We learn from scriptures that Jesus Christ is the Son of God

Of them all, our brethren in the Christian world seem to have the most confused and contradicting concept of what God is like. To appreciate how fortunate we are for our knowledge of the Godhead, we will first consider the contrasting Christian sectarian concept of God.

By the third century after Christ, the priesthood was gone from the earth, and with it the guidance of living prophets, thus the world was without direct revelation. Persecution of Christians had finally been replaced with acceptance and affiuence; but the humble servants who Christ called to be His apostles had been replaced with men of worldly status.

Constantine, the Roman Emperor, was sponsoring Christianity as the religion of Rome and he found his bishops and church leaders in serious controversy over the nature of God. He called a great number of church leaders to Nice in the year 325, and charged them to make a declaration of the godhead that would be authoritative and accepted throughout the church. As noted, they were void of heavenly guidance and had turned to Greek speculation and logic. They labored over two months in an effort to reconcile two opposing theories. Most scholars agree that the resulting creed was a compromise with which few were satisfied. Other councils followed, but in short evaluation, they stated the nature of each member of the godhead separately, then emphatically declared that there are not three, but one, and that God is “non-spatial”, ”incomprehensible”, and in later descriptions as being without body parts and passions. Brother Talmage observed after quoting the document, “It would be difficult to conceive of a greater number of inconsistencies and contradictions expressed in words as few.”

Over the ages since, various churches have added their particular ideas, but essentially, the creeds of modem Christendom are based on that ancient concept, and seem to delight in keeping God as a mystery. This is in direct opposition to the counsel of our Savior in His great intercessory prayer the night before His crucifixion, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only tlUe God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”  This bare question faces us: how can we know someone who is incomprehensible?

In the spring of 1820, God the Father and Jesus Christ made a personal appearance to Joseph Smith.

This veil of darkness laid over the minds of men until that great day in the spring of 1820 when Joseph Smith came from the grove and declared that he had seen God. At last, after 1700 years there began to be an awakening of knowledge and awareness of WHAT GOD IS LIKE, among those who would accept it. Of all the great truths received in the restoration of the gospel, this is one of the greatest messages we can give to the world, to acquaint them again with Our Heavenly Father and the other members of the godhead. It is a thrill to hear children singing “I am a child of God” or to hear a person bear a simple testimony to a congregation that he knows his Heavenly Father.

What is God like? He is a real person, a glorified man of flesh and bone under whose direction the worlds were made and all things in them. He controls our universe and the order in the planets and seasons. Who can question that he has passions of love, hope, sympathy, patience, even of grief and anger.

What association have we had with God? For a wise purpose, the memory of our preexistent life has been blotted out, but He gave us life and we grew up as spirit children in His home. He nurtured us, taught us and loved us perhaps much more than we love our own. (No wonder, even in the confusion and darkness of this world, it is natural for a mankind anywhere to believe in God.) He gave free agency which makes us each unique individuals. He knows each of us personally. Somehow in His omnipotence, He can hear and respond to us individually though there be billions of us. He personally bid each of us farewell from His home in love and anxietyand hope that we would succeed in this necessary and hazardous venture of earth life and return again to His presence.

As the second member of the Godhead, our Savior JESUS CHRIST also bid us to know Him. He is there ever-present waiting for our knock, which all of us to some extent, fail to make. It is disconcerting to see the elaborate cathedrals, the countless alters and statues of worship, the multitudes of mystic ceremonies in adoration of The Christ, and yet realize how little these worshippers know about Our Savior Jesus Christ. Perhaps more has been written about Christ than any other subject, but what is He to us? Have we known Him before this life? Yes!

We sustained Him as our master when He offered Himself in that great council before the world was, to be our redeemer and teacher, when the “stars of the morning sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” (Our reaction at the prospect of coming to this earth) He said once in His earthly ministry “My sheep hear my voice, and 1 know them and they follow me.” John 10:27-28. How could we so instinctively recognize His voice if we had not known something of it before?

