Tuesday 19 November 2013

DVT & Taro Legs/Trunks


About a month ago I was due to go to a work conference interstate. The same day I got a call from my doctor. 

"You need to come urgently"
"Can it wait till I get back from my work trip?"
"No"

Okie dokie then. A day or so before I had done some blood tests and the results must've come in. So my Tarlini and I went in. We arrrived at about 1:30pm. I had to leave the doctors by 4pm to make my flight. 

So we get ushered to the doctor's office. One blood test called D-Dimer Innovance was slightly elevated and he was worried I may have something in my lungs and that I may also have DVT which meant there was no way I could fly. I was a little bit worried about not making the work conference but more worried because our family reunion was the following week... oh yeah and the whole dying thing blah blah blah. I needed an chest x-ray for the lungs and both my legs had to be scanned to check for DVT. 

Deep vein thrombosis


DVT is usually the formation of a thrombus in the deep veins of the leg, and may be referred to as proximal DVT or distalDVT. Occasionally, DVT also occurs in the veins of the upper extremities. DVT can occur spontaneously without known underlying cause (idiopathic thrombosis) or after provoking events, such as trauma, surgery or acute illness (provoked thrombosis).
Major veins of the lower extremity.
The most common type of venous thromboembolism isdeep vein thrombosis, which occurs most frequently in veins deep within the muscles of the leg and pelvis.
Patient figure: major veins and deep vein thrombosis (DVT)Major veins of the lower extremity

I was being extra nice to the receptionist and explained that I needed to be on a flight in 90 minutes. She was very helpful. I got into do the x-ray pretty quickly. She said put the robe thing on and stand by the machine for her. The robe thing was like a vest thing and there was a very minute chance that the bits that were supposed to meet together were going to do that. I laughed "These aren't made for polynesians are they?"  No response. Great, I've made the x-ray lady mad. I made her madder when I called her the x-ray lady because she spent many years to be a radiology technician. Whaaaaatevs! 

So that was done.. time for the leg scans. This poor little asian man ushers me in, introduces himself and tells me to take my jeans off and leave the undies on. I get on the bed and realise this poor guy has to handle my taro trunks. He sees my long undies and said I shouldn't leave the hot pants on. Aaaah buddy these are NOT hot pants..! (cue inside mormon joke).

So he starts the exam and pushes from the top of my leg right to my ankle. He uses the same scanner thing that I am familiar with for ultrasounds when I was pregnant.. but he doesn't warm up the gel or anything. Gosh - what happened to customer service! He pokes and prods to get the images he need. There are some moments where I have to clasp my hands together to fight my natural instinct to backhand him. He spends a lot of time in some areas and I ask if he can see something. He just says he's trying to see through the layers. Oh my gosh! He means layers of fat! dahahahahaha. I decide not to ask him any more questions and die a little inside as he starts on the other trunk. 

So at the end of the examination, he says I can get dressed now. I say "So it is a boy or a girl?" 
No response. Tough crowd! 

I got the all clear and made it to my conference! I made it to work - gave my results to my second opnion - aka Underwriters and it was all good. I admit when it was all happening it was a bit scary and I did a bit of pleading with the Lord and was blessed again. 

I was also reminded that you always got to find something to laugh about and grateful that no hair ever grows on my legs, so I didn't have to subject that poor man to that either! 

Hallelujah! dahahaha :) 



























Tuesday 12 November 2013

Conviction



conviction
kənˈvɪkʃ(ə)n/
noun
noun: conviction; plural noun: convictions
  1. 1.   a firmly held belief or opinion.
  2. "she takes pride in stating her political convictions"
    synonyms:beliefopinionviewthoughtpersuasionideapositionstance; More
    • the quality of showing that one is firmly convinced of what one believes or says.
      "she had been speaking for some five minutes with force and conviction"
      synonyms:certaintycertitudeassuranceconfidencesureness, positiveness; More
      antonyms:uncertaintydoubt



I've been thinking about this a lot of the past week or so. 

We have been preparing for our Ward Primary Presentation. Most commonly know in most pacific island communities as White Sunday, each year each LDS (Mormon) Ward or Branch has a sacrament programme where the Primary children do a presentation. As Primary is the area which I serve, it's been quite a journey for us all.  The Sharing Time Theme this year is 'I am a child of God'. It's a simple, but powerful theme that speaks to us about our divine nature, who we are and essentially our potential. 


