Family Sabbath Observance

This is a talk that I gave in Sacrament Meeting on 9 August 2015:

After God created the world, He rested on the seventh day. This became the Sabbath. During this time, Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. So the Garden of Eden was not only a place, it was a time. It was a day of rest, worship, spiritual instruction, and learning, before Adam and Eve were sent out to face the lone and dreary world together.

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Genesis 2:2–3).

Once Adam and Eve left the garden, they continued to follow God's commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy.

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

“Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

“But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

After the children of Israel were led out of Egypt, the Lord explained to Moses that if the people would observe the Sabbath day, it would be a sign between God and them of His covenant (see Exodus 31:13) . Surely, a people delivered from bondage would have been happy to be allotted a day without work. We can see that the Sabbath day isn't new, but do we also see that it is not antiquated?

No, this law given by our Father in Heaven is not out of date. It pertains to us here and now. In fact, we are promised in our day that if we observe the Sabbath that “the fulness of the earth” will be ours (D&C 59:16-20).

Can you imagine how different the world would be if everyone kept just this one commandment? Can you imagine how different it would be if even all the Latter-day Saints observed the Sabbath day to keep it holy? I believe that through the keeping of this commandment, we will be much better prepared to keep the first two great commandments of loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind and of loving our neighbors as ourselves. There are some steps each of us can take individually and as families to improve our Sabbath day worship.

So how do we do it?

I think that it is important that we don't become like the Pharisees in Christ's day by just creating long lists of do's and don'ts. That misses the mark. It doesn't really benefit anyone, and it does not show gratitude to our Heavenly Father. But there are some fundamentally important things that we must never forget.

If we want to learn how to observe the Sabbath day better, we can find a lot of clues from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. He worshiped in Synagogues on the Sabbath. He taught; He healed; He served.

So first, if keeping the Sabbath day is a sign of our covenants with God, we need to remember our covenants and renew them. We can't do this on a golf course, in the mountains, or at the beach. Why? Because the sacrament is not typically served in those places, by someone holding authority and authorization to institute it. If we are to worship Heavenly Father in Spirit and in Truth, we must do this in the manner that He has commanded us.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-13:


“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High; Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times; But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord. And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.”

How can partaking of the sacrament on Sundays give us focus for our worship that day and strength for the week ahead?

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, a recent member of the Quorum of the Twelve said: “Windows must be washed regularly to clean away dust and dirt. … Just as earthly windows need consistent, thorough cleaning, so do the windows of our spirituality. … By partaking of the sacrament worthily to renew our baptismal covenants, we clarify our view of life’s eternal purpose and divine priorities. The sacrament prayers invite personal introspection, repentance, and rededication as we pledge our willingness to remember our Savior, Jesus the Christ" (Talk given Oct 1995).

Maybe, and probably so, if we do these things as families, our eyes will be more clearly opened as to how we can progress together as families towards our goal of eternal life. While another important part of Sunday Church worship is meeting with our fellow saints and strengthening one another, today we are going to concentrate more on how we can use the Sabbath day to strengthen our own homes and families.

The best starting point should be for us to look at what is working for us now and also to seek the Spirit to determine what we need to incorporate into our Sabbath day observance to pay devotion to the Lord better and to strengthen our families more. One thing to remember is that the Church is here to support us in teaching our children the gospel and not the other way around.

So if you are not having family scripture time or family home evenings, Sunday would be a good place to start. I know that when my husband worked six days a week, we did have family night on Sundays.

Are we reevaluating our own lives and our goals? Sunday is a great time to review our Patriarchal blessings. It is also a great time to help our children learn to set goals, referring to our church's programs of Faith in God, Duty to God, and Personal progress, allow with long-term educational and temple worthy goals, such as vocations, missions, and temple marriage; plus, short term goals of personal interest. When we set goals, reviewing progress and accomplishing milestones, the Lord is pleased with us; and we feel the satisfaction of our growth through the validation of His Spirit. As we help our children through this process, they will experience those same feelings, which will increase the binding of their relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and with us as their parents. As we teach our children to rejoice in each other's accomplishments and to aid each other in their goals, they will also grow in unity.

