And it Shall be a Sign

by Lynette Robinson

A Sign

In the Bible and the Book of Mormon, many, many references are made to the signs that the Lord gives us in preparation, connection, testifying and comforting His people.  He lets us know what is coming next.  He tells us that his course is one eternal round.(1 Nephi 10) so that we know what happened before is preceded and followed by certain things.  We come to rely on it.

There are signs in the heavens, signs in nature, there are miracles and testifiers.  When the tree is budding, we know that spring is here and summer will soon follow.  When we see a woman, great with child, we know that she will soon give birth.  When we read how the Lord deals with His people, both obedient and iniquitous, we know what comes next.  We also have been counseled on what we need to do in order to not be cut off from the presence of God.

Obedience becomes a delight

We also know that there is a law of heaven called the Law of Reciprocation.  It is a law that states that for every reaction, there is an equal reaction.  When we receive it means that someone had to give.  It can be us that pays or someone can pay for us.

Heavens laws apply to everyone.  You can say that you don't believe in the law of gravity but it doesn't mean that you aren't bound by that law.  The law of reciprocation is in force also.

The Lord gives us a sign and in return, we give Him a sign in response.  What are we telling Him and ourselves by our "signs" (actions, thoughts, words)?  How do we want others to treat us?  We need to treat others the way we want to be treated.  If you want others to acknowledge you and be friendly then you need to acknowledge others and be friendly.  If that is difficult for you, then make it a goal to step out of your comfort zone.  What if the other person doesn't react favorably?  So, what?  You've done what you should.  Your judge is the Lord.  He told us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  (Matthew 7:12)
If we are obedient to the Lord, then no matter how another person reacts, we are in the right.  Not that we should be prideful about it.  That would defeat the purpose.

What's your Sign?

What about other signs?  Do we practice what we preach?  Do we truly make an effort to love the unlovable?  Do we care for the needy?  Do we attend worship on the Sabbath and truly worship God, or are we more worried about what others are thinking about us?  Are we truly engaged and grateful for the opportunity to take the Sacrament?

God has given us so many signs.  We give God an equal number of signs whether or not we are even aware or intentional. May we begin to sent committed, purposeful signs.


Let's begin with the Sabbath and make it a delight.  Be the light!  Be the example!

The Law of Reciprocation

by Lynette Robinson

Found Money

One day, several years ago,we were driving in town.  I was watching out the window and we were traveling about 10 or so miles per hour when suddenly I said to my husband, “make a right turn here! Turn right! Turn right!” He was puzzled but complied.

I then directed him to drive to the parking lot closest to the intersection we had just gone through.  I jumped out, ran to the curb and in the gutter I picked up a $20 dollar bill.  “Wow!” He said.  Since there was no way to track down the owner, I had a free $20 to do with anything I liked.  It was awesome!  However, I needed to find a way to pay that forward or pass it on in order for the universe to continue to bless me in an invigorating and high vibrational way.

We all love free stuff

We all love to get something for free.  

It’s like the universe giving us a hug but, what about when we go through life thinking that's the way it works and always trying to get something for nothing?  It seems that there are those people who are always looking for a handout and still they tend to complain that they have no money and therefore should be taken care of by those who have more.

In my practice, I try to listen to the Spirit as to when I should donate my time or give a discount.  I have no problem with charity but can’t possibly begin to base my business on it.  I have invested tens of thousands of dollars into my education.  My creditors, water bill, electricity, landlord and mentors don’t have the same mindset and every month those bills come due.  I've got sufficient for my needs and am very blessed but my husband is retired and we have slowed down considerably.

Investment

Recently, there was an offering for a financial freedom class at our church.  The class was free but the cost for the materials was $93.  My friend quipped that it seemed an oxymoron that someone was supposed to learn how to save money by spending $93.  Giving everything for free violates the law or reciprocity.

I found three different perspectives on this law.

1- “The law of reciprocity, (which applies in EVERY culture on the face of the earth), simply explains that that when someone gives you something you feel an obligation to give back. Giving and receiving favors is a common exchange and is an implicit assumption in most of our relationships.”

