November 2018 Bookmark & talk - Reconciliation -

In all walks of life, in all nations, in all neighborhoods, and in all families there will be opposition. It is there to help us learn to discern between truth & error and right & wrong. When we choose to let that opposition cause contention and discord in our lives the Lord is not pleased. This talk, by Jeffery R. Holland, in October 2018 General Conference really spoke to me. I hope it appeals to you too. While you are ministering to your sisters this month, minster to yourself too and make a big effort to forgive and reconnect with those you have been estranged. All walks of life, all nations, all neighborhoods, all families need the peace our Savior gives.

"I Will Forgive" music

"There is Peace in Christ" music video

October 2018 bookmark and talk

Ministering can happen anywhere, any time, any place.Why not try it today in your home? 

Kindness

By Barbara A. Lewis

Heavenly Father blesses us with a continual flow of kindness. 

In turn, we can also bless others with kindness.

two hands

Illustrations by Augusto Zambonato

“For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee” (3 Nephi 22:10; see also Isaiah 54:10). This promise from the Lord not only offers us comfort but also reminds us of the importance of the attribute of kindness.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that Jesus Christ is our example of kindness: “He healed the sick [see Matthew 9:35]. He spent much of His time ministering to the one [see Mark 5:25–34] or many [see Matthew 14:14–21]. He spoke compassionately to the Samaritan woman who was looked down upon by many [see John 4:6–26]. He instructed His disciples to allow the little children to come unto Him [see Luke 18:15–17]. He was kind to all who had sinned, condemning only the sin, not the sinner [see John 8:11].”1

Thinking kind thoughts is a Christlike attribute. Kindness originates in hearts and minds. A lack of kindness can begin with critical thoughts of others, and it can develop into a habit of finding fault. However, if we accept responsibility for our own reactive thinking, we can become more charitable. Rather than judging others, we grow in understanding and kindness.

Kindness in the home, workplace, church, and school can open passages to hearts that have been blocked with misunderstandings. Showing kindness to others allows them to let go of angry feelings so they can focus on real issues. Kindness helps us and others feel acceptance and gain confidence.

Following are stories of kindness.

Kindness through Service

The Prophet Joseph Smith showed kindness one day when two children got their feet stuck in the mud on the way to school. They both began to cry because they couldn’t get loose. When Joseph saw the predicament, he bent down and pulled each child out of the mud. He cleaned the mud from their shoes. Then he took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away their tears. The children smiled as he spoke kind words to them and then sent them on their way.2

Kindness through Patience

When President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) was in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he displayed patience and kindness one evening when he was hungry and tired after a hard day’s journey. He and his traveling companions stopped at a café to buy some dinner. Since Elder Lee was not feeling well, he asked only for a bowl of “milk toast.” The young waitress looked puzzled and then told him that he needed to order something else because milk toast was simply not on the menu.

Elder Lee then patiently asked for two slices of toast and a glass of warm milk. When she brought his simple meal, he asked if he might have an empty bowl. When she brought it, he sincerely thanked the young woman, broke the toast into pieces in the bowl, and poured the warm milk over it, making “milk toast.” Instead of getting upset, Elder Lee showed kindness and patience.3

Kindness through Compassion

We often remember Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for his wise teaching of doctrine. However, Elder Talmage was also filled with compassion and human kindness. When he was a young father, he learned that three children at a home in his neighborhood were suffering from diphtheria, a dreaded respiratory disease. Elder Talmage went to the neighbor’s house to help the parents care for their sick children. He found that one of the children had already died, and a second passed away sometime after. He cuddled and carried the third child as she coughed and struggled to breathe. Later she died in his arms. Elder Talmage didn’t stop there. He also assisted with burial arrangements and spoke at the children’s graveside services.4

Kindness through Love and Friendship

Chandler was born with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. It caused medical problems, development delays, and learning disabilities. However, his whole ward in Park City, Utah, USA, rallied around his family. As Chandler grew into a very social and loving little boy, Mason, Porter, and Judd became his friends. They took him to the movies and rock climbing and loved hanging out with him. If his mother couldn’t pick Chandler up at the bus stop, Mason, Porter, and Judd took him to one of their homes until his mother could come get him.

