From Bro & Sis Baum:

Dear Elders and Sisters:

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!  We went to 6^th Ward today because YSA Ward had their stake conference.  Sister Tolman told how Shondie worked at a specialized baby store and was starting to feel anxious about how on earth she was ever going to provide all the “best” things for her newborn.  As she was pondering one day, this message came into her mind:  “I was born in a manger.” 

Jennica had a “hiccouph” in her testimony which was starting to bother her, especially since she was a return missionary.  She thought, “What am I doing to solve this?” so she started listening to a conference talk every day.  She felt many of the words were given directly to her and she bore powerful testimony of modern revelation, the temple, and Christ’s ability to heal a broken heart. 

Steve Arnold (just called as Stk YM Pres) said God will not forsake us during the heat of a purification process, because, like a refiner of gold or silver, He cannot look away for a second--the temperature has to be carefully controlled.

He also said “Since microtrauma is necessary to build muscle, we don’t need to let microtrauma break the whole muscle” (meaning we don’t need to let trials break our testimonies).  And “Don’t tempt a tornado (sin).  Always run for cover.”

Tiffany Tullis told us “Remember:  Christ is family.”  Aren’t we all so grateful for His Atonement?

Dear Elders and Sisters:

It’s time for General Conference again!!  Here are some quotes/talks from last conference that effected our lives for good: 

Elder Eyring:  “we know at least one of the effects [of fasting]: the Savior completely resisted Satan’s temptations to misuse His divine power.”

Elder Packer’s ‘Last Lecture’:  The Plan of Happiness

Elder Perry’s ‘Last Lecture’:  Why Marriage and Family Matter—Everywhere in the World (interesting that he & Elder Packer spoke on the same subject)

Elder Bednar:  Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence.

Elder Christofferson:  Each individual carries the divine image, but it is in the matrimonial union of male and female as one that we attain perhaps the most complete meaning of our having been made in the image of God—male and female.

Elder Andersen:  We learn the dance steps [of the Gospel] with our minds, but we hear the music with our hearts.

Elder Renlund:  it is not the Holy Ghost that tells us we’re so far gone that we might as well give up.

Elder Ringwood: the service that counts most is usually recognized by God alone.

Elders Causse & Anderson both talked about eyes (new eyes and opening our eyes).

Elder Nielson:  All of us are lost and need to be found. 

Elder Holland:  Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from death in order that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp us as we fall, hold us with His might, and through our obedience to His commandments, lift us to eternal life.

Elder Uchtdorf:  The Church is a place of healing, not hiding.

Prayers to you all!  Bro & Sis Baum

We just celebrated The United States of America which is still the greatest country in the world, despite its many serious problems.  We spend a significant amount of money aiding and rescuing the world’s poor and less fortunate i.e. children who are exploited for the sex trade.  No other country does that.  Many of our Founding Fathers were God fearing men and have made it abundantly clear: 

“Instant to be observed [Friday 17, 1776] as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, humbly to supplicate the mercy of Almighty God, that it would please him to pardon all our manifold sins and transgression, and to prosper the Arms of the United Colonies, and finally establish the peace and freedom of America, upon a solid and lasting foundation.”  –George Washington

“We will win this war because the grand artist will utilize the elements.” –John Witherspoon

“But I must submit all my Hopes and Fears, to an overruling Providence, in which, unfashionable as the Faith may be, I firmly believe.”  –John Adams

“How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, His precepts!”  ― Benjamin Franklin

Perhaps that’s the reason government officials don’t talk like that anymore.  We have perverted what the Founders meant by “separation of church and state.” They did not mean separation of God and State.   

Some say the Lord made a covenant with us and our nation (just as He did with ancient Israel) and that we must repent in order for Him to bless and protect us.

D&C 89: 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

 19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

 20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

 21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

Sounds like covenant language to me.

On the lighter side:

Do they have a 4th of July in England?
Yes. That’s how they get from the 3rd to the 5th.
From Big Al, a grownup, Frankfort, KY

Dear Elders and Sisters—

Our visiting teaching message this month is worth one of your morning study sessions.  It was on virtue, a divine attribute of Jesus Christ.  President James E Faust said “virtue in its fuller sense encompasses all traits of righteousness that help us form our character.”  If you substitute that into D&C 121:45 it would read, “Let [all traits of righteousness] garnish thy thoughts unceasingly… which would certainly take a lot more thought control than I have right now!  It would be worth the effort though as we read the blessings that would ensue:  “then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.”  Distill means to purify, refine, filter, treat, process or extract essential meaning but what exactly is the doctrine of the priesthood that is supposed distill upon the soul?   Bruce R McConkie gave a masterful conference talk on the subject (recorded in May 1982 Ensign) which is well worth reading & pondering.   It’s the least we could do since Elder McConkie was tempted (as Alma) to wish he could speak with “the voice of seven thunders or send forth the word by ten thousand trumpets”.   One wonders why he felt so strongly about it & why we are so resistant.  

