Come Follow Me for Us

18/06/2024

One of the owners of HI-5 tours and I realize that our ADHD excitement roared to a frenzy as we talked and we threw out the idea of this fall tour just three months away without thinking through the logistics enough. We are worried about trying to fill a bus in such a short amount of time. If we don’t fill a bus we could easily refund people’s deposits, but if people booked non-refundable airfare, that would be a mess.
We got really excited about the prospect of me doing tours that we jumped the gun a little. They normally announce their trips with far more time for people to make arrangements. (And we also thought the end of September would have been FABULOUS weather.)
So, unfortunately, we are going to hold off until 2025. I will keep you posted. 🤞🏼🤞🏼

*Let me know if you had just arranged for you and 25 of your closest friends to go in September or if you are an older couple who is leaving on a mission in the fall and really wanted to take all 50 of your kids and grandkids on an 8 day church history tour before you go! 😂😂❤️. OR if you’re an LDS company who has been thinking you need to really spoil your staff and their spouses but haven’t known what to do, I’m sure we could work something out for those September dates😉.
But NOT OR if you’re a crazy stalker and want to buy up all the seats on the bus for a private Melanie bus tour. That isn’t going to happen. 🔪🔪

Thanks and sorry.

*I was already writing up my trivia, making shirts and planning all the cool information to share. So don’t despair! It’s going to happen, we’ll just give you a reasonable amount of time to get it together.
Love you!!

15/06/2024

Here’s the link to sign up!

Discover the heart of LDS Church history on our immersive tours. Explore sacred sites, trace pioneer footsteps, and deepen your faith journey. Join us today!

15/06/2024

Here’s the announcement! No idea why it didn’t show up over here. Technology and I aren’t friends - as you know

10/06/2024

29 years ago today we lost our dad. My dad was the best human and I loved him with my whole heart. I have felt him near a few specific times since he’s been gone, but on the whole, there is a huge hole where I just want him to be.
Some years this date sneaks by me. This year, not so lucky. I’m grateful for Jesus and His plan that families can be together for eternity. But it doesn’t make me miss him less. 😭😢❤️❤️.
I think I’ll go buy some donuts. 🍩

08/06/2024

I love him.
He makes me laugh.
He loves serving in the temple.
He loves watching our “stories”
He makes things like huge treehouses with wifi and ceiling fans. He powers them with solar panels on the roof.
He made me a fire pit complete with benches and rocks and rock covered trail that leads all the way down to it for my birthday.
He brought me sandwiches and so many water bottles when I was writing the book.
He always makes sure I’m hydrated. Always.
He comes down to the center once and while where I play pickleball with the old folks and struts around making sure every 80 year old man knows I’m taken! “Don’t get any ideas, fellas, she’s all mine!”
When everyone is flexing and showing off their muscles or strength he keeps his arms down and lets everyone else think theirs are the biggest.
He likes shows about aliens and opals, is an amazing athlete and is so kind.
He reads books instead of playing video games at night. He loves Hurricane clean up weekends.
And every night, even when we are apart he never forgets to ask me to pray with him.
(And 🤫🤫He also never ever gets on Instagram and reads anything I post so I think I’m safe with this😂)
Wishing we always lived in the same state together today. ❤️

04/06/2024

Episode 22 is up! You’ve got summer travel, I’m sure. Load your phone up with Come Follow Me for Us Episodes. Your kids will even like them.
Hit Beacons link in bio for latest episode link.
SHINE ON!!

03/06/2024

They did it!! ❤️❤️❤️. What a beautiful weekend. One more kid married. So excited for these great people!
*Life is passing by too fast.

28/05/2024

This scripture is in this week’s Come Follow Me lesson. Think about this for a while. There are some important things we can learn. More to come.
Listen to the whole podcast including some other thoughts about this. Link in bio.

28/05/2024

Next time you walk past first class on the way to your regular seat and feel a stab of jealousy, think of this delectable bowl of chopped, green bell peppers. While you were munching on a tiny, but delicious, bag of sun chips and then some good ol’ Biscoff cookies, I was chowing down on a bell pepper feast.
Of course I’m joking. I also had meatloaf and mashed potatoes. BUT, I do think that we always think the grass must be greener somewhere else. We see someone else’s amazing home on Instagram, another’s kids at church sitting perfectly in a quiet row, or wish we were on our cousin’s luxury vacation. We moan as we try on the 20th dress for our son’s wedding, “Why can’t I stop eating all these donuts?! I’ll never be as thin as so in so.” Our envy and desire to drop into someone else’s something else can be never ending.
But a curated life isn’t always real life. People are often so much kinder the further back in the plane you get. Perfectly clean homes aren’t always the most FUN homes to live in. Seemingly perfect moms on Instagram straight up put their kids in front of the tv or iPad for hours while they made that video 😂. (Don’t be fooled. It took a LONG time to produce those two minutes.)
Christ said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
We ALL have access to His love and grace. We ALL can live a happy abundant life if we turn to the Savior. If we prioritize Him, our families, laughing and goodness over stuff and perfection we can find joy every day. We really can.
*And before you say it - I got bumped to First Class because I’ve flown over half a million miles in the last four years and it was a late night empty flight. I earned that 🤮bowl of peppers! 🫑

09/04/2024

Episode 14 is up! Check it out here
https://melaniewstroud.com/podcast/episode-14-jacob-5-7-the-lord-labors-with-us/

06/04/2024

https://youtube.com/?si=pSD3Qyi1tdSbB_Uc

31/03/2024

If you haven't yet listened to Episode 13 - My Interview with the Petersons, please do. Their story of losing a baby is beautiful and so full of faith.
Happy Easter.

