Newest Poems & Writings: 2017/11

November 30, 2017

Visiting Teaching Lesson December 2017

Willing to Bear One Another’s Burdens

Prayerfully study this material and seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding the purpose of Relief Society prepare daughters of God for the blessings of eternal life?

“We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness,” said President Thomas S. Monson. “We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”¹

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “A great change began in your heart when you came into the Church. You made a covenant, and you received a promise that began changing your very nature. …

“… You promised that you would help the Lord make [others’] burdens light and be comforted. You were given the power to help lighten those loads when you received the gift of the Holy Ghost.”²

“We want to use the light of the gospel to see others as the Savior does—with compassion, hope, and charity,” said Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society General President. “The day will come when we will have a complete understanding of others’ hearts and will be grateful to have mercy extended to us—just as we extend charitable thoughts and words to others. …

“Our obligation and privilege is to embrace improvement in everyone as we strive to become more like our Savior.”³

As we bear one another’s burdens and keep our covenants, we open the way for Jesus Christ to heal others. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “Considering the incomprehensible cost of the Crucifixion and Atonement, I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now. When He says to the poor in spirit, ‘Come unto me,’ He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows it because He has walked it. He knows the way because He is the way.”⁴

Additional Scriptures and Information

Matthew 25:40; Galatians 6:2; Mosiah 2:17; 18:8–9

“As Healers”

cji

12/1/17

Going forth in service

doing Father’s will always

do you call daily on others

even our Sisters/Brothers;

As healers mending hearts

enduring all to stand straight

extending doing our duty

becoming the tutor not tutee?

Home Teaching December 2017

FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE

Seeking Christ at Christmas

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

To all who wish to understand who we are as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I would like to offer a starting point defined by these three words: We seek Christ.

We seek to learn of Him. To follow Him. To become more like Him.

Every day throughout the year, we seek Him. But especially at this time of the year—Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of our beloved Savior—our hearts are ever more inclined to Him.

As part of our preparations for celebrating Christmas, let us consider how those who lived two millennia ago were ready to welcome the arrival of the Savior.

The Shepherds We don’t know much about the shepherds, only that they were “abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”¹ The shepherds were more than likely quite ordinary people, like many commendable souls who go about their days earning a living.

They could represent people who, at one time, may not have been actively seeking the Christ, but their hearts changed when the heavens opened and Christ was proclaimed to them.

These are they who, after hearing the voice of heavenly messengers, immediately went to Bethlehem wanting to see.²

The Wise Men The Wise Men were academics who had been studying the advent of the Messiah, the Son of God. Through their learning, they identified the signs that pointed to His birth. When they identified them, they left their homes and traveled to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?”³

Their knowledge of the Christ did not remain solely academic. Once they saw the signs of His birth, they acted. They set out to find the Christ.

The Wise Men could represent those who seek the Christ through learning and academic study. Their devotion to truth eventually leads them to find the Christ and worship Him as the King of kings, the Savior of mankind.⁴

Simeon and Anna Simeon and Anna could represent those who seek Christ through the Spirit. These marvelous souls were devoutly religious and, through fasting and prayer and by leading lives of devotion and obedience, waited eagerly to see the day of the coming of the Son of God.

Through fidelity, humility, and faith, they patiently watched for the coming of the Savior.

Eventually, their faithfulness was rewarded as Mary and Joseph presented to them the baby who would one day take upon Himself the sins of mankind.⁵

Believers among the Nephites and Lamanites The touching story of how believers in the New World watched for the signs of the birth of the Savior is found in the Book of Mormon.

You remember that those who had faith in Christ were ridiculed and persecuted. The sophisticates of that day accused believers of hanging on to foolish superstitions. In fact, the nonbelievers were so vocal in their ridicule that they made “a great uproar” in the land (3 Nephi 1:7). They scoffed at those who believed that the Savior would be born.

Their anger and rage grew so great that they became obsessed with silencing once and for all those who believed in the Savior. The Book of Mormon records the dramatic resolution.⁶

The believers who lived at this time could represent those who seek the Christ even when others laugh, mock, and taunt. They seek Christ even when others attempt to caricature them as unrefined, unsophisticated, or gullible.

But the contempt of others does not discourage true believers from seeking Christ.

We Seek Christ Throughout the year, and perhaps especially at this Christmas season, it would benefit us to once again ask the question “How am I seeking Christ?”

During a difficult period of his life, the great King David wrote, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee.”⁷

Perhaps this attitude of seeking God was one of the reasons David was described as a man after God’s own heart.⁸

During this Christmas season and throughout the entire year, may we seek with our hearts and souls our beloved Savior, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One of Israel. For this desire, in large part, defines not only who we are as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but even more who we really are as Christ’s disciples.

Teaching from This Message How can we better seek Christ, as President Uchtdorf suggests? You might encourage those you teach to ask themselves, “How am I seeking Christ?” Consider inviting them to start sharing how they are each seeking Christ during their daily family scripture study time. You could also watch the Mormon.org Christmas video with those you teach and invite them to participate in this yearly opportunity to seek Christ by following His teachings.

