Life is Wonderful!

EBSCOhost: Publications: Art Book

2010-06-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

Busy Week and More to Come

2009-08-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

I have been reading my scriptures everyday but I haven't kept up my blog. I apologize. Life is going to get extremely busy for the next two weeks. I am in the last days of this term at school and that means that I have 2 projects and my final portfolio to put together by the 9th of September. So I will most likely be logging on my notes on the Sabbath. But this morning I have a few minutes to put down my thoughts so I will bring things up to date.

I've been reading 2 Nephi 15 (Isaiah 5) and it has taken a great deal of thought and prayer to understand the symbolism of this chapter. I am grateful for my years of teaching seminary and gospel doctrine because the things I learned during those years have returned as I have studied this chapter.

verses 1-2 are filled with symbols that the Savior used when He was teaching those in Jerusalem and surrounding areas.
vineyard = (see vs 7) the house of Israel, therefore, anyone today who have made covenants with the Lord need to pay attention since we are the house of Israel today.
fence/hedge = a means of protection from predators
gathered out stones = cultivating the land in preparation for planting
choicest vine = (see vs 7) men of Judah; today I am thinking the priesthood bearers and those blessed by the priesthood
tower = a means to see danger when it is far away; today it could symbolize the Prophet and General Authorities of the Church
wine press = always associated with the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ and can be associated with the trials and tribulations of mortality that refine our souls

verses 5-6 show the consequences of rejecting the ways of the Lord
hedge removed & breaking of the wall = protection of the Lord is gone
eaten up = disease and predators devour the plants [children of the covenant]
not pruned or digged = the care of the Lord is removed and weeds take over the garden is strangled, today when we choose to ignore the Holy Ghost and/or break our covenants we will loose the care of the Lord in our lives and we are left to ourselves
no rain = water is a basic need of every living thing, the garden will experience great harm when water is withheld for only a short period of time; today without the guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost we will loose our way very rapidly in a world that no longer values the ways of the Lord and calls wickedness righteousness.

September 1, 2009 Yes, life has gotten so very busy, the last 9 days of this term are upon me and I have not kept current with this blog. But I have kept current with my reading. Let me finish transcribing my handwritten notes:

2 Nephi 15:7-25 The people of the House of Israel loose blessings and the protection of the Lord because they choose to follow the ways of the world around them. They choose to live to fit into the society that does not believe in the Lord or His ways. We must learn from this example that the consequences of such decisions are dire. Humility and repentance are keys to reconciliation with God.

The Lord lists the sins that causes the people to draw away from Him in verses 18-23: vanity, arrogance, deception (calling evil good and seeing darkness as light), pride, addiction, and oppression/force. The consequence of making these choice is experiencing the anger of the Lord and the destruction of their souls.

Isaiah foretells our time in verses 26-29 when he sees the restoration of the gospel and the Lord's church on the earth. We have now reached the point where the sun truly does not set on the Church. Missionaries are sharing the gospel message throughout the world every hours of the day. It is a remarkable time to live in. And the promises of the Lord will be fulfilled to our blessing or destruction according to the choices we make.

2 Nephi 16 (Isaiah 6) I don't understand this chapter and I am grateful for the chapter heading to direct my attention to the important portions (1) Isaiah sees God, (2) he is forgiven of his sins, (3) he was called as a prophet to teach the people, and (4) we are told that we can perceive the Holy Ghost in our lives by humbly seeking to see with our eyes the hand of the Lord in our lives, hear the whispering of the still small voice, and feel with our heart the converting power of the Spirit. When we do the Lord promises us that He will heal us from the affects of mortality that cause harm to our bodies and spirits.

2 Nephi 17 (Isaiah 7) This chapter relates to war but we can glean important counsel from the Lord to (1) take heed--pay attention, listen carefully to the Lord through the Spirit, our Leaders, and our impressions; (2) be quiet--turn off the world and its influences for a time each day to communicate with Heavenly Father; (3) fear not--trust that the Lord will keep His promises and that man has no power in comparison to Heavenly Father so whatever he may do will not have a lasting impact on our eternal lifes unless we allow it; (4) be not faint hearted--don't give up or give in to the "what if..." of mortality; overcome procrastination, and don't be discouraged while waiting upon the Lord. (5) "if ye will not believe" be aware that the Lord can do nothing in our lives without our faith in the Savior--we must be believing. Finally we must know that the Savior did come to earth (vs 14-16) and He did all that He promised He would do, therefore, He will continue to keep His promises in our lives.

There I am completely caught up. I will be posting again on Sunday because every other minute will be filled until the end of the term.

Its Tuesday Already!

2009-08-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

I swear that time is speeding up, can it possibly be Tuesday already? I've been so busy with school, work, my calling that I haven't taken time to record my scripture reading. But before that I am going to post my first Photoshop assignment, it was so much fun. The assignment was to create an image that reflect "cubism". I was going for the feeling of falling apart. What do you think?

Well now for my scripture study. I've entered the "Isaiah Chapters" and rather than skip ahead or ignore I will jot down my impressions, which are in no way presented as an accurate interpretation of Isaiah. For that you will need to help of Heavenly Father by the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Although I've prayed for understanding I know that these impressions are for me and if they help you I am grateful.

2 Nephi 12 (Isaiah 2) Although Isaiah is writing of the conquest of Israel by Babylon there are so many comparisons to be made to our day. I suppose that is why Nephi included it in his records since his records were intended for our day. In this chapter you see the consequences of relying on the arm of "man" and the foolishness of trusting in wealth, social status, and supposed superior education if these things are not used in our lives as intended by the Lord. I find it interesting that both poor and wealthy, uneducated and well educated choose pride over humility. And he consequence of being proud is destruction (see verses 10-22) the Lord is serious about using the blessings He gives us to help and uplift our brothers and sisters around us.

2 Nephi 13 (Isaiah 3) I started to look up footnotes on these scriptures so that I would have a better understanding and perspective. I often forget that Lehi and his family were as familiar with Isaiah as we are with Joseph Smith. In other words the history was more current for them than for us so a review of the footnotes helps put things into perspective.

What I learn from this chapter is the hazard of allowing our everyday lives to become so focused on things of the world that we forget to draw closer to the Savior by doing the "small things" (i.e. prayer, scripture study, service, etc.) I was impressed by verse 5 because our world is so "politically correct" that a majority of people have allowed evil to appear as good and good to appear as evil. Pride is a malady of youth and the elderly, poor and rich, every aspect of our society. The Lord's answer to these maladies is destruction of things temporal and in some cases spiritual. We must be aware that the death of our spirit is just as real as the death of our bodies if we choose to walk away from the Lord. On the other hand the Lord promises to bless and protect those who follow him (see verse10).

It is very interesting to note that the Lord speaks directly to His daughters in verses 16-26 and into the next chapter. When you consider the influence of a woman on her children and the generations that follow it is not surprising that the Lord would address His daughters. In these verses He is not pleased with the choice of His daughters to follow the pride and fashions of the world. They have allowed themselves to become as wicked as the men of their time. The consequences are disease of the body, loss of personal property, and the death of their men in war. That is a high price to pay for following the world.

2 Nephi 14 (Isaiah 4) The destruction of Israel continues but notice the Lord's treatment of those who kept their covenants. Think of Moses and the children of Israel he promises that EVERY house will have His protection and guidance--the cloud of smoke by day and the pillar of fire by night. We have that same promise by learning to hear and obey the voice of the Holy Ghost in our lives. In verses 5-6 the Lord promises protection from the storms of life. I know that we do not entirely escape the storms but we do experience more safety and direction with the Holy Ghost so that we will survive what may cause complete destruction to others.

Well that brings you up to date. I have to get dressed for school and work and so I am off. I look forward to adding to this tomorrow. I love all of you.

Whew! Its Friday and I'm Caught Up!

