What is the Handmaiden of Tolerance?

What is the handmaiden of tolerance?
But the ultimate virtue of love
Balanced together there's expectance
That each will be guided by truths from above

And as it is said the truth shall make you free
We are proved of whether or not we are the Lord's
For it is not just love and tolerance but unity
As towards repentance a rebuke or chastening affords

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall-
Misapplication of Love and Tolerance
Ensign, October 1994, 11

D&C 95:1
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you—

With Deep Abiding Faith

With deep abiding faith
The Saints travailed about
But, some weak in the wake
Remained to dwell in doubt

They thinking the prophet fallen
For directing a changed course
Held firm to mock at him
Truly doubting his new source

While.... from New York to Ohio
Then Missouri to Illinois
The faithful left their homes
They chose apostasy and spoil

And still in our day
Some fall unto confusion
Mistaking what prophets say
To stray unto allusion

While others wrestle their agenda
And focus on something heard
Thus completing their addenda
With a misquote of a phrase or word

How can we be consistent
In our faithfulness
By staying close and current
To revelation in its fullness

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Weakness-
Not Really Following the Prophet
Ensign, October 1994, 11
wake- the consequences of an event (especially a catastrophic event)

My View of America

My view of America
Is tender and sweet
For it was a miracle
That our founders did meet

As I look how strife leads
Our government today
I ponder the unity
That formed a new way

I think of the principles
Written through sacrifice and blood
As men sought to be free of gripples
And unfair taxation that did flood

I am thankful for each common goal
Under which our nation stands
That we can pursue our own roles
This only a free man understands

I worked for Challenger Schools,
(a private school in four states) for three years
Now that I am relocating to Henderson- I am
pursuing that career path again. This of course
requires a composition titled- My View of America
I have written several in the past. So, to be creative
in the hiring process I have written one in prose...

The Home Once Broken

The home once broken
Can be fixed
With belief spoken
That harm can be nixed

Then for potential
Each must arise
And do what's essential
To mend torn ties



One of my most visited poems
is Family-What Matters the Most Lasts the Longest
I am hopeful to get a job helping families
as a:
Family Support and Intervention Specialist

My husband was unemployed for 5 months
He relocated in March and I followed him
When the school year ended- and now I am unemployed
I am starting to understand what he was going through
You can spend all day on the computer
Hunting and trying to sell yourself
And rejection is no fun

The Last Rose of Summer

While staying at my elderly neighbor's house,
the last few weeks of my teaching year, I
played the sweetest song from an old yellowed
book- The Last Rose of Summer-
poem Thomas Moore
arranged by F. Henri Klickmann
In an opera by Von Flotow
Sung not that long ago by Charlotte Church

'Tis the last rose of summer
Left blooming alone
All her lovely compassions
To pine on the stem.
No flower of her kindred
No rosebud is nigh
To reflect back her blushes
Or give sigh for sigh

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!
To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter,
Thy leaves o'er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,
When friendships decay,
From Love's shining circle
The gems drop away.
When true hearts lie withered
And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit,
This bleak world alone?


I love it so much I thought
I would write new lyrics to it...

Lord I ever want most to please Thee
Doing as Thou wouldst have me do
Through the day and again at evening
I speak through Thee to God anew

Help me walk as one that's righteous
Help me be the Saint that I should be
Of what Thou commands help me to trust
I am yearning for light to see

I have read inside the scriptures
Of Thy suffering for all mankind
And I seek for this love sweet and pure
In both my heart and in my mind

Help me live as one with meekness
Help me feel repentant when I sin
Though I try, I am prone to weakness
Thus I'm thankful- this Thou didst win!

May my heart ever be found contrite
Humble to submit unto thy will
May I have sufficient oil to light
Lonely paths where I've works to fulfill

For I know thou walks by my side
Waiting patiently with love to show
May I have thy spirit inside
And bear thy name where e'er I go

straight as a poem
variation

Lord I ever want to please Thee
Do as Thou wouldst have me do
In the morn and in the evening
I speak through Thee to God anew

Help me walk as one that's righteous
Be the Saint that I should be
When Thou command help me to trust
I yearn for light to see

I have read inside the scriptures
Of Thy suffering for mankind
And I seek for this love that is pure
In both my heart and mind

Help me live as one with meekness
Feel repentant when I sin
Though I try, I’m prone to weakness
Thus I'm thankful- this Thou didst win!

To Be Self-Reliant

To be self-reliant
We care for our own
But oft we're defiant
In what we buy for the home

The world says what we need
In a path of excess
Born of pride and of greed
Till what we have is weakness

There to accumulate
Our treasures on earth
Where the moth does await
To devalue it's worth

But we'll find more lasting pleasure
When in gratitude we are casting
And lighting our eyes unto treasure
That is eternal and everlasting

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall
Materialistic Self-Reliance
Ensign, October 1994, 11

Matthew 6: 19-23; 3 Nephi 13:19-23
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
After moving our garage...
We had things we hadn't
used in years. We just don't
throw away useful stuff. The
problem is finding it when you
need it. So in our new garage
we will value our possessions
and organize them- use them or
donate. I miss San Jose where I
could just put a piece of furniture
on the sidewalk and someone who
needed it would take it. Nothing
so great that we would want the
D. I. trailer to have. But, in
Henderson, our neighborhood is
sheltered from main traffic.
Yet, this morning I saw a
scavenger drive through the
neighborhood. He had two kid
bikes and a lawn mower in the
back of his truck already.
Things someone else had put
out for the trash. And, I don't
think he was a metal recycler.
It reminds me of the utube video
of the tribute to dad- the
garbage man who took his family
to Disneyland from the money
careless people vacuumed up
at the carwash.

In China, ( My heart has turned
to them in prayer) it is a sign of
wealth if you can feed another
mouth. The first thing they
accumulate is a dog. This shows
their new status.
I think of one of the major reasons
for getting a dog was for the kids.
To teach them responsibility- and
how to care for a pet. That became
partly true- except for the land
mines in the yard. Picked up by
a parent before dark for morning trash day.
Having moved, I now pick it up every
day. Partly on walks which the dog
really loves! It took me ten years
to get to the point of being
committed to walking the dog.
At least my arm isn't getting yanked-
as much. Hooray for an older dog!
Sorry, my thoughts turned to the dog
because I wrote the poem on the little hill
I walk to look out at Las Vegas and the temple.

