Brain dump

Cycles of nations recorded in the scriptures. You can see so much of what is happening today through  reading them.

Life is perfect for none of us, so charity is important.

"We wanted for everyone to have the same" this reminds me of the temple where we appear as equals.

It is important to be willing to do things although we do not even know the why. There was a story about being ill and not wanting to listen to a prompt which seemed meaningless, but she got to ease a woman's sorrow and worry,  which thing she would have done if asked, but instead she was just asked to empty the trash outside which actually she was not inclined to do.

When moving a piano, merely needed to lift where they stood, and it was easy to do the grear feat, because each did their part, which individually seemed small, but collectively was great!

When home from mission NJ MBA in Africa he said that he was blinded by our white shining faces.

Told story of how we should stay where we are and build up the kingdom there.

We are missionaries to help others do what they could not do for themselves.

"What you make for dinner is a reservation" Jay Pratt

Going to the sun high way.

Hotel that you must hike 11 miles to.

Being honest is more than telling what is true it is what you portray.

It is important to be true to God, cause it hurts us and others.

Do not need to remember well, to be honest.

Being honest might cause problems, but the problems are less than what problems might happen if we were dishonest.

How much would things cost if everyone was honest.

We always make excuses for things to cover up our dishonesty.

If you cannot afford to give a big tip, you cannot afford to eat out.

It is easier to choose less choices for doing what is right.

Telling a lie to cover a lie is never going to lead to a good end. Story about a boy caught cheating, given an F then lied to mom and said that he was wrongfully accused.

Being honorable brings peace of mind.

Call sisters on wednesday for Visiting teaching.

When we heal the outward  the reward turns inward. But when we are concerning ourselves with spiritual healing. We must turn outward, and think more of others.

Easier to find ourselves because there is so much more of us to find.

When a woman was diagnosed she said, "did you hear that? (Pause) He just said I am one in a million." The duagnosis was not positive at all.

When we serve it is directly related to love.

When we serve, it is the holy ghost that gets us there. D&C 11:12 do not delay when prompted. It will never be convenient if it is service.

When we seeve ithers we draw cliser to the Lord, you do not go alone.

If you serve even the least ye are serving God.

If kids must work, as leaders must do it, too.

When we get to go serve others in a mission, you get to meet with and serve the Lord, himself.

As a mother it makes God so happy to see that soneone is doing that he is not able to help the asker. She shared the story of her child paying alone and when someone plays with him, she is so happy.

Brain dump

Return missionary from Ohio, Cincinnati.

Twisting metal metaphor for the Lord molding us into a work of art.

There are periods of growth followed by periods of stagnation, and this appears very disheatening to missionaries.

We are greatly blessed with so many eases of life. The many temples are one such blessings.

Those who do not have the ideal. Might not even get it in this life.

If life were fair, none of us could achieve a happy eternal life. It is possible through the atonement.

Our prayers are surely heard and shall be fufilled according to d&c 90.

Love is two part. We feel love and then we have to demonstrate it. If a man says that he loves God but hates his neighbor, then he is a liar.

When we have charity we are filled with good feelings for all people.

Faith unfeigned? It is more important than we see at face value. How do you know that someone will turn to God when they need it? It is important to make that decision early in life...you will have a better chance at enduring.

“The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs” words of Joseph Smith

Love others like ourselves, anything that persuades us to do that comes from God.

Service is never convenient, so do not wait for an opportune time.

Placing others first at all times and having compassion. This is charity.

We have been commanded to love others. How does this apply to visiting and home teaching?

When Enos prayed, he was  blessed to genuinely love others.

We cannot love everyone. So what of those who beg, and are dishonest? We can pay a fast offering, because the church  is run by God, and he knows best how to succor his people.

Blessing bags to give others to show love, but not enable them of their vices.

Prayer and Repentance, service is a key to loving others.

Everyone does stupid things we need to love others and ourselves and forgive, not get mad, like a guy driving the wrong direction in a parking lot it could've been us.

Anniversary has a 5 and a 4 in no particular order. Eternity is looking sort of long about now. But I was 10 when I got married, so there's that.

We are to be one with our spouse and none else. But, women take care of children and place them first cause husband can take care of them.

When you go to in laws not say, "she says..." but say, "we say..."

When married, you are a unit, and must function as one.

It is not good to be alone.

Put God first, all times. I recall a thing from the video of Gordon B. Hinkley where wife said, "I knew God would always come first, before me, and I was ok with that."

We all want things done in our time frame.

But, tell our children that if they do what the Lord commands he will prepare a way.

So, examples of people waiting.

If a thing is important and needs to be done, it reminds me of 17 miracles when Sarah Franks says to George P. ...not to even think of possibly getting married until they can do it properly.

