Oh, What a World.

 Things in the world just keep getting weirder, and seemingly harder.  I'm not a fan.  Especially lately.  I don't know how much more I can handle, at the moment.  I know that God's ultimately in charge, but I sometimes feel paralyzed by the pressure of navigating in a world where everything is deeply polluted.  It seems impossible, at times, to decipher truth from the plethora of falsehoods that surround me.  

For instance, who is truly my friend?  Friend- meaning someone who genuinely likes and even loves me exactly the way I am.  Over the last couple of months, I have been navigating a very challenging situation.  As a church, we were coming up on the Sunday School lesson regarding Doctrine and Covenants Section 132.  This is a section that has plagued my thoughts and feelings for pretty much my whole life.  I've done so much personal work through deep study and prayer to receive the further light and knowledge from the Lord that I had been seeking.  I wanted to know of the Lord if polygamy was truly commanded by Him.  Did He command his people, ever, to live according to polygamy, or was that a precept of men?  Why did my heart always, always, cry out in anguish at the idea that I, or any of my sisters, would be commanded by a "loving" God to sacrifice my/her own heart for something so heartbreaking as polygamy?  Through years of study and prayer, I now know that the question is, "Does God, my Father, love and value me just as much as any one of His sons?  Does he love each of his daughters as much as he loves each of His sons?"  If the answer is YES, then polygamy cannot be of God, for God is no respecter of persons, has proclaimed His love for each of His children throughout all of scripture (minus D&C Section 132), and continues to proclaim to my heart that he LOVES ME.  He would never command for the relationship and union that Jarom and I have worked so hard to create to be damaged or broken by the inclusion of another woman into our union.  There are SO MANY scriptures that verify God's standing law of marriage to be one man and one woman, with NO exception.  

On November 14th, I posted to my Facebook page, the following: 

I have SO MANY thoughts swirling around my head. So much to say on the overarching topic, but the main thought that keeps repeating in my mind is, “What about Hagar?”

The Hagar of which I speak is the Egyptian handmaid, or slave woman, belonging to Sarai, of the Old Testament. The Lord makes a covenant with Abram, telling him that he shall be the father of a mighty nation, and his seed shall be as the sands of the sea, or as the stars in the heavens. Abram and Sarai were both quite old. Sarai, who had never born a child, despaired of ever doing so. She (NOT GOD) told Abram to “take to wife” Hagar, so that Abram could create a child for Sarai through Hagar. So Abram did just that, and got Hagar pregnant with Ishmael. (Genesis 16)

Pause there. What about Hagar? What about the fact that she had no choice in the matter? What about the fact that she was r@ped? Stop for a minute and imagine actually being Hagar. Imagine the moment when you, as Hagar, are told that you must allow Abram to have sex with you so that you will be used as a forced surrogate for Sarai’s benefit. Imagine Hagar’s horror at the very idea.

And then it became Hagar’s reality. She was r@ped, probably repeatedly. Certainly, she was not looking forward to being used and abused as a means to an end. Certainly, she knew that this was not a union of love and commitment. She knew full well, and she was forced to physically, mentally, and emotionally endure the horror and torment of being r@ped, impregnated, and forced to carry a child for the benefit of another woman.

And then she was despised, rejected, and physically abused for what she had no control over.

People believe God commanded this. They believe it because they have not actually read what the scriptures actually say. Sarai caused this to happen. Sarai and Abram are the ones who did this to Hagar, not God. Don’t believe me? Then go and actually read the Bible. It’s all there. In fact, it wasn’t until they repented and made a covenant with the Lord that he gave them their new names- Abraham and Sarah.

Why does no one ever consider Hagar? Why does no one think about the reality of what she actually lived through? Why do people attempt to justify plural marriage because of the evil that was done to Hagar? It was NOT of God. And when an angel tells Hagar to return and submit to her “owners,” it’s actually God’s plan to bring beauty for ashes, NOT His approval of the evil done to her. It’s His plan to provide an inheritance for Ishmael and Hagar, because God loves ALL of his children, and God can bring forth good from bad.

