Bloom where you are planted

In life we are asked to bloom where we are planted. That is to say that we need to be part of what we our community and environment is. We have a unique opportunity to give something to our place of living that no one else can; ourselves. In my home state, we talk a lot of our forefathers who blazed the trails and created cities; it didn’t start like that.  We as a people started stuck in out old ways. We were neither trail blazers nor earth movers. 

Persecution caused us to stand tall or fall. For some, it was the later. We didn’t catch the vision of what we could become and were all too complacent to stay where we were.  The Lord moved us and we created cities and societies that shaped the American continent. To this day, we, the children of a great people enjoy the hard work that was done by so few.

For some the names are forgotten, their name is a street sign or a park. For others though, their stories are told at family home evening and the excitement of their lives of where they were planted by the Lord is invigorating and inspiring. For me in this life it has been a real experience. When I served the Lord in the early ‘90’s, I am increasingly grateful that he asked me to move very little (I served in three areas). As time moved on he asked me to move more and more frequently. I now work in a job that has me moving as fast as a week to as long as a month. I get little time to be with my beloved wife and children.  I almost feel like the soldiers and missionaries of ancient and modern times who see little of their families.

There in this calling of life I have learned that I need to find where I am planted; what is my calling in my ward that is 200 to 700 miles away? How can I serve my wife and children as their father and husband?  To these questions I have wrestled with the Lord to know my place in the world and in his plan. I have been blessed to give blessings to brothers and sisters, give money to the poor and needy, and receive opportunities to be at the temples of the Lord in many parts of the country. For my family though I feel that I am lacking. While I am a provider to my family and work hard to produce a product that is used by everyone who owns a cell phone, I feel that I do not produce a product that can be used for my family’s soul. I struggle to keep a strong relationship with my kids and wife and though there is various avenues of communication there is nothing like having your son sit on your lap and rest his head on your chest.

Here and now my calling is to be a blogger (it’s not an official calling by the ward but…) I take the role very seriously. It grounds me and keeps my skill as a writer strong and well practiced. It has opened opportunities to meet a lot of people and talk about some great experiences.  I am still looking for a chance to combine my skill and my home life because I think that it will soon be time to be a dad that is home more than on the road. I pray daily to know the path so I can be planted at home. One day I will make it but in the meantime I will work hard where I am planted.

Image is found here.

God gave men the priesthood because...

I want to point the reasons for priesthood to being a men only thing. First I know that it was such a controversy recently and I know that some women could do a better job but there is a key reason why it’s in the hands of men; we, guys, are lazy!

Ok, one of the key things that God has pointed out to us all the time (from Adam on) is that men will be the bearer of the priesthood, providers for our families defenders of truth and right.This comes with a standard of responsibility; namely to bless and edify the whole earth, establish order and to bring all nation tongues and people to Christ through the blessings of the covenants of the priesthood. 

I know it’s the vague answer but have you considered this part of the equation that the priesthood was given to men to get them off their rumps and do something. We guys (as most wives, mothers and sisters know) are inherently lazy. For heaven’s sake, a guy invented the television, remote control and a lot of comfy things that we all enjoy. The Lord in his infinite wisdom told us to work and beyond that gave men the priesthood so that we could get out there and do more than just collect a paycheck and collect action figures (hobbies). 

Imagine for a moment that at the end of the day Brother and Sister Smith are getting into bed after a hard day work, she with the kids and he with the job. At night the Sister Smith is 'asked' by her sick children to take care of them and then the phone rings and it’s a fellow saint asking for a blessing. If women had the priesthood, the husband would ask the sweet wife to do it because he is tired (the poor baby); never mind that she has been busting her hump too. Disputations would erupt and the two would always be at odds as to who should exercise their priesthood keys. Now because the man is the only one with the rights to exercise those keys in our modern day, each members roll is defined and the wife would kick her sweet husband out and have him get dressed give that blessing. He's not arguing about it because he knows that it is his sole responsibility. He calls another brother and they give the blessing. Brother Smith is grateful for the chance to bless the siants life and goes back to bed. 

