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Anxiety. Depression. Peace

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My Experience With Anxiety I never would have considered myself an anxious person.  In fact, I would say that I coped with stress very well.  Like everyone else, I would get anxious every now and then when it came to things like taking an exam, applying for a new job, public speaking, etc.  It wasn't until August of 2019 that I had a panic attack (although I didn't know what it was at the time). I was in the kitchen at about 8pm prepping for my lunch to bring to school the following day. I was cutting an apple when I suddenly felt my heart leap out of my chest. It was the biggest heart palpitation I had ever felt.  Next, the vision in my left eye started to black out. I immediately felt the need to quickly sit on the ground in case I were to pass out. I shouted for my husband and told him something didn't feel right. I was very shaky, light-headed, and short of breath. We got some pillows and propped my feet up right there on the kitchen floor. I felt for a

Embracing The Pura Vida Mindset: Tropical Healing From Mental Health Challenges in Costa Rica

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 Embracing The Pura Vida Mindset: Tropical Healing From Mental Health Challenges in Costa Rica     Traveling to Costa Rica with a toddler... "Sure, it'll be hard", we thought. "But we can do it!"     We spaced out the trip as much as we could to make it as smooth-sailing as possible for all of us. We flew out of St. George and got on a connecting flight to Phoenix. Then from Phoenix, we flew to Dallas and stayed in a hotel overnight.      Ada, our daughter, did not adjust well to the new environment. We thought she would eventually adjust, since we had traveled to California a handful of times, and although difficult at first, she eventually adjusted. This time, however, her crying was relentless. She was overtired from practically skipping a nap during all of the traveling.       We had requested a pack n' play for her to sleep in, and although we stuck to her normal bedtime routine, she cried and screamed until our hearts couldn't take it anymore and w

Come Follow Me (Primary): September 11-17, 2 Corinthians 1-7

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    September 11-17  ♡   2 Corinthians 1-7 " B e  Y e  R e c o n c i l e d  t o  G o d " I believe in being honest "Help the children memorize the phrase 'We believe in being honest' (Articles of Faith 1:13). Write this phrase on paper bracelets the children can decorate and wear. Explain that being honest includes telling the truth." These handouts are available in a digital download format in my Etsy shop here.   I printed the bracelets on cardstock paper, and cut them out. I used tape, but you can also choose to use glue to hold the bracelets together! They were the perfect addition to our listen when teaching about honesty. The kids loved coloring their bracelets and wore them proudly.

Come Follow Me (Primary): September 4-10, 1 Corinthians 14-16

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  September 4-10  ♡   1 Corinthians 14-16 " G o d  I s  N o t  t h e  A u t h o r  o f  C o n f u s i o n ,  b u t  o f  P e a c e " Heavenly Father wants me to live with him in the celestial kingdom "Write on the board celestial, terrestrial, and telestial. Help the children learn to say these words... Read 1 Corinthians 15: 40-41 to the children. Explain that the sun, moon, and stars represent the kingdoms we can live in after we are resurrected. In the celestial kingdom, we can live with Heavenly Father." To help the primary kids in our class to remember the order of these 3 kingdoms, I created this "sea turtle" handout! CE- Celestial Kingdom (Sea) TER- Terrestrial Kingdom (TUR-) T-LE- Telestial Kingdom (-TLE) These handouts are available in a digital download format in my Etsy shop here.   I printed the turtles on cardstock paper, and carefully cut them out.

Come Follow Me (Primary): August 21-27, 1 Corinthians 1-7

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    August 21-27  ♡   1 Corinthians 1-7 " B e  P e r f e c t l y  J o i n e d  T o g e t h e r " Jesus Christ is my foundation Read 1 Corinthians 3:11 to the children, and explain that Jesus Christ is our foundation. For this part of the lesson, I found some large Lego pieces at home to use as an object lesson. I built a small structure, demonstrating that Jesus Christ is the foundation. Every Lego piece that was built on top were examples of things that "build" on a testimony of Him. I created these super cute and fun handouts as a reminder to the primary children, that Jesus Christ is our foundation! These handouts are available in a digital download format in my Etsy shop here. I found some "Lego" candies to go along with the object lesson and attached them to the handouts. I put the candies in small baggies and stapled them onto the handouts (I printed them on cardstock). I purchased the Lego candies on Amazon. You can find them here. My Body is like a