2- “The Law Of Reciprocity is the Universal Law that states that whatever is sent out into the cosmos, what modern day science refers to as "The Unified Field", and what I personally choose to refer to as "The Infinite Field Of Potentiality", (I call if God’s gift) “in the way of energy or vibration through the resonance of your thoughts, emotions and actions, will manifest outcomes in the physical world... physical outcomes that unfold in your life based on whatever is given or broadcast out through those thoughts, emotions and actions.”

3- “The following gives powerful examples of reciprocity: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap”.

Law of Gravity

“I don’t believe that!” you might say.  It’s like the law of gravity.  You might not believe it but you are still subject to that law.  And so are you and I all subject to the law of reciprocity.   We cannot possibly benefit from what is given unless we find a way to continue that flow of energy.  If someone gifts something to us, whether it’s time or other tangible goods, we must find a way to either pay them back or pay it on. 

There are many, many people in this world who live from day to day on the fruits of the labors of another.  Those fruits often just show up in the mailbox, checking account or benefit card without them ever seeing the source from which they come.  "When you get something for nothing, someone else gives something and gets nothing."  was a favorite saying of a friend's dad in teaching his children.  

They may or may not be able to earn their own keep and that really makes no difference in the case of this law.   As my grandmother aged and became unable to take care of herself she was put into a nursing home and it was heartbreaking to see her downward spiral of health and spirit and before long, she passed away. She was no longer paying her way and she knew it.  Her entire life had been spent in the loving service of those around her and we served her and loved doing it.  

Investing in Education

If you could look inside of any college or university, it would become pretty clear which students were there on their own dime and which ones were there at the expense of the government or other benefactor.  I’m not saying that every single student who applies himself is paying his own way and every player is on a free ride, but the odds are that the ones who are buckling down, know the value of an education and is willing to invest the time and effort into becoming more self-sufficient while being grateful for the opportunity. 

If a young couple, having money problems, had to come up with $93 to invest or sow in an opportunity to learn to better manage their resources, they would be more likely to apply the principles taught in the class and would reap a greater reward in the long run. 

If your medical bills were all paid for by someone else you might go to the doctor but ignore his advice because there is no value exchanged, no investment made on your part.  In vintage times a doctor might receive chickens in exchange for an office call or livestock in exchange for delivering a baby.  Women bartered butter for eggs and men bartered labor for lumber.  It was moral and right to pay people when they give goods or services.

Is it time to take down the Bird Feeder?

This article was posted in reference to illegal immigration but it seems applicable here.

“I bought a bird feeder.  I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed.  What a beauty of a bird feeder it was, I reflected as I filled it lovingly with seed. First came the chickadees and then within a week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food.

But then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue.

Then came the poop.  It was everywhere: on the patio tile, the chairs, the table. Everywhere!

Birds fight over free food

Then some of the birds turned mean.  They would dive bomb me and try to peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket.

Other birds were boisterous and loud.  They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn't even sit on my own back porch anymore.  So I took down the bird feeder and in three days the birds were gone.  I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio.

Soon, the back yard was like it used to be: quiet and serene.

Now let's see.  Our government gives out free food, subsidized housing, free medical care, free education and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen.

Then the illegals came by the tens of thousands.  Suddenly, our taxes went up to pay for free services; small apartments are housing 5 families; and you have to wait 6 hours to be seen by an emergency room doctor.  Your child's 2nd grade class is behind other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English.

Corn flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one' to hear my bank talk to me in English, and people waving flags other than 'Old Glory' are squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government to take down the bird feeder.”

This isn’t just an immigration problem.  We complain that immigrants, coming here for all the freebies is draining the economy but what about the millions of Americans who have been conditioned to believe that they deserve to be taken care of because they can’t (or won’t) take care of themselves.  I agree that in many instances, the situation has degraded to the point where they have passed the point of being able to care for themselves.

We have created and nurtured a “poor me” mentality. 

Have we lost sight of the law of reciprocity?  It is no longer considered a problem for entire families to be on the dole, of the government, which is actually the American worker, for years and even generations.  I’ve read accounts when relief was interrupted due to disaster or extraordinary circumstances; there was rioting and loud demands that the people were not being taken care of.  They slammed the government agencies for not responding sooner.  

Constitution

There is nothing in our US Constitution that lays the responsibility to support its citizens, on the Federal Government.  We, locally, should be taking care or each other during hard times and laboring diligently in all others.  Everybody can do something to contribute.  Children can learn to serve and the elderly can serve the community in so many ways.