Bro & Sis Baum 

Dear Elder Snell,

We’ve been replenishing 72hr kits all week.   The food was outdated and I needed to add a few things.

Double dated with a young couple from our mission.  She was the RS President and her husband was Elder’s Quorum President at the time.  We went to Jordan River Temple together & enjoyed talking in the Celestial Room about things you can’t talk about outside.

It’s been cool and rainy here—glad for the moisture.

Liam played over 300 games on a soccer team and their final game happened to fall on a Sunday.  Britta & Garrett had taught him to keep the Sabbath Day holy but they said he could choose for himself.   He chose to play, so they all jumped in the car.  He said “At that moment I felt the Holy Ghost say ‘This is not the right thing’ and then I said we are not going…I declare.  Everyone was happy.  Cheer for Liam!”  Pretty good for an 8 year old!

Natalie & I packed up her 3 kiddos and we drove to Idaho Falls to surprise Gigi for Mother’s Day.  Mom seemed to really enjoy herself even though we had to trap the youngins into the booth at the restaurant.  They were surprisingly good, and Natalie somehow pulled it off, even with all the food restrictions.  My brother Jay came too and insisted on paying for everyone’s dinner, even though he quit his job.  The boss put everyone on part time so he didn’t have to pay health benefits which was the main reason my brother was working there.  At least he doesn’t have to work nights anymore.   Matt had motel points built up so it didn’t cost anything to stay all night.  The kids enjoyed the pool.  We drove back the next day so the trip was just right.  

Max wants to quit piano lessons but your Dad told him he'd be sorry.  I told him the story about two people who each had a bottle full to the brim with various size rocks.  A race was proposed to see who could dump out the rocks and fill their jar the fastest.  One person poured the sand & gravel back in  first but was unable to fit all the rest in.  The other put the big rocks in first and everything else fit in around it.  I promised Max if he would fit in the big rock of practice first, he wouldn't miss out on a thing because everything else would fit in around it.  I also told him the piano skill would follow him into adulthood and that the girls are always impressed!  I guess we'll see...   

Your Mama brought me some beautiful pink roses for Mother’s Day.  She said she surely enjoyed talking to you.  You sound happy to be busy doing the Lord's work.  

Love you,

Dear Elders & Sisters,

I seem to be getting better at handling rejection.  I'm even getting better at not perceiving something as rejection.  I didn't even have my usual delayed reaction.  Slept really well.  Woke up with the impression I needed to refer to a talk from last Apr Conference in Temple Prep class today but only had a vague idea about which one it was.  Looked through all my notes.  Looked through the index.  Felt a little overwhelmed because there was so much that bore repeating—I didn’t know how to find what I was supposed to highlight.  Went to set up class.  Felt prompted to take the Sacrament at YSA Ward even though I had planned to go over the lesson during that time & then go to our own ward for the Sacrament.  Wound up staying for the entire YSA fast & testimony meeting which was all about enduring the end.  When I got back to the classroom, I found the talk!  (Elder Pearson, p 114, a parable on enduring to the end).  Later I found out why I needed to take the sacrament at YSA Ward.  A young woman needed my help right during our ward’s sacrament meeting.  I prayed earlier that my fasting and my performance would be consecrated to my own salvation and the salvation of those around me.  I literally felt His guidance in what I said.  I even clarified something that started out sounding judgmental and ended up reassuring everyone that I too was a Prodigal and needed to constantly work on keeping my own "soil" conducive to growth.  To feel no regret for anything I said today was truly a miracle!

Precious Elder,

I learned something interesting in SS.  Christ is the bread of life and the light, but the living water is the HG as explained in John 7:38-39.  In v. 38, He promises that those who believe will have living water flowing from them.  Then, in v. 39, John makes a parenthetical clarification that the living water is the Holy Ghost.  Not to be confused with statements made by Jesus like “I am the Bread of Life,” and “ I am the light of the world.”

