Saturday, 2/10/18 What the heck! A second letter from you this year!! What is going on!!! Hello Brandon. You used 2 pages all 4 sides this time. Congratulations. Thank you. It is dated Feb 5 and although I pulled it from the mailbox yesterday I was too stressed/ anxious to open it until just now. You revealed all kinds of personal feelings. Thank you. You honored my change of writing efforts and focus and years of writing you. Thank you. @ In the last two letters I have told you I am trying to wean myself from daily dialogue with you. And I am succeeding more here now on week 3. Some habits are hard to break. @ Some of the things you say are so cute. (tittys) Thanks for making me smile and expressing a bit of your frustration. I can sure understand. Our old world stimulates us all the time. Sex sells. @ I listened to the sustaining session of conference this morning. Pres Nelson was the closing speaker. He told stories just like TSM used to. He told us to read the BoM every day just like TSM used to. Do you remember how BY looked and sounded like JS in the session of conference to the saints? RMN was almost in the image of TSM this last conference. @The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?\By President Russell M. Nelson\President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles\In 1986, I was invited to give a special lecture at a university in Accra, Ghana. There I met a number of dignitaries, including an African tribal king. As we visited prior to the lecture, the king spoke to me only through his linguist, who then translated for me. I responded to the linguist, and the linguist then translated my responses to the king.
After my lecture, the king made his way directly to me, but this time without his linguist. To my surprise, he spoke in perfect English—the Queen’s English, I might add!
The king seemed puzzled. “Just who are you?” he asked.
I replied, “I am an ordained Apostle of Jesus Christ.”
The king asked, “What can you teach me about Jesus Christ?”
I responded with a question: “May I ask what you already know about Him?”
The king’s response revealed he was a serious student of the Bible and one who loved the Lord.
I then asked if he knew about the ministry of Jesus Christ to the people of ancient America.
As I expected, he did not.
I explained that after the Savior’s Crucifixion and Resurrection, He came to the people of ancient America, where He taught His gospel. He organized His Church and asked His disciples to keep a record of His ministry among them.
“That record,” I continued, “is what we know as the Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. It is a companion scripture to the Holy Bible.”
At this point, the king became very interested. I turned to the mission president accompanying me and asked if he had an extra copy of the Book of Mormon with him. He pulled one from his briefcase.
I opened it to 3 Nephi chapter 11, and together the king and I read the Savior’s sermon to the Nephites. I then presented the copy of the Book of Mormon to him. His response lodged in my mind and heart forever: “You could have given me diamonds or rubies, but nothing is more precious to me than this additional knowledge about the Lord Jesus Christ.”
My brothers and sisters, how precious is the Book of Mormon to you? If you were offered diamonds or rubies or the Book of Mormon, which would you choose? Honestly, which is of greater worth to you? [Brandon, when I was a little boy I heard Ed Morgan telling my dad stories about gold being hidden up in out mountains because the Lord didn’t want the saints to have it yet. I heard prophecies of the saints being so rich they would have riches piled in the streets in front of their houses. You are making an effort to read the BoM everyday. You are like the King counting out his money! {Wiki:Sing a song of sixpence,\A pocket full of rye.\Four and twenty blackbirds,\Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened\The birds began to sing;\Wasn't that a dainty dish,\To set before the king.\The king was in his counting house,\Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlour,\Eating bread and honey.\The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes,\When down came a blackbird\And pecked off her nose.[1]
The final line of the fourth verse is sometimes slightly varied, with nose pecked or nipped off. One of the following additional verses is often added to moderate the ending:\They sent for the king's doctor,\who sewed it on again;\He sewed it on so neatly,\the seam was never seen.[1]\or:\There was such a commotion,\that little Jenny wren\Flew down into the garden,\and put it back again.} In my family it ended with the pecked of her nose! ] So Brandon do you ever try to cash in on the promises of the prophet? RMN shared a story of his grand daughter missionary promising a college student that his text scores would improve if he read the BoM each day. RMN himself promised us:
My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day.
I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life.
I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.
Whenever I hear anyone, including myself, say, “I know the Book of Mormon is true,” I want to exclaim, “That’s nice, but it is not enough!” We need to feel, deep in “the inmost part” of our hearts,12 that the Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it. I might paraphrase President Brigham Young in saying, “I wish I had the voice of seven thunders to wake up the people”13 to the truth and power of the Book of Mormon. @”even the gripping plague of pornography” He seems to think that this is a difficult one! I absolutely agree. Sexual drives are like physical hunger. They are both appetites that can be stimulated by the things we see and imagine. How are we supposed to control those? Good question. @ Next. I have been so low this last month I decided to take a whole paxil everyday instead of a half starting Monday. I read some articles about it on the internet and got the idea. My brother Spot’77 asked my if I was cosmically inspired yesterday. Thursday and Friday had me so anxious I can’t describe them. Do you like to be stressed occasionally? Well I have had enough for this month! I was excited to accept the responsibility to substitute for our BoM class with 24 hours to prepare. But 4 hours before class began my anxiety was welling up like an overflowing coffee cup. It took me 24 hours to calm down afterwards. And then I had invited janice divine to our ward Valentine’s dinner last night. She squeezed me in between two other appointments. That was our first one on one preplanned date. I was so relieved when the night ended. It was fun but I was so anxious. So thank you paxil! @@@
February 5, 2018 Hey Vern :-),
Good news, bad news, in between news: could be any, or, perhaps all of the above.
