The Unplanned

 

I have been serving as a teacher to the 8 year old children in my congregation.  I have loved it!  Each Sunday, we have a lesson on an aspect of living the gospel, such as being honest or developing your talents.  For some time, I have been wanting to have them over for an ice cream party, but twice I had to cancel for one reason or another (after sending them invitations in the mail).

Last Sunday, we tentatively planned for Tuesday after school.  Later, though, I realized my son had a Dr. appointment at that time and there was a meeting for parents that evening.  So I didn't plan on it.

Tuesday came, and I was sitting in the Dr.'s office with my son when I got a call from my 8 year old boy (who is in my primary class), telling me that kids were showing up.  "Oh no."  I thought.  "I'm not there, and I wanted to give notice to parents that we were doing it, and...oh well."

I asked my older daughters to oversee dishing out some ice cream and playing some games and I'd be home soon.  I quickly texted the rest of the parents' children, explaining that we are having ice cream at my house, and those kids came.  Eventually all of my class was there but one.  I showed up to a house full of fun-- nerf gun wars and dress ups.  I washed some bowls and served ice cream to those who hadn't had some.  It was loud and crazy, and wonderful.

I had planned to have my house clean for this event.  It was pretty messy.  I had planned to give parents a few days notice.  Totally overrated in this case.  I had planned to have cute paperware to serve the ice cream in, and lots of toppings and such.  They didn't care.  I had wondered how to keep them all entertained for 2 hours.  They entertained themselves, and had much more fun than if I had been there telling them how I thought we should have fun ("okay let's play a game of boolah boolah!")

I had a much better time, and much less stress, when the children took the lead and reminded me what it is like to be a kid.  Live in the moment and laugh.  And don't worry if your house or the decorations aren't perfect.  Actually, it is better and more relaxing that way.

A fascinating thing to me is to think about how the Savior spent his days.  I can't see Him sitting down with the apostles in the morning saying, "Today's agenda is as follows:  Sermon at 10 o'clock, Healings at 1, Rebuking devils at 3 and Water to Wine at 6.  Does everybody have that in their planners?  Okay let's go."  I can't see him rushing around in stress, trying to get to everything and everyone at once.

 

Rather, I see the Savior as the Master of the moment.  Seeing a present need.  Seeing someone in pain or someone who needed teaching, and doing what He needed to do for them, right then.  He had power to call down angels and force everyone to listen to Him, but instead He found the real power in spending an hour or two with those who came to Him.  He responded to the needs of Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the woman with the issue of blood, and many more.  When Mary chose to sit at His feet, He taught her.

I hope and pray to be more like my Savior.  To look at life not as a task list, but as an opportunity to be with and serve wonderful people.  To strive not to make perfection out of this messy mortality, but to seek the perfection that will come through Christ, for all those who seek Him, in an eternal and distant day. 

General Conference

Twice a year.

October and April.

6 sessions, each 2 hours long.

Talks and music are given to inspire the general membership of our church.

I love it.

As a conference gets closer, I yearn to hear the words of our leaders.

I was especially impressed this year with the Women's meeting.  The leaders of our Young Women, Primary-aged Girls, and Adult Sisters spoke.  They are powerful emissaries of Christ.

Here is one such leader, Jean A. Stevens:

Here is a link to her talk.

I love Spirit she carries with her!

I also loved hearing from Thomas S. Monson.  He encouraged us to "Ponder the Path of Thy Feet" (line from Proverbs), and follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ.

You can go here to find a full list of General Conference Speakers and subjects.

I testify that Prophets and Apostles walk the earth!  God loves us just as much as all of His children who lived in previous times.  He sent them prophets such as Moses, Abraham, and Noah to teach His children of Him.  His pattern today is the same.  We live in a wicked world and we need light and revelation which comes from these inspired leaders.

Book of Mormon

Fasting

I believe in fasting.

In Isaiah 58, the promises associated with fasting are great:

 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.

