“As you read Matthew 14-15; Mark 6-7; and John 5-6, look for truths that are meaningful to you. You might ask yourself questions such as ‘How do the accounts in these chapters relate to me?’, ‘What messages do I find for my life?’, or ‘What would I like to share with my family or with others?’ ” [Header, Lesson for Mar 25-31, 2019, “Be Not Afraid”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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In Sunday School on Sun 17 Mar and in our priesthood lesson this past weekend (Sun 24 Mar), some folks voiced the idea that the Pharisees get a bad rap for being hypocrites and for working against the law of God, when really they were just following the culture and traditions of their time. I had never heard this idea before. I came home and started researching references to “Pharisee” or “Pharisees”. In the Four Gospels, there are 96 references, with only two that do not condemn the attitudes and practices of the Pharisees in the harshest of terms. The entry in the Bible Dictionary is consistent with that tone, as is each reference in Jesus The Christ, by James E. Talmage (*).
I agree that we should not use references such as these to justify bad behavior towards anyone, be they pharisaical, Pharisees, descendents of Pharisees, or anyone unassociated with Pharisees. I also agree that we should not dismiss references such as the ones in the paragraph above as irrelevant simply because they identify bad behavior or invite us to avoid bad behavior. Does anyone know where a source of info might be that might support the idea that such sweeping criticism of the apparently puritanical practices of the Pharisees may not be justified?
(*) See Page 465 in particular. If you happen to have an edition different than mine, see Chapter 27, “Continuation of the Perean and Judean Ministry”, under the section header, “Derision of the Pharisees Met; Another Illustrative Parable”, for this quote:
…They had grown arrogantly proud of their humility, but God knew their hearts, and the traits and practices they most esteemed were an abomination in His sight. They posed as custodians of the law and expounders of the prophets … those Pharisees and scribes had tried to nullify the law.
“As you read Matthew 13 and Luke 8; 13, think about how you will prepare yourself to “hear” [I add: maybe in General Conference?] and appreciate the Savior’s teachings in these parables. What will you do to apply these teachings in your life?” [Header, Lesson for Mar 18-24, 2019, “Who Hath Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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I found especially poignant the JST (Joseph Smith Translation) equivalent of KJV (King James Version) Matthew 13:30, footnote b, completely reversing the words and the meaning of the content of the verse: Not “first the tares”, but rather the tares second, with “first the wheat into my barn; and the tares are bound in bundles to be burned.” (Italics in footnote, indicating words that are absent in the original KJV text.) How may we listen first to the wheat of the words of the prophets and have ears to hear regarding the content of General Conference next month?
I also like (yet again) Christ taking care to teach deliberately the local people who are rebellious (leaders, Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, others) about power: The power to heal (that they should have held as holders of the priesthood of God), or the power to understand the doctrine (that the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath [KJV Mark 2:27]). See also JST Mark 2:26-27.
“As you read Matthew 10-12; Mark 2; and Luke 7; 11, make note of the impressions you receive from the Holy Ghost. Consider pondering and recording them.” [Header, Lesson for Mar 11-17, 2019, “These Twelve Jesus Sent Forth”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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I like Jesus’ defense of John the Baptist in Matthew 11:7-11 and in Luke 7:24-30. I also like that He turns on the heads of local “powerful” folk the things that they are most getting wrong regarding power, such as His actions regarding the sinful woman with ointment [Luke 7:36-50] and regarding the picayune complainers [Luke 11:37-54].
You may also wish to explore your own impressions regarding the small write-in opportunity on Page 43, regarding Matthew 10 (“The Savior gave His disciples power”) and “Impressions I receive” (“God will give me the power I need to do my work”).
“As you read Matthew 8-9 and Mark 2-5, be responsive to impressions you receive from the Holy Ghost. Consider writing down the promptings you receive and the things you can do to act on those promptings.” [Header, Lesson for Mar 04-10, 2019, “Thy Faith Hath Made Thee Whole”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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As I read these chapters this time around, I was impressed yet again by Christ’s indirect focus and carefully indirect teaching about power—Spiritual power, political power, leadership power, community power, personal power, power over elements, power in every sense. In every sense, Christ is teaching-by-doing that real power is not at all about what the World perceives as power. Note that he uses power in all of these senses always in order to promote healing in these various senses. His clear message is that real power is about building family, about building stronger families, about connecting with God more powerfully, about teaching others with power and authority of God. Note well that these actions happen to be home-centered, church-supported actions.
What that means in our everyday lives, how that emerges in our daily to-do lists, depends on what Heavenly Father wants us to do and on what we ourselves want us to do.
“When we read the scriptures with a question in mind and with a sincere desire to understand what Heavenly Father wants us to know, we invite the Holy Ghost to inspire us. As you read Matthew 6-7, pay attention to these impressions.” [Header, Lesson for Feb 25-Mar 03, 2019, “He Taught Them as One Having Authority”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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I thoroughly enjoyed all the changes to these verses and the teachings restored to us according to the spirit of revelation through the Joseph Smith Translation. It never ceases to amaze me how much richer these verses are with their original impact restored. Here are two examples of a dozen or so present in the chapters of this lesson, two that were especially meaningful to me as I read them this time through:
King James Version (KJV)—Italics indicate words absent in earlier translations.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [KJV Matthew 6:30.]
Joseph Smith Translation (JST)—Italics indicate words absent in earlier translations.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he not provide for you, if ye are not of little faith? [JST Matthew 6:34.]
King James Version (KJV)
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. [KJV Matthew 7:7-8.]
Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
And then said his disciples unto him, They will say unto us, We ourselves are righteous, and need not that any man should teach us. God, we know, heard Moses and some of the prophets; but us he will not hear.
