To Know Love

To know love
Is to learn of
Our Father above

To love all
Is mankind's call
But, we ever, ever fall

Our sins bud
And stain love
Making cold our blood

Thus, God's Son
Perfectly won
For us the undone

The day schemed
Betrayal teamed
Yet, still He redeemed!

Thus, He taught
How pure Love's sought
As, our sins, He has bought

Love is born
In perfect form
When the heart is torn

For it swells
And more love dwells
As darkness dispels

We hold fast
To love surpassed
Where we've meekness vast

For unseen
We've equal esteem
Each of but one team

We're combined
When we're of one mind
And love is intertwined


1 Jn. 4: 7-12, 16-21
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
• • •
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love him, because he first loved us.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.


Phillipians 2:1-8
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of
love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being
of one accord, of one mind.
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the
things of others.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who,being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Love is Tender

Love is tender
And ever under
Heaven's perfect watch keep

Love is beyond
Friendly, kind and fond
What bounty it does reap!

With sacrifice
And service that gives twice
Of it's sweetness one does weep

The Way

We can know the one way to happiness and fulfillment
Or ever know torment and awful lament
We can know the well of water ever springing up
Or suffer for our sins and bear our own cup
We can rejoice in and bear the blessed name of Jesus
What then shall we do? But, feel His spirit upon us!

Only He can cause our heart to beat within in our breast
Only He can preserve and protect us and give us rest
Only He can give us strength midst the burdens of life
Only He can forgive our sins and heal us amidst strife
Only He gives us knowledge, peace, joy, and power
And Only He can bring us back to Heavenly Father in that hour

We can partake and drink thirstily
Or remain weak; lacking, foolishly
We can live in His Light and see clearly
Or remain blind; impaired severely
We can know in life what is abundant
Or remain filthy; despite the atonement

The highest achievements are not for a select few
For Christ can transform us, because He is able too
Though life is hard, the Lord's way is never hard
If we choose what's right and all the rest discard
Those with good sense will follow Him and obey
He is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the Way

Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge
The Way
Ensign, November 2008, 34


John 14: 6, 14
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Soul Survivor-poetry based on the life of James Ballou

A child without nurture
Can there be a future?
When all that's seen is wrong
How can one turn out strong?...

With the drug deals and sex trade
The police often came to raid
Yet, they never rescued the child
From this lifestyle, crazed and vile

The father was vengeful...
The boy must become "useful"
As the mother had long left
The boy was soon taught theft

His own bed was given away
For the addict or thief to lay
While he slept on the floor
Hearing sex through the door

And when the music was loud
His judgment often did cloud
He would tear at his own skin
To be relieved of a force within

And as the boy became older
His heart inside grew colder
For everything built to stew
As he picked fights each day, too

But, they could not match the pain
Of his father's beatings and disdain
To survive, he learned to judge what he saw
Whether to lie or inside withdraw...

How will this man child turn out?
Statistics leave us no doubt!
But... could kind time erase this imprint
Perhaps, if but light showed a glint...

He grew hard with hatred and pity within
For someone must prove that they could love him
As, he did not trust those who gave him aid
It was with drama and anger that he paid

A young woman did not judge and gave him love
But, eventually even her he did shove
He thought himself damaged and too far gone
That like his father he would go on

He dared church missionaries to teach him
Truly intending to berate them
But, as He told his story in full
He felt their love and a warmth did pool

The Elders came, and a seed was planted
That God was his Father- the truth he was granted
He could pray out to Him for what he needed
Perhaps, like a junkyard, he could be weeded

But, once the weeds were cleared there was more
As the past madness still in him tore
Yet, in him four dreams he chose to peruse
That a new man in him might infuse

God, love, hope, and family- could be found
But, first he must find himself on solid ground
As he'd never known structure or self-discipline
He enlisted in the Coast Guard to change within

As he learned the good of wise choices
A need for education in him made noises
And he became lonely for that girl in his past
This time he was determined to make it last!