 9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

 11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Aren't the writings of Isaiah so beautiful?  They are food for the soul.  I have found that these promises have materialized in my life as I have practiced the law of the fast.  

Prayer + Fasting = Powerful Prayer!!!

Set Forth into the Sea...

 I read a passage of scripture today which I had read dozens of times previously.  This time, however, based on the context of my present life, the words became new to me.  DON'T YOU JUST LOVE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS?  Fresh insights flooded my mind and spirit.

The story is of a family who wants to find the promised land, an ocean away.  They have built some barges under the direction of the Lord.  They have come up with some creative lighting options (glowing stones which have been touched by the Lord), and they are one their way.  I will comment in red below...

 2 For it came to pass after the Lord had prepared the stones which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount, the brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did put forth the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end thereof; and behold, they did give light unto the vessels.
Jared had the idea to offer stones to the Lord to light.  The Lord touched these stones, which became lights for them in their boats.  The Lord has power to light up our lives and help us see in a world filled with darkness.

 3 And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.
The Lord gives this light to all children, regardless of age or gender.

 4 And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them—and it came to pass that when they had done all these things they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.
I love the last part of this!  We must "set forth" in the voyages of our lives, even though we cannot see what is ahead.  If we "commend ourselves" to the Lord, he will protect us in this journey of life.

 5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.
Sometimes He lets the storms blow.  Sometimes it takes a strong wind to move us and keep us from becoming comfortable and growth-free!

 6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.
At times we may feel absolutely buried as we travel along!  

 7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.
Although I know the experiences of this life can be so overwhelming,  there is such surety and safety in following Christ.  Even when the world is encroaching all around us and threatening to seep into our homes, we can be safe and protected if we maintain our standards.  We can even "come out on top"!

 8 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.
Just when we get comfortable, more winds will come, pushing us toward new destinations.  From Thomas S. Monson:

       "Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life."

 

Thomas S. Monson, October 2013 General Conference

 

 9 And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.
It is possible, and good, to be thankful in the midst of trial!  From President Uchtdorf:

"We can choose to be grateful, no matter what.

This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2014 General Conference
 

 10 And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.
 This makes me think of the scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5:5

" Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."

 11 And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.
For almost a year they were in these barges!  That would get old, really fast.  Sometimes it seems that we will have the problems of mortality forever.  I think of these scriptures when I need comfort:

 1 Corinthians 2:9

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

Doctrine and Covenants 58:3

"Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation."

God looks down on us with loving watchfulness as we journey along.  He has great things prepared for us to experience after our mortal journey, thanks be to the Savior!  
 

 12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them.

I KNOW that one day I will bow down before the Lord, shedding tears of joy "because of the multitude of his tender mercies" over me.  He has saved me, blessed me, carried me and loved me all my days.  I am forever indebted to him for his kindness and constant care!

Moroni

I was just reading some words from a great prophet named Moroni.  His writings are found at the end of the Book of Mormon.  He was the last to write in this great book.  His father, Mormon, was the chief compiler of this Book, and he passed it on to his son, who was the last living soul in his family to survive. 

He says in Moroni chapter 1:

1 Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.

 2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.

 3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.

 Moroni buried the golden plates in the ground, on a hill in present day Palmyra, New York.  He finished his writings with this awesome injunction:

Moroni 10:32

 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.

Hundreds of years later, he appeared to Joseph Smith, as an angel, and told him of the record deposited in the earth:

 

 Joseph Smith later found the plates, and eventually was able to translate them into English through the power of God.  This was brought forth as the Book of Mormon.  It has now been translated into 82 languages!

 

 A statue of Moroni graces the steeple of many of our temples.  He is blowing a trumpet, which is a symbol of proclaiming the truth to the world.   He represents the angel who John prophesied about:

 

Revelation 14:6

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people..."

 

 Moroni has a special role to play in the spreading of the gospel.  One day, he will be there at judgment:

Ether 12:38 "And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood."

This great prophet has given his life to the cause of Christ.  I am excited to meet him someday.

