HIS STORY

I think you may recall me telling about that time when there wasn't much to speak of at all. When Murdleigh had given up bashing and taking, soon after discovering that giving and smiling were 'nicer'. Well as with all wonderful and not so wonderful secrets it wasn't long before Murdleigh was out and about trying to convince everyone that his way was best. Now Gloog, Howk and Lester caught on to the giving and smiling very quickly, but since Marvin Ouk didn't really have anything to give and he was only able to smile with the left side of his face, a condition which surely came from falling face forward when getting bashed so many times, therefore Marvin never had more than half a feeling of 'nicer'.

It wasn't long before Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester realized that one could find 'nicer' rather boring and it wasn't all that comfortable just hanging and smiling. They tried smiling in different ways and positions, but it wasn't long before they ran out of ways to contort.

One day Murdleigh said to Gloog, Howk and Lester,"I wonder what it would be like if we went hunting and gathering all together?" They didn't really invite Marvin Ouk to come but he became a tag along. Once they were hunting and gathering they discovered that even though Marvin wasn't much good at hunting or gathering he was really good at carrying. This was important since it was long before uprights had begun to convince those who walked on all four to do their carrying for them.

Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester soon discovered that by hunting and gathering together, along with the carrying of Marvin, they had a lot more time to hang and smile at each other. One day with the coming of the day light, Murdleigh, for absolutely no reason at all, decided to make a / on the wall of his dwelling. This took a fair amount of time since he had to get a burnt pointed stick from the fire and then make one end a point so that he could make a perfect / and not one that looked /. It wasn't long before Murdleigh realized that every time he made /////////////////////////// the night light was biggest and brightest so he started putting a O between the // on those days so that soon his dwelling had long stings of //////O/////// patterns.

Murdleigh was very happy with his markings which were pretty much perfect except on those times when he,Gloog, Howk, Lester and Marvin Ouk wandered too far from their dwellings and were gone for many day and night lights. Murdleigh had shown the soft one who dwelt with him and brought the little things into the dwelling how to make the marks, but of course the soft one never could quite make them right and they came out looking / or ) or| or \ or (, and sometimes they would even look /. Murdleigh was able to overlook her obvious lack of talent, because besides making him feel 'nicer' for no reason at all, she also made him feel aaa and eee and iii and ooo and uuu and sometimes even yyy.

One day Murdleigh got weary of making // and an appropriate O and decided to try to draw some of the things that he Gloog, Howk, Lester and Marvin Ouk had hunted or gathered and carried during the last O///////////////////////////O.

One day while hanging with Gloog, Howk, Lester and Marvin, Murdleigh was asked what he was doing with all that messing up the walls of his dwelling and almost without thinking Murdleigh quickly replied that he was marking His Story.

In order to keep themselves status quoed with Murdleigh, it wasn't long before Gloog, Howk, Lester and even Marvin Ouk started making markings on their dwellings and keeping His Story on their walls. Actually Marvin Ouk seemed to have been made a little soft with all the bashing and falling he had done before the days of 'nicer', and so his markings were mostly / or ) or | or \ or ( , but sometimes they were even /. It wasn't long, however, that everyone agreed that Marvin's markings of what had been hunted or gathered looked very much like the real thing unlike those of Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester.

Since the status had once again been quoed, Murdleigh begin at times to feel a little 'unnicer'. He wondered for a long time how to unquo the status and finally decided to think on what he might be able to do during the next few O///////////////////////////O. After trying: reluk, guf, rabas, gules what sounded best to him were resolves and goals. Yes, he thought I will do some resolves and some goals. He was somewhat puzzled about whether one resolved to overcome bad things or resolved to do better things. He also wondered whether one set goals to overcome bad things or to do better things. In the end he decided it didn't really matter just so that he would be causing the quo of the status to change.

Although we will never be quite sure, but His Story goes that it was on the day when the O////////////////////////////O/////////////////////////////O///////////(//////////////////O////////////////////////////////O//////////////////////////////O//////////////|///////////////O/////////////////////////////////O//////////////////////////////////O///////////////////////////O///////////////////////////O////////////\)//////////////O////////////////////////////O//////////\|////////////////O started all over again.

THE TRUE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

One more attempt at wishing you all a Merry Christmas

What was it about that last package under the tree that always seemed to dim the youthful glow of Christmas? The wrapping was every bit as bright as any of those which had eagerly been opened to reveal mysterious hidden treasures. This last gift was always approached with hesitation and soberness as if it somehow contained some mystical vapors which if released would subdue the joys and warmth that had filled the house since the week before Thanksgiving.

Memory has been clouded by years, but somewhere back there in the days which separate childhood from adulthood something transpired to bridge the annual gulf between this year's last package and next year's first wrapping; a potion which magically evaporated those terrible vapors which clouded joy and warmth and allowed me the blessing of an almost continual basking throughout the year.

Like I say, I can't remember when IT first came, but IT has forever since spanned the abyss between the transitory, busy, glittering, boisterous, yearning, youthful concept of Christmas and with a magical special flicker in a moment changed my soul. From that moment until now I have been allowed to more or less remain in a state where I can celebrate the passing of one warm moment of continual joy into the next which follows quickly, as if there was no gap in the feeling.

Although I can't clearly remember the when, the where or the what of the crossing of this wondrous bridge which brought me to this place where joy burns warmly in the ever presence of my mind, I can easily identify it as the brightest and greatest gift I have ever unwrapped.

The true joy of year long Christmas warmth became a prized possession that moment when I first opened the gift of all gifts and felt the warming love of my Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ and in that magical moment I was moved to a determination to set my feet upon the path which would enable me in some small way to return that love.

HAVING HOLY DAY’S THE WHOLE YEAR THROUGH

The Riley's wish to send their wishes that the blessings of our Heavenly Father will come abundantly to each of you during this wonderful season and throughout the new year.

During this very special Holy Season, we wish to bear witness to this truth: it is Christmas which brings the Spirit of Christ to mankind; likewise it is Christ who can magnify the spirit of Christmas in our lives not only during this special time of year but all the year through.

Without Christ, the exchanging of gifts turns our thoughts from charitable love to concerns of indebtedness.

Without Christ, the bright lights and colorful decorations turn from being guiding beacons and uplifting revivers to glaring and gaudy glitter.

Without Christ, gatherings of family and friends turn from memory building reunions to better forgotten ruinous riotous rallies.

Without Christ, Christmas turns from a day of celestial contemplation to a day of trivial telestial thoughts.

Just as Christ turns our every participation during this special season into something positive, we believe it can  be so the whole year through if we allow His love to penetrate our hearts each day as it does during this Holy Season.

Therefore, we take this moment to wish you all a joyous and wondrous Christmas; but more than this we wish for you the eternal joy which can be yours through having come unto the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

SO MANY THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS

While the warmth of the hearth is a haven to some, others gleefully frolic in the frozen white.

Christmas trees are found in sufficient variety to satisfy everyone's vision of 'just right'.

Those with gourmet palates and those with simpler taste are filled with feast and sufficient faire.

Joy in the fulfilled eyes quickens the heart of the thoughtful provider.

An oak's lost seeds bring life to the creatures housed in its limbs.

Grandfather shares the memories of Christmas past.

Dreams of Christmas soon to come, fill the thoughts of grandchildren.

All desire to be home, but for many distance and added generations makes it impossible.

Those who are alone are often comforted and warmed by a source seldom understood.

Rich colors abound in never ending combinations and brighten the lives of artisans and artists.

Gaily wrapped packages so lovingly done, bring gladness and squeals as they are hastily rent.

Concert halls are filled with souls being cheered by familiar and newly discovered strains.

Chapels are crowed with beaming parents as the musical sounds of children fill their hearts.

How wondrous and great are the scenes of this special season. There are enough and more to fill the needs and desire of every life.

Hopefully we will never forget – He who has provided this variety, goodness and abundance of life

For … He was born to bring purpose to life

He lived to be an exemplar of the way

He died that all might live

We truly love and appreciate you our Lord, our Savior, and our King.

THE MUSICAL CHRISTMAS STORY

I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY THOSE OLD FAMILIAR CAROLS PLAY – BUT IN DESPAIR I BOWED MY HEAD –THERE IS NO PEACE ON EARTH, FOR HATE IS STRONG AND MOCKS THE SONG OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN.

THEN TO MY KNEES I WENT IN PRAYER AND PLEAD WITH THE LORD AS I KNELT THERE

BEFORE SCARCELY A WORD I'D SAID A VOICE RANG WITHIN MY HEAD – OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT, OH COME YE TO BETHLEHEM

LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM, HOW STILL WE SEE THEE LIE – ABOVE THY DEEP AND DREAMLESS SLEEP THE SILENT STARS GO BY

YET IN THY DARK STREETS SHINES THE EVERLASTING LIGHT – THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEAR ARE MET IN THEE TONIGHT

FOR LO – THE DAYS ARE HASTENING ON, BY PROPHETS SEEN OF OLD, WHEN WITH THE EVER CIRCLING YEARS SHALL COME THE TIME FORETOLD, WHEN THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL OWN THE PRICE OF PEACE THEIR KING

THE WHOLE EARTH SENDS BACK THE SONG WHICH NOW THE HERALD ANGELS SING - GLORY, GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING

THEN, ALL IS CALM ALL IS BRIGHT ON THIS SILENT, HOLY NIGHT.

