Tulips know just when to push through the soil, snow, wind, and storm to reach for the sun. How hard do we push our way through the obstacles of life to reach for the Son?
Elder Smith after a superb stake conference in Assembly Hall.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Sentiments in Spring
Spring is finally coming to Salt Lake City, even though I still wear my heavy coat and even boots. The blossoms on the trees and flowers are beautiful. I've never seen such lovely tulips before. We continue to work hard and keep very, very busy. The library is getting busier and busier. It is really exciting to be able to help patrons find their ancestors and to see the thrill on their faces. General Conference was just wonderful, of course. It was the first time we have ever attended a live session of Conference, and it was a very special experience. I have been in the Conference Center before but not for Conference. What a magnificent building it is. Watching 21,000 people file out when it is over is like watching ants. It is amazing. We hooked up with Ned and Lydia Smith on Saturday before Conference. They came to our apartment after the Sunday afternoon session for dinner. We had such a wonderful visit and talked ourselves to death. They reported to the MTC on Monday prior to their going to Nauvoo. Ned is really excited about getting to drive a team of horses, and Lydia hopes she can sew fast enough. It was great to see them.
I am singing in a quartet with Evelyn Nielson tomorrow in Relief Society. She is so much fun. They are such a blessing to this mission and will be sorely missed. The Elijah Choir that Sis. Nielson and I sing with is presenting an Easter program Monday morning, April 13 at the weekly devotional in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building chapel.
I was walking by myself to go into the library this past week when Mack Wilberg passed me and said hello. Swoon. (Ha!) Last evening Elder Smith and I attended the Bells on Temple Square concert in the filled-to-capacity Tabernacle. What a magnificent performance! I don't have words to describe it. If you ever have an opportunity to hear them, don't miss it. Your children would be mesmerized as you would be. What a spiritual, cultural feast in preparation for Easter.
Thank you again for your prayers for our grandson. It appears that he has turned a corner and may be on an upward climb to recovery. If it were not for the prayers and fasting of so many and the tender miracles that the Lord has granted, he would not be with us. He has a long road ahead still, but at least the road is there.
At this Easter time, we testify that Jesus Christ is truly the only begotten Son of God, our eternal Father. He is our Savior and Redeemer. He suffered for each one of us, for our sins, our sadnesses, and our afflictions, for our grandson and children and all of your children and grandchildren and for all of you and every single soul. How great and wonderful He is. We love Him and desire to give our lives to Him. Every morning when I see the sun rise, I am reminded over and over again that the Son DID rise for us all.
I am singing in a quartet with Evelyn Nielson tomorrow in Relief Society. She is so much fun. They are such a blessing to this mission and will be sorely missed. The Elijah Choir that Sis. Nielson and I sing with is presenting an Easter program Monday morning, April 13 at the weekly devotional in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building chapel.
I was walking by myself to go into the library this past week when Mack Wilberg passed me and said hello. Swoon. (Ha!) Last evening Elder Smith and I attended the Bells on Temple Square concert in the filled-to-capacity Tabernacle. What a magnificent performance! I don't have words to describe it. If you ever have an opportunity to hear them, don't miss it. Your children would be mesmerized as you would be. What a spiritual, cultural feast in preparation for Easter.
Thank you again for your prayers for our grandson. It appears that he has turned a corner and may be on an upward climb to recovery. If it were not for the prayers and fasting of so many and the tender miracles that the Lord has granted, he would not be with us. He has a long road ahead still, but at least the road is there.
At this Easter time, we testify that Jesus Christ is truly the only begotten Son of God, our eternal Father. He is our Savior and Redeemer. He suffered for each one of us, for our sins, our sadnesses, and our afflictions, for our grandson and children and all of your children and grandchildren and for all of you and every single soul. How great and wonderful He is. We love Him and desire to give our lives to Him. Every morning when I see the sun rise, I am reminded over and over again that the Son DID rise for us all.
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today!
I love Easter weekend. I love the music that tells of the Resurrection. I love our Easter feasts. I love the flowers and strawberries and eggs and all the things that are part of our traditions that remind us of our Savior. It is all that Easter symbolizes that causes us to yearn to find our kindred dead. President Wilford Woodruff said,
"Oh, I wish many times that the veil were lifted off the face of the Latter-day Saints. I wish we could see and know the things of God as they do who are laboring for the salvation of the human family who are in the spirit world; for if this were so, this whole people with very few, if any, exceptions, would lose all interest in the riches of the world, and instead thereof their whole desires and labors would be directed to redeem their dead."
The Elijah Choir sang for the noon devotional for Church Service Missionaries Thursday. Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Quorum of the Seventy, the Church Historian and Recorder, spoke. It was a wonderful presentation. He said that he is concerned that the members of the Church do not have and feel the awe, the respect, and the reverance for our Heavenly Father and for Jesus Christ that they should. He said that he personally does not refer to the Savior as his brother because it feels too familiar and just not reverential. I have felt that myself but just thought it was me.
He has been in charge of the Joseph Smith Papers project. He said he is sure that the Church is making more out of Joseph Smith in this Papers project than Joseph would want us to. Why do we do it? In order that millions shall come to Jesus Christ and know the greatness of God.