It broadens the meaning of the Sacrament.  We ingest the bread, representing Christ's mortal being, and drink the water which represents the blood that came out of Him.  Since the atoning power of a sacrifice is in the blood (BD), the water represents Salvation which came out of Christ and is wrought by the Holy Spirit because He can dwell in us.  It’s the Holy Ghost that “washes” or cleanses us of our sin by virtue of Christ’s blood sacrifice.  So the constant companionship of the HG means constant living water washing our souls! 

That connects to another insight I had about teaching with the Spirit.  I think that means we are to be baptized, obedient, covenant members of the Church before we teach.  That’s the only way we can have the constant cleansing influence of the HG (both for us & for those listening).  Like John pointed out in v. 38, Christ promises that those who believe will have living water (the Holy Spirit) flowing from them, which occurred from my SS teacher to me & which happens every time you teach an honest investigator.

We pray and fast for you!

Dear Elder Snell,

I have been really upset about a friend who is apostatizing.  He is seeing if he can be just as good and just as happy outside the Church.  It’s a misleading experiment.  You can feel good, be good, & do good living Terrestrial Law, but only Celestial Law ensures ultimate saving power and protection, especially through the Second Coming.  And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same (D&C 88:34) .  A better experiment would be to compare how much we are being preserved, perfected and sanctified.

The problem is, the minute we leave the Church, we start losing light, which is essential in “seeing” the effects of our choice.  Furthermore, many of us have one foot in Babylon when we’re in the Church so we don’t have enough contrasting experience with living Celestial Law.  Plus, the process of change is slow and subtle and we have to wait for the fruit.  I’ve noticed we can speed up our awareness of what living our covenants does for us by repenting daily.  We quickly discover how impotent we are, how dependent we are on God’s mercy, and how miraculous the Atonement is when we are actively trying to align ourselves to Celestial Law.  Not only do we begin to notice God’s hand in all things but we can compare how we are now with how we were ten years ago and see a difference.

Sometimes I get frustrated trying to teach YSAs.  I worry about leading them astray with some of the random things that come out of my mouth.  As I asked HF about it, I had some insight.  Teaching by the Spirit doesn’t mean never diminishing His influence through carelessness.  It means being a worthy covenant member of the Church and having faith in God’s mercy, which is sufficient for both those saying something unedifying or misleading and those receiving something unedifying or misleading. 

Andy got out of his sick bed to help me get a video clip on my desktop in preparation for temple prep class.  Blessed boy!

I had an unusual experience at Empty Nesters FHE.  Our home teacher asked your grandpa to share his experiences as a military officer.  I’ve heard bits and pieces through the years but I don’t believe he’s ever told his story.  He emphasized how the Lord had a plan for us and as I listened to it in its entirety, I was not only edified and enlightened (some things I had never heard before), but I had a powerful paradigm shift.  I left with profound respect for the man I married and felt repentant of the disrespectful way in which I tend to treat him.  I wrote my home teacher a thank you note.

One of our YSAs chose to go to the temple after taking our class!  Her parents are in our ward and they were grateful too.

I had such joy over the reaction of a special needs child.  I walked in on their family birthday party to give him a stretchy ball that lit up when you touched it.  He used sign language to throw kisses and say thank you.  I think he liked the shiny blue gift bag too. 

Grateful for happiness boosters such as going to Paradise Café and having tomato aspic soup with Bettylou Burdett.  She’s 91yo & I used to take her & my Mom out together.  Since Mom left, I invited two other widows to join us.  I think Bettylou’s favorite part was the warm sunshine streaming through the car window!

Love your emails and pray for you often.

Dear Elder Snell,

Meeting myself coming and going.  Grateful for outpouring of Spirit in these last days-- God’s flooding of the earth with knowledge often through scientists.  Went to The Firm Foundation Expo which ran 3 days 9a-9+p.  Firehosed with knowledge. 

Dr Patrick Jones, a veterinarian, told about his introduction to herbs on his mission to Peru.  The little women told about the Great White God who came and healed their sick and taught them how to use the herbs that He had made.  How would you like an herb class from the Creator?  I paid to take his course and become a card carrying herbalist.

There are two types of evolution:  1) adaptive evolution within species which is essential for survival, and 2) forward or progressive evolution proposed by Darwin where more complex species develop out of lower forms of life, which is completely false (up to 1000 scientists have rejected Darwin’s theory, 780 of them formally & publically proclaimed their rationale). 

 

Grateful that Max was born & that he would agree to learn piano from me.   We enjoyed fruit pizza and Meet the Mormons for his family celebration.  We’re also such luckies to have your Mom.  I worked graveyards at the hospital when she was a toddler.  When I came home & went to bed, she’d curl up beside me & snuggle until I got up.

