Friday, March 30, 2012

The Exodus From Egypt


It is good to remember
The promised life of the Jews
As a blessed family member
Ever of the good news

At Easter time my heart is full
I give humble thanks for their day
Their long trials have been awful
And for the Messiah's return I pray

Mitt Romney Speaks to Republican Jewish Coalition - Complete Video 4/2/11


My  heart warms to recognize
The Jewish community
How they build family ties
And maintain love and unity

Romney's wife had wonderful things to say about our Jewish neighbors here in LasVegas! I liked what Romney said about what makes America strong.  We need to hear it!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012

With Great Soberness

With great soberness
We must warn of sin
Cry out in the wilderness
And offer faith to win

Sobriety, Sober, Soberness - LDS.org

www.lds.org/scriptures/tg/sobriety?lang=engCached
Feb 1, 2012 – Book of Mormon · Doctrine and Covenants · Pearl of Great Price · Study ... with soberness, Jacob 2:2; walk in the ways of truth and soberness, ...

You are Capable

You are capable
To magnify your call
Be available
In service, give your all

Jacob 1:19

Journal Writing

Write each journal entry
As though a letter to a friend
Your thoughts won't be empty
And you'll want to share it in the end


Crosses to Bear

We all have crosses to bear
And must not run from them
When we pray, God is there
And we feel His love and care

Hymns

Hymns are something to hold on to
To sing and see us through
They express what we long for
And speak to Our Father, too

When my heart would to tremble
And I am unsure of all I face 
Music can gain an entrance
And  be a strength to embrace

Say Something

If you witness an abuse
Know it will not go away
Unless you spread the news
and intervene in some way

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Scriptures are Like Packets of Light

Scriptures are like packets of light
That reach inside to speak
Inspiring us, from Father on high,
As oft as we humbly seek

A memorized scripture becomes a friend
That we can call upon any time
Adding new meaning again and again
Illuminating thoughts in our mind

Therein lies power even to heal us
Of the many emotions that harm
 Lest from worry we fall to pieces 
The scriptures carry insights that calm

Pondering a passage can be a key
To unlock revelation and hope
Restoring confidence so quick to flee
To really see, feel, and know

Pondering The Power of Scripture
Elder Richard G. Scott
Nov Ensign 2011, 6  

Love's a Forever Link

Love's a forever link
An inseparable bond
As often we think
Remember and long

Not for the past
But for the sweetness
For smiles that last
Warmly to greet us


Pass It On- Rise Up

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/2012-theme-song?lang=eng

Pass it on
Rise up
Greet the dawn
With love!

I love it when the young women come to Relief Society and we recite the Young Women Values and then they say this years scripture...“Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations” (Doctrine and Covenants 115:5).
seminary music mp3
http://www.lds.org/cm/display/0,17631,6611-1,00.html

Flaxen Cord

Flaxen cord is silky soft
If you do not resist
Satan spins it in his craft
Hoping we'll not notice

Slowly he wraps thin threads around the neck
And gently pulls us off course
Knowing, that through pride, to his ways we'll stretch
We do not know he is the source

At first- all is well
We are free, it is nice
Then drama spins a tale
In pain... we think twice

Suddenly, we are caught!
The strong cords will not let us go!
Our deliverer must be sought!
Now! It's not too late- we must know!

2 Nephi 26:22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.

Be Clean

CLEAN THOUGHTS
Unclean thoughts
Father deeds
Impulse haunts
And plants seeds

CLEAN LANGUAGE- Gutter Mutter
Shall we reach in the gutter
And of filthiness drink?
Of what's good let us utter
And from filth let us shrink



Leisure

In leisure there is no neutral ground
True pleasure is wholesomely sound
It invigorates both the heart and mind
And we're free to leave our stress behind


Personal Prayer

In response to personal prayer
We receive infinite care
God does not infringe on choice
But waits for us to use our voice

Guilty by Association

You are as guilty
By association;
For you watched him steal
And made naught a motion.

You know what is right-
Your friend does too.
What you hold up for light.
Reflects on  you.

On a fence, no one just sits.
One cannot serve two masters.
Good and bad are opposites;
And our conscience holds the answers.

Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Speaks at the Harvard Law School (3/20/2012)



A divine course has been given
To the spirits of  Father in Heaven
We are each included in His grand plan
Of love, grace, and the redemption of man

Everyone is covered
Though it remains to be seen
Who cares how much He has labored
In this the Latter Day scene

If ever there is failure
It won't be because He didn't try
He offers still the Savior
And to the receiver He does not deny

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

LDS Video: Mountain of the Lord- The Greatest Example of Proxy Work

The greatest example of proxy
Was given to us by the Lord
He fulfilled all prophecy
And did what no one else could afford

Jesus said all must be baptized
He has prepared how this can be so
In the temple this is realized
As for our deceased there we can go

 Mormon.org
"Jesus Christ taught that baptism is essential to the salvation of all who have lived on earth (see John3:5). Many people, however, have died without being baptized. Others were baptized without proper authority. Because God is merciful, He has prepared a way for all people to receive the blessings of baptism. By performing proxy baptisms in behalf of those who have died, Church members offer these blessings to deceased ancestors. These individuals in the next life can then choose to accept or decline what has been done in their behalf. "

The Elderly Man

The elderly man walked measured and slow
On the sidewalk as the world rushed by.
Wearied and bent, his hand reached low
Perfectly fitting the toddler in tow.

Missionary Message

I adore
And follow
Our Lord Jesus Christ

I invite
All also
To walk in His Light

Of His words
I proclaim:
Love one another

Obey God,
Repent, pray
And serve each other

Monday, March 19, 2012

Apostles are on the Earth

Apostles are on the Earth
As in the days of old
Their words are of great worth...
More valuable than gold

For treasure cannot go
Where we'll be called some day
There are things to know
There are things to obey

Sunday, March 18, 2012

My Heart Goes out to the Man

My heart goes out to the man
Who works when the boss is out
Who when assigned says, "I can!"
And in his words there is no doubt

The Law of the Harvest – Howard W. Hunter - Latter-day Conservative

www.latterdayconservative.com/howard-w.../the-law-of-the-harvest/Cached
My heart goes out to the man who does his work when the “boss “is away, as ... The world cries out for such: he is needed, and needed badly – the man who can ...

On the Cusp- Defining moments

Defining moments
Are meant for all
But Satan's minnions
Would that we fall

The trap is laid
And we fall short
A step not made
Unto the Lord

Then come the jeers
We can't get up
This...is but fears
We're at the cusp

Paralyzed
Seek for deliverance
Utter cries
Accept dependence

Vow then to heed
The call that's found
The Lord will lead
There's higher ground

Growth awaits
Forordained
We are called Saints
Through laws obtained

this talks about an oft dark trial just before the success story

Success Stories – Sterling W Sill – October 1975 General Conference

Success Stories – Sterling W Sill – October 1975 General Conference

Parental Call

Men hold the priesthood, yes
To be the hands and voice of God
Not to conrol but to bless
As a vehicle of service

Women bear, nurture, and school
Teaching children their worth
Her divine role is beautful
As a vessel, she is fruitful

The man cannot bless himself
Nor can the woman do it all
Each are in need of the other's help
To fulfill their parental call

I believe in Jesus Christ

I believe in Jesus Christ
And accept Him as my Savior
He is the true source of Light
For and through Him I will labor

I can answer another's pleas 
His perfect love removes fear
He is my strength.  I feel at peace
With faith, I know He is near



Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear
"We declare our belief in Jesus Christ and accept Him as our Savior. "He will bless us and guide us in all of our efforts. As we labor here in mortality, He will strengthen us and bring us peace in time of trials. "Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints walk by faith in Him whose Church it is."
—Elder L. Tom Perry, "Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear", General Conference, Oct. 2011
Topics: Jesus Christ, Savior, Testimony

Saturday, March 17, 2012

LDS Video: Legacy - The Complete Pioneer Movie

We Are Meant to Feel Joy

We are meant to feel joy
Passion and love
Life's to be enjoyed
Sealed to above

We are not to quarrel
Or to fall short
But stand tall and marvel
In the love of the Lord

Zion is waiting
With fullness and promise
Welcoming, waving
And each heart may know this

Faith is a journey
We must become strong
The Lord knows our needs
With Him we belong

Pondering the legacy of this film.  How many hearts have been touched by it through the years... Mine is one.


