As those who have been reading this blog know, Bonnie and I are on schedule to read the Book of Mormon twice each year. As this year winds down, we area currently just finishing off Third Nephi. January we shall start it again.
I am touched by the loving kindness of the Savior. When He was nearing the end of His ministry on this continent, He asked each of His apostles what they desired most. Three said they wanted to remain on earth bringing to pass the eternal life of their brothers and sisters. The other nine went to His side as they finished their ministry.
I remember in the old testament, He asked one of His prophets what he desired of Him. He also asked Solomon what He wanted and Solomon replied he desired to be wise. Once while on my knees, He asked me the same question. (To be perfectly honest, I didn't know what to answer, so I didn't. I have pondered that question many times and still I don't know what I would answer. Maybe now it is too late.)
Father knows our desires today. He has looked in our hearts and knows that we desire to serve a mission in 185 days. This blog confirms that goal in many ways. In Alma 41, we read that we will be raised according to the desires of our hearts. If we desire happiness, we will be raised to happiness. If we desire wickedness, we will be raised to wickedness.
I am so grateful for a loving Father who wants to know what the desires of our heart are. He is no respecter of persons, so don't you think that He will honor and respect the desires of all His children? I am sure the required lessons, trials, planned exams that He has in store for us take precedence, but I am also sure that He would like to know what we would like, what are our heart-felt desires of our Eternal Father.
The Three Nephites and John the Beloved chose to continue to help Him in His work on the earth. They were granted that desire and in the Book of Mormon they are said to be blessed beyond the other apostles. Will what we desire be of import to our Father now, tomorrow, or when we die?
"What is it that ye desire of me?" Christ's own words. I oftetn pause to ponder what I would desire of my Father.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
DAY 186 --- AS IF
As I consider the arrival of June 9, and as I sort of forget the long list of goals I have to accomplish by then, I search for another one. I went to my grand daughter's play last night. As I sit here and review my night, it occurred to me that I was... I don't know, I was just there. So if I start thinking, preparing for our mission, then why don't I act on the "as if" principle.
You know what that is, it states that if you want to be happy, act as if you are and you will be. If you want to be sad and depressed, you act as if you are, then you are. If you want to play the piano, then act as if you play it like a master. Well, I guess it doesn't always work, especially in playing the piano, for I tried that once, and well it was a catastrophe.
As missionaries, in many months, we will be thinking 24/7 about the Kingdom and how we can assist Father in the Kingdom. Why can't I do that now? Rather than consider all the pressures I have, the challenges, the thoughts that take me away from "missionary thoughts" I could use the "as if" concept.
Sunday I taught the teens in Sunday School. The lesson was "GOD IS LOVE." I asked them if they love even those people they do not know? Then I challenged them to go to school the next day and look for someone who needed their love. Perhaps someone who sits alone all the time. Someone that doesn't have any friends. Someone that seems angry all the time. Etc. I challenged them to love them, to greet them with a smile, to say hello to them, or anything else that came into their mind.
That is what being a disciple of Christ is all about isn't it? I could have followed my own counsel last night at the play and sought out others who could have used a smile, a greeting, or something to bring them out of their lonely thoughts.
We all know what His work and Glory is. As I begin this day, I need to do as I challenged those teens, to find someone who needs a cheery smile or just someone to say I love you. Rather than wait six months to be called to do that, I should start practicing those thoughts and actions now, as if I had already received my call. When I purchase gas, I can talk to the neighbor pumping their gas about the weather? I could talk to those at the grocery store. (A few times in the past, I have purchased a Snickers, or something and just give it to the cashier. You would not believe the shock, and smiles I get. I need to do that more often.) At my grand daughter's play, I could at least put a smile on my face and others will wonder what I have been up to.
You know what that is, it states that if you want to be happy, act as if you are and you will be. If you want to be sad and depressed, you act as if you are, then you are. If you want to play the piano, then act as if you play it like a master. Well, I guess it doesn't always work, especially in playing the piano, for I tried that once, and well it was a catastrophe.