Overbooking our activities with our children will not be relaxing to them or to us. So we should allow for quiet, reflective, renewing time for everyone. But Sabbath days should also concentrate on family togetherness. So family dinners together are extra important on this day. We can also share our thoughts on the past week's activities and our schedules for the new week. We can discuss church meeting topics and our feelings about talks and lessons. Even when we don't agree with presentation, we should remember to be kind and not to demean our leaders or fellow worshipers.

Some things our own family has done on Sabbath days: when we are on vacations, we always still make it a point to attend church, especially Sacrament meeting; and to observe the Sabbath in the best way we can, even if we are visiting with those who don't attend church. Last month, after church and a family dinner, we drove to see four of the Utah temples and to feel the spirit on those grounds. We often drove to the Redlands temple site on Sundays while it was being constructed. I believe that this did not only mark the growth of the temple, but the growth of our children's testimonies of the importance of the temple.

Bob has been doing indexing for years, and we have followed in his example to do some indexing on Sundays. Sunday is a great time to work on our own family history, including genealogy research and journal writing. It is also a great day for writing letters to extended family, or phone calling, or Skyping.

Many times we have visited with extended family or friends on Sundays as well. Sometimes we have had others over to sing around our piano. While we might not have scripture time every single evening, we are sure to do so on Sunday, and on Monday as part of family night. If we are going to make visits with other people, whether socially or as home or visiting teachers, we need to make certain that we are not imposing upon their observance of the Sabbath day.

I know that the Butlers watch Bible stories with their children on Sundays. The church has great videos with stories from the life of our Savior. We can all watch and benefit from them. They are readily available at mormon.org, or we an purchase the set from Distribution for a excellent price.

As our children grow older, it is still important for us to still have Sabbath day rules in our home, but it is also important to allow for agency. The best way to lead is always by example.

I hope that we can all feel the importance of Sabbath day worship and gain the Spirit of that worship in our own families. I know that Heavenly Father will bless us as we keep His commandments and honor the covenants that we have made with Him. Each Sunday we make promises to always remember His Son and to keep His commandments. That is a wonderful gift and protection for us as we start our new week. We need to remember that Sunday, our Sabbath, is the Lord's day, so we need to center our thoughts and activities around Him throughout the day, worshiping Him and serving as He would have us do. In doing so, He will bless us.

This is a picture of our family taken on 17 July 2015:

Turn to the Light

A Lesson for Relief Society based on the talk,

"The Lord is My Light," by Elder Quinton L. Cook

Songs for the lesson:

The Lord is My Light

Lead Kindly Light

In our pre-earth life, we all made the choice to follow the Son of God. In doing so we were given the opportunity to experience earth life with all of the challenges it presents. The best way to be successful again here is to make the choice, along with covenants, to follow the Son of God. He is our Savior, Lord, and Redeemer. He is our Light.

How many of you have seen sunflowers? Describe them. What do they do?

Sunflowers grow in extreme conditions. Sunflowers turn their faces towards the sun. Do we limit what we can do because we don't believe that our circumstances are optimal? Or do we take root and bloom even when we aren't necessarily where we want to be? Do we turn towards the Lord?

This life will present some real challenges for us. How will we respond? When the challenges presented come from friends, family members, or church members offending us or turning away from what we believe is right, how do we respond?

Do we experience anger and desire estrangement? Do we feel genuine love and sorrow, and hope to build others' faith as well as our own? Does pride get in the way of our own progression and desire to repent? Does it get in the way of us forgiving and accepting others? Do we allow pride to impede our progress?

“The Light of Christ plants the eternal nature of the family in the hearts of all God's children” (Elder Cook).

“So much in life is extraneous, [but]...the family is the real thing, the substantial thing, the eternal thing; the thing to watch over and care for and be loyal to” (Carla Carlisle).

Why is family the important thing, and how do we make family ties stronger?

It is important that we all build our testimonies. There are proper ways to do this.

“Patiently and humbly studying, pondering, praying, living gospel principles, and counseling with appropriate leaders are the best ways to resolve questions and concerns” (Elder Coook).

This can be true when we are seeking our own growth, or when we are trying to gain understanding concerning someone else, so that we can appropriately respond to his or her needs.

“If we faithfully have family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings, and Sabbath day observance in our homes, our children will be counting on that pattern of faith even when they are away from home. These positive habits, accompanied with sincere concern and love for each others' well-bing, will provide our families with security and a safe harbor. Each member will gain the needed fortification to stand in today's world, making good choices” (Elder Cook).

