Perkins Ponderings

1 Nephi

2012-01-29T22:08:00.000-08:00

I have been doing a lot of thinking about Nephi and his brothers. Nephi and Sam looked at the glass half full. Laman and Lemuel looked at the empty half of the glass. I think I would rather be an optimist than a pessimist. I would rather see the full side of things. There are going to be trials in our lives so we might as well decide now that we are going to endure it well and put a smile on our faces. We might as well look for those little blessings that come into our lives each day and enjoy them while we can. I have a lot to be thankful for. I would rather find joy! I will choose to be happy.

Christmas

2011-12-04T05:21:00.000-08:00

i have been doing a lot of thinking about Christ's birth. I have most of my nativities out and have decided not to do too much other decorating. I want to focus on Jesus Christ. I will put up my tree and I think that will be it. I want to spend the month feasting on the scriptures and doing some sort of service. We are in a new ward so to speak. It is still called Myton 2nd but most of the people in the ward come from the old Myton 1st ward. While I know a lot of the people in the ward there are also a lot of people I don't know. I think I will start some sort of secret Santa thing that can be passed around the ward. Oh maybe instead of calling it Secret Santa I should call it Secret Savior. I could write some of my favorite scriptures and make some treats to pass on to members of the ward and ask them to pass on their favorite scripture and a treat. NOW I need to get busy. Yea I think this will be great!

"to always remember Him"

2011-07-31T17:56:00.000-07:00

While I will not go into detail... this past week I have been doing something good but I have been doing it for the wrong reason. I have been doing this good thing because someone had been displeased with me. Now there is nothing wrong with trying to please others but I have not found satisfaction in the thing I am doing. I have gone through a long list feelings that have included sorrow and even anger. But no real satisfaction or gratitude or joy.

Today in sacrament as I listened to the sacrament prayer I realized my mistake. I still want to do the good thing that I have been doing but I need to be doing it in order "to always remember Him." I need to be doing this thing for my Savior not for my friend. I need to please my Savior, not my friend. So this week I will continue to do those things I need to be doing, those things that I want to be doing, but I will be doing them in order to "always remember Him." Then, I will find the joy in doing. I can actually stop worrying about rather or not I am pleasing my friend. I can stop worrying about rather or not I am meeting my friends standards. I know that my Savior will accept my efforts because He knows what is in my heart. I feel my Savior's love.

BYU Women's Conference: Sandra Rogers

2011-03-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

Sandra Rogers is well-articulated and knowledgeable in expressing how covenants and peace go hand in hand and their relationship to our time in the midst of wars and within our individual lives and circumstances. She also illustrates the plan of salvation and the war in heaven and how we play a part in these by the consequences of the choices we individually made and will make. She emphasizes the Light of the Savior in our lives and that we must arise and let that light shine forth from our own lives to reflect the love and knowledge we have of the Lord, the peace those and the covenants we make bring to us, and the difference that can be made in the lives of others as we share that light.

Learning and Re-learning

2011-03-06T05:58:00.000-08:00

I have been studying about sacrifice. I have learned and re-learned so much from Genesis 22:1-14. Those are 14 of the most fantastic verses ever written.

In verse 1 God temps or from the Hebrew text he "tests or proves" Abraham and Abraham is ready to answer.

Then in verse 2 comes the most difficult trial anyone could be asked to face. Abraham is commanded to sacrifice his "only" son Issac. (My bet is he didn't tell Sarah what the Lord had asked him to do.) God will sacrifice His "Only Begotten Son." Abraham leaves Beersheba and goes about 50 miles north to Moriah where the Lord has told him to go. Why does the Lord ask a man that is more than 100 years old to travel 50 miles? Why Moriah? 2 Chr. 3:1 tells us that is where Solomon built the temple of the Lord.

Verse 3 says he saddles his donkey, cuts the wood and heads out with his son Isaac. The donkey and the wood are important. Who gets to ride the donkey? Does Abraham? Does Isaac? Who rides a donkey into the city of Jerusalem on the final week of his life? Is it by chance there is a parallel here? No, the Lord does not do anything by chance.

Verse 4 & 5 say on the third day Abraham sees the place afar off and asks the young men to stay there with the donkey while he and his son go on ahead to the place to worship.

Then in verse 6 Abraham takes the wood they have carried with them and lays it on his son. So Isaac carries the wood. This tells me he was not a young child. He is a man that is strong enough to carry enough wood for a sacrifice. He carries the wood to his place of sacrifice. Christ carried his wooden cross to his place of sacrifice also.

Isaac is beginning to wonder about this sacrifice. He asks his father. Dad you have the fire, I have the wood, where is the burnt offering?

Verse 8 Abraham tells Isaac. "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." This is a prophetic statement. God, the Father, will provide his only begotten Son as the lamb for a burnt offering.

Then in verses 9 - 12 Abraham builds the altar and binds his son and lays him on the alter. He takes his knife to slay him and the angel of the Lord stops him. At this point we know that Isaac knows what is going on but we learn something important about Isaac. He willingly allows his father to bind him and willingly lays on the alter with a knife over him. He is willing to do what his Father has commanded. Christ willingly gives himself as a sacrifice. He willingly lays on the alter and gave his life for us. Abraham sees the last great sacrifice from our Father in Heavens perspective.

