Breath of Heaven

Forgiveness--The Greatest of all Gifts

May I truly learn to forgive.

Awake, Arise, And Come Unto Christ

I listened to a talk by Sherri Dew. It is about 30 minutes long. I wish I had heard and listened to this talk 30 years ago. But so much for what is water under the bridge. This is an excelent talk. I wish I knew how to download the video here but I don't know enough about that kind of stuff to make it work. You will just have to go to the link and download it yourself. I promise it will be worth every minute that it takes you to download and listen to.

http://www.byub.org/findatalk/details.asp?ID=5770

Save, save, save!

I like to save things.  No, it is worse than that.  I hoard things.  Oh no, I'm a hoarder!  OK, so what is wrong with me?  Why can't I throw things away?  I always hear myself saying that I might need it for school, or I could use this in scouts.  Those 5 gal. ice cream buckets are great when you need to take a meal into a family.  They are just the right size for a large pot of soup and the family does not have to worry about returning the container.  So is there a reason I need ten of those?

I decided it was time to clean my pantry.  I had to.  I couldn't get the door to close.  I really had to give myself a talking to.  "It is time to throw some things away," I told myself.  Let me see what can go?  The margarine containers!  The margarine containers?  Now why was I saving margarine containers?  Oh, yes, they are nice for leftovers.  Then you can just take it to work, heat it up, and throw away the container when you finish eating!  So why do I keep bringing them back home and washing them?  I call it recycling.  No, it is called hoarding!  At any rate I have talked myself into throwing way the old margarine containers.  One garbage can full of margarine containers later I can close the door.  You will never believe what else I threw away.  Oh that's right you will believe it, of course you would have thrown it away a long time ago, it is me that can't believe it.  I went through the dry goods.  Those #10 cans that you get in dry pack.  I threw away two cans of fruit drink, one chocolate pudding, one vanilla pudding, raspberry flavored dried apples, and part of a can of macaroni.  Why?  Old.  Really old.  Plus Joe can't have the sugar in the drink and the pudding.  Now I keep going back to the pantry and opening the door just so I can see it shut again.  Wow that is so cool.

Now as I type I am looking at the stack of phone books.  Why do I need 5 phone books in the kitchen?  It looks like something else needs to go.

Yea Talk in Church

The other night when I got home from Cub Scouts I saw we had company.  It was the bishop with an invitation in his hand.  Wow, it was an invitation to talk in sacrament meeting.  

I have been thinking about talking about faith.  We need faith in these troubled times.  I thought I would use the talk by Neil L Andersen, "You Know Enough."  I really like Elder Joseph B Wirthlin's talk, "Come What May and Love it."  I had better get my act together if I am planning on taking on Sunday.

Being Valiant in a Testimony of Christ Part 2

Ezra Taft Benson said:

A most priceless blessing available to every member of the Church is a testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ and His church. A testimony is one of the few possessions we may take with us when we leave this life.

To have a testimony of Jesus is to possess knowledge through the Holy Ghost of the divine mission of Jesus Christ.

A testimony of Jesus is to know the divine nature of our Lord’s birth—that He is indeed the Only Begotten Son in the flesh.

A testimony of Jesus is to know that He was the promised Messiah and that while He sojourned among men He accomplished many mighty miracles.

A testimony of Jesus is to know that the laws which He prescribed as His doctrine are true and then to abide by these laws and ordinances.

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that He voluntarily took upon Himself the sins of all mankind in the Garden of Gethsemane, which caused Him to suffer in both body and spirit and to bleed from every pore. All this He did so that we would not have to suffer if we would repent. (See D&C 19:16, 18.)

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that He came forth triumphantly from the grave with a physical, resurrected body. And because He lives, so shall all mankind.

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that God the Father and Jesus Christ did indeed appear to the Prophet Joseph Smith to establish a new dispensation of His gospel so that salvation may be preached to all nations before He comes.

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that the Church which He established in the meridian of time and restored in modern times is, as the Lord has declared, “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth.” (D&C 1:30.)