Do people fall on hard times?  

Absolutely!  Should we do everything we can to rescue our fellow man and even the stranger?  Indeed!  However, if should happen close to home so that the receiver can see the hand of the giver and know where their meal comes from.  When the needy make no effort to mitigate their circumstances, when they demand and expect to graze from place to place in a pasture they don’t own, even at the expense of the farmer's own cattle, when they teach their children and grandchildren that it’s someone else’s responsibility to provide for them, when they squander the money they have on frivolous and unnecessary luxuries and clutter and then wait for the necessities of life to be delivered, there comes a time when the bird feeder will be taken down because those who once worked to feed the birds have retired or moved away and nobody is left to buy the bird seed.

But I digress.  

Movement and Energy

In a world governed by laws, it is important to find ways to keep the flow of reciprocating energy flowing through and around everyone so those in need are lifted and encouraged and so nobody feels taken advantage of, gets discouraged and simply quits.When we receive, we need to try to immediately return or pass on the energy in kind, in service, or in any way we can possibly think of.  This is something every one of us is capable of.  Let's all pitch in!  

http://www.abundance-and-happiness.com/law-of-reciprocity.html

http://www.foxven.com/archives/3539

http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/16800-Illegal-immigration-Take-down-the-bird-feeder.html

Example or Exception?

by Lynette Robinson

Our Example 

In my 59 years on this earth,

I've seen a few things.  I've known a time when I think citizens were proud of and trusted the government. In bygone days we have had good and decent men in all levels of state and federal government.  I think my mom trusted that if we were playing at a friend's house and got out of line, their parents would make sure we got corrected, although I don't really remember doing anything to get corrected over because we respected adults and feared what our parents would do to us if we were disobedient or disrespectful.  We stopped at stop signs not because a cop was watching but because it was the law.  

What happened?

Yesterday my husband and I stopped by a local sandwich shop.  A young boy, maybe 11 or 12 years old,  was in line alone, ahead of us, snapping at the sandwich maker, a teenage woman, about what he did and didn't want on his sandwich.  Not once did I hear him say please, his tone was somewhat condescending and not once did I hear him say thank you.  After he left I asked the employee if she thought he orders his parents around like that also.  She commented on how often she feels disrespected and wonders why some people seem so self centered.

Along those same lines I've seen lots of comments on social media about how people feel about others.  "I don't go to church because people are too judgmental."   "I'm not happy." "Don't tell me how to act, feel, believe."  

What Does Following Jesus Look Like?

I belong to a couple of online groups specifically geared to those of the Mormon faith, my faith.  These types of comments are all over those groups.  One comment I read was something along the lines that the Church needs to "get a clue" and realize that it is now a worldwide church and people can't possibly be expected to follow the same rules as in the U.S.  

This last comment was precipitated on a post about the strapless costumes at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii.  Can we possibly encourage modesty across the worldwide membership while honoring culture and tradition?  I believe that we can.  I believe that we can create a heritage for our

Can We Follow Counsel and Still Honor Culture?

children while also explaining that where we are now is not where we once were without attacking the doctrine and the mouthpiece for the Lord.   The Lord has counseled us to be modest in our dress, actions and speech.  A person who once used tobacco can turn from their old ways without degrading his past.  Any activity that is not part of the Lord's way can be left behind.  What is there in the past that is better than what the Lord has promised the faithful?

Do we want to be an example?

Elder Russell M Nelson quoted Paul when he said; "In a letter to one of his most trusted companions, Paul wrote to young Timothy, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”That counsel is just as valid for us now as it was then. It applies to our full-time missionaries; it applies equally to each member of the Church. Whether full-time missionaries or members, we should all be good examples of the believers in Jesus Christ. reference

Be Thou an Example of the Believers

President Boyd K Packer, apostle of the Lord stated in a speech given at BYU,  "But there is great power and great safety in holding to the scriptures and having an abounding obedience to our constituted priesthood authority. We are able to pray and receive revelation on our own, then to consider something like this letter from the First Presidency and to obediently say, “Lord, I don’t ask to be an exception.”  reference

We aren't perfect.  What does it hurt if we drop our guard? What if we aren't an example of the believers?   "The prophet Brigham Young said: “We should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do. We should set them an example that we wish them to imitate.”  Each of us can start today by being that good example."

