"I pray the power of the Holy Ghost will be with each of us—that we may think what we need to think, feel what we need to feel, and learn what we need to learn so we can do what we know we should do and ultimately become what the Lord yearns for us to become." - David A. Bednar
“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes
is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete.
They make one story become the only story.”
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Imagine a courtroom where the judge and jury were only given one story to come to their conclusions, to make their ruling. It could never be a fair trial! In order for the court system to work properly, the purpose is to provide many witnesses and cross examinations to make a good case.
Everyone wants a complete and fair trial. The quote I used at the beginning of this post is taken from a really wonderful Ted Talk I watched in my writing class on Monday. I've been thinking about it all week, thinking about how we unintentionally get the wrong idea of cultures, nations, families, neighbors, and even individuals from hearing only one side of the story.
Hearing only one side of the story can lead us to assume the best or the worst in others; We might almost worship another human being or completely despise them without ever having met them or from only hearing a single story about them. Some examples of single stories that come to my mind are the following:
A single story happens when a child comes home from school and tells their parents how awful their teacher is. If the parent's never take the time to go to the school to meet the teacher, the view the parents form about the teacher is all based on one individual's story.
A single story happens when a person has formed an opinion about a religion based off how it was portrayed in a TV sitcom or Broadway show.
A single story may be formed from the appearance or location of others before we've had a chance to let them speak for themselves. (A Scripture example: When King Limhi, in the Book of Mormon detains Ammon and almost has him killed, before he came to know Ammon's full story. When King Limhi realized the full story, his mood and perception changed dramatically. [-Mosiah 7])
A single story can happen with our ancestors, people who've passed away, or historical figures. Even they even fall victim to tall-tales when a single story told over and over through time, makes them out to be gods or devils, instead of human.
These are just a few examples...
Come to think of it... as I write this... even my blog is only a single story that I'm telling of my life. Would perceptions change if I had my children, my husband, my friends, or my parents tell the stories of my life on here from their view?
I really felt this Ted Talk was extremely worth the time it took to watch it. Chimamanda does such a fantastic job of illustrating the danger of a single story. It compels me to slow down and do some research before I form my own judgments and opinions of others.... and never let one story become the only story.
Names are always interesting to me. I
love to look up names and search for their origin or meaning. To me, it
can be a source of direction in life.
Alexa is a female form of Alexander, and is
sometimes also a short form of Alexandra, both of which come from the Greek,
Alexandros. It can be broken down into alexo meaning "to defend" and
ander, meaning "man"' making both Alexa and Alexander mean defender
of man.
Today as you enter the waters of Baptism you
are entering a covenant to take upon yourself a new name. That new name
is Jesus Christ.
For "There is no other name given whereby
salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of
Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be
obedient unto the end of your lives." (Mosiah 5:8)
And what does Christ's name mean?
To me it means; Savior, Friend, Redeemer,
Helper, Counselor, Light, Truth, Love, Kindness, Compassion, Virtue, Purity,
Integrity, Honor, Holiness, Complete and Utter Selflessness, Hope, Grace, Joy,
Healer, Forgiveness, The Way Through, The Way Back, The Way Home
Alexa, all your life, since you were very
little, you have desired with your whole heart for pure and honest truth, to
surround yourself with purity, goodness, and virtue. Do you remember a
couple years ago the summer before school started we had that discussion about
the friends we choose and how you ached so much and longed to find friends who
you could share these deep desires with, friends you could have spiritual
discussions with, and talk about the fuller and richer meaning of life?
Do you remember how you prayed with all your heart for this? Do you
remember the Priesthood Blessing Joseph gave you before that school year?
And do you remember how things unfolded and the new people that miraculously
came into your life? These were the friends and the people you and I and
grandma and grandpa had been praying for. The way your life aligned with
these new friends was not a coincidence. Through this experience, you
witnessed a very real and personal Father in Heaven who answered your deep and
heart-felt prayer.
President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “God does
notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person
that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.”
And just as much as these friends were an
answer to your prayers. I am confident that you were an answer to theirs.
Do you remember when you were nervous to take
seminary because you were afraid you didn't have enough gospel knowledge or
that because you weren't a member, you were afraid you might embarrass yourself
or stand out too much?
Do you remember what I said?
I said, "Alexa, you have no idea how much
those other students in Seminary will need you. You WILL stand out, of
that I'm sure! You will stand out because you will be the girl who goes
to Seminary without having to be told to, you'll go because you WANT to,
because you CHOOSE to... even when you face strong opposition and opinions from others that tell you going to church and seminary is nonsense, that it's
foolish, and that you could occupy yourself with better things. Your friends in
Seminary will need younot because you are a gospel scholar or
have all the answers but because you will be an example to them of immense
courage and powerful faith. You will be a bright light and a beautiful
example to them."
Alexa, you have been living with the name of
Christ on your heart all of your life, even when you didn't realize it. But now this sacred ordinance is eternally
binding and you are proving to God through covenant and Priesthood authority,
which will make His name much powerful in your life.
