I love my scriptures. Through the years I have come to value them as a treasure beyond price. I have a hard time getting up in the morning on some days but thinking about having time to feast in the scriptures and conference talks get me up.
Through the years I have gained testimony that prayer is how we speak to God and the scriptures (and the Holy Ghost) is how He answers us. I have particularly found guidance in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. He truly did go through everything and how He handled life's trials provides our answers. As I am rereading the New Testament again right now and His life lessons seem particularly prevalent.
Basic thoughts:
Christ is tempted by Satan at the end of His 40 days of fasting. He responds by quoting scripture to Satan. Matt. 4:1-11
Christ learns of John the Baptists death. He seeks to be alone and immediately after he serves by feeding the 5,000. Later His is able to find solace. Matt. 14:3-21
When Christ needed to be alone and to pray He "rises a great while before day" to spend time with His Father. Mark 1:35
Many came to Him, but He rejected no one. Christ invites, Satan takes captive. Matt. 11:28-30, 2 Ne. 28:20-23
Christ obeyed all of God's commandments. Mark 1:9
Christ was active and walked much. Luke 9:56
Before Jesus choose His Apostles (major decision), He spent the entire night in prayer. Luke 6:12
He has no tolerance for evil and rebukes those in His presence when they try to tempt Him. Matt 16:23-24
Christ took naps. Luke 8:23
I have written before on how much we rely on the scriptures in our home.
Here is a blog post about how we teach our children to love and use the scriptures.
Here is a blog post about how I study the scriptures. This has consistently remained the same through many years. The time I get up changes with the season and activities, but a serious daily scripture study after this pattern remains the most important thing I do.
I love to read my scriptures. I am so grateful that we live in a day that while the world is in commotion and the evil one is bent on our destruction that God has given us the great gift of scriptures. We must read them to know His will and to know Him.
For some reason this did not post correctly a couple of days ago. Here it is now though...
I mentioned in a previous post that I have been reading the old Relief Society magazines. After thoroughly enjoying the two books about the history of Relief Society I went back through that closet at the church to see what other gems I could find. Find gems I did!
I have just finished reading The Relief Society Magazine vol. 3, 1916. For the last several years I have been pursuing the topic of how to build Zion in my home. Wading through the mindsets of society and deciphering what is truth and what is untruth has been difficult. To this end I have enjoyed hearing the thoughts of our Relief Society women from almost 100 years ago. They were not nearly as entrenched in society and Babylon and so the stories, lessons, and editorials have been eye opening. I have had the keener ability to examine my thought patterns and decide what in my current society I need to reject. I have especially enjoyed their in depth biographies of the "Mothers in Zion."
I have typed below multiple quotes from the book. I present a variety of subjects and columns so that you can get a flavor of the treasures contained in this book. Perhaps one may catch your eye and some with at least make you smile.
"Urge our women to leave all other clubs and movements and join our Relief Society work. All women are eligible and welcome. Do not seek to tear down the house built up by any man, but build your own so spaciously and beautifully that the man will be glad to leave his own poorer house and come and dwell in comfort with you." Page 157
"A chicken thief in Salt Lake City was captured recently after being shot twice by Mrs. Lulu Bradley, and wounded so he could not escape. Mrs. Bradley detected the thief robbing her henroost. She can feel that after this exploit her chicken house will be reasonable safe from marauders, who do not love such receptions." Page 163
"Provoke the brethren to good works, but don't provoke the brethren while doing so." Page 165
"However unsightly a building may appear, or however beautiful the architecture of a home or church or business block may be, its effect may be greatly modified by the landscape. The English ivy, the Boston ivy, a climbing rose, wisteria or honeysuckle vine, or the fruiting grape, may be so successfully placed, that it assists the architecture in creating an atmosphere of sweetness and grace. On the other hand, a badly kept lawn, ugly paths and walks, and sickly, untrimmed tree, poorly placed, can make a poem of architecture look indeed ridiculous. "Page 173
"Latter-day Saint women who have been through the temple know the rules of this Church regarding the wearing of low-necked and short sleeved dresses. When they break those rules, they must suffer the certain consequences of disobedience….There is an alarming number of our Latter-day Saint girls appearing at school and elsewhere in ridiculously low-cut dresses. It seems to me that parents and school authorities are the only one to handle this problem. It is largely a question of "doing as the other fellow does." If a leader in a crowd could be made to see that it were not the right thing and she were converted there would soon be a change." Page 217-218
The subject of the evils and sin of using birth control in any form were outlined with multiple quotes from the leaders of the church from pages 363-368, 433-435.
Crochet Centerpiece Instructions given on pages 382-385.
"This is the month when good housewives will begin to think about fruit drying whether they do it or not. It is a grievous social sin that fruit should be grown and left to rot by the hundreds of bushels on the ground….but the women of the Relief Society can do something towards correcting the evil. We suggest that fruit drying parties be given in every ward…" Page 397
"Stale Bread. Cut your stale bread into finger lengths, dip in milk for a minute, put on buttered tin in the oven until crisp, spread with butter, and serve while hot, with jam or syrup." Page 398
"Down into the pit of our fears, the dear Lord places a ladder of hope. It is there-each round is dully gold in the twilight of our suffering. We set foot there again and again, but we are too weak-too impatient to climb slowly and steadily. And so we thrust it away, and go on suffering, and agonizing. Our darkness is unlit, the pit is too deep, the ladder tumbling about our ears while we are crushed beneath its weight….Think healthful thoughts. Say peaceful words. Say over and over, in your mind, hymns or psalms. Refuse to think of your sorrow or your pain. Tell your will to obey your spirit. Don't be crushed or disheartened by constant defeat…You refuse to allow foul, physical air in your sick room or bed chamber-don't allow disease-breeding thoughts, emotions and whinnings, to taint the spiritual atmosphere. Brace up. Be a good, spiritual sport. Grit your teeth, shut your lips, hold your hands tight, and fight-just plain fight…Suffer if you have to do so, but be a solder about it. Keep your face, your fighting face, to the foe. Not your squirming, cowardly back. The Lord loves a brave soldier-so do all men. God is our help, He can heal and comfort us, if we greatly work and greatly pray." Page 410-411
"Money Wastes. It is extravagant to buy clothing of extreme color or style. Fashion changes so rapidly that one will soon find one's closet filling up with useless clothing. It is more economical to buy staple materials and patterns…The best materials, even though one has to pay more money, are more economical in the end. They wear longer, look better, and can be made better use of after the wearer is through with them. As to buying of furniture, money is wasted by buying an inferior article, with a feeling that it is cheap and need not have special care, consequently it does not last long and soon has to be replaced. It is better to buy a little at a time and buy good furniture. Time Wastes. There is no question but the American housewife is facing a great revolution in the manner of her housekeeping…The modern home needs much less skill and vastly more mental and spiritual qualities….False Economy. One of the most economical things a woman can do is to keep alert to all the new household labor saving devices. They may not all be of use to her and buy all would be foolish, but whenever she sees one that will her time and labor it is false economy to let it go by and save the price. Beware of bargain counters. One is tempted to buy things one does not need, laces, embroideries that are either too little or too much when one come to use them. How many times they are piled into a trunk to be used sometime. This is false economy….The truly economical housewife will plan in her cooking to have left overs, and to make use of these is an art that can only be learned by thought and practice." Page 476-480.