One day on the school bus, a bully threatened to hurt Chandler unless he gave him his lunch money. When Mason and Porter saw what was happening, they whisked Chandler to another seat, where they protected him. The boys constantly lit the world with kindness.

Kindness through Words

Linda K. Burton, former Relief Society General President, encouraged us to intentionally speak kind words to each other. “We might test ourselves by asking a few questions,” she said. “With a little adaptation, these questions can apply to most of us, whether we are married or single, whatever our home situation might be.

When was the last time I sincerely praised my companion, either alone or in the presence of our children?

When was the last time I thanked, expressed love for, or earnestly pleaded in faith for him or her in prayer?

When was the last time I stopped myself from saying something I knew could be hurtful?

When was the last time I apologized and humbly asked for forgiveness—without adding the words ‘but if only you had’ or ‘but if only you hadn’t’?

When was the last time I chose to be happy rather than demanding to be ‘right’?”5

Kindness through Giving Time

“If we would keep the commandment to love one another, we must treat each other with kindness and respect,” said President Thomas S. Monson in an April 2014 general conference talk.6 During this talk, he also shared the following story.

During the Great Depression, employment opportunities were scarce. Arlene Biesecker found a job as a seamstress at a clothing mill, where she was paid only for each correctly completed piece of clothing. Soon she faced a new sewing procedure that she didn’t understand and began to quietly cry. Bernice Rock was a more experienced seamstress and left her own work to kindly help Arlene. She stayed with Arlene until she could successfully complete the new procedure. Then Bernice went back to her own work. Because she chose to help Arlene, Bernice sacrificed the opportunity to complete the number of pieces she otherwise might have. “With this one act of loving kindness, Bernice and Arlene became lifelong friends,” President Monson said.

As he concluded his talk, he counseled, “Let us determine to respond with love and kindness to whatever might come our way.”

Radiate Kindness

As we seek to develop the Christlike attribute of kindness, opportunities to bless the lives of others will abound. “There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others,” said President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008). “Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us.”9

To see other articles in this series, click on “Christlike Attributes” at the top of the page.

Looking Inside: Develop Kindness within Yourself

Look for times when God has touched your life with kindness.

Read the scriptures on kindness in the Topical Guide.

Pray to recognize opportunities to be kind to others.

Think of kind things you could do and say each day.

Practice how to react with kindness.

Looking Outside: Find Ways to Show Kindness to Others

Recognize those who might need service or a kind act.

Apologize whenever you should.

Remain silent when someone speaks sharply to you.

Notice the good things that others do and thank them.

Forgive others and show them an increase of love.

September 2018 Bookmark

Listen to the talk, click here


The Greatest Day in History
Recently I asked the internet, “What day most changed the course of history?”

The responses ranged from surprising and strange to insightful and thought-provoking. Among them, the day when a prehistoric asteroid struck the Yucatán Peninsula; or when in 1440, Johannes Gutenberg finished his printing press; and, of course, the day in 1903 when the Wright brothers showed the world that man really can fly.

If the same question were asked of you, what would you say?

In my mind the answer is clear.

To find the most important day in history, we must go back to that evening almost 2,000 years ago in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus Christ knelt in intense prayer and offered Himself as a ransom for our sins. It was during this great and infinite sacrifice of unparalleled suffering in both body and spirit that Jesus Christ, even God, bled at every pore. Out of perfect love, He gave all that we might receive all. His supernal sacrifice, difficult to comprehend, to be felt only with all our heart and mind, reminds us of the universal debt of gratitude we owe Christ for His divine gift.

Later that night, Jesus was brought before religious and political authorities who mocked Him, beat Him, and sentenced Him to a shameful death. He hung in agony upon the cross until, finally, “it [was] finished.”2 His lifeless body was laid in a borrowed tomb. And then, on the morning of the third day, Jesus Christ, the Son of Almighty God, emerged from the tomb as a glorious, resurrected being of splendor, light, and majesty.

Yes, there are many events throughout history that have profoundly affected the destiny of nations and peoples. But combine them all, and they cannot begin to compare to the importance of what happened on that first Easter morning.