It is Our Mission

It is our mission
Our meaning in life
To be a mirror
And reflect God's light

Wholly in the light, let us stand
To reach each darkened space
The power of the Lord is grand
And brightens us with grace





Thursday, March 15, 2012

Start Thinking About the Lord


Start thinking about the Lord
And the answers that you seek
He speaks to those who labor
To be humble, pure, and meek

Steph's blog is  a book club for General Conference
Next round:  Saturday March 31st and Sunday April 1st.  I don't have anything new and exciting to say about getting ready for general conference because I'm just happy with my same old routines. It's all become tradition, both physical and spiritual traditions, and I look forward to it like an oasis in a busy world.
So I'll just remind you to start thinking of questions you have for the Lord about your life, your family, your goals, your needs, your potential... and pray about those questions.  Watch conference with your questions in your hand and a pencil ready to receive revelation.  I promise it works.

Also, the tradition of General Conference Book Club will continue after this next conference, but there will be a big change.  It will still have all the integrity of studying the conference talks, but there will be a new guest hostess.  I'll post more about that as we get closer.
Feel free to share any of your own traditions and preparation strategies in the comments below.  Your idea may feel like a perfect fit to someone else's circumstances.


The Words






The words of the Apostles bathe our feelings
With glorious gospel lights
Their messages rest gently to bring healing
As we look up and raise our sights




Shaun Majozi said...





The poem is extremely touching. (My Understanding of what the Atonement Means) The Apostles have an incredible way of bathing your feelings with the gospel lights that rest gently on your soul

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Why Do We Need Prophets?

Our prophet speaks to us
And encompasses us with God's love
Offering up happiness
If we but heed what comes from above

He wants what is best for us
What is crucial, even urgent
The fate of the world does hinge
On our actions, thus he will urge us
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Why Do We Need Prophets?
Ensign, February 2012, 4

  1. Why Do We Need Prophets? - Liahona Mar. 2012 - liahona

    www.lds.org/liahona/2012/03/why-do-we-need-prophets?lang=engCached
    Feb 1, 2012 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ... Global LDS.org .... That is why His instructions are so crucial and sometimes so urgent. ... Our fate and the fate of our world hinge on our hearing and heeding the revealed 


Drowned Sorrows

Those who drown their sorrows
Sicken their tomorrows
The Lord will show the way
To a brighter day

Be of Good Cheer
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
Ensign, May 1986

"Good cheer is a state of mind or mood that promotes happiness or joy.  Some like to think good cheer is found in a bottle, a six-pack, an injection, a pinch under the lip, rationalization, or self-deceit. Incidentally, it has been my observation over the years that those who try to drown their sorrows with drink only sicken their tomorrows.  With God's help, good cheer permits us to rise above the depressing present or difficult circumstances.  It is a process of positive reassurance and reinforcement.  It is sunshine when clouds block the light.

Be of Good Cheer

"Be of good cheer,"
The Lord invites.
Cease to know fear-
Lift up your sights.


Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come."  D&C 68: 5-6

The Responsibility We all Share

I have been given words to say
May we each offer a silent prayer
That all will be edified today
In this responsibility, we all share

Hunger and thirst to know
What it is that you are to learn
That understanding might grow
To assist another in turn

Elder Howard W. Hunter
BYU Devotional
March 8, 1966



Vileness of the Earth

Vileness of the earth
You ever try my soul
Though you place disease at my breast
You will not remove my role

The loveliness I hold
Truly lies within
I have a heart of gold
I will not let you in

No Mortal Man

No mortal man
Could or has had to face
All that Christ had-
Our suffering to embrace

No mortal man
Could feel as He did
Blood and pain ran
Not a whit could be hid

Raw and vulnerable...
He completed the task
And we'd be a fool
To not do as He asked

Love one another
Be a light on a hill
This work like no other
Is for us to fulfill

Do as the Lord would
Blessings are shown
Seek after what's good
Each struggle is known

We are Only as Great

We are only as great
As we remember to be
Go to church, don't be late
Receive His image and see

Close your eyes and remember
The Lord- pure with love
Rekindle that warm ember
And serve God above

Jerusalem - Filmed in Imax 3D on Vimeo



Surround yourself in history
That's been left to stand
Man seeking God and glory
On the holiest of lands

IMAX is going to release Jerusalem in 2013!

Best of Hubble space telescope



Created of God
Naturally we seek
His great hand in all
And we have found a peek

The Woman: A Vessel- A Symbol of Christ


The woman:  a vessel, a symbol of Christ
Physically bears and prepares to give birth 
Through her comes water, blood, spirit- new life
Spiritually of Him, then, comes our rebirth!

