Thanksgiving In Arizona

 

Will this Thanksgiving when we were in Arizona you and I both loved mountain climbing! Aunt Audrey's family took us to a cliff and told us we could climb it with just our fingers. We had fun watching you feel like Spiderman when you were a toddler and you rock climbed the indoor wall at Lifetime Fitness, but this was a real cliff? 

Eli, and Hyrum your cousins made this look really easy, so you were not scared Will. You did not want to give up and at a certain point on the mountain side, you just held on...still...not willing to stop trying. Finally Uncle Bryant told you you had to let others have a turn. 

You knew I would have liked a photo of myself as I made it to the top of the cliff, higher than anyone, and you did try to take a picture of me but it had become dark and the stress level heightened because I didn't want to come down when I turned around and looked down. Thankfully it didn't scare you when I was crying Will, but it did scare your Dad and Uncle Bryant who thought they might have to have a helicopter come get me down from the cliff. 

You like cactuses and climbing, finding space rocks which really did fall off a comet and are made of elements on this earth. ( Saphrodite ) 

You had fun cooking with Fawn, and helping her feed the neighbors 9 dogs. Well, until you guys took Lehi with you, which you guys said was the one who covered the neighbors supervision through camera? Was it Lehi? The neighbors called worried what was going on with their 9 dogs, which was strange and entertaining for you and your cousins. 

House of Raven Claw or House of Israel

 

Will, Well it's December but you had enough fun in October that I couldn't miss telling you about it. You have had your advent calendar since late October, but being at Universal - Wizarding World was just as exciting at waiting for Christmas. 

Just like an advent calendar for Christmas you were counting the days until we were going to Universal. Even though you had your hands full, and your bags to carry, you still offered to carry my bags at the airport and the park when I mentioned I was carrying so much it was hurting me. You are thoughtful to me often. 

Will you took quizzes over and over before going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, to determine which " house " you would belong in due to your traits and personality. Each time you took the test you would tell me you belonged in Raven Claw, from the Harry Potter Saga. When we arrived at Universal you had told me the first thing you wanted to do was get a Raven Claw shirt to wear and even if you liked a different shirt from a " house " better, you didn't want to wear something that didn't represent what " house " you would be in. It was like a Scavenger hunt between rides to go to each store and find the shirt you wanted. 

You didn't mind that you are not of the most known house of Gryffindor, you wanted to be what you are and that is one of your good qualities Will. Will, you don't mind that your other friends don't pray, you always happily say the prayer with all your friends there, when I ask. You don't love rollercoasters but you can appreciate that Brooke does. 

Will, when you were really little I explained what " house " you are in, in real life, as I used Harry Potter so you could understand. 

I told you that you are of " The House of Israel " because you were adopted into that house as you were baptized. I explained that Heavenly Father and Jesus are like the " Head Master " Dumbledore, and that this is what it is like in real life: 

Heavenly Father and Jesus gave a promise to Abraham one of the first men on earth that his children and their children would be blessed because of the way he ( Abraham ) was righteous. So, Abraham had his children and one of them started to be called the " house name " Israel and so all Abraham's children's children are " The House of Israel " with these promises and specific traits and assignments just like each " house " in Harry Potter had different traits. 

But I explained that " The House of Israel " stopped being what they were supposed to and so Heavenly Father and Jesus changed the promise to Abraham that anyone who was baptized and good, would now be adopted into " The House of Israel " and that one of the other houses called the " Gentiles " would start being given the chance to join the promises and " House of Israel " , and that Heavenly Father and Jesus knew that if enough " Gentiles " we're able to join and be adopted this would be good for the actual, children of Abraham or " House of Israel"  by blood. They knew this would be good because eventually those who were originally " Gentiles " would help all the " House of Israel " either by blood or adopted. So we in the United States are also the " Gentile " nation which would be adopted into the " House of Israel " and that we would help " gather Israel or anyone who would be willing to gain the required traits. 

I know Will that just like you are happy to be like a " Raven Claw " would be, you are also happy to be of " The House of Israel " and that you are going to be part of " gathering Israel ".

Your faith and the fact that even at midnight when I have been so tired that I didn't read you a scripture yet, you will and do ask me , " Can you text me a scripture Mom? Then I will read it and do my scriptures." This shows me your " Israel " traits, and I think others can and will easily see you represent Jesus Christ, and even if you don't wear it written across your shirt, but by your faith and courage to not be the most popular like Gryffindor was. 

Your favorite thing at Universal ended up being the ride in " Hogwarts " because you said it felt exactly like flying. You liked the candy store and even though you didn't go trick or treating this year, you got magical candy like chocolate frogs and exploding bonbons. 

Before we left to Universal, we got together with Grandma and Grandpa Pack and carved pumpkins. You didn't have a stencil, you didn't have any adult help, and straight from your imagination, you carved the best pumpkin of all! Grandma Pack loved your pumpkin so much that she asked if she could take it home and display it because we were going out of town. 