Verses 13-14. Abraham sees a ram caught in the thicket and they offer him for a burnt offering. Abraham called the name of the place "Jehovah-jireh" which means "in this mount, Jehovah shall be provided."

Note of interest. When a lamb was sacrificed it was always sacrificed on the north side of the alter. Just north of the temple mount is a hill known as Golgotha.

Abraham was obedient to God's commands in offering up his son Isaac... "which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son." (Jacob 4:5)

I Wasn't There for the Weeds

2011-02-27T05:19:00.000-08:00

"A story shared by our beloved associate, Elder Henry B. Eyring, illustrates this principle of commitment still further. This story is about his father, the great scientist Henry Eyring, who served on the Bonneville Stake high council. He was responsible for the welfare farm, which included a field of onions that needed to be weeded. At that time, he was nearly 80 and suffering from painful bone cancer. He assigned himself to do weeding even though the pain was so great that he pulled himself along on his stomach with his elbows. The pain was too great for him to kneel. Yet he smiled, laughed, and talked happily with the others who were there that day weeding that field of onions. I now quote what Elder Eyring said of this incident:

" 'After all the work was finished and the onions were all weeded, someone [said to] him, "Henry, good heavens! You didn't pull those weeds, did you? Those weeds were sprayed two days ago, and they were going to die anyway."

" 'Dad just roared. He thought that was the funniest thing. He thought it was a great joke on himself. He had worked through the day in the wrong weeds. They had been sprayed and would have died anyway.

" '. . . I [asked] him, "Dad how could you make a joke out of that?" . . .

" 'He said something to me that I will never forget. . . . He said, "Hal, I wasn't there for the weeds." ' "

Here is an important question for each of us to ask ourselves. If he was not there for the weeds, what was Brother Eyring there for? He was there to learn about Brother Eyring. What was Brother Eyring willing to give to the Lord?

Sacrifice allows us to learn something about ourselves—what we are willing to offer to the Lord through our obedience.

The Lord Loves the One

2011-02-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

Joe and I went to the temple Saturday evening. As I entered the chapel I thought wow we must be really early. I was the only patron there. When Joe came in I asked if we were early.

Joe: No, it is about time for the session to start.

Me: With just the two of us do you think they well cancel the session?

Joe: I think we are about to be asked to be the witness couple.

And so we were asked. I couldn't help but wonder who we were going to be witnesses for. Just then another couple came into the chapel. Then a couple of single women came in. With the help of some temple workers we ended up with a total of 4 men and 6 women in our session. While I felt sad that there were so few there, I also felt grateful that the Lord recognized my need to be in the temple and allowed the session to continue. I was spiritually fed. I needed the calming affects of the temple. I felt completely at peace. I needed that confirmation that the Lord cares about each one of us individually. I am grateful for his love.

Tender Mercy

2010-12-04T03:28:00.000-08:00

I was reading the most read chapter in the Book of Mormon last night, 1 Nephi 1. Vs. 20 says that "the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith...."

I woke up this morning thinking of the tender mercies the Lord has given me. I am sure that because I had been reading chapter one of 1 Nephi that my first thoughts were of my parents. I, like Nephi, was born of goodly parents. I am so grateful for the lessons they taught me at a young age. But most of all, I am grateful that they taught me about God and His love for me.

My parents are both gone now but I still feel their influence in my life. It is a tender mercy for me to know that even though their mission is different right now, they still care about their loved ones on Earth. When we are seeing great afflictions in our lives, there are loved ones on the other side that are praying for us.

Faith the Choice is Yours

2010-11-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed the conference talk by Bishop Richard C Edgley entitled "Faith--the Choice is Yours." I liked it so much that I used most of it in my Relief Society lesson on faith. I think the part I liked best was when he was talking about the scripture in Matthew 17:20 that says if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you can remove mountains.

He said. "I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. but because of faith, I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed."

It brought a new light to my mind and I realized that I too had seen a mountain removed. I have seen doubt, despair, sin, and pain in my own life replaced with hope, optimism, repentance, forgiveness, peace hope and gratitude. Yes I have seen a mountain in my own life removed.

Faith

2010-10-31T07:52:00.000-07:00

My lesson in Relief Society this month is on faith. Faith is a hope for things which are not seen, which are true. (Hebrews 11:1) We do so many things as a routine. We forget that everything we do is based on faith. We get up in the morning because we have a hope of accomplishing something that day. We go to work because of our hope that we will be able to do something that will benefit ourselves and others. We plant a garden with the hope of being able to harvest it in the fall. We begin each new task with the hope that by the end we will reap the benefits of that task.

Imagine how hard it must have been for Noah and his family to build an ark. It was not raining the day he began building that ark. It was not raining the day he finished building the ark. It might not have been raining as the animals were entering the ark. If there was a seasonal rain I am sure the people danced and laughed. I bet people ridiculed him even after the floods began. But as the rain began to lift that ark off the ground I bet there were some who were wishing they had built an ark.