He offered Himself to come to this world where His fallen enemy was well established with great legions ready for combat, with well-learned enticing temptation and the bitter hatred of wicked rulers. Yet His purpose was not to fight, but to win us to Him by gentleness, meekness and by love unfeigned to the only course of happiness. He was the master teacher who had the capacity to show mankind the way to true joy with parables like the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and the beauties of the lilies of the field. He blessed all mankind by healing their spirits and mending their sick and suffering bodies.

He had to submit to mockery, insults and abuse under the whim of arrogant church leaders who had lost perspective of true religion.

His crowning gift, we don’t fully comprehend, only to know that justice demands payment be made for the debts which all of us have incurred, but are unable to pay, except through personal suffering. When He was enduring pain in the Garden of Gethsemane, his closest companions, who might have been some support, were heedlessly asleep. Then when they left the garden, a band of armed men assumed physical authority to subdue Him and take Him by force to an earthly judgment. After He had healed one of them from a wound Peter had inflicted, He said ”Thinkest thou that 1 cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be? “ Matt. 26:53-54. As He had said before, John 10:17-18, “I lay down my life—No man taketh it from me, but 1 lay it down of myself.”

Perhaps the finest description of the atonement was written by Isaiah seven hundred years before the Savior’s time. Isaiah 53:4-6, “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes are we healed. All we, like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

It appears that all through His Hfe, the Savior was in close communication with His Father, as He often went by Himself to pray. That he was about His Father’s business, even from His childhood, was well demonstrated. But at the terrible moment when he hung on the cross, it appears that he was left alone to bear it, for thus it had to be. He cried out, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It was not a complaint, but evidence of His great suffering, and of His close alliance with His Father.

The greatest help to mortals on the earth is the gift of the HOLY GHOST. What is he like? He is a separate individual who at this time does not have a physical body of flesh and bone, but he has the capacity of extending His influence and awareness over all the earth such that it might be felt and tuned-in by any soul anywhere. He is the means by which we, through faith and effort might still keep a limited contact with our heavenly home. His influence is the convincing witness that the gospel is true and a testimony of Jesus Christ. As the Savior said to his apostles the last night of mortal life, “He, The Holy Ghost, shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” He can prompt us in times of unaware peril if we are spiritually in tune and listening. He can bring to mind spiritual truths to guide our thoughts and our speech, and can carry the conviction of truth taught into the hearts of the hearers.

He may manifest His power upon any human being, but the availability of his constant companionship as a gift comes only after baptism and receiving this gift by the laying on of hands by an authorized priesthood holder. Also let us remember that He cannot dwell in an unclean tabernacle, or go into forbidden places, therefore our thoughts, speech and behavior must be compatible with the spirit to enjoy those blessings.

It is hoped that we all may begin to enjoy this hope of our Savior stated in John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent” as witnessed through the Holy Ghost.

2. ADAM was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had a pure language, and kept a book of remembrance. He held the priesthood and practice sacrifices in similitude of the great sacrifice of the Savior.

The history of God's dealings with His covenant people spans more than 6000 years.

3. Adam taught these truths to his children. Some obeyed, but most followed the will of Satan. They became Carnal, sensual and devilish, unfit for spiritual blessings. Mankind became decadent and lost these refining capabilities. It would be two thousands years before they developed a dependable system of writing.

4. Enoch established a righteous kingdom 3000 B.C. and it was taken into Heaven. But at the time of Noah, 2400 B.C. wickedness prevailed upon the earth. There were no righteous human lines into which the Lord could send His precious spirits to Earth, The Lord sent Noah to warn the inhabitants of earth to repent, or be destroyed, and the only souls saved from the flood were Noah and his family, a new beginning of the human race.

5. All nations of mankind descended from Noah and come from Ham, father of all dark skinned races, Shem father of Semitic peoples and Japheth whose descendents loosely are called the gentiles.

6. Approximately 2200 years B.C. as the people used their strength and skill to build a tower to heaven, the Lord confused their tongues and thus they were scattered over the earth, and developed the many languages on the earth. One of these groups known as the Jaredites were led by the Lord to America.