As missionaries, in many months, we will be thinking 24/7 about the Kingdom and how we can assist Father in the Kingdom. Why can't I do that now? Rather than consider all the pressures I have, the challenges, the thoughts that take me away from "missionary thoughts" I could use the "as if" concept.
Sunday I taught the teens in Sunday School. The lesson was "GOD IS LOVE." I asked them if they love even those people they do not know? Then I challenged them to go to school the next day and look for someone who needed their love. Perhaps someone who sits alone all the time. Someone that doesn't have any friends. Someone that seems angry all the time. Etc. I challenged them to love them, to greet them with a smile, to say hello to them, or anything else that came into their mind.
That is what being a disciple of Christ is all about isn't it? I could have followed my own counsel last night at the play and sought out others who could have used a smile, a greeting, or something to bring them out of their lonely thoughts.
We all know what His work and Glory is. As I begin this day, I need to do as I challenged those teens, to find someone who needs a cheery smile or just someone to say I love you. Rather than wait six months to be called to do that, I should start practicing those thoughts and actions now, as if I had already received my call. When I purchase gas, I can talk to the neighbor pumping their gas about the weather? I could talk to those at the grocery store. (A few times in the past, I have purchased a Snickers, or something and just give it to the cashier. You would not believe the shock, and smiles I get. I need to do that more often.) At my grand daughter's play, I could at least put a smile on my face and others will wonder what I have been up to.
Monday, December 5, 2011
DAY 187 -- Living What We Know
I just received word from a dear brother and sister who just returned from their mission. Bonnie and I saw them off and wished at that time that we were going. She responded with things I already knew, but had to be reminded once again. She said that they were not able to go when they were prepared and had to wait for a time before they could go on their mission. Now that they returned, she said that they had a wonderful mission and if they would have went out when they thought they wanted to go, they would not have had the same experiences, and perhaps might not have gone to the same mission.
Then she reminded me that "Lean not to thine own understanding" "Trust in the Lord" and on and on. I know these things and I would preach them to others. However, I needed to be reminded of them to exercise my faith in Father knowing His timetable is best for us. 2 Nephi 2:24, "..but all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." I know there are reasons, I just have to place my hand in His and be patient. Anyone who knows me knows that I am certainly not a patient person. Don't know if I will ever learn that lesson.
Now, here is another lesson I learned from this good sister. We all know the truth. We all know the teachings of the brethren, the prophets, etc. We read about these principles of truth all the time. But then we forget them, or we just don't have reason to apply them to ourselves. I know that Father in in charge and it is His timing that dictates answers to prayers. I even preach that to the High Priests, and the young kids when I teach them. They why can't I incorporate it into my own life?
Why do I have to be reminded that He is in charge and knows so much more than I? Why do I have to be reminded that all these things gain me experience and will be for my own good? Why do I continue to struggle with patience? I know the gospel, but often do not live what I know. Why? Am I am lazy, slow-to-remember type of guy? If I wasn't careful it could make me totally upset with my memory. If I wasn't careful I could question if I really know all those things.
It is interesting that most of us suffer from this same forgetfulness, do we not? Don't we always have to be reminded of certain principles of the gospel and then be encouraged to live them? I guess that is part of mortality, being imperfect and ignorant of certain principles. Or at least not as proficient at living what we know... It is interesting that this keeps recurring in my life, not living what I know, what I preach to others. Does this make any difference in my preparation for my mission? I guess I just need to live what I know better.
Then she reminded me that "Lean not to thine own understanding" "Trust in the Lord" and on and on. I know these things and I would preach them to others. However, I needed to be reminded of them to exercise my faith in Father knowing His timetable is best for us. 2 Nephi 2:24, "..but all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." I know there are reasons, I just have to place my hand in His and be patient. Anyone who knows me knows that I am certainly not a patient person. Don't know if I will ever learn that lesson.
Now, here is another lesson I learned from this good sister. We all know the truth. We all know the teachings of the brethren, the prophets, etc. We read about these principles of truth all the time. But then we forget them, or we just don't have reason to apply them to ourselves. I know that Father in in charge and it is His timing that dictates answers to prayers. I even preach that to the High Priests, and the young kids when I teach them. They why can't I incorporate it into my own life?