"Immodest Dancing has been condemned by the National Dancing Master' Association. Young men and girls with a claim to respectability should have condemned it long since, from motives of self-protection if nothing more." Page 582
Pages 592-600 discuss how to properly hire and work with a maid or housekeeper. Having a maid to do housework was a common discussion so I believe that many had maids. In fact the suggested cleaning schedule that they presented in one lesson had a maid as part of the schedule.
Pages 622-631 is an essay about the "Cliff Dwellers" by the Four Corners area written by Susa Young Gates.
"Labor-Union leaders in New York counted on having at least 800,000 workingmen out on strike the last week in September, but failed to get one-fourth of that number. Yet even that number shows what great danger threatens should the unions be used as means to get unlawful power and gain." Page 640
"Women's skirts, of ankle length and less flaring, is the promise of fashion leaders; this is at least an extension of the covering factor, for which we are thankful." Page 638
"No true woman enjoys association with cowardly men. She despises white-livered, mealy-mouthed apologizers, who not only turn their third cheek for assaults, but make doormats of themselves for their assailants. " Page 649
"Many mothers think it is necessary to evade truth, or lie to their children concerning such subjects as Santa Claus or The Story of Life-not so…if the clever mother always assumes the "listening attitude" she will know by instinct how to tell just enough and not too much. Always answer a child's questions in a simple, truthful way, not necessarily entering into lengthy detail." Page 703
Suggestive List of Books for Family Library: …Prince and Pauper, Little Women, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Far, Story of My Life (Keller), Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, Old Fashioned Girl, The Crisis, Ben Hur…." Page 709
I recently read the Communist Manifesto. It is deeply disturbing. I felt, as I was reading it, that Satan himself had penned it. It is extremely well written and very manipulating. I think that it is an important read to recognize what is going on in our world today. Here is an online copy of the "devilous scheme" (President Benson).
The stated goals in the Communist Manifesto are:
Destroy our belief in God or "the opiate of religion."
Destroy the family unit and institute "free love."
Destroy the ability for personal property (hence capitalism).
They plan to accomplish these goals through the use of these ten planks:
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an
exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of
waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.
They are accomplishing these goals with great success. The majority of the my district's legislatures are pushing these agendas. If these are the goals of the evil, than the opposite are Christ's goals. I think we should copy this list and study it so that we can recognize their deceptions to us on a daily basis.
One of the more fascinating things that I have observed in my study of Marxism through the years is the agenda of tolerance that they push. When you look around you see how well they have succeeded. We tolerate everything going on in our nation now without a second glance.
Tolerance is defined in 1828 Webster's Dictionary as: The power or capacity of enduring; or the act of enduring.
Tolerate is defined as: To suffer to be or to be done without prohibition or hinderance; to allow or permit negatively, by not preventing; not to restrain; as, to tolerate opinions or practices.
It seems that we as Christians don't dare speak out against anything anymore because we are afraid of getting people angry or offending someone. The new message for morality or no morality seem to be: don't judge others, whatever someone else does isn't my problem, they believe differently than me, we need to include everyone, even though I don't believe in that I'll just turn the other way, I don't care as long as they are happy, or I won't say anything because I don't want to offend them.
All of these passive thoughts remind me of some scriptures that prophesy of the last days (that means right now):
"Wo unto them that call evil good and good for evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" 2 Nephi 15: 20, see Moroni 7:14
"And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God-he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this;…" 2 Nephi 28:8
"It shall come in a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth…there shall be many who will say, Do this or do that, and it mattereth not, for the Lord will uphold such at the last day." Mormon 8:31
Korihor, the anti-christ, taught, "whatsoever a man did was no crime." (Alma 30:17, see Lamoni's previous beliefs in Alma 18:5)
I have thought this way for years. I have worried about saying what I believe in because I didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or offend them. How did I get to this point? I was carefully led to this point by fear. We hear about lawsuits, hate crime legislation and sob stories about gays or environmentalist crying because people won't accept them for who they are. It really comes down to being afraid, at least for me, of saying anything.
As I ponder on this the famous scripture comes to mind,
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." (Romans 1:16)
A simple point about judging. We are supposed to judge if things are right and wrong. A scripture mastery scripture from Moroni says,
"For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
" But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him."
I believe we are expected to judge if something is wrong and evil. This one gets all messed up in our mind sometimes. We are supposed to judge ideas and what people do so that we may not if that is what we should do. We often hear in this tolerance argument that Christ said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." However, the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of this scripture reads, "Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged: but judge righteous judgment." (Matt 7:1) How often have we skipped the JST of this verse and allowed the world (influenced by Marx) to expound it for us?
When we watch movies I make my kids tell me what they reject and accept from the movie. The first one in most movies is that we reject the idea that a women needs to work to support her family. We reject that swearing is allowed. We reject the clothing worn as immodest and inappropriate. We reject the idea that we should make "love not war." If we consciously make no judgment than we will begin to rationalize these ideas as okay. (The point begs why are we watching movies like that, well, we aren't now).
I believe that it is imperative that we judge things. If we are not judging something of evil than we are accepting it as good.
I recently heard a statistic that only 7% of America considered themselves homosexuals. (I don't know if this is true). Supposing in theory that it is true than why are the airwaves of our lives overrun with messages for gay rights and ideology? Because they are louder than we are and we are tolerant. They blast their message and we look the other way. However, their message of accepting them is being heard by us. I recently had a conversation with a less-active, former temple recommend holding friend, who said, "Once all the legislation passes for gay marriages the church will simply have to accept it. Since we believe in honoring the laws of the land the church will have no choice but to marry gay couples in the temple." Are you serious? I, by the way, am ashamed to admit that I said nothing. I was worried about offending her. Perhaps a simple testimony would have reminded her to what she once believed in.
Our moral laws must NEVER be determined by legislation. President Packer recently said,
"History demonstrates over and over again that moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot…We cannot change; we will not change the moral standard. We quickly lose our way when we disobey the laws of God. If we do not protect and foster the family, civilization and our liberties must needs perish." ("Cleansing the Inner Vessel," Ensign, November 2010, page76)
Another challenge we face is that somewhere along the way we have become tolerant of our children's misbehavior. We may allow them to participate in media that does not meet the guidelines in "For the Strength of Youth." Oftimes we allow infractions (until they simply become normal and part of life) for a couple of reasons. One may be that we may incorrectly believe that we have to "pick our battles" or that we are too tired to "fight" them on it. Even in the home school realm we allow our youth to participate in things of questionable nature because we feel bad that they don't fit in since they don't go to school. By allowing some leniency we hope that our children won't feel "too left out" or "backward."
Elder Lawerence gave a great talk this past conference entitled "Courageous Parenting." He says this,
"Challenges and temptations are coming at our teenagers with the speed and power of a freight train. As we are reminded in the family proclamation, parents are responsible for the protection of their children. That means spiritually as well as physically."
He quoted Elder Robert D. Hales by saying,
"Sometimes we are afraid of our children-afraid to counsel with them for fear of offending them."
Elder Lawrence continues by saying,
"It is vital that parents have the courage to speak up and intervene before Satan succeeds. President Packer has taught that 'When morality is involved, we have both the right and the obligation to raise a warning voice.'"
He concludes by saying,
"Parenting teenagers in the latter days is a very humbling assignment. Satan and his followers are striving to bring this generation down; the Lord is counting on valiant parents to bring them up."