Love of Our Country

Love of country should not consume
For then it might override all else
So with the spirit stay in tune
With the twelfth article of faith as your help

Excessive zeal wears away the soul
And focuses on all that is wrong
Prayerfully define what is your role
And work on what makes the country strong

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall-
All-Consuming Patriotism
Ensign, October 1994, 11

From The Articles of Faith
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law

Seeking to Escape the Rigors of School

Seeking to escape the rigors of school
Through inordinate amounts of service
Into church programs his efforts did pool
With a mistaken notion of purpose

And on every clipboard that passed
Or for every activity offered
His name was written there fast
And how his school work suffered

Then, through a process of neglect
His assignments were incomplete
But with a mote too big to detect
He blamed the church for goals he could not meet

During the student years
Shall the burden of the call
Bring one to fatigue and tears?
No, never and not at all

Always through wisdom and order
One needs to communicate
That when a deadline does border
It is time to delegate


Singularly select a major
Then let it be your major focus
Lest of your talents you wager
There to truly know what broke is

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall
Inordinate Church Service
Ensign, October 1994, 11

With a False Sense of Being Supported

With a false sense of being supported
A student curtailed all of his work
For he thought with notions that were distorted
His faith could replace what he wanted to shirk

And since he did not continue
As at first he had commenced
He went on to other venues
For his academics soon were fenced

If only he had thought
To read of Oliver Cowdery
For during translations he was taught
Of how his lack of study caused him injury

There is a simple promise
That truths are given- when we ask
But there's a second side to this
We must be pondering upon that task

For how can we know if it be right
If it's not been studied out in the mind
Then by applying faith we've new insight
As through exercise it's there to find

In reality what should be first?
But to think- everything depends on ME
As in the mind we study and rehearse
To then depend on the Lord with a well thought out plea

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become our Downfall
Distorted Faith
Ensign, October 1994, 11

D&C 9:5-8
And, behold, it is because that you did not continue as you commenced, when you began to translate, that I have taken away this privilege from you.
Do not murmur, my son, for it is wisdom in me that I have dealt with you after this manner.
Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

A Desire to Know

A desire to know
Feeds a hunger to learn
And learning soon flows
Where into pride it can turn

For with higher education
There's accomplishments
As fruits of dedication
Open doors where knowledge is lent

But, in pride we're prone to boast
From this blessed strength in wisdom
When it's but a gift that does host
To further God's fruit filled kingdom

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become our Downfall
Ensign, October 1994, 11

Live Your Life For Today

Live your life for today
And in an eternal way
For this is our time for labor
There to be found as salt of flavor

Nourish your faith each day
Ponder, meditate, and pray
Study the word of God
While sharing His love abroad

Learn to be honest in all things
And think of the praise this brings
Not for the world or to find honor
But, from a desire to please our Father

Each day can be filled with riches
We can find meaning even in glitches
With effort we can go the distance
Remembering to apply repentance

Living a life as the Savior taught...
How we're to do this requires thought
For as we are led by the Spirit and light
We will find we are happy in life


George I. Cannon
Today—A Day of Eternity
Ensign, Nov 1991, 13

Alma 34:31–32
Behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation. …
This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; …
the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors

The Small Babe Tasted Birth

The small babe tasted birth
As a kiss ever brief
Then having experienced earth
Left us- to our loss and grief

Yet, in awe and wonder
We ponder how sweet our lives
To have this child dwelling yonder
Awaiting us with Jesus Christ

Shall We Run faster?

Shall we run faster
Or labor harder
Than we have strength
Or means for the length

While Joseph was in translation
This was a subject of address
As he was learning his obligations
He was taught to not labor in excess

All things should be done
In wisdom and in order
In the world there is much want
But, we need not impoverish our own border

Let us impart of our substance
To the needy and the poor
As we are enabled for the distance
From the blessings of heaven which pour

Let the Holy Spirit guide
And whisper to us anew
In truth, let God provide
And sustains us there to do

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall-
Giving in Excess
Ensign, October 1994, 11

Mosiah 4:26 see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength

D&C 10:4 Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means to enable you to translate.

It Is a Gift to Rejoice in our Labors

It is a gift to rejoice in our labors
As a bread winner in the home
About, one gaining superior favors
Soon to his family is unknown

For he put his career at the top
Of all his priorities
And when the dime called, he would hop
In a rut where he was found most at ease
-------------------------------------
In the other extreme of neglect
In dictatorship a father did lead
Unto brutality unchecked
As the words "gentle persuasion" he did not heed

Satan can distort our role
Knowing our desire to lead and act
Till we're selfishly conquering a soul
As unrighteous dominion becomes a fact
---------------------------------------
But, I've said too much of "he"
For as feminist teachings do grow
A woman sought to preempt a leadership to "she"
As she though priesthood through her should flow

In this extreme manifestation
The mothering in the home was the cost
For from the very gestation
With abandonment her family was tossed

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become our Downfall-
Neglect or Distortion of Family Duties
Ensign, October 1994, 11

A Man With a Trained Mind

A man with a trained mind
And a skillful manner
Led each student he could find
Through a practice that schools and flatters

Then in his own counsel he aspired
Being caught up in the praise of the world
Unto seeking for riches and honor
Till his own spirituality was blurred

Beware of the potential for pride
As you teach inside the church
Let the Holy Spirit be your guide
Or Satan awaits as an opponent lurch (defeat, overcome)

Who will set up a golden calf
For the worship of the Saints?
He whose strengths turn to priestcraft
For the following there he gains

When I've received spiritual education
I'll not give my teacher words of praise
But thank him for his preparation
In a way that spiritually paves

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall
-Popular Teachers and the Potential of Priestcraft
Ensign, October 1994, 11

Alma 1:16 for the sake of riches and honor
D&C 124:84 "he aspireth to establish his counsel instead of the counsel which I have ordained, even that of ther Presidency of my Church; and he setteth up a golden calf for the worship of my people"
2 Nephi 26:29 Priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion

A Book With A Promise

There is but one book
Here upon this earth
That promises to those who look
Divine knowledge of its worth

BOOK OF MORMON PROMISE
Moroni 10:3-5
Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

I Am Thankful For

I am thankful for the beauty of the sky
And for temples dotting valleys and mountains
For Thy bounty which blesses us from on high
And for Thy freely flowing living fountain

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, and Press Onward

Monson spoke of four guideposts we need on our journey-
First: Glance backward.
Second: Look heavenward.
Third: Reach outward.
Fourth: Press onward.

