By Study and Also By Faith

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2009-11-25T09:34:00.000-08:00

I hope all of you will have a very happy Thanksgiving with all your family and friends!

Sand Art Video

2009-09-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

At the link below, you will find a video showing sand art, created as you watch, with a short explanatory article. The video runs about 8 1/2 minutes--well worth your time.

"Art for art's sake--Memory for the sake of memory"

"Finding Hope" from Mormon Messages

2009-09-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

From the Archives: "To Be Healed"

2009-07-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

In the May 1994 Ensign there is a talk given by Elder Richard G. Scott entitled "To Be Healed". I think that all of us could stand some healing in one way or the other--whether it is physical, mental, emotional, or social. We all have issues and problems and trials of various kinds. Sometimes we cause our own problems and sometimes they come from outside sources over which we have no control.

I was interested to see that Elder Scott made a point of saying that we have to do our part to be healed. At the very least, we need to exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and humbly ask to be healed. Something else he pointed out is that the healing may or may not mean a cure of what ails us--it may mean the strength to carry on and to learn whatever lessons we can from our trials.

You may need to seek help from a trusted friend, associate, or professional, or you may just need to seek to draw closer to the Lord and ask Him to help you learn what you need to learn. You may need to put more effort into serving others, reaching out to others who need help. You may need to spend more time in the scriptures, learning to know the Lord better and to better understand His dealings with His children. Forgiving others may also be something for you to work on.

There are a number of things we can do to seek help and healing. I felt that Elder Scott's talk gave a good overview of those things and also gave hope for us that we will not seek healing in vain, even though the healing may not be what we would expect or prefer.

I linked to the talk rather than quoting from it because I think it will be most helpful to read all of it and to refer to the scriptures linked in the talk.

To me, this is an example of how the Lord works through the leaders in His church to give us useful, practical counsel that will help us live our lives better and to make our way back to Him.

From the Archives: The Fourth of July

2009-07-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

A happy 4th of July to you. This is America's Independence Day. Think of your freedoms and what it cost to obtain them.

The History Channel has a nice summary of the events surrounding our gaining our freedom. The article is here: "U.S. Declares Independence".

Another interesting article by George Will can be found at Townhall. It is called "The Valuable Self-Validating Tradition".

Here are two more quotes of special interest to Mormons.

Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be afree from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but bserve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written. (Ether 2:12)

"When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States, the 'Elders of Israel' will be found holding it up to the nations of the world..." President John Taylor (Journal of Discourses 21:8)

(Thanks to JR for those!)

Enjoy the reading and enjoy the Fourth. Think about what it all means for us.

Pray for People Around the World

2009-06-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

There are political hotspots around the world. Iran is in the forefront right now, but every country, including the USA, faces problems and issues of one kind or another. My prayers for people everywhere are growing quite long.

It is important to remember that God is in charge, but it is also important to remember that we can always petition Him in prayer in every situation.

We all have personal and immediate issues to pray about, of course, but let us not forget to pray for those around the world and here in our own country.

Why Religion?

2009-05-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

I was listening to my CDs of Will and Ariel Durant's book, The Lessons of History. One thing that Will Durant said was that he felt religion, and particularly Christianity, was necessary to people because religion is a stronger support of moral codes than anything else, and that when religion is abandoned, so are morals. Dr. Durant is something of an agnostic. He says he believes in God if God is defined simply as a creative force.

My question for you, dear readers, is, "Do you think he's right?" Or do you think religion is no more necessary to maintain morality (and you can toss ethics into the mix, as well) than law or tradition or education or anything else?

Discuss.

For the Cook in You

2009-05-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

I'm going through a spell of not being able to decide what to write about on my blogs, but I don't want to stop posting. One thing that is of interest to a great many people is cooking. We have to feed our families and there are always social events that require a contribution from us. We don't want to serve the same things all the time.

It's easy enough to Google for recipes and cooking sites. In fact, I once wrote a post covering a number of the common ones with recipes of every type for every occasion. You may find several sites in that piece that would be of interest to you.

There are a couple of sites that I would like to link to here because they have lots of different kinds of recipes and cookbook reviews and are general very interesting. One is Simply Recipes and the other is 101 Cookbooks which features primarily vegetarian recipes. The variety and depth in these sites make them worth your time to see if you can find some things to add to your cooking repertoire.

"Recovering and Discovering Truth"

2009-04-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

I often search the Ensign for various topics of interest to me. This morning I did a search on the word "seeking". I did not have a definite idea of what I myself was seeking, but I was curious about what I would find by searching for that one word.

While I found many articles and speeches from the Ensign, one that particularly caught my eye was by Edwin Brown Firmage and appeared in the April 1981 issue of the magazine. The title is "Recovering and Discovering Truth". Elder Firmage's topic is encapsulated in his first paragraph:

I had an experience some time ago that led me to think and to pray intensely. The whole incident caused me to reflect on the ways we gain knowledge from our Heavenly Father, and on the intimate relationship that exists between intellectual and spiritual means of acquiring knowledge.

That interests me--the intimate relationship between intellectual and spiritual means of acquiring knowledge. Here are two more paragraphs from near the end of the article:

This very process argues against the false idea that prayer, study, and meditation, or deep thought are merely attempts to convince oneself of a particular principle. To the person who is sensitive to divine communication, pure revelation floods the very being in a way that makes it unmistakable. Whether the truth be in science, philosophy, or religion, that knowledge is now his in a way that it was not before. Again, Einstein said of faith: “Real faith, either to a scientist or a businessman or a minister of religion, involves the problem and struggle of searching.” The Lord said to Joseph and Oliver that “you must study it out in your mind.”

and

Finally, I have learned that one must use the truth he possesses before asking for more. An ancient Tibetan proverb says, “He who knows and fails to practice the precepts is like a man who lights a lamp in the darkness and then closes his eyes.” We have a loving Heavenly Father who possesses all knowledge. He is willing to share it with us as fast as we are able to obtain it by worthy effort and then truly make it “ours” by living it.

In the article, Elder Firmage quotes various philosophers giving their thoughts about where knowledge comes from. It makes for an interesting article.

I believe that our Heavenly Father does bless mankind with intellectual knowledge as well as spiritual knowledge. He is not limited to only things of the spirit. I also believe that He expects us to put forth a lot of effort to learn as much as we can and to think about what we've learned and how it can be applied to solve a problem or to answer a question before He will send to us the necessary missing knowledge.

What are your thoughts about this?

Consequences

2009-04-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

There are consequences, good or bad, to every choice we make. A realization and an acceptance of consequences will make us freer than we otherwise would be. This may sound like a bit of a contradiction, but an Ensign article by Elder Robert S. Wood of the Seventy explains it better than I can. The article is titled "On the Responsible Self" and appears in the March 2002 Ensign. Elder Wood says:

Perhaps the symbolic nature of the second temptation is the least apparent of the three. But on reflection, this temptation points to a tendency to which we all are subject—the tendency to desire some miraculous delivery from the consequences of our actions; to be borne up, if you will, by angels or divine providence, with little effort on our part.

He then discusses personal responsibility and consequences in the rest of the article. It's good food for thought.

We do all have a tendency to want to be delivered from any negative consequences of our choices, but it is better and more freeing to make choices with positive consequences. Easier said than done, I know, but it is what we must strive for. Repentance and the Atonement make it possible to correct the mistakes we make (and we will make mistakes) and move forward to progress toward better choices.

There are an endless number of choices that we make throughout our lives. Although it is now popular to admonish one another to not judge, we do have to make judgements every day as to which choices we should make. The choices range from simple things such as what to have for breakfast to somewhat more serious choices such as whether or not to write that blog post about some favorite speculation of ours that might (or might not) be a bad influence on others. We also have major choices to make about education, jobs, marriage, and how we live the gospel. Every one of these choices has some kind of consequence. It would be a good thing for us to learn to consider the consequences anytime we make a choice. That will free us by helping us to make choices with positive consequences rather than negative consequences.

Cute Things

2009-04-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

My apologies for being such a slacker at blogging. I've had a lot going on, but I will try to post more often.

I recently became aware of two websites that are sure to make you smile!

Cute Things Falling Asleep

Cute Things Laughing

There's nothing like babies, kittens, and puppies!!!

Believe

2009-02-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. Mosiah 4:9

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. Moroni 10:32

"Education Without a Classroom"

2009-01-31T13:13:00.000-08:00

I am always interested in learning. There are an endless number of subjects that we can study. Many people don't have time or money for more formal education, but there are so many options available to us, wherever we live and whatever our circumstances are, that we can always be learning.

Twenty-eight years ago, there was an article printed in the December 1980 Ensign called "Education Without a Classroom" by Pam Bookstaber. The article covers a wide number of options for continuing your education. When you add in the internet today, you have even more options available. I would encourage you to read the article and see if you don't find some ideas you would like to put to use in your own life.

One thing I thought was good was an exchange of teaching--you give someone lessons in your specialty in exchange for them giving you lessons in their specialty. It can be an exchange of language lessons, hobby/skill lessons, or anything else that appeals to you.

Pam Bookstaber closes with these thoughts:

Of course, secular study should always be balanced by a study of the scriptures. The scriptures not only provide a solid base from which we can approach our study of the world, they also contain some valuable insights without which our education would be incomplete. In fact, a true understanding of the universe and our place in it is impossible without a good understanding of the doctrines found in the standard works.

Church leaders have suggested many ways to study the scriptures: book by book from beginning to end or researching by topic. As you study the scriptures, keep in mind the excellent gospel instruction available in Church lesson manuals, from Church schools, and in many LDS books written on gospel subjects.

Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with the resources we need to continue learning all our lives. He has given us brains with infinite capacity, a world too complex to ever bore us, the freedom to pursue our own interests, and the ability to structure our own time. All we need to do is take advantage of the possibilities that daily surround us.

No matter what your interests are, no matter what you would like to learn, there are ways you can incorporate such learning into your life. It will add a new dimension to you.

From the Archives: Seeking Learning

2009-01-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

President Spencer W. Kimball had an article in the September 1983 Ensign that was called "Seek Learning, Even by Study and Also by Faith". It was reprinted from previous addresses of his. This is a topic that interests me greatly, being a person who loves to learn.

President Kimball discusses in this article the position that secular learning holds in relation to spiritual learning. I recommend reading it to gain a good perspective and also to be directed to some scriptures that deal with the subject of learning.

Spiritual learning, and the action that should go along with it, is the most important for each of us. It leads us to eternal life, and it also helps us to find joy and happiness in this life. We learn of God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. We can have the help of the Holy Ghost in all of our learning, both spiritual and secular, including how best to apply our learning to our day-to-day lives.

Spiritual learning helps us learn the self-control we need to live good lives and it also helps us in our relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. We learn absolute truths that guide us in deciding what to do in various situations, so that we are behaving ethically and know what we can do to serve others.

With spiritual learning taking first place and giving us a firm foundation, we can study the secular topics of the world: math, science, music, politics, history, and so forth. We learn how things work and how they fit together. The more we learn about the earth and everything on it and in it, the better we will know how to be good stewards of the earth. The more we learn about the countries and peoples of the earth, the better we will know how to help them and how to view the political decisions we come to in our country--what is good and what is not.

Secular learning also helps us to find and develop our talents and share them with others. We also gain a greater appreciation of the talents and abilities of others.

Spiritual learning gives a necessary perspective concerning our relationships with ourselves and with others and with God. Supplemented with secular learning which gives us much practical knowledge, we can live a good life indeed.

Reflections on a New Year

2009-01-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

With all the concerns we have in our lives, a new year is a good time to regroup and make plans. Everyone is worried about the economy, energy, health, politics, and numerous other issues. Instead of worrying yourself sick, think of things that you can control and make changes that will improve your life. This is, of course, easier said than done, but it is worth the effort. I'm certainly not perfect at making needed changes, but at least I keep trying! And instead of thinking of this post as the same old, same old, think of it as a reminder of your possibilities.

Regarding the economy, this is a good time to make needed personal changes. We all have places we can cut back on our spending and start saving a little more. Opt for free or low cost entertainments. Spend more time at home with the family. Cook at home instead of eating out. See if you can store a little extra food (rotating it so it doesn't get too old) and other household items. Try to drive a little less to cut gas expense. If you have debts, work a little harder at paying them off. Discuss these changes and enlist your family's support. You can let the kids have some input, but remember that you're the parents and can set the limits and guidelines. If it's just you, well, your inner parent will just have to be firm with your inner child!

As for health, if we can make changes that will improve our health, we'll have fewer medical expenses down the road. Many types of exercise are free--walking, riding bikes you already have, using exercise equipment you already have, working out with videos/DVDs you already have, etc. For nutrition, we can cook more of our meals to cut back on salt, fat, and calories. Buy fewer processed foods and cook more "from scratch". Again, enlist the family in your efforts. Teach the kids to cook. Teach them about nutrition. You can still eat your favorite foods, just make little changes to make them a bit healthier.

Spend time improving your spiritual life, too. This can go along way in supporting your efforts in other areas. Keep an eternal perspective and remember that this life isn't all there is and material items aren't all that important in the grand scheme of things. Pray and read the scriptures daily to keep close to God and to remember what life is really all about. You'll also get a lot of inspiration for handling your problems.

You'll be able to think of many more areas of life that you can improve. Make it fun and interesting. Look on changes as opportunities and adventures, rather than punishments or deprivations. Set priorities so that your time, effort, and money is going for things that are important to you and your family. Don't neglect service and charity. Even if you have to cut back on those things that cost money, do what you can to help others. This will help your own perspective and will help you look outward as well as inward.

You don't necessarily have to make a list of new year's resolutions, or start things on January 1 (good thing, too, since today is the 2nd!). You also don't have to overwhelm yourself by trying to work on everything at once. You could choose one thing to work on in January, then add another in February, and so on, through the year and beyond.

I'm writing this post as much for myself as for others, so I have my work cut out for me. I hope we can all look at each day as a fresh start. President Hinckley always encouraged us to be a bit better each day. That is very much within the grasp of each of us, no matter what our circumstances are. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

One of the nicest traditions a family can have is to share Christmas hymns, scriptures, stories, and videos. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a Christmas page where you can find some of these things to enjoy today. The Church also has a website about Jesus Christ.

Family and friends, giving and sharing, are important parts of Christmas. This time of year brings to mind the importance of those things and of traditions that have grown meaningful in our families over the years. I'm spending today at home by myself, but we had our family Christmas this past Sunday because of everyone's schedules, so I haven't been deprived!

I did a little post over at my Writing Blog about A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, if you would like to read that. It has some links in it.

I do hope that we will all consider Jesus Christ today and put Him at the center of all that we do. He is the foundation of all that we have and are.

A very Merry Christmas to you all!

The Omniscience of God

2008-12-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

One of the many attributes of God that allows us to confidently put our trust in Him is His omniscience.

It seems that human beings have a tendency to think that God is as limited as we are in what He knows. As a result, we humans tend to think we know more than we do, and we grow rather proud of our learning. There is, of course, nothing wrong with being educated. It is a good thing and something the Lord expects us to do. However, as we read in 2 Nephi 9: 28-29

28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

We also need to remember:

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9

There are numerous scriptures that teach us that God is omniscient (see, for example, 1 Samuel 2:3, Matthew 6:8, 2 Nephi 9:20, Doctrine & Covenants 38:2, and Moses 1:6). You can look up "omniscience" in the Topical Guide to find many more.

It troubles me whenever anyone says (or writes) anything that disputes the omniscience of God and Jesus Christ. It also troubles me whenever anyone expresses doubt that He could create all things, or flood the world in Noah's day, or any of the other works and wonders we learn of in the scriptures. Where is our faith that God knows all and can do all (for He is omnipotent, too)?

Of course, faith is something that grows as we exercise it, so studying the scriptures can help us to learn to know God and to love Him, trust Him, and rely on Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.

There will be those who read this and dismiss it as a "Sunday School answer". Being a Sunday School answer doesn't mean that something isn't true, however. I am writing about God's omniscience because I believe in it and because it is important that we understand that it is true. It will make a difference in how we live our lives here on earth and how much we are able to learn to trust God and follow His counsel.

I'm not perfect in these things that I write about. It's just that I feel that it's a good thing to share thoughts about the gospel that will help others. And me.

Post-Holiday Reflections

2008-12-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

I was sorry to hear of Elder Joseph Wirthlin's passing on Monday, 2 December. He seemed such a sweet man and his conference talks were always full of wisdom. He will be missed.

I hope that all of you had a happy Thanksgiving. It's a time for family gatherings, but also a time for thinking of all we have to be thankful for, no matter what our present circumstances are.

With Christmas coming soon, I hope we will enjoy sharing and giving, but that we will also ponder what Christmas is all about--the birth of the Christ child and the beginning of the life that would ultimately provide each of us with resurrection and atonement. And that life would provide us with countless teachings and examples to guide us in living our own lives. May we remember with gratitude all that Jesus Christ has done for us.

Politics and economics have been the focus of our news cycles and will continue to be so. It is a good time to read and reflect on the Consitution and the Declaration of Independence. The Federalist Papers also warrant some attention to remind us of the intentions of our Founding Fathers and the direction that America needs to be going in. This country was founded with God in mind and with the idea of developing the gifts He has given us--freedom, liberty, property rights, life, and many others. Let us not throw it all away.

As far as economics is concerned, our prophets have counseled us for years to get out of debt, stay out of debt, make the most of what we have, and save for the future. Let us follow the prophets and, through them, the Lord. No matter how well we are doing, we can always do a little better. Let us not forget to share with those less fortunate, and let us remember that it is important that charity be freely given by individuals and not coerced by the government.

I have concerns about how secular this country and the world have gotten. We should remind ourselves of God and His teachings. Let us not call evil good and good evil. Let us love one another, yet not condone sin. It has become unpopular to say that we need to love the sinner and hate the sin, but that is exactly what we should do. It is God's appoval that we seek, not the world's.

I have touched on only a few things, but I hope that we will reconsider our lives and think carefully about the direction we are traveling through this life. May God bless us all to do the right things. And may we always be full of gratitude for all that God has blessed us with.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2008-11-27T03:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is important that we always remember to be grateful for all the blessings our Heavenly Father has given us. Take some time today to think of all that you have been blessed with and share some of those thoughts with friends and family.

For myself, I am grateful for so many things. I'm thankful that I found the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and joined it. I am thankful for all those blessings connected with the Church--the priesthood, temples, scriptures, prophets, and so forth. I am especially grateful for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us. I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and for our Heavenly Father and His love and concern for each of us. There are so many blessings associated with the gospel that I cannot name them all.

I am also thankful for family and friends, for having a job that I like, for having books to read, for having food and clothing and shelter. Again, there are so many blessings that I cannot name them all.

I hope that we will always be a grateful and appreciative people. May you have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Video: Jesus Christ - A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

2008-11-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

Personal Reflections

2008-11-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

Life certainly isn't simple, is it? So much to be concerned about, not least of which is our own self improvement. After all, our Heavenly Father placed us here on earth to learn and grow and improve.

While we are taught to think for ourselves, this doesn't preclude listening to those who are wiser than we and receiving their counsel. We must not just receive their counsel, but we must actually implement it in our lives. This is easier said than done, but that makes it no less necessary.

Among those that we should listen to are our prophets, who counsel us at the Lord's direction. Sometimes we hear counsel that is difficult for us, but that makes it no less true.

There are a number of basic things we need to be doing in order to assure ourselves that we are doing what is right. These things include prayer, studying the scriptures as the word of God and not as linguistic documents to be parsed and argued over, studying the words of our living prophets and apostles, attending church and temple, and so forth.

There are temporal things we need to do as well--saving money, getting out of debt, not living beyond our means, storing food and other items in preparation for hard times, etc.

Everyone of us can improve in each of these areas and need to work on doing so. Service to others is also a very important aspect of living, as is strengthening our families.

We also need to care for our health and develop our talents and abilities. We should also do what we can to continue learning about a variety of subjects--the gospel, current events, and things that are of interest to us such as history or science.

