The Morning Breaks

Yesterday morning Dan and I left home early in the morning when it was still mostly dark outside.  We headed east to a class we were taking together but just a short time later I had to return home on a quick errand.  My back was to the rising sun and what lay ahead of me was inspiring at the least.  I watched as the rays of sunshine gently lowered upon the buildings, the road and the entire scene before me.  There appeared to be a rejoicing in the light and a response to arise to the new day.  It was a beautiful site to observe.  It brought to my mind how much our Heavently Father and His Son, Jesus Christ must love us.  They arranged all things for our good.  They demonstate love and care for everything that surrounds our lives and they allow and encourage us to enjoy and appreciate those beauties.  I was uplifed for the blessing of starting my day as the sun brought not only warmth but also joy and enlightment.  One of my favorite scriptures is found in the Doctrine and Covenants, section D&C, verses 18 and 20:  "Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart."  Thank you Heavenly Father!  That you Jesus Christ! We love you, too!!

Faith in the Future

When I got home from Portland, I was checking out things around the house, making sure all was right. Windows closer, doors locked, etc when I saw something yellow down by the flower pots at the back door. I thought it was just an illusion but as I raised the blinds this is what I saw.

 

 

Now, mind you!  It's still February and very cold outside, but things are looking forward with faith in the future.  Just something for me to be mindful of!!  Thank you Heavenly Father for your thoughtful kindnesses and blessings.  Good things are yet to come.

It's been a year today and I'm privately celebrating.  1 year caffine free.  Last year on this day I was flying home from Daniel and Dalynn's and had a bottle of pop in the fridge.  I took a drink and then realized I couldn't take it to the airport with me and didn't want to leave it for them to deal with.  So, I dumped it down the sink and thought, "I really don't need this stuff."  It was the last time I had caffine.  It feels good to have made it a year and I don't suppose I'll ever drink it again. YEAH!!!

The Holy Priesthood of God

I've just finished studying our RS lesson for tomorrow. It's called "The Holy Priesthood - for the Blessing of God's Children". We don't often study about the Priesthood in RS so this was especially refreshing for me to hear the words of a Prophet of God talk about the Priesthood. If you have your RS manual, it's Lesson #5 in Teachings of Presidents of the Church - George Albert Smith.

He begins by saying that he hopes when boys are conferred to the Aaronic Priesthood they "feel that (he) has something now that is eternally important". I had to wonder if my boys felt that way when they were conferred. Did we do a good enough job teaching them the importance of the Priesthood and what a blessing it would be to them? I surely hope so. I know they had a father who honored his Priesthood, who was a good example for them. But, was it enough? Did I do my best for them?

President Smith talks about how Jesus was not just a "good man", a "good teacher". He came to teach, but He also came to organize His Church and restore the Holy Priesthood of God" to the earth; to "confer on His associates divine authority to administer the ordinances of His Church." These are the very ordinances that will return us to the presence of our Father.

Jesus called the humble fishermen of Galilee to be His Holy Priesthood leaders because they could be taught. Later, the Priesthood was restored to the earth in our time to a humble young boy, Joseph Smith. "The Father and the Son appeared; men who held the Priesthood formerly came and conferred that Priesthood upon humble men and they in turn were commanded to confer it upon others."

"Your mission is a very remarkable one, you men who bear the Priesthood. Upon you has been conferred divine authority. ... You received your authority from men divinely commissioned to act as servants of the Lord, and it was conferred upon you by those who received it directly from Jesus Christ our Lord."

It was exciting to read and to understand that "many of our Father's children are beginning to observe the effect of divine authority in this Church." I had to think of the men and women all over this world who, when taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, come to the realization of the restoration of the Holy Priesthood; who understand and accept the truths and blessings that come because of the Priesthood in our lives. How marvelous is that? What reprecussions will come to the earth because of the expansion of the Holy Priesthood? Can you just imagine a world incompassed by the power of the Priesthood, the blessings of the people blessing each other's lives in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ? How celestrial would that be?

President Smith reminds us that "Through this Priesthood every ordinance of the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, necessary for the salvation of the children of man, is authoritatively administered. ... The Priesthood... is a blessing that, if we are faithful, will open the doors of the celestial kingdom and give us a place there to live throught the ages of eternity." Then he says, "Do not trifle with this pricless blessing."

