What Has Jesus Done For Me?

What has Jesus done for me?
One asked...while not wanting to see
But the words were said, I gave them much thought
Knowing the answer for each must be sought-

He created this earth and added for us light
As our Exemplar, He then came and did all that is right
He suffered our pains and sins, then was sentenced to death
And because of Him we will rise again through His living breath

Ever selfless up to and through His darkest hour
He gave us commandments, the priesthood, and sealing power
While humbly He listens to and attends to every prayer
Such that when we need Him, He is always there

To those in the dark who have lost their way
There is oh so much more I would like to say
May the Holy Ghost teach to you all of the rest
As you seek for it, in righteousness, truly you will be blessed

Verse 1] What has Jesus done for me? one asked While not wanting to see But the words were said, I gave them much thought Knowing the answer for each must be sought [Pre-Chorus] He created this earth and added for us light As our Exemplar, He then came and did all that is right He suffered our pains and sins, then was sentenced to death And because of Him we will rise again through His living breath [Chorus] What Jesus has done What Jesus has done for me He gave us hope He set the captive free What Jesus has done What Jesus has done for me (For me) (for me) [Verse 2] Ever selfless up to and through His darkest hour He gave us commandments, the priesthood, and sealing power While humbly He listens to and attends to every prayer Such that when we need Him, He is always there [Pre-Chorus] To those in the dark who have lost their way There is oh so much more I would like to say May the Holy Ghost teach to you all of the rest As you seek for it, in righteousness, truly you will be blessed [Chorus] What Jesus has done What Jesus has done for me He gave us hope He set the captive free What Jesus has done What Jesus has done for me (For me) (for me) [Bridge] May the Holy Ghost teach to you all of the rest As you seek for it, in righteousness, truly you will be blessed When the night feels long His mercy stays When my faith runs thin He carries me through days [Final Chorus] What Jesus has done What Jesus has done for me He gave us hope He set the captive free What Jesus has done What Jesus has done for me (For me) (for me

Pondering
Teachings of Jesus
Dallin H. Oaks
Ensign, November 2011

Thank you Danielle for your email. I love to put thoughts to poetry. It touches me that you have read some. I hope to get better as the years go by. Sometimes I think I will stop. But, writing has become a very close friend... and I miss it deeply- five days was a long time this week.

The Challenge of Belief

I love and miss President Holland and his tender heart.  This video pains me, but I love his loving  invitation to bring those who think we are cult together so we can talk.  

You see and hear him all the time

Judging the church like he knows best

Zeroing in like it was his to find

What do you say so he will give it rest?

In the beginning

With Adam and Eve

Was contradiction

That challenged belief



By transgressing

God's laws in their hearts

The first family

Must depart to start



Not knowing all things

We come unto truth

The spirit this brings

Conviction's proof



How do you explain

Your witness as proof?

To make sacred plain

Makes light of the truth



It is in the struggle

The challenge of faith

That we become humble

And receive God's strength



If this man had come with an honest heart,

seeking to "know for himself"

answers would have come,

the spirit would have helped.



Opposition only strengthens- a renewed faith to show

With the supposer ever searching and never coming to know...

It is not for man to "attack" churches and expose faults

but to seek what good they offer through the love that is taught.

Mormon Apostle Jeffery R. Holland interview on BBC  2014

Verse 1] You see and hear him all the time Judging the church like he knows best Zeroing in like it was his to find What do you say so he will give it rest? [Verse 2] In the beginning With Adam and Eve Was contradiction That challenged belief By transgressing God's laws in their hearts The first family Must depart to start [Pre-Chorus] Not knowing all things We come unto truth The spirit this brings Conviction's proof How do you explain Your witness as proof? To make sacred plain Makes light of the truth [Chorus] What do you say? What do you say? Give it rest, let truth remain (What do you say?) What do you say? What do you say? Seek the good through love, not blame (give it rest) [Verse 3] It is in the struggle The challenge of faith That we become humble And receive God's strength If this man had come with an honest heart Seeking to know for himself Answers would have come The spirit would have helped [Bridge] Opposition only strengthens A renewed faith to show With the supposer ever searching And never coming to know [Chorus] What do you say? What do you say? Give it rest, let truth remain (What do you say?) What do you say? What do you say? Seek the good through love, not blame (give it rest) [Outro] It is not for man to attack churches and expose faults But to seek what good they offer through the love that is taugh