Our faith moves us to action.

Conference

2010-10-03T18:00:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to decide which talk I enjoyed the most but there were so many good talks.

I enjoyed the talk by Jairo Mazzagardi (hope I spelt that right) He talked about the fence post that was over taken by a tree. The tree eventually grew around the post and pulled it right out of the ground. Sin sneaks slowly into our lives over time until it overtakes us. It is making me take a look at my live and seeing the sins I need to weed out of my live before they become full blown trees making them impossible to get out without a great deal of help.

I will enjoy listening to the talks again while I am working after school this week.

Women's Conference

2010-09-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot the Women's Conference last night. Joe and I went shopping yesterday morning and checked out in the line of a sister that lives in our ward. She asked if I was going to the conference. How grateful I am that she said something. I went home and finished making my salsa and then got ready for the conference.

I enjoyed Sister Silvia Allred's talk. One thing that I felt I needed to remember was how to be steadfast and immovable. 1. prayer 2. scripture study 3. obedience 4. service

President Thomas S Monson gave a great talk as usual. He gave the cutest anecdotal story about a woman who complained to her husband about how dirty her neighbors laundry was each time it was hung out. Finally one day she noticed the laundry hanging on the line was clean. She asked her husband what he thought had happened to teach the neighbor how to do laundry. Her husband said he knew what had happened. He said he had gotten up early that day and had washed the windows.

Don't judge by appearances.

I can hardly wait to read the talks again.

This Do in Remembrance of Me

2010-07-11T06:40:00.000-07:00

Elder Jeffrey R Holland gave a talk in the 1995 October conference titled "This Do in Remembrance of Me." He talks about the things we can do to remember our Savior. Here is a part of that talk.

"If remembering is the principal task before us, what might come to our memory when those plain and precious emblems are offered to us?

We could remember the Savior’s premortal life and all that we know him to have done as the great Jehovah, creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. We could remember that even in the Grand Council of Heaven he loved us and was wonderfully strong, that we triumphed even there by the power of Christ and our faith in the blood of the Lamb (see Rev. 12:10–11).

We could remember the simple grandeur of his mortal birth to just a young woman, one probably in the age range of those in our Young Women organization, who spoke for every faithful woman in every dispensation of time when she said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).

We could remember his magnificent but virtually unknown foster father, a humble carpenter by trade who taught us, among other things, that quiet, plain, unpretentious people have moved this majestic work forward from the very beginning, and still do so today. If you are serving almost anonymously, please know that so, too, did one of the best men who has ever lived on this earth.

We could remember Christ’s miracles and his teachings, his healings and his help. We could remember that he gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and motion to the lame and the maimed and the withered. Then, on those days when we feel our progress has halted or our joys and views have grown dim, we can press forward steadfastly in Christ, with unshaken faith in him and a perfect brightness of hope (see 2 Ne. 31:19–20).

We could remember that even with such a solemn mission given to him, the Savior found delight in living; he enjoyed people and told his disciples to be of good cheer. He said we should be as thrilled with the gospel as one who had found a great treasure, a veritable pearl of great price, right on our own doorstep. We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them—guileless and pure, quick to laugh and to love and to forgive, slow to remember any offense.

We could remember that Christ called his disciples friends, and that friends are those who stand by us in times of loneliness or potential despair. We could remember a friend we need to contact or, better yet, a friend we need to make. In doing so we could remember that God often provides his blessings through the compassionate and timely response of another. For someone nearby we may be the means of heaven’s answer to a very urgent prayer.

We could—and should—remember the wonderful things that have come to us in our lives and that “all things which are good cometh of Christ” (Moro. 7:24). Those of us who are so blessed could remember the courage of those around us who face more difficulty than we, but who remain cheerful, who do the best they can, and trust that the Bright and Morning Star will rise again for them—as surely he will do (see Rev. 22:16).

On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment he received, the rejection he experienced, and the injustice—oh, the injustice—he endured. When we, too, then face some of that in life, we can remember that Christ was also troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9).

When those difficult times come to us, we can remember that Jesus had to descend below all things before he could ascend above them, and that he suffered pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind that he might be filled with mercy and know how to succor his people in their infirmities (see D&C 88:6; Alma 7:11–12).

To those who stagger or stumble, he is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end he is there to save us, and for all this he gave his life. However dim our days may seem they have been darker for the Savior of the world.

In fact, in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has chosen to retain for the benefit of his disciples the wounds in his hands and his feet and his side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you. It is the wounded Christ who is the captain of our soul—he who yet bears the scars of sacrifice, the lesions of love and humility and forgiveness.

Those wounds are what he invites young and old, then and now, to step forward and see and feel (see 3 Ne. 11:15; 3 Ne. 18:25). Then we remember with Isaiah that it was for each of us that our Master was “despised and rejected … ; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). All this we could remember when we are invited by a kneeling young priest to remember Christ always.

One request Christ made of his disciples on that night of deep anguish and grief was that they stand by him, stay with him in his hour of sorrow and pain. “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” he asked longingly (Matt. 26:40). I think he asks that again of us, every Sabbath day when the emblems of his life are broken and blessed and passed."

