Work of Salvation Minded

It was so great to speak with you this week.  We are so pleased to see you happy and doing so well, with the light of Christ all around you.  We miss you appropriately and I especially am so pleased with you.  Your service will affect you for a lifetime and beyond.

The next two days are a mixed bag for mom and I.  We are glad Skjelse will get married given the options, but it is a great disappointment as to where and under what authority.  The rest is great.  But it is a big hole being left.

I had the chance to visit the Kettering ward and do part of a presentation on the work of salvation.  Because I am over missionary work from the high council they asked me to come and present the stake plan and to share other thoughts from the book "the power of everyday missionaries".  I shared Elder Perry's comments on how this time is the most remarkable the church has had.  Comparable to events such as the restoration, the first vision, and the translation of the Book of Mormon.  Then I used the "crossing the sandridge" picture and related it to how the missionary force is stronger than ever before, and the members have to hitch themselves up to make the work go forward in reaching out to those who need to come closer to Christ in any way.

Then I shared the stake plan which is pretty simple.

Stake Mission Plan

1. Invite all to come unto Christ – invite people to do something

2. Leaders set the example in the work of salvation with full time missionaries

3. Every ward/Branch and family have a “Work of Salvation” plan (fit on 3X5 card)

4. 100% of lessons taught with members present (in member’s homes preferred)

I tried to share how easy it is to just do things in your life that are normal and natural, and just help in the work.  Don't make it a "program" or anything.  

I shared some ideas from the book, on making it a natural part of our lives, Then also shared some concepts about being a people that God can trust to help others.  If he cant; trust us to take care of them, then how can we expect Him to put people in our path or to send them to us?

Mom said I did not discuss as much as I could have, so I will continue to try and get better at that.  I often try to cram in too much info in one setting.  I need to listen to her and keep working to get better.

We had a great birthday for mom, very fun time.  I got her a journal and her favorite perfume (which she bought so it would be the right stuff).  We also unwrapped some gifts that have a strange story.  We got an iPad and an iPad mini, the most expensive ones (128gb, latest releases).  About 2 weeks ago someone came to the door (I was not around) and had these two wrapped gifts.  He asked if Dan or Val was there, mom came to the door and he said "are you Valerie?"  She confirmed and he said, "Merry Christmas".  Mom asked "who are these from?"  He just said Merry Christmas and ran away.  We have no idea who it was.  God truly watches over us and even provides things we don't even need or really had even been wanting.  He just provides for us through the earthly angels that listen to him.  Through paying an honest tithe, we get subtle but significant blessing in our lives.

We had cake and berry with cream, like Mom likes it.  It was a great day.  I think everyone liked their Christmas gifts that Mom and I had planned for them.

Dave and Carol and family are here for the wedding, it was nice of them to come so far.  

I have loved being off work, and just spending time at home.  I have been working to enclose the washer and dryer space in the boys room so it looks nice and does not look like a wash room.  But int he process our water heater went out, so I had to replace that, then we by accident put a screw through  a water pipe, and had to shut down the house water and electricity and tear out the wall to fix it.  Then the boys faucet leaked.  It was a 1 2 3 punch.  But we got it all fixed and better than before.  I am still working on the boys room but it is going slowly.  But we will get it done and it will be nice for them.

Christmas is a great time to remember that the Savior lives, that we can come to him if we choose, and when we do, all things wrong in this life can be made right through the Atonement.

3 John 1:4

Dad

A Great Week Of The Year

I certainly love the Christmas week.  I love being able to sing the Christmas hymns, to learn of the Savior and to sing of his birth.  There are so many and we never sing them all in church before the season is over.  I guess that is why I choose them sometimes during the middle of the year when it is my turn for the song for FHE.

I had a really great training meeting with the ward mission leaders in the Centerville building.  They are all doing great and we shared ideas of working to improve the support we give to the full time missionaries.  Each ward in the south end of the stake has a set of Elders, and a set of sisters.  Except Middletown has two sets of sisters.  They are all doing so well.  It is another testimony to me seeing so many people learning of the restored truth, and embracing it as they honestly seek to know and pay the price to truly learn of our Father in Heaven as to its truth.  

I really liked Brother Mortensen's thoughts about the atonement today.  It painted well the meaning of the Christ child's birth and why we celebrate Christmas.

I also liked an email chain at work.  Someone started it with a joke of an engineering drawing of a Christmas scene, with the tree drawn with proper clearances, specifying the material properties etc.  But in the end one of the more opinionated older guys simply stated, he liked the effort but when he realized it was called a holiday tree he stopped.  Then he went off on the real meaning of Christmas and I thought that was just fantastic.l  Too often we let the Christmas get buried in the holiday and we lose the very reason we have hope in this world.  Even the covenants of the Temple have hope in the role of the Savior.

