A Prompting for Glue Traps

As many of you know, we've been struggling with cockroaches for a long time. We first saw them in August of 2013. We saw a few here and there, but after a few months they disappeared. Then, in April of 2014, we began to see a few again.

Since then, it has gotten worse. For the first few months, we'd only see one every few mornings. Then, we began to see at least one every morning.

Then, we began to see four or five (or more) a morning, and some out in the middle of the afternoon.

We couldn't understand why there were so many and why the problem kept getting worse.

Our home really isn't dirty. Yes, we have two dogs and a baby, but we try to frequently clean everything. Occasionally we may not get all the dishes done before evening, but we try.

Spraying for the cockroaches did nothing, cleaning did nothing, squashing everyone we saw didn't seem to put a dent in the population. I was growing frustrated and sick of it. We even bug-bombed the apartment when we went to Idaho for a weekend, and it did nothing.

We live in an apartment complex, so the bugs can leave when threat comes, and return when the threat is over. It is possible that someone else in our apartment has created an environment perfect for the insects, or that someone has brought a population with them.

About this point, we felt impressed to move, and the cockroaches provided motivation as well. My hatred of cockroaches reached a head when I found them inside my microwave in between the display and the glass. That really grossed me out.

We are determined not to bring the bugs with us when we move, and as I've prayed and read and studied how to do so, I felt prompted to take the glue traps that were placed under the sink and place one between the microwave and the sink, where we usually see the cockroaches.

This one act has made a huge difference. I knew that was the largest area of bug traffic in our house, and the glue trap has proved that. Where poison and bug bombs have failed, the glue trap has succeeded.

The glue trap has caught over 60 cockroaches. The first day, we caught over 25. After that, it was two or three a day. Recently, we haven't been seeing any outside of trap, and there have been fewer caught every night.

You can see we've already ripped off a chunk of the sticky trap and threw away the dead ones in it. This is the second load we've caught since then.

I don't think we've caught them all yet, but we have definitely killed most of the population. I haven't seen any small ones in a while, and the only ones we're catching lately are mostly grown.

I'm so grateful for promptings. We did everything we could think of, and then we prayed. I know we're going to be able to move now without bringing the bugs with us. We're going to fast for it this Sunday, and then we're going to pack carefully and freeze what we can't examine.

I've learned some good things from having cockroaches in the house though. I've learned to not let dishes pile up and to vacuum frequently. I was pretty good before, but the cockroaches forced me to a whole different level of cleanliness.

There's always a silver-lining, right?

Mormon Monday: Temple Dedication and the Spirit

Yesterday, we attended the Ogden Temple re-dedication.

When we build a temple, we try to make a building fit for our Heavenly Father to dwell in. That's why we try and make it beautiful and use the best materials possible. We want to give the Lord our best.

It was a beautiful event, and the Spirit was very strong. The Ogden temple was dedicated before, but after renovations, it was re-opened to the general public for tours. We weren't able to attend the open house (where anyone could enter), but they broadcast the re-dedication in our area.

When a temple is dedicated, it becomes a House of the Lord. It is meant to be a sanctuary from the world and all outside influences. This is why is it so important to be keeping the commandments and as clean as possible before you enter the building. This is why it is so restricted. The feeling in the temple is a very calming one. As the scriptures say in John 14:27:

 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Often times, people may claim that they've never felt the Spirit of the Lord. This may be true for some of them, but you'd have to try awfully hard to never be in a place where the Lord's Spirit can dwell. I think more often, people just don't recognize the Lord's Spirit when they feel it. Galatians 5:22-23 say:

 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,gentleness, goodness, faith,

 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

When we feel peace, love, and joy, we are feeling the Spirit. He will testify of truth and guide us and strengthen us.

When we are baptized as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are baptized and confirmed or born of water and of the spirit (John 3:5). To be confirmed is when you are given the gift of the Holy Ghost through proper authority. This is a promise from the Lord that when you keep His commandments, always remember Him, and take the Savior's name upon you, you will be accompanied all your days by the third member of the Godhead. Previous to the confirmation, you can feel the Spirit occasionally, but after the confirmation, He is with you always.

When I was a kid, I was baptized and confirmed at the age of 8. However, I went through a point, where I thought that I had lost the Spirit through wickedness. I was about 11 at the time. I remember being really concerned about it, but I continued to try to do my best.

