Self Government

Self government is a principle
We are all more in need of
As we strive to be "we the people"
May our rights then prove enough

Our constitution and liberty
Are founded upon being good
With faith, hope, and charity
Creating bonds of brotherhood

Having freedoms in place
There is room to prosper
Through the hard work we embrace
And the self reliance we foster

Wealth

Wealth is a burden and a blessing
As it effects who's your friend
Buying moments of less stressing
As well as power that it lends

If I had piles of it
I would pay off all my debts
Then consider who would profit
By a generous message

But the bulk I would give
For the building of a temple
That more families might live
Together forever as God's people

pondering one of the many emails scamming about putting millions into your checking. this one was different and wanted to donate millions for the building of a house of God. she states she is dying of cancer. but her email is suspect...

Only He

Only He can cause our hearts
To beat and give us breath
Only He can preserve and
Protect us unto rest

Only He can give us strength
Midst the burdens known in life
Only He can forgive our sins
And heal us amidst strife

Only He can light us unto knowledge
And offer us freedom, peace, joy, and power
Only He can bring us back to our Father
And save us unto Him in that holy hour

We can partake and drink thirstily
And live in His light seeing clearly then
Or remain weak, lacking foolishly
Being blind, stumbling darkly in sin

That when we fall to despair and futility
Only He knows how to save us from ourselves
When we turn to Him with true humility
We find it's His light within that prevails

The Way
Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge
Ensign, November 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only God can bless us. Only He can sustain us. Only He can cause our hearts to beat and give us breath. Only He can preserve and protect us. Only He can give us strength to bear up the burdens of life. Only He can give us power, knowledge, peace, and joy. Only He can forgive our sins. Only He can heal us. Only He can change us and forge a godly soul. Only He can bring us back into His presence. And He will do all of that and much more if we but remember Him to keep His commandments. What then shall we do? We will remember Him to keep His commandments. It is the only intelligent thing to do.

The Young Ruler

The young ruler seeking to prove he was good
Came to the Lord explaining his best
Thinking he'd done all that he should
Then, for humility, he was put to the test

For the sake of the Kingdom of God
Could he give up all that he had
His worldly possessions and all
To follow the Savior and be glad

Silence seemed to go on too long
Truly t'was something he'd never considered
His head dropped down, he would not prove strong
As to his treasures he surrendered

Prove Me Now

Prove me now
And bring in the tithes
For this is how
Blessings arrive

There's a path
Through which blessings flow
That if you don't
You'll never know

Separate
Each want from your needs
Put me first
And see where this leads

Blessings come
To those who believe
Come and offer
And greatly receive

There is not
Rooms enough to spare
In riches
Of abundant care

For the rich,
The poor, and widows
I will open
Heaven's windows

I will help
All get out of debt
If they but serve
Obediently yet

Is it Any Wonder?

Moving, slowly, kneeling
Falling forward on His face
He cried Father, Abba!
Wishing His pain be erased
While suff'ring for the human race

If it were possible
He would the cup be removed
Suffering in agony
He drank it up. God approved
Giving thanks. I am deeply moved

Is it any wonder
We think of Him, reverently?
Being prone to wander
To commit sin, and misdeeds
We follow Him, where'er He leads

we declare our wonder
Our faith and adoration
Holding oaths we're under
We pledge our dedication
And look to Him for salvation

pondering
In The Garden of Gethsemane
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
click on post title to go directly and watch video showing the garden

God Wants us to Be Happy

God wants us to be happy
As His children, to be blessed
He wants us as a family
To enter eternal rest

Be a Light

Be a light
Choose the right
Live life happily

Let love flow
Even to grow
Unto all God's family

Through an unalterable Decree

Through an unalterable decree
We'll be judged for good or ill
And our judgment will be
Just, knowing our minds and will

I Want to be Zealous

I want to be zealous
In how I serve the Lord
Engaged as one anxious
To be counted favored

Alma 27:30

Great Expectations

Great expectations
Come of being chosen
Each rising generation
Is the future to hope in

Youth, come meet the world
And conquer it prepared
Cleave nigh unto the word
Recall... and be not scared

