Eyes on the Prize, Violet

I just applied for graduation and will receive a Bachelor of Science degree on May 11 from the University of Arkansas. 

I can’t believe it’s finally happening. 

Being a full time student during this very full season of life has been HARD. I legit have a countdown widget on my phone that reminds me daily there are 93 days of hard work left until that diploma is mine. Eyes on the prize, Violet. Eyes. On. The. Prize. 

Until then, I’m running wild trying to keep up with all the things. I really want to come back and document our life here on the blog. 

I don’t want to forget the little things. I’m just going full speed ahead these days and just need to finish school. I’m so sad my blogging has been sporadic the past 2 years, but I’ll catch up later! Here is a photo dump of life as a Willy when I’m not staring at my laptop. I am way ready for things to

Slow down a little but I will say I think we have become pretty good at cramming a LOT of life into one day. 

Q has been fighting a cold so I made a killer lemon orzo soup. The fresh garlic and citrus and homemade bone broth all together were sooooo good. 

Sloane gets the big 3! We got her on a 504 for dyslexia and she’s getting some speech assessments next week. 

Corbin lives for boys and girls club bball right now. Soren and Kellan are jr coaches and take their job seriously. 

Watched the youth broadcast for New beginnings this year 

A picture from summer because these two are a vibe 

We live our updates from Elder Hayes

Last night with my missionary home was an all night snuggle sleep with her on my chest like a baby. I love her. I love being her mother. I’m so proud of who she is and the hard work she does. 

We sit in the back row at church and we are a circus. But every other week or so we make it through the whole meeting without one of the triplets needing to be excused for a bit. And we get regular teenager friends who pop in to our sacrament meeting to sit with our family and it gives all of us life. The tres always room on our pew for friends. 

My work and glory right there. 

Another favorite heading out on a mission. We love you Hermana Shaw! 

Quincy is working on her CNA right now.

Sloane has sensory processing anxiety and hates getting in the shower. Once she’s in there she won’t leave, but it’s a daily battle that we all (including her) laugh about after. Every day. It’s a thing. 

I give haircuts to any young people who ask. It’s my favorite way to serve the youth in our stake and several regulars come by faithfully every 4 weeks for their trim. I have zero training and they know this, but I’m free, I’ll cut hair in a style they want (even if I hate the fluffy flip thing and think the butt part should’ve died in the 90s) and I can give a quite excellent fade, so they come back again and again. I genuinely love these kids so much and they know the drill. While I’m managing general afternoon chaos, they go bring up a chair from the basement, get the haircut supplies out from the bathroom drawer, pick out a record and get their favorite music going, then they flex in my kitchen mirror a few minutes, chat with my kids, and usually stay for dinner or go out for a sonic run with Quincy. I harass them about school and dating and their car, job, gym, seminary, music, and mission plans while I cut their hair and they eat snacks. I hope when they look back they know some random mom cared a lot about them and their futures. One just got a mission chop and opens his call tonight! So proud.

Corbin got a glorious black eye at his first ball game. It progressed in the most horrific way and he was proud of it. 


A screenshot of the humor we need to keep going. 

Steezy boys and krusty krabs for life


Corbin and Quincy made honors orchestra and performed in a concert following a weekend long clinic. 

A scene I found at midnight. Esme ran to her bed and feigned sleep. Sloane gives zero apologies for the world she lives in. I think we are all just NPCs in her game. 

Snow Day Esme

Snuggle Bear

Their favorite game is Trouble and the irony is not lost on me! Hahaha 

Standing out on frozen lake ann. David is really good at getting Quincy to do brave things. 

My other set of twins 

We’ve spent a lot of time at Climb lately because it’s something all my kids can participate in together. Quincy got belay certified and also goes with Chloe (Isaac) and Saumwebers on occasion. 

This duo. They are such opposites and so hilarious to be around.


Corbin needs to wrestle. A lot. I am his same weight and wrestle him twice a week, but the kid seriously needs constant sparring. Reese was his wrestle partner (usually unwilling) and it always ended in her tapping out with “I’m going to pee/fart/throw up” on you! 

We tag along to pizza probably every other weekend with the Hayes. Only Benny can eat as many wings as me.

Big Chloe gets a mission cut! 

That fade is money. The local

Missionaries asked for cuts after they saw Isaac. 

Get it, Quincy! 

This PB&J is brought to you 30 seconds after walking through the door where we had gone out to Parkside for burgers/fries, etc. 

Beautiful daughters 


Esme is so strong! For a child who needed years of Occupational Therapy to build core muscle strength, I’m so impressed with the progress she’s making in gymnastics. 

They love gym! 

This photo! The bookshelf is now home to vertical jump tape markings. Davey had the highest tape for awhile, but was recently topped by Landan Shaw, then Gabe Miller. Corbin refuses to put a tape up until he can beat Will. 


Ignite is such a great program! 