2009-08-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind of a week. This week I've caught up on my photography assignments and what happens? My camera starts malfunctioning. I still have 2 weeks of assignments to shoot. But my precious daughters are coming to my rescue! What would I do without you? Christy is sending the software CD for the camera she gave me--it is one of the troubleshooting things I've been told to do. Sarah is sending me her Nikon camera body to use, I need to purchase a lens, but it is worth the price to finish my class on time. Thanks girls, you are a rich blessing in my life.

I had a wonderful conversation with Amber this week. She has read my blog and wanted to update me on the wonderful blessings that have come into their life. Talking to her gave me peace and comfort. We discovered that it is as important to share the good that is going on as well as the struggles and trials. I really need to hear both sides because I tend to worry about you when all I hear is about your struggles. Thanks Amber!

We were able to video chat with Dana, Valerie and Kalia. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE technology that allows me to see everyone. It was amazing to see how much Kalia has grown. She is so fun. And it was great to talk with Dana and Valerie. We are excited for their newest addition.

I want you to know that I have been reading my scriptures throughout the week, although homework has kept me from updating my blog on a daily basis. So I will try to give you an update on my studies.

2 Nephi 10
vs 2 The bottom line is that people perish because they choose to not believe in the Savior and Heavenly Father's plan of happiness. We know that in the pre-existance we all knew and loved the Savior. We all chose to come to earth to live the plan of happiness, so what happens when we get to earth? I think it is interesting to note that Jacob is talking about people who have been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is not talking about people who have no knowledge of the gospel. So what happened to cause people to choose to not believe? Were they lax in their personal prayers, scripture study, FHE, all the "small" things that we are supposed to do every day to keep us close to the Lord and worthy to have the Spirit with us? Did they try to live on another person's testimony when what they really needed was a testimony of their own? We are not told why, we are only told that they chose to perish because they chose to not have faith and believe the Savior.

vs. 3-6 I think that we condemn the Jews too easily because of the crucifixion of Savior. What we need to consider is why people make the choices they make. We know that there were disciples of the Savior who did not join the mobs to condemn Him. These people mourned His death and were joyful at His resurrection. But there were consequences for those that agreed to His death and joined the leaders who called for His crucifixion. Jacob tells us that they were the most wicked and that no other nation on earth would have crucified their God. I wonder if we take advantage of the principle of repentance and the ordinance of the Sacrament with hearts that understand and yearn for the healing of the atonement as often as we should. If we do not repent aren't we rejecting the Savior's healing power in our lives? What is our personal standing before the Lord? That is the important question.

vs. 7-9 The gathering of the tribes of Israel is rolling along as missionary work is done. Recently I attended a devotional where the speaker was a Mission President in eastern Europe--I don't remember the exact mission. But he spoke of converts in the mission being from at least 8 different tribes of Israel. It was a wondrous thing to listen to because for so long we assumed that everyone who was baptized would be from Ephraim or Manasseh, but that is not the case. All of the tribes of Israel are coming together to fulfill prophecy.

vs 10-12 Great are the promises of the Lord for the land of promise as long as the people have faith in Christ and worship Him. I take comfort in knowing that Lord would have spared even Sodom and Gomorrah if He could have found just 10 righteous people. I am certain that this country has many more righteous followers of Christ and not all of them are members of His church at this time.

vs. 13-17 The Lord's language is very strong here about the future of those who fight against Zion. We often think of Zion as the Church or a geographical location. But here I am thinking that Zion means the pure in heart, or those that are striving to be pure in heart. As our country and our world becomes more and more polarized it is a comfort to know that if I keep my covenants and keep striving to become pure in heart I will have the Lord on my side, come what may.

vs. 18-25 Let us heed the counsel of Jacob to be joyful, lifting up our heads and take advantage of the healing power of the atonement through our faith in the Savior and our continuing repentance. I think of President Hinckley who was the most optimistic person I've ever known. I think President Hinckley was very aware of the state of our world yet he always had an optimistic demeanor. I think that is what faith in the Savior does, it gives peace and hope when all around you may be dark. We need only to look to the Savior and be at peace through whatever trials may come our way.

2 Nephi 11
Nephi bears his testimony. We know that he and his brother, Jacob, saw the Savior. Nephi tells us that he loves the scriptures, especially the words of Isaiah, and will liken them to his people. We are told to liken the scriptures to ourselves, can we do it with Isaiah?

2 Nephi 12 (Isaiah 2)
This chapter starts out by talking about people in our time and divides them into two groups. The first are those who delight in following the Savior. They are drawn to the Temple to be taught the things of the Lord. It is interesting that Isaiah only devotes a sentence or two to these people. The rest of the chapter describes the people who get caught up in the riches and pride of the world. Isaiah is clearly warning them of the foolishness of thinking that man is as powerful or knowledgeable as God. It is so easy to be drawn away from the Lord as we focus on the stresses of living in a temporary mortal world. We are told that real and eternal wealth lies in the hands of the Lord and He is willing to share all of it with us IF we choose to follow Him.

Okay, that should bring my blog up to date. May the Lord bless and keep all of you safely in His hands. I pray that you will keenly feel of His great love for each of you and yours, especially this Sunday as you partake of the Sacrament. I KNOW what it is like to try to seek the Spirit when you have little ones--but be patient the Lord knows your heart and He will bless you and your little ones.

I love all of you!

2009-08-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

Monday Scripture: II Nephi 9:25-52
Today I cut and pasted the scripture from www.lds.org and I made notes between the scripture. Usually I read and handwrite my thoughts in my journal before putting it on my blog, but this morning Lee distracted me with a project he had to finish for school so I used my computer later in the day. I know it is late but I wanted to make certain that I posted my blog today.

25 Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him.
26 For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.
27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!

It is comforting to know that I am not held accountable for obedience to an eternal law that has not been given to me; especially since I have such difficulty keeping the laws which the Lord has already given me. At the same time I am held accountable for the laws that we have been given. I think the day may come when the Lord will show me every instance where He provided the path for my successful obedience, but I rejected His help. On that day I will not be able to rationalize our disobedience, it will be so obvious that I deserve the consequences of my choices.

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.

Learned: (1) having much knowledge; scholarly; erudite: learned professors; (2) connected or involved with the pursuit of knowledge, esp. of a scholarly nature: a learned journal; (3) of or showing learning or knowledge; well-informed: learned in the ways of the world; (4) acquired by experience, study, etc.: learned behavior. (www.dictionary.reference.com )

Wise: having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion. (www.dictionary.reference.com )

Wisdom: the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight. (www.dictionary.reference.com )

We are commanded to seek knowledge and wisdom at the same time: (D & C 88:118 “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”
Can you see the trap set by the adversary—our pride in our education is the stumbling block. In other words, a strength may become a weakness if we give into our pride.

The warning verses of wo:
30 But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.

Wo (woe): (1) grievous distress, affliction, or trouble: His woe was almost beyond description; (2) an affliction: She suffered a fall, among her other woes(www.dictionary.reference.com )

Do you see how verse 30 is a description of the contention in our country today? So many people have lost their jobs; many have lost homes and are living on the street. And people who have resources to provide for the needs of these poor people are jealously guarding their wealth instead of having compassion on those who cannot feed or shelter their families. When I read the scriptures carefully it appears that there are few things that brings the anger of the Lord quicker than not sharing our wealth and taking care of the poor.

31 And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall perish.
32 Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall perish also.

Do you see the phrase “that will not”? This phrase denotes a conscious refusal to hear the voice of the Lord or see the hand of the Lord in their lives or the lives of others around them. No wonder the Lord is warning that He will not let such actions go unpunished. As mortal parents we are frustrated and angered by our children who willfully ignore us, can we expect less from the Lord?

33 Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day.

Another term for “uncircumcised” may be “not converted”. To be converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ suggests a humble willingness to do whatsoever the Lord commands. If our hearts are not converted then it is easier to break the covenants we have made with the Lord and not keep His commandments. This verse tells us that we will have a perfect knowledge of our stubbornness and that knowledge will smite [to strike or hit hard; to afflict or attack with deadly or disastrous effect (www.dictionary.reference.com )] The Lord is not using gentle language in these verses. It is essential that we know exactly what we are doing and the consequences of our choices.

