Does Anyone Know What Christmas is All About?

The Atonement - At One Ment

Romans 3: 23

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

3 Nephi 27: 19

“And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. “

Alma 42:15

“And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.”

I was given the talk by Boyd K. Packer titled “Atonement, Agency, Accountability” in the May 1988 Ensign and was told to speak on the Atonement.

In the talk, Boyd K. Packer states,

“The Lord had come from Gethsemane; before Him was His crucifixion. At the moment of betrayal, Peter drew his sword against Malchus, a servant of the high priest. Jesus said ‘Put up again thy sword into his place.’

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt 26:52-53)

During all of the taunting, the abuse, the scourging, and the final torture of crucifixion, the Lord remained silent and submissive. Except, that is, for one moment of intense drama which reveals the essence of Christian doctrine.
That moment came during the trial. Pilate, now afraid, said to Jesus, ‘Speak thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release the?’ (John 19:10).

One can only imagine the quiet majesty when the Lord spoke, ‘Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.’ (John 19:11)

What happened thereafter did not come because Pilate had power to impose it, but because the Lord had the will to accept it.

‘I lay down my life,’ the Lord said, ‘that I might take it again.’

‘No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.’ (John 10:17-18)

Before the Crucifixion and afterward, many men have willingly given their lives in selfless acts of heroism. But none faced what the Christ endured. Upon Him was the burden of all human transgression, all human guilt.

And hanging in the balance was the Atonement. Through His willing act, mercy and justice could be reconciled, eternal law sustained, and that mediation achieved without which mortal man could not be redeemed.

He, by choice, accepted the penalty for all mankind for the sum total of all wickedness and depravity; for brutality, immorality, perversion, and corruption; for addiction; for the killings and torture and terror – for all of it that ever had been or all that ever would be enacted upon this earth.

In choosing, He faced the awesome power of the evil one who was not confined to flesh nor subject to mortal pain. That was Gethsemane!

How the atonement was wrought, we do not know. No mortal watched as evil turned away and hid in shame before the light of that pure being.

All wickedness could not quench that light. When what was done was done, the ransom had been paid. Both death and hell forsook their claim on all who would repent. Men at last were free. Then every soul who ever lived could choose to touch that light and be redeemed.

By this infinite sacrifice, through this atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.”

I’m assuming it is just as hard for you to grasp everything that Jesus did as it is for me. Although, I cannot comprehend all the details, I do know that it happened and I know that Jesus had His free agency to choose to go through with the plan. Many times Jesus chose parables so that the people could understand. I have chosen three modern day parables so that we can get a glimpse of what the atonement means.


The Parable of the Bicycle by Stephen E. Robinson

One afternoon after work as I sat reading the newspaper, our oldest daughter, Sarah, who was then seven years old, came up to me and said, “Daddy, can I get a bike? I’m the only kid in our neighborhood who doesn’t have a bike.” I mumbled some kind of general and nonspecific assent, but Sarah lifted up the paper and looked me in the eye. “How and when?” she asked.

Now it would not have been easy for us financially to buy Sarah a bicycle at that particular time, so I tried to stall her. “I’ll tell you what, Sarah,” I said. “You save all your pennies, and pretty soon you’ll have enough for a bike.”
“OK,” she said, and she went away – I was off the hook. A few weeks went by, and I was once again sitting in my chair after work, reading the newspaper. This time I was aware of Sarah doing some chore for her mother and being paid for it. Then she went into her bedroom, and I heard a sound like “clink, clink.”

“Sarah, what are you doing?” I asked. She came out of her bedroom with a little jar in her hand. It had once been a maraschino cherry jar, but she had cleaned it up and cut a slot in the lid. On the bottom of the jar were a bunch of coins. Sarah showed me the jar and said, “You promised that if I saved all my pennies, pretty soon I’d have enough to get a bike. And Daddy, I’ve saved every single one!”
Well, she’s my daughter, and I love her. I hadn’t actually lied to her. If she saved all of her pennies, eventually she would have enough for a bike. But by then, she would probably want a car. In the meantime, sweet little Sarah was doing everything in her power to follow my instructions, but her needs were still not being met. I was overwhelmed. “Ok, Sarah,” I said, “let’s go downtown and look at bikes.”

We went to every store in Williamsport. Finally, in one of the discount stores, we found it” the Perfect Bicycle (probably the one she knew in the premortal life). From halfway across the store, she knew it was The One. She ran and jumped up on the bike and said, “Dad, this is it. This is just the one I want.” She was thrilled. Then she noticed the price tag hanging down between the handlebars, and with a smile, she reached down and turned it over. At first she just stared at it; then the smile disappeared. Her face clouded up, and she started to cry. “Oh Daddy,” she said in despair, “I’ll never have enough for a bicycle.” It was her first bitter dose of adult reality.

The bike, as I recall, cost over one hundred dollars. It was hopelessly beyond her means. But because Sarah is my daughter and I love her, I have an interest in her happiness. So I asked, “Sarah, how much money do you have?”
“Sixty-one cents,” she answered forlornly.

