The First Christmas Miracle

I wanted to share a Christmas miracle I learned this year from my studies of the Book of Mormon. I want you to think back to Samuel the Lamanite's prophecy. He declared that in five years they would witness the sign of the Christ Child’s birth, which we know was a day and a night and a day without any darkness. However, he didn’t give an exact month or day of the sign. As you recall the wickedness had increased upon the land and the non-believers of the time wanted to prove that there would be no Christ nor sign of his birth by punishing the believers, even to death. The non-believers were sure the time had already passed for Samuel’s prophecy to be fulfilled. So they picked a day and declared all believers would be killed if the sign hadn’t come by that day. The believers were scared that maybe the sign wouldn’t come but they continued to look steadfast toward the heavens for the sign of his birth. Nephi’s heart was heavy because of the wickedness of the nonbelievers and he prayed to the Lord for those who believed and were about to be destroyed because of their faith. The Lord answered him and told Nephi that on that very night the sign would be given. Sure enough, the words of the prophet had been fulfilled. The sign came! Jesus Christ’s very first miracle, even his miraculous birth in a small obscure town, saved the lives of thousands of believers in a land far away. I think about that small intimate setting with Mary and Joseph bringing this sweet little baby into this world. How could they have known about these people so far away in a foreign land that they probably didn’t even know existed whose very lives were saved because of Jesus’ birth? And not only were physical lives saved but because of the sign, many souls were saved. Their hearts were softened and many of the nonbelievers repented and were baptized and peace was restored in the land once more.

Sacrament Meeting Talk given November 2019

Good morning. My name is Raenie Pratt, I’m from the Copperleaf Ward. I was recently called this summer as the second counselor in the Stake Primary Presidency. It has been a great privilege for me to get to know and serve with Sister Merrill, Sister Dixon, and Sister Nielson over these past few months. Thank you for inviting me to visit the Southlands Ward and speak with you today. It is comforting to see a few familiar faces in the congregation including my brother Jacob and his family.
As part of my calling, I get to support each of the Primary presidencies in the stake by attending their primary sacrament programs. We have been able to attend many of them over the past couple of months and it has been a real privilege. What is it about children bearing testimony, reading scripture, and singing songs that invite the Spirit so strongly? I’m telling you it is the real deal! Every single program we’ve attended the spirit touches us in a different way. Sometimes it’s through the powerful testimonies and personal experiences we hear, other times its the reverent nature the children behave. But ALWAYS no matter what, it’s the music! There is absolute power and a tangible spirit felt when the children sing about Jesus Christ.
Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf recently posted on Instagram:
“Oh, how I love Primary programs! Last week, Harriet and I were in San Francisco. We wanted to attend an inner-city ward. When we arrived at the chosen ward, we discovered that it was the day of their Primary program. We were thrilled! It was beautiful to see that in the middle of this big city, there are so many dear children learning about and testifying of Jesus Christ. We also found out that this is the ward

Harriet’s mother attended in 1965! We took a moment to stop by her old apartment for a photo.”
“I express my gratitude to Primary leaders and parents who help prepare children for these primary programs. These children share testimonies of faith by reading scriptures, giving talks, and singing—all of which far outweigh any boredom or fear some children might feel. Children remind us that Jesus Christ is the reason we can all feel joy!”
As I have visited the different wards in our stake, and by the way, we have some AMAZING children and leaders in our stake, I have been moved by some of the things they have said. Here is just a sampling of what the children have testified:
“I can show my love for Jesus by giving hugs.”
“I know that Jesus loves me.”
“I can show my love for Jesus by helping those with special needs.”
“I can feel the spirit when I read the scriptures.”
“I can show my love for Jesus by sharing my toys with my siblings even though it’s hard.”
“He’s my savior, I feel happy when I look at him and I know he’s the son of god.”
“I pray for my grandma and grandpa, my family and friends.”
“I pray for my dog.”
“I pray for lots of candy!”
“I feel the spirit when I sing primary songs, there is a lot of power in the words.”

