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| Pirates of Penzance with Bethany at the Capitol Theater. I think I mentioned we got to attend Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2 at Abravanel (Durk was informed he was taking me as a birthday present). So even though we haven't found any great Broadway Shows to see like I hoped, we have had some "culture." |
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| We got to sit by the control desk for the Tabernacle Chorale Spring Concert, they go to "choir school" for 16 weeks and prepare to join the tabernacle choir. Thanks to our former mission president's wife Lori Houseman for helping us even know this one was happening, she passed along tickets. |
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| The Prophet's young adult meeting not only was full, there were thousands more all over the place who didn't come early enough to get in and listened on their phones in any building open or any shade they could find. Streets were gridlocked and parking crazy. If you haven't listened to the messages from President and Sister Nelson, you are missing out and ought to give it a go, no matter your age. |
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| Still managing to keep up posting a little practice painting every week. It is really helping my mental/emotional state :) We had a really frustrating time at the office at one point and when I pulled out my sketchbooks to design paintings and practice drawing, within minutes I felt happy and peaceful. |
People have started referring to being in the Mission Bubble. It's true, we are in a unique situation, a bubble, if you will. Everyone is a missionary and despite quite varied backgrounds, all are serving, most have been temple workers, everyone is pretty clear on who they are and why they are here, everyone is always encouraging and quick to help anyone in anyway, even in lessons there are only really good contributions based on sound doctrinal understanding. We have frequent inspiring meetings and devotionals to help us remember why we are here and that we can Hear Him in our work no matter what it is. You don’t hear unkind words or any kind of contention or argumentative conversations anywhere. Even lunchtime conversations may include doctrine and inspiration. We are also removed from many normal cares such as yard work, regular callings in the church, we don't even have ministering assignments since our membership records are at home. (the single sisters do keep a close eye out for each other). Everyone is always so encouraging and complimentary about everything to everyone! The office people are like that too, always saying you are great to work with, glad you're here, etc. If you need building up, you should come serve in the Headquarters Mission!
We took a morning on Saturday to go visit FamilySearch Library where we got our fan charts printed as well as some personal help to find how to move forward in our own family history work. Did you know that if you can't go in person and don't have handy people local, you can sign up for an online 20-minute personal consultation with experts? Most of the people in our Mission are working with family history (or church history). 
Evan says we should go to Albania next so that was our choice for the photo :)
I created my first PowerPoint ever, good thing they have made it very user-friendly! Our zone devotionals have sometimes had pretty elaborate visuals but it turned out to be quite easy. I took some things that I had been collecting all through the Leadership course that I need to remember and work on, and organized them and shortened everything considerably for a brief presentation. I I haven't yet figured out how, but at some point I will try to attach it so I have it here for myself, and anyone who wants to learn how to better build capability in others might find it useful, though the parts I said between reading slides aren't there.
At least twice a month we miss the zone devotional for our staff meeting and we have been asked to start taking notes so the IFRs don't have to search through recordings to find an answer to a question that came up in staff meeting. The notes get added into Teams and are searchable. So far we've done it twice and the boss says we did good :)
I’m not sure if I mentioned that we were told we would all have to move out of our apartment building but they didn’t have anywhere to move us to. Well, we just had the second couple from our bldg move out into the building next door and we hear their third floor is going to get all remodeled in a matter of a couple of weeks. Unsurprisingly everyone we know of that has moved over the months here has found problems – two AC units on one small outlet, no 220 for the oven, various water leaks, etc. No wonder they are getting them “done” so fast. I was kind of hoping (Durk says dreaming) that we might be moved to the building with washers and dryers and a second bath and central air instead of noisy window AC. Not only do we hear construction noise above us in the apartment where they have started the remodeling of this building also, they are tearing out and redoing the floor above us in the office as well - and then we found that next week the offices behind our desks are getting torn out to make one bigger office. We are getting used to floors covered in heavy paper, elevator walls protected by masonite that is getting bashed up, carts hauling materials in and trash out.... We hear loud thumps upstairs that make me want to say "What are you kids doing up there?!"
Meanwhile it does look like it's possible the plaza will be finished this fall as they said, because there are now TREES!
List of Suggestions and Ideas to Bless Families:
Sense of Belonging: Feeling loved, included,
accepted despite faults. Not being un-righteously judged, being part of the
body of Christ (Romans 12:4-13); This principle is the key that must be turned
if we are to proceed with the next two steps.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, (selfishness)
acovetous, (wanting
what belongs to others)
boasters, (empty pretenders)
bproud (having a high appreciation of one’s
value or importance – un-teachable)
, blasphemers (disrespectful
of sacred things)
, cdisobedient to parents (breakdown of the family
traditions)
, dunthankful,
(ungrateful)
unholy, (non-religious)
3 Without anatural baffection (involved in sexual deviations)
, ctrucebreakers,
(breaking their word, not keeping promises)
dfalse accusers, (ruining the good reputation of others)
eincontinent,
(lacking self-control)
fierce, (savage)
despisers of those that are
good, (scoffing from the large and spacious building)
4 aTraitors, (a person who betrays a friend,
country, principle)
bheady, (rash, reckless, or not thinking ahead)
chighminded,
(conceited)lovers of dpleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having
a aform of godliness, but bdenying the power thereof:
7 Ever alearning, and never
able to come to the bknowledgeof the ctruth.