Temple marriage is done in the presence of God. Just like there is a right and wrong way to be baptized, the same is true with marriage.

It is important to be in the right place.

But it is important to be in good places doing good things. In order to know what we think is right.

Do not be blind to what you do have.

It is better to live well by yourself.

No one else has taught me this, but I have always believed that marriage is about learning to be entirely selfless, and put another first.

Worthiness

I need to record my thoughts because they are important, but later. It was spurned by contemplation of what we studied on Sunday morning about being open to possibilities, and my conclusion as to how things are.

I hadn't read any of the previous paragraph which was written in haste to remind me of a thought I wanted to record. Instead, I want to unbiasedly, record my evolved sentiment.

In Sunday School we were being instructed by a recent convert on the word of wisdom, which was amazing, but he asked a very important question about a thing he had not considered previously about the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God. There it was clearly delineated by scripture and other such quotes that our bodies were vehicles or temples for the spirit to dwell INSIDE us. Literally.

To this point he ofcourse had not been oblivious to the existance of a noncorporeal personage of the Godhead. But, he supposed it sort of hovered and occasionally "touched" people.

Another member of this class commented about how it has been said the spitit will not be able to tarry with us at all times, yet when unable to abide in us he is always looking for a crack and wants to be with us at all times, hence  the scripture about knocking or seeking.

The lesson was about how important it is to care properly for our bodies, this was just a tangent about how sognificant keeping our vessels pure wnough for God to visit, as it were, as the song, "God is in his Holy temples" which temples were literally are.

I was thinking back on my life and how "out of it" I was. Good friends and family have both mentioned how I am not actually accountable or responsible for the choices I made then. Bad ones are easy to forgive and get over, but what about the good ones? It reminds me of my son who fears being baptized because he does not want to give up and forget things he has done, and is not able to discern which are good or bad yet. Likewise, I wonder if I am not able to tell which choices are good or bad really.

It has been put out there that you can judge, or determine the nature of a thing as good or bad by what it produces. The
example, often given is a seed. It is hard to judge much about a seed without planting it.

And I have seen a number of good things result from choices I have made, and accordingly, they were good choices, no?

But, today, as I was watching a tv show, a vilian was commented as "always making good choices." and it reminded me of "The Quest for Camelot" where Rubert sings " no, no, no. That's no good". It upset me cause I thought that was the point, so he really means that is not right in that it is not bad enough.

Um, but to make a point, We do not need to understand all things, just that if we believe and trust in God then, it us our duty not to judge things right or wrong, but to always be worthy to house the spirit of God.

Unrelated, when I was sick, doctors always asked if I was religous or something. I assumed it was from all of the people saying they prayed for me or getting blessings. I did overhear student doctors looking over my "chart". Asking if this was even really possible, it claimed I had never smoked or drank alcohol. They decided the body must,be able to do incredible things if not polutted.

Brain dump

Without revelation you cannot succeed.

How we get revelation varies, a particular teacher was boven a blessing to be able to know exactly how he recieves personal relevation.

In your body the spirit and the physical parts of ourselves are closest.

The way we receive tevelation s different for each of us and is surely not of ourself.

Sometimes, we are asking the wrong question when we try over and over for years, so possibly we can pray to know what to ask.

The man who spoke told of after many years he was told the right thing to ask and the answer was pregaced with I so wish you had asked this before.

Because of hard work done by the wright brothers towards something the news said was impossible, man was able to fly ( 12 seconds - now,that would be 29 miles on a SR1 )

Needs to be WORKing! That will help everything.

God is an example to us in how work is an eternal principle.

It is not likely, things were created magically, *poof* Harry Potter style, but much work was needed to be done - to me I think about work done from a cubicle.

God condemns idleness...Work is a spiritual necessity.

People were instructed how to work?
2 Nephi 5: 17 17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands.

We can be told the correct question to ask.

Faith is an action word. If there is no action nothing will happen.

Responding to what we receive we can given more.

The organization of the lesson manual is a reflection of the organization of the church.

Lord is mindful of all of our situations and helps when we ask, and he longs to help us and does in ways that are not likely even known to us, but it is visible.

Story of men working in a stone quarry.
They were asked what they were doing. Each was working for different things from making money, to building the Lord's house.

Achievers actually LOVE to work.

We can love to work by doing it for the goal of the right things.

Staying in motion is the thing that will keep us from being depressed.

31 Now, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.

A sloth does not do well by our standards.
It does not sense things well.

Lord calls us Slothful in a negative way. Because work is a part of Heaven
...deseret means industrious, like a Honey bee...my name plaque said, "Industrious worker".

Like all things work has an opposite.