It all sounds so overwhelming when listed together like this, but we are not expected to run faster than we have strength. We are, however, expected to be persistent and diligent. And who is it that expects this of us? Our Heavenly Father, who knows us better than we know ourselves and who knows what is best for us. He is also more than willing to help us, if we will let Him. Sometimes that last part--letting God help us--is very difficult. We think we should be able to do it all by ourselves. It is true that we need to choose to put in the effort, but we need to rely on our Heavenly Father for the strength to follow through and also for ideas on how to continue when we run into a road block. It is a sort of partnership between us and God that helps us to live life as we should. He can guide us in the right direction and help us to know right from wrong. He can provide inspiration and encouragement and confirmation that we are doing well.

I have my struggles, as we all do. I even have trouble with persisting and being diligent! Still, I know where help is and I need to keep going. That isn't always easy. There are times when headaches defeat me or when my back hurts abominably, as it is right now. I just have to remember that persisting and being diligent will help me to become stronger in all ways.

May God bless us all to be persistent and diligent.

Let's Talk About Food Today

2008-11-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

Apparently I am hungry, so I am writing a post about food! It's always interesting to find websites or books with new recipes and new types of food to try. I have a website to share with you today called The World's Healthiest Foods. There's all sorts of information about food and cooking here. Do some exploring!

A page of the above site that I really like is the food list page. It has a list of common foods divided into categories such as Vegetables. Click on a food and you will get a page with nutrition information, health benefits, history, how to select and store, etc. Here's the onion page for an example. I really like that nutrient chart near the top. Very useful for finding foods to meet specific nutrition requirements. The history of the food is very interesting, too.

The site also has a recipe page that may give you some new ideas of foods to fix for you and your family. There are vegetarian and meatless dishes, as well as traditional types of recipes. And here's a page on healthy cooking. And another on essential nutrients. There is a lot of documentation at the bottom of the articles, too.

The site has a cooking demonstration page. There is a long list of food preparation items that you might want some help with, so just click on an item and it opens a box with photos and a written description. Very interesting.

There are lots more pages on this site. I've just listed a few to give you a sample of what you can find there.

Since we all have to prepare food for ourselves and our families, it's always fun to find new information to help with that task.

The Blessings of Living in America

2008-11-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

I hope we all appreciate the great blessing of living in the United States of America. In spite of attempts at government interference here and there, we still have a lot of freedom, not least of which is freedom to worship as we please. Religion was important in the founding of our country and it is important today.

Our religious beliefs give us a moral foundation and guidance as to what is right and what is wrong. The truth is that there is such a thing as right and wrong, good and evil. There are those who would have us believe otherwise, but God has taught us better.

The USA, because of its freedom, is strong enough to help others around the world in various ways, and is very generous in doing so. We help in various disasters around the world and we fight for freedom. We do our best to spread truth and goodness. We set an example. We are not perfect, but we are good.

There is much to be thankful for and much to be concerned about. We have important elections coming up on Tuesday, 4 November. Study the issues and the candidates, local and state and national, and vote, using your best thinking.

May God bless us all, in America and all around the world.

Thoughts on Life

2008-10-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

It's definitely fall here in Oklahoma. I actually had to turn on the heater! Still, it feels so much better to me when it's not so hot.

So much is going on in our world today. I imagine the economy is on everyone's mind these days. I don't have any earthshaking advice, and you can find articles on personal finance all over the internet if you need some advice. The thing I think we should do, if we haven't done it already, is put the counsel of our prophets into action. Work on getting out of debt, cut back on spending, and save money and food and other items for the future. What is that old saying? "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do or do without." We don't have to deprive ourselves of the occasional treat, but perhaps we could treat ourselves in ways that don't cost money or don't cost as much money. Pay tithes and offerings, then put something into a savings account. As the Scouts say, be prepared!

As for the upcoming election, read, read, read! Educate yourself about the issues and the candidates. Pay attention to local contests as well as national ones. Don't neglect the national races for the Senate and the House of Representatives. And, of course, use your best, thorough thinking to choose a president.

On other notes, I think it is good to make changes in our life that need to be made. Study the scriptures and pray. Exercise. Eat right. Learn new skills. Take a class. Do things to improve yourself and also to fulfill yourself. Find joy in life. Look at changes you need to make as challenges or opportunities instead of glumly viewing them as punishment or deprivation. Be optimistic!

Life is what you make it. We all have trials and problems and issues, but we are smart and resourceful and the Lord can guide us in the right direction. Carry on!!!!

Prayer

2008-10-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

I thought the October General Conference talk by Elder David A. Bednar, entitled "Pray Always" and given in the Saturday afternoon session, was particularly important for all of us.

Our communication with our Heavenly Father in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, is one of the most important things we can do to strengthen ourselves spiritually and to receive guidance for living our lives to the best of our ability.

One thing that really struck me about Elder Bednar's remarks was what he had to say about the continuity of our prayers. He said:

We learn from these verses that the spiritual creation preceded the temporal creation. In a similar way, meaningful morning prayer is an important element in the spiritual creation of each day—and precedes the temporal creation or the actual execution of the day. Just as the temporal creation was linked to and a continuation of the spiritual creation, so meaningful morning and evening prayers are linked to and are a continuation of each other.

Consider this example. There may be things in our character, in our behavior, or concerning our spiritual growth about which we need to counsel with Heavenly Father in morning prayer. After expressing appropriate thanks for blessings received, we plead for understanding, direction, and help to do the things we cannot do in our own strength alone. For example, as we pray, we might:

Reflect on those occasions when we have spoken harshly or inappropriately to those we love the most.
Recognize that we know better than this, but we do not always act in accordance with what we know.
Express remorse for our weaknesses and for not putting off the natural man more earnestly.
Determine to pattern our life after the Savior more completely.
Plead for greater strength to do and to become better.
Such a prayer is a key part of the spiritual preparation for our day.

During the course of the day, we keep a prayer in our heart for continued assistance and guidance—even as Alma suggested: “Let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord” (Alma 37:36).

We notice during this particular day that there are occasions where normally we would have a tendency to speak harshly, and we do not; or we might be inclined to anger, but we are not. We discern heavenly help and strength and humbly recognize answers to our prayer. Even in that moment of recognition, we offer a silent prayer of gratitude.

At the end of our day, we kneel again and report back to our Father. We review the events of the day and express heartfelt thanks for the blessings and the help we received. We repent and, with the assistance of the Spirit of the Lord, identify ways we can do and become better tomorrow. Thus our evening prayer builds upon and is a continuation of our morning prayer. And our evening prayer also is a preparation for meaningful morning prayer.

Morning and evening prayers—and all of the prayers in between—are not unrelated, discrete events; rather, they are linked together each day and across days, weeks, months, and even years. This is in part how we fulfill the scriptural admonition to “pray always” (Luke 21:36; 3 Nephi 18:15, 18; D&C 31:12). Such meaningful prayers are instrumental in obtaining the highest blessings God holds in store for His faithful children.

Prayer becomes meaningful as we remember our relationship to Deity and heed the admonition to:

“Cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 37:36–37; emphasis added).

That is a long quote, but it captures the essence of how our prayers are a continuing conversation with God. I really like the idea of not only asking for the Lord's help during each day, but also reporting back to Him in the evening. It gives a sense of responsibility, of accountability, to us. It helps us to keep an eternal perspective on things and to be aware of specific things we can pray about.

Elder Bednar also talks about expressing gratitude and praying for others, both of which are also very important parts of our prayer life. There is much to be grateful for and much to be concerned about, but we can take it to our Heavenly Father and deepen our level of communication with Him. This is a fine goal for us all.

General Conference was Great!

2008-10-11T04:55:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the October General Conference sessions and, more importantly, I have learned some new perspectives and been reminded of others. I gained something from each talk, but I think two in particular seemed to reach into my heart at this time. They were both given in the Saturday afternoon session, one after the other.

"Even a Child Can Understand" by Elder Gérald Caussé

"The Way" by Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge

Visit the archives and enjoy reading/listening to any talks you missed or any that you want to review. The General Relief Society Meeting talks are also part of the GC archives.

From the Archives: "The Abundant Life"

2008-09-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

In the May 2006 Ensign there is a talk by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin titled "The Abundant Life." This is an inspiring, hopeful talk. I loved it!

Elder Wirthlin starts with the analogy of horse sold at auction. The horse was a leftover, old and spent. Nothing anyone would want. I won't spoil the story by recounting it here--follow the link and enjoy the full details. It ties in nicely with Elder Wirthlin's point, which is a discussion of "the hidden, untapped potential that lies within each of us."

I have had the opportunity to become acquainted with many wonderful people from many walks of life. I have known rich and poor, famous and modest, wise and otherwise.

Some were burdened with heavy sorrows; others radiated a confident inner peace. Some smoldered with unquenchable bitterness, while others glowed with irrepressible joy. Some appeared defeated, while others—in spite of adversity—overcame discouragement and despair.

I have heard some claim, perhaps only partly in jest, that the only happy people are those who simply don’t have a firm grasp of what is happening around them.

But I believe otherwise.

I have known many who walk in joy and radiate happiness.

I have known many who live lives of abundance.

And I believe I know why.

Today, I want to list a few of the characteristics that the happiest people I know have in common. They are qualities that can transform ordinary existence into a life of excitement and abundance.

The characteristics of these happy people are as follows, according to Elder Wirthlin:

They drink deeply of living waters.
They fill their hearts with love.
They, with the help of their Heavenly Father, create a masterpiece of their lives.

Elder Wirthlin says:

Brothers and sisters, the abundant life does not come to us packaged and ready-made. It’s not something we can order and expect to find delivered with the afternoon mail. It does not come without hardship or sorrow.

It comes through faith, hope, and charity. And it comes to those who, in spite of hardship and sorrow, understand the words of one writer who said, “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

The abundant life isn’t something we arrive at. Rather, it is a magnificent journey that began long, long ages ago and will never, never end.

The abundant life, a life of joy and love and developed potential, is a life that our Heavenly Father wants for each of us. It is a life that we want for ourselves. Close your eyes and picture eternity. How do you want to spend that eternity? I think we would all say that we want happiness, joy, accomplishment, love, peace, and all good things. Elder Wirthlin's talk convinced me that it is possible to have an abundant life and to have it for all eternity. He describes how to reach this goal and says frankly it isn't easy. But it would be so very worth it, don't you think?

Thoughts and Things

2008-09-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

Politics takes a large part of our attention these days. It's still almost 2 months until the election, but it seems as if the campaign has gone on forever. I trust that you are all reading and listening to a variety of sources and thinking about what kind of future you want for America. Your vote is important.

Ike has hit Texas. TF, I hope you and your family are okay. I hope everyone is okay. It has to be tough to live near the Gulf coast during hurricane season.

The worst of summer's heat is past, thankfully. I'm not looking forward to winter, but I sure like autumn, when the temperatures are moderate and the leaves turn to marvelous colors. The only bad thing is the havoc fall pollen wreaks on my sinuses!

Genealogy is going well, if slowly. I have my four generations and some of the fifth. I am learning about the new Family Search, although I still have a lot to learn. I've been to some meetings, helped with a presentation to our ward, and am working through the lessons.

Life goes on.

Is the Concept of Sin Passé?

2008-09-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

I read an article this weekend titled "The Economic Problem of Sin" by Bruce Walker. (It's at American Thinker.) The author discusses the cost of sin in society and how much better a society is when it acknowledges sin and fights against it. He also discusses the way that society today dismisses the idea of sin as not relevant. It is a very good article and a thought-provoking one--good reading.

The article caused me to think about how the notion of sin has become passé in modern society. Everyone is afraid to call a sin a sin. They are afraid they'll offend someone, or they buy into the nonsense that morality and truth are relative rather than absolute.

We all sin in one way or another. No one is perfect. Is it not better, healthier, more healing to acknowledge when we have sinned so that we can repent and be made whole? Shouldn't we be honest about these things? I think so. Isn't God the One we should be worried about offending, rather than other people?

I am not advocating that we be condemning or unforgiving. After all, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. However, shouldn't parents teach their children what sin is and how to avoid it? Shouldn't children be taught to repent when they have sinned? Shouldn't parents believe that certain things are sins and avoid doing them, thereby setting an example for all around them?

What are your thoughts?

Spiritual Ramblings

2008-08-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

I spend a fair amount of time contemplating spiritual topics and my own spiritual development. I also notice what others around the Bloggernacle have to say on various topics that connect to spirituality. I agree wholeheartedly with some and disagree with others and have mixed feelings about still others.

Everyone has their own viewpoint, developed over the years by their experiences and the teachings they've been exposed to. Sometimes it's difficult to sort out what is true and what are merely the philosophies of men. Since occasionally the philosophies of men might hit on a truth or partial truth, that makes it more difficult still.

I've noticed that on the Bloggernacle, there are fewer orthodox viewpoints than heterodox viewpoints. I suppose it is partly due to the nature of the beast--the younger and more computer literate people, fresh from the university, are more likely to blog and more likely to hold heterodox viewpoints. It is also a common trend that the younger people are more given to experimenting with different ideas and to thinking they have hit on solutions to various problems.

I am glad to have found other blogs that are orthodox--it keeps me company! The main thing that is frustrating about the heterodox blogs is that the bloggers there tend to shut down opposing viewpoints by saying that they are "Sunday School" answers or are mean-spirited or some such thing. Well, that is their prerogative--it is their blog, after all, and they can do as they wish with it. However, I feel they are missing some wise viewpoints that might prove helpful in the discussion.

As for "Sunday School" answers, they have become such because they are truth. It really does solve problems to pray and read the scriptures, provided that you put what you learn into action. It really does prevent problems to keep the commandments and to honor the covenants made.

Sometimes I feel that interpretation of the scriptures is stretched too far--parsing each word and looking through half-a-dozen definitions to find one that matches what the interpreter wants to find. We all do that to some extent at some point in our lives, but it isn't necessarily a good thing, if carried too far. There are ways to learn what the scriptures truly mean by relying on prayer and the gift of the Holy Ghost and listening to the prophets.

I am disheartened, too, to read comments indicating that the Church is racist and sexist and oppressive. I do not see that in the church--I see love and acceptance of people, but also an honesty about sin. I feel the negative view comes from not being willing to accept that sometimes there are things the Lord would have us do that we do not understand right now and may not understand until the next life, but we are wrong to label these things with man-made labels that have no eternal vision to back them up. It seems, too, that we find what we look for, and if we are looking for racism and sexism and oppression, we will imagine that we see it everywhere.

I suspect that I sometimes come across as "hard-nosed" about things. Actually, I am quite concerned about hurting people's feelings or upsetting them. However, I also feel that there are things that need to be said honestly and find it frustrating that there are those who say that those things cannot be said because they might hurt or offend. It's somewhat ironic that those who take that position often offend or hurt me with their viewpoints, but they defend their right to say such things because they are just being honest--in their view.

I don't know if we humans will ever totally resolve this dilemma of how we express ourselves and of thinking that we are always right and the other person is always wrong if they don't agree with us. Believe it or not, the "Sunday School" answers will come closer than anything else to helping us reach a resolution and a unity.

I am writing this post, not to hurt or offend, but to offer some thoughts for consideration. I am not perfect and neither is anyone else. We all struggle with one thing or another, and sometimes with several things. We each have to work our own way through these things, but it helps to discuss and share ideas--all ideas. Not just the ones we like. I realize that applies to me, too. I depend on God to help me find my way because I, too, am human with human frailties.

Edited to add:

There is a marvelously appropriate speech by Elder F. Enzio Busche titled "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit" that I want to link to here.

In This Election Year...

2008-08-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is an election year in the United States of America. We are preparing to elect a President in November, as well as other representatives in the government. It is a very important responsibility for the voters and I can't think of a better time to read President Ezra Taft Benson's October 1987 General Conference talk, titled "Our Divine Constitution", published in the November 1987 Ensign.

I hope that we all will take seriously our duties and obligations as citizens of this great country and will study the issues and the candidates and make wise decisions about voting.

A YouTube Video on LDS Temples

2008-08-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's Too Hot!

2008-08-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm just a wimp, but I don't like hot weather. Or humid weather. We've already had several days over 100 here in Oklahoma. My brain is a puddle and I can't think of anything intelligent to write about. I've only been posting every other week for a little while now, although I do plan to go back to weekly posts at some point. You'd think I'd be able to think of something to write about every other week, at least.

I've splurged on a Zune and have downloaded the Book of Mormon and a few hymns from the church website (www.lds.org), as well as some other books and music. Sometimes at work, I really need to tune out all the conversations around me, so it's been nice to have. I have a fair amount of classical music, which I love to listen to. It's perfect for work because it isn't too distracting, and it's good for reducing stress. I need that a lot--stress reduction!

I'm working on learning all about genealogy and working in the Family History Center, which helps to keep me occupied in a constructive way. Not too mention it's very interesting. I like gathering family information and learning details about when and where my ancestors lived.

Other than that, I'm mostly trying to keep cool. What are you doing this summer?

Moderation?

2008-07-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

In the October 1994 Ensign Elder Dallin H. Oaks has an article that is excerpted from a speech he gave. It is titled, "Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall". A couple of paragraphs caught my eye:

As I conclude, I need to caution myself and each of my readers that the very nature of this message could tend to the same downfall that it warns against. The idea that our strengths can become our weaknesses could be understood to imply that we should have “moderation in all things.” But the Savior said that if we are “lukewarm,” he “will spue [us] out of [his] mouth” (Rev. 3:16). Moderation in all things is not a virtue, because it would seem to justify moderation in commitment. That is not moderation, but indifference. That kind of moderation runs counter to the divine commands to serve with all of our “heart, might, mind and strength” (D&C 4:2), to “seek … earnestly the riches of eternity” (D&C 68:31), and to be “valiant in the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:79). Moderation is not the answer.

How, then, do we prevent our strengths from becoming our downfall? The quality we must cultivate is humility. Humility is the great protector. Humility is the antidote against pride. Humility is the catalyst for all learning, especially spiritual things. Through the prophet Moroni, the Lord gave us this great insight into the role of humility: “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

The entire article is, of course, a good read and will give you a lot to think about, but these two paragraphs made me stop and think. In many cases, moderation is advisable, but, as Elder Oaks points out, that isn't always the case. There are times to be valiant and strong and committed--particularly in being committed to the Lord.

Elder Oaks does cover a number of things that can be done over-zealously, such as gospel hobbies, excessive giving, excessive service, and so forth. However, backing off of unrealistic behaviors doesn't mean that we should back off of our committment to Jesus Christ.

I liked what Elder Oaks said about humility being the answer to avoiding letting our strengths become our downfall. If we are humble, we are teachable and not prideful, and are open to letting the Holy Spirit guide us in the way the Lord would have us go.

It's an interesting puzzle--how to be committed to the Lord and yet not go overboard in some of the outward behaviors. I think this article/speech is very good in bringing to the fore some of the things we ought to consider.

Maybe it's just me, but it did seem that the article is out of order--that the first section and the last should be reversed, but it is nevertheless good reading.

"To Be Healed"

2008-07-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July

2008-07-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be afree from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but bserve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written. (Ether 2:12)

"When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States, the 'Elders of Israel' will be found holding it up to the nations of the world..." President John Taylor (Journal of Discourses 21:8)

(Thanks to JR for those!)

Enjoy the reading and enjoy the Fourth. Think about what it all means for us.

Conversion

2008-06-28T16:24:00.000-07:00

Thinking about conversion to the gospel and all that it entails gives me an interesting perspective on politics. So much of politics and government seems to involve efforts to force the people to behave in certain ways, to redistribute wealth, to control the economy, to control healthcare, and many other things. Although the ostensible purpose is to create a good life for the people, it really amounts to an effort to grab power and control for the elite few, who think they know better than everyone else what is needed. And wasn't that Satan's plan--to force people to be perfect and to gain power for himself?

Although most people are not likely to be evil at heart, forcing others to behave in certain ways does nothing to create a perfect society. A review of history shows how wrong these plans go. Look at the histories of Russia, China, and Cuba for three examples.

So what does this have to do with conversion? Conversion to the gospel changes people from the inside out, rather than from the outside in as communism, socialism, and Marxism attempt to do. Look at these scriptures from 4 Nephi 1.