9 ... their afolly shall be manifest unto all men,
12 Yea, and all that will live agodly in Christ Jesus shall bsuffer cpersecution.
13 But evil men and aseducers (to deceive) shall wax worse and
worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
What is the Lord’s Plan to Counter the
Deception of the Last Days?
1. The First Vision
2.
The Lord brough forth
Prophets to stand as “watchmen upon the towers”. (D&C 1:17), beginning with
Joseph Smith and proceeding and including the calling of President Russell M.
Nelson.
3.
The Coming Forth of
the Book of Mormon
4.
The Restoration of the
Priesthood
5.
The Gifts of the
Spirit (D&C 46:11-33; 1 Corinthians 12:1-12; Moroni 10:3.)
6.
The Restoration of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
7.
The Keys of the Gathering
of Israel are restored, including the restoration of the Jews to the Holy Land;
preparation for the return of the Ten Tribes, (Missionary Work and Sharing the
Gospel)
8.
Elijah returns and
restores the Sealing Power, now found upon the earth once again.
9.
The Power of “the Lamb
of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church, and upon the covenant
people…..but because of worldly wickedness, the Saints were comparatively few
in number. (1 Nephi 14:12-14)
10.
Family History and
Temple Work will commence & Interest in Family Research will increase over
the earth.
11.
The Righteous will be
alerted as they watch carefully for the Signs of the Times
12.
Faith on the earth
will increase, and the Saints will be protected and avoid many of the negative
conditions of the Last Days.
Foundational Principle in Preparing Ourselves and Our Families for the Second Coming:
We
must Understand and Have Faith in God’s Plan of Redemption: D&C 138
D&C
138:11 As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my
understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw
the hosts of the dead, both small and great.
12 And there were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the
spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they
lived in mortality;
14 All these had departed the mortal life, firm in the hope of a glorious
resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten
Son, Jesus Christ.
15 I beheld that they were filled with joy and gladness, and were rejoicing
together because the day of their deliverance was at hand.
16 They were assembled awaiting the advent of the Son of God into the spirit
world, to declare their redemption from the bands of death.
17 Their sleeping dust was to be restored unto its perfect frame, bone to
his bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be
united never again to be divided, that they might receive a fulness of joy.
18 While this vast multitude waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of
their deliverance from the chains of death, the Son of God appeared,
declaring liberty to the captives who had been faithful;
19 And there he preached to them the everlasting gospel, the doctrine of the
resurrection and the redemption of mankind from the fall, and from individual
sins on conditions of repentance.
20 But unto the wicked he did not go, and among the ungodly and the
unrepentant who had defiled themselves while in the flesh, his voice was not
raised;
21 Neither did the rebellious who rejected the testimonies and the warnings
of the ancient prophets behold his presence, nor look upon his face.
22 Where these were, darkness reigned, but among the righteous there was
peace;
23 And the saints rejoiced in their redemption, and bowed the knee and
acknowledged the Son of God as their Redeemer and Deliverer from death and the
chains of hell.
24 Their countenances shone, and the radiance from the presence of the Lord
rested upon them, and they sang praises unto his holy name.
25 I marveled, for I understood that the Savior spent about three years in his
ministry among the Jews and those of the house of Israel, endeavoring to teach
them the everlasting gospel and call them unto repentance;
26 And yet, notwithstanding his mighty works, and miracles, and proclamation
of the truth, in great power and authority, there were but few who hearkened to
his voice, and rejoiced in his presence, and received salvation at his hands.
27 But his ministry among those who were dead was limited to the brief time
intervening between the crucifixion and his resurrection;
28 And I wondered at the words of Peter—wherein he said that the Son of God
preached unto the spirits in prison, who sometime were disobedient, when once
the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah—and how it was possible
for him to preach to those spirits and perform the necessary labor among them
in so short a time.
29 And as I wondered, my eyes were opened, and my understanding quickened, and
I perceived that the Lord went not in person among the wicked and the
disobedient who had rejected the truth, to teach them;
30 But behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed
messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth
and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all
the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead.
31 And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the
Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who
would repent of their sins and receive the gospel.
32 Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a
knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets.
33 These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for
the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
34 And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know
in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in
the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
The
Father created a perfect plan in this which provides for the salvation of His
children and their ultimate exaltation, as they so choose. This plan is active
on both sides of the veil. Beyond the veil, the forces of the Savior are
organized in utter perfection as they go forth and teach the children of man. Every
soul will have the opportunity to see the gospel for what it is,
and to then have the option to follow the covenant path and continue their
journey towards exaltation.