Apostles

In Jesus' time, He ordained 12 men to stand beside him and to lead his flock.  These twelve were each unique.  The path they took to discipleship was different.  Some were fishermen.  One was a tax collector.  They were strong personalities who would need to bear up the weight of following Christ and helping others come unto Him. 

Christ didn't choose His apostles from the ranks of the Sadducees and Pharisees.  He chose laymen-- working men-- who weren't vying for such a position.  He asked them to "leave their nets" and follow him.  And they did. 

In our day, we also have Apostles who are called to be Special Witnesses of Christ to all the world. 

 

These twelve living apostles have been called from the ranks of working men.  None of them campaigned to be an apostle.  They simply lived lives of service and discipleship and were chosen to lead us by the Lord.

These men have had a profound effect on my life.  I know they are called of God.  Twice a year, they speak to the membership of our church through a broadcast called General Conference.  Their words are the words the Lord inspires them to say, just as Prophets of old wrote inspired words, or scriptures, for us to have as a guide. 

In Doctrine and Covenants Section 68:4 it says:

"And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." 

In other words, when these men speak, we feel they are acting as mouthpieces for the Lord.

One of the documents the Apostles have written together is called The Living Christ.  It is a beautiful witness of these men who love the Lord.

 

One of my favorite apostles during the time of Christ was Peter.  I love his zeal and energy.  

One of my favorite apostles today is Jeffrey R. Holland.

He delivers wonderful sermons.  Here is one to enjoy: "And None Were with Him"

Resurrection

My son has all kinds of questions about the resurrection lately. 

"Will we get cold?"

"Will we sleep?"

"Will there be war?"

"Will we need food?"

"Could we stick a knife in ourselves and not die?"


You know, eight-year-old kind of questions. 

But they are actually very good ones, and they have caused me to think about the subject.

Jesus Christ broke the bands of death, that we might all be resurrected:

1 Corinthians 15:20   But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

In answer to my son's question about whether or not we will eat, Christ showed us an answer.  After his resurrection, he appeared to his disciples.

Luke 24:
36 ¶And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

He showed that a resurrected person can eat. (I think he was just proving to them that he was really back, in the flesh). 


From the Book of Mormon:

Alma 11:
42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.

 43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.

 44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.

Resurrection is a free gift that will come to all of us as a result of Christ's atonement.  

In the book of John, chapter 5, we read:

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

This means that according to the way we lived our lives, we will be resurrected with different groups.

I have wondered why it is so important that we are resurrected.  Why couldn't we just live on and on as spirits and be happy?  The Book of Mormon provides an answer in 2 Nephi 9:8-9:

 8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.

 9 And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.

In other words,  if we were to never be resurrected, we would become angels to a devil and like unto him, the great deceiver.  He will never have the privilege of getting a body.  There is something very sacred and precious about having a tangible body.

In the Doctrine and Covenants we read a revelation about those who have passed on to the other side of the veil:

Section 138:50 For the dead had looked upon the long absence of their spirits from their bodies as a bondage.

These spirits wanted their bodies back.  There are many things you can only do if you have a physical body.

We also learn from the Doctrine and Covenants what the Father and the Son look like:

130:22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also...

God the Father and the Son both have bodies that are tangible.  We could touch them and see them and embrace them.

From the Bible:

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I have hope in a glorious resurrection!

Gender

Boys and girls are different.

 

 (am I allowed to say that?)

Girls have soft bodies that are equipped to have and feed babies.

Boys have more muscular bodies that enable them to do heavy lifting and protect their family.

In the Bible, it states that God made Male and Female children.

In "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", it states:

"Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."

To me, this means that I have been a female from the beginning of my existence.  The spirit inside my body is a feminine spirit.  God placed that spirit in a body which would grow and develop into a woman.  I have been given tendencies to nurture and to care for others.

 

My children are growing up in a world where many would neutralize gender.  The world wants to make the fact that a person is male or female immaterial.

I want my sons and daughters and eventually my grandsons and granddaughters to know that their gender is sacred and comes with special roles unique to them.  Again from the Proclamation:  "By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."

