TENDER MERCIES

Every week, except when closed, Teresa and I make a short journey down to the Jordan River Temple to participate in service to the patrons who attend.  It is one of those things that we have determined to do to show our love for our Father in Heaven. 

But truthfully, it does great good to our hearts, so we

 are abundantly blessed.

The Jordan River Temple

Over the years we have served it has been our privilege to participate with friends and neighbors who also attend.  Since our duties vary depending on our assignments each evening, we have met with people we love in a wide variety of situations.  Without fail, it has been thrilling and deeply moving to serve with those who believe this work is vital for ancestors who have passed to the next life and family who seek God’s blessings in mortality.  The few hours we spend in the Temple on these nights are always valuable to us and are missed when we are sick or otherwise 

unable to attend.

This past Temple Night Teresa needed to stay home for some family responsibilities so I made the trip alone.  It had been a long day and I wasn't feeling especially well – I even considered calling in sick – but this commitment is important to both of us so the thought was quickly banished.  I reasoned that since my duties were secondary (some nights I have to take a more primary role in the events) I could relax a little and let someone else do the hard things.  But I think there were other plans (unknown to me) for the evening.

In one portion of my duties I ran into a good friend who informed me that his grand-daughter had been called on a mission and was receiving her endowment that evening.  The girl’s mother had decided it was also time to receive her own endowment, so the two were accompanied by siblings and parents to participate in the special evening.  Having known the family for many years, this was and exciting announcement and I was thrilled at the prospects.

As I moved to my next assignment, I discovered that my friend and his family were part of that portion of the evening also.  And, despite my previous thought of being secondary, I was invited 

to be the officiator for the endowment session they were 

scheduled to attend. 

What a wonderful surprise – being able to have a small part in the progression of a family, whom I love deeply, towards the eternal blessings God has promised to His children.  And to top it off, my friends wife, who is preparing to leave this life because of the ravages of cancer, was also in the company.  It was so tender to see her daughters gently helping her as she participated in the ceremony – especially understanding that this was probably the last time she would be able to attend the Temple in mortality.  My heart was touched and it was difficult to keep my emotions in control as I stood before the congregation performing my duties.

The Manti Temple -- Teresa received her endowment here
and we were sealed here in 1977.

As the ceremony started I was surprised to see another sister, also a dear associate to my friend and his wife, sitting in the company.  She had come to the Temple to serve and happened to arrive in time to be assigned to our session.  As I spoke with her later, she had no idea until she saw and spoke with our friends, the significance of the evening but was overjoyed to be there.

And finally, because my sweetheart was unable to be with us for the evening, she had called another sister worker to be her substitute.  Teresa’s regular duties include ‘guiding’ sisters who are brand new to the Temple, helping them know where to go and what to do.  Had she been there, she would have 1) guided the mother and daughter receiving their own endowment and 2) helped the ailing mother who served as escort.  But, fitting in with the theme of the whole night, the substitute sister just happened to be  another dear friend of both the husband and wife whose children and grandchildren were so greatly blessed that night.  I can’t imagine the joy she felt at seeing the children receive their blessings and being part of such a tender experience for the mother/grandmother in her last days of life.

Mesa, Arizona Temple -- I received my endowment here.

When the night was complete and I had time to reflect on the experience, my thoughts turned to the love God has for His children and the ways He offers the little ‘tender mercies’ 

(1 Nephi 1:20) that remind us how much He cares for us.  Simple experiences are generally the way He lets us know we are alright.

I am so thankful for a God who knows each of His children in personal ways.  I am grateful for friends who make life exciting and tender and sad and just plain fun to live.  It pleases me to no end that little things happen to remind me just how much God is involved in our lives.  And I am especially glad that there is a House of the Lord where we can go to leave the world and receive ordinances and make covenants that will bless our lives eternally.

Indeed, there are Tender Mercies all around – if we will only look and find them.

WHAT I WANT

It is confession time today!

