New Blog: The Provident Daughter

Dear Readers:

Thank you for your support of Beyond Beauty Diaries. It has been a wonderful learning experience. If you have followed my posts from the beginning, you know it has been a journey I have really enjoyed capturing in words. The focus has changed here and there, but I hope the consistent message conveyed was how to keep trying to live better through Christian discipleship.

I have decided to not continue Beyond Beauty Diaries, but because I treasure my posts, I will not delete the blog (I will re-share some of my favorite posts in the new blog). Instead, I have created a new blog, The Provident Daughter, to continue writing about my life as a Christian, but also to help and encourage you to live more dedicated to God and His Son. The new blog's focus will be preparing to meet God now based on the scripture found in Alma 34:32. This of course will include learning to love your community (how to serve and what local opportunities exist), love your spouse (includes advice on inexpensive date ideas), love God (developing a relationship with Him through an active faith), love your family (parenting is the highest calling in a family), and learning to love yourself (this one is big because if we don't love ourselves, it will be difficult to truly love others).

A special section will also be available beginning January 2017 called the Daily Word. The focus here is to encourage studying and pondering the Book of Mormon daily. At the end of the summary and discussion, I will include tips on how to incorporate the studying into a FHE lesson (where appropriate) and provide resources for lessons. After all, we could we could all use some encouragement with this (I know I do).

If you have Facebook, I invite you to follow The Provident Daughter page (to receive alerts of new content), and/or on Instagram you can find me under e.d.potter (here is where not only I share the updated posts but also you get a more personal look at my family life).

Please let me know if there is any specific content you would like to see more of based on the focus outlined.

Thank you and God bless!

Elena

Change Begins With Us

Photo Credit: Jillian Butler Photography

One of my biggest fears as a parent now is releasing my children into a world that I know can be cruel and unjust. Where ones own selfish desires are a priority over what is right. I realize I cannot shield my children from everything because that will hurt them when they go off to lead their own lives. Early on I realized that I am not just caring for them to make sure they are fed, clothed, and healthy...I am preparing them for their adult life. I will not always be around and so that has been my mission as a mother, to raise children who are self-sufficient, not easily persuaded by opinions of others, and who are willing to stand up for what is right.

This has been no easy task so far because it definitely holds you as a parent at a very high standard, and I know I am nowhere near perfect. Raising children sometimes feels like what you say and do is useless because they aren't paying attention. If that is how you feel, stop it. Children are more aware of their surroundings than you think. Don't give up on trying to show them the straight and narrow path. When you do make mistakes, own up to them and apologize for them. My son gives thanks in his prayers for Christ's Atonement and for the ability to repent. What a beautiful thing to acknowledge and testify of...that we are imperfect and we are blessed to have repentance and remission of our sins through Christ...that we can make it right, now not later.

I appreciated the words of the Apostle Paul who said, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 John 1:4)" I saw kindness in my kids as toddlers and siblings. Now that they speak well, and can form their own opinions of the world, and raise questions, especially make decisions, these words have become dear to my heart because it speaks truth about us as parents. We want to hear our children are good and righteous, and that our work as parents hasn't been in vain right?

I woke up this morning to the sound of my kids and husband getting ready for school and work. I got up and checked my phone for the time. I noticed an email waiting to be read from my son, Tyler's math teacher. It read, "Hello Mrs. Potter, I just wanted to let you know that Tyler is continuing to do an outstanding job both academically and socially. He goes above and beyond to role model following directions while inspiring others to do the same. He has built some incredibly strong friendships. He is also continuing to challenge himself in math...I am really proud of Tyler and I absolutely love having him as a student!" I think I sometimes took that for granted because it was a norm for them at home, and an expectation when they were away. Hearing that Tyler goes above and beyond to be a role model is incredibly satisfying and it echoes the words of the Apostle Paul. It means too that they are listening to what we do, say, and teach them. As parents we are one of the biggest influences in our children's lives! If we wait until they are teenagers to try to show them the way of righteousness, it may be too late.

