Singing in the Tabernacle with "We Also Sing"

I was privileged to sing again in the Tabernacle on Temple Square

with the singing group We Also Sing. What a wonderful experience. It wasn't 

even on my bucket list when I moved here to Utah. How could I have known

to put it on my list? Just blessed.

Though it rained before and during the performance, I was able to get

a few shots of the beautiful tulips blooming everywhere on the grounds.

Happiness in abundance.

Today is the day we celebrate the birthday of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.
I love celebrating Christmas and hope I did a good job in giving my children spiritual Christmas traditions.
I know they will marry someday (my daughters are already married) and incorporate their spouses traditions in with theirs. My son gave me a compliment today and said he likes our traditions and I did a good job of giving meaning to Christmas. That made me feel good, especially since I am divorced and question if I did anything right for them.
I always keep Christmas in my heart, as Charles Dickens said it through Scrooge. I try to bring us back around to the Reason for the Season.
Today we watched a YouTube music video by The Piano Guys. It was perfect. I hope I can share it here with you so you can watch it, too. Wish me luck in posting it.
I know my Savior still lives. I know He loves me and watches over me.
I know I am loved by my Heavenly Father and I know I have the gift of the Holy Ghost ever present in my life.
Merry Christmas 2013.

http://thepianoguys.com/portfolio/o-come-emmanuel-christmas-version/

"If we looked at mortality as the whole of existence, then pain, sorrow, failure, and short life would be calamity. But if we look upon life as an eternal thing stretching far into the premortal past and on into the eternal post-death future, then all happenings may be put in proper perspective.

Is there not wisdom in his giving us trials that we might rise above them, responsibilities that we might achieve, work to harden our muscles, sorrows to try our souls? Are we not exposed to temptations to test our strength, sickness that we might learn patience, death that we might be immortalized and glorified?

If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the gospel, free agency, would be ended. No man would have to live by faith." -Spencer W. Kimball

August 31?

As in the end of August?

Wait a minute.

Didn’t I just plant my annuals?

Wasn’t it just the longest day of the year?

Didn’t I just blog about fireworks on the Fourth of July?

But what else did I do?

Ever since I moved to Utah, I vowed I would live in the present—be present to all around me. But, considering how quickly time flies, and not seeing much to show for its passing, I’m wondering if I might be flittering away my life, not filling my moments with memories as I should.

I used to have a tagline with my emails:

“What I do today is important

because I am paying a day of my life for it.

What I accomplish must be worthwhile

because the price is high.”

Author Unknown

I think Author Unknown is one of the most profound human beings that ever lived. This person has made me realize that minutes and seconds are precious. Instead of spending time watching television, how about a meaningful conversation with someone? A book in hand is worth more than two video games. Pen a thank-you note, rather than an email.

I have to re-commit to make each day meaningful in some way. What must I do before I lay my head on my pillow that will help me feel fulfilled?

Family, friends, writing, art, music, reading, giving service, playing with our kids, appreciating nature.

What is important to you?

What is worth paying a day of your life for?

A Roaring Lion Rebukes

Art From the Art Studio of Rose Datoc Dall

 

Written by Apostle Parley P. Pratt, a close friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

"In one of those tedious nights [in Richmond Jail] we had lain as if in sleep, till the hour of midnight has passed, and our ears and hearts had been pained, while we had listened for hours to the obscene jests, the horrid oaths, the dreadful blasphemies, and filthy language of our guards, Col. Price at their head, as they recounted to each other their deeds of rapine, murder, robbery, etc., which they had committed among the “Mormons,” while at Far West, and vicinity. They even boasted of defiling by force, wives, daughters, and virgins, and of shooting or dashing out the brains of men, women, and children.

 I had listened till I became so disgusted, shocked, horrified, and so filled with the spirit of indignant justice, that I could scarcely refrain from rising upon my feet and rebuking the guards, but had said nothing to Joseph, or any one else, although I lay next to him and knew he was awake. On a sudden he arose to his feet, and spoke in a voice of thunder, or as the roaring lion, uttering, as near as I can recollect, the following words:

“'SILENCE—Ye fiends of the infernal pit. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and command you to be still; I will not live another minute, and hear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die THIS MINUTE.'”

"He ceased to speak. He stood erect in terrible majesty. Chained, and without a weapon,–calm, unruffled and dignified as an angel, he looked down upon the quailing guards, whose weapons were lowed or dropped to the ground; whose knees smote together, and who, shrinking into a corner, or crouching at his feet, begged his pardon, and remained quiet till a change of guards.

"I have seen the ministers of justice, clothed in magisterial robes, and criminals arraigned before them, while life was suspended upon a breath, in the courts of England; I have witnessed a Congress in solemn session to give laws to nations; I have tried to conceive of kings, of royal courts, of thrones, and crowns; and of emperors assembled to decide the fate of kingdoms, but dignity and majesty have I seen but once, as it stood in chains at midnight, in a dungeon, in an obscure village of Missouri."