Some interesting facts he shared: He is involved in Mormon historiography (which he had never heard of) which means the science of Mormon history. "The Whitmer cabin replica where the Church was organized isn't all that accurate, and some day when the Church isn't mired in this recession, perhaps will rebuild it to make it accurate."
If Joseph Smith were a fraud, why would he have written, "There shall be a record kept." Elder Jensen said that from his experience as an old, broken-down lawyer, he has learned that the first thing anyone wants to do to get out of trouble or to hide something is to get rid of the record.
He told the story of George A. Smith. He wore a toupee, eye glasses, and false teeth. He loved to take them off in the presence of the Indians. The Indians called him, "Non choco wicher" (sp?) meaning, "Man who comes apart."
In the 1970's Dean Jesse began assembling the papers of Joseph Smith. Larry Miller, recently deceased owner of the Utah Jazz, became acquainted with Dean Jesse and caught the vision of the Papers. The Papers Project would not be possible without the generous invaluable contributions of Larry Miller.
Re: Doctrine and Covenants
How many of us know that Section 1 is a preface. Section 133 is the appendix. Sections 3 and 10 deal with the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Section 4 deals with Joseph and Emma Smith's marriage. Joseph paid $200 for the house he bought from Emma's father, Mr. Hale. The deed was in both Joseph and Emma's names. It was legally written and prepared by Oliver Cowdery, an attorney, on April 6, 1829. It was the spring of 1828 when Martin Harris lost the manuscript. This was a very difficult time for the Smiths that often isn't recognized. She had also lost another baby during this time.
Elder Jensen said, "What does all this mean to us on a personal level?" He recounted the experience he had as a mission president taking new missionaries on their first day to the Sacred Grove to dedicate themselves to the mission and taking them again on their last day to account to the Lord for their service. He bore fervent testimony of the restored Gospel, of the Savior, and of Joseph Smith. He said that in all the Joseph Smith Papers, there is nothing there to hide, to be embarrassed about, or to denigrate the Prophet in any way. He said the world will know of the goodness of Joseph Smith.
"Oh, I wish many times that the veil were lifted off the face of the Latter-day Saints. I wish we could see and know the things of God as they do who are laboring for the salvation of the human family who are in the spirit world; for if this were so, this whole people with very few, if any, exceptions, would lose all interest in the riches of the world, and instead thereof their whole desires and labors would be directed to redeem their dead."
The Elijah Choir sang for the noon devotional for Church Service Missionaries Thursday. Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Quorum of the Seventy, the Church Historian and Recorder, spoke. It was a wonderful presentation. He said that he is concerned that the members of the Church do not have and feel the awe, the respect, and the reverance for our Heavenly Father and for Jesus Christ that they should. He said that he personally does not refer to the Savior as his brother because it feels too familiar and just not reverential. I have felt that myself but just thought it was me.
He has been in charge of the Joseph Smith Papers project. He said he is sure that the Church is making more out of Joseph Smith in this Papers project than Joseph would want us to. Why do we do it? In order that millions shall come to Jesus Christ and know the greatness of God.
Some interesting facts he shared: He is involved in Mormon historiography (which he had never heard of) which means the science of Mormon history. "The Whitmer cabin replica where the Church was organized isn't all that accurate, and some day when the Church isn't mired in this recession, perhaps will rebuild it to make it accurate."
If Joseph Smith were a fraud, why would he have written, "There shall be a record kept." Elder Jensen said that from his experience as an old, broken-down lawyer, he has learned that the first thing anyone wants to do to get out of trouble or to hide something is to get rid of the record.
He told the story of George A. Smith. He wore a toupee, eye glasses, and false teeth. He loved to take them off in the presence of the Indians. The Indians called him, "Non choco wicher" (sp?) meaning, "Man who comes apart."
In the 1970's Dean Jesse began assembling the papers of Joseph Smith. Larry Miller, recently deceased owner of the Utah Jazz, became acquainted with Dean Jesse and caught the vision of the Papers. The Papers Project would not be possible without the generous invaluable contributions of Larry Miller.
Re: Doctrine and Covenants
How many of us know that Section 1 is a preface. Section 133 is the appendix. Sections 3 and 10 deal with the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Section 4 deals with Joseph and Emma Smith's marriage. Joseph paid $200 for the house he bought from Emma's father, Mr. Hale. The deed was in both Joseph and Emma's names. It was legally written and prepared by Oliver Cowdery, an attorney, on April 6, 1829. It was the spring of 1828 when Martin Harris lost the manuscript. This was a very difficult time for the Smiths that often isn't recognized. She had also lost another baby during this time.
Elder Jensen said, "What does all this mean to us on a personal level?" He recounted the experience he had as a mission president taking new missionaries on their first day to the Sacred Grove to dedicate themselves to the mission and taking them again on their last day to account to the Lord for their service. He bore fervent testimony of the restored Gospel, of the Savior, and of Joseph Smith. He said that in all the Joseph Smith Papers, there is nothing there to hide, to be embarrassed about, or to denigrate the Prophet in any way. He said the world will know of the goodness of Joseph Smith.
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