The Solvang Century

And so it ends. The vacation.

I came to Solvang to ride and I did. By my estimate this past week I did about 230 miles – maybe a bit more.
The first 130 miles was to get ready for the last 104. I probably did better on the first 130 than I did on the final 104. Probably because they were spread out over six days. The final 104 was done in one day. Makes a big difference.
What I really came to Solvang for was the final 104 - The Solvang Century.

I could give you a mile by mile report but that would probably be insufferably boring even to someone who’s ridden the event – perhaps especially to someone who’s ridden the event. So just the highlights.
Bike time: Seven hours and eleven minutes – I’m looking for a 7-11 jersey. The time is not my best but considering the time of year (translation: not much training) and the difficulty, this isn’t a time I need to be ashamed of.
Best part: Mile 33. That’s where Chris rode up beside me to ask if I was feeling okay The last time I had seen him was at the Lompoc SAG stop - mile 23. I had stopped to eat and to look for him and Jens. They had pulled away at the descent off the hill at mile 13. As I was threading my way through the crowd I saw them in line for food. Since I had my own food and had eaten, I told them that I was going on. They would catch me up soon enough anyway.
So when Chris appeared beside me, I had been leading for about 10 miles. That doesn’t happen very often nor does it last very long. I kept waiting for them to catch up and was amazed how far I had gotten before they found me. Suddenly a line came by with Jens about midway back. He tapped Chris on the arm and off they went. And I continued loafing up the hill. It was good while it lasted.

The very best part: I rode the 104 miles. It wasn’t pretty but it got done.And there was so much more. The people I met – almost without exception everyone was to willing to engage in conversation. The scenery – amazingly the farm roads are almost as clean as those in Switzerland. (The roadway itself – another story.) The challenge – made it worth doing.

Millenium

For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the wicked shall not stand. Doctrine & Covenants 29:11

Despite the challenges and pains of mortality life is good and is meant to be enjoyed. And yet, in a not too distant future, the Lord Jesus will return to earth in power and great glory The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please, or when it is necessary to govern it” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 268). The wicked will be destroyed, the righteous will be lifted up, and earth will become for a thousand years a paradise. Pain and death and heartache and tears will be no more. Righteousness will prevail. Though there is much in this life that brings satisfaction and enjoyment, the righteous look forward with an eye of faith the future. They echo the plea of John the Revelator: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 12:20). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 81)

Familiar Voice

And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts. Doctrine & Covenants 29:7

Latter-day Saints go into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature, striving to do so by the power of the Holy Ghost. When these servants of the Lord speak by the power of the Spirit, those who are listening with real intent will hear the voice of their Master, a voice that they had come to know very well in the premortal life that preceded this life on earth. That is what the Savior meant when he taught in the meridian of time: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). The elect of God thus identify themselves by accepting the proclamation of truth when it is delivered by legal administrators of God’s church and kingdom. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 80)

Why We Build Temples

Click here to read the Church's Statement on "Big Love."

Listen

Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Aid, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins. Doctrine & Covenants 29:1

Jesus Christ wrought the infinite and intimate atonement for each of us individually and all of us collectively. Drawing upon the power of the Atonement begins when we listen to his voice and reach for his outstretched hand. In sickness and in health, in good times and bad, our lives improve and become more peaceful and joyous when we turn to our Redeemer. Although we, like Nephi, “do not know the meaning pf all things,” yet we may always have the full assurance that God “loveth his children” (1 Nephi 11:17). His love and mercy toward us are constant and everlasting. The Savior beckons: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28—30). Listen to his voice; accept his atoning invitation. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 79)

Only Spokesman

No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses. . . And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church. Doctrine & Covenants 28:2-6

In the fall of 1830, the Church was a young and inexperienced organization. When Hiram Page professed to receive revelations concerning the Church, some members became confused. The Prophet Joseph Smith inquired of the Lord, and line upon line, the Lord revealed the order and structure of his latter-day kingdom. One fundamental governing principle is that the Lord reveals his will for members of the Church through a duly authorized prophet (D&C 28:7). Another is that “all things must be done in order” and by common consent (D&C 28:13). Each of us is to seek the spirit of revelation for our own lives and for those in our stewardship, but the Prophet is the Lords sole mouthpiece for the Church, his only spokesman on the earth. He is the one who presides over the whole Church. He is the one who possesses the keys of the priesthood (D&C 107:91—92; 132:7). We are to keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Lord and his prophet. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 78)

The Whole Armor

Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand. Doctrine & Covenants 27:15

The apostle Paul taught the Ephesian Saints to put on the whole armor of God, “that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). The doctrine of morality and the principles of chastity and virtue have been given to assist us and our posterity to remain free from moral taint. We fend off the blows of the evil one through personal righteousness and stand among those whose feet are considered beautiful because they proclaim the message of salvation. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ empowers us to withstand and overcome temptation (Alma 37:33). We fight against orchestrated evil by wielding the sword of the Spirit, cultivating that sacred influence in our life that directs our path and cleanses our soul. The helmet of salvation, or, more specifically, the helmet of the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8), is the sweet assurance that our lives are in order and we are on course to gain eternal life. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 77)

What weather?

How’s the weather? What weather? Oh, you mean all this sunshine?
Coolest in the morning (35-40°F) and not so cool (65°F) in the afternoon. A lot of sun and warm enough if I’m just standing in the middle of a parking lot. However, if I’m on the bike pushing air, it can feel a bit chilly. Almost to the point of making me want something under my jersey. But then what would I do when I’m really standing on it. Unzip I guess.
So far this week I’ve done 80 miles. The time-trial-plus twice and yesterday the half-century route. The next few days I’ll do Ballard backwards and some flats just to let my legs recover and build strength. Does that make sense? If it doesn’t, let me know quickly.
Here’s something to think about. The roads are worse than last year – something approaching Texas farm roads. Coming down Ballard is definitely not for denture wearers. The wind comes up out of the northwest in the afternoon and makes a significant difference in how easy or hard some of the hills seem. The other day coming down Ballard, it was blowing me off my line. Really made it exciting for on coming traffic.
Well, it’s time to help with supper. So I’d better close for today.
So good to be in California! Sorry – I just had to say that.

A Serious Study

Behold, I say unto you that you shall let your time be devoted to the studying of the scriptures, and to preaching. and to confirming the church at Colesville, and to performing your labors on the land, such as is required. Doctrine & Covenants 26:1

In June 1830 Joseph Smith began a serious study of the King James Version of the Bible. Acting by appointment and direction (D&C 42:56; 76:15), the Prophet and his scribes read the Bible and made alterations according to the promptings of the Spirit. In the process, more than 3,400 verses were altered. This branch of Joseph Smith’s calling as a translator (Smith, History of the Church, 1:238) was a significant means by which plain and precious truths were restored, as prophesied in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 13:20-40). This work was an important part of the Prophet’s spiritual education and became the impetus for the receipt of several revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 74; 76; 77; 91; 132). Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Bible is one of the great evidences of his prophetic call, a vital means by which the Bible has begun to be restored to its pristine purity. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 76)

Hello from Solvang!

We got here Sunday just after midday and put in our preferences for rooms and , although we weren't able to check in until about 4:00 p.m., got exactly what we wanted. After unpacking and a quick snack, I was on the road. Went out to test my legs on the time trial route (2007 edition). My concern was the back end of Ballard but all went well except for the stiff wind coming down Ballard. That slight uphill after the 10 mph corner is always a delight and I really cranked it up. All in all a lot of fun. So good to be on the bike.

Alf Gunn, a friend, sent me the video below. So good I had to share. Enjoy!