34 Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.

I don’t see any degree or level of lies here that the Lord will allow. There are no “white” lies, no “little” lies, nothing that says it is okay to lie to save the feelings of another person. There is nothing that says it is okay to give an impression that is false. No any statement or action that is not truth is a lie and the consequence is not being able to enter into the presence of the Lord, for no unclean thing can enter His presence. I think that this is a commandment that is greatly abused in our world and one that is too easy to disobey. I hope to refine my life so that this sin is abhorrent in my life.

35 Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall die.
36 Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they shall be thrust down to hell.

Our entertainment culture glorifies the murderer and those that break the law of chastity in so many venues—visual and audio. If we allow ourselves and our children to become immersed in such entertainment then we become desensitized to the breaking of the commandments to not kill and to be chaste. I think we assume we are immune and that we would never break these commandments, but can we be so certain if we allow our sensitivity to the Spirit to deteriorate?

37 Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all devils delighteth in them.

When I think of idols my mind envisions “Indiana Jones” scenarios of far away places of ancient cultures who had statues of gold and precious jewels. But I doubt that this is the meaning of this scripture. I think an idol is anything or anyone who takes the place of the Lord in our lives—work, education, entertainment, people, etc.

38 And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.
39 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.

We are warned to not procrastinate the day of our repentance; see Alma 34:33-35 (33) And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. (34) Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. (35) For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

40 O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words. Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken.

I do find that when I am hard-headed and insist on doing things my way then I can be more easily offended and I draw away from Heavenly Father trying to find any loophole to justify my negative behavior. However, when I am trying to live closer to the Spirit although I most likely do things wrong from time to time I am comforted by the Spirit and I know that I am capable of repentance and drawing closer to Heavenly Father.

41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

Sometimes I think the narrower the choices the easier it is to make a good choice. When I watch the young students trying to narrow down their focus while trying to find a major I see the frustration in their eyes because there are simply too many choices. Isn’t it a blessing that we really only have two choices in mortality—either we follow the Savior or we don’t. It really is just that simple.

42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.
43 But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints.

Okay, so how can the Lord unconditionally love each of Heavenly Father’s children and “dispise” some at the same time? I think it is the choice of the person, the action, the mind-set that leads a person away from the Savior that is despised, not necessarily the person.

44 O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am crid of your blood.

Leaders will be held accountable for their stewardship over another person. But not just leaders, all callings that affect another person is a stewardship that has the associated accountability. As is true of our position in a family, this is possibly the most sacred stewardship—to be trusted with a child of God to teach and to train so that they will desire to know and become like Jesus Christ.

45 O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God who is the rock of your salvation.
46 Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine; and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful misery.

Today is the day of preparation to meet the Savior because yesterday is gone and tomorrow has not yet arrived. A friend of mine said “The Second Coming is when you die.” I thought about that because she is right—we will meet the Savior when we die and it really does not matter if it is when He returns to this earth or if it is when we pass from mortality I really do not want to be ashamed or afraid at that moment. I want to be joyful and filled with His love.

47 But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin?
48 Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.
49 Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God.
50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.
51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.

I should make this a plaque and put it where I can see it often to remind me that there is a priority to the way I use the blessings I am given by Heavenly Father. How often I’ve bought something only to forget about it soon after I get it home. That money would have been better used to bless someone’s life than to be wasted. I need to improve so much in this area of my life.

52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.
53 And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel.
54 And now, my brethren, I would speak unto you more; but on the morrow I will declare unto you the remainder of my words. Amen.

Sunday Meditations

2009-08-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended the baptism of one of my CTR 8 students. Mykle, a handsome, talkative, and joyful young man invited me to his baptism. It was one of the most powerful, spiritual experiences I have had for awhile. I think that I was able to feel the Spirit of the Lord in such a profound way because of my daily personal prayer and scripture study during the week. I also think that my heart has been so drawn out in prayer on behalf of my own children that the Lord saw fit to touch the eyes of my understanding through watching Mykle and his family. Let me share with you some of my thoughts and impressions.

First of all Mykle's maternal grandfather gave the talk on baptism. It was not the usual talk that we often hear, instead he started by describing the baptism of the Savior then he related how the members of his family were converted and baptised each in turn down to Mykle's baptism. As he began with Mykle's great-uncle John, the family's first baptised member of the Church, my thoughts turned to my grandparents and their affect on my life as they taught me the gospel over the course of five short summers. And as each of Mykle's family members were remembered I thought of corresponding members of my family who have made covenants with the Lord at baptism. Although I and my children are currently the only active members of my earthly family I realized that had it not been for my grandparents I and my children would most likely be in a very different circumstance in our lives without the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Next Mykle's mother spoke about the Holy Ghost and how the Lord blessed us with ears to hear the still small voice of the Spirit, mouths to invite the companionship of the Spirit in prayer, and hearts to feel the Spirit in our lives. She had Mykle's quilt that was obviously very special to him and she told him that his quilt was also known as a comforter that kept him warm and feeling safe and secure. In that way the Spirit is called the Comforter and brings us feelings of peace, love, and direction from Heavenly Father when we invite him into our lives.

Mykle's father baptized and confirmed him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I did not hear the blessing because Mykle's father is a humble, soft-spoken man but I felt the power the Spirit testify to me that the blessing was for Mykle and it was not important that I hear the words so I paid closer attention to the Spirit. And I searched my memory for my own baptism day and I could not find the memory. Instead I found memories of times that the Savior blessed my life, of circumstances that led to my conversion of heart and mind to the truth of the gospel, and the growth I've experienced since my conversion.

Over the past few weeks I've felt that if I were still on the mainland it would be easier to share what I have learned from the Lord so that my children, who are facing the trials of mortality, might benefit from my faith and prayers. I've so much I want to share, but very often I feel like what I have to share would not be received. I know that advice not sought is not appreciated. However, there have been days over the last few weeks where I have felt like Lehi and I've wanted to exhort my children to repentance and diligence in keeping the commandments of the Lord with all the feelings of a tender parent.

One of the hardest things about being a parent is being confined to the sidelines to watch your adult children make choices that will cause suffering for themselves and their families all the while knowing that my love and concern would be misunderstood as meddling. Instead, I seek the Lord's wisdom for only He knows the hearts, minds, and souls of my children. He knows how to reach them when I do not. I marvel at His tremendous love, patience, and mercy. I do not understand how He endures the heart-breaking moments of watching His children make choices that will lead to eternally being cast out of His presence--never to see them, hug them, kiss them, laugh with them, talk to them, and be with them again--all because they choose to reject His wisdom and love. I know my heart would absolutely break into small pieces if my children would choose to reject me and never what to be with me again. How does Heavenly Father resist the temptation to simply gather His children into the safety of His loving arms away from the grasp of the adversary who would destroy them? Why do we so easily get distracted by the cares and concerns of the world around us and forget to draw upon the powers of heaven to provide for us that which is essential and necessary? Why do we trust men, wealth, fame, vanity to provide the happiness that only comes from a clear conscience before the Lord?

And so, with the desires of a tender parent I counsel my children to evaluate their standing before the Lord and repent when and where necessary. Believe Him and trust the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ to make you as clean as the day of your baptism. Trust the Savior to make every mortal experience count for good in your life. Think of a time when the power of the priesthood of God has laid hands on your head and you felt that power to bless, to heal, to comfort, to direct, to ordain, and to allow you to feel the love of the Savior for you. Remember that the Savior heals every illness, every wounded heart and spirit, every broken body, and will raise the dead. In response to our faith and prayers we can be healed in body, mind, and spirit because whomever or whatever the Lord puts His hands on lives--be that a person or a family they will live. Of this I have no doubt, for I am alive today because of the blessings of the Savior. My heart has been healed because of the blessings of the Savior. My mind is at peace because of the blessings of the Savior.

