Saturday 4/7/18 Hello Brandon, I looked up MTC and there are 12 around the world. Man was I shocked! Jackie Salmon is in the Brazil MTC. 2 weeks down, 4 weeks to go. Her clothes are never dry, even when they come back from the dryer. She found she could hang them from the boards above her bed when she sleeps at night to dry them out. I wrote her last week. She seems closer to me than even one of my nieces who served and I followed: Megan Chipman, Rebeka Formica, Rachel Formica. I was telling Gayelinn about it on my way home from FS and kept choking up with tears because I was feeling so strongly. @ How close is the 2nd Coming? Bob Davis guarantees it will be by 2020. Elder Belnap sees the 4 general conference announcements as evidence of its nearness. Not me. If it is before 2050 I will be surprised. But bring it on, I am ready. @ When was the last time we received an earth shaking revelation from the prophet? I think it was when the age of missionaries was changed. You would think I would be used to it by now! @ I read a SLTribune article before conference saying, “You can be sure they won’t say anything significant, they never do.” the day before conference. After conference I just want to stick my tongue out at that author and give them a raspberry! [Blowing a raspberry, strawberry or making a Bronx cheer, is to make a noise that may signify derision, real or feigned. It may also be used in childhood phonemic play either solely by the child or by adults towards a child to encourage imitation to the delight of both parties.]
gesture of derision it encapsulates is that of putting one’s thumb to one’s nose and extending the fingers. Waggling them is optional but greatly improves the effectiveness of the insult. The gesture is widespread but names for it vary: cocking a snook is mainly the British name Or cocking them a snook! What will they say when the Saviour returns? How will they blow that off? Or will all the wicked really have passed the way of all the earth? Poor Satan. His side really doesn’t have a chance does it. @ I was sick two days last week and listened to an MP3 of Mirror Dancer by Bujold, 600 pages. As I finished it this morning, 4/12 so I could return it to the library I realized Mark’s 4 personality splits had an impact on me. I told Scott’77 all about them and then Gayelinn’72. Brandon, do you remember this part? >“Mark finds Miles, but is captured by Miles' old nemesis, Baron Ryoval, and tortured for five days, His personality fragments into four sub-personalities: Gorge the glutton, Grunt the sex pervert, Howl the masochist, and Killer the assassin. Together, the first three protect Mark's fragile persona, while Killer bides his time.” Friday, 4/13/18 Last night was bomc. A new tall guy with an entrancing voice dares to contribute, John. He mentioned that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus and that is why she was the first woman to see him after the resurrection. I was offended. How dare he? I have thought the same but he treated it as common knowledge. He apologized to janice divine and thanked her for the lesson afterwards. All my rancor dissipated. I love people who dare to sincerely apologize. @ I worked at the Family Search Center until class last night. Long day. I decided to see if there were any other fun Spanish projects to work on. There are about 70 Spanish projects to choose from. This one from Costa Rica was the best. It comes in batches of 5 images with 4 entries per image. Notice that it tells how many need to be reviewed. The project from Argentina that I have worked on for a couple of months is so close it no longer lists reviewing needed.
Dear brothers and sisters, we constantly seek direction from the Lord on how we can help our members keep the commandments of God, especially those two great commandments to love God and our neighbors.1For months we have been seeking a better way to minister to the spiritual and temporal needs of our people in the Savior’s way.
We have made the decision to retire home teaching and visiting teaching as we have known them. Instead, we will implement a newer, holier approach to caring for and ministering to others. We will refer to these efforts simply as “ministering.” Tues 4/17/18 Good afternoon Brandon, I hope you are doing well. Check out the above quote. Who do you think would say something like that? _____ @ Merril Palmer hosted our Empty Nester’s FHE last night and only 3 couples came: Vern, Palmers, Kent & Patricia Parker, Jack & Ronda Taylor. I was a mix of quiet and listening and intense and preachy. I feel so strongly about some gospel topics. I felt so uncomfortable about having come on so strong that I took Molly for a fast draining walk and then came home and emailed a brief apology. >>
vern jensen <phonev6@gmail.com>
9:13 PM (15 hours ago)
to Ronda, Patricia, Merrill
I owe you three families an apology. I don't know why I was feeling so intense tonight.
