Today, in sacrament meeting, we had one speaker, and it was a three minute talk by a youth. So I asked the sister missionaries to bear their testimonies, and then Benjamin Forsyth. While he was speaking, I looked at Annie, and I felt like she was the one who ought to come up and speak. All I could think about was how scared she would be.
So I said a prayer and asked Heavenly Father that if it was that she should speak, to help her. I got up and looked at her again, and felt again like I ought to ask her. So I asked her to come help me. She got up and I whispered to her that I wanted her to share how we can prepare soil for planting seeds. She did. She said we should loosen the dirt, and water it and plant the seed. I asked her what we do with the rocks. She said you can't plant on rocky soil because the roots won't have anywhere to go and the plant will die. I asked her what we need to do to prepare our hearts to hear God's word. She said we need to pray and read the scriptures and fast.
So I spoke on that about the parable of the sower for a while. i'm glad Annie and I have been talking about that, and that the Spirit was there to direct things.
Sunday, March 24, 2019
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Two interviews, two promptings
Tonight I had two interviews.
In the first one, there was a youth that was trying to overcome some struggles preparatory to serving a mission. I had the parents come in, and we all had a candid conversation about it. I was just listening, and to my mind came the phrase, "if ye have desires to serve, ye are called to the work." That scripture had come to my mind on Monday, and I had spent a few minutes thinking about how interesting it was that a Testimony wasn't what called someone to the work, just Desire to Serve. But, I wonder if a testimony differentiates the called and the chosen. side note.
Anyway, we read that scripture, but the previous two verses were much more applicable to our particular scenario. So we read those, too. It was neat to have the Holy Ghost bring a scripture to my remembrance. Just as promised in John 14.
Second interview was much more up in the air. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to say to the youth, but was much less sure how it was going to be received. Again, I spent a fair amount of time listening and trying to understand, and once I did, scriptures just came to my mind. 2 Corinthians 12:6-7, 2 Nephi 4:15-18. We even got into 3 Nephi 18:26-27-ish. This interview didn't go as well, at least I didn't feel like the outcome was as concise, but it was still nice to have the Holy Ghost present.
Those scenarios are difficult. I felt an obligation to warn and teach. I can just imagine that youth taking our conversation back to their friends and twisting it to sound like the mean old Bishop and his ultra-conservative views.
In the first one, there was a youth that was trying to overcome some struggles preparatory to serving a mission. I had the parents come in, and we all had a candid conversation about it. I was just listening, and to my mind came the phrase, "if ye have desires to serve, ye are called to the work." That scripture had come to my mind on Monday, and I had spent a few minutes thinking about how interesting it was that a Testimony wasn't what called someone to the work, just Desire to Serve. But, I wonder if a testimony differentiates the called and the chosen. side note.
Anyway, we read that scripture, but the previous two verses were much more applicable to our particular scenario. So we read those, too. It was neat to have the Holy Ghost bring a scripture to my remembrance. Just as promised in John 14.
Second interview was much more up in the air. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to say to the youth, but was much less sure how it was going to be received. Again, I spent a fair amount of time listening and trying to understand, and once I did, scriptures just came to my mind. 2 Corinthians 12:6-7, 2 Nephi 4:15-18. We even got into 3 Nephi 18:26-27-ish. This interview didn't go as well, at least I didn't feel like the outcome was as concise, but it was still nice to have the Holy Ghost present.
Those scenarios are difficult. I felt an obligation to warn and teach. I can just imagine that youth taking our conversation back to their friends and twisting it to sound like the mean old Bishop and his ultra-conservative views.
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Luke 1:17
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of aElias, to turn the hearts of the bfathers to the children, and the cdisobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people dprepared for the Lord.