To those of you who have rationalized not attending your Church meetings I want to caution you. I want you to understand that when you reject the opportunity to take the sacrament with prayerful preparation by repenting [turning your heart to God] and thinking deeply about the power of the atonement to cleanse you, strengthen you, and change you, then you reject the Savior. And when you reject the Savior you reject your potential to have an eternal family. Can you image your life without your family for eternity? It is a dear price to pay in exchange for satisfying your mortal appetites and passions. Ask yourself if the sacrifice of your family is the price you are willing to pay in order to live by your own limited wisdom. I watched a few minutes of "City of Angels" last night and one line of the dialog works very well in what I am attempting to say: "Some things are true whether you believe them or not". You are free to not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are free to not believe that the Savior can heal your soul, forgive your sins, and fill you with eternal life. You are free to not believe that your family can be eternal only if you keep your covenants. You are free to not believe that attending the temple is necessary for your eternal progression. But you are not free to set the consequences of your disbelief, your lack of faith, and if you persist in such a path the consequence is an eternal loss of your family. I can think of nothing that will cause greater pain and suffering at the end of mortality than that.

So I call you to repentance and greater faith the Lord Jesus Christ if that is needed in your life. I urge you to read the article in the August 2009 edition of the Ensign by Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi (he sealed Lee and I) "Opening the Heavens" and follow his counsel to:
1. Get out of bed early
2. Exercise for a few minutes
3. Wash your body [shave if male]
4. Dress for the day
5. Go to a quiet place where no one and nothing can interrupt you
6. Kneel, subdue your spirit before Heavenly Father, and call upon Him. Talk to Him in reverent prayer.
7. Wait for His holy inspiration, pondering the scriptures or a recent general conference talk and think about the specific problems you face.

Elder Kikuchi's promise is that if you do this and immerse yourself in the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, for a few minutes every day you will experience feelings of joy and you will receive strength to overcome your trials and weaknesses. You will come to know the Savior and Heavenly Father in ways not open to you otherwise, the heavens will open to you in whatever glorious ways your Father in Heaven has prepared for you. That you may receive these blessings is my prayer.
Love,
Mom

Scripture: 2 Nephi 9:15-24

2009-08-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

I allowed myself to get distracted yesterday and I did not get my scripture reading into my day. A lesson to learn here, that no matter how out of the ordinary my day may need to go I need to stick to my early morning routine and read my scriptures before the rest of the day takes over. At least this morning I am reading, so here are my impressions.

2 Nephi 9:15-25 These scriptures lay out the very clear eternal consequences of the mortal choices made by each one of us. Only we are able to go to the Savior and be cleansed from our sins, strengthened against our weaknesses, and given the help we need to endure mortal trials and afflictions. Through Him we will find peace and joy in this life and in the life to come. I know this, yet at times I feel like Nephi when he describes having an awareness of his mortal tendency to sin. And I also know that if I would allow myself I could wallow in those feelings of inadequacy and imperfection thereby giving the adversary an advantage over me. But I chose to trust my Savior's atonement. I want to have a deeper, more personal, understanding of how the atonement can work in my life to successfully return home to my Father in Heaven. I do not want to be cast out and have to live eternity with those who are miserable knowing that it was their mortal decision to walk away from the Lord simply because they were too focused on the selfish desires of this world. I pray that the shiny things of the world will no longer distract me and I will learn to master my appetites and passions so that I will walk in greater obedience to the Lord.

One thought about "enduring to the end" this phrase seems to bring a visual image of a nearly exhausted traveler who has only the minimal amount of strength left to end his/her journey. But what if I change my impression, my visual image to that of a well trained athelete who can end his/her journey with energy to spare? Isn't this a more positive image? I think that the Lord has taken the trials in my life and used them to stregthen me. I want to become stronger in my testimony, more willing to serve, develop my ability to hear and obey the Spirit, to do all things that will enable me to become more like my Savior. I want to be that well trained athelete instead of the weary traveler. If only I can remember from day to day the purpose of my mortal journey, then I will have faith that the Savior will continue to take my experiences and stregthen me for what is to come.

Scripture: 2 Nephi 9:1-14

2009-08-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

My mind is all over the place today and I am finding it difficult to stay focused, nevertheless, I will write my feelings and impressions as I've read this morning. [I ran out of time yesterday so I will include my notes from that reading as well.]

This chapter is very clear about the consequences we will face for our mortal choices and the role of the Atonement as related to those consequences.

vs. 1-5 Christ is our judge and has earned that right by virtue of His submission to the will of the Father in His mortal life. Although He as power to move nature, heal bodies, minds, and spirits He still allowed Himself to be abused by mere mortal men even unto death. It is more than I can comprehend. How much He must have loved even those who worked to crucify Him!

vs. 6-7 Here is the plan of happiness in just two verses: the Fall cut off man from the presence of God but allows a time for repentance using the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ before our bodies die. Because of the Atonement we all will be resurrected and judged by the Savior.

vs. 8-10 are clear about our mortal choices, as a consequence of the Fall all living things will die--their spirits will leave their mortal bodies for a time. According to the choices men make in mortality they will face life or death of the spirit--meaning the potential to regain the presence of the Lord or being separated from Him because of our unclean spirits.

vs. 11 temporal death--the separation of the body from the spirit--came as a consequence of the Fall of Adam, therefore the reuniting of body and spirit--resurrection--is the promise of the Savior when He was resurrected. All who live a mortal life will be resurrected regardless of the righteousness or wickedness of the person.

vs. 12 spiritual death--the separation of man from God--is a definition of hell in these scriptures. The only way to overcome spiritual death is repentance, baptism, and the power of the Atonement of the Savior to cleanse in order for us to regain entrance to our Heavenly Father's presence.

vs. 13 paradise is a place of waiting for the resurrection of their bodies for those who choose righteousness while on their mortal journey.

vs. 13-14 our memories will be restored and we will have a perfect knowledge of our premortal life and our mortal life. I think then we will understand our divine potential and how well we lived up to it or fell short of it. I am grateful for the power of the Atonement to help me change my mortal life so that I have the greatest potential of feeling unashamed when I face my Savior again. I hope I will not be too disappointed when I understand who I could have been and who I am at that day.

August 10 Scripture: 2 Nephi 8:8-25

2009-08-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

Well we have a tropical storm on its way to the island. It should be here sometime tonight or tomorrow. Its like being in Florida, except that people are far more wary of the storm than people at home would be. I think it is because they expect lots of flooding. But I feel as calm as can be and when I feel this calm it usually means all will be well and I trust this peace more than anyone or anything else in this world.

I am finally finishing up with this chapter of 2 Nephi:

vs 9, 17, 24 the Lord repeats Himself and this is a good indication that He is serious about His direction to us. He tells us to "awake" in my thoughts that means move away from my normal perspective. I need to strive to see my life and the lives of others around me with the influence of the Holy Ghost to see our eternal selves. Again the Lord is reminding us of who we really are and the power that comes from faith in our Savior and the power of His priesthood. I must be more diligent in inviting the Holy Ghost into my life and then pay attention to his influence.

vs 12-13 More direction is given to focus on the power of the Lord in my life as opposed to the power of men. I should compare the two in my life.

vs 16 I must ponder the number of times I have been guided, directed, and blessed by the Lord in my life. Some of them so sacred that I've not shared them with many, if any, people in my life. The Lord has always provided safety, security, and peace when no one else and nothing else could have provided what I needed.

There are scriptures in verses 18-20 that are prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled prior to the Second Coming.

Well, it is on to school and work. I am prepared for the storm today and I fully expect all to be well.

