Fifteenth Week--The Binghams Visit!

April 22, 2012 Sunday--Fifteenth Sunday

Hooray for the Binghams!  They all came to our little branch in North Lake today, and filled it out considerably!  There were 23 people in attendance, eight of whom were of the Bingham clan.  All the Branch members were so happy to have new faces, and to hear new speakers.

First Jalin spoke on finding the positive in life.  Some of her remarks were based on President Uchtdorf’s address, “The Merciful Obtain Mercy,” from the April 2012 General Conference.  “When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:  Stop it!”

She touched on the October 2011 General Conference address of Elder Carl B. Cook, “It is Better To Look Up,” relating this story:

“At the end of a particularly tiring day toward the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” I left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down and I stared blankly at the floor.

“The door opened and someone entered, but I didn’t look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.

“I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.” (I’m sure that clever response inspired confidence in my abilities!)

“But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!” As we traveled down one more level, he cheerfully explained that he was on his way to the temple. When he bid me farewell, his parting glance spoke again to my heart, “Now, remember, it is better to look up.”

“As we parted, the words of a scripture came to mind: “Believe in God; believe that he is … ; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth.”¹
As I thought of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s power, my heart found the comfort I had sought in vain from the floor of that descending elevator.”

The gist of her message was:  “If you look for the negative, you’ll find it.  If you look for the positive, you’ll find it.”

Brett spoke on faith, and how we acquire it.  “Everyone in attendance at church has some level of faith.  How do we know how strong our faith is?”

He read the words of the hymn, “Be Still, My Soul,” which is a beautiful message about living our lives by faith.  "Being still" means that we focus on what will help us feel the Spirit, and shut out those things that don’t.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 12:6)

6  And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

(New Testament | Romans 8:25)

25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

"We don’t always receive answers to our prayers right away; sometimes we have to wait--even a long time--for the answer.  We continue to learn and continue to ask."

He quoted President Monson’s talk in the April 2012 General Conference, in which he told this story:

During World War II, in the early part of 1944, an experience involving the priesthood took place as United States marines were taking Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands and located in the Pacific Ocean about midway between Australia and Hawaii. What took place in this regard was related by a correspondent—not a member of the Church—who worked for a newspaper in Hawaii. In the 1944 newspaper article he wrote following the experience, he explained that he and other correspondents were in the second wave behind the marines at Kwajalein Atoll. As they advanced, they noticed a young marine floating facedown in the water, obviously badly wounded. The shallow water around him was red with his blood. And then they noticed another marine moving toward his wounded comrade. The second marine was also wounded, with his left arm hanging helplessly by his side. He lifted up the head of the one who was floating in the water in order to keep him from drowning. In a panicky voice he called for help. The correspondents looked again at the boy he was supporting and called back, “Son, there is nothing we can do for this boy.”

“Then,” wrote the correspondent, “I saw something that I had never seen before.” This boy, badly wounded himself, made his way to the shore with the seemingly lifeless body of his fellow marine. He “put the head of his companion on his knee. … What a picture that was—these two mortally wounded boys—both … clean, wonderful-looking young men, even in their distressing situation. And the one boy bowed his head over the other and said, ‘I command you, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the priesthood, to remain alive until I can get medical help.’” The correspondent concluded his article: “The three of us [the two marines and I] are here in the hospital. The doctors don’t know [how they made it alive], but I know.”¹¹

Miracles are everywhere to be found when the priesthood is understood, its power is honored and used properly, and faith is exerted. When faith replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass His purposes.

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The five extra children of the Binghams--plus two other visiting children--made a full Primary, which was a welcome change.  Brandon’s presence doubled the youth Sunday School class.

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Their favorite spot.

So exhausted!

