A Letter to the Pastor

Dear Pastor, I wanted to comment on a statement you made when you speaking at the end of class. I am so respectful of all religions and try to get to know beliefs and understand where people are coming from in their faith especially when I am helping others or in different countries. You mentioned tonight the Jesus of other faiths and brought up Mormonism and how they believe in a "different" Jesus, a Jesus who is one of many Gods. I am "Mormon" and I thought I believed in the same Jesus everyone else does. Taken from Mormon.org site:
But what do we mean when we say He is the Savior of the world? The Redeemer? Each of these titles point to the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. Jesus suffered and was crucified for the sins of the world, giving each of God’s children the gift of repentance and forgiveness. Only by His mercy and grace can anyone be saved. His subsequent resurrection prepared the way for every person to overcome physical death as well. These events are called the Atonement. In short, Jesus Christ saves us from sin and death. For that, he is very literally our Savior and Redeemer. In the future Jesus Christ will return to reign on earth in peace for a thousand years. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He will be our Lord forever.

Jesus IS the Son of God. Jesus lived, was born to a virgin, Mary ,was crucified, died and rose on the third day. Is that not the Jesus others believe in? I know in the Catholic church that the God head consists of God, His Son and the Holy Spirit. One God. Growing up I never understood how this could be. How can three be one.

The Nicene Creed was first adopted in A.D. 325 at the Council of Nicea. The Roman Emperor Constantine had convened the Council of Nicea in an attempt to unify the Christian church with one doctrine, especially on the issues of the Trinity and the deity / humanity of Jesus Christ. The Nicene Creed reads as follows:

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by theHoly Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us underPontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
This I have said so many times in church (born and raised Catholic) From this, to me they were separate beings. How could you sit at the right hand of the father and you are the father. It just did not make sense to me. I see Heavenly Father as a person, Jesus His Son as a person and the Holy Spirit as a spirit separate from the Father and the Son. Because I see them as separate, am I believing in more than one God? I grew up in my spirituality knowing that there was my Heavenly Father, a father who loved me as His child, Jesus his Son, who was the ultimate sacrifice for me, for my sins, and the Holy Spirit who helps me and protects me through my life. I have known these to be three separate entities my whole life no matter what church I attended. To say in the Mormon beliefs that we, they, believe in one of many gods, Jesus, a different Jesus, I do not understand. I know He is the same one you know about, who came to earth and through His ministry here, did many marvelous works. He prayed to His father. The Holy Spirit came to Him.
I guess you made me think, "what, a different Jesus?" "How can that be?" I wanted to let you know how I see my Savior and my Heavenly Father in my life. I am grateful for all that I have, for meeting you and attending the class. Thank you for reading my thoughts. Thank you for leading the class. I hope our paths will cross again.
Warmest and most sincere regards,
Laurie

A Time To Remember..

April Showers and Easter Blessings!

Do you know that April Showers is a term used to describe spring rain in parts of the northern hemisphere, particularly the United Kingdom? It is a popular song, a 2006 romantic film. and used in a poem.

Did you know that the most rain falls in Southern California in the month of December?

Did you also know that , Gov. Jerry Brown has declared the statewide drought officially over after three years?
Brown made the declaration March 30 following state crew findings that the mountain snowpack is at 165 percent of normal for this time of year. Major reservoirs in California and federal water systems all have more water than usual according to officials.

The poem says April showers bring May flowers. The accepted meaning of the poem “April showers bring May flowers” is a simple one: April, usually a rainy month, will eventually give way to the month of May, a month where flowers typically bloom thanks to the water April provided it. By extension, it means “bad” things can sometimes provide the basis for “good” things.
I found this on another blog..it makes sense

Here’s the real meaning behind the poem:

If you take showers during the month of April, you will smell nice and people will give you flowers during the month of May.

By extension, if you fail to shower during the month of April, no one will want to be within fifty feet of you due to your horrible, horrible smell.

I just love, love spring. Flowers are blooming and we have had much rain so everything in the garden is so happy. This time of year makes me feel so great!

Easter is on it's way as well, a time that means so much to me. Easter is the most important, and joy-filled, day of the year, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

There are many symbols associated with this celebration as well and here are the origins of some Easter symbols and traditions, gathered from various online history sites:

Easter bunny
Known as prolific procreators, rabbits are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life. German and Dutch immigrants brought their stories of a white egg-laying hare, called Osterhase, with them when they settled in the Eastern U.S. in the 1700s. Young children made grass nests in their bonnets and caps for the hare to lay eggs in. That custom transformed over generations into the ubiquitous Easter bunny toting his decorated basket filled with artificial "grass," delivering treats and eggs.