[Verse 1] In the beginning With Adam and Eve Was contradiction That challenged belief By transgressing God's laws in their hearts The first family Must depart to start [Pre-Chorus] Not knowing all things We come unto truth The spirit this brings Conviction's proof How do you explain Your witness as proof? To make sacred plain Makes light of the truth [Chorus] Honest heart, honest heart Seek for yourself Honest heart, honest heart Answers will come (answers will come) The spirit will truly help The spirit will truly help [Verse 2] It is in the struggle The challenge of faith That we become humble And receive God's strength Let any man come With an honest heart Seeking to know for himself Answers will in time come [Bridge] When the road feels long And the knowing is slow I will hold on I will let the truth grow No pride at the door No fear in my chest Only an honest heart And the promised rest [Chorus] Honest heart, honest heart Seek for yourself Honest heart, honest heart Answers will come (answers will come) The spirit will truly help The spirit will truly help

This is Your Special Year

This is your special year
To prepare, ponder, and search
For when that special day is here
You'll be a member of God's church

Prepare your heart with pure goals
Ponder as you read in God's word
Search for good works in every role
And know this... every prayer is heard

For, at eight, you may receive
The Holy Ghost and membership
There is so much, then to achieve
With a moral compass and fellowship

There's talents to be discovered
That are given for you to share
Which, in time will be uncovered....
And you've friends and family to help you get  there!

Verse 1] This is your special year To prepare, ponder, and search For when that special day is here You'll be a member of God's church Prepare your heart with pure goals Ponder as you reed in God's word Search for good works in every role And know this... every prayer is heard [Pre-Chorus] For, at eight, you may receive The Holy Ghost and membership There is so much, then to achieve With a moral compass and fellowship [Chorus] Special year, special year God is guiding you here Special year, special year He is drawing you near Prepare your heart Keep your goals pure Special year, special year His promise is sure [Verse 2] There's talents to be discovered That are given for you to share Which, in time will be uncovered.... And you've friends and family to help you get there! [Bridge] Ponder, and search Read in God's word Every prayer is heard Every prayer is heard [Chorus] Special year, special year God is guiding you here Special year, special year He is drawing you near Prepare your heart Keep your goals pure Special year, special year His promise is sure

"Special Year Turning 8 #baptism," marking the LDS milestone where children are baptized by immersion upon turning 8. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, age 8 is viewed as the age of accountability per Doctrine and Covenants 68:27, initiating formal covenants.

27 And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands.

28 And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.

Greatest Blessings in Life- His Holy House- Sacred not Secret

You will witness many things

On your journey, here, in life

But the greatest of all blessings

Comes from following Christ's light

Unto His Holy temple

It bridges heaven and earth

It is for His people

His righteous seekers of worth

See the washing and anointing rooms?

Here like the children of Aaron

We are symbolically cleansed

And anointed with blessings therein

See the baptismal font?

The living proxy for the dead

Then the holy ghost is bestowed 

As hands are placed upon the head

See the endowment room?

It reminds us we're on an eternal journey

Here we are taught to keep

Sacred covenants for our progressing

See the celestial room?

It's through the veil we're here

It's a quiet place of peace

To personally reflect in prayer

See the sealing room?

Here families come and kneel

Holding hands before an altar

To receive their eternal seal

See this His holy house?