If God is “no respecter of persons” (Romans 2:11, D&C 38:26, etc.); “delights in the chastity of women…and whoredoms are an abomination before me” (Jacob 2:28); will leave the ninety and nine because even the “one” matters eternally to him (Luke 15:4), and if he can raise up children unto Abraham from the stones of the earth (Matthew 3:9), then why would God command such evil upon Hagar? I emphatically declare that God did NOT and never has commanded any such thing, for anyone.

I think about Hagar whenever polygamy is brought up. My heart breaks for her. My heart breaks for every woman that has ever had to struggle with the lie that is plural marriage. Hagar is a poignant example of the evil that is polygamy/plural marriage. Just take a moment to study and consider the ongoing family turmoil that exists because Sarai lost faith in the Lord’s promises and took matters into her own fallible hands.

To echo Jacob 2:35 and Jacob 3:5

35. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds...

5. Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines (sex slaves) they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.

Polygamy/Plural Marriage (and D&C section 132) is NOT from my God. I KNOW THIS, and I proclaim it boldly and without reservation.

This is Jarom's comment on my Facebook post:

Jarom Petrich

This is something I've spent a lot of time thinking about and studying as well. I know people personally who have left the church over this supposed doctrine. A "doctrine", that as a current member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you cannot practice without being excommunicated. What is truly baffling to me is that you're also not allowed to criticize it's historical practice without also risking church discipline, which quite frankly, doesn't make any sense to me. Either it's as D&C 132 claims it be, namely a doctrine, principle and eternal law, and therefor won't ever change, so it should not only be allowed but encouraged, or it's not any of those things. Period. I'm not really aware of any other "doctrines" that fall into this same odd limbo type of existence within the restored gospel, which also makes the idea that it deserves a place within the modern revealed cannon questionable to me (e.g. Blacks and the priesthood, Blood atonement, insert other "doctrines" taught by Brigham Young specifically that the church has had to since step back from).

I think there's a very good reason that most people have a visceral and negative reaction to the idea that a loving Heavenly Father would not only condone but command his children to practice polygamy, as the very foundation of moral virtue is doing what's right no matter the cost. To suggest then that our Father in Heaven will make exceptions to what he clearly and consistently labels throughout scriptures as "an abomination", simply out of convenience or to expedite some goal, at the cost of the spiritual well-being of his children, is counter to my understanding of what a Godlike character looks like. I also know that there are many wonderful members of the church who will disagree with me on this, but I believe the scriptures make a fairly ironclad case against it's practice (despite the glaring exception of D&C 132) which is why we don't practice it today.

Some things to consider: First, the original D&C section 101 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/.../doctrine-and.../259

found in the first three printings of the Book of Commandments (what we call today the Doctrine and Covenants), which were all edited and approved by the prophet Joseph Smith, including the one published just a few months before his murder in 1844, but which was removed 8 years after his death when it was replaced by the current D&C section 132. I would also suggest reading D&C 49:16

Second, I would recommend a careful reading of Jacob chapter two. Pay special attention to how the prophet Jacob uses the phrases "this thing" and "these things" multiple times throughout the chapter to consistently reference wicked behaviors, most notably, the practice of having many wives and concubines. The idea that Jacob is somehow excusing the practice of polygamy in verse 30 completely falls apart under a careful examination of the context of the chapter. The context clearly indicates that the Lord will command his people to have only one wife and no concubines in order to raise up righteous seed, otherwise they will hearken unto "these things", meaning the wickedness of having many wives and concubines practiced by David and Solomon, referenced for clarification again in verse 23. I think the prophet Jacob would be appalled that most modern LDS members and scholars have so horribly misunderstood what we was trying to teach us in this chapter.

As if to ensure we didn't misunderstand, Jacob reiterates what he was saying again in Jacob 3:5-8. Please read this.

