Christmas At The Baadsgaard House 2014

Happy 15th Birthday Josh

January 24, 2015

Dear Josh,

            Happy birthday! I sure love being your grandma. I’ll never forget the day you were born. I just had Alisa and was still in the hospital. I wanted to be there when you were born even though the nurses told me to stay in bed because I just had a C-section.

I said, “I’m going.”

And I went. I’ll never forget the feeling I had when I saw you for the first time. You were my very first grandchild and I was overcome with the miracle of you and the love I had for you and your parents. I knew the miracle of love I felt for my family would go on forever.

            It has been so much fun to watch you and Alisa grow up together. You’ve been good buddies.  I was so excited when you moved to Spanish Fork because that meant I could see you more often. Thank you so much for coming over to visit me almost every week. I love to see you coming through my front door.

            You are becoming such an awesome young man. I am so proud of you and the way you are always serving others as you perform your priesthood duties. I notice how you always study and do well in school. I’ve also noticed how kind you are to the children around you. All your cousins know they can trust you to treat them with kindness and respect.

            I really love you Josh. It has brought me so much joy to watch you grow up. Thank you for being so good to your brothers and your mom and dad. Because you are the oldest, your younger brothers really look up to you and want to be like you.

It won’t be long until you and Alisa are in Maple Mountain High School. Just remember that I am just a block away; so if you need something just call me and I can be there in a minute or two.

            Josh thank you for always being so nice to your Grandma Baadsgaard. I love hearing what you to say about lots of things because you read a lot and study and you have lots of good ideas and information. I’m glad that you like to think for yourself.

Sometimes when I see you I like to envision your brother Caleb at your side. I think of you two as a righteous team like your namesakes from the Bible going into the Promised Land. Remember that Caleb is there for you and you can talk to him any time you want to.

No matter where you go or what you do -  always remember that your Grandma Baadsgaard thinks you are amazing and that I will always love you forever.  Someday when you have a grandson that brings you as much joy as you have brought to me, then you know how I feel about you.

            Thank you for always leading out and being such a good example for all your 25 nieces and nephews. You have an important place in this family that only you can fill.

God bless you Josh with all the desires of your heart.

I love you with all my heart,

Grandma Baadsgaarad

Happy Birthday Isabella

IZZY-THE SOFT GREY MONKEY

by

Grandma Baadsgaard

I love you Izzy. I hope you like this poem I wrote just for you.

Izzy is a soft grey monkey

Who lives up in the trees

And if you want some excitement

Just whistle if you please

For Izzy likes to dance and play

And swing from limb to limb

She smiles your way if you say

Monkeys don’t have to be prim

While some monkeys like bananas

Izzy would rather eat pie

So if you bring her a yellow bunch

Izzy rolls her eyes and sighs

Izzy likes to give big hugs

And lots of snuggles too

So if you’re ever sad or lonely

Just ask for one or two

 For monkeys have lots of energy

They simply can’t sit still

But if you need a pick-me-up

Izzy’s love is for real

If you’re looking for a boring monkey

who is quiet and holds still all day

You better look somewhere else

For Izzy’s here to stay

Baptism Letter From Grandma

Dear Isabella,

Happy Birthday! 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, adopted and sealed to them.

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, Isabella, 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.    

I NEED YOUR HELP

I NEED YOUR HELP

I have been asked by the LDS church to write a history of the Payson Temple from 2010-2015. I only have a few months to complete this book. It will be a nice hard back book that will be placed in the cornerstone box at the temple and up at the church history department in SLC. This book will not be bought and sold - it will be the official history for the church.

I need stories/experiences/photos from all of you on:
when you heard the announcement about the temple and how you felt
personal experiences at the groundbreaking
temple site history or personal experiences
personal experiences watching angel Moroni being placed/lights go on
personal stories from neighbors who have watched the temple going up
personal stories from construction workers, artists, designers, etc (anyone who has worked on the temple in any way)
any information about general authorities with local ties to the area any church unit/community involvement personal experiences.

Then as the dedication nears I'll need your personal stories/photos about:
open house experiences
cultural celebration experiences
dedication experiences
your first visit to the temple when opened.

I will not be able to do a good job on this assignment without your help. Your story is of great worth to me and the history of this wonderful temple about to be opened on our area. Please get the word out for me.
Send your stories/photos to: janenebaadsgaard@q.com
If you have any questions please call me at:
801-798-8295

If you want to read a newspaper article about this history book click here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE BAADSGAARD FAMILY

MY CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

MY CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

I pulled out a halo and a set of wings from our dress-up box on Christmas Eve and handed them to my son-in-law Dallan. While he dressed his fragile son for his part in our annual family Christmas Eve pageant, I helped Mary, Joseph, several shepherds and three wise men find bathroom towels and turbans.