Today I would like to invite you to “be … an example of the believers … in faith [and] in purity” 5 —two principles required for salvation.  (reference)

Emotion doesn't translate well online.  

What if, tongue in cheek, we answer a sincere online question with a smart alec remark, the inquirer has no idea you are joking and they think it is a valid and serious answer?  What if we suggest to another that they can live on the edge of obedience and not get burned because we've done it?  I'm sure that when judgement comes and that person that we have led astray will thank us for having a little fun even though they thought we were serious.  

Am I an Exception of an Example?

We are asked to do our best 

and the Lord will take up the slack.  Are we really doing our best?  If so, then absolutely, God has promised to consider our shortcomings and bridge where we could not jump.  He is a God of love more immense than we can imagine.  He, our Heavenly Mother and all of our spirit brothers and sisters said a fond farewell to us when we departed for mortality with the heartfelt prayer that we would somehow navigate this world and return to glory and joy with them. 

Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever. (reference)

It is in our best interest to be an example and not look to be an exception.

References

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/boyd-k-packer_follow-rule/

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/be-thou-an-example-of-the-believers?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2010/11/be-an-example-of-the-believers?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/tomorrow-the-lord-will-do-wonders-among-you?lang=eng
http://www.ldsliving.com/Why-There-Are-Tattoos-Strapless-Costumes-at-the-Polynesian-Cultural-Center/s/83359

Why Dress up for Church?

by Lynette Robinson

I have read many comments and heard many make concessions as to why we really don't need to dress up for church.

While I do agree that we should be welcome no matter how we are dressed, I also believe that Sunday Worship is a sacred practice and we should consider why we are going and what God expects of us.

I have been reading from the book by Robert L. Millett, Living in the Eleventh Hour.  I have loved reading brother Millett's work and the chapter entitled "Zion's Beautiful Garments" especially struck a chord.  I have to ask myself:  "Do I approach my Sunday worship as prepared as I could?"  Preparation for worship is more than what I wear but it is a good start.

:Brother Millett states:  "I have noted with sadness an increasing informality of dress in sacred settings.  When I have visited other Christian churches, I have observed how common it is for congregations to wear Levi's, shorts, T-shirts, tank tops and flip-flops.  And, Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to see similar trends among Latter-day Saints. Casualness in dress too often reflects a casualness toward spiritual things.  It may not be true for others, but I personally have found that how I dress affects how I feel and how I act.  There's a reason why, for generations, men and women and boys and girls dressed in their Sunday best for church.  It is a sign of reverence, of respect for holy things, an outward manifestation that inwardly we prepared to be taught the gospel, to be inspired, to enter into the realm of divine experience.  It is for this reason that our Church leaders have encouraged priesthood holders who are officiating in the ordinances to wear a white shirt and tie.  While we do not want to obsess over shirt colors, fixate over outward measures of faithfulness, or scold or embarrass those who may not so dress (whether by choice or because they cannot afford to), there is wisdom in looking the part."  Living in the Eleventh Hour by Robert L. Millett

Young Women ready for Sunday Worship

In the Old Testament, Jehovah calls out to his chosen people: "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.  Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.  For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money" Isaiah 52: 1-3

"How we dress not only affects others; it also affects us. This dynamic is often circular: how we feel influences the clothes we put on, and the clothes we put on in turn shape how we feel. Changes of clothes can generate a change of mood; the soldier feels different in his uniform than he does in street clothes. In some settings our choice of attire can make or break us. If we like the way we look for a job interview, for instance, it will tend to strengthen our confidence. We feel better about our chances, as reflected in improved posture, more fluent speech, more dynamic gestures. On the other hand, inappropriate dress can sap our confidence. We have all experienced the uncomfortable effects of feeling under-dressed in a particular social setting." excerpt Clothing Matters

Worship

"What is worship, after all?  It's the act of acknowledging and praising God as God; indeed, as our God. It is the adoring response of grateful creatures to their Maker. In worship we come before God with awe and reverence, focusing on Him in loving contemplation, celebrating Him for who He is and what He has done. We willingly bow before Him in surrender, delighting in the privilege of extolling His worthiness. In worship we join our small voices with the celestial choirs in a grand chorus magnifying the Creator and declaring his excellencies: His purity, His power, His beauty, His grace, His mercy, His love." excerpt  Clothing Matters

Are we in a posture of worship in our dress and grooming at Sunday worship or are we telling God, "You're lucky I made it today."?  