“Then I’ll tell you what, dear. Let’s try a different arrangement. You give me everything you’ve got, the whole sixty-one cents, and a hug and a kiss, and this bike is yours.”

Well, she’s never been stupid. She gave me a big hug and a kiss and handed over the sixty-one cents. Then I had to drive home very slowly because she wouldn’t get off the bike. She rode it home on the sidewalk (it was only a few blocks), and I drove along side her. And as I drove, it occurred to me that this was a parable for the atonement of Christ.

You see, we all want something desperately, but it’s not a bicycle. We want the kingdom of God. We want to go home to our Heavenly parents worthy and clean. But the horrible price – perfect performance – is hopelessly beyond our means. At some point in our spiritual progress, we realize what the full price of admission into that kingdom is, and we also realize that we cannot pay it. And then we despair...
But only at this point, when we finally realize our inability to perfect and save ourselves, when we finally realize our truly desperate situation here in mortality and our need to be saved from it by some outside intervention – only then can we fully appreciate the One who comes to save.

At that point, the Savior steps in and says, “So you’ve done all you can do, but it’s not enough. Well, don’t despair. I’ll tell you what, let’s try a different arrangement. How much do you have? How much can fairly be expected of you? You give me exactly that much (the whole sixty-one cents) and do all you can do, and I will provide the rest for now. You give me all you’ve got and a hug and a kiss (that is, make a personal relationship), and the kingdom is yours! Perfection will still be our ultimate goal, but until you can get it on your own, I’ll let you use mine. What do you say? You do everything you can do, and I’ll do what you can’t yet do. Between the two of us, we’ll have it all covered. You will be one hundred percent justified.”

The Parable of the Donuts

There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending Seminary in Utah. In this seminary classes are held during school hours. Brother Christianson taught seminary at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's seminary class.

Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he sat in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over.

One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Br.Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"

Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."

Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."

"Do you think you could?" asked Brother Christianson again.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."

Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited – it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Br. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?"

Cynthia said, "Yes, please."

Br. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Br. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
Br. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Sure." Br. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push- ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups. Joe got a donut.

And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Br. Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. Then Br. Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"

Br. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Br. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!" Br. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Br. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.
Br. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

Jenny said, "No."

Then Br. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten. Jenny got a donut.

By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Br. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely. Br. Christianson started down the fourth row.

During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Br. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Br. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Br. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"
Br. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You can do them any way that you want." And Br. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"

Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Br. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in."

Br. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

"Yes."

"Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Br. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Br. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Br. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda. Then Br. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Br. Christianson, can I help him?"
Br. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone. Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Brother Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He collapsed on the cross and died. And, like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.

When everyone in the classroom heard what the teacher meant by it and realized everything. Steve smiled on the ground where he lay in his own sweat and began to cry.

Another parable that I received by email - The School Rules

Years ago there was a little one-room schoolhouse in the mountains of Virginia where the boys were so rough that no teacher had been able to handle them.

“A young, inexperienced teacher applied, and the old director scanned him and asked: ‘Young fellow, do you know that you are asking for an awful beating? Every teacher that we have had here for years has had to take one.’

‘I will risk it,’ he replied.

“The first day of school came, and the teacher appeared for duty. One big fellow named Tom whispered: ‘I won’t need any help with this one. I can lick him myself.’
“The teacher said, ‘Good morning, boys, we have come to conduct school.’ They yelled and made fun at the top of their voices. ‘Now, I want a good school, but I confess that I do not know how unless you help me. Suppose we have a few rules. You tell me, and I will write them on the blackboard.’

“One fellow yelled, ‘No stealing!’ Another yelled, ‘On time.’ Finally, ten rules appeared on the blackboard.

“ ‘Now,’ said the teacher, ‘a law is not good unless there is a penalty attached. What shall we do with one who breaks the rules?’

“ ‘Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on,’ came the response from the class.

“ ‘That is pretty severe, boys. Are you sure that you are ready to stand by it?’ Another yelled, ‘I second the motion,’ and the teacher said, ‘All right, we will live by them! Class, come to order!’

“In a day or so, ‘Big Tom’ found that his lunch had been stolen. The thief was located—a little hungry fellow, about ten years old. ‘We have found the thief and he must be punished according to your rule—ten stripes across the back. Jim, come up here!’ the teacher said.

“The little fellow, trembling, came up slowly with a big coat fastened up to his neck and pleaded, ‘Teacher, you can lick me as hard as you like, but please, don’t take my coat off!’

“ ‘Take your coat off,’ the teacher said. ‘You helped make the rules!’

“ ‘Oh, teacher, don’t make me!’ He began to unbutton, and what did the teacher see? The boy had no shirt on, and revealed a bony little crippled body.

“ ‘How can I whip this child?’ he thought. ‘But I must, I must do something if I am to keep this school.’ Everything was quiet as death.