We must learn to recognize how we are tolerant. Thought questions: Do we watch shows that have gay people in them and just accept it? Do we allow our children to be taught sex ed in school? Do we remain silent when our legislature votes to allow girls to get an abortion without parental consent? Do we remain silent when our government takes money from someone who has earned it through the free-market and then let them give it to someone who has not worked? Do we lower our modesty because there's nothing modest in the store? Do we remain silent when our schools teach evolution and give no air time to any other theories? Do we allow our children to watch professional sports and sigh and wish that all the pornography and beer advertisements were not on there but still do nothing? Do we watch movies that have messages against what are in "For the Strength of Youth" by saying at least this movie is better than the other's. Do we allow our children to play violent video games and say, "I shouldn't let them, but all their friends play it, at least their home instead of at someone else's house." Do we allow our children to read sexually charged books? Do we allow our family to listen to the radio and accept the messages of drinking, drugs, promiscuity, and killing? (My favorite for most ridiculous song that I once heard had this line, "Earl's gotta die," from the Dixie Chicks or whatever they are called. I am very clueless when it comes to music). Do we allow ourselves or our children to be friends with people on facebook who blast their messages that are anti-our beliefs but we do nothing because we just don't want to make anyone mad or offend them?
Our lives are saturated in tolerance. I think at one time I have been guilty of most of the above ideas. It makes me really irritated at myself. I must choose to make a stand. I must pray to allow God to teach me where I am being deceived. Remember the scripture that even the very elect will be deceived? We must break our bonds of tolerance because if we accept their messages and do nothing we will face two problems. The first is that our nation will be stripped of everything wholesome and decent that it has-as President Packer taught in the above quote, (and it will be destroyed because this is the promised land and only the righteous can dwell here). The second reason is that the more we tolerate these messages we will then start accepting the ideas and we will find ourselves led carefully down to hell. We will have been "poision{ed} by degrees" (Alma 47:18) and we won't even know it until it is too late.
I believe that four fundamental elements in such an education are: 1. The basic essentials of oral and written composition—arithmetic, social studies and science. 2. Loyal leadership as found in men who "cannot be bought or sold, men who will scorn to violate truth, genuine gold." 3. Open and forcible teaching of facts regarding communism as an enemy to God and to individual freedom. 4. More emphasis upon moral and spiritual values. May our educational system from grade school to university ever seek and merit His divine guidance! (Pathways to Happiness, p. 71) My husband and I were very impressed with this quote. We found that the book is available on line. Here is the link, click education to the chapter this quote is in.
President Boyd K. Packer
I am restless over the possibility, ever present, that education may fail to achieve a righteous purpose and be perversely used. We have many examples in the world where the misuse of this power has degraded men rather than exalted them... The voice of atheism, of corruption, of faithlessness, of dissention resounds from a thousand platforms. It is subsidized from public funds. It is invited to the forum in public institutions, tolerated by most, and encouraged by many. The voice of faith, on the other hand, is fading. Few places are left where it might speak. (BYU Speeches of the Year, 29 April 1969, p.3)
In many places it is literally not safe physically for youngsters to go to school. And in many schools - and it's becoming almost generally true - it is spiritually unsafe to attend public schools. Look back over the history of education to the turn of the century and the beginning of the educational philosophies, pragmatism and humanism were the early ones, and they branched out into a number of other philosophies which have led us now into a circumstance where our schools are producing the problems that we face. (Charge to the David O. McKay School of Education at BYU, October 9, 1996)
Elder Verlan H. Anderson
The institution of public education is so universally accepted today that many readers are apt to scoff at the idea that the control of education by government and the use of public funds for its support is contrary to moral law. Before rejecting the idea as absurd, one might ponder these facts... 1) Point number ten of the Communist Manifesto contains the following proposal: Free education for all children in public schools.
2) When public education was first proposed in the state of Utah, the leadership of the Church was unalterably opposed to it. (The Book of Mormon and the Constitution, p. 181)
Not only do the scriptures instruct us on when teaching is best done (see D&C 68:25-32; Deut. 8:5-9) but also on what should and should not be taught (see Moroni 7:14-19; 2 Nephi 9:28-29) and who should and should not do the teaching (see 2 Nephi 28:14, 31; Mosiah 23:14). The early teaching of children by parents offers the solution to many problems which otherwise would not afflict our lives. Is not this the ounce of prevention which will eliminate the need for many pounds of cure with respect to our youth? ...The proper teaching of children is truly one of the most essential parts of God's plan for our happiness." (Ensign, 10/91 p. 81.)
President Ezra Taft Benson
I feel to warn you that one of the chief means of misleading our youth and destroying the family unit is our educational institutions. There is more than one reason why the Church is advising our youth to attend colleges close to their homes where institutes of religion are available. It gives the parents the opportunity to stay close to their children, and if they become alerted and informed, these parents can help expose the deceptions of men like Sigmund Freud, Charles Darwin, John Dewey, John Keynes and others. There are much worse things today that can happen to a child than not getting a full education. In fact, some of the worst things have happened to our children while attending colleges led by administrators who wink at subversion and amorality. Said Karl G. Maeser, "I would rather have my child exposed to smallpox, typhus fever, cholera or other malignant and deadly diseases than to the degrading influence of a corrupt teacher." (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 307.)
There is absolutely nothing in the Constitution which authorizes the federal government to enter into the field of education. Furthermore, the Tenth Amendment says: "The powers not delegated to the United States Government are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Nothing could be more clear. It is unconstitutional for the federal government to exercise any powers over education. (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 298.)
From the 5th grade through the 4th year of college, our young people are being indoctrinated with a Marxist philosophy and I am fearful of the harvest. The younger generation is further to the left than most adults realize. The old concepts of our Founding Fathers are scoffed and jeered at by young moderns whose goals appear to be the destruction of integrity and virtue, and the glorification of pleasure, thrills, and self-indulgence. (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p 321)
The tenth plank in Karl Marx's Manifesto for destroying our kind of civilization advocated the establishment of "free education for all children in public schools." There were several reasons why Marx wanted government to run the schools. Dr. A. A. Hodge pointed out one of them when he said, "It is capable of exact demonstration that if every party in the State has the right of excluding from public schools whatever he does not believe to be true, then he that believes most must give way to him that believes least, and then he that believes least must give way to him that believes absolutely nothing, no matter in how small a minority the atheists or agnostics may be. It is self-evident that on this scheme, if it is consistently and persistently carried out in all parts of the country, the United States system of national popular education will be the most efficient and widespread instrument for the propagation of atheism which the world has ever seen." (in Conference Report, October 1970, p. 25)
Elder Horacio A. Tenorio
Parents have the responsibility to educate their children. No inappropriate outsider should be allowed to dictate our family's values nor what our children are being taught... In medieval times, great fortresses were built around castles or cities to protect them from enemy attacks. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites built fortresses to defend their families against the enemies. We must make of our homes fortresses to protect our families against the constant attacks of the adversary. (Ensign, Nov. 1994 p. 23.)
Through the years I have made a study of Marxism. I have read several books about this subject, including a study of Marx himself. I have also read the writings of the followers of Marx and have studied their movements which are: socialism, humanism, progressivism, environmentalism, communism, etc. Their objective is threefold. 1: Destroy our belief in God, 2: Destroy the Family and 3: Destroy Capitalism.