He offers His body, His heart, His soul
Nothing of Him is superficial
He gave everything to make us whole
Ever... He has proved we are special


Pondering Whitney Permann's (Mercy River) insightful comments read at: Diapers
http://by159w.bay159.mail.live.com/default.aspx#!/mail/InboxLight.aspx?n=1816231929!n=1006030860&fid=1&fav=1&mid=7733b6bc-6856-11e1-a2ed-00215ad96b9a&fv=1

Mercy River rehearses for Time Out For Women and upcoming album, Higher


Together, what can women do?
Blossom and become more beautiful
Joining  their children, singing anew
Expressing love that is bountiful

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Memorial for Our Angel Baby Gabriel : Stillborn at 40 weeks + 5 days on ...



God bless the family
Love has been born!
Heaven's sampling...
So brief, we mourn

Angel child so pure
All too quickly called home
Of one thing I am sure
Because of you, I hope

Becasue of you I want
To hold close what's dear
For life's beauty I hunt
And I feel you are near

still born, but still you came and I remember!

Every Life Is Beautiful: Gianna Jessen



My life is sacred-
Defined above.
I've no room for hatred-
I'm so full of love.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

The Rights of Man




The same revolutionary beliefs
For which our forefathers fought
Cannot be taken by thieves
Cannot be changed or bought

Man's rights are God given
For the pursuit of happiness
They cannot be taken
Like skin, they're a part of us


For I have sworn before you and                                  Almighty God, the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago. The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe — the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.”
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961

I heard Mitt Romney mention this Inaugural Address- and I wondered what he'd said.  These are amazing words!   

Fatherhood is


Holding tight
When all is falling apart
Letting go
When you know it is your part
Making time
When duty gives the call
 With tools in tow
Giving but your all


-Ronald Reagan-Quoted in Focus on the Family
Fatherhood can sometimes be walking the floor at midnight with a baby that can’t sleep. More likely, fatherhood is repairing a bicycle wheel for the umpteenth time, knowing that it won’t last the afternoon. Fatherhood is guiding a youth through the wilderness of adolescence toward adulthood.

Fatherhood is holding tight when all seems to be falling apart; and it’s letting go when it is time to part. Fatherhood is long hours at the blast furnace or in the fields, behind the wheel or in front of a computer screen, working a 12-hour shift or doing a six-month tour of duty. It’s giving one’s all, from the break of day to its end, on the job, in the house, but most of all in the heart. 
http://www.focusonlinecommunities.com/blogs/Finding_Home/2012/03/01/ronald-reagan-on-fatherhood#cf

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Christmas Concert Behind the Scenes


Merry Christmas Baby Jesus
We give to you our best-
God given talents born in us.
We hope that you feel blessed!

God Will Lift Us Up



Do not give up on the Lord
For He will lift you up
Our trials add more color
To life's sweet and bitter cup



A Spiritual Kick in the Pants

A spiritual kick in the pants
Mostly does not exist
As it is thoughts in us He plants
To act on or resist

Today was a very spiritual day.  The testimonies were the inspiration for 11 poems I wrote at church....

There is a Peace that Comes

There is a peace that comes
When we take the sacrament
The bread and water becomes
A blessing heaven sent

Every Kind of Pain

Every kind of pain
He has felt also
He suffered and gained
Perfection...to know

We are All Good People

We are all good people
Falling the telestial way
Pray we go to God's temple
For that intermediary day


We Fight the Urge

We fight the urge to do
What we know to be right
Let us act upon anew
What leads us unto light

God DOES NOT Give Up on His Children

God does not give up on His children
And so you should not too
He is our Father in Heaven
Seek out His plan for you

What Do You Stand For

What do you stand for?
And what must you do?
Finding life's answers
What is calling you?

You Can Leave the Church and Hide

You can leave the church and hide
None the less, it is true
Lost lambs you must decide
Where Christ is calling you

The Trial that we Face

The trials that we face
Have a path, have a purpose
They strengthen us to embrace
Those in need of our service

The spirit leads us by the hand
And takes us where we need to go
In ways we may not understand
Till later... we mature to know

There is a Plan in Place

There is a plan in place
For when a loved one dies
The Savior to embrace
Beyond these mortal skies

God Does All Things Right

God does all things right
He watches over us
Both in day and night
He is our source of  light

Each trial that we bear
Strengthens us for others
We console and give care
As daughters, sisters, mothers