The Perfect A

2010-05-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Arturo Toscanini, the late, famous conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, received a brief, crumpled letter from a lonely sheepherder in the remote mountain area of Wyoming:

“Mr. Conductor: I have only two possessions—a radio and an old violin. The batteries in my radio are getting low and will soon die. My violin is so out of tune I can’t use it. Please help me. Next Sunday when you begin your concert, sound a loud ‘A’ so I can tune my ‘A’ string; then I can tune the other strings. When my radio batteries are dead, I’ll have my violin.”

At the beginning of his next nationwide radio concert from Carnegie Hall, Toscanini announced: “For a dear friend and listener back in the mountains of Wyoming the orchestra will now sound an ‘A.’ ” The musicians all joined together in a perfect “A.”

The lonely sheepherder only needed one note, just a little help to get back in tune; he could go on from there. He needed someone who cared to assist him with one string; the others would be easy. Then, with all strings in tune—in harmony—the lonely sheepherder would have a source of companionship and joy and could play uplifting strains.
(David B. Haight, “People to People,” Ensign, Nov 1981, 54)

Where do we find our perfect A to tune our lives?

The scriptures tell us where we can find our perfect A. The scriptures tell us who to turn to and why we need to turn to Him.

Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, (daughters, mothers, fathers), 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.

All we have to do is find the time to read and study the scriptures. In all honesty we don't have the time not to read them. We can gain a testimony from the scriptures and we can in turn help our children learn to love the scriptures and gain their own testimony of Jesus Christ. Nothing else in life matters. Our testimony will be the thing that will pull us through the trials that face us.

Feasting on the scriptures

2010-05-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

D&C 84:88
And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

How comforting to know that God knows who we are and will bear us up. To me that means when things are tough He will be there. And what of the angels that will be round about us? Could that be loved one that have passed on before? God knows what trials we will have to face. He knows what will be difficult. He knows how hard it will be and He will be near to help us through each trial. Well that make the trials easy? Probably not. But it will make it so we can bear all things the Lord sees fit to put in our way.

Now what do I have to do to receive this blessing? ....

Read the scriptures.
Say my prayers.
Go to church.
Follow His commandments.

Those are the standard answers but if I am not doing those things I am in danger of losing His spirit. Failure to read my scriptures and say my prayers would be the first step in apostasy. God will only be as near as I allow Him to be.

Daniel's Graduation

2010-05-09T06:35:00.001-07:00

Yea, Daniel and his family graduated with a Masters in Engineering. Even better than that is the fact that he has a job. He will be working for L-3 Communications in Salt Lake.

We have had a wonderful weekend just enjoying visiting with family in Logan.

My Ring

2010-05-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I lost my mothers wedding band that she had given me just before she died. I had been wearing it night and day. I had washed some dishes in Clorox water and the water burnt my finger under the wedding band. I took the band off and put it on the only finger it would fit on the other hand. At the time I thought, "You should go put your ring away." I didn't. The next day I had the same thought. About an hour later I realized the ring was gone. Often we get prompting from the Holy Ghost just like the ones I had received. We follow those promptings and we have no idea what could have happened because we did follow them. Other times we do not follow those prompts and something bad happens. So how do we know when we are getting a prompt from the Holy Ghost? Because any good thought comes from God, we can bet that any good warning comes from God too. I hope I can learn to be a better listener. I know I can listen better as I study my scriptures and say my prayers.

This weekend we have been staying with Daniel and Jana. I watched them as they helped their children say a few verses from the scriptures and say their prayers each night. Last night Tyler was bent out of sorts and did not want to read the scriptures. However, by the time the family had finished he was calm and ready for prayer. Did the scriptures make the difference? Yes. Is it always going to be easy? No. Is it going to be worth it? Yes!

Back to my ring. I knew that I had lost my ring around the house. Jennifer and her family were there and bless Jalynn's heart, she went clear through my garbage to make sure it did not drop off in there. The ring was not in the garbage. As I watched her I had a thought. "You are going to have to clean deep." Later I had another thought just about like that. "You will not find your ring unless you do some deep cleaning just like Jalynn did as she dug deep into the garbage." So I did some deep cleaning. I started in the kitchen because that was the room I had been in most of the time. When I cleaned the shelves off by the phone, I pulled some books off one of the shelves to rearrange them and low and behold there was my ring setting on the shelf. I am glad the Lord allowed me to have my mother's ring back. I am even happier with the lesson He taught me in listening. Any good thought comes from God.

Touching Shoulders

2010-04-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

There's a comforting thought at the close of the day
When I'm weary and lonely and sad;
That sort of grips hold of this poor old heart
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my being, and drives out the blues
And finally thrills through and through,
It's just a sweet memory, that chants this refrain,
"I'm glad I touched shoulders with you."

Did you know you were brave?
Did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited, and listened and prayed?
And was cheered by your simplest word.
Did you know that I longed for the smile on your face?
For the sound of your voice ringing true,
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
"I had merely touched shoulders with you."