"As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be."      Lorenzo Snow 



What does this have to do with conviction? I think if we were all truly convinced about that statement then the priorities in a lot of our homes would change. Our focus would change and though there would still be battles, we would have an increased, hope, faith, belief that there are lessons in every trial or triumph. We are a family - the kids fight, sometimes we miss do Family Home Evening or scripture study but the world doesn't fall apart. We just get up the next day and try again. Sometimes people are called to serve in areas of church because there's a lot they need to learn or be convinced of and I am most certainly one of those people.





Now the other reason I've been thinking about this word 'conviction' is that we've really started focusing on healthier living at home, work and play. It's may seem like it's been quite the eye-opener but really it's something I've known about for a while. There's a selection of statements you can pick in your self assessment that go something like a) I know i'm not eating right, but I don't want to change b) I'm happy with my eating habits c) I'm not happy and I need help to change. I selected c) because I do need to change, but if I was being totally honest I would've selected a).  When I think about it, there has always been this inner battle with myself about the whole food thing. I'm fine with the exercise. I will do an hour each morning every work day and that will be fine... and then I kill it with the food. 

Am I truly convinced I can do this? 

Again, if I was then my priorities would change and I would stop stop sabotaging my efforts with excuses etc. Truly believing in yourself is really 90% of the battle.

Our family scripture study tonight included this little gem: 

Matthew 6:21: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  

This one's easy - my family is my treasure. It's simple: I want to be with them forever. I want to be with them on this earth for as long as possible. This I know for sure! It's time to just get out of my own way and get on with it and walk the talk. And that's a lot of walking! 

Amen!  


















 

Saturday 2 November 2013

Team Tapusoa Forever!

The family reunion has come and gone and it's taken me nearly a week to recover, but we did it! Yeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I must admit the lead up days before the reunion was very stressful, with some very last minutes spanners thrown in the works, but thankfully it all worked out. 




Our first stop was Aunty Lagi's house to all meet together and sort some last minute admin stuff out. I saw her and cried. I think it was just the relief of seeing her again. I lived in their home for almost a year and It was so good to see her again. I told the kids that if anyone had questions about their Gramps growing up, she was the best one to ask. I know the reunion meant a lot to her and as the matriarch of the family, it was good just to hug her again. 




We arrived at Motu Moana Camp and paid up the final bill. I have been emailing with the camp for the past 18 months, so when the bill was paid, I did a double pump fist and hugged Tony. Relieved as! It was great accommodation for the family and they recommended some really great activities. 




One of the best things was that it was catered and we didn't have to worry about the food. Loaves & Fishes were our caterers and they were awesome! No polynesian food, but there was plenty of it and the menu was delicious. The owner Helen was a delight to deal with and they were very helpful. No one was ever hungry, which is bonus points for any island family! 



We did many activities - one of the highlights being the abseling Saturday morning. Not everyone was brave enough to give it a go, but those that did were amazing! My Bourne cousins were so funny. None of the boys were going to have a go, but as soon as their sisters went up - the boys were up that wall so fast. 



The flying fox got a good work out as well. We had a carnival for the kids, talent night and on Sunday most of us went to church. Although not everyone goes to church regularly, most of us went to sacrament that day. Blockhouse Bay Ward got a bit of a shock I think, and the overflow had to be opened.  It was great to be at church together, even though some of us were struggling to keep our eyes open! Chelynne tapped me during closing prayer because she thought I was going to snore. Rude!! 




Family Home Evening was a night to be remembered. My Dad has nine siblings - 6 brothers and 3 sisters. In attendance were his two sisters Aunty Lagi & Aunty Amelia and one of his baby brother's Uncle Faatau. He is in the heavens with his parents and two baby brothers Uncle Auro & Uncle Finesi. Uncle Amani was unable travel. Our Aunties, my Mum and Uncle told us stories about when they grew up and how they met each other. It was so funny and a bit of an eye opener. I think some of us were a bit traumatised (esp the night clubbers dahaha), but it was great to hear their stories. I cried a fair bit that night hearing stories about my grandparents, Dad and his siblings. They were tears of joy because I know how blessed I am to be part of this family. 








It was good to be there to represent our Dad with my sisters and my mum. 









Monday was our time to say goodbyes and we had a bit of a paparazzi day. The first two are all of the cousins. Plenty of laughs. These are the cousins I grew up with and we visited each other often when we were growing up. We'll always keep in contact with each other, I'm sure. 



Cousins
This is a photo of the next generation - all our children. 


