The Titanic and Our Iceburgs

symbolic of pride

This spoke to me. 
I've hit my own ice berg. 

His name is Jason and he left me to sink. 
 

On the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the unsinkable Titanic, the world is abuzz with Life Lessons using the Titanic as the object lesson or Metaphor for such rewarding opportunities to ponder "What If?" or  looking back asking, "What would I have done?' or 'How could I learn from this tragedy, even 100 years later?"

Humility would be a good starter lesson:  She was labeled 'unsinkable'!  And because she was, certain precautions were not taken.  Speed, insufficient life boats, safety procedures are just a few symptoms of the arrogance that accompanies Pride when one thinks they are 'unsinkable'.  

Goliath should have won his battle with his small 'iceberg' but he took for granted his size and 'unsinkableness'  and his Pride and Arrogance were his undoing.

David, should have learned from the down fall of Goliath but instead he perpetuated the 'unsinkable'  attitude and lingered on the balcony instead of running like his cousin Joseph of Egypt.  

I recently read the farewell words of one of our missionary assistants where he acclaimed his 'unsinkable'  testimony, but reading his words 25 years later was with great sadness as I know from his family that he has abandoned both his family and his church.   He found his iceberg and it took him down.  

I met just today with a wonderful and faithful latter-day Saints mother who, along with her husband, did all the expected LDS things with her family during the growing up years; church, scouting, early morning seminary, family home evening, family prayer, positive attitude, scripture reading...and with confidence they believed their kids to be 'unsinkable' only to watch some of them leave home and sink as they ran into the icebergs of education before they could get planted in the mission field.   They grieve and wonder what more they could have done to 'warn'  of the frozen waters and icebergs they were surely going to face?  They are not alone as they ask the "What if..."  questions.  

This nation,  the greatest ever 'born',  has been a beacon of hope for the world and for the last 60 years, she seemed unsinkable.  A Land of Opportunity.  A land of hope for anyone who with some education, a Christian set of values and the desire to 'get up early and work hard'  could 'find their oil'  and take it to the bank.  An unstoppable formula for success.   But we have scrapped up against some icebergs along the way, punctured our armor and are heading for the 'big one' because we have let Pride and our Arrogance lead us to believe that 'there is an easier way to  live the American Dream.  We don't have to get up as early or work as hard and worst of all, many now believe that the American Dream is an ENTITLEMENT. Our leader smirks and makes light of our massive and unstoppable debt and preaches the doctrine of 'fairness'  that he says will fix the leaks and tells us the 'big one'  ahead is not so big and for us to TRUST him and he will lead us to the promised land where we can all enjoy the beach. The scary part is that many are 'dancing on the deck'  while the double walls have been breached and icy water is slowing sinking the ship. 

I'm so thankful for my parents who poured the foundation of 'getting up early and hard work'; a pre-mission education with an Institute across the street to keep some balance in my 'pursuit of education'; a mission president who gave me the rest of the formula for success;  a wife who was grounded in the things that mattered most and wanted nothing else in her life;  an opportunity to be mentored by humble, but successful people who knew where the icebergs were and kept me focused on a course to avoid them.   Take anyone of those 'pieces' of my life away and there is a incredible chance my ship too would have sunk before it got through the ice fields of life. My early Foundation, my Mission and the Formula for Success, my Education, my Spouse, my Family, my Mentors, the Books I read, the Callings we've accepted, the Invitations we've received, the Failures we experienced and even the Successes we have had - each has played a significant part in providing the radar defense to warn of impending doom ahead - icebergs if you will - and have helped us steer clear of those dangers.

1,500 people died 100 years ago as a reminder to me, my family and to my friends that there is danger ahead and if the warnings are ignored they will certainly sink any ship that arrogantly believes they can move forward, full steam ahead, oblivious of the destruction that await us. 

I'm fearful that too many of us are, like David,  watching from the safety of our balcony, the majesty of a rapidly approaching iceberg and not realizing that what we see is only the tip and before we know it, it  could be too late and as the band plays on we might not get a seat on one of the few life boats.   

Thankfully most of us who are reading this are not like David, but are more like Joseph and have put on our running shoes, swim suit and thermals and are already sitting in one of the lifeboats and will enjoy the orchestra music as we are lowered into the sea and will safely await the Rescue.  And thankfully there is still time to get more into the lifeboats and to find a new captain who knows what's ahead. 

Man the Lifeboats...

Bro Jim (A church member in Hawaii that served with my Uncle and Uunt Mckell on their mission to BYU-Hawaii) 

Things I must share!

Family: A Celebration

Before I got married I was an ardent supporter of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. I had a strong desire to be married, to have a family and knew that was the right thing to do. I didn't have my own, but the principles taught therein were true and correct and the world needed them. I did not shy away from any talk or lesson or blog or anything that taught this.

