Book of Mormon Summer- Enos- Omni

Enos is a special book. Small in size, it is long on principles, the most important one being repentance. I love the question Enos asks after he is told that his sins are forgiven. I believe he wants to know how the guilt was removed since his relief is so real. The release of guilt comes with faith in Christ. Then Enos is told to move forward, act on the new impetus to do good, which Enos does by opening his heart to others.

 
     The records, most valued and prized, are passed through four families, Lehi, Benjamin, Alma, and Mormon. We live in a time when scriptures are easily accessible, but it has not been so in the history of the earth.

     Omni is a record with many hints of events to come. It took me years to realize that reading this small account was vital to understanding the plot of the book of Mosiah.

                                    Here are added thoughts on these books of scripture.
                                   Here are 8X5 versions of my illustrations to copy.

Guest Blogger- Playing Piano At The Joseph Smith Memorial Building

   Welcome to my first guest blogger Lesa. She writes here about her love of music and the joys in her life.        

    Once a month I have the opportunity to play the piano in the lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah. To become a pianist I had to fill out an application and turn it in to a gentleman who is over the lobby pianist. He gave me a call and asked if I would come in and audition for him. I was humbled and excited when Brother Klopfer indicated he would like to give me some opportunities to play in the lobby of the Conference Center and the JSMB. At first I was a substitute pianist. Bro Klopfer would call and ask me if I wanted to fill in for someone who was going to be absent. Eventually, I was given a permanent spot and I've had the opportunity to play once a month on a certain day and time. When I play in the lobby of the JSMB my repertoire includes classical, Broadway, and songs from musicals. As pianist we aren't called to serve in this position; we are just volunteers who give of our time without monetary compensation. The spiritual lessons I have learned by doing this over the last 5 years are worth gold to me.

      Each month as I sit down at the piano, I always wonder what experiences I will have. Last week a group of youth and some leaders came up to the piano. They were on a scavenger hunt that required them to find all kinds of things in the JSMB. As they found the items on their list they had to take a photo of the item. One of the things they had to find was the grand piano in the lobby. They came up to the piano and I stopped playing to visit with them. Over the next hour two more groups came up to the piano. When the last group came up, I asked one of the young men to video me playing the piano as I wanted to have a recording for my children. I have been wanting to do a recording for a long time, but the moment hasn't ever presented itself. The young man agreed and I started playing. At the end of the song I motioned him to come closer so I could talk for a minute on the recording.

Without hesitation I said, "I have the wonderful opportunity to play each month in this building - The Joseph Smith Memorial Building - and it is a great place to be. I have a testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith."

I thanked the group and they went on to finish their scavenger hunt. If I would have had a few more minutes I would have added a few more things.... 

Additionally, I know Joseph Smith was called of God to be the one to be the instrument in the Lord's hands to bring the restored church back to the earth in this last dispensation. I've had the opportunity to go back to the mid-west to see for himself the places he lived and the jail where he was murdered June 27, 1844. Also, we visited the sacred grove in New York where Joseph Smith was visited by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in a vision.

     My testimony of Joseph Smith came as a solid confirmation one day several years ago. I picked up a book about Joseph Smith and I looked at a picture of him and all the years of learning, studying, and hearing about him came together and I just knew in that moment that he is a true prophet of God. I just knew. And I've never doubted since. I know Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God.  

Thank-you. Lesa for your testimony.

Make a Melon Hedge Hog

Watermelon is so sweet this year. We have had two this week. This can be a juicy desert to take to a summer party. Ta Da! A Melon Hedge Hog.

   Slice in half, length wise, and cut the edges for snout and ears. Carve out squares in the other half of the melon and replace. Attach snout and ears with tooth picks, placing blueberries on the sharp points.

                     Add a toothpick to every square to create the quills. Enjoy this summer time treat.

                        Brought to you by Angela and Gabi………………………..

The Cousins Have Arrived

The cousins from Phoenix have arrived and are becoming Washingtonians at last. While their new mainland house closes they are living with us. The house is filled with chortling and expressions of delight. In the morning we get out the bag of stuffed animals and sing, "When ------ get up in the morning they always say------------". Fill in the blanks with appropriate animals and sounds.

    I thought I knew how to baby proof a house but I forgot that a one-year old finds anything, the smaller the better, and chews, rips, and generally takes it it apart.

    The girls think I have a playground in my backyard and that all my toys are super cool. Miss Emmaline is quite concerned for the cactus which has become yellow. She wants me to make it better. Being a desert baby does connect you with certain plant life.

    The cousins are very glad to be together and getting to know one another. I did not have cousins my age so I find the carnival of cousins very interesting to watch.

    So far everyone seems to be happy and satisfied. My son is wonderful about taking the girls on outings several times a day. They are very interested in the beach and each day we have more seashells to clean and sort through. July is a grandchildren month and I am okay with that.

Six Habits of Happiness- Study No. 2

   This summer along with reading the Book of Mormon, I have embarked on another study project. Along with a study buddy, I have been reading two General Conferences talks a week and writing down my impressions. Lesa, at Everyday Notes, is featuring my project on her blog today. Go take a look, please?

Book of Mormon Summer- More 2 Nephi and Jacob

     The words of Isaiah quoted by Nephi are amazing prophecies for our day.
2 Nephi 27:11 "And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth."

      

I am curious about the number of times General Conference speakers use portions of scriptures without quoting them verbatim. These then are listed as footnotes. For example, Bro. Uchtdorf makes the statement, in his preisthood session address, " ..if you will rise up and join the chorus and allow the power of God to work through you, you will see "the windows of heaven open and will pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it". This is a reference to Malachi 3:10. We often think of that scripture as pertaining to tithing but really Malachi is warning the Jews who have stopped observing the laws of Jehovah and he is encouraging them to go back to observing the ordinances of the Law of Moses. The blessings of heaven are promised by the Lord through Malachi for all those who "walk in the way of the Lord". President Uchtdorf uses the language of the scriptures to draw us in because we recognize the phrase. Or is it something more subtle? Is the language of scripture the word of salvation? Nephi tells his people. after seeing their puzzled faces, 

    2 Nephi 31:13 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism--yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. "

   Is the tongue of angels a language? Does it consist of the words of salvation? Can we become conversant in this language as well?  

   

   If reading the scriptures tutors us to understand the tongue of angels then there is no language as beautiful as the allegory of The Vineyard.

Jacob5:41 "And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?"

   When I read this chapter in Jacob I know, deep within, the long-suffering patience and love of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
  Here are some more of my thoughts on this block of scripture.
 Here are some more 8X5 versions of my illustrations. 

Happy July Fourth!

  One of my great joys in life is color. Perhaps you can imagine what fun I have gathering images across the Internet and organizing them into color palettes on one of my favorite computer applications called Pinterest. As we are celebrating a holiday which is identified with three majors colors I have gathered together my favorite Pinterest boards honoring the colors of our national flag.

    Red is really an amazing color. It occurs in nature as a warning but also as a symbol of attraction. I am so enamored with red in picture groups.

   White, or any neutral shade, is soothing and warming at the same time. I like the look of different neutrals together with just a hint of dark to define.

  And blue has always been my favorite color. Soft blues that don't intrude but wrap me up in quiet and peace.

  I can't leave my little Pinterest collection without a quick look at my collection of garden gnomes. Don't steal mine, I pay them well and they get Thursdays off.