Fiona, Kaisa & Nathan Judd

This evening was a spiritual high and I couldn’t wait to get home and blog about it! I will look back on it for the rest of my life as one of the times when I felt the spirit the strongest.

Many of you know that I have been involved with a group called “Spire Music” for several years. It was started by my composer and friend from Mesa, Arizona, Rob Gardner. He is extremely talented and I have been privileged to perform his music many times. Tonight, we performed an oratorio called “Joseph Smith the Prophet” in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. It was part of the Temple Square Concert Series. All General Authorities, Apostles, and the First Presidency have open invitations to these concerts, and as you may guess, many are not able to come. I have performed once before in this venue and Elder Holland had come, so I was looking forward to seeing who might show up this evening.

The Tabernacle missionaries kept telling us about some “special guests” who would be there tonight, but never named names. At about 7:00, I was seated among the choir and we were busy chatting when someone whispered something about President Uchtdorf . I looked up, and sure enough, he was walking through the aisles, greeting members of the audience. I watched him for a bit. What a friendly smile and happy countenance that man has!

I went back to my conversation and suddenly, everyone in the Tabernacle was standing up. In that moment, I knew he was there. President Thomas S. Monson walked into the Tabernacle with his sweet wife. They stopped in front of the bench and began shaking hands with the audience members. The huge hall became utterly silent with reverence. A man’s voice began singing “We Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet” and instantly we all joined in. The spirit bore witness to me in that moment that this man was indeed a Prophet of God. Tears streamed down my face. Every mouth in the building was singing, including President Monson’s wife’s. When we finished singing, President Monson simply said, “Thank you.”

What a burden we now had as a performing group, knowing we would be performing music about our first prophet, Joseph Smith, to our current prophet, President Monson. Miraculously, we gave the best performance yet. We brought the entire hall to their feet in applause. As President Monson prepared to leave, we all stood. He then turned to the performers, waved, and gave the “bravo” sign. I will never forget that. I am so glad that I was able to contribute to his joy that evening, however small my contribution may have been. The ironic part is that he has touched my life this evening more than he will probably ever know.

I saw this post linked from Nathan’s co-worker’s blog.  It was quite fabulous and thought you might enjoy it!

Just for the Record…

I know that most of my readers are local “Utah Mormons” and don’t need this clarification made.  However, in talking to a friend who was raised in Georgia and not a member her whole life, I realized that many people still harbor ill feelings towards “Mormons” because of polygamy.  With the recent media attention on the FLDS group in El Dorado, Texas, I think it’s so important to let the world know that we are NOT INVOLVED in any way with the FLDS church, or cult, if you will.  They are a group who branched off from the “Mormon” church back in the 1800’s when polygamy was denounced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I do believe that Satan has led this group astray and made something that was once a commandment of God into an ugly, abusive situation.  I heard on the news that the FLDS temple has a bed in it for newly married couples; one can only assume what that is for.  When I contrast that with the experiences I have had in LDS temples, I can see just how skewed the FLDS views really are from ours.  The LDS church does not condone and has not ever condoned abusive relationships, especially one that would force women or girls into marriages and intimate relationships with older men.  And the sexual relationship between husband and wife is kept private and sacred and is NOT a part of our temple ceremonies.  It blows my mind to think what might be going on in those FLDS temples.

Anyway, I may have said too much here, but I just wanted to write down some of the thoughts I have been having about this whole situation.  I pray for those children and their poor mothers who have been victims of abuse their whole lives.

Yes, it’s true. The unthinkable has indeed happened. On April 20th, 2008 at approximately 10:00 pm, I, Fiona Judd, beat …no… creamed my husband in a video game. Then, at approximately 10:30, I did it again!

The few who were there to witness the event can attest to its verity. Ask Mark or Shannah Hobson if you don’t believe me. At approximately 9:30, after a less-than-exciting game of Scene It Battle-of-the-Sexes, we pulled out Guitar Hero III for Wii in the Hobson’s basement and started to jam. I had never played before and surprised myself by hitting most of the notes the first time on Easy, and after one more Easy round I upped myself to medium and wouldn’t give up the guitar the rest of the night. I had found my video game. Nathan knew it was in there somewhere, waiting to come out. It was only a matter of time.