Next Generation



Saying goodbye sucked. My boy cousins openly cried and the kids didn't want it to end. It was so good being together again. It was disappointing that not everyone could make it, but I'm sure everyone will be there at the next one. 

Grateful there were only very few dramas, but nothing that didn't get smoothed over. So sorry to the Police Ten 7 producers - nothing to see here!  

Totally love my family and all the hard work truly paid off. 

Team Tapusoa Forever! 








Monday 14 October 2013

It's Our Time: Kia Ora, Talofa !


Next weekend the children and I are heading to Auckland for my family reunion. It's for my Dad's family and I'm really looking forward to it. It's been 2 years in the making. Organising a reunion when you're based in another country is way crazy and it has been extremely hard work. But it's for Dad. 

Over the past two years, he's probably been in the heavens with his brothers and his parents both laughing and cursing. Most probably in the same breath dahahaha. 

When we get together next weekend, I'm looking forward to laughing and eating and laughing and eating and having heaps of fun together. It's catered so no one is stuck in the kitchen and that's my favourite part about it all. Mostly because being in the kitchen is not one of my strengths! 

When I get back, I'm hoping to post many photos about the whole event. 

My Dad's family has always been close. We always saw each other. Most school holidays we saw each other. Travelling to Flaxmere to see my Aunty Lagi, Aunty Amelia and Uncle Auro or going to Gracefield and then Naenae when Uncle Finesi and his family moved. I loved going to Gracefield, picking the berries in the gorse filled hill and just hanging out with the cousins. 

We had some mean as fights when we were kids, including against each other. But the moment someone tried to mess with one of us, everyone would turn on that unsuspecting soul and it would be an old fashioned beat down. We would go to Flaxmere and take over the neighbourhood in Scarborough Road and then a few streets over in Peterhead Avenue. At the back of my family home in Justine Street, Cannons Creek is the local school. The climbing frame was extensively used and I have fond memories of playing with my cousins there. 

There was a notable difference when the Aunties were in the house compared to when the Uncles were in the house. My Dad had a great reverence for his sisters and his brothers were his best friends. It didn't matter who was in the house, there were lots of laughs.  Then the card playing would start and if the uncles were around then the parties would begin. 

We didn't have much, but we did have each other and I couldn't fathom a childhood without my cousins being around. 

We believe that families can be together forever. Spending time together like this is a great warm up to the eternities.

Hopeully next weekend, there won't be too many dramas. We're adults now so I'm sure we're past the fist fights dahahaha.. It will be good to be together again and it's not because we are mourning someone. It's sad that not everyone can make it, especially Uncle Amani who is sickly at the moment. 
    
This is, and has always been, for you Dad.

Watch out West Auckland - Team Tapusoa is heading your way! 













Monday 7 October 2013

Knowing Is Better

Over the past week or so I have been determined to be better. Better at home, church, work.. everywhere. Better at exercising and better at eating. 


The eating has been better than normal but it's something that I need to work on a bit more, but that's a whole new story.


The exerising has been great. I've stepped up and hit the gym every morning before work. Midweek I hit the treadmill and ran a few minutes non-stop (which is momumental for me). As it was happening, I could literally see my brain ticking over in slow motion as it registered - You can do this.  It changed everything! The next day I tried a bit longer and the next day longer still. 

Sometimes, getting out of my own way is the best thing I can do for myself. 

I was catching up with the member of our Bishopric that looks after Primary and remembered I needed a Temple Recommend interview. This is the first of two interviews to get a recommend so I can get into the LDS temple. It is a great time to reflect and check how I am doing spiritually. These interviews are held every two years and although you may need another interview within those two years, every time I prepare to go inside the temple, it's a good good to check if I still feel worthy to go. We are blessed to have local leaders who are so accessible and sacrifice so much for us all. I walk away from these interviews knowing that I need to work on things or that I need to continue doing what I'm doing or even more. 

At work, a milestone. My probation period is coming up and as I sat with my boss it was a great time to see how I am going there. Last time I had to do a probation interview over 3 years ago, it felt like I wrote a thesis on why I should be accepted by the firm. This time it was a short discussion and all went well. I am grateful for a boss that only lingers on things when necessary, and lets us get on with it. 

For me, knowing is better. I know where I am and what I need to do to get where I want to be. I would rather someone told me things need improving than being left in the dark. Some say they don't want to know when their kids are being naughty or something has gone haywire in relationships etc. 