In our faith, men hold the priesthood and preside over their families and church congregations.  Does this make me jealous?  Absolutely not.  Priesthood holders have a huge responsibility.  They hold the power of God, to act in His name.  Everything that is done by the power of the priesthood is an act of service.  The priesthood is not something that is meant to vaunt men above women.  It is actually a power which requires humility in order to exercise.  Here are some warnings to priesthood holders contained in Doctrine and Covenants (modern day scripture), Section 121: 


34 Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

 35 Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

 36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.

 37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.

 38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.

 39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.

 40 Hence many are called, but few are chosen.

 41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

 42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—

 (In other words, the Lord expects a lot of the men he allows to hold His priesthood)

In another section of scripture, the Lord instructs Emma Smith in her role as a wife:

2 A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.

 3 Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.

...

 5 And the office of thy calling shall be for a comfort unto ... thy husband, in his afflictions, with consoling words, in the spirit of meekness.

...

 7 And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.

 8 For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much.

 ...

 10 And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.

 11 And it shall be given thee, also, to make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church.

 12 For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

 13 Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made.

 14 Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. ...

 15 Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.

 16 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all. Amen.

This section contains counsel that applies to all women.  I highlighted my favorite passages, which have given me direction and guidance at various times in my life.  

I love the fact that Heavenly Father placed men and women on the earth to teach and complement each other.  Though there are several things on this earth that both men and women are capable of doing, there are some things that my husband cannot do, and there are some things I cannot do!  I need him, and he needs me!

Spiritual Gifts

My mother-in-law can sense the presence of angels.  She has a pure sensitivity to those on the other side.

Sometimes it makes me jealous.

But, I have come to realize that her gift is not my gift, and that is okay.

I feel that my gift is to testify of truth.  That is, in part, why I started writing this blog.

In the Book of Mormon, the very last chapter contains some beautiful writings  (if you were to close a long letter to your posterity, what words would you include in closing?).  We learn a little bit about spiritual gifts:


Moroni 10:

8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;

10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;

13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;

14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;

15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;

16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.

17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.


I hope we can all use the gifts the Lord has given us to bless the world.

The Sabbath

 

One day out of seven is sacred.  One day to rest, to worship, to grow closer as a family, to "set aside the things of this world".

I love the Sabbath.

I quote from pieces of a talk by James E. Faust, an apostle:

July 31, 1920–August 10, 2007

"Ever since Adam’s day the divine law of the Sabbath has been emphasized repeatedly over the centuries more than any other commandment. This long emphasis alone is an indication of its importance. In Genesis, we learn that God himself set the example for us in the creation of the earth:

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

“And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (Gen. 2:1–3.)"

"Jesus reaffirmed the importance of the Sabbath day devotion, but he introduced a new spirit into this part of worship. (See Matt. 24:20.) Rather than observe the endless technicalities and prohibitions concerning what should and should not be done on the Lord’s day, he affirmed that it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath. (See Matt. 12:12.) He taught us that “the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day” (Matt. 12:8) and introduced the principle that “the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27). He performed good deeds on the Sabbath, such as healing the man with palsy (see Mark 2:1–12) as well as the man with the paralyzed hand (see Matt. 12:10–13). So the divine mandate of Sabbath day observance in our day is now more of a manifestation of individual devotion and commitment rather than a requirement of civil law.

The great modern-day revelation on Sabbath day worship is contained in section 59 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

“For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

“Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

“But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

“And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.” (D&C 59:9–13.)

This great commandment is culminated with a promise: “Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth.” (D&C 59:16.) To have the benefit of all of God’s creations is a very significant promise.

Keeping the Sabbath day holy is much more than just physical rest. It involves spiritual renewal and worship. President Spencer W. Kimball gave excellent counsel on Sabbath day observance. He said:

“The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things. Abstinence from work and recreation is important but insufficient. The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it. To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, sleeping, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day to which he is expected. To fail to do these proper things is a transgression on the omission side.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, pp. 96–97.)"