7. Approximately 2000 B.C. The Lord called a righteous man, Abraham to establish a righteous nation consisting of his descendents, through which He would bless the earth with Priesthood authority and guidance through revelation. They would be His Chosen Covenant People and would be numerous as the sands of the seashore, and were promised a choice land, even Palestine for their homeland. Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedeck and it remained on the earth until the time of the apostasy.

8. This covenant was continued through Isaac, son of Sarah, then through Jacob, whose lasting name ISRAEL identified them through the ages. It is interesting to note that Abraham’s other sons, Ishmael, and the sons of Keturah were not given this birthright, so states the Biblical history.

9. Jacob had twelve sons of four wives which would head up the twelve tribes of Israel. At the exciting events when Joseph invited his father’s family to Egypt the family had multiplied to seventy five. After approximately 200 years, Israel had multiplied to a number of two or three million at the exodus from Egypt. Moses was eighty years old.

10. We have little information on the religious observance of the Israelites during their stay in Egypt though they kept a distinct awareness of their national identity. Now after the struggles of Moses to release them from bondage and organizing this mob of over two million into an orderly exodus, his biggest objective was to establish religious laws and orderly government. After three months in the wilderness, when camped at Sinai The
Lord established with ISRAEL His covenant again: Exodus 19; 5-6, “Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” They agreed and accepted the covenant.

11. At that time the Lord offered the fullness of the gospel to this chosen people, but within a short time, they showed that they could not receive it. Consequently He took the Melchizedek Priesthood from among them and introduced a lesser priesthood, the Aaronic, and a lesser lalw, known, as the law of Moses, by which they were governed for fifteen hundred years until the meridian oftime. D.& C. 84:23-26.

12. At Moses’ final blessing and warning, just before they entered the promised land, under the leadership of Joshua, he warned them that Israel would be scattered throughout the earth if they failed to keep the Lord’s commandments, Deut. 4; 25-28, and many of the old Testament prophets reiterated this promise as well as a promise of their gathering.

13. For approximately 200 years after Joshua there was no central government. The twelve tribes were divided geographically, ruled by judges, who were more military leaders than spiritual. It was a time of idolatry and disorder with oppression from foreign forces. Samuel the last Judge anointed Saul to be their king at the request of the people.

14. Approximately 1055 B.C. David became king. His great challenges were to defeat the Phillistines and to unite Israel. Within a few years David brought the divided tribes into a united nation. He secured the borders of Israel and established the laws of God to rule them. It was the golden age of Israel as a power in the world.

15. Solomon was highly blessed with wisdom, wealth, and peace with a recognized powerful nation. His throne had to be established by the word of his aged father David, because his brother Adonijah, was in the rebellious process of taking the kingship. He was honored to build the temple in Jerusalem where at last the Ark of the Covenant would have a permanent appropriate home, and the ongoing sacrificial ordinances of the law could be properly done.

16. Though richly blessed, Solomon succun1bed to his vanities. He had a fondness for foreign wives for whom he built elaborate homes and sanctuaries to their false gods who he began to worship. All this took place during the passing of 1000 B. C.

17. Luxuries beget decadence as Solomon turned the throne to his son Rehoboam. The lavish living of Solomon, palaces for wives and maintenance of his armies had burdened the people with sever taxes. The people asked that this burden be lightened, but Rehoboam at the advice of his younger friends threatened far more taxes. Then the ten northern tribes elected Jeroboam, who had been an enemy of Solomon, and exiled in
Egypt, to be their king and now the once mighty Israel was divided into the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom ofIsrael, often at enmity with each other. 975 B.C.

18. The Northern Kingdom of Israel never had a righteous king. Their religious practices were corrupted. Jeroboam appointed priests not of Levi, and even built idolatrous temples to persuade the people from seeking temple blessings in Jerusalem. In this sad atmosphere our ancient forefathers, even Ephraim lived for over two hundred years with most of them rejecting the pleas of the prophets to return to the Lord.