Finally, in one ward each Sunbeam came up and said:
“I know Jesus loves me.” and then a little nursery boy in the congregation shouted “me too!!”
Did you feel the power behind these simple phrases? Do we sometimes complicate our worship and devotion to our savior? I know I do sometimes.
Let me share with you one more child from our stake. His name is Adam and I got permission from his Primary president to share his talk with you. Notice his simplicity, his conviction, and his determination.
“I know the Creator has a plan for us. I was born in my family for a reason, I am here because He has a plan and I will try to follow his plan. I will try my best to be a better person, to be a good example, to be the best I can, to love everyone and to improve people’s lives. I am Adam and I will follow God’s plan for me.”
That was a drop the mic moment right there for me! I feel like I could just end my talk right now, but President Nielson might not appreciate that.
In 3 John 1:4 is says:
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

Truly I feel such joy knowing that the children in our stake are being taught truth, singing the truths of the gospel, and testifying of simple truths of the doctrine.
In this past general conference, Sister Michelle Craig, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency spoke about ways to increase our spiritual capacity and to receive personal revelation. This particular topic has been on my mind a lot and when I heard her speak in Conference it was as if she were speaking directly to me.
Sister Craig says, “The Church’s new program for children and youth is built on the foundation of learning to seek revelation, discovering what the Lord would have us do, and then acting on that direction. Each one of us, regardless of our age or circumstance, can strive to seek, receive, and act. As you follow this eternal pattern ordained for our day, you will draw nearer to Jesus Christ—His love, His light, His direction, His peace, and His healing and enabling power. And you will increase your spiritual capacity to become an everyday instrument of His hands in accomplishing His great work.”
Each of us, even the children, have the responsibility to, like Sister Craig says, seek the Lord’s will, receive His direction and act on the promptings we receive. These are included in the basic simple truths of the gospel.
Sister Craig advises us to “Pick a time and place, and listen for God’s voice every day. And keep this sacred appointment with exactness, for so very much depends on it!”

We recently had a discussion in our family about how we were doing with our personal prayers every day. Each member of our family had an opportunity to share their struggles and their successes. As we listened to each other we came to realize a pattern. We simply forget to say our prayers on a consistent basis! Which led to a discussion about our baptismal covenant to always remember Him. We decided as a family that we needed to do a better job of putting Christ first. For me, I started setting my alarm to wake me up 5 minutes earlier so that I was sure to have time to say my prayers before I start my day.
Sister Craig goes on to admonish us to act without delay. “When we receive promptings and then act with intention, the Lord can use you.”
“The prayer Heavenly Father seems eager to answer is our plea to be led to someone who needs our help.”
“One of the most difficult dilemmas in life can occur when we sense that a loved one or friend needs help, but we’re not sure how to provide it. Perhaps we see a child crying. Something has upset her, but when we ask what’s wrong, she quickly replies, “Nothing.” Maybe a friend has lost a job, and we want to show our support and sympathy. But it is often difficult to find the right words. Perhaps a neighbor has suffered a loss, and we want to provide what comfort we can. But we are also reluctant to intrude inappropriately.”

“It is easy under such circumstances to feel helpless or inadequate, with little comfort to offer and little joy to share. It is important, however, that we not allow our feelings of discomfort to prevent us from offering what aid we can. Almost always, the help we offer will be gratefully received. Sometimes even a small gesture that says “I care” can be enough to make a difference.”
“A family was traveling on vacation when suddenly their car broke down. The father raised the hood to look at the engine and discovered new parts were needed. Unfortunately, the nearest town was miles away.”
“Just then another car—also containing several children—pulled up behind them and stopped. The father in that car soon assessed the needs of these strangers and drove to the next town and back to bring the necessary parts.”
“The stranded family was astonished at such kindness and tried to express their gratitude. But the benevolent stranger waved away their thanks, simply saying, “Every day we pray as a family that the Lord will lead us to people who can use our help.” They felt grateful to be used as a tool in God’s hands.”
“One woman was well known among her friends and associates for sending flowers. Instead of coming on predictable dates such as birthdays and anniversaries, however, the tumble of flowers always arrived unexpectedly with a simple handwritten note that said, “Just thinking of you.” When asked what prompted this lovely act, the woman

said: ‘If somebody’s on your mind, that’s a sign you should do something—call, visit, drop a line. Maybe what you do won’t make a difference to that person—but maybe it will.’”
“A businessman sat in a busy airport and noticed a young mother struggling with a tired, crying child. At first, he was reluctant to intrude. He was, after all, a stranger. Perhaps an offer to help would be resented, he thought. But seeing and edge of desperation on the young woman’s face persuaded him to intervene. She responded to his offered help with a grateful thank you. He held her child while she filled a bottle and watched her bags as she changed the baby’s diaper. Although his aid lasted only a few minutes and he never saw her again, he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had made a difference and had turned a difficult moment into a manageable one for someone who, however briefly, had needed him.” This Day And Always by Lloyd D. Newell
“The Lord sends revelation to those seeking to help others.” “...each of us has a different mission to perform...there are many ways to build the kingdom of God. You have unique missions and roles to perform in life and will be given unique guidance to fulfill them.”
“The Lord is mindful of those who obey and, in the words of Nephi, will ‘prepare a way for [us to] accomplish the things which he commandeth.’ Note that Nephi says, ‘a way’—not ‘the way.’”

