maggieadcox

my testimony of tithing and fast offering

2009-01-29T23:48:00.000-08:00

2009 January, Bishop Rice mentioned that there was a great need for Fast Offerings and invited members to pray to decide how much a generous fast offering would be. He promised us that blessings come from giving generous fast offering. A while ago, I decided to increase the fast offering by $10 and round up the tithing to the nearest $5 or $10.

Back in January last year, Ryan enrolled a program thru Stevens-Henager College as he was promised by the dean of graduate studies that an education from there would assure him better success in a workers world. He was also promised him that there would be tutoring available and the program was accredited. The Dean did not keep his verbal promise. When Ryan needed a tutor for his class in June, the Dean dropped him from the class. Shortly after that, we found out the program was not well recognized. Then we decided to withdraw from the program. We sought the assistance from a lawyer who referred us to the Consumer Protection Agency to change the withdraw date to the date the Dean took him off the class instead of the date Ryan signed the termination paper. If we succeed, the student loan could be greatly reduced since the time he was in the program would reduce from 75% to 50%. However, we were told by both parties that we did not have a good case.

Couple weeks ago, I got a call from the Dean to pick up a refund check for the amount we have paid to the school. In addition, the school wrote off the amount we owe to the school which is about $2700.00. We still have the student loan with the government. When I hang up, I started crying as I felt the Spirit very strong and felt His love and mercy.

Fight for Paid Maternity Leave

2009-01-21T01:36:00.001-08:00

Fight For the Maternity Leave You Deserve

the United States may be the world's richest nation, but we're also one of only 5 out of 174 that don't mandate any paid maternity leave.

Read the entire article at http://www.parenting.com/article/Mom/Work--Family/Fight-For-the-Maternity-Leave-You-Deserve

xanga.com

2009-01-21T00:55:00.001-08:00

I have posted some entries at www.xanga.com. Please check it out. You can see them at www.facebook.com under note as well.

Tanner and Mandy

2009-01-21T00:54:00.000-08:00

Tanner has made great progress with his speech the past four months since he started going to Pre-school. His transition to Sunbean is a lot better than I thought. Lately he loves to watch a DVD about ABC. He tries to sing along. Sometimes he asks me to sing. He can count to 10. He knows his color and shapes. He has gone with different phase of favorite movie. We have watched ‘Finding Nemo’, ‘The Sound of the Music’, ‘Polar Express’, and Baby Einstein movies every day for couple times a day.

Mandy is 10 months old and has four teeth. She likes to eat Mac Cheese and Spaghetti. She loved to eat infant rice cereal. She can walk along a coffee table. She only takes one nap now and is very active (crawling everywhere). Ryan and I told her that shoes is dirty, not a toy. We caught Tanner telling her the same thing when Mandy tried to reach a shoe. There were couple times Tanner told Mandy ‘not a toy’ when she touched his toy.

Tanner likes to eat Baby Puff. Ryan and I teach Tanner to take turn by saying ‘ Tanner’s turn’ when he put one in his mouth and ‘Mandy’s turn’ to indicate it is time to put one in her mouth. Tanner loves his little sister and sometimes can stop her cry. Before she can crawl, he often asked to hold the baby. He likes to kiss her. There are other times he pushes her over and get her cry.

Mandy surprised everyone last Saturday. We were at Ryan’s mom house for a birthday party. Her house has stairs, and we live in apartment (no stairs). One time when we visited his mom, we noticed Mandy was at the bottom of the stairs. I lifted her leg to one step. Last week, I saw her crawling up several steps.

HOPE scriptures

2008-12-22T21:57:00.000-08:00

2 Nephi 31:20
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

Jacob 2:19
And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

Ether 12:4
Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with a surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

Rom 12:12
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Camping 2008 June

2008-11-07T01:10:00.001-08:00

Mandy_computer

2008-11-07T00:49:00.001-08:00

Halloween Pics

2008-11-07T00:47:00.000-08:00

Fix Weaknesses or Develop Strengths?