But then I got married. I knew it was not right. It was not happy, not righteous, not at all what this proclamation spoke of, and so l left my marriage. Now I'm single again and do not know what will happen to me in the future. There is this sadness, a sense of failure to something I believed in and wanted. While the principles and doctrine are still true it's harder to hear and read about it and families and such. I'm still healing.

But there are 4 great women who are putting on a 2 week Celebration of Family and the Proclamation online in their blogs. I read 2 of them regularly, 1 of them occasionally, and the last one- today is my fist time. They are:

http://beinglds.blogspot.com/ We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice In Christ
http://www.theredheadedhostess.com
http://chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com/
http://rovinroberts.blogspot.com/ Welcome to the Madness

Every day their posts will be about some aspect about the Proclamation. You might want to tune in! Printable, prizes, stories and lessons will all be apart of it!

While it's hard for me, not having a spouse or children. I still believe in it. I still know it's true. It's hard, but I will try and celebrate too.

Scripture Study

I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES.

I love everything about them. Here are some of the ways in which I study them.

I have a different focus each time I read. But my favorite by far is to have a color for the qualities and attributes of the God head. Start with the 12 in lectures on faith. at first reading it's just words- mercy, justice, etc. But now it's whole verses- how he works among the children of men. Did you know sometimes the word "nevertheless" is a mercy word?
Then I had a color for the 3 pillars of eternity- creation, fall, atonement. and finally I have a color for the 4th article of faith plus enduring to the end. What's so great is you can really start to believe in the Savior, believe that he will work in your life, keep his promises to you, etc. It's faith promoting!

I also put a PF near a verse when prophecy has been fulfilled and a big M over the verse where there is a miracle. You can do the same for parable too.

I've been recently been marking in a color in the New Testament when a scripture from the Old has been used. There is actually a list in the topical guide or Bible dictionary- can't remember which one at the moment.

One year I focused on the temple and the priesthood in the D&C and had colors for them.

After conference it's nice to have references to the brothers talks where they have used a scripture, especially if there is a story that goes with it.

This year I'm doing a how did Jesus respond theme.

Also- get a new set every few years and mark in the front what year, and what is happening in your family. There is really so much you can do, like using your patriarchal blessing too. It's limitless. All you have to do is find your passion!

Sacrifice

Sacrifice is not a word we hear often today, not even in political Speeches. But last week I was thinking about sacrifice it and in looking at the Relief Society calendar it said that today's lesson was specifically on that. While I have not read it the chapter, I wrote an outline of what I'd say if I were giving a lesson or a talk.

Being raised in the true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are given many way to learn sacrifice. Here are just a few:
1. Three hours of church every Sunday!
2. Paying tithing-one tenth of our income.
3. Fast Offerings to help the poor and needy by going with out food for 24 hours (starting at age 8) once a month and giving the money we would of spent to the church to help.
4. Serving a 18 month for girls and 2 year missions for boys, all paid for by the families who send them where they don't read the newspaper, watch TV, date or even hug any member of the opposite sex. One give up the world and their time.
5. Excepting callings which take up time.
6. Seminary for teenagers. After 4 years in Primary of learning the scriptures and another 4 in Sunday School, we ask growing high schoolers to get up before school and once again learn the scriptures before they go into the world. The opportunity to take religion classes is also offered in college at institutes around the country, although this time at any time of the day. Have you ever asked your self why?
7. The Word of Wisdom. We are to have no vices,to give up things that most take as necessary for living.

If one does not learn to put spirit over body, the Lord's will over your own desires, in those short 18 years, something is wrong!

Of course in ancient times sacrifices were of animals that represented the sacrfice of the Lamb of God, the Savior. We do not now offer live animals but we still can learn much from their practices. From the Bible Dictionary:

Whenever there were true believers on the earth, with priesthood authority, sacrifices were offered in that manner and for that purpose. This continued until the death of Jesus Christ, which ended the shedding of blood as a gospel ordinance.

It is now replaced in the Church by the sacrament of the bread and the water, in remembrance of the offering of Jesus Christ. Sacrifices were thus instructive as well as worshipful. They were accompanied by prayer, devotion, and dedication, and represented an acknowledgment on the part of the individual of his duty toward God, and also a thankfulness to the Lord for his life and blessings upon the earth

Under the law offerings made to God must be the offerer’s own property, properly acquired (Deut. 23:18). Altar sacrifices were of three kinds: sin offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings.

sin and trespass offerings was atonement, expiation. Trespass or guilt offerings were a particular kind of sin offerings. Sins were regarded as breaches of the covenant between Jehovah and his people, requiring compensation. (please read more on this)

The burnt offering got its Hebrew name from the idea of the smoke of the sacrifice ascending to heaven. The characteristic rite was the burning of the whole animal on the altar (Lev. 1:9; Deut. 33:10).