2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another....
15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

Does that not describe a truly good society that yet is free? There was no coercion, no resentment, no confiscation of one's goods to give to another. All was shared freely and willingly in love for God and for their fellowmen. That is the ideal and it cannot be forced.

Naturally enough, conversion to the gospel also cannot be forced upon people. It can, however, be spread by teaching and example, by love and patience. And is not this the best way, the only way, to develop a society of equality and justice and kindness and generosity?

As each one of us, individually and from the heart, becomes converted unto the Lord, Zion grows a bit stronger. As our example spreads to those around us, Zion grows a bit stronger still. We must live in a free society in order for this to take place. As He always does, God knows what He is doing. The plans of men, the philosophies of men, cannot replace the plan of God, our Heavenly Father, for all His children.

What Would You Like to See in Mormon Literature?

2008-06-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

Being very interested in both reading and writing, and being a Mormon, I am curious to know what you would like to see in Mormon literature. A Motley Vision has some interesting posts on various aspects of Mormon literature, but I just want to find out what types of writing you would like to see Mormons producing.

What sort of fiction would interest you? How about poetry? Essays? What sorts of subjects would you like to read and what sorts of treatments would you like those subjects to be given? Can you give any examples of books, LDS or not, that you would like to see written from a Mormon perspective?

For example, do you think a novel of manners, such as Jane Austen wrote, would make interesting Mormon literature? Or would you like to read sonnets with Mormon themes? What kind of themes? For non-fiction, would you want to read essays of the type that Joan Didion writes, but focused on LDS life? How about doctrinal books or history or biography?

Those are just examples that came to mind, but that will give you an idea of what I'm looking for. I am particularly interested in literature, but if you have some thoughts on art (painting, sculpture, etc.) or music, put those in the comments, too.

I'm not thinking that Mormons should slavishly copy what others have done, but I think it would be interesting to know what general types of literature or other art you would like to see and what you think would be interesting or important or both.

More Reflections

2008-06-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

I learned on Thursday that I have officially passed my second CPCU test! Celebrations all around! I only have 5 more tests to take. :o

I am enjoying my genealogy work. I still have a lot to do, but I am learning more all the time. It is not only interesting in a historical sense, but every little bit I learn about an ancestor makes them come alive for me. I feel I am gradually getting to know them--they who made my life possible.

I still fight the feeling of being overwhelmed by all I need to do. I am working at taking things a step at a time and planning out what I need to do. I am also setting priorities so that my time goes to those things that are most important. It is still hard for me, but they say that practice makes perfect!

It is hot and humid here which drains my energy. Storms pop up every now and then and I worry about the wheat harvest. The farmers need dry weather for a little while to get their crops out of the field. I hope they are almost done--early June is ideal harvest time for Oklahoma.

I have been reading more nonfiction these days. I still love a good novel, story, or poem, but essays are fascinating as well. I enjoy reading about nature and politics as well as observations on life and culture.

What are you reading these days?

Random Thoughts

2008-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I took my second CPCU test yesterday morning. That's an insurance thing. CPCU stands for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and is a professional designation. It's a worthwhile pursuit, though not an easy one. I don't know how I did--won't find out if I passed or failed for one to two weeks. If I don't pass, I will take it again.

In other news, I've apparently strained my right arm in some way. It hurts and I have to take Tylenol every 4 hours to live with it. I'm hoping that a bit of rest over the weekend will help. I don't think it's carpal tunnel--I certainly hope not!

It's also hot and humid in Oklahoma with storms popping up every now and then. We can use the rain, but not the storm part. And, of course, being Oklahoma, it's very windy some days. I suppose that keeps the heat from feeling so oppressive.

I ponder gospel topics, but haven't settled on one to write about on my blog. I have plenty of gospel interests, but narrowing down a topic to write about can be difficult. I need to practice writing skills more and write off the top of my head less!

I have entered what I know of my family into PAF on the "family tree" part, but still need to do the family group sheets. It is interesting to see where and when my ancestors lived. I think about what I know of history and what life might have been like for them. I regret that I haven't spent more time on genealogy, but at least I am working on it now.

I still study politics and think about how the gospel informs human society, or should inform human society. I believe there is a lot of guidance for us in the scriptures that can help us move toward living as God would have us live, Zion being our ultimate goal.

The FLDS Situation

2008-06-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

While I do not believe all of the same things the FLDS do, their Constitutional rights have been trampled into the dust by the state of Texas. If this isn't nipped in the bud, it could happen to any of us--LDS, Catholic, poor, a certain neighborhood, or whoever the government might decide to go after--for any reason. The whole situation has been mishandled from the beginning. We need to be wary when the government, whether it is state or federal, starts overstepping its bounds.

Certainly, there was no need to take the younger children. And why not leave the children in their homes with their parents while investigations are made, if there is information received that warrants an investigation? These are not children in immediate physical danger. In fact, I would guess that the FLDS parents are better parents that many outside of their religion. There is a lot to consider, but there has been a lot of false information put out, and many are confused.

I am going to post some links if you would like to learn more about the situation, and I think it is an important situation. First up, here is a link to Guy Murray's Messenger and Advocate FLDS Texas Raid page. He is an attorney who has posted extensively on this subject and he covers it well. His posts contain a number of links to even more information and viewpoints.

Next up is a post from Naiah at Naiahdot called "The Maggie Jessop fan club". Her post contains links to three FLDS sites as well as links to a couple of specific essays by Maggie Jessop.

Finally, here are the three FLDS sites so that you can find out more about them. Of special interest are the essays on Truth Will Prevail. The other two sites are FLDS Truth and Captive FLDS Children. Whatever your feelings about their beliefs, these are people who are American citizens and who deserve to have their Constitutional rights upheld.

Wouldn't we want someone to stand up for us?

Some Thoughts About Living the Gospel

2008-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about what it means to live the gospel. I don't have any hard and fast rules for such a thing, but I will share some of my thoughts.

Obviously, one has to know the gospel in order to live it. That does not mean knowing every detail and nuance, but it does mean knowing generally what the commandments are and what the covenants are. It means daily scripture study in order to understand how God deals with His children and to understand what is right and what is wrong. It means daily prayer--thanking God for His blessings and taking your problems and concerns to Him. As you do this, as you talk to Him and listen to Him, you will find that you understand more and more about what His gospel means and what He would have you do. You will also learn, as Sheri Dew has said several times, how He talks to you. You will learn what to listen for, what to look for, so that you feel more comfortable about when you've received an answer, or if it is just your own feelings rising up.

Those are basic things, along with meeting attendance and, if possible, temple attendance, that can give you what you need to live the gospel--knowledge, inspiration, encouragement. Add to that paying attention to our Prophet and other leaders and praying to understand what they've said and what you need to do. It takes patience and practice to do all of the above, but as you do them, you learn more and more and understand more and more, giving you confidence to feel in tune with the Lord as you live the gospel.

There is a lot more I could say about the basic things--developing humility, being obedient, having faith and hope and charity, and so forth. We all understand that there are a lot of areas we should develop concurrently and that it takes time to do so.

Among subjects I have been thinking about lately are things like applying compassion and charity in my political views and what I believe our government should be doing. I wonder if I am being too uncharitable when, for example, I believe that illegal immigration has got to stop. I can understand those who think we should let anyone and everyone in and help them, but I believe that is foolish in the extreme in this day and age of terrorism. It is also economically unfeasible. So do we let all in, even at the eventual cost of our country? Then where would people go?

We know that God wants us to be good stewards of the earth, but I do not believe that means putting animals and plants above humans. I do not believe that means we cannot use the earth's resources. God put them here for us to use. We are getting ourselves into an untenable position with regard to energy because we have overemphasized environmental concerns based on uncertain science.

I believe that God wants us to be charitable to people and to help those in need. I do not believe that such charity consists of hand-outs, except in emergencies or in the case of those who are elderly or disabled and will not ever be able to support themselves. What I believe is charitable is to temporarily help people with money or food, but to spend time and effort in finding out what they really need and help them overcome the problems that keep them from being self-sufficient. That can be education or training, sorting out legal problems, or simply learning how to manage their lives better. Those things aren't always easy, but they result in a person who can go on successfully with his life and, in turn, be charitable to others.

These are some of the issues I think about. What is it that God would have us do? Is it different in one situation than in another?

And so I meditate on these things and pray about them and look for things in the scriptures that apply to them. I try to exercise patience with myself because I realize that living the gospel is something that we learn to do better over time. We aren't perfect at it immediately upon deciding to live the gospel. I try not to think I have to be perfect before I can say or do anything. I try to be as merciful and longsuffering to myself as I believe God is toward me.

It just isn't always easy.

Thoughts?

Education

2008-05-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

Education is important to us all. It is how we prepare for the future, but it is also how we enrich our lives now. I love to learn. There are so many interesting things to study. There is the gospel--scriptures and words of prophets and church history--so much depth and breadth. There is secular learning--history, science, math, literature, languages, and so forth--also with much depth and breadth. So how do we prioritize our study?

I find good counsel in a talk given by then Elder Henry B. Eyring called "Education for Real Life". I hope you will read the entire talk. One thing he says is:

It is clear that our first priority should go to spiritual learning. For us, reading the scriptures would come before reading history books. Prayer would come before memorizing those Spanish verbs. A temple recommend would be worth more to us than standing first in our graduating class. But it is also clear that spiritual learning would not replace our drive for secular learning.

The Lord clearly values what you will find in that history book and in a text on political theory. Remember His words. He wants you to know “things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations” (D&C 88:79). And He favors not only Spanish verbs but the study of geography and demography. You remember that His educational charter requires that we have “a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms” (D&C 88:79). There is also an endorsement for questions we study in the sciences. It is clear that putting spiritual learning first does not relieve us from learning secular things. On the contrary, it gives our secular learning purpose and motivates us to work harder at it.

If we will keep spiritual learning in its proper place, we will have to make some hard choices of how we use our time. But there should never be a conscious choice to let the spiritual become secondary as a pattern in our lives. Never. That will lead to tragedy. The tragedy may not be obvious at first, nor may it ever be clear in mortal life. But remember, you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly with spiritual sight, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision.

Spiritual learning is the most important learning we will ever do. It is eternally important. However, the Lord wants us to learn secular things as well--history, science, math, etc.--and with spiritual learning firmly in place, we can receive the Lord's guidance about what direction we should take with our secular learning. What would be a good choice for our vocation? What can we learn that would develop the talents the Lord has blessed us with? What would help our family? What would help us to serve the Lord better?

The answers to those questions will be different for each individual, but if we put God first in our lives, He will help us with the rest.

Another quote from Elder Eyring:

For many of us, the feeling bears down on us that we must choose between spiritual and secular learning. That is a false conflict for most of us, particularly for the young. Before we have families, there is leisure time even in what is our busiest day. Too often we use many hours for fun and pleasure, clothed in the euphemism “I’m recharging my batteries.” Those hours could be spent reading and studying to gain knowledge, skills, and culture.

For instance, we too often fail to take advantage of the moments we spend waiting. Think of the last time you sat in a barber shop or a beauty salon or the waiting room of a doctor’s office. It is so easy to spend time thumbing through any magazine that is stacked on a table there. In fact, if you think about it, you will remember how you wondered where they get those out-of-date magazines. There is much valuable reading you could do if you took a book with you to fill those islands of time.

From at least the time man was created, there was the written word. The scriptures tell us that from what they teach about Adam and Eve. They were conscious of the need to develop the mind and the power of reading and writing. In the book of Moses we read, “And by them their children were taught to read and write, having a language which was pure and undefiled” (Moses 6:6).

It takes neither modern technology nor much money to seize the opportunity to learn in the moments we now waste. You could just have a book and paper and pencil with you. That will be enough. But you need determination to capture the leisure moments you now waste.

How do you manage to continue learning, even if you are not going to school? What ways to you capture spare moments to learn something new? How does constant learning help you?

"Seek Learning, Even By Study and Also By Faith"

2008-05-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

In the May 1983 Ensign there is a message by President Spencer W. Kimball entitled "Seek Learning, Even By Study and Also By Faith". President Kimball provides a good perspective on the importance of different kinds of learning, and which kinds are the most important. One thing he says is:

What is this knowledge, intelligence, and light and truth that our Heavenly Father would have us receive? Does it consist solely of the truths God has revealed through his prophets? What place does knowledge gleaned from secular sources and with secular means have in the scheme of eternal progression?

In considering these questions, we must recognize that secular knowledge alone can never save a soul nor open the celestial kingdom to anyone.

The Apostles Peter and John, for example, had little secular learning—being termed ignorant, in fact. But Peter and John knew the vital things of life, that God lives and that the crucified, resurrected Lord is the Son of God. They knew the path to eternal life. They learned that mortality is the time to learn first of God and his gospel and to receive the saving priesthood ordinances.

Yet secular knowledge can be most helpful to the children of our Father in Heaven who, having placed first things first, have found and are living those truths which lead one to eternal life. These are they who have the balance and perspective to seek all knowledge—revealed and secular—as a tool and servant for the blessing of themselves and others. They know that preeminent among all activities in this life is preparing themselves for eternal life by subjugating the flesh, subjecting the body to the spirit, overcoming weaknesses, and so governing themselves that they may give leadership to others. Important, but of second priority, comes the knowledge associated with life in mortality.

So we see that spiritual knowledge is the most important and it addresses the reason we are here--to learn how to return to our Heavenly Father. This doesn't mean neglecting secular learning, however.

Is it not thrilling to know that the prophets knew long ago that the earth is but one of numerous planets created and controlled by God! That knowledge came because faith and righteousness opened the door to revelation. It is from this perspective that we teach the truth that the Church is the greatest institution of learning in the world. The Church is designed to enlarge and develop the powers of our spirits, to educate us for eternity and to help us live intelligently and joyfully in mortality. The gospel and its teachings lead us to Christlike living, which in turn leads us not only toward exaltation but toward knowledge.

Of all the treasures of knowledge, the most truly vital is the knowledge of God, of his existence, his powers, his love, and his promises. Through this knowledge, we learn that our great objective in life is to build character. In fact, we learn that the building of faith and character is paramount, for character is higher than intellect, and perfect character will be continually rewarded with increased intellect.

The spiritual learning helps us with the secular learning. The Lord Himself wants us to learn many things while we are here in mortality.

To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed much about the learning Latter-day Saints should seek. Note that in the following verses the first two counsel us to obtain an understanding in matters of the “law of the gospel” that are “expedient” for us to understand:

“And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

“Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

“Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

“That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.” (D&C 88:77–80.)

And how do we learn all these things that the Lord wishes us to learn?

But how will we obtain this knowledge? We expect the Saints to gain such knowledge naturally, as a result of righteousness and by study and faith. We must remember the great lessons taught to Oliver Cowdery, who desired a special dispensation of knowledge. Oliver Cowdery wished to be able to translate the plates of the Book of Mormon. But he wanted to do so with ease and without real effort. He was reminded that he erred in that he “took no thought save it was to ask.” (D&C 9:7.) We must do more than ask the Lord for learning. Perspiration must precede inspiration; there must be effort before there is the harvest. We must take thought, work, be patient, acquire competence.

But in all our searching, we must remember that there are things which we will not fully discover or probe with accuracy before the Lord comes. These are things both spiritual and secular. But “in that day when the Lord shall come,” the Prophet tells us, “he shall reveal all things,” and then he identifies some matters on which final knowledge will remain “hidden” until he comes. (D&C 101:32.)

As a people, we Latter-day Saints have been encouraged by the Lord to progress in the learning of God as well as in the sound learning of the earth. Too many of us spend far too much time watching the television or in habits and activities that do not enlarge ourselves or bless others. Would that we might lift ourselves to higher visions of what we could do with our lives! There should be no people who have a higher desire to obtain truth, revealed and secular, than Latter-day Saints.

President Kimball has many more insights to share in his message. How do you go about seeking learning?

Thoughts

2008-04-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

After two weeks off, you would think I would have something brilliant to post on my blogs. Alas! That's not the case. I seem to be doing a lot of thinking about a lot of different topics, but none to any conclusions. Sometimes, I think it is possible to think too much!

I looked around the Bloggernacle to see what others were writing about, but nothing struck me as a topic that I wanted to tackle. I do enjoy reading other blogs, but many of them contain such good, well-written posts that I can't see what I could add to the subject.

I think, too, that I get distracted by Real Life, which is not an altogether bad thing. After all, we are here to live our lives and not just write about them.

Another distraction for me is that I am interested in a great many subjects and I flit from one to another. I don't seem to settle on any one thing long enough to learn much about it or complete a project.

I think about enduring to the end and all that that means. I do not think it means just existing, or just avoiding major sins and mistakes. I think it means taking positive action in doing good. It means setting priorities so that I am moving in the right direction and that I have my ladder against the right wall. It means a lot of things that I don't think I am doing well enough. I try to avoid discouragement because that seems to derail my efforts altogether. God means for us to press on as best we can in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

Well, life goes on. What do you do to keep your life on the right track and keep discouragement out of the picture?

Updates on My Life

2008-04-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

I took last week off from blogging because I wanted to concentrate on General Conference. I had trouble with the audio feed (forget about trying to watch video feed!) and depended on Guy Murray's excellent conference reports at Messenger and Advocate. Thanks, Guy!!

Monday I broke down and ordered high speed internet (I've been using dial-up--don't laugh). I installed it last night and a whole new world has opened up for me. There was a time when dial-up was fine--I could watch the GC video feed just fine. But these days dial-up just can't really keep up. I was reluctant to get high speed internet for a number of reasons, but to my pleasant surprise, I didn't have to install a second phone line, change my email address, or anything else. And the service I got is only $5.05 a month more than dial-up. Of course, I didn't get the super high speed service--I'm not a gamer or a music/movie downloader. It's just fine for me. I also was able to install it myself, so I wasn't out any money to have a technician come out to do that. Oh, and now my phone works even when I'm online!!! Not that I like to talk on the phone, but I'm sure it annoyed people who were trying to call me.

I'm sure there are plenty of technologically advanced people out there who are reading this with stunned amazement that it took me so long to make this simple upgrade, but sometimes I am reluctant to change. (I'll skip the long, involved self-analysis on that.)

Also, about 9 days ago I got new glasses. I can see! I can see! Actually, I could see just fine anyway--except when trying to read. My arms weren't long enough and the print wasn't large enough to read comfortably anymore. Darn aging process!! My friends at work say my new glasses (I got new frames, too.) make me look sophisticated and intellectual. Well, if I can at least look that way...!

I am over the bronchitis and sinus infections, but bronchitis is starting up in the office again. I am eating my veggies and staying away from sick people as best I can. I bought a giant bottle of hand sanitizer for work, too. Now I just need a giant can of Lysol...!

Spring is here, which is good, but we in Oklahoma can get some awful storms, so it has its downside, too. But with more sun and some warm days, I am perking up considerably. Life is good.

From the Archives: Religion and Science and Philosophy and...

2008-03-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

I would certainly classify myself as a religious LDS conservative. At the same time, I enjoy learning about science, philosophy, math, physics, politics, history, and many other subjects. I do not feel that any of these things are off limits to the religious soul.

I know that I do not see eye to eye with a number of the citizens of the Bloggernacle, but I think that is a good thing. If there is diversity in thought and opinion and knowledge, then we have something to think about and to discuss.

I firmly believe that our Heavenly Father wants us to study and learn about many subjects. He wants us to exercise our minds and use our thought processes. That we may come to different conclusions is not a bad thing. There are any number of areas wherein the Lord has not given us definitive information yet. Some questions may well not be answered until the Millenium or later. I believe that the Lord meant for our learning to be a growth process. He means for us to think things through and reach the best conclusions we can. If others disagree, we can restudy and rethink, but if we are still convinced of our position, that is fine. We may be right about some things, the others may be right about other things. We will all have learned and thought and exercised our brains.

Being a conservative Mormon does not mean that I reject science or philosophy or any other subject. It may mean, though, that I do not agree with some statements or ideas. I would say that we should not jump to conclusions about one another. We should also enjoy the difference of opinion and idea. What would we talk about if we all thought alike?!