Before I close my talk, I want to share one
more thought about your name. Your middle name, "Lee" means
something very significant, it means "Shelter" Why would this
be important? Well if "Alexo" or "Alexa" means "Defender" then
"Alexa Lee" means "Defender of the Shelter" I'll
explain why that's significant:
The Prophet, Isaiah, speaks of a shelter in
reference to the House of the Lord, to the Temple, "And there shall be a
tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of
refuge, and for a covert (or shelter) from storm and from rain." - Isaiah
4:6
Baptism is the gate that leads you to that
beautiful home away from Home (spelled with a capital H). There are many
in the world who mock the work that goes on in the temple, many who do not
understand the sacredness and beauty of how and why we do what we do there. I
suppose someone who has never witnessed a graduation ceremony with
processions, robes,caps, and gowns, (you know... ceremonial things we don't see
every day) they might find it somewhat strange...
but we are so used to graduation ceremonies in
our culture that we don't even bat an eyelash at them. The robe, cap, and
gown are all symbols of victory and honor. It's a beautiful thing.
To be honest, I didn't understand the temple
when I first went through but I have gone hundreds of times since and I can
stand here and say with all my heart that I love temple. the ordinances, the
ceremonies performed, the covenants, the promises pronounced on my head, I love
it all!! The temple is my refuge, my safe place, my "shelter" from
the storm.
So when you see or hear your name "Alexa
Lee" I want you to think of it as "Defender of the
Shelter" or "Defender of the Temple." You will have plenty
of voices and forces that would oppose you and the Temple, many who don't
understand that would keep you from this most beautiful place. But do not
let them. It will never be popular. But it's not about popularity, it's
about PURPOSE. Be strong Alexa Lee, and always defend it. Defend
it by the way you live, by the words you speak, by the example you set, and the
choices you make. Renew your covenants you make today each Sunday with the
Sacrament.
Someday, when you build your family, you will
strive to make a sacred place within the walls of your own home, your place of
shelter. You will be key in setting the tone of the Spirituality level
for your children. A loving family unit centered on gospel principles is
a very real shelter in any community, any place that it is established in the
world. Let Alexa Lee also mean "Defender of the Family".
Be the light you have always been but now go
forward shining even brighter, more boldly and more confidently, because heaven
and earth know and it is recorded in the eternities that you are committed
through covenant and endowed with Priesthood power.
Make diligent scripture study, sincere
heart-felt prayer, and journal writing part of your every day life and
you will never have to walk in darkness.
I love you Alexa. I love this
gospel. What you are doing is right. I know it is true forever and
always!
Bless you for your courage, for your faith, we
are all cheering you on here today and so are thousands upon thousands of
unseen angels.
"Press forward with a steadfastness in
Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.
Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and
endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal
life."- 2 Nephi 31:20
Tonight, we had a family lesson on the story of Moses when he spoke with God face to face, when he experienced the glory of heaven and witnessed the vast expanse of the Lord's creations.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland expounds, "What happened to Moses next, after his revelatory moment, would be ludicrous if it were not so dangerous and so absolutely true to form. In an effort to continue his opposition, in his unfailing effort to get his licks in later if not sooner, Lucifer appeared and shouted in equal portions of anger and petulance after God had revealed himself to the prophet, saying, 'Moses, worship me.' But Moses was not having it. He had just seen the real thing, and by comparison this sort of performance was pretty dismal. Moses looked upon Satan and said: 'Who art thou? . . . where is thy glory, that I should worship thee? For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me. . . . But I can look upon thee in the natural man. . . . . . . Where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God. . . . Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not.' [Moses 1:13–16]"
After discussing this story with our children, I thought of the power of Truth and reflected on the conversation I had with a friend this morning about the scriptures. She pointed out the verse in Helaman 5:12 the verse that promises if we are built on the foundation of Christ "that when the devil shall send forth his ... shafts in the whirlwind... it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo." (My friend admitted she didn't really know the word "shafts" so she looked it up and discovered it meant weapons.) When she shared this, it made the verse even more significant, especially in connection with these other verses in the scriptures; "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.... This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Isaiah 54:17 "For the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will [have your back]." - Isaiah 52:12
All I could think of was that with God we have the greatest power of the universe on our side and that we can actually be "bullet proof" to sniper attacks from the Adversary.
I wasn't there with Moses on the mountain to witness his encounters with heaven and hell. Oh what an experience that would have been! Just imagine the "casting out" scene when Moses calls upon the power of God to command Satan to leave. If I had been there, I probably would've liked to play a little song for the occasion remembering always Who has my back and Who makes me strong:
You shout it out,
But I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet
Shoot me down, but I get up
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
Cut me down
But it's you who'll have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
My youngest child was baptized today. Of all the hymns she could have picked for the closing song of the services, she chose to sing "Angels We Have Heard On High". Even though it's the beginning of August and this is a Christmas piece, I thought her selection was perfect! After all, I have no doubt that angels were rejoicing with songs of gloria at her decision to enter into a covenant with Christ. Her choice today will affect generations to come in so many wonderful ways!
With each of my kid's baptisms, I've had a tradition of writing what I call "A Mother's Blessing" in the cover of the new set of scriptures they receive. These are my words to Kaylee on this special day.
....
"Dear Kaylee,
I'm so proud of your decision to be baptized. Your first name means "pure" and your middle name, Elizabeth, means "My God is an oath." Today, through our Savior, and every day of your life, always remember that it is Him who makes you pure, it is Christ that makes you whole.