I'm glad that I live, that I battle and strive,
For a place that I know I must fill;
I'm thankful for sorrows, I'll meet with a grin
What fortune may bring, good or ill;
I may not have wealth, I may not be great
But I know I will always be true,
For I have in my life, that courage you gave,
When once, "I touched shoulders with you!"

The author is believed to be: Lawrence Holtzberry, deceased
Mr. Holtzberry was a member of the Lions Club District 13K (Hebron, Ohio)

I heard this poem when I went to Akela's Council staff development meeting this weekend. It was so touching that I had to find the poem and share it.

Conference Story

2010-04-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

I am not sure which conference talk yesterday was my favorite so I thought I would take time over the next few blogs to share thoughts about some of the talks that I enjoyed.

I have always loved President Packer's talks. I thought his story about Gideon and how he chose his army to be particularly good. Those that drank from the stream by putting their mouth to the water were not ready for an enemy attack. Those that brought the water to their mouth were on the lookout for an attack. We need to be on the lookout. We need to bring the water of the gospel to our mouths and be prepared. We need to be ready to fight the last great battle. There will be a time when the only thing between us and the adversary is the Father with his Priesthood.

I loved how so many of the talks told us how to awaken the power of the Priesthood in the home and strengthen our homes. I feel as if the talks given yesterday have awaken something within me. I want to become stronger. I want to be a beacon for my family. I often think of what a great beacon my mother was for me. I hope I can become as strong as she was. As a young mother I realized that my mother had been praying for me all through the years. I learned that her prayers were strong and often helped me. I often felt the comfort of her prayers. I knew that her prayers held great power. Now that she is gone, I know that she is still praying for me, my brothers and sister, our children and their children. She will never stop praying for us. As I look to the beacon that my mother set up for me, I realize that her mother set a light up for her. When things get dark we just need to remember to head toward the light.

My Lucky Day

2010-03-28T05:41:00.000-07:00

I once read a children's book called "My Lucky Day." A little pig knocks on a door and to his horror it is answered by a wolf who, upon seeing the little pig, says it is "My lucky day." He takes the pig in to eat him. The pig does manage to escape but not until his has had a warm bath to clean him, a large meal to fatten him up, and a massage to tenderize his meat. The pig leaves refreshed and the wolf is left exhausted. My question is, who's lucky day was it? The final page of the book shows the pig checking off wolf from his list of animals that might want to eat him and saying that it was his "lucky day."

I have reserved this blog for religious thoughts. So what does a pig story have to do with religion?

In my minds eye I see Satan standing in the Garden of Eden watching Adam and Eve and saying to himself, "This is my lucky day. I can destroy God's plan." Satan, not knowing the mind of God tempts Adam and Eve. They do end up eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But who's lucky day was it? Yes, Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, yes, they became mortal, yes, they could no longer walk and talk with God.

After the Fall, Eve said, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient." (Moses 5:11)

Lehi also explained:

"And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created...

"And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

"But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:22-25)

Who's lucky day was it? Oh, it was OUR lucky day! Yours and mine! I am so grateful for the Fall as it has provided me the opportunity to become like my Father in Heaven.

Now one more question about Satan. Where was Satan when the great plan of happiness was presented? Was he self absorbed in his own attempt for power? Was he too busy recruiting spirit children to follow him? Where did he miss the fact that he was God's plan?

Life's Lesson in Death

2009-12-31T06:07:00.000-08:00

I have learned something about death that I didn't know before. My Mother passed away on Sunday, December 20, 2009. My sister and I were at her bedside when she passed away. We had been taking turns spending the night with her. We knew that it was just a matter of days until she passed away. My daughter Melanie and I stayed with her on Friday night. There was a very strong spirit in the room. I really felt that my Grandmother Fanny and my Father were near waiting for my Mother to pass through the veil. On Saturday my sister stayed with my Mother. Then on Sunday morning my sister called to tell me I needed to come. She felt that it was only a matter of minutes until Mom was to leave this earth life. I got dressed for church because I knew one thing. Mom would want me to go to church and give the Relief Society lesson that I was to give that day. My sister and I watched my Mother take her last breaths. So here is the lesson I learned.

Death is a holy and sacred experience. It is every bit as sacred as when you watch the birth of a baby. There is something special about watching a spirit pass through the veil and feeling our Heavenly Father's presence. I knew that God was near. I knew that my Father, a brother, grandparents, and a long list of relatives that we had been doing genealogy work for were near. While my sister and I were feeling a lose for the Mother we love, we knew that Mother was joyfully meeting with her family on the other side of the veil. I will always be grateful for this holy time that I had with my Mother.

The Thick of Thin Things

2009-11-29T18:28:00.000-08:00

I heard a quote from the Ensign a couple of times at church today. The quote from President Thomas S. Monson says:

"We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we're doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the "thick of thin things." In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes."

I was intrigued by the quote because I had planned on giving a quote in my Relief Society lesson by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf that said:

"A wise man once distinguished between the noble art of getting things done and a nobler art of leaving things undone. True wisdom in life consists of the elimination of non-essentials. What are the non-essential things that clutter your days and steal your time? What are the habits you may have developed that do not serve a useful purpose? What are the unfinished or unstarted things that could add vigor, meaning, and joy to your life?"