Lift Your Voice

For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart yea, the song of the righteous is-a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. Doctrine & Covenants 25:12

The song of a righteous heart is a prayer unto the Lord. He delights when we sing with love, reverence, and worship. Music is the universal language of the saints. Since the earliest days of this dispensation (and we suppose in every dispensation beginning with Adam), inspiring, worshipful music and singing have been part of the everlasting gospel. In meetings large and small, at home and in congregations, in conferences and solemn assemblies, the Saints have lifted their voices in praise and thanks. Oftimes, the soul’s sincere desire is more fully expressed in song. Music can invite the Spirit and touch hearts with a power that transcends the spoken word. It matters not if our voice is beautiful or our pitch perfect. What matters is that we lift our voices in song with righteous hearts and sincere expression. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 75)

Real Treasure

Thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better. Doctrine & Covenants 25

The world crowds upon us, enticing and beckoning us to partake of its allurements. Power, prestige, and possessions are what matter on the worldly score board. But the Lord, ever encouraging us toward Zion and treasures in heaven, admonishes us to step out of the worldly mainstream and seek for that which is of everlasting worth. Elder Boyd K. Packer has said, “The choice of life is not between fame and fortune, nor between wealth and poverty but between good and evil” (Memorable Stories and Parables, 47). The things that matter to the Lord are the things that should matter to us. Certainly, the Lord of the universe is not impressed by wealth or celebrity. He cares greatly about the integrity of our hearts, our willingness to love and to forgive, our selfless service to others, our obedience to truth, our faithfulness to God and his Son. Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also (Matthew 6:19—21). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 74)

Remain Steadfast

Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days. Doctrine & Covenants 24:8

The persecution of Joseph Smith had become intense by the summer of 1830 and would only increase. But the Lord, ever mindful of his prophet and his faithful associates, continued to strengthen, encourage, and instruct. From the earliest days of the Prophet’s ministry the Lord told him forthrightly that we would have many afflictions. With honesty authenticity, and perfect empathy, the Lord who under stands better than anyone what persecution and affliction mean — encouraged his latter-day prophet to remain steadfast and faithful, looking to the Lord for comfort, guidance, and strength. Likewise, when we feel weighed down by despair and discouragement, the Lord beckons us to come unto him. When we feel we cannot go on, the Lord offers rest to our souls. When we are true and faithful, the Lord is with us every step of the way. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 73)

Baptism

This is a new and an everlasting covenant... Wherefore, although a man should be baptized an hundred times it availeth him nothing, for you cannot enter in at the strait gate by the law of Moses, neither by your dead works. Doctrine & Covenants 22:1-2

Early converts to the Church wondered if they needed to be baptized again if they had previously been baptized by immersion in another church. The Lord instructed the Saints that his house is a house of order and that certain principles and practices are eternal and cannot be bypassed. An ordinance performed without the Lord’s true authority is invalid; no covenant is established; no sealing by the Spirit takes place. Dead works are just that—dead, without power or efficacy. Every ordinance depends upon the presence of the Spirit for life. The Holy Ghost must ratify, or seal, an ordinance for it to be a valid, living covenant (D&C 13 2:7). For that to be possible, both proper priesthood authority to transact the ordinance and worthiness on the part of the covenant maker are necessary (Articles of Faith 1:5). Thus, baptism is both a new and an everlasting covenant, revealed anew to the Saints in the dispensation of the fulness of times and binding in all dispensations. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 72)

Law of the Prophets

For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith. For by doing these things ... the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory. Doctrine & Covenants 21:5-6

The importance of the law of the prophets was under scored by its being revealed at the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Peter Whitmer’s farmhouse, 6 April 1830. This law, like the law of the Sabbath or the law of tithing or the law of chastity sets forth an admonition and an associated blessing: follow the prophet and be blessed; reject him and suffer. If we heed the words and commandments that the Lord’s anointed prophet gives us, we will receive transcendent blessings both here and hereafter. Hell and its damning effects will have no power over us. The darkness of sin and arrogance will be dispersed. Heaven will pour out blessings of peace and joy as we walk in holiness before the Lord and humbly follow his prophet. In all ages, the Lord works through choice seers and inspired prophets who are foreordained to their appointed missions (Amos 3:7). Our responsibility is to patiently, faithfully, and wholeheartedly follow them. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 71)

Responsibility of Membership

And the members shall manifest before the church, and also before the elders, by a godly walk and conversation, that they are worthy of it, that there may be works and faith agreeable to the holy scriptures — walking in holiness before the Lord. Doctrine & Covenants 20:69

The apostle Paul taught that the natural man, the unregenerated individual, brings forth the “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19), the sins and spiritual flaws that are only so obvious in the life of one who has spurned the gracious gift of the Atonement. On the other hand, Paul taught, those who have put on Christ enjoy the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22), the sweet manifestations of righteousness that follow naturally from a changed heart. Paul concluded, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). In today’s parlance, if we talk the talk we really ought to walk the walk. There’s something different about individuals who have been born again, who have given themselves to the Lord and his work and whose highest aspiration is to learn the will of God and do it. They evidence that they are worthy of membership in the Lord’s Church, and their walk and talk are uplifting to everyone they meet. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 70)

In the Meantime - STUTTGART

I've been working at cleaning up some of the “stuff” I dragged home with me from work as I attempt to ride between the rain storms. Been pretty successful, tool - missing the rain, I mean. So I haven't got caught up with my notes regarding the past couple weeks. That period of my life really deserves more than a quick dash-it-off so I’m taking my time. However, I can say this, one thing I‘m discovering about myself, I need structure. A schedule.
So while I get that all sorted, why don’t you watch this promo from Stuttgart

Besides, the sun’s out and the streets are drying.



See why I loved it?

Sanctification

And we know also, that sanctification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength. Doctrine & Covenants 20:31

As we come unto Christ by covenant and receive the ordinances of salvation, we are justified by him - our slate is wiped clean, and we are treated as if we had never sinned. Justification thus deals with our legal standing before God. Thereafter, we cultivate the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that his divine influence can direct, empower, and cleanse us from the effects of sin. To be so cleansed is to be sanctified, to enjoy a change of state. This change also is a gift, a manifestation of God’s grace. “Therefore they were ... sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb. Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God” (Alma 13:11-12). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 69)

Justification

And we know that just justification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true. Doctrine & Covenants 20:30

To be justified before God is to be made right, declared innocent, pronounced clean. If it were possible, one way to attain God’s justification would be to live God’s law perfectly, traversing life’s paths without error. Anyone who so lived could be described as one who was justified by works or by law; however, Jesus alone lived a perfect life (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22). Truly, “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified” (Romans 3:20; 2 Nephi 2:5). Thus, the only real way to attain justification from God is to lean upon the One who did live the law of God perfectly. We must exercise faith in Jesus Christ—have complete confidence in him and maintain a ready reliance upon him. Though we strive to do good works and show our conversion by our deeds, in the end it is by the grace of God that we are pronounced clean and thus prepared to dwell in the Holy Presence. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 68)

The Godhead

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite and eternal, without end. Amen. Doctrine & Covenants 20:28

Some have thought that Doctrine and Covenants 20:28 seems to convey the notion that there are not three Gods but one. Joseph Smith’s first vision represents the beginning of the revelation of God to man our day, and it shows clearly that the Father and the Son are distinct personages and distinct Gods. And yet there is a unity, a divine indwelling relationship that exists among the members of the Godhead such that they are infinitely more one than they are separate. Their oneness may be described as follows: They are three separate persons, each of whom possesses all the attributes of godliness in perfection. Further, they are a completely united, divine community of beings whose oneness is occasionally expressed in the scriptural formula “they are one God” (2 Nephi 31:21; Alma 11:44; 3 Nephi 11:23-25; Mormon 7:7). Their oneness a lesson, a signal, a call for all true disciples to like wise be one. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 67)