I know that it’s over simplification but does it really need to be complicated? We each have a roll in life and in the church. Heavenly Father loves each of us and when we have our role or life chore then we know what is expected of us and we can then perform it to the best of our ability. The fact that there is a disputation among the brothers and sisters in our church today is ludicrous. From the very foundation of the world he has defined our role and how we should treat each other and while I empathize with the plight that has been created I am sure that if we are prayerful of our troubles, we will get an answer. We may not like it but if we accept it and obey it, we will be happy. 

Image is found here.

To Honor and Obey

To honor and obey....

These words were part of the oath that the woman would give to her husband as part of the vow of marriage and yet it seems to drop because of, well fill in the blank as to the excuse that is used. At one time I am sure that it meant something.

Do you remember the scriptures Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. The marriage vow gave a charge to the woman to honor and obey the husband as he obeyed the Lord. We were supposed to mimic the great Jehovah and do for our wives what he did for us all; do everything to build and edify the union of marriage and our spouses.

But alas men and women mock god and make ashamed the union of marriage by swearing that there is no need for such union or that the ways of our forefathers is the old way and that the need for self-reliance is more important than our oath or vow. Our word no longer is our bond and that is a scary time we have created; the bond of trust is breaking.

So what can we do to strengthen it?

It is said that the number one fear of men is that women will laugh at them and that the number one fear of women is that men will kill them. I would have to say that we need to go out on a limb here on both parts. Women need not fear death if they build up and strengthen the men in their lives. Likewise men need not fear mockery or to be made a fool if they show kindness and love to those women that are in their lives.

Might I also recommend that people take time to talk face to face; to touch one another in a non-threatening manner?  Human contact is one of the great stress relievers and it helps release the happy endorphins that prolong our lives and makes us health and happy. We get too cooped up in our digital lives that we fail to see the ones that are in our homes and lives.

There was a time when our employers got to know their employees and spouses held hands and kissed in public; teachers touched their students to emphasis the message that they really cared.

Now those wonderful bridges are burning and socialism is attempting to remove what makes us human by punishing us for being good and hunting for what is wrong with us. Our liberties are being taken away; our rolls as men and women are being bleached out.

And what can we do? Husbands love your wives as Jesus loved the church. That’s a real good start. Families will become strength and the home a learning place again. I believe the poet John H. McNaughton summed it up nicely in this poem made hymn.

There is beauty all around,

When there’s love at home;

There is joy in ev’ry sound,

When there’s love at home.

Peace and plenty here abide,

Smiling sweet on ev’ry side;

Time doth softly, sweetly glide,

When there’s love at home;

Love at home, love at home,

Time doth softly, sweetly glide,

When there’s love at home.

In the cottage there is joy,

When there’s love at home;

Hate and envy ne’er annoy,

When there’s love at home.

Roses blossom ’neath our feet,

All the earth’s a garden sweet,

Making life a bliss complete,

When there’s love at home;

Love at home, love at home,

Making life a bliss complete,

When there’s love at home.

Kindly Heaven smiles above,

When there’s love at home;

All the earth is filled with love,

When there’s love at home.

Sweeter sings the brooklet by,

Brighter beams the azure sky:

Oh, there’s One Who smiles on high,

When there’s love at home;

Love at home, love at home,

Oh, there’s One Who smiles on high,

When there’s love at home.

Jesus, show Thy mercy mine,

Then there’s love at home;

Sweetly whisper I am Thine,

Then there’s love at home.

Source of love, Thy cheering light

Far exceeds the sun so bright—

Can dispel the gloom of night;

Then there’s love at home;

Love at home, love at home,

Can dispel the gloom of night;

Then there’s love at home.