It has many sacred rooms

A recommend allows

Saints to enter and be schooled

[Verse 1] You will witness many things On your journey, here, in life But the greatest of all blessings Comes from following Christ's light Unto His Holy temple It bridges heaven and earth It is for His covenant people His righteous seekers of worth [Pre-Chorus]

See the baptismal font? The living proxy for the dead Then the holy ghost is bestowed As hands are placed upon the head See the washing and anointing rooms? Here like the children of Aaron We are symbolically cleansed And anointed with blessings therein [Chorus] His holy house His holy house A place of peace and prayer His holy house His holy house Eternal families are made there [Verse 2] See the endowment room? It reminds us we're on an eternal journey Here we are taught to keep Sacred covenants for our progressing See the celestial room? It's through the veil we're here It's a quiet place of peace To personally reflect in prayer [Pre-Chorus] See the sealing room? Here families come and kneel Holding hands before an altar To receive their eternal seal See this His holy house? It has many sacred rooms A recommend allows Saints to enter And be celestially schooled [Chorus] His holy house His holy house A place of peace and prayer His holy house His holy house Eternal families are made there [Bridge] It bridges heaven and earth It bridges heaven and earth For covenant people, near It bridges heaven and earth It bridges heaven and earth And brings us closer here [Final Chorus] His holy house His holy house A place of peace and prayer His holy house His holy house Eternal families are made there

With all the temple open houses I thought of how special each room helps. I hope this touches your heart as it did mine. I struggled with how to make the music match. The words came easily.

Here is a great introduction to learn about the temples of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/inside-temples?lang=eng

Build With Us

With God's goodness in our hearts

We strive to build a better land

And we become industrious

As with faith, we know we can

Come and build with us

There is light ahead

Founded on Jesus

Come with love, as one, led

We have need of strong homes

With both parents present

The next generation shown

We are blessed through effort

Opportunities knock

Tune your ears to hear and act

Greatness has to be sought

Through humility, in fact

Know some will resent

The achievements you build

They are destructive

Have faith, keep going, 

Do not quit

do not yield

Verse 1] With God's goodness in our hearts We strive to build a better land And we become industrious As with faith, we know we can Come and build with us There is light ahead Founded on Jesus Come with love, as one, led [Pre-Chorus] We have need of strong homes With both parents present The next generation shown We are blessed through effort [Chorus] Come and build with us Come and build with us Do not quit, do not yield Do not quit, do not yield Come and build with us Come and build with us There is light ahead There is light ahead [Verse 2] Opportunities knock Tune your ears to hear and act Greatness has to be sought Through humility, in fact Know some will resent The achievements you build They are destructive Have faith, keep going, still [Pre-Chorus] We have need of strong homes With both parents present The next generation shown We are blessed through effort [Chorus] Come and build with us Come and build with us Do not quit, do not yield Do not quit, do not yield Come and build with us Come and build with us There is light ahead There is light ahead [Bridge] Have faith, keep going When the road gets hard Hold the line together Build it from the heart [Final Chorus] Come and build with us Come and build with us Do not quit, do not yield Do not quit, do not yield Come and build with us Come and build with us There is light ahead There is light ahead

Marco Rubio speaks of extremists as resentful.  They seek to destroy great achievements... His thoughts inspired this.



https://youtu.be/Gh7gU8V4_uA?si=ag1cPC1ZvktIcZki

Men Value their Women When...

Men value their women
When they help them out
Love's fabric is woven
With service about

Kindness is the key

That unlocks the heart
Be one found loving
From within impart

It's late, offer to help
Seek and complete what's not done

Lifting a burden yourself

Giving a back rub, a hug

Shaking the dust from a room

Letting the sunshine come in

Showing your love in full bloom

Help her to relax, often

Show your strength in kind ways

Be the one who leads, who prays

Find scriptures to lift her up

Help her feel safe in your love

[Verse 1] Men value their women When they help them out Love's fabric is woven With service about Kindness is the key That unlocks the heart Be one found loving From within impart [Pre-Chorus] It's late, offer to help Seek and complete what's not done Lifting a burden yourself Giving a back rub, a hug [Chorus] Help her to relax, often Help her to relax Show your strength in kind ways Be the one who leads, who prays Help her feel safe in your love Help her to relax, often [Verse 2] Shaking the dust from a room Letting the sunshine come in Showing your love in full bloom Help her to relax, often Show your strength in kind ways Be the one who leads, who prays Find scriptures to lift her up Help her feel safe in your love [Bridge] Give what she can lean on Be steady, be kind When the day runs heavy Be the calm in her mind Give what she can lean on With a heart that stays true Love grows in the serving And it comes back to you [Chorus] Help her to relax, often Help her to relax Show your strength in kind ways Be the one who leads, who prays Help her feel safe in your love Help her to relax, often

