I know, it's been ages. I have been having a wonderful summer and learning so many new things. But I should probably give my little update now before I get going on more projects. I finished my second term so I had a little break. The way WGU is set up, I can get a bit of a head start on next term so I did a few assignments during July. My 3rd term starts tomorrow. I will have a constant but doable pace to maintain and still be able to breath and sleep in if I need to. (Right now that is a must have option).
Steven is now a Deacon. My little man is growing up. I am quite excited. (Let me tell you a secret, although I love little people, I love youth. I am so excited to have teens in my home!)
Isaac and Steven went to cub scout camp. Steven helped in the Archery activity. They both loved it. The next week Steven and Jonny went to Boy Scout camp. They had a great time. I actually had a difficult time not hearing from them the whole time. Wow, I am spoiled.
I have found a Bee Keeping mentor. I have wanted bees for so long. Now I have someone who can walk me through it. I can get everything ready this fall so I can be ready for my own next spring.
I was led to some fabulous information and books this last month. I love how things come to me just as I need them. I now feel that I have some needed tools to make my dreams come true. Does that sound silly? Well I mean it just as I said it. I have some definite dreams. I know they are there, pretty close, actually. I am working toward them, and now I have been given some fabulous help to move closer to those. This will give you a taste of what I mean. If you are interested, I will share with you what I have learned from this. Give me a call.
Friend Cindy got me reading some more of Chaim Potok's books. I read the two Asher Lev books. Not only are they great stories, but WOW, THAT MAN CAN WRITE! I am learning more about Jewish culture, which I find very interesting.
Two organizations are being built that I am very excited about. Friend Elizabeth is sharing with me about what is happening in Monticello, UT and Monticello College. The more I hear, the more excited I am. What they are doing with the college is very much like what I am wanting to do with my school. I would love to be involved in that project. Hopefully, at some point soon, I will be. Second, is Friend Donna's projects. She has built two organizations, Moorhouse Academy, an online LDS school/home school, and Princess Academies: an organization for Mother's and Daughters as they learn the skills, and build the tools needed for their roles as women and mothers. Both are seperate, stand-alone organizations, but they are complementary too. She is redoing both websites from scratch and updating content. She is working like a mad woman to get it all up and ready for launching Labor Day. This one I can help with now. I am helping her proof it and get it all ready. I so very much believe in what Donna is doing. I strongly believe that this work will impact lives and generations for good and am so excited to be a part of it. I am going to spend much of this month in helping where ever and however I can. I will let you know more about it when the time comes for it to be unveiled.
Well, that is what I am up too.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Blessings that come from making and keeping Covenants
I had the opportunity to give a talk in church today. I thought I would share it here.
******
If I want to be able to play the piano beautifully, a requirement and a commitment is accompanied with it: I have to practice. I will not be able to play beautifully without practice. I could complain, I could rebel and ask why is practice a requirement. But my rebelling doesn’t change the fact that if I want to play beautifully, I have to practice faithfully.
Some view God as a one making unreasonable demands. He gives us lists of rules with a bunch of “Thou shalt this and thou shalt not that.” They become afraid that if they agree to follow all these rules, they lose their identity, their free will and become drones. If God really loved us why would He do that to us?
But God is not throwing down rules and demands in the name of commandments. Instead he is a Loving Heavenly Father who wants us to be happy. He knows what will make us happy. So he gives us commandments and says, “If you want to be happy, this is what it takes.” If you want to play the piano… This is what it takes.
If we are willing to follow these commandments, He is willing to go one step farther and put it in writing, so to say. He asks us to make covenants with Him. If we promise to make and keep covenants, than He will bless us. A covenant is a promise we make with our Heavenly Father.
Available evidence suggests that, at least at one point, before we came to earth, we liked the idea of making and living all these covenants. We thought it was just, and WELL worth the effort. When the Lord presented His plan, we shouted for joy. Are we still shouting for joy or do our covenants seem more like obligations?
President Eyring said "The fruit of keeping covenants is the companionship of the Holy Ghost and an increase in the power to love. That happens because of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to change our very natures. We are eyewitnesses of that miracle of greater spiritual power coming to those who accept covenants and keep commandments."