If you are married, give your spouse a kiss. Kiss your kids. If you are living with parents, give them thanks and if you are alone thank God your maker that He watches over you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen   

Image provided by  Stock Photo

Adam and Eve

In the beginning there was just two people (well there was God and the rest of us in heaven but..) Adam and his wife, Eve. Now you can dispute it with talk about Lilith and such but I like to think that there was just the two of them. One was clearly a hunter/gatherer and the other was clearly a nurturer/teacher. The blessed souls knew their role as man and woman; husband and wife.

Isn't if funny how such a view has now become skewed. The thought of a woman being a teacher to her children and mother to her husband’s offspring is frowned upon. They want us to teach little girls to play with GI Joe and boys to play with dolls (not that there is anything wrong with that) and in so doing take away our sexual identity.

In the past, we taught our daughters that they were princesses and ladies and our sons were heroes and gentlemen; the role was defined. There were skills to be learned from being those things and to rise above the things that would dim our light. My forefathers taught that men and women should learn and be well educated so that they could teach their children combined to be those that would build their community and strengthen government through self-reliance. 

Alas it’s not that way anymore. Men are taught that women can defend themselves and that they should defend none but themselves. The role of husband is a joke and spreading your seed is no crime; the woman will take care of it or the government will take care of it.

Women are taught that they need no man and such thoughts are slavery and dependence. Women can rear their own children without the strong role of a husband and that the government will provide.

Such thoughts mock God.

We have forgotten that Even was created from a rib, not the head to be above him or the foot be be his footstool; his side to be next to him. Being married for over a dozen years has taught me that my wife is different from me and that difference makes us a team. We rely on each other for strength. We are not a bunch of codependents that cannot survive without the other.

We are a team undivided. Our children are ours not just hers or mine or creatures to be raised by an alien force that doesn't know our little ones, ours. We have a home, we have a car, and we have all the things that God has provided because we work together.

My sons know that they are sons of loving parents and sons of God. My daughter (I have just the one princess) knows that she the daughter of two parents that work hard to give her everything and a daughter of a loving Father in Heaven. My children know their roles and the roles that they must play in the future as future men and women. They know that men work and women rear. I may be king of the castle but my wife is Queen of the manor. I handle things outside and she takes care of things inside because it works for us.

I do not know if this means anything to the faceless government bodies that would love to take that away but to my family it means a lot. 

Image provided by Ancestry.com

The Beginning

Ok I have had some time to think this through. I originally wanted to make fun of the crazy questions that are asked but I realize that this is divine and that making fun of the holy is well asinine. So I am going to play it easy on the lesson questions but we are going to discuss the question of the creation.

First let’s look at Adam; perfect guy with everything going on for him. Except God can't be his constant companion. He has other things to do. So God in is infinite wisdom creates a woman. Some speculate that there was another woman other than Eve. Now is it true? I really don't know but the Apocrypha says that her name was Lilith. Now if she existed why is she erased from history? The rule was do not partake of the fruit and if she did then she did the same thing that Adam and Eve did. Perhaps she didn't convince Adam to split. Some play her as a seductress but apparently she could not convince Adam, she sucked? Maybe she was too carnal and sensuous and Adam could not handle it so he was glad for her exit.

Well it interesting also to note that she is not mentioned for when they left the garden. I mean, wouldn't that be brought up. They skip immediately to Cain and Able and the history continues.

Now there are, in LDS scripture, three accounts of the creation once in the Old Testament and twice in the Pear of Great Price, yet no Lilith. Now some would say to get off that woman and point out the discrepancies and inconsistencies of the scriptures but let’s give the men who under inspiration wrote the scriptures. I mean hey God could say the same story over and over but who wants to see the story printed word for word three times. I like that the Lord allowed the prophets to use their own words. I am certain that they used the stories to make their own individual points. I mean just look at the account of the Savior; four accounts and none of them match but each of them have a great account and could easily cover the three years of his ministry.

At any rate, here is the first lesson. For those that were expecting this lesson in February I apologize I will attempt to be more consistent. Next week, the Flood and why there are mosquitoes.