And they will say, We have the law for our salvation, and that is sufficient for us.
Then Jesus answered, and said unto his disciples, Thus shall ye say unto them,
What man among you, having a son, and he shall be standing out, and shall say, Father, open thy house that I may come in and sup with thee, will not say, Come in, my son; for mine is thine, and thine is mine? [JST Matthew 7:12-17.]
As a father of six kids and five sons, I found verse 17 of the JST deeply meaningful.
“Pay attention to impressions you receive as you read Matthew 5 and Luke 6, and record them in a study journal. This outline can help you identify some of the most important and relevant principles in these chapters.” [Header, Lesson for Feb 18-24, 2019, “Blessed Are Ye”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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I like in Luke 6 how Christ points out to the Pharisees the extent of their hypocrisy simply by healing a withered hand, and how later, in verse 19, He healed everyone who did come unto him:
And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. [Luke 6:19.]
I love the differences in the Beatitudes of Matthew vs. the Beatitudes of Luke: “Blessed are ye that weep now; for ye shall laugh.” [Luke 6:21.] And many others…
“As you read John 2-4, the Spirit will teach you things about your own conversion. Make note of His promptings. You may find additional spiritual insights from the study ideas in this outline.” [Header, Lesson for Feb 11-17, 2019, “Ye Must Be Born Again”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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I love the interactions (with JST improvements) between Mary and Jesus. The video of the wedding in Cana highlights these interactions beautifully.
The same is true of the interactions between Jesus and Nicodemus. I love how Christ points out to him (lovingly, I’m sure) that, as a leader in Israel, Nicodemus should have at hand the ability to speak, to act, to think, to know the things of God. [John 3:10.] Similarly, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we ourselves should take care that we speak/act/think/know and that we teach with power and authority of God. Note in the video how, as Christ walks away from the scene, he turns and waits, inviting Nicodemus to join him.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the woman at the well and story of the woman at the well, as well. The video of it highlights perfectly all the important things!
“Begin by reading Matthew 4 and Luke 4-5, and pay attention to any insights you receive. The study ideas in this outline can help you identify important principles in these chapters.” [Header, Lesson for Feb 04-10, 2019, “The Spirit of the Lord Is upon Me”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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In the painting at the top of this lesson, Christ Triumphs over Satan, by Robert T. Barrett, notice Satan’s face in the darkness, positioned importantly at the feet of Christ.
As in my recorded impressions of the previous lesson, as I read these chapters, I again was impressed that the local religious leaders in Christ’s day were stunned by the use of power and authority of God, power and authority that they themselves no longer possessed—and were jealous of it. And I love JST Luke 5:23 (KJV Footnote a):
Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up and walk? [KJV Luke 5:23; click on the hyperlink of Footnote a to display JST. Italics indicate words absent in earlier translations.]
Note how Christ focused on the use of power, which is the actual topic at issue here, despite the Pharisaical focus on discussing other things as a mask.
And I LOVE the painting at the end, The Call, by Jorge Cocco. I truly enjoy his painting style, and this one is probably my favorite of his.
“Begin by reading Matthew 3; Mark 1; and Luke 3. As you pray for the Holy Ghost to help you understand these chapters, He will give you insights that are especially for you. Record these impressions, and make plans to act on them.” [Header, Lesson for Jan 28-Feb 03, 2019, “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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I was impressed by the number of JST (Joseph Smith Translation) changes in Matthew 3 and was struck by why the medieval translators would have altered these sections in particular. I was also impressed, not so much by the fact that the evil spirits obeyed Christ, knowing full well who He is, but rather I was impressed more by the fact that the Jews, as keepers of the Priesthood of God, apparently had lost all ability to exercise with authority the Priesthood of God, and here specifically, had lost all ability to exercise authority over evil spirits. In general, the leaders of the Jews (who had lost much of the ability to teach with power or to act with power and authority of God) were threatened by the doings and doctrines of Christ in a similar manner to how the leaders of Christian churches (who had lost much of the ability to teach with power or to act with power and authority of God) were threatened by the doings and doctrines of Joseph Smith. Similarly, I have known people in our day who happened to be active baptized members of the restored church of Jesus Christ who had lost much of the ability to teach with power or to act with power and authority of God and consequently were threatened by a person teaching with power and authority, so much so that some of the people I have known fight against even the idea that one might be able to achieve teaching with power and authority. (Thus ignoring latter-day counsel given here, here, and elsewhere.)
I point this out in my recorded impressions today simply to stress the corollary lesson that as many as believed in such preaching with power and authority of God, who were converted or yet-again-converted unto the Lord, never did fall away, even in our day. Hence, the weekly nature of the Sacrament. So many corollary lessons, so little time…
“As you read and ponder John 1, record the impressions you receive. What messages do you find that will be of most value to you and your family? What could you share in your Church classes?” [Header, Lesson for Jan 21-27, 2019, “We Have Found the Messiah”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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Note well the pattern, the repeated pattern, that people gain their testimonies of Christ based on the testimony of someone they know and trust. Not everyone who knew and trusted Andrew internalized Andrew’s testimony of Christ, but Peter did. And that’s important for all of us.
“Begin by reading Luke 2 and Matthew 2, and pay attention to any spiritual insights you receive. The study ideas in this outline can help you identify some of the most important and relevant principles in these chapters.” [Header, Lesson for Jan 14-20, 2019, “We Have Come to Worship Him”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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I’ve always loved the words about Christ’s childhood after infancy [Luke 2:40-52]. I loved in the video, “The First Christmas Spirit“, a depiction of Christ being self-aware of His Father’s will even when quite young. The video has a brief scene [Time 1:30] with Joseph watching Jesus at about age 10, as Jesus watches a couple of tethered lambs as the owner takes one of them away, presumably to the slaughter, possibly at the temple. The 10-year-old Jesus simply stares, seemingly understanding all too well the deeper meaning of this scene as a type of things to come. Joseph approaches the 10-year-old Jesus and puts his arm around Him, as if to give Him strength for that day yet a far way off.