So, I pondered this in relationship to partaking of the sacrament...after playing some of the sacrament hymns

We glance backwards at this past week
Where were we strong, where were we meek
And for the Lord what did we do?
To prepare again here to renew

Looking heavenward for love and strength
What more have I to need at length?
Than loving emblems of the Lord
What more could our time on earth afford?

Reaching outward with hands that serve
We recommit to work with verve
And consecrate all that we have
Upon the Lord's straight and narrow path

Pressing onward with sacrifice
We redevote to Jesus Christ
He being the Master of our fate
We'll replenish oil and Him await

President Thomas S. Monson
BYU CES 2007

Two Opposing Forces

Two opposing forces
Drove the Saints to Zion
Both full bent on causes
Whose truths could one rely on?

Who stood for freedom and love
Based on righteous principles
Who sought out strength from above
Though frozen footprints bled in pools

For every worthy cause
Let there be protective armor
Lest the enemies striking claws
Poison Zion or try to harm her

From New York to Ohio
Missouri then Illinois
The Saints resettled high and low
With faithfulness still employed

The testimony of the converts
And their love for the temple
Unified their efforts
Unto being a hopeful people

Like David of long ago
They choose to face each Goliath
With faith in every footstep to go
On treks that helps one reach the highest

Armed with testimony and faith
They established gospel truths
And strengthened hearts grown faint
Theirs the test as pioneers to prove

And are we not also
Pioneers today
To lead and to tow
Each other along the way



LDS general authority ( Elder Jay E. Jensen) speaks of motivation, protection of pioneers
By R. Scott Lloyd
Church News staff writer
Published: Friday, July 24, 2009 10:26 p.m. MDT
click on title to read article

It Is Good to Have High Goals

It is good to have high goals
And ever reach to attain
Never should we cheat or boast
But righteously obtain

It is good to be guided in all of our roles
And constantly pursue that which does sustain
Thus we should consistenlty listen to the Holy Ghost
For without it what have we gained?


Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall-
An Intense Focus on Goals
Ensign, October 1994, 11

The Ox Knows its Owner

The ox knows his owner
The ass its master's stall
And, without the Lord we're stragglers
For which He ever calls

Shall our nation go astray
Rebel and openly sin?
Being weighed down the backward way
Shall we ignore what's taught within?

How then does one reverse
This path that does perverse?
We must repent, return to God
And be nourished on gospel sod

Isaiah 1
3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Holstein calf photo by Ian Hayhurst on Flickr -
straggler: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.comStrag·gler n. 1. One who straggles, or departs from the direct or proper course, or from the company to which he belongs; one who falls behind.
www.answers.com/topic/straggler - Cached - Similar -

There is a God

There is a God
He has a plan
It sheds abroad
Unto all man

Each in their own way
Have a path unto Him
And when we've faith to pray
Heaven's windows do open

It is a journey
That all can afford
Ever so humbly
Because of the Lord

May we follow His path
And walk in His ways
There to do as He asks
For all of our days...

We are filled with great love
For God, self, and man
When we read what's from above
And accept covenants at hand

Line upon line
And precept on precept
We make use of our time
And learn how laws are kept

On this earth where we turn
Christ's light is a golden rule
Upon which to center and learn
Unto love... for this life is our school

Shall I Respond to Social Injustice?

I respond to social injustice
By studying values at hand
When there is suffering, I notice
A response in me does demand

But I need not overstep
Things of ultimate value
Nor coerce and make others leap
When I pursue unto this venue

I measure and allocate time
That is but mine to give
One way I can try is through rhyme
Through prayer there is strength I find
To improve the way others live



Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Be Our Downfall
Ensign, October 1994, 11

Save For a Spot on His Heel

Save for a spot on his heel
Achilles was immune to all
Thus he did not safeguard against evil
Till, (too late) one lethal blow caused his fall

We may be strong in many ways
And think ourselves the one in charge
But, Satan ever for us preys
As one ravenously at large

He seeks of us what he can get
Be it through weakness or strength
And knowing how often we tend to forget
Ever hungrily, he lies and waits

He can see through each attempted facade
Thus we must do what fortifies
With the whole armor of God
And partaking of what edifies

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall
Ensign, Oct. 1994, 11

rhymezone
Definitions of edified:
adjective: instructed and encouraged in moral, intellectual, and spiritual improvement




Artist: Willy Pogany
free domain

I have Heard What Hath Been Said

I have learned what hath been said
And written of long ago
In truth, I was seeking to be fed
That for myself I could know

I read of the Lord's commandments
And of His blessing those around
Then of the gift of the Atonement
The greatest love ever to be found

The words spoke softly to my soul
With tender mercy and compassion
And I pondered- what is my role?
That I might serve with love impassioned

And as His words ever live
I was filled with the answer
Be as a child who does give...
Then to the Lord, my will did transfer

The Small Infant

The small infant
So new to the earth
Its only time spent
To receive but its birth

We must humbly remember
With a most tender heart
This babe in deep slumber
And the path He did chart

In the present there's hope
For millennial peace
And a heavenly home
Where all sorrow will cease

A 7.8 Earthquake

The island of New Zealand
Had a 7.8 earthquake
And towards Australia did expand ( the island moved 12 inches!)
Causing a tsunami to awake

Such an enormous movement
Reminds one to wonder
Of the 3 Nephi moment
When land moved over and under

click on title to go to site

Through the Patriarch I am Spiritually Led

I have been blessed through a patriarch
Who has placed his hands upon my head
Now I've a star to follow and embark
On a journey that is spiritually led

Now I know who I really am
And to which tribe I belong
That as a descendant of Ephraim
I have blessings to be that are strong

Guided by the spirit of prophecy
The patriarch pronounced future blessings
While promising and cautioning specifically
And also admonishing paths for addressing

How can I not but read it often?
And ponder God's love for me
There to feel my pour heart soften
Warmed with thoughts of my life with divinity