“Do we miss or dismiss personal errands from the Lord because He has prepared ‘a way’ different from the one we expect?” Sister Craig
Do not dismiss a prompting you receive. It is so important that we follow through with what God would have us do. We do this through living the simple gospel truths taught in Primary, seeking the Lord’s will in our lives, and then acting upon those promptings. I know the Savior lives. I know he is keenly aware of each of us and loves us. I feel His love when I sing the Primary songs, when I receive priesthood blessings from my husband, and when I see my children being touched by the Holy Ghost. I aspire to be like our primary friend Adam and I echo his words, I am Raenie and I will follow God’s plan for me!

Sacrament Meeting Talk Given May 2018

Good morning.  My name is Raenie Pratt.  I am excited to share with you today some of my thoughts and feelings regarding the teachings from our prophets and apostles...and I also included a few things from our inspired female leadership in the church as well.As I was pondering this very broad topic my mind instantly went to our latest General Conference.  Usually one can find one or two overall topics or trends that are repeated throughout the various talks.  Depending on where the spirit guides I think the topics might be different for each of us.For me, I really loved President Nelson’s talk on receiving revelation which was carried over in President Eyring’s talk on the Holy Ghost followed by another tie in from President Oaks with his talk on Small and Simple Things.  And lastly, Sister Aburto from the RS General presidency more recently spoke at Women’s Conference on the importance of not trying to do it all.I’ll be quoting from these four talks.  I pray the Spirit will be with us as we take a closer look atthe words from our prophets, apostles, and church leaders.First, President Nelson taught us how important it is to receive personal revelation.  He says, “One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children.”What does that mean to you...to me...to our families?  It means that we can and should have faith in this promised blessing.  Our prophet has made a declaration that the Lord is willing and eager and ready to answer our prayers!  Are we diligently going to our knees with questions and eagerly awaiting a response from the Lord?President Nelson goes further and takes a moment to teach us step by step how we go about this.He says to first, find a quiet place.  In my house, that’s sometimes hard.  However, as my kids have gotten older they know to be quiet and give mom some time if they see me kneeling by my bed.  I’ve also hidden in my closet or once I even went outside to the playhouse!Second, have a humble attitude before God.  It’s important to have an open mind and heart to God’s will in our lives.Third, turn to Heavenly Father for answers and for comfort. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, and the longings of your heart.  He cares about all aspects of our lives.  Let him in and let him guide you through it.Then…President Nelson teaches that we need to LISTEN!  Be still and let our minds open up to any thoughts or impressions or feelings or ideas that might come.  When those thoughts come WRITE THEM DOWN.  Do you have a notebook or journal and a pen next to your bed? I can’t count the number of times when I have regrettably skipped this important step.  I convince myself “oh I’ll remember!” and so I don’t take the time to write it down and then it’s gone and forgotten.  Learn from my mistakes and take the time to write it down!We’re not done yet, President Nelson then admonishes us to be ready to follow through with actions we are prompted to take.  It is by following through that the Lord gains our trust and He will continue to trust us and give us more ideas, more inspiration, and more guidance.Quoting from President Nelson, he says, “You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you.”Our Heavenly Father uses the channel of the Holy Ghost to communicate with us and makes possible the whole process of revelation to happen.  This is just what President Eyring spoke about when he said, “My hope today is to increase your desire and your ability to receive the Holy Ghost. Remember, He is the third member of the Godhead. The Father and the Son are resurrected beings. The Holy Ghost is a person of spirit. (See D&C 130:22.) It is your choice whether to receive Him and welcome Him into your heart and mind. …“More precious than memory of events is the memory of the Holy Ghost touching our hearts and His continuing affirmation of truth. More precious than seeing with our eyes or remembering words spoken and read is recalling the feelings that accompanied the quiet voice of the Spirit. Rarely I have felt it exactly as the travelers on the road to Emmaus did-as a soft burning in the heart. More often it is a feeling of light and quiet assurance…”President Eyring recalls a time when he was young and they sang “Abide with Me; Tis Eventide” in sacrament meeting.  Even though it wasn’t the first time he heard the words to that song, he felt something special that night.  He felt closer to the Savior.  A memory of the Holy Ghost touching our hearts is the most precious thing we can have.I know that it is true because I have felt that in my own life.  As a youth, I diligently attended EFY, Youth Conferences, YW Camp, seminary, and various devotionals.  I can only recall just a few things we actually did or talked about but the feelings of the spirit and the overwhelming sense of belonging and love I felt carried me forward and kept me going on the right path. I must have been 16 or 17 at a Stake Youth Conference.  