I want to know. 

If you don't know, you can't make changes or help to make things better.  There are many times you can check yourself at the door for any area in your life. You may not like it but at least the decision is yours about what to do with the knowledge. 

And sometimes you will find that it takes a while for the brain to register, but
when it does it's amazing. Knowledge is power and wisdom is applying it. KAPOW! 



Monday 30 September 2013

Following Through

My son (11yrs) is banned or grounded. 

He's a smart kid. Probably one of the smartest kids in his school and that's not being biased either (really). He has always been part of the gifted and talented group at pretty much every school he's been to. We've moved a lot in his young life, so there is a few schools. Last term he was selected for a writers group and was published. Published, I say!  We've been told he's either going to be some genius (as in Big Bang Theory) or a criminal mastermind (as in Oceans 11-13). 

The natural man's reaction (ok, mine) first instinct was 'sweet!' Either way, I am going to be well taken care of! Hahahaha! 

But I digress..... The genius child is banned. We call it banned because that's what it is. He is banned from electronics and drawing. The things that he loves the most and the things that will make this whole experience cut to the heart. It started at the beginning of the school holidays and will last the whole two weeks. 

So, what happened? There's a bunch of boys in his class and they were being disrepsectful to their teacher. Not putting super glue on the teachers chair or making her cry like one of my siblings dahaha.. but talking whilst she was talking and stuff like that. 


Ah, I can hear you now. 

"Sheesh, that's a bit hard"
"Boys will be boys"

Sorry, not in my backyard. My Tarlini and I were raised with respect as being one of the founding principles of the family. I would never even consider the notion of being disrespectul when I was his age. Yeah, yeah, it was a different time back then. It was also a time when these issues were handled with jandals and jug chords and upper cuts. Being the youngest, I think my parents got tired of it all by the time it got to me, so I was spared the rod a lot! 

We are into Week 2 of being banned. He is hurting. I've had a few pleas to let him on the computer. A few long sighs and attempted debates. I must admit he nearly got me a few times. My Tarlini is tougher than me. It's that mother-son thing. 


I was watching Police Ten 7 the other night and it made me angry! People weren't wearing seat belts, others had cannabis on them and they were just let off with warnings. I watch Tonight Tonight or ACA (one of the two) about a lady who attacked her housemate, stomped on her head and she got 22 stitches in her head. The attacker got 50 hours community service. LIke why the face already! I'm not saying that is where son is heading, but we got to nip these little negative behaviours in the butt right now. 

We spoke tonight about this horrible ordeal that he's living. I reminded him that it's self inflicted and when he looks back, he will remember this and maybe check himself before he says or does something he will regret. Yes, I think he's already learnt his lesson, but the ban sticks. 

Only 4 more days to go, but worth it for this one life lesson. 















Sunday 22 September 2013

Family Matters

There are many family matters that we can go on about, but this one is close to my heart and believe it or not, it's not about church (but happy to discuss that at any time!). 

This is about taking care of your family at times when you get sick or hurt and can't work anymore or it's your time to head up to the heavens. Yep, the big D - as in Death. 

You guessed it, this is about insurance. Specifically Life, Trauma, Total & Permanent Disablement (TPD) and Income Protection. 

I have been in the industry for about 5 years now and I am by no means an expert, but the stories you hear are incredible. Some can be incredibly amazing and some can be incredibly sad depending on each situation. 

The amazing stories are like those families who have been given cheques shortly after losing loved ones and how it has helped them. The incredibly sad ones are friends of advisers who have passed on and had no cover. 

Insurance is basically taking care of your family when you can't anymore for whatever reason. 

I have grown up in a culture where insurance is seen to be a non-essential. When people die, families and friend pull together and help the family in need through it. The community helps and that's how it has always been. We all know the money is just a small part of it all. Sharing grief, being there for each other and the strength of family is far more important. 

The reality is that after everyone has gone home, the bills still have to be paid. 

I know that if we include insurance as an essential, we can concentrate more on what we can offer emotionally rather than worrying about what you can give or what people will give financially. 

You will see and hear a lot of hype. There are a lot of companies out there selling similar products with various bells and whistles. The main thing is that you get the right advice for you. Do the research (read the fine print) or find a professional who will do it for you. Even if you do the research, get the professional advice you need. If you're unsure, ask questions and don't sign up to anything until you are 100% happy with it. 