Sunday Scriptures

2009-08-09T18:40:00.001-07:00

Today I teach CTR 8 in Primary. I have 11 little ones who are filled with fun, wiggles, and a profound understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This morning we walked next door to the Hawaii Temple Visitor's Center and had our lesson in front of an enormous statue of Christ--the Christus. And we talked of Christ. They know who He is and what He did in His life. They are learning how to listen to the Spirit of the Lord and feel of His love. My scripture today was the story of the Jaredites, specifically the brother of Jared and his faith. My class knew the story and literally told it to me. I understand better why the Savior would go directly to Primary if He were to visit our wards. The leadership and other adults can wait, it is His little ones who are more prepared to spend time with Him. I love my Primary class. I wish I could have the same experience every Sunday with my grandchildren.

Saturday Scripture: II Nephi 8:4-7

2009-08-09T18:11:00.001-07:00

I am learning so much as I s-l-o-w-l-y study my scriptures. It is a very comforting feeling to know that I have no deadline on when I finish reading the Book of Mormon this time around. At this rate I am probably looking at a long time, but its not the time I am concerned about it is how much I am getting from my study. I will record my thoughts and impressions verse by verse:

vs 4 The law of the Lord is given as a light to His children to help us navigate our way home to Him while living in a world filled with darkness. Light is always more powerful than darkness. Even the smallest light shines brightly in the dark. Therefore, if we pay attention and strive to be obedient to the law of the Lord we will be blessed with power to overcome the world and return home to Heavenly Father.

vs 5 The Lord's righteousness is as near as a prayer of faith when offered with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Our own righteousness is as powerful as our companionship with the Holy Ghost, repentance, and faith in our Savior Jesus Christ. For He is our judge. When I stop to think that my Savior has experienced my pain, my sorrow, my joy, my frustration, every emotion and physical affliction I am humbled. When I ponder the fact that He understands me perfectly and knows why I make the decisions I make I am humbled. I know that I cannot hide anything from Him and so I must not try to hide my sins or my mistakes. Instead I must trust His love and guidance in my life. Who else would I want to judge me? I believe that He will show as much mercy and compassion as He can. My ultimate happiness depends on how honest I am with myself and with my Lord. I trust that He will save me from myself.

vs 6 Look to the Lord in all ways and in all things for His ways are eternal. All that is mortal, including the earth, is subject to decay and death. We are all temporary on this earth, only the Lord and His promise of resurrection and eternal life is permanent. The quality of my life for eternity depends on my perspective today--is it eternal or temporary?

vs 7 Has the law of the Lord been written upon my heart? It has been my experience that when my heart is converted then my actions follow easily. When only my head knows what should be done then I struggle to do whatever it is. But when my heart and my head are in agreement then the struggle to act is over. The consequences of doing what other people do not understand is sometimes unpleasant. Being a disciple of Christ means that we must be prepared to overcome the choice of others to make our mortal life unpleasant because we choose to act in a way they do not understand. We must follow in the path of the Savior who suffered rejection, abuse, and death because people chose to act in negative, unpleasant ways in their refusal to accept and understand Him. Can we expect to become like Him if we do not face opposition no matter how unpleasant?

Scripture for today: II Nephi 8:1-3

2009-08-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

Often as I've read the "Isaiah Chapters" of the Book of Mormon I've either been easily confused and just skipped them, or I've quickly read the words but did not think I could ever understand the meaning. Then I was taught that in order to understand the words of Isaiah I must invite the Holy Ghost to teach me. This one thing has made all the difference, I recommend it to any who read this blog.

Another thing I thought about as I quickly read the entire chapter this morning is that the record of Nephi and edited by Mormon contained only those things that these men felt were sacred enough to be included. Space was limited and so only the most important writings made it into the book we have today. Therefore, these chapters from Isaiah must be the most important chapters the Nephites had. So I am thinking it must be very important for me to understand and personalize these chapters, which I can only do with the help of the Holy Ghost. So I returned to verse 1 and I began to be thoughtful about what I was reading and I paid attention to the impressions that came to my mind. I think this one chapter will take more than one study period.

II Nephi 8:1-3 We must look at who we are and where we came from. I don't mean our mortal genelology, although that can be pretty powerful to encourage or discourage us depending on how we view our mortal experience with our families. No, I mean our eternal identity as a son or daughter of God. We have been told throughout the scriptures and by latter-day prophets that our faithfulness in the pre-existance determined when we came into mortality and by what lineage. If we have been given the opportunity to become a member of the Lord's kingdom on earth it is an indication of our choice to follow Christ in the pre-existance. Our choicde now, today, is to build or destroy our eternal identity while we are here by how we choose to follow or walk away from the Savior and His kingdom.

Verse one the Lord commands us to pay attention to Him and remember who we are and who we may become.

Verse two reminds us of our heritage as an heir to the promises made to Abraham and Sarah through the authority and power of the priesthood.

Verse three we come to the promises the Lord makes for our chosen obedience and devotion. (1) He will comfort Zion--the pure in heart. Seeking to become pure in heart leads us through the refiners fire and that means we are often in need of comfort that can only come from the Lord. (2) I know that there are many times we read in the scriptures where the Lord has led his children to physical places that no one else wanted because that place was so barren. Then when the people are faithful He blesses them by blessing the land and they prosper. But what if we take this and see an analogy. Our souls are surrounded by the wasteland of the evil in this world. We cannot escape its influence on people and communities around us. But, if we choose to follow the Lord by keeping our covenants, no matter the price, we leave that wilderness and we find the blessings of Eden. What do we know of Eden? What kind of place was it? We know that it was a garden filled with abundance, peace, and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ walked there with Adam and Eve. It was in the garden that the tree of life enabled Adam and Eve to live forever. All their needs were taken care of. It is a place that will one day return to the earth. But the Lord promises that He will make our wilderness like Eden. I think it is entirely possible for our lives to be filled with the abundance of the Spirit of the Lord, the love of the Lord, and the peace of the Lord. The Lord will supply all that we stand in need of. And our lives can be filled with joy, gladness, gratitude, and harmony. I know the Lord always keeps His promises if I keep mine. Therefore, I have experienced joy, peace, and happiness after the trials of mortality. I have never wanted for anything that has been necessary in my life. I know that I have grown from my trials only because I have made the choice to follow the Savior no matter what may come my way. I know He lives, loves me and will continue to teach me how to become more like Him as often as I allow His Spirit into my heart and mind. In the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

Using my blog ala "Julie and Julia"

2009-08-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

This morning during my scripture study I wished I had a way to share my impressions and thoughts with my family, which is spread across the mainland. And an impression came to my mind to use my blog. Then I thought about the advertisements I've seen for the movie "Julie and Julia" where a young woman decides to use her blog to describe her experience of cooking her way through Julia Child's cookbook. Well I've decided to follow that example.

I hope you are able to feel the Spirit as I record my study of the Book of Mormon. I've been slowly studying and pondering each verse and I take the time to write down my thoughts and impressions as I study. I began at the beginning and have been studying almost everyday since April and I have progressed to II Nephi 7, which is where I will begin this blog. Perhaps one day I will transcribe my notes from the previous chapters, but for now I am content to begin this blog where I am in my studies.

August 5, 2009 Reading: II Nephi 7 (Isaiah 50)
In this chapter the Lord is calling to His children. He reminds us of His power and the courage needed and given to those who are completely converted to being a disciple of Christ. He also reminds us that when we feel isolated from His presence it is because of the choices we have made to walk away in sin or apathy--we no longer actively seek to communicate with Him.