Some Days are More Difficult than Others

There are those days when getting to church is difficult.  I remember a fun song we learned in Primary. Saturday is a Special Day. It's the day we get ready for Sunday.  It seems that lately, Saturday is so packed with activities and work that we fall into bed at night, exhausted, drag ourselves out on Sunday morning, race around to find clothes, scriptures and screech out the door with little or no thought or preparation.  It takes literally minutes to lay out Sunday clothes, shoes and class materials the night before.  Or, if that is too much, you could designate a hanger to hold Sunday clothes to kept there.  A shelf for shoes and books, and a moment during evening before to share with each other why Sunday is such a special day and how it is different from the other days of the week and maybe a prayer before leaving. 

In order to get what God intends for us to have, we should go to Sunday worship in planning and purpose. We take the Sacrament not only because we have been commanded to but because we always "want His Spirit to be with us".  Wouldn't that make your week go better, if you have the Spirit of God always with you?

The Road to Discipleship

The Road to Discipleship

Where are we on that road?  Where are you personally?  Is God, or someone else, simply lucky you decided to show up to church?  Or are you there, prepared in appearance and heart to drink in fully, every morsel of spiritual and temporal advice you can get?  Some weeks are more of a feast than others but how do you know which weeks are going to leave you edified and well fed?  We need to attend every week because sometimes we are fed and sometimes we do the feeding.  We need to be standing in the right place so that when we are in need, Christ will do for us what we can't do for ourselves. 


More Resources
Dress and Appearance
More than Hemlines and Haircuts 
My Sunday Best

Thank You, God!

by Lynette Robinson

Fall Leaves by Alicia Blickfeldt

This year has gone so very quickly and it's difficult for me to believe that fall is securely upon us.  The daily temps this week hasn't risen above 48 degrees and the gardens are beginning to look fallish.  Speaking of gardens, ours was somewhat of a disappointment and it's odd but some people report that theirs is a lot like mine and others are having an abundance of produce.  Fortunately, I've been the recipient of many bags of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, greens and such.  Our green beans did grow and the kale is small but looks to be happy but not much else.

I had abandoned the idea of adding much to my food storage this year until I was mentioning to Jenifer, my niece, that I would like to find some red beets to put up. Most people I talk to make pickled red beets but we just love red beets as a vegetable, shredded and cooked in a little butter in a fry pan beside a piece of meat and a potato.  Not to mention that red beets are so very highly beneficial to our liver and provide incredible nutrition.

Jenifer said that they had some in their garden that I was welcome to and since I had hemmed a couple of skirts for her and refused payment, she was looking for a way to pay me back.

She asked me every couple of days when we were going to come and get them because she was anxious to square with me.

David, Singer and I trekked up the two blocks to Shane and Jenifer's house and was astounded at their beautiful garden.  Now, I really think that Shane was the chief gardener in heaven because of his love for caring for the out of doors but this garden was insanely beautiful.  The rainbow chard looked to be nearly a yard tall, the carrots looked like little orange footballs and everything was green and beautiful.  We were gifted several veggie treats.

The red beets were HUGE and I didn't need very many to fill a couple dozen pints of beautiful red yumminess for the winter.

Four years ago, at the end of our first year as camp host Service Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we found some choke cherries.  I knew that my grandma put up choke cherries and several people that do now but I had never done any.  We picked quite a few and I juiced them out and made jam.  During the last three years since we really haven't seen that many but this year a couple of trees at camp were loaded so we used the bucket on the tractor to get David up to pick them.

A week later Shane told us that there were some really nice ones on the edge of their hay field so we went and got them too.  I noticed another kind of bush loaded with bluish purple berries and posted a pic on facebook asking what they were and I got every answer from good to poison plants.  I finally found out that they are elderberries so we went back and got them.  By that time I had found a few more bushes and we had a nice batch of juice and jam.

During one of my morning walks I found a grove of trees loaded with beautiful blue plums.  We picked a couple of pans of plums and I discovered that the juice is just as delicious as choke cherry or elderberry.  In fact, mixing them produces an even better result.