I hope you realize how much I know deep down of the great plan of happiness.  That we have the restored gospel with its covenants that help us have hope in eternal life as families sealed together forever.  It is a great comfort that grows each year as I gain more understanding of how much the plan means in the long run and how much the worldly does not matter in the long run.  And especially as I realize the value of family and the joy that comes from being together forever.

I hope you had a fantastic birthday.  We celebrated it with you in spirit.  We thought about you so much yesterday.  I know when I served I was a little sad on my birthday and on Christmas.  But as I have come to realize I had it all wrong.  It is a time you can find a joy that exceeds what you have known before.  That you can be happier because of the service you are giving to the Lord full time and finding peace in the teaching of the gospel to others who can find the joy in this life and hope in the life to come.  I think of the new temple film and how we learn from that about the great peace the plan brings.

We are excited to talk to you this week.  I know you are doing a great work.  Keep it up, and always work harder than you think you need to .  Give full proof of your ministry. (2 Tim)

I am so proud of you and so pleased in your choices.  You are an example to us all.

3 John 1:4

Dad

Special Witness of Christ

We had a fantastic weekend. Elder Christofferson was here for stake conference. It was awesome to hear from him, to be part of a Q&A, and to learn from him. I really liked what he taught about increasing our faith and how the missionaries that are called to this mission have a particular belssing to be called to serve under Pres. Porter. They were called specifically to serve under him and be blessed by him.

Prers. Porter is the mission President of the Ohio Cincinnati mission. I get to work with him a bit each month as we have stake correlation meeting. He is amazing. Full of energy, wonderful in how he works with the missionaries to train them, show them the way, but help them to step up and lead the work.

We have a number of baptisms scheduled before the end of the year. so many are being touched by the spirit and recognizing truth in their lives. We heard form the Smith family from Springboro. They all joined the church last year and just went to the temple to be sealed for eternity a couple months ago. They spoke of how the lessons just helped them to see what already seemed to make sense to them. To recognize the great plan of happiness.

On Sunday Elder Christofferson took the time to allow ALL the children and youth to come up and greet him. He stayed there for nearly an hour allowing each one, one by one, to greet an apostle.

But the best was when he bore witness of the Savior. His words were plain, his description familiar, but the power of his special witness came through to me like never before. It was a powerful wintess of the divinity fo the Christ and of his atoning power. I was blessed to have been there. I know in my heart and mind the truths of which he spoke.

He also spoke of the was the 12 and first presidency are called to witness to the world. And how they can't do all the work. So the 70 are called to help (around 300 currently) but this is still not enough. Then he described how missionaries are the next, called and working side by side with the apostles in their special commission. Working shoulder to shoulder with the apostles to witness to all the world. I have never heard that described in that way before. How blessed the missionaries are and how blessed are those they work with the bring them closer to Christ.

I had a great week of training last week. All week long learning of and getting a better understanding of Emerson leadership processes and how they fit into the business results. It really helped me to connect some dots that I had previously only known a portion of. It was really good. I just wish I could have stayed at home. With me sick early in the week, and Mom sick later in the week, it would have been nice to be there to take care of each other.

I was able to help her a bunch on Saturday to get things ready for the recital. I was an errand running mad man. And then tried to help make sure the house and walk were free of ice and looked good. It went very well and people enjoyed the recital. Ty and Lysi did great too.

We get to go to the CHS Christmas concert tonight. Ty is helping the band, and Gavin is in both Choirs so it will be very nice.

Love you forever, and I get you forever.

Dad

3 John 1:4

Christmas Hymns

I spoke to day at the Dayton branch.  A great group of people.  It is so good to go there and remind ourselves that we are not one homogeneous group but have wonderful people of all backgrounds and situations.

I had a really hard time with this one.  It was, I thought, and easy topic and would be a no brainer.  "We talk of Christ" from 2 Ne 25:26.  But I really struggled for the whole time in trying to prepare.  Up until last night when I finally just read the hymns of Christmas and pondered on the doctrines of eternal life that they teach.  

I copied the hymns and then just made notes about the thoughts and impressions I had as I read the lyrics from them. The thoughts came freely last night and I had a bunch of notes.

But even this morning I worried if I could really just speak from the heart and reference the notes.  But I learned I really need to just trust in the spirit.  I took the notes with me, and as I began I referenced what I had written.  I only got through half of what I had and had to finish with my testimony.  I guess I just do better with pondering, building an outline, and then sharing the feelings of my heart.