The love of God flows forth
From humble heart to heart
Thwarting wicked efforts
So cruel with stinging darts

Trials come to all
They are inevitable
Charity's your call
Women, you're incredible!


thoughts from:  Daughters in My Kingdom Chapter 3  Cleave unto the Covenants
"But I believe there is a power that watches over us and does all things right"  Eliza Partridge Lyman- daughter of the first bishop.  She said this after losing a sick baby. she stayed up with night after night and did everything in her power but it was not good enough.
"The love of God flowed from heart to heart till the wicked one seemed powerless in his efforts to get between us and the Lord, and his cruel darts, in some instances, were shorn in their sting."  
-Helen Mar Whitney

There is a Glow About You

There is a glow about you
And it's quite radiant
What is it that you do?
I  do as I have been sent
And your home of beauty?
Your children sweet with love
Like you I want to be...
Enlist the angels above
How do you call upon them?
To set you all aglow?
You cause the world to soften...
Be prayerful, then you will know

A Woman of Beauty

A woman of beauty
Fills her home with love
She responds to duty
Strengthened from above

Within her has been planted
Sympathy...to give
Naturally, she's soft handed
Sweetly she does live




March Fourth

March fourth
Arrives with command
March forth!
And give someone a hand

National give someone a hand day- or it should be...

With the Voice of an Angel

http://www.godvine.com/11-Year-Old-Orphan-in-China-has-the-Voice-of-an-Angel-1143.html

  • With the voice of an angel
    He sings to his mother above
    Raising his voice to the heavens
    Oh how he cherishes her love

    ... See the eyes of those listening
    Touched by his words today
    With a yearning they're glistening
    As his love spills forth their way

Meridian Magazine - Who Is My Enemy? - Meridian Magazine - LDS, Mormon and Latter-day Saint News and Views

Meridian Magazine - Who Is My Enemy? - Meridian Magazine - LDS, Mormon and Latter-day Saint News and Views

If not me, who?
If not now, when?
I have much to do
I shall not, can not bend

For God and for family
I will raise up my voice
And sing out quite happily
Of all that is choice

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Have I Done Any Good Today?

There are hearts to gladden,
deeds to do, and words to say
When kindness is given
We are blessed, some how- some way

There are souls to save
And what of your own?
Inner peace comes
When goodness is shown


“Let us ask ourselves these questions,” President Monson has said. “Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? What a formula for happiness! What a prescription for contentment, for inner peace. … There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.”

"Berlin Wall" Speech - President Reagan's Address at the Brandenburg Gat...


Beliefs become a reality
Through freedom, truth, and faith
Becoming the fruits of society
Releasing the spirit... to create

Farewell Speech - President Reagan's Farewell Speech from the Oval Offic...


Be a communicator of great things
Rediscover patriotism and common sense
Teach what our history best brings:
A shining city of, for, and by the people, hence

click on the ronald reagan label below to read more poems related to his words

President Reagan's Radio Address to The Nation on the Observance of Moth...


Societies always need
A little reminding
It is our mothers who lead
The future we're finding

Thank you Nellie for Reagan!

Friday, March 2, 2012

The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway, read by Gareth Armstrong



He stood for the sacredness of life
Amidst ethnic cleansing
Playing the music of the civilized-
While mournfully sensing

http://ldsmag.com/society/people/article/9426?ac=1
"I felt as if my insides would ignite for the longing I felt to defend all that is good. When they finished playing, a solemn reverence hung in the air. Nancy said, “Surely this is what it means to be civilized…to stand for the sacredness of life in the face of bombs…to step into a river of light that includes order and freedom to act.” Nancy Baird
“When [Smailovic] saw the carnage from the massacre outside his window, he was pushed past his capacity to absorb and endure any more. Anguished, he resolved to do the thing he did best: make music. Public music, daring music, music on a battlefield.
For each of the next 22 days, at 4 P.M., Smailovic put on his full, formal concert attire, took up his cello, and walked out of his apartment into the midst of the battle raging around him. Placing a plastic chair beside the crater that the shell had made, he played in memory of the dead Albinoni's Adagio in G minor, one of the most mournful and haunting pieces in the classical repertoire.
He played to the abandoned streets, smashed trucks, and burning buildings, and to the terrified people who hid in the cellars while the bombs dropped and bullets flew. With masonry exploding around him, he made his unimaginably courageous stand for human dignity, for those lost to war, for civilization, for compassion, and for peace. Though the shellings went on, he was never hurt.” Paul Sullivan, published in the Reader’s Digest in 1996, about the Cellist of Sarajevo

in all 100,000 were killed. Bosnia 1992 Another site stated 275,000 were killed or missing.  ???

