Attitude of Gratitude & Thoughts on Faith

Salutations!

I hope all of you are doing well out there in blogland!

Attitude of Gratitude

1. Easter!
(I am grateful to celebrate the Atonement of Christ and acknowledge the sacrifice that was made for you and for me. He did something no one else could and He did it out of love for us. So that we can all be together again, in the end. What an amazing gift and an amazing blessing!)

2. Camera Phone
(I've had fun taking pictures recently and documenting the adventures I have with my husband. I am grateful to the technology that makes this process possible and I am amazed at how far tech has come in the short time that I have  been on this earth!)

3. Google Docs
(Again, yay for tech. Because of this tiny little program, I can write in real time with my Bestie and we can create magic! This was something unheard of, even as little as back when we were in college, where we used to use AIM to chat and write stories. This process is far more streamlined and produces faster and clearer results!)

4. Physical Scriptures
(I totally love my digital scriptures but I am thankful I could borrow my Mom's copy of the Book of Mormon and look up page numbers for my book report assignment. It has been at least sixteen years since I have written a book report and, back then, ebooks did not exist. So this is all new territory for me and it was nice to have a source that I knew how to cite and for which the parameters had not changed all that much!)

5. Citation Machine
(Sharee was kind enough to direct me towards a website that explains to you how to cite various sources for a paper or report. This site showed me how to cite an ebook and I appreciated not having to shell out fifty dollars for a new copy of the Bedford Handbook, or the Chicago MLA book or an APA Handbook).

The Gathering

The lesson started out as usual, we began by talking about our experiences during the previous week and what we have been learning from the reading and the videos online. Katie commented that one of the videos reminded her about the importance of not bottling up your emotions and of how having good communication skills can be helpful in various areas of your life. Sister Miller spoke about a former client that she had, whom she spoke with recently and learned that this person had suffered a loss in their family, due to suicide. She shared how humbling it was to be able to speak with her friend about a video from the Digging Deeper section of our class and how that video ended up being a comfort to the person who was suffering through the painful experience. (Sometimes we get to be the answer of aid to the worries and fears of another person).

Then we moved into the next topic. The study skill that we were taught this week was List. A list is a purposeful grouping in which items are included (or excluded) for a specific reason. When working with lists, we are to ask ourselves what do these items have in common? What is the topic? What is this grouping trying to say to me? The skill was presented with a definition on the board, along with the questions you can ask yourself to be able to recognize a list and figure out its relevance in the narrative.

We broke into groups and I was able to pair up with several of my favorite people. The Directed Study we worked on was Option 3. My group consisted of Katie, Brother Graham, and myself. We answered three questions. First, how did Moroni describe the Brother of Jared's vision? Moroni described the vision by not describing it in much detail at all. What he did say (according to Ether 4:4-7) was that 'never were greater things manifest' than the things that were show unto the Brother of Jared. This lets you, the reader, know that he saw amazing things, perhaps the whole of history. The second question was this: What did the Lord command Moroni do with the writings of the Brother of Jared? The Lord told Moroni to seal up the writings of the Brother of Jared. They were to be sealed until the Gentiles repent and become clean. Until they have the type of faith that the Brother of Jared manifested. The last question asked when we will be able to see the writings (which I previously answered: when we are spiritually ready and when we repent and are clean before the Lord). It also asked the following: what does this promise mean to you and me? That promise means that we have a lot we need to strive for as we are not spiritually where we need to be yet in order to read these things and have new information revealed to us.
One of the things that struck me the most from this class was the idea of how important faith is. We often think of faith as something important that exists within us. It can make us strong or it can falter and make us feel weak. But faith is far more powerful than we give it credit for or than we notice at face value. Because of faith, the Lamanites were baptized. Because of faith, the 2000 warriors in Helaman's army survived their battles. Because of faith, countless miracles were wrought. All of these amazing things have happened because of faith and all of those people who were a part of such miracles ... well, they all started out with the same tiny amount of faith that you and I have. We all start out with a seed of faith, a small little sprout that we have to nourish with experience, with the written word of the scriptures, and with prayer. We all start out with a tiny, grain of rice sized, seed of faith and from there, what we do with it makes it grow. It can flourish or it can falter but whether or not that faith is resilient is completely up to us. We will all face trials in our lives, hard things that we never thought we could endure ... but we either let those things break us or make us ... We can use them as stumbling blocks and let them build a wall between us and our faith, or we can use them as stepping stones and let them build us a staircase upwards to better things. The choice is ultimately ours. (As it always has been). What will you do with your faith?

