lds poetry by kelly miller: July 2019

Friday, July 26, 2019

I Believe Podcast - Parenting with Nicholeen Peck

Being louder

isn't power.

For every qualm,

calm is the balm!

Come Follow Me Acts 22-28 (July 29-August 4)

Find your anchors

and don't let them go.

Tether to the Lord

for dark times will show.

What a powerful message.

Monday, July 22, 2019

President Nelson NAACP

Standing ovation! Thank you Dr. Amos Brown and President Nelson!

Let's widen the circle and welcome in every neighbor as Christ would.

No matter the color or where we've been, each brightens the neighborhood!

Shoulder to shoulder and arm in arm we can find the common ground.

Love lifts each other away from harm. When we embrace kindness, humanity is found.

HUMANITY= compassion, brotherly love, fellow feeling, humaneness, kindness, kind-heartedness, consideration, understanding, sympathy, tolerance, goodness, good-heartedness, gentleness, leniency, mercy, mercifulness, pity, tenderness, benevolence, charity, generosity, magnanimity

#humanity
#NAACP
#presidentnelson

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Consequences In The Classroom

Don't let them see you sweat

even though you are upset.

Let logic set the tone

that manners might be known.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Organization

Things get destroyed
Before they come together.
Patience employed
Helps you plug on in your endeavor.

I am now going shopping for my classroom and the new school (my fourth School in 2 years since going to public school). just trying to breathe in and out and looking forward to the change.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Perhaps When Writing in the Sand

When writing in the sand,
Perhaps came each name
Of all those there at hand.
Who judged her in shame.

He said, "He without sin
Can cast the first stone!"
Each felt a prick within,
For sins they had known!

Today I heard someone share this thought even though we don't know what the Savior wrote in the sand.
Interesting thought.

Perhaps

Reach and Minister

Just like two hands extend,
We must reach for the Lord.
And choose to be be a friend
And to not spread discord
Seek for the Lord's support
Have charity in mind
When we freely give succor

We live as was designed

charity:

look after,
protect,
Keep an eye on,
Support,
encourage,
sustain,
Assist,
be of service,
lend a helping hand

designed: planned or conceived in detail or for a specific purpose.

Following God's plan, Christ modeled for us charity. How to love. How to respond.

Friday, July 12, 2019

Quicksand

You'll not get out of quicksand,
Even if you are strong;
Unless someone gives a hand
And holds out something long.

Sometimes you can't get unstuck
Without another's help
Still, they'll need tools, not just luck
Or more will be stuck than yourself

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Book of Mormon

Look and you will know inspiration.
Read, study, and ponder each day.
To resist doubts and temptation,
The Savior will show you The Way!

President Thomas S Monson said in April 2017 for us to read the Book of Mormon "As we do so we will be in a position to hear the voice of the spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heavens help in our lives."

Differ

When two opinions differ
There is knowledge you need
Go back to where thoughts center
Start from where you agree

Listening

If you are doing all the talking,
You are probably not learning much!
Listening is not a small thing!
It is not a thing that you can rush!

Sin- The World can Stain the Soul

What does the sinful world have to offer?
But a slow stain on the soul
Then, only the blood of the Savior
Can wash us clean and whole!

We need a spiritual awakening
With values and family, center stage
For amidst all that is happening
Character is written on this page

TV and the internet offers a sampling of this stain as reality and serves it with music, drinks and coffee.
Indulgence, divergence, deception, contention, corruption, obsession, addiction, perversion, immorality,
self-importance, sensationalism, disconnect, division, indifference, etc.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Seeing by Trusting

https://youtu.be/9JS2LUd_xPU

We see more clearly as we learn to trust. When changes are fuzzy it can exalt us!

Vision

https://youtu.be/9JS2LUd_xPU

God opens your eyes.
Now fasten them.
For, truth will apprise
a glorious gem.

Still, open your ears.
Others might speak.
"A soul echo"
and confirm what you seek.

Then open your heart.
What should you do?
What is your part?
Will God steer then, too?

Write and record
All that you learn
Grow. With the Lord.
Ponder. Discern.

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Timely Preparation

The Lord uses the unlikely,
To accomplish His plan.
In a manner that is timely,
He molds and prepares this man.

One of President Nelson's favorite phrases is - that the Lord uses the unlikely to accomplish the impossible. According to Dew's book INSIGHT..., he says he uses himself as a perfect example of that truth.

The Holy Ghost Tries

The Holy Ghost tries
To enter in
As you testify
Teaching begins

May it penetrate
Both the eyes and ears
And truly hold weight
That what they need appears

The want can be faith, hope, love, answers, joy, etc.
A return missionary said many times he answered something differently than what the investigator's question was. That, maybe they didn't know how to frame what they were wanting to ask, but the spirit knew.

Even If

Even if it causes trouble
And they don't believe
Testify, be humble
As the spirit does lead

Episodes

Life is made of episodes
That take your breath away
Then, while you're in recovery
A lesson comes to stay

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Study the Prophets

Study the prophets
There are lessons to be learned
Turning points often
Build faith, yes, to God each one turned!

... And made great sacrifices of time in service.

I am reading INSIGHTS From a Prophet's Life Russell M Nelson by Sheri Dew

I love how President Nelson said yes to being a Stake President not knowing how he could but trusting all would be okay. At the time he had a 25% failure rate in his surgeries and devoted many hours/days post surgery with his patients. He was blessed by President Kimball that his surgeries would increasingly be successful. Years later President Nelson would be successful in operated on President Kimball!

Thursday, July 4, 2019

Loving It

https://youtu.be/36gA40ArYFY

Feast upon each verse.
They're as sweet as honey.
The more that you search
The more you are loving.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Possibilities

Home can be a place of faith
Permeated with love
Where we experience grace
Continually from above

How? Read A Home Where the Spirit of the Lord Dwells by President Eyring

Without End

Jesus is our greatest friend
Yes, His love is without end!
So much pain we would prevent
If we'd heed Him and repent

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Golden Footprints

https://youtu.be/kl5cu1H4Hss

Make golden footprints along the path you're on on the Lord's errands do well till you're gone.

Golden Nuggets

https://youtu.be/f9Ug1IktZAI

A Case for the Book of Mormon-

For strength and good habits,

Here's an endless supply

of golden nuggets

through which to live by!

Monday, July 1, 2019

Love Outside the Lines

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

Love outside the lines.
Be welcoming
And come to know
From where they're coming.

Potential

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

Let me help you see what God thinks you can become- Joyful- following His beloved Son!

The message to Saul is a message for all.

We ALL Need God

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

The honest "come back" to " I don't need your God!" Is "How's that working out for you?" He is all that I've sought!
Hope, Love, Change, Belonging, Peace!
Security!!!!!

The Road to Damascus- Second Chamces

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

The code language of
The road to Damascus
Is there are second chances,:
For Jesus is with us!

Ministering and Rejoicing

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

Ministering. You'll know you did enough, if you leave rejoicing, even if it was tough.

The Journey

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

Ministering can be listening to one's problem, forgetting yourself, and journeying with them.

Take it Personally- His Words are for YOU

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

Look through the scriptures for you, your self, His words for your future, His love, and His help.

Ministering with Brave Love

https://youtu.be/vHGzLrE_D6o

Sometimes He has to push and shove to lift us up to see a better way to love and extend ministering.

Jesus Prays

https://youtu.be/C_oG3u7swa0

Jesus prays for you and me. That we let Him in. That we might better be lit with love within.

Lean In and Listen

https://youtu.be/C_oG3u7swa0

Come into Christ and lean in. Hear Him whisper...Love, with Him.

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

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