“ ‘How come you aren’t wearing a shirt, Jim?’

“He replied, ‘My father died and my mother is very poor. I have only one shirt and she is washing it today, and I wore my brother’s big coat to keep me warm.’

“The teacher, with rod in hand, hesitated. Just then ‘Big Tom’ jumped to his feet and said, ‘Teacher, if you don’t object, I will take Jim’s licking for him.’

“ ‘Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?’

“Off came Tom’s coat, and after five strokes the rod broke! The teacher bowed his head in his hands and thought, ‘How can I finish this awful task?’ Then he heard the class sobbing, and what did he see? Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. ‘Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!’ ”

To lift a phrase from this simple story, Jesus, my Redeemer, has taken “my licking for me” and yours for you.

I would like to elaborate on this topic. So many times, we look at the atonement. We realize what the Savior has done for us. We see our shortcomings and we know if we repent and do all that we can do then Jesus will pay the final price and forgive us of our sins.

I would like to share one more story to further the thoughts on the atonement.
Most of us know the story of Jonah. He was a prophet of God that was told to go to Nineveh and preach the gospel. Jonah was scared of the people of Nineveh. He didn’t think they deserved to be saved. They were barbarians in heart and mind. Jonah disobeyed. Instead of traveling to Nineveh he got on a ship and headed to Tarshish. A storm came and everyone was afraid for their lives. The men decided the gods were angry. They cast lots and Jonah was found to be the culprit. He knew he was the cause of the storm and asked to be thrown overboard so that the people on the ship would be saved. A large fish swallowed Jonah and spit him out on the shores after three days. Jonah struggled believing the people on Nineveh did not deserve to be saved. Reluctantly, Jonah goes and warns the Ninevites. To his surprise, the Ninevites repent and are saved. Jonah leaves and watches from the edge of the city. He is upset that God did not destroy the city. God then asks him a question. “Should not I spare Nineveh?”

The Peacegiver written by James L. Ferrel sums the story up in 6 short sentences.

1. The Lord commands Jonah to preach against the wicked Ninevites.
2. Jonah sins, not wanting Nineveh to be saved.
3. Jonah repents and the Lord saves Jonah.
3. Nineveh repents and the Lord saves Nineveh.
2. Jonah sins, not wanting Nineveh to be saved.
1. The Lord asks Jonah a question: Should not I spare Nineveh?

Many times we forget that the atonement applies to everyone. Jesus has even atoned for the sins of those that we believe have wronged us. He has taken on their sins as well. When we hold grudges we are basically saying that we believe we are more worthy than they are.
In Matthew 18:21-22

When asked by Peter how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus has already taken upon him the sins of our trespassers and by withholding forgiveness we are basically saying we will not forgive Jesus. This is ludicrous. We cannot stop others from experiencing the atonement and Jesus is sinless.

In this month’s Ensign there is a short article titled The Other Part of Forgiveness by Becky Dastrop. She states that she was having a hard time forgiving others. She asked a friend. “How can I let my bad feelings go – not just ignore them but actually let them go?” She learned that she needed to pray for them which despitefully use you. (Matthew 5:44) When we pray for those that have wronged us we can’t help but feel kindness and love toward them.

This month while we are remembering and celebrating Christ and while we are enjoying and giving gifts to our loved ones, let’s remember His atonement, and let’s give the gift of forgiving especially those that we feel have wronged us. I say all this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Thanksgiving 2008

Let this be a lesson. Don't give Wade or any 17 year old boy your camera at Thanksgiving. These are the kind of pics you will end up with. Luckily, these were on my digital camera and I didn't have to pay for developing. Can you tell that Faith, the cute, little, red-head, gets all the focus these days?

Tamie Wanke

This is Tamie, my niece. She just made All Regional Band! She is the section leader of the 8th grade drum line. Although, I've never heard or seen her play - I hear she is really good. I'm glad she's my niece and not my daughter - I can't imagine having a drummer live in my house. Kody drums enough without being in a band. LOL! Congratulations and Good Luck!!!

Wade Wanke

This is a picture of my nephew, Wade Wanke. He's player number 87 for the Altus Bulldogs. This picture was taken on October 16, 2008. He kicked a 43 yard field goal. Way to go, Wade! Just wanted you to know that we are proud of you! Keep up the great work! Class of 2009!

Melendez Family Baptized on October 12, 2008

Irene, Nicole & Zaine

Burnt Pizza

I made frozen pizza, tonight. Like usual, I cooked it a little too long. I said, "Kody, I think I burnt your pizza." Kody replied, "That's how I like it." Kody's gonna make a good husband someday!!!

Jessica at Katy High's Homecoming

Isn't she Beautiful?