To possess a testimony of Jesus is to receive the words of His servants, the prophets, for as He has said, “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (D&C 1:38.)

A testimony of Jesus means that you accept the divine mission of Jesus Christ, embrace His gospel, and do His works; it means you accept the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith and his successors.

Speaking of those who will eventually receive the blessings of the celestial kingdom, the Lord said to Joseph Smith: “They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given.” (D&C 76:51.) These are they who are valiant in their testimony of Jesus, who, as the Lord has declared “overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.” (D&C 76:53.)

“Those who are just and true”! What an apt expression for one valiant in the testimony of Jesus. They are courageous in defending truth and righteousness. These are members of the Church who magnify their callings in the Church (see D&C 84:33), pay their tithes and offerings, live morally clean lives, sustain their Church leaders by word and action, keep the Sabbath as a holy day, and obey all the commandments of God.

Ezra Taft Benson, “Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus,” Ensign, May 1982, 62

Being Valiant in a Testimony of Christ

Here is what Bruce R McConkie had to say about being valiant.

Bruce R. McConkie, “Be Valiant in the Fight of Faith,” Ensign, Nov 1974, 33

Now what does it mean to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus?

It is to be courageous and bold; to use all our strength, energy, and ability in the warfare with the world; to fight the good fight of faith. “Be strong and of a good courage,” the Lord commanded Joshua, and then specified that this strength and courage consisted of meditating upon and observing to do all that is written in the law of the Lord. (See Josh. 1:6–9.) The great cornerstone of valiance in the cause of righteousness is obedience to the whole law of the whole gospel.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”; it is to deny ourselves “of all ungodliness,” and “love God” with all our “might, mind and strength.” (Moro. 10:32.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ and his gospel with unshakable conviction. It is to know of the verity and divinity of the Lord’s work on earth.

But this is not all. It is more than believing and knowing. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. It is more than lip service; it is not simply confessing with the mouth the divine Sonship of the Savior. It is obedience and conformity and personal righteousness. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” It is to “endure to the end.” (2 Ne. 31:20.) It is to live our religion, to practice what we preach, to keep the commandments. It is the manifestation of “pure religion” in the lives of men; it is visiting “the fatherless and widows in their affliction” and keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to bridle our passions, control our appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things. It is to overcome the world as did he who is our prototype and who himself was the most valiant of all our Father’s children. It is to be morally clean, to pay our tithes and offerings, to honor the Sabbath day, to pray with full purpose of heart, to lay our all upon the altar if called upon to do so.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father.

The Testimony of Jesus

I have been thinking about D&C 76 where it talks about the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial degrees of glory.  The phrase "the testimony of Jesus" is used about five times.  As I was reading these verses I was thinking about how many times we have been told that we will not be able to live on borrowed light.  That we must each have a testimony of our own.  

I thought of how often we are taught to bear a pure testimony in our meetings.  I thought of how often we give a travel log instead.  Yes, I am as guilty as the next of telling a story instead of bearing a pure testimony.  As of late I have been trying to do a better job of bearing my testimony.   

At any rate, back to my reading.  All of a sudden I came across an extra word.  It said, "valiant in the testimony of Christ."  That word valiant popped out at me.  It is not enough to be able to bear your testimony.  You must be valiant in that testimony!  Those people who enter the celestial kingdom are valiant in the testimony of Jesus.  Those who enter the other two kingdoms are not valiant.  

So here is my question:  What are the characteristics of a person who is "valiant in the testimony of Jesus?"  If you have an answer leave a comment.  As for me I think I will ponder the subject a little longer.