We see that there is a price to be paid for discipleship. For example, I learned very early in life that people will use their free agency to hurt others. I have not suffered physical abuse, but I have suffered mental abuse to the point where, on a very basic level, I do not trust people I do not know to be kind. So I hold back and I watch them interact with other people. I wait to see if they use other people to feel powerful or superior. In other words I assume strangers to be unkind before I know them and I am afraid of being hurt. This is a great obstacle in being a disciple of Christ because I hold back in love and service. I am just now beginning to understand why I must pray for the gift of charity--the pure love of Christ. If I possesed that gift I would see people differently. I would see them with the Spirit and feel the love of the Savior for every man, woman, and child. I would then recieve the courage to go forth and be a true disciple of the Savior because "pure love casteth away all fear". Notice the courage and blessings associated with true discipleship in II Nephi 7: 5-11:

physical abuse can be overcome--think of the life of so many prophets. They did not volunteer to be abused, but the Lord blessed them to overcome the abuse and to forgive their abusers. I find that astounding because I want to do almost anything to avoid being hurt in any fashion.
mental confusion--the way some people have of making evil look good and good look evil. The Lord promises that if we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost we will not be decieved.
The Lord promises to "be near, to justify, to help" and I know that the Lord always and in all ways keeps His promises.

I am foolish to fear what others may do so long as I trust in the Lord. I am foolish to think that I would be free from the hurt and pain that others may cause by using their ability to choose in harmful and negative ways. I want to be safe. I want to be happy. I do not want to stumble and fall away from the Lord. I know that mortality includes pain and suffering, trial and affliction, and other experiences that have the potential to be unpleasant. However, I trust that the Lord keeps His promises and He has promised eternal joy for those who follow Him while in mortality. I think it is very important for me to seek after the gift of charity so that I may be filled with the pure love of Christ and be free from my fear.

FLAT STANLEY VISITS LAIE, HI

2009-05-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

FLAT STANLEY VISITS LAIE, HAWAII

We have a visitor from Clermont, Florida. His name is Flat Stanley. Caleb Allen sent him to visit us and to travel around the island. Flat Stanley is a very friendly fellow, just like Caleb. He has made several new friends and two of them, Leilani and Mele are going with him on some of his travels.

May 5, 2009 we were invited to a very special celebration at Hukilau (hoo-key-lau) Beach so we took Flat Stanley and his friends with us. This was going to be a celebration of the launching of a sea going canoe called the Iosepa (ee-oh-sep-a), which is Hawaiian for Joseph.

Many people from the island came to help the communities of Laie (la-ee-ay), Kahuku (ka-hoo-koo), and Hauula (how-oo-la) prepare the Iospea for its voyage. They prayed, sang, danced hula, chanted old Hawaiian chants, and gave leis and presents; all to bless the crew and the canoe for a safe voyage to the nearby islands. You see the crew would steer the canoe in the same way that the ancient Polynesians steered their canoes—by the sun and the stars. The crew was primarily Brigham Young University Hawaii students with professors and community members who knew how to read the ocean currents, the sun, and the stars. It was going to be a very exciting voyage.

The entire Laie Elementary School walked to Hukilau Beach to participate in the ceremonies. They sang “We Are The Children” and presented leis to the crew members. We asked a first grade teacher if it would be okay to have Flat Stanley and his friends take a picture with her class and she gave her permission.

Before the ceremony began Flat Stanly, Leilani, and Mele wanted to climb on board the Iosepa. Caleb’s Grandpa Lee knew one of the crew members, Mike, so he asked permission to have the pictures taken and Flat Stanley and his friends were able to go onto the canoe.

There were many people to sing songs and give leis and presents to the crew. One of the very special groups was a school where everyone speaks only Hawaiian. You might not think that speaking only Hawaiian is so unusual unless you understand that the Hawaiian people had nearly forgotten how to speak their language until about 20 years ago. At that time people thought the Hawaiian language was gone because less than 1,000 people in all of the Hawaiian islands could speak Hawaiian. They were very sad that the young Hawaiian people would lose their language and their culture. So a few people who could still speak the language began to work very hard to bring the language back. They taught other people to speak Hawaiian. They encouraged the students in the schools all over Hawaii to be taught Hawaiian words. Over the last twenty years the number of people speaking Hawaiian has grown because the people wanted to work very hard to save their language and their culture.

The school prepared to participate in the launching ceremony by every student and their parent making a ti leaf lei. They also learned a special Hawaiian chant, which they chanted as they circled the canoe. When they were all in a circle around the canoe they then tied their individual leis together to make one enormous lei that went around the entire canoe. It was a wonderful thing to listen to and to watch.

After everyone had presented their leis and presents it was time to move the Iosepa off the beach and into the water. In ancient days people made ropes of coconut fiber and pulled the canoe into the water. Today people help pull but a tractor and special metal rails under the canoe made the work much easier. Caleb’s Grandpa Lee joined the people pulling on the ropes to help the canoe go into the ocean.

We had such an enjoyable day watching and learning about the Hawaiian culture. We loved being a part of this community that is working so hard to keep the cultures of Polynesia alive for not only today but for future generations. We hope you have enjoyed this little adventure with Flat Stanley.

Winter Semester is Over and Spring Term is on the Horizon

2009-04-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Friday, April 10 was the official end to Winter Semester at BYU-Hawaii. Lee turned in his final papers and took his semester finals. Now he is free for one week to sleep, play, and otherwise fritter away his days. I, on the other hand, will start my new job at the Career Services/Alumni department and continue to try to get my art portfolio reviewed so that I can finalize my Spring Term classes. I start my new job on Tuesday and will be fairly familiar with it before classes start on the 20th. Life is about to get wonderfully busy.

Although our name is on the waiting list for TVA (Temple View Apartments, on campus, married housing) we have not heard anything yet, so I am thinking that we will continue to live in our 300 sq. ft. of the world for awhile longer. It is okay though because we love our ward.

Last night we found out that we can entertain in our little home. We invited the Sister Missionaries to dinner. What an adventure, trying to prepare a meal for four and still have somewhere for all of us to eat. But we did it! All at one table in the middle of our room. It was great, but Lee later pointed out that if we wanted to have anyone that would stay longer than an hour we would need to plan on an outside activity. It was very snug and cozy to say the least.

A Weekend, a Convertable, and a Parade

2009-04-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Friday

I've been in Hawaii for a little over six weeks now and last weekend it was time to get out of Laie and enjoy the island. So we decided to rent a car to do some shopping. We were blessed to be able to take advantage of a weekend promotion that cut the cost in half, we only paid $62 for three days. When I picked up the car Friday morning I was expecting a Chevy Aveo but was upgraded to a 2009 Ford Mustang convertable--could life get any better? I picked up the car in Kaneohe and went shopping. I was pretty proud of myself for not getting too lost in Pearl City as I searched for Sam's Club--they built it underneath a strip mall--who knew? Mapquest took me to a Navy base and they were kind enough to give me the correct directions. I wonder how many lost souls they redirect each week. $600.00 later I am hoping that we have enough supplies to last us 3 months--whew I am still in sticker shock!

Saturday

Saturday we put the top down on the car and headed for Honolulu. We did not have any particular destination but wanted to see the Kuhio Day parade at 4:00 p.m. in Waikiki. We had several hours to go wherever our desires led us. We ended up in China Town and what a place it is--think Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" cable show on the Travel Channel--open air markets with fruit, veggies, meat, fish, herbs, spices, and packages of things with titles and instructions in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese (Dana where are you when we need you? :o). The experience was both wonderful and sometimes gross--after all would you eat unrefrigerated meat and fish? And what is that stuff anyway? Do people really eat that. . .?

Lunch was at the most unusual food court you can image, even the numbers on the clock in the outdoor seating area were in Chinese characters. We opted for Korean since Lee could communicate with his rusty Korean language skills. The vendor was wonderful and most helpful as we chose our meal. I wonder if we received special service as Lee talked to the lady behind the counter because they took the time to cook several things fresh for us. The food was wonderful and we will return again to expand our horizons. I am doubtful that I will ever be as adventurous as Lee when it comes to food, but I will try a few new things now and then.

On our way out of China Town we saw four pigs going into a store. Now that's something you just don't see everyday at Walmart. Earlier in the morning we had seen a roasted suckling pig ready for pick up in one store it looked delicious--and should be for the price tag of $250.00. I imagine these pigs are too big for such glory, but I know that they will show up in various parts and pieces very soon for the pleasure of those who know how to cook such things.