Through Divine Design

Through divine design
We feel the best
When our talents shine
And serve to bless

Raise the Bar

Raise the bar
Of who you are
Be stronger in every way

Be the one
Who gets things done
And be careful of what you say

Inspired while teaching today

I fell in love with a poem:
Myself by Edgar Guest

Sharing the faith: Brother Mesa of Honduras | Mormon Times

Sharing the faith: Brother Mesa of Honduras | Mormon Times
Finding fruitful land
In high places
Of their faith at hand
They left their traces

The missionaries heard
That they were afar off
Through traveling word
Their purpose was sought

It took a full day
To hike the high peak
Night soon would give way
They were determined to seek

Each door where they knocked
Knew of this family
And highly they talked
Of what they'd shared amply

Reaching their doorstep
They were warmly embraced
In a bag, here, was kept
Tithing they'd saved!

The Elders had found
A home filled with love
With scriptures around
And prayers sent above

The children were well read
Due to the Book of Mormon
The missionaries were fed
A kinship was forming

In a land lush and green
Members are dotting the land
Their faith is highly seen
The gospel is at hand!

Latter-day Commentary: Mountain Meadows massacre in the news again

Latter-day Commentary: Mountain Meadows massacre in the news again

What can you do
When someone you love
Acts hatefully
And kills thereof too...

Do not further abuse.
Honor those who've died
And make no excuse
Sins...one cannot hide

Then seek to know
And understand
Let forgiveness flow
Trust in God's hand

Others were blamed
As they too took part
Adding to the shame
Sins path to chart

What can we learn
And not repeat?
Have faith, discern
When fears you meet

This group had come
To travel through
Hurting none
They'd children too

Though, they were from where
An apostle was killed
The order wasn't there
To have their lives stilled

Otherwise good men
Sinned greatly that day
Feeling threatened
They plotted away

Then furthering the sin
They tried to bury their acts
Knowing this... let's begin
To understand all the facts

What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple?

What does it mean
To be a disciple?
To walk with Christ
And love all God's people?

Letting His light
Brighten our countenance?
Through the good news
Of keeping His covenants?

Let's speak of Him
Unto all who will hear
Even often
Offering hope and good cheer

Pick Up Your Cross

Pick up your cross
And follow me
As I the Lord did
On Calvary
In life or death
Be an example
Of discipleship
To ensample

To the smiters
I offered my back
Wearing crowns of thorns
I let them mock
Let love flow forth
And be your motive
The symbol of faith
Is how you live

If ye love me
Keep my commandments
Love one another
Keep your covenants
Look steadfastly
High unto heaven
With my countenance
Through laws given

Be repentant
And forsake your sins
Then spiritual strength
Through me begins
For with my yoke
Each burden is light
I will give you rest
And peace of mind

Come be counted
Along the straight way
Come journey with me
Now and always
The path is bright
Filled with hope and love
For this journey leads
To God above

Come and journey
To our Father who
Gives each agency
For works to do
Richly given
Each must give also
Through consecration
Comes joy to know

...on a journey discovering what it means to pick up your cross and "Come Follow Me" even the one and true Savior, Jesus Christ.

Church Statement Regarding Missionary in Jamaica

Church Statement Regarding Missionary in Jamaica

Caught in the crossfire
Between good and evil
An innocent bystander
Took the hit for his people

In a moment of danger
With visitors around
T'went not to a stranger
But to a native it bound

He'd been sent to save souls
And prepare them for heaven
It took death...rippled with holes
For his message to be given

Only the greatest of love
Come of much sacrifice
Could turn thoughts to above
Only brotherly love would suffice

In the path of the Savior
While serving his fellowmen
This young man through labor
Sought only to "follow him"

Copenhagen Denmark LDS (Mormon) Temple - Mormonism

My heart, this month, has turned to Denmark
To Copenhagen far across this world
Today, for eighteen hours, they are in the dark
Still, they've Christ's temple and His word

With columns like unto Solomon's
Here, holy work is taking place
Thousands with Christ's light follow Him
For the bright blessings theirs to embrace

The Copenhagen Denmark Temple is a renovation of an existing building: the Priorvej Chapel. This chapel was built by Mormon members in 1931 and was dedicated by Elder John A. Widtsoe, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles at the time. It was built in the Neo-classical style with columns in the front.

