Reading the Book of Mormon

Okay, this is a way cool scripture tip. What would it be like to read the Book of Mormon from an original first addition? Amazing, right? I think it would be. Well, now you practically can. On the website inephi.com there are full color photographic images of every page in the first edition of the Book of Mormon for you to read and browse and be inspired by. I took time today to read the title page and the few pages that follow it--and was just so uplifted.

There are two ways to study with this handy site:

1. You can read by page number. This works if you just want to read from beginning to end.

Or...

2. You can read by chapter/verse citation as familiar to us in the current edition of the Book of Mormon. Just pop in the citation and there is a search/find tool that will take you right to what you want to read.

I guess the only thing that would be cooler than this would be to read the Book of Mormon from the original gold plates. But I am guessing that will not happen in my lifetime!

Scripture of the Day: Levit. 19:9

Nancy Drew and the Mysterious Addiction

When I was a young girl I loved reading Nancy Drew mysteries. I was seriously addicted. For several years I would save my money to buy the newest releases. With my $8 safely tucked in my pocket my mom and I would head over the Fiesta Mall (haven't been there in years!) where I would hurriedly make my way to Walden Books for my special purchase. Then I would read the whole way home and every spare minute until I had finished the book.

After a while I must have collected about 20 of the over 70 Nancy Drew mysteries. But then about 10 years ago, in a fit of cleaning and organizing, I boxed those books up and donated them to an elementary school teacher I knew.

Wouldn't you know it, but now my cute Kitty has caught the same Nancy Drew addiction bug I had all those years ago. Yet another reason never to get organized! (I should start a list.) Kitty has been checking them out of the public library and then we read a few chapters each night before bed. Even Patch and Sweetie Peach like to listen now. We also went to see the Nancy Drew movie (which we loved and now own). We have all been sucked into the drama and mystique of it...

Will Nancy survive this dangerous situation?

Will Bess and George be able to get help soon?

Will cute Ned Nickerson EVER kiss Nancy? (hopefully not, thinks Patch)

Lately we have been reading The Clue in the Diary, which was actually given to her by a friend. We are only on chapter 7, but Nancy has already been near a house fire, in a car accident, and nearly run off the road by a truck while on a crickety old wooden bridge. And we are loving every minute of it. I am sure this is the first in what will become a new collection of the beloved Nancy Drew books.

I wonder how long it will take before she has more than 20 of them...

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88:98

BYU Mint Brownies

Watching all this Utah conference has me in the mood for something I acquired an affinity for as a catering employee at BYU: Mint Brownies. Here is the recipe if you want to join me in this tasty conference treat!

MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.

BROWNIES

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)

MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Eat, savor, and enjoy!

Oh, don't forget to enter the drawing for a free copy of my book--today is the last day to enter. Click here and then leave a comment to get yourself entered! Good Luck!

Scripture of the Day: 1 Cor. 15:20-21

Year of Miracles #24

General Conference was fabulous today! There were multiple talks that I really enjoyed... a lot of great advice to contemplate and then try to implement into my life. And although there is the miracle of being able to hear prophets speak 600+ miles away while sitting on my family room couch...


And the miracle of hearing revelation meant just for me...


And the miracle of a temple being built in Rome ;-) ...


The true miracle this week was being able to listen to the afternoon session with NO kids interrupting! A truly amazing miracle! Between sessions they were playing with some neighbor kids and they ended up watching the afternoon session AT the neighbor's house watched by one of our favorite babysitters (FREE). And the babysitter even made them listen and write a paragraph about what they heard! Won't she make a great mom some day?


Scripture of the Day: Proverbs 3:9

72-Hour Kit Time

For the past three years I have let October General Conference serve as my reminder to rotate my 72-hour kits. So today was my big day. I have three kits made and will add a fourth this year, but I only rotate my stuff every other year. I figure there is enough preservatives in all that junk food to make it at least 18 months... and if it is really stale by the time I rotate it, then my kids (or I) will not want to eat so much of it when it should really just be thrown away. (They usually eat a lot of it, though.)

So I headed off to Wal-Mart with my list in hand. First I found the clearance isle for backpacks to make a new kit. This is really the best time to buy backpacks--all on clearance, left over from the big back-to-school sales. I found a nice one for $10. In previous years they were marked down to $8, but I am guessing the economy has taken its toll. Too bad they didn't have this Chewbaca (sp?) pack-pack I saw online! My DH and kids would have loved that in an emergency!

Next I headed over to the food isles, where I made sure to buy duplicates of everything needed on the list:

Peanut butter crackers
Cheese crackers
Granola bar
Tuna lunch kit
Fruit snacks
Beef jerky
3 Chef Boyardee microwaveable meals
2 Chicken noodle soup
Fruit cup
Applesauce cup
Snickers marathon bar
Protein bar
2 juice boxes
Gatorade
Starburst
Gum
Altoids
Water

They did not have the Altoids at Wal-Mart, so I had to substitute with another brand. But otherwise it was a quick haul, totaling about $44 for the food and new backpack.

Next I was off to home where everything was sorted into the old backpack and the new backpack. And this year I added luggage tags to each backpack with the phrase "odd year" and "even year" on them so I would remember which ones to rotate (yes, I am getting old).

It feels good to get this annual ritual taken care of and off my mind. I feel good knowing I am a little bit more prepared for an emergency and I have heeded the words of the prophets. No guilt feelings during conference!

Scripture of the Day: Exodus 23:15-16

Police Beat #9

Time for another Police Beat, rounding up those dangerous criminals on BYU's campus:

On March 5, between 12:45 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. a strange letter was received by the KBYU Media Center. The letter had a lump in it, so the recipient put the letter in the microwave hoping to neutralize the substance if it was Anthrax. The letter started on fire and by the time the recipient could put out the flames, the only readable part of the letter was the return address. The return address read, “Shadows of things to come.” Police are unsure about the substance contained in the letter.

On Jan. 22 in the WSC Memorial lounge, a suspicious male was reported. The victim was sleeping on a sofa between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. when a male student woke her up and asked to borrow her newspaper. After giving it to him, she fell back asleep. A short time later she awoke to find the same male stoking her hair. She told him to stop and again fell back asleep. The third time she awoke, the male was stoking her hair again. She quickly left and reported the incident.

On Jan. 22, at 3:57 p.m., a man was reported leaving the bookstore carrying a gun. When the officer located the male they found he was carrying a chrome, toy pistol. When the officer asked the 22-year-old male student why he was carrying the gun, he said his roommate told him it would get chicks. The officers cautioned the male on carrying or simulating a weapon before he was released.

Friday, Feb. 27, Police received a report of an assault in U-Hall of Deseret Towers. Two students were involved in a fight over the control panel to a Nintendo game. One of the individuals involved was issued a citation for assault and referred to the Honor Code Office.

A student found a five-dollar bill in a snack room of the Smoot Administration Building. The student turned it into the police on Tuesday. After 60 days, if no one claims the money, it will be awarded to the student who turned it in.

Scripture of the Day: Lev. 23:10-11

Check Me Out!

Today I am featured in a guest post on Light Refreshments Served, a blog by LDS women about all sorts of fun stuff. They asked me to write a post that gives five tips for holding family scripture study. And in conjunction with the post they are doing a giveaway of my book! So get on over there and leave me some love!! I deserve it!