Healing



To America, the land
Where I took my first breath
For healing may this stand
My last...as I now face death

Read this touching story about how this painting was made for the first hospital in America
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/paharc/timeline/1801/tline12.html
American painter Benjamin West
Christ Healing the Sick in the Temple (1817)

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The Captain of the Soul- Invictus/ The Soul's Captain by Elder Orson F. Whitney

Invictus by William E. Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance,
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

The Soul's Captain [The Answer]
by Elder Orson F. Whitney
of the Quorum of the Twelve
Art thou in truth? Then what of him
Who bought thee with his blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood?
Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but him could bear.
The God who died that man might live,
And endless glory share?
Of what avail thy vaunted strength,
Apart from his vast might?
Pray that his Light may pierce the gloom,
That thou mayest see aright.
Men are as bubbles on the wave,
As leaves upon the tree.
Thou, captain of thy soul, forsooth
Who gave that place to thee?
Free will is thine — free agency
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto him
To whom all souls belong.
Bend to the dust that head "unbowed,"
Small part of Life's great whole!
And see in him, and him alone,
The Captain of thy soul

He's Been There Before

He's Been There Before by Elder Troy Whittle
The alarm bell rings at 6:30, I stumble to my feet
I grab my companions bedding and pull off his sheets
A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise?
It seems like just a second ago I was able to shut my eyes

The morning activities follow- study, prayer and such
When it's time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much
"We have a super day planned," My comp. says with a grin
I lowly utter a faithless breath, "Yeah, if anyone lets us in."

With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street prepared to
Face another day of humidity and heat
It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through
My champion and I are riding home not accomplishing what we thought to do

We ride up to the mailbox, hoping to receive a lot
Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "air Box"
We go up to our apartment, the day is now complete
The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet

It's past 10:30 p.m. My companion is fast asleep,
Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep
In the midst of sadness, I kneel down to pray
I need to talk to father, but I'm not sure what to say

"Oh, Father" I begin, "What happened to us today?
I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away
My hands, my aching hands- worn, hurt and beat;
If our area was any smaller, we'd have knocked every street"

"Why on missions are the days so much alike?
The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike
Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me
I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes, it's very hard to see"

"Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?
People always laugh at me, and call me stupid stuff
Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack
I want to give them Books of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back"

"And what about my family: They don't have much to say
I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day after day
Oh Father, Why am I here am I just wasting time?
Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind"

"My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?
"The way he rides his bicycle, I don't think he can see
Now you have it, I can't go on, I don't know what to do
That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you"

My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed
I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead
Sleep start to overtake me, I seem to drift away
Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day

I'm standing alone on the hill. The view is very nice
A man walks to wards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ"
Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet
"Arise," He states, "Follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak"

My attention's towards my Savior, total and complete
He says, "Your mission is similar of what happened to me
I understand how you feel, I know what you're going through
In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you"

"I even know how you felt when no one listened to you
At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do
I know you don't like to ride a bicycle, for you a car would be sweet
Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds"

"I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something you hate
I remember when I sweat blood from ev’ry pore, oh the agony was great!
I see you don't like your companion- you'd rather have someone else-
I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth"

"It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you
I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me King of the Jews
So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack
I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back"


"Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day
I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a similar way
It's hard not to hear from home when your family's not there to see
I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

"We have a lot in common, but there's a difference between us you see
I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me"
He embraced me with His arms and His light filled me with His love
With tears in my eyes I watched as He went back to the Father above

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head
I listened and heard the alarm, then realized I was in my bed
My companion let out a groan, "6:30 already, no way!"
I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!"

No matter what we go through, when we feel we can't take more
Just stop and think about Jesus Christ, He's been there before
By Elder Troy Whittle
Texas Houston Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

These poems are my own thoughts and impressions as I study the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints

I encourage you to read from the Book of Mormon and the standard works, and listen to modern day prophets, also, that your mind and heart might be touched.