Lane and I visited again a couple we met last week and had a really wonderful visit with:  Dave and Angie.  They are both facing surgery this coming week, and wished for priesthood blessings, which Lane and President Tobiasson were glad to oblige them with.  They have an oasis in the desert, for certain--Christmas Valley is a very dry place.  There are two outside dogs, and four inside dogs, who are rescue Chihuahuas.  We got a few pictures of them this time.

We find that some of the less-active members whose children are growing up are becoming more and more concerned with what they are learning, in a social and cultural (behavioral and moral) sense, at school.  With daughters their concern is greatest.  We have had more than one parent express alarm at the ideology their children are bringing home.  This is causing them to turn to religion, seeing that education about God and His commandments is really the only thing to offset this indoctrination.  Two families have expressed the desire that their daughters be involved in church.

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Sometimes I wonder.  The Saints in the newly-restored Church in this dispensation often sat for hours listening to Joseph Smith expound the scriptures, the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and heavenly things.  We don't seem able to sit for twenty minutes without fidgeting when listening to someone speak or teach a lesson, regardless of how enlightening it is.  Why is that?  Is it because, in our world today, speech--words--are too, too plentiful, so that we always are surfeited with them?  In that case, it would be good to incorporate times of silence into our lives, wouldn't it?

Fourteenth Week: Branch Conference

April 15, 2012 Sunday

Today was the North Lake Branch Conference.  The Stake leaders of quorums and auxiliaries turned out en masse.  There were about thirty-eight people in our little meetinghouse, which fills it to capacity.  I believe there were two vacant seats.  A family came which had not been attending for a couple of months.

Presidents Goodrich, Rau, and Kinkade.

Primary Presidency:  Sisters Orton, Robbins, and Gardemann.

Stake and Branch Relief Society Presidencies:  Sisters Marrs, Ozrelic, Cooke, Savage, Freeman, and Tobiasson.

The Stake Presidency attended, as well as the new Stake executive secretary, Brother Stevens.  The Stake Relief Society Presidency attended, as well as the Stake RS Secretary.  The Stake Primary Presidency attended.  The 1^st Counselor and the Secretary of the Stake Young Women were present.  All the Stake Young Men Presidency were there, as well as some or all of the Stake Sunday School Presidency.

President Rau was quite ill, and probably shouldn’t have come, but he wanted to see with his own eyes how things were, and we honor him for that, and pray for his health to return very soon.

In speaking to President Goodrich, we were happy to hear that his wife is doing better, and her problems with cancer seem to be behind her; she is now recuperating, and we will pray for her as we have been doing, and hope for the best.

Speakers in Sacrament Meeting were President Tobiasson, who spoke of having the faith to “look up”, and believe that we can fulfill the positions we are called to; Marcia Orton of the Stake Primary Presidency, who spoke on the importance of keeping the Sacrament sacred, the symbolism of it, and how we do it; and President Kinkade, who spoke on what it means to be righteous.

Next came gospel doctrine, taught by Lane Johnson.  The subject was The Allegory of the Olive Tree.  Here is his outline of Jacob chapter 5:

The Allegory of the Olive Tree

The meaning of The Allegory of the Olive Tree is the scattering and gathering of Israel.  I believe not very many members of the Church understand the importance of “The House of Israel” in the Church and in their own salvation.  So many have struggled to understand this allegory.  My testimony is that, if you don’t understand it, ask the one who inspired it in the first place:  Our Heavenly Father.  I promise that, if you go to Him with faith that He really will give you an answer, and with an urgent desire to know (not just obedience to prompting from a teacher, as an exercise to see if it really works, but a hunger to know), He will manifest the meaning of it to you.  It happened to me; why can’t it happen to you?

 I will include here the notes in my margins of Jacob 5:

Verse 3:  The founding and aging of the House of Israel.

Verses 4-14:  The First Visit.  The scattering of the House of Israel (beginning with The Captivities).

Verses 15-28:  The day of the former-day Saints (the time of Christ and shortly afterward).

Verse 25:  The Nephites and the Lamanites.