Infinite Atonement

As many as would believe and be baptized in his holy name, and endure in faith to the end, should be saved—not only those who believed after he came in the meridian of time, in the flesh, but all those from the beginning,. . . as well as those who should come after. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 20:25-27

Jesus Christ brought to pass an infinite atonement. It is infinite because it overcomes the most universal fact of mortality: physical death (2 Nephi 9:7). It is infinite because it was performed by an infinite Being. One who had within himself the powers of Godhood, the powers of immortality (John 10:17-18; Alma 34:14). It is infinite because it reaches beyond this earth to the untold numbers of worlds created by the Lord Jehovah: Jesus redeems all that he creates (D&C 76:24; Moses 1:33-35). It is infinite because it is timeless: Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8; Moses 7:47). His atoning sacrifice in the meridian of time reached back to take effect from the days of Adam and forward through time until the last person is born, lives, and is redeemed. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 64)

An Unchangeable God

There is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth and all things which are in them. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 20:17

Joseph Smith taught that God “changes not, neither is there variableness with him; but that he is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the same yesterday, today, and for ever; and that his course is one eternal round, without variation” (Lectures on Faith, 3:15). God’s plan for the creation and redemption of his children is eternal; his work and glory — “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39) — is forever the same. Nephi taught that God is unchanging, “and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him” (1 Nephi 10:18). Policies and procedures in the administration of the Lord’s Church may change, but the principles are eternal, for “God doth not walk in crooked paths,... neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round” (D&C 3:2). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 63)

Book of Mormon

[The Book of Mormon] contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 20:9

The Doctrine and Covenants testifies that the Book of Mormon is a “record of a fallen people (D&C 20:9), a chronicle of the rise and fall of two major civilizations—the Jaredites and the Lehites. In both cases these powerful nations allowed themselves to become ensnared by secret combinations and succumbed to pride and arrogance, which are destructive to individual souls and entire nations. Perhaps less obvious, the Book of Mormon is a haunting reminder of the nature of fallen man, a sobering testimonial that unless people put off the natural man and put on Christ, unless they acknowledge their weakness and seek his strength, they remain lost and fallen forever. The message of the Book of Mormon is clear and penetrating, that “salvation was, and is, and is to come in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent” (Mosiah 3:18). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 62)

Joseph Smith

After it was truly manifest unto this first elder that he had received a remission of his sins, he was entangled again in the vanities of the world. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 20:5

Young Joseph Smith went into the grove of trees in the spring of 1820 for two reasons. He wanted to know which of all the churches was right, for the thought that the true church was not on the earth had not occurred to him (Joseph Smith—History 1:18). In addition, Joseph went into the grove seeking a remission of his sins and striving to improve his standing before the Almighty. In two of the dictated accounts of that great theophany (1832, 1835), Joseph was told: “Thy sins are forgiven thee” (Backman, Joseph Smith’s First Vision, 157, 159). It was after he had learned that his sins had been remitted and that he would be an instrument in the hands of God in restoring the true church to earth again that young Joseph found himself “entangled again in the vanities of the world” (D&C 20:5). Thus, he sought God once more, was visited by Moroni, reinstated in the divine favor, and readied for the manifestations, revelations, and visitations to come. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 61)

Debt

Pay the debt thou hast contracted. ... Release thyself from bondage. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 19:35

Prophets have long counseled the Saints to live within their means and stay out of debt. Materialism and acquisitiveness are slavery; they lead only to disappointment and misery. Crippling debt can destroy a marriage and drain the joys out of family life. President Gordon B. Hinckley has said: “We have been seduced into believing that borrowed money has no penalty that financial bondage is an acceptable way to live. I suggest that it is not. We would do well to be modest and prudent in our expenditures, to discipline our purchasing and avoid debt to the extent possible. to pay off debt quickly, and to free ourselves from the bondage of others” (Stand a Little Taller, 74). Just as we desire to be spiritually free from the bondage of sin. so we must strive to be temporally free from the bondage of debt. We are to be industrious and self reliant, wise stewards of our resources, and humble enough to live prudently. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 60)

Declare Glad Tidings

Of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 19:31

The early missionaries of this dispensation were called to go into the world and “declare glad tidings” (D&C 31:3). That is, they were to teach Jesus Christ and him crucified, as revealed by a modern prophet, Joseph Smith. Likewise today our missionaries are called upon to teach “a portion of [Christ’s] word” to earth’s inhabitants (Alma 12:9) — the first principles and ordinances of the gospel and what investigators must know in order to inquire of God and learn the truth for themselves by revelation. Tenets are doctrines, teachings, or dogma. Doctrine and Covenants 19:31 essentially teaches us that in delivering the message of the Restoration to the world, we need not (and should not) dot every doctrinal “i” or cross every theological “t.” It is the simple and straightforward proclamation of divine truth that leads to lasting conversion. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 59)

Seek Learning

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. I am Jesus Christ; I came by the will of the Father and I do his will. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 19:23-24

We are to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118). But in the hierarchy of learning and truth, some things matter more than others. For example, it’s interesting to know the plots of Shakespeare’s plays, but it’s vital to know the Author of eternal life. It’s useful to be able to identify stars in the cosmos, but it’s indispensable to know how to draw upon the powers of heaven in humble prayer. It’s valuable to commit passages of scripture to memory, but it’s essential that we follow the Savior by striving to become more like him. Christ did the will of his Father because of his love for him and for us. He wants us to come unto him and find peace. The Lord Jesus “so loved the world that he gave his own life, that as many as would believe might become the sons of God” (D&C 34:3). We enter into covenant kinship with him by learning of him, listening to his words, following his gospel plan, and becoming spiritually reborn. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 58)

Week of Lasts

Seeing that I have “earned” and still have over 100 hours of sick leave on the books that I won’t be paid for when I retire, Chris suggested I shouldn’t go back to work. That and the fact that the stress of the previous week had caused a seizure Thursday evening as I tried to get my desk ready for a long weekend. I would be out of the office on Friday and the following Monday was President’s Day. That meant I would walk in cold on Tuesday morning to take over a critical materials list that was started by someone else the preceding Friday. I don’t like cleaning up other peoples messes. And so it was that Tuesday was a sick day. Making this past week a bit shorter than anticipated. Especially short seeing that each day had an hour or so dedicated to clearing desk drawers and getting old work to a point of hand-over-ready. My office has changed almost to the point of being unrecognizably impersonal. All pictures are gone. There is nothing on the bulletin boards. All my hats are gone including the hard hat that the Carl Vinson SPO gave me. The only way to know it is or was mine is the name plate outside and on the desk. The one on the desk goes Monday evening. Starting yesterday the week became one of “lasts.” Last Friday – last Crit List – last expedite request – last retirement.

