Letter to my Thirteen-Year-Old Granddaughter

Letter to my Thirteen-Year-Old Granddaughter

Dear Emily,

Happy Birthday. You are now officially a teenager. Strap on your seat belt because you are about to take a ride full of ups and downs, twists and turns and lots of breathtaking adventures. You have so many first-time-in-life events to look forward to and important decisions to make during this time of your life. It is exciting to grow up and become a young woman but it can also be hard and confusing at times.

Here are a few things to remember from your grandma that loves you very much.

YOU ARE ENOUGH

Don’t believe anyone that tells you are not good enough, pretty enough, smart enough - or anything enough. You are a daughter of the God; you have infinite potential. But . . . you don’t have to be perfect today. Practice makes progress not perfect. People or media outlets that make you feel like you’ll never be good enough are lying to you. You have always been enough and you always will.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

Most people believe that beauty is the way we appear to others. Beauty is the way you appear to God who does not look on the outward appearance - but on your heart. How you treat yourself and other people is what makes you beautiful – not the way you dress, do your hair or apply make-up. God gave you a magnificent body that allows you to see, hear, think and move. Be grateful every single day for the unique body you have.

YOU ARE SMART

During our school years we often compare ourselves to the other students around us. In truth, how we compare to others doesn’t matter in the eternal scheme of things. If you seek after learning, you are smart. Everyone has areas of study that come easily and others that are more challenging. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to figure something out. What matters is that you are willing to keep trying and never give up.

YOU ARE STRONG

Lots of people think you are strong if you never feel fear. The greatest strength is evident when we choose to move forward when we are afraid. Feelings are meant to be felt – all of them. There is no right or wrong feeling. There will be days when you feel scared, incompetent or want to give up. It is normal to feel those emotions. After you feel what you feel, make a careful decision about what you are going to do with those feelings. When you choose to do what you believe in your heart is the right, you can feel peace of mind.

YOU ARE HARD WORKING

Some people think that famous, rich or powerful people are the most important people in the world. The most important people are actually kind, respectful, curious, and hard working. The ability to work hard and never give up will get you through your hardest days.

YOU ARE FUN

Sing, dance, laugh and embrace being your unique self. Life can change in an instant so don’t wait for a better time to enjoy life. Stop worrying about what others think of you. Actually, they are not thinking about you; they are focused on themselves.

YOU CAN SAY NO

Never be afraid to say no to anyone. When you say no to what is not right for you, you actually say yes to what is better for you. There will always be more demands for your time than you can give without depleting your well. You have nothing to give if your well is dry. Spend as much time filling your well as you do drawing from it. Your worth and dignity is constant and never changing. No one can take those away from you.  

YOU ARE LOVED

No person will ever love you the way God loves you. When you feel the love of God you are not desperate for the love of other people. You cannot control how many people love you but you can control how many people you love.

During your teenage years, you will be tempted to dress and behave in fake ways to attract boys. You do not want the attention of a boy who is attracted to false pretenses and appearances. The boy who loves and respects you for who you are is the kind of man you will eventually want to marry.

I love you Emily. I see your strength and your beauty. I feel your courage and dignity. I know that you have the power to create a meaningful life by the choices you make today. I am your one-woman biggest fan club. I will always care about you and pray for you. You are precious to me.

Love,

Grandma Baadsgaard

Speaking in Salt Lake City

These beautiful women provided the music at our gathering. I wish I could take them everywhere I speak.

I had the most wonderful experience speaking at a Stake Relief Society Meeting a few days ago.

I don't know when I've been more fed by the souls of the amazing women in that group.

I felt their love, acceptance and their great value in the eyes of God. Thank you for inviting me.

Letter to my Granddaughter for her Baptism Day

Dear Libby,

I’m so excited that you are turning eight years old this year because that means that you are old enough to choose to be baptized. I’m so happy you have made that choice.

I remember when I was baptized. I was baptized on my eight-year-old birthday on a Saturday night in a little white church across the street from my house in Union, Utah. My congregation had all the children being baptized sit on small wooden chairs and talked to us for a while. I don’t remember what they said, but I do remember what I felt.

I felt excited and a little scared before I was baptized. When I was baptized, the water was warm and I felt clean. After I was baptized and put my dry clothes back on, I walked out of the church into the cold January winter air. I remember looking up and seeing lacy white flakes of snow falling all around me. Even though it was cold outside, I felt warm inside. I knew God loved me and was pleased I wanted to come home to heaven someday.

I also knew that Jesus was my best friend and that if I tried to live like Him that I would be happy. When I was your age, they waited until Sunday to confirm me at church and give me the gift of the Holy Ghost. I felt protected when the men with the priesthood made a circle around me and put their hands on my head as my father confirmed me.

What I didn't know was that the man I was going to marry someday was being baptized on the very same day, January 6^th (my birthday) in a little town called Spanish Fork, Utah. He was a little scared and excited too. Because we both wanted to be like Jesus, we found each other many years later. We recognized that we had the same dreams and plans for life.

           When he got back from him mission to Samoa, we were married in the SLC temple and made special promises to God. We were sealed for time and eternity. Pretty soon your dad was born. Then he grew up and married your mommy in the temple and then pretty soon, you were born.