What is it that makes the infinite sacrifice and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ the most important event in history—more influential than world wars, cataclysmic disasters, and life-changing scientific discoveries?

Because of Jesus Christ, We Can Live Again
The answer lies in two great, insurmountable challenges that every one of us faces.

First, we all die. No matter how young, beautiful, healthy, or cautious you are, someday your body will become lifeless. Friends and family will mourn you. But they cannot bring you back.

Nevertheless, because of Jesus Christ, your death will be temporary. Your spirit one day will reunite with your body. This resurrected body will not be subject to death,3 and you will live in the eternities, free from pain and physical suffering.4

This will happen because of Jesus the Christ, who laid down His life and took it up again.

He did this for all who believe in Him.

He did this for all who do not believe in Him.

He did this even for those who mock, revile, and curse His name.5

Because of Jesus Christ, We Can Live with God
Second, we have all sinned. Our sins would forever keep us from living with God, because “no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom.”6

As a result, every man, woman, and child was shut out of His presence—that is, until Jesus Christ, the Lamb without spot, offered His life as a ransom for our sins. Because Jesus owed no debt to justice, He could pay our debt and meet the demands of justice for every soul. And that includes you and me.

Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins.

All of them.

On that most important day in history, Jesus the Christ opened the gates of death and cast aside the barriers that prevented us from passing into the holy and hallowed halls of everlasting life. Because of our Lord and Savior, you and I are granted a most precious and priceless gift—regardless of our past, we can repent and follow the path that leads to celestial light and glory, surrounded by the faithful children of Heavenly Father.

Why We Rejoice
This is what we celebrate on Easter Sunday—we celebrate life!

Because of Jesus Christ, we will rise from the despair of death and embrace those we love, shedding tears of overwhelming joy and overflowing gratitude. Because of Jesus Christ, we will exist as eternal beings, worlds without end.

Because of Jesus the Christ, our sins can not only be erased; they can be forgotten.

We can become purified and exalted.

Holy.

Because of our beloved Savior, we can forever drink from the fountain of water that springs up into eternal life.7 We can dwell forever in the mansions of our eternal King, in unimaginable glory and perfect happiness.

Do We “Behold the Man”?
In spite of all this, there are many in the world today who are either not aware of or do not believe in the precious gift Jesus Christ has given us. They may have heard of Jesus Christ and know of Him as a historical figure, but they do not see Him for who He truly is.

When I think of this, I am reminded of the Savior standing before the Roman prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate, just a few hours before the Savior’s death.

Pilate viewed Jesus from a strictly worldly perspective. Pilate had a job to do, and it involved two major tasks: collecting taxes for Rome and keeping the peace. Now the Jewish Sanhedrin had brought before him a man who they claimed was an obstacle to both.8

After interrogating his prisoner, Pilate announced, “I find in him no fault at all.”9 But he felt he had to appease Jesus’s accusers, so Pilate called upon a local custom that allowed one prisoner to be released during Passover season. Would they not have him release Jesus instead of the notorious robber and murderer Barabbas?10

But the tumultuous mob demanded that Pilate release Barabbas and crucify Jesus.

“Why?” Pilate asked. “What evil [has] he done?”

But they only shouted the louder. “Crucify him!”11

In one final effort to satisfy the mob, Pilate ordered his men to scourge Jesus.12 This they did, leaving Him bloodied and bruised. They mocked Him, placed a crown of thorns on His head, and clothed Him in a purple robe.13

Perhaps Pilate thought this would satisfy the mob’s lust for blood. Perhaps they would take pity on the man. “Behold, I bring him forth to you,” Pilate said, “that ye may know that I find no fault in him. … Behold the man!”14

The Son of God stood in the flesh before the people of Jerusalem.

They could see Jesus, but they did not truly behold Him.

They did not have eyes to see.15

In a figurative sense, we too are invited to “behold the man.” Opinions about Him vary in the world. Ancient and modern prophets testify that He is the Son of God. I do this too. It is significant and important that we each come to know for ourselves. So, when you ponder the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, what do you see?

Those who find a way to truly behold the Man find the doorway to life’s greatest joys and the balm to life’s most demanding despairs.

