February 28, 2014

Visiting Teaching Message March 2014 ("Our Light Bright")

VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE mARCH 2014: The Divine Mission of Jesus Christ: Light of the World.


From the Scriptures

From Our History

What Can I Do?


Home Teaching March 2014 ("Why Service")


FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE (hOME tEACHING mARCH 2014) Service and Eternal Life

BY PRESIDENT HENRY B. EYRING

First Counselor in the First Presidency

 

The Savior is our example of unselfish service. His perfect life was devoted to serving Heavenly Father and all of His Father’s children. The united purpose of the Father and the Son is to give all of us the gift of immortality and the blessing of eternal life (see Moses 1:39).
To qualify for eternal life, we must be changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ—born again and cleansed from sin. Little children under the age of eight, however, are without sin and are redeemed through the Atonement (see Mosiah 3:16, 21; Moroni 8:10–12).

For all of us who reach the age of accountability, there is a wonderful plan that allows us to be cleansed from sin and prepared for eternal life. That preparation begins with baptism by priesthood authority and the reception of the Holy Ghost. Then we must always remember the Savior and keep the commandments He has given us.

King Benjamin told his people in the Book of Mormon of the joy that comes from feeling forgiveness from sin through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Then he taught them that to retain a remission of their sins, they must teach their children to serve one another and they must be as generous as they could to meet the temporal and spiritual needs of those around them. (See Mosiah 4:11–16.)
He also taught, “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).
Jesus went about teaching His gospel and doing good (see Acts 10:38). He healed the sick. He raised the dead. With His power He fed thousands when they were hungry and without food (see Matthew 14:14–21; John 6:2–13). After His Resurrection He gave food to several of His Apostles as they came ashore at the Sea of Galilee (see John 21:12–13). In the Americas, He healed the sick and blessed the children one by one (see3 Nephi 17:7–9, 21).

James the Apostle taught us how the desire to serve others springs from our gratitude for what the Lord has done for us:
“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. …
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:25, 27).
One of the assurances that you are being purified is an increasing desire to serve others for the Savior. Home teaching and visiting teaching become more of a joy and less of a chore. You find yourself volunteering more often in a local school or helping care for the poor in your community. Even though you may have little money to give to those who have less, you wish you had more so that you could give more (see Mosiah 4:24). You find yourself eager to serve your children and to show them how to serve others.

As your nature changes, you will feel a desire to give greater service without recognition. I know disciples of the Savior who have given great gifts of money and service with a determination that no one but God and their children would know about it. God has recognized their service by blessing them in this life, and He will bless them in the eternal life to come (see Matthew 6:1–4; 3 Nephi 13:1–4).
As you have kept the commandment to serve others (see Matthew 22:39), you have felt a change in your feelings of pride. The Savior corrected His Apostles when they contended about who would be greatest among them. He said: “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:10–11).

The Savior teaches us how we can learn to serve others. He served perfectly, and we must learn to serve as He learned—line upon line (seeD&C
93:12–13

An Answer to Her Prayer


"Wisdom Comes"

“One must the right road choose, or his soul to lose.  As for me, I choose not to lie, too hard to remember over the truth.  Why do harm others when it’s only a harm to me.  Not the way a Righteous path to take.” cn 2/27/14

“Wisdom Comes”

cji
3/1/14

Silence is better than noise
tenderness over hardness
forgiveness over revenge
wisdom comes in kindness
being helpful when able
always doing good always
finding the right road easy
unless having strayed away
never to lie – but truth telling
healing instead of harming
tenderness and gentleness
quietness showing virtue!

Copyright © 2014 – cji

February 27, 2014

"First Class"

“First Class”

cji
2/28/14

Each can become anything
they can become their best
or choose to be quite less
how many choose wisely
pretending to be nothing
making up lies and stories
without character to know
thus it is the very few wise
choosing to be first class
honorable and righteous
so very few to be their best
becoming all that one can!


Copyright © 2014 – cji

February 26, 2014

"Something to Remember" (Jukebox)



“Something to Remember”

cji
2/27/14

Someone’s taken a lot of time
putting together this memory
times when some were young
maybe some yet to be born
yet a way to travel in our time
finding innocence to laugh
when violence wasn’t a choice
(not that there weren’t fights)
but not like the ones of today
thus hear and listen to some
of the music of my day once
maybe your day as well to be
something to remember today
this memory of our/my youth
taken a lot of time by someone!
Coolest Juke Box ever

Copyright © 2014 – cji

"Crushing Roses" (a short essay)

“Crushing Roses” cji 2/27/14

It would seem since the dawn of civilization when two or more gather – Satan can interfere to cause the hurting of one of those gathered. Sometimes it could be more than just one – and the hurt can be long-lasting even to death. Sometimes simply an implication – unintended or even fully intended cause the hurtfulness. Many times these ‘put downs’ are part of some written code which the worldly accept and apply. However, this hurtfulness should not be so. Too often they’re done in circumstances where those gathered have covenanted not to do hurtful things to one another or to anyone known or unknown. Yet these covenants are forgotten and the verbal attacks – hurtful actions – beguiling rumors spread like an ice fire leaving only widows and widowers to pick up the pieces of what once was a testimony of a loved one.

What takes place is no different than someone seeing a lovely rose bush – with some flowers in bloom and others still in the budding stage. Of course there are those which have bloomed and since run their life cycle and can no longer be hurt. One could liken the later to those who’ve so firm a testimony – such a strong understanding – that those seeking to hurt them are left without. Yet most are like the new bud fresh – seeking to come into the light – and yet cut off and crushed by another. Yes some are already in bloom and after repeated beatings to are crushed by the hurtful words, rumors and/or actions. Each falling to the earth – the light crushed from them – and thus becoming crushed roses. No longer having vitality or beauty to share with those around.