We had a wonderful weekend to service, talks, dances, and spending time together.  On Saturday evening as we were wrapping up the weekend with our final devotional before we all parted ways and went home, we sang “God Be With You till We Meet Again”.  That song has forever taken on a whole new meaning for me.  I’ll never forget the overwhelming spirit I felt as I looked around that chapel and saw all these close friends I had made and the wonderful experiences we had just shared together.  It was almost as if the heavens opened for just a moment and I felt what it felt like to truly be with my friends and family once again after this life.  What a treasured moment the spirit gave me that I’ll never forget.Think for a moment on a time in your life when the spirit spoke to your heart.  Those can be the most powerful testimony building experiences we can have.President Eyring admonishes us that “… Our obligation is to choose to open our hearts to receive the ministration of the Spirit over a lifetime. …”If my only moment of feeling the Holy Ghost was in one youth conference 20 years ago, that would not be enough to sustain my testimony.  Just as Pres. Eyring teaches it’s a continual process that happens over a lifetime.This is where President Oaks ties in so nicely when he used the example of a growing root cracking the sidewalk to illustrate that little choices can make a big difference over time.  “We are taught many small and simple things in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to be reminded that in total and over a significant period of time, these seemingly small things bring to pass great things. …“Consider … scripture study. … Or consider … personal prayers and … kneeling family prayers. … Consider attendance at Seminary. … Though each of these practices may seem to be small and simple, over time they result in powerful spiritual uplift and growth. …”  Do you find this to be true in your own life?  Can you think back 5 years, or 10 years and see the small decisions you’ve been making have shaped you into the person you are today.  Are there things you want to change about yourself?  Are there habits you’d like to start or quit? 
Are there small and simple adjustments you can make to your daily routine that will, in the long run, make a big impact on your life?I urge you to not get overwhelmed by it all.  That’s Satan’s great tool.  He’s really good at convincing us that we can’t do this, it’s too hard, it’s inconvenient, it’s all just too much.  Those are his lies to try to coerce us into sticking our feet in the sand and stop our forward progression toward Christ.I found this to be especially true as I served as RS President. Satan was really good about reminding me of all the things I wasn’t doing and all the little things I missed. He frequently reminded me that someone else that didn’t have young kids could serve more diligently and more effectively. But I’m here to testify that the Lord blessed me with an added measure of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost was powerful in my life reminding me that whom the Lord calls the Lord qualifies. He gave me the assurance that what I was doing and the amount I was giving was sufficient. I needed that added measure of the spirit to ward off the frequent lies that Satan tried to tell me. Earlier this month Sister Aburto of the RS General presidency spoke at Women’s Conference.  In her words, “It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with all that we are asked to do. My sisters, you are doing great…. I want to reassure you that the Lord accepts all your efforts….” She goes on to say, “I learned this principle some years ago. When I was working full-time out of the home, I used to make long lists of things that needed to be done on Saturday. I could never finish everything on my list. A major milestone happened when I realized I didn’t need a long list for Saturday. I started to save my Saturdays for more important family time by going shopping or doing laundry on weeknights, so I would be free. My advice from my own experience is to just pick two or three things that are realistic and let the other stuff go. Spend time having fun! Enjoy your family! Do fun things with them!”Sister Aburto continues, “One day, I realized I will never be done. My lists will never be finished. It isn’t possible. I want to tell every woman what I have learned. You don’t have to do it all, and you are never done, and you can be okay with that, and you can accept that. Do what you can each day, ask the Lord to fill in the gaps, and then a new day starts and you begin again. That is part of the beauty of being disciples of Jesus Christ—that we are never done, that there is always something else to do, and that there is always room for improvement.”I love how beautiful the gospel is.  I love that we have a prophet and apostles and wise leaders to guide us and teach us the important things we need to focus on and how to live the
best lives we can.  Through small and simple decisions we can keep the Holy Ghost in our lives to reveal to us the path God would have us take through our journey here on earth, bearing in mind that we can’t do it all but we can do the important things moving forward in Christ.

Happy Birthday Kenzie

YIKES!!  We have another teenager in the house!  Kenzie turned 13 this week and we had a fun time celebrating her.  She got lots of new clothes, cupcakes, ice cream sandwich cake, phone calls, cards, Olive Garden dinner, and donuts for breakfast.  Despite not having any friends or extended family to celebrate with, I think she had a fun birthday.