Kaylee, an oath is a promise, a vow... and when you make the promise to testify of Christ, to keep His commandments, and to always remember Him, then He makes a promise that you will always have His spirit to be with you... and this is the covenant you enter at baptism. This is powerful!
Kaylee, I pray you will always seek the words of Christ in your life because they will always lead you right. His words are to be found in these scriptures! In the scriptures, you will also discover that they testify of the great importance and vital need for prophets and apostles. Always remember that whether it is by [Christ's] own voice or by the voice of [His] servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38) Always remember Him by treasuring His word and let it sink deep within the soil of your heart with constant nourishment.
Kaylee, another thing you will notice in the scriptures is a pattern of behavior that destroyed many people even entire civilizations. This pattern was pride, arrogance, vanity and selfishness. It is a temptation we all struggle with to some extent in our lives. We lose sight of what matters most and begin to think that happiness will come when we are popular, when we are beautiful, when we are recognized or praised by others. Avoid the temptation to be self-centered. It will only bring grave disappointment and breed envy and hate.
Seek to live as the Savior did with an outside focus to constantly seek for opportunities to lose yourself, to openly praise the good in others, to recognize true beauty found in pure and honest hearts.
Never forget your Divine worth. You don't need the lime-light, you need the Savior's light! The world is His stage and you are already the center of it. There is no other approval that even remotely compares to that which comes from the God of the Universe, " Well done, my good and faithful servant!" (Matt 25:21)
I've had some unbelievable experiences these past two years that are too sacred to share and too hard to explain, so I won't even attempt to. Everything has felt so condensed, so concentrated, so rapid.... So much has happened in such a short period of time...
I have felt like the "windows of heaven" have been opened as a flood, pulling me in like a riptide that's washing me out to sea...
It has been so overwhelming that I just haven't had "room enough to receive it".
Being overwhelmed like this, from experiencing things of a spiritual nature, so powerfully, so consistently, so frequent, in such a short amount of time, sounds like a pleasant and comfortable thing right? I mean, saying you've had the "windows of heaven" opened to you, one would think that all of this has been a joyful experience... it has... but...
Let me tell you, some of it has been excruciatingly painful and terribly, terribly lonely...
The only ones who have known my whole complete story through it all, who know me so well, has been the Lord and my husband.
Yesterday, I was weighed down with this loneliness. And I wondered if that's what Paul meant by "weight of glory"... to have miraculous things happen and not be able to really share them because of the sacredness of it... or the unbelief of others...
It is very, very heavy.
My husband gave me a beautiful priesthood blessing late last night and then held me tightly in his arms. I just wept and wept.
This morning in my scripture studies, I was searching for a verse to "ponderize" for the week. I've just finished reading about the Savior's visit to the Nephites where He pretty much teaches them the same thing He taught the people of Jerusalem in Matthew 5 - 7. Can you imagine what a spiritual experience that must have been to have Christ, Himself, teach and bless you face to face?? I'm sure it was beautiful, miraculous, powerful, and very, very overwhelming. Would that have been like "the windows of heaven" being opened without "room enough to receive it"?
I wonder how many people believed them when they went back to tell their friends about their experience... how many thought they were crazy? Depending on the responses (or lack of response) I imagine those who testified felt joy one moment and extreme pain the next.
But regardless of who believes... you know that there's more... that the story isn't over... there is more yet to be revealed. You know that someday you'll understand it all.
So you keep moving, you press on in faith, in confidence, and trust that what you've experienced is truly Divine... even if no one believes you... even if people think you're crazy... even if it's a terribly lonely, lonely way to go.
It doesn't matter... you will be prepared for tomorrow.
"Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask the Father in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again." - 3 Nephi 17:3
-Alicia
Yesterday, I spent quite a bit of time preparing for a lesson I'm giving Sunday. In my studies, I kept falling back on this incredibly wonderful devotional given in 1993 at a BYU Devotional by President James E. Faust. It's far too long for me to share the entire thing in class so I've cut the audio into 18 small bites and stitched them back together to give a four-and-a-half minute summary. I highly recommend making some time to go and listen to the full speech. It's excellent!
There's this new Christian song I discovered a couple of weeks ago. Kaylee has heard me play it on a few occasions and now wants to listen to it all the time. I don't know how much she pays attention to the lyrics but I'm sure the beat is irresistible for her. Somehow, I hope the words to the song are making an impression too.
I just feel like she's growing up in a world that's plagued with a rampant identity crisis. We're a social media society... No need to be hired by Hollywood anymore, now we can make ourselves the center of attention with the click of a button. (Don't get me wrong, receiving a little attention isn't bad but I think we need to strictly guard our intent behind it.) It's so easy to get lost in the endless competition to be one step ahead of the next person, to compare and measure our worth based on the reactions or non-reaction of others. It's so volatile!! If we aren't careful, we can quickly be sucked into an insatiable hunger for praise and popularity, a lifestyle of endless consumption... and to what end?
I'll admit that I'm not immune to it. I lose sense of my identity too. I've never understood all the hype about manicures, fashionable purses, or matching shoes.... but truth be told, my weak point is make-up. I've become so dependent on it that I just don't feel beautiful without it. But whose definition of beauty am I going off of? It's certainly not God's.