The financial services industry is seriously regulated, so make sure the person you see ticks all the boxes. Be forthcoming when asking for qualifications etc. When they make recommendations to you, ask about the company's history, reputation with paying claims out and ask specifically why this company suits you compared to others.

Make sure the advice you get is personally fitted to you.
  • Do the research or get professional advice
  • Make sure the advice is personalised
  • Ask questions
I know you are thinking I can't afford a professional but this can as important as having a midwife when you're having a baby. You may not like what is happening but the end result is worth it all. 

Whether you believe in a next life or not - there is peace of mind knowing that your family is being take care of when you are not around any more. 

This is about far more than the money. This is about taking care of your family matters, so they don't have to. 













Saturday 14 September 2013

All You Need To Do Is Ask

Last week in Primary to support our Ward Mission Plan (I can hear them saying it - "Feed My Sheep"),  I challenged those bright wee souls to do two things. I told them that they really didn't actually have to do anything, just open their mouths. Their challenge: 

1. Ask their parents if the missionaries can come over for dinner. 
2. Ask one of their non-LDS friends or someone who hasn't been to church for a whle to come over for dinner at the same time.

It's a task that many adults shy away from but I encouraged them that all they needed to do was ask. I warned that some people may say no, but that was fine - at least they asked. One of the teachers said that it usually takes someone up to 7 times to be asked before they actually say yes. 

Yesterday I was very happy to find out that my youngest daughter Eliana and her friend Kaitlyn had been doing a bit of missionary work for a few weeks now. They organised a playdate with their friend from school. A few weeks ago, Eliana gave their friend an invitation for a playdate. Kaitlyn gave Eliana an invitation including volunteering her Dad to do the BBQ! I haven't seen the invitation Eliana gave out, but her friend's mother said it was very detailed, including the date, time and address of the park we were all going to meet at. The playdate was set for today. Kaitlyn's mum Kaiserina and I found out about it last night around 9:30pm haha. I managed to get hold of their friend's mum and since the girls had organised us, we decided to go ahead with it. 

We had a great time and it wasn't just about the missionary work. It was about getting to know one of Eliana's friends better as well. It started off bumpy as we all went to three different parks, but we got there! 




I was talking to Bishop at the park, and he said something that hit home. I spent most of the time playing with the children and he said it doesn't matter where you are, you are always the Primary President. He said when he's out and about in the community either riding his bike or whatever, he realised that even though people aren't members, he is their Bishop. And that means for all the primary children in the area, I'm their Primary President. For the rest of the day, I looked at every single child that I saw when I was out and about with a bit more care and a bigger smile. 

Today seeds were sown and invitations for upcoming primary activities were extended. Kaitlyn asked if she could say grace before the children ate - what a great example! I'm grateful that we reacted well to this surprise playdate and went along with it because it was obvious that the girls had put a lot of planning into it and it was obvious that this had been a point of discussion in the playground for a little while. I'm grateful that they took on the Primary Ward Mission Challenge with such gusto! I know you're thinking there was no missionary dinner. I think of this as a prelude event. 

I share this with you because if two 6yr olds can do it so can anyone. 

All you need to do is ask! 





Friday 13 September 2013

Reality Bites

There are two reality shows I am never going to watch: Big Brother & The Bachelor. It's plain and simply because I don't like them. Like what's the point? I mean, I know what the point is, but why do people find it so entertaining? 

Big Brother is basically us watching these people 24/7, build alliances, some guy (the lead peeping Tom) gives them instructions on things to do to get to stay in there longer. Admittedly, there are some pretty good prizes - whether in cash or in tangible goods, but nothing worth losing so much of your dignity over. There are those that grasp this 5 minutes of fame and use it to further a career in 'entertainment', but most are forgotten as yeterday's news. 

And it's not REAL reality. It's all just people doing it for the money or prizes. The real Big Brother doesn't include cameras, especially when you growing up in a Samoan home. Big Brother isn't the only one watching - there's big sisters, big mother and most of all big father! There are no cameras in the house but even though your father is fully subsonic snoring, he knows where there's an unfamiliar sound in the house, and if he asks if you are trying to hide something from him and you go to say something, he warns, "Shut up!" hahaha. There's suprise guests like Dad's "Peacemakers" or the chicken man (who delivered chickens and eggs) or the repo man. My sister actually wrote a song about him. You have your own Friday Night Games, running down the hallway and into a bedroom, and the jandal your mother throws still manages to hit you square in the back of the head. This is definitely an acquired skill and I didn't think I had it in me, until one day a few years ago my son said something cheeky to me, I jumped up and in one swift movement removed my jandal from my foot and threw it at him with Robin Hood-esque precision. Nominations are called family meetings, where I usually don't say anything but watch in awe of my parents and their management skills. Who needs Big Brother? 30 Justine Street & 60 Astrolabe Street, Cannons Creek: Now that's real.