19. Finally in the year 721 B.C. the ten tribes were taken captive by Shalmanezer, king of Assyria, and became referred to as the lost ten tribes. Their land, Samaria was repopulated with foreigners, and for the best we know, they lost their identity as Israelites. We assume that many intermarried with the Gentile people and eventually became known as Angelo Saxon race who settled in Europe and Britton, yet carrying the blood and the promises that had been made to their fathers.

20. There were scattered families of all the tribes yet among the people of Judah and in the year 600 B.C. Lehi, and Ishmael both of the tribe of Joseph with their families were led by the Lord to America from Jerusalem.

21. Now the kingdom of Judah had been more faithful than the Northern Kingdom, but by the year 587 B.C. they had turned idolatrous, and had rejected the pleas of the prophets. Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia, many of them being slaughtered and the rest carried into Babylon captive for seventy years.

22. Remnants of Judah were permitted to return to rebuild Jerusalem, beginning 537 B.C.  They rebuilt the temple, resisted idolatry and made heroic efforts to bring back the glorious status of this land that had been promised to Abraham. But pride, wealth and doctrinal divisions had decayed their spirituality leaving them in a wretched condition to receive the Lord Jesus Christ at the Meridian of Time.

23. Some of the meek and honest Jews received their Savior, and He established His kingdom among them. But the wealthy and civil and religious leaders, though divided in doctrine, unitedly denied their King. They delivered Him to the Romans demanding his crucifixion and said “His blood be upon us and upon our children.”

24. By 70 A.D. the city of Jerusalem was destroyed and leveled to the earth. Moses’ warning that Israel would be scattered into all nations of the earth was fulfilled and complete. Let us here note two important points. Unlike the ten tribes, the Jews would never lose their identity, both their own awareness of who they were and being recognized by their neighbors. Also note, the statement of the Lord, that He would not forget His ancient covenant people. 2 Nephi 29:5.

25. Christ came to his people the Jews and limited his ministry to them. After his crucifixion he sent his ministry among the gentiles and established his church in many nations. There followed tremendous persecution upon the church from religions and governments. Also there were dissensions, violence and false teachings from within. It appears that the true priesthood and the council of Twelve Apostles were driven from the
earth in less than 100 years after Christ.

26. There followed a period known as the dark ages, though a universal church claiming to be Christian continued, it changed the doctrine and ordinances until it no longer even resembled the church Christ had established.

27. About 1500 A.D. there was a revival oflearning when the arts, culture, technology and literacy spread over mankind. With this new thinking came a reformation of Christianity, Various denominations arose, but without divine guidance, and not agreeing on doctrine they simply established more churches.

28. This new freedom of man’s agency established an atmosphere where the Gospel of truth could be established again upon the earth. In 1821 the Lord and His Son appeared to man on earth. Since that time we have the power of God in the Priesthood active on the earth. We also receive direct revelation through living prophets. The covenant of the Lord with Abraham was again established. The gift of the Holy Ghost was made available to each individual human being, and the knowledge of God’s plan of salvation including our preexistent life, our purpose here and our eternal life to come, and the knowledge of the personality of God were again restored.

29. Israel shall be gathered as promised by the prophets of old, 3rd Nephi 21: 26-29.  Those of the Ten Tribes, though lost as to their identity, will recognize the voice of their true redeemer as missionaries are sent among them, and the descendents of Lehi and Ishmael, who we call the Lamanites, now realize the promises made to their fathers and come into the fold.

30. The Gentiles shall be grafted in. In the Meridian of time the gospel was taken to the Gentiles, and it appears from the letters of John in Book of Revelations that there were possibly more Gentile members than Jews. 1 Nephi 14: 1-2, shows us that the Gentiles will be numbered among His people. We read in D.& C. 107: 34, that in the final scenes, the Gentiles shall be first and the Jews last.

31. Of course, Our Father loves all His children, though He has appointed Israel to be His covenant people, experience has proven that there are humble and obedient people from all races. For the Lord said to Abraham, “In thy seed shall all the kindred’s of the earth be blessed.