THERE, 'ROUND YON VIRGIN MOTHER AND CHILD – HOLY INFANT, SO TENDER AND MILD – SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE

SHEPHERDS WILL WAKE AT YOUR SIGHT – GLORIES WILL STREAM FROM HEAVEN A FAR

FOR CHRIST THE SAVIOR IS BORN

SON OF GOD

LOVE'S PURE LIGHT BEAMS FROM THY HOLY FACE

THE HEAVEN BORN PRINCE OF PEACE

THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

LIGHT AND LIFE TO ALL HE BRINGS – BORN TO GIVE THEM SECOND BIRTH

JOY TO THE WORLD – THE LORD HAS COME – LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING

HOW SILENTLY THE WONDROUS GIFT IS GIVEN

IN THIS WORLD OF SIN – WHERE MEEK SOULS WILL RECEIVE HIM STILL – THE DEAR CHRIST ENTERS IN

WITH MY PRAYER NOW DONE – DURING WHICH JESUS CHRIST MY SOUL HAS FURTHER WON – IN MY MIND THE VOICE DID CEASE TO RING

AND THEN I HEARD THE BELLS ONCE MORE ON CHRISTMAS SING

BUT NOW THEY PEALED MORE LOUD AND DEEP – GOD IS NOT DEAD, NOR DOTH HE SLEEP – A VOICE A CHIME, A CHANT SUBLIME, PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN

WHY CHRISTMAS IS NICE

The Wonderful Season Begins

Once upon a time in the days before anything much was organized and when people were all pretty much alike and had not learned to be Doctors or Bookmakers or Husbands or Milkmen, there were never any holidays because everyone was too busy.

What they were busy doing was---taking stuff.

They spent all of their time either taking stuff or trying to take stuff or planning to take stuff from each other, or fixing the walls and fences and barbwire in their section of the jungle so no one could take stuff from them.

In those days it was considered most necessary to have a lot of stuff and taking it gave people a stimulating feeling. When they took something especially good (i.e. big) the feeling started in the back of their necks and spread down across their back and made a tingle in their left foot. This feeling was the only feeling anyone ever had except maybe being scared or being hungry.

Several techniques had been developed for taking stuff. These techniques were:

First; swiping …This was the most difficult because naturally few people were foolish enough to leave any of their stuff unguarded.

The second and most popular method was to find someone smaller than you, give him a bash and take whatever stuff he had at the time.

The third was to find someone your own size; sneak up behind him and give him an unexpected bash. Then you could grab his stuff and run. This method although dangerous, had the advantage of being healthful, as the bashing and running promoted deep breathing and kept the waistline down.

Now in time, the smaller people learned to be very clever at hiding and swiping, and the larger developed a protective layer of bone across the back of their skulls, and some of the medium sized discovered that they could tell big lies about the amount of stuff they had hidden and this was about the same as actually having stuff.

And so a status quo came to exist. It balanced out pretty well for everyone, that is, except Marvin Ouk.

Marvin Ouk lived in a rather provincial section of the jungle and his only neighbors were named Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester.

Now Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester had each accumulated exactly the same amount of stuff. They were all about the same size and they had equally excellent walls and so it became difficult for them to increase their stuff. One day Murdleigh would bash Gloog and take his shirt and eggbeater, but the next day Howk would bash Murdleigh and take his shirt and fountain pen, and so on.

They were all getting bashed a great deal and in the long run there was no percentage in it. So after awhile they all concentrated mostly on taking stuff from Marvin, which wasn't easy.

Marvin was the smallest, the most simple-minded and the least devious of all the people. He didn't even have a proper wall or fence and as a result he had no stuff. In fact, Marvin never had anything. He didn't even have a pair of pants (which slowed him down socially). He lived on a diet of toadstools (these being the only things he could depend on not being taken) and the only feeling he ever experienced was not getting hit which he considered enjoyable.

So it wasn't long before Gloog and Howk and Murdleigh and Lester even gave up trying to take stuff from Marvin. It wasn't worth the trouble it took to bash him because although he bashed easily, Marvin was concussion prone and merely fell quietly face forward and didn't yell or holler or do anything fun.

And so in this part of the jungle the status quoed more than suitable. Actually the status became over-quoed and Gloog and Howk and Murdleigh and Lester sat behind their walls and got restless.

"It is not right not to take stuff," Murdleigh said, "One should get more stuff. It is the way things are." He would go on like this until he worked himself into a state. Then he would go out and try to sneak up on 'Gloog or catch Howk or swipe something from Lester. But he never could.

Then he would go back home and fret some more. "I will forget how to take stuff," he would tell himself. "I will lose my techniques." And one day he added. "I must keep in practice or my know-how will desert me."

So he rushed out and found Marvin Ouk and in his mind he pretended that Marvin was carrying a doubled armful of stuff. He then gave Marvin an excellent bash and pretended to take the imaginary stuff away from him. But it didn't work. He didn't work. He didn't get any feeling or tingle at all.

He went back home and fretted some more. "It was not playing the game to pretend," he told himself and he began to think. After a bit he had an idea. "Umm," he said, "If I'm gong to practice on Marvin, I must play the game. He must have something to take so I will go out and" … He paused and made up a word to express the odd idea he had in mind. "Give," he said, "I will give Marvin something first. Then I can take it."

So Murdleigh searched through his stuff and picked out a spoon with a broken handle and he went out and found Marvin.

When Marvin saw him he sighed and looked about for a soft spot to fall forward on. He was of course surprised, even shocked, when Murdleigh, stopped in front of him and made no bashing gestures. "Ouk," said Murdleigh, making a peculiar and frightening grimace (which men later learned to call a 'smile'), "Ouk, I have some stuff here I want to give you." He pushed the spoon toward Marvin. Marvin backed away. "Murdleigh has sprung a gasket", he thought, "I shall carefully go away as he may become dangerous."

But Murdleigh anticipated Marvin's escape and seized him by the arm. "Here." He said and placed the spoon in Marvin's hand. "I want you to have this."

Then he stepped back and prepared to give Marvin a bash and take the stuff in the approved manner, but before he could move, he felt a strange new feeling: A feeling ten times more powerful than the feeling he had when he took stuff. It started in the back of his chest and spread, not only through his back and his left foot, but all over. He began to tingle in both feet and both hands and on top of his head. The new feeling was so pleasant and so powerful that Murdleigh caught his breath and sat down on the ground.

"Ha," he said and again made the terrible grimace in Marvin's direction. Marvin turned and raced away.

"Who could have suspected" said Murdleigh. "Giving stuff is" … He searched for a noise he could use, another new word. "Ooser?" He said, and "Meepy?" Then he cried "Nisser" and then "Nicer".

Nicer sounds exactly right. "Giving stuff," Murdleigh said, "is nicer than taking stuff."

Murdleigh soon found out that part of the new feeling was a desire to tell other people about it and he did, and so another great discovery was made.

The secret of the new feeling has been passed down from century to century to now, and although sometimes we don't see too much evidence of it, people seem to remember it very clearly at Christmas time, and instead of taking and bashing, they give.

And it feels very nice.

BEING DOUBLE BLESSED

In Kathleen's and my life we have divided our mortal passage into a pre-Colombian life, a Colombian life and a post-Colombian life. A long time ago in the later part of our pre Colombian life I was traveling through the Northern California Sierras while listening to a talk radio show on the car radio. In those days I was mostly influenced by right wing commentators and I soon found myself all caught up in how we were making the same economic decisions which led to the great depression. My mind was completely occupied with all the wrong decisions that those left wingers had made which had brought us to this near calamitous brink of economic destruction. This obviously was a long time before I became a self declared member of the Non-Political Party Party.

I hope you can appreciate the irony of my situation. Here I was driving through some of the most beautiful and scenic country on this planet and my thoughts were completely captured in this self-imposed chasm of doom and despair. One of our five sons was accompanying me on this trip and somehow broke through the dense fog I was engulfed in and re-focused my attention on the beautiful and wondrous scenes just outside of the car's windows. A recent snow storm had left this mountain wonderland with that special Christmas card appearance. It was amazing how my pulse rate slowed and the redness disappeared from my neck as I tuned out the messages blaring from the radio and conversed about the marvelous vistas.

As our conversation dwindled I pondered upon the frailty of our ability to sustain gratitude in our lives. How quickly we could move from appreciation into a mind set that all was out of balance and lost and then back again. I determined that for the rest of this trip with my son that I would try to be influenced by what Heavenly Father had provided and tune out as much as possible the situations which His children had brought about. I felt somewhat saddened that here I was, one who is privileged to live in this land blessed above all lands, to live in a time when my grandparent's wildest fantasies are now our basic needs, to have spent a life time of never feeling the pangs of hunger and in spite of all my blessings, I was all wrapped up in thoughts and ideas which somehow I knew were foreign to my true self and which I knew the eternal me would never find happiness being subdued in.