Second post in a series, “Recording My Impressions,” which I use to share my thoughts after completing the reading assignment each week in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families.
“As you read and ponder Matthew 1 and Luke 1, record the spiritual impressions you receive. What doctrinal truths do you find? What messages will be of most value to you and your family? The study ideas in this outline may help you discover additional insights.” [Header, Lesson for Jan 7-13, 2019, “Be It unto Me according to Thy Word”.]
Journaling my impressions:
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Family history and the doctrine of the family are of vital importance. Jesus descended from Ruth and Boaz and from the root of Jesse through King David through Mary and also through Joseph. (Matthew 1 records not Mary’s lineage but Joseph’s.) I’ve always loved the interaction of Elisabeth and Mary and the in utero interaction between John and Jesus. Makes me wonder whether or not any child in the womb might be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from her/his mother’s womb [see Luke 1:15]. Maybe some of those leaps and kicks are more purposeful than mere stretching for space than we care to admit! I love that Elisabeth and Zacharias prophesied after receiving a spiritual confirmation from on High. To me, it’s cool that it may have been the same Gabriel who delivered messages both to Elisabeth and to Mary. I’ve always wanted to meet him (them if two separate personages) after this life. [The Bible Dictionary (BD) entry for Gabriel says that all occurrences of Gabriel are the prophet Noah.]
In 2019, as we begin to improve our efforts in a home-centered, church-supported approach to gospel living, learning, and teaching, we are invited repeatedly in each lesson to record our impressions. I call this series of posts “Recording My Impressions,” and I’ll use it to share my thoughts after completing the reading assignment each week in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. I hope you enjoy reading them.
“The purpose of Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families is to help you come unto Christ and become more deeply converted to His gospel. This resource can help you understand the scriptures and find in them the spiritual strength you and your family need. Then, in your Church classes, you will be prepared to share insights and encourage your fellow Saints in their efforts to follow Christ.” [Header, Lesson for Dec 31-Jan 6, 2019, “We Are Responsible for Our Own Learning”.]
Journaling my impressions:
· —- ˅˅˅ —- ·
I love the title of this lesson! To me, there is little or no excitement in the tendency inside of us to relegate to others our responsibility for personal, individualized gospel education. We are responsible to receive the Holy Ghost ourselves, to achieve successfully answers to our own questions and concerns, through the spirit of revelation. [See Alma 17:2-3.]
Quotes on leadership that I find well-suited to Father’s Day:
Kaladin held his side, feeling the blood there. Straight laceration, only about an inch long, not wide enough to be of danger.
It was his father’s voice.
Kaladin panted. He needed to get to safety. Arrows zipped over his head, fired by the Alethi archers.
Some people take lives. Other people save lives.
He wasn’t done yet. Kaladin forced himself to his feet and staggered to where someone lay beside the bridge. It was a bridgeman named Hobber; he had an arrow through the leg. The man moaned, holding his thigh.
⁞
He checked the other two. Hobber was smiling openly. He was round-faced and lean, with a gap between his teeth and short, black hair. “Thank you,” he said. “Thank you for saving me.”
Kaladin grunted, inspecting the man’s leg. “You’ll be fine, but you won’t be able to walk for a few weeks. I’ll bring food from the mess hall for you.”
“Thank you,” Hobber whispered, taking Kaladin’s hand, clutching it. He actually seemed to be tearing up.
That smile forced back the gloom, made the aches and soreness fade. Kaladin’s father had described that kind of smile. Those smiles weren’t why Lirin had become a surgeon, but they were why he’d remained one.
⁞
“What are you up to, Kaladin?” Hobber asked just as Kaladin got a flame started.
Kaladin smiled, standing. “Have a seat.”
Hobber did just that. He hadn’t lost the near-devotion he’d shown Kaladin for saving his life. If anything, his loyalty had grown stronger.
[Quotes from Brandon Sanderson’s outstanding novel, The Way of Kings, Pages 267, 313, and 403. Yes, it’s a fantasy novel. It’s also a treatise on loyalty and leadership. Yes, everyone should read it. Try it; you’ll like it!]
I apply the above quotes to leadership of a family, quotes that hold a key to quality parenting: If you give up your life for a time to spend it parenting your kids as if parenting were a full-contact sport, then they will recognize your role in losing your life in order to save theirs. Their loyalty to you as a parent will only grow stronger as they grow to recognize your sacrifice, grow to understand it not as an intellectual exercise but as something to choose as a model for their own behavior. You will see them pay their devotion as you see them give up their own life for a time, in order to spend it parenting their own kids.
Family At Home In Accra, Ghana
To me, the above quotes not only apply to Fathers’ Day but teach us important truths about leadership. D. Todd Christofferson teaches us more on loyalty and leadership:
I speak today of fathers. Fathers are fundamental in the divine plan of happiness, and I want to raise a voice of encouragement for those who are striving to fill well that calling. To praise and encourage fatherhood and fathers is not to shame or discount anyone. I simply focus today on the good that men can do in the highest of masculine roles—husband and father.
David Blankenhorn, the author of Fatherless America, has observed: “Today, American society is fundamentally divided and ambivalent about the fatherhood idea. Some people do not even remember it. Others are offended by it. Others, including more than a few family scholars, neglect it or disdain it. Many others are not especially opposed to it, nor are they especially committed to it. Many people wish we could act on it, but believe that our society simply no longer can or will.” [David Blankenhorn, Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem (1995), Page 62.]
