Thursday, June 29, 2017
Being an Agent to Act
Faith is a spiritual gift
That comes as we don't drift
From waiting upon the Lord
And His miraculous uplift
God gave us His only Son.
Confidence in Him can come,
To know that we are not alone.
We can seek for and find wisdom!
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Music & The Spoken Word: Father's Day Special - Live Stream June 18, 2017
Dad,
Thank you
You rolled up your sleeves
And went to work each day
As we did what we pleased
Set for summer time play
After all these years, I realize the irony of celebrating Father's day as summer time is rolling out and all the kids are home for summer and play. Dad's really are selfless providers.
Friday, June 16, 2017
Illegalities: the Unfairness of It All
Read of two people who have asked for trials of the Lord. President Kimball and President Eyring. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/mountains-to-climb?lang=eng&
Retort
If you have trials of your own
That takes you before the court
Know that you are not alone
And our Lord did not retort
Guilty by Coincidence
Sometimes it is a matter
Of where you are and when
For your freedom to shatter
As the one accused, then
Collateral Damage
The draw of the get rich scam
Sees naught your heart nor your soul
Amidst developing a plan
And strike out through a loop hole
Heavenly Duty
Jesus went out of His way
To be where He needed to be
He had courage to do and say
What was His Heavenly duty
Reposed
Reposed in the heart of Jesus
Is a deep and abiding love
Which can dwell within each of Us
If we seek it from Heaven above
Ears to Hear
Never was He known
To turn a deaf ear
Tenderness was shown
To bring the Father near
Manifested through putrescent lips
The bitter kiss was evil... vile
As it foreshadowed scourges and whips
As their heads were hard.
Their plots became bold,
To inflict more harm.
Entrapment
With equal determination
They sought to entrap Him
To inflict humiliation
And make sure His death happened
But, only those who were sure to vote
Against the Lord to be tried
Were awoken that night with a note
So He would be crucified
Limited Sanhedrin Court
In a small effort to flatter
The Sanhedrin court
Could try religious matters
But law breakers, they must report
The power to impose
A penalty of death
Was not given to those
Who could aid or abet
Ignoring Provisions
The great Sanhedrin
Could not meet or try at night
On a Friday, even
Or during a Feast of light
Blood is thicker than water
This is true of the wealthy elite
To rub shoulders with each other
Oft morals will take a back seat
Scapegoat
Being more than newsworthy
This trial is still spoken of, today
How could this world be
So evil, to make innocence pay?
You know how the Lord answered that question for the Prophet Joseph Smith in his prison cell:
“And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
“The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
“Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”2There seems to me no better answer to the question of why trials come and what we are to do than the words of the Lord Himself, who passed through trials for us more terrible than we can imagine.
You remember His words when He counseled that we should, out of faith in Him, repent:
“Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
“For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
“But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
“Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.”3 Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–19.
Retort
If you have trials of your own
That takes you before the court
Know that you are not alone
And our Lord did not retort
Guilty by Coincidence
Sometimes it is a matter
Of where you are and when
For your freedom to shatter
As the one accused, then
Collateral Damage
The draw of the get rich scam
Sees naught your heart nor your soul
Amidst developing a plan
And strike out through a loop hole
Heavenly Duty
Jesus went out of His way
To be where He needed to be
He had courage to do and say
What was His Heavenly duty
Fallible and Fallen?
Fallible, are you looking for kind justice?
As an enemy to the laws of the land?
Ultimately who can you turn to and trust?
In your trial, who will understand?
The Lord will not be passive
Or scorn, and keep you at length
His compassion is massive
He offers courage and strength
Walk With HIM
Return to our atoning Savior
Repent. Bring with you all of your pain
Take courage. You are safe, for
Where you've been, you won't have to explain
Eyes to See
Fallible, are you looking for kind justice?
As an enemy to the laws of the land?
Ultimately who can you turn to and trust?
In your trial, who will understand?
The Lord will not be passive
Or scorn, and keep you at length
His compassion is massive
He offers courage and strength
Walk With HIM
Return to our atoning Savior
Repent. Bring with you all of your pain
Take courage. You are safe, for
Where you've been, you won't have to explain
Eyes to See
Train your eyes to see
The Savior all around
His light is beauty
And love to be found
The Savior all around
His light is beauty
And love to be found
Originality in Divinity
It is strangely encouraging
To see your own uniqueness in your kin
And see them too engaging
In what builds good character within
To see your own uniqueness in your kin
And see them too engaging
In what builds good character within
Ultimately, each fine quality
Defines us to who we truly are
God's own, born with ability
With moral compass, as our star
Defines us to who we truly are
God's own, born with ability
With moral compass, as our star
Each time you witness greatness
This proves that God is real
Develop your own goodness
His light inside you'll feel
This proves that God is real
Develop your own goodness
His light inside you'll feel
Importance
We are each important
With unique roles to play
Evidence of God's plan
Shines through what we do and say
Perfect Record
There's been naught a perfect Record
During all the days of man
Save Jesus Christ our Lord
Who fulfilled our Father's plan
During all the days of man
Save Jesus Christ our Lord
Who fulfilled our Father's plan
Reposed in the heart of Jesus
Is a deep and abiding love
Which can dwell within each of Us
If we seek it from Heaven above
Ears to Hear
Never was He known
To turn a deaf ear
Tenderness was shown
To bring the Father near
True to His Word
Jesus gave to the world
An eternal heritage.