Now that my son had brought my mind's eye into focus and I was seeing things somewhat more clearly I started to think about things which fall into a category which I later labeled 'being double blessed'.

I am grateful that I have people around me who aid me in being able to concentrate on the really important and beautiful things of life.

I am grateful to live in a day when sharing seldom leaves the giver wanting.

I am grateful to live in a day when the gaining of life's necessities requires such a small portion of my daily moments that I am left with ample time to learn, to think of the meaning of life, and even to complain about the injustices of life.

I am grateful to live in a day when there is time for both the fulfillment of eating by the sweat of the brow and the re creation of mind and body through the leisure activities.

I am grateful to live in a day when I not only have the understanding of those things which must be done, but a day when a whole spectrum of diversity is spread before me to liven and gladden my days if I choose to incorporate them into my life

I am grateful to live in a day when there are many who not only attempt to coexist in their relationships, but who continually strive to deepen the depth of their relationships by striving to increase their degree of tolerance, understanding and love toward others.

I am grateful to live in a day when I am bombarded by the thoughts and ideas of others, but I am free to decide whether to accept or reject those ideas.

As I approach this year's feast of thankfulness I hope that I will be able to remember more often in the coming year to say in my mind loudly, clearly and often; "yes, son, the mountains truly are splendid".

MOTIVATION – ACTIONS – SINCERITY

"This person's sincerity can not be doubted." This expression along with a few other phrases has often made my mind heave a stifled sigh and I have inwardly and silently expressed "what exactly do you mean by that?" I wonder if the level of sincerity can only take on true and full meaning when and if we are able to rightly assess and understand the motivations behind actions.

I believe that a person who is continually in pursuit of needing to be in a position of control and power over others shouldn't be thought of as 'intensely sincere' as they go about manipulating, bullying, buying, and in any other way putting themselves into a position where they usurp the agency of others in order to gain control and positions of power.

I believe that a person who is willing to pay whatever price to gain popularity among their peers could erroneously be looked at as being 'intensely sincere' as they go about with saccharine words saying those phrases which will surely endear others or who will pay any price to make sure they are in the most acceptable styles or who will meet any demands which the 'in' group might require in order to be able to expand the number of their adoring fans.

I believe that the person who feels that self appreciation and self worth are the foundation of all personal achievement is wrongly identified as being 'intensely sincere' when they go about depreciating the value of others in a confused effort to elevate themselves or endlessly list the many important people who obviously recognize their wonderfulness by wanting to be their associates or constantly expound their personal talents and attributes so that others will see how wonderful they are in order to reconfirm how wonderful and great they imagine themselves to be.

I believe that those who believe that one's efforts are only worthwhile when they hold the anticipation of some reciprocal action or future reward have a limited understanding of what it means to be 'intensely sincere' when they do their charitable acts in order to store up casseroles for a future hour of need or do good deeds in anticipation of the good feelings which will fill their bosoms when someone publicly recognizes their efforts or do good works with the anticipation of a larger mansion in the next estate.

SINCERE: marked by genuineness – free of dissimulation – detesting any form or pretense or affectation – free from adulteration – whole hearted – whole-souled – heartfelt – unfeigned.

It seems that in order for ones actions to be sincere they have to be free from any feigned, affected or dissimulated motivation. True sincerity seems to have a pureness to it which comes from some kind of wholeness of purpose which comes only when one acts with selfless intent. It seems to demand that the sole motivation for our acts is centered in the building, edifying and strengthening of the object of our actions. Is this the message behind what the Lord was saying to Moses when he was told that "the work and glory of God was to bring to pass the immortality and Eternal Lives of all His Children"? I have yet to find any way that this statement of God's work involving His children allows for any degree of selfishness. Is it any wonder that in defining sincerity the dictionary includes the statement that its pureness is extremely difficult to achieve?

The next time we might be tempted to overestimate our personal progress it might be well to couch this evaluation in the sincerity of the motivation behind our actions.

A LONG LIFE FULL OF JOY

When President Uchtdorf spoke in the Priesthood session of General Conference in October of 2009 he stated "…retirement is not part of the Lord's plan of happiness. There is no sabbatical or retirement program from priesthood responsibilities-regardless of age or physical capacity". I realized that he was trying to stir the souls of those who might have felt an urge to 'leave it to the youngsters' or 'sit on the stoop in a rocking chair.' His statement sparked in my mind a remembrance of one of the great marvels of the organization and workings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; there will never come a day when we will find ourselves without a way to serve our fellow beings.

I long ago realized that if we are lucky enough to be born to faithful parents that we are immediately put into a series of preparatory programs. The primary prepares us to become covenant makers and puts us on the preliminary paths of becoming covenant keepers. The Young Women's (based on development of an understanding of Womenhood and Motherhood and Young Men's (based on understanding and fulfilling Priesthood responsibilities) prepare us for a taste of consecration in the Missionary Work and an abundance of consecration in the arena of Eternal Marriage. We receive callings which further mold and temper our Telestialness and we begin to acquire some of the attributes of a Terrestrial being whose life becomes less founded on selfishness and more attuned to selfless service. If we continue in the preparatory programs of the Church the day may come when we awaken on nearly a daily basis not needing to be 'calling bound' having been prepared in the Lord's 'refining fire' to have a nature that is constantly guided toward building, edifying, and sustaining their brothers and sisters in and out of the mortal sphere.

There are two miracles which attend this marvelous organization. First, we can be inserted in the process at any stage – through conversion or reactivation and the fire will still do its refining miraculous work. Second if we have learned well the lessons provided during our journey we will find abundant hours of useful service in and out of the Church. We will find that we no longer have to wait upon an 'official' call, but the stimulation and preparation which accompanies a life of striving to adhere to and strengthen our covenants will become a sustaining force in our finding 'work enough' to do during the 'golden' and 'twilight' years of our mortal passage. We will not have to go through those feelings of despair which attend a life of one who feels like a 'has been' or one whose talents are no longer needed or one who feels their usefulness was long ago used up and exhausted.

I know that I am much further along than many of you who will be reading these thoughts, but I am grateful that I see around me experienced faithful saints going the extra mile by filling their lives: making calls for no apparent reason – making calls because of apparent reason – being ready to accompany or direct any hymn in any meeting – making a child's time at those long blocks of meeting just a little better experience – doing family history work – attending the Temple – working in the Temple – serving missions from the home or as a stranger in a strange land - counseling a boy scout through a merit badge – writing to missionaries – making step benches for any one – making sure families are fed when mother is out of commission for a moment – making sure people have meaningful contacts on a regular basis. I know this is but a sampling of a very extensive list, but it is sufficient to make the point that there will never come a day when we will find ourselves without a way to serve our fellow beings. Nor will there ever come a day when the faithful saints become weary in well doing. The Lord has wisely and lovingly admonished us to work and wear out our lives in selfless service to one another because he knows that by obedience to this admonition our days, though they be long, will be full of joy.

FIRST AND SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENTS

Listening to Elder Uchtdorf's talk during the 2009 General Conference on The First and Second great commandments my mind was once again stimulated to ponder, as it had done many times in the past, the significance of these words spoken by the Savior to the lawyer who had come to tempt Him, or as we would say, ensnare Him.

My thoughts have often gone along the line of thinking: "Why was there a need for two commandments when if we were to fulfill the first with all our hearts, souls and minds we would surely fulfill all the laws and the words of the prophets since one who loves God will keep his commandments". Right away I was left with the problem of why a perfect Being would give two commandments if only one were needed. Therefore I needed to concentrate my pondering upon why the necessity of the First and Second Great Commandments.

It didn't take much pondering and self introspection to realize that the task of Loving God with all ones heart, soul and mind was not an easy first step and in reality it was probably the result of many attempts and failures and a few successful mini advancements toward a quest that will probably take one well past the mortal probationary period to accomplish. I have become acquainted sufficiently with the words of the Lord and the prophets to know that to be able to have this complete and unwavering love for God one would have to have completely turned away from all selfish motivations and needs.

When the Savior told us that the Second Commandment was 'like unto' the First he thereby linked them into an eternal cycle of progression. I think the understanding of this linkage comes in the fact that in telling us to love our neighbors He gives us the key to our being able to understand how to do this by making reference to how we love ourselves. I'm certain that many who heard Him speak these words were reminded of the often repeated teachings of Moses; that to know how to love others all you had to do was identify your personal feelings and emotions when others did loving acts for you.

Isn't it interesting that the Savior links the pathway to selfless, total and complete love of God to the love of neighbors which always is based on a degree of self-satisfaction, self-recognition, or some other manifestation of selfishness? Could the Savior have really said that the road to Selflessness is over stepping stones of selfishness? Reason doesn't allow us to make much sense of the proposition. Maybe a clue to greater understanding comes from the Apostle John when he taught that the man who says he loves God and hates his brother is a liar.