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

Combined activity

Right or wrong choices have consequences that must be allowed.
Think of the story of Alma and Amulek.

Alma 14

10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.
13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.

As security we first think of self defense.

Instead think of top 10 ways to avoid.

1) Do not call or unlisted or in a different names to be listed. Giving a fake name is effective.
Have a phone by the bed.

2)keep ground level doors and windows locked and do not let them in ask to see ID. Call dispatch to verify.

3)have mail delivered to PO box. Best place to pay bills is actually the post office.

4) Do not leave a ladder around the house. Because it gives access.

5)Keep shrubs cut.

6)make sure motion lights work.

** Situational awareness is the utmost important thing.

Do not hope the Holy Ghost will protect you, expect it.

Concious mind vs. unconcious, it is still aware of everything, but if a thing instantly come to mind it might be holyghost or it could be your personal thoughts.

We do not know what the consequences of not listening to the spirit, but if we think it is speaking to us.

Do not be in church building alone.

Know where the fire pull places are.

Do not take a gun to church.

Let an armed man take what he wants, then call.

Leave oitside lights on.

We will be protected like the stripling warriors.

Reminder

After thousands of years and relationships it was foolish to think I had a solution, it is rarely done for a reason, but to think that I actually had a solution that had somehow been missed for years is utterly rediculous.

When I was in the hospital barely alive I thought a thing that I need to remember. I suddenly thought beauty of form doesn't matter, even accomplishments don't. Who I am and what I decide does. I devided that I wanted to live and do it right. By that I meant to not be confused or misdirected by things that do not actually matter.

Ok, now on to marraige. I was divorced and all I can take from that is that who I was was not valued, no problem that cannot be remedied. As I looked for a husband this time I would look for what truly mattered and disregard what seemed important.

I thought this was a great secret to solving the troubles of marital strife, especially one that changes when our condition does. But, as time went on, I started to return to becoming a lot like everyone else and less like the person I thought I was,  I started worrying about my appearance and my abilities, to the point of obsession.

The me, from the hospital, cringed and screamed in my head, "what a waste be glad you are not chading those things and are not valued because of them, but despite them.

But, that's not where I was going with this. I made a list of things that matter to me and being attractive was not one of them at that point in time. I made a list of attributes my partener would have...oh that's another thing...don't you hate the word love? I thought I loved people I wanted and then I actually did feel love for others who I confused with the idea of loving them, which is not the case, it is confusing though. So, at one point I decided that Nick, my husband, was the embodiment of things that mattered and were essential, but is not at all what is taught to be valuable. He is neither rich, attractive and is not outwardly caring at all. In fact, he is pretty offensive and difficult to get along with. The world teaches that this is bad and strife should be avoided in order to achieve love. At several points, I thought I was having a more eternal perspective, but actually I was just lengthening my mortal perspective to the point that comprehension goes.

There will be trials even if I chose correctly. I had troubles when I married an attractive Mormon musician dude, but if I married the one no one expected I would be happy, right? Nope. Not that simple. What matters is if it will be worth it, and that I do not know.

But, God does, and if I can trust him enough, then I do not even have to worry about things that are not essential for me to worry about. He requires many things, but man only can actually think about one thing at a time. I heard a guy refer to a mind as a stage and he said that there was no such thing as multi-tasking, it is a slight of hand type trick like magic. People appear to multi-task, but actually they can only think of one thing at a time.  Likewise, I can only make one choice at a time, and I learned another valuable thing in high school when I had to decide between two conflicting events. My parents taught me that if there is no obvious hierarchy or priority then I need to look to the time that I made the commitments and remember that I gave my word. I promised to love Nick, and with that my choice was made I do not need to constantly remake it.

Brain dump 7/24/2016 (pioneer day)

Story about a brother who refused to not teach about essential ordininances despite a group trying to keep him from doing do. This same man put off being married for 8 years to be married properly in the temple...and were still temple worthy.

The family came to utah where they knew no one, and clung to hope they had.

Now, we struggle the same ways that yhe pioneers did. Although it is amazing what they accomplished in life literally, we can liken all struggles and triumphs, etc. spiritually.

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As visiting teaching, I see a young girl in a second story window who wants to be visited, but cannot.

You canot wrap your testimony up to preserve for when you need it. 

Girl dove and did a terrible job, but her teacher said, "great job!" So, she tried again and actually did it, and that was when her brother came out and saw her and it really was great followed by shouts of "that was awesome!" It made him really even more aprehensive because he did not see the improvement, he only saw the emd result and knew in comparison he was not able to do this.

We judge things by what we perceive. But, it is we cannot always do that.