Maybe most importantly, I would read the portions of the inspired translation of the Bible (JST) that relate to both David and Solomon wherein Joseph Smith makes inspired enhancements which clarify that the Lord found that what both David and Solomon did (in having many wives and concubines), an abomination. These inspired changes only seem to strengthen the Lord's condemnation of the practice, especially considering that Joseph Smith received these inspired changes while openly and consistently preaching against what was known at the time as "spiritual wifery", later rebranded as polygamy. The Joseph Smith Papers project is a wonderful resource for this material.

Lastly I would point to section 132 itself. I believe the very fact that it stands as such an obvious outlier from all other acknowledged LDS scripture, but especially that found in modern revealed scripture, such as the Book of Mormon, makes the strongest case against it, after all "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

Do I believe in the infallibility of prophets both ancient and modern? Heavens no! I also don't believe in the infallibility of scripture. I'm in good company as well, as the prophet Moroni himself said "Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." (Mormon 9:31).

I believe the Book of Mormon to be true, as well as the other doctrines of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that meet this criteria. As a child of God and a seeker of truth I reserve the right to question things that don't seem to meet this criteria and instead am forced to question them directly. God has blessed all of his children with the light of Christ, which can help us determine good from evil. He has also blessed those who make and keep covenants of obedience to his commandments the incomparable gift of the the Holy Ghost, to provide additional guidance, comfort and peace as we navigate this life.

Whenever humans are involved in something, so to will there be errors. Our church leadership is no exception to this rule and never has been, but God still can and will work his miracles through those who let him. In the powerful words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland "So be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we. And when you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work."

The error that was the temporary practice of polygamy does not discredit nor diminish the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, because it quite obviously was never meant to be a part of it, but it does clearly show the need for Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's counsel to not judge the divinity of the work based on errors made by fallible humans, President Russell M. Nelson's counsel to seek for the divine guidance of the Holy Ghost, and Moroni's counsel to all of us to learn from the mistakes of those that have gone before us, yes even prophets of God, so that we might be wiser than they have been.

This is what happened thereafter. What follows is a letter that I wrote to Bishop Que Mangus. I CC'd the Stake President, Matthew Fereday, and Jarom. This letter was emailed on January 2nd, 2025.

President Fereday, I am copying you for transparency and because your counsel was referenced in the December 22 meeting described below.

Bishop Mangus,

I am writing to place on record my understanding of the events surrounding my Facebook post, our subsequent meetings, and the impact your actions have had on me, my family, and my trust in you as my bishop.

This letter is not written in anger. It is written from a place of peace and clarity.

On November 14th, 2025, I published a personal Facebook post to my friends expressing my moral and theological concerns regarding Hagar in Genesis 16, the harms of polygamy, and my personal conviction that plural marriage—and therefore the portions of D&C Section 132 that promote polygamy—is not from God. The post was written in my own voice, made no claim of Church authority, and did not encourage anyone to leave the Church or reject their covenants. To the contrary, in the comments, I defended the prophets, the church, and our shared faith in the gospel.

Within approximately twenty minutes, you contacted me and asked that I take the post down, stating that D&C 132 is revealed scripture. Although you initially stated your request as an “invitation,” you escalated the matter in subsequent meetings.

When Jarom and I met with you on November 16th, we attempted to explain the depth of our study, prayer, and lived experience that informed my post. I disclosed, vulnerably and at your prompting, that my feelings on this subject are deeply connected to a lifetime history of sexual abuse and experiences of unrighteous dominion. Rather than this context being met with compassion and understanding, the discussion became increasingly adversarial. You asserted certainty that polygamy came from God, emphasized your role in protecting the “flock,” and suggested that there could be consequences for my personal expression. The effect of this was that our diligent study and personal revelation were dismissed as invalid.

On December 22nd, when we met again, you read a personal text message from President Fereday as justification for issuing an ultimatum: that I either remove my Facebook post or lose my temple recommend. At that point, our access to sacred temple ordinances was explicitly leveraged to compel my silence. I removed the post under duress, not as a voluntary act of faith or humility.

I need to be very clear: compliance under threat is not consent. It was experienced as coercive and, in its effect, aligns with the scriptural definition of unrighteous dominion.

