I'm Thankful I Live in a Free Nation

Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written. (Ether 2:12. Italics added.)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

1 Thessalonians 5:18
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.."
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*..•°-:¦:-* Susan *-:¦:-°•..*
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James and Jewely Hill -- aka 'Jamely'
were sealed for time and all eternity

in the Washington, D.C. temple

October 15, 2008

Romans 2:6-10

"[God] Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil . . . but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good."

Salt Lake City Temple

I recently went to Utah and was able to spend an early Sunday morning walking around Temple Square taking photos....

The photo above was used as the cover of our Stake Conference program in September 2008

Who Are the Mormons?

Values
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of New Testament Christianity as taught by Jesus and His apostles. It is not Protestant, evangelical, Catholic or Orthodox. Nevertheless, the basic values of morality, civility and family espoused by the Church are similar to those of other faiths. Church members find refuge from the uncertainties of the world in the gospel message of hope and happiness. The reality that life has divine purpose, that God cares for each individual, and that everyone has the capacity for improvement through correct choices is the center of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Church and its doctrines not only enlighten Church members spiritually but also improve every aspect of their lives. Thus, Latter-day Saints do more than just attend Sunday services. They find meaning in the challenges and joys of everyday life — raising families, pursuing professional careers, serving neighbors and fulfilling personal aspirations.
Worship
On any given Sunday, Latter-day Saints gather for worship services in more than 27,000 congregations in 177 countries, nations and territories around the world. These local congregations are geographically designated so as to bring neighbors and communities closer together and give them greater opportunities to serve each other. As an illustration of what a typical service looks like, men, women and teenagers speak from the pulpit; sing hymns; offer extemporaneous, not recited, prayers; participate in the sacrament (similar to communion); attend scripture classes and engage in discussion; and share personal faith stories, or “testimonies.” The Church also provides Sunday school for children where they learn the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to live its principles. Adapting to the local needs of the various congregations around the world, these worship services are held in more than 180 languages and are open to visitors. The worldwide growth of the Church is partly due to the service of more than 50,000 full-time, volunteer missionaries, who teach the gospel wherever they can — in the streets and in the home. But this tells only half the story. The openness and caring of the lay members toward their friends and acquaintances is the real catalyst for growth. The search for truth and human connection brings this community together. In ancient and modern scriptures, as well as in the words and ministries of inspired leaders, Latter-day Saints find answers to life’s toughest questions. And nowhere are these answers more needed than in the family.
Family
in an increasingly fractional society, the importance of strengthening the family is paramount. The values essential to the prosperity of any civilization are first instilled in the family — the fundamental unit of society — where a husband and wife work together for the betterment of the whole. The Church’s teachings and programs are designed to fortify the family. The time-honored values of charity, sacrifice, patience and forgiveness are the elements that allow society to move forward. They are most effectively learned at home.
(from LDS.org)

The Washington, D.C. Temple

 This is the temple where my daughter will be sealed this year.

Missionaries Fill Sandbags as Mississippi Rises

QUINCY, Illinois — More than 130 missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are saying thank you to the people of Quincy, Illinois, by filling sandbags to protect the city that once protected Mormon pioneers.
Wednesday morning, missionaries from the Peoria, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, missions arrived in Quincy to help prevent potential damage from a key levee that broke Tuesday night between Quincy and Warsaw, Indiana. Heavy rain in the Midwest has left entire towns inundated and thousands of people homeless in the past week.

Dirt is being dumped at the Civic Center in Quincy, where missionaries are spending long hours preparing the bags, which are then taken by truck to the areas in most need. The relief effort is being organized by local Latter-day Saint leaders, who are working closely with John Springs, the mayor of Quincy.
The help given by these missionaries reflects the kindness extended by the people of Quincy to early members of the Church escaping religious persecution in Missouri. After walking close to 200 miles in the winter early in 1839, the Latter-day Saints arrived at the banks of the Mississippi, the same river that threatens Quincy today, only to see chunks of ice floating down the river.
In the March 1839 edition of the Quincy Whig newspaper, the editor wrote that “if they (the Mormons) have been thrown upon our shores destitute … common humanity must oblige us to aid and relieve them all in our power.”
Quincy took in more than 5,000 refugees, almost three times its population in 1839. The citizens organized rescue efforts, provided shelter, created jobs and gave members of the Church protection from those wishing to harm them. Shortly afterwards, Joseph Smith, along with other Church leaders, arrived in Quincy and led the Mormons 40 miles north to establish the city of Nauvoo.
In 2002, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed for the people of Quincy as a gesture of gratitude for the kindness extended by their town in 1839.
This article was prepared by the LDS Newsroom at lds.org.

Joseph Smith: Lover of the Cause of Christ

Ken and I participated in the Philadelphia Stake Play, "Joseph Smith: Lover of the Cause of Christ." Rehearsals began in April and the play was held May 30, 31 in 3 shows. It was written by Angela Staheli. She was a member of the Austin Texas Stake. Kim Davenport Wehrung lives there now. Linda and Ted visited her while she was in rehearsals. Linda brought the idea home to the Phila. Stake. Chris and Kim Hopkins directed it. It sure was a lot of work.