Verse 28:  End of the First Visit.

Verses 29-49:  The Great Apostasy.

Verse 36:  The roots are the Abrahamic Covenant.

Verse 40:  The branch that had withered and died:  the end of the Nephites.

Verse 44:  The Jaredites (see verse 25).

Verse 48:  "The loftiness of the vineyard":  The Day of the Gentiles.

Verses 50-74:  The Gathering of the House of Israel.

Verse 61:  The organization of The Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days.

Verse 70:  " . . . and they were few."  Just prior to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  See 1 Nephi 14:12.

Verse 71:  See Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-16.

Verses 74-76:  The Millennium.

Verse 77:  The Judgment and the End of the World.

To understand this allegory, we must think of the mingling of peoples.  Populations are always on the move; people will mingle one way or another.  If you look up the words “disperse(d),” “scatter(ed),” and “sift(ed)” in the Topical Guide of our scriptures, you will find that the Lord warned the House of Israel many times, through the mouths of prophets, that, if they didn’t obey His laws, He would scatter them among all nations.  This prophecy was fulfilled, beginning with the Assyrian Captivity of the Northern Kingdom (also known as “Israel” or “Ephraim”) in 721 B.C. and the Babylonian Captivity of the Southern Kingdom (also known as “Judah”) in 587 B.C.  Only a tithe of the Babylonian Captivity ever returned to Canaan to once again build the temple and again establish themselves as the people of the covenant.  The rest--including all of the Northern Kingdom--were dispersed, over the centuries between then and now (through migrations, wars, and all the other ways peoples become dispersed), throughout all the peoples of the world, in fulfillment of prophecy.  This fulfills the cryptic line in the Abrahamic Covenant, found in Pearl of Great Price--Abraham 2:11:

11   And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.

The Lord is not talking about adoption into the House of Israel here, and he makes that plain by the very inclusion of this clause that I’ve highlighted, leaving no doubt as to His meaning.  This gives us to know that the blood of Israel was intended to be mingled with the blood of all nations, so that, when the Gospel was restored, and the Gathering was to take place, all people on the face of the earth would be the literal seed of Abraham, and could rightfully inherit the priesthood as the Kingdom of God was established.  President Brigham Young said:

“We are now [1863] gathering the children of Abraham who have come through the loins of Joseph and his sons, more especially through Ephraim, whose children are mixed among all the nations of the earth (DBY, 437).

“Israel is dispersed among all the nations of the earth; the blood of Ephraim is mixed with the blood of all the earth. Abraham’s seed is mingled with the rebellious seed through the whole world of mankind (DBY, 437).

“Those islanders [of the Pacific] and the natives of [America] are of the House of Israel—of the seed of Abraham, and to them pertain the promise; and every soul of them, sooner or later, will be saved in the Kingdom of God, or be destroyed root and branch (DBY, 437)” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church--Brigham Young, p. 325)

Beginning around 1492, in Columbus and others discovering the Americas and other new lands where native peoples were, God was positioning things so that, when the time came for the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and His Church, to be restored to the earth, the House of Israel were in a position to be recognized among and within the Gentile Nations which were populating these new lands (of which were the Lord’s chosen leaders in establishing His Kingdom in the last days), and also among the native peoples.  The Gathering had already begun when Joseph went into the grove to pray.  It simply needed to be recognized that it had.

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Relief Society sisters had the privilege of being taught by our Stake RS President, Sister Cooke, whose effervescence and ability to draw everyone out and into the heart of the topic made the lesson--“The Immortality of the Soul”--come alive with deeper meaning.  She was training us at the same time, with Elder Bednar’s method of teaching, in which the Holy Ghost works through both the teacher and the learner, and both have a responsibility to have prepared by reading the lesson and praying about it.  Then the learner can be an active participant, and others can learn through this instrumentality as well as through the teacher’s words.