Meaning, I assume, that the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of Elias (greek form of Elijah) can not only turn the heart of a grumpy father to his children, it can turn the heart of a grumpy rebellious child to the wisdom of his father, provided that father's wisdom is just. (3 Nephi 27:27 might be helpful)
Meaning, I assume, that the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of Elias (greek form of Elijah) can not only turn the heart of a grumpy father to his children, it can turn the heart of a grumpy rebellious child to the wisdom of his father, provided that father's wisdom is just. (3 Nephi 27:27 might be helpful)
Thursday, December 27, 2018
David the recurring dream
Every so often, I have a dream about a weird guy named David. The setting is always the same. I'm a single man, a student at some college with brown buildings. David and some other people come visit and throw rocks at people. He always throws a rock at somebody I know at least in passing and who doesn't deserve it and hits them on the head. He's clearly trying to prove a point. Then he comes to talk to me. He's very ugly. wispy blond hair that is about chin length. it just falls limply around his greasy, grumpy face. Blue vest, dark short-sleeve shirt, pants, no glasses, or maybe thin black glasses. He has the most infuriating low monotone voice. It is instantly apparent he has no friends, was bullied, and is trying to get back at all the popular or successful people like the ones who have wronged him. He always has a bucket, which with he caries his big black rock that he throws at people, and then upon which he stands to tell me his message. This time, when standing on the 5-gallon bucket, he was still a couple inches shorter than me; I know because I got right in his face and folded my arms as if to let him know I thought he and his message were dirt.
I let him tell me what he wants to say, which always ends up being a very stupid message. I always reluctantly and very arrogantly give him time to tell me his message. This time, after much preamble and after making sure everybody around us (usually they're chaos because people are throwing rocks) is quiet and listening, he said, "Sometimes we want to help people, but we don't", which in this dream apparently was the same thing he had told me the dream before. Then I yelled at him for a while about how maybe he shouldn't expect so much from people in college who have zero money, maybe he could consider that we're trying to help in whatever ways we can. He never seems to listen to me. I told him that he had already told me that, and that if he didn't have something new to say, he should just go home and leave people alone. He appeared to have followers and cronies who were around to protect him.
And at some point, I always lose my temper and bop him on the head as hard as I possibly can in retaliation for what he did to that guy. I can never hit him very squarely, though, which is extremely frustrating, and i never phases him. I always yell at him for thinking it's okay to throw rocks; maybe he would get more people to listen to him if he didn't try to hurt them first. I would be more interested in what he has to say if he would stop throwing rocks at people.
Hopefully by writing this out, i will learn whatever it is Im suppose to learn from this, and then never have this stupid dream again.
I let him tell me what he wants to say, which always ends up being a very stupid message. I always reluctantly and very arrogantly give him time to tell me his message. This time, after much preamble and after making sure everybody around us (usually they're chaos because people are throwing rocks) is quiet and listening, he said, "Sometimes we want to help people, but we don't", which in this dream apparently was the same thing he had told me the dream before. Then I yelled at him for a while about how maybe he shouldn't expect so much from people in college who have zero money, maybe he could consider that we're trying to help in whatever ways we can. He never seems to listen to me. I told him that he had already told me that, and that if he didn't have something new to say, he should just go home and leave people alone. He appeared to have followers and cronies who were around to protect him.
And at some point, I always lose my temper and bop him on the head as hard as I possibly can in retaliation for what he did to that guy. I can never hit him very squarely, though, which is extremely frustrating, and i never phases him. I always yell at him for thinking it's okay to throw rocks; maybe he would get more people to listen to him if he didn't try to hurt them first. I would be more interested in what he has to say if he would stop throwing rocks at people.
Hopefully by writing this out, i will learn whatever it is Im suppose to learn from this, and then never have this stupid dream again.
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Jacob 5
I finally have an idea about this chapter.
The original tree initially had dying branches, so they worked on it and got some young and tender branches to grow. But they could only grow so much. So they cut them off, grafted them all over the place, and grafted in wild branches in an effort to let the roots put forth their strength into the new branches. Which worked. The fruit was good.
They let it go for a long time, and upon returning discovered the fruit to now be bad. The little tender branches had become wild and bad, and the wild grafts had stopped producing good fruit and were not producing bad fruit. So they systematically cleared away the bad branches and grafted back in those young and tender branches to their original tree, and put the wild grafts back to their original trees. It worked.
