A Moment of Truth

I am a child of God,

His promises are sure;

Celestial glory shall be mine,

If I can but endure.

(4th verse of "I am a Child of God," LDS Primary Songbook)

I seem to express few of the joys I experience in life to the blogging world. Indeed, many may think (perhaps for good reason)that I am void of any feelings of love, gratitude, or humility, because I usually confine my dialogue to cynical observations about the world and sinister remarks about how to change it. Today, I take a detour from the usual "yadda...yadda..mumbo, jumbo" and talk a little about the good things in life...a.k.a. The Lord, The Gospel, and how those things bless my life.

Despite, my pathetic skills as a chorister, I have had the privilege of being the music leader for our ward's Primary. After 9 1/2 months of no-so-intense practicing, the climax of my calling took place today with the annual sacrament meeting program. Our theme for the year was "I am a Child of God," and I cannot think of a more meaningful message to proclaim to the Lord's children through the mouths of His babes.

For those who think that our little program was a perfect public display of reverence and obedience, I will begin by assuring you that it was not. Sure enough, there was plenty of sporadic juvenile behavior--chair bouncing, eye-rolling, neighbor whispering...I think there may have even been a nose pick or two. But these matters are trivial.

What truly matters was the spirit that was present. Sound cliche? Well it should, because I am beginning to realize that Gospel truths are found in all the spiritual cliches we hear rehearsed to us day in and day out--Pray. Read your scriptures. Go to church. Fast. Pay tithing. Repent (important!). Go to the temple...you get the picture. Want to know the spiritual cliche being exercised in today's program? "From small and simple means are great things brought to pass." Now this may not necessarily be in the same category as the previous cliches, but by the fact that it is an often repeated line in the Church, I think it qualifies as such.

How true is that statement?! I tell you what. The little ones of this world are the best example of faith we have to follow. They may know next to nothing about Gospel doctrines. Yet, when they "know" that Heavenly Father loves them and that they are children God, I have no doubt that their knowledge of this truth is stronger and purer than many of us who have spanned a longer existence. The nature of their faith may be "small and simple," but as the scripture says, it is the means whereby great things come to pass. One of those great things is the strengthening of my own testimony. For it is no easy task to soften a heart dotted with pride. Yet, the testimony manifested by those little ones today softened my heart deeply, and I can only feel gratitude and love towards my Heavenly Father for allowing me to have the privilege of being Sister Ragan, Primary Chorister.

Anti-Climatic Departure

As perhaps you can tell (or perhaps you know first hand) I have had a little time to myself this past week. Amongst the many things I have done, I have spent some time

pondering my departure

from this Valle Redondo.

I know it must

never be good luck to reminisce about a place before you have left it, but since it is

Sunday, superstition is far from my mind.

Indeed, I am hoping to have

the most anti-climatic departure this town has seen yet,

and I plan on milking this whole moving thing for everything I can.


Which brings me to the subject of this week's list:

tOp tEn tHiNgS

I will miss about this Valle Redondo

10.All of the "little" friends I have made thanks to my awesome calling in Primary as chorister.

9. Eating Sonic and driving the main drag as date night.

8. Being asked "Red or Green?" at the local restaurants.

Let me clarify on this one.

Red=Red Chile; Green=Green Chile.

Now for further clarification.

The only good Mexican food in this town is found in the little portable shack ("La Perllita") next to the laundry mat, and on occasion, the bright yellow van parked next to the vacated gas station ("Chile Pepper Cafe?")...not taking into consideration local, homemade stuff of course.

Bottom Line? I have yet to have good Mexican food (or at least what I call Mexican food) at the local restaurants. And it is at these places that I get asked the notorious color question.

So I guess you could say I won't miss the food itself because despite which chile is used, the food is still sadly un-authentic. RATHER, I will miss the trust in which people ask the question because it takes a truly close community to ask such an abstract question as "Red or Green?" and trust that the receiver understands its implication.

7. Having the feeling of "going to town" (Show Low that is).

6. Being able to refer to people as "folks" in professional circumstances.

5. Seeing Bishoprics (except mine of course) sport the Wrangler style at church.

4. Seeing the stars at night.

3. Running into at least 3 people that I know every time I go grocery shopping.

4. Getting away with fashion that is at least 10 years behind the trend...GO ADRI BANGS!

3. Instead of the Ice-capades (sp?) and "Frosty on Ice," RV has its 4 minute Christmas parade with "Frosty on a Quad."

2. Not having the temptation to watch the tube because there is no local programming.

Drum Roll Please...And now for the number one thing I will miss

Do you want the sarcastic or the sentimental answer first.

Well the sentimental one is more predicable so maybe that should be first.

No, better to leave the crying for the end, so sarcastic first.

Yet, I am striving for anti-climatic drama so maybe it should be first.

Sentimental,

No, Sarcastic.

Okay, sentimental it is.

1. No brainer of course, MY FRIENDS!!

You know, friends have been an odd component of my life in RV.

As a teenager, I left the friend-making to Sheena and just claimed her buddies as my own. By the time I was dating J, friends were hitched or at school elsewheres and so my pre-teen cuzzes became my buds.

And in the last few years being married, I never really thought I would have a core of friends here because

A--all the married folks left in town had a bunch of kids and since friend-time is precious, they would only want friends who came as a packaged deal with kids of their own (You know the scenario, Be my friend, watch my kids and in return I'll be your friend and watch your kids.);

OR

B--I would never find people who had the same interests as me or perhaps stated in a less conceited way, I would never have the same interests as other people.

To my delightful surprise, these things were not true and, thank the Lord, I made some great friends (oh yeah, even better J did too!).

Now that the tears are wiped, here is my real #1 answer.

1. Having a grammatically incorrect local mascot...

GO ELKS!!

Cartwheels!

I Now Introduce the much anticipated, critically accalimed, better than nadia comaneci, adri cartwheels....

(Too dark? Too bad!)

Thanks to camerawoman Amie for the help...Thanks too Marci for offering...guess I tried to catch ya when you were out :)