Attitude of Gratitude & Thoughts on Pride and Respect

Greetings, my lovelies!

It has been another banner week. I will explain in a bit.

Gratitude List:

1. Soundscapes
(This is a channel I have found on our cable television and I love to listen to it while reading or doing homework because it is very soothing stuff. If you like Celtic, Riverdance, New Age, or Yanni, you would enjoy this station as well! It is a blessing because I can turn this on and drown out some of the louder and more obnoxious television programs that other family members enjoy).

2. Digital Technology
(I have cited this before but it is still true, I am not sure where I would be without my tech. Because of my smart phone and my kindle I can read things so much faster than I ever could before. I can alter the print size and not have to carry around a jumbo sized book and feel ostracized from the rest of society. It really is a huge blessing to be able to work around various limitations because the tech is now ubiquitous and available almost everywhere).

3. Testimony
(I lost a friend this past week. He started a row (fight) on my FB page and tried to provoke other people. He used slanderous names and behaved aggressively. I called him out on it and he defriended me. I was a bit shocked and very sad at his loss, as he was a good friend to me, many years ago, when I was going through a very hard time in my life. But he is a far different person now then he used to be. We both are, really. And I guess you can only trade so long on credit of memories of the past. I am not willing to tolerate him attacking people, just as I never would condone and have called out other people for attacking him. I believe in tolerance. I also believe in respect and he proved that he had none for me. Again, I feel sad but I cannot change the mind of another person, I can only do me. Ultimately, he wanted to tear me away from the gospel and I wouldn't be moved ... so we parted ways).

4. Clean Water
(We do not often think about it but it is a luxury to have clean water to drink. We don't have to trek several miles to find a water source for ourselves and our families. It is readily available and we should appreciate what we have).

5. Shelter
(As I look outside at the dreary gray clouds and the wet, muddy ground, I am immensely grateful for housing. I am glad to have a place to be warm and dry and out of the elements).

The Gathering

This week, our Religion class was taught by Paul Brooks. He opened the lesson by asking us if we had anything to share from what we had been reading and learning this week. Sister Miller brought up the powerful quote from the Digging Deeper videos, where it was stated that "to be without to do is void." I liked this quote so I wrote it down in my notes! It is a good reminder that your actions are important, and that without them to be the foundation of your words, your words carry far less meaning. We also chatted a little about temple work and about the 'Spirit of Elijah' (where the hearts of the children are turned to their fathers, or their ancestors, in other words).
Paul presented the study skill, which was Setting. It deals with looking at the main points of a narrative. You are asked to consider 'who' is writing the account, as well as 'who' is speaking, 'where' the action is taking place, 'when' is it happening (time period), etc. Our Lead Student added 'why' the event was recorded, and 'what' was the purpose for sharing this event or information with the reader, as well. This study skill urges you to look more closely at the various parts of a story and think on the deeper meaning of what is being shared (as well as how it is received and why it is important) with the audience. The skill was presented by using the chalk board and having the different categories (who, what, etc.) introduced one at a time. Then we broke down one of the chapters to analyze it with the study skill.
For the Directed Study, we were broken up into groups of four. My group was given Option 3, Part B. We were asked to answer two questions. The first being: in what ways do you turn your heart to your fathers? We each came up with our own personal answers for this. My answer was that I do this through reading the journal entries of my ancestors and through doing genealogy research on the website Ancestry.com. The second question was: how can you further assist in Family History? We came up with a list of answers for this one. We included the following: supporting ward temple night, supporting youth baptisms, joining Ancestry.com or Familysearch.com and doing genealogy work for our relatives, participating in the church's indexing program, attending the temple regularly, and taking others to see the temple (like the Christmas lights) and the Visitor Center, and being missionaries. After we came up with our own answers, we were all split into different groups to share our answers and learn more about what the other groups had stated in their own portions of the various options that were offered. (These answers were not recorded, as we only had enough time to share our various parts with one another before we went back to finishing up the class).
One of the things that I liked that was pointed out in class was that the gospel is all about "full disclosure." The Plan of Salvation is laid out for us, more than once, in various scriptural resources. God does let us know the details that we need to know in order to further our progression. Satan, on the other hand, is all about secrets and lies. He peddles in half-truths and pushes people to keep secrets from one another. It is the very antithesis of how Heavenly Father treats us.

