Denk an Mich

 

Denk an Mich Remember Me

Artist: Brent Borup

I’ve been working on learning German this year. In the process, I have gained more knowledge and understanding of my own language and about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Throughout my life, I’ve heard my father say these words to my mother each time he was ready to leave the house—“Denk an mich.” He would hug and kiss her goodbye, and then say, “Denk an mich.”

Some things in German sound so similar to English that I always thought this just meant think about me. It makes sense; and that simple translation that I extracted is not incorrect. But the words “Denk an mich” mean so much more. These words mean, “Remember me.”

I came to this realization while reading Das Buch Mormon – ein weiterer Zeuge für Jesus Christus. I have both the German and the English copies side-by-side when I’m reading, and “denk daran” absolutely means “remember.” Within my mind and heart, this has given rise to many new thoughts, both about my parents’ relationship with each other and my own relationship with Jesus Christ.

I am sure my mother wouldn’t forget my father when he was gone during the daylight hours to work. She’d certainly remember him when he got home. But thinking about someone and his happiness, and serving that person, builds ties and unity, soundness and wholeness and makes us one with that person. That is what makes us remember; not only recalling who that person is, but the deep emotions, loyalty, commitment, and conviction we feel in association with that person. My parents truly grew closer to each other and to God, through conscious thought, planning, serving, and loving. They never forgot how important their spouse was to them, or their God.

Each Sunday I partake of the Sacrament, and I promise to always remember Him (Jesus Christ), so that I can always have His Spirit to be with me (see Moroni 4:3 and Mormon 5:2). Millions of people do this. We cannot fulfill this promise to always remember Him if we don’t think about Him, if we don’t prefer Him, if we don’t consciously plan time to study about Him and serve Him, and honor and love Him. When we prefer to pursue other studies or other entertainment that is not in keeping with the Spirit which He promises we can have with us when we remember Him, then we are actively choosing to not think about Him, His feelings, our covenant relationship with Him and His importance in our lives. We are letting go, and we are forgetting.

The words “Denk daran” and more specifically “Denk an mich” are much more important to me now. I want to remember those who are most important to me: my Heavenly Parents, my Savior Jesus Christ, my husband, my children, my parents, and all my family. Everything hangs on the first two commandments indeed. We need to love our God with all our heart, mind, might, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves (see Matthew 22:37-39). We need to remember that.

We especially to need to remember our covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. If we are not thinking about Him and remembering Him, we will be drifting away and forgetting. “Denk an Ihn.” Think about Him and remember Him. Serve Him. Worship Him. Pray to the Father in Jesus’s name. You’ll remember Him, and He’ll remember you. Your covenant relationship will be blessed with His Spirit.

“For how knoweth a man the Master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart” (Mosiah 5:13)?

“Denk an Mich.”

Denk Stets An Mich

My Mask is a Matter of Faith

I want to put something out here which is a principle of faith for me, and it really doesn’t have anything to do with politics.

A Matter of Faith

If you do not agree with my opinion, please just carry on. I am not here to debate “Stars on Thars” (see The Sneetches).

As a Latter-day Saint Christian (I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), I believe in modern day revelation and prophets. Certainly the Lord has revealed His will for His children through the prophets throughout the history of this earth. In this modern day, the prophet often speaks to us through written letter. I give it as my opinion that he does not pass onto the membership of the Church and the people of this world trivial opinion. Why would he? He gives us council to bless our lives currently and in the future.

The Lord has told us that all His commandments are spiritual. Certainly many of them pertain to us as physical beings and are there for our physical safety; but, if we adhere to what the Lord asks us to do, we will receive spiritual blessings that otherwise are unavailable to us (see D&C 29:34-35).

This year we have been studying the Doctrine and Covenants. The Lord tells us in the first section, “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38). Because of my understanding, knowledge, and testimony of this, and because I firmly believe what President Woodruff said concerning the Manifesto (“The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty”), I choose to follow the prophet. (see Official Declaration 1)

When the world was waiting for the Covid vaccination to become available, and then when it became available, I did not want to get it. I was pretty adamant about not getting it. I did not want it. I did not trust it. And then the prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, encouraged us to get it (see Church's Stand on Vaccinations . I still didn’t want it, but I wanted to be true to my conviction to follow the prophet. So I made the appointment to get it. With misgivings still, I trusted that what I was doing was for my spiritual well being, and that was by far more important to me than any fear or any pride. (It doesn’t matter that our prophet is a retired world reknowned heart surgeon to me; that is not what influenced my choice. I count him as a prophet of God, and I want to stay in favor with my Heavenly Father.)