A Star to Follow
A patriarchal blessing from an ordained patriarch
can give us a star to follow, which is a personal
revelation from God to each individual.
If we follow this star,
we are less likely to stumble and be misled.
Our patriarchal blessing
will be an anchor to our souls,
and if we are worthy,
neither death nor the devil
can deprive us of the blessings pronounced.
They are blessings we can enjoy now and forever.
James E. Faust

A Blessing Fulfilled
Sometimes someone will worry
because a promise made in a
patriarchal blessing is not yet fulfilled...
That does not mean that the blessing
will go unfulfilled.
It is well to know that things happen
in the Lord's due time, not always in ours.
Things of an eternal nature have no boundaries.
From the premortal existence to our existence
beyond the veils of death, our life is an eternal life.
President Boyd K. Packer

The Winter Quarters Temple - Mormon Temples

Name them one by one
And thank them for what was done
Saying their names helps us recall
They gave their lives, they gave their all

Shall we raise more monuments
Along the Mormon trail?
One, each there to represent
A life that was curtailed?

If we laid tombstones side by side
It would be miles before we're done
There to honor those who died
Each mother, father, daughter, son

Shall we lay them out in order?
And give honor to how they tried
For they kept to the trail's border
And their faith was not denied

Shall we mention how they suffered?
And went without and sacrificed?
How, to the last breath they offered
Consecration for Jesus Christ?

And with the monuments lined up
Shall we walk the trail with them?
And let their lives speak much to us?
As blessed roots from which we stem

6,000 pioneers lost their lives
on the trail west between 1847 and 1869

My Baby My Way

I sit all day
Holding his things
For the slight bit of comfort
This action brings

Often I wipe
My cheeks that are wet
Perhaps I should write
Lest I forget...

The way he would crawl
With his diaper so full
Smiling at all
With a toothless drool

The special way he said my name
That playful tilt of his head, so sweet
His endlessly funny peekaboo game
For then how long our eyes would meet!

With a flick of the seashell night light
I think of the bed we made in a drawer
Where for the first time he slept through the night
At a hotel near by the shore

There is not a thing
That I would throw away
For they all bring
My baby my way


The small infant
So soon to the earth
In fact had been lent
To receive but life's birth

Humbly we remember
With worthiness of hearts
This babe in sweet slumber
Which breathlessness imparts

To those present there is hope
Of restoration one day
In a millenial home
Where this babe will grow and play

How Blessed It Is To Sacrifice

How blessed it is to sacrifice
And be willing to give up all of our things
But, in truth, all we have would not suffice
To repay the price the atonement brings

Thus we should give what is asked of us
And not think of it as too little or too much
Being gracious with our possessions or service
For a humble soul is made of such

And if what is required of us seems too great
Know that our suffering is but a small
Measure of the fullness of weight
That the Lord bore for us one and all

Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall-A Desire to Sacrifice More Than is Needful
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Ensign, Oct 1994, 11

How Blessed It Is To Receive Honors

How blessed it is to receive honors
And be recognized among our peers
But beware lest Satan fathers
A desire for detrimental cheers

Like unto Balaam whom the world offered
Wages to do an unrighteous thing
When he should have stayed true to principles proper
For the blessings of heaven good works bring

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall- Honors Can Sometimes Turn to Our Detriment
Ensign, Oct. 1994, 11

The Pioneers Sacrificed Everything They Owned

They sacrificed everything they owned
Even their very lives at times
While in persecution they lost their homes
In the pursuit of Zion theirs to find

One day each year let's take a journey
And trek a path till tired and dirty
Let's trace our heritage to the day
When our first ancestors paved the way

Each in their own way they sacrificed
As only in doing what's right sufficed
That we might have a name and standing today
May we be like them and have the faith to obey

Let's open our mouths, our homes, our hearts
As there are so many blessings the gospel imparts
Let's renew our commitment to follow and trust
For there are future pioneers waiting around us

Elia Gourgouris: Ask Dr. Elia
On Pioneer Day it's worth noting: We're all pioneers
Tuesday, Jul. 21, 2009
Read all of Elia's by clicking the title

A Desire to Be Led in All Things

We should desire to be led
By the Spirit of the Lord
But, not to the extent of all things
For the deception then it brings

Revelation from God
Is a sacred reality
And as our choices are broad
It must be cherished and used properly

We should study things out
Using God given reasoning powers
That unto good works we're about
Aided by decisions which shower

Then for guidance we should pray
If our solution is on the right track
But, sometimes it doesn't matter the way
And it is for us to decide and to act

But,if we persist in thinking we're pious
And concoct in our minds notions false
Based not on truth but on fantasy's bias-
There to warp our progression till it halts


Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strength Can Become Our Downfall
Ensign, Oct 1994, 11

Here On My Mission

Here on my mission
I can only invision
My lovely dream girl
Waiting for me in this world

First, and foremost
She has the Holy Ghost
To walk with virtue, the narrow way
That our two paths will meet some day

For now I will prepare
That of me there's much to share
With the qualities of the Savior
I know there's more of me to favor

Line Upon Line We Learn

Line upon line we learn
But sometimes there is naught
Thus, if we mark beyond... to discern
We'll be but consumed and distraught

For Satan awaits these seekers
Through sophistry and spurious revelation
Let's beware of searching as lofty peekers
For apostasy's within reach at this elevation

Those trying to know all and exceed orthodoxy
Are, too, on a path just as dangerous
As, also, those waiting to learn by proxy
Who idly fall short, lacking faith and trust


One of a series- click on label below
Our strengths Can Become Our Downfall
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Ensign, Oct 1994, 11

How Does One Feel the Light of Christ?

How does one feel the Light of Christ?
But, to have the mind feel quickened
Unto knowing what's good and right
And of bad to feel sickened

As a warning we'll feel dark
And filled with confusion
But when there's truth we'll spark
And burn with light's infusion

Is it any wonder
That when we find Christ's church
We not far then wander
For we've His Light from which to search

A Man in the Community

A man in the community
Had a mighty gift of healing
But he lacked sufficient humility
And went beyond spiritual feeling

Puffed up in prominence
There to gratitify his own ego
He traveled a path of variance
And knocked on doors, where e'er he'd go

For the adversary
Led him away through this gift
Unto doing contrary
But, truly, who gives these powers to uplift?