Pride and Respect

This past week, reading in 3 Ne 23-30, we are given another glimpse of the Pride Cycle. The people had several hundred years of peace, after the coming of Christ, and then they began to deteriorate into pride. They started to differentiate and separate one from another. They preached renewal of old hatreds and donned the names of their ancestors (Lamanites). I will bet that Satan did not need much in order to turn the people against one another. It only takes as tiny crack in your defenses to let water in, or to fracture a much larger foundation. Pride led to the downfall of the people of Nephi ... even after they had achieved the pinnacle of a working and loving, classless society.
My mind has also been pondering on the subject of respect. I feel like I lost my friend because he could not offer tolerance and respect to my other friends. I felt sad and a bit hurt that he did not respect me enough, value our fifteen plus year friendship, to step back and not spew hate all over my FB page. I hate it when people walk away, when they value for so little that which I value so much. Only my Mom truly understood that his loss hurt me. (Everyone else meant well, but the general consensus was 'good riddance' and that shocked me, too). For me, a friendship is like a tree. It grows roots deep into your heart and when you dig that tree up, tear it out of the soil, you are left with a large, gaping hole, where the roots tore out part of your heart. I am fighting to not let this parting of ways discolor the happy times we had in the past. I also do not want to let it change me. I want to still love people - of all walks of life, of all faiths - with an open and caring heart. (The upside, if there is one, is that I told him something simple about myself that I had yet to realize until I wrote it: I do not believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ because of the prophets of the church. Or the apostles. I believe in the gospel because I have a personal relationship with my Heavenly Father. It is that simple). I do not require other people to believe as I do ... but I do ask them to show respect and tolerance for differing points of view. It is not a stance I will change.

Attitude of Gratitude & Putting It Together & Thoughts on Obedience

Greetings and Salutations!

I will not pretend this has been an easy week. We lost my Uncle, suddenly and unexpectedly. It has pulled the rug out from under all of us.

Gratitude List

1. Pizza Hut
(It is just really nice to have the convenience of picking up dinner, already made, and knowing that you will have almost no clean-up to do afterwards. Simply put the glasses in the dishwasher and voila!)

2. Great Friends
(I am grateful to Aimee for listening to me and offering emotional support and a chance to have some escapism writing. I am grateful to Katie and Paul for making me laugh, when I hadn't laughed in awhile, with their amusing banter and commentary. I am grateful for the prayers offered on my behalf and the behalf of my family by the Gathering group on FB.)

3. Hand Cream
(Caring for Mom and a host of animals, I wash my hands a lot. With the harsh winter weather, my knuckles are splitting and cracking. They have been bleeding and, at times, I look like a boxer. I am grateful for hand cream and for those aloe vera gloves that keep your hands covered so the cream can soak in while you sleep. I recently got myself a new pair, as the ones Melodie sent me were packed away in our storage pod.)

4. Jersey Cotton Sheets
(I like being warm in the winter and jersey sheets are the best way to feel snuggly and warm. They are very comfortable and cozy, especially with a nice blanket or comforter on top of them.)

5. The Gospel
(The knowledge that there is an afterlife is immensely important and of great comfort to me, especially right now in this time full of sorrow. I deeply miss my Uncle. I have fond childhood memories of him and I cannot quite grasp that he is gone. I have not been able to say the word 'was' in application to him, as it still has not sunk in all the way yet. I really find myself clinging to the gospel truths that I will see him again and he will be well and whole.)

Putting It Together

I made it to the Gathering, which for me, was my 'productive thing of the day' (other than caring for my Mom's needs and the habits of the furry children). I had gotten through part of the scripture block and I will freely admit that my mind was elsewhere. My heart was heavy and I wasn't sure I was going to get through the next two hours without crying. (It may sound over dramatic, but that's just the way it was. I am not great at handling grief. I wear most of my emotions on the surface and when some of them weigh me down, I cannot just play it off and pretend I am doing alright).
Rick Graham was the lead student and he was dressed the part. He stood up and took charge of the class and began to ask us questions about what we had learned in last week's lesson. Lincoln pointed out that the last time he had read 3rd Nephi, his mind had drawn him towards how amazing it must have been to be there, among the Nephites, and meet the Savior. This time, he said his reading led him to think more about the Second Coming of Christ and what he, and the rest of us, need to do to prepare for such an event.

The Study Skill was Flag Phrases. It was presented with a handout that outlined what the different types of Flag Phrases are (words, similes, superlatives, absolutes, connecting words, repeated words, etc.) These phrases, such as: yea, behold, even, verily, wherefore, thus we see, therefore, because, and nevertheless, all serve to draw our attention, or 'flag' us towards the importance of the information that is being imparted directly after those key words. I anticipate using Flag Phrases throughout the rest of my studying of the scriptures. They point out concepts that are very important and highlight key ideas that I know I should pay attention to (and incorporate into my life).