The Lord gives us Covenants and Commandments as an excuse to bless us. Ok, maybe not an excuse. I doubt the Lord needs and excuse to do anything, but he does follow eternal laws. Not because he has to, he is God after all, but because he Won’t break those laws, he is God after all; HE is perfect. But in order for us to receive the blessing we must be obedient to the law upon which it is predicated. But as soon as we are obedient, the Lord sends those blessings.
The Lord invites us to make many covenants as part of The New and Everlasting Covenant. That covenant is The Gospel covenant. Robert J. Matthews explained that The purpose of the gospel is to educate, perfect, and sanctify man, lifting him to the status of a god in celestial glory. A person cannot lift himself or herself by individual effort alone but must be lifted by the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. This power does not operate in its fullness unless one is wholeheartedly willing to be so lifted.
Did you catch that? Yes we need the atonement, but the atonement won’t work by itself. WE have to be willing; wholeheartedly willing. The gospel helps us become wholeheartedly willing to be so lifted by the atonement.
That is why the Lord asks us to make covenants. He so wants us to be like Him. What can be more fabulous than that? When I think of becoming like my Father in Heaven, I shudder: I have such a very long way to go. I need all the help I can get. I want and need the direction given by the Gospel Covenant.
Through revelation we can learn what that lofty goal will entail. Heavenly Father has asked us to be baptized. In doing so we covenant to bear one another’s burdens, to strengthen and serve each other, to share the gospel with others. We covenant to take the Lord’s name upon us. The Lord promises us that we will always have His spirit to be with us. What a wonderful blessing. This covenant is so important that Heavenly Father allows us to renew it weekly by taking the sacrament.
In the temple we make covenants and receive ordinances. In the temples, the Lord teaches us what we need to do to return to Him. We receive further guidance, understandings, and strength to endure. Heavenly Father loves us so much He asks that we not enter the temple and make these covenants until we are spiritually mature to do so. But the temples are not exclusive. Heavenly Father wants all of His children to come to the temple. Everything in the church is intended to guide us to the temple. That is why we send missionaries around the world. The classes and lessons, the hymns we sing, the activities all are designed to strengthen and prepare us to enter the temple and receive blessings from the Lord. The purpose of Priesthood quorums, Relief Society, Sunday School, Primary, Young women and young men’s, is to prepare Gods children to make and keep sacred covenants in the temple.
The brethren have the additional calling to make covenants as holders of the priesthood of God. Many outside the church and some inside do not understand why only the brethren are allowed to hold the priesthood.
Sister Julie B Beck. General Relief Society President.
"[Women] have and live with an inseparable connection to priesthood. The prophet Joseph Smith put the sisters in a position to receive all the gifts, blessings and privileges of the priesthood.
We need never confuse the idea of those who hold the priesthood in trust, with the priesthood. The priesthood is Gods Power. It is His power to create, to bless, to lead, to serve as He does. The priesthood duty of every righteous man is to qualify for the blessing of holding that priesthood in trust for the Lord, so that he can bless his family and those around him. And I will say the priesthood duty of sisters is to create life, to nurture it, to prepare it for covenants with the Lord.
Don’t confuse the power with the keys and offices of the priesthood. God’s power is limitless, and it is shared with those who make and keep covenants. Too much is said and misunderstood about what the brothers have and the sisters do not have. This is Satan’s way of confusing both men and women so that neither understands what they really have.
Sisters and brothers, each have every ordinance, every gift, and every blessing available to them to get back to our Father in Heaven, and no one, not male or female is left outside of those blessings to qualify for exaltation. There is a unity in the council and the covenant that is required to get there. Neither the man nor the woman can ascend without the other. We are inseparably connected in that way."
Both men and women make priesthood covenants that help them fill their divine callings.
The gospel covenant includes paying our tithes and offerings: the windows of heaven are opened. When we live the word of wisdom, we are blessed with strength and that the destroying angels will pass us by. We covenant to teach our children the gospel. This blesses homes and our own eternal posterity. We covenant to serve each other and strengthening each other bringing us happiness and peace.