Shared from the "Joseph Smith, the Prophet" Facebook page.

Studying the Scriptures

By Susan Knight

I have been watching BYU TV on Sundays at 1:00 p.m. The show has four professors of ancient scripture talk about the scriptures. Right now the lessons are on Revelation. I am enjoying this immensely.

I loved studying the Epistles of Peter. You can see how much he's grown in testimony and spiritually by reading these works. He was a young man, like Jesus, when the Savior walked on the earth. He needed to be taught, instructed, have his attitude tempered.

When Peter's epistles were written, maybe around 60 AD, Peter was an older and much wiser man. In his epistles he talks about priesthood and temples. Those who don't know of these things might wonder what he's talking about.

In Revelation, I loved finding out that animals have spirits, just as humans do. For all those who don't think they'll ever see their beloved pets again, the Book of Revelation would quell that thought.

Also, we know John the Beloved was John the Revelator. He wrote these revelations before he even wrote the gospels or his epistles.

Some people take the "book curse" at the end of Revelation to mean that nobody can add or take away from the whole bible. But the bible is composed of books. It's a bibliography of spiritual works. If John wrote Revelation first, then the gospels on should not have been written. John was telling us we should not change his book of revelation.

When I was involved with my calligraphy guild, I learned a lot about book curses. I'm sure they were mimicking the book curse that John put in his writing about his vision. I have a whole book called "Anathema" that deals solely with book curses of the middle ages. I love that book. We even had a contest in the guild for people to come up with their own book curses.

I also know that many prophets--Adam, Moses, Abraham, Enoch, Nephi, Lehi and others--had the same vision John did. They were told not to write about it, that there would be someone whose task it was to write about it only. So nobody did. John was the one who was supposed to write it. Joseph Smith had the same visions as John in the Book of Revelation. Joseph Smith said it was one of the easiest books to comprehend--yeah, because he had the same vision, so I guess he would be able to decipher what it means.

Also, in the Doctrine and Covenants, more about the Book of Revelation is revealed.

I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for all I have. I am a broken record at night and in the morning. Sometimes I apologize to Him. "Sorry for saying the same things every day." Thank you for my house, my safety, my children, my job--in so many words. Then the pleadings to protect us all from predators and harm; and the "pleases" for help and health and happiness.

I am reminded, in my Patriarchal Blessing, that I am to never cease thanking my H.F. in my prayers for all of my blessings. Once I read, and re-read, this particular paragraph, I feel better about that broken record syndrome.

I had a lovely holiday today. Thank you, Lord, for watching over my children--and me. Please continue to grant us Thy tender mercies.

General Conference 10/6 and 10/7/12

Feed my sheep; feed my lambs

I can't believe another General Conference has come and gone and I have not written one spiritual thought since the last one.
This past conference, last weekend, was as uplifting as ever.
One thing that stood out to me was that the story of Peter, the fisherman, was given twice. I know the men have no idea what the others are writing about, so what are the odds that two men would dwell on the same passage in scripture?
Nevertheless, I was enlightened--twice. Peter and the other apostles went back to their former lives after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. Did they think that the last three years of their lives was all there was?
Jesus, calling them "children," told them to cast their nets over the other side and they would be filled. Were they children? I guess so. They needed the constant reminder to "do what I say." They needed to be reminded that they had a great work to do.
"And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. . . " Did the Lord think Peter still wasn't converted? Well, he did deny him three times.
Peter was told to uplift and teach the others, as well as all the sheep--the followers of Christ--and the lambs; those that are young or new in the gospel.
This story is a reminder to me that, once converted, we should not go back to our life before we had the Savior in it. We need to move forward.
Peter didn't realize his life had been changed forever. Did he really not see that?
Do you? Do I?

General Conference

This morning when I woke up, I prayed that the prophet and general authorities would give talks that I needed to hear. Not only that, but I prayed that, if they did, I would hear them.
It was funny to hear Elder Uchtdorf start out by telling about a letter he received from a sister who asked him to talk about something specific. Are we allowed to do that?! I'll have to try it.
However, his talk hit home with me. Let those that have ears to hear...
I just love Elder Nelson. He is one of my favorites. I love how he talked about the body and all its organs and parts. It really made me realizee how my life--my body--is a miracle. I am thankful for all my working parts.

And our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, is just so precious to me. I love his stories and that he does all the gestures. I caught his eye at one point and he seemed to be peering directly into my soul. I have choices I can make that will steer my life.
I am grateful for all the talks that were given. I wish we could have General Conference every week...or at least every month. I so look forward to it.
And when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang, "Oh, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," my absolute favorite hymn, tears couldn't be restrained from falling down my cheeks. I was so moved.
I look forward to the last session in a few hours.
I know I will be uplifted. I will also be sad to see it end.

Be Thankful

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more."  ~Doctrine & Covenants 78:19

"Do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive?  Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God's love"  (Teachings of Thomas S. Monson, p. 126). ~Thomas S. Monson