When everyone was ready and waiting in the kitchen for their entrance, I opened the Bible and began reading the nativity story. Joseph and Mary entered on cue and soon the shepherds found their way into the living room with staffs in hand.

When the moment arrived for my grandson to recite his part in the nativity play, Dallan stood. He thrust Caleb high in the air, inches from the ceiling. We all looked up and waited for Caleb’s angelic lines.

What happened next is impossible to describe. A low rich male voice recited the familiar words from the Bible. Though my physical brain told me I was hearing Dallan’s voice, my spirit told me Caleb was speaking. I glanced up in silence.

"Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord,"

I gasped.

Because he was missing his brain, Caleb had never been able to speak a word to any of us . . . but somehow that night, through his father, Caleb spoke to me that Christmas Eve. And may he speak to you . . .

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

LDS BAPTISM LETTER FROM GRANDMA

Dear Mitchell,

Happy Birthday! 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 got married in the Salt Lake City temple and made some new special promises to God when we were sealed for time and eternity. Then pretty soon your mommy was born. Then she grew up and married your daddy 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 son of God, Mitchell, 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 take on the name 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 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.    

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Payson Temple Open House and Dedication is Announced

The following is information supplied from lds.org:

The free public open house for the Payson Utah Temple will be held from Friday, April 24, through Saturday, May 23, 2015, and run every day except Sundays, April 26 and May 3, 10 and 17. The cultural celebration will be held Saturday, June 6, and the temple will be dedicated in three sessions on Sunday, June 7.

The temple was announced by President Monson January 25, 2010, and ground was broken to begin construction October 8, 2011.

The new temple will serve approximately 27 stakes stakes from Mapleton to Delta.Temple-going members have been driving to Provo or Manti for temple services. The Payson Temple will be the 15th in Utah. Two more temples are scheduled for the Beehive State; the Provo City Center Temple is under construction and the Cedar City Temple has been announced.

The Payson Temple is located at approximately 930 West and 1550 South on the southwest side of Payson, a mile from the 800 South I-15 interchange. The property offers scenic views of the area as well as easy access to the freeway.

HE IS THE GIFT

“As we discover the gift, we learn of the immeasurable love of God and our absolute need for a Savior. 

As we embrace the gift, we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and our desire to become more like Him. 

As we share the gift, we follow in the Master’s footsteps,

 who invited all to hear His message.”

 –Russell M. Nelson 

Birthday Letter For a Thirteen-Year-Old

Dear Matthew,

Happy Birthday! You are thirteen years old today – an official teenager. If you stop and think about it, you only have five more years before you are old enough to go on a mission, start college or leave home. Five years is not very long to get yourself ready for that day. Not many people your age are wise enough to make the most of their teenage years. These years are your preparation time for adulthood. The decisions you make will start you on a course that will lead you to a life of selfishness or a life of joy. This is the time to develop your talents, intellect and desire to serve. If you keep learning, work hard and never give up, you will become a remarkable young man. If you choose to be lazy and selfish, you will have regrets.

Just a few days ago I watched you perform a piano solo in front of your school. I was so proud of you because you did something hard. Hours and hours of regular practice and persistence made it possible for you to perform well. I think learning to play the piano is a lot like learning to live your life well. With the piano you start out as a beginner not knowing anything. Then you are taught one musical concept at a time. After you learn how to read music, you begin playing simple one finger songs. If you keep learning, practicing, and listening to your piano teacher you will make slow gradual progress over time.

We all make lots of mistakes while we learn. Mistakes are part of the process of improving. If you don’t get discouraged and keep trying you have the opportunity to keep getting better. One day you may become a piano teacher and help others learn as you have learned. Helping others learn is what we do when we grow up or gain maturity. It is difficult to help others if we have not done the hard work of learning and reaching a certain level of mastery.

Going through these next few years as a teenager will be a lot like learning to play the piano. You can choose right now how you want to make slow gradual progress over time. You do that by choosing what kind of person you want to become. Do you want to be friendly, happy, hard-working and service oriented? Or do you want to be closed-off, grumpy, lazy and selfish? You simply choose who you want to be and then start practicing.

The most important qualities we learn first come from our interaction with our family. So the best way to practice becoming who you want to be is by practicing the qualities you want to develop on your parents and brothers. For example you learn how to be a hard worker by helping your parents at home and in the yard. You learn how to be a hard worker at school by regular attendance and careful study. You learn how to be friendly or how to serve by practicing on your parents and brothers, the boys in your church group and at school. If you want to be a happy person, practice getting rid of all your negative thoughts and replace them with grateful thoughts. If you want to become a loving person, practice forgiving someone . . . especially those closest to you in your home and community.

In the same way you had regular piano lessons each week where you reported to your music teacher, take the time on a regular basis to pray to God with a sincere desire to listen and learn. God wants you to know how to improve, but you must want to listen before you can hear Him. Your Father-in-Heaven is the best Matthew-Becoming-Awesome teacher in the universe. Remember to schedule regular lessons with Him.

I have loved watching you grow up for the past thirteen years Matthew. I so enjoy seeing your smiling face come through my front door. I love your passion for life your and joy for living. You have an amazing mind and spirit and God will expect great things from you. I will always be your biggest fan. 

Love,

Grandma Baadsgaard

John's Christmas Concert 2014

The MMHS Carols and Confections Concert is almost here.
 If you'd like tickets before they sell out call my son John at 801-798-8295.
He will pick up your money
($10.00 a ticket that includes a catered plate of treats)
and he will deliver your tickets to your door.
This is an amazing concert.

Good News To Share

My grandson Matthew and my daughter Alisa auditioned for the Stars Assembly at the Junior High this week and they both made it. They will be playing piano solos for the whole school next Tuesday.

My son John just learned today that he earned the Instrumental Music Sterling Scholar at MMHS.

My son Jacob just posted an article on Linked-in that is terrific. I shared it on my facebook page.

My daughter Arianne learned that her blog will be featured in Parent's Magazine in the spring.

My husband Ross had a great day meeting with our representatives/staff members in Washington DC today. He got out of New York before the big snow hit and is in a hotel with the Capitol rotunda shining out of his window. 

Birthday Story for a Nine-Year-Old

Sophia and the Enchanted Hour

by

Granny B

Happy Birthday Sophia. I love you so. 

You asked me for a story with a unicorn in it so here it is.

            Early one Sunday evening at grandma’s house, Sophia’s parents were busy talking to her aunts and uncles while her brothers wrestled with their cousins on the play room floor. Sophia sighed. Then she noticed her grandma winking at her from across the room and motioning her outside onto the desk.

            “Before the sky grows dark there is an enchanted hour,” Sophia’s grandmother whispered as they stood silhouetted against the sunset. “Before the sky fills with moon and stars, there is a time called blue dark. That is the bewitching hour between daylight and night when all the mystical creatures are about. If you are quiet and don’t scare them away, you might be lucky enough to see one someday. They don’t come to noisy insufferable children. That is why I think one might come to you. They only appear when they sense a soft, kind heart.”

            Then Sophia’s grandma walked back into the house and left her alone on the deck. Sophia noticed the giant pine trees that lined her grandparent’s property and the way they swayed in the gentle breeze. Then suddenly she noticed a flickering light behind the old barn. Sophia was usually too scared to walk down the lane alone to the barn by herself; but that night her curiosity drew her down the stairs, across the lawn and down the rock path.

Just as Sophia stepped around the back of the barn, she saw a shining white unicorn shaking its head and rising up on its back legs. Sophia was startled but she wasn’t scared. She felt like she was in a dream. She had wanted to see a unicorn her whole life and her wish had finally come true. Then the unicorn walked toward Sophia and nuzzled next to her. Sophia placed her arm around the neck of the unicorn and stroked its glowing mane. Then the unicorn knelt down low enough for Sophia to climb onto its back and wrap her arms around its neck.

            Then the unicorn spread its wings and flew into the blue dark sky. Sophia saw her grandparent’s barn drop beneath her. Suddenly she was flying through the clouds as stars sparkled all around her. Sophia let go of the unicorn’s mane. Then she spread her arms wide as every scared thought flew out of her head and brave thoughts filled her heart like gentle doves.

            Then these words filled her mind, “I am amazing. I am strong.  I am beautiful. I am loved. I am a daughter of God.”

            Suddenly Sophia found herself lying on her back in the pasture behind the barn as if she were waking up from a dream. She looked up at the stars as the gentle wind caressed her face and the long slender blades of grass tickled her cheeks. Just when she thought the magic was over she glanced up and saw a shooting star in the form of a white unicorn with a flowing mane blazing across the night sky.

            When Sophia walked back toward her grandparent’s house that night, she saw her grandma standing on the deck waiting for her. After she climbed the stairs, her grandma gave her a great big hug.

            “I saw . . . ,” Sophia whispered excitedly in her grandmother’s ear.

            “You are amazing. You are strong. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are a daughter of God,” her grandmother whispered.

            “You saw too?”

            Grandma winked.

“And you know dear,” her grandma answered, “there is no telling what will happen tomorrow and tomorrow if you can believe.”