Thank you for putting up with me.
Merrill Palmer <merrill.palmer@bajabb.com>
9:15 PM (15 hours ago)
to me
No apology owed. Thank you for contributing. I didn’t do Moroni 7 justice.
Patricia Parker
9:48 PM (15 hours ago)
to me
I find your openness refreshing. And your scriptural insight is worth sharing.
No apologies necessary. It was a lively discussion.
< Relief Brandon! Although I was up listening to GC at 3:30am because I was uptight and couldn’t sleep, When I read my email this morning I found it was true. They do put up with me, and even value me. Yippee! @ I asked you to guess the above quote: _____ Can you believe that? Do you know how many lessons have beat Home Teaching to death? It has been a ball and chain on most elders their whole priesthood lives! @ Shocker, my old EQ president who doesn’t believe in Home Teaching, was made our new Melchizedek priesthood president over all the HP’s and Elders! President Cameron Tolman is it again! You may remember I offered a year ago january to line up home teaching appointments for him. He put me off and said, maybe next month. So you can tell it is important to me. Go back and read President Nelson’s first sentence. Why the change? Did you catch that? Answer: “how we can help our members keep. . . especially those two great commandments to love God and our neighbors.” As you know Brandon, I have reached out to you in love. You have that same opportunity. If you wanted you could write a message to all your loved ones and I could email it for you to everyone. You asked me to make a dinner for the Davenport’s, I took them an over- the- top- ham dinner with all the fixings. Your hands may be tied but ours aren’t. We can help you love others. @ The big question that keeps being asked is: What are their needs? Our effort to love our families should be to help meet their needs! My need is to socialize and feel included. Do my home teachers help me? Nope. Not this year. Not last year. Not the year before that. @ And as I have analyzed my feelings about it I realize that Satan has a hold on me. I feel frustrated and angry that they are not even trying to fulfill their calling. Guess where contention and anger come from? Yep. Those are Satan’s favorite tools in my opinion. We cannot feel the spirit when we are filled with anger or business or a bunch of other things. We need to feel quiet and calm and worthy if we want to feel the spirit. @ RMN is an extraordinary man. When you read his priesthood address you will see this story: An experience I had more than 60 years ago in Boston taught me just how powerful the privilege of ministering one-on-one can be. I was then a resident surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital—on duty every day, every other night, and every other weekend. I had limited time for my wife, our four children, and Church activity. Nonetheless, our branch president assigned me to visit the home of Wilbur and Leonora Cox with the hope that Brother Cox might come back into activity in the Church. He and Leonora had been sealed in the temple.8 Yet Wilbur had not participated for many years.
My companion and I went to their home. As we entered, Sister Cox welcomed us warmly,9 but Brother Cox abruptly walked into another room and closed the door.
I went to the closed door and knocked. After a moment, I heard a muffled “Come in.” I opened the door to find Brother Cox sitting beside an array of amateur radio equipment. In that small room, he lit up a cigar. Clearly, my visit was not all that welcome. @ What was extraordinary about him at the beginning of that story? I went to the closed door and knocked.
Do you know anyone who would have the courage to do that Brandon? I would but none of my home teaching companions ever would! How could he have the courage to do that Brandon? @ Segway: Sister Jacki Salmon is in the MTC in Brazil. It is hot and humid and her clothing is always wet. She figured that if she hangs it above her bed in the rafters at night it is dry by morning. :) Isn’t that cute? She had to go out and try to street contact last week. Only 3 weeks in the country so far and she is out to talk and contact! She is as friendly and outgoing as any girl I know! But she was scared. Look at how she wrote she was going to overcome her fear: But we also had "proseletismo" on Saturday and while we were out a man told some of the sisters in my district that he couldn't believe they had only been here for 2 and a half weeks and they hadn't studied any Portuguese before coming!