We will be able to feel secure in the eternal safety of our children no matter what life's challenges may bring, knowing that Jesus will save them in this life and in the resurrection.

How can families work together towards their goal of eternal life? How have family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings, and keeping the Sabbath day holy blessed you in your families and throughout your life?

How does our ward family act in harmony with each family's goal for eternal life? How does involvement in quorums and auxillaries help build us as individuals and strengthen our families? In what ways do home and visiting teaching offer us stability in an ever changing and challenging world?

“Our ward family is important to our progress, happiness, and personal effort to be more Christlike” (Elder Cook).

We need to avoid the temptation to become disjointed. The Lord's emphasis has always been on unity. When the Nephite and Lamanite people were all converted to the Lord, there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.” As a result to this we read in 4 Nephi vs 16, “And surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”

Because the love of God dwelt in the hearts of the people, there were no contentions. What must we do in our wards and in our homes in order to dispel contentions and build unity?

Our outlook is not bleak. If we look towards the Light, our destiny is to grow in His Light and become like Him. It will take a change of heart. We will need to determine now to love the Lord more and to love each other more. He will help us.

“Our protections in this life and for eternity will be in individual and family righteousness, Church ordinances, and following the Savior. This is our refuge from the storm. For those who feel they are alone, you can stand resolutely in righteousness knowing that the Atonement will protect and bless you beyond your ability to fully understand” (Elder Cook).

“We should remember the Savior, keep our covenants, and follow the Son of God as the young sunflower follows the sunshine. Following His light and example will bring us joy, happiness, and peace. As Psalm 27 and a favorite hymn both proclaim, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”

Love Makes our House a Home

Love makes our house a home

Our family is not picture perfect. In fact, most families seldom are. Unless, of course, you consider the normal day living events which mark the growth of each family member and the family as a whole. These weave a tapestry and leave a legacy. Love makes our house a home.

Time spent together. Smiles shared. Music listened to and sung with gusto. Books read. Scriptures shared. Prayers said. Faith makes a house our home.

From the time our children were babies, lullabies and nursery rhymes, lap chats and park walks, visits to the zoo and the children's museum were all important. So were rules and chores, working alongside Mom and Dad; baking time with Mom, and washing cars with Dad. Language, learning, playtime, and working make our house a home.

When our children were small, Bob and I took turns tucking the children in bed at night. One night I'd be in the girls' room reading good night stories and hearing them say their prayers while Bob was in the boys' room. The next night we'd switch. Building relationships and developing trust make our house a home.

Shoe-tying, swing pumping, numbers and letters, sounding out words, learning to say our “r's”, skipping and galloping, playing soccer, swimming lessons, beginning Kindergarten, and High School graduation. Goal-setting, personal skills, building confidence and self-reliance. Self-esteem, helping each other reach milestones, building character. Physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual growth make our house a home.

Day trips to the mountains, to the beaches, to grandparents' homes. Birthday parties, special occasions, band and choir, academic decathlon, scouting, personal progress. Scouting, Young Women program, scholarship, college, jobs, careers. Personal development, along with failures and successes, make our house a home.

Skinned knees, bruised pride, loss of a job, personal struggles, giving support in times of sorrow. Losing a child to death much to soon. Turning to God, turning to each other. Hugging more, judging less. Finding strength in faith, building hope, listing blessings, gathering courage. Enduring adversity with renewed conviction to our family makes our house a home.

Kneeling in prayer at the close of each day. Attending Church together every Sunday. Thanking God. Thanking each other. Sharing our values. Supporting each other. Listening. Hearing. Respecting each other's ideas and helping each other progress. Family worship makes our house a home.

God gave us our family. He is Love. And Love makes our house a home.

(Post prompted by Shutterfly, #OurHomeOurStory)

Sabbath Day Observance

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy as a Family

After God created the world, He rested on the seventh day. This became the Sabbath. During this time, Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. So the Garden of Eden was not only a place, it was a time. It was a day of rest, worship, spiritual instruction, and learning, before Adam and Eve were sent out to face the lone and dreary world together.

2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made (Genesis 2:2–3).

Once Adam and Eve left the garden, they continued to follow God's commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy.