For the Directed Study, I was paired with Paul and Katie. We were Group Four and we were given Option 3, Parts A and B. I worked on Part B, where I was instructed to make a list of characteristics of perfection that were demonstrated by the Savior towards the multitudes in 3 Nephi 17. My list included the following characteristics: compassion, care for the afflicted, mercy, aid in healing, and prayer for others. I also noted that the multitude showed gratitude to Christ and they were told they had sufficient faith to be healed. Part A wanted us to summarize the counsel that the Savior gave to the people in 3 Nephi 17: 1-3 and describe how that counsel can be applied to our church attendance or temple worship. The pattern of counsel can be summarized as follows: go home, ponder on what you have been taught (we likened this to marinating in what you've learned), ask Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, if what you were taught was true, and then prepare your mind for the next learning experience. The last part can be done by listing any questions you may have on the topic and being as informed as possible (by studying beforehand if you know what you will be discussing). We can apply this counsel to ourselves by being in the right frame of mind to attend our church meetings, pondering the topics we are learning about (or hearing about from the speakers), pray to have the spirit with us at these meetings, and meditate upon the things we have learned and any questions we have for the next lesson that we attend (in terms of classes like Sunday School or Relief Society). You can do the same with your temple worship by making sure your home is a place you can feel the spirit and study out gospel topics. Pondering important questions before you go to visit the temple. Praying about your experiences there and meditating on what you have learned as you prepare for your next temple session.

I have really enjoyed reading about the Savior's interactions with the Nephites. I was really touched by the fact that he knelt and prayed for them. Think of that: the Son of God prayed for them! Not only was He showing them the example of how prayer should be done (In the name of Christ, with sincerity) but the fact that He asked the Lord to bless them. That their faith touched Him, Jesus, so very deeply. I made the connection that Jesus was showing the people how to practice obedience and that their faith and obedience moved Him. It made me think about how our obedience allows Heavenly Father to more fully bless us in our daily lives. That it puts us in a better place, emotionally, to be more fully aligned with His will. It helps to separate us from the things in the world that would distract us from Him and from our true purpose here. The rules and guidelines aren't there just to be mindlessly followed. They are there to help turn your hearts into something more ... to help you become something better than you were when you started out here in this world.

That is all I have for this week, folks. It has been one rough week. I hope you are all doing well, out there in the blogiverse! Any thoughts and comments are welcome. Much love to you and yours! Until next time ... 

Attitude of Gratitude & The Cycle of Pride

Greetings and Salutations!

As usual, here is my Attitude of Gratitude list:

1. Medical Technology
(With my Mom's hip surgery, I am really very grateful for the techniques that have been developed in modern medicine. First, being able to get a new hip. Second, having the surgeon who pioneered a safer procedure, with quicker recovery time, be able to perform that particular surgery. Third, all of the minor medical supplies that are offered to aid in the healing/recovery period ... ice gel packs, a collapsible walker, etc.)

2. My Husband
(I am really glad for his presence. He takes care of me, makes sure I eat, get some sleep, etc. This enables me to take care of Mom. I may not take decent care of myself when he's not around, but I do get watched over during the few days that he is here! I appreciate him trying to lighten my load a bit!)

3. BBC & Hulu
(Having a small bit of time to spend with my love, we were able to enjoy a program that was a miniseries on the BBC a few years ago. It was called 'Lost in Austen' and it followed the adventures of a woman who walks through a door from her bathroom and into Jane Austen's novel of Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth Bennett is now in the modern world, as Amanda Price attempts to navigate the events of the novel, posing as Lizzy's friend. A lot of crazy mayhem ensues and, of course, she falls for Mr. Darcy. You'll have to look it up to see how it all ends, but it was fun to get lost in something that poked fun at Austen's characters and still managed to follow in her classic style).

4. (Re)Generation Who
(Seriously looking forward to going to the Convention next month! It is marked on our calendar and, we have the added treat of being able to offer tickets to some wonderful people who are new to the fandom! It is so fun seeing the universe of Who through the eyes of someone who has never experienced it before! I cannot wait!)

5. Writing with Aimee
(This proved to be some decent therapy for me, after a particularly trying day. I was able to work out some frustrations by penning some scenes where Stone got to knock in some heads and defend his wife from kidnappers!)

Moving on to The Gathering ...