The air needs to be cleared and I have designated today as the day of unburdening.

Please bear with me as I seek to release myself from something that has caused me great grief for most of my life.  Understanding is all I seek and I hope it will come from those who are my friends and associates.

For more than 40 years I have hidden the fact that I have an urging that is clearly uncontrollable.  It started when I was a Boy Scout, but even before that I was aware of feelings that drew me toward this issue and made it difficult to resist.  

I have finally determined that I must embrace my desires and allow the “real me” come out.

Here it is!

I love fire.

It’s true.  I worship fire and all it does.

I love the colors that are generated as different fuels burn.

 I think about fire every day, almost all day long.

I am fascinated by the way it dances and flits from place to place when it is racing to its next fuel source.

Whenever I see a building or forest “en fuego”, I want to stop and bask in the total control flame has over everything in its path.

When I have been deprived of things burning for a while, a part of me MUST do what it takes to satisfy the overwhelming need to help the beautiful fiery tongues of flame consume – anything.  

Mostly, I love the power felt as I embrace the desire to create fire in the most obscure places at the most inopportune times.

Some might accuse me of being crazy – or even evil.

I AM NOT!!!

I have learned that fire is not evil – and neither are those who love to create and use it

.

 Think of all the good fire does in the world – cooking, sterilizing, heating, and signaling.

Sure, sometimes a blaze can get out of control and destroy homes and in rare circumstances even kill people.

The flames are not to blame.  They seek only life in a world that fears them unjustly.

Despite the challenges, I am confident that as people learn to accept my love for fire in all its glory, they will see as I do and accept my new way of life.

In fact, with my announcement today, I intend to start a campaign for the elimination all negative references to those who have a love for burning things.

I am proposing that laws be enacted immediately to protect the rights of all who have been termed “Pyromaniacs” by an unforgiving and unfeeling society.  The word “pyromaniac” (which holds such judgmental meaning) should be eliminated from all publications.  There is no ‘mania’ in what I love to do.  I am simply a person of fire (that’s the new PC phrase for what we are) and I am embracing my true nature.

Now, a message to my friends and family.

You know me, and understand that I have my quirks and oddities.  This is more than that.  This is a part of me that has been repressed for decades.  I have been forced, because of the traditions of the world, to keep this part of me hidden from view. 

I am no different than I was before.  We can still be friends.  We can still love one another.  Please be kind as this vital part of my life unfolds and allows me to finally become my true self.

My hope is that as I visit and share my passions with you, there will be understanding for the nature of my needs. 

And if, by some small chance, your own dwelling or personal property is caught up in my passion, I am confident you will continue to show love and allow me to live as I have chosen. 

Your need for safety is understandable but should not restrict my own feelings of want.

MY desires, needs, and appetites, are essential to my mental, emotional and physical wellness.  Please understand and accept me for who I am.

I thank you for your time and hope you will embrace the needs of “people of fire” as you have embraced others who have created changes in their own lifestyles.

The above message is SATIRE.  While I do have some affinity for fire,truly borne out of many years in Scouting,  I am not out of control, nor do I long to start burning things everywhere I go.  The point of my diatribe is that if we look hard enough there will always be at least one part of our existence that can become the focus of our life – to our detriment.

Currently, in the world where I live and work, many people feel that their physical, mental, and emotional needs outweigh any effort to have rules common for all of society.  Changing moral values invite many to look for reasons why the rules that have governed mankind for centuries don’t apply to them.  Everyone is an “exception” to the standards that have given our world balance.

The idea that embracing every desire or passion we feel in our mortal state will bring us happiness is a lie, perpetuated by the world and the adversary.  There is only one set of standards that will ever bring peace and joy (pleasure is not the same as joy).  

These standards are not found in any government, club, or society that exists as a man-made entity.  The only “rules” that will bring happiness to all are found in the teachings of the Savior Jesus Christ.  He alone knows the way to true happiness.