Kelly Miller

153 Countries Visited! June 2015


Global Statistics
Visits from 153 countries registered.
No.CountryDate of Last VisitPercent & Number of Visits ↓
1
United States
June 15, 2015
82.86%25,281
2
United Kingdom
June 14, 2015
2.61%795
3
Canada
June 13, 2015
2.42%737
4
Australia
June 13, 2015
1.81%551
5
Philippines
June 14, 2015
1.35%412
6
New Zealand
June 14, 2015
0.99%303
7
India
June 14, 2015
0.79%241
8
Brazil
June 14, 2015
0.58%176
9
Germany
May 15, 2015
0.49%151
10
Mexico
June 3, 2015
0.40%121
11
South Africa
June 8, 2015
0.34%105
12
Russian Federation
Apr 20, 2015
0.26%80
13
France
June 3, 2015
0.21%64
14
Malaysia
June 5, 2015
0.14%44
15
Czech Republic
Apr 17, 2015
0.14%42
16
Pakistan
Mar 21, 2015
0.13%41
17
Spain
Apr 28, 2015
0.13%41
18
Italy
June 8, 2015
0.13%39
19
Netherlands
May 28, 2015
0.12%38
20
Europe
June 11, 2015
0.11%35
21
Indonesia
May 18, 2015
0.11%35
22
Cote D'Ivoire
May 17, 2015
0.11%35
23
Japan
Apr 17, 2015
0.11%33
24
Singapore
May 28, 2015
0.11%33
25
United Arab Emirates
Apr 25, 2015
0.10%32
26
Argentina
Apr 27, 2015
0.10%31
27
Korea, Republic of
Feb 1, 2015
0.10%31
28
-
May 10, 2015
0.10%31
29
Thailand
Apr 5, 2015
0.10%30
30
Ireland
May 19, 2015
0.10%29
31
Jamaica
June 1, 2015
0.09%28
32
Turkey
June 14, 2015
0.09%28
33
Trinidad and Tobago
May 18, 2015
0.09%26
34
Sweden
May 8, 2015
0.09%26
35
Guatemala
May 5, 2015
0.08%24
36
Denmark
May 10, 2015
0.08%23
37
Saudi Arabia
May 1, 2015
0.07%20
38
Nigeria
Apr 4, 2015
0.07%20
39
Hong Kong
Apr 18, 2015
0.07%20
40
Colombia
May 29, 2015
0.07%20
41
Chile
Mar 23, 2015
0.06%19
42
Finland
Mar 25, 2015
0.06%19
43
Taiwan
Mar 28, 2015
0.06%18
44
Romania
May 17, 2015
0.06%18
45
Fiji
Feb 27, 2015
0.06%17
46
Ghana
May 8, 2015
0.06%17
47
Belgium
May 30, 2015
0.05%16
48
Switzerland
Apr 12, 2015
0.05%16
49
Poland
Apr 6, 2015
0.05%15
50
American Samoa
Apr 10, 2015
0.05%14
51
Ecuador
Feb 23, 2015
0.05%14
52
Serbia
Mar 10, 2015
0.05%14
53
Austria
Apr 8, 2015
0.04%13
54
Senegal
Nov 24, 2014
0.04%13
55
Norway
June 1, 2015
0.04%13
56
Uruguay
Aug 18, 2014
0.04%12
57
Peru
Apr 13, 2015
0.04%12
58
Portugal
Apr 6, 2015
0.04%12
59
Kenya
Oct 29, 2014
0.04%12
60
Tonga
Dec 9, 2014
0.04%11
61
Dominican Republic
Mar 12, 2015
0.04%11
62
Hungary
Feb 16, 2015
0.03%10
63
Guyana
Apr 28, 2015
0.03%10
64
Bangladesh
Jan 19, 2015
0.03%9
65
Algeria
Feb 5, 2015
0.03%9
66
Kuwait
Mar 30, 2015
0.03%9
67
Egypt
Apr 4, 2015
0.03%9
68
Belize
May 8, 2015
0.03%9
69
Costa Rica
Feb 4, 2015
0.03%8
70
Bahamas
Jan 9, 2015
0.03%8
71
Israel
Feb 27, 2015
0.03%8
72
Ukraine
Jan 24, 2015
0.03%8
73
Asia/Pacific Region
June 9, 2015
0.03%8
74
Honduras
Feb 6, 2015
0.02%7
75
Cyprus
Mar 21, 2015