Bonnie D. Parkin, former Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency told a story of a young woman named Katie. While at girls camp Katie felt angry and abandoned because of overwhelming family problems. Her testimony teetered, in serious jeopardy. But a concerned leader, in an effort to live up to his holy calling, wrote Katie a note saying, “I love you. I believe in you. You have a testimony, because I have heard you bear it in these ways.” Then he listed those ways. The note arrived at the right time; Katie was strengthened to live her covenants because someone else strived to live his."
What impressed me in this story was the man who must have received a prompting and followed it. Have you ever thought of following a prompting as a requirement of living your covenants? It is. Following those promptings can bring blessings to you and those around you. Several years ago I had a prompting. There was a family in our ward; their youngest son had been in my primary class. They were young in the gospel. I gathered that they were struggling in their testimony. Then several weeks went by and they did not come to church. I had the thought that I could send them a simple note telling them that I missed them at church and how much I enjoyed their son in my class. In came the excuses. I have always been rather shy; initiating a conversation is still difficult for me. And notes for some reason are just “one more thing.” “No, someone else, who knows them better will do it.” Soon it seemed unimportant. I never sent the note. To my knowledge, they never returned to church. I cannot tell you how much this pains me. That boy would probably be about 17 now; his sister about 20. Very possibly my inaction to live my covenant to strengthen the weary will affect generations.
Along the way as part of our covenants, the Lord gives us callings. Callings are not just opportunities to serve, they are opportunities to see blessings flow from Heaven. Some callings are temporary callings, some are not. Let me share some of my callings with you. Jonny, Steven, Isaac, Daniel, Rebecca, Joshua, neighbor, visiting teacher, nursery leader. As we strive to fulfill our callings we are entitled to personal revelation. What an amazing blessing this is. Not only can I serve my brothers and sisters better, but I become more like my Father in Heaven.
So you see, when I was asked to speak on the blessings that come from making and keeping covenants, I was a tad bit overwhelmed. The blessings are endless, they are eternal; the blessings NEVER end. They are the way to true happiness, to eternal life with our Father in Heaven, with our Savior, with our families. Eternal blessings and joy.
President Eyring taught that "Each of us who have made covenants with God face challenges unique to us. But each of us shares some common assurances. Our Heavenly Father knows us and our circumstances and even what faces us in the future. His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, has suffered and paid for our sins and those of all the people we will ever meet. He has perfect understanding of the feelings, the suffering, the trials, and the needs of every individual. Because of that, a way will be prepared for us to keep our covenants, however difficult that may now appear, if we go forward in faith."
We can keep our covenants; the Lord will help us, show us how, and strengthen us, so that we can. He will not force us, but He continually invites us. He is making the path as clear as possible so that we can become so much more than what we are.
Oh, Brothers and Sisters, let us keep our covenants. Let’s find real joy. Our Savior could return today if WE were ready for Him too. We are really the ones He is waiting for. We need be worthy of living in His presence. Let us find joy in keeping our covenants.
I know this gospel is true. The gospel and all of its principles, ordinances, and covenants were restored by a prophet of God. Through the power of God, we have The Book of Mormon; it testifies of our Savior. I know this through every part of my being. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
******
If I want to be able to play the piano beautifully, a requirement and a commitment is accompanied with it: I have to practice. I will not be able to play beautifully without practice. I could complain, I could rebel and ask why is practice a requirement. But my rebelling doesn’t change the fact that if I want to play beautifully, I have to practice faithfully.
Some view God as a one making unreasonable demands. He gives us lists of rules with a bunch of “Thou shalt this and thou shalt not that.” They become afraid that if they agree to follow all these rules, they lose their identity, their free will and become drones. If God really loved us why would He do that to us?
But God is not throwing down rules and demands in the name of commandments. Instead he is a Loving Heavenly Father who wants us to be happy. He knows what will make us happy. So he gives us commandments and says, “If you want to be happy, this is what it takes.” If you want to play the piano… This is what it takes.
If we are willing to follow these commandments, He is willing to go one step farther and put it in writing, so to say. He asks us to make covenants with Him. If we promise to make and keep covenants, than He will bless us. A covenant is a promise we make with our Heavenly Father.
Available evidence suggests that, at least at one point, before we came to earth, we liked the idea of making and living all these covenants. We thought it was just, and WELL worth the effort. When the Lord presented His plan, we shouted for joy. Are we still shouting for joy or do our covenants seem more like obligations?