Gratitude

2009-11-22T16:33:00.000-08:00

Last year I posted a gratitude for every day in November. I would be very ungrateful if I did not make at least one post.

I am grateful for:

The beauty of nature. I took my mother for a ride. We saw a large herd of antelope grazing in a field. The buck began moving his herd through the field and I thought he was nervous about us watching him when I saw another buck trying to find a way through the fence. Ah ha. Just protecting his herd from another male.
My Family. How I enjoy seeing my children and knowing that they are doing those things that will bring them eternal happiness.
My Grandchildren. How precious each of them are. My mother lived so far from her grandparents that she only remembers seeing her grandfather once. She was too scared to even talk to him. She never had the chance to talk to him on a phone. How sad is that? I can see or talk my grandchildren every day through the use of telephone, blogs, skype, and Facebook. How cool is it to be a couple of hundred miles apart and still be able to talk to each other?
My membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love learning about my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. To know that they love me. That they answer prayers. Which reminds me of another gratitude.
I am thankful that God answers prayers. We had one answered this past week. We started our day with family prayer and prayed that we would be protected and return home to our family safe that evening. Our school went by bus to a nearby high school to watch the Wizard of Oz. The bus I was on pulled up the the stop sign that enters the main highway from our small town. The driver hesitated and then pulled on to the highway in front of a large water truck. The driver of the truck had to slam on his brakes to keep from hitting us. He came within a couple of feet of our bus. While our driver seem unconcerned the rest of the adults on the bus were terrified! Worst part was that on the way home from the play our bus driver pulled out in front of another large truck when she reached the highway. I am thankful for answered prayers.

Showing Mercy

2009-11-15T06:25:00.000-08:00

President Joseph Smith said, "If you would have God have mercy on you, have mercy on one another.... We are full of selfishness; the devil flatters us that we are very righteous, when we are feeding on the faults of other."

"...Search yourselves--the tongue is an unruly member--hold your tongues about things of no moment--a little tale will set the world on fire."

OK, so I have been having some devil flattering going on in my life. I have had a hard time holding my tongue. I have had that self-righteous feeling and I don't like it. I have had to really examine myself to see what my problem is. I finally figured it out. I am jealous. My 'friend' knows how to maximize her resources and I either don't know how or I want to make myself a martyr by doing everything myself. I need to get over it and learn from her instead of criticize her for being able to delegate authority.

Get over it Mary!

Stake Conference

2009-11-08T18:24:00.000-08:00

We had a great stake conference. One of the things talked about was testimony. We must each develop our own testimony. We can not live on borrowed light. I know I have heard that many times but then something else was said that I have either not heard or just not remembered. Our light must be original not reflective. The glory of the celestial is that of the sun. The sun gives off original light. The glory of the terrestrial is that of the moon. The moon's light is reflective.

So where do I want my testimony to be? Do I want original or reflective? I was outside the other night when the moon was full. I remember thinking it was enjoyable to see the beauty of the night sky and be able to walk around by the light of the moon. Then I stepped on a small stick and almost tripped myself. Hum. I'll go for original light. There are just too many things out there that will trip you up if you don't have enough light.

One of the other talks that I liked talked about the foundation of the Salt Lake temple. They used sandstone to build the foundation then covered it up when Johnston's army came in. When they uncovered the foundation they found it was cracked. They redid the foundation with granite and not mortar. The stones were fitted closely enough that they did not need mortar. Next, they talked about how the church has been established on the foundation apostles and prophets. The third foundation we need to establish is our personal life on the firm foundation of faith. I like how the three foundations related to each other.

One of my favorite scriptures talks about foundations. Helaman 5:12

And now, my sons, 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.

So, faith, foundations, testimony. How do we build them?

1. prayer

2. scripture study

3. family home evening

4. listen to the prophets

When are the prophets going to talk about something else? When we get these right!

The Lord is willing to help those in need!

2009-11-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

My mother went to church today. It was fast and testimony meeting. She is 93 and beginning to suffer from dementia. Mom wanted to bear her testimony. I was a bit worried about it because she has a tendency to say things that may or may not be true. She starts telling one story and before the sentence has ended she is telling a different story. Sometimes it is hard to tell that the sentence is two different stories. The stories all seem to be from her past and seem to be about things that have worried her at one time or another. Some of the stories are a bit embarrassing. Many times she hooks the names of people we know to the stories. Once in a while she gets on a kick where she repeats the same story over and over. I was a bit worried that she would tell an embarrassing story and hook the name of one of our ward members to the story which might hurt their feelings.

Mom got up and bore her testimony. As long as she was bearing pure testimony she was able to do so clearly and with conviction. As soon as she would start saying something that was not testimony the Lord took care of her and made her forget what she was saying. She could not finish her thought. I know without a doubt that the Lord loves my 93 year old mother that is suffering mentally right now.

I have a testimony that the Lord lives, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of a living and loving Father in Heaven. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is upon the earth today. We have a living prophet leading the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The gospel is true.