Could it be possible that the Lord gave us the Second Commandment as path toward achieving loving God with all our heart, soul and mind? Is it possible that in Loving others we are suppose to be learning how to discard the need for reciprocal demonstrations and be moving toward learning to love others with no expectation of something coming back to fulfill some sort of self-gratification.

As I ponder these great commandments I am left, at least for myself, to understand that my ability to love God unconditionally with all my heart, soul and mind with no selfish anticipations will only come as a result of my learning step after faltering step how to love others unconditionally with no selfish anticipations. As the Savior said the Second is indeed like unto the First of the Two Great Commandments.

SELF-DISCIPLINE BASED ON MORAL DISCIPLINE

Historians have recorded the various eras of the human struggle on this planet, labeling various stages by the major discoveries and advancements which occurred during those years. At the mention of the Stone Age, Dark Age, or Industrial Age our minds are triggered with images which represent each of those societies. I'm sure our views are limited and the degree of understanding of those times is far outstripped by what we lack in our historical 'enlightenment'.

John Naisbitt, some years ago in his book Megatrends, labeled the future generation which is now our present life as the Information Age. He described an era when a large contingency of the population would be occupied in exchanging, promoting, and storing information; a time when an ever decreasing amount of the populace would be required to be occupied in the providing of the basic needs of mankind. He envisioned that one of the perplexities of this coming society would be how to deal with an ever increasing amount of leisure time.

Now that we find ourselves in the middle of the Information Age we find that other problems besides dealing effectively with leisure time have emerged. In October General Conference 2009, Elder Christofferson stated "As a consequence of [loss of moral discipline] self-discipline has eroded and societies are left to try to maintain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments."

Therefore, what seems to be at a casual first glance a time where we would want to shout praises to be able to live in a society where leisure time becomes a norm and not a luxury, it would be well to remember that some times when societies take quantum leaps forward they have a tendency to leave many of the best things of past ages behind.

So that we don't get carried away into some sort of euphoric dream-world based on shaky assumptions it might be good for us to ponder some of the following:

WHY – During a time when dress and life styles have become extremely relaxed and short of standards, have we become plagued with high levels of anxiety and stress and the attending disabilities at an all time rate of frequency?

WHY – At a time when nutritional knowledge and physical fitness facilities are available to more of the earth's inhabitants are so many being stricken with diseases related to malnutrition and obesity?

WILL – A Society which has prospered largely because of an integrity based work ethic succeed and endure as it goes through a time when pleasure seeking becomes paramount, productivity becomes a nuisance and honesty is based on not getting caught?

WILL – Individuals be able to progress in a time when quality of life is less dependent on cooperative interrelationships and more as a result of individuals being driven by attitude and independence?

WILL – There ever be a time when one can find fulfillment through doing his stewardship poorly?

WILL – There ever be a mountain of minutia high enough to satiate the wants of a person filled with greed and consumptionism?

WILL – There ever be a rewarding relationship based on selfishness and exclusivity?

WILL – A feeling of wholeness ever come to an individual who handles their relationship with Deity casually?

As we are daily engulfed in this ever increasingly fast paced Information Age, shouldn't we also continue to upgrade and enlarge our moral behavior so that we will be able to remain a compatible and cooperative society? Perhaps, just perhaps, the best way for us to upgrade and enlarge our morality may be discovered by investigating the well-worn paths of rightness and wisdom which have been trod by the inhabitants of 'Ages' past.

As we move deeper into the Information Age and discover that our imagined 'freeness' is built on those fleeting ideas and ideals which, like the latest technology become passé before they are unwrapped in the store, it might be wise to keep our mirrors of introspective evaluation polished and nearby. It is absolutely certain that in our rapidly approaching future is a day when the quality of our lives will be a reflection of how well we have learned to govern ourselves through Self-discipline based on Moral-discipline.

CHARACTER NOT POPULARITY

It has been said that personality is what others see in us and character is what we really are. If this is true then life's joys and sorrows, what I do and how I do it, will largely be a result of whether I view mortality as a perpetual popularity contest or a time for establishing eternal character.

Many never discover that being shackled by the constant burden of trying to meet the expectations of others more often than not results in increases of frustration and stress. Likewise, there are few who discover that staying within the arena of freely exploring and developing the very best "self" possible results in increases of joy and harmony in ones life. If we were wise we would worry far less about being photogenic and far more about putting on a countenance which reflects the inward warmth and compassion of our character. There is no doubt that our reputation among men will be written in the sands of time soon to be washed away, but we must never forget that our character will be witnessed and heralded by angels before the throne of God and become a part of our eternalness.

Character can be developed through practicing consistent, thoughtful, proper use of agency just as physical strength can be gained through consistent, proper use of exercise equipment. We will find that the hardest part of developing our character, just as it is in the beginning of any exercise program lies in our willingness to take that essential first step. We must have enough faith in what we can become as the offspring of Heavenly Parents that we will be emboldened with enough courage to step away from the popularity parade, step out of the game of charades we are playing, remove the societal masks we have been wearing and be willing to allow our friends and more importantly ourselves to view us as we really are.

Since 'way too many of us have lived our lives playing a part which either diminishes or aggrandizes us to the level we believe to be the expectation of the group we are running with, it will probably take a quantum effort to make the first step in our journey to return to the center of ourselves. The difficulty of this initial journey will depend a great deal on how far we have traveled away from our core. The time it will take for us to make this first leg of our journey will depend on how soon we are able to tear down the facade we have been living behind and how completely we can become open and honest with our "true selves". Our ability to reach our appointed destination with the beginning characteristics of eternal attributes will be hampered or aided by our ability to determinedly step away from the personality contest and enter the highway of life which leads to Eternal Joy.

It will be an amazing discovery to find that once this first gargantuan leap in the process of character building has been taken how rapidly subsequent steps will simply become a matter of practice and being patient.

We will enter a world of discovering everlasting characteristics and become imbued with an overwhelming desire to inculcate them into our lives.

We will find ourselves growing in the ability to prudently prioritize our words, our thoughts and our actions so that they become aligned with those of eternal rather than temporary expectations.

We will become free from the shackles of living beneath the gaze of others; which can easily be cast off with the aid of an honest discovery of who we really are and have the potential of becoming.

We will find the task of developing inner-personal skills becomes easier with each passing day of patient persistent practice.

We will find ourselves no longer hindered by our mortal short sightedness, but our horizons will be stretched as we walk this perpetual path of self-enhancement.

Just as we find encouraging sayings decorating the walls of rooms dedicated to the development of physical strengths, it might be well to put up a few reminders around us to brighten our way when the path which we have chosen seems to have become somewhat perilous.

We are the offspring of Deity.
We are children of Heavenly Parentage.
We have been tutored for countless years in our premortal state by Celestial Beings.
At our center exists a being of extreme pureness – goodness – and loveliness.
When we find our center we will find the person we truly wish to become.
Finding our center will give us a desire to be true to the Royal within.
At our center we will find the person we truly are.
      An offspring of Deity.
      A child of Heavenly Parents.

TRUE UNIQUENESS

One thing that happens automatically to a person as they age is the expansion of their perspective. Today I would like to say a little about my observations of generational questing for uniqueness. I am going to concentrate my remarks on the high school age crowd, but I could easily have chosen almost any age group for today's thoughts.

When I was attending Garden Grove Union High School the boys displayed their uniqueness by shackling their pants (wearing them as low as gravitational pull would allow) which had a tendency to stretch to the limits the tucked in extra long tight white tee shirts. Hair had to be slicked down with some kind of oily stuff that held your flat top or duck tail into place. Girls had their hair cut at shoulder length with the ends flipped up and their bangs neatly cut eyebrow length. They wore knee length full skirts and tailored blouses. We went about campus like a clone army reveling in our uniqueness.

When I first started teaching in Kearns, Utah the young men (it was no longer fashionable to call them boys) were displaying their uniqueness with the dry hair look and wearing their shirt tales outside their Levi's. The young women were now wearing slacks to school and mostly kept their hair short and sporty looking. Everyone could see as the mob passed that they were unique in their universality.

During many of the year's Kathleen and I had offspring in high school uniqueness was demonstrated by wearing as much black as possible and having your hair as long as your restrainers (parents, school officials etc.) would permit. It was a unique display of independence to call all adults by their first name especially if that adult happened to have been responsible for bringing you into the world. It was a time of morbid longhaired surnameless uniqueness sustained by almost every kid in school.

Today I don't have the benefit of an advantageous platform to observe from, but what seems to be the way to display uniqueness today is to pick some group which has been founded by allegiance to some 'popular' trend, sound, brand or anti social movement and then dress and act appropriately. Names have become passé and universal titles are used when addressing another. (Dude – that's about the only one I can include and still keep this a Sabbath Day thought) It is preferred to put on attire which has the appearance of having been discarded by a local charitable donation center. Hair is to be any color but what you were born with and is cut to several lengths on the same head. They who are in a group of short hair do's, use super gel (goop) to make sure it doesn't move from it's spiked state during the day. Even though uniqueness has taken on a tribal identification motif, it still has a universal feel to it.