Pioneer day did not actually happen 3n on July 24th. It began in early Feb. April 5th William Clayton heard about a nirth from his wife..and that lead to thr song "Come, come ye saints".

"Success is failure turned insideout."

Would you have volunteered to help those who need you,  even if it seems pointless and much to difficult anyway. Any we should try to help need is and God might pray for that, himself, we are needed.

Sunday School

Sacrifice is the act of giving up a thing to help someone.

We always think of killing when we hear that word.

And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

Sacrifices were bloody and gross for a temple or clean place.

We are given sacrifices as opportunity to prove our love of the Lord over the Love of things of the earth.

Are we like rescuers, willing to give up everything we own to help others.

Story of how a mother gave a sacrifice to give up Sunday morning would have something...handmade Teddy Bears. Lots of years, then had stockings....etc, because we cannot sacrifice.

(Crochet bears for the kid's classmates on Christmas)

The Lord didn't need to know if Abraham would do this, but Abraham needed to know... trusted that obedience of the Lord would come over selfishness.

One sacrifice often leads to the next one as a progression to what the lord has a plan for us.

There are lots of stories about how people loose what seems valuable right now is given up for what they will get latter.

People are willing to exercise faith.

What if no happy ending, what is a,sacrifice without evidence?

***As a teen I wrote that there was no such thing as a sacrifice. But what I meant is that there is no real deficit or suffering as ot turns out well.***

What is the word where we are willing to give up eternal things for no reward?

Sacrifice our own immediate comforts to bring others to Christ.

Do unto others as we would have done unto us. So, serve others as we would want, it will eventually lead to a success, a true success.

Kevin Duncan talk abput sliver, not visible, but caused pain. The way to fix with ointment opposed to the way we cut things out.

Problems that we think we got rid of, but it still surfaces and causes pain.

Wonders if truly forgiven during temple reccommend question. With atonement we can truly be at peace for real with it.

"Amazed by Grace" Sherri Dew

We think upright people are never dealt a trial but we might be shocked to learn of what they have endured.

"I did it years ago, so let go!" The words percieved as,being whispered by the Lord.

Grace is an enabling power, so it is what we refer to as the enabling power of the atonement. Further. It might be called that sweet fruit that Nephi told of from the dream of Lehi.

First step of repentance is believing it is real.

Consistantly prayed to be able to be forgiven. We are responsible for how we act in good or bad times.

That is the best part of it all, when we start our forgiveness with a testimony then we are responsible for our reaction and our agency.

You do not forget, but, you can have peace.

Burdens are not removed, but we are able to endure.

***God saw Saul as Paul.

Story of Alma and Amulek, were asked how people could be burned to death for being Christian. And it needed to be allowed to happen, so that people could be judged accurately. I used this often to remind me that I am not the judge, but things will be just in the end.

Brain dump

It is not the misson that changes people, the atonement does. Although commonly people note that missions change lives.

Sacrament is an open invitation to promise things to the Lord and recieve forgiveness which  begins the moment the begin to recognize their sin and need of the Savior.

Sacrament is comparable in importance to temple covenants.

The Lord WILL be known by all.

We should pray for our bishop to help strengthen him in his keys and ability to recieve guidance.

Be sure that members know blessings are real and where to go to recieve them.

I don't think fasting is supposed to be joyful. The only thing that makes it seem joyful is the reason for it.

Humility comes from fasting. So we can enjoy. Or read our scriptures during the fast... but, just going without food is starving.

Can you fast from things other than food? A story of a man who gave up music in place of food.

If we only act out of wisdom or seeking health, it sort of misses the point of a fast, cause it is in now way healthy to ever fast 40 days.

Maybe fasting for power to endure instead of for pain killer.

Fasting can be likened to running. Maybe it is the joy from completing and accomplishing the thing, there is a joy or looking forward to being able to fast, it might be comparable to what my friend said about how most people do not even like to run.

Story about a skeptical reader of newspaper who doubted just fasting for someone and doubted it would help, but then he was told about how the food that would have been purchased were sent to the starvation need.

Personally aid through church because of the system set up of visiting and home teachers. In response to question of wether or not to give directly to those in need or tp the church.

If we give offerings we give. It is generosity. Tithing is just being honest.

If we give generously we will be blessed privately.

It is important to ask others to fast with us.

Having a purpose to fast makes it more joyful.

Pray for Marrilynn who has fallen and is in the hospital.

Andersons might not really be an anderson, cause the name was chosen.

Also the name was recorded as Henderson, when I found it by using the "soundslike" feature.

The spirit is stronger when you take your family names.

I am unsure the organization of if it is announced when ancestor has,work done, but whenever they recieve the ordinances they will know it has been done and will be grateful to you for doing it for them.