Kody's a runaway criminal

Kody participated in a drive by shooting the other day. Smiles! We were out taking our dog for his daily walk. Two kids were playing in their front yard and told us, "Stick em up". We played along with them and put our hands up. They were holding fake rifles. I continued to walk and one kid said, "If you move, I'll shoot." I told him we had to finish our walk so he shot us. Kody had a bright idea. He said "Let's go home and I'll get my weapons." He has pretend machine guns. So that's what we did. We went home, got his guns, and I loaded him up in the car. When we got there, there was not a kid in sight. We drove around the block. There were two adults outside so I went and asked if the two boys were theirs. They said yes. I explained what was up and they said they would get the boys to come out. We made another trip around the block. This time the boys were waiting for us with their guns drawn. Kody rolled his window half way down and began shooting (oh by the way his gun has sound effects). It was hilarious. The parents died laughing. The boys couldn't stop laughing. Finally, one said I'm dead and fell down. Now, when we walk Kody takes his guns. We have had a couple of "shoot outs". Hopefully, the police will never show up. Smiles!

Oct 4th of 178th Semi-annual General Conference

I love General Conference. I always get rejuvenated. For those of you who do not know what I'm talking about - General Conference is a series of meetings that the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter-day Saints has twice a year, in April and October.

They are broadcasted on the BYU channel. The entire conference can be found on the LDS website at http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-947,00.html . The printed version will be available soon.

Also, the Ensign magazine will be published next month with a printed version of each talk. You may order one by calling and asking for the November issue of the Ensign. A yearly subscription (12 issues) is only $10.00. The magazine is well worth the read. Most magazines these days are filled with advertisements. You are lucky to get one good article. The Ensign has no advertisements and is filled with rich readings.

Colby

Colby's metopic suture fused too early in his skull. The doctors are going to operate on September 30, 2008. They are doing what is called a cranial vault. The doctors are going to go in and make room for brain growth and circulation. Little Colby will go in the hospital on September 29th. Please keep this little youngster in your prayers. His parents, Katie (my little cousin) and Cole, brother, Cash, and Colby's grandparents need your prayers, too. They will be at the hospital for the whole week. And as a parent I know they need encouragement, support, strength, and calm nerves.

Charity - Sunday's 9-7-08 Relief Society's Lesson

Sunday's lesson began by each of us reading different scriptures. We read them as the teacher highlighted the major points by writing them on the chalkboard. We were to figure out the topic. It didn't take us long to guess Charity.

For example: my scriptures were

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.;

Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.;

I Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.;

II Peter 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.;

D&C 88:125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.;

and

D&C 121:45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

Yes, I agree with all of the above scriptures and the others that were handed out. We should have charity for all our family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even enemies.

However, the following statement was said and I don't agree with it... "Charity is not an action word like so many people think but a feeling." This statement I can't agree with. I believe it is like the word Faith. Faith has two parts. The Bible states in James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? Not only do you have to have faith but you have to have the works behind it to back it up. I believe the same can be said about charity.

During the lesson it was said that nice things can be done for others but without the heart in the right place it is not actually charity. The example used was about a man that donated big bucks to build a hospital but with the stipulation the hospital be named after the man. I agree with this. That's not charity but an investment. However, couldn't one have feelings of charity but not act on them? I can care about my neighbor, maybe even see that they need help with something, but what if I don't act on my feelings for that neighbor? For example if my neighbor was an elderly widowed woman that I loved and cared about, I saw that her lawn needed mowing but did not act. I care for her, I pray for her, I love her but if I do not have the action behind my feelings, I can not say it's charity. Just like in James 2:14 will it profit? I would have to say, "NO."

Charity begins with a feeling but without the action it is not true charity. The feeling must have action and the action must be supported by the feeling. One without the other does not constitute charity.

Charity is the greatest love... Charity is unconditional love...

My favority Chapter in the scriptures is...

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 13
Paul extols the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

and have not charity,

I am become as sounding brass,

or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophesy,

and understand all mysteries,

and all knowledge;

and though I have all faith,

so that I could remove mountains,

and have not charity,

I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,

and though I give my body to be burned,

and have not charity,

it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long,

and is kind;

charity envieth not;

charity vaunteth not itself,

is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly,

seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked,

thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity,

but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things,

believeth all things,

hopeth all things,

endureth all things.

Charity never faileth:

but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;

whether there be tongues, they shall cease;

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part,

and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come,

then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child,

I spake as a child,

I understood as a child,

I thought as a child:

but when I became a man,

I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly;

but then face to face:

now I know in part;

but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity,

these three;

but the greatest of these is charity.

Charity beareth all things and endureth all things. In my book that is ACTION.

Sisters

Today was my Lil' Sis's Birthday. We are now the same age for 6 whole weeks. Figure that out! Yes, we have the same Mom & Dad! Grins! I called her today and sang Happy Birthday on her voicemail. I also spoke to her briefly. But sometimes I don't think enough is said.

I love her dearly. Growing up we shared a room. We spent many nights chatting as we fell asleep. I can't remember what we talked about but I can remember Mom yelling at us to get quiet.

A few funny stories - at least funny now but not at the time it happened.