So, when you are encompassed by sorrows and grief, behold the Man.

When you feel lost or forgotten, behold the Man.

When you are despairing, deserted, doubting, damaged, or defeated, behold the Man.

He will comfort you.

He will heal you and give meaning to your journey. He will pour out His Spirit and fill your heart with exceeding joy.16

He gives “power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”17

When we truly behold the Man, we learn of Him and seek to align our lives with Him. We repent and strive to refine our natures and daily grow a little closer to Him. We trust Him. We show our love for Him by keeping His commandments and by living up to our sacred covenants.

In other words, we become His disciples.

His refining light saturates our souls. His grace uplifts us. Our burdens are lightened, our peace deepened. When we truly behold the Man, we have the promise of a blessed future that inspires and upholds us through the bends and bumps in life’s journey. Looking back, we will recognize that there is a divine pattern, that the dots really connect.18

As you accept His sacrifice, become His disciple, and finally reach the end of your earthly journey, what will become of the sorrows you have endured in this life?

They will be gone.

The disappointments, betrayals, persecutions you have faced?

Gone.

The suffering, heartache, guilt, shame, and anguish you have passed through?

Gone.

Forgotten.

Is it any wonder that “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ … that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins”?19

Is it any wonder that we strive with all our hearts to truly behold the Man?

My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify that the most important day in the history of mankind was the day when Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, won the victory over death and sin for all of God’s children. And the most important day in your life and mine is the day when we learn to “behold the man”; when we see Him for who He truly is; when we partake with all our heart and mind of His atoning power; when with renewed enthusiasm and strength, we commit to follow Him. May that be a day that recurs over and over again throughout our lives.

I leave you my testimony and blessing that as we “behold the man,” we will find meaning, joy, and peace in this earthly life and eternal life in the world to come. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

August Bookmark and message

The Way of the Lord Talk by Dieter Uchtdorff view here

We live in a time when many worry about their livelihood. They are concerned about the future and doubt their ability to resolve the challenges that confront them. Many have experienced personal misfortune and sadness. They hunger for meaning and purpose in life.

Because there is such great interest in these issues, the world is not bashful in offering numerous new answers to every problem we face. People run from one new idea to the next, hoping to find something that will answer the burning questions of their souls. They attend seminars and buy books, CDs, and other products. They get caught up in the excitement of looking for something new. But inevitably, the flame of each new theory fades, only to be replaced by another “new and improved” solution that promises to do what the others before could not.

It’s not that these worldly options don’t contain elements of truth—many of them do. Nevertheless, they all fall short of the lasting change we seek in our lives. After the excitement wears off, the hollowness remains as we look for the next new idea to unlock the secrets of happiness.

In contrast, the gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to all of our problems. The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone’s theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success.

How Do We Become Disciples of Jesus Christ?

When we hear the transcendent truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hope and faith begin to blossom inside of us.5 The more we fill our hearts and minds with the message of the risen Christ, the greater our desire is to follow Him and live His teachings. This, in turn, causes our faith to grow and allows the light of Christ to illuminate our hearts. As it does, we recognize the imperfections in our lives, and we desire to be cleansed of the depressing burdens of sin. We yearn for freedom from guilt, and this inspires us to repent.

Faith and repentance lead to the purifying waters of baptism, where we covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and walk in His footsteps.

To uphold us in the desire to lead a purified and holy life, we are endowed with the baptism of fire—the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, a heavenly Comforter who accompanies and guides us as we walk in the path of righteousness.

The more we are filled with the Spirit of God, the more we extend ourselves to others. We become peacemakers in our homes and families, we help our fellowmen everywhere, and we reach out in merciful acts of kindness, forgiveness, grace, and long-suffering patience.

These are the first steps along the true way of life and fulfillment. This is the peaceable way of the follower of Jesus Christ.

The Path of Patience

Nevertheless, it is not a quick fix or an overnight cure.

A friend of mine recently wrote to me, confiding that he was having a difficult time keeping his testimony strong and vibrant. He asked for counsel.

I wrote back to him and lovingly suggested a few specific things he could do that would align his life more closely with the teachings of the restored gospel. To my surprise, I heard back from him only a week later. The essence of his letter was this: “I tried what you suggested. It didn’t work. What else have you got?”