“Other appropriate Sabbath activities, such as strengthening family ties, visiting the sick and the homebound, giving service to others, writing personal and family histories, genealogical work, and missionary work, should be carefully planned and carried out."--First Presidency letter-- Feb 1, 1980

Today was sacred because I had the chance to take the sacrament, sing in church with my daughters, teach a lesson on obedience to some 7 year olds, take a nap and go for a little walk, watch my kids play a board game together, have dinner around the table with my family, and wait for our grandparents to come and visit!  All in all, a peaceful and wonderful day.  

Angels

Sometimes,  when I am having a lonely or ponderous moment, I will feel someone by my side.  I can't see her, but I know my grandma is there to comfort me.  She has been a guiding presence all my life.  Now that she has passed on to the other side, sometimes I feel that she is an even more powerful guide. 

We believe in angels.  Not angels with wings, but angels who look like us.  Patterned in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). 

In the history of Joseph Smith, he describes an angel who visited him:

     "While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
 

      He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.

      Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me."

 

This was the angel Moroni, one of the writers of the Book of Mormon.  He returned to visit the earth as an angel in order to help Joseph Smith bring forth and translate the gold plates.   

We learn a little bit about the ministry of angels in Doctrine and Covenants, section 130:5, which states:

there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.

It makes sense to me, as a member of a family, that the Lord would ask those who have died to minister to their loved ones.  What angel would love me more than a grandparent?  

One of my favorite scripture stories is found in 2 Kings 6:16-17.  Elisha the prophet is surrounded by the Syrian army, ready to attack.  When Elisha's servant freaks out at the posing threat,  this is the prophet's response:

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Elisha showed the young man that truly, they were surrounded by angels, ready to fight their battles.  

I think we will be surprised after we die to realized how many times angels intervened in our behalf.  

 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, in a talk entitled The Ministry of Angels, gives examples of angelic ministration in just one portion of the New Testament:

"When the time for this Savior’s advent was at hand, an angel was sent to announce to Mary that she was to be the mother of the Son of God. ³  Then a host of angels was commissioned to sing on the night the baby Jesus was born. ⁴  Shortly thereafter an angel would announce to Joseph that the newborn baby was in danger and that this little family must flee to Egypt for safety. ⁵  When it was safe to return, an angel conveyed that information to the family and the three returned to the land of their heritage." ⁶

 

 

The Bible and Book of Mormon are filled with such accounts, where angels are sent to perform the work of God.  

I know that angels continue to bless us today, and carry out the errands given to them.

Truly,

They that be with us are more than they that be with them!

 

Music

I'm sitting here listening to the Piano Guys radio on Pandora and loving it.  The mix of songs has lifted my spirits today as I made coffee cake and readied my children to go.

Music has a powerful impact on the brain.

From a CNN article, "This is Your Brain on Music", April 15th, 2013:

Health benefits of music

"We're using music to better understand brain function in general," said Daniel Levitin, a prominent psychologist who studies the neuroscience of music at McGill University in Montreal."....
 

"Listening to music feels good, but can that translate into physiological benefit? Levitin and colleagues published a meta-analysis of 400 studies in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, suggesting the answer is yes.

In one study reviewed, researchers studied patients who were about to undergo surgery. Participants were randomly assigned to either listen to music or take anti-anxiety drugs. Scientists tracked patient's ratings of their own anxiety, as well as the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The results: The patients who listened to music had less anxiety and lower cortisol than people who took drugs. Levitin cautioned that this is only one study, and more research needs to be done to confirm the results, but it points toward a powerful medicinal use for music.

"The promise here is that music is arguably less expensive than drugs, and it's easier on the body and it doesn't have side effects," Levitin said.

Levitin and colleagues also highlighted evidence that music is associated with immunoglobin A, an antibody linked to immunity, as well as higher counts of cells that fight germs and bacteria."