According to the world's definition, Jesus Christ was not attractive. Isaiah 53:2 says:
"For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him."
Clearly, the opinion of mainstream's societal vogue is void of authenticity.
The T.A. for my lab class shared this comic strip with us today and it kind-of fits in the context of this post. It just shows how much our identity is horribly tangled up with consumerism.
In Elder Hallstrom's talk from April's 2016's General Conference, he stresses the importance of having a solid understanding of our true identity. "It's foundational" he says... and he asks the question for today's troubled world, "Who do we lean on for repose?" Do we lean on social acceptance, peer approval, or popular vote? The constant shifting fads and trends have no capacity to give us a steady footing of who we really are.
When I lose focus of who I truly am and get caught up in the anxieties of modern media, when I'm feeling discouraged for not measuring up to the latest and greatest, I'm thankful for songs like this that play in my home. I know I feel better for listening to these truths. I hope my girls are listening too.
I can’t lean on the earthly things
‘Cause it’s broke and gonna fade
And I can’t stand on the dirt below
‘Cause this dust gonna blow away
You say, hey now, follow Me, gonna go to the promise land
You say, hey child, don’t forget that the Lord is coming back
When everything in this world is falling
We have a Kingdom that can’t be moved
People get ready Heaven is a calling
We have a Kingdom that can’t be, that can’t be moved
When the waters rise, don’t be surprised
When the force tries to pull you in
We’ll be found on the solid ground
Won’t be no slave to sin
You say, hey now, trumpet sound, all the saints gonna board the train
You say, hey child, don’t you fear, what’s dead’s gonna rise again
Truth be told, silver and gold ain’t where my treasure’s found
So when I die, gonna open my eyes with a different kind of crown
We had some great talks in Sacrament Meeting today. I wrote down all the verses, poems, and quotes that were shared by each speaker. My daughter is sick this Sunday... so after the meeting I stopped by home to check on her. I had a moment to grab her some soup, help her get comfortable, and then post the notes I took before heading out again to give a lesson in Young Women's. :)
- Alicia
Happy Sabbath!
1st Speaker -
“To love another person is to see the face of God.”
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
"The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." - Alma 30:44
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." - John 14:15
2nd Speaker -
Under the stars we realize how small we are... and yet we are everything to Him.
“I know not by what method rare
But this I know, God answers prayer.
I know that he has given his Word
Which tells me prayer is always heard
And will be answered soon or late
And so I pray and calmly wait.
I know not if the blessing sought
Will come in just the way I thought
But leave my prayers with him alone
Whose will is wiser than my own
Assured that he will grant my quest
Or send some answer far more blessed.”
― Eliza M. Hickok (Read by, President Monson)
"O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit." - 2 Nephi 9:10
"There is a simple cure for the terrible malady of forgetting God, His blessings, and His messages to us. Jesus Christ promised it to His disciples when He was about to be crucified, resurrected, and then taken away from them to ascend in glory to His Father. They were concerned to know how they would be able to endure when He was no longer with them. Here is the promise. It was fulfilled for them then. It can be fulfilled for all of us now: 'These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.' ( John 14:25–26)" - Elder Henry B. Eyring
"These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." - John 15:9-13
(The brother who spoke quoted this portion of Elder Holland's talk)
"O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts aboveO to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above"
3rd Speaker -
"We love him, because he first loved us." -1 John 4:19
" I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men. And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father." - Ether 12:33-34
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God" - 1 John 5:1-3
(She shared three thoughts from this verse)
1. First we must seek to love God
2. We seek to love everyone around us with this purest love.
3. We show our love by keeping His commandments.
4th Speaker -
How do we feel God's love? We must first believe!
The first principle of the Gospel is faith.
" I feel my Savior's love
In all the world around me.
His Spirit warms my soul
Through ev'rything I see.
I feel my Savior's love;
Its gentleness enfolds me,
And when I kneel to pray,
My heart is filled with peace.
I feel my Savior's love
And know that he will bless me.
I offer him my heart;
My shepherd he will be.
I'll share my Savior's love
By serving others freely.
In serving I am blessed.
In giving I receive.
He knows I will follow him,
Give all my life to him.
I feel my Savior's love,
The love he freely gives me."
- Children's songbook pg. 74
My father and I had the experience of "sharing the Savior's love" to a woman from my ward. We were her hometeachers. She was a widow with four children. When her kids grew older, her first daughter passed away. She lived in a humble house with no heating. We would chop wood for her and visit with her. It was a wonderful experience helping this sweet woman and we felt our Savior's love for her as we served her.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13
"I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me....Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me Enough to die for me! Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!" - Hymn 193
"I’m confident that there is no choice, sin, or mistake that you or anyone else can make that will change [Our Father in Heaven's] love for you or for them. That does not mean He excuses or condones sinful conduct—I’m sure He does not—but it does mean we are to reach out to our fellowman in love..." - Elder Ronald A. Rasband
In honor of Valentine's Day here are some of my favorite talks on love and one of my favorite quotes:
"Instead of allowing yourself to be unhappy,
just let your love grow as God wants it to grow.