1. Dad told me to get on one side of the backyard and Kristy on the other side. He put a kick ball in the middle of the yard. He told us to run and see who could kick it first. We took off running with our eyes on that ball... Then boom! We bumped heads and fell down crying. Mom was livid.

2. Mom was taking a bath and Kristy and I decided to play baseball in the livingroom. I pitched the ball and Kristy reared back with the bat. The bat went through the glass of a 10 gallon fish tank. That fish tank was on top of another fish tank (It was a double stand). You get the picture. The livingroom was flooded, glass was everywhere, and fish were flopping, grasping for air. Mom was out of the bath fast. It was not a pretty sight.

There are a few more stories when we were older but they are still secretive to this day. Smiles!

Even though we are close in age we didn't have much in common. Kristy is the youngest but the tallest. She was very athletic and musical. I remember her teaching her own self the keyboard. Kristy played the clarinet in the band and she could pick up our brother's trumpet and play it, too. Me, I struggled in choir just trying to learn the notes. I can say FACE and Every Good Boy Does Fine but that's as far as my musical talent goes. Later, I got into Drill Team but since I'm not musically inclined, I sat out on many games and I had to work extra hard to be able to dance. Kristy could try out for any sport and make the start up. I practiced all summer one year, hitting the dumb volleyball on the side of the house and didn't even make the team! Don't get me wrong - I was never jealous of her but proud. (An award I received in elementary during Field Day - Smiles!)

Most afternoons Kristy could be found in the woods behind our neighborhood riding her dirt bike. I, on the other hand, would be somewhere inside cozied up with a good book in my hand. I loved school and could ace almost any test. I am very creative and excelled in Art. I'm not even sure that my sister has ever tried to draw a stick figure. I loved crafts. I usually have several projects going on at one time. It's funny how later in life we aren't living anywhere near each other but we are starting to enjoy the other's talents more. I'm trying to get into walking/running and Kristy has picked up quilting. Who would have ever thought?

Today, when I sang her the birthday song, I replaced Kristy with Lil' Sis. It got me to thinking how she used to always sign anything she was giving to me with Lil Sis, Kris. We had rough teen years and sometimes we forget what we once had.

Don't get me wrong, we had our fights! Remembering back, I can mainly recall the arguments where I was the guilty one. The time we had bunk beds - Kristy slept on the top bunks - I got mad at something and pushed her mattress up with my feet. The bed frame got stuck and I had to hold the bed and her up with my feet until my parents came in to help. There was the time where we were arguing in the car and I scratched her arm and made it bleed. We frequently fought over who's turn it was to listen to the radio. If I liked rock then she liked country. If she decided she wanted to listen to rock then all of a sudden I was more in the mood for country. Of course she would do the same. (Sorry about the pajamas, but this is the only pic I found of our stereo - Remember the cool strobe light on top!)We rarely shared the same friends and we never liked the same boys! That was probably a blessing. However we both had a childhood friend that we all got along with and those were the fun times. We would stay up all night giggling. Since our birthdays were close we shared parties. We had the best slumber parties in all Sheldon! They were awesome.
I miss those times with my Sis! Now we live apart, have busy lives, and so much has changed. Every once in a while we get the time to have a long, interesting discussion but not often enough.

I just hope she knows how much I love her! Happy Birthday Lil Sis!

Classroom Setup

I redecorated my classroom. I have a Sports theme, now. I made curtains for our classroom and the lunchroom. We decorated the lunchroom as Got Milk? We are going to take pics of the boys with milk mustaches and pin them on the bulletin board.

My Journey...

This is part of a talk that I gave on 06-08-2008.

My Journey...

I am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter-day Saints. I became a member in the summer of 2003. My conversion has been and continues to be an exciting journey. I was born into a family that had a strong testimony of the Savior. We went to church twice on Sundays and every Wednesday evening. We said prayers before we ate and we were encouraged to read the Bible before bedtime. When I was a pre-teen I attended Bible Bowls, competitions that were held around the state. Hundreds of kids would participate. A book from the Bible would be given to study for an entire year. The children would gather for a day and take strenuous written and verbal tests. I remember studying and learning. I remember praying every night for wisdom. I wanted to comprehend and understand what I was reading. I had a strong testimony during those years. I knew without a doubt that God was watching over me and that I had a friend, Jesus. (This a pic of my friends and I studying for a Bible Bowl.)

Around that same time, feelings were stirring up in my mother. She was no longer satisfied with our church. She began to investigate other churches and against my father's will, she would bring me along with her. It wasn't long until my mother and I became members of another church. This church had a youth program similar to Young Women. Unfortunately, due to my age I was only able to be in this group for one year. I was so hungry for knowledge that I completed the 4 year program in just one year. It consisted of service, reading and memorizing scriptures, and learning things such as sewing, cooking, and taking care of children. I thrived. I loved the challenge. I loved the learning and education. I gave my heart to Jesus, was baptized, and was confirmed. I had a testimony that I never dreamed could be taken away.