Ten Things I Think Are Important

1. Daily Personal and Family Prayer
2. Reading and Pondering the Scriptures
3. Attending my church meetings especially Sacrament meeting & partaking of the Sacrament
4. Attending the Temple on a regular basis
5. Being Trustworthy and Honest
6. Being Kind and Considerate
7. Giving acts of Service to Others
8. Become a Member Missionary so that others might enter into the Baptismal Covenant
9. Holding weekly Family Home Evenings
10. Following the Living Prophet

If I do these things I will be building my foundation upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God. (Helaman 5:12)

I'm the last to know

Not having children in the home anymore, I have not kept up with the Friend or the New Era.  I had no idea the neat things that the church has on line for our youth.  Are you looking for quiet activities for your children in church.  There are coloring pages and stories you can print off.  Want a family home evening idea.  They are there.  Remember the Mormonads?  You can not only find them but you can print them off if you want.  How about Scripture Mastery?  There are games and activities to help youth master their scriptures.  The church has some great resources for our youth.

Still thinking about conference

Between the lesson that I will be teaching next Sunday and Conference this past week, I have been doing a lot of thinking about Prophets and Revelation.  I really wanted to know what the Prophet would have to say to us.  I wanted to know if I would be willing to follow the Prophet or stone him.  I know, I know that sounds pretty harsh.  I just wondered where I stood with the Lord.  Would I be willing to follow the words He gave to the prophet or would I want to ignore what the Lord had to say through His prophet.  I figured if I ignore the Prophet's counsel then I will be stoning him.  To tell the truth, I don't want to stone the prophet so I need to heed his counsel.  

As I listened to President Monson, I felt a stronger testimony that he is a prophet of God and that what he had to say was direct revelation from God.  I enjoyed what President Monson had to say about change.  We need to be ready for change.  Our would is in an uproar.  There will be  change in each of our lives rather we want it to happen or not.  As I think about the changes that have happened in my life, I feel like Jacob when he says our lives pass away as it were a dream.  It was just yesterday that Bryan was a baby.  Now he has babies of his own.  It was just a minute ago that I had six children around the house.  Now there is just David, Dad and me.  The house is so much quieter now.  When the grandchildren come and play in the backyard among the trees or out past the garden I get very melancholy.  Sometimes I think I spent too much time worrying about where the next meal or clothes were going to come from and not enough time enjoying the journey.  

President Monson told a story about a Vietnam war veteran named Brother Hess.  Brother Hess got to write home to his family.  He wrote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”  I agree with him.  Those are the important things.

So my words to you are:  Enjoy the journey!  All too soon the journey is over and you will be alone.  I am thankful for the journey I have been on.  I love my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren.  My husband, my parents, my brothers, my sister, and my in-laws have been a great help to me in my life.  I have always been able to lean on them.  Thanks to all of you who are sharing this journey with me.  What would I have done without family?

Conference

I loved conference.  I took notes on the talks and put stars by the ones that I wanted to listen to again.  (I had a lot of stars.)  I will be listening to them in the mornings before my kids come into my classroom.  I also had my list of things I wanted to know about or questions that I wanted to have answered.  It worked.  The Lord answered every question.  

One question I wanted to know about was how to be a better teacher.

William D. Oswald told how to be a successful teacher.  He said that the sons of Mosiah and Moroni were a successful teachers.  Here were the three things he said we need to be a successful teacher.
1. Show love to those you teach and call them by name.
2. Teach from the scriptures.
3. Encourage the pondering of gospel truths.

Now I realize that during school I cannot teach from the scriptures but I can use truth to teach and I can encourage students to ponder those truths.  As I search the scriptures my mind will be opened to truths that need to be taught to my students and I will see ways to teach them.

I loved Dallin H Oaks talk about sacrament meeting.  I plan on making my sacrament meeting worship time more meaningful.  He said we could get revelations and direction for our lives as we worship during sacrament meeting.  I have already listened to his talk three time.

Oh I had too many talks that I liked to write about all of them here.  I can hardly wait to hear them again.

General Conference Challenge

I read a blog about the "General Conference Challenge."  I had never really heard of it before.  You are to take your worries and your questions and write them down.  As you watch conference your questions will be answered one by one.  

It is a little late for me to be thinking of this but I do have some questions and concerns so I started writing them down.  My next concern is will I be willing to listen to what the Lord wants me to know?  I hope I will be humble enough to listen and to DO!

Enjoy Conference! 