Next came the apples and I juiced them and am still have 2 five gallon buckets to do as well as the ones still on my tree that will be dried into crispy apple treats.  When I mix the apple juice with the purple juices I get a sweet full juice that needs no sugar.

I love to go to my fruit room and lovingly admire the fruit of my labors and the generosity of God for the peace and comfort of knowing that I did this with my own hands.

Thrive Life Strawberries and Apple Syrup

This morning I made waffles and had some crumbs of Thrive Life freeze dried strawberries in the bottom of a can as well as some fresh apple juice in the frig.  I made some very delicious syrup and the left overs will gel into a beautiful jelly as it cools.

Apple Strawberry Syrup  #ThriveLife  
Thrive Daily

2 C. Apple Juice (or any juice)
1/4 C fresh or Thrive Life FD Strawberries
2 C. Organic Sugar  (or substitute white sugar)
2 TBS Regular Pectin  This is what I use
2 TBS Lemon Juice

Bring to a boil and let simmer in a sauce pan while you make your pancakes or waffles.  It will be the perfect consistency for syrup.  Store the left overs in the frig and you will have a lovely jelly for toast or sandwiches.  Reheat to use as syrup.

Wheat Bouquet

Singer and I go for a walk a few times a week.  I would like to go more and he certainly would like to go more often but life is busy even when you work at home so it is what it is.

Sometimes we walk the perimeter of a field that was planted with wheat this spring.  Over the summer have watched the drilled furrows turn into little green grass like shoots.  We have seen those shoots stand tall and develop beautiful heads of wheat.

After harvest I picked some of the stalks of wheat as well as some other dried plants for an arrangement on my dining room table.  Each time I look at it I am reminded of my pioneer ancestors who walked across the plains and immediately planted crops, including wheat, even before they began building homes.  I am reminded of pulling weeds in my grandpa's wheat field to help raise the price of his harvest as clean grain is more valuable.  I am reminded of how each loaf of bread started at the grinder to crush and powder wheat kernels into flour.  We really don't know how good we have it now.

David was reading from the newspaper earlier this week and said that this has been the driest summer on record since the beginning of precipitation record keeping and yet Mother Earth has seen fit to produce and gift us so very much.  Food directly from the earth is so much more nutritious and pure than what passes through the hands of conspiring men and laboratories.  We are so blessed!

I guess what I really want to say is Thank You, God! for the abundance you have given me.  I have been so blessed to come from a heritage that has taught me how to recognize food in it's raw state and how to make it into eatible and nutritious meals.

If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear

I grew up in a small southern Idaho town.  I thought everyone else had the same childhood I had.  We spent our summers riding horses, swimming in the lake, playing with our friends and every fall we went to grandma's and picked fruit, brought it home and worked to bottle 6 bushels of apricots, 6 bushels of peaches, 6 bushels of pears and as many other fruits as we could lay our hands on.  We worked in the garden alongside our dad and he taught us to love the earth as it yielded a bounty of vegetables that ended up in our basement also. One of my favorite after school treats was a fresh opened bottle of mom's dill pickles.

My Mother Would Spend Hours Admiring

We had a fire pit in the back yard where neighbors and friends would gather to feast on dad's famous dutch oven home grown chicken, rabbit and dutch oven potatoes.  My memories are sweet.

In the fall and early winter I remember my mom spending hours in her fruit room admiring the rows and rows
of beautiful bottles filled with the fruit of our labors.

Life was simple.  We had all we needed and we never went without. I so appreciate my upbringing and the lessons learned at the feet of my parents and grandparents.

September is National Preparedness month and it seems a little interesting to me that I've been inspired every September to take stock of my home store and supplies for years.

It is amazing to me how much produce we are able to glean from the land for free.  You see, my garden is usually bountiful and beautiful, but for some reason it refused to grow to it's full potential this summer.  I'm not sure why that is.  We had an issue with irrigation water early on and maybe it didn't get sufficient moisture.  Our green beans were good and I've put up lots of them.  My tomato plants aren't much bigger than they were when we planted them and our root vegetables didn't germinate at all.  Even with the shortage of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and the like, I have still been able to maintain a full range of food storage.  I usually try to keep two years worth of life sustaining variety.  It might get a little boring but I believe we would make it.