It was not easy...for his old past haunted
He could be cruel as like his father he taunted
With three children, his wife almost left
But, the gospel heals, he was not left bereft

The sickness in him, he did destroy
As, more and more he came to love each boy
A step at a time a new life can be cast
Unto a new heart that will ever last

And this soul survivor can attest
That the past can be laid well to rest
Gone the damage and the torture
As he's blessed with hope, the gospel cure!

thoughts after reading
Soul Survivor
James Ballou
Amazon books

Another House is Dark

Another house is dark
Where I walk at night
Seemingly cold and stark
Where once a welcoming light

And soon we will be next
After all of these years
My muscles work to flex
I'm too busy now for tears

All the walls are now bare
The boxes have been sealed
The piano is not there
To the truck it has been wheeled

We had tried everything
More hours and less pay
But, still the debts did ring
Till now we're releaved of this pain

Now is the time for trust
To believe in God above
Though to the cold we've been thrust
We've still each other and love

I Went for a Walk Tonight

I went for a walk tonight
Thinking to clear my head
Wishing to make things right
Of some harsh things I had said

Like a wound or a scrape
This pain I've caused must heal
And though I'd wish to escape
I must repent for the cut to heal

On A Star Filled NIght

On a star filled night
The full moon arose
A big ball of light
That all heaven knows

Though long out of sight
The sun can be seen
Reflected and bright
Upon this moon- a sheen

Perhaps this night's for
Us to ponder anew
What lies at our core
To guide the things we do

A time to reflect
What is in our heart?
And too, to detect
Our paths we would to chart

Come thirty days more
I'll see this moon again
Casting shadows at my door
To reach me like a friend

When You Were Hungry

When you were hungry
I gave you food
Till it was empty
You thought it good

When you were thirsty
I gave you drink
Till it was empty
And in the sink

When you were injured
I gave you aid
And your smile assured
That I was paid

When you were naked
I gave you clothes
When you were sickly
I held you close

When you broke the law
I didn't balk
Though the pain was raw
We still did talk

When you were tired
I gave you rest
And this peace inspired
Pure love at best

When you needed love
I gave you much
For heaven's made of
Good things of such

When to my neighbor
I show kindness
For Christ I labor
And I'm my finest

When to a stranger
I welcome in
That babe in the manger
It is unto Him

And all that I do
Is for my Lord
To show love anew
That He is adored

Matthew 25:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

In a Grove of Trees Where Morning Light Gives Birth

In a grove of trees where morning light gives birth
Young Joseph Smith humbly knelt, desiring much to know
If and where God's kingdom was still upon the earth
Thus, to him- God and His Son, as personages did show
To commence the restoration and teach mankind their worth

Ever since this day, the prayer lines remain open
To succeeding prophets, who guide us and instruct
May those with listening ears, heed all that is spoken
And cleave to their covenants while improving their conduct
As well as humbly praying in remembrance and in token

D&C 88: 131
Let him offer himself in prayer upon his knees before God, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant.

Profanity

He who is deserving of the highest acclaim
Watches us from heaven above
And each time we utter out His name
May it be with praise and love

Jesus, our elder brother
Has borne all of our woes
And He would that we love one another
The great cost for this, He knows

Both names as diety are sacred
Titles of majesty, for awe
They're not words of habit bred
For anger clenched along the jaw

All words used as profanity
Attack our dignity
And it shows our ignorance
When what we need is assistance

When we have pain amidst commotions
Let us respond like our Elder Brother
For when suffered strong emotions
His would not say what harms another

Ex. 20: 7
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Deut. 5: 11
11 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Mosiah 13: 15
15 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Ps. 139: 20
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Prov. 30: 9
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

2 Ne. 26: 32
32 And again, the Lord God hath acommanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish.

God Doesn't Care Nearly As Much Where You Have Been

God doesn't care nearly
As much where you have been
As He does so dearly
Of the path you now begin

With faith in Him, you'll see
The path that lies ahead
If you're willing to be
Hopeful, trusting and led

Ever as it should be
The past is left behind
It is destructive to see
So dismiss it from your mind