Seek goodness in others.
Love more persons more -- love them more impersonally,
more unselfishly, without thought of return.
The return, never fear, will take care of itself."
- Henry Drummond
These talks have strengthened and helped the love in my marriage truly blossom and grow into something wonderful. I have listened to them more times than I can count. They have helped me regain focus, to leave selfishness behind, and remember what truly matters most. Self-help books and advice from magazines or popular authors could never compare to the truths found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He gave the perfect example and "We love Him because He first loved us." (Herein is the key to true power and true influence.) Christ was love personified.
Three days out of the week I have the privilege of walking from my home up to BYU's campus to attend my American Heritage class. As I walk the seven blocks to the bottom of the hill and pass the rows of apartments and houses, one by one students will emerge from the various doorways and head north on the parallel streets. At first it seems like there is only four, maybe five of us in view but then as the bottom of the hill draws nearer, the number is closer to fifteen or twenty students coming from all directions. I commence my way on the steep path, the buildings from campus rise into sight there is now one long stream of students filling the walkway in front of me and behind me, forty or fifty. When I reach the crest of the hill and pass through the first row of buildings, suddenly I'm in a sea of thousands of students. It's glorious! Each day I experience this, I think of a story I heard from a devotional and how the vision of one young man helped turn the tide of despair and restore the hope of the BYU dream.
By 1913, a new wave of financial problems was threatening the university’s future. BYU faced mounting debt. Faculty salaries were so low the teachers ran farms to survive, returning home to irrigate between classes. Its cornerstone laid in 1907, the Maeser Memorial Building sat silent and unfinished for years. Finally, it seemed, the only way to finance its completion was to divide the land on Temple Hill into housing lots and sell them. A student named Alfred Kelly was selected to promote this idea during a commencement speech, but the assignment troubled him. Early one morning he walked to the top of Temple Hill to pray. What he saw that morning as he looked out across the valley left an unforgettable impression upon all who heard him relate it the day of his address, because what Kelly saw was you. “Gradually the morning light advanced across the valley floor toward the spot where I stood. I closed my eyes partially to the advancing light and was startled by the strange vision that seemed to appear before me. The advancing sunlight took on the appearance of people, thousands of young people who approached me, their arms laden with books. I turned around to find the area behind me illuminated as well. In that light I saw hundreds of buildings, large and beautiful temples of learning. Those young people passed by me and entered in. Then, with cheerfulness and confidence, they turned toward the east and lifted their eyes heavenward, where, again becoming part of the sunlight, they gradually disappeared from my view.” Kelly sat down to a stunned silence. Suddenly Jesse Knight leaped to his feet, pledging several thousand dollars to BYU. Others followed suit. Eventually, under the direction of President Joseph F. Smith, the Church assumed the school’s remaining debt. Finally, the future of the university had become secure. The Lord evidently had a plan for the ground the campus now occupies—as He always had for BYU. He would not let even its leaders prevent its divine destiny. Such divine intervention on the things that matter most to the Lord is a comfort to me, knowing He can intervene to correct my lapses in judgment or vision. - (A House of Dreams - John S. Tanner)
What young Alfred Kelly experienced that morning was nothing short of prophecy. It gave the people something to hold on to, to believe in when everything in the moment seemed hopelessly lost.
In this devotional Brother Tanner also tells of a vision Karl G. Maeser had that too was prophetic. It came just after his darkest moment when he was ready to quit the cause:
Maeser said, “I am worn out and sick in spirit, . . . and with all my love for this Academy, I feel that I owe it to my very life, which is needlessly wearing itself out here in an apparently hopeless task, to accept any change that will promise me opportunities for permanent usefulness.” He contemplated moving his family and taking a job at the University of Deseret (which is now University of Utah). His daughter one day asked when the move would take place and he responded, “I have changed my mind. I have had a dream—I have seen Temple Hill filled with buildings—great temples of learning, and I have decided to remain and do my part.”**
Maybe I'm a dreamer... but when the clouds of gloom hang drearily over our heads and it feels as if the end of struggle is nowhere in sight, when we are worn and beaten down from the tasks that surround us, we can learn from these stories of the past and remember that it's always darkest just before the dawn. God sees the bigger picture of our lives.... and I promise it is full of glory, purpose, and Divine mission.
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire” - Elder Orson F. Whitney?
There will be a day when "God shall wipe away all tears from [our] eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." - Revelation 21:4
I know this and find great comfort in this truth!
-Alicia
"Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good;
yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord,
that he may watch over you in your sleep;
and when thou risest in the morning
let thy heart be FULL of THANKS unto God;
and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."
- Alma 37:37
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Random thoughts of gratitude - in no particular order:
I'm thankful for my parents: Our family wasn't perfect growing up. It was a rough road for all of us but I'm so glad that my parents are still together. I'm so thankful that they haven't given up on life, the Gospel, their children, or each other.