I attended the gathering this Thursday, after several attempts, I managed to snag a ride to class. Having missed class on the week prior, I really was looking forward to seeing everyone again. Thankfully, Sharee brought donuts! (Valentine's heart-shaped ones, at that!) The one I chose was filled with cookie dough! (I seriously had no idea they made such things!) I snagged some of the refreshments and sat down, explaining to several people why I had missed the prior Gathering (My Mom had her hip replaced! I discovered I could not 'do it all' as well as I thought I could).
Sister Read shared a thought with us. She pointed out that 211 degrees is the temperature at which water is hot, while 212 is the temperature at which water boils. She spoke about the significance of a change in one little degree and how such a change can work in our own lives. That if we are able to jump up by one degree in our covenant keeping, our academics, our church callings, that it can make a major difference in our lives (and the lives of those around us). I thought this was a really neat idea.
Next, we talked about the Study Skill for the week. The Study Skill that was presented in class this week was Principles. These are defined by Elder Richard G. Scott as "concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances." Principles are unchanging truths, eternal laws, and fundamental beliefs. They are portable. (If you cannot lift a principle from a story, or if it is only applicable in one type of story or situation, then it is not truly a principle and does not meet the standard of portability). The Study Skill was presented with colorful definitions which were placed on the chalk board and read out loud by members of the class. I anticipate using this skill often in the coming week. The scriptures are loaded with principles for us to study and learn from. (One example is Helaman 12:1, where it states, "yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.")
For the Directed Study activity, we broke up into groups and my group worked on Option 1, parts B and C. For part B, we read Helaman 10:1-4, Joshua 1:7-9, and 1 Nephi 11:1 and we discussed the role that pondering plays in receiving revelation. Pondering serves to open your mind and clear away the distractions of the world. It helps you to focus inwardly and to seek God's will, instead of your own. It centers you in a state of mind that is prepared to receive revelation and divine inspiration. In short, pondering puts you in the right frame of mind to listen to what Heavenly Father wants to teach you and to take that knowledge and light and move forward with it, to guide your actions. For part C, we were asked to select a challenge we are currently facing, and set aside some time during this coming week to ponder this challenge and record any impressions that come to mind. I did not share my challenge, as we were not required to share it with the class, but I will share it here. My current challenge is finding a way to take care of everyone's needs and still find a way to meet my own. I find myself constantly in a crunch for time, exhausted from lack of sleep, and not always clear headed, as I try to take care of the needs around me. I tend to neglect my own needs (such as meals, etc.) in order to get every task done, and I do recognize that I cannot keep going like this. I will ponder and pray on things this week and hope that the Lord will help guide me in what steps to take, in order to accomplish all of my goals and care for the household (myself included).
We went around the room and presented our learning to the class, as a whole. We talked extensively about the Cycle of Pride that exists, and was currently being experienced at this point in the Book of Mormon. We concluded that there are steps you can take to avoid participating in this cycle. One of them is to retain your humility. We need to remember that we are 'less than the dust of the earth' because even the earth obeys the commandments of God. All of the creatures and the elements obey Him, their Creator, and it is only man who chooses to be puffed up in his own pride and not be obedient to Heavenly Father. If we work hard to 'retain a remembrance of the goodness of God', we will be better able to stay humble and to not fall into the trap of lifting ourselves above our fellow brothers and sisters. Another step to avoid pride is to educate yourself, read the scriptures and learn the words of the Prophets. Take them to heart, cherish what you learn and share it with others. This helps to prevent you from becoming wayward and following in the footsteps of the mistakes made by others who have come before you. A third step to bypass pride involves knowing of God's love for us and utilizing the Atonement in our own lives, seeking and receiving a remission of our sins. If we follow Christ's example, and constantly try to uplift our brothers and sisters, we will be less likely to succumb to the cycle of pride (and, therefore, less likely to face the punishments that befall those who are lifted up in the pride of their own hearts).
One of the statements that struck me during this class period was this: "We should pray only for the things that are in accordance to the will of the Lord." I am not sure who said it (or if they were quoting someone else) but I really liked the statement itself. That we need to pray and be mindful (and ponder on) the things that align with the Lord's will for us. (I have not always done this in the past but I will be more open in the future to look for such opportunities and to embrace them as they come my way!)

Attitude of

Attitude of Gratitude & Captain Moroni

Greetings! I hope you all are doing well out there in the universe. I'm doing okay after being snowed in for the weekend (Yes, we are on the East Coast!) Four feet of snow and a driveway with a 60 degree incline can cause a bit of havoc. At any rate, here is the Gratitude List:

1. Blow Dryers
(They come in handy when you have to warm up the pups after taking them out to potty! The snow had them drenched, poor things.)

2. Snow Boots
(My sweet husband talked me into buying boots that had killer traction. I'm very grateful to him because the boots I was going to buy were higher in cut but had no grip on the bottom. These new boots keep my feet fairly warm and are sturdy little creatures!)