One day it seemed like my world turned upside-down. We were sitting in a church meeting. A missionary from Africa was speaking. At the end of the service, he stated that the Holy Spirit was telling him someone in the audience was hurting spiritually and emotionally. He hoped that person would come speak to him. I remember waiting in the foyer after the services. I assumed my mother was talking to whoever it was that was depressed; after all, my mother had her degree in psychology. In the car ride home, my mother let me know that she had been thinking of suicide.

From that day on life at home was different. My mom would go into hospitals for extended stays. My dad started working long hours to pay for the doctors, medication, and hospitals. My sister, my brother, and I were left alone to try and sort things out. Personally, I began to question just about everything.

When my mother wasn't in the hospitals, we would continue to attend church. One day that same missionary came up to me and said, "Kayla, I know God has something special for you. He only gives difficult trials to the young ones that he knows can handle it. He's preparing you for something great. Never forget that he loves you." It wasn't long until my mother became unsatisfied with this church, too. She tried a few more religions. I remember her taking me to classes on reincarnation, new age, vegetarianism, and yoga. By that time, I think she had given up on religions.

During this time I was a freshman and had found my first boyfriend. He went to a church in our neighborhood. I started going with his family. I attended Sunday and Wednesday's services. They had a youth sports program after school. I attended the summer camps. I really enjoyed it. I would invite all my friends; however, my testimony was beginning to fade. Church activities began to be more of a social outing than a spiritual one. I really started to have my own doubts. If my mom, the one person that I thought should know there was a God, no longer believed then what did I believe. I continued to attend church just because it was fun but I no longer had my heart in the right place.

Around my sophomore year, in high school I stopped going to church. I still claimed to be a Christian but my spirit wasn't into it. I started hanging out with non-Christians and before you know it I was acting like a non-Christian myself and I no longer had a testimony.
Through the years, I had glimpses. I think deep down I carried a small bit of hope. I would pick up a book here and there. I would read something that agreed with my beliefs. I would recall what that missionary once told me. I would have feelings that I knew someone was taking care of me.

At one point, I attended a New Age Church that stressed being quiet, meditating, getting in tune with the Spirit. They believed everyone was connected. They opened my mind and got me to thinking, again. I had a longing and wanted to know more. I attended this church off and on while I attended college. While in college I took classes in psychology, biology, chemistry, sociology, and many more sciences. I began to question if a God even existed. I became very depressed. Everything felt useless and I felt all alone. I was confused. My heart was telling me one thing while my brain was trying to tell me the opposite. That was probably one of the darkest moments in my life. I began to question my entire life. Why was I here? Why was I born? What was the purpose? If there was no God then what was all this for? It didn't make any sense.

But there were those small glimpses of hope that kept surfacing. The words from that missionary would not leave me alone. At the time I had a psychology professor that I looked up to and respected. I enjoyed her lectures so much that I took her for 3 more classes. Over the next few semesters, we became friends. She took me under her wing. We would have long talks about all sorts of things. We would talk about our mothers, our children, our beliefs, and everything in between.

One day there was a group of us hanging around talking after class. We were going to get a bite to eat. We had asked our professor to join us but she declined. Another student inquired some more and found out the professor was fasting. We then got into a discussion about religion. The professor stated she was Mormon. One of the other students asked several questions and the professor continued to answer her. I didn't say anything; just listened. I had always believed the Mormons belonged to a cult; at least that is what I was taught. After that day, I don't remember the topic of religion ever being brought up, again.

One day, when I was no longer her student, we met for lunch. I don't remember exactly what we were discussing but I remember telling her that I had given up on churches and I no longer believed in religions. That's when she asked me if I believed in many of the things we had discussed. I said yes. Then she stated that her church shared the same beliefs. I tried to let what she said go and dismiss the topic.

It would be another year and 15 years since I had first stopped going to church. July 4th, 2003 on a Friday night, my children were at their dad's. I was all by myself without any plans. I was bored and feeling all alone. I remember going to the movies without anything in particular to watch. I just wanted to get out and not be by myself. I remember sitting there in the theater surrounded by people and feeling so alone. That night, I kept hearing this voice telling me to call the professor and ask her more about her church.

The next day, I looked up her number in the phone book, called her, got the meeting times, and directions to her ward. She told me that there were churches closer to me. I told her that I would be happy to drive that far and that I would see her on Sunday.

I was so nervous that Sunday morning. I knew deep down that I was awakening something within me. I knew that I believed in God and I knew by going to church that I was admitting it. I knew by going to a church that I already knew someone, I would be held accountable. The drive was an hour long. I started attending her ward every Sunday. I began taking the missionary discussions at her house. I read the entire Book of Mormon in just a week. I knew what I was reading was true. It felt as real as the Bible and the other books that I had read and had based my beliefs on. I knew that I was being led to this knowledge. A month later, I was baptized and confirmed a member. I then started attending my own ward. Since then, I have had callings in the Young Women, Primary, and Relief Society.