I'm thankful for my husband: No matter what his struggles have been, he's constantly faithful in daily prayer and scripture study and has never sought for excuses to avoid Sacrament Meeting. He has far more faith than he gives himself credit (but he's the kind of man where credit for anything doesn't really even cross his mind) I love that he's humble and genuine. He works hard every single day and does his very best to provide. He is interactive with the children, he plays games with them, reads them stories, shows genuine interest in their work, listens to what they have to say, teaches them truth, shares his testimony of the Gospel regularly, he wrestles and plays, he's goofy and smart. He's easy to converse with. He thinks deeply about life. He's very fun to be with and he's mighty fine to look at, mighty fine. ;) I love his family and that it's so big. I love their traditions, the closeness they share. I love that we have awesome get-together's all throughout the year and that our kids have regular sleep-overs with their many cousins.
I live better than a queen: Go back 300 years and beyond to the dawn of time - Q: Who had indoor plumbing and hot water? Who had several articles of clothing to choose from? Who had swift transportation protected from the elements with heating and air-conditioning? Who had music or entertainment to listen to any time they wanted, any style they wanted? Who had machines that did their washing? Who had lighting in every room with covered floors and painted walls? Who had plenty of food and never went hungry? Who had access to books, education, and learning larger than any library could hold? A: Not even royalty had all of these things. Conclusion: I live better than a queen.
I'm thankful for my children: Each of them have helped me grow and have taught me things far more than I could ever have learned without them. I love their different personalities. I love that they aren't afraid to be unique. I love their creativity. They all make friends very easily, with any age or any background. They are inclusive and non-judgmental. They enjoy being around each other. They really don't demand much and they are easily entertained with the simplest of things life has to offer.
I'm thankful for music: This has to have its own category because music is my life-blood. I could never live without it. It makes my day brighter and my soul lighter. Depending on the style I can instantly find healing, touch heaven, feel joy, laughter, playfulness, energy, excitement, fun, give expression, share passion, and feel motivation.
I'm thankful for the Gospel: I could go into further detail but it would take so much room to expand on this one. Just read other posts on my blog and you'll see why I feel so incredibly blessed to have this truth.
I'm thankful for God's creations: Where do I even start? I love campfires, starry nights, thunder and lightning storms, waterfalls, ocean waves, evergreens and the smell of pine. I love the crunch of autumn leaves, the splash of spring puddles, the warmth of the summer sun, and the sparkling stillness of freshly fallen snow. The list goes on and on... It is truly glorious!
I saw this coming. When we made the change-over into 2015, I felt it so clear: "There will come a threshing within the church this year that will try the faith of the people." And just before October's General Conference, I was discussing with my friend, Carol, "There is so much change in the air. Can you believe we will be getting three new apostles? But don't you sense there is more to this? I feel like there will be policy changes that will try the faith of the saints. They may not necessarily be announced during conference but certainly will be just a few weeks after."
She affirmed that she had been having the same impressions.
Sure enough, there was a policy change on November 5th that has indeed been a threshing among members.
This morning I read in D&C 88:79-80 where the Lord commands us to get an education "Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms— That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling where unto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you."
I had the opportunity to go to the United Nations in March of this year. That was an education I wasn't expecting. There my eyes were opened to the face of pure evil in the form of highly sophisticated organized groups operating under many institutions, nations, and names.... Names that no one would ever suspect because on the outside they "appear" to be doing a lot of good. But the truth is they are "ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing" and underneath their motive is wicked, primarily driven by money and power. The tragedy is that so many err because they are uninformed or misinformed and good people become pawns in the hands of these organizations. If only people could catch a glimpse of what is really going on with the push for sexual rights. It is an all-out fully-loaded cunningly devised attack to exploit and shred to pieces all that is sacred and holy.
Just over two weeks ago, I had the opportunity of attending World Congress of Families IX. It was far more uplifting than some of the meetings I attended at the UN. Instead of being a panel of talking heads banging themselves up against each other, it was refreshing at the WCF where everyone was unified on the real solutions to our social ills. This was an international gathering of world and religious leaders who all agree on our need for a restoration of faith in God, protection of the family, of moral principles, and more protection of our religious liberty if we want to find healing in our homes and in our countries.
People may accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist but that doesn't bother me. It's no surprise, we see this pattern in The Book of Mormon of which Joseph Smith said,
"The downfall of two great American civilizations came as a result of secret conspiracies whose desire was to overthrow the freedom of the people. 'And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking,' says Moroni, 'and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.” (Ether 8:21.)
Many factors that led to the destruction of the people could have been pointed out but notice how it was secret combinations that was the main cause. President Benson warned, "The greatest threat to... peace, prosperity, and the spread of God's work... is the godless conspiracy. There is no conspiracy theory in the Book of Mormon —it is a conspiracy fact." This is one of the reasons why I esteem the Book of Mormon to be so crucial and valuable. Those who make it their serious regular study will not be surprised in these last days to see all that will unfold. Moroni says, “Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you” (Ether 8:14.)
As much as I've witnessed "behind the curtains" there are those who have seen and do see so much more. No one on the earth has been more educated of "things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations" than those who have been anointed as prophets, seers, and revelators. These men have been called of God to stand as vigilant guards.