Brothers and sisters, we have to stay with it. We don’t acquire eternal life in a sprint—this is a race of endurance. We have to apply and reapply the divine gospel principles. Day after day we need to make them part of our normal life.

Too often we approach the gospel like a farmer who places a seed in the ground in the morning and expects corn on the cob by the afternoon. When Alma compared the word of God to a seed, he explained that the seed grows into a fruit-bearing tree gradually, as a result of our “faith, and [our] diligence, and patience, and long-suffering.”6 It’s true that some blessings come right away: soon after we plant the seed in our hearts, it begins to swell and sprout and grow, and by this we know that the seed is good. From the very moment we set foot upon the pathway of discipleship, seen and unseen blessings from God begin to attend us.

But we cannot receive the fulness of those blessings if we “neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment.”7

Knowing that the seed is good is not enough. We must “nourish it with great care, that it may get root.”8 Only then can we partake of the fruit that is “sweet above all that is sweet, and … pure above all that is pure” and “feast upon this fruit even until [we] are filled, that [we] hunger not, neither shall [we] thirst.”9

Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.

It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not a primary way of worshipping.

Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach.

The Way Is Open to All

The first step on the path of discipleship begins, luckily enough, in the exact place where we stand! We do not have to prequalify to take that first step. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor. There is no requirement to be educated, eloquent, or intellectual. We do not have to be perfect or well-spoken or even well-mannered.

You and I can walk in the path of discipleship today. Let us be humble; let us pray to our Father in Heaven with all our heart and express our desire to draw close to Him and learn of Him.

Have faith. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened.10 Serve the Lord by serving others. Become an active participant in your ward or branch. Strengthen your family by committing to live the principles of the gospel. Be of one heart and of one mind in your marriage and in your family.

Now is the time to adjust your lives to be able to have a temple recommend and use it. Now is the time to have meaningful family home evenings, to read the word of God, and to speak to our Heavenly Father in earnest prayer. Now is the time to fill our hearts with gratitude for the Restoration of His Church, for living prophets, the Book of Mormon, and the priesthood power that blesses our lives. Now is the time to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, become His disciples, and walk in His way.

There are some who believe that because they have made mistakes, they can no longer fully partake of the blessings of the gospel. How little they understand the purposes of the Lord. One of the great blessings of living the gospel is that it refines us and helps us learn from our mistakes. We “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,”11 yet the Atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to make us whole when we repent.

Our beloved friend Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught us this principle with clarity when he said:

“Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us—even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will.

“We [might] see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. …

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities.”12

To those who have left the path of discipleship for whatever reason, I invite you to start where you are and come to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Walk again in the way of the Lord. I testify that the Lord will bless your life, endow you with knowledge and joy beyond comprehension, and distill upon you the supernal gifts of the Spirit. It is always the right time to walk in His way. It is never too late.

To those who feel inadequate because they have not been members of the Church all their lives, to those who feel that they can never make up for the time they have lost, I testify that the Lord needs your specific abilities, talents, and skills. The Church needs you; we need you. It is always the right time to walk in His way. It is never too late.

The Blessings of Discipleship

Let us remember on this Palm Sunday, during this Easter season, and always that the restored gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has the power to fill any emptiness, heal any wound, and bridge any vale of sorrow. It is the way of hope, faith, and trust in the Lord. The gospel of Jesus Christ is taught in its fulness in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This Church is led by a living prophet, authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ to provide direction and guidance to help us face the challenges of our day, as serious as they may be.

I bear my solemn witness that Jesus the Christ lives. He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He is the promised Messiah. He lived a perfect life and atoned for our sins. He will ever be at our side. He will fight our battles. He is our hope; He is our salvation; He is the way. Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

June 2018 Bookmark and message

Finding Peace  through Gratitude video 

Gratitude video

Josh Groban "Thankful"

May 20018 bookmark & Message:- Forgive

Hymn: In Remembrance of Thy Suffering

Conference Talk: Even As Christ Forgives You , So Also Do Ye 
by:Larry J. Echo Hawk

Talk Text:
Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

“And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

“And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

“And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

“And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

“He is not here, but is risen.”1

Tomorrow, the Easter Sabbath, we will remember in a special way what Jesus Christ has done for us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”2 Eventually, we will be resurrected as He was, to live forever.