The atonement's beauty
Reveals your bright future
You've a sacred duty
To not tear each healed suture

The past is to be learned from
As we live more for today
We'll see what we've become
As we let God lead the way

And too we must believe
That others can find their way
And t'wards the good life achieve
The change that comes when we pray

So ever think of Lot's wife
Who longed for her past once more
Doubting God could transform life
She became but salt that did pour

Do not long for the days long gone
Live for today- where you belong
Dream of tomorrow and never let go
Ever be faithful, there blessings do flow

Jeffrey R. Holland
CES Fireside January 2009
Remember Lot's Wife


Luke 17:
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all
• • •
32 Remember Lot’s wife

Let Us Start by Sharing What's Happened This Week

Let us start by sharing what's happened this week
It's only a sentence, it's only a peek
Of who I am and what I like to do
And when it's my turn, I'll share it with you

Since I've been baptized, I've had a personal guide
That shows me the path that's best to decide
And as I explore all kinds of good things
I am learning about me, and how to gain strong feelings

You've Something That Sets You Apart

You've something that sets you apart
You've a sweet spirit and a gentle heart
You've all the resources to help you along
Parents, teachers, leaders to help you be strong

But, the biggest thing you have today
Is that heart felt desire to always pray
For it's Heavenly Father that knows you best
And His outstretched arms never need rest

It's through the Comforter that He speaks to you
To guide and assist you in all that you do
And, your brother Jesus Christ has shown the way
To be worthy to hear what the spirit does say

There's Something to Be Said of Purity in Thought

There's something to be said
Of purity in thought
When others are wordly led
Those pure choose to not

When angry words insult
They turn the other cheek
And for the eternal result
They try to be kind and meek

Oh, may this turn away wrath
If not from man then from God
As we each travel life's path
Our influence is narrow or broad

Let's be kind to each other
And see in each what is good
For we're sisters and brothers
Each seeking to be understood

Never Underestimate

Never underestimate
The power of virtue
For, whoso is found possessed of it
Has the Lord's strength in all they do

Never underestimate
The power of just one
For whoso with truth is intimate
Has sure instructions from the Son

Alma 20:4 Now Lamoni said unto Ammon: I know, in the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things.

Alma 53:20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.

A Banner is Calling- Return

A banner is calling - return
And be a light full of virtue
That others might see and then learn
That it's always best to be true

Virtue is a pattern of thought
That gives rise to choice behavior
And when this inner strength is sought
It ultimately leads to our Savior

There to enter His temple with purity
And humbly stand at our appointed place
Tall and bright with a quiet dignity
That's born of a clear conscience and grace

For those worthy to make sacred covenants
Do receive the Holy Ghost as their guide
That protects us at the needed moments
That we're worthy no longer to hide

Now is the time for each to arise
And unfurl this banner to the world
That when comes our Savior Jesus Christ
We'll be encircled about with light swirled

That when He appears we will be like Him
Purified even as He is pure
From within our hearts to our very limbs
We'll wax strong in confidence that is sure


Elaine S. Dalton
A Return to Virtue
Ensign, Nov 2008, 78

D&C 121:45
Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

Moroni 10:30
And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.
31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Moroni 7:48
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

Suicide- Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not

Some things are known
And some things are not
To a prophet was shown
Dead spirits being taught

The gospel is preached
Unto those who are dead
Through darkness they are reached
To be spiritually fed

Their bondage of sin
Plus all they've transgressed
Can be paid for within
As each penalty is stressed

Through faith and obedience
The Lord does redeem
Through proxy ordinance
They'll be pronounced clean

But, what of those
Who commit murder?
Who in suicide chose
To end what comes further?

What if on earth
Temple work had been done
Do they still have worth
To return to the Son?

I shall not judge
Nor shall any man
The state of their mind
When they laid out this plan...

Without faith to cope
There's darkness, despair
When one knows not hope
There's no room for repair

When the mind is ill
Nothing makes sense
There was light in them still
But, they had naught patience...