During that same meeting, you expanded the issue beyond my post and made serious, unfounded judgments about our family. You stated that you were “concerned” about what was happening in our home and accused us of not teaching our children respect for priesthood authority. You cited Caden’s objection to his YM leader’s rough behavior at scout camp and Mason’s early return from his mission—without asking for context or verifying facts—as evidence of a supposed pattern. These assumptions were absolutely incorrect and deeply damaging.

You then escalated further by telling me that “a lot of people in the ward are scared of you, because you shut them down.” You refused to provide names, behaviors, or any opportunity for clarification or reconciliation. This statement profoundly undermined my sense of safety and belonging in the ward, leaving me unsure whom I could trust. After expressing how destabilizing and hurtful this was to me, I ultimately had to leave the meeting. I couldn’t take any more. 

You later sent a Christmas card thanking me for what you characterized as a “difficult choice” that showed “faith and humility.” That framing compounded the pain. It erased the coercive nature of the situation, did not acknowledge the threat to my temple recommend, the judgments made about my children and parenting, or the harm caused by invoking unnamed ward members’ fear of me. No apology or accountability was offered.

I want you to understand the seriousness of what occurred.

Leveraging ecclesiastical authority to silence personal moral expression, triangulating unnamed third parties to apply social pressure, making unverified judgments about children, and equating a woman’s testimony about the nature of God with pride that requires repentance, are not acts of Christlike Priesthood authority. These actions align with what scripture itself describes as unrighteous dominion (D&C 121:39–43): 

“We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.

Hence many are called, but few are chosen. 

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; 

By kindness, and pure knowledge (emphasis mine), which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile— 

Reproving betimes with sharpness (ie: clarity), when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy.”

As a result of this whole situation, my trust in you has been fundamentally damaged. I no longer feel safe bringing questions, concerns, or vulnerabilities to you in your role as my bishop. In a twisted turn of irony, your declared need to “protect your flock” effectively rejected me as a part of that flock.  Additionally, your assumed role of protecting the church positioned me as a threat within my own ward community. Sadly, I misjudged the degree to which I could be vulnerable and authentic within what I believed were trusted relationships. 

I am accountable before God for my words and my testimony. You are accountable before God for how you exercise your priesthood authority. I am placing this letter on record not to escalate conflict, but to establish truth, boundaries, and responsibility.

I also want you to know that after this last week, wrestling with my thoughts and my feelings, I took my pain to the temple. While there, I received the sacred gift of healing through my Savior’s Atonement as I pondered His love for me, and you. I am so grateful to still have my temple recommend. He gave me the gift of seeing you more as He does, and loving you more as He does. Through the Atonement of Christ, I have been able to release anger and resentment, and I forgive you for the harm caused in this situation. Forgiveness, however, does not erase impact, nor does it restore trust. I do believe you are doing your best, and that you meant no harm, though you caused a great deal of harm. But the Atonement of Christ is real, and people can change and grow through Christ.

While it’s too late to reclaim the trust and friendship that we once had, I do hope this whole situation will be used by you as a Priesthood Leader to handle people with more gentleness, thoughtfulness, and compassion. At this time:

• I ask that you seek to fully understand before making assumptions or judgments about me or my family. Jarom is willing to speak with you directly.

• I ask that my personal moral and theological thoughts and feelings not be framed as threats to the ward.

• I ask that any future concerns be addressed with proper transparency, specificity, and respect for agency.

I am willing to continue conversations about doctrine and my conscience at the stake level, where a broader perspective and additional safeguards exist. I am not willing to participate in further one-on-one meetings with you regarding my testimony. I am at peace in my relationship with my Savior. He knows my heart. Should further action be taken against me, I entrust that outcome to Him.

In conclusion, I wish to share the words of President Russell M. Nelson, from his talk, “A Plea to My Sisters.”   I share this prophetic counsel because it reflects how I understand my discipleship and my responsibility as a covenant-keeping woman in the Church.

“We need women with the gift of discernment who can view the trends in the world and detect those that, however popular, are shallow or dangerous.”