President Eyring said "The fruit of keeping covenants is the companionship of the Holy Ghost and an increase in the power to love. That happens because of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to change our very natures. We are eyewitnesses of that miracle of greater spiritual power coming to those who accept covenants and keep commandments."
The Lord gives us Covenants and Commandments as an excuse to bless us. Ok, maybe not an excuse. I doubt the Lord needs and excuse to do anything, but he does follow eternal laws. Not because he has to, he is God after all, but because he Won’t break those laws, he is God after all; HE is perfect. But in order for us to receive the blessing we must be obedient to the law upon which it is predicated. But as soon as we are obedient, the Lord sends those blessings.
The Lord invites us to make many covenants as part of The New and Everlasting Covenant. That covenant is The Gospel covenant. Robert J. Matthews explained that The purpose of the gospel is to educate, perfect, and sanctify man, lifting him to the status of a god in celestial glory. A person cannot lift himself or herself by individual effort alone but must be lifted by the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. This power does not operate in its fullness unless one is wholeheartedly willing to be so lifted.
Did you catch that? Yes we need the atonement, but the atonement won’t work by itself. WE have to be willing; wholeheartedly willing. The gospel helps us become wholeheartedly willing to be so lifted by the atonement.
That is why the Lord asks us to make covenants. He so wants us to be like Him. What can be more fabulous than that? When I think of becoming like my Father in Heaven, I shudder: I have such a very long way to go. I need all the help I can get. I want and need the direction given by the Gospel Covenant.
Through revelation we can learn what that lofty goal will entail. Heavenly Father has asked us to be baptized. In doing so we covenant to bear one another’s burdens, to strengthen and serve each other, to share the gospel with others. We covenant to take the Lord’s name upon us. The Lord promises us that we will always have His spirit to be with us. What a wonderful blessing. This covenant is so important that Heavenly Father allows us to renew it weekly by taking the sacrament.
In the temple we make covenants and receive ordinances. In the temples, the Lord teaches us what we need to do to return to Him. We receive further guidance, understandings, and strength to endure. Heavenly Father loves us so much He asks that we not enter the temple and make these covenants until we are spiritually mature to do so. But the temples are not exclusive. Heavenly Father wants all of His children to come to the temple. Everything in the church is intended to guide us to the temple. That is why we send missionaries around the world. The classes and lessons, the hymns we sing, the activities all are designed to strengthen and prepare us to enter the temple and receive blessings from the Lord. The purpose of Priesthood quorums, Relief Society, Sunday School, Primary, Young women and young men’s, is to prepare Gods children to make and keep sacred covenants in the temple.
The brethren have the additional calling to make covenants as holders of the priesthood of God. Many outside the church and some inside do not understand why only the brethren are allowed to hold the priesthood.
Sister Julie B Beck. General Relief Society President.
"[Women] have and live with an inseparable connection to priesthood. The prophet Joseph Smith put the sisters in a position to receive all the gifts, blessings and privileges of the priesthood.
We need never confuse the idea of those who hold the priesthood in trust, with the priesthood. The priesthood is Gods Power. It is His power to create, to bless, to lead, to serve as He does. The priesthood duty of every righteous man is to qualify for the blessing of holding that priesthood in trust for the Lord, so that he can bless his family and those around him. And I will say the priesthood duty of sisters is to create life, to nurture it, to prepare it for covenants with the Lord.
Don’t confuse the power with the keys and offices of the priesthood. God’s power is limitless, and it is shared with those who make and keep covenants. Too much is said and misunderstood about what the brothers have and the sisters do not have. This is Satan’s way of confusing both men and women so that neither understands what they really have.
Sisters and brothers, each have every ordinance, every gift, and every blessing available to them to get back to our Father in Heaven, and no one, not male or female is left outside of those blessings to qualify for exaltation. There is a unity in the council and the covenant that is required to get there. Neither the man nor the woman can ascend without the other. We are inseparably connected in that way."
Both men and women make priesthood covenants that help them fill their divine callings.
The gospel covenant includes paying our tithes and offerings: the windows of heaven are opened. When we live the word of wisdom, we are blessed with strength and that the destroying angels will pass us by. We covenant to teach our children the gospel. This blesses homes and our own eternal posterity. We covenant to serve each other and strengthening each other bringing us happiness and peace.