I love you Will! Here is your Happy Halloween in December. 💝

Love, 

Mommy 

Brooke and a wand or her Mom

 Brooke, 

This past summer you read a back story book that went viral about the " Mauradors " of Harry Potter, like Serius Black and James Potter etc. 

You loved this book so much you even bought the fan merchandise. 

Since Will had been reading Harry Potter and was getting excited to finally be able to read these books, I wanted to do something nice for both of you that is on our family bucket list. 

I started looking and found round trip tickets to Orlando for $57 a person and bought them right away. 

We all needed to live in a fantasy for a moment and so, I took you guys to Universal Studios, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a weekend! 

Brooke, You were so excited to see Diagone Alley or what was made exactly like the books described, that you walked quickly and almost running past all the other attractions to get to it. 

Brooke, You wanted to have this experience that they do randomly in a show where you can purchase your own wand, yet they choose someone in particular to become the showcase of personalizing your own wand. I went through this show with you four times. Yes, even after the third time you had not been chosen, and so I said it was the last time I was trying with you to get you randomly chosen to have a wand choose you. You agreed, we should just go buy one and quit trying to have a wand or worker " choose you ". 

The fun of the wand choosing a person was that the wand keeper told the chosen person what their traits are that the wand chose them for and you could practice fake magic with stunts in the room you could wave at and things would fall apart and come back together. 

I am not a wand Brooke, but if I was, I would choose you because your ability to read about things you are interested in and remember them is magical to me! The other traits I would choose you for are your courage and bravery since you recently have asked a friend and have asked me to purchase books, that I see you working on and reading, which tackle subjects that many adults go their entire lives without addressing; subjects full of introspection into one's self of why they do what they do, and how to internally change thought processes and be able to view yourself from an outside perspective. That is so brave and courageous that you took it upon yourself to ask me to purchase you books that your therapist should be asking me to buy for you, and yet, she did not, and neither did I...but your heightened capacity to understand life and moving forward from your spiritual gifts allowed you to know, you should seek learning through good books and you courageously attempt to do that which I have heard adults say they don't need to change or address within themselves. Brooke, I would choose you if I were a wand because of your characteristic in being a good friend to others. I see you do so many things for your friends like buying them gifts, wanting to talk to them to help them through their hard times, and because of your loyalty to them in love and acceptance of them, even if you don't understand why they do something. Your friends are blessed to have you.I would choose you if I were a wand because of your testimony Brooke. Even in some days of struggle your friend asked you about our church and you told me you explained the Priesthood to him and I came into your room and found a stack of my books about the church, that you asked me if you could give them to him. I know this shows your testimony and desire to give the truths you have to those you love. 

I guess it's okay that I am not a magical wand that needs to choose a wizard because the most magical God and Jesus made you my daughter and I know that He meant that to be full of the magic of faith and power in Jesus Christ as we work in our lives as Mother and daughter to live after the manner of happiness, with going through places that can be dark, but having faith that Jesus can light our souls with ability; and since you like to collect rocks Brooke...maybe all the rocks you collect can remind you about the faith the Brother of Jared had to see the finger of the Lord touch the rocks he collected and practice seeing the finger or hand of the Lord in our lives giving us blessings and help. 

You are my princess Brooke! 

Love, 

       Mommy💝

Butter Beer at Hogs Mead 

Wand and phone I had to teach you how to use

                     Hogwarts Train 

                       Diagone Alley 

                  You two and your wands 

Will and his house

 Will, 

There is something you should know if you don't already know it : You are very smart.

Your doing a really great job at remembering your homework this year, and you express the desire to learn more. 

This is so good Will, because wanting to learn is even more important than our natural intelligence level. 

Recently you have been pretty excited that the books of Harry Potter have been released with artists depictions. The words are exactly the same except the book has these pictures on every page. 

You have been waiting a long time to be able to read Harry Potter because of the challenges that your Dyslexia has given you, and it has been a really touching moment for me everytime that I see you sitting in the big recliner reading your book and you have even been bringing your books with you in the car to read. 

This past week since you are reading the books when it was movie night, you asked to watch Harry Potter from the first one, to the last. Well, movie night turned into movie week because I liked working out to Harry Potter with you watching and it gets pretty exciting to not finish the movies. 

Will, your teacher conference meeting was this past Friday and your teacher let us know that you scored in the 90th percentile of all the other kids taking the Staar Test in READING COMPREHENSION. I reminded you that since the prompts and stories were only read to you once and you had to answer the questions, this was like you also are GOOD at paying attention. 

You don't believe me when I tell you how smart you are Will, but it is easy to notice because of the little things that you pick up on. 

Going to NASA Space Center in Houston this past weekend was another good reminder to you that because of a deficiency you are given strengths! 