Later in the article:

"Brain regions involved in movement, attention, planning and memory consistently showed activation when participants listened to music -- these are structures that don't have to do with auditory processing itself. This means that when we experience of music, a lot of other things are going on beyond merely processing sound, Abrams said.

One resulting theory is that these brain areas are involved in holding particular parts of a song, such as the melody, in the mind while the rest of the piece of music plays on, Abrams said.

The results also reflect the power of music to unite people, Levitin said.

"It's not our natural tendency to thrust ourselves into a crowd of 20,000 people, but for a Muse concert or a Radiohead concert we'll do it," Levitin said. "There's this unifying force that comes from the music, and we don't get that from other things."

In our faith, the most sacred meeting we attend is Sacrament Meeting.  This happens every Sunday, and we partake of the emblems of our Lord's Sacrifice.   During the Sacrament, we are encouraged to be reverent and quiet, and to ponder on the ways we can repent and grow closer to Christ.  We commit to involve Him more fully in our lives.  What sets the stage for this special experience?  A sacred hymn, sung together.  

One of my favorites:

1. 1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
   Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
   I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
   That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
2. (Chorus)
   Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
   Enough to die for me!
   Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!
3. 2. I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
   To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
   That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
   Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.
4. 3. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!
   Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
   No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,
   Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.
   
   
   The singing of a hymn greatly unites our congregation and prepares us for a special experience.  
   In the New Testament,  Christ had his disciples sing with him before he performed the atonement:
   
   
   Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
   Just before He was to give up His life, he found solace and strength in singing together with his beloved Apostles.  
   
   
   
   In our church history,  Joseph Smith asked a friend to sing this hymn to him as they were preparing for their inevitable attack from a mob.  
   
   
   Last night, when my children were a bit rowdy and needed help settling down for family prayer,  we sang this hymn.
   
   
   And later, as my child of three would not be comforted, I sang a little song to him, one of my favorites.   This seemed to help.
   
   
   We have this counsel from our leaders in the beginning of our Hymn book:  
   
   
   "Teach your children to love the hymns. Sing them on the Sabbath, in home evening, during scripture study, at prayer time. Sing as you work, as you play, and as you travel together. Sing hymns as lullabies to build faith and testimony in your young ones."
   
   
   I testify of the power of music.  It soothes my soul, brings me peace, teaches me principles, and makes me happy!

Promptings and Squirrels

Our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, counsels us as members of the church to follow the promptings that come to us.  These could also be described as feelings or ideas that come from our conscience.  We have all had the experience of feeling like we should do something good or say something kind.  When we follow that feeling we are serving Christ.

In one of my FAVORITE scriptures there is the following phrase:

"...the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."  
2 Nephi 32:3

I know this to be true!  The words of Christ come in various forms.  One, of course, is the revealed word of God spoken to us through Prophets.  We have these words in the form of scripture.

Another way Christ speaks to us is through the invaluable, beautiful language of the Spirit.  The Spirit will tell us what we should do and will not lead us down wrong paths.

I have started a simple exercise.  I am keeping a prompting journal.  In it, I write down the things I feel the Holy Ghost is telling me to do. (write a thank you card, give someone a call, treat a particular child with more mercy...)  I will keep this little notebook handy and write down the feelings that come to me.  When I follow through with that prompting, I put a check mark by it.  When I go to bed at night and see that I haven't carried out the Lord's desires and therefore can't mark that thing as done, I will resolve to do that the next day.

My (not so fancy) little notebook.



It is sooo easy to get distracted by the "shiny" things in this world, and to lose focus on the fact that there are people to serve all around us!

In the movie "Up", by Disney, there is a darling dog who is constantly distracted by squirrels.  He can't seem to focus on what he should be doing if there is a squirrel around! 

 

 I think we are all similar to this dog.  There are different distractions which appeal to each of us.  These distractions keep us from doing those things that are precious and important.  

Examples:  

We spend time flipping through our smart phone notifications when we are with people we rarely see (smartphones are the biggest squirrels sometimes!). 