My parents didn't maintain a store of equipment as I remember but now that I think about it, we had camping equipment and tools, animals for work and for food, and I really think we were as prepared back then as we could be.

Ever since I can remember we have been counseled to have a reserve.  Brigham Young told the saints to have 7 years of grain in reserve. (ref)  It was two years as I recall as a youngster.  The Church now suggests that we have one year of long term provisions, three months of what we regularly eat and a 72 hour bug out bag for each member of our family. We are told that the Lord does not change.  Is it possible that He has made adjustments because we haven't?    (ref)

My husband and I serve as missionaries in a Young Womens' Church Camp where we see members come regularly to practice their skills "off grid".  It is heart warming to see a family around a cozy fire, cooking a meal, connecting in a way that our digital society often blocks.

Over the last several years we have been counseled to be prepared in many areas including Financial Fitness, Spiritual Preparedness and Physical Abilities.  We have been asked to go to the Lord and see what He would have us do to prepare in personal ways.  Ask Him to show us "What Lack I Yet?"

Source

The Lord has counseled us through His messengers that turbulent times are coming. (ref)  We are in them now and are to expect difficulty and testimony testing situations.  Where do we stand in the preparation meter?  Can we feed ourselves?  Could we feed our children?  What about the traveller/begger that the Lord sends to our door?  Do we have sufficient to share?  Are we prepared to hear His voice in times of trouble?  Do we know how He talks to us?

A recent focus has been on keeping the Sabbath Day holy.(ref)  It is interesting to me how the common description of the Sabbath has migrated from "The Sabbath, to Sunday to the Weekend."  Just another day to play or work.  The commandment to keep it holy was given to Moses on behalf of the Israelites who were so adolescent in knowing and keeping the commandments that He gave them The Ten Commandments and The Law of Moses, a kinder law with rules about everything including how many steps one could take on the Sabbath.  Yes, keeping the Sabbath Day Holy is one of the original Ten.  The First Ten.  Probably the Most Important Ten!

Why is it then, that we in our advanced state are unwilling or unable to see that the Lord has given us this precious day, free from guilt about not working, a day when we can study of and worship Him?  Is it really such a great sacrifice to offer up a tithe of our time to the things of the Lord?

A scout group was in our camp a few weeks ago and one of the leaders told me that they live in a very affluent area where boats, RVs, fancy cars and all sorts of worldly trophies are proudly displayed in driveways and yards.  This man said that he is often questioned and ridiculed because he has chosen to put his financial resources into his family and preparedness instead of the things that bring peace and that moth and time doth corrupt.  He expressed concern that if there were a disaster, or time when emergency preparations would be needed, he would be called upon to take care of those who had danced in the sunshine and neglected to build a shelter against the coming rain.  That rain that we were warned about.

The Lord Warned Noah

I hear quite often that some who fail to act, believe they will find rescue with their neighbors who are preparing.

The last few days my mind has gone to the story of Noah and how he warned the people to repent.  They would not, and as he and his family boarded the ark, the angels sealed it up, the rains came and the people tried every measure imaginable to gain entrance, safety and life. I can't even imagine how difficult it was for Noah and his family to listen to their cries as they pounded and hammered.  How gut wrenching was it to know that loved ones who wouldn't listen would be destroyed and there was nothing Noah could do?

The scriptures are written for us, not for the people they are about.  When Christ taught of the 10 virgins, the 5 who procrastinated and were found without oil were prevented from obtaining it from the 5 prepared virgins.  Yes, I will share as the Lord directs.  I have no idea who that will be and I hope I am not called to stand by, helpless, as those who have heard but not acted face the consequences of inaction.

Take time to take stock of your situation and act according to the counsel of the brethren, the Prophet and the Lord as we work together to be obedient and prepared.

additional resources:
https://www.lds.org/topics/emergency-preparedness?lang=eng
https://providentliving.lds.org/emergency-preparedness-and-response/stake-ward-emergency-planning-guide?lang=eng

They Seek for Truth. Or Do They?

How Do We Search for Truth?