Why do I have to be reminded that He is in charge and knows so much more than I? Why do I have to be reminded that all these things gain me experience and will be for my own good? Why do I continue to struggle with patience? I know the gospel, but often do not live what I know. Why? Am I am lazy, slow-to-remember type of guy? If I wasn't careful it could make me totally upset with my memory. If I wasn't careful I could question if I really know all those things.
It is interesting that most of us suffer from this same forgetfulness, do we not? Don't we always have to be reminded of certain principles of the gospel and then be encouraged to live them? I guess that is part of mortality, being imperfect and ignorant of certain principles. Or at least not as proficient at living what we know... It is interesting that this keeps recurring in my life, not living what I know, what I preach to others. Does this make any difference in my preparation for my mission? I guess I just need to live what I know better.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
DAY 188 -- Failure To Communicate
In a movie of long ago, when I was much younger, there was a statement that our family often uses, "What we have here is a failure to communicate..." Of course I cannot write it like it was said. But we have had a failure to communicate.
I posted a few days ago that my kids, my family was sort of indifferent on our mission goals. I am a quiet man. I don't spend much time on the phone. My future companion, Bonnie is always talking with our kids and she does the talking. Besides I am going deaf, according to my kids. I don't think so, even if I have selective hearing once in a while, through choice, or not? Anyway, she talks to my kids all the time.
Since I was berated by a daughter in law yesterday, and since I followed up that berating with my wife, she told me, "Perhaps it would be good if you talked with your wife once in a while." Another berating. I could get feeling pretty bad about myself, two of those I love telling me I was wrong, and should be better. I will strive not to feel too bad.
Well, Bonnie said that in her conversations with my kids, they are all very excited about our mission. (Maybe they just want to get rid of us?) (Especially Sam and Tessa, with whom we are living.) Some read this blog, some do not. I seldom, approaching never, get any comments, so I just figured that no one was reading this, and my kids were not so concerned about my mission. (Another berating, I should not assume no one reads these words if I do not get any comments?) Lesson to be learned here: NEVER JUST ASSUME, and talk to your wife to find out how things really are. Avoid the "failure to communicate" syndrome. That should be another goal to work on, I guess. (I am sure chalking up a long list of goals to accomplish by next June.)
Note: I went to a book seller yesterday and gave him most all of my books that had been collecting dust in the storage unit. He bought them all, giving me $550. (He felt he could sell them all during this Christmas season.) That will be a deposit into our mission fund. It is a start on the $50,000 I am trying to earn by June for our mission. There are other dreams he has using my written words, but those things will be reported on at at later date if they develop. The $550 is a bit more than 1% of the ultimate goal. It is a start with six months to go, right? You have to start somewhere, right?
I posted a few days ago that my kids, my family was sort of indifferent on our mission goals. I am a quiet man. I don't spend much time on the phone. My future companion, Bonnie is always talking with our kids and she does the talking. Besides I am going deaf, according to my kids. I don't think so, even if I have selective hearing once in a while, through choice, or not? Anyway, she talks to my kids all the time.
Since I was berated by a daughter in law yesterday, and since I followed up that berating with my wife, she told me, "Perhaps it would be good if you talked with your wife once in a while." Another berating. I could get feeling pretty bad about myself, two of those I love telling me I was wrong, and should be better. I will strive not to feel too bad.
Well, Bonnie said that in her conversations with my kids, they are all very excited about our mission. (Maybe they just want to get rid of us?) (Especially Sam and Tessa, with whom we are living.) Some read this blog, some do not. I seldom, approaching never, get any comments, so I just figured that no one was reading this, and my kids were not so concerned about my mission. (Another berating, I should not assume no one reads these words if I do not get any comments?) Lesson to be learned here: NEVER JUST ASSUME, and talk to your wife to find out how things really are. Avoid the "failure to communicate" syndrome. That should be another goal to work on, I guess. (I am sure chalking up a long list of goals to accomplish by next June.)