I'm not going to lie to you and say that believing and having faith are easy for me. I often times struggle. Those are the days that I have to withdraw, be quiet, pray and meditate. The ancient prophet Jeremiah spoke of the law of God, the gospel, being written in our hearts. He quotes the Lord speaking about us, His people in the latter days: "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33) So often, life becomes so full and hectic with the worldly things that it's hard to hear that still, small voice that Elijah speaks about in 1 Kings 19:11 & 12. "And he said, go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake: but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire: but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

When did my conversion begin? My conversion began when I was just 12 years old lying on my bed with a small lamp reading my Bible. God saw to it that I have always had the inspirational books, the encouraging people, and the stimulating doctrine in my life at the right time. He introduced knowledge, thoughts, and wisdom at the appropriate times of my life. When did my conversion end? It hasn't. Conversion is a process; a journey, a path; one that I will continue to travel until I have become like the Savior. In 3 Nephi 27:27, Jesus states, "… Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

I challenge you not only to take this journey with me but to be like my professor and encourage your brothers and sisters to join us. Let's be as King Benjamin's people when they declared, "The Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2).

We visited Jess' Favorite Drink - The Dr. Pepper Museum

Do Ya Wanna Be a Pepper, Too?

The museum showcases the different types of machinery used to make and distribute Dr. Pepper. They have a whole section on "Foots". To find out what or who "Foots" is - you must visit the museum. Did you know Dr. Pepper was the first to have 23 different fruit flavors? No one else had ever tried to mix so many unique flavors. I think we forget that mixing flavors and chemicals to make soda pop is actually science. The antique bottles were really fascinating. The museum has a gift shop and a soda fountain shop. You can experience an ole' fountain taste of a real mixed Dr. Pepper. Go to the website to learn more about the history of Dr. Pepper. To find the location, fees, and hours visit http//www.drpeppermuseum.com .

Texas Ranger Museum

On August 3, 2008, I took Kody to the Texas Ranger Museum. He loved it. Kody is a big fan of Walker, Texas Ranger. He got a Texas Ranger belt buckle and a Texas Ranger badge. He loved learning about all the weapons and how to make his own detective kit. The museum has a movie on the history of the Texas Rangers. It was very interesting. Check out their website at http://www.texasranger.org/.


Later, we went to Chuck E. Cheese. He finally turned in his tickets that he had been collecting for months. He got a door alarm for his bedroom that cost 1,000 tickets. For pizza and token coupons go to http://www.chuckecheese.com/.

Then we went to the movies to see "Journey to the Center of the Earth" in RealD 3D. It was awesome. I usually hate 3D movies. I walk away with a migraine and feel cheated. This movie is a must see and should only be seen as a 3D movie. Warning do not sit within 4 rows of the screen. The graphics will be too close. The graphics were amazing. If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it. To find a RealD 3D Movie Theater near you - Check out http://www.fandango.com/ .

Our Home

View Album

Get your own

New Home

We are finally in our new home. We got the keys on Sunday. The electricity, water, phone, DSL, and satellite are all turned on. The guys from church will move all my furniture tomorrow morning and I have a few ladies from church helping me unpack. I can't wait. I think it is going to be cute. We are renting a two bedroom, 1 studio, little country home. When we are done I will post some pics.

Breath of Life

The following is a excerpt from my talk on Sunday, July 13, 2008.

Genesis 2:7 ~ "And the Lord of God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

A book called Peace is Every Step written by Thich Nhat Hanh has a section of the book titled "Breathe! You are Alive." The following is a page from that section...

"Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four brand-new hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to oursevles and others. Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves in everything we do and see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We don't have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy. We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment."

God gave us breath without it we would not exist as mortals. I believe even as mortals with the gift of breath sometimes we only exist. We forget that we are alive and that God has made us holy.

I Corinthians 3:17 ~ "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

Unfortunately, I have witnessed those that have not esteemed the gift of life to be of much worth and they have trampled this sacred gift under their feet. There are those that have contemplated, tried, or even committed suicide. There are those that have chosen drugs and alcohol and those that have just given up on living, on being alive. Then, I have observed those that have learned how sacred life is but almost too late. Those that have merely existed to find out they have just a few months to live. It's sad to watch them try to cram a whole lifetime into just a few weeks. And I have been grateful to watch those that embrace life; those that know and understand just how precious and sacred such a gift is. They not only exist, they know and understand who they are. They are on a mission, God's mission. They spend almost every waking hour in thoughtful prayer, kind service, and much gratitude.

Not only has God given us the gift of life but he has blessed us with many talents.

D&C 6:10 ~ "Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift. Remember it is sacred and cometh from above."

I believe that there are many ways to show reverence for the sacred gift of life. One is gratitude. We can always thank Heavenly Father in our prayers, but like I tell my own children words mean nothing unless we back them up with actions. We can show our gratitude by using our gifts to our greatest ability, by sharing, loving, and serving our fellow beings, by becoming the child that our Heavenly Father planned.