He lived true to His word.
Always as the Father said
An eternal heritage.
He lived true to His word.
Always as the Father said
Word of Mouth
Hundreds of shocked Jews
Quickly spread the news
A life had been restored
By Jesus Christ our Lord
Yes, Lazarus did rise
From the tomb of death
He opened up his eyes
And took again life's breath
The Players
The players in Christ's demise
Should not come by surprise
For each had something to gain
Still, for them, He suffered in pain
Should not come by surprise
For each had something to gain
Still, for them, He suffered in pain
Played a Fool
More than anyone, Judas knew
What it meant to be played a fool
The weight of his payoff, how it grew
For the sting of remorse is cruel
What it meant to be played a fool
The weight of his payoff, how it grew
For the sting of remorse is cruel
The Dastardly Deed
The dastardly deed of betrayalManifested through putrescent lips
The bitter kiss was evil... vile
As it foreshadowed scourges and whips
Annas' eyes
Were more than green with envy
They hardened with lies
To rid Jesus, his enemy.
Were more than green with envy
They hardened with lies
To rid Jesus, his enemy.
Monopoly
Because Annas had full monopoly
Of the temple money exchange
Tears of rage poured down his face
When Jesus stirred up all the change
Of the temple money exchange
Tears of rage poured down his face
When Jesus stirred up all the change
No treasurer would let this go!
Thirty pieces were quickly taken
His pockets lined with lucre
Though his honor was forsaken
Thirty pieces were quickly taken
His pockets lined with lucre
Though his honor was forsaken
Something churned in Judas
As he took Annas' side
He did not understand, as Jesus,
How thieves, He'd found inside!
As he took Annas' side
He did not understand, as Jesus,
How thieves, He'd found inside!
False Piety
They, with false piety,
Wrote the Lord off
The elite Pharisees,
Were quick to scoff
Nihilistic
The nihilistic Sadducees
Took the law unto themselves
And afflicted abuses
As it was their way or else
Wrote the Lord off
The elite Pharisees,
Were quick to scoff
Nihilistic
The nihilistic Sadducees
Took the law unto themselves
And afflicted abuses
As it was their way or else
Hornsby water clock: detail of plaque. The diagram shows the general layout of the Swiss pendulum clock.
|
The Garden of Gethsemane
The silent dial of destiny
Clearly turned towards the hour
When He would suffer in agony
And prove pure love and power
The silent dial of destiny
Clearly turned towards the hour
When He would suffer in agony
And prove pure love and power
Each of us turned that dial
On this burdensome clock
Our souls upon Him to pile
And prove Him as our rock
On this burdensome clock
Our souls upon Him to pile
And prove Him as our rock
The fluid of fate hung
His destiny to know
Completely He was wrung
His blood to spill and flow
Complicity
Their hearts were as cold,As their heads were hard.
Their plots became bold,
To inflict more harm.
Entrapment
With equal determination
They sought to entrap Him
To inflict humiliation
And make sure His death happened
Impartial
In be impartial and fair
One must use self-restraint
And judge the evil with care
For all bad choices taint
No man is qualified to sit
As a judge in a matter
That is personal to him
Yes, he must defer than bias gather
Two Witness
If a witness is true
It can be verified
To the last detail
Lest the innocent be tried
Defense
The right to a lawyer
To defend your case
Was refused our Savior
A true spit in the face
For a trial of Jesus
They should have asked two of their own
So love by Nicodemus
And Joseph of Armathea, care was shown
One must use self-restraint
And judge the evil with care
For all bad choices taint
No man is qualified to sit
As a judge in a matter
That is personal to him
Yes, he must defer than bias gather
Two Witness
If a witness is true
It can be verified
To the last detail
Lest the innocent be tried
Defense
The right to a lawyer
To defend your case
Was refused our Savior
A true spit in the face
For a trial of Jesus
They should have asked two of their own
So love by Nicodemus
And Joseph of Armathea, care was shown
But, only those who were sure to vote
Against the Lord to be tried
Were awoken that night with a note
So He would be crucified
Limited Sanhedrin Court
In a small effort to flatter
The Sanhedrin court
Could try religious matters
But law breakers, they must report
The power to impose
A penalty of death
Was not given to those
Who could aid or abet
Ignoring Provisions
The great Sanhedrin
Could not meet or try at night
On a Friday, even
Or during a Feast of light
Blood is thicker than water
This is true of the wealthy elite
To rub shoulders with each other
Oft morals will take a back seat
Scapegoat
Being more than newsworthy
This trial is still spoken of, today
How could this world be
So evil, to make innocence pay?