We must always remember
For what our gifts are given
To humbly bless God's members
Not to misapply as self driven

Unto each of us
Lies a special gift
It is there in trust
To be lost if we soon drift

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall
Ensign, Oct 1994, 11

Losing Sight of the fullness

Losing sight of the fullness of the gospel
One replayed a single doctrine incessantly
But, like unto a piano key, the sound became awful
For it spiritually dulled unto apostasy...

Those who desire to know the truth in part
Do not discover how truths harmonize
And we must warn of this from the start
For it limits what's before our eyes

For if we're solely absorbed into a talent
A special strength, or commitment
Satan sneaks in to grasp with his talons
To bring us down to our detriment

Beware of the hobby key
That's struck continually
For spiritual growth is ignored-
The fruit of the gospel of the Lord

Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall-
Gospel Hobbies
Ensign, October 1994, 11

They desire to know the truth in part,
but not all D&C 49:2

Filled With Love and Gratitude we Commune with Thee

Filled with love and gratitude
We commune with Thee today
With broken hearts we've come to be schooled
Through Thy Holy Spirit, we pray

With reverence profound in word and deed
We seek to grow in strength
Thy sacred ways shall always lead
To charity at length

We've prayers today for divine teaching
There to light our minds with Light
For clearer thoughts, we ponder, reaching
The things that come into our sights

In remembrance of Thy Holy Son
We've come for the Sacrament
With clean hands and broken hearts knit as one
We seek Thy Spirit and to renew our covenants

I said the first two lines in my prayers last night and wrote them down
This morning, I was stuck beyond the first stanza and I googled my title and lds to find a site with the same layout as mine. Craig Conover wrote a talk- for his family- something which he does on a regular basis. What a wonderful idea. Who needs to wait to be asked. I never thought about it. A wonderful way to learn the gospel and be taught by the Spirit. And, to keep a record of it that can be seen in a blog. A great site.
click on the title to go to his site

Let Me Gaze Into Your Eyes

Let me gaze into your eyes
And see the Spirit there
For as we speak of Jesus Christ
There's a warmth that we both share

Let us speak fondly of God
And His plan of happiness
The joy of holding to the rod
There to feel His love for us

I Am Thankful For The Savior

I am thankful for the Savior
And His atoning grace
In the school of life, I'm a learner
And His teachings I've embraced

Each time that I fall short
And follow the ways of man
I love Him all the more
For He lifts me to understand

Thus, I'm always in His debt
As an unprofitable student
Still my joy will not let
For I've His light each time I'm prudent!

The Holy Ghost is a Communicator

The Holy Ghost is a communicator
Such that we need not signs as proof
To enlighten an investigator
For tender feelings come with truth

The Holy Ghost is the key
That comes as a gift to accept
It is a promise to receive
Unto being spiritually adept

The Holy Ghost is what we need
To guide us on our way
That we will not be deceived
But abide the perfect day


Henry B. Eyring,
Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times,
Ensign, Jun 2007, 18–24

The Holy Ghost Is the Key
The key for each of us will be to accept and hold the gift we have been promised by God. As a member of the true Church of Jesus Christ, you will remember that after you were baptized, authorized servants of God promised you that you could receive the Holy Ghost. Some of you may have felt something happen when that ordinance was performed. Most of you have felt the effects of that promise being fulfilled in your lives. I will tell you how to recognize that gift, how to receive it every day, and how it will bless you in the days ahead.

You have felt the quiet confirmation in your heart and mind that something was true. And you knew that it was inspiration from God. For some of you it may have come as the missionaries taught you before your baptism. It may have come during a talk, lesson, or hymn in church. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Truth. You feel peace, hope, and joy when He speaks to your heart and mind that something is true. Almost always I have also felt a sensation of light. Any feeling I may have had of darkness is dispelled, and my desire to do right grows.

The Lord promised that having those experiences would be true for you. He said:

“And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy” (D&C 11:12–13).

The Lord also promised that those who have accepted the gift of the Holy Ghost in their lives would not be deceived. He spoke reassuringly to you and to me, who live in the times when the Church is being made ready for when He comes again. Here is the promise from the Doctrine and Covenants:

“And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.

“For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day” (D&C 45:56–57).

from rhymezone
noun: someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
adjective: having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
Example: "Adept in handicrafts"

I have to laugh at myself
originally this title was The Holy Ghost is a Testator- which is someone who prepares wills-

Mormon- Quick to Observe

The plates had been hidden and reserved
And promised to me, for I was quick to observe
Yet, being but a sober child of ten
I was told to wait to see and engrave on them

And, now years later, I make a record
Of the things I have seen and heard
I have opened my eyes and ears to my day
And of God's commandments, I have been quick to obey ... (14 years later)

David A. Bednar,
Quick to Observe
Ensign, Dec 2006, 30–36
From a devotional address given at Brigham Young University on May 10, 2005.

All of us have learned important lessons from the central characters in the Book of Mormon. As we read about and study the lives of Nephi, Laman, Alma, King Noah, Moroni, and many others, we discover things we should and should not do, and we realize more completely the kinds of people we should and should not become.

In my study of the Book of Mormon I have been especially impressed with a particular description of Mormon, the principal compiler of the Nephite record. The specific depiction of this noble prophet to which I would direct our attention is contained in the first five verses of the first chapter of Mormon:

“And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon.

“And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age … ) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;

“Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; …

“And behold, … ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people.

“And I, Mormon, … remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me” (Mormon 1:1–5; emphasis added).

Please note that the root word observe is used three times in these verses. And Mormon, even in his youth, is described as being “quick to observe.” As you study and learn and grow, I hope you also are learning about and becoming quick to observe. Your future success and happiness will in large measure be determined by this spiritual capacity.

Please consider the significance of this important spiritual gift. As used in the scriptures, the word observe has two primary uses. One use denotes “to look” or “to see” or “to notice”—as we learn in Isaiah 42:20: “Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not” (emphasis added).

The second use of the word observe suggests “to obey” or “to keep”—as is evident in the Doctrine and Covenants: “But blessed are they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment, for they shall obtain mercy” (D&C 54:6; emphasis added).

