Fisher Family: Easter Weekend

Jeff had Friday off (Good Friday) last weekend, so we decided to make the most of our time together and go see the Grand Canyon for the first time. The south rim is only about an hour and a half away from us and it was on our list of things to do while we're living in Flagstaff. We picked the perfect day to go because not only was the weather beautiful, but we got in for FREE! Normally the cheapest thing you can buy is a $25 7-day pass, but since unbeknownst to us, it was National Park Week, we didn't have to pay a dime.

When we arrived, we realized that we were completely unprepared. We had done absolutely no research beforehand and we weren't aware that there were so many options for things to do there. We were a tad overwhelmed with the possibilities, but we did our best to navigate without a plan.

Lucky for us, our first stop was awesome. We decided to go see the watchtower that the man at the ticket booth had mentioned. It ended up being a great decision because it may have been the best part of our day.

Luke loves it when Daddy holds him up high.

This watchtower was built in 1932 right on the rim of the canyon. It is made almost entirely out of stone and brick. It was really interesting to see how short and narrow all of the doorways were. Jeff, at 5'11", had to duck a little to get through them.

Luke loved looking out the windows on each level of the tower.

Our first view of the Grand Canyon. It is so beautiful and completely mind-blowing! It seemed to go on forever.

On the way to the top

Another little window. For some reason Luke thought it was particularly fun and exciting to look out this one.

The view from the top (4th) floor window. We were a little disappointed that the roof was off-limits.

There were Native American paintings all over the walls. Jeff

told Luke to put his arms up like the drawing. He halfway complied.

Jeff just couldn't resist making Luke a human sacrifice.

Luke always has the best seat in the house.

There were lots of lots of little turn-offs from the main road that offered great views of the canyon. We chose one at random and got to enjoy an incredible view.

A nice man offered to take a couple of pictures of all three of us.

Next, we drove down the road to the Visitor's Center. After we parked, we stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the view of the canyon from there, before heading into the center, where we watched a beautiful and interesting video about the Grand Canyon (until Luke got a little too loud and we had to leave).

Luke had a blast riding on Jeff's shoulders while Jeff ran and bounced up and down.

Luke-zilla!

Luke is a 'Junior Ranger.' I couldn't resist trying out this hat that we found in the gift shop.

I'm not sure what happened with the camera to create the Phantom of the Opera effect on Luke's face.

The visitors center has very detailed and user friendly maps and descriptions of the various hikes through and around the canyon. If we had been more prepared, we might have gone on one of them, but ultimately, we decided a nice walk down the paved path that follows the rim of the canyon was our best option. We regretted that we had not thought to bring Luke's stroller, but since I am currently trying to drop a few pounds that I have inexplicably (okay, not so inexplicably) gained recently, I offered to carry Luke for the extra exercise. And I got what I asked for! Walking around with 20+ pounds of solid baby boy on your shoulders is no easy task.

We realized we dropped Luke's hat as we were leaving our apartment (we later found it in the entryway) so we had to put sunscreen on Luke's head to protect his pasty little scalp during our walk. It made his hair nice and greasy, so we gave him a mohawk.

I offered to take a family's picture on this rock so that the father could be in the picture. It turns out the guy was trying to get out of being in the picture by taking it, but he succumbed to his wife's wishes and got in the picture (he stood next to the rock). Then, he offered to return the 'favor' and took our picture for us.

Doesn't this look like a fake backdrop?

There were lots of lizards sunbathing on the rocks. A cloud had just moved over them and taken their sunlight when Jeff took this picture.

This is a way better pride rock than the one we found on our hike a couple weeks back. Unfortunately I couldn't have gotten a picture at the right angle to show Jeff roaring like Simba. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have been too crazy about that idea anyway.

The Grand Canyon was absolutely incredible and we were really glad we had taken the time to go check it out. There were people there from all over the world. We were so lucky to have it so close by.

When we got home, Luke was exhausted. He fell asleep like this at about 6:30, an hour and a half before bedtime. And please excuse my sick face. I was fighting a cold and my nose was pretty raw.

Easter weekend was also our stake conference and we had the great privilege of having Elder Nelson speak to us - twice! The first time was on Saturday night at the adult session. Jeff and I only remembered the adult session about an hour before it started and we never even considered that we might need a babysitter for Luke. We brought him, hoping that we wouldn't be the only ones there with a baby. We saw a few newborns, but Luke seemed a little old to be at the adult session so we decided to stay out in the foyer, where he wouldn't disturb anyone and we could still hear. But of course, after a couple of minutes, one of the ushers at the door came over to tell us that he had a spot for us right up in the front of the chapel. So after the first talk was over, we hurried and squeezed onto a bench between two couples from our ward. We were only about 5 rows back, almost dead center.

The meeting went almost an hour past Luke's bedtime and we were a little nervous about how he would act, but in the end, with vigilant entertainment and distraction, he did very well. Everyone around us was very impressed with how good and quiet he was and they all told him so after the meeting. Despite a little stress over our very tired baby, I was glad we had come in to sit in the chapel. It was wonderful to get so see Elder Cook (a new member of the First Quorum of the Seventy) and Elder Nelson as they spoke.

Elder Cook gave a really great talk. He is a very engaging and charismatic speaker. He told the story of when he was first called to the First Quorum of the Seventy (I think. I was a little distracted by Luke when he gave the background for the story). He had been given a giant stack of pamphlets, folders, and manuals and he was feeling a little overwhelmed. As he walked, he kept his eyes on the floor and when he got into the elevator, he heard a familiar voice ask him, "What are you looking at down there?" It was President Thomas S. Monson. President Monson, in his usual jovial and optimistic manner, smiled and pointed up. He told Elder Cook, "It's better to look up." He then excitedly told Elder Cook that he was on his way to the temple.