 When we get tired of trying to mold ourselves to the ever-changing form of man and the world, Christ invites us to try His image.  That one works.  It’s the only one that is true.  

It will bring peace.

DOUBTS

We will have them all throughout our lives.  The may come in quiet moments of contemplation or when backed against the wall by things we do not completely understand. 

Before they become a soul wrenching experience, when it appears all you know may be false, please remember the words of a Prophet of God:

Pres. Ezra Taft Benson

We are not obligated to answer every objection.  Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must make his stand.

The day comes to all of us that we have to depend on what we feel about the Savior as opposed to what we know. 

Our hearts will be comforted by the Spirit and strengthened by His powerful influence so that we can bear the challenges of the world and its error.

Don’t give up.  Remember who the source of all truth is in this life.  Listen to Him and His prophets and be safe.

VOTES

I don't agree with everything this man says, but I believe he is on to something with this statement.  Not really new, but insightful -- especially in the area of morality.  Wouldn't it be nice if we had someone who cared about the moral structure of our nation and not just 

VOTES!!!???

GOOD PEOPLE -- DONNA

When my dad remarried, I didn’t just inherit a new mother, I also accumulated a great bunch of aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives.  Sometimes it was overwhelming when we all got together.

In particular, my new step-mom had a couple of sisters who were a little younger than I was – just a year or two.  Today I will focus on Donna, the elder of the two, and at some other date I will share a few things about Debbie. 

What I didn’t really know until some time later was that Donna had an older brother (John) who had been killed in an unfortunate accident when he was just a toddler.  He and I would have been about the same age if he had lived and I have often wondered if that didn’t have some influence on future events between Donna and me.

Let me say right off that I was not a very good “nephew” to Donna.  One of my favorite things (being a tormentor by nature) to do was remind her friends that little Donna had a nephew who was older than she was.  For the most part, she was pretty good about it, but when we were teens, she and Debbie went through a stage where they introduced us as their ‘cousins’ (my brother Jim was also older).  Mostly I endured the change but once in a while I would try to embarrass them, resulting in the ‘icy glare’ girls use so well.

Despite my efforts to be a ‘heel’, Donna was always sweet and kind.  We did have a few little spats on the ranch in Utah, but I take the blame for the difficulties (I was on her territory, she was very protective, and I love to torment as noted above).  At that young age, she was way more mature than I would be for several years.

As time rolled along, I discovered something that came as a surprise to me.  In spite of the difficult circumstances and some resistance I may have felt at the beginning, I had grown to love “Little Donna” as much as I loved any of my own brothers and sisters.  She was smart and wise and had a faith that overcame difficult obstacles.    She loved everyone and tried her best to make them comfortable in the circumstances of the day.  

Being a little backward socially, I was very grateful for her help as we grew up and ventured out into the world.  I would even say that over the years Donna became more like a sister to me 

than an ‘auntie.’

Donna is married now and has a wonderful family of her own.  And she continues to show me what it takes to live well in mortality.  

I think of her often as I struggle with personal issues – she is suffering greatly at this time in her life.  Often, I long for the days when we were kids so we could go back to Boulder and be happy-go-lucky friends once again. 

My good friend and ‘little sister’ is a powerful example of what good can come from hard circumstances.  She endures well and will be a guiding light to me and all who know her.

Thanks, Donna, for being much more than my friend 

and 

good people.

GOOD PEOPLE

This past weekend we took a trip to visit Teresa’s parents in southeastern Utah.  Both are in their late 80’s and suffer from the ravages of time -- especially her mother.

It’s difficult to watch as those we love age and become different from what we are used to seeing.  Memory loss, physical deficiencies, and general loss of ability takes a once vibrant, capable person and leaves them (and us) wondering what has happened.

My experiences with Teresa’s folks over the last 37+ years have allowed me to come to love them nearly as much as I love my own parents.  And I grieve with my sweetheart as we watch her mom and dad change with the advancing years (I have similar feelings for my parents but I don’t see them as much so the pain is tempered).