3. Snow Days!
(It has been amazingly nice to have my husband home from work and to have the peace of mind of knowing he is safe and sound. I worry a great deal when he is on the road and the fact that ice forms so quickly ... I'm really happy his school district made the right call, for both their employees and their students!)

4. The Gospel
(This has been an amazingly hard January. My heart has been weighed down by a lot of sadness. Several friends have left the church. A close family member is considering doing the same. There have been deaths, both of people I knew personally and some I only admired from afar. All of these heavy matters have been pulling down on me ... which is why I am so grateful for the gospel and the light that it provides. People may deny truth, whether they allow themselves to be blinded or not, but that does not change the nature of what is true. Our bodies may pass away but our souls are eternal. And there is much comfort in the gospel for those who seek after Christ.)

5. My Writing Partner
(I know I've mentioned her before, but our stories are such a good outlet for my creative mind. She was able to resurface for a bit and write with me a little while this week and I had an enjoyable time and I feel less frustrated with how this particular story is progressing.)

The Gathering

This week we did something different at the Gathering on Thursday. We broke up into groups and worked on making a skit based on a specific set of scriptures. My group worked on Captain Moroni's battle with Zarahemnah. For those not in the know, Moroni was the captain of a host of people, known as the Nephites, who were being attacked by another group of people, known as the Lamanites. Moroni was twenty five when he was put in charge of the armies of his people. Can you imagine having such responsibility at such a young age? I can't. But he took the position and he set up part of his army, before going to ask the Prophet Alma to please ask the Lord where the Lamanites were going to attack next. Alma did so, and Moroni took the information and positioned the rest of his army so that he effectively surrounded the Lamanites and cut off their retreat. He gave a stirring speech to his own men, reminding them of their wives, their children, their land, and their freedom that they were frighting for. They were outnumbered, two to one, and even though they were scared, they fought courageously and they defeated their enemy.
Now, there is more to this story. For one, the Nephites wore armor. We're talking helmets, chest plates, gauntlets and the like. This armor protected them from the weapons of the Lamanites, who did not wear armor. The Lamanites came at them with a fury, but their lack of protection proved a very bad decision. Also, their choice of leader was not so great. Zarahemnah, when the fighting came to a standstill, was offered a chance to surrender by Moroni. He declined and when the battle continued, one of Moroni's men scalped him (literally). After losing his hair, he retreated and was later killed.
What struck me the most, about this particular story, which is found in the Book of Mormon, is that Captain Moroni offered the Lamanites a chance at peace. He was on the winning side. He stopped the fighting to offer them a chance to surrender (hand over their weapons and swear an oath to never return and make war upon the people of Nephi again). He did not delight in shedding blood, although, you can see from the strategies he employed (recon scouts, armoring his fighters, etc.) that he was very good at it. He had the patience to allow those who chose to walk away from the battle the chance to hand over their weapons and go home. I think that was both wise and noble. Even after the fighting recommenced, when it was clear that Moroni's army had won the day, he called for a halt and, again, offered the chance to surrender, which was taken on the second go round. I was really touched by how compassionate he was, even in the midst of battle and bloodshed. I don't think I can actually recall, anywhere in history, where the victor offered their enemy a chance to surrender (that didn't lead to bondage or enslavement). Usually, in cases like this, the winner ends up slaughtering the opposition, because they had been given the chance to stop the fighting once already. I think more leaders should be like Moroni, careful, calculating, yet still holding to the principles of compassion, treating everyone with respect.
In our skit, we talked about the superiority of the armor of the Nephites. We demonstrated the drawbacks of the Lamanites being so exposed to the weapons of the Nephites. We spoke about Moroni's offer of peace to Zarahemnah and his enemy's refusal to accept that peace. Being a part of the scenario helped me to think more deeply about the event itself. We were also able to watch the skits performed by the other members of the class. One of them read the speech Moroni makes when he tears his coat and writes upon it: In Memory of our God, our Religion, and Freedom, and our Peace, our Wives, and our Children. Then he put the coat upon a pole and used it as a banner to draw the people together, at which point he dropped to his knees and prayed "mightily unto God, for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren" ... The standard is called the Title of Liberty and it was very inspirational to hear those words read out loud with passion and deep feeling.
I think we should all strive to be more like Captain Moroni. We should recognize that there are things worth fighting for, that we have a duty to protect our families, our lands, and our religious freedoms. We should also recognize that it is a strength to show mercy, and that we need not lose ourselves in the anger and rage of warfare. We need not become hardened by the world around us. You can still stand up for the right thing and be a just person. (I wish we had leaders that ascribed to this ideal).