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

“Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

“But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

After the children of Israel were led out of Egypt, the Lord explained to Moses that if the people would observe the Sabbath day, it would be a sign between God and them of His covenant (see Exodus 31:13) . Surely, a people delivered from bondage would have been happy to be allotted a day without work. We can see that the Sabbath day isn't new, but do we also see that it is not antiquated?

No, this law given by our Father in Heaven is not out of date. It pertains to us here and now. In fact, we are promised in our day that if we observe the Sabbath that “the fulness of the earth” will be ours (see D&C 59:16–20).

Can you imagine how different the world would be if everyone kept just this one commandment? Can you imagine how different it would be if even all the Latter-day Saints observed the Sabbath day to keep it holy? I believe that through the keeping of this commandment, we will be much better prepared to keep the first two great commandments of loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind and of loving our neighbors as ourselves. There are some steps each of us can take individually and as families to improve our Sabbath day worship.

So how do we do it?

I think that it is important that we don't become like the Pharisees in Christ's day by just creating long lists of do's and don'ts. That misses the mark. It doesn't really benefit anyone, and it does not show gratitude to our Heavenly Father. But there are some fundamentally important things that we must never forget.

If we want to learn how to observe the Sabbath day better, we can find a lot of clues from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. He worshipped in the Synogues on the Sabbatth. He taught; He healed; He served.

So first, if keeping the Sabbath day is a sign of our covenants with God, we need to remember our covenants and renew them. We can't do this on a golf course, in the mountains, or at the beach. Why? Because the sacrament is not typically served in those places, by someone holding authority and authorization to institute it. If we are to worship Heavenly Father in Spirit and in Truth, we must do this in the manner that He has commanded us.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:

9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.

How can partking of the sacrament on Sundays give us focus for our worship that day and strength for the week ahead?

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, a recent member of the Quorum of the Twelve said: “Windows must be washed regularly to clean away dust and dirt. … Just as earthly windows need consistent, thorough cleaning, so do the windows of our spirituality. … By partaking of the sacrament worthily to renew our baptismal covenants, we clarify our view of life’s eternal purpose and divine priorities. The sacrament prayers invite personal introspection, repentance, and rededication as we pledge our willingness to remember our Savior, Jesus the Christ” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 103; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 77).

Maybe, and probably so, if we do these things as families, our eyes will be more clearly opened as to how we can progress together as families towards our goal of eternal life. While another important part of Sunday Church worship is meeting with our fellow saints and strengthening one another, today we are going to concentrate more on how we can use the Sabbath day to strengthen our own homes and families.

The best starting point should be for us to look at what is working for us now and also to seek the Spirit to determine what we need to incorporate into our Sabbath day observance to pay devotion to the Lord better and to strengthen our families more.

One thing to remember is that the Church is here to support us in teaching our children the gospel and not the other way around.

So if you are not having family scripture time or family home evenings, Sunday would be a good place to start. I know that when my husband worked six days a week, we did have family night on Sundays.

Are we reevaluating our own lives and our goals? Sunday is a great time to review our Patriarchal blessings. It is also a great time to help our children learn to set goals, referring to our church's programs of Faith in God, Duty to God, and Personal progress, allow with long-term educational and temple worthy goals, such as vocations, missions, and temple marriage; plus, short term goals of personal interest. When we set goals, reviewing progress and accomplishing milestones, the Lord is pleased with us; and we feel the satisfaction of our growth through the validation of His Spirit. As we help our children through this process, they will experience those same feelings, which will increase the binding of their relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and with us as their parents. As we teach our children to rejoice in each other's accomplishments and to aid each other in their goals, they will also grow in unity.

Overbooking our activities with our children will not be relaxing to them or to us. So we should allow for quiet, reflective, renewing time for everyone. But Sabbath days should also concentrate on family togetherness. So family dinners together are extra important on this day. We can also share our thoughts on the past week's activities and our schedules for the new week. We can discuss church meeting topics and our feelings about talks and lessons. Even when we don't agree with presentation, we should remember to be kind and not to demean our leaders or fellow worshipers.