Parenting, perhaps? We have roots and they can be very strong. But our children can only grow so much with us. Their initial branches are young and tender, but need space to move. As they get older and more widespread, they can adopt wild grafts into their roots, which can be a good thing, as long as they don't overpower their roots. As soon as they do, the produce bad fruit. In which case, they need a pruning, and an re-insertion of the original young tender branches that worked in harmony with their roots. I'm already getting bored typing this out, but it's perhaps an idea.
The original tree initially had dying branches, so they worked on it and got some young and tender branches to grow. But they could only grow so much. So they cut them off, grafted them all over the place, and grafted in wild branches in an effort to let the roots put forth their strength into the new branches. Which worked. The fruit was good.
They let it go for a long time, and upon returning discovered the fruit to now be bad. The little tender branches had become wild and bad, and the wild grafts had stopped producing good fruit and were not producing bad fruit. So they systematically cleared away the bad branches and grafted back in those young and tender branches to their original tree, and put the wild grafts back to their original trees. It worked.
Parenting, perhaps? We have roots and they can be very strong. But our children can only grow so much with us. Their initial branches are young and tender, but need space to move. As they get older and more widespread, they can adopt wild grafts into their roots, which can be a good thing, as long as they don't overpower their roots. As soon as they do, the produce bad fruit. In which case, they need a pruning, and an re-insertion of the original young tender branches that worked in harmony with their roots. I'm already getting bored typing this out, but it's perhaps an idea.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
My plan and goal
I speak a lot as the Bishop, and I need to do a better job (read: actually do it period) of recording any revelations, thoughts, promises, etc. that I discuss with people, so that I can follow up.
I talked about tithing and fast offerings last sunday, and told people that the Lord has an opportunity to take the reigns of your family finances if you are willing to let Him in by paying tithing.
I said that fasting is a good way to give you the strength to overcome sin and temptation.
I think that may be all I can remember. Which is why I need to do a better job of recording thoughts that I've had.
3 Nephi 12:7-8 ish. blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Spirit. The way we hunger and thirst and are filled is by making the sacrament.
I talked about tithing and fast offerings last sunday, and told people that the Lord has an opportunity to take the reigns of your family finances if you are willing to let Him in by paying tithing.
I said that fasting is a good way to give you the strength to overcome sin and temptation.
I think that may be all I can remember. Which is why I need to do a better job of recording thoughts that I've had.
3 Nephi 12:7-8 ish. blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Spirit. The way we hunger and thirst and are filled is by making the sacrament.
Sunday, November 18, 2018
A helping hand and a dream
1. I had a very anxious girl in my office to have some teeth pulled. I am still not sure how, but I was able to help her be calm the entire time, and she did great. The teeth came out fine. I was talking with Julianne about it later, and commented that I hadn't even asked for help, but that I felt like I got it anyway.
She reminded me that there are a lot of people asking for the Lord to help me. I realized that I needed to express thanks, even if I hadn't asked for help.
2. This morning, I was dreaming when the alarm went off about giving a talk in church. I was speaking about "humble beginnings", and I was actually making some cohesive and legitimate points in my dream, which is unusual. Usually I'm trying to explain something that doesn't even come close to reality or coherency.
I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I decided to follow the Spirit and speak in sacrament meeting. I had 15 minutes, and I was able to fill almost all of it up. I feel as though I was guided in what to say, and hopefully someone was needing to hear it.
It was a lot about humbling yourself to get out of holes you've dug yourself in.
We shouldn't feel worthless if we are humble. We should feel empowered because we are allowing the Lord to work in our lives. That was a nice idea, I think.
She reminded me that there are a lot of people asking for the Lord to help me. I realized that I needed to express thanks, even if I hadn't asked for help.
2. This morning, I was dreaming when the alarm went off about giving a talk in church. I was speaking about "humble beginnings", and I was actually making some cohesive and legitimate points in my dream, which is unusual. Usually I'm trying to explain something that doesn't even come close to reality or coherency.
I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I decided to follow the Spirit and speak in sacrament meeting. I had 15 minutes, and I was able to fill almost all of it up. I feel as though I was guided in what to say, and hopefully someone was needing to hear it.
It was a lot about humbling yourself to get out of holes you've dug yourself in.
We shouldn't feel worthless if we are humble. We should feel empowered because we are allowing the Lord to work in our lives. That was a nice idea, I think.
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