Peace offerings, as the name indicates, presupposed that the sacrificer was at peace with God; they were offered for the further realization and enjoyment of that peace. The characteristic rite was the sacrificial meal. A feast symbolized fellowship and friendship among all its partakers and providers, and also a state of joy and gladness (Luke 14:15; Ps. 23:5; Matt. 22:1 ff.).

It is noteworthy that when the three offerings were offered together, the sin always preceded the burnt, and the burnt the peace offerings. Thus the order of the symbolizing sacrifices was the order of atonement, sanctification, and fellowship with the Lord.

Of course now animal sacrifice is replaced with the ordinance of the Sacrament and a "broken heart and a contrite spirit." The meaning of contrite is :

Filled with a sense

filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent: a contrite sinner. rueful, remorseful, repentant.

As Jason explained it today in class, it's taking that wild horse in all of us and making it tame, What is important to note is that sacrifice may seem hard or even impossible at first but as one does it, it becomes a blessing.

"A Saint loves the Savior and follows Him in holiness and devotion. Evidence of this kind of holiness and devotion is exemplified by consecration and sacrifice. Sacrifice is the crowning test of the gospel. It means consecrating time, talents, energy, and earthly possessions to further the work of God. In Doctrine and Covenants 97, verse 8, it concludes, 'All . . . who . . . are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.' "

Quentin L. Cook, "Are You a Latter-day Saint?" New Era, Dec. 2009, 5

"The Savior's perfect submission to the Eternal Father is the very essence of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ's example teaches us that a broken heart is an eternal attribute of godliness. When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master.

"A broken heart and a contrite spirit are also preconditions to repentance."

Bruce D. Porter, "A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit," Ensign, Nov. 2007, 32

"We can have eternal life if we want it, but only if there is nothing else we want more."

Bruce C. Hafen, "The Atonement: All for All," Ensign, May 2004, 98

Today people are not taught to work for anything, but that they are entitled. There is no sacrifice, but a feeling of having a right, a guarantee to blessings, rewards, that are not earned. I'm glad that I was taught to sacrifice- specifically for the Lord. I want my sins taken from me, burnt, and peace to come into my life.

The Peacegiver

If you have not read the book "The Peacegiver", you must. It's about one mans journey learning about the atonement through 'visits' with family and seeing scriptural stories take place. It could change your life. It did mine.

Family is forforever and the viel is thin: Dad

Recently I've been thinking about my dad. He died on July 25th 2006 at the age of 89 and after being married 50 years to my mom. It was a surprise death. He walked into the hospital and a few hours later was hooked up to tubes, a few more hours and we unhooked the tubes and he was gone within 20 minutes.

A few months after his death, I had a blessing, by Scott Bowen who had been my bishop, who I babysat for, for years and who was then in the Stake Presidency. In the blessing he said that "my father is busy, but is aware of me and knows what's going on." of course after the blessing I cried in Scott's arms and said "I miss my dad!"

The next year was filled with unpredictable grieving. But now I often wonder what he would think of Jason, what he'd tell me concerning marriage, etc. I so wanted him to be there at my wedding. I was his last child to be married and he wanted to know I was taken care of. It was on his mind a lot, especially when he was sick and afraid he was going to go.

Today, Jason and I were reading Kevin Hinckley's power point gospel doctrine presentation found on www.ldsgospeldoctrine.net about Samuel being called by the Lord and him thinking it was Eli. As a teenager I had experience where I heard my name called. I thought it was my nephews down in the basement who were visiting. It was not them. It was not my parents. I kept hearing my name being called. It got to the point where I realized it was an evil voice and came from different directions. I started to cry and say "their calling my name", "their calling my name". My dad said "what name are they calling you by? The name was Becky, not Rebecca, my legal given name that I am known by on the records of the church. That night I slept next to my mom and my dad slept in my bed I was so scared. When I read the account of Samuel and Eli and the voice I remembered this story and knew my dad knew that if it was from the Lord he would call me "Rebecca", not Becky. Eli knew that as well.

A few months ago, Jason and I drove to Port Townsend/Port Angeles and the surrounding area. We stopped off at this ranger station to get maps, directions, ideas of what to do etc. There was this OLD farm, machinery equipment- just the metal rusting frame out side the place and boom - I was in tears thinking about my dad! Strange!!!! After our little day trip we went to mom's and told her where we were and she said that Grandpa Rose and his brother were home steading near there. The land was later donated to the church who then sold it as it was to small.
On July 2nd I came home from work 2 hours late and was in tears. After telling Jason the whole story I asked for a blessing and although Jason said nothing about my dad I was thinking about him and tears came. I missed my dad!