There are so many facts and ideas out there in the world. It is a neverending process to learn even one subject because there are always new discoveries, new ideas, and new information coming out.

I would hope that we do not neglect the gospel in our pursuit of secular learning. We are all here for a purpose--to learn and grow and become like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This certainly includes secular learning, but does not mean that we should reject religious or gospel learning. We can apply our reasoning to the gospel as well as to other topics, but let us not forget that faith plays an important role in truly understanding the things of God.

There will always be room for differences of opinion as long as we are in this mortal life. These differences can help us learn to think, to sort out ideas, to make sense of a great many things. That what is sense to one is nonsense to another should not invite derision or dismissal, but rather respect and listening and learning.

Learning and study and education are very important to me, but not more important than the gospel. I consider those things to be a part of the gospel, as is all truth and learning. We cannot know everything now, but we can certainly learn a lot and we can learn to think things through.

What are some things that you have learned that are important to you? These can be secular or religous or some combination of the two. I am just interested to know what people think.

Easter Weekend

2008-03-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

I have finally overcome the bronchitis and the sinus infection (although my allergies are still giving me fits) and am more or less healthy after several weeks of relapses and weariness. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and I will be driving up to visit my brother and his family.

Yesterday was Good Friday, the traditional day of Christ's crucifixion, and tomorrow is the traditional day of Christ's resurrection. I hope we have all spent some time contemplating the great sacrifice that Jesus Christ made to make salvation possible for each one of us. It is, perhaps, more than we can fully understand, but we know enough to know that Christ has made it possible for all to be resurrected and has made it possible for those who accept the Atonement to be redeemed. It is a great deal to be grateful for.

There is much in the life of Jesus Christ to think about and to apply to our lives. We see His examples for obedience, charity, love, honesty, meekness, and so many other things. I realize I have a lot to do to become more like Him, but that if I will patiently persist, I can accomplish that most important goal.

It touches my heart that our Heavenly Father loves us enough to provide us with scripture, prayer, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and so many other things to help us change ourselves for the better and work toward returning to His presence after we have completed this life. He is also patient with us, which is a great blessing and an example that we should emulate as we interact with those around us. And with ourselves.

May you all have a happy and blessed Easter and may you think often of Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us.

From the Archives: What is Our Work

2008-03-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

"One of the most well-known and frequently cited passages of scripture is found in Moses 1:39. This verse clearly and concisely describes the work of the Eternal Father: 'For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (emphasis added).

"A companion scripture found in the Doctrine and Covenants describes with equal clarity and conciseness our primary work as the sons and daughters of the Eternal Father. Interestingly, this verse does not seem to be as well known and is not quoted with great frequency. 'Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength' (D&C 11:20; emphasis added).

"Thus, the Father’s work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. Our work is to keep His commandments with all of our might, mind, and strength—and we thereby become chosen and, through the Holy Ghost, receive and recognize the tender mercies of the Lord in our daily lives."

--Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“The Tender Mercies of the Lord”
p.99, May 2005 Ensign

Jesus Christ, the Son of God

2008-03-08T15:34:00.000-08:00

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a new website up about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Those of you who are LDS probably know about it already, but I wanted to mention it. I have a "badge" in my sidebar that links to the site. It's a good site with articles, paintings, and a few multimedia presentations. More will be added as time goes along. It's purpose is to focus on teachings about Jesus Christ and have them gathered in one place. I think you'll like it a lot.

Other church sites are the main one at http://www.lds.org/ and a basic beliefs site at http://www.mormon.org/ . The main site has the scriptures, magazines (current and archives), lesson manuals (current and archives), and all kinds of other information. The basic beliefs site has articles, video snippets, e-cards you can send for free, and other information.

These really are nice sites and you can explore them on your own computer at home as you have time.

Commitment

2008-03-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

How do we become committed to the gospel so that we are fulfilling our callings, sharing the gospel, serving others, showing up for activities, and so forth? I have been surprised to learn that some of the young women in our ward won't commit to a meeting or activity even just two days ahead of time because they "don't plan that far ahead." Sometimes teachers just don't show up on Sunday. Is that because people like to leave their options open in case they want to sleep in or something "fun" comes up to do instead? Is it poor planning, or no planning? Poor time management?

An eternal perspective and regular prayer and scripture study can help one realize the importance of the gospel and help one to set priorities. Still, we have to want to do those things and put our lives in order. We have agency and choice. So what do we do to want to commit and to make good choices?

I think about what Alma said about faith in Alma 32. He talked about nourishing even just the desire to believe and encouraging it to grow. That is what we can do about commitment--nourish even just the desire to be a committed Latter-Day Saint. The prayer, scripture study, and being open to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost can give us the knowledge about the gospel that we need in order to be committed to it. Perhaps, too, we need to teach ourselves and our children to make and keep commitments even in small everyday ways. We can commit to daily prayer and scripture study, commit to do our daily chores, commit to go to work or school or church, or other routine matters in our lives. How well do we already keep such commitments? Can we do a little better?

Do we need to learn how to manage our time better? Maybe we just need to sit down and think through a day or a week and make some notes to ourselves about what we need to do and when.

Those things will help with the mechanics of commitment, but ultimately we need to learn to know and trust our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we grasp the importance of commitment and of what we should commit to.

I don't have all the answers and I am certainly far from perfect, but it concerns me that people today don't seem all that committed to things. What do you think would help turn this around?

Just Be a Little Better Than You Were Yesterday

2008-02-23T15:37:00.000-08:00

One of the things that President Hinckley would sometimes talk about was being just a littler better each day. He would encourage us to stand a little taller, be a little kinder, and so forth. That approach appeals to me a great deal, as I tend to overwhelm myself with overly ambitious plans.

It isn't that we should not have plans and goals, but rather that we should find an opportunity each day to be a little better in order to strengthen ourselves and build up our stamina in every area. Can we be a little more patient and understanding? Can we be a little more persistent and diligent? Can we be a littler kinder and more considerate? Can we work just a little harder and complete one more small item on our to-do list? Can we spend a little more time with a loved one, listening and comforting and encouraging? Can we perform one more small act of service? Can we make our prayers and scripture study a little more meaningful?

There are so many things that we could do just a little better each day and, in the process, improve not only our own lives, but the lives of those around us. To me, this view of improvement breaks things down into bite-sized pieces that are more easily managed than the sometimes grandiose schemes we formulate in our minds. God is long-suffering and patient with us. We should be the same with ourselves.

Is Finding God Really So Hard?

2008-02-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think we humans have a tendency to make things harder than they need to be.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to seek God and to find Him. I've come to the rather simple conclusion that finding God and coming to really know Him is done by prayer, scripture study, obeying His commandments, and generally living the gospel. It's easy to think we have to study a lot of philosophy and commentary by experts (so-called) and investigate a lot of religions and so forth. When we do that, though, I think we are actually seeking ourselves. That is, we are looking for ideas and philosophies that are agreeable to us and that are simple to do or to think, requiring little or no action on our part.

If we like to study, but are a bit on the lazy side about serving others or otherwise obeying God, it's easy to occupy our time "looking" for God, hoping to find an easy God who asks little of us. God is merciful and long-suffering, but He is not an indulgent grandfather who is okay with us doing or not doing what we please, regardless of what that is. God loves us and wants us to grow and progress and become the best that we can in all areas. Common sense, as well as the scriptures, let us know that that is not always easy. We have duties, obligations, responsibilities, stewardships. We are accountable for our choices, if not now, then eventually.

Man-made ideas and philosophies and solutions may sound good, but are they really good and right and true? Do they really bring out the best in us and help us to find the real God, the one that wants so much for us to return to Him and to have a joyous eternity? As we think things through, we begin to see the shortcomings of man's notions and to understand that following an omniscient, omnipotent God who loves us is where we will find all good things, including God Himself.

Nephi's Psalm

2008-02-09T16:51:00.000-08:00

2 Nephi 4:15-35

15 And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. 18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.
24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them. 26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Reflections

2008-02-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

We had a bit of a snowstorm yesterday. It was still warm enough that when I went to work, I didn't have any trouble. By the time we got off work yesterday evening, though, it had turned icy. Not fun, but I did get home safely.

I took a vacation day today (I have about 4 weeks of vacation saved up and get another day and a half every month.) since I had a routine doctor's appointment. Naturally, since I wasn't in any hurry, I got right in and out! Then I did a few errands and came home. It was still a little icy this morning. We got down to 15 for our morning low. We've had sunshine, though, and it's supposed to reach a high of about 49, so everything should melt.

There are too many distractions in this old world, if you ask me. I sometimes wish I lived in a simpler time, although I sure like our modern conveniences. I am thankful to live in a time when the restored gospel is again on earth, too. It's just that there are so many things to think about and do. There is so much information floating around out there, not to mention entertainment. Priorities and goals help, but those distractions are there, distracting us. Focus and concentration--two attributes I need to work on. Not to mention patience.

President Hinckley

2008-01-28T18:59:00.000-08:00

There are so many nice tributes to President Hinckley around the Bloggernacle and in the newspapers. I really don't have anything to add. I did want to say, though, that President Hinckley was (is) a dear man who will be greatly missed. He was wonderful for the Church and for the saints. I appreciated his traveling so much so that he could visit the saints all over the world.

As sad as I am at his passing, however, I am happy for him. I would guess that he was tired and ready to move on to the next life. We all know that he missed Sister Hinckley a great deal and I am happy that they are together again.

My prayers go out to all his family and friends and fellow saints.

Random Ramblings

2008-01-25T17:58:00.000-08:00

I am already tired of winter weather, although here in Oklahoma we have had some nice, mild days intermingled with the cold ones. Summer is too hot, winter is too cold, but spring and fall are just right, as far as I'm concerned.

There are some things about the internet that are just so much fun! Sometimes I will recall a food that my mom prepared when I was a child, but that I don't have a recipe for. (Maybe she didn't, either!) I can search online and find similar recipes which will lead me in the right direction. The most recent one was a chicken and rice soup which featured--besides chicken and rice--carrots and celery. Mom made it with cut-up chicken pieces (bone-in) rather than chopped up boneless chicken. It was really more of a stew or a stove-top casserole because it really wasn't very thinned down with liquid. I don't remember Mom's version having onions in it, but mine certainly will! I do think she used garlic (probably garlic salt). It was absolutely delicious and an excellent winter meal. Of course, we all know that no one cooks like Mom, but at least we can find similar recipes and have fun in the process!

I think cooking (and even just looking for recipes) can be good therapy when you need to rest your mind from everyday concerns. You can also find new and different foods to fix and healthier ways to fix them. You can find less expensive ways to fix meals, too. Having access to the millions of recipes on the internet is useful as well as fun.

I took a vacation day from work today. I've had some sort of respiratory ailment for the last 9 days and, while I am definitely better, I'm still weary and can't quite shake the cough and congestion. Maybe that's why I was thinking longingly of Mom and her chicken-rice soup! Getting older is definitely not for sissies, as the saying goes. It gets harder to recover from things.

My apartment needs cleaning. I hope to feel energetic enough tomorrow to do something about that.

Even my brain is not up to par. I've written posts for all three of my blogs today, but they aren't terribly inspiring.

Tomorrow will be better.

Endure to the End

2008-01-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

So, how do you endure to the end? Or is just the thought of it so intimidating that you immediately stop thinking about it? It does sound overwhelming--endure to the end. Why, that could be years and years! And exactly what does it mean, anyway, and how can a human being possibly do such a thing?

In the October 1993 Ensign Stephan E. Robinson has an article titled "Enduring to the End" which offers some perspective on this phrase. He talks about what it is and how to do it and how to get back to enduring to the end if you slip away from it.

Sometimes we may think of the word endure as meaning getting through afflictions and trials. While that is a part of it, Brother Robinson says, "The fact is that enduring affliction is only a small part of what “enduring to the end” means. Most frequently, the scriptures use the term endure to mean “to last,” “to continue,” or “to remain,” rather than “to suffer....Thus, to endure is to continue in the path we adopted at baptism by keeping our commitments to Christ, until the end of our mortal life."

That has a more positive feel to it, doesn't it? We commit to Christ and then continue with that commitment. We make covenants (baptism, sacrament, temple) and then keep them. In addition, as Brother Robinson says, there is:

Besides keeping the commandments, other component parts of remaining faithful to our covenants include:

• Looking unto Christ (see 3 Ne. 15:9)

• Taking upon us the name of Christ (see 3 Ne. 27:6)

• Feasting upon the words of Christ and pressing forward in steadfastness, hope, and love (see 2 Ne. 31:20; Moro. 8:26)

• Offering our whole souls to Christ and continuing in fasting and prayer (see Omni 1:26)

• Following the example of Christ (see 2 Ne. 31:16)

• Worshipping the Father in the name of Christ (see D&C 20:29)

• Seeking to bring forth Zion (see 1 Ne. 13:37)

• Being patient in afflictions and humble in repentance (see Alma 32:15; D&C 24:8)

Notice that the common focus of all of these exhortations is loyalty to Christ. Consequently, enduring to the end is more than just “being active” in the Church. Enduring to the end requires a personal awareness of obligations made to the Savior and a personal determination to keep those covenants faithfully. While the term “being active” describes visible behavior, “enduring faithful to the end” describes an inner commitment to the gospel and to the church of Jesus Christ. It’s possible to appear to be an active member of the Church without such a conviction.

Brother Robinson ends his article by saying:

Even when one’s endurance has failed before the end, repentance can bring about a new beginning.

Trials, deception, and iniquity—these are the enemies of endurance. Those who can bear the pain of trials, who can ignore alternate voices, whose loyalty can’t be bought with sin—these are they who will not betray their Master’s trust. They will faithfully maintain the charted course. They will endure.

So there is a way to correct errors and to recommence in the right path. That is a great comfort. The article contains so much more and I hope you will read it all. In addition, if you go to the link I've provided, it will link you to all the scriptures mentioned in the article. I've skipped that step this time (linking to the scriptures) because I am not enduring being sick very well today, but I did want to share this wonderful article with you. Read it, ponder it, apply it to your life.

What About the Desires of Our Hearts?

2008-01-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

In the November 1996 Ensign a conference talk by Elder Neal A. Maxwell is reprinted. It is titled "According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts". Elder Maxwell has this to say about desire and its effect on our agency and accountability:

Exemplifying this happy reality are the doctrinal teachings concerning desire, which relates so directly to our moral agency and our individuality. Whether in their conception or expression, our desires profoundly affect the use of our moral agency. Desires thus become real determinants, even when, with pitiful naivete, we do not really want the consequences of our desires.

Desire denotes a real longing or craving. Hence righteous desires are much more than passive preferences or fleeting feelings. Of course our genes, circumstances, and environments matter very much, and they shape us significantly. Yet there remains an inner zone in which we are sovereign, unless we abdicate. In this zone lies the essence of our individuality and our personal accountability.

He also has this to say:

Mostly, brothers and sisters, we become the victims of our own wrong desires. Moreover, we live in an age when many simply refuse to feel responsible for themselves. Thus, a crystal-clear understanding of the doctrines pertaining to desire is so vital because of the spreading effluent oozing out of so many unjustified excuses by so many. This is like a sludge which is sweeping society along toward “the gulf of misery and endless wo” (Hel. 5:12). Feeding that same flow is the selfish philosophy of “no fault,” which is replacing the meek and apologetic “my fault.” We listen with eager ear to hear genuine pleas for forgiveness instead of the ritualistic “Sorry. I hope I can forgive myself.”

Some seek to brush aside conscience, refusing to hear its voice. But that deflection is, in itself, an act of choice, because we so desired. Even when the light of Christ flickers only faintly in the darkness, it flickers nevertheless. If one averts his gaze therefrom, it is because he so desires.

Like it or not, therefore, reality requires that we acknowledge our responsibility for our desires. Brothers and sisters, which do we really desire, God’s plans for us or Satan’s?

Do we recognize our responsibility for our desires, or do we think they just happen and there is nothing we can do about it? I think that often, we do have a tendency to think, "This is just the way I am and I can't change it." That really is not true, though. With God's help, we can change. If we trust Him and rely on Him, we can transform our lives.

Elder Maxwell has this to say:

What we are speaking about is so much more than merely deflecting temptations for which we somehow do not feel responsible. Remember, brothers and sisters, it is our own desires which determine the sizing and the attractiveness of various temptations. We set our thermostats as to temptations.

Thus educating and training our desires clearly requires understanding the truths of the gospel, yet even more is involved. President Brigham Young confirmed, saying, “It is evident that many who understand the truth do not govern themselves by it; consequently, no matter how true and beautiful truth is, you have to take the passions of the people and mould them to the law of God” (in Journal of Discourses, 7:55).

“Do you,” President Young asked, “think that people will obey the truth because it is true, unless they love it? No, they will not” (in Journal of Discourses, 7:55). Thus knowing gospel truths and doctrines is profoundly important, but we must also come to love them. When we love them, they will move us and help our desires and outward works to become more holy.

Each assertion of a righteous desire, each act of service, and each act of worship, however small and incremental, adds to our spiritual momentum. Like Newton’s Second Law, there is a transmitting of acceleration as well as a contagiousness associated with even the small acts of goodness.

And this:

Some of our present desires, therefore, need to be diminished and then finally dissolved. For instance, the biblical counsel “let not thine heart envy sinners” is directed squarely at those with a sad unsettlement of soul (Prov. 23:17). Once again, we must be honest with ourselves about the consequences of our desires, which follow as the night, the day. Similarly faced with life’s so-called “bad breaks,” the natural man desires to wallow in self-pity; therefore this desire must go too.

But dissolution of wrong desires is only part of it. For instance, what is now only a weak desire to be a better spouse, father, or mother needs to become a stronger desire, just as Abraham experienced divine discontent and desired greater happiness and knowledge (see Abr. 1:2).

I like this next statement very much:

It is up to us. Therein lies life’s greatest and most persistent challenge. Thus when people are described as “having lost their desire for sin,” it is they, and they only, who deliberately decided to lose those wrong desires by being willing to “give away all [their] sins” in order to know God (Alma 22:18).

There is much more to the talk, of course, and reading it in its entirety will give you a better idea of the points Elder Maxwell is making. The point I want to make is that we can change. If we do not desire to change, we can change that! What it requires, to start with, is an honest assessment of ourselves and where we are now, and where we wish to go. It requires thinking about the consequences of our desires and deciding which desires are right and can stay and which are wrong and have to go. Not easy, I know, but then we are here to learn and to grow, not to have life easy.

Manuals Online

2008-01-12T11:13:00.000-08:00

There is an institute manual online called Teachings of the Living Prophets. It teaches about everything from why we should heed the prophets to succession to sustaining to analyzing General Conference talks. Combined with our series of Relief Society and Priesthood manuals containing the teachings of various modern prophets, it can help us understand the role of prophets in God's plans for all His children. Check it out.

All of the institute manuals are online and give instruction on a variety of topics, from scriptures to doctrines. There are manuals on marriage and missionary work and leading a productive life. Good reading for all.

The seminary manuals are also online and consist of four guides to the scriptures. They are geared to high school students just as the institute manuals are geared to college students, but all these manuals have a lot to offer all of us in learning more about the gospel and how it applies to our lives.

Our newest RS/Priesthood manual, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith is available online in various media formats (such as html, pdf, and mp3). Enjoy!

The Language of Prayer

2008-01-01T01:30:00.000-08:00

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have very few set prayers (the Sacrament prayers are two examples of those we do have). For the most part, we strive to pray from our hearts. We do encourage the use of thee and thine rather than you and your. It makes for a special language of prayer, language we use only in praying and language that shows reverence and respect and closeness. We also have a pattern of prayer in which we address our Heavenly Father, thank Him for things, ask Him for things, and close in the name of Jesus Christ.

Obviously, our Heavenly Father would rather hear from us than not, regardless of the language we use, but it really isn't that difficult to use the special language of prayer. For me, it makes communing with my Father in Heaven appropriately different from ordinary conversation. Two Ensign articles can help you and/or give you some help in teaching your children the language of prayer. They are:

"The Language of Formal Prayer" by Don E. Norton, Jr.

"The Language of Prayer" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks

These articles also talk a bit about the whys and wherefores of using formal language in prayer.

