FAMILY MATTERS.

The past few weeks have been pretty fantastic as far as family time is concerned.  I'm a little crazy about getting in family time while I can {is it apparent yet that I'm not the best at "closing doors?"} and we have had lots of opportunities to do it.  My cousin Allie is pregnant with their first and we had a fun little shower for her!  I can't wait to meet the little guy!

Then, my other cousin Ali had her mission farewell.  She leaves for Argentina on Feb. 13th and is going to be such an incredible missionary.  I know everyone says that, but this is for real.  She is just one of those people who has a radiant glow about her.  Her talk was AMAZING.  I may have cried through 85% of it {coming from the girl who didn't even cry at her own wedding}.  Everything she said really hit me hard and put so many things into perspective.  She quoted Elder Holland from this past general conference,

"After a joyful reunion with the resurrected Jesus, Peter had an exchange with the Savior that I consider the crucial turning point of the apostolic ministry generally and certainly for Peter personally, moving this great rock of a man to a majestic life of devoted service and leadership. Looking at their battered little boats, their frayed nets, and a stunning pile of 153 fish, Jesus said to His senior Apostle, “Peter, do you love me more than you love all this?” Peter said, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.”¹⁰

The Savior responds to that reply but continues to look into the eyes of His disciple and says again, “Peter, do you love me?” Undoubtedly confused a bit by the repetition of the question, the great fisherman answers a second time, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.”¹¹

The Savior again gives a brief response, but with relentless scrutiny He asks for the third time, “Peter, do you love me?” By now surely Peter is feeling truly uncomfortable. Perhaps there is in his heart the memory of only a few days earlier when he had been asked another question three times and he had answered equally emphatically—but in the negative. Or perhaps he began to wonder if he misunderstood the Master Teacher’s question. Or perhaps he was searching his heart, seeking honest confirmation of the answer he had given so readily, almost automatically. Whatever his feelings, Peter said for the third time, “Lord, … thou knowest that I love thee.”¹²

To which Jesus responded (and here again I acknowledge my nonscriptural elaboration), perhaps saying something like: “Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn’t it obvious then and isn’t it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world. So, Peter, for the second and presumably the last time, I am asking you to leave all this and to go teach and testify, labor and serve loyally until the day in which they will do to you exactly what they did to me.”

I LOVE this talk and thanks to Alison, I was reminded of all of the reasons why.  There are lots of little things in my life that I deem "important" in the moment, but above all of those things should be my Savior and my personal creed to serve Him in every capacity that I can. 

{To read, or listen to the entire talk, go here}