Still, as God's creation
We're all known above
His great plan of salvation
Is one of fairness and love

Some things we know
And some we do not
Where, in heaven, will our loved one go?
Is not for our thought

To those left behind
Who agonize full
May they have peace of mind
This, the Lord's promise, does rule:

"Peace I leave with you
My peace I give unto you
Not as the world giveth
Give I unto you"

"Let not your heart be troubled
Neither let it be afraid"... ( John 14:27)
And may your faith be doubled
In the Lord's plan that is laid

Heavenly Father's gospel truly can be
A "light shining in darkness"
With the Savior's role helping us to see
The great plan of happiness




Elder M. Russell Ballard
Suicide: Some Things We Know,
And Some We Do Not
Tambuli, Mar 1988, 16



I am so thankful for the church-
the love, comfort, knowledge and resources it offers
the list is endless, we are not left alone

How I Long to Journey to the Land of Our Lord

How I long to journey
To the land of our Lord
To see what He did see
This country He adored

But, what I have is a book
From a student with a pen
Who wrote while too she looked
Out upon Jerusalem

What better special gift
Could one buy for the home
Than a book that does lift
Minds to where Christ did roam

Thou Whose Bowels Are Filled With Mercy

Thou whose bowels are filled with mercy
I call to Thee, as one infirm
Ease my fears as hands now hurt me
And that this babe in me will turn

Here my flesh is sick nigh to death
As I cramp and bleed from the womb
Might Thou bless me with peaceful breath
That this infant in me might bloom?

If Thou calls me, save this baby
That my suff'ring not be in waste
While Thy Light is still inside me
I give thanks for Thine atoning grace

In memory of all the women who used to die in labor-

From a discussion at Segullah- As A Woman?
On how Jesus Christ
knows the pains of child birth...
and the issues of womanhood
started with a quote from
Chieko Okazaki- a must read

click on the title for the link

With All the Alternatives to Choose Among

With all the alternatives to choose among
We've moral agency for the right or wrong
With freedom of choice and accountability
We've knowledge to increase our sensibility

While God preserves us from day to day
There's laws to obey or disobey
And though many opinions and preferences numb
We can't change the consequences or a fixed outcome

While Satan promotes conduct that narrows our station
Our God does not intend that we yield to temptation
He's given us a Savior, and redemption is possible
If we come to Him, to be like Him, and be responsible

The glory of God is intelligence
With wisdom learned through obedience
When we receive truth it is full of light
Till line upon line we are made bright

Knowing these things is only the start
The test comes as we experience the dark
That we can become independently strong
To yield to the right and flee from the wrong

And that we might know true liberty
While we are here in mortality
We've been given God's resources in full
That we might pass moral agency school

D. Todd Christofferson
BYU Devotional
31 January 2006
click on the title
to link to the talk

D&C 101: 78
That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.

Love Is Something to Live For

Love is something superior
It is something to live for
Blessed with love, can one feel inferior?
As upon this cloud, one sees so much more...

I see part of myself
When I look in your face
My heart once upon a shelf
Now beats warmly with more space

When I look in the mirror
While dreaming of you
I can see much clearer
Why you love me too

For I see some of you
In my smile, in my eyes
As you've that sparkle too
That lifts me to the skies

Let's inspire romance
In those that surround
Let them see us dance
Up off the ground

And let's sing together
Our old love song
And dream of forever
Where true love belongs

Truly, Madly, Deeply
Happy Anniversary Dancing Grizzly!
From Warrior Woman

More Precious Than Gold

More precious that gold
More valued than money
The scriptures behold
Are sweeter than honey

In the fleshy tablets of our hearts
Our Lord's holy scriptures can be written
For there in always something imparts
As we carry and ponder His words within

For those who feast there is much to learn
To make one wise unto salvation
For, then we'll feel complete where e're we turn
And regardless our situation

As the soul delights to read God's book
There is a heavenly light that can be seen
It's about the faces who there in do look
And are in love with what they are reading

Susan W. Tannner
Scriptures- More Precious Than Gold and Sweeter Than Honey
BYU Fireside
11 September 2005
You can click on the title to read this talk

Ps. 19: 10
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.