The Copenhagen Temple has had a long and full history. The day that the chapel was dedicated, June 14, was the eighty-first anniversary of the day that the first Mormon missionaries arrived in Denmark. During World War II the chapel was used as a bomb shelter, but it luckily made it through the war with little damage. After World War II the chapel was remodeled to provide more classrooms for the growing membership. Currently, Denmark has a Church membership of 4,500.

Many Mormon members in the area feel a very strong connection to the chapel that has now become a Mormon temple. Ole Ravn-Petersen was baptized into the Mormon Church when he was 16. His baptism took place in the Priorvej Chapel and later, he baptized his father in the building. For Ole Ravn-Petersen having the building become a temple made the place even more special. Most of the renovation of the building was done on the inside. The Church wanted to keep the outside looking as it did originally.

All We Can Learn That is True Will Rise with Us When We Die

All we can learn that is true
Will rise with us when we die
As we have faith, serving God too
Our learning He doth multiply

The problem with crowded time
Is leaving great things undone
Praying over this we will find
This is but how faith is won

For God does answer each prayer
And time pressing prison walls can recede
He gives blessings enough and to spare
Knowing before hand of each need

How better to appreciate life
Than to desire for self-improvement
While first lifting others to light
Oh, the blessings of that spiritual movement

pondering
President Henry B. Eyring
Education for Real Life
Ensign, Oct. 2002, 14

Message of the Four Gospels

Matthew
The lion of Judah
He the King of the Jews
Is Diety in the flesh
And ever good news

Mark
His life as a man
Daily journeyed
Interacting with all
He knows of each need

Luke
Peaceful like an ox
Ever observant
Teaching as He walks
He is but a servant

John
An eagle with keen sight
As though on a perch
Perspective and insight
Makes eternal His church





thoughts from:
Mark's Gospel my favorite; what's yours?
Jerry Earl Johnston
Mormon Times
12 January 2011
Mark's Gospel my favorite; what's yours? | Mormon Times

A Short List of Rules for Considerate Conduct

A short list of rules for considerate conduct
Ought best to be shared for how well they instruct

Pay attention oft and acknowledge others
Think the best listen, they are your brothers
Be inclusive, speak kindly, and do not speak ill
Accept, give praise, while accepting "no" still

For it is both good to have opinions and be agreeable
And contention brings strife that's clearly foreseeable

How-to on Civility by P. M. Forni
click on the above title (post) to read the complete list

You Can Feel a Bond

You can feel a bond
With a stranger, as a friend
It's something beyond
What we can comprehend

It must be the Spirit
Testifying of truth
So lovely to feel this
Tears can be the proof

pondering the joy of listening to a Prophet speak

Being Respectful

Being respectful in differences of thought
Is a principle for which this nation fought
Not through arms but by diplomacy
As we are a country framed in democracy

To follow the precepts our forefathers wrote
We make decisions through popular vote
If we do not like something that we see about
Our voice can be heard and our Congressman sought out

Patience is the key for changes to be won
For it takes a lot of hands for something to get done
More important than anything a citizen can protest
Is to have high morals and help children be their best

A country is as good as its people, it's a fact
For if it weren't, what laws of decency would stay intact?
There's only so much a government can do
For they are the servants of fellow countrymen too

Religious Freedom Day

It takes a leap of faith
To create a nation strong
Good morals are needed to frame
A foundation of right and wrong

I give my thanks today
For the freedom of religion
That I have the choice to pray
And choose a church I believe in

To those who paid the price
And against tyranny did fight
I give thanks they'd sacrifice
For each inalienable right

With the Bill of Rights declared
Our country could expand
Through each suffrage shared
Liberty's now established to each hand

In each instance it took faith
Through God given convictions
To stand up and face
Limitations and restrictions

Without Martin Luther King
How could all men unite?
Without women following
How could each enjoy freedom's light?