You no longer consider me a service project to entertain. Now instead of detailed dialogue of daily activities and conversations you could focus on the heart of certain things. :-) Quality not quantity. Although we do like Titties ;-)
VERN!! Why didn't you say that calendars.com kept your money. Those calendars were returned because the vendor is not approved to send things here.
I was certain I sent you the yellow copy I had of the rejection slip. I can't find it where it should be if I had it. (Dear Brandon, I just didn't have the energy to follow through and get my money back. They were sending you the calendars in different shipments according to when they became available. It was just more than I could deal with.)
Contact them and get your money back. They should have a record of it. So I was a little upset about the unethical calendar company. I can't do anything about it so I have to let it go.
Okay, :-)
So we know your Journal is current, – up to date, and thorough. I did enjoy reading of your adventures; and I can see how the length, breadth and depth could deter someone from reading much of them.(dear Brandon, this gave me a big belly laugh!)
Since I have noticed myself skipping the impersonal (to me) parts, and looking for the conversational notes.
Dave Hughes would be your mailman, and the name of the dogcatcher. :-)
Okay so you question me on importance of brothels and hookers.
Sexual frustration is a main reason for fights and arguments, and is a very real stressed that needs for lease on a seemingly regular basis depending on how active someone is. Exercising regularly builds testosterone faster than laziness.
Anyway, please send no more books. There is only one approved book vendor. And I am hesitant to let you know what it's called. So anyway, reason being… I refuse to be a drain further on your funds. Especially if books won't be read. (dear Brandon, thank you for your consideration. Little do you know how much I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing all those books with you. Do you remember Horatio Hornblower?)
I'm glad to know you are doing well, even if I failed to help you get to know me. ;-)
Thank you for your constant, unwavering, consistent effort to make me feel, if not worthy, important and loved.
I feel, that's FEEL, stuck. [dear Brandon, Mark Clayton would love you! He deals with people feeling stuck all the time. It is true. It is a feeling.]
I FEEL as though God wants me here, and when I die (the date can't arrive soon enough) God will again send me, away from him, to where he wants me to be.
I can only do the best I can in any situation, that's the only way I know how to be.
Goals? Achievements? Plans? I have none. I have surrendered what is.
There are many things of greater worth, then me, that you were free to focus on.
You are wonderful; keep smiling because we know God will have his way, even if we don't understand why something has to go, or be, a certain way.
Look more empty lines…
Thank you for everything.
You are marvelous.
Listen to Adele's “A Million Years Ago”.
I only wanted to have fun
Learning to fly, learning to run
I let my heart decide the way
When I was young
Deep down I must have always known
That this would be inevitable
To earn my stripes I'd have to pay
And bear my soul
I know I'm not the only one
Who regrets the things they've done
Sometimes I just feel it's only me
Who can't stand the reflection that they see
I wish I could live a little more
Look up to the sky, not just the floor
I feel like my life is flashing by
And all I can do is watch and cry
I miss the air, I miss my friends
I miss my mother, I miss it when
Life was a party to be thrown
But that was a million years ago
When I walk around all of the streets
Where I grew up and found my feet
They can't look me in the eye
It's like they're scared of me
I try to think of things to say
Like a joke or a memory
But they don't recognize me now
In the light of day
I know I'm not the only one
Who regrets the things they've done
Sometimes I just feel it's only me
Who never became who they thought they'd be
I wish I could live a little more
Look up to the sky, not just the floor
I feel like my life is flashing by
And all I can do is watch and cry
I miss the air, I miss my friends
I miss my mother, I miss it when
Life was a party to be thrown
But that was a million years ago
A million years ago
Open your heart to feelings and you will get hurt.
God loves us all, and giving his only begotten son was very painful to him.
Love is painful.
And so is the learning period in the furnace of affliction.
The gospel is no coward's religion.
Be courageous, it is difficult.
But it gets easier in the consistent practice of it. :-)
I never wanted to hurt anyone. Not even for a second. (Dear Brandon, you sweetheart. I understand. Same with me.)
But now, I still can't forget a certain person I won't name. (Dear Brandon, me too. I understand. Same with me.)
Thank you again my friend.
Keep holding on to the rock.
– Brandon
PS. There are mistakes when use Dragon speak to type letters. (Dear Brandon, you're right.) [When was the last time I cried when reading your letter? I'm not sure. Thank you.-v]
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