Bonnie D. Parkin, former Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency told a story of a young woman named Katie. While at girls camp Katie felt angry and abandoned because of overwhelming family problems. Her testimony teetered, in serious jeopardy. But a concerned leader, in an effort to live up to his holy calling, wrote Katie a note saying, “I love you. I believe in you. You have a testimony, because I have heard you bear it in these ways.” Then he listed those ways. The note arrived at the right time; Katie was strengthened to live her covenants because someone else strived to live his."
What impressed me in this story was the man who must have received a prompting and followed it. Have you ever thought of following a prompting as a requirement of living your covenants? It is. Following those promptings can bring blessings to you and those around you. Several years ago I had a prompting. There was a family in our ward; their youngest son had been in my primary class. They were young in the gospel. I gathered that they were struggling in their testimony. Then several weeks went by and they did not come to church. I had the thought that I could send them a simple note telling them that I missed them at church and how much I enjoyed their son in my class. In came the excuses. I have always been rather shy; initiating a conversation is still difficult for me. And notes for some reason are just “one more thing.” “No, someone else, who knows them better will do it.” Soon it seemed unimportant. I never sent the note. To my knowledge, they never returned to church. I cannot tell you how much this pains me. That boy would probably be about 17 now; his sister about 20. Very possibly my inaction to live my covenant to strengthen the weary will affect generations.
Along the way as part of our covenants, the Lord gives us callings. Callings are not just opportunities to serve, they are opportunities to see blessings flow from Heaven. Some callings are temporary callings, some are not. Let me share some of my callings with you. Jonny, Steven, Isaac, Daniel, Rebecca, Joshua, neighbor, visiting teacher, nursery leader. As we strive to fulfill our callings we are entitled to personal revelation. What an amazing blessing this is. Not only can I serve my brothers and sisters better, but I become more like my Father in Heaven.
So you see, when I was asked to speak on the blessings that come from making and keeping covenants, I was a tad bit overwhelmed. The blessings are endless, they are eternal; the blessings NEVER end. They are the way to true happiness, to eternal life with our Father in Heaven, with our Savior, with our families. Eternal blessings and joy.
President Eyring taught that "Each of us who have made covenants with God face challenges unique to us. But each of us shares some common assurances. Our Heavenly Father knows us and our circumstances and even what faces us in the future. His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, has suffered and paid for our sins and those of all the people we will ever meet. He has perfect understanding of the feelings, the suffering, the trials, and the needs of every individual. Because of that, a way will be prepared for us to keep our covenants, however difficult that may now appear, if we go forward in faith."
We can keep our covenants; the Lord will help us, show us how, and strengthen us, so that we can. He will not force us, but He continually invites us. He is making the path as clear as possible so that we can become so much more than what we are.
Oh, Brothers and Sisters, let us keep our covenants. Let’s find real joy. Our Savior could return today if WE were ready for Him too. We are really the ones He is waiting for. We need be worthy of living in His presence. Let us find joy in keeping our covenants.
I know this gospel is true. The gospel and all of its principles, ordinances, and covenants were restored by a prophet of God. Through the power of God, we have The Book of Mormon; it testifies of our Savior. I know this through every part of my being. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
update
Daniel turned 7 and the next day Joshua turned 1. We had cake and home made ice cream. Joshua is beginning to walk. He will take a few steps to snag my sandwich or my cookie. But other than that, crawling is still easier. I'll get some pictures as soon as I find my phone/camera.
As you likely know, I have been planning on starting a school at some point in the future. I have looked at various forms and systems; goals and purposes; etc. Some I like, some i don't, but it has all been rather vague. Last week, I started actually planning and brainstorming. I am writing a plan and ya know what? It doesn't look anything like what I thought it would. In fact the form has little resemblance to what one things of as a "school." But I like it, and I think it would work (with some paradigm shifting) I'll leave you to wonder (unless you really are curious. then you can call me and I can bounce ideas off of you and therefore help to solidify them.) I'll have to write it up enough to share with a few who can give me feedback and then formalize it.
I'm very excited about it. I have heard it said that there is a book in everyone. I think I have found my book. Too bad I don't know how to write. I need a mentor!!
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