Priesthood holders have a responsiblity to live examplary lives and use the priesthood to bless others. "You belong to a choice body of men,... making you partners with the Mster of Heaven and Earth. ... there should be deep in every soul a consciousness that 'I am my brother's keeper. I hold authority from the Lord Jesus Christ - I am a bearer of the Holy Priesthood."

"You brethren... have had conferred upon you a sacred opportunity, a sacred trust. You have received the blessings of the Holy Priesthood. Divine authority has been conferred upon you.... You represent Him who is the author of our being... The Priesthood that you hold is the power of God....Surely we ought to be grateful for our blessings...."

I am so very grateful for the blessing of the Priesthood in my life. I sweetly remember my father administering blessings on us children and serving others in kindness. His life was one of service to others and although it wasn't always in a suit with his hands on someone's head. It was often in kindly deeds done to help someone else.

My sweet husband has been an example to his children of service to others. He was always the first to arrive and the last to leave whenever there was an event held that he could be of service to others. He has blessed the lives of each of us with Priesthood blessings, confirmations and service.

My boys and the husbands of my daughters are great men of the Priesthood. They honor the calling they have and they reach out to bless the lives of their families and many others. Their daily lives are examples of all they do in the name of the Lord.

I think on my grandsons and granddaughters. Will they recieve and honor the Priesthod? Will they understand and be prepared for the duties of it? Will they realize the blessings and the responsibilities of it?

I think on the sweet Priesthood holders in our ward who bless and pass the sacrament to me each week. Do they realize my appreciation for them? How will I ever repay the honorable men you've come into our home to bless us with their teachings, their friendships, their Priesthood blessings and their support? My life has been forever deeply touched by those wonderful men who hold and honor their Priesthood.

I love the Priesthood! It has been the foundation of many experiences of my life. I think on the holy blessings that have come to me and to my family because of righteous Priesthood men and my eyes fill with tears and my heart with graditude for a kind and lovely Father who allows us to use His name, His authority, His power to bless our families. Many miracles have occurred in my life because of His Holy Priesthood! I will be forever grateful to the men in this sphere and the men on the other side of the veil who have honored their Priesthood and participated in these blessings. I will be forever grateful to my Savior and to my Father for the blessing of the Holy Priesthood of God.

Reflections and other Lofty Thoughts

This past week has brought on some interesting and revealing thoughts. Let me explain.
Next weekend 4 of our girls and their little ones will be coming home for a visit. I AM SO EXCITED!! Sometimes I even cry a little just thinking about them being here for a week with us. Anyway, I was trying to think of things they can do here while they are home. As most everyone knows Idaho Falls is not a rustling, busy place, especially for children. So, I decided to make a list to hang on the fridge for when we are sitting around wondering "what can we do".
That's when I started remembering the WONDERFUL times I spent in Pocatello (not much different than Idaho Falls) with my granmas when I was little. Oh my goodness, the memories came flooding back.
We picked peas from her garden, apricots from the tree, drank carrot juice (sometimes more willingly than others), went to the Drive In Theatre in a wagon, sang and danced around her house to her really oldies, but goodies records, walked to the little Drive In on the corner and bought taffy for a nickel, gathered worms at night and put them in the moss to sell to fishermen. Walked through the cemetery across the street, slept outside and listened to Granma tell us all about the stars (she knew everything!), went to the park on Sundays and listened to the Orchestra, went shopping with her in "big downtown Pocatello", pulled taffy and made carmel corn. I still have their recipes. The list goes on and on and on and the memories are wonderful.
That got me thinking how grateful I was that my mom and dad allowed me to go to Granma's house. Without those experiences I wouldn't know what to plan for when my grandchildren come visit me.
I called Mom and told her thanks for the wonderful experiences she gave me so I'd know what to do as a Granma, too!
Bring on the kids!!! It's going to be great!