I did start out by sharing the love I have of Handel's Messiah and especially the Hallelujah chorus.  I learned it in high school int he choir and have never forgotten the words or my part.  And I don;t consider it to be a simple bass part.  But it has stayed with me all these years.  And I love to sing it during performances when the audience can join in.  

As you go through this season of Christmas, consider upon the doctrines taught in the hymns.  Listen to the words as you hear the songs, or as you sing them think about the lyrics you are singing.  

Every hymn has many doctrines that come form the words and testify of Christ and his gospel.

Use this season to truly lose yourself in service to others (also taught in the hymns if you look) and you will find the season becomes better than ever.  I love you and am so grateful for the covenants of the temple that seal you to mom and I forever.  That brings great comfort to me.

3 John 1:4

Dad

Season of Thanksgiving

It has been a wonderful week being mostly off from work, and spending time with the family.  I know I need to go back, but I wish I could reverse the stages of life and spend more time at home before everyone leaves.  I have wanted to for years.

We had a wonderful thanksgiving day, all the traditional things except no Carol and Bryce even thought we were at their home.  But it was a great day.  The trip over and back went smooth and we had fun together.  

The temple together was amazing.  It is remarkable how when you only have to enter to feel a difference and immediately feel more at home.  The sense of peace that comes is worth everything it takes to qualify yourself.

We got to do baptisms and even mom got to do some.  I was able to perform the ordinance for all of our family and a few others that were there for that group session.  It was so nice to feel the power of the temple as we served inside.

I was reflecting again today on how the new temple film can be so significant in leading to additional insight, and yet the wording we learn from has not changed at all.  It just confirms that the more we study the gospel, the more we will understand.  In priesthood meeting today we discussed some things on our personal responsibility to learn.  We have to put out the effort.  Elder Bednar confirmed my feelings about learning more in the temple as he related our learning to the scripture "line upon line, precept upon precept."  We keep learning more as we keep studying with real intent.  The role of the savior to bring not only remission of sins, but also to bring power, peace and hope is infinite.  The atonement goes so much further than just bridging the gap of sin to allow us to attain life with our father in heaven.

Take the time to truly study out the principles of the gospel in your daily life, if sets all things in the proper perspective.

3 John 1:4

Dad

It's Thanksgiving, Right!

I got  assigned the topic of "Seeing the Lord's hand in all things" for the month of November, which makes good sense.  So all month long I have been pondering on this and considering what I would put into my talk.  It has been a good thing to consider all the ways I am grateful and all the ways I can recognize God's hand in our lives.  I bet if you stop to consider where He has been with you, you will see.  The more you look the more you see.  That has been true for me.  You can see some of that in the attached talk.  

I got back form China and was so grateful to be home with Mom and family.  There's no place like home!

I am an expert bathroom cleaner.  Even when we had no paper towels, the master of make do got the newspaper and used that for the mirrors with windex.  In reality newspaper is really good for cleaning glass, as it leaves no streaks or fibers when you just polish it off.  It's a good tool.  I fixed the brakes on Mom's car, she was so awesome and told me it sounded different.  And sure enough, they were almost gone.  Plus one part was rusted in place and not moving as it should.  So $16.99 later it is all fixed.  Instead of around $150-200 at a shop.  The only damage is my ego and my thumb that got crushed under the car as it slid off the jacks when things went a little awry.  It hurts and is blue under the nail, but getting better.  To keep it from throbbing I had to sleep with "thumbs up" all night!

I get to be off work this week (mostly) and can be home with mom and those at home.  Them we go off to DC for Thanksgiving.  

