Testimony Tuesday: Patty

Today marks 3rd in the series of guest writers who are god-fearin' and people-lovin' folks. This project wouldn't be complete without the insight from a woman who is out of the thick of "it"(I'm talking little ankle-biters shadowing every move) and is now (hopefully) enjoying an empty nest. She is also my personal hero.

There's so many reasons why Patty is a female stud. A) She's an Idaho girl who grew up skiing at majestic Grand Targhee B) She kept up skiing and rockin' the slopes even after 4 kids C) She has patience like a river. I'm not kidding about that. D) She was my Young Womens teacher growing up but still allowed me to be equally yoked as a kindred spirit.

Here she is showing off her beautiful offspring.  Over to you Patty:

As for me, in my home, I tried to recognize when the kids “felt” something good.  I would tell them that was the Holy Ghost, and how blessed they were to be able to feel that.  I would write the things down that they shared with me.  My youngest son is on a mission in Brazil.  When he was 5 he told me about a special experience when the “talking ghost” talked to him.  (It took me a few minutes to realize he wasn’t talking about Casper). When he was 12 and his father died, he told me another experience that happened to him during the funeral.  I wrote these things down, but, better than that, one of his church leaders had the kids in the class write down “pocket testimonies” during one of their lessons.  My son wrote about this last experience, folded the small piece of paper up about the size of a dime, and shoved it in his pants pocket.  I found it, saved it, and included it with information I sent with my son on his mission.  He remarked when he found it how it brought back something he had forgotten.  It came at a time that he needed encouragement.

I once heard a saying that I use when confronted with the questions.  We aren’t members of the church because of what we know, but because of what we feel. 

Another piece of advice I remember is, that as a parent, we need to set up, or make sure there are situations where the Lord can be present in our home. 

There is an email being circulated that is very interesting.  It is an LDS young women from Blackfoot, Idaho attending Harvard University.  She is on a religious panel discussion, and she answers some of the touchy questions very well.   It takes about 20 minutes to listen to, but she does a great job.

Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

[Another] great resource for inspiration is my friend *John.  He is a university professor, and happens to be the only LDS instructor in his department.  I have had two family members leave the gospel as they became highly educated.  They are too smart to believe now and can talk through most of our doctrine.  John is well educated in all history, church history included.  He had his own challenges in dealing with history, his colleagues, and his testimony.  I asked him to tell me how he balanced his intellect and the gospel.  I will give you both of his responses to me.  He is eloquent and right on the money. 

Mrs. Olsen here: I will be posting John's contribution later this week.  For now, we'll leave you some time to watch the embedded video if you have not already seen it.   Patty and I were both proud Idahoans when we watched it.  Thanks Patty!