As a Church, we believe in fathers. We believe in “the ideal of the man who puts his family first.” [Blankenhorn, Fatherless America, Page 5.] We believe that “by divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.” [“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”, Nov 1995 Ensign, Page 102, or Nov 2010 Liahona, Page 129.] We believe that in their complementary family duties, “fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.” [Family Proclamation.] We believe that far from being superfluous, fathers are unique and irreplaceable.
[D. Todd Christofferson, “Fathers”, Apr 2016 LDS General Conference.]
I agree with him.
A Father Dances With His Daughter In Their Home
“And now, my son, this was the ministry unto which ye were called, to declare these glad tidings unto this people, to prepare their minds; or rather … that they may prepare the minds of their children to hear the word at the time of his coming.” [Alma 39:16.]
Mike, Brian, Brendan, Kyle, Kevin, Todd, Bob, this post is for you. Thank you for helping to lead the way.
Family Studying Scriptures Together
Please note that these quotes on loyalty and leadership apply equally to motherhood and fatherhood. They particularly apply to both of them in equal roles as complementary leaders, specifically as wife and husband leading together in the joint venture of parenthood.
Father And Child Canoeing On Hampton Lake, North Carolina—A Great Way To See Fall Foliage
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Bonus Material:
Watch/download the video, “Earthly Father, Heavenly Father” at lds.org or at YouTube below:
I love the words of the narrator as we focus on his wedding ring at Time 2:53 and the kid at the door watching his parents pray at 2:34. When I walked in to see my own parents at prayer, I remember the whoosh of feelings of safety and security but mostly of sacredness.
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WebCredits—List of web resources used in this post but not explicitly credited above:
Photo, “Father’s Day”, from private collection
Photo, “Family At Home In Accra, Ghana”, www. lds.org/media-library/images/family-portraits?lang=eng&start=1&end=10
Photo, “A Father Dances With His Daughter In Their Home”, www. lds.org/media-library/images/father-daughter-dancing-1018852?lang=eng
Photo, “Family Studying Scriptures Together”, Aug 2013 Ensign Magazine, Page 3, photo illustration by Cody Bell
Photo, “Fathers Providing A Sacred Moment In A Holy Place”, photo by: Masood Bhat/Kashmir Headlines—kashmirheadlines.in/kashheadlines/11222013-ND-getting-ready-for-prayersa-group-of-people-making-ablution-to-perform-prayers-in-historic-jamia-masjid-srinagar-photo-by-masood-bhat-kashmir-headlines-3452.aspx
Photo, “Father And Child Canoeing On Hampton Lake, North Carolina—A Great Way To See Fall Foliage”, www. lovethesepics.com/2013/10/ american-the-beautiful-in-autumn-peak-fall-foliage-dates-for-48-states-50-pics, photo by Watson Studios
Photo, “Growing Old Together Amid Autumn in Seattle, Washington”, www. lovethesepics.com/2013/10/american-the-beautiful-in-autumn-peak-fall-foliage-dates-for-48-states-50-pics, photo by Rachel Sarai
——– End of WebCredits ——–
Growing Old Together Amid Autumn in Seattle, Washington
A quote on leadership that I find well-suited to Mother’s Day, that I dedicate to all women, following the lead of Sheri Dew, who dares to ask women everywhere, “Are We Not All Mothers?”:
“ ‘Candle flames,’ ” Litima continued. The selection was from The Way of Kings, read from the very copy that Gavilar had once owned. “ ‘A dozen candles burned themselves to death on the shelf before me. Each of my breaths made them tremble. To them, I was a behemoth, to frighten and destroy. And yet, if I strayed too close, they could destroy me. My invisible breath, the pulses of life that flowed in and out, could end them freely, while my fingers could not do the same without being repaid in pain.’ ”
Dalinar idly twisted his signet ring in thought; it was sapphire with his Kholin glyphpair on it. Renarin stood next to him, wearing a coat of blue and silver, golden knots on the shoulders marking him as a prince. Adolin wasn’t there. Dalinar and he had been stepping gingerly around one another since their argument in the Gallery.
“ ‘I understood in a moment of stillness,’ ” Litima read. “ ‘Those candle flames were like the lives of men. So fragile. So deadly. Left alone, they lit and warmed. Let run rampant, they would destroy the very things they were meant to illuminate. Embryonic bonfires, each bearing a seed of destruction so potent it could tumble cities and dash kings to their knees. In later years, my mind would return to that calm, silent evening, when I had stared at rows of living lights. And I would understand. To be given loyalty is to be infused like a gemstone, to be granted the frightful license to destroy not only one’s self, but all within one’s care.’ ”
Litima fell still. It was the end of the sequence.
[From Brandon Sanderson’s outstanding novel, The Way of Kings, Part Two: The Illuminating Storms, Chapter 26 “Stillness”, Pages 368-369. Yes, it’s a fantasy novel. Yes, everyone should read it. Try it; you’ll like it!]
Flaming Red Fall Foliage In Grantwood, Missouri
I think that Dew would agree that this quote applies to Mothers’ Day, this quote that teaches us important truths about leadership. After all, she has said:
Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women.
[Sheri L. Dew, “Are We Not All Mothers?”, Oct 2001 LDS General Conference.]
I agree with her.
Kim, Whitney, Mary Lynn, this post is for you. Thank you for leading the way.
Certain Women, Supporting A Friend Who Happens To Have Leukemia
Please note that this quote on candle flames applies equally to fatherhood and motherhood. It particularly applies to both of them in equal roles as complementary leaders, specifically as husband and wife leading together in the joint venture of parenthood.