So blessed to get to know some of the students at BYU.  Saw a Peruvian RM sister today who shared some resources with me about marriage.  Another young woman is studying landscaping and agreed to share her knowledge.  I of course help them with their anxiety and depression.

Love visiting teaching!  One of my visiting teachers connected Wendy Urlich’s article “It isn’t a Sin to be Weak” (April 2015 Ensign, p30) to being without guile.  Guileless means having godly sorrow instead of shame.

Grateful for Jessica Persons who wrote a masterful letter of “concern” about the inappropriate pressure I put on her daughter to at least try medication for ADHD.  Because she was not aggressive, I could see myself clearly.  God gave me the ability to apologize to both her & her daughter.   I may have also influenced them to be more open to modern medication options.

Grateful for the space God makes for me to identify and correct mistakes.  Was suspicious of a movie that had received a lot of awards.  Found out why.  It engendered sympathy for the plight and terrible mistreatement of people with same sex attraction.  It then clearly suggested dethroning God & replacing Him with human genius.  I am more determined to ask God about every move I make so I don’t inadvertently support evil.  I think that’s how Christ remained sinless.  He, without fail, consulted with God prior to acting.

Read an article on filmmaker Frank Capra who understood the moral principles that America originally embraced which he consistently featured in his award winning movies.   In his 1971 autobiography, he wrote “practically all the Hollywood film-making of today is stooping to cheap salacious pornography in a crazy bastardization of a great art to compete for the ‘patronage’ of deviates.”  

Did I tell you Matt Hunsaker’s company downsized & he lost his job?  He was planning to quit & was quietly interviewing with other companies but this way he got a severance package!!  God is good. 

Love you so much 

Dear Elder Snell,

Hope you enjoyed conference as much as we did!  We had a wonderful Easter dinner (your mom made enchilada sauce) and even Ker & Mindy made it down!  I also invited an RM from our mission who wanted us to meet his girlfriend  Katrina (she is Russian & went on a mission to Ukraine).  They fit right in to our crowd.  Katrina is an only child but lived with a large LDS family as an exchange student so she was right at home.  Buffy was worried we wouldn’t have enough food since we had 4 extra adults but I have always counted on the loaves and the fishes miracle which has never failed yet.  We had ¼ cup sauce left over!  Pat and Jessie were also there. 

The parts of conference I liked best were:

Elder Eyring said if we live the Law of the Fast, we will increase our resistance to evil and it will change our nature.  We’ve always paid a generous fast offering, even when we were poor, and I’ve noticed God is gradually changing my mind so I have less & less disposition to do evil (which is 90% of the battle, right?)   I’m hoping I can qualify for greater blessings.  I really want to do more missionary and family history work.  The Hebrew word for “grace” means power.  I need more grace…more enabling power. 

Sis Wixom said “Nourish all light.”

Grandpa and I laughed out loud when Elder Renlund told of a missionary who was upset with his unacceptable companion and complained to the Lord about it.  The Lord said, “Compared to me, you are both pretty much the same.”  

FAVORITE talks were Elders Bednar, Christofferson, Renlund, Causse, Holland, Uchtdorf, Hales, Pearson, Anderson, Sitati, & Sister Burton.  Felt validated & encouraged several times.

  

So I hear you’re the mission barber.  The apple does not fall far from the tree!!  I always cut all my kids’ hair although I wasn’t as good as your mom.

Just remember:  “God is easy to please but hard to satisfy” (according to Elder Holland)

Love, love, love,

Dear Elder Snell,

Appreciated stake instruction for improving teaching of YSA’s.  I felt like I had a question answered by the Spirit.  Wanted to know the difference between Celestial and Terrestrial people.  They were talking about how important it was to really care about others.  I know my own needs can interfere (pride, wanting to make a difference or a good impression, fearing what people think, etc).  Can’t divorce myself from my natural self without a miracle.  Decided celestial people have pure charity with literally no thought of return whereas terrestrial people struggle with the spacious building of the world.  If you were going to apostatize and settle for terrestrial glory, you could be good, feel good, & do good, but you would never develop divine character which requires complete surrender to the tutelage of the Spirit, who then cleanses you of all unrighteousness.  That’s why it is well with you if you have charity at the last day.  The love of God, the white fruit, cannot fully be appreciated until it is growing on your own tree.

Love you BIG.

Mombaum 

Dear Elder Snell,

The Beatitudes incrementally build on one another and can be seen as a text for the temple.  I hope your mom sent you her SS lesson on the Beatitudes.  It was REALLY good.

Sherry Dew:  When feeling hurt & offended, ask, “What am I not getting?”  Embrace the opportunity to change. 

God will accept your offering made in diligent good faith (D&C 124:49).  “Don’t let your experience define you, let it refine you.” 

There’s comforting power in music:  I need thee every hour, in joy or pain.  Oh, bless me now, my Savior; I come to thee!  Or Abide with me, ‘tis eventide, Thy walk today with me has made my heart within me burn, as I communed with thee (a young female RM suggested we have a daily Emmaus). 

The story of Nephi building a ship is a type of how we can live by revelation & to accept obstacles without murmuring. 

If only fear is holding you back from making a decision, that doesn’t mean the decision is wrong.

Stk High Councilman:  While running the marathon of life, focus on the end goal.

If all the money in the world were redistributed so that everyone had the same amount, what would it be?  In 2009 Marilyn vos Savant figured $9000 per person (she is listed in Guinness Book of World Records under "Highest IQ.").  A paltry sum in exchange for our freedom.

Jesus said, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Our RS president asked “What if light is a noun instead of an adjective?”  Light can be quite challenging.

We love you Elder.  Our whole family is blessed because of your service.  Thank you so much!

Ohmygoodness, Elder, I wrote this & forgot to send it!   Got distracted going to OR for my husband’s uncle’s 100^th birthday party.   He still gardens and his 96yo wife is still alive too.

A YSA meeting inspired me to look up the ten prophets who served in my lifetime so far.  I came to earth when the seventh prophet of our dispensation was serving.  Although I don’t remember Heber J Grant and George Albert Smith, I have loved their teachings.  I was only six months old when President Grant died but he developed the welfare system which I have held up as an alternative model to socialism.  I was 5 ½ years old when President Smith died but his emphasis on humanitarianism and the scouting program has deeply benefitted me and mine, more as givers than receivers though.  We have 3 Eagle Scouts & I have appreciated the good deals at DI! 

David O McKay was the prophet of my youth and the first I knew to be a true and living prophet by the power of the Holy Ghost.  I remember it still, he stood at the podium, tall and majestic with beautiful white hair and wearing a white suit.  His voice was mild, yet piercing and that is when I knew.  He emphasized both family and education during his ministry, which were the very things I needed at the time.  I also remember being struck by his definition of spirituality:  Spirituality, our true aim, is the consciousness of victory over self and of communion with the Infinite. Spirituality impels one to conquer difficulties and acquire more and more strength. To feel one's faculties unfolding and truth expanding the soul is one of life's sublimest experiences. Would that all might so live as to experience that ecstasy! (Conference Report, October 1956, First Day—p.6)

Joseph Fielding Smith was president when I was 26-28 years old.  I had 3 children and my husband was in Vietnam.  The Vietnamese Colonel he was advising brought him a beautiful woman who was half Vietnamese and half French, since that was what had pleased all the other American officers.  My husband politely declined the Colonel’s offer explaining that he had a wife at home.  President Smith said, “The supreme act of worship is to keep the commandments,” and I was so gratified to learn that my dear husband could be trusted to worship God at all times and in all places.  President Smith also said something that confirmed what I have begun to understand recently about the Lord’s prayer:  “…Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven…”   President Smith said, “The Lord was praying for the end of the world, and so am I.”  That was almost 30 years ago!

President Harold B Lee was only in office 18 months.  We were stationed in FL at the time of his death and I was working the graveyard shift at the local hospital.  I was in the CCU and a woman died suddenly of an embolism to the lung.  I will never forget the look of terror on her face just before she lost consciousness.  Although I did all I could do to save her, I felt a heavy burden of responsibility.  A few days later I read a newspaper report on President Lee’s death.  Apparently, he went to the ER with a bleeding ulcer and even though the ER doctor had saved many lives, he was not successful in saving President Lee.  The physician concluded that we are not in charge of life and death, which has brought me comfort many times since.  One quote of President Lee’s profoundly affected me the rest of my life:  “The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.”   Other good ones were:

“You cannot lift another soul until you are standing on higher ground than he is.”

“Life is fragile, handle with prayer.” 

“Be loyal to the royal that is in you, for you are the child of a King.”

“Just as a flood-lighted temple is more beautiful in a severe storm or in a heavy fog, so the gospel of Jesus Christ is more glorious in times of inward storm and of personal sorrow and tormenting conflict.” 

President Spencer W. Kimball said he expected President Lee to serve a good long time and never envisioned himself ever having to take on the mantel of the church.  He loved the American Indians.  He signed a Book of Mormon for Kerry when he was a visiting apostle to Kerry’s Southwest Indian Mission.  A couple years later Kerry served his table in the BYU Skyroom and President Kimball greeted him by name!  In spite of health problems, he was a powerful servant of the Lord.  We loved how he learned to talk after losing his voicebox to cancer.   He also visited Kentucky while Kerry was bishop and expressed appreciation for the southern hospitality.  He told us how back home he once worked from early morning to late at night and was never offered a bite to eat.  He paused and then said, “You will see the day when all you have to eat is what you can grow in your own back yard.”  When he announced that all worthy males could receive the Priesthood (including blacks), a couple in our ward got up and walked out.  He died after we moved to RI where my husband attended the Navy War College.  We missed him.  His wife Camilla liked to “travel” by watching PBS during her elderly years.  Some of my favorite quotes by President Kimball are:

“Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcibly.” 

“Just do it.”

“Lengthen your stride”

We can’t say enough about President Ezra Taft Benson.  His apostolic counsel while serving as Secretary of Agriculture in the cabinet of President Dwight D. Eisenhower endeared him to us.  He was a true patriot and tried to warn the Church about the looming corruption in the government.  So much of what he prophesied is now coming true.  The Book of Mormon truly is a type of our day which may be why President Benson called us all to repentance regarding it.  We have read it every year since.   One of my favorite quotes of President Benson’s is:  “The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the slums out of people, and then they would take themselves out of the slums.  The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.”   It was interesting to watch how the church functioned during the last few years of President Benson’s life, since his failing health rendered him unable to even attend conference.  I have only recently realized how the Lord was preparing his two counselors, Elder Hinkley and Elder Monson for their future duties. 

I remember the thrill of seeing President Howard W Hunter going through the same endowment session we were attending in the Salt Lake Temple.  I was impressed that he was taking time out of his hectic schedule to serve.  He taught by example.  We would have liked to have known him better but he only served nine months before his death.   I particularly appreciated this quote from him, “One of the greatest things a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” 

President Hinkley served 13 years and left a memorable legacy as a prophet of the latter days.  During his administration, he directed the most intense temple building program in the history of the Church and established the Perpetual Education Fund to help young Mormons in developing countries gain an education and become self-sufficient.  He also increased media attention and improved the public image of the Church.  He had the vision to build the unprecedented conference center with all the latest technology and architecture.  Even the pulpit was made from a black walnut tree President Hinkley had planted many years earlier.   We all enjoyed the sense of humor of both he and his wife Marjorie.  My mother never missed their talks.   Here are some of his quotes:  “If life gets too hard to stand, kneel.” 

“You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable. . . it's your choice.”  

“Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.” 

“You can't plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind.” 

President Monson is our current prophet.  He is a tall, friendly man, also with a sense of humor.   He will be known for hastening the work.  Here are some of his teaching: that have uplifted me: 

“Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.”

“Work will win when wishy washy wishing won’t.”

“I forbid you, agnostic, doubting thoughts, to destroy the house of my faith.”
“I hope that you will learn to take responsibility for your decisions. Don't take counsel of your fears.”

Dear Elder Snell--

Here’s some nuggets from Fast Mtg at Lone Peak YSA Ward:

When you are grieving a terrible loss, instead of running away, run to the arms of the Savior.

A YSA sister who works in the temple saw some people come in who were coarsely dressed in street clothes.  She started to think judgmentally but then the Spirit whispered, “I’m so glad they are here.”  She quickly decided she was glad their clothing (or lack thereof) did not keep them from coming to the temple.   

Remember, if your friends reject you, Christ knew what that was like.

God needs you and your unique gifts. 

Stay strong by reading and praying about the Book of Mormon every day.

The tomb is empty.

6th ward SS/RS:  Never say “should”.  You want to be empowered, not buried.  The reason repentance is one of the 1^st principles of the Gospel, is that it is never done.  Life is like a basketball game only the winning team is already known.  Which team do you choose?  Move with vision fueled by faith.  Act, don’t be acted upon.  Be not afraid, only believe.

Love you, 

Dear Elder Snell, 

In my study today I was touched by the thought that God chooses to love us enough to be vulnerable. Why else would He weep as Enoch witnessed?  Perhaps God’s temples are His sanctuary and place of refuge even more than ours.  His love impels Him to visit us in our distress and His undefiled temple is His shield from the full onslaught of pain & evil (see The God Who Weeps, p 26)

As you feel the need to confide in the Lord or to improve the quality of your visits with him—to pray, if you please—may I suggest a process to follow: go where you can be alone, go where you can think, go where you can kneel, go where you can speak out loud to him. The bedroom, the bathroom, or the closet will do. Now, picture him in your mind’s eye. Think to whom you are speaking, control your thoughts—don’t let them wander, address him as your Father and your friend. Now tell him things you really feel to tell him—not trite phrases that have little meaning, but have a sincere, heartfelt conversation with him. Confide in him, ask him for forgiveness, plead with him, enjoy him, thank him, express your love to him, and then listen for his answers. Listening is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord come quietly—ever so quietly. In fact, few hear his answers audibly with their ears. We must be listening so carefully or we will never recognize them. Most answers from the Lord are felt in our heart as a warm comfortable expression, or they may come as thoughts to our mind. They come to those who are prepared and who are patient.  (HBurke Peterson, Oct 1973 Gen Conf)

A little boy was asked if he said his prayers at night.  He said, “Sure do.”  Then he was asked if he said prayers in the morning.  He said, “No.  I ain’t scared of the daytime.”

Heavenly Father, are you really there?

And do you hear and answer ev'ry child's prayer?

Some say that heaven is far away,

But I feel it close around me as I pray.

Heavenly Father, I remember now

Something that Jesus told disciples long ago:

"Suffer the children to come to me."

Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee.

Pray, he is there;

Speak, he is list'ning.

You are his child;

His love now surrounds you.

He hears your prayer;

He loves the children.

Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav'n.

(Words and music by Janice Kapp Perry)

Prophets foretell the future but more often “forthtell” which is to tell us what we need to do now.  They tell us to fast and pray as a Ward Family for people in our area.

Because of the Resurrection, all other miracles seem plausible.

Dear Elder Snell,

A young man in our temple prep class gave the closing prayer & thanked God for His body and asked to know how he could use it as an instrument for good.   He’s going to Portugal on a mission in a couple weeks.

One of our newly return sister missionaries spoke in Sacrament Meeting about divine attributes.  She told of one person who was converted due the faith of members and missionaries who believed in miracles.  She asked how his life had changed and he said, “It’s like my life when from black and white to all the colors of the rainbow.  Every day is beautiful and every moment is an opportunity to practice living the Gospel of Christ.  We can have hope in God’s promises.  Another attribute is diligence which means striving even after your tired or don’t feel like it.  It builds the Lord’s trust in us and changes our heart.   

The High Counselman told of a newly baptized 8yo who got up to bear his testimony for the first time.  They brought out the step stool and lowered the podium but the little boy kept looking back at the bishopric with an expression of uneasinesst.  They kept encouraging him to go ahead and say what he felt.  Finally he bore a simple testimony, but then remained on the stand.  The bishopric told him he could go sit by his mom but he still didn’t move.  Turns out, they had nailed his thumbs to the podium when they lowered it!  The “rule of thumb” to that story is—Don’t make assumptions;  seeing things accurately is essential to progress.

Can you name all our apostles?  Or tell something recent that President Monson has asked us to do?  An investigator who heard we had apostles & prophets wanted to know all about them.  When the missionaries hesitated, the investigator said, “if there were apostles and prophets in MY church, I’d be hanging on every word!”

Our Stk RS President asked what TYS meant.  Turns out it was someone’s tattoo that stood for “Trust Your Struggle” meaning to accept the life lesson being offered.  She said it could also mean “Trust Your Savior”.  She challenged us to have compassion for God’s will in your trials.

If you’re feeling down, make a choice to be happy.  Guard what you let into your mind and especially what you let stay there.

Love you so much,

Dear Elder Snell,

Had a young woman in our ward called to serve in Anaheim, CA, ALS (sign language).  She studied it in both HS & BYU and was praying she would be assigned to use her skills so it looks like an answer to prayer!

Heard an interesting quote:  Reputation is what others think you are.  Personality is what you think you are.  And Character is what you really are.

Met a new friend at a professional conference.  He said he was looking for a church so I had a  wonderfully natural opportunity to bear my testimony about God actually being our Father.  It’s important to have a correct understanding of God or we will not be able to have the faith we need to claim all that He offers us.  A creation (which is what most churches believe) can never become the creator, but an offspring has the potential.  He said he wished he had a better relationship with God.  I told him it takes work but that it’s simple work (like looking at the serpent Moses held up) and to not give up because of the simpleness of the way (like praying & reading scriptures).

