sins.  We each have things than need to be torn out of our lives so that we can be made pure once again.  Sometimes the cost of repentance is great and painful. Often it feels hopeless, but we can not give up.  We can move forward through the pain.  The Lord will always be by our side and His strength and power will pour from His words to lead, guide, and bring peace to our lives.

Whenever I look at these scriptures I always remember.  Some scars are like that, ever present and visible, however the pain is gone.  Repentance, forgiveness, and peace fill the place where the pain once stood.  In it's place shines beauty, power, and hope.

"No matter what our transgressions have been, no matter how much our actions may have hurt others, that guilt can all be wiped out. To me, perhaps the most beautiful phrase in all scripture is when the Lord said, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”¹¹

That is the promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement."  (President Boyd K. Packer, "The Atonement", General Conference October 2012)

If you would like a copy of my favorite book: The Book of Mormon, please go here.  I would love to send you one.

to be so lucky

I love these beautiful daughters!

I love how they are sitting flopped on one another in such a comfortable manner.  It's always this way, it always makes me smile.

Fred is shy of the camera right now, Arnold not so much.  Don't you love Gus' expression?  It speaks volume of their relationship.

Fred can't help herself.  She has to smile that big, there is no going half way when it comes to her enthusiasm!  Can you see Gus' hand sneaking in back behind Arnold's leg?  Trouble.

There is always ticking.  Always.

Sisters gang up on each other.  Elbows fly.  Legs are the "tickliest" spot, but only with sisters with other people they are bugged. It makes me laugh.

I surely do love these daughters of mine!  We miss you Whitney. She would be part of this giggle, torture moment if she were here.  

sketchnotes and another pen review

I'm a note taker, if you've read my blog for very long this is not a new fact to learn about me: example 1, example 2, example 3, and of course the scripture journals. This is what my notes look like, a fury of jumbled things there and there. I occasionally look back at my notes, but not very often.  I take them so that I remember them better, but really I don't after a few months, or even weeks for that matter.  I've tried adding a few of them to my simple testimony blog, but I eventually toss the note book away.  

Last week I while I was looking for a something my amazon account suggested this book:

The Sketchnote Handbook. 

I researched the author and found out more about what he was teaching and decided to take the plunge and by the book.  It was the end of my birthday week so why not, right?

I think I might has let out a little squeal when it finally arrived and I poured through the pages absorbing and having a million little light bulbs go off in my mind.  Why hadn't I thought of this before?

This technique that Mike Rohdes is teaching is not just about doodling while you take notes. It's about more attentive listening, letting go of trying to write down everything and focus on what is most important.  

I practiced with a talk that he has as part of the dvd presentation.  It's much harder than I anticipated. I had to listen to the talk twice to finish this simple sketchnote, but guess what I loved it and realized I would never take traditional notes again.  He provides some amazing examples from other sketchnote artists who design wonderful examples of from simple to detailed.  Mike has even set up a site called "Sketchnote Army" that features different people and their work.  One featured person as a high school history professor and featured some of his students work.  This is definitely something I'm going to teach my little man who is a visual learner and my analytical guy keeps pouring over the things I'm creating. 

One of the things in the book that each of the artist talked about the pen they use while sketchbooking and of course having pen fetish I had to try each of them out as I was practicing.   I had just received Whitney's latest letter and had Italy on my mind as I was trying out the different pens.

All of them were lovely, I did find that I preferred the smaller barrels.  I had better control over what I was drawing.  I have always been partial to the uniball brand, just love the way it glides.  The Pilot G-TEC-C4  was tiny and I was surprised how much I liked it. I preferred the mirco pens best.  It has been a fun experiment.   I added the shadows with a faber castell Pitt pen.  You can find my first pen review here.

My notes from my lesson on Sunday. It makes me happy. I listened to the audio while I took these notes on "Chapter 10: Come into the Temples" and it offered a different perspective and thoughts as I prepared.  As you can see my drawing skills are limited, but I'm excited to practice.  I plan on adding these to Simple Testimony as I generally read/listen to a conference talk everyday.