Elder Cook went on to say that the prophet and apostles that he has met since his call are the happiest, most optimistic people he has ever been around. He explained that as we live our lives according to the gospel and develop a close relationship with our Father in Heaven, we can have that happiness in our lives as well. We just need to 'look up.'

Elder Nelson gave a wonderful talk about Easter. He took most of his points directly from the scriptures. It was clear that he was speaking by the Spirit without any preconceived plan and he has an incredible knowledge of the scriptures. He is so familiar with them and navigated through them effortlessly. He is an incredibly spiritual and brilliant man.

Afterwards, Elder Nelson invited everyone in the building to come up to the podium to meet him and shake his hand. We were so happy to have that opportunity. The Spirit is so strong surrounding these men. It is impossible to deny that they are called of God.

We met Elder Cook first and the first thing he said when he saw Luke was, "He has Mom's eyes." Most people don't notice that about Luke right away. The first thing they usually notice is that he looks just like Jeff, which he does and I love it! But it's nice that he has a little bit of me in him too.

Jeff and I shook Elder Nelson's hand, but Luke was too tired to do anything but stare at him with his finger in his mouth when Elder Nelson said hello.

On Sunday morning, we had a fun little Easter celebration before heading to the church for the second session of conference at 10.

My mom is the best! She sent us a very exciting Easter package filled with candy and money for Jeff and I and toys, snacks, a t-shirt, and formula packets for Luke. The formula packets were probably Jeff's and my favorite part of the package. They will be perfect for taking on hikes instead of hauling around the big tub.

Luke didn't hesitate to dive right into the package

He decided to take a short break to chew on my Macbook's power cord.

Luke surrounded by everything his grandma sent him

The little wind-up hopping bunny may have been his favorite. He laughs so hard every time he watches it hop across the coffee table.

Luke's chick basket makes an even better hat.

Daddy started to clean up the mess Luke made with all of the 'grass,' but Luke wasn't done playing.

He started pulling it all back out again, but each time he pulled a handful out, he made sure put a little grass back in the box. Unfortunately for Jeff, he always pulled out way more grass than he put back in.

This is the basket Jeff and I put together for Luke (and ourselves).

Luckily, I managed to get a picture or two of the basket all organized before Luke attacked.

Once again, he went straight for the grass, while shaking an M&M filled egg in the other hand.

He continued his method of a LOT out, a little in, a LOT out, a little in.

Luke loved the bubbles we got him.

At conference later that morning, Elder Cook gave another great talk. Unfortunately, Luke was in a foul mood and had to be taken out of the chapel multiple times. My sweet husband took care of our little terror for almost the entire meeting, allowing me to take some great notes on Elder Nelson's talk. Listening to Elder Nelson speak was so spiritually uplifting for me and I'm sad that Jeff wasn't able to enjoy experience as much as I did. I so appreciate him for making the sacrifice of dealing with our grumpy baby out in the hall and doing his best to listen to the talk in the process so that I could listen closely, feel the Spirit and take detailed notes on what was said (it won't be recorded anywhere).

Here is what I wrote down:

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" - Our heavenly father loves us. We are his children. And he is yearning for our return like earthly parents would if we were away.
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die" (John 11:25). - In Elder Nelson's opinion, this is one of the most important sentences Jesus ever uttered.
During challenges/trials, we need to let our will be swallowed up in the will of the Father. We need to have an eternal perspective as we go through the trial.
Elder Nelson said that as an apostle, it is his duty to call us to repentance. "It says so in the book," he said. But you're all so sweet and righteous, he said. So why call you to repentance when you're not destined for the 'pokey,' he asked. True repentance means you have changed your mind (way you think), your knowledge (what you know), your spirit, and even the way your breathe.
Elder Nelson then went on to give us a lot of parenting advice:

Teach them what it means when they say, 'I am a Child of God.' They are created in His image.
Teach them to pray in gratitude morning, night, mealtime - constantly to communicate with their Father in Heaven, just as they communicate with their mom and dad.
Teach them of the atonement, of Christ, of what the sacrament means (it is in remembrance of Him and the sacrifice he made for us) This is Christ's church. He has established it so that we may have joy in this life and in the life to come when we are reunited with Him and our families.
Teach them about prophets. Help them understand the magnificent accomplishments of the prophet Joseph Smith.
Teach them a love of the scriptures. Let them memorize the sound of their mother's and father's voices reading them the scriptures. When they are little, start with the stories, but ween them off of the stories as soon as possible and give them the "straight milk."
Teach them the Word of Wisdom.
Teach them the significance of the temple. Take them to the temple to do baptisms when they are old enough. Have a picture of the temple in every room of the house.
Give correction quietly and privately. In public, give them praise; help them build confidence.
Help them to get all of the education they can.
Teach them to be good citizens.

Then, Elder Nelson gave the ward members an apostolic blessing. He blessed us that we will feast upon the word of Jesus Christ and apply them to our lives. He blessed us with love, peace, and harmony in our homes. He blessed us that through our trials, we will focus on Christ and yoke ourselves to Him.
He promised us that the work in which we are engaged as members of this church is the work of God. That He lives. And that President Monson is a true prophet of God.

What a wonderful man Elder Nelson is. Apparently, this is the first time in 10 years that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve has been in this area. Clearly, our little family moved into this ward at just the right time.

After church, we went back to playing with our Easter toys and eating our candy. Luke thought it was hilarious that Jeff let him put this plastic egg in his mouth over and over again.