If we believe that Marxism doesn't exist in America or our lives today we are wrong, dead wrong. Christ warns us in the last days, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matt 24:4-5, see JS-M 1) Later in verses 11-12 He teaches, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." And finally in verses 23-24 He testifies that "If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." We are the elect. He is talking about His covenant people.
With these thoughts perhaps in mind it would behoove us to study just where these false Christs and false prophets are going to come from. I challenge you to make a study of Marxism and all the evil 'isms' associated with it, for I believe that is where many of these wolves are.
Several years ago I read a book called "The Naked Communist" by Cleon Skousen. This was a powerful book that was part of my studies. The book was written many years ago. I wished at the time that I could have this book republished for our time right now. I wished Mr. Skousen could show us what the realities are TODAY. I have finally found part two! I am very pleased! However, it is sad to see just how much farther down the path we have gone since the time Mr. Skousen's book was written.
The part two that I am speaking of is not written by Mr. Skousen, but this message of communism can be found in a new documentary called, "Agenda" by Curtis Bowers. I have heard many good reviews about this movie. By happen chance we came across the opportunity to buy this DVD. We also met the man responsible for its production as a sheer coincidence. It is an amazing message that I challenge you to hear. I have the video if some of you close to me would like to watch it. It will change how you think about many things. Here is the trailer to the documentary:
Today in my studies I came across a scripture that I thought was most fitting, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16:17-18
I hope that we are gaining strong testimonies. I hope that we are learning who is masquerading around us in sheep's' clothing set to destroy the "very elect." I hope that we will not have our hearts deceived by fair speeches.
Below I've pasted the review I wrote on Goodreads for "The Naked Communist" a couple of years ago. Perhaps you will find it interesting.
I LOVED this book! I took my sweet time reading it and soaked up every word. This book reviews the history of communism from its rise with Marx until 1960. The only bad thing is that I would love to read "the rest of the story," meaning through to the present.
This book was extremely eye opening in regard to how communism was spread. It was frustrating reading about the lackadaisical attitude of government officials world wide who had blinders on and let the USSR run wild at the close of WWII. They never believed that the Russians were really "that bad." It was also interesting that while the world sat back and watched LDS church leaders like President Benson, J. Rueben Clark and David O. McKay were declaring from the pulpits for all to realize that communism was seeking to destroy our liberty. I wonder how many were listening? Is my family listening now?
Here are some quotes just so you know...
“The paths we are following, if we move forward thereon, will inevitably lead us to socialism or communism, and these two are as like as two peas in a pod in their ultimate effect upon our liberties......We may first observe that communism and socialism—which we shall hereafter group together and dub Satanism—cannot live with Christianity nor with any religion that postulates a creator.” J. Rueben Clark Deseret News—September 25, 1949
"During the first half of the twentieth century we have traveled far into the soul-destroying land of socialism." Pres. McKay, Deseret News Oct. 18, 1952
“The aim and purpose...was then and is now world socialism, which communism seeks to achieve through revolution and which socialists seek to achieve through evolution.” Pres. Benson Oct. 1961-General Conference
Anyway...My edition was published in 1961. Here are a sampling of some of the communist goals at that time that I thought were still interesting nearly 50 years later... (see "Witness" by Whittaker Chambers also these lists are found from pages 259-262 in the book).
*Capture one or both of the political parties in the US.
*Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
*Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
*Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."
*Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.
*Break down cultural standards of morality be promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV.
*Present homo-sexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."
*Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."
*Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture-education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics,etc
*Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
*Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
Okay, so that was only about 1/3 of them. I realize there may be some anti-communist propaganda involved with this book. However, with LDS church leaders crying out against communism I guess that's okay.
I believe that our nation is in jeopardy of being over ran with socialism. Socialism is just another face to communism. I believe that it is important to study these things so you can recognize fallacy in the political machines of our age.
The reason I read this book was because it was suggested by then President of the Church, David O. McKay, during General Conference of Oct. 1959. (I couldn't find this talk on line, but I did find numerous! on-line references to the talk Pres. McKay gave calling church members to read the book).
Quoting directly from the book, "The History of Relief Society: 1844-1944" it says:
"Sewing for the needy has been a function of Relief Society from its beginning. At first, individual members did sewing and knitting in their homes for the Society, working on materials and used clothing which had been contributed and also materials purchased from donated funds. The clothing and bedding provided in this way were issued by the Society for the benefit of the men giving volunteer service in the building of the Nauvoo Temple and their families, as well as for others in need of these supplies. Phebe M. Wheeler, the assistant secretary proposed in the meeting of October 14, 1843, "That a sewing society be appointed that garments and bed coverings may be made and given to such as are suffering cold an nakedness," and a time was appointed for this purpose. This service became a regular feature of Relief Society.
"A sewing service given by Relief Society women in the early days was the lining and covering of caskets. Also a part of Relief Society sewing service in the earlier days in Utah was the making of clothing for the Indians. A nine-month report of the Nineteen Ward Relief Society in Salt Lake, published in the Woman's Exponent, October 1, 1875, showed that "twenty-four yards of linsey and twenty-eight and one-half yards of carpeting have been made by the Society, and two suits of temple clothes and ten pair of garments for the Indians…" The Exponent for April 1, 1876, reported that the Goshen Relief Society had fulfilled an assignment "to make some good strong durable clothing for the Indians."
"Since introduction of the Church Welfare Plan in 1936 and the subsequent establishment of stake and regional bishops' storehouses, Relief Society women have generously and voluntarily assisted at stake and regional sewing centers. In addition, many local Relief Societies haven given sewing service in their regular ward sewing meetings on articles which have been turned into bishops' storehouses for distribution….bundles of cut articles were distributed through the stakes to the various wards for completion in the monthly sewing meeting and were then returned to the Bishops Central Storehouse for distribution to needy families on bishops' orders. Altogether, 4,000 pieces of clothing for men, women, and children were made in the tree regions during 1941-42, and average of 2,000 women at each monthly sewing meeting giving 15,400 hours of sewing service on this special work."
Again, what does this have to do with me and you? Will we go back to a time when we will have to do our own sewing? Are they hinting at this by having us read the history of Relief Society? Perhaps. It's very likely, but I wonder if that's only a partial answer. I think we must look at everything from a spiritual as well as a temporal standpoint.
For me one simple answer is that I (women) need to spend time thinking about and doing things for other people. Joseph Smith told the sisters, "Said Jesus, 'Ye shall do the work, which ye see me do.' These are the grand key-words for the society to act upon." When I am thinking about those in need (and fulfilling my baptismal covenants) it is a whole lot harder to feel depressed, fat, lonely, overwhelmed, and/or worthless. When I think of others the Spirit of the Lord will penetrate my heart and many of the "blah" feelings that I may feel will be evaporated. For you and I shall be about our "Father's business."
Not only was much of this sewing about serving others, but I also think there is an important element of creating involved. Women thrive in creating; we are at our best and happiest when we are creating and shaping. We create children, we create plans for their growth and their lives, we create and do things that add beauty to our homes, we create foods in the kitchen, we create new thoughts when we read and study, we create systems in our home, we create plans in our callings, the list goes on and on. Yes, we sisters love to create. When we are creating things that are worthwhile and that bring a sense of wholeness to our families lives and to others lives we are happy. The sewing projects that these early Relief Society sisters embarked on were about creating something for others who lacked. When we create we find our wholeness and purpose. So, to me, sewing isn't so much about sewing as it is about becoming who we are meant to be; creators who know and believe they have worth.