We Console Ourselves Upon this Point- For God and Country

So swallowed up in the Lord- His love

No fear of the enemy is forming

Nor cankering contention

Still, the fields full of death left us mourning

We console ourselves upon this one point
Concerning war and purpose
When it is for God and for country that one joins
There is promise in that service

And, now, of the many who have died
While fighting to keep us free
They are happy where they reside
And in that I am rejoicing

While others dead lie in heaps to mold
Hopelessly, how, for them I mourn
They consigned to a state of woe
Endlessly... from their kindred torn

May the blood of our good men

Redeem this land from hate

Through Christ's love and atonement

And rebuild us with faith

[Verse 1] So swallowed up in the Lord His love No fear of the enemy is forming Nor cankering contention Still, the fields full of death Left us mourning We console ourselves upon this one point [Pre-Chorus] Concerning war and purpose When it is for God and for country That one joins There is promise in that service [Chorus] For God and for country For God and for country There is promise in that service We lift our heads and trust [Verse 2] And, now, of the many who have died While fighting to keep us free They are happy where they reside And in that I am rejoicing While others dead lie in heaps to mold Hopelessly, how, for them I mourn [Pre-Chorus] They consigned to a state of woe Endlessly From their kindred torn We bow beneath the sorrow [Chorus] For God and for country For God and for country There is promise in that service We lift our heads and trust [Bridge] May the blood of our good men Redeem this land from hate Through Christ's love and atonement And rebuild us with faith [Final Chorus] For God and for country For God and for country There is promise in that service We lift our heads and trust For God and for country For God and for country Through Christ's love and atonement We rise and build again

Alma 28: 11-12

11 And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth, while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to a state of endless wo.

12 While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness.

Alma 56: 11

11 Nevertheless, we may console ourselves in this point, that they have died in the cause of their country and of their God, yea, and they are happy.

Doctrine and Covenants 101: 80 

And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.

we have been convinced of our sins, and of the many murders which we have committed. 10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which

sorry- these are some notes...

self righteous war

written for our day

hold on to iron rod, let go of scriptures and that spirit- tangible

giant rooms doors and windows - built in the clouds (no foundation)- anonymity- mocking and trying to drag them away with:

sensationalism

stir up to an angry frenzy

social media has to get your attention

to stay afloat $$

God's mercy is great enough

To redeem any repentant heart

Matt 12:31

blasphemy against Holy Spirit

Refusing grace known truth

apostasy

sacrilege

murder

betray

reconciliation

presume mercy/forgiven

despairing God's mercy- suicide- freely deciding God cannot forgive you

"God doesn't have my back" lack faith, obsessing, worrying over finances

sin vs transgression- punished for our own sins

no sin 

objective wrong doing- can't control, coerced, reduce culpability

material verses formal- willingly chose it

malum prohibitim legal latin

bad because we said so-rule- jay walking

malum say- bad because it is

word of wisdom malum prohibitim

cross- suffering of sin, hurts, wounds, and consequences

how he is able to balance the forgiveness

offense against somebody else

birth control- frustrate order God has prescribed

made up the difference/ restitution

uniting your pain to Christ's passion- through his carnation

by his wounds we are healed

tested can sympathize

healing and transformation of the whole person

in pain lonely sad called to unite that suffering with Christ on the cross

spiritual heat sink- absorb all of the heat of our pain

human's menial sin- still feeling the spirit

moral sin breaks friendship with God

Matthew 26: 46

betray with a kiss

I am He- Revealed who He was, He surrendered

blown backward-  expecting a fight, defiance

model for facing your suffering

surrender unto it- you take responsibility

sinless blameless was actually spotless