For, in the image of God each has worth
No matter our age, sex, size, or race
From conception these rights give birth
Divinely given to embrace

True religion and good morals
are the only solid foundations
of public liberty's happiness
Continental Congress 1778

Feeling Inadequate and Shy

Feeling inadequate and shy
I hesitated to go on a mission
Then pondering what growth I'd deny
I changed my limited decision

Now qualified in the work of the Master
My back has been reshaped to bear
Each burden that has been placed rightly there
As I strive to serve and share

pondering
President Thomas S. Monson
The Lord Needs Missionaries
Liahona, Jan. 2011, 4–6

Now, some of you may be shy by nature or consider yourselves inadequate to respond affirmatively to the call to serve. Remember that this is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. The Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.

The Invitation to Make Covenants

He knocks at the door
Offering us more
If we but come to Him
There's so much in store

Come, hear the Master's call
Inviting us to dine
Individually one and all
Partaking of what's divine

(pondering that testament actually means covenant)
Old Testament, New Testament and the Doctrine and Covenants-
we are a covenant making people

American King James Version
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear my voice, and open the door,
I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Does Christ's Church Exist?

Does Christ's church exist
Upon the earth today?
Yes, it does! I insist,
And we've covenants to obey

We're The Church of Jesus Christ
His Saints as in the days of old
We've His Light before our eyes
And His message of peace to unfold

As fishermen we seek
Those He has prepared
The poor in Spirit, the meek
To them His gospel's shared

As laborers in His field
We enjoy His blessed fruit
We seek the largest yield
By tending both branch and root

As His shepherds we seek the one
That has gone out astray
Bringing Him back to the Son
For safety in our day

With His oil we strive to be bright
And stand together upon a hill
To share forth the hope of His light
And the need of good works to fulfill

Elder Christofferson speaks on ‘daily bread’ | Universe.byu.edu

Elder Christofferson speaks on ‘daily bread’ | Universe.byu.edu



Overwhelmed with all life brings
Growing in biblical proportions
I strive to break it down to manageble things
And take smaller bites in daily portions

Day by day I can work on goals
That lead to a brighter future
While seeking to define my roles
And letting the Spirit nurture

Sometimes, it is all I can do
To barely hang on through prayer
Finding His Son strengthens me anew
Through His Spirit so ready to share

This offering like manna today
Daily I find is just as real
As it was in that old day
In the wilderness for Israel

Someone Affirmed What I Needed to Hear

Someone affirmed what I needed to hear
Warming my heart and calming each fear
Sometimes the blessings which come through another
Remind us that we are all sisters and brothers

thank you Rita Biesemans for sharing your personal experience and inspiring these words!

The Christian Name was Born

The Christian name was born
As the Lord's church grew about
To Jew and Gentile His Light poured
Among others they stood out

"By saying the Saints were called Christians first in Antioch means that for the first time in the meridian dispensation there was a sufficient church membership so that nonmembers recognized the saints as a separate and distinct organization, one severed and apart from the Jewish synangogue and community." The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostle

Acts 11: 26And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in cAntioch.

Thy Word is a Lamp to my feet

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
A light to my path
Thou brightens all that's before to meet
Such blessings I have


“a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105)

America Get Ready for Greatness!

America get ready for greatness!
Remember who you are
There is heritage within us
Unite and we’ll go far

click on above title to go to Mittromneycentral
in Nevada. No other tentative Republican candidate for the 2012 election would be a competitive against Obama in the fight to secure Nevada’s 6 electoral votes (1 extra thanks to the 2010 census):

Here's to Women

The angels whisper highly of mothers
For their heavenly work is like no others
Enduring well the hardships they carry
They make their home a sanctuary

For a woman will smile when she wants to scream
Lending to others energy to dream
Here is a tribute for all that she does
Selflessly and just because

She sings whenever she wants to cry
And believes in others when they try
She laughs at herself when she grows nervous
Yet offers strength to others for their purpose

She'll fight for the things that she believes in
And inspire others to grow from within
She'll stand up against any known injustice
And put evil thoughts and deeds on notice

On a quest "no" is not the correct answer
And she knows how to get her word heard
For since a solution’s just a prayer away
She will turn to God that very day

She will go without so her family can have
And of what she has she will gladly give half
She cheers with delight for those who excel
And strengthens those whose hope has grown pale

