Daniel Spencer Jr was the first ancestor in my family to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his descendants can be found in many places. You can read about him here. He was a missionary, a mayor of Nauvoo, and a pioneer. During the last decades of his life he served as a stake president in Salt Lake City. One of my favorite facts about Daniel Spencer is that he was a missionary in England and visited many European countries, including Denmark, during this mission. So, Mark is following this ancestor’s path.
George Sterling Spencer was Daniel Spencer’s grandson. He built the original cabin on the land we still visit each summer which we call the Weber. Most of George Sterling Spencer’s children are listed below.
This week, Mark told me that he and his third cousin in the Spencer line, a fellow missionary, have been asked to do an Easter musical number together in Denmark. They are the great-great grandsons of the two brothers I have circled. The missionary’s first name? Spencer. 😄
Family history is really interesting when you begin to connect the dots from the past to the good things happening now.
Sixteen years today I began writing this blog. What do I think of that? I think it’s probably more than almost anyone needs or wants to read. But the blog is a personal accomplishment and I celebrate this milestone. Thanks for reading. 🩷
Little W— is one. 💙
Today I am also celebrating Mark, who has been a missionary for six months. He is serving in the mission office for a few hours a day and talking to people for the rest of the time. I miss him. It is hard to have him gone, but I know it’s the best thing. Perhaps I am more yielded and still about it than I think.
A block tower in honor of Mark, who always builds one during general conference. ♥️🐒
I have learned that Heavenly Father wants to give us experiences with his kingdom in our lives right now, not just in the afterlife. The following parables in Matthew 13 teach us how.
Life in the kingdom begins with small acts of faith and becomes a beautiful home, providing shelter and protection from the world. Others will be drawn to it, so all kinds of personalities will be in this “tree.”There is room to sit together and figure out life.
Small acts of faith bring great blessings because God is generous.The benefits of the kingdom impact all areas of life, and can bless the people within the believer’s influence.
The kingdom is the source of joy and will require the sacrifice of all worldly things to attain it.
It’s something we must seek, and nothing compares in value. It will be the pinnacle of life’s labors.
Great pains will be given to gather all, but eventually, only those who choose to obey may stay.
So, in whatever way you are experiencing the kingdom of heaven in your life: seeking answers, finding shelter, rejoicing, sacrificing, repenting, feeling pulled away from your old life…this is all part of the plan to gather you home to the Father.
I know His will for us is so, so good, so let’s hold on together.
Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
Here are some of my thoughts from a recent study of Doctrine and Covenants 25.
One thing I have misread in scripture with my modern eyes is the instruction to Emma Smith that her “time shall given to writing.” The Lord wasn’t telling her to be a writer or historian while running a 19th century household. Occasionally, she was to write as a scribe for Joseph. She was also to write in preparation to expound scripture and exhort the church.
I have found guidance and wisdom from this section of scripture all my life. One reason I misunderstood what the Lord was telling Emma was because the Spirit was inspiring me to actually be awriter through these words.
This scripture is still instructive to me. Like it was for Emma, my efforts to write help me learn new things. With this knowledge, I can amplify the gospel of Jesus Christ within my circle of influence.
In writing about faith and sharing glimpses of family life on the blog these past 16 years, I don’t think I’ve expressed anything new. However, I have come to see truth more clearly, so I have “learn[ed] much!”
This week while sorting through boxes, I discovered these kid quotes I scribbled down during the first few months of 2009. Mark was 2, Tim was 6, and Daniel was 9. I don’t know if they are entertaining to anyone else, but they still make me laugh. 😃
1/09:”My legs love to fight,” Mark admits as we try to pull him away from Timothy.
1/09: “Get your fingers off!” Mark screams as we try to help him steer the mini jeep.
1/09: To Mom, sitting at the school table, “Hey, I was sitting in that chair. Can you sit on my lap?” -Mark
1/30/09: “This is my room where I fight and build things and take naps and get changes.” -Mark
1/09: “It’s not really comfortable to play computer games before your first jobs are done.” -Timothy, discussing his daily moral dilemma.
2/09: Mark: “We need to go to Grandma’s house.”
Mom: “Which grandma?”
Mark: “The one with all the Legos and the sewing and the snacks and the little red cups!”
2/18/09: On the way to church on a cold February morning, Daniel says, “We wouldn’t want to send Cupid out in this weather. It would be hard to shoot an arrow and make anyone fall in love.”
2/20/09: Daniel, after viewing a stern photo of his ancestor, Daniel Spencer, said, “If great-grandpa Spencer were a dinosaur and they found a fossil of his skeleton, they would have a hard time knowing what he was really like because he would look pretty vicious. Thank goodness we have family history because he was really a good guy.”
3/1/09: Tim, on the carpet, “I’m making a snow angel. It’s not working.”
3/4/09: “When I wake up, I want to be in a jet. A red jet.” -Mark
3/5/09: Mark, handling a toy cement mixer, asks what it is called.
Mom: “It’s a cement mixer. It mixes cement.”
Mark: “And diapers. It mixes diapers.”
Mom: “How did you come up with that?”
Mark: “It’s just my observation.”
Mark, hearing Mom tell Dad about his “observation” quote asks, “Am I significant?”
3/6/09: Mark, displaying two of his Lightning McQueen cars, tells Paige, “These ones are sweet. But you don’t eat them.”
3/9/09: Mark, looking at the messy table after dinner, exclaims, “There are chili dots everywhere!”
3/10/09: Mark asks, “Are you the singing mommy?”
3/10/09: Taking in hand his electric toothbrush, Mark exclaims, “Start. Your. Engines!” and begins to brush.
3/21/09: Daniel, after spilling a little lemonade, remarks in a frustrated voice, “I just wish gravity wasn’t so strong. I mean, I’m grateful we’re not just floating around (although that would be fun sometimes) but I wish it wasn’t so easy to spill.
3/22/09: Discussing possible musical selections the kids can do for an upcoming sacrament meeting,
Mom: “Paige can play piano and Daniel and Timothy can sing.”
I have a sort of pen pal that I exchange texts with once a week. This friend is a neighbor and I see her often, but there is something special about those Saturday check-in texts. For years we have shared a range of ideas, from little experiences to really important milestones.
Here is something that I wrote to my pen pal recently. This is an example of how sharing a story in writing helped me find a lesson from the experience and a flaw in my thinking.
Normally, when I talk to homeschool moms, they are not interested in anything I have to offer, including books that I am willing to give away. I pulled many homeschool books from my shelves this month to donate to DI, but decided to send photos of the books to some homeschool friends first. Within seconds, some claimed books via text, and within an hour, most of them were collected from the house. It took my breath away to see so many of my treasures leave the house, but it felt good to see that they will be appreciated in their new homes. The lesson for me is that the photos of the books, sent via text, were more effective than an open invitation to come take some books anytime. It seems obvious now, but I spent a lot of time thinking people weren’t interested. They just needed details and a deadline. 😄