Through the miracle of the sacred Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can also receive the gift of forgiveness of our sins and misdeeds, if we accept the opportunity and responsibility of repentance. And by receiving necessary ordinances, keeping covenants, and obeying commandments, we can gain eternal life and exaltation.

Today, I want to focus on forgiveness, an essential and precious gift offered to us from our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

On a December night in 1982, my wife, Terry, and I were awakened by a phone call to our home in Pocatello, Idaho. As I answered the phone, I heard only sobbing. Finally, my sister’s struggling voice said, “Tommy is dead.”

A 20-year-old drunk driver, speeding at more than 85 miles (135 km) per hour, recklessly ran a stoplight in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. He crashed violently into the car driven by my youngest brother, Tommy, instantly killing him and his wife, Joan. They were returning home to a young daughter after a Christmas party.

My wife and I immediately flew to Denver and made our way to the mortuary. We gathered with my parents and siblings and grieved the loss of our beloved Tommy and Joan. We had lost them to a senseless criminal act. Our hearts were broken, and anger toward the young offender began to well up inside me.

Tommy had served as a lawyer in the United States Department of Justice and was on a course to be a strong advocate for protection of Native American lands and natural resources for years to come.

After some time had passed, a court sentencing hearing was held for the young man found responsible for vehicular manslaughter. In their ongoing grief and sorrow, my parents and oldest sister, Katy, attended the hearing. The drunk driver’s parents were also there, and after the hearing concluded, they sat on a bench and wept. My parents and sister were sitting nearby as they sought to gain control of their own emotions. After a moment, my parents and sister stood up and walked to the driver’s parents and offered them words of comfort and forgiveness. The men shook hands; the women held hands; there was deep sorrow and tears for all and a recognition that both families had suffered immensely. Mom, Dad, and Katy led the way with their quiet strength and courage and showed our family what forgiveness looks like.

That outreach of forgiveness in those moments caused my own heart to soften and opened a pathway to healing. Over time I learned how to have a forgiving heart. Only with the help of the Prince of Peace was my painful burden lifted. My heart will always miss Tommy and Joan, but forgiveness now allows me to remember them with unfettered joy. And I know we will be together again as a family.

I am not suggesting that we condone unlawful conduct. We know full well that individuals are to be held accountable for their criminal acts and civil wrongdoings. However, we also know that, as sons and daughters of God, we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are to be forgiving even when it seems others may not warrant our forgiveness.

The Savior taught:

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

“But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”3

We can all receive unspeakable peace and partnering with our Savior as we learn to freely forgive those who have trespassed against us. This partnering brings the Savior’s power into our lives in an unmistakable and never-to-be-forgotten way.

The Apostle Paul counseled:

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, … bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another … : even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”4

The Lord Himself declared:

“Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

“I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.”5

The teachings of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, are clear; the sinner must be willing to forgive others if he or she hopes to obtain forgiveness.6

Brothers and sisters, are there people in our lives who have hurt us? Do we harbor what seem like fully justified feelings of resentment and anger? Are we letting pride keep us from forgiving and letting go? I invite all of us to forgive completely and let healing occur from within. And even if forgiveness doesn’t come today, know that as we desire it and work for it, it will come—just as it eventually did for me after my brother’s death.

Please also remember that an essential element of forgiveness includes forgiving ourselves.

“He who has repented of his sins,” the Lord said, “the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”7

I plead for all of us this day to remember and follow the example of Jesus Christ. On the cross at Golgotha, in His anguish, He uttered these words: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”8

By having a forgiving spirit and acting upon it, like my parents and oldest sister, we can realize the promise of the Savior: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”9

I witness this peace will come into our lives as we heed the teachings of Jesus Christ and follow His example by forgiving others. As we forgive, I promise the Savior will strengthen us, and His power and joy will flow into our lives.