We learned that in this life we are right in the middle of eternity.  Different thought; we often think of “eternity” as something we will have or inherit after we die.  How important it is, knowing this, to make the decisions and pursue the course that will bring us to the best possible state of eternity--the Celestial Kingdom--in the next life.

This has been a long post.  It’s as I said:  this one is much more positive.

Until next time . . .

New visits.

April 14, 2012 Saturday

Lane and I travelled to Christmas Valley on Friday, and made a few phone calls and a visit, but no contact was made with anyone.  Saturday, we make our plans, having prayed all week for guidance as to whom to visit this week, and how to reach them.  Then we set out.

We, for once, had good success in finding people at home.  First, we had a brief but very amiable visit with a woman who runs a home for the elderly; she has four of these special residents right now, and she is known for taking good care of them.  Each time we’ve been there, everything is clean and orderly.  This woman seemed glad to see us, and accepted our offer of the Ensign magazine, as well as wanting to receive the branch newsletter by e-mail.  Unfortunately, her husband has been diagnosed with cancer, and she is facing the possibility of a big change in the near future.

An attempt to visit a sister who had knee surgery was not fruitful in being able to see her--because we didn’t; she was in bed resting at that time.  However, we did get to speak to her three grandsons, who are special boys.  We encouraged them to return to activity and told them we miss them and the rest of the branch does, too.  I hope they do come back; what a waste if they don’t!

We ferreted out a couple about our age who haven’t been active in their church attendance for some years.  We had heard this and that about death in the family and illness, etc.  Driving into the yard, we were met by three dogs:  a red heeler, a border collie, and a huge brown dog of unspecified origin--all friendly.  Since we like dogs, we were petting them when a woman came out of the door and into the yard, asking if she could help us.  We introduced ourselves and were asked in.

Beautifully-decorated and elegant but homey was the impression we received as four Chihuahua/Chihuahua-mix rescue dogs escorted us through the kitchen and dining area to the living room.  Settling ourselves down, we were amused by the procedures these little ones went through until they decided we were friends.  First, three of them (all white ones) stood by our hostess’ legs, one on each side, the third lying at her feet.  The pose of the two side-guards as they sat on their haunches and looked at the front one lying down reminded one strangely of Egyptian Maus in ancient art.  Later on, when our host reared back in the recliner, those three all poured into his lap, and I wished I had brought my camera, as they sat looking at us with their bright, dark eyes and piquant faces.

The fourth Chihuahua was a long-haired, smoke-colored male.  He smelled Phoebe on my clothes, and had to investigate every inch of them, so he was my friend for the entire stay.

This brother had, in his younger days, been a truck driver hauling nitroglycerin for certain mining operations.  He told us some hair-raising tales.

This visit was the high point of our weekend.  We can’t describe how pleasant and welcoming these two were.  Health problems and upcoming surgeries are going to be a worry for a little while, and we were happy to have been able to find out these things beforehand, so we could offer the blessings available through the Priesthood, and also through Relief Society ministering.

Faith and Sacrifice in Africa

The faithfulness of the African Saints touches the heart!  Look at this post from Grant and Gaye Gunderson's blog:
http://gundersonsamission.blogspot.com/2012/04/march-molweni-swaziland-yw-camp.html

Thirteenth Week--bad luck

Thirteenth Week:

This is not going to be a positive, upbeat post; since the upcoming Sunday is the North Lake Branch Conference, and we will have the Stake leaders visiting, something good will no doubt happen, and my next post will have better news.

This past Easter Sunday in the North Lake Branch was very discouraging.  We were only nine, which included part of the Tobiasson household, one single sister, and ourselves.  The couple who had been assigned to speak in Sacrament Meeting and teach the lessons in Priesthood Meeting and Relief Society called Saturday night to say they wouldn’t be to church, due to having to visit with guests before they left.

Therefore . . . for Sacrament Meeting, President Tobiasson read an article from the Ensign--and managed to give it life and testify of the principle being taught, even so. 