Some things our own family has done on Sabbath days: when we are on vacations, we always still make it a point to attend church, especially Sacrament meeting; and to observe the Sabbath in the best way we can, even if we are visiting with those who don't attend church. Last month, after church and a family dinner, we drove to see four of the Utah temples and to feel the spirit on those grounds. We often drove to the Redlands temple site on Sundays while it was being constructed. I believe that this did not only mark the growth of the temple, but the growth of our children's testimonies of the importance of the temple.

Bob has been doing indexing for years, and we have followed in his example to do some indexing on Sundays. Sunday is a great time to work on our own family history, including genealogy research and journal writing. It is also a great day for writing letters to extended family, or phone calling, or Skyping.

Many times we have visited with extended family or friends on Sundays as well. Sometimes we have had others over to sing around our piano. While we might not have scripture time every single evening, we are sure to do so on Sunday, and on Monday as part of family night. If we are going to make visits with other people, whether socially or as home or visiting teachers, we need to make certain that we are not imposing upon their observance of the Sabbath day.

I know that the Butlers watch Bible stories with their children on Sundays. The church has great videos with stories from the life of our Savior. We can all watch and benefit from them. They are readily available at mormon.org, or we an purchase the set from Distribution for a excellent price.

As our children grow older, it is still important for us to still have Sabbath day rules in our home, but it is also important to allow for agency. The best way to lead is always by example.

I hope that we can all feel the importance of Sabbath day worship and gain the Spirit of that worship in our own families. I know that Heavenly Father will bless us as we keep His commandments and honor the covenants that we have made with Him. Each Sunday we make promises to always remember His Son and to keep His commandments. That is a wonderful gift and protection for us as we start our new week. We need to remember that Sunday, our Sabbath, is the Lord's day, so we need to center our thoughts and activities around Him throughout the day, worshiping Him and serving as He would have us do. In doing so, He will bless us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Abortion and Trafficking Children

Thoughts on Abortion and Trafficking Dead Children

(Shortened link for this post: http://tinyurl.com/opovckp)

The recent exposure of the inhumane trafficking of human baby parts is soul stirring, or at least it should be. Some say that it's merely propaganda, and that the presentation is given out of context. It really doesn't matter. There is enough evidence against Planned Parenthood, and the practice of abortion for that matter, for those who value life to know that the slaughtering of babies and the trafficking of their body parts for both commercial and scientific gain is evil. A society that does not value the life of an unborn baby, but places value on his or her dismembered body, is not a civilized society.

I can't help but think of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Speech. Do we have a dream of brotherhood? Do we? For all of those who speak about rights, please note that abortion is a wrong. How can all children walk hand-in-hand when their hands are torn off before they are even born? Whether you believe that there are exceptions to rules or not, there are rules of civility and ethical rightness. No matter what anyone believes about equality, all choices are not equal, which means that all outcomes are not equal either. Ending life will never be equal with giving life. Even without organized religion, every human being is born with the Light of Christ. We all must know that ripping a child limb from limb is wrong. When abortion is accepted as a mores of society, not only are those facing abortion at risk of losing life, but civility itself is lost; and civilization is following suit.

Abortion is the greatest evil to ever happen in this Country. Yet we condone or accept it. We hear the same old rhetoric over and over. Some defend all abortions for the few extreme cases. Killing millions of babies in order to secure the right to get rid of a few pregnancies that are due to rape, incest, or illness is bizarre. For those of us who were reared in civilized homes, were we not taught the importance of life and love? Do we not realize that life itself is more important than the length of life, or what some people would deem the quality of life? Certainly, the life of a child is more important than his or her flesh made dead through an abortion.

I had an emergency C-section with my fifth child. When I was eight months pregnant, the specialist told me that he did't think the baby had any kidneys, so did I want to just have him naturally since he'd die anyway? Are you kidding me? I am his mother. Why would I want to terminate his life purposefully and perhaps prematurely? Why would a doctor? Isn't a doctor's concern to protect and preserve life? Was my son's life of less value than mine, or yours, or the doctor's? No his life held significance, and he left a positive imprint in the lives of many.

Even at six months into my pregnancy, I knew that our son had some problems, but I did not know that he wouldn't be able to live long after birth. Should I have ripped him apart because of that, or burned him with saline solution? No way. I enjoyed each time he rolled or kicked and every single ultra sound. Would it have been easier for me to have aborted him than to have lost him two months later? By no means; No. There is healing in love, even when there is pain. For the poor women who have chosen abortion, there is just pain.