“Today, let me add that we need women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and who are courageous defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world. We need women who are devoted to shepherding God’s children along the covenant path toward exaltation; women who know how to receive personal revelation, who understand the power and peace of the temple endowment; women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven to protect and strengthen children and families; women who teach fearlessly.”

“Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life are going to increase. Because of this, we need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and who will use that understanding to teach and help raise a sin-resistant generation. We need women who can detect deception in all of its forms. We need women who know how to access the power that God makes available to covenant keepers and who express their beliefs with confidence and charity. We need women who have the courage and vision of our Mother Eve.”

Bishop Mangus, I am trying to be one such woman. I believe in my Savior, and know that He is mighty to save.  I have a deep love for, and testimony of, the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that through the gospel of Christ, found within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all  mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. 

This letter is written with sobriety, not hostility. I hope it will be received with the seriousness and reflection it deserves.

Please consider this letter my formal written record of these events and an expression of my testimony and conscience.

-Rachel Petrich

At this point, my heart is still so bruised. I have, to date, received no reply. But, I hurt. I second-guess every "friendship" I have with people in my ward. Is Bishop Mangus correct that people are scared of me? I try so hard to never ever shut anyone down. If he is correct, then who, if anyone, is my friend? If he's not correct, then he lied to hurt me. That damages my trust in feeling a connection to the ward too. Either way, I feel terribly destabilized. My soul just feels heavy, even when I know I have committed no sin. It's hard to feel so adrift. I'm so glad that at least Jarom is by my side in this journey, and that together with the Lord, our marriage is eternal and complete.

Jarom is 45!

 I was reviewing this blog, from its inception, until now, and had a craving to document things better.  Perhaps this comes, in part, from also reading through the binder that my mom made of documents and memorabilia from my Dad.  His funeral service, letters he had written, letters I had written to him, and more.  There were letters written by my grandma that contained information and history that I didn't know about.  It gave me cause to feel a greater urgency to record our life now, in more detail.  I doubt I'll ever get back to blogging as frequently as I did in the early days of my blog, but I will strive to be more consistent.  Part of the problem has been having a suitable location to sit and type.  My ideas, up to now, have not been sufficient, and so I've missed out on documenting a whole lot of our lives.  

Jarom turned 45 on the 25th of February!  He's feeling a little older, though that's less about age, and more about all the other factors, in my opinion.  

We had a yummy lunch together on his birthday - sushi.  We both enjoy sushi, though when I first began eating it, I would only eat the non-raw sushi.  At this point, I'll eat all of it, though I do enjoy a bit of ginger with every sushi roll.  Our favorite place is called Sumo, here in Provo, and our favorite roll is the Fuzzy Wuzzy.  Good stuff!

For his birthday dinner, Jarom wanted ribeye steak, so I made enough for everyone.  They turned out perfect!  Medium rare, juicy, and flavorful.  

Jarom definitely enjoyed his special dinner.  I really think it turned out as good as any steakhouse I've been to.  

His cake was decorated by the kids, who used just two candles, spread as far apart as possible to make blowing them out as challenging as the situation would allow.  😂

Jarom easily blew them both out, and Mason was very impressed, haha!

It's a joy to be married to Jarom.  It's a joy to see him parent our children and love them so much.  Neither of us is perfect, but we both are trying to do better each day.  I'm grateful for the partnership we have, and the way we've worked through very hard things side-by-side.  Happy Birthday, Babe! Here's to another 45 years!  

Curly Girl

 Apparently, Emery doesn't actually have straight hair.  She's so happy about it.  I think she's beautiful.

Miracles

 Several things have happened recently that feel important to document.  We had a massive snow storm on February 22nd, and Julia was in an accident.  She rear-ended a truck.  Thankfully, she is physically fine.  The car is totaled.  We had Jason Woodhouse give us a quote for repairing it, and it would cost us more to fix it than the car is even worth.  It was quite a blow to both Julia, and us, as it represents the loss of her easy freedom, and the loss of one of our vehicles.   