Accurate. I’m such a blanket mom. And I love BeReal 

Corbin has been hosting friends a lot lately. One night it was “can I have a few people over? And he invited 25 kids. I don’t mind at all but wish I had known to prepare with better snacks and maybe make him clean his gross bathroom. Aaron and Jesse had a good dad vs teens foosball game. I don’t know how the littles can sleep through this madness and records are blaring downstairs and usually a few kids are on the piano or guitars. But when it’s like a regular Tuesday night and bedtime, they don’t sleep at all and play in their room for hours into the night. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

Ok that was some of January life and I’ll call it enough for now, I have essays to write! 

Sister Reese Willardson: Los Angeles California Mission

REESE MISSION FAREWELL TALK

Woah this is kind of a surreal moment for me. I’ve been thinking about standing up here and giving this talk ever since I was in primary haha, so here we go…

Every day that we wake up, we live our lives with some elements of risk. We ride bikes, we get into cars, we stand on frozen lakes with hope that we don't fall through the ice, we talk to strangers, and we even try out that dicey restaurant with the sketchy tacos. With every choice we make, there are risks involved that might lead to us getting hurt or feeling pain.

Luckily for us, there are safety features we can put on to protect us from the bigger and more obvious risks. Such as helmets or safety belts. Maybe we can even pop a few antacids before hitting that taco stand.

Sometimes, we might be totally fine. People ride in cars every day without actually needing their seatbelt. But most of the time, we put it on out of habit and because we don’t have any guarantee that this is the day we will actually need the protection that it provides.

 

The Book of Mormon prophet, Lehi, was shown a vision of how to lead his family to Christ. In this vision, he sees them clinging to an Iron Rod that guides them to safety while mists of darkness rise up around them. He says “and it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.” I love the word “clinging” used here in Lehi’s vision. To “cling” is to hold on with resistance against an outside force that draws us away. It conveys a sense of purposeful and steadfast devotion, suggesting that we are not only holding on, but embracing the iron rod as an essential guide in our journey towards a closer relationship with Christ. When I connect to the teachings of Christ with intention and determination, my act of clinging implies a conscious effort and a choice to remain close to the source of divine guidance.

Sister Ann Dibb, former member of the General young women's presidency, described the Iron Rod as God’s Safety Equipment. She says, “Holding to the iron rod is not always easy. We may let go because of peer pressure or pride, thinking we can find our own way back—later. When we do so, we are leaving our safety equipment behind.” Then she goes on to say…  “Let me reassure you that it is always possible for us to find our way back. Through repentance, made possible by the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can regain and recommit to a strong grip on the iron rod and feel the loving guidance of our Heavenly Father once again. The Savior has extended an open invitation to us: repent, hold on, and don’t let go.”  With Sister Ann Dibb's insightful perspective, we understand that holding to the iron rod requires resilience. Even if we slip up and momentarily let go, there is always hope and a way back through sincere repentance with the redeeming power of Jesus Christ's Atonement. We can regain a firm grip on the iron rod. Intentional clinging to gospel truth increases our capacity to feel the loving guidance of our Heavenly Father once again.

This last semester away at BYU was one of the hardest seasons in my life. Just days after I received my mission call, I began to doubt my values and self worth. I could feel the adversary working so hard to bring me down and tell me that I wasn’t ready to serve a mission. The more I listened to the voices of the world, the heavier the mists of darkness grew until I was engulfed in sadness and self doubt. I was depressed. I locked myself up in my room for days and rarely even left my apartment for weeks on end. Like Sister Dibb described, I started to think I would make my way back all by myself. I was embarrassed to ask for help and thought this was just a trial that would eventually pass with time and no effort to fight back on my end. During this isolation period I also started limiting my communication with my parents. This was a big red flag that I was not doing ok and they suggested I get a job and pick up some wholesome hobbies to fill my time.

One thing that served as a great blessing was that all of my classes last semester were religion classes. Even in my loneliness, I continued to prepare for my mission by attending classes and participating in gospel instruction. I also got a job on campus at the BYU bookstore. Putting myself in an uplifting environment and hearing gospel doctrine were two actions that kept me tethered to what is true. I worked tirelessly to fight back and remind myself that I was capable of doing hard things and feeling hard things. 

There are risks involved in everything we do. Last winter, I went skiing for the first time and I was heavily armored with a helmet and warm gear. The safety threats of being a first time skier were very obvious to me. Wearing the warm gear while skiing truly made the experience so much better and more enjoyable than it would have been without it. 

A few months later in the summertime, I went to a water park with some friends. It was 100 degrees outside so I layered on a bunch of sunscreen before we got there. However, I totally overlooked the need for any additional coats of sunscreen and after 6 hours of being there with no reapplying, I was completely fried and in a lot of pain those next couple weeks. Haha I definitely learned a valuable lesson that day.

If sunscreen was my safety equipment, then my one time use, followed by abandonment for 6 hours was pretty reckless. Lehi’s vision instructs us to hold fast to the iron rod. Our mortal journeys through mists of darkness require constant contact with spiritual input. 