I'm adding the other drawing pages just for documentation purposes. The ideas where based on things I learned and was trying to recreate.  I can still hear my 7th grade art teacher's criticism (that's a story for another day) as I draw and just practice.  I love practicing!

PS. I despise this sketchbook! However I am going to fill it up before I start a new one.  The spiral makes me crazy, maybe it's a left handed thing.  All the pens dried quickly so no smudging, which if you are a leftie you understand.

One bad thing about inking directly is that if I misspell something it's stuck, but at this point in my life I'm not overly concerned.  There are more important things to fret about.

beauty secret

(John's grandmother and some friends)

“We have been taught that ‘the gift of the Holy Ghost . . . quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections. . . . It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features’ (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, 10th ed. [1965], 101; emphasis added). Now, that is a great beauty secret!”

Elaine S. Dalton, ”Remember Who You Are!” Ensign, May 2010, 122

seasons

I love where I live! I love the change in the seasons.  I love that the light is constantly changing in hue and intensity not only depending on the time of year, but the time of the day as well.   I love the majesty and power that creates the beauty that is all around us.  

I love today.  

carpenter's son (part 2: free scripture journal download)

Yesterday's letter is the reason I started with the carpenter's son entry of my Names of Christ scripture journal. The thoughts and feelings kept coming over and over again until I put them on paper.  I knew that the Lord was trying to teach me.  He wanted me to know how much He loves Joseph and trusted him with His Only Begotten Son.  He wanted to witness to me again how much He loves each of His children, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are.

I hope you understand that I'm not trying to be a master scholar through this study. I have no aspriations to be a theologian or to have anyone look to me for any answers.  I'm on a simple journey of discovery. I creates visual aid to help me remember and rather than having them sit on my hard drive I post them here.

This is some of what I wrote in this "THOUGHTS" section:

"The name the "carpenter's son" is all about the importance people put on status, not just in the world, but within the church as well.  We idolize our actors, athletes and how often do we place status and value on a bishop, stake president, relief society president? How often do you hear, "I'm just in the nursery." 

Often people are more concerned with what they think the Messiah should look like or be from and reject Him when He is not. We do the same thing today with those who lead or teach us.  We  reject them because of where they were born, their education and profession and sadly because of the things they teach.  President Packer is a prime example of this rejection today in our time.

Christ's lowly birth and earthly parentage/profession not only helped in His growth as a man and our Savior, but it was another sign to the believers of His divinity.  I also can't help but wonder if because he grew up in obscurity for a time so that He could be taught, strengthened, and prepared for the mission that was before Him."

 Part 1 of the carptenter's son: a letter 

I get bored of always writing and the "sameness" (making up words) of what I do so I created these little interactive quote elements.  They are small and packed with wonderful things to think about.  The photos are from lds.org.  A little washi tape just because.  The title was done with some old rubons, a great way to use my old supplies. 

I printed off my letter with the beautiful painting by Georges de la Tour and included that as well because it's so lovely.  

As you can see I still have empty space to write or whatever depending any further knowledge.  I love this journal for that reason, I will never be done.  It's all about the journey.

 

The quotes were formated to fit some buisness card paper that I had in my supplies drawer.  If you are using the perferated business card paper (I used an Avery brand template), be cautious how you tear your quotes appart, the example above shows you where the seam is with the quotes.  I have included a set with and without guides in case you want to just print them out on plain paper/cardstock and cut them out.  I have also included a single sheet with the quotes in a little larger text, no special formating.

Download Akimball_carpenter's_son (pdf)

 

I am also including the jpg images in case there is some discrepency with the business card paper and the pdf.   

 

 

 

Download Akimball_carpenter's_son (zipped jpg)

 Links to the talks I referenced:

(Marvin J. Ashton, "Who Will Forfiet the Harvest?" Conference 1978)

(Howard W. Hunter, "Come Unto Me", General Conference, October 1990)

(Spencer W. Kimball, "Listen to the Prophets", General Conference, April 1978)  

 (Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, (2002), 389–392, F-1 Introduction)

(Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Patience", General Conference, October 1980) 

(Neal A. Maxwell, "Irony, The Crust on the Bread of Adversity", General Conference, April 1989)