Last week, I read in Ezekiel 33 where it speaks of these great "Watchmen" and how they have given us such fair warning: "When I bring the sword upon a land if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head." - Ezekiel 33:2-4
It's a sad day when the words of the prophets are rejected. The mentality is just like my little "Revised Hymn" I wrote several years ago:
Ezekiel 33:30-33 says this "...your people [the prophet's people or members of the Church] are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ My people come to you [the prophets], as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice." (New International Version)
I believe the words of the living prophets and apostles. I think we tread on dangerous ground when we take their counsel lightly or when a policy it set in place to label it as one brought on by fallible mortals. As seers they have a clearer view of "things as they really are"... for they see that which is unseen. Oh how we need to trust this! I sustain them and uphold them with all my heart. I am not afraid to speak the truth for the truth is my sword in battle. These watchmen stand guard to protect the city not to control it. I choose to listen and obey.
I love this scripture, this is where we find the wings to fly. This is what it means to be "lifted up."
"Cry unto God for all thy support: yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be LIFTED UP at the last day." - Alma 37:36
Chills ran through me from head to toe as I listened to the three-hundred-sixty voice choir accompanied by the Utah Symphony Orchestra perform Call of the Champions - "Faster! Higher! Stronger!" What an incredible experience it was to have the world gather in my own back yard for the Winter Olympics! It's hard to believe that was 13-and-a-half years ago. The fanfare composed for the 2002 opening ceremony still inspires me every time I hear it.
"Faster! Higher! Stronger!" has been the official Olympic motto since 1924. It reminds me of a motto one of my good friends, Scott Woodward, came up with when we were in college, "Up Only!" Scott was such a great example to me of what it meant to always seek to spiritually better ourselves. That was the direction he sought for in his life then and he continues to keep his eyes fixed heavenward today.
Many years ago, I remember someone saying, "If you reach for the stars, you may not get one but you won't get a handful of mud either." I've never forgotten that.
This is a church with extremely high standards and some may find reason to criticise us for it. But look at the standards one must follow to become a great athlete or even an Olympian. It is rigorous, tedious, "try and fail and try again" training!! Just because we may feel inadequate, unqualified, or that the workload exceeds our strength, doesn't mean we should throw in the towel. Miraculous things always happen when we continue to put forth our best efforts and trust in the grace of the Lord.
Bonnie L. Oscarson, the Young Women's General President encouraged us this last General Conference when she said, "Heavenly Father has a mission and plan for each of us, but He also has His own timetable. One of the hardest challenges in this life is to have faith in the Lord’s timing. It’s a good idea to have an alternative plan in mind, which helps us to be covenant-keeping, charitable, and righteous women who build the kingdom of God no matter which way our lives go. We need to teach our daughters to aim for the ideal but plan for contingencies."
I love that, "Aim for the ideal but plan for contingencies." It sounds like the quote about reaching for the stars. Spiritually, I am so far from the ideal- from being the kind of mother, wife, friend, and sister God intends me to become. I take comfort knowing that my Father in Heaven doesn't expect me to be perfect but he does expect the "perfect effort."
"It's not about perfect. It's about effort. And when you implement that effort into your life... every single day, that's where transformation happens. That's how change occurs. Keep going. Remember why you started." – Coach Ladouceur (De La Salle - Spartans)
Elder Richard G. Scott also gave a wonderful talk in Oct. 2003 where he said, "With all my capacity I encourage you to discover who you really are. I invite you to look beyond the daily routine of life. I urge you to discern through the Spirit your divinely given capacities. I exhort you to prayerfully make worthy choices that will lead you to realize your full potential....To share truth in difficult circumstances is to treasure it more. When you push against the boundaries of experience into the twilight of the unknown, the Lord will strengthen you. The beauty of your eternal soul will begin to unfold."
And so... to strive for and realize our full potential, we never settle. Just as the text of the beautiful hymn pleads, "More Holiness Give Me," we must always maintain this prayer in our hearts, a constant striving to be more than who we are right now. This is what it means to be champions on our Savior's team. No matter how hard things get, no matter the beatings we might take, we know how the story ends, we've read "the book," we can go forward with confidence (we may be bloodied, scarred, and bruised) but we can press forward with our heads held high because we're on the Lord's winning side.
"Never has the Church climbed higher, moved swifter, or been stronger to accomplish its mission. Now is the time for all of us to reach upward and move onward. In God’s work we too must be swifter, working with greater urgency; higher, striving for lofty spiritual goals; and stronger, relying on God’s strength. It can happen to you."- President James E. Faust - April 2002
We are destined for far greater things than we could have ever imagined when we set foot in this arena called life. We are born to be champions! And by the grace of our Savior and the faith to call down heaven, we can accomplish anything!
"Faith in God engenders a love for the Sabbath; faith in the Sabbath engenders a love for God... True believers keep the Sabbath day holy." - Elder Russell M. Nelson What a great time in the history of the world to be alive!! As members of the church, we have innumerable teaching tools at our fingertips to help increase faith in the hearts of our children and invite a greater measure of the Spirit in our homes, especially on the Sabbath Day. In our most recent General Conference, Elder Russell M. Nelson said, "I almost wish I were a young father once again. Now parents have such wonderful resources available to help them make family time more meaningful, on the Sabbath and other days as well. They have LDS.org, Mormon.org, the Bible videos, the Mormon Channel, the Media Library, the Friend, the New Era, the Ensign, the Liahona, and more—much more. These resources are so very helpful to parents in discharging their sacred duty to teach their children. No other work transcends that of righteous, intentional parenting!"