Prayer

Several things have happened this past week that have me thinking about prayer.  I know it is not going to sound like I am thinking about prayer to begin with but I will get there.

We have been reading 3 Nephi 1 where the sign of Christ's birth happens.  Here these people see a sign and sort of straighten up for a while.  Then within a few short years many of the people are lying, stealing, murdering, etc.  Why?  I keep asking myself why are they not doing what they should be doing.  Then I start wondering about myself.  These chapters in 3 Nephi are a type of things to come.  So I want to know:  Where do I stand?  Do I see signs and just pass them off as if it were nothing?  Why were people turning away from the church and from Christ?  What do I need to do to keep from turning away from the church and from Christ?  

David said I needed to read 3 Nephi 18:18-21

18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.
19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;
20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.
21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

So there is where I get back to prayer.  I need to keep praying.  I need to improve the quality of my prayers.  So that is step one.  Pray.

2 Nephi 32: 8-9 says:

8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.
9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

My ponderings have me wondering which spirit I am listening to.  Am I listening to a good spirit or an evil one?  I really want to be listening to a good spirit.  In order to listen to that spirit I need to be praying.  I really want to be ready for Christ's second coming.  May we each choose to be on the Lord's side.

Song of a fifth child

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep...

by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton, in Lady's Home Journal. 1958.

Lesson From Heaven by Karla Claybrook

“It’s scary to think about leaving,
to go where I can’t see your face.
How will I ever return,” I asked,
“if I can’t remember this place?”

“I’ll give you lessons from Heaven,”
He said with a smile in His eyes.
A sigh, then a look of confusion
was all I could give in reply.

“Lessons to guide your return, child,
to your home, this place you once knew.
Trials to help you grow stronger.
Don’t worry…I’ll be there for you.”

“The lessons won’t be very easy;
your heart will be aching with pain.
Some will seem harder than others,
though not one will you learn in vain.”

“You can do it,” He said as He hugged me,
“I know what you’re capable of.
You’re right…you won’t see my face;
But child, I’ll send you my love.”

http://www.lessonsfromheaven.net/index.htm

Lessons of Liberty Jail (Jeffrey R. Holland)

I love to listen to the CES Firesides for Young Adults.  This talk by Elder Jeffery R. Holland was so wonderful.  The talk is about 45 minutes long so I put it on my Google reader.  If you would like to listen to the talk you can go there .  You can also download the talk and listen to it as you have the time.  One of my favorite scriptures comes from Helaman 5:12:

And now, my sons (and daughters), remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

I like that scripture because it lets us know that there will be trials in our lives, but, we can over come those trials if we build on a sure foundation.  Elder Holland's talk gives some great ideas of how to build that foundation and how to withstand the trials we are or will be facing.

http://www.google.com/reader/shared/18167644038299635105

Dear Mr. Obama

This brought tears to my eyes.  I think we have a big responsibility when it comes to picking a president this time.  

Temples dot the Earth

I saw this video on another blog and enjoyed the message.  Aren't we lucky to live on the earth when the blessings of the temple are growing closer and closer to all of us.  May the temple work keep spreading!

Gems that are Close to my Heart

I have been thinking a lot about things that are close to my heart and gems sense Jennifer started her blog. I have some gems that are so precious to me.  They are my 14 beautiful grandchildren.

I was watching Emma the other day before Melanie and Les left to go back to school.  Emma was toddling down the sidewalk.  She stopped to look at the flowers.  She jabbered for a few minutes as she tenderly touched the flowers.  Then she did what every grandchild before her has done.  She played 'loves me loves me not' as she pulled each pedal off the flower.  Next she toddled over to the bell.  You could tell by the look on her face that she wanted to touch it.  She looked at me as she reached her hand toward the bell.  You could see that she was waiting for a "No, no, don't touch."  Instead I told her yes.  Still she looked hesitant.  Then she reached out and touched the bell.  How many other grandchildren have rung that same bell?  It amazes me that there are things that each grandchild seems to want to do.  For example:

• Pull the pedals off the flowers.
• Ring the bell by the sidewalk.
• Climb on Grandpa as he lies on the floor.
  