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WebCredits—List of web resources used in this post but not explicitly credited above:
Photo, “Flaming Red Fall Foliage In Grantwood, Missouri”, www. lovethesepics.com/2013/10/american-the-beautiful-in-autumn-peak-fall-foliage-dates-for-48-states-50-pics, photo by Thomas Hawk. Mary Lynn would love it!
Photo, “Certain Women, Supporting A Friend Who Happens To Have Leukemia”, www. lds.org/ensign/2017/05/general-womens-session/certain-women?lang=eng
Photo, “Family Prayer In Mongolia”, www.lds.org/ensign/2017/04/the-war-goes-on?lang=eng
Reader Question: What are ways that worked that you have found to teach a 25-yr-old-ish young adult to step out in faith?
Family Answer: This truly is a good question. In our family, and as Mormons, we believe strongly that sincere, honest questions are always a good thing. To gather answers to this question, we talked to our adult kids and their spouses, and here are the answers we gathered:
A big thing I think for me is that now that they’re older they don’t
need or want to be told what to do. Once you’re 25, you can and should be making decisions on your own. I think that examples and suggestions should be made, or stories of what others have done, but ultimately make them feel like they have the power to make good decisions and that you have confidence in them to make those decisions wisely, especially the hard ones.
Doubt not what you know. It was really said best recently at general conference: “First doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.” [“Come, Join with Us”, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Oct 2013 LDS General Conference.] Analyze the source of your doubts and judge its validity. Why are these doubts coming now? Are they justified? Will this crush my peace and hope? Is it worth it to dwell on this or should I cast these thoughts aside?
What’s vital for me and for anyone is teaching me the importance of a direct connection with God. Young adults must be able to get answers directly from God, on their own, through personal revelation. The entire Church of Jesus Christ is based on this concept. If they’re not willing to try that connection, that’s OK, but they’ll never know the source of information and comfort that they’re neglecting.
Go about doing things with pure intent, with real intent.
Have the courage to live up to your standards, to live what you believe. There is a point (or should be a point) when we realize that our beliefs are really ALL that matter. And what are we, if not our beliefs? What does that make us if we can’t live what we believe?
We as young adults need to decide to be a disciple of Christ. Will I live this or not?
Parents should find ways to share with me, share deep, internal feelings with the young adults in their lives. As we’re talking together, as we go through life, find ways to bear testimony to me. Don’t be dumb about it, but find a way to continue to touch my heart about gospel topics. This is so important to find a way to connect with me about situations or on a level different from the way a parent connected with me as a little kid or as a teen.
The feelings you felt from God were true then and are STILL TRUE NOW. Write down what He tells you. Read it again and again. Don’t criticize your past self but give yourself credit for how you felt and trust in your past feelings. If you once felt God’s love, don’t belittle yourself by casting that aside.
What are ways that worked that you have found to teach 35-yr-old-ish children with kids of their own to step out in faith?
I really like that you tell me stories of when I was a kid. They jump in my head when I need them with my own kids.
I have found a huge difference between me as an adult without kids, and me as an adult with kids, in terms of spirituality. I feel that feeling the spirit takes more work as an adult with kids. This may be due to a combination of things which I have considered recently:
I attend Sunday School less due to having a child in arms who is not yet nursery age.
I read scriptures with my kids each night so I have become complacent with my own personal scripture study and my scripture study with my wife since I can “check off” the scriptures for the day.
The house is less quiet and it takes more concentration to feel the whispering of the Holy Ghost.
I haven’t been as diligent in setting aside time to self evaluate/journal write/think about my calling or home teaching families.
My personal prayers have not been very consistent at all, mainly because I feel like I am praying with my kids all day! In the morning at breakfast, before they go to school, at lunch, at dinner and before they go to bed. I notice a very obvious difference in my personal spirituality when I pray personally each day, but it is easy to think to myself that I “checked off prayer a bazillion times today, I don’t need to pray before I go to bed.”
If I am not praying personally, then I am not repenting each day and explaining to Heavenly Father that I want to do better tomorrow. If I am not repenting each day then I am not able to have His Spirit as much in my life and, as a result, it is more challenging to listen to the spiritual guidance I need to be hearing.
Each of these six things take a toll on my spirituality and my testimony of God and His truths. I have had to actively try to increase my own spiritual experiences through hard work and great effort, because I want to. They aren’t coming naturally anymore. Just going to church isn’t doing it anymore for me. I am having to make an active decision to pursue my testimony of the truth. If I did not have this desire, then I would not be motivated to go through the work it takes to gain back the good habits I have lost over time. It is hard, and it takes time away from my own selfish desires, but I have to ask myself, “What do I want out of this life?” and things are put into perspective.
Things I can do to counter the six things I listed that are barriers to my spirituality.
Actively read over the Sunday School lesson prior to going to church (something I should be doing anyway…), so that, when I’m able to be in class, I can actively take part.
Read scriptures personally and with my spouse. This takes time away from selfish desires, which makes it challenging.
Make quiet time for myself, whether it is during the day, or after the kids go to bed.
Make time to contemplate how I am doing/journal write/think about home teaching families and my calling.
Recommit to personal prayer daily, and pray for my home teaching families (for whom I have shepherding responsibilities) and for those I serve in my calling and assignments at church. This will allow me to be more mindful of those individuals throughout the day which will allow me to be more open to what Heavenly Father wants for them. Daily prayer will also allow me the opportunity to repent each day to allow me to feel the Spirit stronger.
