An invitation...

Over and over, I'm so thankful to live in this age of technology.  To think that we will be able to witness the introduction of our next Prophet AND his 2 Counselors AND 2 new Apostles....right in our home!  What a day of awe!!

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A Special Invitation for Tuesday, January 16

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around the world are invited to participate in a live message from President Russell M. Nelson on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. This message will be shared on all Church broadcast, internet and social media channels in 29 languages. President Nelson's message will be followed by a press conference at 10:00 a.m. MST. More information about these events can be found here.

Beautifully said....

 

3 lessons shared

(this is copied from Elder Renlund's FB post.  The lyrics are to one of my all time favorite hymns that the Tabernacle Choir sings and I was glad to see them in print.  The tributes to President Monson have all been so sincere and touching.  What a miracle for us that we can watch the funeral tomorrow as it is happening!  I'm so thankful for that opportunity.)

How I love President Thomas S Monson! As I have reflected on the life of this extraordinary man, I have thought of three invaluable lessons he taught me, beginning in April of 2009 when he set me apart as a General Authority Seventy. President Monson spent more than an hour with Ruth and me that day. At some point he mentioned a favorite hymn and promised he would teach it to us before we left. However, with all that was going on, it slipped his mind and we didn’t learn the hymn. By the time we got home, there was a message on our answering machine from his secretary, asking if we could come back because he still wanted to teach us the hymn. The first lesson is that President Monson always kept his word.

The next day, we returned to President Monson’s office and spent an additional hour and a half with him. He gathered some of his staff around, and one of the sisters played the piano. His teaching of the hymn reminded me of learning a song in Primary, one line at a time! As we were leaving, I said, “President Monson, you have been so kind to us.” His response was, “I have only treated you as I would want to have been treated.” The second lesson is that President Monson knew and understood the Golden Rule.

The hymn that President Monson taught us was “If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not,” which includes these words:

If the way be full of trial, weary not;
If it's one of sore denial, weary not;
If it now be one of weeping,
There will come a joyous greeting,
When the harvest we are reaping, weary not.

CHORUS
Do not weary by the way
Whatever be thy lot
There awaits a brighter day
To all, to all who weary, weary not.

The third lesson comes from watching President Monson as his health has declined; he truly did serve the Lord with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength. While his physical body was failing, he truly did “weary not.” May we all go and do likewise.

Hodge-Podge

Chapter 1

Why on earth do I do this to myself?  Feeling to share something.  Knowing I will not forget. Procrastinating blogging it.  Jotting a note down (for just in case I do forget).  Ending up with scraps of paper that are so jumbled and messy that they are cryptic!  Ideas. Words like Salk/Barbara Streisand/Wright Brothers/fountain pen.  NYT-Obit. $$$$$/Pres. Hinckley. 4 wheels. Japan/misery. Temple. & all sorts of scripture references with no subject- just name/numbers!

It all made total sense when I quickly jotted scribbled those words down.  I only mentioned a few!  I have 7 note pages of chicken scratches!  I have to stop this nonsense!  That being said...I will endeavor to decipher my coded scraps of paper.  the top few!

Chapter 2

I believe it all started as I contemplated the New Year and my creed points and without reading, pulled up from memory, those points I wanted to hold onto for 2018.  Such as:

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

If it's to be- it's up to me.

I bring about what I think about.

Trust but verify.

Even the thinnest of pancakes has 2 sides.

Forgive everyone everything.

Have a gratitude attitude.

Unconditional LOVE.

 Chapter 3

That led me to think about a question on a FB post that my friend Chelle had asked.  Single word/ideas that would be a persons goal for the New Year.  My word would have been Transformation.  Change.  

I want to be like Jesus.  He went about doing good.  That is what the scriptures tell us.  I thought of the month of daily acts of service in December with the Light the World campaign. I mulled over several ideas and then seemingly out of the blue...this popped up.... here  Interesting isn't it?  How I was thinking about that and this comes into my line of vision.