When the state mandate was lifted and we no longer had to wear masks if we had been vaccinated, I was ready to never put on a mask again. I cherish the freedom of not wearing one, and I like to see others’ faces and smiles. Then recently the prophet (The First Presidency) wrote us a new letter (see First Presidency Urges). This is the middle paragraph in the short letter, “To limit exposure to these viruses, we urge the use of face masks in public meetings whenever social distancing is not possible. To provide personal protection from such severe infections, we urge individuals to be vaccinated. Available vaccines have proven to be both safe and effective.”

Those words are from a prophet of God. We can all weigh them and take them as we may; but once again, I don’t think the prophet is spending his time with trivial matters. If he wrote us a letter, it’s got to be important. The word “urge” is strong, and it was used twice. I choose to listen as if to the voice of the Lord with the promise that I will not be led astray. So when I am in meetings or hallways of meetings where I cannot social distance, I will be putting on a mask.

I was vaccinated and I am wearing a mask when in close quarters with others (with whom I’m not regularly with) because I was asked to do so by a prophet of God. I believe His words and I trust His prophets.

Moroni 10: The Exhortations, the Blessings, and Gained Understanding

I love the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Today I finished reading The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. There is much to be gained in the final chapter, written by the prophet Moroni, in the way of understanding our responsibilities and the blessings we can receive. I have compiled the following list from Moroni chapter 10. I love the messages of this sacred testament of scripture. Nothing can be lost through reading it, and everything can be gained. Thank you for taking the time to read this list. I hope you feel inspired to read the book. 

A.      The exhortations:

1.       Read the Book of Mormon

2.       Remember how merciful the Lord has always been to the children of men

3.       Remember to ponder the words that you read in your heart

4.       Ask with a sincere heart and with real intent, having faith in Jesus Christ.

5.       Don’t deny the power of God.

6.       Exercise faith in God.

7.       Don’t deny the gifts of God.

8.       Remember that every good gift comes of Christ (because of Him)

9.       Remember that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever

10.   Remember that these spiritual gifts will never be done away

11.   Remember that if we are not seeing spiritual gifts that it is because of unbelief

12.    Have faith; You must develop faith (and help others to as well)

13.   Have hope; You must develop hope (and help others to as well)

14.   Have charity; You must develop charity (and help others to as well)

15.   Remember all these admonitions from Moroni (and the other prophets)

16.   Come unto Christ

17.   Lay hold upon every good gift

18.   Touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing

19.   Awake and arise from the dust

20.   Put on your beautiful garments (go to the temple)

21.   Strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever (build and establish Zion, invite everyone)

22.   Come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him

23.   Deny yourselves of all ungodliness

24.   Love God with all of your might and strength

25.   Do not deny the power of God

B.      The blessings:

1.       God will manifest truth to us by the power of the Holy Ghost. By the power of the Holy Ghost we can know the truth of all things.

2.       You can know that Jesus Christ lives and is the Son of God by the power of the Holy Ghost.

3.       God works by power according to the faith of His children.

4.        Our gifts come from God.

5.        Gifts are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God to us, for our profit. 

              A List of God’s Gifts to His Children: which are given by the Spirit of God:
              a.  To be able to teach the word of wisdom
              b.  To be able to teach the word of knowledge
              c. Exceedingly great faith
              d.  Gifts of healing
              e.  To work mighty miracles
              f. The gift of prophecy: to be able to prophesy concerning all things
              g. The beholding (or to see) of angels and ministering spirits
              h. The gift to speak in all kinds of tongues (to know many languages)
              i. The gift of interpretation (to be able to interpret and decipher different languages 
                   and tongues

6.       All these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ

7.        Jesus gives every man several gifts according to His will

8.       If we have faith, we can do all things which are expedient to Jesus

9.       If we build and establish Zion, we will no more be confounded

10.   If we build and establish Zion, the covenants of the Eternal Father, which He has made with us (O house of Israel) will all be fulfilled

11.   If we deny ourselves of all ungodliness, and if we love God with all our might, mind and strength, then His grace will be sufficient for us

12.   By Jesus’s grace we may become perfect in Him

13.   If by the grace of God we are perfect in Christ, we will not be able to deny the power of God

14.   If by God’s grace we are perfect in Christ, and we don’t deny His power, then we will be sanctified in Christ by God’s grace, through the shedding of the blood of Christ

15.   The atonement of Jesus Christ and the shedding of His blood is the covenant of the Father unto the remission of our sins, so that we can become holy and without spot