Reading scriptures once a week in Sunday school or in a religion class, and then ignoring the doctrine the rest of the week, is not enough contact to sustain a testimony without losing sight or giving way to darkness sometimes. 

Throughout my high school and college years, there were some things I did that helped me stay on or return to the covenant path during my trials. If you are looking to tighten your own grip on the iron rod and draw closer to Jesus Christ, here are some suggestions that worked for me.

-establishing a good relationship with my bishop

-honesty with my parents 

-removing discouraging voices or influences from my social media feed

-repentance!!

-receiving my patriarchal blessing, reading it regularly, and paying attention to the counsel it gives

-preparing to attend the temple

-writing in my journal when I had a powerful spiritual experience

-attending seminary in high school 

-seeking good role models with Christlike attributes 

-talking to missionaries—both those serving here and emails from friends who are serving. Getting weekly emails from missionaries is a great source of spiritual motivation and encouragement. 

-and lastly, listening closely to testimonies and strengthening my own 

I know that our lives are not meant to be without trials. It's ok to feel heartache and pain and sadness. The scriptures are full of examples of people who endure excruciating experiences, including the Savior, who overcame all pain and suffering. The purpose of the iron rod is not to prevent us from feeling discomfort, but to give us steady truths to hold onto while we have mortal experiences. This keeps us from losing sight of the covenant path toward Jesus Christ even when the adversary clouds our way with painful and intrusive thoughts about our worth. 

Sometimes it feels like you’re on the path alone. And sometimes you’ve got an army around you. It’s important to remember that the rod is what tethers you to Christ and you’re never alone because HE is holding onto the other end. Just like Lehi and his family pressed forward and partook of the fruit, I too am so excited to begin this new phase of life. I bear testimony that Jesus Christ is the source of all light. I know that my Heavenly Father knows me and each of His children by name and has unconditional love for us. I know that families can be together forever and I am so eternally grateful for mine. I’m also so grateful for all the people He has placed in my life to encourage and love and uplift me through my trials. I know that the prophet Joseph Smith restored the true church of God here on earth and that the Book of Mormon is true. And I know that our loving prophet, President Nelson, is called by God to lead and guide us. I know that my Savior died for me and that He lives again today! I know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be and I couldn’t be more grateful to serve in the Los Angeles, California mission. I say these things in the holy name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen 

Reese gave her farewell talk on Sunday and was set apart as a missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sunday evening, January 22, 2024. I’m the above photo she’s holding a leather journal that Brother Morelock made for her. It’s one of the most beautiful handcrafted items I’ve ever seen. There is a California poppy on it. ❤️❤️

Reese spoke with Finley, who has been called to serve in the Phoenix, Arizona (Spanish speaking) Mission. At Reese’s request, Benny and Quincy played a guitar and cello duet that they put together of Abide With Me. It was really lovely and invited the Spirit. Sully played If You Could Hie to Kolob and Fin gave an incredible talk about 1 Nephi 3:7. 

Sunday evening, Reese was set apart as a missionary by President Waddoups. Our family, my parents, the Hayes, and the Meadows were there. 

Reese was blessed with the gift of remembering that she is a daughter of God, to listen to the Spirit to help her extend an invitation in every home she enters, to have health, safety, and a real love for the people of LA. 

Sister Willardson began Home MTC today and we saw her maybe 10 minutes between 7:30 and 8:45pm when she brought down her dishes from lunch and dinner. She had zoom calls and companion study and classes all day. Tomorrow is her P-Day so she just has meetings from 12-3ish. It was a snow day for the school kids today and I was worried about her being able to get any work done with the littles running around. Our home isn’t exactly a quiet place when all of the children are cooped up from weather. Miraculously, everyone was uncharacteristically chill, today. Like…REALLY calm. Mellow. It was amazing. I know it was a blessing of having a missionary in our home. Day one, check! Go forth, Sister Willardson. The world is ready for you! 

Quincy plays cello in church

Quincy and Lance played a lovely arrangement of I Am A Child of God in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. It was perfect and Quincy wasn’t nervous at all. I’m so proud of her for getting to the point that she willingly shares her talent in a way that contributes to the Spirit in church. We went right before sacrament meeting to tune, and to warm up, they ended up playing the other piece they have polished up as prelude music. It was so beautiful. Lance went to YM in his ward and said to text him after our sacrament was done, and he’d come back. When he came back in, he had a bunch of Quincy’s “creeker” friends with him. Ethan Austin, Isaac “Chloe” Johnson, Zach Shefchick, and Davey Saumweber. After the meeting they were joined by Landan S, Benny H, and Jacob B and as they circled around her and visited I felt so much gratitude that her efforts to invest deeply in friendships was returned in support. It was so good for her to have a moment where she felt so much love…especially considering how hard she works to make sure she is there for others. She is such a force of connection, it amazes me.