Stand All Amazed

Which suffering caused myself even God, ... to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and-to suffer both body and spirit —and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 19:18-19

The pain and anguish that our Savior experienced so that we might be redeemed “is unfathomable by the finite minds.” Great though his physical suffering was, his mental, emotional, and spiritual suffering was immeasurably greater. Truly, his agony was beyond anything in our ability to comprehend. And yet with perfect love and courageous perseverance—and with all eternity in the balance—the Savior took upon himself the burden of the sins and sorrows and pains of all humankind from Adam to the end of the world. He “overcame all the horrors that Satan ... could inflict.” He carried out his appointed mission with compassion and humility (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 613). In Gethsemane and on Golgotha, he suffered for each of us, sinners one and all. He bled and died that we might live forever with God, if we would repent and come unto him. Truly, we stand all amazed at the love and grace he offers us (Hymns, no. 193). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 57)

Remembered No More

I command you to repent ... For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; but if they would not repent they must suffer even as I. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 19:15-17

“The unrepentant are to be sorely punished,” wrote Elder Joseph Fielding Smith. “Our Father in heaven is very merciful, long-suffering and forgiving. He has promised to forgive the repentant sinner. Never has greater love been manifest than that by our Father in sending his Son, and by that Son in coming to the earth, to die for man. But one of the immutable, or eternal laws of God is that the unrepentant sinner must suffer even as Christ suffered ([D&C 19] verses 15-18), for the blood of Christ will not cleanse those who will not repent and in humility accept the free gift which comes from God” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:83). The Lord will freely forgive when we repent with godly sorrow and sincere intent, when we not only stop doing that which is wrong but also start doing that which is right. If we repent, the Lord will remember our sins no more (D&C 58:42). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 56)

Qualitatively Eternal

Surely every man must repent or suffer, for I, God, am endless. … Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment. ... wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 19:4-7

All scripture attests that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, from eternity to eternity. But what does this mean? Our God is an exalted Man of holiness (Moses 6:57), he has a body of flesh and bones (D&C 130:22), and mortals are created in his image. Church leaders have taught that for God to be “from eternity to eternity” means that he is from one premortal existence to the next (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:12; McConkie, Promised Messiah, 166). The revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 19 declares that such words as eternal and endless are descriptions, characteristics of God and of God’s time; in that sense, they are nouns rather than adjectives, for God is endless and God is eternal. It was only under the influence of Greek philosophy that the words eternal or eternity came to mean timeless and without end. Eternal and endless punishment are qualitative forms of punishment, just as are eternal and endless life. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 55)

Whom We Worship

And you shall fall down and worship the Father in my name. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18:40

We worship God by study, prayer, meditation, sermons, lessons, service, and song. We worship God the Father and look to him as the great Governor of the universe, the Father of our spirits, and the ultimate object of our worship. It is true that we worship Christ, the Son (2 Nephi 25:29), in that we are reverentially grateful for all that he has done for us and we seek to emulate his matchless life, but our ultimate worship is reserved for the Father, “the only living and true God, ... the only being whom [we] should worship” (D&C 20:19). This same order of worship was taught anciently. Jacob, son of Lehi, explained that the ancients “worshiped the Father in [Christ’s] name, and also we worship the Father in his name” (Jacob 4:5; 2 Nephi 25:16). One day every knee will bow and every tongue “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 54)

Take His Name

Wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18:24

There is a name above every other name, on earth or in heaven, save only the name of the Almighty Elohim. The name brings joy to the desolate heart and speaks peace to the sorrowing soul. The name falls in hushed and hallowed tones from the lips of Saints and angels and leads true believers on both sides of the veil to glory everlasting. It is the name of the One sent of God to bring salvation, the One who paid an infinite price to ransom us from Satan’s grasp. It is the blessed name of Jesus Christ. When we come unto Christ by covenant, we take upon us his holy name, promising to bear it with fidelity, dignity, and devotion. Like Adam and Eve, we are to “do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forever more” (Moses 5:8). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 53)

Rock Around the Clock

It wasn't clear to me if the dance last Saturday was a ward or stake function, although I assumed it was sponsored by the McMinnville Stake. Nonethe less the mere mention of a Gold and Green Ball brought back memories of girls in party dresses and semi-formal gowns. Corsages and boutonnières. White sport coats and pink carnations. All dressed up for the dance. The theme chosen - “The Fifties.” So interestingly the “Ball” became a “Hop”. This Gold and Green Ball was a sock hop. So in place of gowns, pedal pusher jeans. Hair done up in a pony tail. I’m not sure how the boys interpreted the look of the fifties, but as is apparent by the photo, Cassie was living the part of a teen in the era of the big bopper. Now if I remember correctly, an invitation to attend was extended by someone and I would have accepted. However, the real possibility of embarrassing myself and all of my family kept me from it. A sixty-six year old bopper is not a pretty sight. Cassie on the other hand…

A Ministry of Healing

Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18:20

Elder B. H. Roberts observed that Latter-day Saints “are not brought necessarily into antagonism with the various sects of Christianity as such. So far as they have retained fragments of Christian truth — and each of them has some measure of truth that far they are acceptable unto the Lord; and it would be poor policy for us to contend against them without discrimination. Wherever we find truth, whether it exists in complete form or only in fragments, we recognize that truth as part of that sacred whole of which the Church of Jesus Christ is the custodian. ... All that makes for truth, for righteousness, is of God; it constitutes the kingdom of righteousness — the empire of Jehovah; and, in a certain sense at least, constitutes the Church of Christ. ... With ... the kingdom of righteousness. ... we have no warfare” (Conference Report, April 1906, 14-15). We are agents of the Prince of Peace, and ours is a ministry of healing and blessing. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 52)

How to Find Rest

The Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh ... that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18:11-13

Our souls are precious in the sight of God. Because of the Father’s great love for us, his spirit offspring, he provided a Savior who suffered death to make it possible for us to repent and return to him in his exalted kingdom. Not only did Jesus die but he rose triumphant from the grave, victorious over death, that he might bring each of us unto him, if we repent. We must do our part; we must draw upon the powers of heaven, repent, and access the Atonement in our lives. Though it is incomprehensible to us, our Redeemer suffered the pain and sin of every person. His perfect empathy and love teach us how to find rest to the soul and everlasting happiness. His greatest joy is in seeing the sons and daughters of God humble themselves, repent, and become truly changed, “new creatures” in Christ (Mosiah 27:2 6). Repentance is the key that unlocks the door to eternal joy in the kingdom of God. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 51)

Our Worth

Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18:10

As children of a loving Father in Heaven, we are endowed with the seeds of divinity. Ours is neither a Father removed and disconnected from his children nor a spirit essence, unembodied and without affection. He is the Father of our spirits; he knows us, he loves us, he wants for us eternal happiness. His greatest joy and ultimate glory come from seeing his children become like him (Moses 1:39). We are here because a loving Father gave us life, and he provided a Savior so that we might repent and return to him. “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” (John 3:16). We must remember who we are and Whose we are, for we were “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). We honor our divine endowment of worth by living faithfully and becoming more like the Father and the Son. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 50)

A Solid Foundation

Rely upon the things which are written; for in them are all things written concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my rock. Wherefore, if you shall build up my church, upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18:3-5

The early Saints were instructed to “rely upon the things which are written” (D&C 18:3). First, they were to rely upon the sacred teachings known to Christians and Jews throughout the world — the Holy Bible. In addition, the Saints were called upon to teach and testify of the singular truths to be found within the Book of Mormon. This “new covenant” (D&C 84:57) was foundational to the faith and essential to the establishment of the restored Church. What is true for the Church is likewise true for individual members of that Church: Our doctrinal understanding, our pattern for living, our language, and our logic ought to be grounded in the teachings of the Book of Mormon. Such a solid foundation — a foundation built upon by additional revelations and prophetic utterances — will empower us to face and thwart the fiery darts of the adversary. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 49)

His Testimony

And he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 17:6

Great power attends us in bearing testimony of the truthfulness of the words of God as spoken through his prophets. Faith comes by hearing the word of God as that word is preached by legal administrators, a word that is always accompanied by the spirit of prophecy and revelation (Romans 10:17; Smith. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 148). Even greater power attends when God himself testifies of some thing. But he does more than simply bear witness. The phrase “and as your Lord and your God liveth” is an oath statement. Elder Bruce R. McConkie declared: “This is God’s testimony of the Book of Mormon. In it Deity himself has laid his godhood on the line. Either the book is true or God ceases to be God. There neither is nor can be any more formal or powerful language known to men or gods” (Ensign, May 1982, 33). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 48)