I mention this because it occurs to me that I have not offered a proper salute to those who have helped shape the person I have become (I will avoid mentioning those who may have led me astray – don’t want to pass out guilt this late in the game;-)).

Oh, there have been some I have written about, like my Dad and Uncle Orson, but I think what I would like to do is remember (with you) some of those who may not even know how important they have been to my earthly progress.  So, in the next few weeks (or months if it takes that long) I propose to remember the “Good People” I have encountered during my sojourn on this ball of dirt.

Hopefully, no one will be offended if they appear on my list and if someone is missed (for some mental reason on my part) please prick my conscience so I can add them in.  My intent is to honor people I love and remember for the help they have given me in the last six decades.

It’s like a ride down memory lane – with a cool Popsicle and no hands on the handlebars.

Thanks for reading and please let me know if I need to fix anything as I go forward. 

(I mean about stories, NOT my personal life – I guess if I was really nice I would ask for those things also – but I’m not!!! :-).

KINGS

There was once a king who had a very large kingdom.  His kingship came with all the luxuries associated with being a king. The lifestyle was magnificent.  This king was especially adept at keeping successors to his crown from taking his place on the throne.

One day a sage came to visit the regal authority.  He was a humble man but had descended from a kingly line of his own.  His father had once been king of the land but was imprisoned and died at the hands of another.  The sage understood the workings of politics and had come to offer counsel to the sitting ruler.

On a whim, the king allowed the humble sage to speak his piece.  He reasoned that it could not hurt to listen to one who had been raised in the home of a former magistrate.  

 Surprise accompanied the words that came from the wizened fellow.  The message was not about politics but contained a call for the king to change his ways and begin living a better life.  

A promise was made that if he would effect change amongst his people so that they began to choose a better way there would be a continuing line of rulers to lead the people through the future.  But if the path of the people – and especially the king – did not change, destruction and annihilation would follow.  

And the king would live to see the end.

Angry at the implications, the ruler raged against the sage and demanded that his head be removed from his form.  Escaping to a small cave, the humble man determined to watch and record the things that occurred in the kingdom.

The next several years saw wars and death greater than could have ever been considered.  One rebellious usurper after another raised forces to overthrow the king and take away his power.  One battle, in particular, was especially fierce.  The proud ruler himself was wounded, almost unto death, and more than 2 million of his people were destroyed.  It was the beginning of the end.

From his sick bed, the king remembered the words of the sage.  He wondered if it was too late to change the course of his kingdom by implementing the counsel of the wise old man.  He approached his latest challenger and sued for peace.  He was ready to willingly give up his own kingship if it meant the end of the war.

A message was sent and the response came back.  The challenger agreed -- but with one slight amendment to the treaty.  While agreeable to ceasing the useless slaughter, he required the king allow the challenger to take his life as part of the pact.

One life to save a whole society of people.

The king considered the offer.

In his mind, he had much to lose.

But he was old and giving his life would save countless people who were depending on him for protection.

It was too much.

He could not sacrifice his life for the benefit of so many others.  He ached to live – even though it was a life of sadness, pain, and misery.  

Death held great fear for him and he could not overcome his selfishness.

And his whole kingdom was destroyed.

Not one soul was left alive.

Even his enemies were killed.

At the end, he was the last man standing.

His desire to live left him completely alone.

(See Ether 13-15 for more details)

Another king in another time faced the same decision.

He chose to offer up His young life to His enemy and prepare a way for His people to find safety.  Death had no sway in His life.  It held no fear because He had chosen to live a life focused on goodness.  He willingly shared His kingdom with any who chose to join Him.

And His kingdom will go on forever and ever.  There is no end to the number who will enjoy the benefit of His sacrifice.  

He will never be alone.

Which King to follow today?

Is it really that hard to know?

CATCH-UP

Quite a gap in entries lately.