The vocabulary I love here is, "righteous, intentional parenting." To me this is when we as parents are very deliberate about what we teach and allow to be taught to our children, especially in our homes. When it comes to worship, it means we choose carefully only those things on the Sabbath that will direct us to Christ, things that elevate our hearts, our minds, and our actions, to be about His work in strengthening our own faith and the faith of others. When our children see that our intent is sincere, they can be influenced in a righteous way and the same desires will begin to work within their hearts. We can intentionally choose to have light and truth flood our homes with all the access we have to the wonderful resources Elder Nelson listed.
My son, Chandler is a great example to me of keeping the Sabbath Day holy. He obsesses over watching football and has always wanted to have a Superbowl party. Well, we have a rule in our family that anything we watch, read, or listen to on the Sabbath must be something that helps us focus on Christ and His Gospel. This was hard for him, especially when February rolled around.
When he was 11yrs old, all his friends were talking about the upcoming Superbowl and he was relentless, "Please mom and dad, please let me watch the Superbowl. All my other friends at church do." We told him that he would need to make the decision himself. We said we would not watch it as a family and that we'd be happy to find a way to record it so we could have an "after bowl party" the next day. (Of course he thought that sounded lame and we couldn't really blame him for feeling that way.)
We encouraged him to study, fast, and pray about it.
It was amazing to watch this boy the next few days as he studied from For the Strength of Youth and Preach My Gospel under the subject of the Sabbath. He also fasted and prayed.
After primary was over one Sunday, he pulled our bishop aside and counseled with him.
"Bishop Madsen, do you think it's alright for me to watch the Superbowl on Sunday?"
"Well, Chandler that's a really tough question. Some people do and some don't. What are your thoughts?"
He answered, "I've been praying about it. I've also studied in For the Strength of Youth and Preach My Gospel."
"That's great Chandler! Did you get your answer?"
"Yes," he said with the sound of disappointment in his voice. "After all that I've read, I've concluded that I'm just going to have to watch other games."
The bishop was impressed and so were we. This was not an easy choice for Chandler to make. But from his own study of doctrine, he came to the conclusion what he felt was right.
Chandler is 14 now and continues to help nourish a spiritual home environment on the Sabbath Day. Most of the time he returns to our house from church before the rest of us do. For the last year I have arrived home to the sound of General Conference playing. It has become a habit for him to play it on Sundays and it always gives me something to look forward to when I walk through the door.
Recently it's been said by prophets of God that how and when we wear the temple garment becomes an "outward expression of an inner commitment." I believe the same test of loyalty and love for God is revealed in how we choose our time on the Sabbath Day. In fact, Elder Nelson expressed, "I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, 'What sign do I want to give to God?' That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear." If we live by the Spirit and sincerely desire to show our love to God, the Lord will help us recognize those things that will help us elevate and enrich our Sabbath experience. As we act upon these promptings, we will be blessed not only with a greater measure of His love in our hearts and homes but we'll be blessed with the ability to call down heaven. I know this! Meaningful worship and intentionally seeking Christ is worth more than anything the world has to offer!
Imagine a banquet table full of fruit with all kinds of varieties. Most people could pick out any number of them, examine its characteristics (its color, shape, smell, taste, and feel) and be able to discern the type of tree the fruit has come from. In fact, I bet most people could do it in the dark, blindfolded, by taste alone, because we've become so familiar.
In the Book of Mormon, I'm currently studying one of my favorite parts, Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life. Are we familiar enough with this Tree to recognize the fruit in our lives when we see it, feel it, or taste it? How is this fruit described so that we may discern and know, truly know?
(The Fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23) Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance
The Savior also taught that through examining the fruit, we may recognize the kind of tree it is from. He said, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” - Matthew 7:20
Upon further study of fruit, I find it interesting the characteristic of carrying seeds is what distinguishes it from being any other other kind of food. Now this goes for both good trees or corrupt trees… Either way, the seeds have capacity to replicate and perpetuate the tree that it came from over and over again. There is no limit to the amount of fruit one tree can produce.
But as we ponder about the Tree of Life and the pure and precious fruit that holds these seeds, we can conclude that - Every good thing comes of Christ and there is also no limit. When properly cared for, there’s no concern of “not enough to go around” no shortages, dividing stages, or caps placed upon it. “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:24) Some other patterns of gospel living that can also be found in growing fruit:
Doesn't happen over night - it takes time
Needs constant care, nourishing, weeding, pruning and cutting back
Can be preserved and stored for seasons of scarcity
Meant to grow in abundance, meant to be shared
Must have strong roots
President Harold B. Lee once said: “Beautiful, luscious fruit does not grow unless the roots of the … tree have been planted in rich, fertile soil and unless due care is given to proper pruning, cultivation, and irrigation. So likewise the luscious fruits of virtue and chastity, honesty, temperance, integrity, and fidelity are not to be found growing in that individual whose life is not founded on a firm testimony of the truths of the gospel and of the life and the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.” - Stand Ye in Holy Places (1974), 218–19 I love the symbolism in trees. If we are familiar enough with the Tree of Life, we can know exactly "what fruit that is"... even in the dark. -Alicia