One thing to keep in mind is that we should never allow feelings of unworthiness to keep us from praying to our Heavenly Father. It is through prayer (and scripture study) that we learn to order our lives and make those changes we need to make.

New Year's History and Tradition

2007-12-29T16:48:00.000-08:00

Something I enjoy is reading the history of various holidays and the traditions that many people follow. I am providing links so that you can enjoy learning a bit about the New Year's holiday.

At Infoplease, you can read about "A History of the New Year" and "New's Year Traditions". The history article talks about the different dates celebrated through the years and you'll learn a bit about calendars in the process. The traditions article has all the words to "Auld Lang Syne" and a bit of history and explanation about it, as well as some of the other traditions that have come into being over the years.

Another interesting article is at Wikipedia under "New Year" and tells more about calendars and countries and when 1 January became the norm for many in celebrating the new year.

Good reading. Enjoy! And if you know about some additional traditions, please tell us about them in the comments!

Reflections on the End of Another Year

2007-12-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

Here we are, once again at the end of a calendar year. The years seem to fly by faster and faster as I get older. I enjoy making New Year's Resolutions, but I'm not so good at follow-through, probably because I set too many goals and the ones I set are too vague.

I think what I need to do is set some priorities. What goal(s) would be most important to my well-being? Could I pick one goal in each of the areas of physical, mental (intellectual), emotional, social, character, financial, and spiritual? What kind of measurable goals can I set so I can evaluate my progress? What specific things do I need to do to reach my goals? Where can I write them down so that I can work on them daily or weekly, depending on what type of goal I've set? How often do I need to sit down and evaluate how I'm doing?

It sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? But it is work to accomplish worthwhile things. I think, too, that figuring out how to handle set-backs is a part of goal-setting. I hate to expect set-backs. That seems like I'm setting myself up for them. Still, being human, I'm likely to slip up now and again. I do think that if I have to restart, I shouldn't try to make up things I've skipped. That makes it overwhelming. It seems better to just start in again. For example, if I were to set a goal to read 1 chapter a day in the Bible and I missed for 2 weeks, I wouldn't be thrilled at the notion of sitting down and reading 15 chapters in one evening to get back on track not to mention I probably wouldn't be paying proper attention to what I was reading). Better to just start reading 1 chapter a day again and perhaps change when I've scheduled it so that I make sure I continue.

Another thing that's hard about goals is to set ones that help me to stretch and grow and improve, but yet not set goals that are too far out of reach right now. I think that I need to not set overly ambitious goals and, if I find it's too easy to meet one of my goals, then I could reset it in February or March to make it a little harder. It's one of those things I just need to be doing in order to evaluate how it's going.

I also need to resolve to not overthink things! If I get into a lot of complicated bookkeeping to make and keep my goals, I'm liable to give up just because it has gotten out of hand to keep track of everything. What to do? What to do? I also need to resolve to not think I'm just crazy, even though I may be!

Do you set resolutions? At the beginning of the new year or some other time? If you want to, tell us one or two of your resolutions--maybe it'll give us ideas of some good ones to choose.

Gifts

2007-12-23T18:31:00.000-08:00

The Little Drummer Boy

(Davis-Onorati-Simeone)

Come they told me (pa-rum pum pum pum)

A newborn King to see (pa-rum pum pum pum)

Our finest gifts we bring (pa-rum pum pum pum)

To lay before the King (pa-rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum)

So to honor Him (pa-rum pum pum pum)

when we come

Baby Jesu (pa-rum pum pum pum)

I am a poor boy too (pa-rum pum pum pum)

I have no gift to bring (pa-rum pum pum pum)

that's fit to give our King (pa-rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum)

Shall I play for You? (pa-rum pum pum pum)

On my drum

Mary nodded (pa-rum pum pum pum)

The ox and lamb kept time (pa-rum pum pum pum)

I played my drum for Him (pa-rum pum pum pum)

I played my best for Him (pa-rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum)

Then He smiled at me (pa-rum pum pum pum)

Me and my drum

In the Bleak Midwinter
By Christina Rossetti

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

This time of year always brings me to a contemplation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all He has done for us. It also makes me think of family and friends and the many good things we are blessed with--warmth and shelter, a beautiful world to live in, trees and animals and stars in the sky, to name but a few blessings.

Stars remind me of the special bright star that shone over Bethleham two thousand years ago. I imagine the manger in the stable and Mary and Joseph sitting with the Baby Jesus and pondering the many things that had happened to them and wondering about the future. I imagine God looking down on the scene and pouring out blessings upon the little family.

I think of the shepherds and the wisemen and their coming to see and worship Jesus as He lay in the manger, yet a baby, but with so much to come in the future. I like to think of the stable as being peaceful and warm with the presence of the animals who lived there. It must have been wonderful that night.

Now it seems distant--long ago and far away. Yet every year at Christmas we can reconnect to that scene. And every day, every hour, we can reconnect with Jesus Christ as we think of Him and pray to our Heavenly Father in His name and read of His teachings and example in our scriptures.

Christmas is a time to think on these things, but we can keep this Christmas spirit in our hearts throughout the year. May we do so. And may God bless all of you. Merry Christmas!

To Know God and Jesus Christ

2007-12-15T10:25:00.000-08:00

In the September 1988 Ensign President Ezra Taft Benson had an article called "In His Steps". In this article, President Benson writes about the times we live in and how coming to know God and Jesus Christ and doing their will can help us make right decisions and go the right way in these difficult times where secular ideas seem to be taking over.

Each day the forces of evil and the forces of good enlist new recruits. Each day we personally make many decisions showing the cause we support. The final outcome is certain—the forces of righteousness will win. But what remains to be seen is where each of us personally, now and in the future, will stand in this battle—and how tall we will stand. Will we be true to our last days and fulfill our foreordained missions?

And:

Each of us has his or her own battlefield. The tactics which the enemy will use against us will vary from time to time. He will seek to exploit our weak spots, so we must be alert to the devil’s devious designs—the subtle sins and clever compromises as well as the obvious offenses.

We must remember that the devil seeks to make all men miserable like unto himself. We must also remember that the Lord loves us and seeks for us the fulness of joy which He enjoys. We must choose whom we will serve.

Also:

Jesus knows His kingdom will triumph, and He wants us to triumph with it. He knows in advance every strategy the enemy will use against us and the kingdom. He knows our weaknesses and He knows our strengths. By personal revelation, we may discover some of our strengths through careful and prayerful study of our patriarchal blessing. In prayer we can ask Him to reveal to us our weaknesses so that we can amend our lives.

There is much more in the article of course. I hope you will read it. The words of a prophet are wise and inspiring.

In my November 17 post, I mentioned an LDS 12-step book that is available online at Meridian Magazine. There is another LDS 12-step book available online at http://www.lds.org/. It's called LDS Family Services Addiction Recovery Program: A Guide to Addiction Recovery and Healing. You can go to this page to download the book in an Adobe pdf file. As I noted about the previously mentioned book, this book can help with addictions such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco, eating disorders, and so forth, but it can also help with any other problem and with getting closer to the Lord and seeking His help with anything. Give it a read and see what you think.

On a side note, if you have not been able to post comments because you did not have a Google/Blogger account, that is no longer the case. Blogger was making some changes to the comments portion of the program, but you can comment by selecting either "Nickname" or "Anonymous" and post a comment without having to register anywhere.

Contemplations

2007-12-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Today is foggy and drizzly--a perfect day to minimize errands and maximize thinking time. It is quiet and pleasant and above freezing, so no ice to contend with. Yet. We are due for an ice storm over the next couple of days.

Last Sunday, the parking lot at church was filled with Canadian geese, strolling around, staring at the people and looking for things to eat. They kept me from my usual parking spot, but I didn't want to risk scaring them or worse, hitting one. I hope they appreciated my sacrifice--I do like my favorite parking space!

When I contemplate nature, I am very thankful to God for creating this beautiful world and all the plants and animals and weather that we enjoy. It's a wonderful gift to go with the great blessing of gaining physical bodies. Life can be hard sometimes, but being able to admire a sunrise or a lovely flower or a lively bird can cheer one's heart immensely.

I am looking forward to studying the Joseph Smith manual in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church series. I like having the manuals for reference and just to read. I have enjoyed learning more about prophets that I didn't know much about, as well as focusing in on what the various prophets have taught. There is a lot of spiritual insight in those books.

The scriptures themselves are filled with spiritual insight if we will seek it out. Prayer helps open our eyes, ears, and hearts to gospel teachings that might otherwise escape us. There is so much to learn! I've discovered (and had to rediscover numerous times) that patience and loving the process of learning is important to studying the gospel.

Each of us has different strengths and weaknesses, but the gospel has all the answers if we will ask the Lord to show them to us. Not always easy, I know, but that's where patience and loving the process come in.

Have a joyous Christmas season!

On Living Right

2007-11-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

In the January 2007 Ensign there is a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It is titled "Living Right", and is from a commencement address delivered in 2004 at BYU.

An apostle is also a prophet, seer, and revelator. Elder Scott gives us much to think about in this talk--things that apply to us all, at whatever stage in life or spiritual development we are. He says:

This world is in serious trouble. The fundamental values of our society are being undermined. There is a continual crumbling of principle, virtue, integrity, and religious values—the foundation stones of civilization and definitive ingredients of peace and happiness. I will share with you as simply and as clearly as I am able a pattern for success and happiness in life despite these conditions.

God has given you the capacity to exercise faith so that you may find peace, joy, and purpose in life. However, to employ its power, faith must be rooted in something secure. There is no more solid foundation than faith in the love Heavenly Father has for you, faith in His plan of happiness, and faith in the willingness and power of Jesus Christ to fulfill all of His promises.

Some of the principles upon which faith is based are:

• Trust in God and in His desire to provide help when needed, no matter how challenging the circumstance.

• Obedience to His commandments and a commitment to living a life that demonstrates He can trust you.

• Sensitivity to the quiet promptings of the Spirit and courageous follow-through.

• Patience and understanding when God lets you struggle to grow and answers come a piece at a time over an extended period.

We do face a serious erosion in eternal values in our world. It is up to each of us to strengthen these values in our own life and set the example for others to help them along their way. Here is what Elder Scott says about character and faith:

You must understand and use the power of the interaction of faith and character. God uses your faith to mold your character. Character is woven patiently from threads of doctrine, principle, and obedience. Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming. Your character will be the yardstick that God will use to determine how well you have met your mortal probation. Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. Such choices are made with trust in things that are believed and, when acted upon, will be confirmed as true.

As you walk to the boundary of your understanding into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith, you will be led to find solutions to the challenges of life you would not obtain otherwise. No matter how strong your faith is, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather He will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you. Your exercise of faith will forge strength of character available to you in times of critical need. Such character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. That is when it is used.

The bedrock of character is integrity. Worthy character will strengthen your capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit and be obedient to it. It is more important than what you own, what you have learned, or what goals you have accomplished. Your consistent exercise of faith builds strong character. In turn, fortified character expands your ability to exercise faith, thereby enhancing your capacity and confidence in conquering the trials of life. And this strengthening cycle continues. The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to exercise the power of faith.

Those are some profound words that give us some guidance and direction. One last quote:

As an exceptional son or daughter of God, you are sorely needed. There is an urgent need for men and women who will stand for principles against the growing pressures to compromise those very principles. Men and women are required who will act nobly and courageously for what the Lord has defined as right, not for what is politically correct or socially acceptable. We need individuals who have the spiritual, righteous influence that will motivate others to enduring good. We need politicians of integrity, businesspeople who are honest and morally clean, attorneys who defend justice and the legal system, and government officials who preserve principle because it is right. Above all, we need mothers and fathers who will preserve the sanctity and safety of the home and the integrity of the family, where faith in God and obedience to His commandments are taught as the foundation of a productive life.

Even in our most everyday activities, we must obey the Lord in faith and trust. The Lord is the head of our church and guides President Hinckley and other leaders and they pass His word on to us. Take time to read Elder Scott's talk. It has been helpful and instructive to me and I believe you will find it so, as well.

Spiritual Maturity

2007-11-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

I like to look around in the old Ensign magazines and read pieces that catch my attention. Besides being fun and interesting, I am reminded of some important insights into living the gospel.

One conference talk from November 1982 caught my attention. It is titled "The Meaning of Maturity" and was given by Elder Derek A. Cuthbert of the First Quorum of the Seventy. In this talk, Elder Cuthbert lists ten qualities of maturity--five are childlike and five are acquired later in life.

The first five, the childlike qualities, are innocence, humility, simplicity, faith, and love. The second five are wisdom, leadership, accountability, dependablity, and self-mastery. Elder Cuthbert comments on each of these ten qualities in an insightful way. For example, here is what he had to say about wisdom:

Sixth, then, we need to acquire wisdom, that which Solomon desired so that he could make righteous judgments. Many of us are not wise, for we are blinded by the material world around us. Wisdom comes from a realization of true values and priorities. It is a spiritual quality, for it is founded on discernment and an understanding heart. Great is the wisdom of the prophets, and all who heed them are blessed.

The Lord has counseled us to “seek not for riches but for wisdom.” (D&C 6:7.) In this general conference, pearls of wisdom have come from those who have spoken under the inspiration of the Spirit. We would all do well to study and apply the truths that have been declared.

Knowledge by itself can be dangerous, and he who seeks to acquire knowledge must also be helped to obtain wisdom. Wisdom is a sign of maturity. It is usually related to age and experience, but not necessarily so. When serving as a mission president in Scotland, I saw the Lord quicken the understanding of many young missionaries so that they developed beyond their years. Now, less than five years later, six have been called as bishops and two into stake presidencies in the British Isles, and all are giving fine leadership.

There is a lot more in Elder Cuthbert's talk, of course, but I think it is a useful guide for me and maybe some of you will find it useful, as well.

Searching for Happiness

2007-11-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

In the October 2000 Ensign President James E. Faust wrote a message entitled "Our Search for Happiness". It's a great article filled with quotes and examples and I hope you will read it.

President Faust begins by saying:

I wish to discuss our search for happiness. Having lived quite a few years now, I have concluded that since we don’t always desire that which is good, having all our desires granted to us would not bring us happiness (see Alma 41:3–7). In fact, instant and unrestrained gratification of all our desires would be the shortest and most direct route to unhappiness. The many hours I have spent listening to the tribulations of men and women have persuaded me that both happiness and unhappiness are much of our own making.

We do make a great deal of our own happiness or unhappiness by our choices. It is true that things beyond our control happen to us and around us, but if we do our best to make correct choices, we will have happiness and joy and serenity in the midst of life's ups and downs.

I have lately been learning to be humble and to rely completely on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It isn't always easy. I am used to not being humble and to not relying on the Lord, thinking that I must work things out on my own all the time--thinking that that is what is required before I can ask the Lord for help. Not true, but difficult for me to learn and incorporate into my life. We need the Lord's power and strength and guidance as we go through life, so we need to humbly rely on Him first.

There is a book available online at Meridian Magazine that is a great help to me. It is an LDS 12-step book based on the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. It is not just for those struggling with addictions to alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc., although it will certainly help them, too. It is a book for those with such issues as overeating, overspending money, perfectionism, overemphasis on work or career, and other such everyday compulsive/addictive behaviors that many of us experience in our lives. It is also a book for simply seeking to be close to the Lord. It is called He Did Deliver Me from Bondage (I'm linking to the last part because it has links to all the other parts in the righthand sidebar.) and was written by Colleen G. Harrison. You can read it online and, if you like it enough, you can buy it from Deseret Book or LDS bookstores or other places referred to at Meridian Magazine where the book is online.

There are, of course, many sources of help, the chief ones being scriptures and prayer, and also the words of our prophets. The book, though, gathers a lot of help in one place. One lesson I learned from it (a lesson I didn't realize that I needed to learn) is that I cannot "mess up" more than the Lord can fix. Sometimes we get to thinking we are too unworthy to approach the Lord, but that is what Satan wants us to think. We need to go to the Lord always with everything.

Back to President Faust's article, he quotes the Prophet Joseph Smith as follows:

As the Prophet Joseph Smith told us, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 255–56).

I am sure that we would all like real peace and happiness and joy in our lives. It is attainable. I sometimes think we try so hard to be good that we forget to enjoy the peace and happiness and joy of the gospel. We can remedy that--with the Lord's help.

Veteran's Day 2007

2007-11-11T05:48:00.000-08:00

“Throughout our history, America has been protected by patriots who cherished liberty and made great sacrifices to advance the cause of freedom. The brave members of the United States Armed Forces have answered the call to serve our Nation, ready to give all for their country. On Veterans Day, we honor these extraordinary Americans for their service and sacrifice, and we pay tribute to the legacy of freedom and peace that they have given our great Nation.”—President George W. Bush, 2007 Veterans Day Proclamation

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends. (John 15:13).

Remember Veteran’s Day today.

Serving

2007-11-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had an opportunity to serve the Lord by performing a small service for my fellowman. Every year our stake sets aside two days, called Days of Thanksgiving, wherein we concentrate on temple work. Everyone who can goes to the temple as often as they can to participate in ordinance work. Needless to say, the temple workers are very busy.

What we do, because our temple is small and has no cafeteria, is prepare and serve meals to the temple workers as they have time to eat. We set up in the waiting room. Caterers who are members of the church donate the wonderfully prepared food and others of us serve the meals and clean up. This gives the temple workers the opportunity to refresh themselves without having to leave the temple, which often they really would not have the time to do. I helped with this last night.

I really appreciate the service the temple workers provide and so to be able to help in a small way with providing them with a needed service makes me feel good. Ultimately, we are all serving the Lord and it's a wonderful feeling to participate in this.

After last night's dinner was finished, we packed up all the leftover food and sent it to a local charity called The Jesus House, which feeds the homeless. That was another way to serve the Lord by serving our fellowman. I was happy to be sending so much nutritious food to them--soups and salad from last night plus an assortment of other good things--as they are feeding those who often don't have much opportunity for healthy eating, or any eating. As I helped pack the food, I thought of those who would be eating it and hoped that it would brighten their spirits as well as help them physically.

There are many ways to serve and many people to serve. Whether it is someone in our family or a neighbor or a stranger, any little thing we can do can help in some way. If we will take opportunities for service as they arise, whatever they might be, we will have a chance to cheer others along their way and brighten their lives a bit. I am sure this pleases the Lord more than we can imagine.

About Fear

2007-11-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear. (Doctrine & Covenants 38:30)

Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come. (Doctrine & Covenants 68:6)

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. (Mark 5:36)

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

Walking On the Road to Emmaus

2007-10-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. (Luke 24:13-15)

I have been thinking about this little story in Luke about two disciples walking along the road to Emmaus from Jerusalem. The complete story is found in Luke 24:13-35.

The Bible Dictionary says this:

A village 60 furlongs, or about 5 miles from Jerusalem; generally identified with the modern Kulonieh, on the road to Joppa.

There is a lot to be said about this wonderful story. Imagine having the Lord Jesus Christ appear to you and walk along with you and expound on the scriptures to you. Five miles isn't a long way, but if you are walking, it would take awhile and you would have time for a wonderful conversation with the Lord. Even if you didn't know until later that it was the Lord, as these two did not, it would still be an intriguing conversation.

Walking is often used as a metaphor for traveling through life and for living life in accordance with the Lord's commandments. Or, conversely, for walking in darkness, i.e., not in the ways of the Lord.

What I am thinking about this morning, however, is literal walking. Walking by yourself opens up opportunities for thinking about all sorts of things and also for prayer. Whether you are walking for exercise or to get somewhere, you have this quiet time in your mind and heart which can lead you to insights or to communion with God.

If you are walking with a friend, you have a chance to really talk things over. This is what struck me about the story of the road to Emmaus--that these two disciples (and later, Jesus) had the time and opportunity for an in-depth discussion of the gospel and of recent events in Jerusalem.

I think we miss out on a lot when we don't have this kind of time and opportunity to think, to pray, or to talk with a companion. There are a lot of blessings for us living in this modern age, but whenever I read of the road to Emmaus, I think that one blessing we miss out on unless we make the effort to create it, is to walk along, alone or with someone, with plenty of time to concentrate on something. It can be working out a problem, contemplating nature, prayer, meditating on some aspect of the gospel, or whatever we might want/need to focus on for awhile.