• Ring the chime by the dinning room door.
  
• Hide in the coat closet when someone is mad at them.
  
• Sit in the coat closet when they want to hide from someone else.
  
• Explore the yard past the garden.
  
• Climb the tree in the backyard.
• Roast marshmallows.
• Burn marshmallows. (because that is the way they like them)

My beautiful grandchildren, you are truly more precious than gold or any jewel on earth.  You are very close to my heart.  I am so grateful that families are eternal.  To know that you will be a part of my life for eternity is the most important gift my Heavenly Father could ever give me.  May the Lord always be an important part of your lives.  I pray for you daily.  You will always be my most precious gift.

Mormons are Christians

I saw this video on another blog. I liked it and decided to use it on my blog too. Hope your enjoy it.

Google Reader

Have any of you tried "Reader" from your Gmail account?  I was just wondering what it was so I was checking it out.  You can get feeds for all sorts of things.  I just typed LDS into the search and browse box and came up with some really great talks.  I subscribed to 'LDS Voices' and 'BYU Recent Talks' and Gospel Teaching and Learning Series.'   You can down load the talks or listen to them as feeds.  There are some neat talks there.  For some reason the BYU feed sounds like chipmunks.  You can understand it, it just doesn't sound like real voices.  Maybe I just need to unsubscribe and then subscribe for it again.

If you have not checked it out yet I would suggest you do.  I found a neat talk by Elder M. Russell Ballard called "Beware of False Prophets."  It has some things in it that I can use in my next Relief Society lesson.

Royal Army

Like Helaman’s young warriors, we are part of a great army.
President Ezra Taft Benson directed the following statement to Aaronic Priesthood holders, however, it applies to all members of the Church.

“You have been born at this time for a sacred and glorious purpose. It is not by chance that you have been reserved to come to earth in this last dispensation of the fulness of times. Your birth at this particular time was foreordained in the eternities.

“You are to be the royal army of the Lord in the last days. …

“In the spiritual battles you are waging, I see you as today’s sons of Helaman. Remember well the Book of Mormon account of Helaman’s two thousand stripling warriors” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 55; or Ensign, May 1986, 43; note that stripling means young man).

I have always liked the story of the 2000 young men that had the courage to fight for their country. They were valient and willing to help in troubled times. I know we live in troubed times now. Good is being called bad. Bad is being called good. Where do we stand? How do we become like the Mothers of those 2000 young men that taught them right from wrong?

President Spencer W. Kimball made the following statement about the influence that mothers can have on their children.

“To be a righteous woman during the winding-up scenes on this earth, before the Second Coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society’s basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 326–27).

As mothers where can we learn how to enrich, protect, and guard the home? I know the answer. Family Home Evening, scripture study, family and personal prayer.

Mormon Myths and Reality

Heirs of God

I wish I were a fast thinker. But I am not. Some time ago (6+ years) I was exercising with a lady. We would walk and talk about religion. She would ask questions about my religion and I would ask questions about her religion. I remember telling her that we believed that we could at some point after death become gods and goddesses like God our Father and Jesus Christ. "Oh no!" she said, "I could never believe that. The humanizes God and I could never put Him on the same level as us."

"So we will never become gods?"

"No, we could never become gods."

Well all these years later and now I have an answer.

Romans 8:16-17

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Does it not make sense that in this life we have little children and raise them up to become productive adults like we are? Don't we want the best for our children? Wouldn't we want them to become even better than we are? Doesn't it stand to reason that God would want us to be as productive as He is? He is perfect and I am not sure you could become better than perfect but it stands to reason that he would want us to become perfect like he is. He says we are His children and then heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. What are we heirs of? Would we not be heirs of perfection and Godhood?
Matthew 5:48
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
Why would Jesus tell us to be perfect if it is impossible to be perfect? Joint-heirs with Christ means on the same level.

Let me know your thoughts on the subject.