I have been especially impressed through the years as I witnessed uniqueness being displayed in ever repeating cycles as males have raised and lowered their pants, changed the angle and location of the bill of their caps and as girls have raised and lowered their hem lines, and made other cosmetic changes in a demonstration of their individuality.

I'm not sure, but I have a pretty good idea this isn't what the Lord had in mind when he admonished us to become a chosen generation, guardians of the covenant, a holy nation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood and a treasure unto Him.

As I search the scriptures I find Him defining the uniqueness of His children as they who will be distinguish by modest apparel, comeliness (a beauty which comes from the radiance of the natural being), cleanliness, purity etc., continuing to seek after this extremely different profile until eventually they have put the image of God on their countenance.

It seems that the Lord would have us become a people less driven by the barons of fashion, trends and brands and more in tune with the teachings of His anointed, a people who are more desirous to be in tune with the Spirit than trying to please a mob which never seems to know where it wants to go.

I feel confident that those who really seek to be truly unique today will achieve it most easily by becoming part of the group which is uniquely preparing itself to stand with confidence in the Day of the Lord.

THE MASTER ARTIST

It has been said; "A great painting comes into existence as a result of both talent and judgment. Talent is needed for that which is put on the canvas, and Judgment is needed to determine that which should be left off". The casual visitor to a gallery will see only the images which appear, somewhat appreciating the tones and hews, the lines and balance; but the initiate will seldom understand those distractions which have been selectively eliminated by the artist in order to keep your attention from being drawn away from the main theme or those unnecessary strokes which might have caused the painting to look cluttered.

As the experiences of life shape and mold the sculptures of our Eternal Souls, this same principle of selectivity is administered by the Master Artist as He touches our lives with unseen strokes of developmental refinement. While it is a rather simple task to chronicle what seem to be the major events of a life and an outside observer can attempt to list another persons strengths and attributes in a well written eulogy, it is almost certain that the casual observer of another's history will seldom see nor understand the polish of life's passage added or eliminated by the hand of the Master Artist – touches which were needed for the finishing of this one unique and special work of art – The Eternal You. There will be special marks on the sculpture which He gave to you alone, there will be strokes that were never part of your creation because He knew they weren't needed to make you whole, there will be emotions that you alone were able to feel, there will be moods that you never had to experience, there will be habits that you needed to acquire and there will be compulsions you never had to fight. When the sculpture is finished, the Master Artist will look at you with pride and declare, what a beautiful Eternal Soul.

The ways one uses their agency will determine what they become. When coupled with following the Master Artist's example these will add a great deal of sheen and polish to the finished piece. When we resolutely leave a negative out of our lives, we may by that single act be doubling or tripling the time we have available to cultivate an eternal noble character. By refusing to give in to a debilitating habitual desire we may be adding a strength which may become outwardly observable only after years of painstaking polishing.

The good life, the meaningful life, the truly successful life will come as a result of those events we choose not to become involved in, as well as those things we must choose to do. It will not only be the moments of grandeur and public acclaim which shape us, but also the quite moments when we and the Master Artist alone – together are doing the shaping.

Jesus the Christ is the Savior of mankind not only for His moments on Calvary and in the Garden of Gethsemane, but also because of the moments He spent alone on the Mount of Temptation. He was profound when He delivered His sermon on the mount, but equally as eloquent in His silence in the court of Pontius Pilate. His parable of the Good Samaritan gives meaning to our acts of charity as we read his words of praise for the helper of the downtrodden, but the unspoken condemnation of the Levite and the Priest pierces everyone of us who has gone his way because of the demands of a busy life. His resurrection unto the Glories of the eternities gain a degree of reality as we read the testimonies of the Twelve who witnessed his ascent, but the veil of agency allows us the freedom to make those choices which can help us become fellow witnesses.

Each day as life's experiences imprint the necessary strokes under the guidance of the Master Artist, smoothing the rough edges from our primeval stone. We need to be mindful that a misplaced chisel would be better unstruck if the resultant blow were to cause everlasting damage to our Eternal Sculptured Souls; that some strokes are not only unnecessary, but their absence will eventually add to our Eternal Glory and eliminate much of the clutter and confusion of the passage.

ANOTHER VIEW OF HEAVENLY FATHER'S PLAN

Over the years I have read in scripture and heard the Brethren speak in conferences about Heavenly Father's Plan which would bring to pass the immortality and eternal lives of his children while keeping inviolate the eternal principle of Agency, which constituted the major difference between His plan and the plan of Lucifer which would have supplanted Agency and substituted force and control as the pathway to immortality. A great fallacy in the Destroyer's plan, of course, was that he had zero ability or authority to bring his brothers and sisters into an everlasting state of immortality much less a state of eternal lives. As I have searched the scriptures and listened to and read the words of the living oracles I have heard the Father's Plan referred to as the Plan of Happiness, the Plan of Salvation or Redemption and the Plan of Exaltation, etc. These titles for The Plan have been used in such a manner that most of us have concluded they are synonymous terms and can be used interchangeably as we feel so inclined to use them. I'm not sure what I am about to say is the total answer for these differing titles, but it feels good to me and so for now I have taken it into my personal bank of stored truths as I currently understand them. With this introduction behind us I write my beliefs of what could be seen as "another view of Heavenly Father's plan".

I believe that 'The Plan of Happiness' can best be used to describe that part of Heavenly Father's plan which if followed will help us maximize our Joy during our sojourn in mortality. Stated in it's simplest form the Plan of Happiness tells us that we just have to do two things: First, we must do all that we possibly can to cast Satan and his philosophies out of our lives; Second,we must strive with all our might to live our lives in accordance with the teachings Heavenly Father has sent to us through his Apostles and Prophets, both those who have lived and those who are currently living. As with all things which bear the claim of being the simplest of ideas, they seem to become complicated in the details; but the details must be studied and practiced and reevaluated over and over again, because a first attempt will almost always leave us woefully short of maximizing our Joy in mortality.

I believe 'The Plan of Salvation or Redemption' and the attendant Joy which it produces can only come to us to the degree that we are willing to use our Agency to take upon ourselves the Name of Jesus Christ and all that He is and all that His mission represents. We will maximize the available Joy from this plan when we become true disciples of His, taking upon ourselves not only His discipline, but also becoming diligent in the commission that we are to invite all to come unto Him.

I believe 'The Plan of Exaltation' and the attendant Joy which will result as we strive to understand and inculcate this plan into our lives is found in the quest that Joseph Smith taught about to the School of the Elders and is found in the Lectures on Faith. Simply stated Joseph taught that the eternal fulness of Joy can only be received through the grace of God: First, we come to understand the Attributes, Characteristics and Perfections of Godliness; Second, we come to believe that God truly is a Being with these Attributes, Characteristics and Perfections; Third, we strive to become like Heavenly Father by trying to make the Attributes, Characteristics and Perfections part of our natures. Finally, King Benjamin taught that when we have been proven the Grace of God will wrought a mighty change upon us. I believe that this means that there can come a time when Heavenly Father can change our shifting degrees of Joy into an everlasting state and that degree by degree as we move toward receiving the Attributes, Characteristics and Perfections of Godliness, we must continue striving until the day when Heavenly Father will bestow upon us a Fullness of Joy which will be Everlasting. From John 17:3 the Lord declares through John, that Life Eternal is dependent on knowing God and His Son Jesus Christ and whom he has sent.

RE - CREATION:

I have been surprised, no, amazed at the physicality that is being reported on FaceBook. I have wondered if the reports are accurate, embellished, an attempt to appear to be keeping up with the Jones or if this push to out jog, out jazzercise or out gym in multitudinous ways ones peers is real and sincere. I have also wondered if all this body movement is really as totally healthful as it is being drummed up to be. I wonder when a strip mall cannot have legitimacy except it have a conditioning facility of some kind. I wonder if it is a good thing or a bad thing when jogging trails and exercise stations have replaced barbecue areas in our parks. I wonder about the ever present quest to become one size smaller, ten pounds lighter or have my body two shades darker or lighter than the natural pigmentation of my skin.

As I watch and admire the beautiful bronze bodies bustling along I cannot help but wonder about whether we have lost the fundamental principles of recreation.

RECREATION: Time and acts spent in the process of Re-Creation.

I am sure the ancient Greeks would have been elated at the current fascination and desire to be sound of body, but I also believe they would have wondered if we hadn't confused and mistaken the means for the end. Those wise men of old rightfully understood that the purpose of a sound body was to keep one's body from being a hindrance to becoming sound of mind. Life's exercises were meant to Re-Create the total being not just to harden the outer crust. The Lord might have been giving this same message when in the Word of Wisdom he connected running without being weary with one's ability to obtain wisdom and hidden treasures of knowledge.