2 Ne. 4: 15-16
And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.


2 Cor. 3: 3
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.


Alma 32: 28
Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.


regardless
in spite of everything; without regard to drawbacks

Through Christ You'll Achieve Great Expectations

Through Christ you’ll achieve great expectations
Both in mind and spirit through your preparations
There will be pitfalls to avoid on the track
And alone to finish- the strength you will lack

Beginners are many, but enders are few
Stick to your task until it sticks to you
In the game of life effort is required
If you can prove yourself, you’ll be desired

Be like the Savior and help others along
And as you help them, you'll grow to be strong
The foxes have holes and the birds have nests
Those with room for the Lord achieve the great tests

As you set sail beware of the flashy start
And too beware of what lies in your heart
It is our daily good habits that do pay
And great effort is needed to live that way..

So, continually remember to kneel and to pray
And do of the things the prophets now say
When you would to sin and flail in deep waters
Return to the Lord and spiritual matters

Thomas S. Monson
CES fireside BYU January 11, 2009


Expectations
belief about (or mental picture of) the future, the feeling that something is about to happen, wishing with confidence of fulfillment, the sum of the values of a random variable divided by the number of values

Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;
Beginners are many, but enders are few.
Honor, power, place and praise
Will always come to the one who stays.

Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;
Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too;
For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile
Will come life’s victories after a while.
—Author Unknown

Changed Forever

Changed forever
With sharper focus
With endeavor
That swell inside us...

The shepherds saw
They heard and knew
A night of awe!
They, the least, the few

Though long ago
That star appeared
More love did flow
To whom they endeared

This star's promise
Will never fade
Will never miss
Till the ends cascade

For then will come
Our Lord, again
Not, just to some
But, to all the ends

From Time to Time We are Deeply Touched

From time to time
We are deeply touched
By something kind
And our pain is hushed

Alone one Eve
Many years ago
A man in grief
Faltered in the snow

Until he thought
That he heard something
For strength he fought
As a bell did ring

In the distance
Was a lit hillside
This was his chance
And how his legs tried

But, he staggered
Then fell to the snow
Old and haggard
With no one to know

To a small church
He'd set out to start
There perhaps to search
For solace to his heart

An angel's voice
Whispered to his ear
"Come and rejoice
You are but so near"

"Life's something more
Than feeling all alone
Beyond that door
Is Christ who did atone"

"He's in the song
And in the words spoken
There... you belong
And He'll heal what is broken"

The man more neared
To the sound of voices
Then in he peered...
Smiling as one who rejoices

He stepped inside
To warmth, friendship and love
Thanks to his guide-
An angel from above

That needed hour
Though the night grew chill
Heaven did shower
Blessings down to thrill

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 what 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 to you to share
Which, in time will be uncovered....
(Boys)......And the Cub Scout program can lead you there
(Girls)......And Activity Days can lead you there

Check Your Talk

Check your talk from start to end
Does each thought flow and blend?
With the message you were asked to send?

A prayer is essential, that's a fact
You may be surprised what combines to attract
As grows what's absolute from the abstract

Tender is the Night

Tender is the night
As soft is the light
That warms my armchair
That I might think there

When I am all alone
It's a quiet zone
Amongst the ticks and hums
A relaxing peace soon comes

It's my time to pause
And ponder on what gnaws
My, how the week has flown!
The most hectic I have known

Through silence I learn
New thoughts to discern
And as though an informant
This moment is important

For I discover
I am not alone
Inside of my book cover
A light to me is shown

And tender is the sight
Of that delicious tree
That each and every night
It's where I want to be

What Lies Beyond the Secret?

What lies beyond that secret
That's whispered in soft tones?
That once uttered there's regret
And trouble that one owns

A single moment's seen
Like a snapshot in time
And it creates a scene
A scandal- that's a crime

Can we talk directly
And allow for some grace?
For who walks imperfectly
Amongst this human race?

A misunderstanding
Can grow and do much harm
When lips to ears are landing
May it sound off an alarm!