Thus when we are quick to observe, we promptly look or notice and obey. Both of these fundamental elements—looking and obeying—are essential to being quick to observe. And the prophet Mormon is an impressive example of this gift in action.

The Family is the Building Block of Society

The family is the building block of society
It is a nursery and a school to learn propriety
Also, it is a hospital and a leisure center
Offering a place of refuge and rest for those who enter

What can be done to save the family?
But return to the traditons of the past
Content with very little, they lived scantily
Of such their prayers of gratitude to God were cast


The family is a nursery and a school
A building block for the golden rule
It is a refuge, a place of rest
And it is where society finds the best

Margaret Thatcher, when she was prime minister of Great Britain, expressed this profound philosophy: “The family is the building block of society. It is a nursery, a school, a hospital, a leisure centre, a place of refuge and a place of rest. It encompasses the whole of the society. It fashions our beliefs; it is the preparation for the rest of our life.” In Nicholas Wood, “Thatcher Champions the Family,” The Times, May 26, 1988, 24.

photo-work provided by Chris Collins of the Margaret Thatcher Foundation

The Most Important Doctrine I Can Declare

General Conference April 1985

The most important doctrine I can declare
Is of the lord's atoning sacrifice
Clearly the transcendent event ever
Provides us mortals with life forever

And as the Father's plan is now operative
We've help to overcome our pride's motive
Thus it is for us to take upon Christ's name
And heed the words of apostles who proclaim

They who have heard His voice and know His word
Are willing to suffer for Him- even scourged
For they know the place outside the Jerusalem walls
Which is a pleasant garden that to our hearts calls

Gethsemane by name is where the sinless Son
Took upon Himself ours- every one
That on condition of our repentance
We can be ransomed unto remittance

Thus we can be saved from hell's endless torment
Athough we cannot conceive its full import
All we do know is that great gouts of blood
Did sweat from every pore as with a flood

He drained the bitter dregs of the cup given
Such that in agony the burden pressed upon Him
Then in some way incomprehensible to any of us
His suffering satisfied the demands of justice

To ransom the penitent souls from sin
Through mercy available to those who believe on Him
And as He lay prostrate upon the ground
He would that the bitter cup not be found

Thus to Him an angel came from the courts on high
To strengthen Him with love in rich supply
And we suppose it was Michael who foremost fell
Who shared with Him things no man can tell

After this with His body wrenched and drained
Came that which conspirators prearranged
He confronted Judas and incarnate devils
And was roped at a criminal's common level

By the very Jews that sat in Aaronic seats
He was sent twice unto Pilot's feet
There they smote Him, accused, and cursed
And their foul saliva down His face coursed

To then further weaken Him they dealt vicious blows
What pain engulfed His body, there fully showed
As one could see- His trembling brow
While the thorns pierced unto a make shift crown

But above it all they scourged the mighty Son
With barbs they whipped Him forty save one
He arose from this suffering that He might die
An Ignominious death - to be crucified

He carried His cross midst taunts and brawl
Until He collapsed from the agony of it all
Finally on a hill that looks like a skull bone*
The disciples felt the agonies of near death in their own

The Roman Soldiers laid Him upon a cross
And with great malices more blood was lost
They drove spikes of iron through His hands, wrists, and precious feet
Truly He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities

Then the cross was raised that all might see and gape
While they did curse and deride and part His cape
This they did with evil venom for three hours from nine till noon
Then the heavens grew black and darkness loomed

For the space of three hours- as it did among all the world
There was a mighty storm as the pains of Gethsemane reoccurred
Then... finally after all the infinite agonies and merciless pain
He said "it is finished" and of the ghost, He voluntarily gave

As the peace and comfort of a merciful death freed Him
He entered the Paradise of God, which surely pleased men
For He was prepared to see His seed according the Messianic word
Who were assembled there to see His face and grasp what was heard

Those who were present consisted of holy prophets and faithful Saints
Comprising of those from ages past who took upon them His name
Who of Him were spiritually begotten even as it is with us
Meanwhile in the Arimathaens tomb lay the body of Jesus

After some 38 or 40 hours
Jesus came to the garden of tombs and flowers
And took up that body which had not yet been corrupted
And arose glorious and triumphant

He received all the power in Heaven and on Earth
Being immortal as the Father unto worth
Then having obtained Eternal Exaltation
Appeared to many Saints for their education

They who witnessed, too, saw Him rise
This the crowning moment of the Atonement of Jesus Christ!
As Adam brought death so Christ brought life
That we might work out our salvation to ascend heights beyond the skies!

May I invite you to join with me in gaining a sound and sure knowledge
Of the Atonement that others might benefit from your witness
Cast aside the philosophies of men and the wisdom of the wise
And hearken unto the spirit which unto all truth guides

We must search the scripture, ponder, and pray to accept them
As the mind and will and voice of the Lord given to holy men
They contain the very power of God unto salvation
There you'll see much without equivocation

As we ponder and too pray
There will come unto our minds
Glorious visions of past days
Where three gardens we will find...

1. In the garden of Eden
All was a paradisaical state
Without death or procreation
Our mortality was but in wait

Then Adam and Eve transgressed and stepped down
To become parents of trial and reknown
There's it was to multiply and toil the ground
While making it possible our second estate be known

2. Then in Gethsemane we will see the Son of God ransome man
From the very fall and temptation that cursed Adam
We being spiritually and temporally dead
Have for us to learn what the Atonement did

3. Finally, may each see the resurrection place
And imagine the joy of seeing Jesus Christ face to face
He burst the bands of death and stands over the grave
And Salvation comes in and through His Atoning blood and in no other way!

God grant that all of us will walk, as God our Father is- in the light!
According to His promise- cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ!