“Do We See Ourselves”

cji

12/1/17

When approaching Christmas

where do we find ourselves

are we on the right or the left

2000 years ago when counted;

On our great steads mounted

or denying Scriptures by theft

in darkness as distant elves

flickering as a false litmus;

Do we see ourselves pure

understanding the Prophets

going forth confident sure

thus reassuring as soffits?

November 29, 2017

"Pain Like a Fuse Cracking"

“Bumps and bruises, a bit of pain to suffer.sadly alone in our very best bib and tuckerwe all need someone to feel our painshould pray to Father our pain to refrain.”cn 11/27/17

“Pain Like a Fuse Cracking”

cji

11/30/17

Pain like a fuse cracking

electric and power filled

nothing in the mist lacking

then silence all stilled;

Stars and bright lights

blurring the vision seen

hallucinating in nights

new memories to glean;

Pain fully unknown before

physical and psychical

totally unable to restore

in my mind so cyclical;

Fuses cracking/snapping

filling the mind fully

memory so strapping

thoughts being the bully;

A bit of the pain to suffer

sadly along in this play

needing my pain to stuffer

to Father I turn to pray!

November 27, 2017

"Testimonies of Prophets"

“Testimonies of Prophets”

cji

11/28/17

Given unto the written page

ages trans-spaced alive

each letter in great care

blending as one of many

from Adam to Thomas

several millennium of time

blessing the lives of all

testimonies of Prophets

of one Jesus the Christ

then and thus same today

the Son of Heavenly Father

His Only Begotten in flesh

how then can we deny

unchanging ever to change

100’s – 1000’s 10,000’s

each in turn to testify

of this one great truth

leading to eternal life

Jesus the Christ lives!

November 26, 2017

"Musty"

“Musty”

cji

11/27/17

Having closed windows

shuttered all the doors

turned off the a/c heat

chills of the night enter

dampness of the rains

critters moving about

leaving their droppings

adding to the stench

and musty feelings

of a mind gone blind

having closed window

shuttered all the doors!

November 25, 2017

“Calling, Calling, Calling”

cji

11/26/17

Can you hear the prompting

someone calling over again

hand extended towards each

as church bells ring today

far and wide in the world

calling all around to come

falling on deaf ears left

chaos and noise blinded

turning into the winds

away from calling voices

ignoring stretched out hand

each Sabbath Day behind

unhearing – unfeeling

calling, calling, calling!

"A Working Mine"

“A Working Mine”

cji

11/26/17

Back in the Yukon hills

or maybe the Comstock

there are still working mines

but most long ago deserted

as owner had accreted

played out are the mines

leaving behind only a lock

left only ghost town frills;

Much the same everywhere

empty minds all played out

alcohol, drugs, emptiness

political correctness too

gone are working minds true

holes/crevasses in darkness

screaming skeletons shout

but really does anyone care?

November 24, 2017

"Sharing a Memory"

“Sharing a Memory”

cji

11/25/17

Finding a four leaf clover

trilobite on a smooth stone

sunsets lasting forever

feelings of a soft zephyr

profusions of blooms

imaginations of scent

whatever without money

causing simple things

sharing a memory oft!

November 23, 2017

"Completing"

“Completing”

cji

11/24/17

So often we start a journey

having plans and goals written

directions clear and concise

roadmaps to where we question

which curves in the road

taking to the right or the left

infancy’s January beginning

high hopes and great dreams

matters not where born

a child in mortality begins

we each began similar

stages then completing

whether righteous or …

forgetting almost always

the journey has to end

for ahead is another path

some into eternal life

others somewhere between

outer darkness or where

completing the journey

mortality’s test for each

roadmaps clear concise

eternal and forever for each!

November 22, 2017

"Are You Thankful?"

“Are You Thankful?”

cji

11/23/17

How many remember struggles

living in the 15^th or 16^th century

even in the early 20^th century

without modern conveniences

taken for granted today in USA

where many still in the world

without even a fraction of any

how can we be thankful today

if we remember not sacrifices

of those who’ve gone before

rather many destroy history

re-writing as they choose

brilliant minds and druggies

are you thankful – if for what

or better to who are you

so much sacrifice given

so spoiled those living now

comprehending selfishness

before humble gratefulness!

"Really?"

“Really?”

cji

11/23/17

How are so many so lost

making to live in 3^rd world

acting as if it’s so today

rioting and acting foolish

pretending to be so ugly

wearing flowers and stings

pretending as being in jail

pants around their knees

being available to what

they’ve no clue to example

others ignoring the truth

blaming all their woes

on who gave freedom

to be the folly of dirt

thus on Thanksgiving

so ignorant as to ask

‘give us more give all’

and we respond today

understanding Thanksgiving

ask loud and clear, ‘really?’