Be a SMART cookie while learning the gospel.

What is the role of agency in learning the gospel?

Back in February I taught a lesson on how we can use our agency to learn the gospel in the youth Sunday school class I teach.  I thought this was the perfect time for our 14 year old class to hear this message, but really it's such a good reminder for everyone-no matter your age!

Some scriptures we read:  2 Nephi 2:26, Joseph Smith History 1:10-18, James 1:22, D&C 88:118, and D&C 58:26-28.  We talked about how Heavenly Father created us as agents who act, not as objects that are acted upon-which also includes learning the gospel.  We get to choose if we are going to make it a priority to learn the gospel for ourselves. 

We talked about how we could learn from Joseph Smith's example and what he did to learn the gospel.  I loved this quote from Elder Bednar, "As learners, you and I are to act and be doers of the word and not simply hearers who are only acted upon.  Are you and I agents who act and seek learning by faith, or are we waiting to be taught and acted upon?  Are the children, youth, and adults we serve acting and seeking to learn by faith, or are they waiting to be taught and acted upon?  Are you and I encouraging and helping those we serve to seek learning by faith?  We are all to be anxiously engaged in asking, seeking and knocking."

We talked about how we can be doers and not just hearers only.  And how we could apply those principles to guide our learning from sharing our testimony to reading our scriptures.  

We get to choose if we read our scriptures and pray every night or if we participate in church.  We talked about what blessings we will receive once we actively seek to learn the gospel.  Elder Bednar said, "In our personal lives, in our families, and in the Church, we can and will receive the blessings of spiritual strength, direction, and protection as we seek by faith to obtain and apply spiritual knowledge."

To go along with this lesson I wanted the class to realize they can be a 'smart cookie' while learning the gospel.  To go along with the cookie theme we made a batch of our favorite chocolate chip cookies.  If you don't have Wendy Paul's 101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone Cookbook you totally need it in your life!  Her Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies are our absolute favorite!

We let the cookies cool and package them up in our favorite little bags to add a pop of color, and attached the tag you can print below.

If you'd like the free printable for the 'Hey Smart Cookie!' Tag you can find it HERE!

This post may contain affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

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Chocolate Ding Dong Cake

I recently have had the cake baking bug!  I am so excited to get in the kitchen and keep making cakes and goodies, but especially cakes!  haha I've always loved baking, but I feel like it's really jump started recently.  I started a new baking account on Instagram where I share all my goodies and hopefully one day it will become a business account where you'll be able to purchase said goodies from me!  How awesome would that be!?  If you'd like to follow along go HERE!  And if you're ever in need of a treat let me know, I'd love to help.

I made this cake for my sisters birthday, she asked for a chocolate cake with white frosting.  I wanted to venture out of my norm so I chose a new recipe and adapted it to what I think would work best.  Heavenly chocolate cake with little bits of chocolate chips hidden in the batter, topped with fresh whipped cream frosting and chocolate ganache for days.  

This cake almost reminded me of a Tuxedo cake, Ding Dong or Ho-Ho!  I love how it's such a fan favorite flavor and can be made so easily!

I added a chocolate drip and mini chocolate chips for good measure.

I love the reaction people have when they see my cakes.  It makes baking them so rewarding, it's almost better than eating it-almost! ;)

Chocolate Ding Dong Cake

Chocolate Cake-Recipe from Your Cup of Cake--Use the mini chocolate chips they are so good! I followed the recipe and then put them in 6" baking pans.  I then baked them for about 20-25 minutes, don't over bake! 

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 Quart whipping cream 

3 T. instant white chocolate pudding powder

3-4 T. powdered sugar

Beat whipping cream, pudding powder and powdered sugar on high till peaks form.  Taste and adjust pudding and sugar to your liking. 

Chocolate Ganache 

1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 C. heavy whipping cream 

Place chips and cream in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir, then microwave in 30 second increments till smooth.  Let cool slightly.

Assembly

Bake cake layers, cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap.  Freeze until needed.  Make frosting and ganache.  Stack cake layers with a layer of frosting and about 1/4 C. of ganache in the center of each layer.  Crumb Coat.  Freeze. Add final coat of frosting.  Freeze for 10 minutes then add drip. I then added the whipped cream dollops and the mini chocolate chips.

I'm hoping to do a round up of my favorite cake tools, but until then I'd love to share a few of my absolute favorites!  

Ateco Cake Turntable

Wilton 1M Piping Tip

These two are total game changers and will up your decorating game!  I'm so excited to share more cakes with you in the future.  Thank you so much for reading!

This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

Minute to Win It Date Night In Box

I am so excited to finally talk about a fun subscription box I've been anxiously waiting to try.  Night In Boxes, specifically the Date Night In Boxes are the perfect box to bring you and your special someone closer, without even leaving your own home!  

I am such a home body.  Don't get me wrong it's fun to go out every now and then, but over all I would much rather stay at home with Dallin and Olivia.  So this Date Night in box is just what Dallin and I needed to spend some quality time with each other, even if the baby is napping or it's in the middle of the day. :) 

This months box theme was Minute to Win It.  It had all the instructions and needed items in order to play a handful of different Minute to Win It games. 

It also came with an optional dinner menu to make date night a total breeze!  

It even had a list of the tools needed in order to make the different dishes.

We had so much fun playing the games.  

I was laughing so hard I was crying, Dallin was being so funny.

One of our favorite games we played was the Paper Dragon, where you try to unroll a streamer pack with one hand.  I included some pictures to show just how silly we looked and we didn't even care because we were having so much fun. :) It took me like 30 seconds to complete this game.

It took Dallin less than 15 seconds...

So you can say I lost big time with this one.  

Our little referee woke up just in time for the games.

I love that this box made it so easy to open and start a unique date right away.  We didn't have to think, plan, or even get a babysitter!  

I'd love to know what works for your date nights?  Dallin and I ideally want to switch from a date night in one week (Date Night In box, special dinner, movie, etc.) and date night out (go to a restaurant, activity for the season-mini golf, etc.) the next and we swap planning them each time so we keep it fresh and fun.

Remember to check out Date Night In boxes HERE!

I did receive this box for free for reviewing purposes, 

I'm grateful and excited to share things I love with you!