29/03/2024

This quote is by Joseph B. Wirthlin.

28/03/2024

Here is Day 5. So many important things happened on this day, and you can read and study them in many other places.

One thing that happened on the Thursday before Easter was the Last Supper with the apostles.

In honor of the Apostles, here is an activity to help you learn the current twelve apostles in order.

https://youtu.be/bcEq4Vq90eM?si=TKxeM_Daq1oKOolW

27/03/2024

Here is day 4! Easter Around the World!

https://melaniewstroud.com/easter-week-day-4-traditions-around-the-world/

26/03/2024

Hey guys! Here's a link to Day 3. https://melaniewstroud.com/easter-week-day-3/

25/03/2024

Here’s a snippet from today’s Easter message. Here’s a link to watch the whole thing.

https://melaniewstroud.com/easter-week-day-2/

Happy Day Two!

24/03/2024

Here is a snippet of my first video for my eight-day Easter celebration. Please head over to my website to watch the video in its entirety, which includes some activity ideas for you and your families.

https://melaniewstroud.com/day-one-palm-sunday/

19/03/2024

I love Alma’s description of what Christ did for him. Get snatched!

14/03/2024

It's good to take a close look at your life and see where Satan may be starting to wrap the tiny little cords around you. It's sometimes not apparent until you're deeply wrapped in strong cords. Once you're there, it's really hard to get out.
This week, say a prayer. Do an inventory. What little things in your life could lead to bigger problems? Ask Heavenly Father to show you. And then open the Book of Mormon. Listen for Christ's voice there. He'll help you see where Satan is trying to influence you the most.
Check out this week's podcast for more.

https://melaniewstroud.com/podcast/s6episode10/

13/03/2024

From this week's podcast. " I think the biggest miracle of all is that he can talk to us and lead us and guide us through the pages of the Book of Mormon. That's bigger to me than walking on water or healing the blind. Because he's healing the spiritually blind every day. Miracles haven't ceased."

https://melaniewstroud.com/podcast/s6episode10/

07/03/2024

That’s what the Savior wants. “Men are that they might have joy.” Right? Well, sometimes life doesn’t feel very fun and sometimes we wonder if we will ever feel joy again. THESE are the times we need to learn to turn to the Savior. Pray. Pour out your heart to Him. Ask Him to carry your burdens as He has promised to do. Then trust that He wants to do it! Turn to the scriptures. Learn to Hear His voice and feel His love there. ❤️

07/03/2024

If you haven’t listened to Episode 10 yet, hurry over there! It’s got a lot of gems like this one in it.

05/03/2024

Here are my thoughts about how to find out whether or not the church is true. My method is simplistic, and many will argue it's insufficient. But, it is enough. You can KNOW what is true by the power of the Holy Ghost.
*
And PS - If you are about to write all the things that are wrong with the church and tell me I'm in a cult, etc., save your breath. I will erase it. There are plenty of other places where you can argue your points. This post is not the place. I'm here to encourage people to seek answers from God.

02/03/2024

Are you feeling down, sad, lonely, or confused? Turn to the Book of Mormon! It’s such a quick way to feel and understand with your heart the things the Lord wants you to understand. It’s such a gift we’ve been given. Don’t delay! Turn to Him and He’ll turn to you. ❤️

01/03/2024

Sometimes getting into the Isaiah chapters of the Book of Mormon is daunting. Sometimes we want to holler, “But I just don’t understand this!!”
If this is the case, it’s ok. I love Elder Packer’s advice. Just skim it. Glean what you can. Move on. It’s ok.

09/02/2024

I really like this quite because it’s true. But we have to look for those things. Sometimes it’s hard to look for the light when there is so much darkness around us.
What has helped you keep a positive outlook when it seems like all is going wrong?
(You all know my answer already 😉)

21/01/2024

If you haven't had a chance yet to listen to this week's episode, don't miss it. I spoke about a young missionary who thought their mission would fix the po*******hy problem he had before his mission. It didn't. Hear what happened when his mission president suggested he really read the Book of Mormon every day.
Don't miss Come Follow Me for Us Season 6 Episode 3.

20/01/2024

This talk is so great. Go read it.

The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like Without It?
By President Russell M. Nelson
November 2017 Conference.

20/01/2024

Immerse yourselves daily in the Book of Mormon, and you will feel the love of the Lord begin to flow into your life. It's the facts.