The Winds Blow

The winds blow
Softly with new snow
To remind me
I am not alone

A lone leaf
Drops and sails away
All too soon
It will decay

Now the tree
Looks ever barren
Just like me
Without sweet Karen

My small child
Is ever distant
From my reach
Gone in an instant

Can she know
How much I miss her?
Her voice now
Like a whisper

I see her
Dancing and singing
Her laughter
Sweetly ringing

Everything
Reminds me of her
Everything...
What can life offer?

My heartaches
With emptiness
My heart breaks
With weariness

But a thought
Grows within me
She's not lost
For God set her free

Like the wind
May she pass by
To dry my tears
When here I cry

Or with snow
She can send me
Her kisses
Ever so gently

Dedicated to the handful of people who have come to my blog looking for a poem about losing a child. And stayed to read poem after poem. Looking for some comfort and perhaps words to express their loneliness. My son had a seizure and stopped breathing as a young child and I thought if he died - that would be it and I'd be motherless because we were having trouble getting pregnant. As a mother of a small child the bond is incredibly close. I'll never forget that feeling. Everything turned out okay and we went on to have another. But, I can't imagine the pain of losing a child.

I Can Be An Example Though I'm Just One

I can be an example, though I'm just one
Of a righteous believer in the Son
In word, in spirit, in faith, and in purity
In conversation, too, and in charity

The Savior Jesus Christ trusts me with His name
And I want to represent Him just the same
As part of a generation with destiny
I know that others will be drawn to me

Through the power of faith, I've influence
To show God's standards of excellence
I'll make every decision pass this test:
What will this do for me to be my best?

I'll partake and renew my covenants each week
For the constant companionship that I seek
Then I, just one, can make a difference in the world
Till the dawning of a brighter day is unfurled

-------------------the young women---------------------
By small and simple things are great things brought to pass
And there are three things I've been challenged to task
To pray, to smile, and to read the Book of Mormon each day
That people will be drawn to me for a happy way

------------------the young men------------------------
I cannot neglect the gift that is in me
For through hands it has been given through prophecy
I'll live worthy for the blessings that through me flow
I'll attend to my duties, and strive ever to grow

An Example of the Believers
New Era, January 2009, 8

1 Tim. 4: 12
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.


“The morning breaks; the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion’s standard is unfurled! …
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.”
(Hymns, no. 269.)

1 Tim. 4: 14
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands

Alma 37: 6
Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

I Have learned Alas

I have learned alas
That prayer starts a fast
And as the day does pass
My eyes on the Lord must cast

Oh, what more does please
Than the joy at feast
When I find God hears my pleas
Him so great, and I the least

When I'm giv'n to choose
I'll read His good news
To fast there's nothing to lose
For therein lies heaven's views

I can see and feel
A love that does swell
It testifies what is real
To tell me that all is well

A Worthwhile Goal

A worthwhile goal
Will improve my life
Will increase my role
And will lessen strife

Where do I yearn
To change and grow
In me it must burn
For improvement's show

A flame, a fire
Is building more
My greatest desire
Is what I live for

With full purpose
I'll press ahead
Seeking for progress
Well enough said

It's time for work
To watch and pray
For soon I'll not shirk
With help to not sway

May I measure
Each step I take
Then comes the pleasure
Of me in the make

I will account
Unto someone
And make each day count
For change to be won

My example
Does benefit
Other's in sample
How best to profit

And so for me
I press onward
Helping other's see
How to move forward

shirk
verb: avoid dealing with;
avoid (one's assigned duties)

Circumvent

As sin does increase
One seeks to feel peace
And thus must excuse
Till it's naught then to choose

Thus, some circumvent
Rules of government
On and on to bore
Into laws once more

That judgment might slope
Away from God and hope
On and on to chip
And justify that slip

And everyone knows
This ploy ever grows
Once one creates the gap
On our rights they do tap

What is happening?
Rules are fracturing!
And the home is next
As this trend does test

And if we do judge
Then we're the begrudge
We're not tolerant
We're belligerent

Each moral's station
In litigation
And we must unite
To speak for what's right

We must be our best
There in lies our test
Speaking for values
Without words that abuse

Martha and Mary

Martha and Mary
Of the same household
Christ came to tarry
Whose story be told?