The tomb is empty. Christ lives. I know Him. I love Him. I am grateful for His grace, which is the strengthening power that is sufficient to heal all things. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

April 2018 Visiting Teaching Bookmark

This month the Ensign Magazine has stopped the Visiting Teaching section of it's magazine. I opted to use the "from the pulpit" message as my bookmark this month.  As the months progress so will this blog posting. Hopefully we as visiting teachers will become better friends with the sister we are called to serve, therefore; better able to meet their needs. May you be blessed with the spirit of our f

Father in Heaven and if inspired please feel free to pass along this blog or print and distribute the bookmark.

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Video: Baskets & Bottles     Music: Perfect Love     Fun Song: We Are Different

March 2018 Visiting Teaching Principles

Pray for Each Sister by Name

Our love for and inspiration concerning those we visit will increase
when we humbly pray for each sister by name.

One sister related that during a difficult period in her life, a phone call or simple text message often came from her visiting teachers on “particularly dark days.” They seemed to know just when she needed a lift. She knew that they prayed for her, both during their visits and on their own.

The scriptures share many examples of men and women who prayed for others by name. Among the most dramatic is the father of Alma the Younger. An angel spoke to Alma the Younger, telling him that his father “ha[d] prayed with much faith concerning thee … ; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith” (Mosiah 27:14).

Praying for others not only invokes Heavenly Father’s blessings upon them but also helps us know how we can bless them too. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “Praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord.”

“Think of our combined strength if every sister had sincere prayer every morning and night or, better yet, prayed unceasingly as the Lord has commanded,” said Julie B. Beck, former General Relief Society President. Praying for those we visit strengthens us as individuals and as Latter-day Saint women.

President Henry B. Eyring, then First Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “Pray for the way to know their hearts. … You will need to know what God would have you do to help them and to do it all, as nearly as you can, feeling God’s love for them.”

Click Here for "Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire"

Click here  for Light the World: "Jesus Prayed For Others So Can You."

Click Here for David A Bednar message," Pray Always"

February 2018 Visiting Teaching Bookmark

Consider This: Within the families of the sisters you visit, what upcoming events should you be aware of and remember?

   

Rita Jeppeson and her visiting teacher have become good friends as they meet and share gospel conversations. But their visits also include playing word games together, which helps Rita’s mind stay sharp. Because her visiting teacher has learned what Rita needs and enjoys, they both look forward to each visit. Rita knows that they are friends and that the visit is not just an obligation. There are so many things sisters can do during a visit, such as taking a walk together or helping a sister with her chores.

Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, expressed her feelings in 1842 about how Latter-day Saint sisters in the newly established Relief Society should feel about one another. She said, “We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in heaven together.”1 This is still true today.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “See yourselves as emissaries of the Lord to His children. … We would hope … that you will establish an era of genuine, gospel-oriented concern for the members, watching over and caring for each other, addressing spiritual and temporal needs in any way that helps.”

The Lord through Moses commanded the children of Israel that “the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love [her] as thyself” (Leviticus 19:34). The sisters we visit may be “strangers” as we begin our service, but as we get to know them and their families, our desire will increase to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light” and have our “hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another” (Mosiah 18:8, 21).

Primary in the 1950-60's

      Primary for me was a wonderful day of the week. I was learning to be a Homebuilder, spending time with my friends, and keeping my mind busy.

      Also, each week Bea Fischer Sr. had us girls come early and practice singing.

She had us perform around town and in the Stake. We had wonderful opportunities even after we left Primary. She kept us singing as a group until we graduated from High School and left for college etc. Those I remember being in the group were:

Bea & Candy Fischer, 

Pam Skinner,

 Melva Noble, 

Delilah Marks, 

Carol & Charlotte Mikesell (my cousins), I

Me & my sister Margaret 'm sure there were more but memories are fallible.

Here is the sampler we crossed stitched  and the bandlo we wore to mark our achievements. (I can remember what they were except memorizing the 13 Articles of Faith, which I did and can remember to this day.)

 I will bring the light of the gospel into my home by greeting the day with a song...(I can't remember the rest.)

We were Larks, then Bluebirds, than Seagulls. I haven't found any reference in google on this but will add to this post if I do. I'm setting a goal for 2018 to bring the light of the gospel into my home!

Great memories, I pondered in the Temple today.