While some cry that the current undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood are merely propaganda, I can agree that the presentation may be propaganda; but I won't agree that the content isn't true. How long will we idly stand by, burying our heads in the sand, while millions of unborn children are massacred? This is happening. It has been happening since the 70's. Children are burned, torn apart and slaughtered while yet alive. It is gruesome. I don't need to watch videos, whether in or out of context, to inform me how evil Planned Parenthood is or how evil it is that any thinking and feeling human being can become so clouded and calloused in his or her judgement to call mass murder freedom of choice. This should sicken us all.

Legalizing things that are clearly unlawful will never make them ethical or good. Not yesterday, not now, not ever. I can only hope that some good will come from these disturbing undercover videos which show the true nature of this wicked practice and evil organization. Maybe, just maybe, some people will finally understand that these are babies with body parts the same as you and me. They are not merely tissue. They are real. And their souls have value.

I believe that shedding innocent blood ranks up there with crucifying our innocent Lord. And still He reaches out to us to forgive us. But we had better hope that He doesn't say, “Father, they knew what they were doing.”

Do you see a contradiction in supporting Planned Parenthood and in valuing human life? I do, and I know others that do as well. There are those like me who have lost sons or daughters way too soon, who would have done everything possible to keep them here with us. So it is difficult for me when I see people still supporting the killing of their own babies, or even saying, “I don't agree with the practice for myself, but I think everyone should have the right to choose.” To choose murder? Really?

Everyone should have the right to choose whether or not to have sex. Beyond that, take responsibility and be an adult.

Whether you think that these babies' body parts are being trafficked for money or not, why are they used at all? I personally have the right to say whether my organs are used for someone else or for science, should I die an accidental death. Life is sacred, and my body is mine. But these babies are being denied the right to life, and their “tissue” is not even considered theirs. It truly, truly is sick.

So when we consider checking the facts, we might actually begin by checking our own consciences, even before we check the news media, right or left; because, it looks like the “right in our society “left” a long time ago. We might actually try using our hearts along with our minds to consider why our own lives have value, and why we should extend that value to every other human being, both those born, and those waiting to be born.

The safety of all children is important. Where there is life, there is hope.

I have personally taken the time to write these thoughts and to contact the Representatives and Senators for my state. Please do the same. We need to take a stand, and we need to walk hand-in-hand.

Contact Your State Representatives

Contact Your State Senators

Love Wins

Love Wins

I don't think that there can be a truer statement than “Love Wins.” In what ways does love win?

Clearly, it is because of God's love for us that we all have a chance to be winners. We all have the opportunity to look to God and live. We all have the privilege of keeping His commandments and following His Son through covenants and ordinances in order to return to Him in heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ and through the power of His Atonement, Love has won forever. Christ Himself, through the commandment and grace of God, has overcome death and sin.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

So here we are in a battle defining what love is. While Christ's love is freeing and liberating in that we are offered the forgiveness of sins and eternal life; and while relationships designed by God are a part of His plan to bring us freedom, liberty, and happiness; counterfeits of God's love and His plan do not bring freedom, nor do they place us on an equal footing on the pathway home to God.

It makes many Christians feel uneasy to see the phrase “Love Wins” so blatantly displayed in reference to judges making those things legal which can never be lawful. But it must not give Christians license to forget what we already know, and that is that indeed “Love Wins.” Even when we disagree in theory and in practice, there remains in us the responsibility to love our neighbors as ourselves (See John 13:34).

Jesus indeed told us that the first great commandment is “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” He told us also that the second great commandment after that first one is “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-38) Jesus also has told us that “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen” (1 John 4:20)?

Are we are so caught up in what the laws of the land say, that we are forgetting the laws of God? The Pharisees did that. And Jesus made it clear that they were falling short according to the Law of Moses, which He had delivered, and according to the higher law which He brought to them at that time. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10).

In our love for our neighbor, we cannot abandon our love for our God and our responsibility to honor Him and keep His commandments. Some people get that mixed up, and they try keeping the second commandment in favor of the first. That will never work well. As the family of God, for we are all His children, we can only love and serve each other best, when we love and serve Him first. His commandments are the same for all of His children, and His desired outcome is the same for all of us. But because He has given us agency, or free will, through the Gift of His Son, He will never force us to be righteous; and He will never reward us with Eternal Life with Him if we choose to forsake Him.