Bruce R. McConkie
The Purifying Power of Gethsemene
Ensign, May 1985


*looking for a picture I came across a dramatic site
It is a non- LDS site and states something about the relevance of the blood being missing in the NIV, TNIV, and the NIRV as well as the mention of the word Calvary. I would like it if someone commented on this....
I like how he finishes by stating we should be faithful to the King James Version of the Bible.
click on title to go to this site and to see the Calvary image

Just as the Breeze Cools One When Faint

Just as the breeze cools the brow
And refreshes one when faint
The things we feel while we bow
Restore us and give us strength

Imagine more what as a whisper
Sends directions without detours
Resting upon us from the scriptures
To then warm us with what reassures

We Were There

We were there
Out in the bay
Rocking where
Fireworks play

And on the hill
High above
Was the temple
God's home of love

My country, my God
My family in service
My gratitude broad
For opportunity and purpose

What a magical time setting up fireworks on a barge at one of the piers in San Francisco and then riding out past the bridge and treasure island. With the sun setting and a wonderful view of San Francisco behind while being pointed to the Oakland temple. While boats are giving a thumbs and cheers.Then arriving in front of Jack London Square with all the American flags. I just sat and pondered my country, family, and my temple. I will miss it and let the Las Vegas temple come to be my refuge. Sigh, I will miss all the familiar faces. We drove till past midnight to get to California and Demara and Renny came all the way from Maryland and had 4 hours of sleep. What a joy and blessing to keep up the family tradition! And, Jessie did all the shopping since everything was still in storage!

What Guides our Finer Qualities?

What guides our finer qualities?
But utilizing the Holy Ghost
As it improves our faculties
And abilities to the utmost

Kindness, goodness, and beauty of person
Add form and gladness to our whole being
That we are lifted unto joy and purpose
From having God's Spirit warmly abiding

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Quench Not the Spirit Which Quickens ...(1965), 101: “The gift of the Holy Ghost … quickens all the intellectual

LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Holy Ghost: Glorifying Christ“The Holy Ghost … quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, .

LDS Holy Ghost Quotes"When we invite the Holy Ghost to fill our minds with light and knowledge, He "quickens" us, that is to say, enlightens and enlivens the inner man or woman. ...www.readthescriptures.com/Holy_Ghost_quote.ashx

Spiritual Energy from the Holy Ghost - NothingWavering.org - LDS ...Spiritual Energy from the Holy Ghost - "When we invite the Holy Ghost to fill our minds with light and knowledge, He 'quickens' us, that is to say, ...
www.nothingwavering.org/.../spiritual-energy-from-the-holy-ghost.html

LDS Doctrine: "After All We Can Do?"LDS believe we are saved by grace 100% but we also believe that no unclean ... See it is the Holy Ghost which quickens and changes us, and sanctifies us. ...ldsdoctrine.blogspot.com/2008/06/after-all-we-can-do.html

LDS Church News - Elder Keith K. Hilbig When invited, the Holy Ghost "quickens us" or "enlightens and enlivens the inner man or woman. ... We feel strengthened, filled with peace and joy." ...

I Strive to Promote Health

I strive to promote health
And put off the natural man
That to me is wealth
And prosperity in the land

For in truth that is freedom
To live a life of purpose
And be a part of God's kingdom
Where there in is love and service

In the Shadow of the Temple 3

In the Shadow of the temple
Stand Elders of Israel
They are men so noble
That to see them is surreal

They are men of purpose
Living the higher law
They are men of service
And, thus, they stand clean and tall

The boys with Shawn 

Come Back to Me My Child

Come back to me my child
You seem so very distant
For today your ways are wild
And your love is quite resistant

If you had ears to hear
The things you would remember
And you would feel God near
Offering mercy ever tender

Bastille Day July 14

Bastille Day started in 1789
When the French citizens proclaimed it was time
They stormed the prison at the center of Paris
And in battle, over took the monarch's fortress

The tyranny of Louis the sixteenth was ended
Such that, this day of revolution, we have befriended
Thus it has become a representation of freedom
A foundation for the restoration of our Father's kingdom

As from America came the framing of the Constitution
It helped in part change the country that aided their revolution
Imagine George Washington with his troupes in a quest to not quit
Make a last bold move then to see behind him a fleet of French ships!

Our thanks to France who came with sacrifice
As their country had little to cover the price
And as a symbol of their love and friendship
They sent Lady Liberty upon a long trip

Let us always remember history
And acclaim good works shining of glory
And thank the unfavored Marie Antoinette
Who with the founders we should not forget

For thus she was baptized by living for the dead
On a day at the temple that was spiritually led
May she be acclaimed and her faults overlooked
As her life was taken for the depression that hit pocket books


please help me polish this poem
and site the last part
about Marie being baptized

The Hardest Work There is to Do

The hardest work for me to do
Lies within the walls of my own home
Thus I invite the spirit anew
That of love and purpose I am shown

The minute that I'm overwhelmed
I know I'm more than teary
Such that a converse is welcomed
With God above who guides me dearly

I can focus on tasks at hand
When I know it is God's will
For He helps me understand
How to meet demands and fulfill

For thinking is so hard for me
With all the struggles found in life
Thus, I study and I seek
To be a better Saint and wife



CES Fireside 2009 - President Thomas S. Monson Thinking is the hardest work any one can do—which is probably the reason why we have so few thinkers. ..... ed., Best-Loved Poems of the LDS People, (1996), 255–56. ...

LDS Church News - 'A love story, a drama, a miracle': Funeral 89 ...But men will work hardest of all when they are dedicated to a cause. ... President Monson

LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Call of Duty Men will work harder for other men. But men will work hardest of all when they are ... He took my hand in his and asked, “Bishop Monson, do you remember me? ...

It's About Love

As you contemplate your crisis pregnancy
Know there's a non-threatening agency
That can help you explore all your options
With heart warming examples of adoptions

Here, there is always someone to contact
Real people with whom you can connect
Read of experiences similar to yours
At It's About Love, God's spirit downpours

The church is really about family and healing
It is about love and selfless serving
Only you and the Lord know what is best to do
So, explore and let the spirit whisper to you

Imagine your awakening babe
Encircled by the angels above
Blessings that eternally pave
Await through the miracle of love

click on the title to read the article
It's about love
New Family Services Web site reaches out to parents, mothers
By Lisa Christensen
Church News staff writer
Published: Saturday, July 11, 2009

or go to-
itsaboutlove.org

Saving Each Precious Lost Fruit

A farmer drove his open bed truck
Filled to capacity with sugar beets
But, he lost some each time it was struck
With such potholes that also unseats

He stopped often to rest his back
Stiffening from all of his labor
And took with him a large gunny sack
To pick up all the beets that did neighbor

For each fruit was of such great value
That he wanted not one to be wasted
And we have a similar work to do
For each whom of the gospel once tasted