3 John 1:4

Recognizing God's Hand In All Things

Greenville Nov 2013
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I would like to have us ponder today on three questions that will enable us to have a more satisfying life, more easily ride out the storms around us, as to draw closer to The Lord and our Father in Heaven.  These are: 1. What are we truly grateful for? 2. How can we recognize His hand in our lives? 3. What blessing come from being grateful? I pray that the Holy Ghost will attend to me, and to you, as we consider these questions.
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What are we grateful for?  Gratitude for technology to allow me to talk to my bride while traveling in China.  Gratitude for being able to attend church while traveling. Thankful for the same feeling in the buildings, even when they are not "ours". For the same hymns, for members who reach out, and for spoken words that were a direct and near immediate answer to my personal anguished cry for help from my Heavenly Father. Grateful The Lord knows ALL his people as I met with saints from Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany, England, Peru, USA, Nepal, Namibia, New Zealand and others. Truly The Lord knows us in his life. Can we not do the same and know him in ours?
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Are we grateful for the "other" aspects of life?  The mundane, clean clothes, flat beds,  The obscure, our hearts that pump, lungs that exchange air The simple, forks that help us eat The repetitive, sunrise and sunset The spiritual, gift of general conf or an Apostle to visit our stake conf The unchanging, gravity The success of others
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Elder Hollands other prodigal talk (Val)  why can we not be grateful for all things. Both those we receive and those given to others. "Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received?" When we recognize Gods hand in all things, we see all that He does for US, and for others, as growth towards that ultimate eternal state where we ALL can inherit everything He has. It is a miracle.
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Here in seeing Gods hand hand in our lives, I believe we can apply the good better best principle.  It is good to be grateful. It is better to see Gods hand in all things we normally think of. And it is best to recognize Him in every way, in every day, and in every seen and unseen impact of our lives.
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How can we recognize His hand in our lives?
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Give service  Service is one of the quickest routes to see God's hand in your own life.
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For The Strength of Youth says this well. Consider the emphasis I put on words that will help us see his hand in our lives.  Often the most meaningful service is expressed through simple, everyday acts of kindness. Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost ...each day.... to know whom to serve and how to help meet their needs. (Service)
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Consider my experience as a missionary which I am confident is common to all who serve.  As missionaries give up all they have, and live in relative spartan circumstances, they recognize more than ever the Lords hand in their lives. How is is that the more they give up of themselves, the more they see they have? EVERY day they give up more and thereby see more that they have. That, brothers as sisters, is the miracle of service. An eternal principle I am only beginning to understand the breadth and depth available to me.
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We would do well to follow the counsel given in hymn 241.  Count your many blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what The Lord has done.
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How can try put their trust in God continually if they do not recognize His hand in their lives? I believe that their mothers had taught them time and time again to recognize God in all things.
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Sisters, yours is the errand of angels. As you teach, and remarkable teachers you are to both your own as well as to other children around you, you help all of us to better recognize God. This gift you give to us serves to help cure a host of ills in our lives and the world around us.
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What do we receive from being grateful?  More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance--even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened (O Remember, Remember)
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19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.  Doctrine and Covenants, D&C 78:19
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Those who are faithful to God are protected and prospered (O Remember, Remember)
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In the gospel library under gratitude we learn "as we cultivate a grateful attitude, we are more likely to be happy and SPIRITUALLY STRONG.
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Blessings If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Consider that virtue of gratitude as I express a favorite scripture: “Let virtue, or gratitude, garnish thy thoughts unceasingly, then shall they confidence was strong in the presence of God and the doctrines of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.” Please consider the ultimate blessings of the temple. Those who have been will recognize the feelings they have as we can confidently approach the Lord, and receive the blessings of the priesthood in our lives eternally.
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In conclusion
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Consider what Moses taught so long ago: 9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; (Deuteronomy 4:9)
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What if when we woke up all we had was what we remembered to thank God for the day before? Sis. Sidney Craig
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Filler  Some of you may be familiar with Thornton Wilder’s classic drama Our Town. Emily Webb laments, “Do … human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?” Said one well-known author: “Both abundance and lack of abundance exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us happiness—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.” Many years ago I was touched by the story of Borghild Dahl. She was born in Minnesota in 1890 of Norwegian parents and from her early years suffered severely impaired vision. She had a tremendous desire to participate in everyday life despite her handicap and, through sheer determination, succeeded in nearly everything she undertook. Against the advice of educators, who felt her handicap was too great, she attended college, receiving her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota. She later studied at Columbia University and the University of Oslo. She eventually became the principal of eight schools in western Minnesota and North Dakota. She wrote the following in one of the 17 books she authored: “I had only one eye, and it was so covered with dense scars that I had to do all my seeing through one small opening in the left of the eye. I could see a book only by holding it up close to my face and by straining my one eye as hard as I could to the left.”7 Miraculously, in 1943—when she was over 50 years old—a revolutionary procedure was developed which finally restored to her much of the sight she had been without for so long. A new and exciting world opened up before her. She took great pleasure in the small things most of us take for granted, such as watching a bird in flight, noticing the light reflected in the bubbles of her dishwater, or observing the phases of the moon each night. She closed one of her books with these words: “Dear … Father in heaven, I thank Thee. I thank Thee.”8 Borghild Dahl, both before and after her sight was restored, was filled with gratitude for her blessings. In 1982, two years before she died, at the age of 92 her last book was published. Its title: Happy All My Life. Her attitude of thankfulness enabled her to appreciate her blessings and to live a full and rich life despite her challenges.