The Day I Saw My Sister

It was a Wednesday, I think. It was around noon and I was in Broulim's in Rigby. I was picking up some treats for our "End of the Year Speech Party. I'd just picked up the donuts and I was walking out of the bakery/deli area when I saw her. I will admit I didn't recognize her at first. But, something about her caught my eye and my heart. I kept glancing over her way, trying to figure out how I knew this lady. She was sitting at a deli table eating a simple lunch with a lady companion. I knew that I didn't know the lady with her but somehow I knew this one. I walked back and forth for a few minutes and then it came to me. This was my sister, Shelly. I had heard that she had moved to Rigby with her caregiver LuDean but I had not seen her around.
Shelly is the fifth child in our family. She was slow to develop as a baby and I remember going to many Doctor appointments and waiting to hear what the Doctor had to say. They never really gave my parents an explanation but Shelly was a sweet and loving baby. She seldom cried and she smiled a lot. She had her favortie toys and slowly learned to talk with the help of a Speech Pathologist. When she started school the school nurse visited with my mom about a possible thyroid deficiency. She thought that may have been the cause of Shelly's slow development. After some testing they found that it was exactly this and Shelly was given Synthroid to help increase the thyroid flow in her body. In fact, most of our family was checked and several of us were also put on a thyroid suppliment. They said that if Shelly had been given medication soon after her birth she would have developed normally but they did not test for thyroid deficiency in the 50s. Since then they have started doing what is called the "PKU" shortly after the birth and are able to begin treatment immediately if there is a problem like this. Thank goodness for that.
Shelly struggled through school and finally graduated from Aviation High School. Soon after that the family moved to Moreland, Idaho and Shelly became Mom's companion. They would go to the nursing home once a week to do the ladies' hair. Shelly began experiencing emotional difficulties and it became increasing harder and harder for her to remain at home with Dad and Mom. As each of her brothers and sisters had grown up and left home, she couldn't understand why she couldn't also leave. After several attempts to find a good home for her they finally ended up placing her with LuDean in Idaho Falls. Shelly had has had a very hard life and this final home was a real blessing for her.
LuDean has found that it is very hard for Shelly to see family members. After we leave, Shelly begins to cry and is uncontrollable for LuDean. She has asked us not to visit Shelly. I used to take a Christmas gift over for her and it was always so good for me, but seldom good for Shelly. So, after a few trys, I made no further effort to contact her. I just always looked forward to seeing her and getting to visit with her in the next life.
Then there she was. It was so good to see her that I couldn't resist and I approached the table. I quietly introduced myself to her companion and asked it I could visit with Shelly. I was told it would be ok so I sat down for a minute. I said, "Hi Shelly. Do you remember me? I'm Sandy." She smiled a huge smile and said, "Hi Sandy". She remembered me and we visited for a few minutes. Her friend said how glad she was to able to hear more about Shelly and her family. She didn't know much as she was a new companion for Shelly. I answered questions and we visited about Shelly's time on the farm. Shelly could remember some things so we talked about those things. Wow! It was so good to see her and to visit for a few minutes.
As I said my good-byes I looked at Shelly and I saw a most beautiful woman! She glowed. I felt like I might really have seen the Shelly I hope to get to know one day.
That was the day I saw my sister.

A Quiet Peace

Today was Fast Sunday and our wonderful ward had assembled in the Chapel to partake of the Sacrament and bear our testimonies. It's always a good experience to attend Sacrament Meeting in our ward. Our members are very kind and loving people who have strong testimonies which they bear in words and in deeds!

A couple of weeks ago our Bishop had encouraged us to use our Testimony time to it's fullest by bearing our testimonies more. So, today I heeded his counsel and bore my testimony. Many others followed with their testimonies and there was such a feeling of love when we closed.

It is the RS's turn to clean up the building each Sunday since we are the last ward meeting each week. After the closing prayer I put my things on the bench and went to dump garbages, etc. When we were all done I went back into the Chapel to get my things. The lights had been dimmed and the room was clean and orderly. Even as I stepped inside and the Chapel doors closed behind me I could feel a very peaceful, feeling in the room. It was quiet with almost a sacred feeling there. I could almost sense the Spirit of the Lord in His chapel. I felt a desire to sit on a bench and just absorb the peace that was there. This is a feeling that I've had in the Temples but not necessarily so in a Chapel. Having had that experience today I hope I will remember it and be more reverent and sensitive to the Spirit there next time.
What a blessing it was to my day.