The Bachelor: cringe! 25 girls trying to woo the heart of one guy... who uses the most romantic flower that lights up the eyes of the recipients and is the flower of death for those aren't given it. This is going to end well! One of my friends say she cannot stop watching it because there's something intriguing about the desparation of it all. I wonder if there are people around the world who have participated in these kind of shows and keep looking backwards because seriously, how can you top those dates? Where are you going to top dates that:

a) you don't have to pay 
b) they are doing some pretty cool stuff
c) everything is done for them

Man, I know some guys who get d) all of the above and they do it in the privacy of their own homes because 9/10 of them are still living at home. The other tenth doesn't live at home, but still comes home to get fed or their washing done.

Anyway, good news ladies. Presenting the most eligible bachelor I know at the moment - my cousin Johnathon who just returned home with honour from serving his LDS (Mormon) mission. Watch out cuz it's all on now. But you'll get a mix of The Bachelor and Big Brother here, because you'll have to get though his sister Tiare first. Good luck with that one girls. Now that's a show I'd like to see hahaha.









Sunday 8 September 2013

Dream Catchers

As a Latter-Day Saint , I believe that I have the right to receive inspiration or personal revelation as a mother, as an individual, and for my calling in church - which is currently looking after children aged 18 months - 11 yrs old (Primary). My end of the bargain is being ready and worthy to receive it. 

Inspiration or personal revelation is exactly that - personal. I believe how it is received is very personal too, and because Heavenly Father knows us individually, He delivers the news to us in the best way for us. 

For me, sometimes it's in the things I read or things peple say or do.  Or sometimes it's in my dreams.  (Remember it's relates to either my family, me or my calling - in case you think I'm cuckoo hahaha). 

My Tarlini and I have been talking about our respective callings over the last week and it has been on my mind. I love Primary! Sometimes the kids are more mature than me (true story), I just love how accepting they are and I love that they recognise truth more readily than adults. 


So here's my dream: 
_______________________________________________________

I was driving to work and for some reason there was a change on the motorway, and I ended up in Ipswich instead of Mt Gravatt haha. (Now before I go on, those that know me would know this is very plausible. Actually when I was dreaming it, I remember thinking - this is so me). Anyway, I'm in Ipswich and I have no idea how to get home. I stop the car and decide to walk into the first building I see. 

So, I walk in and out of one the doors in the building this woman walks out and I instantly recognise her. Our families grew up in the same town and she is the same age as of one of my sisters. I didn't know her well, but I knew her. I was happy to see her and asked for directions to get back to the motorway. Her directions were to follow this main road and I would get there. 

I get in the car, and follow the road and of course, I feel uncertain and lost again! The main road is parallel to a train track and I stop at the train station. I go inside the station and to my surprise I see someone I know again. She is someone I work with in Primary and I have known her for years. She points me in the right direction. 

I get in the car again and as I'm travelling down the road, I see two girls sitting on some steps and I recognise one of them. I know this little girl quite well and I knew she shouldn't be here. I don't remember who the other girl was, but I know she is part of our Primary. I stop the car, bundle them in the car and return them home to their families. 
_______________________________________________________

Well, I woke up feeling pretty happy. The reason I got lost was that there were two little girls that needed help returning home to their families and I was glad to be a part of that and there were people put in place to help along the way.  Some of the children that I serve in Primary I know quite well, and others I don't.. but somehow it is my task to help all of them return home with their families. 

For me, it was my personal confirmation that I am serving where I should be and there is so much work to do. 

I shared my dream with the mother of the little girl that I recognised today. As I shared it with her, we both recognised the feelings we were having and had a bit of a happy cry. Later she thanked me and talked about the influence I have on her children,and that as a leader there are things I can do for her daughter that she can't. What a great responsibility and privilege it is to serve in Primary. 

It may not be to Lehi's Dream proportions, but as I said before - it's a piece of my personal revelation that I will always treasure and I share it because it has strengthened my testimony and I hope it does yours. If you're wondering what the heck or why the face.. check this out: 





Sometimes it's not only about the dreams, but what you do once you've caught them.