I would get reassurance from time to time that the Spirit was still with me, but I thought that I had never felt Him really powerfully.

Then, one day when I was 18, I entered a building where the Lord's Spirit could not come. Suddenly, inside of me, I felt a hollow feeling. I felt almost sick. I was only in this building for a short time, but right afterward the group I was with went to one of our church buildings. As I walked through the doors, it was as though a great wind flooded back into my heart and I felt peace. I realized that I had never lost the Spirit. I was just so used to having Him with me, that I didn't recognize the feelings when I felt them. I couldn't identify the Spirit in my life.

Since then, whenever I teach lessons at church or in my home, I try to point out to those around me when the feelings that the Spirit kindles are present. It has helped me notice how frequently I feel Him, and I think it also helps those around me learn to identify Him.

I am so grateful for the blessings of the temple. When ever I enter the Lord's holy house, I am flooded with peace and calm. There are very few places like it in the world today. The world is so noisy, that unless we stop to listen, we often won't hear or feel the still, small voice of the Spirit.

I encourage everyone to listen. I'm still learning how to know when He is speaking to me, but I know He does. I am so grateful that the Lord cares enough to take notice of our lives. I know He loves all of us, regardless of the choices that we have made, and He wants us to return to Him.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Mormon Monday:Listening to Promptings

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that God still can and does talk to each and everyone of us. His voice is a small, still voice, and he usually communicates through the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes in this world it is hard to hear that small voice because there are so many other voices shouting at us. Sometimes it is hard for us to find a quiet place where we can try and hear what the Lord wants us to do, but it is possible.

This video was created by the church and illustrates this principle in a marvelous way.

We've been trying to get Kevin to move out of our bed and into his own for a while. Everything we've tried hasn't worked. We don't own a crib, but we've been borrowing a pack 'n play from my parents, but Kevin refuses to sleep there, so we haven't been sure what to do.

A couple weeks ago, we were given the opportunity by some kind people to purchase a crib. When we were trying to decide what to buy, I felt that maybe we should try a toddler bed. Kevin is able to easily get off of our bed, so the thought occurred to me that if he didn't feel contained he might actually sleep on his own bed.

So, Friday we went crib shopping. We had been planning on buying a cheap 4-in-one type crib from Wal-mart, but then we decided to check out a local baby store first. They had some very nice cribs that were all WAY out of our price range. Then, the store clerk informed us that they had a nice little toddler bed that was on sale for around $100. It was made of some pretty nice pine wood, and we really liked the look of it. It should last us for several children.

We purchased it and then were able to find a less expensive option for a mattress at Wal-mart. We felt very blessed.

The best part of this story?

That night, for the first time, Kevin fell asleep in his own bed!

This picture was actually taken the next day during his nap! Success!

It took a little while. At first, I tried to force him to lay down, but then I felt like I should stop doing that, and instead hum to him and just keeping him from getting off the bed. As I did so, his head began to droop and soon he collapsed on my arms, deeply asleep. The feeling of success and gratitude at that moment was incredible!

Saturday he took a really good nap in his bed again, and Saturday night he went right to sleep there. We are letting him get into our bed when he wakes up in the middle of the night, but only for a few days. We're taking steps.

Last night, he didn't want to sleep there, but as his daddy came in and helped, he was able to fall asleep again last night. That was a pretty tender moment as Kevin clung to Grig's neck while he started falling asleep.

I really feel like this was an answer to prayers and I'm glad that we listened to this prompting to try a toddler bed. It would have been very sad if we had paid for a crib and Kevin had never used it. He loves to play on his new bed, and it is easy to stay next to him until he falls asleep.

It is so important to listen for guidance. As we do so, I can testify that the Lord does care about every aspect of our lives, but we need to listen in order to hear His words. Sometimes following the Spirit can be frightening, especially when you don't know for sure how things are going to turn out. However, as we exercise faith we will never be left alone and things will work out!

I've experienced this enough in my life to know that the Lord is real and He does speak to us. I know that this is true, and that He loves each and everyone of His children. It is our choice whether or not we follow His counsel, but as we do, we will be led to peace and happiness.

And in this case....more sleep.