2009-08-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever made such a mistake that you have really hurt the feelings of someone you love? Saying "I'm sorry" doesn't seem to be enough. My heart aches because of what I have done. I am sorry.

The Ancient Covenant Restored

2009-04-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

Robert L Millet wrote an article for the Ensign back in March of 1998. He was telling about the coming of Elijah the prophet to Joseph Smith Jr. on April 3, 1836. Here is a quote of what he had to say.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith's account continues: 'After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken by the mouth of Malachi--testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come--to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse' (D&C 110: 13-15). Precisely on that day in 1836 when Elijah's appearance took place, Jews throughout the world were engaged in the celebration of the Passover. Since the time of Malachi, four centuries before Christ's mortal birth, Jews worldwide have awaited Elijah's coming at Passover with anxious anticipation. Elijah came, but not to Jewish homes; he came rather to a temple of the Saints and to his legal administrator on earth, a descendant of Joseph and Ephraim. There Elijah bestowed keys of inestimable worth."

None Were With Him

2009-04-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

As I watch the morning break I cannot help but think about my Savior. What great love He has for us. This is a beautiful Easter message. I am doing something wrong and cannot get the video. You will have to copy and paste the URL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpFhS0dAduc

Conference

2009-04-12T05:03:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I didn't hear as much of conference this year as I would have liked to have heard. We were either traveling or preparing to travel. Our two week old granddaughter was put in the hospital for RSV and then had to be flown to Primary Children's Hospital.

I have been watching the Church's video feed. I have noticed two talks so far that I just love. One was by Elder Jeffery R Holland which talks of Christ's lonely journey back to his Father in Heaven. When I feel alone I can know that I am not alone. My Father and my Savior are with me. They have not forsaken me. They are near. They know how I feel. They know my concerns for a beautiful new granddaughter that is struggling to live. The church has posted a video of Elder Holland's talk on the church's web site. http://www.lds.org I tried to post the video but can't seem to get it right. It is worth watching.

The other talk that I loved was by Elder David A Bednar. He talked of the importance of temples. There are great blessings in the temple. We find the highest ordinances there and through those ordinances we find eternal life in the temple. There is a protecting power of the ordinances and covenants available in the House of the Lord. The temple is a refuge from the storm.

I noticed that several talks told of the importance of the temple.

Draper Utah Temple

2009-03-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

We just got home from the dedication of the Draper Utah Temple. We went to our stake center and watched it by satellite. One of the many statements that impressed me was that in troubled times we need the temple. It will be the one thing that will bring peace into our lives. Regular temple workshop draws us closer to our Father and our Savior. As we attend the temple we have a greater desire to become like Him.

It took me back to the dedication of the Vernal Temple. I remember President Hinckley saying that it took 40 years to build the Salt Lake Temple and it took 90 years to build the Vernal Temple. After the dedication of the Vernal Temple I asked the kids what impressed them the most.

David: He was impressed that he didn't fall asleep.

Melanie: Seeing the prophet and her favorite apostle Elder Oaks.

Carolyn: It was so cool that even though we were not in the same room as the prophet you could still feel the spirit so strongly.

Daniel: It was all cool.

Mary: It took President Joseph F. Smith 3 days to get to Vernal to dedicate the Vernal Tabernacle in 1907. He traveled by train to Colorado, then by stagecoach and buggy to Vernal. In President Smith said he would not be surprised if a temple would be built in your midst. President Hinckley said that was the same as saying a temple would be there. (Side note: It took President Hinckley 20 minutes to fly to Vernal for the 1997 dedication of the temple.)

A New Thought... at least for me

2009-03-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

I was reading about the Prophet Joseph Smith's account of the Prophet Elijah restoring the sealing powers to the earth, when I came across an article by Robert L Millet. Do you know what was happening on April 6, 1836 in other parts of the world while Elijah was in the Kirtland temple with the Prophet of God? Well this article tells the rest of the story.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith’s account continues: 'After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse' (D&C 110:13–15). Precisely on that day in 1836 when Elijah’s appearance took place, Jews throughout the world were engaged in the celebration of the Passover. Since the time of Malachi, four centuries before Christ’s mortal birth, Jews worldwide have awaited Elijah’s coming at Passover with anxious anticipation. Elijah came, but not to Jewish homes; he came rather to a temple of the Saints and to his legal administrator on earth, a descendant of Joseph and Ephraim. There Elijah bestowed keys of inestimable worth." (Robert L. Millet, "The Ancient Covenant Restored," Ensign, Mar 1998, 36)

Leading in the Lord's Way

2009-02-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

I gave my Relief Society lesson today. It was Chapter 24 Leading in the Lord's Way. The lesson spent quite a bit of time on Zion's Camp. It was so good. I had not realized it but 9 of the 12 apostles and all of the Seventy had served in Zion's Camp. It was quite a training ground for the leadership of the church.