Random thoughts on the process of Re-Creation:

• Am I really involved in the Re-Creation process when my avocation has become the same stressful drag as my vocation?
• Am I really involved in the Re-Creation process when exercise becomes a duty rather that a pleasurable activity?
• Am I really involved in the Re-Creation process when games become a 'have to' rather than a 'get to' activity?

Random thoughts on maximizing my Re-Creation activities:

• When I am involved in physical exercise do I remember that pleasure in the doing is an absolute must if I am to bear the sweet fruit of Re-Creation?
• In the process of Re-Creation there is no direct correlation between degree of pain and desired results. One person's pain may well be another's pleasure.
• Variety in one's regimen will add spice and longevity to Re-Creational activities – joggers gotta swim – swimmers gotta cycle.

Perhaps far and away the most important step in the process of Re-Creating the total being is to be involved in those activities which will generate soundness of mind – tune us up spiritually and in an unusual and underused way add vigor to the body. The Greeks called it Logic and would spend two hours so engaged for each hour of physicality. The Hindus made it the end quest of every Yoga position. Confucius said that meditation brought meaning to all of man's meanderings. Christ admonished all to ponder constantly in our hearts in order to facilitate the passage of life's trials.

These ancient sources of wisdom universally counseled that we could facilitate the Re-Creation process by including the following in our meditations:

• What are the roots of my existence?
• Have I come to an understanding and kept in remembrance my parentage which has been veiled by time?
• Am I developing control over those things I allow my mind to ponder upon? If my pondering is mainly upon the stresses of daily grind little or no Re-Creation will result. This also might be something to consider as we attend to our duties in the House of the Lord and seek for advancement of our souls. Can the Lord write upon a slate which has been previously filled with my personal agenda?
• Do I ponder upon things which will elevate the human condition rather than demean it?
• Do I concentrate on understanding the steps needed to aid the total me in breaking the bonds which will move me beyond my old rutted self – physically – mentally and spiritually?

The next time we rush off to our local "fat dropping – muscle snapping florescent decked' activity it might be well to remember that physical fitness is not an end, but a means and that the end will not be met until we have Re-Created our whole soul.

WE ALL HAVE A FATHER LIKE THAT

I would undoubtedly need a time machine or unlimited access to the television archives of family style sitcoms of the 1950's. Lacking both of these resources most of you will just have to take my word for it when I say that there was a day when complete families with fathers who made right decisions to resolve any and all crisis which confronted their families, was actually the norm on most weekly television series. It was amazing to watch how in a half hour impending ruin would be turned into joyful resolution.

Now many years later we have all been indoctrinated with the philosophy of cynicism which gave us the sophisticated understanding that these scripted situations were very contrived and very far from representing what really takes place in families. In fact we have come to be indoctrinated to understand that these unrealistic presentations of the 'Father Knows Best' era were probably having a detrimental affect upon that generation and the future generations which they would spawn. These quick and effortless resolutions to family were.

I know the years have jaundiced us all somewhat against ever believing in or hoping for the expectation that earthly fathers can be or ever will be a never ending source of wisdom and insights able to resolve any and all problems. I also know that what we are now being fed on a continuous basis about families and fathers is likewise far from what really is or should be.

All of this worldly inaccuracy should motivate us to increasingly look to the True Father who indeed knows best, the True Father who truly has the resolution to all of life's problems and crisis the True Father who is constantly aware of the problems of His children and therefore continually sends instructive solutions through his prophets. How often must these messengers sent from the True Father sit and shake their heads as they witness the frustrations and depressions of His children, knowing that if we would follow the counsel of our loving and caring Father, life could be so much better and we would find joy in our lives.

Long ago in the days of Daniel men altered their abilities to resolve problems by too frequent use of wine and strong drink. Through Daniel and his friends we were shown that abstinence from these substances aided one in thinking and seeing correct directions which should be followed. It is staggering to contemplate how much heartache and hurt might have been avoided or eliminated if the inhabitants of the world had heeded this admonition sent from the True Father.

The songs of the Psalmists ring with the truth that men should be slow toward anger and quick to understanding and yet millennia later we remain quick to anger and slow to understanding. They admonish in rhyme that forgiveness should be a much more frequent exercise than revenge and yet centuries later we are still frequently seeking revenge and seldom truly forgive one another. It is beyond our capacity to imagine the harmonious relationships which might have resulted and the heartaches which might have been avoided if we had let the words of these psalms sink into our souls.

As we read the Holy Scripture we read verse after verse spelling out the admonition that we should avoid the twin monsters of Pride and Greed. Yet we continue to impede one another's pathway to happiness as we endlessly compete for fame and coin. When will we learn to control these desires and thereby reduce the conditions which foster squabbles, feuds and wars?

Sadly the world will never know what might have been, had the past generations heeded the counsel of the True Father sent to His children through the writings of His servants. We can only wonder what would have been had His children been willing to use His eternally proven formulas for fathers and families rather than chasing after the latest insignificant but marketable attempt at being a pseudo Solomon.

Is it possible that there yet might be a generation who will be wise enough to understand that although life's problems are continuous and endless, that they will only be resolved with the aid of Him whose knowledge is Eternal? Be still and ponder and listen to the still small voice of the Divine which speaks clearly to your soul. Do you not hear and understand that it would indeed serve you well to seek the words of Everlasting Wisdom which comes to you from the True Father who eternally knows best?

THE MASTER MENTOR

All the works of Heaven spring forth from…

Every man is commanded to speak…
Freedom comes to those who know…
Light comes to him who knows…
The righteous will be sanctified by…
The wise shall receive…
It embraceth itself…
There is no end to it…

Thus the prophets have spoken concerning truth, wisdom and understanding and the gifts that are bestowed upon those who seek and find it.

The story is told of an ancient fox trapper who mastered his craft in the North Country in the early days of the history of the United States of America, long before its vast space began to be filled by the westward migration stimulated for the quest for gold. After toiling for many lonely years in the wilderness, the day finally came when the creature comforts of far off cities pulled at him until he finally succumbed and announced to his few courageous peers that this year would mark his last season of gleaning pelts.

Residing in one of the tent shacks, which clustered together to make up what was generously referred to as the town, was an adventurous young man who had come west to find his fortune. The lad petitioned the ancient trapper that he might become his mentor in the skills of trapping. After a lengthy conversation the old man was persuaded to allow the young neophyte to be his apprentice for this one last season.

As the two journeyed together into the hills and then into the mountains the old master was particularly careful in his duties as he bequeathed his knowledge to his student. He found great excitement in the prospect of leaving his time-tried knowledge as a legacy which would be passed from his novice to a yet unborn future generation. After a season of meticulous care in setting and harvesting his traps, the once trapper now turned tutor returned from the mountains with his student, both being laden with the rewards of a bounteous yield of pelts. The old man could now look forward to his well-earned years of ease with the added joy of knowing that all he had learned over the years would not be lost because of his parting.

Some years later the ancient trapper, yielding to the beckoning call of the wild, and a curiosity to know of his apprentice's success, returned to the mountains of his own well spent youth. After an extended search he finally found his student who had all the appearances of impoverishment and an ill spent life. He was living in a run down shack with a meager supply of substance surrounding him.

Questions stumbled upon one another as the old man in his haste desired to know the cause of what seemed to be a life of failure on the trap lines.

"Had the fox run out?"
"Had the traps lost their spring?"
"Had the Indians driven the trappers from the mountains?"

To each question came haltingly humble almost inaudible reply, "no".

"What then had happened," queried the master trapper?

Almost too abruptly the answer left the lips of the destitute young man, "I FOUND A BETTER WAY".

What is there in the nature of almost all of Heavenly Father's children which causes them to reject the proven and seek for answers along an uncharted path? His hope is that there will come a generation who will heed and apply the words of the Master Mentor. Or will it be that each generation will be doomed to the fate of rejecting the tried and true eternal truths in a self destructive and fruitless self-disillusioning quest to find a so called "BETTER WAY".

With so many subtle and screaming voices vying for our attention how does one go about detecting the true path from a disappointing detour along a "BETTER WAY"? Do we really have any hope of:

Sorting through the information mountain…
Endeavoring to make established truths our own…
Firmly planting ourselves upon His well founded foundation…
Growing from a base of consistent eternal truth, wisdom and understanding; going forth ever building toward finding greater truth, wisdom and understanding…

I believe our TRUE WAY will be found through a daily diligent quest to find and apply in our lives, HIS WAY and not OUR WAY. One way this can come about is through daily earnest PRAYER, an activity of little effort for which we will be richly compensated in undreamed of dimensions.

The Lord has irrevocably decreed that whosoever diligently and humbly seeks to learn truth, wisdom and understanding shall be justified and shall gain intelligence in the land and shall be possessor of the ultimate freedom and receive all that I have.

WHAT DO I REALLY BELIEVE?