That is all I have to share with you today, my lovelies! I hope you have all had a restful (and warm and dry) week! If you are interested in the Pathway program, drop me a note in the comments section and I'll direct you to where you can get more information on the subject! Til next time, stay safe and be kind to one another!

Attitude of Gratitude (You Know You Missed Me!) and Putting It All Together (Again!)

Greetings Folks!

It's been a few weeks, did you miss me? I am currently missing some of you! (You know who you are!) I have returned to share with you some more gospel knowledge and thoughts. As always, we will start with our Attitude of Gratitude list and then move on to talking about Pathway and The Gathering!

Attitude of Gratitude

1. Kindle Fire

(My husband bought me the $50 Kindle Fire for Christmas. It wasn't the present I was expecting to get ... but as Heavenly Father tends to know our needs better than we do, it turns out my husband is very intuitive in his assessment of my needs! The Fire has a larger screen then my tiny iphone and I can now read the scriptures at an amazingly fast pace - while still utilizing my magnification and accessibility options! I am very grateful for this device and the new versatility it brings to my life!)

2. Weather

(I know other places have had horrendous snow and rain but, so far, we have had mostly rain here, and snow that does not stick! I am glad of this because it affords me the opportunities to still travel to the Gatherings on Thursday nights - something that snow would not do, due to our location and living 'out in the country' as we do. I also still need to purchase snow boots, so Winter holding off a little bit longer has been a financial blessing, as well, as the resources for such things are a bit tight!)

3. My Husband

(I've posted this one before but it comes true in new ways, all of the time. I am grateful for his great spiritual example, his willingness to talk things over with me, offer me helpful advice and kind words when I am feeling sad or lonely. His enduring positive attitude and his playful nature, while they sometimes drive me nuts, they always uplift me and remind me to see the beauty in life and seek after good things!)

4. Christmas

(I love this time of year. People act better and kinder to one another during this season. The world will try and commercialize it and twist our hearts into material things but, overall, people still extend more kindness during this holiday than one normally sees and it is one of the beautiful things about this particular holiday and celebration. I had the opportunity to see my Dad play Santa for the little children at church ... it was such a beautiful thing ... it occurred to me that Santa, in and of himself, is an archetype of Christ. Many children may not know Jesus, but a lot of them know of the legend of Kris Kringle ... a kind man who brings love and joy and gifts to those who believe ... Granted, Jesus was the gift but the idea still holds true ... that there is someone who embodies perfect kindness, perfect love.)

5. Mom

(She has been more lighthearted of late. Easier to joke with. Less exacting in her standards of how things 'should be done' and I am grateful for the love and kindness (and the random hugs) that she has shown towards me, and my spouse, in recent days. I love hear dearly. She is the reason I learned about the Church and the gospel, and from her hath stemmed many good and wonderous things in my life.)

BONUS

6. Friends

(At the moment, I am missing my soul sister, who is working on some things of her own, but even though she is not with me, in spirit, she is still in my heart, everyday. Her influence is here, and I am trying to keep up the connection, on my end of things, by sending her loving, positive thoughts, quotes, and words, each day. Also, I was very happy to return to the Gathering and see everyone again. I have missed many of them. I rejoice in their successes and sorrow in their struggles. And I am excited for my friend, Pam, who will celebrate her second baptiversary tomorrow!)