A third thought that I will let you ponder on yourselves is that after Adam and Eve had partaken of the fruit "they sewed fig-leaves together and made themselves aprons." Later, after the Lord spoke to them and right before He cast them out of the Garden He himself made "coats of skins, and clothed them." (Please see Moses 4:13 & 27 (12-32) and Genesis 3:7 & 21 (6-24)). The first thing Adam and Eve did after they discovered their mortality was sewed and the first physical gift the Lord gave Adam and Eve before He cast them out of His presence was to make them clothes.
Yes, sewing is important on a physical and spiritual level. I pray I can learn to appreciate and develop this skill so that I can find wholeness and purpose in my role as nurturer in Zion. We have much to do sisters.
Thoughts taken from "History of Relief Society: 1842-1966." Published by the General Board of Relief Society in 1966. In my reading about Relief Society I learned that from the very beginning the Relief Society Sisters were always learning and seeking to be educated. In fact Joseph Smith said, "I now turn the key in your behalf in the name of the Lord, and this Society shall rejoice, and knowledge and intelligence shall flow down from this time henceforth; this is the beginning of better days to the poor and needy, who shall be made to rejoice and pour forth blessing on your heads….as far as knowledge is concerned, it may extend to all the world." (History of the Church, IV:607)
I have always heard about Joseph Smith "turning the key" in behalf of the sisters. I have understood more clearly that he did use the priesthood and unlock the powers of heaven for these women and for us today. The history says that the women had to learn how to preside, how to present a problem, how to make and put a motion, how to pray and speak in public. It was noted in the book that this was an "all-encompassing event in the history of women's spiritual and intellectual advancement in the last dispensation. The key in very truth opened a door to reveal the radiance and eternal possibilities of woman's place in the gospel plan-in the home, in the Church, in the community and in those 'courts on high,' so eloquently described in later years by Secretary Eliza R. Snow." (page 21)
In the early days of Utah the women were encouraged to take an interest in educational matters. President Zina D. H. Young said, "In all things possible, let us endeavor to cultivate our home talent and stimulate our sisters to read, and to write, that they may be intelligent wives and mothers; read good books especially the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants." (Women's Exponent, Vol. 17, No. 22, April 15, 1889, p. 172).
At the turn of the century formal "Mother Classes" were set in place. The sisters loved to gather and bear testimony, sing together and then listen to a lecture. The sisters would meet together once a week and discuss business and have these classes. The first week was devoted to theology or later named Spiritual Living. The second week was designated homemaking. The third week was literature, later changed to Cultural Refinement, and the fourth week was Social Science later named Social Relations classes. Here is a breakdown of the topics for the year they studied as well as an overview of their general aim.
Spiritual Living
Studying theology and bearing testimonies was of great interest to the sisters. They used this week to increase their religious and spiritual development as well as to understand the doctrines of the church and to strengthen their testimonies. As you will see there was also a heavy emphasis on Family History work. Courses studied through 1966 were:
1914 Genealogy
1915 Gospel Themes and Genealogy
1916 Women in the Bible and Genealogy
1917 How and Where the Women of the Bible Lived and Genealogy
1918-1920 Book of Mormon and Genealogy
1921 Salvation for the Living and Dead
1922-1923 Phases of Practical Religion
192 The Parables of the Savior
1925-1928 Gospel Dispensations: Pearl of Great Price
1929-1931 Book of Mormon
1932-1936 Doctrine and Covenants
1936-1938 The Ministry of the Savior
1938-1940 The Ministry of the Early Apostles
1940-1941 The Restored Gospel Dispensation
1941-1944 Articles of Faith
1944-1947 Church History
1947-1951 The Life and Ministry of the Savior
1951-1957 Characters and Teaching of the Book of Mormon
1957-196? The Doctrine and Covenants
HomemakingSewing was always the primary purpose of homemaking meeting. (I don't know how many times I read that. Sew. Sew. Sew.) The sewing program consisted of quilt making, hand and machine sewing, dressmaking, remodeling, millinery, darning, etc. There were other types of handwork that were included such as knitting, crocheting, weaving, painting, and flower-making. The purpose of the sewing was to brighten the homes of the women as well as provide useful skills. A good amount of time was spent making sure the sisters all new how to sew and do handwork. Also the ongoing humanitarian projects were always in progress for local needs (needy families, Indians, burial clothing, casket linings, newborn babies, etc.) as well as needs on a national or international scale that the general Relief Society asked them to participate in. Besides giving the sewn items to needy situations the completed sewing projects were used to raise money for a variety of reasons.
This weekly meeting also included a lecture to improve homemaking skills and problem solve with sisters. Here is a sample list of subjects studied:
1935-1936 Consumer Problems
1939-1940 Selection and Preparation of Food for Proper Nutrition
1941-1942 Better Buymanship
1942-1943 New-Fashioned Thrift
1943-1944 Modern Housekeeping Methods
1951-1952 Sewing-The Art of Mending
1953-1954 Family Money Management
1954-1955 Selection, Care and Use of Household Equipment
1958-1959 Managing a Home
1961-1962 Attitudes and Manners
1965-1967 Development Through homemaking Education
Social Relations
This class was a focus in home economics but I think there was some cross over with the homemaking classes. Examples of these classes include:
1919-1921 Health and Sanitation
1926-1927 Child Welfare
1930 The Field of Social Work
1930-1932 Personality Study
1935-1938 A Study of Civic Sociology As a Foundation for Intelligent Living
1941-1942 Education for Family Life-Foundations of Successful Marriage
1942-1944 What "America" Means
1944-1945 Modern Applications of Ethical Principles
1950-1953 The Progress of Man
1961-1962 The Place of Women in the Gospel Plan
1962-1965 Divine Law and Church Government
Cultural RefinementThe purpose of this class was to study good literature. The hope was for the Relief Society members to deepen their appreciation for as well as to develop "discriminating reading tastes." Relief Society sisters were to see the enlightenment, spiritual uplift and enjoyment that comes from studying literature. Later the course included studying music and art. Here is another list for you:
1914 Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
1917 Literature for the Home
1920 Studies of Tennyson and Browning
1921 Our Latter-day Saint Hymns and Their Authors
1922 Latter-day Saint Hymns and Hymns of Christendom
1923 American Literature: Colonial, Revolutionary, and New England Periods
1924 American Literature: New England Period
1925 Later American Poets, Including World War Poets
1926-1927 Canadian Poets of World War, and American Novelists and Poets
1928 Modern poetry
1929 Modern Drama
1929-1930 Biography
1930-1932 The Short Story
1932-1933 The Delight of Great Books
1933-1935 Life and Literature
1935-1936 Adventures in Reading
1936-1938 Biography
1938-1940 The Advance of the Novel
1940-1941 The Modern Novel
1941-1942 Humor in Life and Literature
1942-1944 The Bible As Literature
1944-1945 New Testament
1945-1946 The Bible in Our Literature
1946-1947 America As Revealed in Its Literature
1947-1948 Literature of the Doctrine and Covenants
1948-1949 Literature of the Latter-day Saint
1949-1956 The Literature of England
1956-1958 Shakespeare in Our Lives
1958-1964 America's Literature
1964-1966 The Individual and Human Values As Seen Through Literature
1966-1967 Ideals of Womanhood in Relation to Home and the Family
Okay, really though. What does this have to do with anything? First it's just plain interesting to me and maybe it is for you also. The second is that this is our Relief Society History that Sister Beck asked us to study up on so here you go.