Over 50 percent of all Nasa employees are Dyslexic. You loved seeing the real space rockets. 

CPR

 

Teachers tell the truth about Brooke

 Brooke! You must know how even at your age, which can be as the scriptures explain it, " in the shame of  youth ", or as Joseph Smith explained, " a time of jovial tendencies " , that you are experiencing at 15 years old;  your teachers still say wonderful things about you! To me Brooke, you are aware of the unstable teenager responses in yourself and you talk to me about those, which continues to show me how special and strong of a daughter of God that you are, being willing to search out and address your concerns and taking up self learning. These attributes in you show your desire to progress and your ability to continue being the incredible girl that you always have been even in a time of extra need here in mortality. 

I agree with your teachers and wanted you to see all the things that your teachers have said as I emailed them last week. Maybe these extra messages beyond just mine, can help you see how Heavenly Father, whom is your first Father, has blessed you with many gifts. I love you my princess Brooke! 💝

Brooke is bright and catches on quickly - AP ALGEBRA Teacher 

Brooke is very talented in her writing! :) She is also one of the sweetest kids! :) - AP English Teacher

Brooke is a smart student - AP Chemistry 

Brooke is bright and catches on quickly - AP ALGEBRA Teacher 

Brooke is very talented in her writing! :) She is also one of the sweetest kids! :) - AP English Teacher

Brooke is a smart student - AP Chemistry 

New School - 5th Grade

 Will, 

You have had the experience of going to a new school this year. Since another school was built,  ( the two schools were split) you went with most of the new neighborhood and are not with most of the friends you had accumulated through your elementary years being in an opposite neighborhood as your old school. 

You were in tears most nights for a min..as you were going to bed om the first week of school. You prayed in faith that you would be able to make a friend and I asked Grandma and Grandpa to pray that you would make new friends too. 

I had been praying a lot a couple weeks into school for you, and on our way home from your school, I received an email I needed to respond to quickly. I pulled over the car and while I was typing you rolled down your window and said the name of a little boy I had briefly been told by you the day before, that you might be able to make friends with him, because he is nice. 

I had the " sudden strokes of ideas " that Joseph Smith talks about as revelation that if this little boy was walking in the neighborhood he must not live far, and because of Covid parents don't get to meet each other at school parties anymore, so I should try and meet his Mom now, to set up a playdate, so that you can consider him your friend. 

I followed my thought and said, " Hey buddy, is your Mom around so I can get a playdate set up for you and Will? " The little boy agreed that we could go home with him and I went and knocked on his door to find a very nice Mom whom said they had moved in right as Covid happened and she knew how it was for your son to be sad not having friends they want. She got my phone number and I received hers. 

Will, This was a miraculous answer to prayer that this happened as I received the thought to go talk to his Mom because you were invited to his birthday party and because she had my phone number and knew you needed some help, all coming from the Lord; there were 4 boys from your current class at school also invited because they live near each other, and you were able to not only gain one new friend but 4 new friends or at least closer friendships than would have been if this would not have happened. 

I know Heavenly Father loves you and is mindful of each of our needs and hears our God prayers for each other. When you walked into the party and some of the boys from class were excited to see you and exclaimed, " WILL is here! " I felt the kindness and mercy of our God and His Son Jesus Christ. The spirit confirmed to me that you had the faith in your prayers and so did we, and that you are a beloved son of God. 

This birthday party was the first sleepover you have had Will, and when you were excitedly packing your things into a bag, you said, " Mom, I should start reading the Book of Mormon . " I said, " Yes, let me put the app on your phone. " You had left the room by then, but when I was looking into your bag to see all you brought, your blue Book of Mormon was packed inside of your bag. 

I know that being 11 years old at your first sleepover you might not have gotten it out, but I know that you love the Lord and that this showed me your faith in His words in scripture and your desire to learn and worship about Him. 

You are young but wise in such a way that I promise if your faith and love for God continues, your prayers will always be answered that are a good desire and perhaps in ways that you might not see as clearly as this event, and perhaps not as quickly, but you will be given the righteous desires of your heart as your heart is pure and your worship and trust in Jesus Christ ever strong. 

I am very blessed to be your Mother and you are a chosen child of God to be born in this day, and this place where the Gospel is in its fullest. 

Love your Mommy 💝

Brooke Sophmore

Brooke, 

You are happy to be back at school and that makes me so happy! You are not shy and you have an ability to speak in front of an audience and you are not afraid. This is a huge gift to have Brooke; I know you are going to use that to speak publicly about things to help others and educate people. You know you are smart Brooke. I am glad you are confident about this. Always seek the ways you can use each of your gifts and blessings for that which loves you the very most; The Gospel and those truly engaged in it, for Our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love you my brilliant beautiful Brooke. 

Love-Mommy💝