Venom
They became devoid of common decency
As the deadly case was framed against Him
So poisoned with hate they could not see
He was the cure to what venom spread within them
Appeal
Had He been a Roman
He could have fought for an appeal
These weren't fair times, then
So freely did they kill
As the deadly case was framed against Him
So poisoned with hate they could not see
He was the cure to what venom spread within them
Appeal
Had He been a Roman
He could have fought for an appeal
These weren't fair times, then
So freely did they kill
Mob Mentality
The inciteful crowd
Of unruly ingrates
Inhumanely howled
Building off each other's hates
Scourging
The sentence of scourging once complete
Left the crowd dissatisfied
They wanted to mock Him at His feet
As He was being crucified
But, Jesus as the Way
The Truth and the Light
For their sins, He would pay
And prove good is right
Of unruly ingrates
Inhumanely howled
Building off each other's hates
Scourging
The sentence of scourging once complete
Left the crowd dissatisfied
They wanted to mock Him at His feet
As He was being crucified
But, Jesus as the Way
The Truth and the Light
For their sins, He would pay
And prove good is right
Eat the flesh
Of Jesus the Christ
And confess
He is truth and light
Drink the blood
Of the living Christ
Feel His love
Flow within with life
Of Jesus the Christ
And confess
He is truth and light
Drink the blood
Of the living Christ
Feel His love
Flow within with life
At Oxford, Mormon Apostle Reflects on Lessons Learned During Watergate T...
Take a ringside view of scandal.
See how each bad act adds up,
Till there's no integrity to handle
And feel neither conscience nor love
How Can We Avoid The Same Fate As The Nephites? Knowhy #327
You can run but cannot hide
From the side effects of sin
Heed the Son, beware of pride,
And do not let it in.
Shout it Out
I tried to shout
Overs your doubts and fears
So what I taught
Would get past your ears
Sigh. I was teaching a student that was inconsistent. Saying, "I don't know" and shutting down. Nothing was working to help her gain confidence. I did what you are not supposed to do and raised my voice. She confessed she felt she was not good enough. She had been comparing herself to the best in the class. Maybe we both broke down and got to the root of our frustrations. Then...
Dad came to the rescue and he turned her attitude completely around and she accelerated very quickly.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
"Cross Yourself"?
Do what it takes to stay clear of sin
Self-examine your desires often
And cross yourself of them rather than
Fall prey to the lusts known of man
Alma 39:9 Now my son,
I would that ye should repent
and forsake your sins,
and go no more after the lusts of your eyes,
but cross yourself in all these things;
for except ye do this
ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
Oh, remember, and take it upon you,
and cross yourself in these things.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Digits at Work
As this toddler squirms and fidgets
Using both the hands and feet
Through the strength of all those digits
The piano keys come within reach
Something calls this little one
To explore the sounds they make
Perhaps it is more than fun
As an inner ear awakes
Pondering the joy of watching a little child go on tiptoe to blindly reach the piano keys and the development of personality and talents.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Is Psalm 51 the Key to Understanding Lehi's Dream? Knowhy #325
Psalms can reach your humble heart
And light your soul for more
Of what God would impart
What do you hunger for?
For Nephi, it was mercy.
Psalms 23: 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
It's Purely Possible
It's purely possible
To be a disciple
Of someone sure to know
Through service, Christ does show
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Your Mission
https://youtu.be/6w9WVPotP4M
With all your heart,
Choose a religion.
Let it impart,
For you, a mission.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
When No One Else Can Understand
Christ suffered those pains and afflictions
That no one else can understand.
His empathy bears no restrictions.
He can succor like no other can!
Monday, June 5, 2017
Shadows Pass
Shadows pass
For both the good and ill
May they last
According to God's will
For both the good and ill
May they last
According to God's will
Hopefully, the shadows are not caused by people passing darkly by but by trials that teach and strengthen.
I love this quote by Frederick Buechner: found at
The life I touch for good or ill
will touch another life,
and that in turn another,
until who knows where
the trembling stops
or in what far place
my touch will be felt.
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- Being an Agent to Act
- Music & The Spoken Word: Father's Day Special - Li...
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- At Oxford, Mormon Apostle Reflects on Lessons Lear...
- How Can We Avoid The Same Fate As The Nephites? Kn...
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About Me
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
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 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
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. | Country | Date of Last Visit | Percent & 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 |