Colorful Easter baskets might have their origins in an old Catholic custom of using baskets to carry Easter foods to Mass for blessing.
That custom itself harkens to the baskets of seedlings offered to the goddess Eostre in ancient temples to ensure a successful harvest.

Eggs
The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs often represent Jesus' emergence from the tomb and resurrection. The tradition of decorating eggs for Easter dates back to at least the 13th century, according to some sources, likely because eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season. So people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of that period of penance and fasting, then eat the eggs on Easter as a celebration.

Easter lilies
The beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life -- the spiritual essence of Easter.
History, mythology, literature, poetry and the world of art are full of stories and images heralding the beauty and majesty of the elegant white flowers.
Called the "white-robed apostles of hope," lilies were said to be found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ's agony, springing up where drops of Christ's sweat and blood fell to the ground in his final hours of sorrow and deep distress. Churches continue this tradition by banking their Easter Sunday altars with Easter lilies to commemorate Christ's resurrection.

Easter outfits (and bonnets)
An old superstition was to wear something new on Easter. A new garment worn then would bring good luck through the coming year.
It was said the birds would punish those who wore old attire by dropping decorations on them from the air.
The Easter Parade grew out of this tradition, starting in New York City in the 1800s. This grand event, which continues today, provides a chance to be seen wearing the latest fashions and fads. The elegant ritual reinforced social hierarchies through conspicuous displays of wealth and taste.

Sunrise services
These up-before-the-sun outdoor worship services were more popular when people awoke at the crack of dawn. In pre-Christian times, they were a celebration to welcome the light after a long, dark winter. Now they commemorate Christ's early-morning resurrection.

Lambs
The lamb is a symbol associated with Christ. He is often referred to in the Bible as the "Lamb of God." John the Baptist described Jesus as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Candles, fires and lights of all kinds
A popular early European pagan custom to signify the victory of spring over winter was to light fires on mountain tops.
The Old Testament is full of examples of sacred fires. Christian bishops tried to squash the pagan tradition, but eventually incorporated it into Easter liturgical ceremonies.
The new fire, the paschal candle lit in darkened churches during the Holy Saturday night Easter Vigil, symbolizes the risen Christ, the Light of the World

All the "extra" at Easter time is wonderful and fun, especially for the children, but let us not forget about our Savior Jesus Christ who on the third day when the stone was rolled back from a great earthquake, the women came and found, not the body of the Lord Jesus. Angels appeared and simply said." Why seek the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen" (Luke 24: 3-6)

What a powerful sentence, "He is not here, but is risen."

Our Savior, our Lord, is risen, he is a resurrected being. I testify that He lives today and will come again. Our lives will not end at death. Our Savior said," because I live, ye shall live also." (John 14:19)

What a glorious time. Let us celebrate and remember what this means. What blessings we have now and blessings that are in store for us! I say this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

March Madness

Again, time is on a race with me to "get it all done." As I read (late as it is already a week into March) this month's Visiting Teaching article I feel grateful to be a member of Relief Society. I have not been at Sacrament Meeting or Relief Society much this year and I miss that. I really do. How amazing are the women in RS, standing strong and firm. I am blessed by their examples and continue to strive to what is right.
Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, explained: “We operate in the manner of the priesthood—which means that we seek, receive, and act on revelation; make decisions in councils; and concern ourselves with caring for individuals one by one. Ours is the priesthood purpose to prepare ourselves for the blessings of eternal life by making and keeping covenants. Therefore, like our brethren who hold the priesthood, ours is a work of salvation, service, and becoming a holy people.”
I know that there are "things" that can get in the way of my plans, my goals and my dreams. I also know that I can make priorities for the "things" that are going to grant me an eternal life with our Heavenly Father. I can do the best I can, really do the best I can and do what I should. Stand strong and firm in my beliefs while serving others and be in a place to receive revelation and act on this revelation. I am grateful for the strong women I know and how they teach me with help and example.

Food Storage and Survival

This is a great site CLICK HERE
With all that is going on in Egypt and from what I learned when I was in Haiti again it is time to review what you have for survival. I still believe that we should have the means to take care of our family for at least a week. We need to be self sufficient with all our needs. Look at the weather back east and though we are not going to get "snowed in" we could very well get locked in if there was a catastrophic earthquake. Being prepared is what we need to be. I am still working on my supplies and it is a slow process for sure. So slow and steady, that is what I will be. The key word is steady. Keep up with getting organized for those "just in case" times. We never know and we will be grateful we did have the resources if we ever do need to use our food and survival stash!

