32 Weeks

Here's our cute little chunkster at 32 weeks! He is still in the 80th percentile at 5 lbs 5 oz. 

(Yes that is his foot touching his head!) 

I'm starting to finish rounding up the necessities. Yesterday I bought my first box of diapers and wipes! My goal is to have everything ready by mid-October just incase Mr. Ames comes early. I'm still crossing my fingers that maybe he will! If he makes it to full term he will end up being around 9 or 10 lbs.  and I would really like to know that he will be able to be delivered safely and vaginally, so a couple weeks early would be nice, but we'll see! I also received a couple of adorable newborn outfits as gifts that I would love for him to be able to wear, but if he ends up being 10 lbs that won't happen :) 

All in all, I only care that he is born safe and healthy.

I'm still feeling really good other than sitting or standing for long stretches. My ribs feel crushed if I sit too long and my legs go numb if I stand too long. 

Sleeping isn't too bad. I have some bad nights here and there, but like I said, I'm not overly uncomfortable yet. 

I found out about a $10 off coupon code for TOMS via Mint Arrow, so I took the plunge and ordered some little cordones I've been wanting to get for Ames. The teeny tiny box they came in was cute enough in itself, not to mention the shoes! I have an obsession with cute baby shoes. I would love to some day get a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins for him, but $60 isn't going to happen right now. 

Last Sunday I was asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. If you need a little spiritual uplift, I've included my talk below. Some of you may have already heard the experience I share, as I shared it earlier this year on my blog. It is near and dear to my heart and I hope that by sharing it, someone else will be blessed by it. 

Blessings that come from keeping the commandments…

When we think of the word commandments, for many of us, the 10 Commandments probably come to mind, but there is much more to it than that. I love the simple way that mormon.org explains our beliefs about the commandments…

There are 2 great commandments – love God & love others

All of the other commandments we are given, including the 10 commandments, to help us live the 2 great commandments.

Other commandments we have been given include…

-       Pray often

-       Study the scriptures

-       Follow the prophet

-       Law of chastity

-       Word of wisdom

-       Tithing

-       Fasting

-       Obey laws of the country

-       Intelligently obey

-       And I’m sure you can think of others

We have been told over and over that if we keep these commandments we will be blessed. We have seen evidence of this in both ancient and modern day. King Benjamin devoted an entire sermon to the people about blessings that would come from keeping the commandments.

 In Mosiah 2:41 he says “ And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

In the days of the Restored Church we see all of the blessings that came from the Saints keeping the Commandments.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks shared this, in a 1974 BYU Devotional…

‘ The Lord said this about the persons who would build up the land of Zion:

Blessed are they whose feet stand upon the land of Zion, who have obeyed my gospel; for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength.

And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time. [D&C 59:3–4]

In the Lord’s preface to the Book of Commandments, which is now called the Doctrine and Covenants, we find the Lord saying this:

These commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to an understanding.

And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known;

And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed;

And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent;

And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time. [D&C 1:24–28]

Elsewhere in the Doctrine and Covenants we read that the Lord sent forth his gospel and gave his commandments “to prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth” that men “might be made partakers of the glories which were to be revealed” (D&C 133:57–58).

Commandments are a blessing, my brothers and sisters, because our Father in heaven has given them to us in order to help us grow and develop the qualities we must have if we are to obtain eternal life and dwell with him. By keeping his commandments, we qualify for his blessings. “There is a law,” we are told, “irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” '

In Pres. Monson’s Conference talk this past April titled “Obedience Brings Blessings” he tells us, ‘ The knowledge which we seek, the answers for which we yearn, and the strength which we desire today to meet the challenges of a complex and changing world can be ours when we willingly obey the Lord’s commandments. In the words of the Lord: “He that keepeth [God’s] commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.”’

These promises have spanned all generations and times and will continue to do so.

*From my own experience I know that we are truly blessed when we keep the commandments…

Last year I miscarried my first pregnancy at 10 weeks, so the second time around being pregnant was pretty stressful for me.

Before we started trying again we began with a fast, which I thought would calm my troubled mind, but I was constantly scared of it happening again and felt like I was anxious and irritable 24/7. I thank my poor husband for dealing with me.

When I started having symptoms of possibly another miscarriage around Conference time this past spring, I was inconsolable by Landon or anyone else.

I asked Landon to give me a blessing, in which he told me that this baby would be born into this world healthy and strong and that Heavenly Father knew I was ready to be a mother. He said it plain and simple.

But of course, I just couldn’t believe that anyone but a doctor could tell me it was all ok. During Conference that same day, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang the primary song “Faith.” I will never forget feeling like they were singing just for me. On Monday I decided I still needed to call the doctor as the symptoms hadn’t subsided. As I was waiting for a nurse to call me back I saw my scriptures sitting next to my bed. It had been too long since I’d even cracked them, so I opened to where my RS book mark said I had left off… 2 Nephi 18 & 19. My eyes were immediately drawn to the only highlighted scripture on the page which was 2 Nephi 19:6 which reads, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” I immediately searched the pages wondering if this was for real. It was Isaiah speaking and the rest of the words on the page seemed to melt together. At this point I couldn’t doubt it. I had gone to the Lord, and he was trying to bless me with the peace and knowledge I needed and wanted. I just needed to accept it.

 Every time I started to worry after this experience, I just remembered those words Landon spoke and the words I read in that verse and it immediately subsided. Without this blessing from the Lord, I honestly don’t think I could have kept my sanity, and Landon definitely wouldn’t have kept his.

 Also, amidst all of this happening, Landon found out that his car needed a new transmission, but somehow it has lasted us all summer, leaking all over the place, until we could save up the money to fix it.

These are just a couple of the many ways we have continuously been

blessed (even amidst my doubt) because we relied on the Gospel and kept the Lord’s commandments. Trials came as they always will, but we did what he has asked of us and he in turn was willing to help us in our time of need.

I could go on and on about all of the blessings we have received, especially while Landon has been in school, just by staying close to the Lord and doing what he has asked of us.

I know that the Lord loves and knows each of us individually. I knew it as soon as I read that scripture in 2 Nephi, and I have known it through many other tender mercies he has shown to me over my life. He loves us, knows us, and wants us to be happy. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

***

If you want to know more about my faith you can go here.