President HInkley

It is amazing how fast word travels. Especially in the day and age we live in. President Hinkley passed away at 7pm last night and at 8pm my parents received a call from President Linford who had a friend that worked in the Church office building that called him.

My parents called me at 8:24pm and a minute before that Jeremy's sister called him with the news. I went and looked on the Internet to see if I could find any more information and Dessert News had so many hits that I could not get through. The Salt Lake Tribune I was able to get on and Front Page Web page story about him with over 50 comments responding to the article.

I think President Hinkley was the first president of the church that I ever felt a personal connection to. He was sustained president in 1995. This was the year I graduated from high school and my first year at Ricks College. I remember his first conference as president of the church and how he spoke at every session. It was so refreshing and inspiring to hear from a prophet of the Lord. I think this was the first conference where I really paid attention to all 4 sessions. I looked forward to conference from that time forward.

I was able to attend a session in the tabernacle with my sister Natalee, my roommate Lisa, and Natalee's roommate where I was able to hear him speak live for the first time. We were crammed in there and behind a pole but were so uplifted to be in his presence.

I was able to go to the closing session of the first sessions in the brand new Conference Center. I was able to see President Hinkley again and I will never forget his closing remarks and his reminder for us to try and be a little better. He paused for a minute sensing we did not want him to end and told us how much he loved us and his testimony of how much the savior loved us and how the savior was his friend. Coming from a prophet of the lord that touched me very deeply. I need to do better to be a friend of the lord.

I am so thankful for the church and the way it was established. It is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we owe all to but I will forever be grateful for the great men he calls to lead our church. We are marvelously blessed.

Teaching kids to sew on buttons

I am a CFS teacher, which is a Consumer and Family Studies Teacher, Otherwise known as a Home EC teacher. It is really kind of ironic that I have this position because I really can't sew and cooking is not my passion. Those are the things that most of my students want to learn when taking my class. Jeremy had to teach me how to sew on a button and I was so excited to learn how. I was then able to show my students how to do the same thing.

Well, I am on my second round of students because they change at semester and I was so confident today in showing them how to sew on a button. They are making cute pillows with button designs. A project that I made up. Sometimes I love my job and so many other times I think what have I gotten myself into.

Anyway, I am glad I was able to teach these kids how to sew on buttons. Most schools have cut CFS out of their programs and it is really sad. No one ever taught me how to sew on a button in middle school. I made a pillow and a sweatshirt. The pillow I ended up hot gluing together and the sweatshirt was so horrible, Dawn Holiday's grandma took the whole thing apart and redid it for me.

My projects are more simple then the ones my Home Ec teacher gave me but I love making my kids feel confident and successful and I feel I have done that.

Pregnancy

I really have not talked about my pregnancy. I can't believe I am pregnant for one thing. I had convinced myself about three years ago that marriage and pregnancy may not be a possibility for me and now here I am with child. I am feeling like it is a boy. But, I would be very excited if it were a girl. I am beginning to feel the little one move and it is amazing to think a little human is growing in me.

On my days off from school, I watch "A Baby Story" I cry and cry. I am so excited for the opportunity and blessing to be a mother. I think I also cry because I am scared to death to give birth. I have never been in the hospital before and never had an IV and never had machines beeping around me. I am really scared.

I am so lucky to have my husband. He takes very good care of me. I get a warm meal from him every night. I don't know what it is with me but I have always been blessed with people who will cook for me. My mother, then roommates, American, Italian, Lao, and now my wonderful husband.

Someday, I will be able to practice more!

Here are some pictures from christmas and a couple from tonight to show my pregnant belly and my husband in the kitchen!

Nichole Johnson