In The Family: A Proclamation to the World we learn that, "Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens where ever they live." The 13th Article of Faith states that "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men." Mosiah 18:9 reads, "Yea, we are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places..." The world would look very different today if all parents, people in general, understood their responsibility and took it seriously. I am just one person and have limited resources, but I know that the good I can do and leave when God calls me home, is the legacy that are my children. My efforts for righteousness can be multiplied by what I instill in them and what I help them develop and cultivate.

You may not have had the best of role models as parents, but I know that we always have a choice to how we react to situations. You can be the better role model for your children and hold sacred your duty as a parent. You don't have to look far to see what a lack of ownership for mistakes and the need to blame everyone else for ones circumstances does to a people. Stop making excuses and instead make it right. Make it right for future generations. With God's help, change begins with us!

Cause for Rejoice

I work in a library and part of my responsibilities is to shelve books. Last month it made sense that the content of books I came across were of suspenseful fiction, picture books of Halloween characters, and many books about fall. On one occasion I came across the Thanksgiving section and pulled a book that read, "What Was the First Thanksgiving?" Simple answer most will give is that it was the celebration of the Pilgrim's first harvest. In looking deeper I find the answer much more meaningful. I ended up checking out the book for my daughter. It was interesting to learn in reading with her that people in the times of the Pilgrims didn't traditionally celebrate holidays like we do. They had days of prayer and thanksgiving whenever something special happened. They spent most of the day in church and called the day a "thanksgiving." (Holub, Joan. 2013. What Was the First Thanksgiving?).

"Blessed be the name of God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land." (Alma 26:36) 

The Pilgrim's were Puritans seeking freedom of religion. In 1620 many seeking a new life took the chance in sailing to the New World in order to find such freedom. The journey wasn't easy, but I would assume that their hope for a better life, kept them pressing forward. After 65 days at sea, they arrived in Massachusetts although they meant to arrive in New York. At some point they realized they needed help. (Holub, Joan. 2013).

Was it mere luck that the following spring they met a Native American who was able to help translate between the local tribes and the Pilgrims to eventually befriend them? (Holub, Joan. 2013). Some may say that it was out of pure self-interest that the settlers became friends with the Natives and helped each other, but I'd like to think that although it may have started as this, that love of their brethren brought on one of the most celebrated holidays today, Thanksgiving; and I strongly believe God played a part.

Around the  time of the recession in 2007, I recall sitting in the dinning room of our little home in Ogden, Utah. It was a tough time for us, and both our jobs had been greatly impacted by the recession. We just stared at the account balance of our checking account and wondered what we would eat for dinner that night. Our credit card was maxed out, we had exhausted our resources. We were fearful and sorrowful about our circumstances. I don't recall getting on our knees for help, but the thought crossed our mind to check our mail. Often what we expected was more bad news in the form of letters, but among the letters that day, we found a $20.00 gift card. To this day we have no idea what it was from, but we were the recipients of it. My heart swelled with gratitude for the knowledge that our Heavenly Father was watching over us, his children.

We may not need to take such risks as to cross oceans to unknown lands, but often life takes us to unknown and uncharted paths. I know that  God provides for our means and is very mindful of our needs. He doesn't only bless those that belong to His church. He loves every one of us and so he is merciful, even merciful beyond what we deserve.

"Now have we not reason to rejoice? I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began. Yea, and my joy is carried away even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name." (Alma 26:35)

What is Thanksgiving to you? Is it a holiday of gluttony and football? Is it a celebration of reduced prices and pre-Christmas shopping? Is it just a day in a year? An excuse to get time off of work? Or do we more intently turn our hearts and thoughts to our Father in praise and thanksgiving for all you have and are?

"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever." (Alma 26:37) 

May you not only live in thanksgiving once a year, but every day of the year.