Note: I went to a book seller yesterday and gave him most all of my books that had been collecting dust in the storage unit. He bought them all, giving me $550. (He felt he could sell them all during this Christmas season.) That will be a deposit into our mission fund. It is a start on the $50,000 I am trying to earn by June for our mission. There are other dreams he has using my written words, but those things will be reported on at at later date if they develop. The $550 is a bit more than 1% of the ultimate goal. It is a start with six months to go, right? You have to start somewhere, right?
Saturday, December 3, 2011
DAY 189 -- Six Month, and It Keeps Going, and Going, and Going
A little bit more than six months..... I began six months ago writing on this blog, committing to do so every day. I have failed a day or two, but most often I have been diligent in so doing. Some days I listen to the Spirit and I know exactly what I need to write. Other days, I sit and ponder what lesson I have learned, what obstacle I have to overcome, and what is currently in front of us trying to block our vision toward the end goal.
I went back to the first blog I posted on June 9. I am including with this blog a statement I made in that blog. I have not really understood what a blog is, but that sweet whispering to my soul has motivated and pushed me to start a countdown to when Bonnie and I have been married for 40 years, and soon thereafter head out to the mission field to serve the Lord. I guess that is the bottom line for this blog.
I have to keep that in front of me to remind me the "whys" of this blog. That same whispering has been in my mind urging me to write every day. Now we have counted down half the distance of this journey and we have learned many things. There is still a long way to go to realize this dream. But we are half way to our mission, to number 40!
I have added new goals, minimized some others, postponed some, and continue striving to realize some. We have seen the Lord's hand in our life many times during this six months. We have seen miracles, people change, circumstances change, health improve, finances stretch to bridge gaps, new insights brought into mind, etc.
Our commitment is just as strong, if not stronger today than it was six months ago. I am beginning to see "visions" about our mission, being with my lovely companion and serving Him who we love, meeting fellow saints who live in another country, and introducing others to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What a joy to imagine such a dream come true. Six months, plus a few days, and we will arrive at our 40th anniversary.
I went back to the first blog I posted on June 9. I am including with this blog a statement I made in that blog. I have not really understood what a blog is, but that sweet whispering to my soul has motivated and pushed me to start a countdown to when Bonnie and I have been married for 40 years, and soon thereafter head out to the mission field to serve the Lord. I guess that is the bottom line for this blog.
I have to keep that in front of me to remind me the "whys" of this blog. That same whispering has been in my mind urging me to write every day. Now we have counted down half the distance of this journey and we have learned many things. There is still a long way to go to realize this dream. But we are half way to our mission, to number 40!
I have added new goals, minimized some others, postponed some, and continue striving to realize some. We have seen the Lord's hand in our life many times during this six months. We have seen miracles, people change, circumstances change, health improve, finances stretch to bridge gaps, new insights brought into mind, etc.
Our commitment is just as strong, if not stronger today than it was six months ago. I am beginning to see "visions" about our mission, being with my lovely companion and serving Him who we love, meeting fellow saints who live in another country, and introducing others to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What a joy to imagine such a dream come true. Six months, plus a few days, and we will arrive at our 40th anniversary.
Friday, December 2, 2011
DAY 190 -- Stop Complaining
I read a short devotional today from Lloyd Newell. He said that I should stop complaining. So, on the way to work today, I started considering how many people have "things" exactly as they thought they would be. How many are living the dream they envisioned when they were younger? How many are living in a position where they have nothing to complain about? How many are just totally, completely satisfied with the way things are today, right now?
I decided that there would be very few that had nothing to complain about, if the truth were known. I am not saying that those who had nothing to complain about would be those who had everything perfect in their life. I am saying that there are some who would not complain no matter what. They may have cancer, they may have loved ones straying, they may have nothing too be grateful for, but they do not complain. They may have challenges with bosses, or neighbors, or they be fighting the Government about taxes, but they won't complain.
We were all sent to this earth to learn lessons. We are all promised trials. But so many of us, myself included, evaluate our current circumstances and almost always we come up with things that are not as we would have them. There are things that are not as good as they used to be. So,too often I find myself wishing things were different and even a little bit of complaint, waiting for things to be different or to be better.