It’s Back…

We were the last ones out of the office on Tuesday evening. Everyone else had jumped ship at the earliest opportunity. Management even gave the token fifty-nine minutes as it was determined that the snow was indeed heading right for us.
Mom simply said, “It will be easier driving home without so many people on the road.”
When we finally did make it to the house, Mother Nature had endowed us with about three and a half – maybe four - inches of heavy wet snow. That measurement was scientifically made by sticking my extended fingers karate fashion into the snow accumulation on various surfaces around the house. Then it was my pleasure to shovel the walks. Mom had hot soup waiting for me when I finished.
Since I’m trying to burn sick-leave as well as ease into retirement, I didn’t go to work due to a 3:00 p.m. dental appointment. Generally I would take a 7:00 a.m. appointment so it wouldn’t break into the day so badly. But to get ready for retirement I need to do it the civilian way – put it late in the day or somewhere near midday. So venturing out into the afternoon sun it was plain to see that our snow was still with us. I’m not sure who I should thank - Punxsutawney Phil or the global warming people. Probably neither.
Perhaps I should, however, be thankful for global warming. Without it this winter could have been so much worse. We could have been snowbound for days. Oh…, what? There were people on the peninsula confined to their homes for… a week? In December? Because of the snow? Well, it could have been worse.
Maybe we should talk to the strawberry farmer in Louisiana trying to save his 92,000 strawberry plants from several nights of freezing temperatures. He expected to lose a significant portion of his crop, especially with temperatures forecast to drop into the lower 20s. "We had 29 this morning," he said. He wouldn't know how big a loss he faces until after the cold snap ends and he can pull back the fabric covers to inspect the plants.
Can you imagine how cold it might have been without global warming?

Of Most Worth

And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 15:6

The Church of Jesus Christ is a vehicle for the salvation of God’s children on earth. It provides the means whereby members receive the ordinances of salvation, engage together in a work of organized sacrifice, and gather to socialize with others with similar moral values. The Church offers numerous avenues for growth — various opportunities for learning, living, and sharing the gospel. The great mission of the Church is to “invite all to come unto Christ” (D&C 20:59). That mission is accomplished most directly by thousands of missionaries throughout the globe proclaiming the gospel and by sharing personal witness with neighbors and relatives boldly but without overbearance (Alma 38:12). The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “after all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 113). Such teaching is of greatest worth and brings the greatest satisfaction (D&C 18:10-16). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 47)

Gift of God

And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 14:7

The Lord’s promise to David Whitmer in 1829 is the same promise given to each of us today: If we keep the commandments and endure in faith until the end, we will inherit eternal life. No gift could be greater than to enjoy the quality of life that God himself enjoys: eternal life. Nothing greater could be bestowed, nothing more supernal could be experienced, than to live as God lives. Ultimately, eternal life is a divine gift, a heavenly endowment, given by the grace of God to those who walk the gospel path with humility, integrity and righteousness. God’s work and glory is to bless us with his greatest gift: eternal life. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 46)

Legal administrators

Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth... DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 13:1

As the Prophet Joseph and Oliver Cowdery knelt on the banks of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, it must have been a thrilling and soul-satisfying moment to hear John, the great forerunner of the Master — the prophet designated by Jesus as the greatest of all the prophets (Luke 7:28 - 30) — utter the words “Upon you my fellow servants.” After long centuries when divine, saving authority had not been on earth, the heavens had now been opened and the keys of the priesthood of Aaron were returned to earth. Once more there were legal administrators to officiate in the affairs of God’s kingdom. Once more the ministry of angels, the gospel of repentance, and the power to baptize were conferred upon mortals. The foundation was in place, and the stage was set for the later receipt of apostolic authority and the organization of the Master’s own true Church. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 45)

Assisting the Work

And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 12:8

Each of us is laboring to become a better person day by day We strive to keep the commandments and do the right things, and, perhaps more difficult, to do them for the right reason. But we do not hold back our contribution or refuse to be involved because our hearts are not perfectly pure. Paradoxically, God’s perfect work is accomplished through imperfect people. To assist in the work of the Lord, we do our very best with what we have, always seeking through prayer for a purification of our motives and a gradual endowment of the divine nature. In Doctrine and Covenants 12:8 the Lord sets forth the divine ideal, an ideal toward which we reach all the days of our life. As the years pass and as our souls are slowly but surely sanctified by the Spirit, precious divine qualities, which once existed only in embryonic form, begin to distill upon us, and our labor becomes increasingly effective and lasting. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 44)

Build on the Rock

Build upon my rock, which is my gospel. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 11:24

In the beautiful region of Caesarea Philippi, only six months before the Savior’s death, Peter bore his Spirit-given witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus replied, “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Upon what, then, was the Christian church to be built? First of all, Jesus is the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4), the very Foundation (Helaman 5:12), the Chief Cornerstone of the Church (Ephesians 2:19—20). In addition, the Prophet Joseph Smith explained, the rock upon which the Lord’s Church was to be built was the rock of revelation (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 274). As individual Church members build their lives upon Jesus Christ and upon continuing revelation (both personal and institutional’), the gates of hell—the power and dominion of the devil—will never prevail. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 43)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STEPHANIE!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STEPHANIE!!!

I know. I know. I know. ...

To some that is a subject to be avoided. But I celebrate your life not the march into age. And what of it? Should we not embrace our added experience as a gift to us that we share with others? I love you. I cherish the life we have shared. Thank you for being one of my girls.

Seek to obtain my word

Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men. DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 11:21

There are times when individuals are inspired to speak words that are new, original to them, words they had not intended to deliver and even ideas they had never before considered. Most of the time, however, the Lord through his Spirit draws forth from us those things which we have previously studied, learned, and understood. The Savior taught at the Last Supper that “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). One of the great keys to individual revelation is institutional revelation- scriptures and the words of living prophets. The more we immerse ourselves in holy writ, the more readily our thoughts, our feelings, and our speech are directed by the word and will of the Almighty. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 42)

Trust in that Spirit...

Put your trust in that Spirit that leadeth to do good – yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit … I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy. D&C 11:12-13

The spirit of the Lord brings light, not darkness; clarity, not chaos; joy, not despair; peace and assurance, not fear and uncertainty. By this Spirit, we can know all things pertaining to righteousness. By this Spirit, we can also discern counterfeit spirits and evil influences. That which comes of God will always lead us to goodness, justice, humility, and righteousness. Any influence that fails to do so does not come from heaven. Mormon said, “Whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one.” (Moroni 7:17). The spirit of the Lord always inspires us to do good as it enlightens the mind and brings joy to the heart. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 41)

Real Joy

This I do that I might establish my gospel, that there may not be co much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them. D&C 10:63

The Lord said that the publication of the Book of Mormon is “to bring to light the true points of my doctrine” (D&C 10:62), fulfilling his promise to the ancient prophets by including in it “all those parts of my gospel which my holy prophets, yea, an also my disciples, desired in their prayers should come forth unto this people” (D&C 10:46). Then, as now, true disciples of Christ desire that all may receive the glad tidings of the gospel and come into the fold of Christ. To do so we must be grounded in gospel truth and humble enough to be taught by the authorized servants of the Master. If we genuinely follow the Lord and his apostles and prophets, we will stay firmly on the gospel path and not tossed to and for with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:11-14). Understanding and following the true doctrine of Christ are essential to living without contention and feeling real joy. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 40)