She was pretty devastated, especially as it meant she would have to ride public transit to get to work from Provo to Pleasant Grove each day. 

The next day, Mason and I went to the chiropractor up un Lehi.  On the way back, I asked him if he thought I had enough time to swing by DoTerra and pickup my order.  Confirming that I did, I exited the freeway.  Then, the thought came to me that Kolache Krave was nearby, and it would be kind to bring her a kolache and show her some extra love, especially since she was in the process of figuring out public transit, and was likely stressed out- especially since just going from the bus stop to her work was a 20 minute walk.  

So, we did just that.  We got a kolache for her (and ourselves too, of course) and navigated to her place of employment, ASEA, which was essentially across the street.  I didn't know where to park, so I just found a place and we hopped out.  I definitely didn't park at the right entrance, so we had to walk around the building, where Mason and I found a side entrance that was open.  We walked down a long hallway, meeting not a soul, until we came to the end.  There, we encountered two ladies, and we exchanged greetings.  I asked them if they could possibly help me, and they readily agreed.  I said, "My daughter works for ASEA, though I'm not sure if it is in this building or your other building.  She has had a very rough 24 hours, and I am wondering if it would be possible to leave this kolache on her desk for her."  One of the women took charge, and said, "First, yes, that's absolutely possible.  Second, who is your daughter?"  I told her, "Julia Petrich," to which she exclaimed, "Julia, yes, I love her, and you are definitely in the right building!"  She introduced herself as "Tunday," though I'm sure I'm butchering the spelling of her name.  I told her how much Julia has told me about her and how much Julia loves and appreciates her.  I then told her about the accident, and how that was the reason that Julia was unable to come into work the day before.  I told her how Julia was in the process of figuring out public transit, and that it was all very new for Julia, but that she was trying so hard to fulfil her responsibilities.  Tunday was so compassionate, and said something like, "She shouldn't have had to drive in those conditions yesterday. This shouldn't have happened."  She asked me to send her the photos of the car, which I did.  She said she'd be talking to HR about what happened to see what they could do to help.  I thanked her profusely.  This whole time, I was feeling the love of God so powerfully, as if He were right there, saying, "It's okay, I've got this."  

As Mason and I left, we pulled out of the parking lot at just the right time to see Julia walking down the road, toward her building.  

We were able to visit with her for a couple of minutes, hug her, and tell her what had just happened.  I told her I was so proud of her efforts, and that everything would be alright.  

What are the chances of how that all played out?  What are the odds of leaving the chiropractor's office, getting a kolache, and then entering the "wrong" entrance in the exact right time to talk to Tenday, who has influence at ASEA, as well as a love for Julia, personally?  Tenday hired her before her mission, and again after her mission.  What are the chances of that? I don't believe in coincidences.  I know that God was in those little details, and proved to me, once again, that He is there, and that He loves us, personally, and deeply.  

We have to let the car go.  That is not pleasant, but when that reality is compared to how present the Lord is in our lives, it's a small thing.  I know things will work out.  God hasn't let us down yet; he won't start now.

On the evening of February 20th, Hailey complained of very severe stomach pain, and wanted me to accompany her to the ER.  I did so, around 8:30pm.  She had blood work done, had a CT scan, and a urine test.  The good news is that everything came back "fine."  The bad news is that there is no real conclusion about what is going on with her health.  

She's been working on improving her mindset, and engaging in meaningful meditations, as well.  I know she will be healed- according to God's timing.  

While she was in the hospital, I sent a text to all the family, on both sides.  Interestingly, and miraculously, Russell responded with some helpful words.  Jarom and I were both rather shocked, as Russell has not engaged in a family group text thread since everything happened with Heidi a couple of years ago.  We both felt very pleased to hear from him, and do consider it a little miracle.  

Another little miracle happened On February 21st.  I'm the Activity Day leader for the boys, aged 8-9, in our ward.  One of the boys is Jaxon Rowley.  There is a longer story there, but the short story is that I struggled hard when I first learned that Jaxon would be in my group, as there family shows no sign of abating their animosity toward our family.  Nevertheless, I accepted that Jaxon was in my group and that I would need to act with confidence and charity.  