Those who performed such actions ignore the results of their words, rumors or actions. Some hide behind power and or a blind sense of power – thinking they’ve done the world and those around them a favor. As much as saying to the person(s) we don’t want you around us anymore – why don’t you just go away. In the same manner telling Heavenly Father we don’t want those roses in our garden – we don’t want to tend to them and care for them. And thus forsaking the feelings of love for one of guile and prideful hate.

Crushing roses takes place continuously in today’s world. Sadly many see it as humor in the TV/Movies and media spew which is ever present in literature and music. There is a world without feelings – deaf unable to hear and blinded unable to see. Often too late comes the gardener to the aid of the roses – or the steward to the people – only to weep and feel lost at such cruelty of one to another of Father’s children or creations.

Which will we be found – being ever vigilant or waiting hoping we’re not next or one of our loved ones? We must remember the Second Great Commandment – we’re to love all of Father’s Creations – and therefore be found as good gardeners – protecting the weak and tender – or we indeed will be found next.  c/ork

“Crushing Roses”

cji
2/27/14

Stepping aside to destroy
using poor choiced words
spitefully and hatefully
designed to crush others
filling a power need within
carelessly stepping aside;

Crushing roses still in bud
claiming rights unauthorized
causing another to weep
inwardly unable to be hidden
showing pain uncontrolled
this rose crushed willfully!


Copyright © 2014 – cji


"Silence" (Harvard Writer: Abolish free speech)



Harvard writer: Abolish free speech
Sandra Korn, a senior who writes a column for the Harvard Crimson newspaper, thinks radical leftism is the only permissible political philosophy, and the First Amendment only hinders colleges from brainwashing students with her viewpoint.

“Let’s give up on academic freedom in favor of justice,” states the subtitle of her Feb. 18 column, in which she insists Harvard stop guaranteeing students and professors the right to hold controversial views and conduct research putting liberalism in a negative light.

“If our university community opposes racism, sexism, and heterosexism, why should we put up with research that counters our goals?” Korn asks.

“It is tempting to decry frustrating restrictions on academic research as violations of academic freedom. Yet I would encourage student and worker organizers to instead use a framework of justice. After all, if we give up our obsessive reliance on the doctrine of academic freedom, we can consider more thoughtfully what is just.”

Korn’s view grabbed the attention of the nation’s top conservative voice, Rush Limbaugh.

“This is not unique. This is not satire. This is not parody,” Limbaugh said on his nationally broadcast radio program Tuesday. “This woman, Sandra Korn, is real, and she’s serious that free speech needs to be abridged because it is threatening liberalism. It means that liberalism cannot hold up to scrutiny. It cannot withstand a challenge. If liberalism were infallible, if liberalism were so powerful and automatic, they would welcome challenges to it – and they would welcome the attempt to persuade and to convert. But instead they’re threatened by it.”

When asked of he thought her belief was going to become a movement, Limbaugh indicated it already was one.

“This is what the left is,” he explained. “Why do you think they want to get rid of this program? Why do you think they want to get rid of Fox News? Why do they want to silence criticism? What is Obama’s modus operandi? Eliminate the opposition. This is already a movement!”

“This woman has just written a column about it at Harvard with what appears to be an extreme view of eliminating the First Amendment as a way of silencing opposition. But she’s very honest. The First Amendment, free speech, ‘threatens liberalism,’ meaning liberalism cannot thrive in an open society. Liberalism is totalitarianism. Liberalism is statism. It is authoritarianism. It is all of the horrible Isms, and it cannot thrive when there is open debate. It cannot survive challenges.”

  
The Crimson article is complete and more comprehensive then the snippet I first read.



She references student activity in 1971. This was the time of Radical Liberalism.
The forced take over or Universities by students.
The sit in's were NOT peaceful.

Robert Bork's book is excellent on this time period and look into liberalism.
"Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline"

Synopsis

Slouching Towards Gomorrah is a penetrating, devastatingly insightful exposé of a country in crisis at the end of the millennium, where the rise of modern liberalism, which stresses the dual forces of radical egalitarianism (the equality of outcomes rather than opportunities) and radical individualism (the drastic reduction of limits to personal gratification), has undermined our culture, our intellect, and our morality.

In a new Afterword, the author highlights recent disturbing trends in our laws and society, with special attention to matters of sex and censorship, race relations, and the relentless erosion of American moral values. The alarm he sounds is more sobering than ever: we can accept our fate and try to insulate ourselves from the effects of a degenerating culture, or we can choose to halt the beast, to oppose modern liberalism in every arena. The will to resist, he warns, remains our only hope.

“Silence”

cji
2/26/14

Forget anything to say
no longer acceptable
closing the closet door
locking in chains strong
multiple locks to secure
unwittingly giving up
media the first to go
free-speech disallowed
oligarchical totalitarianism
attacking freedoms
till only one way found
the road to Babylon
accepted as the way
silencing the only other
roadblocks of hatred
hiding Zion’s road
no longer acceptable
silence left only to say!

Copyright © 2014 – cji


February 25, 2014

"Solatium"

“Solatium”

cji
2/26/14

Millions of tax-payers wait
when their solatium will come
their injuries and suffering
from government abuses
losses continue to mount
carrying the heavy load
illegals and free-loaders
seeking the solace today
welcoming legal correction
seeking no money but yet
wanting the stealing to stop
sadly no solatium to come
millions of tax-payers wronged!


Copyright © 2014 – cji