Searching For Truth

by Lynette Robinson


I was reading an LDS  thread on Facebook the other day about what the Prophet has said about R rated movies. He states  "This is one thing that annoys me with many church members. Essentially, we have always been taught to use our own judgements, but President Benson is the only prophet to actually say "no R rated" and he was putting emphasis on porn - type movies." link The writer's concern is that people say the prophet told us not to watch R rated movies.  He says when he asks people why they don't watch R-rated movies they always say "because the Prophet says not to."  He then  asks "which prophet?"  and people weren't able to answer.  I was also a little confused about what the point of the article actually was.

I read the comments on the Facebook thread a day or two before I read the article and so many of them were dissecting the movie rating system, comparing it to how movies are rated or not rated in other countries.  Talking about content of profanity/sex/violence and discussing their frustration of not having more clear information from the Church and talking about whether we should judge others for watching R rated movies.

It seems with every post like this, the real message, the helpful message is trodden on by those who want to press another agenda or brush off our responsibility to ourselves and families to lift, live and testify the truth of God to one another.

Pray for Guidance and Truth

In the Doctrine and Covenants Section 58:26-29 The Lord states "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.   Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned."

Interestingly enough, I had another conversation this week with a delightful new friend of mine.  She was saying that she was wondering how the Church will address the issue of same sex attraction now that same sex marriage is legal.  You see, we have always been taught that any sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage is a sin (and even if you are not LDS but believe in the Bible, it is there too) but now that same sex couples can marry, how will they address that?  Immediately the Proclamation on the Family came to my mind.  "WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God."  Does that cover it, or not?  I'm not here to say one way or another but I would encourage everyone to search, ponder and pray for the answer from the source of all truth.  The Proclamation on the Family has been signed by 15 Apostles of God!

President Hinkley stated “Prophets of God have repeatedly taught through the ages that practices of homosexual relations, fornication, and adultery are grievous sins. Sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage are forbidden by the Lord. We affirm those teachings.”^Reference

10 Reasons to be Morally Clean

 I recently read where Elizabeth Smart is speaking out against and condemning  the way that LDS teachers portray sexual sin, as she recounts a lesson where they pass an unwrapped stick of gum around the room for everyone to handle, someone actually chews the gum and then asks if anyone wants to have the gum. The teacher then links the chewed gum to a person who has sinned against the law of chastity.  I have never actually used that object lesson personally, I know others who have.  While I agree that it would certainly be hurtful to someone who has been raped or otherwise sexually traumatized against their will because being sinned against and sinning is two different things, she condemns the way morality is taught. I believe it certainly would hit home to someone who had violated that law.  Maybe teach the difference and with love and compassion instill in them a desire to use the Atonement of Christ and heal or repent.  They are two different scenarios. 

To start with, I don't know that the lesson of the gum came from The Church.  How does Elizabeth think we should be teaching our youth about the dangers of sexual and moral sin?  We are so quick to condemn a practice but slow to offer a better solution.

 In a gathering of youth in Denver, Prophet Gordon B Hinkley,  said "Be clean. I cannot emphasize that enough. Be clean. It is so very, very important, and you at your age are in such temptation all the time. It is thrown at you on television. It is thrown at you in books and magazines and videos. You do not have to rent them. Don’t do it. Just don’t do it. Don’t look at them. If somebody proposes that you sit around all night watching some of that sleazy stuff, you say, ‘It’s not for me.’ Stay away from it” (Denver, Colorado, youth meeting, 14 Apr. 1996).

Since this talk was delivered at a youth meeting, does that exempt adults from the counsel?  Aren't we all God's children?  Does he give laws to one and not another, reward obedience to some but not all?  Why would God say it was OK for adults to engage in activities that He forbids children to practice?  Personally, I think some people like to think that rules are just for other people.  

Follow Jesus

God's Laws are for all of us.  They keep us safe.  They help us connect to Him.  Obedience to God's laws open the channels for further light and knowledge that God sends those who turn their face towards Him.

Don't be fooled by those who want to dissect the counsel and say the Prophets haven't been clear.  We have reached the time when God expects more of us than to sit back and be spoon fed the law.  

I testify that God is a rewarder of those who truly and diligently seek Him.  He lives.  Jesus is the Savior of the world and atoned for me and you. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and opened the dispensation of the Church of Jesus Christ in these last days and the fullness of times.  He will reward those who have followed His law and will find obedient people useful for fulfilling His purpose on this earth.  I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!