Chapter 4

Ideas.  Thoughts.  Where the magic in our lives happen!  I believe that we, as LDS mortals, all heard the Gospel plan together in the long ago council.  Here on earth we sometimes act like we have discovered the Holy Grail because of something we figured out Church-wise.  The leveling influence in my life is this...I believe that each of us has to learn the same lessons.  We have to learn the exact same patterns of religious behavior on the most basic levels...prayer/study/fasting/Sabbath/tithing and on and on.  None of us are any better than the other.  All of us were there.  All of us are here.  We are in the same boat.

Sometimes we are arrogant enough to think we have a totally original idea but careful mind observation/excavating will prove us wrong.  There may be a new twist or a different slant but the basic idea is still in place.  That is what I love about General Conference-hearing new inspiration/interpretation of a basic idea.

Chapter 5

Anyhow...thoughts.  ideas.  I treasure/appreciate my own ability to think.  to pray.  to study.  to ponder.  to receive guidance and inspiration and revelation in my own life.  Love it!!

Sometimes I think there must be some sort of pollen of ideas floating in the air, which fertilizes similarly minds here and there which have not had direct contact.  (William Faulkner)

(I have no idea who drew this but I am sure glad they did!)

 "The air is full of ideas. They are knocking you in the head all the time. You only have to know what you want, then forget it, and go about your business. Suddenly, the idea will come through. It was there all the time." - Henry Ford

Ideas also cause "simultaneous discoveries" (called "multiples").  

I think of Lainie Kazan.  She sang with the exactness of Barbra Streisand.  Because Barbra got a big break.  Perhaps her idea of how to further her career?  ...Lainie's singing career was pretty much deep-sixed.

Mark Zuckenberger and the Winklevoss twins.

Salk...Sabin.

Wright brothers...wasn't there someone else that had the same idea around the same time?

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs!

Speaking of Steve Jobs... 

(Nigel Smith- shared this in 2015. below...)

The last words of Steve Jobs -
I have come to the pinnacle of success in business.
In the eyes of others, my life has been the symbol of success.
However, apart from work, I have little joy. Finally, my wealth is simply a fact to which I am accustomed.
At this time, lying on the hospital bed and remembering all my life, I realize that all the accolades and riches of which I was once so proud, have become insignificant with my imminent death.
In the dark, when I look at green lights, of the equipment for artificial respiration and feel the buzz of their mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of my approaching death looming over me.
Only now do I understand that once you accumulate enough money for the rest of your life, you have to pursue objectives that are not related to wealth.
It should be something more important:
For example, stories of love, art, dreams of my childhood.
No, stop pursuing wealth, it can only make a person into a twisted being, just like me.
God has made us one way, we can feel the love in the heart of each of us, and not illusions built by fame or money, like I made in my life, I cannot take them with me.
I can only take with me the memories that were strengthened by love.
This is the true wealth that will follow you; will accompany you, he will give strength and light to go ahead.
Love can travel thousands of miles and so life has no limits. Move to where you want to go. Strive to reach the goals you want to achieve. Everything is in your heart and in your hands.
What is the world's most expensive bed? The hospital bed.
You, if you have money, you can hire someone to drive your car, but you cannot hire someone to take your illness that is killing you.
Material things lost can be found. But one thing you can never find when you lose: life.
Whatever stage of life where we are right now, at the end we will have to face the day when the curtain falls.
Please treasure your family love, love for your spouse, love for your friends...
Treat everyone well and stay friendly with your neighbours.


I know that appears to be totally off track of "ideas" but it is really on point on all levels.

Chapter 6

I marvel at the idea of an idea cloud!  Just think...years ago people used to long for contacts.  They would bemoan how expensive they were.  They would sigh about the inconvenience/the uncomfortableness of glasses.  How they would get dirty.  How they would bother their noses.  How they would misplace them.  How they would get scratched.  the list went on and on.  Nowadays???  Ideas rained down and....It is now fashionable to wear glasses, with the biggest frames possible, even if you don't need glasses!!

The idea popped into my mind that I really wanted a fountain pen.  Do they still make them...do they still fill them with ink bottles...do they still use blotters?  and on and on went my thoughts.  Well, who'd of thunk it??  I love my Hobby Lobby fountain pen Christmas present from my son!  Little ink cartridges nowadays.

