Press Release: The Rumors are True

My sister is expecting #2

=)

Press Release: The Family, California Marriage, and Proposition 8

As many know, a recent petition placed a constitutional amendment on the November ballot in California. The proposed amendment reaffirms an intiative passed in 2000 defining marriage in California as being between a man and a woman. This year's proposed amendment comes in the wake of the previous initiative being deemed unconstitutional by California judges.

On June 29th of this year, the first presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints distributed a letter to California saints, requesting that all members support the constitutional amendment (proposition 8). In my congregation and others in the Bay Area, this was significant due to both the doctrine (many of us have colleagues / friends who are gay) and the political nature of the request (rarely, if ever in our lifetimes, has the Church requested political activism of the saints).

Yesterday I was given the assignment to mobilize my ward as directed by the stake as the Proposition 8 Coordinator.

I'm pretty overwhelmed by this assignment, but ever since the letter was read, I kept thinking about it - it kept coming up again and again for me. That was in my mind yesterday when I received the assignment and I felt it reaffirmed to me that this assignment is from God.

I personally do not like to be politically proactive because I don't like to get into inflammatory arguments. I don't like to contest others. I also have friends that I care deeply about who will not agree with me on this. But I do know that the sacrifices God may ask me and my generation to make may be different from past generations - but perhaps just as difficult. I also know that true doctrine can be taught in love, even when it is not accepted.

I know that the content / doctrine of this request is true because I know that the Proclamation on the Family given in 1995 is true. I know that the political nature of the request is divine because from what I have read in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon, God holds his people accountable for the laws of their country. We will be held accountable if we sit in complacency and do not act in faith.

I know that our country will be blessed as we uphold eternal truths and values. This includes freedom, justice, and family.

Press Release: KT's new calling

I was recently called as a gospel doctrine instructor and I taught my first lesson on Alma 17-22. It was the smaller upstairs classroom, so it was much less intimidating. The main points of the lesson were:

Alma 17
- there is great joy in learning that those we love are still our brothers/sisters in the Lord
- preparation for teaching includes fasting and prayer
- fasting and prayer was specifically to be instruments in the hands of God
- immediate response to prayer included comfort, direction (be patient and long-suffering, teach word/doctrine), and promise that yes, they would be instruments in the hands of God
- they supposed their work was great - and Alma says, "assuredly it was."
- their cause was to teach the Lamanites - each of us should consider what our cause is (home/visiting teaching, families/friends, callings, etc.)

Ammon's Experience
- service / faithfulness softened hearts of King Lamoni and his people
- taught pure doctrine with boldness
- was wise, yet harmless
- saw his prayer answered in that the Spirit was poured upon the heads of those he taught
- overwhelming joy
- example of generosity and faithfulness to King Lamoni's father (Ammon sowed)

Aaron's Experience
- imprisoned, mocked, beaten, stripped
- taught King Lamon's father (Aaron reaped)

We can apply the principles fasting, praying, teaching pure doctrine, testifying with boldness, being wise (yet harmless), and sowing / reaping as we go along.

Press Release: MacBook Purchase

So, I finally bought myself a computer last weekend and last night I finished moving over my personal files from my work pc. I also moved over files from my dying iBook (the computer I had in college). More on those later.

I am especially enjoying the webcam special effects. This one is the comic book effect (I got tired waiting for the 3-2-1 countdown). I know I'm behind the times on this one, but it's still a novelty to me :)

Aren't the dots on the pillows beautiful? I love that effect. 

Press Release: Love Quilts

So I finally finished the finest quilt I have ever made!

I fell in love with this fabric after I saw a quilt my cousin Nie's baby received as a gift. So I bought some and made it into a large (between twin and queen size) quilt.

Hooray for finishing projects! It only took me a year ;-)

Press Release: Passing the Torch

I recently got released as RSP in the Stanford 1st Ward to go up to the retirement ward in the stake (AKA Stanford 2nd). As I told my grieving cohorts of ST1, this is just the circle of life. We're born, we go to the 2nd Ward, and then we die.

The best part of getting released was passing the torch to one of my favorite people ever! JANE! (A close second was the RS Presidency Retreat a week later... see details here. Yes, I did stay up until 6am. Shocking.)

To give you an idea of how great it was that she has replaced me, check out these pictures (taken well before we knew our fate...)

This is Jane dressing up as me at my Birthday Party (just 5 days before she was called to BE the new me!) Note the expression, the dark finger nails, and the quilted jacket. She even dyed her hair black (it washed out, sadly):
This is from the Ward Christmas Party. I was trying to create a legacy. I didn't think I would ever find someone who could carry it on. But little did I know that the same Jane I was dressing to impress (and the owner of another lovely red blob suit) would not only carry on, but bring it to another level!

Just further evidence that God knows us, loves us, and that the Relief Society is a blessed organization.

Press Release: New Phone

What I mean is, I bought a new phone. Please, please, please email me your phone number (if you haven't already).

This picture is newly taken with the new camera phone:

Love

kt

Press Release: kt quits facebook

"I feel good about it," commented kt.

Press Release: kt's new church calling -or- life's tender mercies (or jokes)

...as discussed via email

Subject: Fascinating
So, I just realized, you are RSP and B [ex-boyfriend] is EQP... how do you feel about that? Is everyone asking you that question?
M

my reply:

hahaha. well, I have gotten some funny smiles :)

First of all, I'm delighted that the Lord has such a great sense of humor. And as I think about it, I think I would have done the same thing in His position. I feel like the tender mercies in my life are often little "jokes" and ironies - the Lord must know that I dearly love to laugh and that I love to have stories to share... so from that perspective, I'm delighted.

Secondly, I mean, we've talked a bit about my experience with getting called - sometime we should talk more about that, because this actually makes it even more miraculous - the context, I mean.

Thirdly, I think B is fabulous and so I'm way excited that I get to be real friends with him again. Whereas we often "archive" our past relationships, I look at this one as simply "overwriting" what was before into something different.

And so, I say,
life unfolds
the Lord is wise
and hooray for good stories!

K

Press Release: Ring out the Maxima, Ring in the Camry

Since the Maxima died in the car Accident on 20 December (1pm ish), I had to get a new car. My dad and I went to the Stevens Creek Toyota and I watched as my dad negotiated my very first car purchase.

I bought a 2007 Toyota Camry (white, of course). This is a generic photo, I will try to get pics soon (my camera is borked).

Press Release: TODAY IS THE LAST DAY

at my current job. I'm pretty darn excited. I packed up my cubicle in Chicago yesterday and flew home last night. I am just wrapping up loose ends today. woot!