2008-08-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

I got this as a forward message from my aunt.

"Subject: Fix Weaknesses or Develop Strengths?

We all need to be reminded of our differences & strengths. MillyFix Weaknesses or Develop Strengths?This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt

"Do not neglect your gift, which was given you..."-1 Timothy 4:14

The following parable (author unknown) shares the story of a school for animals:
The school was to include classes in swimming, climbing, flying and running. All the animals were required to take all of the classes. The duck was good in swimming and he was pretty fair in flying but he was just terrible in running. As a result, the duck was forced to drop his swimming class and stay after school so he could practice his running. He kept this up until he was only average in swimming but average was okay and that was acceptable and the others were no longer threatened by his swimming abilities. Everyone felt more comfortable, except the duck.

The eagle was somewhat of a problem student from the very beginning. In climbing, the eagle beat everyone to the top of the tree, but did it in her own way. She flatly refused to climb the tree and had to be severely disciplined. She was so uncooperative in swimming classes that she finally had to be kicked out of the class.

The rabbit started at the top of the class in running, but was obviously not up to speed in other areas. In fact, the rabbit almost broke its leg trying to fly by using its ears as wings. The rabbit had so much make-up work to do in swimming that it had a nervous breakdown and had to drop out.

Sadly, the turtle was a failure in almost everything. The turtle's shell was considered to be the primary cause of this dismal performance, so it was removed. This helped the turtle's running a bit, but unfortunately, it became the first casualty of the school when stepped on by the horse. By the end of the school year, there were no real successes. It seemed that all the animals were either average, sick, or dead.

God has given each one of us certain gifts and abilities, certain strengths and weaknesses. The question becomes which do we focus our efforts on, fixing our weaknesses or developing our strengths? Without doubt, there are some life skills that are important to become competent in - and if we find we are weak in those skills - we should make an effort to improve. Yet, as the parable teaches us - if we primarily focus on fixing our weaknesses - we may end up wasting the strengths God has given us to be used for His glory!

Today, I challenge you to spend some time working to develop your strengths! God has creatively designed you with those strengths. Thank God for them! Use them!

Lost Tanner

2008-08-11T19:53:00.001-07:00

On Friday Ryan and I went to church for church activity - Ward Luau. When the activity ended, we were talking to other Ward members. Suddenly we realized Tanner was not at the Culture Hall where the activity was held. Tanner was playing with other kids. Then we asked other members if they see a three-year old Chinese boy. We walked around the chapel. Then a lady found him. She said she heard someone banging on the door. It sounded like he went to his Nursery Classroom.

Today my mother-in-law and I went to Kohls Department Store. For those who have been there know Kohls' shopping carts can fit a toddler in the front. When we went to the store, Tanner did not want to sit in the shopping carts. We put Mandy car seat on the shopping cart. Tanner pushed an empty shopping cart and walked besides us. My mother-in-law and I were looking for clothes. Suddenly we realized Tanner was not next to us. We walked around and yelled Tanner. The staff at the store asked us to stand at Customer Service Desk, so they can brought Tanner to us when he is found. When I followed my mother-in-law to the Customer Service Desk, I was surprised to see Tanner was sitting on the shopping cart. He did not response when my mother-in-law and I yelled Tanner earlier. Less than half hour, my mother-in-law and I lost Tanner again. This time is real. Thanks to Kohls' staff, we found him in couple minutes.

2008-08-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

My friend Lisa was holding Mandy (Mandalei nickname). Usually Ryan and I are invited to potluck with our Chinese friends couple times a year. Everyone brings a dish. This time is different. The host hired a couple to cook all the food which no guest knew ahead of time about the quality and quantity of food available. This is the first time we had crab at potluck as well.

Mandy is beautiful. She always smiles. She is 5 months old today and weighs 14 lbs.

Tanner

2008-07-29T21:17:00.000-07:00

Mandy

2008-07-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

2008-07-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

Tanner loves his sister.