We should lift up those on the roadside
Who've been caught in the current so deep
And, too, turbulent times tear like a tide
While swirling whirlpools of sin do not sleep

But, all of this just needs not be!
For we have the doctrines of truth
We have the programs and the power to be
Saving each precious lost fruit

Of those who are now the wandering lost sheep
It is time to take a hand and reach a heart
For each is in need of our rescue, love, and watchkeep
There to restore what was engraved at the start

President Thomas S. Monson
Sugar Beets and the Worth of a Soul
Ensign, Jul 2009, 4–7

A Fish Thrown to New Water

A fish thrown to new water
Must beware of big fish
With adjustments to weather
It must know when to swish

It must pay full attention
And not drift nor daydream
For there lies great tension
Between the air and the stream

The Love of God

The love of God
Is shed a broad
When the Holy Ghost
Is felt innermost

For it is as a seed
Planted in our hearts to swell
To nourish the soul
And build the kingdom whole

And as it is thus
We need to be righteous
To have the spirit with us
And fulfill each sacred trust

And where is this framed?
But inside of the home
Where the commandments are named
And schooled lest we roam

Let us be like unto Solomon
Who asked for an understanding heart
That our family knows our love for them
And our feelings for God we can impart

And as this is so crucial
We must enlist all whom we can
With judgments that aren't partial
We must help each woman, child, and man

For where is the kingdom of God
Upon the earth today?
But, in each member's heart
And where the spirit might stay

Thoughts from:
Listening to the Mormon Channel
President James E. Faust
March 1, 2005
Devotional

Romans 5:5
The love of God
is shed abroad
in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us

Alma 32:28
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.

Ephesians 3:13-19
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Luke 17:20
20 ¶ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.


click on title to read the transcript
Where is the Church?

Teach Me of the Book You Carry

Teach me from the book you carry
And of my purpose and role
Dear Missionary-
Won't you reach into my soul...

Can you answer the questions I have of God?
And, how I can get closer to Him in prayer
How can I know, on earth, where I belong?
I want to be found tenderly in His care

answer:

What I have to offer is writ in truth
That came but as an answer to James 1:5
If you read and pray about it, you'll feel warm proof
As though a seed in you has come to life!

Let us open to a page that I love
It states if we counsel with the Lord and pray
He watches over us from above
And directs our paths for good to the last day


page 303
Alma 37:33-37
Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.
O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.
Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

You've Repented, Felt the Spirit- NOW WATCH OUT!

You've repented, felt the spirit- NOW WATCH OUT!
For Satan will try to break you unto doubt
Know what's inside is as a tender seed
That must follow light continually in need

You'll find spiritual nourishment on gospel soil
Pay no heed to temptation, the devil's work of foil
Record your progress and don't delay
Learn from your trials, hold to the rod, and pray!

rhymezone- foil
hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

In the Shadow of the Morning Light

In the shadow of morning light
The babe at last is sleeping
Who more can tell of the long night?
Than mother her vigil still keeping

rhymezone:
vigil-
a devotional watch (especially on the eve of a religious festival)
a period of sleeplessness
a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe

The Hardest Part of the Day

The hardest part of the day
Is not remembering to pray
But involves holding to the rod
Which requires we read the word of God

See the virtue of every page?
As it points to Christ through each age
We should be virtuous also
Look to the temple and there go

For how do we want to be remembered?
As in the Book of Life we are membered...
Someone who looked to Christ each and every day
And smiled in virtue along the way

Ann M. Dibb
Will you be remembered as being virtuous?

By Christine Rappleye
Mormon Times
June 29, 2009

virtue
from rhymezone:
the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong
a particular moral excellence
morality with respect to sexual relations
any admirable quality or attribute
click on title to go to article

Ours It Is

Ours it is to push back the force of the world
Like unto standing against a threatening wind
Where the word of God can barely be heard
From the nearby roar of what does descend

Like unto waters flooding the Devil’s Throat
Continually cascading into chasm below
Above, here it would be foolish to be afloat
And even more to stand on the rocks wet from the flow

Yet, the shadowy depths seems so tranquil
While gathering and waiting to spill over the brink
And those seeking adventure dismiss caution until
They lose control, fall, and can’t discern or think

For, the scene is most alluring and enticing
As it appeals to the sensual parts of our nature
Like a water’s pool which seems smooth and intriguing
The devil tries to coax souls his way to master

How he would like us to stand near the edge
Where balance is easy to sway
Yet, if we move just one inch closer on the ledge
We'll become swept away with what swirls our way

If we send light’s caution to the wind
Through disobedience and lack of preparation
We should not be surprised of where we then end-
In a drowning pit filled with trepidation

Come Saints, let us learn to discern
Between the voice of Satan and the Master
Towards our Savior we should then turn
For help to save us from disaster

James E. Faust,
The Devil’s Throat
Ensign, May 2003, 51
click on above link to go to a blog describing devil's throat
and President Faust's talk. Great Picture!

Remember

He took bread
And gave thanks
Then He said
Remember

Too with cup
They did sup
As He said
Remember

Each Sunday
We partake
To renew
Our covenants

And ponder
All anew
Of the Lord's
Atonement

He still speaks
In offering
And we've time
To ponder

Each Sabbath
Of His life,
And suffering,
As we praise with wonder

How precious
Is His love
Infinite
And eternal

He's our light
To heaven above
Where God dwells
Glorious and supernal

Never Will a Brother Enlisted in Arms

Never will a brother enlisted in arms
Abandon a comrade to the enemy who will harm
For when a casualty has been defined
It's predetermined, none will be left behind

Whatever the risk, someone will run low
To reach, assist, and then tenderly tow
For they are loyal to the end of their service
While being true to their training and purpose

Such that when a Saint is pronounced as fallen
We should attend to them personally and often
For we are truly engaged in a long war
And a wayward spirit we cannot ignore

Though it be difficult or dangerous
We of the priesthood have accepted this trust
To represent God for the salvation of others
While we pray for, teach, and assist one another

Such that with hearts drawn out something is shown
And as we meet with our charge it becomes more known
Unto words to say and of specific blessings to strive for
We offer how, through obedience, there's light and much more

Man Down
President Henry B. Eyring
Ensign, May 2009, 63