C.      Further Understanding:

1.       All things that are good are just and true.

2.        Everything that is good witnesses of Jesus Christ

3.        God is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever

4.       All good gifts come from the same God, our Father

5.       These gifts are administered in different ways.

6.       Without charity, you cannot be saved in the kingdom of God

7.        Faith, hope and charity prepare us for the kingdom of God

8.        Despair comes from losing hope because of iniquity (either yours or someone else’s)

9.        If the power and gifts of God are done away among us, it is because of unbelief

10.    If there is even one person that does good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God

11.   Our state will be terrible if we do away with godliness in our own lives

12.   Moroni’s words and those of all the prophets proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God, to all generations

13.   The atonement of Jesus Christ and the shedding of His blood is the covenant of the Father unto the remission of our sins, so that we can become holy and without spot

14.   God will show everyone that Moroni’s words (and the words of all the prophets) are true

15.   Moroni entered into his rest in the paradise of God

16.   Moroni has been resurrected

17.   We will meet Moroni one day and be accountable for the light and truth that he’s imparted to us

18.   We will also be resurrected and stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an accounting of how we accepted His words through His prophets

Please read my post from an earlier Reading of Moroni 10: I Would Exhort You.

Remembering is a Good Choice

What is it that You Will Choose to Remember This Day?

We all remember the scenes of devastation and sorrow. 

Do we remember the love? Do we remember the kindness?
Do we remember the humanity and the selfless service
of those who gave their all to save a stranger?

After 9-11, individuals and families all across our nation
chose to remember God and to remember Country.
Is that a choice for you today?
Are you still attending your Church?
Are you still displaying your flag?
Do you still have hope
for yourself, your children, and our Country?

The Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance.
Are we remembering to express gratitude to those we love,
to our family and friends?
Are we remembering to show kindness to strangers?
Are we remembering to give thanks,
praising God, and giving Him the glory?

We can choose to see evil every day,
because it is here and we can see it.

We can also choose to see love every day,
because it is here and we can be a part of it.
We can create it.

We clearly mean it when we say, “We will never forget.”
But what exactly is it that we are choosing to remember.
Will our memories make a difference to us?
Will our actions make a difference for others?

We can’t forget the insidious actions of hatred
that have taken innocent lives, on 9-11 and throughout history;
and how those cruel deeds caused pain and damage
to loved ones that is ongoing. 

But do those actions make a more indelible mark 

on our souls than the goodness that is witnessed 

during those very times? 

Light always shines through, 

and our choices can make it overpower the darkness 

in our own hearts, minds, and lives.
With that light,
we can make a difference in the lives of others.

Jesus is the Light of the World, 

and it is only through remembering Him 

that we can experience everlasting peace and everlasting life.

He died for all humanity, 

our failures, our mistakes, and even our hate.

He lives for all of us, too. 

He is the Way. He is our Bread. He is our salvation. 

Through Him our lives can again have meaning and direction. 

With His love, He provided hope for all. 

His invitation is, “Come, follow Me.”

Do we remember to find ways to 

recognize and remember God’s kindness?

What will you choose to remember today?

A scripture verse:

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the
rock of our Redeemer,
who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation;
that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea,
his shafts in the whirlwind,
yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you,
it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built,
which is a sure foundation,
a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Helaman 5:12

A message from an apostle:

O Remember, Remember

Joy Comes in the Morning

This life is indeed a period of testing. Like Mother Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient” (Moses 5:11). Sometimes that testing really pushes us beyond what we believe our limits are. Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ are not impaired with limits or by our limits; and, with Them we can experience joy in the morning; not just in the millennial day, or in the resurrection, but every day (see Psalm 30:5 ).  

Last evening was full of pain and sorrow. It was also full of faith and love. I'd like to thank the brother from the ward who came to give my daughter a blessing along with her Dad. I'd like to thank the man in the lobby of the ER, who saw my distress in the long wait for her to be admitted; who asked if he could pray with me, then grabbed my hand and said a heart-felt faithful prayer of hope and healing; and then he helped increase our faith by sharing his testimony and personal experiences of deliverance found in Jesus Christ and His word.  I'd like to thank the many people who have blessed our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren with their goodness.

I would also like to thank the loud lady in the ER, who was distressed and alone, and just wanted someone to share her grief, pain, and sorrow. In taking the time to talk and pray with her, I had the opportunity to extend the Savior’s faith and love to another, just as others had done for me and my family all evening.

My daughter was at that limit last night. Her pain was so severe. And yet, because of the faith and love and kindness of those already mentioned and all those others who are supporting us with their prayers; because of Jesus’s infinite intercessory prayer, and because of our Father’s great love for all of us, her burden was lightened, her pain was eased, and she found rest; long before she was given the IV fluids with pain medication.