0.02%7
76
Guam
Apr 10, 2015
0.02%7
77
Greece
June 2, 2015
0.02%7
78
China
Dec 16, 2014
0.02%7
79
Panama
Apr 7, 2015
0.02%6
80
Morocco
Mar 3, 2015
0.02%6
81
Sri Lanka
Sept 28, 2014
0.02%6
82
Iraq
Feb 25, 2015
0.02%6
83
Togo
June 6, 2015
0.02%6
84
Botswana
May 7, 2015
0.02%6
85
El Salvador
Apr 23, 2015
0.02%5
86
Vietnam
Oct 30, 2014
0.02%5
87
Cook Islands
June 3, 2015
0.02%5
88
Bulgaria
Oct 27, 2014
0.02%5
89
Lithuania
June 23, 2014
0.02%5
90
Slovakia
Jan 19, 2015
0.02%5
91
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mar 23, 2015
0.02%5
92
French Polynesia
Nov 23, 2014
0.02%5
93
Bahrain
Nov 11, 2014
0.02%5
94
Slovenia
Jan 16, 2015
0.02%5
95
Grenada
Mar 10, 2015
0.02%5
96
Qatar
Jan 15, 2015
0.02%5
97
Saint Lucia
May 8, 2015
0.02%5
98
Puerto Rico
Feb 27, 2015
0.01%4
99
Tunisia
Jan 23, 2015
0.01%4
100
Malta
Mar 22, 2015
0.01%4
101
Croatia
Jan 20, 2015
0.01%4
102
New Caledonia
Jan 13, 2015
0.01%4
103
Barbados
Apr 29, 2014
0.01%4
104
Azerbaijan
Jan 14, 2015
0.01%4
105
Moldova, Republic of
Nov 29, 2014
0.01%3
106
Lebanon
Feb 11, 2014
0.01%3
107
Zimbabwe
July 23, 2014
0.01%3
108
Benin
Feb 19, 2015
0.01%3
109
Antigua and Barbuda
Aug 1, 2014
0.01%3
110
Isle of Man
Dec 20, 2014
0.01%3
111
Bhutan
June 8, 2015
0.01%3
112
Venezuela
May 14, 2014
0.01%3
113
Georgia
Mar 3, 2015
0.01%2
114
Namibia
Oct 22, 2014
0.01%2
115
Armenia
Jan 12, 2015
0.01%2
116
Virgin Islands, U.S.
June 20, 2014
0.01%2
117
Jordan
May 19, 2015
0.01%2
118
Mozambique
June 23, 2014
0.01%2
119
Uganda
Aug 4, 2014
0.01%2
120
Marshall Islands
Jan 28, 2015
0.01%2
121
Mauritius
Feb 20, 2015
0.01%2
122
Oman
May 12, 2014
0.01%2
123
Curacao
Apr 29, 2015
0.01%2
124
Sierra Leone
Apr 26, 2015
0.01%2
125
Samoa
Nov 1, 2013
0.01%2
126
Saint Kitts and Nevis
June 30, 2013
0.01%2
127
Macau
July 18, 2014
0.01%2
128
Albania
Aug 17, 2014
0.01%2
129
Dominica
Mar 12, 2013
0.01%2
130
Ethiopia
Jan 8, 2015
0.01%2
131
Estonia
Mar 20, 2015
0.01%2
132
Cape Verde
May 27, 2013
0.00%1
133
Cayman Islands
July 27, 2014
0.00%1
134
Cambodia
Sept 16, 2013
0.00%1
135
Myanmar
July 18, 2014
0.00%1
136
Lesotho
Jan 12, 2013
0.00%1
137
Mongolia
Mar 14, 2015
0.00%1
138
Zambia
Apr 22, 2013
0.00%1
139
Montenegro
Nov 19, 2014
0.00%1
140
Kazakhstan
Jan 9, 2015
0.00%1
141
Nicaragua
May 29, 2014
0.00%1
142
Paraguay
Mar 10, 2013
0.00%1
143
Haiti
Feb 1, 2015
0.00%1
144
Timor-Leste
Feb 21, 2013
0.00%1
145
Iceland
June 20, 2014
0.00%1
146
Aruba
Jan 9, 2014
0.00%1
147
Liberia
Jan 3, 2014
0.00%1
148
Northern Mariana Islands
Oct 9, 2014
0.00%1
149
Gibraltar
Jan 27, 2014
0.00%1
150
Swaziland
June 16, 2014
0.00%1
151
Jersey
Mar 30, 2013
0.00%1
152
Niue
Nov 30, 2014
0.00%1
153
Latvia

Followers