Relief Society Lesson

My next Relief Society lesson is a tough one. I always try to "live" my lesson. For example when I taught the one about The Book of Mormon being a keystone of our religion I tried extra hard to be reading the Book of Mormon. Or when I taught the lesson about Prayer and Personal Revelation I took extra care in making my prayers meaningful. I watched for moments of revelation. When I taught the lesson about proclaiming glad tidings to all the world, I tried extra hard to be a member missionary. I am even still working on that one.

However, this month I have a lesson that I absolutely do NOT want to try out. I know it is inevitable, I will have to live with this lesson someday. I just don't want it to be now. I know, I know. Don't counsel the Lord. It is entitled "Word of Hope and Consolation at the Time of Death." I am truly grateful for the teachings of our church about death. There is a hope for a better future. The one thing that Joseph Smith said about the death of a young child verses an older person is that one gets to enjoy being with our Heavenly Father longer.

Family

Grandma & Grandpa Richens

At the Richens' Homestead

I have been thinking a lot about my family the past few days. The older I get the more important family becomes to me. I so enjoy getting on the internet and reading the blogs different family members have written. We may have miles between us but we are close in heart. I thank you for that!

Grandma & Grandpa Cope

I met a lady the other day that is married to my cousin. I have never met this cousin. His father sort of chose to stay away from his family. My cousin has now passed away. His wife and two of her sons came to meet Grandma Richens. I went up to meet them. As we visited we thought of how sad it was that all of these years have gone by and we have not even known each other. My Mom took them to see where Grandma and Grandpa Cope are buried in Roosevelt. Then she took them up Ioka Lane to point out places that they had lived when Grandpa Cope taught school. They also went down into Arcadia to see where the old Cope homestead had once stood. There is nothing left of the old homestead. Grandpa Cope sold it back to the Ute Tribe sometime after he left the Uintah Basin. I went to the old homestead years ago and the only thing left was a row of trees. That is even gone now after a fire along the Lake Fork River burnt everything down.

Grandma Cope on the Cope Homestead

I love to listen to Mom talk about the past. I know when she is gone I will think of a million things I wish I had asked her.

"The Cousins"

A Prayer Answered

I went to the temple with Mom yesterday. It was a great day. The sisters in our Relief Society get together once a month and go to the temple. I usually can not go because I am working. Well, I decided to go yesterday. I had talked to my sister-in-law, Barbara the day before about going and she wanted to go too. Mom and Barbara were each going to drive down to my house and meet me at 8:00AM. At about 8 I walked outside and there was Barbara but no Mom. I thought that was strange because Mom is always prompt. Barbara said she was surprised that Mom was not there. We decided to go look for her. When we got to the head of Mom's lane, there was her truck right in the middle of the road but no Mom. I looked up the lane and there was Mom just a hiking back to her house. (Right here you need to know that my Mom is 92 years young.) When we pulled up beside her she looked pretty upset. She says her truck had just stopped and would not start, she prayed that I would come. I told her it is a good thing that she is always prompt or I might not have come looking for her yet. Barbara said, " Yea, if you had been Ken we would have just left you." We were going to move her truck off the road. I got in and just tried to start it. The truck started right up. I moved it off the road. We got back in my car and headed for the temple.

Now I have some thoughts that keep going through my head.
1. Was there a reason Mom's truck stopped? Did the Lord not want her on the highway at that time? We will never know.
2. How much does the Lord love a little 92 year old farm woman in a little know place like Myton, Utah that he would answer her prayer that fast? That one I know. The Lord does hear and answer prayers! He know who my Mom is and he has time to answer her prayers. How lucky am I that he could use me to answer her prayers.
3. Often in the temple we hear prayers that our homes and our families will be blessed while we are in the temple. We were headed for the House of the Lord. He was ready to protect us before we ever left our homes He protected my Mother!

Isn't this just the most beautiful day ever?

Jesus Christ, The Son of God - Testimonies of Him - The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent

Jesus Christ, The Son of God - Testimonies of Him - The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent:

"Our first and foremost article of faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”2 We believe these three divine persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner, in testimony, in mission. We believe Them to be filled with the same godly sense of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness, and redemption. I think it is accurate to say we believe They are one in every significant and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance, a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because it is not true."