The Restored Church

And for this cause have I said: If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them. Now I do not sat this to destroy my church, but I say this to build up my church. D&C 10:53-54

Doctrine and Covenants 10 is part of a revelation given almost two years before the formal organization of the restored church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints possesses the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and is the custodian of divine priesthood authority, and yet good and noble souls throughout the earth are acting under the quiet influence of God’s Holy Spirit. When Nephi stated that there were two churches only – the church of the Lamb of God and the church of the devil (1 Nephi 14:10) – he was not saying that there are only two types of people in the world, namely, the Latter-day Saints and all others. Rather, the divine word affirms that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established on earth to shine additional light onto the nature of God and his plan of salvation for his children. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 39)

Another Testament of Christ

And now, behold, according to their faith in their prayers will I bring this part of my gospel to the knowledge of my people. Behold, I do not bring it to destroy that which they have received, but to build it up. D&C 10:52

The Book of Mormon was sent fort to the world for the purpose of proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old. (D&C 20:11). Although critics of the Church often exclaim that the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible, this assertion is patently false. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, as its subtitle indicates, and it bears witness of the same sacred, saving truths as does the Bible. Thus the Lord teaches his servants that he Book of Mormon was brought forth not to supplant or put away the Old and New Testaments but rather to build them up – to support them, to sustain them, to testify of their essential truthfulness, and in places to offer clarification and correction. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 38)

'S Gonna Work

To the astonishment of the management of the Regional Contracting Department of the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Puget Sound, February 28 will work. Of course that was never a concern to me since I have made it known for literally months that after that date I would no longer be an employee of said Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Puget Sound.

I got the word from Tisca Minor who responded directly to my question “will 28 February work?” with “No problem.” Who is Tisca? The wonderful young lady at the Civilian Benefit Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, who is taking care of me.
How do I know she’s taking care of me? She told me.
She has a special interest in me.
When she called to tell me that my retirement packet had been received, she said, “You have a special birth date!”
“How is that?” I asked.
“It’s my birthday too! I’m going to take special care of you!”
So now I have her direct line, fax, and email address.

I am on track. I will work the first two weeks of February and then step back to mentor, advise, and direct the last two. March 2, 2009, will find me making breakfast for my dear Tassie then waving good-bye.
I expect to put three hours on the bike that day. And the next. And the next…

Truth will cut its own way

Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God. D&C 10:28

One Latter-day Saint religious educator viewed a video on Mormonism in which a score of falsehoods were presented as fact. In one case, the narrator of the video purposely misquoted a passage from the Doctrine and Covenants. When the Later-day Saint inquired why such a thing would be done, the critic of the Church replied simply, “Well, sir, we call it divine deception.” From his perspective, all was fair in war against the Latter-day Saint, even lies. Doctrine and Covenants 10:28 is a warning to those convinced that the work of the restoration is false and who may use dishonesty and questionable methods in denouncing the Church. It is also a sobering reminder of the necessity for us to be accurate and honest in out presentation of gospel truths. The restored gospel is robust enough that it requires neither exaggeration nor folktales to buttress its strength, for “truth will cut its own way.” [Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 313] (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 37)

The race of life

Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end. D&C 10:4

God does not call us to be truer than true, to be excessive in our zeal, or to labor longer or harder than we are capable. The race of life must be run with wisdom, and it is surely an unwise participant who pushes himself beyond the bounds of good sense or seeks victory by giving more than he has power to give. To pace ourselves is to maintain a steady course, to do our duty with consistency. Like the unwise virgins of the parable, we cannot depend upon spiritual marathons or sudden bursts of righteousness to provide the oil for our lamps. Every prayer we offer, every testimony we bear, every lesson we teach, every chapter of scripture we ponder, every charitable act we perform adds to the reservoir of faith that equips us to face the fiery darts of the adversary. Over time we begin to learn what out limits are and when our offering is acceptable to our Master. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 33)

Be wise

You have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me … You must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right… D&C 9:7-8

The Lord expects us to be wise, to evaluate alternatives, and to draw out own conclusions. We are to be self reliant and resourceful and use our God-given powers of reason. At the same time, we are to inquire of the Lord and counsel with him (Alma 37:37). This is the spirit of revelation (D&C8:3). We start the decision-making process and go to the Lord with our ideas, willing to receive direction or correction. As Oliver Cowdery learned, translating the ancient plates required rigorous spiritual and mental effort; most worthwhile endeavors do. If we have done our part and ask in prayer and faith, the Lord will answer. If our decision is right, a feeling of serenity and peace will take hold in our hearts; if it is not right, a feeling of uneasiness, confusion, or fear will signal that we should reconsider. Most assuredly, we need the guidance of the Holy Ghost to make good decisions amidst the tribulations of life... (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 32)

My Three Sons

These have been intense hours and days for me as I prepare to leave what became a second career of sorts. I have sadly discovered that to leave a trainee in charge of real time business is not a truly viable solution to the on-the-job training problem. It must be stated at this point that it was not my idea but that of my back-up. After playing catch-up for the past week or more, I still have less pressing issues set on hold until I can get to them. They may follow me into my final weeks of employment. My back-up is again at my back and I feel somewhat more at ease.
Still, the added hours spent doing catch up left me drained. So it was that the invitation – I’m still not sure who invited who – to get away together with the guys – my boys - was welcomed as a God-sent diversion. Such a small thing that meant so much. The expectations were low. Just go out together for Sushi. Just be together – how often does that happen. And that’s what we were – together. Ordering a meal together. Eating from a communal plate together. Watching something seemingly inconsequential - Ninja Warriors - but a perfect fit for the evening – together. Totally immersed in each other and encouraging one another. And perhaps for me something extra – seeing them happy – hearing them laugh. The world disappeared for an hour.

Be patient

Be patient, my son, for … it is not expedient that you should translate at this present time … Do not murmur, my son, for it is wisdom in me that I have dealt with you after this manner. D&C 9:3-6

Oliver Cowdery arrived in Harmony, Pennsylvania, on 5 April 1829 to inquire about Joseph Smith. Two days later he began to serve as scribe for the Prophet. Shortly thereafter he desired to be endowed with the gift of translation – as Joseph had been. But it was the Lord’s desire that Oliver continue as scribe until the translation of the Book of Mormon was completed (D&C 9:1, 4). Then, the Lord promised Oliver, He would give him power to assist in the translation of other records (D&C 9:2-3). The Lord was not only ensuring that the work of translation went forward but was tutoring Oliver, and each of us, in the things of eternity. We are to perform well the labor to which we have been assigned and not aspire to do the work of another. We must be patient, faithful, humble, and steadfast in our callings (D&C 9:14). We must trust the Lord’s purposes, without murmuring, and learn the things of eternity. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 31)

The spirit of revelation

This is the spirit of revelation, behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. Therefore this is thy gift; apply unto it, and blessed art thou, for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies. D&C 8:3-4

The spirit of revelation is the Holy Ghost. It is the same spirit by which Moses received revelation at the Read Sea to know what to do to save ancient Israel. It is the same Spirit by which revelation comes to living prophets to guide modern Israel today. We, too, can be directed by the still, small voice of the Spirit. For Oliver Cowdery to successfully exercise his gift of revelation he had to “apply unto” this gift that the Lord had given him (D&C 8:4). If he did his part and applied himself to his gift, inquiring of the Lord in sincerity, he would be blessed. Likewise, we can be delivered in time of need by applying ourselves to the Spirit of revelation, seeking the Lord’s will, acting upon the promptings that come, and having faith that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). Attuning ourselves to the spirit of revelation will deliver us from darkness and despair. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 30)