O dom de linguas is real!!
While we were doing practicar proseletismo I learned more about myself.. We went out into a random part of São Paulo where it was BIG city, and we had 3 blocks in each direction where we were allowed to go. We had been told to not be upset if we didn't get any contacts so my goal for the day was to just make people smile and curious about our nametags.
I think that goal was definitely accomlished but I left wishing I would've tried to approach more people about the gospel. So wat I learned about myslef is that I'm chicken. I didn't even think of it like that until we were leaving, but I realized I'm so worried about upsetting people or making them feel bad that I won't talk about the things that lead to their discomfort.
My solution- I need to love the people more!!
If I truly love them I wil want nothing more for them than to let them experience the joy I feel from Christ.
Why did RMN follow Brother Cox and knock on his door? Wasn’t it obvious Cox did NOT want to visit with him? ____ @ OK, you get the message. @ I prayed to start bomc, I prayed to start choir practice, I prayed to close ENFHE. People dare to call on me to pray! How about you? @@3:45pm I just went for a walk around the block. Some of the sidewalk has been displaced by tree roots. DHO showed two pictures of that happening in his talk. By using something common he helped me remember his talk. So just for fun, if little things matter, what little things did he mention? >The thrusting power that cracked these heavy concrete sidewalks was too small to measure on a daily or even a monthly basis, but its effect over time was incredibly powerful.
So is the powerful effect over time of the small and simple things we are taught in the scriptures and by living prophets. Consider the scripture study*1 we’ve been taught to incorporate into our daily lives. Or consider the personal prayers*2 and the kneeling family prayers*3 that are regular practices for faithful Latter-day Saints. Consider attendance at seminary for youth or institute classes for young adults*4. Though each of these practices may seem to be small and simple, over time they result in powerful spiritual uplift and growth. This occurs because each of these small and simple things invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost, the Testifier who enlightens us and guides us into truth, as President Eyring has explained.
Another source of spiritual uplift and growth is an ongoing practice of repenting, even of seemingly small transgressions*5. Our own inspired self-evaluations can help us see how we have fallen short and how we can do better. Such repentance should precede our weekly partaking of the sacrament. Some subjects to consider in this process of repentance are suggested in the hymn “Have I Done Any Good?”
Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?2
Surely these are small things, but surely they are good examples of what Alma taught his son Helaman: “And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord … bringeth about the salvation of many souls” (Alma 37:7).
President Steven C. Wheelwright gave an audience at Brigham Young University–Hawaii this inspired description of Alma’s teaching: “Alma confirms for his son that indeed the pattern the Lord follows when we exercise faith in Him and follow His counsel in small and simple things is that He blesses us with small daily miracles, and over time, with marvelous works.”3
President Howard W. Hunter taught that “frequently it is the commonplace tasks … that have the greatest positive effect on the lives of others, as compared with the things that the world so often relates to greatness.”4
. . .Those “seemingly insignificant” private decisions include how we use our time*6, what we view on television and the internet*7, what we read*8, the art and music with which we surround ourselves at work and at home*9, what we seek for entertainment*10, and how we apply our commitment to be honest and truthful*11. Another seemingly small and simple thing is being civil and cheerful in our personal interactions*12.
. . .President Wheelwright gave a similar caution to his BYU–Hawaii audience: “It is in failing to do the small and simple things that faith wavers, miracles cease, and progress towards the Lord and His kingdom is first put on hold and then begins to unravel as seeking after the kingdom of God is replaced with more temporal pursuits and worldly ambitions.”8
To protect against the cumulative negative effects that are destructive to our spiritual progress, we need to follow the spiritual pattern of small and simple things. Elder David A. Bednar described this principle in a BYU Women’s Conference: “We can learn much about the nature and importance of this spiritual pattern from the technique of … dripping water onto the soil at very low rates,” in contrast to flooding or spraying large quantities of water where it may not be needed.