But what are we going to learn from it? For me I learn that God wants me to educate myself. I see that He wants me to tackle hard subjects and learn and DO hard things. He wants me to THINK and use my brain. It's about always progressing and improving yourself. This is done no matter what stage of life you are in. Whether we have littles or bigs or no kids at home at all these classes were useful to all of the sisters.
From this I see, like I've mentioned before, what I can focus on with my daughter. I see the subjects that are the most important for a woman in God's kingdom. It all comes back to nurturing in our role as wife and mother. All those skills and lessons helped those early sisters to magnify their calling and life's mission.
I believe that when we focus on what God wants us to do we will have confidence in our identity of being a daughter of God, wife, mother…. We will be filled with the Spirit and will happily and cheerfully serve our family and fellow mankind with a willing and joyful heart. We will not have place in our hearts for Satan's evil messages to take root. His message to us of pacification, entitlement and apathy will be easily rejected and we will not be led by his awful chains down to hell.
Sister Beck said, "Relief Society clarifies our work and unifies us as daughters of God in defense of His plan. In this day of mistaken identities, confusion and distraction, Relief Society is meant to be a compass and guide to teach the truth to faithful women. Righteous women today seek an outpouring of revelation to resist distractions, fight evil and spiritual destruction, and rise above personal disasters by increasing their faith, strengthening their families and providing relief to others." (Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society, Oct. 2010).
I pray I can choose God's plan for me each day and each moment. I pray I can reject Satan's lies. I pray I can choose to engage, for the time of passive warfare must end.
"An answer has come that the sisters of the Church should know and learn from the history of Relief Society. Understanding the history of Relief Society strengthens the foundational identity and worth of faithful women."
This answer came to Sister Beck in her plea "to help His daughters be strong in the face of the 'calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth.'" When Sister Beck gave this moving talk in October at the Relief Society General Meeting I wasn't entirely sure how it could help me but I took it in faith. Besides I love history and know there is much we can learn from history. While I took it in faith and believed her I didn't too much about it until this past week.
This past week I was able to get my hands on two histories of Relief Society. The first was the Centennial History of Relief Society, 1842-1944. The second book was called, "The History of Relief Society, 1842-1966. I devoured these books and then I studied again and again Sister Beck's words. I am seeking to learn what personal messages the Lord has for me that I can be "strong in the face of the 'calamity which should come.'" Through this pondering many thoughts have come as well as actual action steps.
The first was to share my find with my mother and sister. My sister immediately latched onto the idea of using the Centennial History for her book at our Relief Society Book Club Meeting. Now the book would be passed among a few more in our ward, success! This led to much discussion and memories among the three of us. We remembered the "old Relief Society scrapbook" that was at the church. A plan was made to redo it digitally and make a hard copy thereby securing the old pictures and histories. Permission was given from the Bishop and a counselor.
This week I have worked on retyping the histories and my mom will scan the pictures when I finish. This has been a wonderful project so far. I am a third generation resident of this town and so I have heard of these wonderful sisters from long ago through stories through the years. They are coming alive to me as I learn about the history of the Relief Society in my little community and see their pictures. They are real people.
From these combined histories I am coming to see who I am and what I need to do as Sister Beck taught. I have learned and have been reminded that Relief Society has always been about serving others. The early sisters did this by sewing for the temple workers, sewing the temple veil, making burial clothing and sewing for the Indians as well as needy families. They were innovative in solving problems and had keen eyesight to recognize potential problems and plan for them. They worked hard to promote home industry for the needy and encourage those able to add their talents to fundraising and bazaars. They were proponents of mother and children's health; working to establish nursing education and creating hospitals. They worked tirelessly during the War Years to support the troops through bond sales and soap donations. They instituted the Visiting Teaching Program to reach out to all sisters. They loved music and organized "Singing Mother Groups" through the Stakes of Zion. Perhaps my favorite was their dedication to mother education through weekly classes.
On my local level in my ward I have read of their tireless fundraising projects to build a large ward building to meet in. They worked hard to provide the weekly classes and provide social events for the sisters in our town. They walked miles to complete visiting teaching appointments and visit the sick. They provided meals to the church farm workers and supported the priesthood brethren in their assignments. They helped prepare bodies for burial as no funeral services were available. They also put in hours and hours of sewing time to make clothing for those in need and to prepare bazaar items for fundraising. They never seemed to stop working hard to bless others.
While studying I noticed some thoughts that currently stand out:
They sewed A LOT
Mother Education was extremely important to them and this included Literature such as Shakespeare, biographies, lots of poetry, American Literature, modern drama……
Sisters needed to gather together often to socialize
The R.S. goal of helping sisters find joy and testimony in their role of wife and mother was vital
I have pages and pages of notes. So much to think about! One thing that is very clear is that their focus is now my focus on how I live my life and how I raise our daughter. This focus includes serving others, educating self and developing our talents. This is the curriculum. This is what is important to me now. Yes, that includes lots of sewing. Those who know me well are laughing because this is so painful to me. However, I've been repenting and we have been sewing up a storm in this house the last couple of months, really you would be surprised! The amazing thing is that I'm so happy now when I do it. I think that is because I'm focused on nurturing others when I'm sewing and striving to fulfill my role brings the Spirit (which yields peace and happiness).
Learning the history of Relief Society has unified me in heart to the sisters I know now and also to those who worked tirelessly before me and left me a great legacy. I realize that I am not alone in this great work. There are many who have worked, are working and will work in the future to prepare the earth for the Savior to return. There are many more that are side by side me both in Spirit and in body than I had realize. Through this I have come to see that I can change to become even more who the Lord wants me to become. I can fulfill my mission and be a strong wife and mother during this day when Satan tries to beat the door down on me and make me become as "'silly women' who worships a variety of 'strange gods.'"
I add my testimony to Sister Beck that learning our history through the Relief Society will help us to become strong against the "growing climate of entitlement, excuse, apathy, and enticement."
All quotes are from Sister Beck's October 2010 talk.
General Conference time is a great time for reflection and personal revelation. Each conference I come away empowered on how to make my life and my family's life more deeply devoted to Christ and keeping our second estate. Elder Christofferson's recent conference talk in October continued to expand my mind and further illuminate true principles.
His talk, "Reflections on a Consecrated Life," bring out five key elements that will help us consecrate our lives to our Savior. His five suggestions were: purity, work, respect for one's physical body, service and integrity. I have thought about his second element, work, much since October. To begin to express my thoughts would be painful for you the reader. My thoughts have gone from Brigham Young to Headgates to the Family Proclamation on to Louis L'Amour and to the scriptures. Back and forth I jump in my mind from a life time of personal study to add these latest thoughts and to have it all make sense with everything else in my grey matter. Of course new thoughts sometimes cause me to challenge old thoughts and societal norms which lead sometimes to "brain pain" in trying to sort and sift. However, despite some new things the more I ponder the more answers come, answers that I have been mulling over for years. Okay, boring, what's the point you may be asking? We'll let's hope I have one. Here are my thoughts.
First off this is what Elder Christofferson said about work.