She, with the angels, when a friend dies
Responds to tears with their own heartfelt cries
Her love can heal a tender broken heart
Such is the power her hug and kisses impart

A woman – in all her shapes, sizes, and colors
Yes... is the one who notices others
She will drive, fly, walk, and run just to reach you
Thus showing how much she ever cares, too

The heart of a woman is what keeps the world turning
Keeping joy, hope, and love continually burning
Women have vital things to say and everything to give
Here’s to good women- where ever they work, serve, and live!

inspired from http://angieboyer.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-flaw-in-women.html
mother of 7 grandmother of 13

I am an empty nest with one grandchild. I had the strangest dream last night. My husband and I were on vacation. Passing through, we went to visit one of our married children. I offered to watch the grandkids and relieve them overnight. I thought of errands to do and surprise them. We ran into friends and I invited them to dinner. I then saw something my husband could easily fix while grandkids were scrambling about. I was cooking- a lot was needing to be attended to. Having to go to the bathroom, I called out to my husband to quickly get to something in the kitchen. He called back he was equally busy. And I called back to him explaining I was using the bathroom...and woke up almost wetting the bed!
I had two revelations- I always offer my husband to help others and get too busy to use the bathroom.

MARINE STUNS A TEA PARTY WITH THE FOURTH VERSE OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

Two years into the war of 1812
The White House was seized and burned
With the President still alive and well
Our desire to strike back returned

The British were not please
Cut off, they retaliated
A kind doctor, in bed, was seized
The fighting, thus, escalated

Our government seeking to free
This elderly doctor and friend
Sent of two, (one Francis Scott Key)
To offer a prisoner exchange, in the end

A flag of truce was waved
To enter a British vessel
And the exchange was made
But, not till dawn due to the hassle

The battle that night was fierce
With combatants, each other pursuing
It would take sunshine to pierce
Through the smoke from the battle ensuing

Fort McHenry had little defense
Its large flag would tell it all
Through the night, nervous and tense
In the morning, how it stood tall!

Overcome by the sight, with much emotion
Key wrote most of the words to a song
As a patriot, expressing devotion
To our God, who had kept the land strong

He continued, more to write
As soon as they arrived ashore
A relative helped find the tune that night
Then it was handbilled throughout Baltimore

Now as our national anthym
It is sung as our flag is raised
As chests fill with pride often tears brim
With the words so powerfully praised

And as each raises their eyes
Unto the flag freely waving
Let us too, look up to the skies
And give thanks to God for our saving

I love the fact that Francis Scott Key was an amateur poet (like me).
Who was better to write this than one trying to serve his country and bravely working negotiations to free an innocent and elderly man?
This banner, the largest battle flag in existence, measures 36 by 29 feet. It was made by Mrs. Mary Young Pickersgill and her two nieces for exactly $405.90. The material was cut at Mrs. Pickersgill's home, "No. 60 Albemarle Street, Old Town" (Pratt and Albemarle Streets, Baltimore), and carried to a nearby brewery, where it was sewed together in anticipation of the British attack on the fort.

Anyone know the history of this?
The Salt Lake Temple in 1897, draped with the U.S. flag used in the 1896 statehood celebration. Source: George Reed Collection, University of Utah.

Eternal Missionaries- Mother and Daughter

Mother and daughter-

In bond from the start

Their love like no other

Born of the heart



The daughter to leave

And work the Lord's vinyard

But, near the call's eve

A tragedy entered



The accident was bad

Their injuries too grave

Such the love that they had

Was this call for heaven saved?



Leaving this earth together

Knowing the daughter's call

We're certain of their new endeavor-

To serve our God with their all



January 19, 2011

I Speak to you as One

I speak to you as one
Crying from the dust
Respect the words of the Son
Lest ye be condemned, thus
------------------------------
I speak to you as one
Crying from the dust
Respect the words that come
Through the prophets, thus

Pondering someone who said the Old Testament was for the Jews and not Christians...
2 Nephi
13And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come.

14And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day.

Seth Adam Smith's Blog: The ANASAZI TrailWalker Song!

Seth Adam Smith's Blog: The ANASAZI TrailWalker Song!: "My first video of the year and I couldn't be more proud! Since 2007, I have worked  at the ANASAZI Foundation, a non-profit wildernes..."