Guess I‘m too busy – or maybe too distracted to keep this up-to-date. Here are some things that I have noticed over the past several weeks.

As much as we like to think our world is enlightened and moving forward, there are still reasons to believe we have a long way to go.

For instance, why would someone who believes in a God (Christ, Allah, Buddha, whomever) want to kidnap little girls and sell them into slavery?  I’m pretty sure there is no God that has that as part of his philosophy/teachings (except that one guy who THINKS he is the god of this world) (and no, I'm not speaking of Obama).  For all our advances in science, medicine, government, and everything else, we still have to overcome the beast inside if we are to live in peace.

Here’s another thought that I find current.

Disagreeing with someone for their political, religious or other views is not hate-speech or bullying.  Promoting the idea that disagreement is a form of repression is the epitome of bullying and seeks to demean the whole idea of a free society.

Yet, when it comes to some political and social discussions many want to eliminate all dissension from the stated “correctness” that has been identified by a small minority.  If you are not of the same ‘mind’ then you are wrong and your dissenting opinion is really ‘hate-speech’ or ‘bullying’ (see here for how Minnesota handled the bullying problem).

Last thing!

If you live in Salt Lake or surrounding areas you might want to check out a new product found at Harmon’s.

My son works there and brought home some ‘Brownie Bites’ that are really good.  The two flavors we tried were salted caramel and peanut butter.  Both were delicious (and very fattening) but I would pick the salted caramel if I had to choose. 

GREAT!!  Another product to expand my waste-line??!!!

WHAT IS FAITH?

Some time ago I read an article that talked about the crisis of faith suffered by one of the world’s great heroes – Mother Teresa.  In the article it was noted that this loving, self-sacrificing woman had gone most of her life wondering if there really was a God.  And if God is real, why did He not make himself known to her?  Pointedly, she stated:

“I am told God lives in me — and yet the reality of darkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul… I want God with all the power of my soul — and yet between us there is terrible separation…. I feel just that terrible pain of loss, of God not wanting me, of God not being God, of God not really existing.”

 

The work of this valiant daughter of God was exactly the work the Savior called us all to do.  There is no doubt in my mind that her life, spent in blessing others, will be recognized by the God she so faithfully obeyed – even as she was uncertain of His existence.

She exercised faith despite her misgivings.

While I have never doubted the existence of our Heavenly Father or His Son, there have been times when I have wondered if I was worth the effort They were making in my behalf.  The myriad weaknesses and defects that are my ‘baggage’ continually give me cause to my own worth in this mortal experiment/training session.

(Yes, I am hyper-critical – but who isn't? L I guess that’s part of my ‘baggage.’)

Then I receive a little nudge to remind me that things aren't as bad as I imagine.  Usually it comes as a thought assuring me that my status is known and the effort expended on both sides of this whole process is well spent.

I believe that is the peace of the Spirit.

It can be missed if we aren't careful

In mortality, Mother Teresa may not have recognized the validation of her work as she served her God so faithfully.

I guarantee she does now!!

The scriptures teach:

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, Alma 32:21).

  Paul and Alma were onto something.

In spite of her doubts, Mother Teresa became a towering example of the principle.

She really is something special.

Thanks to a wonderful older sister.

BUNNY

As I left for work this morning, this is what I found on the lawn. 

Released from captivity several years ago by one of
our neighbors, this white, fluffy beast
 has returned again and again to feast
on the greens we plant in our garden.

 This is, by no means, our first encounter.

And probably won't be the last.

While a cute little dude, he/she has done some damage in the past.  A love of fresh greens drives our little 'cottonball' to return each year and munch on our flowers.

There is part of me that wants to eat this furry fiend----- but I know I would pay a price when others found out.  So for now, I will endure the ignominious label of "Rabbit NOT-eater." 


And maybe someone can explain to me why the cats or dogs don't chase after this guy and eat him up?

O, wait, I know why!!


The ferocious nature of rabbits protects them from predators.