He explained: “The steady drips of water sink deep into the ground and provide a high moisture level in the soil wherein plants can flourish. In like manner, if you and I are focused and frequent in receiving consistent drops of spiritual nourishment, then gospel roots can sink deep into our soul, can become firmly established and grounded, and can produce extraordinary and delicious fruit.”
Continuing, he said, “The spiritual pattern of small and simple things bringing forth great things produces firmness and steadfastness, deepening devotion, and more complete conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel.”9
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught this principle in words now included in the Doctrine and Covenants: “Let no man count them as small things; for there is much … pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things” (D&C 123:15).
paddling upstream is perfect! I love it! @
:)
Did you see that picture? I had no idea! So sweet. This is what he shared Sunday morning! This is what he shared Sunday morning!
Wed 4/18/18 How about some gossip? That is what MicheleR thinks this blog is! Last Thursday at bomc I forgave John and felt at peace when I got home. (I heard him apologize to JaniceD and it is easy for me to forgive those who apologize. It warms my heart. I see it as a strength.) But he likes the borderline. “Anyone who has studied much recognizes that Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ wife.” I bristled. Where does it say that in the scriptures? Nope. It doesn’t. But I go to class to be stimulated and that prompted me spending hours on the internet looking things up.
Claims of a married Jesus aren't LDS Church doctrine
Published: May 17, 2006 12:00 am Deseret News
LDS doctrine does not endorse claims made in a popular book and movie that Jesus Christ was married.
"The Da Vinci Code," which opens today at the Cannes Film Festival in France, has invoked a lot of discussion from critics and Christians everywhere. The fictional story by author Dan Brown focuses on the premise that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a child.
In a statement given to KSL, Dale Bills, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ stated:
"The belief that Christ was married has never been official Church doctrine. It is neither sanctioned nor taught by the Church. While it is true that a few Church leaders in the mid-1800s expressed their opinions on the matter, it was not then, and is not now, Church doctrine."
Professors of religion from around the state met earlier this week to discuss the story line, finding very little evidence within the Bible to support the book's storyline. @@ I loved that thriller book: “The Da Vinci Code”, did you? Well, in my research I ran across something even stranger than Jesus being married! There were 3 apostles in the 1800’s that taught he was a polygamist! Oh my goodness. That is not what I was expecting. Does that startle you?
Cky J. Carrigan gives a summary:
"In sum, five high-ranking LDS authorities affirmed the plural marriage of the Son. The five include Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, Jedediah M. Grant, Joseph F. Smith and Joseph Fielding Smith. Four of the five were apostles at the time of their remarks and two of the five ascended to the presidency of the Church. Jedediah M. Grant was not an apostle at the time of his remarks but was ordained as an apostle and appointed to the First Presidency soon afterward. Three of the five authorities also affirmed that the Son sired children in the flesh while the other two were silent on the Son’s fatherhood. The three include Orson Hyde, Jedediah M. Grant and Joseph F. Smith. All but one of these five high-ranking LDS authorities publicly taught these doctrines in official contexts. Only Joseph Fielding Smith refrained from teaching these doctrines publicly, presumably to minimize the ridicule from non-Mormons. Additionally, there is no evidence that any LDS authority has ever officially repudiated or rejected the teachings of Hyde, Pratt, Grant, Joseph F. Smith, and Joseph Fielding Smith on the marital and parental status of the Son." [1][T]he great Messiah who was the founder of the Christian religion, was a Polygamist ... God the Father had a plurality of wives ... The Son followed the example of his Father ... both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ inherit their wives in eternity as well as in time." (Orson Pratt, The Seer, p. 172)
"While it is correct that several early Church leaders, primarily in the mid-Nineteenth Century, agreed with various non-Mormon Bible scholars that Jesus Christ was married, that belief has never been accepted as official Church doctrine." -Stephen R. Gibson (Mormon) [1]
So do I print this stuff off and share it with my bomc? I made 6 copies. If John is there the answer is yes. :)
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