From the words the Savior has spoken throughout the ages through His prophets and the few words we have which He spoke while he sojourned as a mortal on the earth, He left little doubt that one of the attributes of the Telestial or mortal man which He most strongly detested was hypocrisy. He truly abhorred that clever and deceitful thing which we do in relating to one another as we go in and out of relationships; the ability we develop to one degree or another in making people think we believe and say one thing when the polar opposite might be reality. I think that we sometimes spend so much time at this hypocritical game that we even convince ourselves that we may be something different than what we really are.

I have often pondered on this problem of self deception and the propensity we have of trying to deceive others and wondered how I might come to know the real me. I'm still not sure I have come to know the either the solution or the formula for conquering what seems to be an unconquerable foe, but none the less let me wade in where wiser men would turn altogether there from.

Is my real self demonstrated by what I SAY?

The brethren have often admonished us to be free with bearing our testimonies to one another not only so that we might strengthen others, but also that in so doing we might somehow add to the strength of our own beliefs. On the other hand, we all know how difficult it is for mortals to control those faculties which allow speech. We often find ourselves saying something to someone which is contrary to the truth just because we find it easier or less controversial than bringing to light what we are really thinking. Therefore I must ask, does my talk reveal to me that what I really believe is truth is relative to my best interest or convenience in a given moment of time? It would be difficult to ever be secure in saying that what I believe and therefore, who I really am is always demonstrated by what I say.

Is my real self demonstrated by what I DO?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said that "we could know what we truly believe by what we do." I suspect it is a far more accurate barometer than relying solely on what l say but I know too many people who believe in the pseudo philosophy of faking it until you make it. There are many others who spend their lives doing what they think is expected of them or in order to please others. It seems that we clever humans have found a lot of loopholes in Elder McConkie's statement. However, I do believe that it is much easier to think I know the real me when somehow my actions more closely match my words.

Is my real self demonstrated by who I AM?

Elder Neal A. Maxwell said when discussing the attribute of meekness, "that a person's meekness level couldn't be demonstrated by a display of humility but that meekness itself was the real thing." How do I know when what I am displaying to the world is the real me and what I really believe, in other words the real thing? It seems that like all the attributes of Godliness we aspire to obtain, that our mortal efforts, as the Apostle Paul says, will cause us all to fall short of the mark. I must somehow come to appreciate that this situation which I am pondering upon, that of discovering who I am through a true belief system is the eternally important discovery of my coming to know my real beliefs and thereby who I really am and not just another fake aspiration put forth from a mortal mind. Which discovery, I must come to know, can only be made with the aid of the gift and power of God and that my own meager efforts will always fall short of the desired goal.

It seems that indeed I must diligently struggle to know what I really believe and thereby discover who I really am, until I have been proven in all ways and then I become eligible to be the recipient of His Grace which in the Greek language was called Mikarios and in English is called blessed. The closest we can come to an understanding of what that word meant, whether in Greek or English, is that it is a gift of God given when one has done all they can do to obtain the desired outcome. Therefore as President Ezra Taft Benson said, "the most important thing we can do in this life is to come to know who we really are and for what purpose we were sent," which Sure Knowledge can only come from Him who sent us.

It seems that I will really know who I am and what I believe when that change has been WROUGHT upon me, which causes all my thoughts, words and deeds to be consistent and unchangeable with the real person Heavenly Father sent me forth to become and then has aided me to become.

Until that wonderful day of brightness of understanding comes, let us all continue to help one another by edifying, strengthening and building one another as much as we possibly can without hypocrisy.

BRIDGING THE GENERATIONS

One of the excitements which has come into my life as I have ventured into the realm of Face Book these last few weeks is the rush that comes as in that 'internet way' arms are extended and 'reality' type embraces are exchanged with special people of my past and present. An even more exciting thing happens to me as I witness the clever and creative exchanges of ideas as with 'light year' speed they buzz across cyberspace. Hope swells within me each time I read and digest the wisdom and the entertaining thoughts which are being transmitted.

However, a few small regrets come into my heart as I scan the registers of friend's photos searching for one more wonderful person to add to my personal book of memories and read the daily entries of those friends I have already reconnected with:

First – I feel some yearning to see more gray haired friends among the vibrant and lustrous hair crowning the young who, by well understood reasons, dominate this wonderful networking system.

Second – I wish I was more educated in the technical language and shortcuts that are frequently used which bring added expression and excitement to this medium.

Third – I am sometimes left saddened that some expressions acceptable in the world have too easily become mainstays in the vocabularies of those who should be able to choose more acceptable terms.

Fourth – I find myself and others who do sprout the gray have a tendency to mimic the style and philosophies of the young rather than making contributions from their own experiences in their own unique ways. In many ways I think it would of greater benefit to everyone if each generation were to add their bit of uniqueness to the pile rather than just trying to fit into an accepted style.

As I have contemplated the wonder of the limited generational sharing which I have witnessed, my only wish is that it could exist on a much grander scale and the following thoughts have come into mind:

First – Those who have chosen to look at the traditions of their fathers as binding and restrictive may find themselves swinging the pendulum of much needed change so far that they soon find themselves traversing a tangent that may be exciting but risky and even in some cases destructive. It is true that this "the experience of age is of little value" has been the spring board of many great discoveries, but it likewise has been the cause of a great deal of wasted time and effort as each generation reinvents the wheel with zeal and excitement as they spin about on a never ending merry-go-round of sameness, wasting the opportunity they might have had if they had chosen to build on foundations others had firmly planted.

Second – Those who are locked into the point of view that "there is no wisdom that does not come from experience" will often find themselves lingering too long on some plateaus or robbing themselves of wonderful adventures and improvements which will magnify their lives because they are unable to get out of the ever deepening ruts they have dug by traversing the same ground over and over again; thus hampering their own progress and probably that of mankind on some kind of misguided premise that if grandfather got along fine without all this 'new fangled stuff', so can they.

As the miracles of medical and nutritional knowledge increase they bring forth higher rates of successful births and extend life expectancies decades beyond the dreams of our forefathers; we increasingly find ourselves with greater numbers of multiple generations sharing the planet. It would do us well to learn some way to make time to ponder and include the contributions of past generations while keeping our minds open to the marvelous creative discoveries of each rising generation.

A well thought out balance may be the leavening force we need as we make the philosophical choices which govern our lives. Regularly working and adjusting our thoughts until we find that harmony of minds which will neither administer undue restraint nor foster unnecessary delays as we re-walk the worn paths of past generations. Through a balanced blending of generational thoughts we may be able to pursue proper solutions to problems by calling upon the strengths of one generation to buoy up the weaknesses of another.

Those of the gray haired generation would do well to get themselves out of the security of their tired routines and give new zest to their lives by mingling with and accepting the thoughts of that generation which still has the vigor and drive to match their wonderful flowing locks.

Those who are crowned with vibrant and lustrous hair could find themselves saving many miles of going down dead end roads which waste time, which time is still to be valued even in our scientifically lengthened lives, by being willing to go down tested and examined roads which have been wisely built and well-marked by earlier travelers who now are crowned with heads of gray.

What a great legacy we could leave to future generations if we could some how learn how to bring about this balanced blending of past experiences and present discoveries. Somehow a hope lingers that if we can bring about a real and meaningful generational sharing we will be able to magnify the possibility of a brighter and more blessed future for those children recently born and those yet to be born.

THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY - WILLIAM L. RILEY

WHAT INHERITANCE ARE WE LEAVING?

As I have joyfully traveled through my past this last month while reuniting with so many wonderful and exciting people on FaceBook; it has been interesting to see what an inner related community we must be. I continually see surnames which appear regularly on the genealogy sheets of both my family and Kathleen's. The obvious surnames would be Riley, Law, Wootton and Barnard; but to these we can also quickly add such surnames as Butler, Roberts, Sessions, Holbrook, and Tolman and with each searched out generation the list grows grander and more inclusive.

One wonders what our common forefathers desired to leave as a legacy to their children and children's children as they sailed across oceans and stepped across plains and into the wonders of the industrial revolution. One wonders if they were in any way able to envision both the good and the evil which would spring from their discoveries and eventually evolve into our present complex society. Little is found in their writings about our present ecological problems of shortages and pollutions; nor the comfortable lives the treasures of the earth provide for us on a daily basis. Acid rain and renewable resources are concepts that would be incomprehensible to even the most learned of those of yesteryear's days; as well as the wireless communications we enjoy for both relationships and entertainment. What we do find in their libraries was a genuine concern over the rapid evaporation of basic human values. They worried about the true brotherhood of mankind, the deterioration of the family, honesty in business and rampant moral decay. They were constantly and with great alarm anxious about their ability to pass on true standards and attributes in perpetuity to their children.

As our families continue to become intertwined in this and future generations we might consider the foundations our own pioneering efforts are laying for a world that we now only dream of and are little able to comprehend. Perhaps as we debate the best way to solve the lighting and heating of our children – Perhaps as we increase their indebtedness through our unquenchable thirst – Perhaps as we continue to isolate democracy as a constitutional right of the rich – It might be well to also raise a voice of reformation in defense of those ideals which have been proclaimed as necessary social norms by those who so wisely speak to us from the past.