32. Therefore, the fmal statement of the Lord to His church, June 8 1978 under OFFICIAL DECLARATION – 2 “Accordingly, all worthy male members of the church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard to race or color.”, It follows that all the rights and blessings are now available to every human being depending upon worthiness and acceptance of the Savior.

Our father grew up on a farm in his youth,
Where the value of labor was taught as a truth;
But wages for weeding those onions that reek,
Was a sweet penny candy that lasted a week.

His greatest example is love for the Lord.
He taught us the gospel in action and word. ,
In service and missions he just wouldn’t stop,
For five is a record that no one can top.

Now Stan has developed a musical ear.
The love of it passed on to all of us here,
As each new descendant becomes a good hand
In the family choir and family band.

The talent of art was a gift in his life
And painting’ provided for children and wife.
Now Grandpa’s shop is the place kids are found
Where the markers and pencils and candy abound.

In one final note we would like to assert,
He will always have passion to dig in the dirt.
But after the harvest you can’t be forlorn,
When you get a good taste, of his spuds and his corn.

1.   Have you ever heard the cry of a child, at the time it may be annoying maybe even frustrating, but if you listen with your heart you will hear the Cry Of A Spirit Child

2.  When you hear the cry you usually think it is for a mother or father, but if you listen for the Cry Of A Spirit Child you will hear that it is for our heavenly brother.

3.  When we hear the Cry of A Spirit Child we must pray to the lord to find out how you can honestly say as our heavenly brother said HERE AM I SEND ME

4.  If you hear the Cry Of A Spirit Child do what you can to save the spirit child

5.  Arise and shine forth to soften the heart of a spirit child in order to ease the pain of the Cry Of A Spirit Child

6.  Trust in the lord That he will make the Cry Of A Spirit Child one of joy

The scriptures are replete with references to God’s spiritual creation of his offspring and of the world as a whole.

Some of us easily relate.  Feeling the squeeze twice that many years ago, I walked through my home wondering what I had to give my grandchildren for their birthdays.  I realized it was time to pass on the “family treasures”.  The first was the most personally demeaning, a 25-piece jig saw puzzle with a piece missing that had belonged to the child’s aunt she never knew.  The shame I felt was terrible at giving such a miserable gift.  Harriet loved the puzzle.   A missing piece and a shabby box wasn’t important to her.  These many years later we still love putting puzzles together and I feel no shame.

I felt similarly when I gave 100-year old necklaces with broken clasps to daughters-in-law.  To me they had been treasures inherited from my grandmother.  I could only hope that these apparently paltry gifts would be recognized for their sentimental value as well as the beauty of the jet and amethyst beads.  One may never know, but at times we simply give what we have with love as the widow gave her mite and it was received abundantly.

Recently I heard Elder William R. Walker, share parts of a letter from his grandma that influenced his life.  In the letter he has kept for 50 years she expressed her confidence in him and this inspiring message, “I pray for you two or three times a day.”  Numerous times over the years he has recalled her interest in him that she would pray for him so often.  Her letter continues to touch his heart.

This was timely for me as I have wondered about the value of the cards with their notes I have sent the past couple of years when I ran out of treasures.  They sometimes seems very insignificant.  They are not the crafty-cards some talented grandmothers make.  At first they were cards made online with photos and a brief story of an ancestor that was timely in the child’s life and reminiscences we had shared together.  Then to cut costs they became photo letters mounted on card stock.  They are letters of remembrances of them the previous year looking forward to their next, always admiring and always appreciating, celebrating the milestones of their lives.

Mine had been a choice of economy prompted by remembrance of  a  friend’s letter to her granddaughter years ago. My friend felt impressed that a letter she had written to her grandchild would be meaningful in that child’s life at some time in the future.  Elder Walker’s experience is evidence of the influence of a grandparent’s letter.

It has been encouraging to notice a card from a couple of years earlier sitting on my teenaged grandson’s desk.  There was also the large piece of coral of the grandfather he’d never known from an earlier birthday. Perhaps my grandchildren like Marjorie Pay Hinckley’s children will say, “Of all of the tangible things that Mother left behind when she passed…we treasure few things more than we treasure her letters,”  “Letters”, by Marjorie Pay Hinckley.

