Father's Day Talk

Here's the talk I gave today in church:


Hello everyone, I’m Hayley Labrum, I’m 5’ 10 1/2”. I’m the youngest of five children, I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in painting from BYU. I am also a cancer.
Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty.
No better way to do that than to discuss some seemingly useless trivia: The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington in 1910. Mother’s Day had been instituted 2 years prior. A Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd was the primary proponent of the idea, as her father had been a single-parent to her and her five brothers. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event to "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations." (About.com)
It’s interesting...not replete with intrigue or anything, but interesting. I like the idea of how the world seemed to view fatherhood as something to be respected as well as an obligation. I think obligation has a positive connotation in this light.
As I speak today, think about not only your fathers, but your grandfathers, brothers, friends, boyfriends, priesthood leaders, etc., and boys, think of yourselves, and what you will become.

The prophet Brigham Young said to parents at the time:
“We should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do. We should set them an example that we wish them to imitate.”
With that in mind I’m going to talk about my dad now. After all, that’s what Father’s Day talks are for, right? I inherited my dad’s knack for sarcasm and cheesy puns. I’m sarcastic like 75% of the time. It’s helped and hindered me, what can I say. While I do enjoy being remarkably quick-witted, there is another attribute my father possesses that I hope to inherit, and it’s a good one: his willingness to serve his fellow human beings. He may not always enjoy the drudgery of the task at hand, but he sees service as his duty, which in actuality, it is. It is every person’s moral obligation and every priesthood holder’s duty to care for those around us as Christ did.
I also inherited my dad’s conscience. I have a pretty hefty one. In tenth grade I snuck into a movie at Jordan Landing. I’m not even going to tell you what movie it was, cause it was ridiculous. Let’s just say it involved Rob Schnieder. Anyway, I felt awful about it through the entire movie, and through the rest of the night, and into the next day. I believe it was the following Sunday, maybe like two days after I saw the movie, that I went to my dad about it. I told him the story and expressed my deep feelings of regret. He asked me why I did it and we talked through it. In the end I asked him how I should repent. He told me that ideally I should repair any misdeed that I could, as though it hadn’t happened at all. He said I could either pay for a movie and just not view it, or I could go the extra mile and apologize to the manager and pay him for the viewing. Since I’m an overachiever, I decided to speak to the manager. You can imagine his reaction. He was like “what? you’re joking me.” He couldn’t believe someone would actually ask to speak to the manager to apologize for sneaking into a movie. Looking back on it, yeah that’s crazy, but my dad had helped me understand how to repair something that had meant a lot to me at that time. He told me that he was glad that I had felt such remorse, and helped me realize that it was the Holy Ghost I was feeling.
Though I’ve only given you a smattering of what my dad has been to me, I can easily tell you that I would not be the person I am today without him. His presence in times of need and his ability to administer priesthood authority worthily have meant a great deal to me. His example has been paramount in my growth, and my mom’s not too shabby either.
In addition to helping me become a better person, he has helped me want to be the kind of parent he has been for me. After seeing some things that my mom and dad have had to go through as parents, I think that teaching my children principles and watching them overcome adversity and succeed is one of the experiences I look forward to most as a parent.
Feeling gratitude for what our fathers or father-figures have done for us may be hard to fully comprehend until we are actually in that phase of life. As we take parental rolls upon ourselves we will better understand what our parents have offered us, how they have buoyed us up and given us opportunities to succeed.
President Hinckley said:
I am aware that Jesus said that they who had seen Him had seen the Father (see John 14:9). Could not the same be said by many a son who resembles his parent?

Becoming more like our earthly father can prepare us to become more like our Heavenly Father. It is important to know that we are His spiritual children and that we have divinity within us. Boyd K. Packer puts it beautifully:
“...It brings a feeling of self-worth, dignity, self-respect. Then self-pity and depression fade away. We then can yield to the discipline of a loving Father and accept even the very hard lessons of life.
“We may now be young in our progression—juvenile, even infantile, compared with Him. Nevertheless, in the eternities to come, if we are worthy, we may be like unto Him, enter His presence, “see as [we] are seen, and know as [we] are known,” and receive a “fulness.”
“What could inspire one to purity and worthiness more than to possess a spiritual confirmation that we are the children of God? What could inspire a more lofty regard for oneself, or engender more love for mankind?
“This thought does not fill me with arrogance. It fills me with overwhelming humility.”

In high school I had a lot of friends who were making stupid choices with their lives. Naturally I was having a difficult time with it. I didn’t want to follow their lead, but I didn’t want to wind up friendless either. Eventually it got to the point where I had to make a decision. I remember standing in the shower thinking to myself that I was meant for more than all of this high school drama and that I was a daughter of God. I made a choice then and there to live righteously, and because of it I had no friends for a while. They were all off doing things that I didn’t want to participate in. Even my friends from church were struggling. I realize the source of my strength to get through it came from the knowledge of my Heavenly Father and the power of His Son’s atonement.
I have had similar experiences since then, where a conscious decision was necessary to keep myself on the path of righteousness and happiness, which is what I know Heavenly Father wants for me. I have endured heartbreak and pain, and I’m sure there’s more where that came from, but I know Heavenly Father hears my prayers. He knows my thoughts and desires and through faith in his Son power will be given to me to accomplish all things that are expedient unto Him.
President Hinckley said:
“I look to Him as my strength. I pray to Him for wisdom beyond my own. I seek to love Him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. His wisdom is greater than the wisdom of all men. His power is greater than the power of nature, for He is the Creator Omnipotent. His love is greater than the love of any other, for His love encompasses all of His children, and it is His work and His glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His sons and daughters of all generations.”