It was a very spiritual time for all of us involved.

It reminded me of being in the Hill Cumorah Pageant, but on a smaller level. It was very Zion-esque. We all felt protected and very loved -- very much of one heart and mind.

Ken was involved in making all the sets. He was even putting finishing touches on the sets at the dress rehearsal.

I was involved in doing the Playbill (of course). I love being a part of a play/musical in that way. I get to know all the details and peoples' names. And it pretty much took me all weekend of the play to print it out. The poor Jarrettown ward library copier.... it was huffing and puffing when I was done with it.

Prison scene.

Ken getting his makeup applied.

He grew his beard and his hair. Nobody was allowed to get a hair cut until the play was done. Ken shaved his beard and cut his hair the day after the play was over.....

me, at right, with Ken and Bishop Ted Davenport

Ken and I were in a scene together. We were Elijah and Anna Fordham. Elijah Fordham was the man Joseph Smith healed and practically raised him from the dead. I was crying over his body, mainly. I think it went over pretty well, but I never got to see it. And nobody took any pictures of it. There was a DVD recorded, but it won't come out until Christmas probably. Can't wait to see that!

To give a taste of the flavor of the play, Chris Hopkins, the director, made a YouTube video of some stills of the play and it has great music and sound effects (see below).
You might have to have been there to appreciate it, but I hope you will try...

I have a testimony that Joseph Smith, Jr. was the prophet set apart before the foundation of the world to bring in our present dispensation. He translated the plates given to him by the Prophet/Angel Moroni.
By the time I finished reading in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, I already had a testimony that the Book of Mormon could not have been written by Joseph Smith. It was of God; written through revelation.
I am so grateful Joseph Smith had the courage and faith to uphold and endure his calling in life.
I am grateful the missionaries knocked on my door, sent especially to me because I had a desire to know which church to join – just as Joseph Smith did! I have learned when you have a desire to know about the true gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today, it cannot be kept from you.
This play has strengthened my testimony in so many ways. I am so glad I had the opportunity to participate in it.

"Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth. Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness." (Alma 27:17-18)

Our ninth prophet, David O. McKay, said:
"I think it is highly fitting to say a few words to refresh our own minds regarding the purpose of preaching the gospel. It is illustrated in the song, 'Joy, praise, exaltation of the soul.' It is expressed in the scripture, 'men are, that they might have joy.' (2 Nephi 2:25.) Happiness is the aim of the gospel, not pain nor grief, not gloom, not mere pleasure. There is a difference between pleasure and joy, between pleasure and happiness" (Gospel Ideals, p. 499).

I remember hearing this comparison that, in the world, pleasure is supposed to be what we seek. But pleasure only lasts a little while. True happiness is systemic and spreads throughout one person and touches other people and they become happy, too.
I used to teach the young women that I believe the 10 Commandments are actually the 10 Rules for Happiness. It was amazing that, during the lesson, they could see that happiness was derived from keeping the commandments.
Our Heavenly Father gave us these rules to protect us. By keeping them, we live in happiness.
I started teaching them by illustrating the 10 commandments, starting with number 10: thou shalt not covet.
Covet can also stand for addiction. If you covet something, you desire it more than anything else. One can desire cigarettes (drugs), alcohol, money (gambling, shopping), sex (pornography) and name-anything, so that that desire overwhelms all of your thinking. That's the 10th 'thou shalt not.' Believe it or not, it all starts there. Pleasure...

By keeping this commandment, we have a higher percentage of not getting lung cancer; not drinking and driving and getting into an accident or harming others; not going into debt; not getting an STD or losing a spouse due to extra-marital desires.
Rebelling against this rule can lead to breaking the ninth commandment: false witness -- lying.
For example, not telling one's spouse about the gambling/shopping debts; needing money for sex, or going to a doctor because you have a disease; lying to a boss or spouse -- about why you need more money or how you lost your money...
...which leads to the eighth commandment: stealing. Some of the deceived come up with many plots to stealthily steal.
... I asked how the seventh commandment, adultery, could be part of the equation... the youth are so smart. "You could end up selling your body," they said, because you need money to sustain your glutton.
This is how Satan leads us quietly down the road to hell. Heaven forbid we get to the sixth commandment.
Also, if you've broken these last five commandments, the first five, the 'Love the Lord' commandments, are most likely out of your life anyway.

I love that quote in Alma (above) and long to be so full of joy that I faint! Isn't that great?
He tells us only the repentent and humble seeker of happiness can ever attain that state.
I know I have come close.
Being a witness to the births of my children brought, in addition to great relief, much joy and happiness -- overwhelming joy and happiness.
Another quote from Alma comes to mind then, too. When Alma was telling his son Helaman how he felt when he saw the angel for the first time. How, when he was in that 3-day trance, he saw the Lord, and the experience was bitter and sweet.
" Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy." (Alma 36: 21)
I love the use of the word exquisite. To have exquisite pain and then exquiste joy -- from the same experience.
THAT, my friends, is childbirth!