After beating Jessica and losing to Mark (he’s a bit above me, simply due to the fact that he has waaaaay more experience) I decided to be brave and take on my husband. We jammed it battle-style, fighting to get the notes while throwing various attacks at each other. When all was said and done, I saw the screen flash to Player 1, “YOU ROCK!” Wait a minute…Player 1…THAT’S ME!

20 minutes later, in a frenzy to restore his Male Pride, Nathan agreed to play me again. I quickly chose Medium and Nathan hesitated. He wants to choose Easy…but no, Mark convinces him that if he beats his wife when he’s on Easy and she’s on Medium, it means nothing. Once again, a Medium face-off. We frantically press the keys and strum, throwing things at each other and struggling to get the notes. Alas, we are neck and neck when the song ends and it is down to Sudden Death. Nathan has the advantage as he starts with a weapon. He immediately throws it at me when the song begins, but I am too good. What he doesn’t realize is that I have the upper hand because I am a more accurate player. In the end, he loses Sudden Death to a woman with faster fingers and a more accurate strum. It is finished! I rejoice in my victory and smile the whole way home.

I’ve been tagged a few times and never done it, so this makes up for all those times. :)

ABC’s “getting to know you” TAG ABC’s of you. Each player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

A- Attached or single: Attached

B- Best Friend: Nathan

C-Cake or Pie: Better-than-Sex Cake :)

D-Day: Friday because the weekend is just starting and there’s still hope that I will do something fun

E- Essential Item: Cell Phone, Diaper Bag

F- Favorite Color: Pink & Brown

G-Gummi Bears or Worms: Bears, because they are so cute!

H-Home town: Mesa, Arizona!! But I currently reside in Orem, Utah

I- Indulgences: Chocolate and Massages

J- January or July?: July, I am soooo not a winter person!

K-Kids: One, my sweet little Kaisa, and ready for another!

L-Life is incomplete without: Gospel & Family

M- Marriage Date: March 19th, 2005

N- Number of Siblings: One younger brother and two younger sisters. Love them!

O- Oranges or Apples: Oranges, as long as they are the little Cuties

P- Phobias or Fears: Heights, people not liking me, and being a bad mom

Q- Quote(s): “When life gives you lemons, put them in your bra. It might help!” As quoted to me by my high school oboe teacher when I didn’t make first chair oboist.

R- Reason To Smile: I am going to New York in one month and bought tickets to Wicked this weekend!!!

S- Season: Summer

T- Tag Three: Natalie, Kass, Carrie

U- Unknown Fact About Me: I love giving birth. Weird, huh??

V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Wait a minute…is the person who wrote this tag against meat? This sounds fishy to me…

W- Worst Habit: Biting my nails

X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Only ever had one ultrasound when I was pregnant with Kaisa. Needless to say, I love ultrasounds!

Y-Your favorite food: Chocolate. Have I been asked this before?

Z: Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

On Saturday we had a fun birthday bash to celebrate Kaisa’s birthday. I planned this for weeks and tried to make everything perfect down to the last detail.

I borrowed the Hobson’s Bounce Round in hopes that Kaisa would enjoy it with some of the younger kids…but the second I put her in it she started crying. It ended up being taken over by mostly older kids, and the younger ones stuck to the Marrott’s ball pit.

Kaisa was tired and wasn’t feeling well during the whole party, so she spent most of the afternoon on people’s laps, sucking her thumb. This is SO not like Kaisa! Sure enough, when we got her home, she was running a fever. Poor thing!

She did, however, get quite a bit of enjoyment out of her birthday cake!

Kaisa scored in the presents department! We have been having so much fun playing with her new toys and wearing her new clothes!

I just want to thank everyone who participated and who helped by setting up, bringing food, letting me borrow their toys, bringing great gifts, and running to the store when we ran out of food. We also really enjoyed reading all of the things you wrote to Kaisa for her scrapbook. Thanks again, we have such wonderful friends and family and even though Kaisa won’t remember this party, she will be able to look back on the pictures and video and enjoy it again!

I can’t believe it! My little girl turned 1 today! I am so grateful for this sweet spirit that has come to our home. She brings joy to my life every day and brightens my world with her smile. Happy Birthday, Kaisa! We love you!