So those ideas sprinkle down, are absorbed, acted upon and suddenly we have modest clothing available and houses decorated in similar colors and Instant Pots to replace a perfectly good working Pressure Cooker.

Who had the idea that FB pictures taken with gaping mouths is the way to go?  Oh, that's out?  right.  Now it's- pucker those lips- so you can get a peek at how your age lines will look.  

Anyhow a lot of ideas create change that impact the masses (actually all would be a better word than a lot) are about financial gain for companies.  Profit.

But, I'm about Prophets.  and what they say about the mighty $. More on that in a minute. 

Chapter 7

I've decided, in 2018, to move myself ahead in the 4 areas that the Savior grew in...intellectual/physical/spiritual/social.  That is my idea of the meaning of -

Luke 2:52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Like 4 wheels on a car.  In order for the car to move ahead...all 4 wheels must rotate.  Together.  In sync.

So I've been planning.  Using my mind.  Gathering ideas.  Following those promptings.  It's feeling rather like a Matriarchal situation here with Terry being sort of down and out but we agree this is our way right now!

Chapter 8

Terry and I desire for our lives, what President Hinckley said, in part, in October 1998 General Conference

This is a part of the temporal gospel in which we believe. May the Lord bless you, my beloved brethren, to set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts. That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable.

Chapter 9

At this point in our lives we are retired and on a fixed income.  I was able to search through every single document regarding $, setting up a budget that is reassuring for us, being guided as to what to check out, to research, and then what to do with certain aspects of our $.  I cannot tell you the peace, actually joy, that I feel with all bases covered as I make sure the intellectual wheel on our car is not flat.

As I reviewed my spending habits, suddenly someone shared an idea that they had about No Shopping.  It was interesting and motivating and inspired my budget in many ways. No Shopping here 

I also enjoyed watching a documentary called, of course, Minimalism.  And then this article by the fellows on the documentary- TheMinimalists.com  here

It seems the ideas of downsizing/less shopping/minimizing/simplifying/ etc. etc. are falling as rain from that invisible idea cloud!

I even found a really great Simplify Magazine that I can read online.  Now I, of course, wish it was paper but it's interesting to read.  Ideas are everywhere!

Chapter 10

I need to place my self in timeout and tie my hands behind my back and stop this way to long blog!
I think I will now call it a book and go back and put some chapter numbers in.  I am really going to try to not get a logjam like this anymore.  I went back to first paragraph and I hit most of the things I listed except for all of the scriptures and the NYT Obituary for President Monson and also the Japan-Misery but this is way overboard as it is.  maybe tomorrow.

Chapter 11

I am feeling a "brightness of hope".  full blown! and it feels terrific. actually-feels perfect!  I'll absorb it and enjoy it as these overall, filled to the brim with feelings of joy, don't hold forever.  I'll just soak it up.  Ahhhh!  feels so good!!!  Reality is... in mortality it will fade but right now?--BLISS!

2 Nephi 31:20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

remembering...

I am thinking with excitement of this New Year and the changes and joy I'm anticipating and had planned to share that today but instead...I'm thinking about Prophets and the changes that are coming about in our General leadership.

Meridian Magazine published an interview they had done with President Monson's biographer, Heidi S. Swinton. This is one of my favorite stories she shared....

Meridian: What would he say were some of the most pivotal moments in his life?

Heidi: I asked him that once and he was quick to respond. He told the story of him as a young bishop being called by a boy who lived in his ward who was staying with his uncle. The uncle had been taken to the hospital and he wanted to see the bishop and could he come right now? President Monson said, yes I can come. He had to go to a stake meeting that night and then he would go to the hospital. He went to the stake meeting and he is sitting on the stand in the choir seats and the Spirit prompts him to get up right now and go to the hospital.

He looks around at everybody sitting there in that meeting and looks at the stake president speaking there and wondered if he could get up and walk out. He determined, no, I’d better stay here. This would be so rude. So he stayed in his seat and the meeting continued. Then the next person was speaking and the prompting came again, “Get up right now and go to the hospital.” He sat there and looked around and said, “I’ll go as soon as the meeting is over.”