We hesitate to do something for someone because the timing or our appearance or the climate or our mood isn't just perfect (perfectionism: squirrel)

We focus so much on how to decorate our homes that we don't pay enough attention to the people living in them. (home beautification websites can be a squirrel for me if I let them).

Today,  I'd like to try really hard to pray to know what the Lord would have me do with my time and then to do it!  

Here is a sweet story from the life of Thomas S. Monson, when he was serving as an Apostle:

One weekend in August 1974 an unexpected change of conference assignment came, sending Elder Monson to the Shreveport Louisiana Stake. The Saturday afternoon schedule was filled with a busy slate of meetings. Rather apologetically, the stake president asked Brother Monson if time would permit him to provide a blessing to ten-year-old Christal Methvin, who was afflicted with cancer. Brother Monson said he would be pleased to do so and then asked if she would be coming to the conference meetings or if she were confined to a Shreveport hospital. Almost reluctantly, the stake president said Christal was unable to leave her home many miles from Shreveport. 

 Elder Monson examined the meeting schedule and found that there simply was no available time. As an alternative, he suggested that she be remembered in the public prayers which would be offered throughout the conference. Surely, he consoled, the Lord would understand and bless the Methvin family accordingly. 

 Prior to the stake conference, and unbeknown to Brother Monson, Christal had lost her leg to surgery, only to discover later that the cancer had spread to her tiny lungs. A trip had been planned to Salt Lake City, where she might receive a blessing from one of the General Authorities. The Methvins knew none of the Brethren personally, so they placed before Christal a picture of all the Church leaders. She pointed to the photograph of Elder Thomas S. Monson and said, “I would like him to give me a blessing.” 

 But Christal’s condition had deteriorated so rapidly that the flight to Salt Lake City had to be cancelled. She was growing weaker in body but not in faith. She said, “Since a General Authority is coming to our stake conference, why not Brother Monson? If I can’t go to him, the Lord can send him to me.” At about the same time, Brother Monson received the unexpected change in his stake conference assignment which sent him to Shreveport. 

 As one final favor to Christal, the family agreed to kneel by her bedside and ask for just one more blessing; the chance to enjoy Brother Monson’s personal visit. 

 After receiving word from the stake president that Brother Monson would be unable to visit Christal because of the extremely tight meeting schedule, the Methvins were understandably very disappointed. They knelt again around Christal’s bedside, pleading for a final favor on her behalf: that somehow her desire for a blessing at the hands of Brother Monson would be realized. 

 At the very moment the Methvin family knelt around Christal’s bed, Elder Monson was shuffling his notes, preparing to speak at the concluding portion of the Saturday evening session. However, as he began his move to the pulpit, a voice whispered in near-audible tones a brief but very familiar message: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” 

 His notes became a blur. He attempted to pursue the theme of the meeting as outlined, but the name and image of Christal Methvin would not leave his mind. Then, ever faithful to the precious gift so demonstrably his, he responded to the spiritual message. He instructed that changes in the next day’s conference schedule be made, whatever the cost in confusion and disruption. Then the meeting continued. 

 After a very early Sunday drive over many miles, Elder Monson gazed down upon a child too ill to rise, too weak to speak. Her illness had now rendered her sightless. Deeply touched by the scene and the Spirit of the Lord which was so prevalent, Brother Monson dropped to his knees and took the child’s frail hand in his own. “Christal,” he whispered, “I am here.” 

 With great effort she whispered back, “Brother Monson, I just knew you would come.”

President Monson has a special gift of seeing the ONE.  One person who needs his love and ministry at that moment.  Is this not unlike our Savior?  There are sweet scriptural scenes of Christ serving one person, which led to great good:

Healing the woman with an issue of blood.

Speaking to the woman at the well.

Teaching Nicodemus of being born again.

Raising Peter from the depths of the sea.

Appearing to Mary after his resurrection.

Can you imagine how each of these people felt after having this interaction with their Savior?  Their lives were never the same as a result!  I hope to follow Jesus and seek for a moment with someone who needs lifting today.