And let us know how we may help you further! If you find that you have any questions about religious issues that you’ve been wondering about or that you haven’t been able to get good answers to, feel free to continue on discussion with us. It turns out that there are a lot of people with questions, and most of them have given up on churches as a source of answers. In our family, it is our experience that answers are out there, that God wants us to have them, and that they tend to be answers we like and have learned to appreciate. Working together with Heavenly Father allows anyone to find certainty in uncertain times.
-Dave and the MormonPanorama Family
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We Love Our Kids
WebCredits—List of web resources used in this post but not explicitly credited above:
Reader Question: How do I teach a teenager around fifteen years old to step out in faith?
Family Answer: This truly is a good question. In our family, and as Mormons, we believe strongly that sincere, honest questions are always a good thing. To gather answers to this question, we talked to our adult kids and their spouses, and here are the answers we gathered:
When Jesus walked on water and invited Peter to come join him, Peter’s faith waxed, and Peter walked on water for a three or six feet. When Peter’s faith waned, Christ said to him:
O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Watch, and focus on how amazing it would be to walk that three feet. With His question, was Christ scolding Peter, beckoning Peter to think how he might walk further next time, maybe a bit of both?
For many of us, if not all of us, from time to time, faith may either wax or wane. What are some ways that we may teach our kids or grandkids not only to walk by faith but to step out in faith? Not just to mosey along the strait and narrow but rather to hasten down the path. Not just to act in faith but to act in faith with a bit of spunk!
Here are some ways that worked that we have found to teach 15-yr-old-ish teenagers to step out in faith:
Set an example; model the behavior.
Teenagers need to be taught, “Stick to your guns!” I hated it when my mom told me that, but now that I’m older, I now know that it was exactly what I needed to hear.
Teach the Why. Help teenagers understand the Why of things, both in and out of a religious realm. Beginning at 13 or 14 years old, you need to feed those cognitive processes.
Help teens see the need to be anxiously engaged in the gospel.
Encourage teenagers to bear testimony, to attend testimony meetings or other group opportunities to share what they know, to share that they know. Even if they’re silent the whole time, they get to be thinking about their own testimony for 45 minute or whatever. You think, “I don’t have anything to say, and maybe I should.” I definitely learned things from standing and sharing with friends my feelings about spiritual things.
One of the best things you did, Dad, when I pushed back and challenged you on stuff, was to say, “Because I’m your father.” I had to suck it in and do it anyway, only because you asked me. Heavenly Father does the same thing to all of us, over and over, and He expects me to do it even if I don’t understand, even if I don’t agree that it’s right.
My parents were so Mormon all the time. I kept thinking, “Do we have to be so Mormon all the time?” It took me a while to finally get that, Yes, we do! We do this to be the same inside and outside the home, just like Atticus Finch (of To Kill a Mockingbird fame).
After a lesson for family home evening, I love that we always posted the lesson visuals on the walls around the house. Same with pictures of the temple, of Christ, of the Family Proclamation. It helped remind me, but it also gave me missionary opportunities. It taught me not to be embarrassed by friends’ questions, no matter what they were.
In our home, we had a picture of Christ in our front room. All my friends, as they left, they’d always say, “ ‘Bye, Jesus!” It was a bit flippant, but it was never snide, and it helped my friends in and out of the Church to maintain a proper standard of behavior, no matter where we were.
All the things that we’ve listed apply not only to teenagers but also to people of any age, even to adults.
And let us know how we may help you further! If you find that you have any questions about religious issues that you’ve been wondering about or that you haven’t been able to get good answers to, feel free to continue on discussion with us. It turns out that there are a lot of people with questions, and most of them have given up on churches as a source of answers. In our family, it is our experience that answers are out there, that God wants us to have them, and that they tend to be answers we like and have learned to appreciate. Working together with Heavenly Father allows anyone to find certainty in uncertain times.
-Dave and the MormonPanorama Family
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Bonus Materials:
1. Read, watch or listen: Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s entire address, delivered as he was called to be one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ.
Reader Question: How do I teach a child around five years old to step out in faith?
Family Answer:
This truly is a good question. In our family, and as Mormons, we believe strongly that sincere, honest questions are always a good thing. To gather answers to this question, we talked to our adult kids and their spouses, and here are the answers we gathered:
The famous British Astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington said,
The more we learn about the universe, the less it looks like a great machine, and the more it looks like a great thought.
As Mormons, we believe that we lived with God before we were born. One of the main reasons we emerged from the premortal existence into this life is to learn to walk by faith, to show Heavenly Father that we would continue to do things His way even when we were no longer around Him.
We live in the Last Days, and par for the course, it’s getting more and more difficult to keep the faith, to stay strong in our commitment to follow God, and to teach others to stay strong. As our kids and grandkids grow, they must negotiate new temptations, new philosophies and new freedoms to choose. Actually, anything that leads us away from God is very old, but it may seem new to us as we grow.
What are some ways that we may teach our kids or grandkids not only to walk by faith but to step out in faith? Not just to mosey along the strait and narrow but rather to hasten down the path. Not just to act in faith but to act in faith with a bit of spunk!
Here are some ways that worked that we have found to teach 5-yr-old-ish loved ones about faith:
Show them; set an example.
Read to kids; share stories of faith.
Familiarity and repetition are so important for kids. Stress the right habits over and over. Kids will say, “Oh, I have that picture of the temple in my house, that picture of Jesus in my house.”
Be like Atticus Finch (of To Kill a Mockingbird fame). He was the same in his home as he was out in the street. Talk inside the home and outside the home with kids or grandkids about spiritual things, talk to them in age-appropriate ways about sacred things, about things of God.
