The past few weeks I’ve been dealt some bad news all around: friends and family making bad choices, some devastating news about two close family members, and more. It’s enough to make me want to tune out the world and just go read in a corner while eating chocolates. But I keep engaging in the fight for freedom and family. I am focusing on the good things. I got to go to Leslie Householder’s Profitable Author seminar last Saturday and hear Marnie Pehrson speak on Friday. More on that later!

And all last week my son, Valor, shined at his various activities. The photo above is him after he and his teammates won the Freedom Bowl. They had to answer questions about the founding of our nation and the Declaration of Independence. This is the fifth year in a row that some child from our family has won first place! The dynasty continues! My daughter Virtue, having won first place for three years, decided she’s ready to move on and my older son is at college so he couldn’t compete.

Valor was asked to speak in stake conference two Sundays ago. He did an excellent job. More than one person has said that he was the best speaker. I loved the talk because for the first time I heard from his lips that he has received personal revelation that the Book of Mormon is true. He spoke about how youth can receive personal revelation. He shared the stories of Joan of Arc, Joseph Smith, and then from his own life.

Here he is getting his Civil War sword from his mentor, Sister Hansen, at the parents’ award night for our Commonwealth School, at the completion of his Sword of Freedom project for LEMI.

He also got a cool kepi. It is so heartwarming to see him rise to the occasion and do all the hard work he was assigned to do to earn his sword and kepi. These classes with other youth his age, and the awards, really motivate him to  do scholar work. He has read some inspiring books about America’s founding the war between the states. He has memorized the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address. It’s been so fun to see him work hard!