In ages past, people often traveled by foot, but now, it's often a matter of driving to a park (during the daytime, when you have a hope of it being safe) or, if you are blessed to live in the country, of walking around your property or down the road a ways. Even if your choice is to go to a track at the gym, you can usually be alone with your thoughts for awhile at least, although I have to say that I think being out in nature helps this process along.

It just seems like a chance to unwind, give serious thought to things, and let go of the stress of the modern world for a little while. May you find a quiet place to walk.

A Verse at a Time

2007-10-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been studying the scriptures in a different way than I have before. I have in the past usually read from beginning to end, whether it was the entire Bible or Book of Mormon or Doctrine & Covenants or Pearl of Great Price, or a book within one of those, or a chapter. That is certainly useful for getting an overview of what is in the scriptures, but I tended to not linger too long over any one verse and think deeply about what it meant.

What I am doing now is selecting a verse (from the Topical Guide, say, or a reference in a book) and studying it, thinking about what all it means, and most of all, thinking about how it applies to me in my life today. I am also trying to not fall into the usual pattern of applying the scripture to mankind in general, but to apply it to me specifically. It is an eye-opening experience. I feel like I am learning more, seeing more.

I haven't yet tried using Strong's Concordance to see what the Greek and Hebrew words might mean that might give me additional insight. Right now, I am just thinking about how the scripture relates to me and how it can help me to live the gospel more thoroughly. I pray for understanding, too, because that can open the way for additional insight and ideas.

I feel as if I am remembering more and seeing things that I can actually put into practice. That is an important part of the gospel--putting it into action. James tells us to be doers of the word and not hearers only, and he is right. (See James 1:22).

There are, of course, many ways to study the scriptures, and I think it is a good thing to try different ways and not just study the same way all the time. A different approach can yield more treasure.

Thoughts

2007-10-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

I took last weekend off from blogging so that I could concentrate on enjoying and learning from General Conference. I thought the talks given were so good and so helpful!

The audio, video, and text archives are online here. I think it's wonderful that they get those online so quickly so we can go back and review the talks and think more about their messages.

There is so much to the gospel. It helps me that every six months we have General Conference so that we can hear these messages. They can't possibly cover everything, of course, but the messages can highlight some much needed gospel topics that can help us with our daily lives. We can meditate on them and pray about them and learn much.

I am pleased with the calling of Elder Eyring (now President Eyring) as a counselor in the First Presidency and Elder Cook as an Apostle. Not that I would have been disappointed with whoever might have been called--after all, it is the Lord doing the calling!

Some Things to Think About

2007-09-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:2-5)

"Being human, we would expel from our lives, sorrow, distress, physical pain, and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort. But if we closed the doors upon such, we might be evicting our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering, and self-mastery. The sufferings of our Savior were part of his education" (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 168).

King Benjamin's sermon about how God supports us from moment to moment as well as immediately blesses us (when we keep His commandments) was not designed to be a popular sermon in self-sufficient times like ours. For us to be called "unprofitable servants" and to be reminded that even our bodies are made of the dust of the earth that also "belongeth to him"—these are hard sayings that bruise our pride. (Mosiah 2:21-25.) Unless—unless, through humility and obedience, we can transform feeling owned into a grand sense of belonging, and being purchased into gratitude for being rescued, and dependency into appreciation for being tutored by an omniscient God, which He does in order that we might become more dependable and have more independence and scope for service in the future. [All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience by Neal A. Maxwell, chapter 2 (I have this book in GospeLink and on tape, so I'm sorry I don't have a page number for you.)]

Mosiah 3:19

2007-09-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3:19)

This scripture has been on my mind a lot lately. For a single verse, it contains a lot of gospel principles to ponder and to learn to apply to my life.

The term natural man (which, of course, includes women) refers to all types of worldliness, physical and intellectual. We have to learn to put off the natural man by yielding to the Holy Spirit and also by applying the atonement to ourselves. We learn to put God first in our lives and using His teachings as the guide for how we live our lives.

We also need to become as a little child in the sense of being trusting and humble and meek. All of these things are taught to us through the scriptures and the words of the prophets. In addition, we have the gift of the Holy Ghost to teach and inspire us and to confirm truth to us. Prayer--communion with our Heavenly Father--is also a chief source of learning for us.

I think it is interesting that the word patient is included in the list of attributes we should develop. I believe it is because the Lord works in His own way and time. He knows the end from the beginning and understands completely what is best for us, even if we do not. Patience is important, too, because it takes time for us to learn and apply all of these things. We do not change overnight, but we do change if we will put in the effort.

I've also been thinking about how being humble, meek, patient, and full of love can help us in our relationships with other people. We are all different, yet we do have a lot in common as well. If we can learn to be patient with the differences and to appreciate them, even as we enjoy what we have in common, we will improve our relationships with our brothers and sisters.

It's interesting how one verse can spark so many thoughts.

More Randomness

2007-09-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

It has turned cooler here in Oklahoma--80s instead of 90s for daytime highs. We were inundated with more rain last Monday, but have had sun since then. It's very welcome.

Confutus has been working hard at putting up more information at Sapience Knowledge Base. Bookmark it and drop by to see the progress. Register and discuss all sorts of things on the forum.

Drop by The Atlantic Monthly and read "A Reader's Manifesto" from the archives. I am sure I saw a recent post about this article in the Bloggernacle, but I can't remember where or when. If you know, tell me in the comments and I will add a link to it.

Life goes on and I continue studying the gospel in order to get a better grasp of all there is to know and do. Have a happy week! Don't forget Constitution Day on 17 September.

On Relying on the Lord

2007-09-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

I am feeling much better these days. Still not 100%, but not dead on my feet anymore!

I have been doing a lot of thinking and praying lately about being humble and obedient. It is a shame that these states of being have gotten such a bad reputation. They conjure up images of being weak doormats, which is far from what they are. Our pride gets in the way and we worry about losing our individual identity, forgetting that we have our agency and also that we are each a unique package of traits and gifts and abilities that will not disappear if we are humble and obedient.

Becoming converted to the gospel and living it all of our lives depends on our humbling ourselves before the Lord and recognizing that His will for us is what is best for us. Our uniqueness means that our service to the Lord will have its own individual stamp and will add something to the building of Zion that no other can add in quite the same way. We do not lose by being humble and obedient--we only gain. We gain faith and strong testimonies and a goodness that comes in no other way. We gain help and comfort and strength and blessings from the Lord. We gain in better relationships and love with other people. We gain knowledge and understanding and wisdom and confidence. We gain a completeness that we can find in no other way.

Becoming humble, obedient, and converted is not something that we come to in an instant. It is an ongoing process of growth and progress. We can help it along with prayer, scripture study, fasting, and service. We help it along, too, in fellowship with others and in developing such virtues as patience, integrity, charity, and so forth. We can allow the Lord to lead us and guide us without holding back parts of ourselves. We can recognize His omnipotence and omniscience and can trust Him completely.

Everyone has issues that they struggle with. That is a part of the testing, trying, and proving of mortal life. Becoming humble, obedient, and trusting the Lord can lead us to the answers we need. Sometimes those answers are slow in coming, but the Lord knows what He is doing. Sometimes we will have to wait until the next life to understand some things because of the mortal limitations we are living under now. This does not mean that there are no answers, just that we have to wait for them.

By putting the Lord first in our lives and relying on Him, we can live up to our potential and be the people that the Lord means for us to be. He does not hold us back--He urges us onward and upward. Not just for this mortal life, but for all eternity.

September Begins

2007-09-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

This past week could not end quickly enough for me. Last weekend, I started coughing a little (allergies, I thought). It progressed to the point of feeling like death warmed over. Slowly, I have become able to breathe again and this morning, I was able to gas up the car and go to the store without collapsing into a wretched little lump. I'm going to survive! I only missed work for 2 days, but 2 more wouldn't have hurt me. Still, I'm glad I went in yesterday so I could take care of the multiple emails and phone messages my agents had left for me. I won't have to deal with those things next Tuesday. (Hurray for 3-day weekends!)

The worst part about feeling so weak and miserable was that I needed (and wanted) to study and ponder some important gospel principles and I just didn't have the strength or the focus of mind to accomplish much. I did manage to write something of an outline of the most basic principles that I need to concentrate on incorporating into my life on a much more in-depth basis, and to write a list of questions to guide my scripture study for awhile. This should help me have some direction. I have also been reading a marvelous book, Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy by Richard G. Scott. Elder Scott (of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) offers some thought-provoking concepts and counsel. Normally, I likely would have finished the book by now, but, in addition to illness slowing me down, I have read more slowly, thinking more carefully about what I am reading.

Paying attention--what a concept!

The weather has been a few degrees cooler here and the rain has slowed, although we are still about 20 inches ahead of what is normal for this point in the year.

This coming week, the first week of September, is always difficult for me. 5 September will be the 28th anniversary of losing my children in a car wreck, and 8 September will be the anniversary of their funeral. I know they are safe and happy and waiting for me, but it still hurts my heart to remember. There are many happy memories, of course, but there are sad ones, too.

I wish you all a happy holiday weekend.

The Intellect and the Gospel

2007-08-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

In the April 1993 Ensign is an article titled "The Inexhaustible Gospel" by Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Elder Maxwell was always a favorite of mine--he was humble and intelligent and had a wonderful sense of humor. He offered marvelous insights into the gospel and was always enthused about learning and sharing what he learned.

In the article I linked to above, Elder Maxwell discusses the different kinds of knowledge and intelligence, where they come from, and why they are important. He refers to numerous scriptures to illustrate his points. The first two paragraphs are:

The title of my address, “The Inexhaustible Gospel,” is intended to convey the vastness and preciousness of that enormous body of knowledge we call the gospel, and—if I am at all successful—some of my ever-growing excitement over it.

Before using terms like truth, knowledge, intelligence, education, and wisdom, I stress at the outset that the scriptural insights concerning these terms or definitions of them give us, as Latter-day Saints, an added understanding of these concepts. These differ from those of the world—markedly, in some respects. Each is “added upon” by the relevant revelations.

He also says:

Therefore, gaining knowledge and becoming more Christlike “are two aspects of a single process.” (C. Terry Warner, in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4:1490.) This process is part of being “valiant” in our testimony of Jesus. Thus, while we are saved no faster than we gain a certain type of knowledge, it is also the case that we will gain knowledge no faster than we are saved! (See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 217.) So in our different understanding of knowledge and truth, behaving and knowing are inseparably linked.

Thus defined, the gospel is inexhaustible because there is not only so much to know but also so much to become. The vital truths are not merely accumulated in the mind but are expressed in life as well.

One of the most intriguing things about the gospel is the way we gradually understand more and more and go deeper and deeper into all the meanings available in the scriptures. We learn what we are ready to learn at any given point in our lives, but there is always more to be learned.

I also like what Elder Maxwell says about how "behaving and knowing are inseparably linked". We learn the gospel as much by actually obeying the commandments as we do by reading them in the scriptures--perhaps more so.

I hope you will read his article. It's an interesting reminder of many gospel ideas and can give a sense of perspective to our learning and living.

One thing I want to mention here is that while I love to share gospel ideas, I am far from perfect. I hope I don't come across as someone who is "preaching down to the little people". What I am trying to do is share thoughts and ideas and links to articles that I find meaningful and helpful for myself and that I hope others will gain something from, as well. I am always interested in hearing other's thoughts and ideas about these topics--it helps me a lot and I am sure it helps all those who come here to read. We can all edify one another.

On Being Humble

2007-08-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

Mosiah 4 in the Book of Mormon is a wonderful chapter full of instruction and promises. It is also a chapter that invites much pondering and application to our own lives. (It also contains the verses--Mosiah 4:16-26--about the beggar that s'mee and I referred to in the comments in my previous post.)

What I am thinking about today is whether we perhaps do not take the concept of being humble far enough. Do we think of being humble as just avoiding bragging? Do we think it is just refraining from calling overmuch attention to ourselves? Do we think it is just admitting that we aren't perfect? Those are outward manifestations of being humble, but I think it should go much deeper. A phrase found in a number of scriptures leaps to mind--a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

As I read Mosiah 4, I have the idea that we must humble our entire selves before God and recognize that without Him, we are completely powerless--powerless to save ourselves. We do have our agency and we can choose to do this or not. If we choose to become completely humble, I think it requires an all-encompassing trust in God and in His Son Jesus Christ. It requires that we do not hold back parts of ourselves or favorite sins or anything else. And it requires believing that His power to save us is greater than our power to make mistakes and commit sins--that He can save even us.

I don't think I have found the words to truly express what I am thinking, but what do you think? Do you think that maybe we believe in God and in Jesus Christ, but that maybe we don't have faith that He loves us individually and personally? Do we believe that He will help others, but doubt that He will help us? Do we not trust Him completely?

My thoughts are that if we can become truly humble and allow God into our hearts and minds completely and obey Him and keep His commandments, then we will learn that He will indeed save even us. We will learn to trust Him completely in all things. We will become truly converted.

This is not something we can come to in an instant, but is rather a process over time, but if we can work on this--if I can work on this--we will come to a greater relationship with God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost than we can now imagine. I think, too, that our relationships with other people will be transformed as we learn to see them as God sees them. And as we let God teach us, will we not learn the gospel more thoroughly than we now know it?

Please share your thoughts with me.

Considering Viewpoints

2007-08-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

One of the things I struggle with is compassion and "tough love." As I consider viewpoints on a variety of topics, I come up against wanting to help people and wanting those same people to learn to help themselves. I see ideas that would immediately relieve suffering, but that would cause serious problems down the road. Case in point: welfare.

If we give people food, money, housing, and so forth, it can give them an opportunity to pull themselves together because they aren't totally caught up in wondering where their next meal is coming from or where they are going to live. However, too many people become dependent on welfare and come to expect these things to just be given to them. They aren't using the reprieve from suffering to improve their education and job skills and to look for jobs, or otherwise improve their lives and their prospects.

Immigration is this sort of problem, too. If we grant illegal immigrants all kinds of privileges and perks, we are rewarding their lawbreaking. National security issues enter into this situation also, something we can't ignore in this day and age. Yet most of us do feel compassion for the poor who want to come to America.

Environmental concerns can cause problems, too. If we rush into solutions that appear to solve the problem in the short term, we may seriously cripple our economy and cause much greater problems in the long run. Yet we do need to be good stewards of this earth.

War also brings into play many considerations and, in the heat of the moment, it is hard to think of long term consequences. Yet we must. Peace--real peace--cannot be bought with the price of genocide and oppression.

Throw into this mix trying to live as God and Jesus Christ would have us to live. We study the scriptures and pray and seek the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Somehow, though, different people come up with different answers as to what is right. My own take on the matter is that while we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, this does not mean giving in to whatever our neighbor wants or allowing our neighbor to lead us astray. There are lines that must be drawn. Waste is waste. Sin is sin. Foolishness is foolishness. These things ought not to be encouraged.

Charity isn't giving things away indiscriminately, but is the judicious use of reasonable help coupled with teaching the recipient how to do better in living their lives. Some would say that it is not our place to tell others how to live. To a point, this is true--each has his own agency and has to make his own decisions. However, you would not buy alcohol for an alcoholic, would you? There are some things that are just wrong and need to not be supported. Truth is not relative. Morality is not relative. And the greatest act of charity that we can perform is to help someone see a better way to live. We cannot force them to choose that way, but we can at least let them know it is there and that they do have a choice.

I also think that in choosing our viewpoints on various topics, we need to be aware that there are those who advocate for one viewpoint or another who have their own agendas. They may be seeking power, fame, or fortune. Be aware of that possibility. It is possible to be led astray by a good speaker/writer. Take the time to do your own research. It seems, too, that it is easy to obsess over some perceived problem to the point where one sees examples of that problem everywhere, even though in reality, the so-called examples are nothing of the kind. We need to use our God-given intelligence, discernment, and judgement in making our decisions about what to believe and what causes to support or disavow.

Ah, judgement. The new bad word. The truth is, though, that we have to use judgement constantly to make decisions. It is true that we should treat people kindly and tactfully, but it is not true that we cannot learn from the mistakes we see others make, and it is not true that we have to embrace wrong things just so we won't hurt someone's feelings. I certainly wouldn't recommend going around criticizing people or being rude, but we do not have to follow their leads.

It is not easy to do the right thing in all situations and to choose the right viewpoints to support, but we have to try. It is how we grow and learn and become better tomorrow than we are today. If we can learn to look down the road and see the consequences of this or that choice, we will be in a better position to make right decisions that won't cause irreparable harm.

Love thy neighbor as thyself is a commandment, but even before that one is to love God with all thy heart, might, mind, and strength. To me, this means to not only love God, but to follow His ways in all things, and to learn what His ways truly are, not just what we want them to be.

Seeking Learning

2007-08-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Choices

2007-07-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

As we learn the gospel, we learn about agency. Agency is the gift our Heavenly Father gave us from the beginning. The question of whether or not we were to have agency, the ability to choose for ourselves, played a central role in the pre-mortal council. There Lucifer, or Satan, offered to be our savior, but his plan included no agency, no choice for us. Jesus, however, offered to be our Savior and included our having the agency to choose for ourselves. Naturally, God chose Jesus for the role of Savior to the world because it was essential to us to be able to make choices. That was the only way our lives could have meaning and the only way that we could progress and grow and learn.

Agency brings consequences, both good and bad, and there is always the risk of making mistakes. The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to repent of any mistakes we make and to reconcile ourselves to God. The plan of salvation makes possible both the possession of agency and the ability to return to our Heavenly Father, through the Atonement.

Mortal life is complicated by myriads of choices, some small, some medium, and some large. We choose what clothes to wear, what books to read, what career to pursue, whom to marry, and whether or not we will have faith in God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We choose whether to obey God or to obey Satan. The latter choice is usually disguised as freedom to do whatever we want, whenever we want, without regard to consequences, either to ourselves or to others. It is, nevertheless, choosing to follow Satan.

Our lives are the messy mix of the choices we have made through the years. Repentance and the Atonement allow us to clean up the mess and make progress toward a clean and orderly eternal life. Bringing a wholeness or a completeness to our lives is necessary. We cannot live exemplary lives on the surface and secretly rob banks. If we are to develop any virtue, it must touch every area of our lives.

In our efforts to reconcile every aspect of our lives and create a wholeness, we need some point on which to base our decisions. So do we choose to base our wholly integrated selves on the gospel, or on some philosophy of men? Our choice will have eternal consequences.

We can know, through our study of the gospel and the growth of our faith and testimony, that the correct choice is to base our lives on the gospel. Everything good comes from God. His gospel contains the truth. Therefore, if we base our lives on truth, we will be making the choice that will allow us to become whole and healed and to return to our God.

As we go through the world and live our lives, we learn many things and come in contact with many ideas and theories. Some of these are good and some are bad--some are even evil. How do we know which is which? We turn to the gospel for guidance. Thus we can choose the good and eshew the bad or the evil.

People are going to have some basis for making their choices, even if that base is subconcious. Sometimes we take a liking to some mortal philosophy and accept or reject other things based on whether it fits with that philosophy or not. Is it not better to choose as our basis something we know to be true, something that will lead us toward more truth and goodness and light and knowledge?

Of course, it isn't easy to do this. We want to do the right things and make the right choices, but we can get mixed up and make mistakes. Some of our mistakes come because we don't understand the teachings of the gospel thoroughly. It takes a lifetime to learn it all--an eternal lifetime. We don't always get complete explanations. We have to trust our God, trust that He knows what He is doing. We have to take some things on faith, not knowing the whys and wherefores until later, perhaps not until the next life. The philosophies of men don't give us all the answers, either, but they also do not have the promise that someday they will have the answers.

The gospel teaches us how to make right choices and how to correct our mistakes through repentance and the Atonement. What can the philosophies of men do?

Some Links

2007-07-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

I've been tidying up the links in my left sidebar and now I have added some, or moved them around, and want to call your attention to them.