Sunday afternoons got long and produced squabbles. We reduced fights with regular scripture chase and seminary bowl (like College Bowl), offering Skittles for each right scripture or answer. Kyle was in a class for 10- and 11-yr-olds, when the teacher asked, “When was the Aaronic Priesthood restored?” Kyle’s hand shot into the air, and he quickly called out “May 15th, 1829!” The instructor was amazed, but I knew that Kyle was simply used to having to beat out his siblings to get a skittle, and Kyle LOVES Skittles.
All the things that we’ve listed apply not only to small children but also to people of any age, even to adults.
And let us know how we may help you further! If you find that you have any questions about religious issues that you’ve been wondering about or that you haven’t been able to get good answers to, feel free to continue on discussion with us. It turns out that there are a lot of people with questions, and most of them have given up on churches as a source of answers. In our family, it is our experience that answers are out there, that God wants us to have them, and that they tend to be answers we like and have learned to appreciate. Working together with Heavenly Father allows anyone to find certainty in uncertain times.
-Dave and the MormonPanorama Family
——– End of Post ——–
Bonus Materials:
1. Watch: Science and Religion—Opposing perspectives or complementary witnesses?
——– End of Bonus Materials ——–
WebCredits—List of web resources used in this post but not explicitly credited above:
Reader Question: A few weeks ago, a friend of mine, who happens to be Muslim, said to me, “People are always asking me whether or not I feel oppressed as a woman in Islam. And I don’t! Are Mormon women oppressed? Do women hold positions of authority in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?”
Family Answer: This truly is a good question. And my friend was asking in the best way possible—with a sincere heart and mind. It was a “clean question”, a phrase we use in our family to indicate a question free of any agenda. She had no intent to pounce on my answer; her question was in no way mean-spirited; she was not intending to entrap or embarrass me or the Church. She merely was seeking information and was simply an open book. It was refreshing to see her approach, because this question, being truly a good question, unfortunately is not always asked in such a constructive way. In our family, and as Mormons, we believe strongly that sincere, honest questions are always a good thing. To gather answers to this question, we talked to our adult kids, and here are the answers we gathered:
Authority to act in God’s name and the fullness of gospel truths were lost in the centuries after the death of Jesus (Bible, Amos 8:11-12, 2 Thessalonians 2:3). For example, Christ established important roles for women disciples—As the Lord’s Church was lost in apostasy, this pattern of discipleship was also lost (Julie B. Beck, Ensign, Nov 2011). After this apostasy, people noticed inconsistencies between what the current church taught and what they read. They protested against these errors and taught the truths they saw in the Bible. Various people were inspired by God to fight against various false doctrines, and little by little, many churches moved closer to the doctrines of Jesus Christ. This process also created divisions and sects that taught a variety of conflicting doctrines. When Christ restored His authority to the earth, He restored this authority to everyone, in all walks of life. Specifically for your answer, He restored His authority both to the men and the women of the world. Here are some of the ramifications. We hope that some are meaningful to you.
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1. Video by Sheri Dew: What do LDS women get? Are Mormon women oppressed?
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2. While serving on a Relief Society board, Lillian DeLong visited a rural area of Ghana. Her husband was in Priesthood meeting in another room, and she was in Relief Society meeting, each conducting leadership training. After it was over, a woman came up to Lillian. In her beautiful Ghanaian church dress, she shook her hand and kept saying, “This is a woman’s church.” Lillian asked, “What do you mean, ‘This is a woman’s church?’” And she said, “We have just been in the marvelous Relief Society that teaches us not only spiritual things but temporal things about how to make our lives and our children and our families better. And at the same time your husband is in the Priesthood room and he is teaching our husbands that the culture of the church does not allow for them to beat their wives and their children.”
And she said, “In this church, my husband and I get to go to the temple and we are going to seal our children to us. And I have seven of my eleven kids that are dead. And I want my children with me. This is a woman’s church because it protects me and gives me all of those things.” (Sharon Eubank, Director, Humanitarian Services and LDS Charities, “This is a Woman’s Church”, FairMormon Conference, Provo UT, 8 Aug 2014.
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3. In and out of the Church, Mormon women lead all the time; the influence of their leadership extends far and wide. As a global leader in the Relief Society, Sheri L. Dew taught us in Oct 2001: “Sisters, some will try to persuade you that because you are not ordained to the priesthood, you have been shortchanged. They are simply wrong, and they do not understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. The blessings of the priesthood are available to every righteous man and woman. We may all receive the Holy Ghost, obtain personal revelation, and be endowed in the temple, from which we emerge ‘armed’ with power. The power of the priesthood heals, protects, and inoculates all of the righteous against the powers of darkness. Most significantly, the fulness of the priesthood contained in the highest ordinances of the house of the Lord can be received only by a man and woman together.” (Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society, Chapter 8, “Blessings of the Priesthood for All: An Inseparable Connection with the Priesthood”, Page 128.)
I have learned for myself that women who know and live the gospel of Jesus Christ understand that “the priesthood of God is not owned by or embodied in those who hold it. It is held in a sacred trust to be used for the benefit of men, women and children alike.” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, as quoted in Daughters in My Kingdom, Chapter 8, Page 127.)
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4. Just as Isaac and Rebekah of the Old Testament put a lot of work into ensuring that their son Jacob and his future wife enjoyed the blessings of an eternal marriage (Julie B. Beck, Aug 2009, “Teaching the Doctrine of the Family”), my wife and I have put a lot of work into our marriage and into raising our kids. The two of us together are better than the sum of the two of us separately (Sheri L. Dew, LDS General Conference, Oct 2001, “It Is Not Good for Man or Woman to Be Alone”). As Isaac and Rebekah did, we want to be the man who has the keys and the woman who has the influence, working together as a two-are-better-than-one closely-knit team to see that we are prepared and to bring about the work that God wants us to do, equally yoked in our responsibilities as spouses and parents. “In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers should help one another as equal partners.” (Family Proclamation.)