We traveled on to Waikiki and made it with about an hour to spare before they closed the road for the parade. We didn't want to pay to park the car so we headed up to Kapiolani Park to park close to the Honolulu Zoo. We have gotten used to walking so we took our time and walked past the Art on the Fence show that happens by the Zoo every weekend and proceeded to wander along Kalakua Boulevard to find the perfect place to watch the parade. Honolulu and Waikiki now have many amazing bronze statues as you walk through hotels, at the zoo, in the parks, and along the beach. The one to the left is of a boy surfing with a seal. There is a Hawaiian legend to go with it but I did not write it down and now my memory fails me.

We decided to stop walking at a statue of Prince Kuhio, which had long plumeria leis drapped around his neck. There was a delightful man, dressed in a white aloha shirt, sitting behind the statue answering questions and encouraging people to attend the free concert in the park after the parade. Little did we know what an important part he was to play throughout the parade. We sat on a piece of grass next to the curb not too far from the Prince Kuhio statue and we were so happy we chose to do that because we were at the center of the action throughout the parade. About 30 minutes prior to the parade several handsome Hawaiian men, dressed in dark suits came to stand by the statue. They each held in their arms capes and they looked very official. It turned out that they were the Royal Court for the celebration. Throughout the parade each group marching by stopped in front of the Royal Court and greeted them with Hawaiian chants. The chants were answered by two people the man in the white aloha shirt and a lady in red print muumuu. The man answered any man chanting and the woman answered any woman chanting. After the chanting each unit offered a lei, usually malie, to a member of the Royal Court to put on or near the statue of Prince Kuhio. By the end of the parade the smell of maile was filling the air many feet away from the statue.

After the parade we grabbed a bite to eat and walked back to Kapiolani Park to listen to the concert. We passed another bronze statue, this one of Queen Kapioloani. We were treated to a performance by a locally famous female falsetto singer, Amy Hanailii, with her father, brother, husband and her daughter's hula halau. It was a wonderful night under the stars.

Sunday

Sunday was our last day to have the car and I must confess the temptation to drive the car proved to be too much for us. Lee's justification for the drive was to personally deliver our rent check to our landlord on the opposite side of the island. We traveled with the top down to the Makaha side of the island and back. And we ended the day by watching the sun go down at Sunset Beach.

All Things Come to an End--on Monday

The next morning I regretfully returned the car to Enterprise, but it is nice to know that we can do it again sometime in the next three months when our supplies run low.

Do you know your etiquette?

2009-03-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

Lee and I have been attending a four-day seminar given by Barbara Barrington Jones. The seminar focuses on how to go from college to the "working world". I find it a bit amusing that we are going to this seminar since we have both just left the "real world" to enter college again. Anyway the first class we attended was on etiquette. They separated the girls from the boys, evidently there is male and female rules of polite social behavior--who knew? The most amusing bit of information I learned was how to eat a salad when attending a formal dinner. Did you know that if your salad does not already have dressing on it you are suppose to put a puddle of dressing on your salad plate then discretely move it over your salad--kind of like buttering your lettuce :o) Then ladies, if the pieces of lettuce are too large, and they are crisp lettuce you may cut smaller portions as you eat it. However, and this one surprised me, if the lettuce is soft--like the baby Spring Mix lettuce--you are to wrap one piece of lettuce around your fork and then eat it. Can you image how long it is going to take you to eat an entire dinner salad? Now if you don't have an amusing picture in your head already--imagine this information being given to ladies from many different Asian and Polynesian cultures. The reaction to North American etiquette was often a source of smiles throughout the evening. We have an etiquette dinner to go to on Saturday, I will keep you posted.

2009-03-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Lee and I signed up for a Barbara Barrington Jones seminar that normally would have cost $800 each, but since he is a BYU-H student we get to go for $5.00--ah, the perks of poverty :o) The seminar is focused on how to make the transition from college to the "real working world". I find it a bit ironic that I am fleeing the "real world" to return to "academia" but it should be interesting never the less.

It is cold and raining this morning. I was looking forward to spending the day outside of our room, but now it appears that Lee will be reading all day and I will have to find a way to entertain myself--not one of the perks of student poverty :o(

One last note--aka What Was I Thinking?--when I first arrived in Laie trying to establish our kitchen I went into total sticker shock! I was shopping for basic herbs and spices. To my horror the smallest container, less than 1 ounce, was priced at $6.00 and up depending on the herb or spice. I decided to surf the web thinking that even with shipping I should be able to find something less expensive. I found San Francisco Herb Shop and I liked their prices, not to mention that they were on the west coast so shipping should not take too long. I made my order of about 35 different herbs, spices, and baking supplies. The shipping still took nearly 2 weeks, but imagine my surprise when the box we received weighed nearly 40 pounds. I was expecting a smallish box because I thought that my order was for 4 ounces, maybe a little more, for each item. Well I opened the delightfully fragrant box and discovered that the majority of my herbs were in 1 pound packages. Have you any idea how much parsley is in a 1 pound package? The quality is top notch and I still spent less on my purchase than I would have buying locally--but golly, what do I do with 40 pounds of herbs and spices? I've decided to share, it will save my friends and neighbors a bit on their grocery budget as well. I've kept enough for my year's supply, now I can move on to storing something to put the herbs and spices on. It is too funny, and just goes to show that you learn something new everyday even when you are past the half-century mark.

300 Square Feet in Laie

2009-02-26T14:45:00.000-08:00

All of you have asked to see our cozy 300 sq. ft. abode so here are two pictures to give you the grand tour. Our livingroom, diningroom, and bedroom are one and the same. We really do not have a kitchen it is more a kitchen/bathroom sink with several individual appliances that we purchased to cook our food--a George Forman Grill with 5 interchangeable grills, a rice cooker, a blender/food processor. The apartment has a small microwave, a crockpot, a very scary and questionable toaster oven--I won't even turn it on--and a well used electric skillet. We have a larger bathroom than what we had at home, if you don't count the sink area. There are two fairly generous closets and one well worn dresser so the majority of our clothing are now out of our suitcases. All in all it is a good place to be for a short time.

The size of our home has not determined the strength of the Spirit that you can feel here. Laie is still a choice place on the Lord's earth. Our ward is amazing. Sacrament meeting is filled with talks centered on the Savior. Our classes are taught by BYU Religion Professors. But beyond that it is the spirit of the Polynesian Saints that are so amazing. It is good to be here, my spirit needs the strength of the spirit that is here.

We went to the Temple Visitor's Center last Sunday. It has changed so much! It is much more sophisticated than when we were here in the 1980's. The use of technology has improved the ability of the Church to share the Gospel message. And the message today is centered on the family. After we watched several videos and walked through all of the exhibits we walked up the walk to the Temple. It has been sandblasted and is grey instead of white. I find it amazing that you can see the frieze's at the top of the Temple better now that they are grey. I think it is because you can see the shadows better. But the Spirit of the Temple is not there like it is when the Temple is operational. I find it odd to sit on the Temple grounds and to have it feel no different from a chapel or Stake Center. We have to wait until late 2010 before it will open again. Until then we need to figure out how to fly to Kona on the Big Island. It is a tiny Temple so we will need to arrange an appointment and take our own clothing. I think not being able to go as often as I would like has renewed my desire to go.

Listen to the Voice of the Lord and Obey

2009-02-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

As most of you know Lee and I are going to be living in Laie, Hawaii for the next two to three years. Just in case you are unaware of how this move came to pass here is the story in detail. You might want to find a comfortable place to sit and read.

Lee and I went to Hawaii in June 2007. Lee went for a summer term at BYU-Hawaii. I just thought it was his mid-life crisis. I joined him for a 10-day vacation toward the end of the summer term. I was completely caught off guard by how much at home I felt when I arrived in Laie. In just a few days I knew that if the Lord wanted Lee and I to return to Laie while Lee finished his degree I would be perfectly fine with that new direction in our lives. At the same time I knew that the Lord would bring us back at some point.