It started when I was a little kid with the girl next door.  She and her husband were among my favorite people.  They were so kind, loved to talk, and enjoyed making my family sweets.  But after time her husband passed away, and despite all the hardship with her family she still gave much of her time to me and my familly.
With Valentine’s Day approaching my parents wanted to give back to her.  I never even thought about how Valentine’s Day must feel when your loved one has passed on.  But my parents remember things like that.  It was their plan to invite her over to have dinner with us on that memorable day.
But we thouht it would be more fun for her if we invited over a few of her friends who are also widowed.
So the invitations went out.

Our first dinner had no more than eight guests.  They all sat at a table together with my parents while me and my siblings sat at a table next to them.  That was in the year 2005.  Every year we add a little more to the dinner, trying to give the widows a day unlike any previous.
In 2008, the one that started it all, Mary Jones, the girl next door passed away.  But we kept the tradition strong.  The joy in the widows’ faces when they see they are still loved on Valentine’s Day is unparalleled.
Beginning a couple years ago we stopped inviting just the widowed and extended the invitation to the other older single women as well.
This year (2012) we had nearly twenty women in attendance.

There are seven kids in my family, each with special talents.  Some of us helped with designing the room (decorations and the like), while some performed for our guests.  And others made some arts and crafts to show them.  My eldest brother made the menu by hand, in superb calligraphy.  I prepared a couple songs on my guitar.  And my sisters played songs on the piano.

The whole purpose of this night is to have fun with these amazing elderly women in the area.  Visit, play games, serve dinner, share stories, and feel their spirit.

LIVING ALONE DOES NOT MEAN YOU DESERVE TO BE LONELY.

So it is understandable that now, with Mitt Romney‘s presidential bid looking stronger than ever, his Mormon (the colloquial term for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) faith has become a topic of increased interest as well. The most recent point of focus in this regard seems to be Romney’s recently released tax returns from 2009 and 2010. From the tax returns we learn that the Romneys paid millions of dollars in tithing. Understandably, such a large amount given to a church creates some curiosity. So what is tithing?

First, it is important to understand that tithing is not new. It is a Christian principle taught in the Old Testament. In Malachi 3:8-10 we find a clear a list of blessings promised to those who willing give a tithe. In short, to pay a tithing means to give back ten percent of all our increase to the Lord. In fact, the word tithe means tenth. Just as it did during the time of the Old Testament, to pay a tithe is to humbly acknowledge that all you have been given comes from God. It is through this principle that the work of the so much of the work of the Church is done. Elder Robert D. Hales, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “All tithing funds are spent for the purposes of the Church, including welfare—care for the poor and needy—temples, buildings and upkeep of meetinghouses, education, curriculum—in short, the work of the Lord.” (See Tithing: A Test of Faith With Eternal Blessings.)

Many may ask why, if God is all powerful, is it necessary for Him to collect a tithe from His people. Why can’t he just provide the funds? Such questions miss the divine intention of the Law of the Tithe. Indeed, through the sacrifice inherent in tithing, it teaches those who pay to put God first and trust in Him to provide. It binds their heart to their God and His Church. The sacrifice also allows us to learn to control our appetites and desires. In a world where just wanting something is increasingly sufficient reason to pursue a course of action, this is vital. God does not need us to pay tithing, but we need us to pay a tithing, because it changes us and draws us closer to Him.

It is not my intent to endorse one political candidate over another. Rather my purpose is to help others better understand my faith. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the increased attention on my religion is a welcome opportunity to share what I know about my faith and the faith of my fathers. In 1 Peter 3:15, Peter councils the reader to be ready always to give a reason for the hope that is in them. For me that hope will forever reside in Jesus Christ and the principles of His gospel.

This year, 2012, in the United States, is a presidential election year.  Though The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t endorse a candidate it happens that two of the candidates this year are Mormons.  As a result there is a lot of national media coverage about Mormons.  The Salt Lake Tribune ran a 3-part series on Mormons and politics that is informative.