Martha did labor
Much more than her share
She judged Mary for
Sharing light with great care

Who's the best hostess?
She who does everything?
When this is her focus
Where is the time to sing?

And if our dear Lord
Came to knock today
Would He feel adored?
If we do things this way?

One starts to broil
The other trims the lamp
One deep in toil
While the other tends the lamb

Each lamp that welcomes
Jesus will look for
When at last He comes
To show Himself once more

If Martha had asked
Soon would come aid
But, as such she lacked
In getting better paid


thoughts from
Dallin H. Oaks
Judge Not That Ye Be Not Judged
BYU fireside
1 March 1998

Judge Not, That Ye Be Not judged

When there's a command
We need good judgment
We must understand
To not circumvent

In the Lord's gospel
That we have at hand
We've rules about judging
Two are by command

Inside the Bible
It warns to not judge
Yet we're quick to lible,
Gossip and begrudge

Now someone must rule
To enforce each law
And someone must school
What's fairness for all

Who then can we trust
To always be fair?
Alone- there's Jesus
With all, He is square

What is best for today?
We all must decide
Teaching the good way
Even to criminals tried

For if we give up
On anyone's soul
Then the shame's on us
You reap what you sow

Tendencies to blame
Might come back to haunt
When we do the same
And our sins come to taunt

When there is a wrong
The laws will help there
Pray it won't be long
Ere confessions are shared

As none are perfect
Except for our Lord
We must each repent
To find favor

When the Savior said
That 'judgment is mine'
He meant at the end
When He'll judge that last time

They are caught- aha
Now discern with care
Ye who judge the law
For Christ's light is still there

My thoughts from reading
Judge Not that Ye Be Not Judged
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
BYU Fireside
1 March 1998

3 Ne. 14: 1
And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Matt. 7: 1
Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Lev. 19: 15
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

John 7: 24
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Psalms 35: 19-28
Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me:
neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters
against them that are quiet in the land.
Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha,
aha, our eye hath seen it.
This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not
far from me.
Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause,
my God and my Lord.
Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let
them not rejoice over me.
Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let
them not say, We have swallowed him up.
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that
rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour
that magnify themselves against me.
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous
cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which
hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise
all the day long.

from rhymezone.com:
libel
noun: the written statement of a plaintiff explaining the cause of action
(the defammation) and any relief he seeks
noun: a tort consisting of false and malicious publication printed
for the purpose of defaming a living person
verb: print slanderous statements against

circumvent
verb: avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
(duties, questions, or issues)
verb: surround so as to force to give up
verb: beat through cleverness and wit

Here We Raise a Voice of Warning

Here we raise a voice of warning
Unto the ends of earth
That if to sins we are turning
There is no path of worth
We will not sense what is unseen
That leads man to what's choice
Unless we listen and we heed
What calls our inner voice

Who'll accept the invitation?
To be taught things of joy
There to bless for generations
Down through each girl and boy
In God's house are many mansions
For families to live there
For forever in expansions
The family's there to share

Let us each be an example
May love always comes first
Truth and choice are put to sample
As testimonies burst
We can help preserve the family
And seal them unto God
What greater path- what can it be?
Than the Lord's with His rod

May we know that we are chosen
That a light burns in us
Let us take courage and go then
We're made strong, in as much
Ever the Master is calling
Unto the least of us
May we hearken without stalling
To reach out and to trust

President Henry B. Eyring
Let Us Raise a Voice of Warning
Ensign, January 2009, 5

Just When You Think the Past is Long Gone

Just when you think
The past is long gone
It comes back to wink
And say you were wrong

Somewhere it's there
Buried so deep
Trying not to share
But, it just can't keep

That old regret
Something done or said
Comes back to fret
To bother with dread

So what do you do?
When comes this test
Just learn anew
So you can rest

With each new day
Comes the good and bad
Give thanks today
For all that you've had