When we returned home to Kissimmee, Florida my job changed significantly. I was promoted. I enjoyed working with my new boss and looked forward to going to work everyday. In addition I received a substantial raise in income. Because of these changes Lee and I wondered when we would be returning to Hawaii. It had become an awful lot to think about given our new prosperity and my enjoyment of my job. Then on December 4, 2008 my company downsized and they no longer had a place for me. Unlike the majority of my co-workers I felt the peace of the Lord and by the end of the day I knew we were on our way to Laie.

January 4, 2009 Lee flew out to go to school. I followed on January 15th but I have stopped along the way. I spent a wonderful week with my mother and sister in Las Cruces, New Mexico. They live a quiet life in the midst of a pecan orchard. Their landlord lives in a house behind them and looks after them. They are doing well.

I then went on to stay with Sean's family for a week. I wish I had planned to take more time. My short stay with them caused me to want to live somewhere in the west for a few years so that I could get to know Carly, Ridge, Ty, Jared, Dallin, Shane, and Liam as well as I know my grandchildren in Florida. Maybe the Lord will bring our family together one day.

From Sean's I've come to Christy's family for two weeks. It has been wonderful. I cuddle with Liam and play with the other boys. Christy and I have had time to talk and enjoy girl time. It has been great but I am starting to look forward to moving on to Laie. I miss my sweetheart.

When I arrive in Hawaii I will take a few days to just enjoy Laie. But on Monday I will need to do some serious job hunting. I am trusting that the Lord would not go to this much trouble to get us to Laie without a job. So onward I go, trying to not doubt and cast out the nagging voice of worry and fear. The Lord will provide.

Gosh, the blogger learning curve caught me!

2008-08-03T16:21:00.000-07:00

I just finished a LONG comment to my former entry. I thought I was creating a new posting. . .UGH! Should I direct you to that comment or should I try to recreate it here? I guess I will recreate with a few new thoughts.

Teaching my Gospel Doctrine class this week brought many afternoons and evenings of pondering. In Alma 36-39 we are taught how to be a good parent to our children. I so wish I had been wise enough to search the scriptures for help in parenting skills when my children were young and teachable. May I share with you a few of my thoughts?

Each time I found out I was expecting a new child I was thrilled because all I ever aspired to as a young woman was to be a wife and mother. Each of you are such a precious blessing to me. I can truly tell you that I was blessed to be your mother. Those years flew by and now they almost seem like a dream. I know we experienced adversity and trial along with joy and blessings. Some days seemed to last for eternity. Others flew by. Now they are all over and I can only spend time with you on phones or websites. I am truly grateful for such technology, but from time to time I truly miss those hectic days when we were all together.

One of the thoughts the Spirit brought to my mind while preparing my lesson is that it is necessary for us to experience parenting children who are easily obedient, love the Lord, and listen for the Spirit and it is also essential that we experience parenting children that struggle to feel the Spirit, obey the commandments, and love the Lord. After all our time in mortality is to strive to become like Heavenly Father and that means working all of our days to help Him "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life" of ourselves and our children.

The Spirit helped me recognize that the admonition I have heard over so many years to not share my sin-filled past with my children robbed us of the opportunity to share the wonders of the Atonement, which changed my life. I know that I did not share, often enough, the consequences of sin, the process of repentance, and the miracle of the Atonement. I wish I had, because now you must teach my grandchildren. I know that true joy in life only comes through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. Every thing else is a counterfeit and will never bring peace and joy into our lives. Please learn how to recognize and apply the Atonement in your life and be generous with your experiences so that my grandchildren can learn from you.

I was reminded that it is important to recognize the best in children more often than their weaknesses. They really believe you and when they hear more negative than positive then they begin to believe that they are not "good enough" for your love and affection. Please do not rob them of their eternal potential. Seek the help of the Spirit to teach them of their eternal selves and their eternal potential. When you are at a loss of what to say or do remove yourself from the situation and humble yourself in prayer. Ask for divine guidance, because Heavenly Father knows your little ones better than you do. Be quiet and listen to that quiet direction from the Spirit and obey. Don't rationalize why you don't have time or that whatever the situation will "go away" with time. If you need to change or repent do so quickly and humbly. I promise you that you will NEVER regret petitioning the Lord on behalf of your children. Equally you will NEVER regret changing so that you can be a better parent to your children.

Finally, I was reminded that it is very important for parents to bear testimony of their own faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and their own conversion experience. My grandchildren need the faith and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is important that they know that you have a testimony of the restoration of the Gospel, the reorganization of the Church in the latter-days, and the establishment of the Priesthood, but all of this is useless if they do not know how to humble themselves, how to repent, how to hear and obey the Holy Ghost, and how to use the power of the Atonement to change their lives. Will you please teach them these important life skills? Their eternal lives depend on you.

Remember that our eternal salvation rests on our own shoulders, but eternal life is a family responsibility. We will only be together as a family if we make that choice here in mortality. I have a firm knowledge that if you are not sealed to me here, if you choose to reject that opportunity, we will not be a family in the eternities. I hope that this is one experience you will never have. You have had the blessing that I never had in my youth. You have been sealed to your companion and your children from the beginning of your marriage. I have had to wait my entire adult life for those eternal blessings, and some days it seems like I will lose you so my heart breaks. You are more precious to me than anyone or anything and the thought that we may not be an eternal family is more than I can bear. But this I KNOW to be true. Heavenly Father always keeps His promise and He has promised me that if I can remain faithful throughout mortality I will have my family. I don't know how. I don't know when. But I have to trust that the day will come one day, perhaps one day in eternity, but it will come.

I want you to know that I know the Atonement has power to change hearts, mend hurts, transform lives, because my Savior has changed my heart, healed my hurt, and transformed my life. I know the Lord speaks to me through the Holy Ghost and when I obey I am never disappointed and I never have regrets because the blessing far exceeds the sacrifice. I know that I am blessed beyond measure to be counted worthy to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at this time on the earth. I know the Lord gave you to me to bless my life, and you have in abundance. I am extremely grateful that I was counted worthy to be your mother. I know that you will be great parents IF you humble yourself and seek direction from the Lord in all that you do with your children. If you do, you will see miracles and experience peace and joy no matter what mortal life might bring your way.

I love you all--those of you who were born to me and those of you who inherited me when you loved and married my sons and daughters. Life is wonderful. Your children are among the most valiant children of Heavenly Father. Your parental responsibilities are sacred and the most important thing you will ever do on this earth. Remember the Lord every day of your life, feel His love for you and your family. Teach my grandchildren to do likewise.
Mom aka Grandma Heather

Hey, Mom is becoming more technologically savvy!

2008-04-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight I talked to Sean and told him that I needed a way to be a long distance grandma. He suggested that I join the bloggers in the family. So I am taking him up on his suggestion. I hope that you will join me from week to week and we will be able to keep in touch.

Most recent news:
Lee finished his Algebra class this week. He is a little closer to earning that elusive AA degree that will help him return to BYU-Hawaii. He is very happy with the end of this semester and is going to talk to his academic advisor this week to find out what he needs to do to graduate. We will keep you posted.

My job has changed significantly since Houghton Mifflin merged with Harcourt School Publishers. I really love it. The people I work with are lots of fun and I have had the opportunity to travel to Boston twice. I hope to go back with Lee on vacation one day to see all of the historical sites. It is a beautiful city where everyone walks everywhere. Rumor has it that I may be traveling a little more. I hope so, it was great fun.

Right now our days are pretty routine with work, church, and school (for Lee). I am throughly enjoying my calling as a Relief Society teacher. Lee is teaching the 12-14 year old Sunday School class and he is perfect for them.

It is very late and I should retire to get some rest. Although my health has greatly improved since being released from my leadership position if I push too hard my body rebels and makes life a little difficult. So I am trying to take better care of myself and I will wish you sweet dreams.