Nancy,I read his column in 2010. Here it is:
Feel free to use the notes we exchanged.
I’ve pasted a copy of the column below.
Happy blogging.
Jerry
If you have ever walked into a bookstore and spotted a book you hoped to write someday, raise your hand.
If you're a writer yourself, don't bother.
It probably happens to you all the time, as it does to me.
It just happened to me last Monday.
I walked in the store and was greeted by "Of These Emblems: Coming Closer to Christ through the Sacrament <http://deseretbook.com/These-Emblems-Coming-Closer-Christ-through-Sacrament-Compilation/i/5051525> " — a new collection from Covenant Communications featuring essays by S. Michael Wilcox, Joy Saunders Lundberg and several others.
But in my case, it was more than a "hoped to write someday" kind of moment. I had actually filled a couple of folders with notes, had done research and was toying with various titles. (I was leaning toward "Weekly Bread" or "Bread of the Angels" — the English version of the carol "Panis Angelicus.")
I don't know what insights abound in the new Covenant book. I didn't have the heart to look on Monday.
But in my book, I planned to talk about Jesus turning water into wine in the New Testament, then in a modern revelation about the sacrament, turning the wine back into water.
I planned to talk about Jesus multiplying the loaves in the Bible, then multiplying them again and again each week today as people around the world partake of the sacrament.
I was going to say that God always chooses something plentiful to make holy — like holy water, holy bread or holy ground. For a just and merciful God, making holy caviar, say, or holy plutonium wouldn't make much sense.
I'd even bought several books about the sacrament in other faiths to trace the path of the ritual through history.
I've always liked the fact the sacrament song is one number in a church service that the choir or soloist never gets to sing. It must be sung by everyone. The song, as much as the prayers, become a unified pledge.
The sacrament song may be the one moment where the Saints come closest to being one in spirit.
I don't know if any of those thoughts appear in the pages of "Of These Emblems." Given the hearts and minds of people like Brent L. Top, E. Douglas Clark, Toni Sorenson and the others who appear there, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't cover just about all of the bases.
As for me, I'm left to quote author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
"Hi-ho. So it goes."
At least now I'll have an answer for my wife.
When I'm planning to do a book and begin to balk at all the work ahead, she has a habit of saying, "If you don't write the book, Jerry, who will?"
Now I have an answer.
Brent Top, Wilcox and a full roster of others.
My heart went out to him....
Dear Brother Johnston-OH!! Your article just made my head swim. I sincerely am so sorry you had that happen. How absolutely horrible!! I commiserate because I had an article tucked away, about shopping as a girl in Alaska from the Sears Roebuck catalog and how my Mother taught me the difference between good, better, and best through the illustrated articles for sale!!! I kept mulling it over and had it ready in my mind. Never spoke of it. Never used it in a lesson or a talk. Marveled that no one, to my knowledge, had ever printed an article on it and was so excited. Finally decided I better just do it and send it off and.....hello October 2007 General Conference and hello Elder Oaks and Hey!!...that's my idea!! What!?! I'm hearing..... "A childhood experience introduced me to the idea that some choices are good but others are better. I lived for two years on a farm. We rarely went to town. Our Christmas shopping was done in the Sears, Roebuck catalog. I spent hours poring over its pages. For the rural families of that day, catalog pages were like the shopping mall or the Internet of our time.
Something about some displays of merchandise in the catalog fixed itself in my mind. There were three degrees of quality: good, better, and best. For example, some men’s shoes were labeled good ($1.84), some better ($2.98), and some best ($3.45)."
I was so flabbergasted and astonished that I could hardly hear the rest of the talk!! Sigh.
I encourage you to print your unique take on the Sacrament. It's needed.
Sincerely,
Nancy
He replied......
Nancy —
Thanks for taking time to send me a heartfelt note.
Sorry about your article. Sounds like Elder Oaks was also reading catalogs as a child.
When I was a boy in the 1960s, my mother used to cut chicken into tiny squares, dip them in batter and deep fry them. When we told her she needed to market them she said, “Who’d ever want to buy little nuggets of chicken?”
I’ll wait a spell, then see if someone’s interested in my little sacrament book. I’ve been surprised by the response to it already.
Take care.
Keep thinking.
Jerry
After thinking about it, for 3 years, I decided to get up my courage and started my blog 3 weeks ago . A couple of days ago I thought of him sharing his experience and dropped him the following note...
Dear Jerry,
In 2010 you printed a column about seeing your book about the Sacrament, published by someone else. I was so moved that I sent you a note. I recently started a blog and I'm seeking permission to print that post and the letter I wrote you and the note you sent back. Your post really motivated me. Please check out the blog and see if you are comfortable with me sharing our notes. If yes is your answer....I also need you to, please, send me that column as I've looked everywhere and can't find it. I hope you feel okay about me sharing. I didn't feel right to share anything without your okay.
Did you publish the book yet? I would also like to share that information if you have done so. If so, where can it be purchased?
thanks!
Nancy
He graciously wrote back.....
Nancy,
Feel free to use the notes we exchanged.
I’ve pasted a copy of the column below.
Happy blogging.
Jerry
*********************************
I'm sure many others had the same idea but who knows what might have happened if I'd mailed it in? Very likely...nothing. The thing is because I procrastinated I will never know! I've read that the road to you know where (downward.... way way downward!) is paved with good intentions. I'm obviously in the paving industry!!
I wonder how Oliver Cowdery felt when he really wanted to translate like Joseph. He wanted that gift. The Lord said okay. Oliver didn't act on it. Then he was ready for action and the Lord said...sorry-- you didn't act when you had the chance and that opportunity is gone... The Lord wasn't mad at Oliver. He just stated the fact that things needed to be done in a timely fashion.
NO, I'm not saying I'm in the calibre of Elder Oaks nor Oliver Cowdery or even simlar but this experience was a learning one for me.
Moral: Strike while the iron is hot!!!
Doctrine and Covenants --Section 6 and Section 9
6:25 And, behold, I grant unto you a gift, if you desire of me, to translate, even as my servant Joseph.
9:5, 10, 11, 12
5- And, behold, it is because that you did not continue as you commenced, when you began to translate, that I have taken away this privilege from you.
10-Now, if you had known this you could have translated; nevertheless, it is not expedient that you should translate now.
11-Behold, it was expedient when you commenced; but you feared, and the time is past, and it is not expedient now;
12-.......And neither of you have I condemned.
OUCH!!!
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