TJ Hirst

“We all need to repent—even when it’s something as little as holding on to a bad mood.”

That’s what I told the high school students in my seminary class the morning after I hosted a pity party for myself, which I started the day after my birthday. There’s no crying on birthdays so I held out, but then something set me off. I cried and complained and woke up the next morning with puffy eyes and not enough sleep.

I told these teenagers about my moody day because I want them to see that I’m human, even though I’m old in their eyes. I also told them if I kept that moodiness within me and didn’t change and forgive, it would harden my heart against others, especially those I love the most, like my husband or God. The barrier I would feel between us, if I didn’t remove it, is spiritual separation, and it’s why we need the atonement of Jesus Christ.

I came home and tried to fix things with my husband. I’m baffled at his response; it’s always the same. He always says, “It’s not you.” He takes it upon himself, even when I clearly instigated anything that stood between us. I want to be more like that. More like Christ.

Did I tell you that he bakes, too? Here’s his favorite chocolate cake recipe that he made into German Chocolate Cake for my birthday. It’s not fudgy, overly chocolate or dense like some people like them, but light and airy with a top that crusts into a sweet layer all it’s own, good even without frosting.

Favorite Chocolate Cake

1  4-oz. pkg German sweet cooking chocolate
or 4 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 2/3 cups cake flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs

1. Combine chocolate and 1/3 cup water in a glass bowl and microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Stir and cool.

2. In a mixing bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt. A dd chocolate mixture, milk, butter and vanilla.

3. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed to combine. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat 2 minutes more. Pour into two greased and floured round cake pans (8 or 9 inch). Bake for 30-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool on racks.

Frost with coconut pecan frosting, chocolate frosting, or eat plain with a drizzle of caramel topping.