The din of discord demeaning the doctrines of the deceased are so deafening that we must speak consistently and clearly so that the seekers of the true way among the ever increasing alternative life styles will be able to distinguish the voice of the True Shepherd and be led to find His standard of truth.

That: True success in the professional world can only be achieved when founded upon honesty and integrity.

That: True happy social relationships will only be gained when they are framed in a family unit which is well grounded upon the teachings of the Savior.

That: Well intended social programs of personal and family reparation will never replace the excitement, joy, peace and comfort which will be the blessing to one who has heeded and followed the Savior's the counsel of living a moral, trustworthy and chaste life.

That: True brotherhood is bigger than bigotry based on pigmentation, age, social status or gender.

That: Accepting the commonality of mankind will be the only solution to those prejudices which bring hatred and division among Heavenly Father's children.

Hopefully as the generation of 2109 look back, as we do now, they will willingly give us honor for the proper dominion we have displayed as they enjoy fertile ground, green forests and blue lakes and the blessings of comfort they enjoy in their well lit and warm homes; but with magnified intensity we hope and aspire to the dream that they will offer veneration to our generation for the standards of truth and nobleness which we have steadfastly affirmed in word and deed.

HAS THE HOUR COME?

This may be the very hour when those who are enjoying the fruits of the gospel should uncloset themselves and begin allowing others to know the great secret:

That living as God would have us live fills our lives with happiness and joy.

That it is a myth that religion is restrictive and that true religion is the only path which leads to true and lasting freedom.

That living the gospel brings lasting peace and comfort to an individual and his family, and these blessings have the potential of perpetuating themselves from generation to generation.

That the wonders of Godliness can be felt inside of a Church building, as well as in the freshness of God's natural createdness.

That the doors of our houses of worship are flung widely open and none are to be excluded.

That the blessing of a peaceful life of an obedient gospel observer; frees one from the debilitating restraints which come as a result of contention, anger and hate.

That our wanting to share comes as a natural result to one whose life has been filled with the gladness that the gospel brings.

The hour has come when we must become positive promoters of the wonders of the Plan of Happines. We must never forget, our product is unexcelled. We can go forth with the sure knowledge that our efforts will do far more for the betterment of mankind than the "quick fix", " short remission" plans the world is continually trying to offer as the "ultimate" resolution to the world's ills.

FATHERHOOD

Fathering is much more than a momentary act of husbandry.

Fatherhood is a title earned through respect and love, not given as a birthright.

Fathering is a life-long responsibility with eternal implications.

Fathering is coming to the realization that the most important work that a man can do in this life will be done in the sanctity of his home.

Fathers will teach many principles, but those which are most deeply learned are those implanted on the innocent eyes and ears as we share our daily lives.

Fatherhood is relationship sometimes glimpsed but little understood between the Supreme Creator and his children.

There is a great significance in the understanding that we mortals share the title of Father with He who is the common creator of all humankind. What awesomeness ought to be conjured in the mind when one contemplates the thought that Deity has given us a lab where we might practice this Eternal role which our Heavenly Father has so graciously shared with us, hopefully for more than just the brief moment of mortality.

BECOMING A PUBLISHER OF PEACE - MORE THAN JUST A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS

Some thoughts as I ponder being a citizen of my country and how that citizenship fits in with my belief in the Universal Brotherhood of mankind.

What is it that I really believe about the meaning of patriotism?

How precious is peace to me?

What are the most effective means to safeguard lasting peace for our children?

When is a government performing effectual political acts which will lead to lasting peace?

When is the government becoming a deterrent or an aid to the growth of every individual?

How often do I fall into the trap of elevating selfish and meaningless pursuits at the peril of destroying peace with my peers?

Are my personal priorities balanced by the needs of the larger community in which I reside?

How often do the results of my efforts lead to meaningful and productive peace among men?

Amid the bunting and blare attending our celebration of we might all benefit from a few moments of contemplation; remembering that this is a day to become independent of shackles, a day to gain freedom from burdening restraints, a day of liberation from cowardly controls. We may eventually come to realize that one of the byproducts of seeking to become a publisher of peace is that we may also have made the principle of true our own.

AN EVALUATION OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

__ WAS I TAUGHT OR REMINDED OF A PREMORTAL BIT OF TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE I MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN OR CHOSEN TO LAY ASIDE?

__ WAS I REMINDED TO CONCENTRATE ON MY OWN GROWTH WITHOUT FALLING INTO THE DESTRUCTIVE PRACTICE OF TRYING TO MEASURE MY GROWTH IN COMPARISON TO MY PEERS?

__ WAS I GUIDED IN SAFETY IN A DIRECTION OTHER THAN WHAT I MIGHT HAVE CHOSEN?

__ DID I RECEIVE COMFORT IN A MOMENT OF DESPAIR WHEN NONE OF MY EARTHLY SUPPORT GROUP WAS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE?

__ WAS I AIDED TO BE ABLE TO STRETCH BEYOND MY NORMAL COMFORT LEVEL WHILE PERFORMING ONE OF TODAY'S EXHAUSTING LISTS OF THINGS TO BE DONE?

__ WAS MY CONSCIENCE BRIGHTENED AND ENLIVENED DURING A MOMENT OF TEMPTATION AS I CARELESSLY LET MY MIND STRAY FROM THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY?

__ DID I SUDDENLY HAVE COME INTO MY MIND'S VIEW AN UNDERSTANDING I HAD NEVER CONCEIVED PREVIOUSLY?

__ AS I WAS PERFORMING TODAY'S ROUTINE DUTIES DID A SEEMINGLY MUNDANE EVENT SUDDENLY TAKE ON RESPLENDENCE?

__ DID ONE OF MY ORDINARY ACQUAINTANCES SEEM TO TAKE ON AN AURA OF EXTRAORDINARINESS?

__ DID I HAVE AN EXPERIENCE TODAY WHICH STRENGTHENED MY RESOLVE AND COMMITMENT TO BE MORE RECEPTIVE AS THE GRACE OF THE LORD WORKED TO GIVE MERIT TO MY MEAGER EFFORTS AS I WAS STRIVING TO LEARN, DO AND BECOME ALL MY FATHER WOULD HAVE ME BECOME?

__ DID A SEEMINGLY PEDESTRIAN CONVERSATION STRENGTHEN MY RESOLVE TO REDEDICATE MYSELF IN THE IMPORTANT TASK OF PUTTING ON THE ATTRIBUTES, CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFECTIONS OF GODLINESS?

__ WAS I GIVEN THE INSIGHTFULNESS WHICH ENABLED ME TO MAINTAIN A PROPER PERSPECTIVE IN BEING MORE DILIGENT IN PRIORITIZING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE OF MOST IMPORTANCE DURING MY SOJOURN ON EARTH?

__ WAS I PROMPTED TO MAINTAIN MY HUMILITY AND SENSE OF NOTHINGNESS AS THE WORLD HEAPED UNMERITED ACCOLADES UPON MY MORTAL EFFORTS?

__ WAS I AIDED IN THE REALIZATI0N THAT LIFE'S TRAGEDIES AND ADVERSITIES ARE BUT TEACHING MOMENTS WHICH ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER'S PERSONALIZED CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO HELP STRENGTHEN MY ETERNAL SOUL?

__ WAS MY MIND ENLARGED ENABLING ME TO GRASP THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SMALL IMPROVEMENTS I AM MAKING IN BECOMING A MORE LOVING, MERCIFUL, MEEK, PATIENT AND SUBMISSIVE INDIVIDUAL?

__ WAS I STIMULATED TO SEE THE DIVINE GUIDANCE IN THE INSPIRED TEACHINGS OF THE LORD'S LIVING ORACLES?

__ DID I CHOOSE TO DO THE LORD'S WILL RATHER THAN MY OWN?

__ WAS I MADE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ONE AS I WENT ABOUT IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD?

__ WAS I STRENGTHENED IN MY RESOLVE TO MAGNIFY MY MOST IMPORTANT CALLINGS AS BECOMING THE BEST SPOUSE AND PARENT I CAN POSSIBLY BECOME?

I KNOW MY HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ME AND GUIDES ME DAILY.

MY LITTLENESS

Am I constantly made aware of my imperfections so that I might be gently led to remember the perfections of God?

As I attempt to glimpse through the glass darkly am I gently led to remember the omniscience of God?

As I struggle to properly direct my little flock am I gently led to remember the omnipotence of God?

As I strive to monitor my limited time and space am I gently led to remember the omnipresence of God?

As I stumble in my infant efforts to discern between truth and error am I led to remember the grace of God?

As I seek to read and hear the words of His earthly messengers am I gently led to remember the voice of God?

As I feebly try to publish peace to my neighbor am I led to remember the consuming peace felt with God?

As I enjoy moments of conditional happiness am I gently led to remember the fulness of joy felt with God?

In so many ways – minute by minute – through the revelatory enlightenment which comes as I gain greater awareness of my numerous imperfections His grace showers me with greater understanding of His perfections!