Lane taught a good gospel doctrine lesson, covering parts of Jacob chapters 1-4, regarding two unrighteous behaviors that were beginning to be common among the people of Nephi at that time:  first, seeking for riches and worldly things, and second, indulging in whoredoms (unrighteous sexual practices).

Jacob 1:15-16  And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.

16  Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.

Lane talked about the responsibility of those who hold the Priesthood, and noted Jacob’s statement in Jacob 1:17 - 19:

17  Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the temple, having first obtained mine errand from the Lord.

18  For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi.

19  And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.

This responsibility has always been attendant on those holding the Priesthood.  This is plain to those who have been endowed in the temple.  He particularly clarified what is meant by the blood of the people being on their garments, in verse 19.

Priesthood and Relief Society were largely foregone, because there was nobody prepared to give a lesson in either.  So--this brings me to note another “unrighteous behavior” that is growing in the Church, not to mention the general population:  that of refusing to take responsibility, at the root of which is not caring.

The first time I witnessed somebody who had the responsibility of teaching a class just not showing up, without getting a substitute, was in Finland, on our mission.  I remember how stunned I was; how everyone in that class was at sea until someone stepped up and took over some sort of gospel teaching related to what we were supposed to be studying.  You feel like a group without a leader, a ship without a rudder.  Everyone looks at everyone else, hoping that someone will take charge.  Usually someone does.  But this behavior is wearing, not only on the leaders that depend on people and then, when those people don’t come through, have to step in themselves with some sort of program at the last minute . . . but it’s also wearing on the members of the group, who more and more frequently, as this happens, feel the lack of order, lack of organization, chaos, lack of caring, and, as a result, absence of the Holy Spirit.

It has caused me, many times, to evaluate my own dedication to the Lord and His Church.  Are these things the most important things to me?

How do we regard the callings we’ve been given?  Do we think of them as only a way to keep busy while in church, a way to make us feel like we belong?  Have we imbibed the sickness that has gotten hold of our society in the past two generations--egocentrism, i.e. “it's all about me”?  If this is all our callings are to us, then we can see why it would be so easy to say, “I’ve got something else to do today, more important.  I can’t go to church.”  But then why would we not get a substitute?  Do we think of our callings as so very optional and unimportant to all the others they affect that we believe they won’t even notice if we don’t show up--to teach the class, for instance (how could this not be noticed)?  This seems most incredible, so I think it more likely that anyone doing this didn’t think of that at all.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are those who care a great deal.  Those who are dedicated can be seen, in their place always, ready to serve the Lord--and these are the people who have to take up the slack left by those who drop out of doing their duty, and carry a heavier burden.

More and more, I see the importance of doing what our Church leaders have instructed, in conferences and other media, and in every manual created for the Church, and that is that gospel teaching must go on in Church meetings.  There are many who go to church to be spiritually fed.  If they are disappointed in this even at church, will they keep coming?  Frankly, Lane and I have wondered about inviting a non-member to church in the branch:  what will that person experience?  Will they wish to come again?  I’m afraid the answer might be no.

Something’s got to give.  You know the saying:  “the night is darkest just before the dawn” . . . or “in every cloud there’s a silver lining.”  I believe it.  For those willing to sacrifice for the good of the rest, blessings will come.

I know there are those praying for us, and we truly appreciate it more than we can say.  Please continue to do so.

At least it's Spring, and the flowers are blooming. . .

Until next time . . .

General Conference Again

Saturday, March 31, 2012   General Conference again!

Today we heard some of the best addresses I remember.  How acute Elder Hallstrom’s words were in pointing out the difference between “The Church” and “The Gospel”:  how it’s possible to be active in “The Church,” while being less-active in “The Gospel.”