First up, there are four links for a friend, Confutus. Three are under the heading of "Books, Language, Learning" (scroll down a bit). There is Sapience Knowledge Base, Independent Learning Forum, and the Independent Learning blog. The SKB is a project outlining knowledge and showing the connections between various topics. The Forum (which can be reached from the SKB home page) is a place for discussing various aspects of self-education, or independent learning, as is the blog. It should also be very helpful to home schoolers and unschoolers (a term new to me!). Then under "Politics, Government" I have placed Confutus's blog called From the Ground. I hope you will visit these sites--very interesting and you can join in with discussion and comments, too!

Another site I've been meaning to link to for some time is Mormon Literature Website. I especially enjoy the essays linked to on the criticism page.

I deleted some of the Bloggernacle Links because I figured that since I link to LDSelect and Mormon Archipelago, I didn't need to have so many individual links up. That made the list less long.

Mid-Summer

2007-07-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, we surpassed our normal yearly average rainfall--but it's only mid-July! There have been flooding problems and yet we desparately needed to get our lakes and rivers and the water table replenished. Things don't always happen evenly, but we find that we can cope with whatever happens.

It is so green here now and the flowers are blooming like crazy. People have trouble keeping up with the mowing and the weeding these days. One of my favorite things to see is a group of little house wrens bathing in a small puddle. First, I see water shooting up into the air. Then, as I get closer, I see the little birds splashing with their wings. After their bath, they hop up out of the puddle and fluff themselves up to dry. Very cute. It always makes me smile.

Today it isn't raining and the sun is out. The air this morning didn't feel as heavy with humidity as it has been. It felt almost cool in the light breeze, but, being July, it is now feeling warm and humid again. I run the air conditioner more to get the humidity out of the apartment than because it's particularly hot.

Nature always makes me think of our Heavenly Father and what a lovely world He created for us to live on. We take it for granted usually, but when we stop to think about this gift, among many other gifts, we can feel very loved and appreciated.

Reflections about Zion

2007-07-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about Zion today. It is defined in the scriptures as the pure in heart. It also sometimes refers to a place, such as Jackson County, Missouri, or the New Jerusalem. Enoch's city was called Zion. Sometimes it refers to the Church and its stakes. When we are counseled to build up Zion, I take it to mean that we are to strengthen the Kingdom of God in whatever way we can.

In the February 1979 Ensign R. Quinn Gardner writes an article called "Becoming a Zion Society: Six Principles". The six principles he lists are love, service, work, self-reliance, consecration, and stewardship. Breaking down what building Zion means is useful for helping us see it, not as some ethereal concept out of our reach, but as something that we can and should be working on right now, wherever we are.

In the January 1991 Ensign President Ezra Taft Benson's First Presidency Message is called "Strenthen Thy Stakes". In it, he discusses the purposes of stakes and the responsibilities of members. This, too, can break down the concept into something manageable that we can work on. From "Ideas for Home Teachers" at the end of the article, we learn that:

1. The Lord has instituted stakes for four major purposes:

—to unify and perfect members living within them.

—to be models of righteousness.

—to be a defense for the members.

—to be a refuge from the storm when it is poured out on the earth.

2. Stakehood places important responsibilities on members:

—to be “lights” of the gospel, to share the gospel with others, and to prepare sons and grandsons for missions.

—to make our homes places of refuge, love, and harmony.

—to seek the blessings and ordinances of the temple for ourselves and our kindred dead.

—to be self-reliant.

—to participate in the programs and activities of the Church.

—to be a full-tithe payer and generous contributor of fast offerings.

This gives us something we can get a handle on and put into action.

A third article about Zion comes from the May 2006 Ensign which reprints "Zion in the Midst of Babylon", a conference talk by Elder David R. Stone of the Seventy. In his talk, Elder Stone discusses the possibility of creating Zion and the kind of influences of Babylon that must be overcome to do so. It is so easy to be overly influenced by the worldly culture that surrounds us and to put too much emphasis on the philosophies of men. We receive the messages of Babylon daily, hourly, through media, through public schooling and higher education, through our friends and neighbors and relatives, through our work--there are many sources. It can be overwhelming and it can take up our time and our thoughts, distracting us from the gospel. We can't withdraw from the world, nor should we, but we can set our priorities so that we put God first. We can create Zion in our homes as a refuge for our family from the world, where they can be taught true principles.

It is sometimes difficult to sort out what we need to do and be. Thoughts of "building up Zion" and "strengthening her stakes" can be overwhelming--what does it mean and how can we, as individual saints do anything about it? Basically, what it comes down to is living the gospel to the best of our ability and being a good example. We can all work on that.

Breaking Chains

2007-06-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Last year, in the July 2006 Ensign, there was an article called "Breaking the Chains of Sin" by Elder H. Ross Workman of the Seventy. In this article, Elder Workman discusses slavery--not physical imprisonment/restraint, but spiritual slavery.

Many think of captivity only in terms of imprisonment by other people. Physical captivity is abhorrent, but the effects may not endure eternally. The greater bondage is to the father of lies—a form of captivity that is far more devastating and potentially longer lasting. Remarkably, this spiritual captivity results from personal choice as one yields to uncontrolled desires and passions. One can be in captivity to sin or to the pursuit of worldly honors such as fame, wealth, political power, or social standing. One can also be in captivity through obsessive preoccupation with activities such as sports, music, or entertainment.

A particularly powerful source of captivity is tradition. Traditions exist in every culture. In some countries, tribal traditions run deep. Some of these traditions are wonderful, preserving culture and defining social order. Other traditions are contrary to the gospel and priesthood government and, when followed blindly, result in captivity.

Even individual and family traditions can lead to spiritual captivity. Traditions that are contrary to gospel principles offend the Spirit and, if followed, obscure one’s ability to be guided by the Spirit to recognize righteous choices that would expand freedom. For example, consider family traditions regarding the Sabbath. How does your family feel when a major sports event conflicts with Church responsibilities? Yielding to unrighteous influences diminishes your freedom and amplifies the danger of captivity.

In these three paragraphs, Elder Workman points out that it isn't just what we usually think of as sins (robbery, murder, etc.) that can enslave us. It is anything that we carry to extremes, including things that aren't bad in and of themselves (at least, they are not bad in moderation). It can be blogging or video games or sports or any number of things that lead us to neglect our duties and obligations--that lead us to neglect our families and our God. I think many of us fall into this trap.

Freedom to choose all that is “expedient” is a gift given by God to His children. Thus, we can choose liberty (freedom) and eternal life through Christ, or we can choose captivity and death according to the power of the devil (see 2 Ne. 2:27). It is often said that we are free to choose whatever course we desire, but we are not free to avoid the consequences of that choice.

Spiritual captivity rarely results from a single choice or event. More often, freedom is surrendered one small step at a time until the way to regain that freedom is obscured....If we are succumbing to spiritual captivity, we may not recognize the growing loss of freedom in our lives. Yet the more spiritual captivity we experience, choose, or permit, the less freedom of choice we feel in matters of spiritual importance.

Some seek to explain spiritual captivity as something out of their control. Is it really out of their control? Typically, freedom to make righteous choices is measured by a willingness to sacrifice that which is the object of desire or passion. Hence, sacrifice is a guiding principle and is the key to setting oneself free from captivity.

The slavery we allow ourselves to brought into limits our choices and our freedoms. It damages our lives and the lives of those around us. I liked Elder Workman's final paragraphs:

Some people feel they are in captivity because of their poverty. Poverty can indeed be disabling, limiting some of the choices one can make. However, poverty is not a source of captivity in the eternal sense.

The mortal Jesus had few possessions, and He relied on others for His food and keeping. Yet He was not in captivity. His willingness to sacrifice all that Heavenly Father required and to keep all the Father’s commandments brought Him ultimate freedom.

The Lord requires sacrifice to test the faithful. He asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. He asked the rich young ruler to “sell that thou hast, and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21). The Prophet Joseph Smith and the pioneer Saints sacrificed much to establish the Church “in the top of the mountains” (Isa. 2:2). The Lord asks us to sacrifice too.

Father Lehi, in his last recorded discourse to his sons, pleaded with them to “shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe” (2 Ne. 1:13). His words evoke the Savior’s message: “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34).

How, then, does one “shake off the awful chains” of spiritual captivity? As we purify our hearts through repentance and turn to the Savior with a firm determination to obey His commandments, He will enlarge our strength through the power of His grace. Each righteous choice we make can then lead to future righteous choices. The struggle to escape spiritual captivity and regain our freedom is not always an easy process; indeed, it may lead us through the refiner’s fire. But because of the Atonement and the great gift of repentance, “though [our] sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:18).

The Savior promised, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32). Let us implement in our lives those principles that we know to be true. Rather than submitting to captivity, let us make righteous choices and “continue in [the Savior’s] word.” Then we shall be truly free.

There is always hope. We can always free ourselves. It may not be easy, but it can be done.

Miscellany

2007-06-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

If you missed my comment on "June Thoughts", I passed my first CPCU test! Hurray! I'll have to wait a couple more weeks to get a detailed report of how I did, but they put up a "Pass" on my grade page on the website, so I am very relieved. However, I have seen the book for the next class/test. It's twice as thick as the last one! Oh, my.

I am having a tough time thinking of anything to write about today. I don't know why that happens. My brain is going all the time. Maybe that's the problem--it flits from one subject to another and worries about stuff in between. An undisciplined mind--that's what I've got!

In Oklahoma City, we've received more than 22 inches of rain in the past 3 months! That is a record. It's good because we've had some dry years and this will raise the water table underground and fill up the lakes, rivers, and ponds. I do think we are getting a little tired of the rain. It doesn't rain all the time--we have sunny days sometimes. It's awfully humid, though.

I have started reading Paul's letters in the scriptures. I just finished Romans. Sometimes it is difficult to understand exactly what Paul means in specific passages, but his testimony and teaching of the gospel shines through overall. Scriptures aren't always easy to understand, but with prayer and persistence, I find that they become more clear. I also think that we progress in understanding the scriptures, just as we do with everything else--step by step. Certainly it is wonderful to always be learning new things each time I read. There is great treasure to be mined in those books.

Now that I don't have to have my head buried in an insurance book all the time, I have been reading some Henry David Thoreau and sampling some other nature and science writers. Interesting stuff.

Enjoying Nature

2007-06-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

Thirty years ago, the Ensign published an article called "Discovering Nature" By Sharon Dequer
in the June 1977 issue. One thing she says is:

Think of the attitudes parents convey to children in such experiences, not necessarily attitudes about thunderstorms or snakes, but about life and the joy of living! Spiritual experiences can’t be staged, but one fruitful avenue that involves our children and ourselves in inspiring experiences is to explore—fully and enthusiastically—God’s creations. In the course of growing up we tend to acquire a worldly sophistication that dampens this enthusiastic sense of wonder about nearly everything. Cultivating wonder about nature heightens our appreciation of all creation and begins to break down our artificial distinction between things temporal and spiritual. (See D&C 29:34–35.)

Sister Dequer offers some suggestions for exploring nature:

A good way to begin discovering nature is by becoming more “sense-able.”

Teach your eyes, for example, to see, not just to look. Become alert for movement, large and small, in the grass, in the sky, at the borders of your vision. Look for colors that differ from their surroundings and for subtle changes and mixtures of hue. (There must be a hundred shades of green or brown in any summery scene). Look for shapes that seemingly don’t belong—a bird-shape or pine cone amid the fine branchlets of a tree.

Carry a small mirror with a hole at one edge on your adventure walks. Use it to get a worm’s eye view of the underside of a mushroom or the inside of a hollow tree. Put a long stick into the mirror hole and reach up for a bird’s eye view of a nest and its contents.

At night, hold a flashlight in front of your nose and scan with the beam; you’ll catch the gleam of reflected eyeshine in grass, bushes, gravel—anywhere. Possibly hundreds of creatures are looking at you: moths, beetles, spiders, frogs, mice, cats, raccoons—each with its own sparkly or glowing eyeshine color, like jewels in the night.

Then turn out the light. Although in that narrow beam you can see clearly, without it your eyes will quickly become dark-adapted, and you will see vastly more.

Concentrate on smells. Sample the breeze. Then take your nose up close and sniff the bark of trees. Different species often have characteristic odors (vanilla, cinnamon, or just pungent, sweet, indescribable). Unlock the distinctive qualities of leaves by crushing one, or (better for the plant) by rubbing it firmly between your fingers.

Experiment with taste and touch. Close your eyes and let someone put an object in your hands. What shape is it? What size and texture? Is it wet, dry, smooth, sticky, rough, furry, brittle, flexible, heavy, light? Smell it; brush it against your cheek. You might not know what it is, but could you find it again amid a number of other, possibly similar objects? Making a more complex game of it, could someone else identify your object from just your description?

Feeling the shapes of plant stems may bring you some surprises. Although most are round, some are square (the mints), and others, found in damp places, are triangular (sedges have edges).

Her suggestions can bring you to an appreciation of nature without turning it into "dully labeling countless plants and animals and reciting collections of detailed bits of lore". Not that a more scientific approach is dull to some of us! Nevertheless, it is good to sometimes just enjoy what's out there as it is.

This kind of exploring nature can be done anywhere--in a backyard, a park, a small flowerbed, or a tree. You can go out at night and look at the moon and stars. You can observe pets and, yes, even household pests (before disposing of them in whatever way suits your sensibilities)!

In your exploring, you will feed your spiritual self in surprising ways. Also, see my posts here at Scholar and here at Writing Blog, my other blogs, for more information on this topic.

June Thoughts

2007-06-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Summer is well on its way. In less than two weeks it will officially be summer in the northern hemisphere. While I don't like hot weather, I do enjoy the flowers and trees and animals--even when they make me sneeze! I do miss living in the country and being able to get a good view of the night sky. I love looking at the stars.

I have not had a good year so far. It isn't that anything major has gone wrong. Well, each thing has felt major to me at the time, but in all honesty, I knew I would survive every bit of it and I have. It's been a constant round of things like allergies/sinus problems, respiratory flu/bronchitis, a spider bite, car repairs that wiped out my savings and frustrated me no end, and some struggles with depression--probably due to the rest of the list!

I also have an insurance class going on--the final is Friday, 15 June. Then another class next fall. I have a total of 7 to take to get a professional designation.

Then there was Mother's Day and Memorial Day. Not that those are bad things, nor is the insurance class, but they add to my Things-to-Do list. I've been trying to do some writing--both for my blogs and for projects of my own that I am working on.

None of this is anything that everyone doesn't go through at times. I wish I didn't let it get to me so much, but when you don't feel well and then stuff happens, it's easy to feel a little extra discouraged and overwhelmed. I have been working on regrouping and on being more calm and serene and tranquil. The gospel helps with this immensely, of course. What would we do without the Lord?!

The Lord does help us through these things that are a part of life, but we also have to put forth the effort to do our part. I can be a real slacker, but thankfully, I can repent of my foolishness and improve. I think being humble and teachable are important parts of improving. We are then open to what the Lord wants us to learn from our various experiences. We are also open to what the Lord wants to tell us--to reveal to us.

I love the Lord and the gospel. I love that we have living prophets and apostles who can counsel us and instruct us and pass the Lord's wisdom on to us. What a great blessing we have!

Thoughts on Personal Revelation

2007-06-02T17:44:00.000-07:00

The Prophet Joseph Smith once said “Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.” (History of the Church, 6:50.) Then there is this:

"And again, verily I say unto you that it is your priviledge, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am------not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual"(Doctrine and Covenants 67:10)

Also, there is the brother of Jared:

And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting. Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him. (Ether 3:19-20)

When I read such statements as this, I think of what a wonderful gift we have in personal revelation, and I also think that we fall short in using this marvelous blessing from the Lord.

If we wish to receive personal revelation, we need to prepare ourselves for it by living the gospel as fully as possible and by being humble. This is not to say that the Lord cannot or will not send inspiration by the Holy Ghost to anyone at any time--many receive inspiration from the Lord to guide them in finding the Lord. But I think ongoing personal revelation comes to those who prepare themselves for it. We do not have to be perfect, but we should be sincerely trying to do the best we can to follow the Lord and do His will. I think being humble is a major factor, as well.

Different people might receive personal revelation in different ways, but if we live close to the Lord through prayer and scripture study and obedience, we come to know Him and how He communicates with us. We learn over time how to recognize the Lord's voice in our minds and hearts, so that we are not deceived by our own wishes or by Satan's influence. You might say that personal revelation is something that we grow into during our lives on earth. We live faithfully and we gradually receive more and more. What we receive then helps us to do better and to be better.

Personal revelation to guide us through our lives--what could be finer?

The Gospel and the Arts

2007-05-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

When we think of the arts in relation to the gospel or to the church, we often think of President Spencer W. Kimball's talk, printed in the July 1977 Ensign, which speaks of his longing for great artists of all kinds to come from the ranks of the church. The talk is titled "The Gospel Vision of the Arts" and is an inspiring read.

We might also think of a quote from Elder Orson F. Whitney, spoken in 1888, which said, “We shall yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own. God’s ammunition is not exhausted. His highest spirits are held in reserve for the latter times. In God’s name and by His help we will build up a literature whose tops will touch the heaven, though its foundation may now be low on the earth.”

Almost a year before printing President Kimball's talk, the Ensign, in August 1976, printed a talk by Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles which also touched on this theme of the arts and the gospel. It is called "The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord". It is a wonderfully thought-provoking piece. I'll be quoting from it, but I recommend reading the entire talk to get a better grasp of Elder Packer's point.

After some brief introductory remarks, Elder Packer explains the purpose of his talk by saying:

I want to respond to a question that I face with some frequency. It has many variations, but the theme is this: Why do we not have more inspired and inspiring music in the Church? Or why do we have so few great paintings or sculptures depicting the Restoration? Why is it when we need a new painting for a bureau of information, or perhaps for a temple, frequently nonmember painters receive the commission? The same questions have an application to poetry, to drama, to dance, to creative writing, to all the fine arts.

Now, I’m sure there are those who will say, “Why does he presume to talk about that? He is uninformed. He is just out of his province.” It may comfort them to know that I know that. My credentials to speak do not come from being a musician, for I’m not. I am not a composer, nor a conductor, and certainly I am not a vocalist. I cannot, for example, play the piano. I would be very unwilling to do so. However, should I be pressed to it, I could, without much difficulty, prove my point. I am not adequate as an artist, nor as a sculptor, a poet, or a writer.

But then I do not intend to train you in any of those fields. My credentials, if I have any (some of them should be obvious), relate to spiritual things.

I hope for sufficient inspiration to comment on how the Spirit of the Lord influences or is influenced by the art forms that I have mentioned. Since I have been interested in these matters, I have, over the years, listened very carefully when they have been discussed by the Brethren. I have studied expressions of my Brethren and of those who have led us in times past, in order to determine how those questions should be answered.

The reason we have not yet produced a greater heritage in art and literature and music and drama is not, I am very certain, because we have not had talented people. For over the years we have had not only good ones but great ones. Some have reached great heights in their chosen fields. But few have captured the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the restoration of it in music, in art, in literature. They have not, therefore, even though they were gifted, made a lasting contribution to the onrolling of the Church and kingdom of God in the dispensation of the fulness of times. They have therefore missed doing what they might have done, and they have missed being what they might have become. I am reminded of the statement:

“There are many who struggle and climb and finally reach the top of the ladder, only to find that it is leaning against the wrong wall.”

If you are willing to listen, I would like to express some concerns I have had over these matters and describe to you some disappointments I have heard expressed among the leaders of the Church.

That's a bit long as quotes go, but it explains why he picked the subject and why he is talking about it. So what are his concerns?

Since that statement [Elder Whitney's statement that I quoted above] was made in 1888, those foundations have been raised up very slowly. The greatest poems are not yet written, nor the paintings finished. The greatest hymns and anthems of the Restoration are yet to be composed. The sublimest renditions of them are yet to be conducted. We move forward much slower than need be, and I would like to underline some things that stand in our way.

You will quickly notice that I refer frequently to music. There is a reason for that. We use it more often. But the point that I shall make about the musician applies to all the arts: painting, poetry, drama, dance, and others.