When you walk along the hills
The trees, valleys, and streams
The race of life then stills
Giving time to bond with dreams

There is no push for structure
As one is taught through metaphors
Found plentifully among nature
Here one learns what best endures

Spiritual Peace

Spiritual peace is not to be found
By race, culture, or nation
But through our covenants as good works abound
And we seek his inspiration

Only then to be discovered
What's existed all along
Now sacredly recovered
Our true identity so strong

President James E. Faust
Heirs to the Kingdom of God
Ensign, May 1995, 61


"Spiritual peace is not to be found in race or culture or nationality, but rather through our commitment to God and to the covenants and ordinances of the gospel. Each of us, regardless of our nationality, needs to reach down into the innermost recesses of our souls to find the divinity that is deep within us and to earnestly petition the Lord for an endowment of special wisdom and inspiration. Only when we so profoundly reach the depths of our beings can we discover our true identity, our self-worth, and our purpose in life. Only as we seek to be purged of selfishness and of concern for recognition and wealth can we find some sweet relief from the anxieties, hurts, pains, miseries, and concerns of this world. In this manner, as President J. Reuben Clark said, we can bring “to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit.”15 God can not only help us find a sublime and everlasting joy and contentment, but He will change us so that we can become heirs of the kingdom of God.

This is really the recovery of the sacred within us. We have the authority in our beings to respond to challenges of life any way we choose. Thus we gain mastery in any circumstance. As the Savior said to the diseased woman, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.”16 "

Do the Best that you Can

Do the best that you can
The Lord will do the rest
Put your trust in His hand
Believe...you will be blessed

Wherever in this world you may be
The Lord knows you and listens to your prayers
He loves you and wants you to succeed
And to the seeker, He freely shares


Dieter F. Uchtdorf
The Influence of Righteous Women
Liahona, Sept. 2009, 2–7

"Blessings beyond Imagining
As you live up to this mission, in whatever life circumstance you find yourself—as a wife, as a mother, as a single mother, as a divorced woman, as a widowed or a single woman—the Lord our God will open up responsibilities and blessings far beyond your ability to imagine.

May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. But don’t reach beyond your capacity. Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don’t compare yourself with others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones. The virtue of your own life will be a light to those who sit in darkness, because you are a living witness of the fulness of the gospel (see D&C 45:28). Wherever you have been planted on this beautiful but often troubled earth of ours, you can be the one to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5).

My dear sisters, as you live your daily life with all its blessings and challenges, let me assure you that the Lord loves you. He knows you. He listens to your prayers, and He answers those prayers, wherever on this world you may be. He wants you to succeed in this life and in eternity."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moorpark Ward: Seussical - Oh The Thinks You Can Think

Oh the thinks you can think
When thirstily needed
There to ponder and drink
What is spiritually greeted

found this on the back of a notepad.
Of course it was from pondering the Seussical-
What a great mind to have written that book!
My husband was the general and the rest are
just the most amazing group of people anyone
could ever be so blessed to know!
Between laughing and crying and feeling homesick
I treasure the memories... the best one can pick

"Then Came The Morning" By Gloria Gaither & Guy Penrod

The emotion of a mother
Left without her son
A pain like no other
T'was more true with this one

He of humble nature
Had served all selflessly
The hope of the future
Now lay cold...breathlessly

Her life had become empty
Grown dark as the night
He'd suffered so greatly!
What could offer her light?

From humble birth without a room
He'd submitted to all that came
His body in a borrowed tomb
What would become of His good name?

She would attend to His last needs
And care for His battered body
Remembering His greatest deeds
Which He'd done for everybody

Then word came, His body was gone?
The stone had been rolled away!
He had risen along with the dawn
And, oh, the brightness of day!

What greater joy could a mother know
Than that her child will live again
Overcome with tears endless in flow
Life would go on without an end



I was on the phone with a dear friend who has been like a mother to me.
She told me this utube had given her comfort.
She has already lost two children and
now has a daughter with brain cancer
who has progressed to the point she cannot talk.
I watched the video and felt the emotion and
I love the words.