Thoughts I have had in the past few years, regarding General Conference, came to my mind today as I watched the morning session.  My memories of General Conference go back to my early childhood, living in the west part of the Salt Lake Valley.  My father’s family are descendants of Mormon Pioneers, and I grew up in the Church, as well as the gospel, although my father was (as he said) the “black sheep of the family,” and didn’t respond very well to the Gospel message.  My mother, a convert soon after she and my father were married, was the diligent one, making sure she took us to church--for which I will be eternally grateful.

For General Conference, I have clear memories of my mother having us dress in our good clothes to watch it on television.  I was going to say she “made” us dress in good clothes, but that seemed inaccurate, since there was no thought of rebellion against doing it.  Why have us dress this way?  Many people today would think this was going a bit too far, being too rigid.  I don’t think so.  I’m glad she did this, because it taught us respect for our leaders in the Church, and the importance of General Conference.  I remember the reverent feeling in the living room as we watched conference, and that stays with me today.  I wouldn’t want it any other way.  Thank you, mother, for this, too.

Growing up, I was aware that Conference was held in that large, domed building on Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City:  the Tabernacle.  I had been to Temple Square a good many times, and had even been in the Tabernacle.  I asked, at some point, why we didn’t go downtown to General Conference like the people we saw on television.  The answer my parents gave was that many people travelled from far places around the world to attend, and that we should leave the seats for them.

That was all right with me, and so I had never been to General Conference in person . . . until six months ago.

At the beginning of last year, I thought I’d like to attend Conference in person just once.  I made it a goal for 2011.  We didn’t go in April, and when September came around and tickets were being handed out, I asked for a couple.

My good husband went along with it, although attending General Conference was “old hat” to him, since he had attended every session for many years while he was an editor for the Ensign magazine.  He knew, better than I, what crowds there were to deal with--and even he had not ever attended in the new Conference Center.

Oh my!  Yes, the crowds were unbelievable, but what really amazed me was the control with which they were handled, at every point, and how streamlined everything was.  There were missionaries, old and young, and others, pressed into service to guide those attending to wherever they should go.  Signs helped also to guide people to the right places.  And I never saw anyone connected with the procedure display anything but a smiling countenance and a friendly and helpful attitude.  There was one person who had quite lost control:  a young man who was part of an anti-Mormon demonstration just outside the north gate of Temple Square.

Once we were in our seats, it was just the feeling of being there that overcame me so powerfully.  Latter-day Saints, when together and one, have a great deal of power.

I was reminded of the parable Jesus told of the man who requested family and friends to a special dinner, but, when the time came, they all sent back excuses.  The man told his servants to go out and gather up the poorest people and invite them.  Well, we saw two things:

1.    to attend General Conference at Temple Square seems to be a date event for young adults;

2.    many people came without tickets, hoping for seats when all who had tickets were in their seats; thirty minutes before the meeting began, these hopefuls were allowed to take whatever seats were left.

I felt very privileged to have this experience.  I always, these days, remember the great sacrifices of the early pioneers to build the Temple, and to build up the Kingdom, and how we benefit from their efforts.  It’s not something to take for granted.

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Well, now that General Conference is over, the feeling of being overwhelmed spiritually is strong.  I hope to retain this feeling until I have listened and/or read all the talks again.  Although our leaders don’t preach with fire and brimstone, and don’t denounce secular leaders or movements, what they do say is powerful, and the weapons against the Adversary and his forces are in them.  We are very blessed to have these leaders.

I was sorry to see the General Relief Society Presidency go; I had grown to love and respect them so much.  However, I feel assured that the new presidency will prove to be as equal to the task as the old.

I identified two themes in this conference:

1.    We were encouraged to seek the gifts of the Spirit;

2.    We were warned against yielding to the reasonings of secularism/secular atheism, and the attendant suffering of our faith in Jesus Christ.

Another theme was to reconcile with family members or anyone else we have occasion against, and repent/forgive.

Elder Scott testified how close our dead loved ones are to us, and aware of us.

I truly think there was something wonderful in every one of the addresses.