For some reason it takes a constant vigilance on the part of priesthood leaders—both general and local—to ensure that music presented in our worship and devotional services is music that is appropriate for worship and devotional services. I have heard presidents of the Church declare after a general conference, or after a temple dedication, words to this effect (and I am quoting verbatim from one such experience):

“I suppose we did not give enough attention to the music. It seems that our musicians must take such liberties. Something spiritual was lost from our meetings because the music was not what it should have been. Next time we must remember to give them more careful instructions.”

Why is it that the President of the Church, or the president of the stake, or the bishop of the ward must be so attentive in arranging music for worship services and conference meetings? Why should the anxiety persist that if the musicians are left to do what they want to do, the result will not invite the Spirit of the Lord?

I have in the past made not altogether successful attempts to set a mood of devotion on a very sacred subject, having been invited to the pulpit immediately after a choir or choral number which was well performed but did nothing to inspire the spirit of devotion; or after a brass ensemble has rendered music that has nothing to do with spiritual inspiration.

The selections, which for other purposes might have been admirable, even impressive, failed in their inspiration simply because they were not appropriate. For some other gathering, some other time, some other place, yes—but they did not do what the hymns of the Restoration could have done. How sad when a gifted person has no real sense of propriety!

A lack of appropriateness is one concern that Elder Packer has. He gives some examples to illustrate his point. Another concern is this:

Very frequently when our musicians, particularly the more highly trained among them, are left to do what they want to do, they perform in such a way as to call attention to themselves and their ability. They do this rather than give prayerful attention to what will inspire. I do not mean “inspire” as the music or art of the world can inspire. I mean inspire!

They are not content to use the hymns and anthems of the Restoration, for such a presentation, they feel, will not demonstrate their full capacities. When pressed to do so, they may grudgingly put a hymn on the program. But it is obvious that their heart isn’t in it, for the numbers they select themselves seem to say, “Now let us show you what we really can do.”

Elder Packer's concern is not without merit. When any of us has worked hard to develop a talent and to prepare a presentation, it's a normal human temptation to want to really show our abilities. Sometimes, too, as in the case of music, we might feel that we ought to take the opportunity to do something different, something other than the same old hymns. Elder Packer has this to say:

I know there are those who think that our Church music is limited. Some with professional abilities evidently soon get very tired of it. They want to stray from it and reach out into the world. They present the argument that many of the hymns in our hymnbook were not written for the Church or by members of the Church. I know that already. And some of them are not really as compelling as they might be. Their messages are not as specific as we could have if we produced our own. But by association they have taken on a meaning that reminds members of the Church, whenever they hear them, of the restoration of the gospel, of the Lord, and of His ministry.

Sometimes, to ensure that music will be appropriate, one of the hymns or anthems of the Restoration is specifically requested. “Oh, but they sang that last conference,” our conductors will say. Indeed we did, and we preached the same gospel last conference also. The preaching of it over and over again gives it a familiar and a warm feeling. We build it into our lives.

As speakers we are not trying to impress the world with how talented we are as preachers. We are simply trying to get across, by repetition, if that’s the only way, the sacred message that has been entrusted to us.

Those of us who lead the Church are not constantly seeking new doctrine to introduce. We simply teach over and over again that which was in the beginning. It is with great difficulty that we try to pass on to the next generation, in some form of purity, that which was given to us. We will lose it if we are not wise.

He clarifies his position by adding:

The musician may say, “Do you really want us to take those few familiar hymns and present them over and over again with no introduction of anything new?” No, that is not what I would want, but it is close.

What I would desire would be to have the hymns of the Restoration characteristic of our worship services, with others added if they are appropriate. There are a great many things from elsewhere that are very appropriate. Many numbers can be used in our worship services with complete propriety.

Our hymns speak the truth as far as they go. They could speak more of it if we had more of them, specifically teaching the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

If I had my way there would be many new hymns with lyrics near scriptural in their power, bonded to music that would inspire people to worship. Think how much we could be helped by another inspired anthem or hymn of the Restoration. Think how we could be helped by an inspired painting on a scriptural theme or depicting our heritage. How much we could be aided by a graceful and modest dance, by a persuasive narrative, or poem, or drama. We could have the Spirit of the Lord more frequently and in almost unlimited intensity if we would.

He isn't against using something new and different, but it must be appropriate and on topic. Elder Packer also has these words of advice:

It is a mistake to assume that one can follow the ways of the world and then somehow, in a moment of intruded inspiration, compose a great anthem of the Restoration, or in a moment of singular inspiration paint the great painting. When it is done; it will be done by one who has yearned and tried and longed fervently to do it, not by one who has condescended to do it. It will take quite as much preparation and work as any masterpiece, and a different kind of inspiration.

There is a test you might apply if you are among the gifted. Ask yourself this question: When I am free to do what I really want to do, what will it be?

If you find that you are ashamed of our humble heritage in the arts, that ought to be something of a signal to you. Often artists are not free to create what they most desire because the market demands other things of them. But what about when you are free? Do you have a desire to produce what the Church needs? Or do you desire to convince the Church that it needs to change style so the world will feel comfortable with it? Although our artistic heritage as yet is relatively small, we are losing some of what we have—through neglect!

And then there is this:

It is sad but true that, almost as a rule, our most gifted members are drawn to the world. They who are most capable to preserve our cultural heritage and to extend it, because of the enticements of the world, seek rather to replace it. That is so easy to do because for the most part they do not have that intent. They think that what they do is to improve it. Unfortunately many of them will live to learn that indeed, “Many men struggle to climb to reach the top of the ladder, only to find that it is leaning against the wrong wall.”

I mentioned earlier that the greatest hymns and anthems have not been composed, nor have the greatest illustrations been set down, nor the poems written, nor the paintings finished. When they are produced, who will produce them? Will it be the most talented and the most highly trained among us? I rather think it will not. They will be produced by those who are the most inspired among us. Inspiration can come to those whose talents are barely adequate, and their contribution will be felt for generations; and the Church and kingdom of God will move forward just a little more easily because they have been here.

Some of our most gifted people struggle to produce a work of art, hoping that it will be described by the world as masterpiece! monumental! epic! when in truth the simple, compelling theme of “I Am a Child of God” has moved and will move more souls to salvation than would such a work were they to succeed....The ideal, of course, is for one with a gift to train and develop it to the highest possibility, including a sense of spiritual propriety. No artist in the Church who desires unselfishly to extend our heritage need sacrifice his career or an avocation, nor need he neglect his gift as only a hobby. He can meet the world and “best” it, and not be the loser. In the end, what appears to be such sacrifice will have been but a test.

Lest you think that Elder Packer is too strict and too restrictive, let me quote something else he said:

What do I think [Jesus] would think? I think He would rejoice at the playing of militant martial music as men marched to defend a righteous cause. I think that He would think there are times when illustrations should be vigorous, with bold and exciting colors. I think He would chuckle with approval when at times of recreation the music is comical or melodramatic or exciting. Or at times when a carnival air is in order that decorations be bright and flashy, even garish.

I think at times of entertainment He would think it quite in order for poetry that would make one laugh or cry—perhaps both at once. I think that He would think it would be in righteous order on many occasions to perform with great dignity symphonies and operas and ballets. I think that He would think that soloists should develop an extensive repertoire, each number to be performed at a time and in a place that is appropriate.

I would think that He would think there is a place for art work of every kinds—from the scribbled cartoon to the masterpiece in the hand-carved, gold-leaf frame.

But I am sure He would be offended at immodesty and irreverence in music, in art, in poetry, in writing, in sculpture, in dance, or in drama. I know what He would think about music or art or literature or poetry that is purely secular being introduced into our worship services. And how do I know that? Because He has told His servants that. In what ways has He told them? He has told them by either withholding, or on occasions withdrawing, His Spirit when it is done.

Near the end of his talk, Elder Packer says:

Go to, then, you who are gifted; cultivate your gift. Develop it in any of the arts and in every worthy example of them. If you have the ability and the desire, seek a career or employ your talent as an avocation or cultivate it as a hobby. But in all ways bless others with it. Set a standard of excellence. Employ it in the secular sense to every worthy advantage, but never use it profanely. Never express your gift unworthily. Increase our spiritual heritage in music, in art, in literature, in dance, in drama.

When we have done it our activities will be a standard to the world. And our worship and devotion will remain as unique from the world as the Church is different from the world. Let the use of your gift be an expression of your devotion to Him who has given it to you. We who do not share in it will set a high standard of expectation: “For of him unto whom much is given much is required.” (D&C 82:3.)

I know this is a long post and that I have quoted Elder Packer extensively, but I think his take on this topic is an important one to consider. I do recommend that you follow the link and read the entire talk (there is a lot that I didn't quote) to get the full benefit of his thoughts. I think it is also important to point out that Elder Packer and President Kimball both are speaking of developing a high level of art with gospel themes, not a high level of art that would be a resounding success in the world, although a piece of art might very well be both.

Comments?

Memorial Day - Updated

2007-05-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

Now that we are in the midst of Memorial Day weekend, may we remember what Memorial Day is truly about--remembering those in the Armed Forces who have served and now serve our wonderful country. May we remember with gratitude those who have died that we might be free. May we also remember all the wonderful things about America and why she is worth defending. America is about liberty and prosperity. She is about giving and serving and setting a fine example. May we remember how blessed we are.

Update: (per T.F. Stern's comment) Principled Discovery and

Religious Literacy

2007-05-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to a transcript from a PBS program, Religion & Ethics. It's an interview Bob Abernethy had with Professor Stephan Prothero. The interview discusses the idea that Americans are becoming illiterate as far as the Bible and religion are concerned. Young people in particular do not recognize the place of religion in history and world events, nor do they even recognize Biblical or other religious references in literature and other writings.

Professor Prothero believes that American schools should teach required courses in the Bible and in world religions. His idea is not to proselytize, but rather to just get people familiar with the contents of religious books and beliefs. The interview also contains comments from others, some of whom disagree with Professor Prothero. It's an interesting interview and one that provokes thought.

What do you think? Are people (Americans, young people, any people) becoming less and less knowledgeable about religion and scripture and the influence those things have on culture around the world? Why do you think that is the case? Would required classes in any part of K-12 be a solution or would that create more or other problems? Is this something that should stay at home and in churches? What about those who don't go to any church and whose parents don't teach any religious material at home (and perhaps aren't familiar with it themselves)? Is this any different that teaching other subjects? I'd really like to hear some viewpoints and ideas about this--it's interesting.

At the end of the program, Bob Abernethy says this:

And a footnote to our story: One frequent question about requiring a course in religion is what course now required should be dropped to make way for it? The runaway favorite choice, we found, is math.

Fun with Cooking--Updated

2007-05-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

For a change of pace, how about a post on food and cooking? I love to cook--I just am not all that crazy about the clean-up afterwards. That's part of it, though, so I muddle through.

Mostly what I am going to do is direct you to some websites that will give you all kinds of free resources to help you practice your culinary skills and learn a little history and science while you're at it.

First up, one of the most interesting websites I've ever seen is The Food Timeline. It starts at the beginning, far B.C., and lists foods, books, and recipes. You can click on any of the items and it will take you to a web page with details on that food--the history, the industry, or etc. It's fascinating and will keep you occupied forever!

Next up is Spice Advice, a site that has all kinds of resources for spicing up your meals. There is an encyclopedia, recipes, and history links. There's also a spice usage page. This is a great site for experimenting with different flavors to add to your dining experiences.

There are many sites posting recipes and you may be familiar with at least some of them, but here is an assortment for those times when you want something different to fix, or you are looking for an old favorite that you can't find your recipe for: Veggie Recipes, Recipe Hound, RecipeZaar, RecipeLand, RecipeSource Mix Recipes, RecipeSource's main page, and AllRecipes. At these types of sites, you can do searches, have your own recipe box, look for ethnic recipes or diet recipes--all kinds of things. There are many more sites, too, but these will get you started.

If you are a vegetarian or just interested in finding new ways to prepare fruits and vegetables, here are some sites to give you a hand: Vegetarian Resource Group, Vegetarian Times, Vegetarians in Paradise (they've got a great chart page for cooking beans, legumes, and grains here), International Vegetarian Union recipes, and Think Vegetables. Also, there's the Veggie Recipes site I linked above, but I don't know that it is a vegetarian site, in case that's of concern to you.

Let's see--what else do I have? Oh, yes. Medieval cooking. Try A Boke of Gode Cookery. There's lots of history and interesting information there, plus updated recipes for preparing in today's kitchens.

How about World Recipes for finding things to try from all over the world? Or you can try your hand at cheesemaking here. Oh, and here's a Gift & Mix Recipe Index. Here is Christy's Once a Month Cooking page and a powdered milk recipe page where you can try your hand at yogurt making. Robbie's Recipes has copycat recipes, mix recipes, making fancy napkin folds and lots more. Many food companies have websites with recipes or you can Google for something specific.

Your whole family can get involved in learning about food and nutrition and trying new recipes. I've seen recipes for kids to make at some of the megasites, too.

There! I've done my part to keep you all out of mischief and well-fed to boot!

Edited to add: Cook's Thesaurus (an encyclopedia of both food and equipment), Cheese Guide, Fine Cooking, The Worldwide Gourmet, Epicurious, Cooks.com, cooksrecipes, cookingvillage, Soyfoods, and Hillbilly Housewife.

Reverence for the Sacred

2007-05-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

In a 7 November 2004 CES fireside, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Presidency of the Seventy, gave a talk called "A Sense of the Sacred". I have linked to it so you can read it in its entirety, but I will highlight a few of Elder Christofferson's comments.

We are becoming more and more casual in our modern life. People seldom dress up much, if any, for anything anymore. Jeans and t-shirts, sneakers or flip-flops, are the order of the day. Speech has also become very casual and full of catch phrases from movies or pop songs. Conversation is often about sports or celebrities or other casual events.

I grew up in a much different world, where people dressed up for church and for special events of various kinds, such as weddings and graduations. Now it is not uncommon to see people in t-shirts for such events. People like to be comfortable, I know. I do, too. But there is a time and a place for everything, and I believe that we should show our respect for important and/or sacred occasions. I believe we should speak quietly and intelligently on such occasions and also act accordingly. Our behavior shows what we think of these special occasions.

Elder Christofferson said, early in his talk, that:

The importance of having a sense of the sacred is simply this—if one does not appreciate holy things, he will lose them. Absent a feeling of reverence, he will grow increasingly casual in attitude and lax in conduct. He will drift from the moorings that his covenants with God could provide. His feeling of accountability to God will diminish and then be forgotten. Thereafter, he will care only about his own comfort and satisfying his uncontrolled appetites. Finally, he will come to despise sacred things, even God, and then he will despise himself.

On the other hand, with a sense of the sacred, one grows in understanding and truth. The Holy Spirit becomes his frequent and then constant companion. More and more he will stand in holy places and be entrusted with holy things. Just the opposite of cynicism and despair, his end is eternal life.

Paradoxically, much of what I want to convey cannot really be passed from one person to another. It must grow from within. But if I can help you think about some things in a contemplative way, then the Spirit may work in you so that you will not need me or anyone else to tell you what is sacred or how to respond—you will feel it for yourself. It will be part of your nature; indeed, much of it already is.

That is a good summary of the importance of holding sacred things sacred. He touches on many of the topics I touched on in my opening paragraphs above, but his emphasis is on that which is sacred. Regarding prophets and scripture, he says:

Consider first the matter of prophets and scripture. One thing we see around us, and sometimes even in ourselves, is a tendency to treat lightly the messengers of God and their messages. This is not new. Since Adam’s time many have ignored and even attacked those the Lord has sent in His name....It was the ultimate sacrilege that Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, was rejected and even put to death. And it continues. In many parts of the world today we see a growing rejection of the Son of God. His divinity is questioned. His gospel is deemed irrelevant. In day-to-day life, His teachings are ignored. Those who legitimately speak in His name find little respect in secular society.

Elder Christofferson has a suggestion:

You might ask yourself, “Do I see the calling of the prophets and apostles as sacred? Do I treat their counsel seriously, or is it a light thing with me?” President Gordon B. Hinckley, for instance, has counseled us to pursue education and vocational training; to avoid pornography as a plague; to respect women; to eliminate consumer debt; to be grateful, smart, clean, true, humble, and prayerful; and to do our best, our very best.

Do your actions show that you want to know and do what he teaches? Do you actively study his words and the statements of the Brethren? Is this something you hunger and thirst for? If so, you have a sense of the sacredness of the calling of prophets as the witnesses and messengers of the Son of God.

Regarding scripture, he has this though-provoking comment:

We hold in our hands a considerable volume of scripture. The records stretch back to the early patriarchs and forward to our own lifetimes. I suppose this is more scripture than has ever been had by a people in history, and certainly it is more widely available than ever scripture was in the past. I am sure that if you or I held in our hands the original scrolls that Moses wrote upon or the very metal plates that Mormon had inscribed, we would feel a deep sense of reverence and awe and would treat those objects with great care. And so we should, because they are sacred objects, made so in part by the labor and sacrifice of the holy prophets who so painstakingly prepared them.

But the greatest value of such scrolls or plates is not in the objects themselves but in the words they contain. They are sacred because they are the words of God, and while we may not hold the original documents, we do hold the words. Therefore, what we have is holy—holy writ.

Having been granted possession of the recorded words of God, we should ask ourselves if we are respecting the sacred nature of this record. Some have violated the sacredness of the scriptures by ridiculing or denying their validity. That, of course, is a very serious matter.

But for most of us, who readily acknowledge the truthfulness of the standard works, if we are ever guilty of disrespecting the sacred nature of scriptures, it is by neglect. The risk we must guard against day to day is the tendency to treat lightly, or even ignore, the sacred word.

I think we all take our prophets and our scriptures for granted at times. It would be good if we would stop and think about the great value these things have for us and the remarkable gifts from God that they are.

In his talk, Elder Christofferson covers other areas where our respect and reverence and appreciation can and should be improved. I hope that you will read it and give it some thought. It's not just for the young people, although it can help them also.

We are all about independent thought and action--surely we won't mind showing respect and reverence, even if those around us do not.

Random Thoughts from a Random Mind

2007-05-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

I took last week off from posting to my blogs because I had been felled by respiratory flu/bronchitis/the plague or whatever it was I had. I am feeling much better now. I think I'm going to live!

I have added to my gospel library by ordering the Institute/Seminary manuals on CD from Church Distribution. I also got the scripture mastery cards and the bookmarks. Having joined the church at age 21, I missed out on a lot of the opportunities for study that others have enjoyed, so I am excited about having these resources.

We are getting more rain in Oklahoma and everything looks wonderfully green. Flowers are blooming and birds are singing. It lifts one's spirits immensely when spring arrives. It's been a bit warm and humid, though, and yesterday the air conditioner at the office wasn't doing it's job. We also had to evacuate for awhile because a sensor in the basement went off. Turned out to be nothing, but the fire department did come out and check on things.

I am studying for a test related to my work so that contributes to keeping me out of mischief. I find it interesting to study insurance, but I imagine that sounds boring to many. I've worked for insurance companies for 23 1/2 years, and I find that the more I know, the more interesting it becomes. I enjoy my job as a commercial lines underwriter and I love talking to my agents. I'm afraid they don't enjoy talking to me, though, when I have to say no to some policy they want me to write.

I still get all wound up over politics (see my blog, Scholar). I worry about people and how they are affected by the laws and policies that are put into place. Where do we draw the line between generous giving and "tough love"? What is best for people and do they understand that sometimes the best way is the hardest?

Writing continues to be a major passion, but I don't put enough time into it (see my blog, Writing Blog). Maybe someday I will learn how to manage my time better! And maybe I will learn to not be overwhelmed into inaction. I do love to write and am grateful for the outlet that my blogs give me.

The gospel is a central part of my life, of course. I try to understand that not everyone views the gospel the way that I do. The last thing I want to be is difficult. Still, I do take a view that the way is "strait and narrow." Let's face it--I am an old-fashioned conservative in most areas of my life. I wish everyone would try to be as accepting of that as I try to be of other viewpoints. Perhaps if I try harder....

Has anyone read any good books lately? Tell me about them!