Thoughts

I want to write down some thoughts. The visiting teaching message for this month is, The History and Heritage of Relief Society. Click on the title to go to LDS.org and the complete message.
The organization of the Church was not complete until the sisters were organized. How grateful I am to the women of the MV 1st Ward. I remember when I attended a RS dinner before I joined the church. I was so impressed by the tables, the food, the talent of these women. I thought, "Wow, how can there be so many talented women in one place? I was overwhelmed by everyone's kindness and smiling faces. I even thought, "How can I ever measure up to all these women?" "Relief Society is the Lord's organization for women.' What an organization it is! I now know a lot of those talented, smiling women that were at that dinner I attended so long ago. They are so amazing and I am blessed to have joined Relief Society within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have missed a lot of Sacrament Meetings because of work and taking care of my mother. I usually give my testimony in December because that is my baptismal month but missed it this year. It has been nine years since I joined the church. My how time flies.
I was meant to be here, this I know. I was meant to meet these sisters. I was meant to be in this church. I think that I was lead to this path slowly though out my life. As I think of how I ended up here, I have many, "Ah ha" moments. I know that there is so much more to learn. I have many goals for this new year and one is to be the woman of God I am meant to be.

I am so Busy!

I get up each morning, head to work or to my mom's house or to whatever is planned for that day! For each day there is a plan, an appointment, something that needs to be done. I talk to friends and they say to me, "You are so busy!" "Yes" I answer, there is a lot going on. Someday it will calm down, someday I will 'get a break'. I keep going and even add things on to the plan for each day. Yes, there are things that have to be done and as a book title reads The 36 Hour Day infers, I need more time each day to do it all! I look forward to tomorrows, so I can get up and start again. I am grateful for each morning I wake up and thank our Heavenly Father for the day, but then hit the ground running sometimes not giving any more thought to gratitude.
It is still October and I am finally trying to listen to October Conference as I cleaned out the fridge. I do have a clean fridge and freezer and now I am taking the time to write down some thoughts. As I listened to the Sat. talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Of Thing That Matter Most, I am humbled to sit and ponder life as it is right now and how it is changing and how I spend my time. I have always said if there is something you really want to do, you can find the time. The sentence, Therefore, it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions. really hit home with me. Slow down. Can I slow down? How do I do this with all that is going on right now? My mom needs care and things around the house need doing. I have to work and well I now have more commitments that I need to be done. How do I slow down? You can always find time to do the things you want to do!
President Uchtdorf stated in his talk, Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. "I am so busy these days!" Oh yes, I am just so busy! Am I taking this busy thing and letting it become a vice?

"Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks."

OK, so now I know that I am a busy person. Is there not a saying that if you want something done, ask a busy person? I can do it! I can get things done or can I? Have I let some things go? Somethings that are important to me, important to my life, physical and spiritual? I looked within and had that conversation with my self, "Self what are you doing?" I know that I am not doing, physical excercise, daily scripture readings, even sometimes daily prayer! I am not eating as healthy as I would like and usually have some increased stressor each day. Self, what are you doing?
Wow, how some messages come into our lives at just the right time. Is someone throwing me a life preserver? Should I take it and hold on. Hold on with all my might? So now I have got a finger on it, trying to get a grip. How do I keep holding on, how do I get my arms around this?
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in a recent general conference, taught, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.”
"The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life.
There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions."
A simple solution? Really? Is this true? Leonardo da Vinci is quoted as saying that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Oh, how I want to be sophisticated! Slow down, choose, keep it simple stupid! I know that words can be very powerful. I love words. Actions are also part of those words. I can try! I can try my best. That is what I have to do. Do my best!
I will take the time to hear the still small voice, listen and do, learn and become close to our Savior Jesus Christ. I have kept Him in my heart always near and dear. But I sometimes take Him for granted. Yes, He will always be there, I know that, but I have to acknowledge that presence. I have to have patience, understanding with my self in this time of my life. I have to like me so I can see my self as His precious daughter with divine potential!
Simplify, take it slow and enjoy the time. Do not worry about the next thing to get done because it will get done, eventually as it fits into the plan. I will do my best. Keep my firm foundation. Do what I can and be happy with that result. I love that I can have conversations with our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Even when I am angry at them and not happy with the plan, they smile at me, send me comfort and a still small voice that says, "I love you. I have a plan for you. You are my precious daughter. My daughter!"
I love that I can get these messages especially when I need them the most. Thank you Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for your love for me. Keep it simple, for this I pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen