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The Pain of Growing Older

The following is a demonstration of my loss of hearing and my mumbling.

Carol: They have a goat.

Merrill: I can't see the coat. Loss of hearing!

Merrill: See that bike? I mumble

Carol: Mike who?

There is No Baby Jesus

Several days ago I was driving up and down the streets in our little town of about 500 people, looking at the many decorated yards with light sparkling in the dark of the cool evening. I observed reindeer, the Santa Clauses, the Candy canes, the Candles and decorated Christmas trees. There were lights lining the fences, icicle light following the lines of the eves then going up and down the gable edges. The plastic images were kept full of air by electric fans during the evening as the sun went down; to find that they had collapsed by morning. Our faith in material things will collapse the same way. Where is the baby Jesus? I wondered.

There are two yards in the town of Holden that have the nativity scene. I then considered my own yard. We have as many lights or maybe more lights than any other front yard in town, but there is no baby Jesus.

Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. What has become of that concept? Now it is presents, bowl games, shopping, office parties, drinking, vacations, and other activities, but there is no baby Jesus.

Christmas, is a time for giving; a time to be with family and friends; and a time for giving of your time in visiting with those who are lonely, those who are ill. Gifts are good, but we should focus on the gift of God that He gave to us. We can be thankful for the greatest event that has happened on this earth, the birth of the Son of God. Take a gift to a neighbor, a widow, aged friends, but with that gift, give some of your time to visit and give cheer to those around you.

The Christmas decorations in our yard next year will point to the King of Heaven. There you will find baby Jesus.

Sowing and Reaping

Many of us complain about what he get in life. For the most part you have the power change it. You are in control. Here are a few comments on sowing and reaping

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. Job 4:8

Paul to the Galations

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry

Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. D & C 6:33

Alma to the people of Ammonihah

Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, [or what they sowed] according to that which they have been—if they have been righteous they shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power and captivation of the devil. Alma 9:28

If you want to change what you're getting, you have to change what you're doing.

If you don't like what you are reaping, change what you are sowing.

If you are reaping bad, you must be sowing bad

If what you are reaping is bad, then what you are sowing is bad.

When things get as bad as they can get, then things start getting better

Abominable Church

Most abominable church as described in the 13^th chapter of 1 Nephi

What or who is the great abominable church? That is a good question. The brethren usually refer to it as any Church that is not the Lord’s church. I have wondered if it were not the Muslims. Many of them teach hatred for the Christians. The teachings in the Koran calls for the conversion or destruction of non-Muslim people. The following are some characteristics of the abominable church as mentioned in the 13^th chapter of 1 Nephi.

1. Created in the gentile nations.

2. slayeth the saints

3. tortureth them

4. bindeth them

5. yoketh them with a yoke of iron

6. bringeth them down into captivity.

7. The devil the founder of it

8. gold, silver, silks, scarlets, fine-twined linen, precious clothing, harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church. (Flagrantly immoral or unchaste: scarlet thoughts.) “…though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” Isaiah 1:18

for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God,

and bring them down into captivity. 1 Nephi 13:9

10. continent They are not on the American.

11. they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. 1 Nephi 13:26

Receive

Receive

After a person is baptized by proper authority, whether a child or an adult, he or she is confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints and are told to receive the Holy Ghost. There are three options. The person may accept the gift and make it a part of their life. It takes a great deal of effort to be blessed with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Mentioned but not a complete list are daily scripture reading and daily prayer morning and evening. Show kindness to friends, siblings, and parents. They would keep the Sabbath day holy and the rest of the ten commandments. They would follow the example of the savior. Which, “…wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” Book of Mormon | Mosiah 5:2)

The person may accept the gift, but do nothing with it. This person may be a regular attender at church, keep the commandments, but has not the ‘mighty change of heart.’

The person who does not receive the gift and does those things that that does not invite the gift, filled with pride and often thinking that anything they do is because of thelr own abilities and intellect. The feel as they do not need the Holy Ghost. Or they may have not any interest in the gift at all.

There is some resemblance to the story in the New Testament about the five talents, the two talents and the one talent. The servant that received the five talents used it wisely and was rewarded. The servant with two talents was rewarded. The third servant lost his talent and was given to another. There is some similarity with this parable and the three ways one may react to the admonition, “receive the Holy Ghost.”

There are many opportunities in this life where we receive and where we give. Some are always on the receiving and others are always giving. There are a few things that we cannot give. We cannot give the Gift of the Holy Ghost. That, we can only receive. Once received we are obligated to do everything in our power maintain a close relationship with It. “To be worthy to have the help of the Holy Ghost, we must seek earnestly to obey the commandments of God. We must keep out thoughts and actions pure.” From Gospel Principles