“The world does not know us, and truth…demands that we speak… We are not inferior to the ladies of the world, and we do not want to appear so.” (Eliza R. Snow, 6 Jan 1870.) While women do not hold the priesthood in the Church of Jesus Christ, women leaders in the Church impact all of us. “The world’s greatest champion of woman and womanhood is Jesus the Christ.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, Page 3.)
Early in her life, my wife, Kim, nurtured a strong desire to be a woman of power and a woman of influence. She decided that she could do that most effectively by choosing to stay at home to raise a family. Her influence on our six adult children and on their families cannot be measured. That is influence; that is power. We are grateful for her wisdom to wield these skills in such a way as to have a true impact on society.
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5. Established in 1842 for women 18 years old and older, the Relief Society is the oldest and largest women’s organization in the world. The motto is “Charity never faileth”. President Julie B. Beck has taught us: “Relief Society should be organized, aligned, and mobilized to strengthen families and help our homes to be sacred sanctuaries from the world. I learned this years ago when I was newly married. My parents, who had been my neighbors, announced that they would be moving to another part of the world… This was before e-mail, fax machines, cell phones, and Web cameras, and mail delivery was notoriously slow. One day before she left, I sat weeping with her and asked, ‘Who will be my mother?’ Mother thought carefully, and with the Spirit and power of revelation which comes to women of this kind, she said to me, ‘If I never come back, if you never see me again, if I’m never able to teach you another thing, you tie yourself to Relief Society. Relief Society will be your Mother.’ Mother knew that if I were sick, the sisters would take care of me, and when I had my babies, they would help me. But my mother’s greatest hope was that the sisters in Relief Society would be powerful, spiritual leaders for me. I began from that time to learn abundantly from women of stature and faith.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, Pages 96-98.)
I have learned that the women of the Relief Society build faith and personal righteousness and help those in need. They have strengthened my family and my home.
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We hope this answers your questions and helps you to understand us better, to understand better how women hold positions of authority in the Church of Jesus Christ and especially how Mormon women lead others, all the time and in all they do.
And let us know how we may help you further! If you find that you have any questions about religious issues that you’ve been wondering about or that you haven’t been able to get good answers to, feel free to continue on discussion with us. It turns out that there are a lot of people with questions, and most of them have given up on churches as a source of answers. In our family, it is our experience that answers are out there, that God wants us to have them, and that they tend to be answers we like and have learned to appreciate. Working together with Heavenly Father allows anyone to find certainty in uncertain times.
-Dave and the MormonPanorama Family
——– End of Post ——–
Bonus Materials:
1. “You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory,” Sheri Dew, President and CEO of Deseret Book Company, BYU Devotional Address, 9 Dec 2003, Read: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=984,
or Watch/Listen:
Reader Question: Last weekend, a friend asked, “In what ways do Mormons serve others in our community?”
Family Answer:
Good question. In our family, and as Mormons, we believe strongly that sincere, honest questions are always a good thing. To gather other answers to this question, we talked to our adult kids, and here are the answers we gathered:
1. Joseph Smith taught us that we are “to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all.” (Times and Seasons, 15 Mar 1842, Page 732.)
2. Here’s an example of how we strive to help others In the Church of Jesus Christ. A handful of women touched the life of a youth named Lynne when her stepfather died. Because she saw these sisters help at a critical time when she was a teenager, Lynne was determined to take her turn to serve when she grew older. As an adult, she shared this story.
“A young mother in my congregation, one of my friends, suddenly lost her only child, a beautiful three-year-old daughter, to an infection that took her life before the doctors were even aware of how serious her illness was. The other counselor and I went to the house as soon as we heard of little Robin’s death. As we approached the screened patio door, we heard the father (who was not a member of our Church) sobbing as he talked long distance to his mother. Looking up, he saw us and, still sobbing, spoke into the phone: ‘It will be all right, Mother. The Mormon women are here.’ My turn once more.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, Chapter 10, “Live Up to Your Privilege”, Page 178.)
3. In our family, we like to serve at the local community kitchen, at an interfaith shelter during the winter, at a senior center, or at a local food warehouse. We want to get out of our comfort zone to rub shoulders with people in our community in a number of ways. I think it’s particularly important to do this with people who aren’t like me. It’s important to us not only to write a check but also to donate our labor free of charge and to make new friends by sharing our time and our conversations.
We hope this answers your question and helps you to understand us better, to understand better how your Mormon neighbors serve in your community, and how you may help them out by serving together.
And let us know how we may help you further! If you find that you have any questions about religious issues that you’ve been wondering about or that you haven’t been able to get good answers to, feel free to continue on discussion with us. It turns out that there are a lot of people with questions, and most of them have given up on churches as a source of answers. In our family, it is our experience that answers are out there, that God wants us to have them, and that they tend to be answers we like and have learned to appreciate. Working together with Heavenly Father allows anyone to find certainty in uncertain times.
There are bishop’s storehouses in many locations around the world.
——– End of Bonus Materials ——–
WebCredits—List of web resources used in this post but not explicitly credited above:
Photo, “What Can You Do For Your Community?”, from “Helping Hands Day Is A Community To Community”, The Davis Enterprise (Davis, California), dated 21 Sep 2014—www. davisenterprise.com/local-news/helping-hands-day-is-a-commitment-to-community/
Photo, “How Can You Have Fun Doing It?”, from “Helping Hands Day Is A Community To Community”, The Davis Enterprise (Davis, California), dated 21 Sep 2014—www. davisenterprise.com/local-news/helping-hands-day-is-a-commitment-to-community/
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