We cannot ever think though that salvation is granted us because of our own good works. How arrogant and ungrateful is that, for Jesus bought us with a heavy price! The very blessing of His forgiveness felt by repentant sinners, should cause our Christian hearts to desire the same blessing for all of His other children.

Why does Love Win? Moroni, delivering the words of his father Mormon, tells us that Love Wins because “charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever, and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him” (Moroni 7:47).

How important is this charity, the pure love of Christ? Just in case we feel justified in keeping some outward, obvious commandments, but we are neglecting those first two great commandments, the Apostle Paul reminds us just how important this love is in 1 Corinthians 13:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in inquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

If we believe in the prophets, the scriptures, and the commandments; if we believe and trust in Jesus Christ and in His word, we must certainly acknowledge that Love Wins. God's work and His glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (See Moses 1:39). While we desire salvation for ourselves, we should never be a stumbling block to our brothers and sisters, because we feel that we are better than they are (See Romans 3:9). Love Wins when we develop a Christian heart and extend God's kindness and mercy to one another.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which He hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of His Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as He is pure. Amen” (Moroni 7:48).

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Pledging My Heart and My Hand Again

I learned this little song in Primary as a very young child. It is still a favorite. I am glad that I was privileged to learn about God and about His hand in giving us this great Country. I'm glad that my parents valued teaching me these things. They didn't set aside my learning until they thought I could understand everything or make decisions for myself. They didn't set aside my learning, giving me the “freedom” to choose to learn whatever I wanted to at some future date.

My parents are not natives to this Country, but they are Americans and United States citizens in every other way. They value the opportunities that this Country has given them in the way of religious freedom and individual enterprise. They are thankful for the privilege of rearing their family on the blessed soil granted by God to those who claimed the Lord as God. Their generation is indeed representative of the workers. And we are the beneficiaries of their work.

In third grade, I had a teacher named Miss Nakahara. She was of Japanese descent, and she was one of the most patriotic teachers I've ever met. We learned so many songs about our Country that year. Each day we would begin class with The Pledge of Allegiance and two or three patriotic songs. I learned to love this Country at church, in my home, and at school. And I learned to love God in those three places as well. I am thankful that my school teachers and Primary teachers were able to provide me moral direction.

I remember looking forward to 1976! It was a great big deal. We looked forward to that Bicentennial of The United States of America for many years. What a wonderful milestone for us to witness and to be a part of. I don't know of anyone who didn't love this great land. We rejoiced in it, in the history of it, and in those who safeguarded our freedoms.

I also remember looking forward to the Sesquicentennial of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I wouldn't describe the feelings that I had for these two events as pride; at least, not in the way pride events are celebrated today. I had a sense of security in the history and celebrations of our Country and our Church. There was a sense of belonging and unity, despite diversity. I felt a quietness and a reverence, as well as a thrill and exuberance. I still feel those things when I think about God and country and what those two things mean to me.

Our lives experiences shape us to a great degree. We form a schemata, our personal knowledge storage bank. The things that we learn in our first few years of life can become important tools to us throughout life. The guidance that we receive from parents, leaders, mentors, and teachers can be an invaluable endowment in aiding our ability to form into healthy and happy human beings. Ultimately, it is our personal choices and desires to do well that can propel us forward in our path and progress. If we are taught to love both God and Country, if we are given healthy doses of scripture and history, will these things help mold us into better people, or will they serve to trap or indoctrinate us?

Were my rights infringed upon because I was taught to love God and Country? Absolutely not. Because I had the security of knowing God, of feeling His love for me, and because I had the assurance that this land was a blessed land with a moral destiny, I had the calmness and peace of knowing that I myself could succeed and be happy.

As a very young child, I'd place my hand on my heart and sing the words, “I pledge my heart;” then, I would draw my hand out away from me and sing, “I pledge my hand;” continuing on, “to God, and to my native land. To both of them, I will be true; for, that is what I ought to do.” I could feel the truth and power that these words invoked back then. I could feel the peace and security of making a covenant with God back then, a covenant concerning being faithful to Him and faithful to the cause of freedom that He ordained for me in this great land. I feel it still.

May we all bless the name of our God, and may God bless America.