I picture this woman- without the crowd, makeup, and fancy hair
Telling the story out in nature just as Mary would have if she'd been here
I picture this man in flowing gown
on a hillside with angels to surround


They all walked away, with nothing to say. They'd just lost their dearest friend.
All that He said, no He was dead, so this was the way it would end.
The dreams they had dreamed, were not what they'd seemed, now that He was dead and gone.
The garden, the jail, the hammer , the nail. How could a night be so long?

Then came the morning, night turned into day.
The stone was rolled away, hope rose with the dawn.
Then came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun.
Death had lost and Life had won, for morning had come.

The angel, the star, the kings from afar, The wedding, the water , the wine.
Noe it was done, they'd taken her son. Wasted before his time.
She knew it was true, she'd watched him die too, she'd heard then call Him just a man.
But deep in her heart, She knew from the start. Somehow her Son would live again

Then came the morning, night turned into day.
The stone was rolled away, hope rose with the dawn.
Then came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun.
Death had lost and Life had won, for morinng had come.

The came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun,
Death had lost and Life had won, for morning had come
Morning had come

The Mark of a Finisher (A+)

The mark of a finisher
Comes of giving your all
And finding great pleasure
In heeding your call

The finish lies ahead
For all of us to greet
Spiritually led
Thus, here is what we'll need:


VISION- Make a map of where you're going
EFFORT- Know with each step you are growing
FAITH- Record your progress. Erase each doubt
VIRTUE- Share your good works with those about
COURAGE- Remember the path on which you belong
PRAYER- Where, through prayer, you are made strong

cleaning up my bulletin board where I'd put a piece of paper: The Mark of a Finisher: vision, effort, faith, virtue, courage, prayer

President Monson said there are true marks of finishers in the race of life that we as Church members can follow:
• The mark of vision. "True finishers have the capacity to visualize their objective," he said.
• The mark of effort. "Needed is the capacity to make that second effort when life's challenges lay us low," he explained.
• The mark of faith. "Recognize that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other."
• The mark of virtue. " 'Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly' " (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45). This counsel from the Lord will provide staying power in the race we run."
• The mark of courage. "Have courage … to try, when your arms are too weary," he said.
• The mark of prayer. "When the burdens of life become heavy … communication with our Heavenly Father provides peace," he promised (Thomas S. Monson, "Finishers Wanted" Ensign, June 1989).

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/60049/The-race-of-life.html

White

Sitting on a hillside
With a view of the town
The beauty was a sight
And a long way down

I prepared to paint
A lovely playground scene
But my heart grew faint
I'd not white for a shade of green

I could not paint the sky,
The shimmer on the pool,
The birds scattered in flight,
The children, and the school

Reflecting all around
White held the greatest value
To the valley I soon bound
Seeking that highest virtue

pondering
G K Chesterton's Essay: A Piece Of Chalk G K Chesterton's Essay: A Piece Of Chalk. Read online.
www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/20734/ -

what a good read
he made me think of many things
what makes good writing
the value of white
what poets write about- and the need to write more of nature
and he stirred me with a desire to return to my hill- though a very cold day. I stood and looked at all around me- the temple in the the distance, the birds playing in the natural spring, the two (memoriums?) that have now lay decored with Christmas. I don't know if someone died up here or if ashes were laid to rest. But two children come up here to remember a loved one and leave little gifts...Reminding me how precious family is!

An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ

He shouldered all alone
The burden of salvation
His it was to atone
And exalt our lowly station

Through divine withdrawal
His supportive circle closed
This central to His travail
He died for us... and arose

Alone, He stood by us through death
Now, we must each stand by Him,
Learn His laws, and do them
That His circle grow and widen

Jeffrey R. Holland
None Were With Him

pondering further I changed the middle and would like comments:

With our sins- came divine withdrawal
Separation from God was imposed
This central to His travail
The veil's supportive circle closed

Mormon Temples: The Blessings of the Temple

Holiness to the Lord
Who has atoned for us
Let us go to His house
And feel His presence, thus

Let us take that sacred step
Which points us towards Him
Through covenants that are kept
Let us be taught the way to heaven

Elder Russell M. Nelson
The Blessings of the Temple