This past year, I have had the privilege of spending countless hours in a hospital room alongside my uncle, Joseph Parks Craig. I have witnessed the gift of breath. On April 6, 2007 his lungs collapsed. The doctors had to insert a tracheotomy. I have watched Parks when he was close to death while a machine breathed for him. I have been there when the doctors would take him off of the ventilator a few minutes at a time to try to strengthen his lungs. I have watched him turn blue when he couldn't catch his breath. I have been there when the nurses had to rush in and get him back on the machine. I was there to help Parks count to slow down his breaths and breath deeper. I have seen him fight hard for what we take for granted. In the past year he has taught me so much about life. He is grateful every day to be alive. Parks is grateful that he has a caring wife that will not leave his side. He is grateful to have nurses and doctors that went to school so they could serve him. He lets everyone know. I teased him just last week because Parks told a nurse "Thank you" after she poked him in the finger for a blood sugar test. He understands that life is sacred. He's one of a kind because this is a lesson he learned at an early age. He was diagnosed with Polio when he was just 4 years old and has spent his life in a wheelchair. He never gave up. He has never had self-pity. He has always lived life. Parks' has been a loving son, brother, husband, uncle, friend, and co-worker. He shows reverence by being grateful, by serving and putting others first. Parks has definitely become the child that Heavenly Father wanted.

This talk was supposed to be on "How has being reverent to sacred places and things blessed my life?" I have learned that keeping a reverent attitude each day and knowing that life in general is sacred is a blessing. I have learned to take the little things for granted such as breathing, looking at the clouds, and smelling the magnolia's on my aunt's tree. I have learned that small things like swimming on the 4th of July in the dark with Kody while watching the neighborhood fireworks is more satisfying than going to a party or watching a professional fireworks display. Spending a summer vacation in a small hospital room can be more rewarding then traveling the world. I have learned that relationships are a sacred gift from God. We have family, friends, and neighbors in our lives for a reason.

Proverbs 27:17 ~ "Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

We know the way to sharpen a knife blade is with steel. The way we can sharpen our characters is by having friends. I have several life long friends of all ages. They keep me on my toes. One day I'm explaining how breath is the first gift God gave to each of us and the next I'm singing "3 Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree". You never know how God is going to use your life to bless others, but as long as you are awake and breathing you can be his instrument. I have learned that God has trusted me with talents and when I use them to help others he blesses me. But most of all I have learned that each breath is a gift.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson states, "When you develop a deepening reverence for sacred things, the Holy Spirit becomes your constant companion. You grow in understanding and truth. The scriptures speak of it as a light that grows 'brighter and brighter until the perfect day' (D&C 50:24)... On the other hand, those who do not appreciate holy things will lose them... They will grow increasingly casual in attitude and conduct. They will drift from the moorings that their covenants with God could provide. Their feelings of accountability to God will diminish and then be forgotten. Thereafter, they will care only about their own comfort and satisfying their uncontrolled appetites. Finally, they will come to despise sacred things, even God, and then they will despise themselves."

I have not always viewed life as a sacred gift. There was a time that I only cared about my own comfort. I have to admit there was a time that I was not happy with myself and I didn't even believe in God. That was a miserable time in my life. I am grateful that Heavenly Father placed friends and loved ones in my life to help guide and show me who I am. I'm afraid with out my sacred relationships that I would still be lost. I have been blessed with talents, relationships, and life. I have grown in understanding. I am learning more about the light and truth. The more reverent I am the more I am blessed.

I challenge each one of you to breathe! Live! Be grateful.

And as President Gordon B. Hinckley always said, "Stand a little taller, and work a little harder and value a little greater the marvelous blessing which you have as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

I say all this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Momma's Birthday

My mother's birthday is today. We are going to my aunt's house to swim and grill hamburgers and hot dogs. I made my mother a Dr. Pepper Cake. It's delicious! Here's the recipe...

Cake:
Betty Crocker Germam Chocolate Cake Mix
Jello Brand Vanilla Instant Pudding, small box (not sugar free)
2/3 cup Crisco Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
12 oz. Dr. Pepper
1 tsp. McCormick's Vanilla

Mix all ingredients with a blender. Grease and flour 3 - 8 inch cake pans. Pour mix into the pans and bake at 325 for 30 - 35 minutes.

Icing:
8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 lb. Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1 stick Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla

Cream all ingredients together and spread on cooled cake.

Enjoy!

Just Starting

I'm brand new at this. I have had a myspace page but I have never ventured out to anything else. My dear friend, Johnny Kay, writes frequently. I know when school starts I will not have much time to post, but currently I am on summer vacation. I would like to use this blog to discuss my beliefs and just to be free to write what I feel at the given moment. Hopefully, this will be like a journal into my mind. I give frequent speeches at church and will post them from time to time.