I couldn’t agree more with President Hinckley’s testimony of God the Father. I know this because Prayer has been one of the most powerful influences in my life. I have cried unto Heavenly Father in desperation and need and felt His loving comfort. I have come to Him in confusion and depression and felt solace and peace in return. I know that He is aware of me and wants nothing but my sincere and eternal happiness.
The greatest expression of His love for me was the sacrifice of His Son. As it says in John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

It is also by learning about Jesus Christ that we come to know the Father. His entire existence was a testament to the Father. In John 14: 6-7 it says: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

The Father and the Son are one in purpose, all that Christ did was in order to represent and glorify the Father. Christ came to this earth to carry our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness.

Bear Testimony

Resources:
Scriptures
Boyd K. Packer, “The Pattern of Our Parentage,” Ensign, Nov 1984, 66
Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” Ensign, Mar 1998, 2
"True to the Faith"

Koo Cheetah Rainbow Piece

AKA my latest watercolor...

I think I liked it better before I added some of the stuff... But I think it's a cool concept... to paint a watercolor that looks like a crazy collage, and believe you me it wasn't easy, it was rather tricky in fact. Danielle can attest to that fact.
This piece is currently at "Jo-Anne" being framed; my grandmother is going to purchase it. You'll never guess how much the framing cost. Just take a stab at it and I'll give the person closest a high five. Not that anyone even reads my blog anymore... but it'll be fun for me anyway.

My Nephy and Niecy

Here's my latest pic of me and my nephew, Luke. His twin sister, Ella, wasn't awake during this photo, so he was lovin' life. They have a bit of a sibling rivalry.
She woke a bit later and showed off her cute self.

aks me, I teya

A- Attached or single: SINGLE. I'm the last one standing, besides Missy I guess, but she's still young and thriving. Meg and Hana don't count. They're otherwise engaged.
B- Best Friend: I agree with Missy. I've never felt that I had the quintessential "best friend," but I've had some peeps that have been real good to me. Russell's been a really spectacular friend. Christie's been there for me through some doosies. Jamee's my childhood best. And all ya'll I met at Glenhood and through Glenhood are pretty great too.
C- Cake or Pie: This is the toughest question on the roster. I love all desserts. I mean desserts, not candy. I think pie might be in the lead by the slightest margin. I just love crust so much. Especially my mother's crust. That sounded kind of weird. But there are some cakes on the otherhand that make me want to eat my heart out. You know who you are (note the satirical reference to Danielle's post.)
D- Day of choice: uh... Friday... if I have ronchy plans. If not, Sunday. I feel renewed and spiritualized on Sunday. Note the polarity of my answer.
E- Essential Item: The Pill. If you know what I mean.
F- Favorite Color: This is like asking a mathematician which algebraic expression he prefers. Okay, not it's not. It's much more ridiculous than that. I like ultramarine and yellow ochre quite a bit. A good opaque cerulean is fabulous. OH and i musn't forget burnt sienna. All are great accent colors. I like accent colors. I like vivid, saturated colors in general. I like analogous neutrals as well.
G- Gummi Bears or Gummi Worms: Worms. Red and white ones.
H- Hometown: The big WJ. West Jordan, UT. Yes, it is West of the Jordan River. THE Jordan river. You know, the only river in the world to mimic the River Jordan in Israel that runs North from the Dead Sea to the Sea of Galilee. The Jordan river runs North from the Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake. Or something like that.
I- Indulgence(s): BUYING TONS OF CLOTHES with LITTLE MONEY.
J- January or July: I love JULY. After all, it is my birth month. And the birth month of my state, blessed Utah. And the birth month of our nation, the greatest nation on Earth, the US of A!
K- Kids: 3-4.
L- Life is Incomplete Without: art. More importantly, okay MUCH more importantly, Jesus.
M- Marriage Date: Sep
N- Number of Siblings: 2 bro 2 sis.
O- Oranges or Apples: I'd rather have a fresh pineapple. Or a beer.
P- Phobias or Fears: getting stuck at a job I hate, thereby not being able to live the carazy life I envision for myself.
Q- Quotes: My whole existence has been an output of worthwhile and memorable quotes. I can't simply choose willy-nilly.
R- Reason To Smile: Summertime. And I'm young. And Jesus Loves me.
S- Season: SUMMER. I love Summer soo much. It brings me a great deal of happiness.
T- Tag Three: whatever, I don't even know how to do that and I don't care.
U- Unknown Fact About Me: I make violent punching motions when I run up the stairs really fast to my room. I think Debbie's the only one I've ever told about that.
V- Vegetarian or Meat Eater: I'm pretty VEG. I like Salmon a great deal. A fine, well-prepared steak here and there. I despise poultry. oh, I like hot dogs.
W- Worst Habit: mimicking people, but what's most annoying is that I don't just repeat exactly what they say, I make it sound 425 times more annoying or insolent. I do it ALL the time, it's pretty much the main source of my comedy. Sometimes I wonder if people notice and think A: she's a jerk, B: make you're own jokes lamewad, don't just repeat other people's.
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Strangely enough, I DO have a preference. After my car accident December 07, I had an X-ray of my neck. I hated holding still. Then I had physical therapy where they administered an "ultrasound" at each of my visits. Now, this ultrasound didn't involve any babies, it was in fact a deep heating mechanism which aided in easing the tension and gigantic knots located within my back, shoulders and neck. So, I prefer ultrasounds. Thank you car crash of December, 07, you allowed me to answer the stupidest question on the list with some sort of partiality.
Y- Your Favorite Food: Pretzel Time pretzels with honey mustard. Salmon with homemade mango salsa. Sweet potato french fries with special sauce. Deliciously crafted desserts.
Z- Zodiac: Cancer!!!!