Being baptized was the beginning of everything wonderful in my life. Being baptized is such a special time because we are able to participate in our first saving ordinance and make our Heavenly Father our first official promise. You are a daughter of God, Libby, and your Heavenly parents love you very much. They want you to be happy so they have made a plan of happiness for you to follow so you can return to them someday. 

Up until now, you have been a child who is learning, growing and maturing. You have made some mistakes; everybody makes mistakes. That is how we learn and grow. Now that you are eight, God thinks you are wise enough to know the difference between right and wrong choices. Heavenly Father knows that some of the choices we make will not be wise. Because He loves us, He wants us to know how to change so we will not be trapped by our mistakes and bad choices. So He invites us to make a promise to Him and then He makes a promise right back to us. When we make a special promise to God and He makes one right back to us, it is called a covenant. Heavenly Father never breaks a promise.

The promise you make to God is that you will remember Jesus, follow Him and keep His commandments. Heavenly Father promises you that He will forgive you if you make a mistake or do something that you know is wrong if you feel sorry and repent. He also promises you eternal life. He also gives you the gift of the Holy Ghost to help, guide, protect, warn and comfort you.

When you choose to be baptized you tell Heavenly Father that:

*You want to be a follower of Jesus Christ

*You will serve your fellowmen

*You will stand as a witness of God all the time

*You will obey the commandments of God

          God promises you that:

  *You are accepted as a member of Christ’s church

   *You can be forgiven of your sin if you repent

   *You can have the gift of the Holy Ghost

   *You can live in the kingdom of God

          Everybody makes mistakes after they are baptized so Heavenly Father gave us the sacrament every week on Sunday. That is when we remember the covenant we made when we were baptized. We think about our week and decide how to be better during the coming week. We think about our Savior Jesus Christ and how He atoned for all our sins, pains, disappointment and grief. We also think about Christ’s resurrection and that we can be resurrected too someday.

I hope you will write about how you feel in your journal when you are baptized. Never forget that you are a child of God and that you can inherit the eternal life God has planned for you. And never forget that your grandma loves you with all her heart.

Love,  Grandma Baadsgaard.   

Grandmother's Poem for her Granddaughter

Love Poem to my Granddaughter

by 

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday Rachel. I love you so.

You begin here

Breathe in, breathe out

New dwelling place

Euphoric surprise

From darkness, into light

I end here

With me in you

Mortal relic

Transfiguration

Where you are

There I am

I will go on

In you

Too soon parting

Matchless mystery

Quietude

All will be well

With me and Thee

Breathe In, breathe out

Awake, asleep

Goodnight

Birthday Poem for a Two-Year-Old

Gideon

by

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy 2^nd birthday my sweet little grandson.

With a head full of curls and two hazel eyes

He swings and jumps and explores and slides.

There are messes to make

And toys to shake,

Swings to glide,

Sunlight to ride,

Blankets to hug.

And brothers to bug.

He is quick on his feet

Dancing to the beat.

He likes candy and cake

And mud-pies to bake.

He likes to explore

So give him some more.

This boy is the best

I have to confess

He makes me smile

For more than a mile.

John Baadsgaard- The MMHS Senior Most Likely to Change the World

My son John was chosen from Maple Mountain High School as the Senior Most Likely To Change the World and he was featured in the Utah Valley Magazine. To read the article click on this site here:

http://utahvalley360.com/2015/05/05/22-high-schoolers-will-change-world/

John Baadsgard 

School: Maple Mountain High School
Parents: Ross & Janene Baadsgard

In addition to being an academic powerhouse, John Baadsgard participates in extracurricular activities including the school newspaper, literary magazine and Maple Mountain’s Science Olympiad Team. He is also a gifted musician who sings in multiple school choirs, teaches piano and acts in school plays. Somehow, he still finds time for service — from peer mentoring to planning birthday parties for residents at the local rest home. His love of service will continue with an LDS mission to Copenhagen, Denmark, immediately after high school.

Assistant principal Dave Knudsen says, “John excels in academics, has many friends and serves those around him. He always pushes himself to be the best at all he does.”

Favorite school subjects? Music, science and mathematics.

Favorite quote? Live to bless, not to impress.

What trials have you overcome? Despite a serious injury to my right hand, I have excelled in piano and become the Instrumental Music Sterling Scholar from my high school.

Biggest blessings? My huge and amazing family (10 children).

Favorite local places to eat? Two Jack’s Pizza, Sizzler or Golden Corral.

Most influential teacher? My piano students. They often teach me more than I teach them.

Most common phrase? Practice makes progress.

Plans after high school? After my LDS mission I want to major in neuroscience at BYU and go on to obtain a graduate degree.

How will you change the world? While I do hope to invent medical technology that allows for a better quality of life, I believe I will make the biggest difference by helping one person at a time. If I can help one person see the world in a more positive way, I have changed the world.

Family Friendly Places To Go In Utah

We had fun visiting the Living Planet Aquarium tonight in Draper Utah.

This was a great family friendly place to visit.

My favorites were: star fish, jelly fish and the sea horses.

The shark tank was also awesome.

MOTHER/DAUGHTER visits at the Payson Temple

All the young women ages 12-18 in our local church unit were invited to visit the bride's room and sealing room
at the Payson Temple with their mothers on Sunday.
When we are sealed in the temple, our marriage does not end at death but lasts for eternity.

This is my daughter Alisa and I at the Payson Temple