On the evening of Tuesday, the 21st, as I was getting my supplies out of the car, the Rowley's pulled up, prepared to allow Jaxon to attend our activity.  This was shocking to me, as they had not brought him for the nearly two months that he had been in my group.  At first, I was filled with anxiety, wondering how it was all going to go, and if there would be more pain involved.  But I quickly resolved to be confident and charitable.  I turned around and addressed them, happily inviting Jaxon to come and have fun with us.  I told Angie that we'd be in the nursery, and that he'd be ready to go at 8pm, all with a genuine smile on my face.  She had Jailyn come too, for exactly what purpose I do not know.  It was a really great evening, and the boys had a wonderful time.  We decorated the bishop's door with hearts, snowflakes, and other random things, to show our appreciation for him.

I always text the parents with a summary of what we did, a picture or two, and the information for our next activity.  I was pleasantly shocked when Angie was the one to reply, with a red heart emoji!  Maybe, just maybe, that small miracle will lead to more small miracles? I'll proceed with hope and faith for just that.  

There have been even more miracles, so simple in nature that it would be easy to consider them coincidence or random, but I know better.  I see the hand of the Lord so clearly in my life, and I feel so grateful for Him. 

A Man-Boy and His Dog

This kid loves this dog, and this dog loves her boy.  Willow knows that Mason is always up for a snuggle.  I love the bond they have.  Willow turned 5 this past January.

 

 And here we are, nearly a year after the last post.  I've apparently not improved my blogging habits.

Emery bore her testimony at church a couple of weeks ago.  I was so proud of her courage.  It was short and sweet, simple yet true.  When she sat back down on the pew, she cried.  She didn't even know why she was crying, but eventually identified that she was feeling the Spirit touch her heart.  

Julia finished her mission last September.  She's now living on her own, in a cute little old house in Provo. She's working for ASEA as a customer service rep, and she seems to be learning to be on her own very well. We see her every couple of weeks these days.  

Hailey is paying us rent to live at home.  I've got the basement kitchen mostly complete, so she has all of her own space to be as independent as she'd like to be.  Sometimes she'll come and hang out with the rest of us, but she's also been spending a lot of time out with her friends, which I think is really great.  Brigham is still serving as a service missionary, and is also able to hang out with his friends, including Hailey.  They both still like each other, but are being very good about respecting his role as a missionary, and not crossing important boundaries.  He'll be released from his mission in November, so we'll see what happens after that time.

Mason has a job at Red Robin.  He's both a busser, and a host.  He says he enjoys bussing tables much more than hosting, because he doesn't like to just stand there, waiting for customers, when it's slow.  He also doesn't appreciate being yelled at by impatient people.  I'm grateful that he has a job, and that he's gaining valuable life experiences that should serve him well as a missionary, and throughout his life.  When he's not at work, he's staring at his phone.  Unfortunately, I'm not kidding.  It's hard to watch him waste so much time and so much opportunity, but agency is paramount.  

Caden is still working for Cubby's, and is really growing, in every way.  He's had braces for about 9 months.  He's matured into a more responsible, more thoughtful, and less reactive kid.  He also stares at his phone too much.  It's a tough situation, and I'm still not sure how to handle it.

Owen is 12 and definitely entering the angsty teenage phase.  He'll still snuggle with me, and is openly affectionate, which I love.  He's diligent about geting his schoolwork done, and is honest with me.  

Emery has grown quite a lot in the last year.  She's much more mature, and is more interested in taking good care of her body and possessions.  She and Owen still get into scuffles regularly, but they seem to work them out well.

Jarom is enjoying working at BYU still.  He is maintaining his facial hair, and while coworkers harass him regularly about it, nothing else has happened.  His boss even told him that he doesn't care, and doesn't mind it.  I always said I'd never appreciate my husband having facial hair, but I actually like it on him.  His health is not fantastic, and it's something that worries me, but it's up to him