GATHERING

As always, it has been very joyous to return to the Gathering and see everyone again. The tone is a bit different, with a few people having departed from our group, and our Pathway missionaries having been exchanged for a new couple. The adjustments are a touch rocky but nothing that won't smooth out in a few weeks time, I think. The Read's are decent people and I hope to come to love them in the same manner that I loved the Barths (though their respective approaches to the positions differ).
This week's class was lead by Pam (who is one of my favorite people, ever!) She volunteered to teach the first lesson for religion class (and prompted me to volunteer to teach the next week's lesson, as I decided to follow her good example!) She shared with us an experience that happened to her at work. She spoke about a lady that had been in her line, at the store she works at, who had had a less than perfect experience. Pam, being a sensitive and kind person, took the time to take this lady aside and listen to her complaints. In the process, she found out that this woman had a friend who was dying of cancer. She asked the lady if she could say a prayer with her, and the woman said yes. So, right there in the store, she prayed for this woman, whom she did not know, and the beloved friend that she was losing. When she looked up, the rest of the people in line had fallen silent, some of them had tears in their eyes. (I seriously admire her courage and her willingness to be an Ambassador of the Lord to other people. I am not sure I would have had the courage to offer a prayer, at work, as where I used to work would likely have fired or censored us from such actions). I am so glad Pam took the time to make a difference in this lady's life. She pointed out that that is what prayer does: makes a difference. That we have the control to change the situation we are in for the better, through prayer and through following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Next, we moved on to our Study Skill for the week. The study skill that was presented was Cause and Effect. We talked about how, in Alma 30, it talked about the law and how there were punishments for the crimes of murder, theft, lying, etc. but that there were no punishments for not sharing in the religious beliefs of the people. That if you did not worship in the same way, there was no law against such a thing, as the people had free agency to choose for themselves their manner of worship (so long as they did not break the laws). This was a fairly straight forward representation of Cause and Effect.
We broke up into groups for our next assignment. For our Directed Study, we did not use the print-out that is included in the folder for the lead student. Instead, we used a hand-out from the gospel doctrine teacher's manual. Our Lead Student, Pam, felt that this series of questions offered more opportunity for the students to be able to get more in depth with the subject matter and also fit better with our time constraints. My group worked on Option I. This option dealt with Alma teaching the Zoramites to exercise faith and give place in their hearts for the word of God to flourish and grow strong. We answered questions from the hand-out as a group. First, we were asked why Alma had great joy when the Zoramites came to him. This was because they had been cast out and they were humble. They came to him with open hearts and open minds, they were ready to be taught and learn the gospel. Then, we were asked why it was a blessing that the Zoramites were compelled to be humble. This was a blessing because they had become teachable. However, it is more important to try and humble yourself, rather than be forced into humility, because we tend to learn things more quickly when we are not compelled and forced into learning them. If we desire to learn them on our own, and are humble enough to learn, then we gain that knowledge more quickly than when we are pressed into learning things we have less interest in. Next, we were asked what Alma taught the Zoramites about having faith. He taught them that having faith meant planting a seed inside your heart. It meant taking these doctrines and nourishing them, living them, and seeing if they grow and take root within you. That you had to experiment upon the word, in order for that faith and knowledge to grow. You had to test out what you were learning, in order to gain a testimony of it. Lastly, we were asked what it meant to 'awake and arouse' your faculties and experiment upon the word of God. This means to be consciously living the gospel principles, to be mindful of the commandments. When asked about our personal experiences with such things, I gave the examples of tithing and prayer. I gained a testimony of tithing by paying it and seeing the blessings unfold in my life. (They were not, necessarily, financial blessings, but there were blessings!) I also talked about prayer and how, unfortunately, I had slacked off on conversing with God on a daily basis, over the holidays. I spoke about the difference in my life, that I noticed, between the last few weeks, and the semester before that. How much of a contrast there was between the two. I was relieved to learn that I was not the only one to fall into lethargy but, having seen the difference, my fellow classmates and I are now trying to shift our focus back to more spiritual things.
As we shared what we were learning with the rest of the class, a few things stuck out to me. One was that the work of redemption must be Infinite and Eternal, hence it could only be done by Christ, who is both of those things. That mankind could not save itself (or the rest of the Earth or the creatures herein) but that Jesus was needed in order to perform the Atonement and reconcile us with God (and His justice). The second idea that I liked was that it is a blessing to know where our salvation comes from. That not everyone has such knowledge and that knowledge, in and of itself, is a gift. We should cherish it. The third idea was that the staff and the serpent, lifted up by Moses, being an archetype of Christ, is more of a significant lesson than it appears on the surface. Think about it: all the people had to do was LOOK at the serpent and be healed. A glance. A stare. A moment. But some of them refused even that. How can you be so devoid of hope that you wouldn't even dare to believe or dream of the possibility that such a thing might work? I cannot imagine being so far gone, so far in the depths of your own knowledge, that you would write off the mere possibility that something might save you, when your life and existence depended upon it! Even if we do not fully believe that Christ can change us, can lift our hearts out of the fear and doubt and sorrow that consume us ... As long as we hold onto a glimmer of hope, a spark of light ... the merest desire for peace, for love, for salvation ... That's all where it starts. A desire. A tiny little pinprick of light.
My Theater Professor used a quote in a production that centered around light and shadow, and it is applicable here:
"There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of even one small candle." -Robert Alden
It is true. The darkness is strong and threatens to overpower us, but no amount of darkness can keep back the light. So too, no amount of Satan's machinations can outweigh or subvert the truth of the gospel and the light it gives to your life.
That is all I have for you today! I look forward to writing you all again, in a few weeks. I send my love and I encourage you to cultivate love and beauty and righteousness in your own lives!