I just finished reading President Nelson’s conference talk from October 1986. What a hopeful message of joy he shared with his own family, to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and which is still being shared with anyone in the world who would like to read it, who loves to find joy in the morning. Here’s the link: Joy Cometh in the Morning.

When Robby was born 25 years ago, our hearts were full of joy and sadness. It is amazing to me how the Lord blesses us richly with both simultaneously. We had looked forward to this treasured son with joyful anticipation, and then we said goodbye to him with quiet and unrelenting grief.

Robby’s birth, and death; Robby’s life, his immortal soul and spirit, richly blessed and solidified our family and our testimonies. His few short days with us, growing in my womb and looking intently at us in the hospital room were a testament of our Father’s love and goodness. Robby was an angel sent from God to us, and he continues to be our angel child.

It is our testimony that the hospital where Robby was born and passed away was holy ground that day. His spirit was there. The Spirit of the Lord was there. Ancestors (and probably posterity) were there. The love of the Lord was felt strongly. The compassion or the hospital staff was remarkable. Ward members surrounded us with love. The Spirit embraced us in love. There could have been no greater peace. The Lord’s promises are sure.

With empty arms, we went home. We learned to not keep our arms empty, but to love our children here more; and to love all children more. Life has become more precious and sweet. Whisperings from heaven have become more treasured and sacred. Our goal to persevere and remain faithful has become more solidified, because we want to be with Robby again, as we do with all of our family members.

Had Robby’s mission been to stay and grow to adulthood, he would be turning 25 on 8 February 2018. Heavenly Father’s plan was for Robby to return home to heaven. That temporary loss still saddens us at times, but we have faith in our Father’s Plan.

This year I would like to invite you to celebrate Robby’s birth with us. It would me a lot to me if you do. I’m not asking you to donate money to a charitable cause; but if that is what you choose to do, that is wonderful.

What I’d like, as a gift to Robby and his parents and family who have missed him, is for you to notice the children around you. Please think of something special you can do for a child. Whether it is taking him or her sledding, or baking cookies, or teaching him how to fly a kite, or reading a story with her; please spend some time in February showing your love to children.

Life is precious. This life is short; but, eternity is our promise. Love is everlasting.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Robby.

Sometimes It's Good to Let Go

Sometimes It's Good to Let Go: Sunday Reflections

I look back on my life, and I have led a pretty good life. I have treated other people with kindness and given them the benefit of the doubt. I have made my mistakes, certainly, but I have done what I can to make things right and to seek forgiveness and be forgiving. I feel good about that.

There’s a lot of jealousy in this world, a lot of nit-picking and grudge-holding. Life is much too short for that. It seems like sometimes we must want someone else to pay for our hurts; and that is just so unnecessary, because Jesus has already done that. That’s a good thing to remember. Because Jesus paid for our mistakes already, we should be ready and willing, quickly and frequently, to not ask payment from anyone else, but to forgive those who we consider to be our debtors. We should stop keeping score and free each other.

We continually are meeting new people, making associations, and breaking connections, because we are moving, and learning and growing. Most of the time, the people I’ve been close to have stayed near and dear and close to my heart and I have to theirs as well. But time and distance do move us apart sometimes, both in life and in death. That’s okay. We know that our friendships and our family connections are intact, and when we see each other again, we’ll pick up right where we left off, and continue writing our story together.

But those other relationships, what about those? I mean the strained ones, those who are estranged from us. Sometimes, try as we might, things seem beyond repair. Even if we have love in our hearts, their philosophy may differ from ours. The best thing we can then do is take inventory of our own selves. Are we honest with ourselves and before the Lord? Have we done what is needful and necessary? Are we holding on to the good memories and keeping those alive, instead of festering our wounds? I have found it helpful to remember the good feelings associated with the memories of the good times had together in the past. If it is impossible for us to have a relationship currently, I can savor the past relationship in my memory and wait for the day when things may again be restored.

But I don’t have to force that. It’s a hard thing to accept our ability to be whole without the acceptance and approval of some people in our lives. But with the Lord, all things are possible. He is our help, our support, and our salvation. It is only through Him that we are ever made whole. So trusting in Him, in His timing, and in His loving care becomes the new focus of what is needful and necessary. You can’t make someone think highly of you, nor should you have to. And you don’t have to prove anyone wrong in order to feel right. That kind of right is pride. Being right with the Lord is a quiet humility, and something that I am going to diligently seek after.

These are my thoughts at the end of this Sabbath day. They have been helpful to me. I hope that they will be useful to someone else.

Have a good week. Have a good life!