The meeting ended and he bolted down the hall and out the door, got in his car and raced up the hill to the old Veterans’ hospital. He ran in, ran up three flights of stairs, not even waiting for the elevator. He raced down the hall. He’s 22-years old—a young bishop. There was a little cluster of people at the door of the room. He stopped at that door and a couple of others were standing there. One said to him, “You must be Bishop Monson.”

He smiled and says, “I am.” She continued, pointing to the man in the room, “He was calling for you as he died.”

When I asked President Monson, what was that pivotal moment, that was the story he told me. He said, “The Spirit prompted me to get up and I waited. That man needed to talk to me.” Then he always says this great line. “That lesson was not lost on me.” He said, “Never again would I dismiss or postpone a prompting. I have heard promptings and calls from the Lord when I’ve been in meetings and had to get up and excuse myself. I picked up the phone and made a call at just the right moment when someone needed me.

“I have learned when the Lord has an errand to run, He can call on Tommy Monson and I will go.”

That’s indicative of his whole ministry. He learned a hard lesson there. He tells that story with such soberness that you know it went down to the very core of who he was and he would never let that happen again.

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also...

Instead of flowers-- suggested donations to either Missionary fund or Humanitarian fund.  Easy Peasy if you have a credit card.  There are lots of things to love in this modern age and this is certainly one...immediate and super convenient!

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Humanitarian Aid Fund or the Church’s General Missionary Fund at give.lds.org/monson.

What service...

I will miss President Monson and his wisdom and steadfastness and example. 

Somewhere I saved an article by his daughter Ann.  she shared he had not been shopping in grocery stores and when he went for the first time, he had no idea what to do or how.  Seems he was suppose to get some potatoes and he put them loose in the basket in the kiddie seat and they rolled out and onto the floor!  I wish I knew where I put that article.

He was such an example of service and rescuing and loving.  I learned so much from him. 

My Prophet dear.

out with the old and...

on with the new!  and there I go.  4-1/2 years in YW as the Laurel teacher and now....here I come- I move to Primary!  This will be a new event for me on many levels and an interesting twist also.

The twist?  Years ago I taught Melissa in Seminary as a 14 year old.  Years later, she, now a Mother of 5!, I then teach her daughter, Maci, as her Laurel teacher for 2 years.  Maci is now at BYU-I.  Melissa is a Counselor in Primary.  In Primary I will teach another of Melissa's children.  this time a son!  So I have been teaching people in this one family since 1989!  I find that a twisty story!

Change is so good.  It's invigorating and energizing and there is inspiration and revelation and a newness on so many levels.  Our Bishopric really went all out today as the YW and the RS were entirely reorganized!  Plus 4 new teachers in Primary and a Gospel Doctrine teacher also!!  Lots of farewells and "setting aparts" and a new feeling that seems so appropriate for a New Year.

I joined the Church in 1961 and was asked to teach the Co-pilot B class.  Preparing the children for baptism.  I loved it.  I was brand new and I learned as I taught the children the basics of the Gospel.  That was for one year.  Then I was Primary Secretary a few years later and a Primary Counselor for a very short while as they called me to the Mutual program.  And that is it!!  I've always had a Church calling but in 57 years membership in the Church...never in Primary!!  I know nothing but I will soon learn!!  I am excited to experience this new adventure!!

I will teach the oldest age children.  I think they are 11 years old.  Aren't those the ones that feel Primary is for babies and they want to be 12 and leave and be all grown-up in YM/YW?  And they feel embarrased and to old for the yearly Primary program?  Seems I've heard comments over the years about...she is so glad to be out of Primary.  She could hardly wait to leave.  Well, that will be interesting if that is the case!  Whatever I find, perhaps my enthusiasm for being their teacher and being in Primary with them, and letting them know I love them already and am so glad to be with them, maybe I can turn the tide! 

I have been so excited about this coming New Year and this just adds to my anticipation of fantastic things to look forward to.

Happy New Year, tomorrow! 

Oh, boy...maybe what I heard is true!!!!  

Really?