Kenzie is seriously the best big sister and daughter I could ever ask for.  She's patient and loving with her siblings.  She and Sadie have a special bond and connection full of puppies and nicknames.  She's a pro on the hoverboard, loves to read, plays the violin, creates cool drawings, writes fun stories, and has lately gotten into organizing her room.  She's our peacemaker and quietly goes about spreading cheer and love and happiness wherever she goes.
 

We love you Kenz! Happy Birthday!!

Sadie

Sadie Boo

Just a fun afternoon with my Sadie Boo.  

She loves working on "school" with 

Mom while the others are at real school.

Birthday Week

 Birthday Week 2020!

Birthday week always starts out with Lulu.  She had it all planned out.  We were going to open presents in the morning and eat donuts for breakfast.  After church we'd head over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.  But then she got sick and it ruined all her plans.  She still woke up and opened her presents but she wasn't feeling well enough to eat a donut.  Then she stayed home from church and had to miss the dinner that she planned at Grandma's house.  We decided to wait until the next day to eat the cake she designed.  It was a chocolate cake with purple frosting, sprinkles, her name, and cookies and cream candy bar around the bottom.  She was pretty happy with it.  Good thing her illness didn't last too long.

Then it was time to celebrate Gennie's birthday.  She didn't have quite as specific plans as Lulu.  She just wanted to open her presents in the morning and she didn't care what we ate for breakfast.  For dinner she requested buttered noodles and meatballs with broccoli.  She didn't want cake but brownies instead with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.  I was happy to oblige.

Finally we celebrated Charlie.  He just really wanted to take a nap on his birthday! Easy peasy.  He really made it easy on me and bought all his own gifts this year.  But he did request an ice cream sandwich cake which I was happy to do for him.  It was fun to have three different desserts that they each planned out this year. 

Happy Birthday!

Christmas 2019

Christmas 2019 was a memorable day.  The most memorable thing for me was the trick we played on the kids.  They have been wanting a new gaming system for a few years now.  We've been putting it off for a long time but decided to finally give in and get the kids an Xbox One.  We waited until almost the last to open up this special gift.  First, we gave Kenzie a gift that was an Xbox One game.  She opened it and all three older kids got so excited!

Kids: Oh NO WAY!! An Xbox One game?!?

Does this mean...

Charlie: Oh wait, what?  Xbox One? Raenie, you got an Xbox One game instead of a 360 game!  

Raenie: Whoops, why did you put me in charge of getting the video game? I'm no good at these kids of things. 

Charlie: That's ok, we can always exchange it.

Then Charlie gave Dallin the next gift.  It was quite large and heavy.  He tore it open just slightly and instantly knew just what it was.  An Xbox One!  He quickly ran and with tears in his eyes gave Charlie a big hug while Lulu jumped at me and with tears in her eyes gave me a huge hug. It was the sweetest thing ever.  It's a great feeling when you can bring that sort of happiness to your kids.

Other things we did this Christmas season included volunteering at Toys for Tots, baking lots of cookies for neighbors and friends, looking at all the lights around the neighborhood, donating at the Giving Machine in downtown Denver and eating at the Cheesecake Factory, exploring Denver on the bus and enjoying all the fun lights, Ward Christmas breakfast, lots of gift exchanges for the kids, family dinner/game/nativity, decorating gingerbread houses with Grandma and Grandpa Foutz and the Downey-Foutz's.

I think it was a great Christmas and I know I felt the spirit of giving and the spirit of Christ this year. 

Feeling the Spirit

We had our ward Primary sacrament meeting program recently. The three youngest participated in it. Our music leader asked the girls if they would sing together two lines from the hymn I Know That My Redeemer Lives. The whole Primary sang the first verse together then the second verse was split up among a few kids singing the lines as solos.

As the kids started singing the first verse I’m telling you those words alone have power but then you get a whole Primary full of children singing it takes on a whole new meaning.

I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with His love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.

The second verse was then split up and a few children sang two lines together as solos or with a sibling.

He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my souls complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.

Lulu, Gennie, and Sadie sang together the last two lines in the verse. I’ll be honest it was not the greatest performance. Some of the kids forgot the words, some kids sang other kids lines which messed up the next kids, and some kids (like mine) sang quietly and were a bit shy.

But it did not matter! The Spirit was so strong as those kids sang those sacred words describing our Savior, his role in our lives, and how he truly does live and care about every aspect of our lives.

And here’s the best thing ever ever ever! My kids felt it! Lulu actually had tears in her eyes as she sang the song.  It’s the best feeling in the world when you know without a doubt that your child is feeling the love of our Savior. It was such a sweet moment.

After the program was over I asked Lulu how she felt. She said she didn’t know. I asked her if she was crying because she felt the Holy Ghost and she said, Yeah, I think so! It was the sweetest thing ever.