A consecrated life is a life of labor. Beginning early in His life, Jesus was about His Father's business (see Luke 2:48-49). God Himself is glorified by His work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children (see Moses 1:39). We naturally desire to participate with Him in His work, and in so doing, we ought to recognize that all the honest work is the work of God. In the words of Thomas Carlyle: "All true Work is sacred; in all true Work, were it but true hand-labour, there is something of divineness. Labour, wide as the Earth, has its summit in Heaven."
God has designed this mortal existence to require nearly constant exertion. I recall the Prophet Joseph Smith's simple statement: "By continuous labor [we] were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance" (JS-H 1:55) By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience. Hard-earned achievement brings a sense of self-worth. Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God. A consecrated life is filled with work, sometimes repetitive, sometimes menial, sometimes unappreciated but always work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires.
At this point I have to break in and say this was really painful for me to hear. You see I think I spend more time figuring out how to simply my life so I won't have to work than recognizing that the point is that I am expected to work. I do think that simplifying my life is essential because than I am always able to serve God- I am not a slave to anyone or anything (like my 'stuff.') You see the perfect world for me doesn't involve any laundry, ironing, dusting or mopping. But alas, it seems like that is supposed to be my inheritance. As Adam was taught,
"Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the her or the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. 3:17-19)
Elder Christofferson uses these phrases: constant exertion, continuous labor, and life of labor. All this talk of work is making me tired.
So then, what is work? First that required that I had to get up and get the 1828 Dictionary. (More work. It was heavy and takes a while to find words. I couldn't get the definition in my previous "insta-knowledge" way with the internet. Grumble.) Here were some definitions, "In a general sense, to move, or to move one way and other; to perform…to labor; to be occupied in performing manual labor, whether severe or moderate;… to be in action or motion…to act; to carry on operations; to operate; to carry on business…to obtain by diligence…" Elder Christofferson said that the results would be it improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires our lives.
From this I realize that work requires motion and activity. It can be in varying degrees of physical exertion but it is hard regardless. I spent some time brainstorming what things are work and what things are not with my children. Here's a general list: doing housework, shoveling snow, raking leaves, pulling weeds, memorizing multiplication tables, practicing the piano, reading Shakespeare, writing an essay, etc. Like I said, it's a short list with general ideas.
We decided that sometimes some things could be work for one person and not for another. For example, to spend time playing the hymns or the songs from the Children's song book on the piano is not hard for me, it requires minimal effort. However, for my daughter it still requires effort when she plays out of these books. Reading Shakespeare is still work for me. While doing house work doesn't require brainpower it is still work and is maybe part of what Elder Christofferson refers to as "repetitive."
Here I need to throw in something from Brigham Young that I have been thinking about. He said something to the effect that a righteous man's day consisted of eight hours work, eight hours of play and eight hours of sleep. Now that I have established in my mind what the eight hours of work could look like just what does the eight hours of play look like?
Elder Christofferson spoke of this also. He said,
"Having spoken in praise of labor, I must also add a kind work for leisure. Just as honest toil gives rest its sweetness, wholesome recreation is the friend and steadying companion of work. Music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics-all can provide entertainment to enrich one's life and further consecrate it. At the same time, it hardly needs to be said that much of what passes for entertainment today is coarse, degrading, violent, mind-numbing, and time wasting. Ironically, it sometimes takes hard work to find wholesome leisure. When entertainment turns from virtue to vice, it becomes a destroyer of the consecrated life. 'Wherefore, take heed that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God' (Moroni 7:14)."
I love Elder Christofferson's words. I have often wondered what "wholesome recreational activities" (from the Proclamation) really looked like. The dictionary under leisurely says, "not in haste or hurry; slowly." I appreciated his examples of music, literature, art, dance, drama and athletics that will help me to recognize what whole recreational activities are. Perhaps being able to truly enjoy things like music and literature require a good amount of work before hand before they can become enjoyable. (Learning to play the piano or understand good literature takes work!) The pace than in this leisure time -perhaps the eight hours has Pres. Young said- is slow, peaceful, relaxed, happy. It is not intense. Elder Christofferson says that it is hard to find good things to do for leisure, but with the help of the Spirit we can find those things that will "enrich {our} life and further consecrate it." That's another point too. We want wholesome leisure so that no matter what we are doing we are always trying to stay consecrated and keep Christ as our living center.
In reviewing with my family these thoughts we discovered that we don't work enough. (Now you moms of young children do work a lot so don't think for one minute that you aren't). But my littles are 8, 10, 11 and 12. They all know how to cook and clean and take care of themselves. (We are still working on keeping their hands off their siblings though). So housework, yardwork, and even school work is divided up effectively and we get it all done quickly. We have also realized that thanks to Headgate principles, For the Strength of Youth and wonderful people like you we have learned what sweet leisure could look like. We have few things left in our life that are mind-numbing and time wasting. Yeah, progression! Our life has been powerfully blessed from these changes too! That bad news is though that we spend too much time in leisure. Yeah, that's nice it's good and wholesome, but if we are over our quota we aren't progressing.
I am super grateful for pondering and revelation that allow me to realize this! During our day now we are trying to work up to our eight hours of work. It's been hard work! We seem to do okay and can work for several hours in the morning, but the rest of the day is a challenge. (I really have simplified my life down!) Later in the day I've said to the kids we need to work right now. Everybody pick something that is work for them and let's do it for an hour. So I'll study something, one will practice the piano, one may work on their lashings for scouts because they can't figure them out, one will read something that is challenging….etc. Usually half way through several will moan and say, "This is too hard. Can't we do something that is easier?" That's when I realize that we really do have to work.
Anyway, I realize we are not working enough. Time to reinstitute some of my headgate thoughts that I had laxed on. I also realize that we are doing well in our leisure, which I am very pleased with, I just next to cut it back.
I know everyone will read these quotes and thoughts differently, but I hope I've challenged you to realize that if we want to be about submission and consecration than we must be working. Mortal life is good isn't it?
Are you thinking about what goals you want to have for the New Year? I love setting goals. Through the years I have set all sorts of goals. I have set goals about the different aspects of my life (emotional, physical, mental, etc) and goals for home education. Sometimes I have had a complete laundry list of goals and other times I have set a couple of goals. I've always tried to work hard on them and I usually do a pretty good job at accomplishing them.
I could give you a discourse on how to set goals and how to accomplish them-I have lectured on it multiple times through the years to various groups of people. I think this year I'm going simple since I have a simple life. It fits the general mood of my life you know. Besides if I keep it incredibly simple I won't even have to waste paper and wall space (or binder space) with my goals.
So in keeping with simplicity I've narrowed my long lists of goals down to one. Drum role please………………. My goal for 2011 is submission. I actually had it as a goal last year too. It worked out pretty good. It worked out good because I learned and grew at an incredible rate this past year. When I say it worked out pretty good I don't mean I was perfect with it because I was not! It did work out well though because there were numerous situations when I languished over what to do when I was reminded of my goal. That made the decisions easier-"Oh yeah, submit and obey. I am going to do that!" Great blessings always followed.