Come Follow Me (Primary): June 19-25, Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19

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  J une 19-25  ♡   Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 & John 19 " I t  I s  F i n i s h e d " Because Jesus died for me, I can be resurrected Here is a free, printable, "roll and color" game the children can play while learning about Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection! Get some dice (we got a couple soft, foam dice from the dollar store). The dice we used are each numbered 1-6, to add up to a number maximum of 12. Have the children take turns rolling the dice. Whatever number the dice lands on, the child who rolled it can color the corresponding numbered image! Discuss each of the images while coloring. If a dice lands on a number that has already been colored, have the child roll again!

Come Follow Me (Primary): June 5-11, John 14-17

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  J une 5-11  ♡   John 14-17 " I n  R e m e m b r a n c e " I show my love for Jesus Christ by Keeping His commandments Here is this week's activity page , which I have colored and modified slightly to adjust to our own primary class! It can be printed, laminated, and taped onto some sturdy cardboard to create a fun and interactive board game! Before playing the board game, here is a handout the children can be given. On one side of the handout, there is a list of commandments for the kids to refer to throughout the game. On the reverse side is the scripture: "If you love me, keep my commandments." This side also includes a designated spot where the primary children can place their adopted "love bugs" as a reminder of their commitment to love God and follow His teachings. These handouts can be found here!

Come Follow Me (Primary): May 29-June 4, Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13

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  May 29-June 4  ♡   Matthew 26, Mark 14 & John 13 " I n  R e m e m b r a n c e " The sacrament helps me think about Jesus Taking the sacrament is a chance to remember what Jesus has done for us. Encourage the children to think about Jesus and be reverent during the sacrament each week. In addition to the sacrament activity booklet found in the Come Follow Me outline, the children can also refer to these bookmarks, which can be found here ! They are the perfect tool for primary children to engage with and better understand the significance of the sacrament. The acronym helps to bring a deeper understanding and appreciation of the sacrament, helping children and adults remember Jesus' love during their worship. Here is this week's activity booklet *colored*, so you can print and use as an example for the children! I can love others as Jesus did Give the children paper hearts and invite them to draw a picture of themselves doing something to show their love for ano

My Calmigo

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🌟🌈 Promote Calmness & Reduce Stress with CalmiGo! I want to share with you an incredible device called CalmiGo , which has become an essential part of my self-care routine 🙌 Why I Love 🤍 CalmiGo and Recommend It: As someone who understands the challenges of managing anxiety, CalmiGo has become one of my favorite tools for finding calm in moments of distress. CalmiGo is a drug-free solution that combines 3 powerful methods to help you calm down in moments of distress or anxiety. 🌬️ Breathing Regulation: CalmiGo works specifically with your unique breathing patterns, tailoring the experience to your exact needs. Its technology measures your personal breathing patterns and adjusts in real-time, ensuring you receive optimal support during challenging moments. 🌸 Relaxing Scent: CalmiGo incorporates the use of scented elements, enhancing the calming experience. 🧘‍♀️ Multi-Sensory Stimulation: The device employs multi-sensory stimulation, which acts as a grounding technique.

Come Follow Me (Primary): May 8-14, Matthew 19-20; Mark 10; Luke 18

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    May 8-14  ♡   Matthew 19-20, Mark 10 & Luke 18 " W h a t  L a c k  I  Y e t ? " Heavenly Father wants us to marry in the temple and have eternal families Here are is a cute temple papercraft that can be used as: a display during the lesson, a craft activity for the children during class, or a handout to take home! For our lesson, we gave it as a handout along with some "ring" pops to go along with the topic of marriage and the temple! You can find the template for this papercraft here ! If I obey the commandments, I can receive eternal life Here are some stories you can print and personalize for your primary kids about children who asked for advice from their parents but didn’t obey (similar to the story of the rich man). This is great to help them learn about the Savior's conversation with the rich man!