The sweet whisperings

I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. D&C 8:2

Nothing is more important to the relationship between family members than open, honest, communication,” said Elder M. Russell Ballard. “This is particularly true for parents trying to teach gospel principles and standards to their children. The ability to counsel with our youth – and perhaps more importantly, to really listen to their concerns – is the foundation upon which successful relationships are built. Often what we see in the eyes and what we feel in the heart will communicate far more than what we hear or say” (Ensign May 1999, 86-87). The sweet whisperings of the Holy Ghost can inspire understanding of perplexing problems. The still small voice of the Spirit can give us strength and wisdom to work on mending strained relationships and healing wounded hearts. That is the spirit of revelation. Answers come to the mind and heart, hidden treasures are revealed, and light and knowledge are distilled upon our souls as the dews from heaven. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 29

Doubt not

Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. D&C 6:36

The father of lies wins a victory when he persuades us to see our religious life as just another facet of our mortal existence. True happiness comes to those who view all aspects of their life through the lens of their religion (D&C 29:34). An angel instructed our first parents, Adam and Eve: “Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore” (Moses 5:8). We look unto Christ in every thought when we seek to keep every day holy, when we strive to live close to the Spirit at all times, when we ask ourselves “What would Jesus do?” throughout the day. We look unto him in every thought when we struggle to gain an eye single to his glory and strive with all our hearts to learn his will and carry it out. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 28)

Fear not

Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if you are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. D&C 6:34

Doubt and fear cannot coexist with true faith in Christ. Our Lord and Master is in complete control, and his repeated plea in scripture is for us to “fear not” (D&C 6:34). Fear manifests doubt; faith results in assurance. Fear leads to panic; faith leads to peace and inner security. All the demons of earth and hell may combine to hedge up the way against the Latter-day Saints, but we need not fear, for the Captain of our souls is in command. If this were the work of man, it would fail. But it is the work of the Lord, and he does not fail. To the extent that we build our lives upon a solid and firm foundation – the foundation of the Pock of our Redeemer (Helaman 5:12) – we can face squarely and securely any and all odds. Truly, “thanks be to God [who] giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 27)

A precious and priceless gift

If you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God? D&C 6:22-23

Latter-day Saints know of the Lord’s instruction to Oliver Cowdery concerning the need to study out a matter, inquire of the Lord, and receive either confirmation or a stupor of thought (D&C 9:7-9). Most of us know of open visions, or dreams, or other dramatic manifestations of the Spirit. Too often, however, we fail to realize that the simple manifestations of peace is perhaps the most fundamental way by which we can know we are on course and in harmony with God’s will. “Peace I leave with you,” the Savior said at the Last Supper, “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” (John 14:27). In a world tossed and torn by noise and warfare, the peace of God, even the peace “which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), is a precious and priceless gift of a loving Heavenly Father. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 26)

Be true to your convictions

Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love. D&C 6:20

God loves all his children in a most miraculous way. He does not withhold his perfect love; rather, we withdraw from it when we are prideful, unrighteous, or lazy. To receive the blessings of eternity, we must be earnest about spiritual things. As we come to understand who and whose we really are and hold fast the iron rod, we will surely feel the love of God. President Gordon B. Hinckley has advised us: “Be true to your convictions. You know what is right, and you know what is wrong. You know when you are doing the proper thing. You know when you are giving strength to the right cause. Be loyal. Be faithful. Be true” (Stand a Little Taller, 16). We know what we must do. We are here to learn, not remain in ignorance. We are here to keep the commandments, to conquer ourselves, to live together in love and righteousness. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 25)

There and back again...

Where have I been? It seems like days since I’ve written anything about my life or what I’ve been doing. Whatever it has been there’s been enough of it to keep me away from the keyboard. I do want to say something about the Booing of the President but it will have to wait. Maybe just, “What?”

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Taught by the Spirit

Blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou has received instruction of my spirit… I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth. D&C 6:14-15

When the schoolteacher Oliver Cowdery was invited to stay in the home of the Smith family, he soon learned of the call of Joseph Smith Jr, and, especially, the golden plates and translation of the Nephite-Jaredite record. Oliver sought the Lord in prayer and received a divine manifestation of the truthfulness of God’s hand in the Restoration. Later, the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 6 was given to Joseph and Oliver. In it, Oliver learned (as will many of us one day) that the Lord had been leading him along by the power of his spirit for some time: the very fact that he was where he was served as evidence that he had received divine promptings and supernatural guidance. It is as though the Lord were saying to Oliver: “I now give you this revelation so that you may know that what you have been receiving is revelation." (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 24)

A gift by the Spirit

Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift. Remember it is sacred and comet from above. D&C 6:10

Each of us is given a gift by the Spirit of God (D&C 46:11-33). Part of our eternal quest is to discover and develop that sacred gift for the purpose of blessing others. President Gordon B. Hinckley has said, “You need never feel inferior. You need never feel that you were born without talents or without opportunities to give them expression. There is something of divinity in you. You have tremendous potential because of your inherited nature. Every one of you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity to do good in the world. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you the quality of mercy which comes as a part of the divine attributes you have inherited” (Stand a Little Taller, 185). The most significant gifts we can develop are such gifts of the spirit as faith, humility, charity, wisdom, and testimony. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 23)

Change is possible

Say nothing but repentance unto this generation; keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed. D&C 6:9

When John the Baptist laid his hands upon the heads of Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith, he conferred upon them the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, which has the power to direct “the gospel of repentance” (D&C 13:1). Indeed, the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of repentance, the glad tidings that we do not have to remain where we are, that change is possible, that we can become new creatures in Christ. The instruction to “say nothing but repentance unto this generation” (D&C 6:9) was a call to teach the doctrines of the gospel, to lay out the principles, practices, covenants, and ordinances that would cleanse human souls and enable them to do a work they could not do by their own strength and capacity. The gospel of Jesus Christ can do more than make bad men good and good men better, as important as that is; it is a system of salvation intended to transform humankind and renovate the whole of society. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 22)

We two...

19 Jan 09
After waiting a week to put the “Wake-up call” on Mom’s birthday behind me and to let my mind clear and my anxiety level abate, Kathy and I drove to Portland. The object was to spend enough time with my Mom to ascertain her level of reality awareness. What she remembers and for how long. I’m almost to the point of believing she’s putting me on. It’s all a ruse. For some strange reason she’s toying with us. As an example: I was talking about Josie’s address in Washougal and misspoke the street name and was corrected by – who else – Mom. If she has such a terrible memory, how is it that she knows and remembers the street name is “Cenoa” and not “Genoa”? And there were other little things. I was half expecting her to suddenly come out of character and say something like, “I just can’t keep this up any longer. It’s just too much work.” Her face going from that slightly “what–was-I-doing–again” expression to the more familiar “Mom-of-Old” expression. The one that could lovingly say, in an open and matter-of-fact way, “You’re not really ready to believe I’m buying that, are you?” However a FedEx package for Dennis was delivered while we were there and Mom signed for it. She didn’t seem to have much trouble with that until a few minutes later when she asked, “Did I just get something in the mail?” And Dennis must have taken pictures of the flowers we sent her, because every five minutes she would ask if Dennis had sent me the pictures yet.
“Not yet, Mom. Not yet.”

