HI Christy First congratulations on your new calling!! The fact that you already plan on being on your knees for those girls is a tribute to you as a person. I was just released as the Beehive advisor and I loved it. Those girls are so fun and ALIVE....I miss being with them every week. They have as you mentioned so many trials to face that I know I didn't have at their age. I think they are just looking to learn how to be good LDS girls and they want to have fun doing it..haha Good luck and God Bless you for accepting His call to you. Take care Alfie

Lynda, I was doing very well and very secure about my decision to have WLS. Then I started hearing stories....ones that scared me out of my wits. I almost backed out 4 days before surgery. Then I talked to a lady in the Stake that had surgery 10 years ago. One of the stories was about a young man in her Ward that had died. I was told that he died because of the WLS but actually he died 5 years after surgery and it had nothing to do with WLS. I talked to her for about 2 hours. She explained to me that having WLS has its risks. But that the risks are no more or greater then any other abdominal surgery. I had already had 5 Csections and a hysterectomy. I came through those very well. That convinced me and I felt much better. I still was nervous...even as I was wheeled into surgery, but I'm so glad I didn't back out. I hope that helps Christy

Toot! Toot! Toot! (x-post) I have to toot my own horn, right? I had a GREAT NSV last week. I am a avid softball player, and have been for most of my life. I have played on at least one team every summer for the past 15 years. Even at my heaviest (300 lbs.), I still managed to be a fairly decent player. Well, here I am almost 18 months and nearly - 80 lbs. down from my surgery and I am playing on 2 softball teams. A co-ed team and a women's team. Last Thursday was the first game of the season for the women's league that I am participating in. I have always been a decent hitter. I've had to be, because I couldn't ever run very fast. BUT, at the game on Thursday, I hit 2 triples, and I ran all the way to third base both times, and didn't need to be carried off the field to have oxygen administered to me!! It felt great! I was breathing a little heavily (which is never a bad thing! : ) But I felt like I could keep playing, no problem. In fact, I was part way to home base on one of the hits, and the third base coach hesitated just long enough about sending me home, that I stopped. Otherwise, it would have been a Grand Slam! Needless to say, I was more excited about actually being able to run that far, quickly enough to be safe, and to still live to tell about it! I can't even imagine what it would be like playing that same game wearing a backpack with just 20 lbs. of weight in it, let alone 80 lbs.! Yea me! Thanks for letting me share! Allison p.s. Here is a little about me. I am the 38 year old single favorite aunt to 26 nieces and nephews, and work I as a graphic artist. I am currently serving as the Primary President in my ward and LOVING it! We have about 135 kids in our Primary, 136 if I include myself in that count. : ) I love the gospel and all the blessings and opportunites is provides for me in my life. I am a Lap-Band patient, and am loving the new SMALLER me, and I am still getting smaller!

I just wanted to wish all of us mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day. Ours is a noble calling and is not taken lightly. The Lord is with us in good times and bad. Donna

Hi Lynda, Yes this is a difficult decision. We have a lot to lose if things go wrong. Most of us are moms or dads and we fear the thought of dying prematurely because we wanted a sure way to lose weight, we dread and fear the thought of leaving our children whom we have been entrusted by our Heavenly Father to raise. At least for me I thought that if I died because of this surgery I wouldn't have kept my first estate. Yes there can be complications. Yes, people can die from having this surgery but we can also die anytime we get into a car and drive whether we are the driver or passenger. For me I knew that I was shortening my life by being so obese and therefore NOT doing what I needed to do to raise my family. I prayed about this decision for several years before finally having my surgery. Here is a scripture that helped me: D&C 9:8-9 8. "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then your must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. 9. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stuper of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; . . ." Pray about it Lynda. You'll know if it's right for you to have this surgery. Good luck, Melody