Stop complaining. Brother Lloyd Newell added as he counseled us to stop complaining that we should re-read Alma 37:36-37 where we are told to do all things "unto the Lord." "Let thy thought be directed unto Him...Counsel with the Lord in ALL thy doings...let thy heart be full of thanks.." If we/I would stop complaining and remember how close Father is to each of us constantly, counsel with him all in things, and keep in mind that He won't let us go through anything that is not required for our perfection, then perhaps I can start to stop complaining. Perhaps....
I decided that there would be very few that had nothing to complain about, if the truth were known. I am not saying that those who had nothing to complain about would be those who had everything perfect in their life. I am saying that there are some who would not complain no matter what. They may have cancer, they may have loved ones straying, they may have nothing too be grateful for, but they do not complain. They may have challenges with bosses, or neighbors, or they be fighting the Government about taxes, but they won't complain.
We were all sent to this earth to learn lessons. We are all promised trials. But so many of us, myself included, evaluate our current circumstances and almost always we come up with things that are not as we would have them. There are things that are not as good as they used to be. So,too often I find myself wishing things were different and even a little bit of complaint, waiting for things to be different or to be better.
Stop complaining. Brother Lloyd Newell added as he counseled us to stop complaining that we should re-read Alma 37:36-37 where we are told to do all things "unto the Lord." "Let thy thought be directed unto Him...Counsel with the Lord in ALL thy doings...let thy heart be full of thanks.." If we/I would stop complaining and remember how close Father is to each of us constantly, counsel with him all in things, and keep in mind that He won't let us go through anything that is not required for our perfection, then perhaps I can start to stop complaining. Perhaps....
Thursday, December 1, 2011
DAY 191 --- Rocks and Holes, Marriage
I love Elder Holland. He is the one who was the inspiration to get me started on this blog. Going on a mission is our main goal. My bishop wants to get us out of here. My boss is refusing to accept that we want to go in less than seven months. My kids are sort of in the opinion that we will wait and see what happens. Bonnie and I surely want to go as soon as possible.
Bonnie just read Elder Hollands message of October Conference where Elder Holland talked about going on a mission, how much the Lord needs missionaries. She cried and felt the "call" that we need to go, that there is a place waiting for us, even waiting for our abilities where we can serve twenty four seven.
A brother with whom I work said that he heard Elder Holland mention a statement when he was talking to those at BYU, those who were anticipating getting married. Elder Holland said that those young kids needed to find another to compliment them. He said the young men should look for a young woman who had holes in her head where the rocks in his head would fit and fill them up.
I guess that is a different way of defining marriage. It is when the rocks in one's head fit into the holes in another's head. Bonnie was deaf and blind when she married me. She was deaf and thus didn't hear all the crazy things I said before we got married. She was blind not to see how ugly I was.
Anyway, whatever the reasons why we got married, I am sure our rocks and holes are joining together to make us much better people, that is what is really a marriage, where one helps make whole the other one. She is surely trying to do that in my case.
Bonnie just read Elder Hollands message of October Conference where Elder Holland talked about going on a mission, how much the Lord needs missionaries. She cried and felt the "call" that we need to go, that there is a place waiting for us, even waiting for our abilities where we can serve twenty four seven.
A brother with whom I work said that he heard Elder Holland mention a statement when he was talking to those at BYU, those who were anticipating getting married. Elder Holland said that those young kids needed to find another to compliment them. He said the young men should look for a young woman who had holes in her head where the rocks in his head would fit and fill them up.
I guess that is a different way of defining marriage. It is when the rocks in one's head fit into the holes in another's head. Bonnie was deaf and blind when she married me. She was deaf and thus didn't hear all the crazy things I said before we got married. She was blind not to see how ugly I was.
Anyway, whatever the reasons why we got married, I am sure our rocks and holes are joining together to make us much better people, that is what is really a marriage, where one helps make whole the other one. She is surely trying to do that in my case.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)