Jesus Christ, The Son of God - Special Witnesses - Video - President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008)—Sacred Grove

Jesus Christ, The Son of God - Special Witnesses - Video - President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008)—Sacred Grove

Standing as the 15th in line from Joseph Smith and bearing the prophetic mantle which came upon him, I solemnly declare my testimony that the Prophet Joseph’s account of these events is true, that the Father here bore witness of the divinity of His Son, that the Son instructed the boy prophet, and that there followed a train of events which led to the organization of “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which,” He declared, “I, the Lord, am well pleased” (D&C 1:30).
Of the reality and personality of the living God and of His Son, our Redeemer, I stand as a solemn and reverent witness, speaking these words by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEsjYm6Av4w

Be Not Ashamed

While the Apostle Paul was in prison he wrote a letter to his good friend Timothy. He said:

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord"

(2 Timothy 1:7-8)

Wow, those words tell me that I really need to get control of my fear of talking to others. I need to let others know how much I love my Savior. I know He lives and that He loves us and wants us to return to Him. He has made it possible to return to Him by restoring all the covenants and ordinances that the ancient apostles and prophets had. Those covenants and ordinances were restored to a young boy named Joseph Smith in the early 1800s. Joseph Smith became the first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We still have a living prophet upon the earth who receives revelation from the Lord just as ancient prophets did. It gives me peace and comfort in this world of turmoil that the Lord is at the head of His church and is mindful of me.

Life passed away as it were a dream

I have always liked the scripture in Jacob 7:26 where Jacob is talking about growing old and he says "...that the time passed away with us and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream,..." I can relate to that statement. My life is passing as it were a dream. I am not sure that I will be able to accomplish everything that I would like to accomplish. So many things I would like to do and so little time to do them in. When you are little you think you have all the time in the world to do what you want to do. Now I see how time flies on wings of lighting.

One of the things I would like to do is help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have wanted to have a missionary experience, but I have such a hard time talking to people that I don't know. I have a fear of speaking to strangers. Then I learned that my next Relief Society lesson is called "Proclaim Glad Tidings to All the World." In other words missionary work. I was feeling so unqualified to even think about teaching this lesson.

Then a miracle happened. I was reading in Alma 17. The sons of Mosiah prepare themselves for going in their missions and they tell us how to prepare ourselves for missions too. Verse 2 says, "...for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently that they might know the word of God." The verse 3, "...they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore the had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation and when they taught they taught with power and authority of God."

So, there are three of the keys to being a great missionary.

1. Search the scriptures diligently

2. Pray often

3. Fast

Then the Lord gave them the spirit of prophecy and the spirit of revelation so they could teach with the power and authority of God.

That is not all. In verse 11 the Lord tells them to "be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls." Those words "good example" tells me a couple of things. First, you must be a good example during your afflictions and your sufferings. To be a good example when things are going great is easy. Being a good example during trials is something else. It means all trials. Even the trial of playing a ball game when a bad call is made. The Second thing I thought of is I am always worried about talking to strangers and trying to teach strangers about the gospel. Now, being a good example might influence a stranger but in order to teach someone they need to be your friend first. I remember getting into some pretty good gospel discussions with Pat Woodbury. But, she was my friend first. I could have never talked to her about my beliefs otherwise.

One last thought. Maybe I have been doing missionary work. Would teaching a primary class, a young woman class, a Sunday school class or a Relief Society lesson be doing missionary work? How about doing your home or visiting teaching? Would you be doing missionary work then? I think so. If you are teaching with the spirit and are trying to influence minds to gain or strengthen their testimony of Jesus Christ, then I believe you are doing missionary work. Yes, I still want to do more. But I will be patient as I learn more about the gospel. I will try to be a good example to students I teach and parents I come in contact with.

Perhaps I have pondered long enough for one night. Perhaps I should have named this blog ramblings.