From YSA Sacrament Mtg:  Faith as a principle of power is related to personal righteousness.  It requires pure motive (intending to do only the Lord’s will & expecting nothing in return).  I fear sometimes I want to “perform” for my own gratification.  Don’t always know how to root pride out of my heart.  Guess it requires the miracle of the Atonement to change my heart completely.

Another RM talked on patience.  She wanted us to compare what we expect of ourselves with what God expects of us (sometimes it more & sometimes it’s less).  Instead of lowering our expectations so we have no disappointment, she advised keeping the high expectations of our Savior and developing patience through the disappointments.  We’ll see more miracles as we expect and strive.  Down time is prep time.  The best part of a mission is the difficult part.

The last RM talked about obedience.  President Ezra Taft Benson put it most poignantly when he said, “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.”   Repentance is changing our minds.  We often fall, but the Lord has prepared a way for us to escape.

We also went to our sacrament mtg because it was Ward Conference.  Bishop told us to remember Lots wife.   Don’t look back.  1) Don’t fail to forgive/forget yourself for mistakes, 2) treat triumph & disaster the same, 3) don’t dwell on past trials.  Look forward.  Elder Eyring said to make “small changes in things we do often.”  Learn from the past, don’t live in it.

The theme was Elder Ballard’s Oct 2005 conf talk What Matters Most is What Lasts Longest.  Our Stk President challenged us to add 5 min a day to something good we’re doing and see what happens in a year (that adds up to about 30 hrs).  I chose to pray 5 min longer.

Love you and Happy Birthday next week!

Had to hospitalize a young woman this week for suicidality.  She was a recently returned missionary too.  Was trying to give her every reason I could think of to reconsider her decision, but she was determined.  Then I had the thought to suggest that our common enemy might be trying to influence her.  I checked with Heavenly Father before saying anything and since I didn’t feel constrained, I went ahead.  I asked her if there was any reason Lucifer would like to see her dead?  She became even more withdrawn so I started second guessing myself & didn’t sleep well.  Begged God to help me be more prudent…. 

We’ve been studying the NT and the next chapter in Mark happened to be about a poor man who lived in a cave and cut himself with stones because he was possessed by a Legion of evil spirits.  As you know, Jesus cast the spirits into ~2000 swine who then stampeded off a cliff into the sea.  Another account of an evil spirit cast a lad into fire & water, trying to destroy him.  I was thankful for the scriptures and the timely validation that evil spirits are not pro-life.  Perhaps it was prudent afterall to suggest a priesthood blessing to my patient. 

Heavenly Father is so merciful.  I beg him every day that other people will feel His love in spite of my weakness.  It was parent weekend at the girl’s residential facility.  We met with 15 sets of anxious parents which is surely a recipe for conflict and stress.  I prayed specifically that God would rid my heart of any resentment toward a Jewish physician and his wife from NY who had on several occasions been verbally abusive to me on the phone.  By some miracle, they went from downcast eyes to laughter and gratitude.  And I was completely free of any animosity.  The nurse that attends me said this is the third parent weekend in a row that no parent has been disgruntled or disruptive.  She said she’s never seen it before.  I told her it paid to fast and pray. 

We’ve been thinking about renovating our home i.e. enlarging the kitchen and adding a bedroom and large meeting room on the main floor.  It would be easier than moving.  Hope it ensures an active and gracious old age.

We are trying to revamp how we set goals.   Both Ker and I are not very good with follow-up so we’re going to use dinner prep time to discuss how we did for the day.  Hope we can be successful following up on our followup!

YSA Ward was uplifting as usual.  All three young adults talked on goal-setting.  One said, “you don’t achieve 100% of the goals you never set”.  Another said, “hope is when a realistic dream comes together with a goal.”  She also said the reason we serve willingly is so the recipient can feel of God’s love (unwillingness dams the transfer).  The special number was a male/female piano duet of “Come Thou Fount.”  I wept it was so beautiful.  The third speaker quoted from Preach My Gospel p121 on diligence:  steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing the Lord’s work.  I could use some work on the consistent part.  Get so distracted at times. 

Kerry gave the temple prep lesson today.  He did such a good job using scriptures to teach about the blessings of the temple.  One recently returned missionary said he actually learned something!   It’s interesting how we give the same lesson over and over and it rises to fit each person’s needs.  One girl stayed after because being sexually assaulted  is interfering with her desire to attend the temple again.  She doesn’t feel worthy even though it wasn’t her fault.  I was able to direct her to a number of resources.  

Love you Elder Snell.