After that last experience I began to think that perhaps at those times especially when the priesthood is used is when the veil gets thin and Dad can see what is going on. We know from prophets that the Spirit World is all around us. I've had other feelings about my father protecting other family members from danger.

It will be a long life with out him, but I know that he is near and family is forever!

I miss you dad!

The Gospel Restored

The Power of Words

What is your conversion story?

What is your conversion story?
Have you thought deeply about your own journey of faith?
What do you believe, and why do you believe it?
If you have not yet begun this journey, what are you waiting for?
If you are not turning to the will of God, what are you turning to instead?
If you are not seeking to live eternally with Heavenly Father and your families, what are you seeking instead?

As we account for our days, it really is true that some things are simply more important than others.

-Stephanie Smith, CIA Executive, recent convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

My Testimony

The gospel is everything to me. It's everything I am. It’s how I define myself. As I read the scriptures every night, the pain of my day is swept away. I’m sure of its truthfulness. As in times past the Lord has chosen prophets to lead his work on the earth. Today the prophet is Thomas S. Monson, but it was Joseph Smith who was first called in this time, this dispensation to RESTORE the truth. The reformation was not enough. Confusion still reigned. When I think of the knowledge that Joseph Smith brought back to the world I cannot give it up. I cannot give up that I will see my father who has passed on again. I cannot give up eternal marriage, baptism’s for the dead, revelation, priesthood authority not only in the church but in my home, and especially The Book of Mormon. Every time I read that book the Spirit tells me it is true, the doctrine is true, the people who lived it are real. There is greater joy and peace and knowledge to be had not only in this life, but in the next. Of this I know and bear witness of.

Finding Happiness

This last month has been hard in the happiness realm of my life. It's summer and the sun is out and that should help, but it's not. I hope it gets better.

A Moment of Pure Joy

Wednesday at the dog park I had a moment of pure joy. There I was in Seattle on the shore of Lake Washington with a bunch of dogs swimming after balls. I had Tucker, a while lab there for the first time. I love the water and I love dogs, so it was extra special. I looked up into the sky and either for real or in my head I spread my arms out to take it all in. It's such a wonderful experience to be doing something I really love, not just enjoy, but love!

I felt like that when thinking about starting my dog walking business. More JOY, over and over again. I was so happy that first week or so. I wondered if I'd ever been that happy in my life. I couldn't remember a time at all. Maybe I felt more joy as a very young child, but I just don't remember.

Joy for me, sometimes even happiness is hard to come by, due to depression. I think it's funny that the joy I felt was not over the usual things we think of when we think of joy, like family and the gospel.

I've heard that when one is having a baby- the moment of the baby coming, the moments after the baby comes there is pure joy. I've been thinking for the last few years of asking someone if I can be there at the birth of their baby just for the experience, just in case I never have that opportunity to give birth myself. But I've never asked and as some one told me- it's a personal experience. It's even crossed my mind to be a surrogate mother, to carry a child for someone who can't. It would be part selfish for me. To know what it was like to have a baby kick inside you, to give birth to life. I never could let a child go that came from my egg. I think I'd even have huge difficulties letting go of a child that was only using my womb, which came from someone else’s egg and sperm. But what I feeling of doing something for someone else. If I could I'd do it over and over again, I would. I already have a few names I'd do it for. Wouldn't that be great? I’d just be a baby machine.

Elder Oaks said this about joy: There is no fullness of joy in the next life with out a family unit, including a husband, a wife, and posterity.

When I play mommy, I sometimes question that quote. I've been going a little crazy these past few days with these kids never picking up after them selves.

In this reading of The Book of Mormon I've been coloring in dark red the whole word JOY. Here are a few verses from 3rd Nephi, a book of great joy, because the Savior Jesus Christ came.

10:10 And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into JOY, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

17:17 And no tounge can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the JOY which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

27:30 And now, behold, my JOY is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost.

28:10 And for this cause ye shall have fulness of JOY; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of JOY and ye shall be even as I am……..

The Savior told us what makes him feel joy and that he feels it because of us and our missionary work. Can you imagine being told I have joy because of YOU. Can you imagine your mourning turning into joy? Can you imagine the Savior praying for you? Can you imagine the Father and angels having joy over you? Can you imagine sitting down with him in His kingdom? I can’t even imagine that much joy, as 1 Corinthains 2:9. I can’t imagine joy going on and on never stopping. WOW! That would 'exceed my grandest expectation'. Some day that will happen. I will hope for that.

There must be dogs there!