Seek for wisdom

Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich. D&C 6:7

Materialism, acquisitiveness, and greed never unite with the things of eternity. We are commanded to “lay aside the things of this world, and to seek for the things of a better” (D&C 25:10). The Lord has said, “Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness” (JST Matthew 6:38). Jacob, the brother of Nephi, counseled the Saints of his day: “Before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good” (Jacob 2:18-19). Wisdom, which is better than rubies (Proverbs 8:11), is a combination of knowledge and action, spiritual insight and meek submission. Wisdom is built on the foundation of humility and gratitude and leads us to seek the riches of eternity in the kingdom of God. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 21)

Stop, and stand still

Stop, and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee. D&C 5:34

The Lord provides a way for us to do all that he wants us to do and become, all that he wants us to become, if we will “stop, and stand still.” That means listening to the promptings of the spirit and seeking the guidance of the Lord. It implies trusting the Lord, knowing that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). Nephi of old had complete confidence that the Lord would prepare a way for him to do all he needed to do (1 Nephi 3:7). He was led every step of the way because he was faithful in keeping the commandments, remained humble and receptive to the whisperings of the Spirit, and exercised sufficient courage to do the will of the Lord. Certainly, we must be proactive and anxiously engaged in good causes, but we must also “stop, and stand still,” waiting patiently on the Lord and trusting his purposes. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 20)

Stand firm in the faith

I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly before me, and to yield to the persuasions of men no more;… be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded you; and if ye do this, behold I will grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain. D&C 5:21-22

The Prophet Joseph learned a painful lesson in yielding to the repeated requests of Martin Harris regarding the 116-page manuscript. Not only did it become lost but Joseph Feared his soul might be lost as well. In Doctrine and Covenants 5 the Lord tutors the Prophet with clarity and kindness. He admonishes Joseph (and each of us) to be humble, to stand firm in the faith, and to look to him in all things. The Lord also foreshadowed the martyr’s death awaiting Joseph but promised he would receive a prophet’s reward (Matthew 10:41). The Lord promises all the faithful that if we do not yield to the temptations and persuasions of the world, we can receive peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come (D&C 59:23). That does not mean that we will not experience trial and tribulation, heartache and anguish, but it does mean that our joy will be full and our reward everlasting. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 19)

Praise to the man

This generation shall have my word through you. D&C 5:10

Joseph Smith, mighty prophet and choice seer of the latter days, occupies a place of unique importance in our dispensation (D&C 124:58). We are indebted to him for spiritual knowledge he restored and the church he established (D&C 135:3). No wonder “the ends of the earth shall inquire after [Joseph’s] name” (D&C 122:1). All prophets of the past have looked toward this generation when God would reveal his word anew to the Prophet Joseph. God’s word is the plan of salvation; his word is the mind and will of the Lord as pertaining to his children on earth. The revelations that came through the Prophet Joseph Smith are true. And though we do not worship the Prophet, we honor him as an instrument in the hands of God in restoring the ancient truths of the gospel. We reverence his name for sealing his testimony with his blood. We raise our voices in admiration, “Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!” (Hymns, no, 27). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 18)

It shall be opened unto you

Faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen. D&C 4:5-7

Doctrine and Covenants 4 is a revelation given in 1829 through the Prophet Joseph to his father, Joseph Smith Sr. Yet it is still pertinent to each of us today. In seven short verses, the Lord calls us to labor in his marvelous work and describes the attributes of godliness and the qualifications of those who desire to serve God. Because the father’s work and glory are to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of his beloved children (Moses 1:39), we are to work with him to bring about much righteousness. We are to become like him, developing his attributes, qualities, and perfections. We are to extend brotherly kindness to others and be patient humble, virtuous and diligent. Faith and charity are absolutes in our own spiritual rebirth and daily gospel living. The Lord will make us equal to the task, pouring out blessings from the windows of Heaven, if we have faith in him and charity towards his children. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 17)

Mom and Me

Feeling guilty that I wasn’t there on my Mom’s birthday I sent – or I should say Kathy and I sent – a dozen roses of her favorite color. So after the call was made and all the arrangements set, I was feeling better.
That was until Kathy came over to my desk and said, “Milwaukie Floral called.”
I could tell by her voice and the set of her jaw that this was not a normal business call.
Before I could make a comment she continued. “The man went to delivery the flowers and your Mom wouldn’t answer the door.”
At this point I am not focusing. My internal vision is presenting me with a panorama of problems added to which I did not need what came next. “The door was open and he could see the lights in the kitchen and lights downstairs.”

“You need to call your Mom!”

I called. Dennis answered.
“Where are you? Where’s Mom?”
“I’m downstairs. Your Mom’s asleep.”
“Are you sure? Will you check?”

After giving him all the pertinent details and most importantly that I need a call back as soon as he can do it with a report! And I hang up.
I go back to the project in front of me… with one eye on the clock.
Kathy’s more worried than I am and before I can say it, she’s at my desk again asking, “Don’t you think he’s had enough time to check on her?”
“I’ll give him another minute and if he hasn’t called…” the phone rings. It’s Dennis.
“She was sleeping.” And he let’s me know that this has happened several times before.
“And why are you there? Why do you have the basement apartment? To watch out for her?” I think it but don’t say it.
“She wants to talk to you…”
She loves the flowers. Of course, she would love dandelions – she’s just that way.
She loves.
She’s my Mom.

What am I going to do when…


D&C 4:3-4

Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work; for behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul. D&C 4:3-4

Every laborer in the kingdom is invited to work for the salvation of souls. By doing so, we bring salvation to our own souls, which is our foremost responsibility. Great will be out joy as we thrust in our sickle with our might to bring others to the Lord and his Church (D&C 18:15-16). Serving others and obtaining our own salvation is a lifelong process of desiring righteousness, earnestly striving to seek after others’ welfare, doing our best to live what we know to be true, and ultimately, relying on the grace and goodness of the Lord. That can seem overwhelming at times, but we must not be discouraged. We must instead go forward in faith – one step at a time. Reach out in love and service to others. Share gospel light with a world desperate for truth and virtue. Live so that others can see what wonderful things Christ has done for you and what he can do for them. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 16)

D&C 4:1-2

Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind, and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. D&C 4:1-2

A marvelous work and a wonder has come forth in these latter-days: the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored with all power and authority, keys and blessings essential for our eternal salvation. The Book of Mormon has been brought forth, containing the fulness of the everlasting gospel. This record of ancient inhabitants of the Americas was written to bring God’s children to Christ. But the marvelous work is not finished. It continues unabated as members and missionaries spread the gospel message to the far corners of the earth, as people repent of old ways and traditions, put off the natural man, and become new creatures in a covenant relationship with Christ (Mosiah 3:19; 27:26). To move this marvelous work forward, the Lord needs us to earnestly dedicate ourselves to his work, with all our love and affections, our valor and willpower, our intelligence and reason and physical strength. If we do so, we may stand blameless before God at the last day. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 15)

D&C 3:20

That the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that they might know the promises of the Lord, and that they may believe the gospel and rely on the merits of Jesus Christ, and be glorified through faith in his name, and that through their repentance they might be saved. D&C 3:20

The pattern for all nations is the same. Whether Jew or Gentile, Nephite or Lamanite, Ishmaelite or Zoramite, each of us must come unto Christ and rely upon his merits to be saved. That is, we must exercise saving faith in Jesus Christ, recognize our own inadequacies and limitations, and turn to him who did all things perfectly. As we learn in the Book of Mormon, “Since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins through faith and repentance” (Alma 22:14). Our good works matter very much, inasmuch as they evidence the depth of our conversion. But salvation, or eternal life, is free (2 Nephi 2:4) and is the greatest of all the gifts of God (D&C 6:13; 14:7). In the eternal scheme of things, we are saved through the merits and mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah (2 Nephi 2:8). (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 14)