There had also be quite a bit of murmuring and complaining going on during Zion's Camp. One line from the lesson keeps playing over and over in my head. "Even a dog could not bark at some men without their murmuring to Joseph." I wonder what dog bark we murmur about. Here are a few that I have heard and sorry to say a few that I have said. Worse yet I have thought many of them.

"Don't answer the phone. It will just be someone telling me they won't be at church today to teach their primary class."

"I don't know why we even go to this house to get fast offerings. They never pay."

"I'm a teacher, why do I have to do fast offerings? Why aren't the deacons doing it?"

To a 15 year old teacher who had been preparing to pass the sacrament until a 12 year old deacon came into the room. "You lucked out this time."

"Do I have to go visiting teaching to that house?"

"Her as a companion? Oh no!"

"Thank goodness the blue and gold is only once a year!"

"I just don't have time to go visiting teaching."

"You want me to take a meal to someone tonight?"

What kind of message do I send when I murmur? If I can't be faithful over the small things how will I ever be faithful over the big things. I want to be like the group who "...were always ready and willing to do as our leader desired."

Perfect Sunday

2009-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

It has been one of those Sunday's that you hear so many good things that while you would like to remember them all you know you will only remember part.

Reed taught our Sunday School lesson on "The Spirit of Revelation." We learned how to receive personal revelation. One of the best ideas was to turn off the TV so that Satan is not jamming our airways with junk.

Our Relief Society Lesson came from a talk by Clyde J Williams in the Jan 1996 Ensign titled "A Shield Against Evil. Wow that was good. Satan has set snares and we need to use the scriptures to avoid those snares.

Here are the snares Satan has set.

1. Relying on Worldly Wisdom

2. Anger and Contention

3. Seeking Happiness in Sin

4. Ignorance of Evil

5. Spiritual Apathy

6. Rationalization

7. Vain and Worldly Things

Avoid those snares by:

1. Realizing that Satan will not support his own.

2. Shake off Spiritual Lethargy.

3. Watch and Pray

4. Hold to the Rod

5. We are Free to Choose our own course in Life

6. We can Bind Satan

If you want to read a good article check this one out.

Learn Of God

2009-01-11T17:04:00.000-08:00

Learn of me, and listen to my words: walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. (Doctrine and Covenants 19:23)

My next Relief Society lesson is "Gaining Knowledge of Eternal Truths." It seems that everything I read or listen to points me in the direction of gaining knowledge. I was just setting here trying to think of something to blog about. I was thinking that my pondering was running a bit short. Nothing was coming to mind. I looked over and saw the back of my True To The Faith reference guide and there was the above scripture. I thought. "Wow there is my lesson in one sentence. Now that I have my lesson prepared I wonder what I will do the the rest of my 30 minutes?"

Not really. It is a good lesson and I can hardly wait to give it. I really do love that scripture.

I am grateful that the Lord has given me this opportunity to teach. I am grateful that He is mindful of me and shows me so many little things that can help me with His message. The other day as I was reading a passage by Joseph Smith I could not help but be amazed that this unlearned boy had turned into such a knowledgeable man. I had to actually look up two words in the paragraph so I could make sense out of the statement. Joseph Smith's understanding was truly quickened by the Spirit of God.

Lifelong Learning

2009-01-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

I just listened to a talk by Robert D Hales entitled "The Journey of Lifelong Learning." He gave the talk at BYU Education Week this past August. Wow that was a good talk. I liked it enough to download it so I could listen to it anytime. I could not believe how well it goes with the lesson that I will be teaching in Relief Society this month. It seems like as I prepare my lesson I always find a talk that goes right along with it.

When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade

2009-01-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

I am feeling a little heart broken at the moment. It seems that over the Christmas break two young people have decided that life is not worth living and have committed suicide. While I did not know either of these young people my heart is heavy with sorrow as I find myself shedding tears for them and for their families. I hope that peace can find it's way into the lives of the families left behind.

I can honestly say that I have never suffered from depression to the point that these two have. I have never even considered suicide. While I have no idea of how they may have suffered before they came to this point in their lives, I do know one thing... When life gets you down and you feel like you can no longer cope, CALL someone. A mom, a dad, a brother, a sister, a friend, a stranger for that matter but whatever you do you need to talk to someone now.

Breath of Heaven

2008-12-21T15:08:00.001-08:00

Forgiveness--The Greatest of all Gifts

2008-12-21T06:55:00.000-08:00

May I truly learn to forgive.

Awake, Arise, And Come Unto Christ

2008-12-14T06:22:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-22T11:22:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-09T06:12:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-09T05:56:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

Daily Personal and Family Prayer
Reading and Pondering the Scriptures
Attending my church meetings especially Sacrament meeting & partaking of the Sacrament
Attending the Temple on a regular basis
Being Trustworthy and Honest
Being Kind and Considerate
Giving acts of Service to Others
Become a Member Missionary so that others might enter into the Baptismal Covenant
Holding weekly Family Home Evenings
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

2008-10-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-12T17:15:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-05T16:09:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

“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)

2008-09-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-07T05:01:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-06T14:33:00.001-07:00

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

2008-08-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Heirs of God

2008-08-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-30T18:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

Be Not Ashamed

2008-07-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

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.