There are a lot of scriptures that speak of this,
"Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceed forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; thus it was until the coming of Christ." Moroni 7:25
"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day." D & C 4:2
"For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God." D & C 84: 44
"Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness and from all your wicked doings." D & C 88:121
Talking about one's submission also opens the doorway to discussion about the Lords absolutes in the scriptures. We are to live by every word, not just most words. We are also to serve with all our heart, not just some of it. That is hard though isn't it?! That is why we have our mortal probation; our time to prove ourselves faithful. As we strive for personal submission every moment than we will refine ourselves more and more. Eventually we will have that transformed character that Elder Scott recently spoke on. He said, "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day." He also said, "You become what you do and what you think about." So if we put submission in the forefront of our life and that is what we think about and we try to 'be' eventually the miraculous will occur and we will become that-a truly submissive child of God.
So that is my New Year's Resolution; I want to submit each day to my God. This with take effort, it will take repentance, but day by day and moment by moment I have faith that I will finally become.
As I reflect on this past year I am grateful for the experiences that I have had. This year was intense for me in the way of life lesson's that were learned and which were piled one on top of another. Our family came through it better and stronger though. Whew!
I thought I would dedicate this blog post to reviewing the great lessons I did learn. Most are not new to anyone, but it's always helpful to look back and see just how far you have come or to realize just how strong your back has become through it all. I am so blessed to have continuous opportunities for growth and progression. Mortal life truly is an amazing experience!
Lesson one: Don't be so stuffy! I learned that I had too much stuff! I repented of that and gave 2/3 of our things away. After I did I felt a great relief. I felt has if I had lost a hundred pounds. You don't realize how weighed down you are until it is gone. I learned that I don't need seven spatulas in my kitchen drawer, that I only need three or four board games (because that's how many we play with anyway), I only need three or four pairs of pants, I only need one pair of sheets per bed, I only need one book case of books instead of five (I can get almost anything from the library) and I don't need any plastic plants. I've always been good about organizing my things so they were always neat and tidy, but it wasn't until it was gone that I felt the joy of simplicity.
There was a greater increase of the Spirit in our home because I was not holding onto more than what my needs and wants really were. I also gained more time. I spent less time dusting, less time organizing and less time feeling weighed down by stuff. I feel terrible that I spent so much money on stuff. Stuff, stuff, stuff. I learned that Satan wants us to have our lives filled with stuff because they distract us from doing the really important things. When you have stuff you want to use it so now you are spending more time with stuff and your time becomes stuffy and your life becomes stuffy and you miss out on the eternal.
I am so blessed to have learned this lesson. There were a couple of times that I was a little sad getting rid of things, but there is not anything I got rid of that I now regret. This lesson takes a brave heart, but it was so worth it.
Lesson two: They shall nash their teeth, but it will not hurt. Spending nine months on the campaign trail as it ups and downs. The downs are the slander, the false accusations, the emotional attacks and the smears. One morning we woke up to the knowledge that our entire district was robo called (computer generated phone calls) and my husband was called a liar and a corrupt politician by one of the head legislators in the Democratic Party for the state. Yes, that was a rough morning. We applied what we have always done when the going gets tough, we fell to our knees and asked the Lord to grant us with peace, love and with the strength to forgive our enemies. It was still hard on days like that, but I knew that God would take care of us. Brigham Young says, "Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you." So after we prayed we went to work. My husband did his campaign business and I did my business-being a wife and mother, and it all was okay. For in those times the Lord grants you eternal perspective and clarity of thought that enables you trust His plan for you. All will be okay-and it was.
Lesson three: You can move into a very tiny house and find great joy. The Lord prepared me for our move into a tiny house by letting me learn lesson one in the spring. I don't think I could have handled lesson three in the fall had I not passed lesson one. I really like living in a small house. I can't say that I love it every minute, but most of the time I just really enjoy it and I am grateful. The reasons for the joy are the blessings that have come. We have more time because cleaning up is a snap. Our life is simple which allows for us to recognize and do the things that are the most important-serving, visiting others, and being together. During the evening when we have free time we are all in the living room and we are forced to talk, play games and read. There's not a lot to do so we must all interact with each other.
There are times when a couple of the cramped spots cause me to take a deep breath and choose patience. The dining area is very small and we feel pinned to the table. Also my kitchen work area is very small. These moments allow me the opportunity to choose to be happy regardless of the lack of perceived comforts. I very much appreciate the opportunity to refine my character and choose to be better.
Lesson four: We can remove media from our home and we can still be okay! We've been on just movies in our house for twelve or so years. This fall however we removed the TV from the house. We still have access a TV/DVD but it's inconvenient to get to it. In the past we would occasionally turn on a movie (once a week) when we were tired and felt "entitled" to mind numbing entertainment. Now it's just hard enough to get to that we usually just go to bed early, play a family game or we read instead.
When we moved we also turned off the internet. I think this was harder than anything. This has allowed me to see how much time I wasted on the internet everyday-I only was on goodreads and blogger too! Again more time on our hands. (I'm telling you when you remove media, things to dust, things to clean, things to organize, and you say you won't go to Walmart and buy things you've just added HOURS to your day!)
I've prayed about adding the internet and the answer has been swift and forceful-NO! I'm not sure why our family is not to have internet right now. I think this answer may be unique to our family though. I have three boys at impressionable ages and so this could be one reason.
Another reason besides the time wasting is that I've realized how lazy "insta-knowledge" has made our family. It's so much easier to look up the quick answer to something than actually having to use a dictionary, read a book and discover the answer, or ask someone. The internet made me lazy. I realized that I was obtaining too much of my knowledge the "fast food" way. Drive up to the window and go. I have discovered more personal growth from having to discover the answers through real work and study. The Founding Fathers didn't have this insta-knowledge and yet they were leagues ahead of me in personal knowledge.
I don't know what we will do when our children our older and they need more scholar type classes. There are a lot of wonderful classes on line. Perhaps they just won't be for our family?
(How am I on blogger if I don't have the internet? My husband has internet access through his phone that is available on our laptops. So I write a blog post on Microsoft sometime during the week and publish it to my blog when I have access to his phone. It takes mere minutes. When my husband is home I don't use his phone but once or twice a week very quickly to upload a post and add my books quickly to goodreads. I don't like to be on the computer when he is home! So I really only use the internet to upload quickly. I can also open up a couple of blogs and then later when he is gone and the kids are playing I can read some blogs off line. I can't comment this way though. I hope that makes sense).
Lesson five: Free time equals service time. So with all this freed up time we have added service to our lives. Of course I served before, but this is different now. We don't have pressing things anymore so we can make things for the needy, we can visit the lonely and the discouraged, and we can be "seen" in our community more that we may be a light unto the world and an example of the believers.
As we began to see the time we had freed up it was shocking to see how Satan had lulled us into such carnal security by having us be happily distracted and entertained by our stuff. No we didn't watch bad things, yes my house was always clean, …. But I was missing the point. I was not sent here to be entertained. I was sent here to raise children and help usher in the Second Coming. I couldn't do that if I was spending hours of my life in distraction. Now we can more readily stand for truth and righteousness and strive to be Savior's on Mount Zion.
I feel so blessed with the experiences that I had that opened my eyes to what I have been missing in my life. I gained a deeper level of eternal perspective this year. I learned that letting go of things allowed me to step into the darkness through faith that eventually led to a whole new way to live our lives.
I look forward to lessons of 2011. I think they will continue to be challenging but I have faith that as I submit and do the hard things that the rich blessings will come and we will be prepared as a family to offer up unto the Lord an "offering in righteousness that will be worthy of all acceptation"-a life devoted to the Savior.
