Beneath the Wraps

           Lola gave the lesson yesterday on the gift of the Holy Ghost.   She asked for participation – though the first example that came to mind took more time to explain than I thought was appropriate.   As I listened to her lesson, I came up with a few examples from my own life.          The first example I thought of was one of Warning                   I was 17 and hadn’t had my driver’s license for long.   I hadn’t learned to drive a stick and thus drove the family station wagon (since it was automatic).          My brother, Patrick, and I both worked at Snelgroves Ice Cream Store – approximately a 15 minute drive from where we lived. I had asked Patrick if he would move the Honda, which was behind.   Patrick was only 15, but ...

There are some people who are so gifted in being in tune and teaching by the Spirit that the words they use just seem to flow so eloquently through their mouths and everything they say is so profound.   And you know that you can really learn from what is being taught.   That is how it is with my sister Sunny.   There are also several leaders in our ward that have that gift. I know that there are a few posts in which I mention that I co-teach the youth Sunday school class.   There is no longer a manual provided.   Leaders and instructors are given general themes and guide lines of what is to be taught each month.   This is to help us to get in tune and teach by the Spirit – though I haven’t always felt that I have been prepared enough to teach by the spirit.   I think I have attended all but two classes since I accepted my calling.   I don’t always teach, but choose to sit in on the days that Kelly teaches. Kelly does not atten...

While I was reading   this post , my mind flooded with ideas for a comment I might leave – but there were too many thoughts racing through my mind that my fingers couldn’t keep up with what I thought I wanted to say – so while trying to condense my comment (so that it did not come out to be longer than the Jake’s post) I made errors with spelling and smooth transitions.   My comment sounded disjointed and stupid – to me anyway.   Perhaps not all of it sounded unpolished and sloppy.   My thoughts were flying faster than I could get the words out. When I reread through the first comment that I left, I realize I should have just stopped at the second paragraph. I copied the first two paragraphs and deleted my original comment and tried again – with just the two paragraphs and a link for my brother’s blog. I’d like to share my ideas and hope that they are valid and helpful.   But I don’t want to sound preachy. Some of ...

          Christmas is the season for miracles.  But miracles happen everyday.  Not just at Christmas time.              Often my mom and I would drive to Bakersfield to see my brother and watch him perform in whatever current play he was in.           One February when we happened to be on our way down, it was not the greatest of weather.  Snowing hard.  Blizzard almost.  It was ugly.           We had stopped off in Nephi to get something to eat.  Mom asked if we should check into a hotel and continue our journey the next day.  I left it totally up to her – for I was for getting off the freeway two exits passed our home town – which is less than ten miles.  I definetly wouldn’t be driving in that kind of weather.  But mom opted to go ...

         Roland and I took mom to the movies after our Saturday Thanksgiving dinner.  We chose “Brave” because it was the shortest wait.  Mom enjoyed it which in itself made it worth it.   I felt intrigued by the parallels that seemed unfold – for me anyway.           Merida is typical of many teens – many who have gone beyond teen hood but still place more faith in self than  a higher being.           Merida’s mother attempts to prepare Merida for the role of princess and what expectations are included and what the future holds – none of which fit into Merida’s own plans of “freedom” of expressing herself, of taking on adventures without the hassles of trying to please everyone by fulfilling a role that is clearly NOT the fate she would choose for herself.           The story incorpor...

           Shortly after Roland was called to the bishopric, he was asked to summarize a talk that had been given about the conformity of testimonies and submit it to the monthly newsletter – which actually didn’t exist before this particular bishopric.  Now there are a few people in the ward who tend to drone on and on until the gratitude that is felt in their hearts turns into penetrating boredom on the part of the audience.  Every ward has them.  They start off by expressing what it is that brought them to the podium – and then they take us on a stroll down memory lane, or into their health, or into their entire week.  Gradually the testimony gets lost in their words.  And all eyes turn to the clock and you can almost hear a chorus of silent groans. Sometimes there is a dead silence and often times the droner just feels it’s his (or her) duty to fill the silence while the audience wonders which is worse: the sil...

          The words ward and stake refer to the geographical boundaries of those who belong to the LDS Church.  A certain number of members are assigned to a certain building.           First off there is a chain of command.  Perhaps it might be easier to an individual to compare the chain of authority (but not the religion itself) to a business or military leadership, let’s say.           The CEO or President does not show up in every store, in every franchise, in every company that she or he has built.  They hire staff who they hopefully communicate to.  They in turn hold meetings at their assigned areas and let their people know what the CEO expects.                      The corporate moves from states to cities – with e...