With two Mormons running for President there has been some claims by other churches that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a Christian church.  A co-worker some years ago asked me, “The name of your church is named for Jesus, how can anyone question that you are a Christian?”  Perhaps listening to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland will help those who question, understand.

The Tribune notes that the LDS Handbook for leaders states, “Latter-day Saints have a special obligation to seek out, vote for and uphold leaders who are honest, good and wise.”   Can it be that practicing Mormons might differ in their choice of a candidate?  Are some Mormons conservative and others liberal?  Is there only one candidate that is “honest, good and wise.”  Absolutely!  Every person has the responsibility to discover for themselves.  Its in seeking, studying and the sharing of ideas, that we come to a better understanding.  There is a scripture:

. . . seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith

No matter what our faith or politics, we all have obligation to discover our personal opinions on  issues and to seek out opinions of candidates.  This is a great time for teaching children about political issues and making decisions.  Mealtime might be a good place to start.

Which candidate best matches our ideas?  Where can we find reliable information about candidates and issues?

Election 2012:  Park N Sun has  a short list of several websites to help match voters with candidates and their views on the issues.  Taking time to learn more about the issues, learning to check for accuracy,  helps parents and families become more informed.  As a result of talking with one another about the issues we can better defend our positions with others.  In the process every person has to prioritize which issues and attributes are more or less important in a candidate.  No one candidate is perfect.

When I did this process in 2008, I was surprised to find my candidate of choice really didn’t match my beliefs on many issues; we matched on only one or two.  As I started to discover more about the issues, I started to discover we had significant differences.  In seeking, my voting became more responsible.  No one candidate was a perfect match for me.  It took me 18 tries on one candidate matching quiz over a period of time to find out where I really stood and how I would vote.  It was February and I had time to gather information.

We are almost in February and about nine months to go.  Lots to talk about at the dinner table and the computer screen.  More debates to watch.  The day after a debate or startling news item gives opportunity tor checking facts and accuracy.  There is lots of support and information out there to choose from.  There has never been a time when there has been better access to good information.

We just might find out our children have some really good ideas and insights.  In the process we learn to talk to one another and even linger longer at the dinner table.

Taking time gives opportunity for perspective and when needed a calming down.  Taking time can also give everyone a clearer understanding of the “why”.  Understanding the why helps us to be  better teachers rather than just tending.  When I became a widow my children quickly learned that giving me time to think overnight was in their best interest.  After a bedtime prayer and a night’s sleep I would always awake with a clear understanding and we could talk in calmness.  I didn’t have my husband to talk with but the Lord had remained and  was always there for me as well as for my child.  Most often it was my fears that were put to rest, replaced with confidence in my child.  When it was a “no”, the no was always came with understanding to teach.  Over time my child and I built confidence in one another and in God.  We were reinforcing a solid pattern for living. We were building pathways.

I was reminded of this principle as I recently heard President Deiter F. Uchtdorf speak of the pathway of “the power of knowing ‘why’.”

“When we understand why our Heavenly Father has given us this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet. . . .   The gospel is a light that penetrates mortality and illuminates the way before us.”

I have found gospel principles to be true  in my personal life and in parenting.  Little by little we teach these principles to our children in real life situations.  It is gospel principles that are the pathway to happiness in personal and family life.

Recently in the news there was an announcement of the proliferation of coffee bars in public schools across the country. I was surprised at the apparent absence of resistance or concern about this critical movement.  It is well known that caffeine in coffee has very little nutrition, but is a powerful stimulant.  If we want our kids to be on the fast track, they may demand the artificial jolt to body and mind to perform the almost impossible feat day after day, year after year which may leave their muscles, nerves, brain and heart battered and frazzled early in life.  We unitedly resist drugs and alcohol being available to our young people. Coffee addiction is only one impelling step ahead of these dreaded habits.

I appeal to the administrators of our public schools to refrain from allowing coffee bars to be set up in our local places of education.