Suggestions
to assist us, as we strive to create a sense of Belonging, Belief, and
Becoming:
CREATING
A SENSE OF BELONGING:
1- We must Understand and Abide by the Eternal Principle of
Agency:
a. 41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by
virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by
gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
b. 42 By kindness, and pure knowledge,
which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—
c. 43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, (clarity)when
moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of
love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
d. 44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than
the cords of death. (Doctrine and Covenants 121:41–44)
2-
Radiate the joy of the Gospel in your
lives. “Let your light so shine
so that others may see their way to Jesus Christ” (Bonnie Cordon). Become the “message” of
the Gospel in attitude and deed. Be
optimistic about the future. As we serve
missions, this is a perfect time to change, repent, and grow to be more like
the Savior. This
doesn’t mean perfection, but it does mean striving for perfection one day at a
time. (Doctrine of Christ)
3- Look
for the good and reinforce the good in your children and extended family
members. As you look for the
good in your family, they, in turn will look for the good in you. As you constantly look for, discover and
reinforce the good in your family members, they will look forward to being with
you and feel a sense of belonging and kinship in your presence. Providing reinforcement and “noticing the
good” should be accomplished in a 9:1 ratio to giving correction... And if
clarity of direction is required, afterwards we show an increase of love
towards those being reproved. (Spoken to with clarity).
4- Radiate
Warmth which can be felt by family members and all those around you. (Show videos of the Savior as examples)
5- Cultivate
and strengthen your ability to “Hear Him”. President Nelson has said: “My beloved
brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.” Pray for guidance, learn to recognize the
direction you receive, and the Spirit will guide you individually and
personally as to what the members of your family need, and what you can do
to influence their preparation for the Second Coming.
6-
Have faith in God’s Plan to redeem His children. “Be still and know that I am God”
7- Determine who has
the stewardship and lend support to the stewards.
CREATING A SENSE OF BELIEF:
2- Inoculate
family members against deception and confusion.
3- Each family member needs to have an individual, unique, and
personal connection with the Savior. This can come through prayer,
scriptures, and worthily partaking of the Sacrament. Continually holding fast to the iron rod – (Elder
Bednar).
4- Learn
how to correct, with love, the false impressions of the Savior, His Church, and
the leaders of the Church. (Example:
Joseph Smith: His name would be known for good and evil around the world. What
did the Lord say about Joseph Smith?
(D&C 135))
5- Learn
to speak their language and understand their technology. (Texting, etc.)
6- Keep
yourself relevant in their lives (relevant vs. irrelevant).
7- Build
Trust. Do family members feel comfortable in asking you for counsel and advice?
8- Help
family members to have a vision of who they are and who they can become.
9- Share
with them how to avoid deception by going to the source of the information
rather than relying on secondary sources.
(D&C 52:14 – The Lord gives us a pattern in all things..)
10-
If the Gospel is not going to be their guiding
light, then who will they go to when the storms of life descend upon them?
11-
Use the Book of Mormon and scriptures to resolve
concerns. Scriptures often will have the words to deliver messages that are
hard to deliver, under the direction of the spirit.
12-
Use the power of family ties to bind the family
together. Family Search stories are
golden sources of inspiration and testimony…. the Spirit of Elijah can and will
assist you to keep your family on the covenant path. (The power of photos)
13-
Look for “spiritual drift”. Private religious behaviors are often better
indicators of the depth of conversion than attendance at Church Meetings. (Prayer, fasting, scripture reading, temple
attendance.)
14-
Share heartfelt feelings about how the Gospel of
Jesus Christ blesses your life. (Mission, Temple, whatever else you are
prompted by the Holy Ghost to share.). (Teach
about “The two voices” that we hear each day. The first, nearly always from the
Spirit of the Lord….and the second from the Adversary or from our own doubts
and concerns). Experience the joy of serving and ministering together. Help family members learn the “emptiness” of the great and
spacious building. Teach them to heed not the secular scoffing that comes
from the great and spacious building.
15-
Using technology to share family values,
concerns, and teach eternal principles.
Much is in the Gospel Library to answer questions and inoculate our
families against the deception of the world.
16-
Share and participate in areas of mutual family
interest so that family members feel like everyone is sitting around the same
table.
17-
How do we deal with the “prickly” social issues
of the day? (Abortion, Sexual
Promiscuity, LGTBQ issues, Racism). What principles has the Lord already provided
which give us information and direction?
The Plan of salvation, we come with strengths and weaknesses…and are
here to overcome weakness and build greater strengths, show love and
understanding without panic and final judgement, walk them through the
consequences of their choices (Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial choices lead
to different destinations), demonstrate love unfeigned, defend the truths of
the Gospel, and have faith in God’s plan of salvation on both sides of the
veil. Many members in these situations
feel that they are on the cusp of being rejected by the Church and
society. Allay those feelings where
possible by love unfeigned. Offer
them the peace of the Gospel.
18-
Talk
about how to deal with the scoffing that comes from the large and spacious
building each day. “We heeded them not”.
(Elder Bednar)
19-
Since we
live in perilous times where Satan intentionally tries to disrupt
our peace, we need to respond with intentional parenting. This means offering guidance when asked for
it and sharing guidance when prompted by the Spirit.
20-
The Holy
Ghost will speak to the family from the pulpit of memory (Neal A. Maxwell – the
story of Enos when the words of his father caused him to go to the Lord in
prayer).
21-
Family, and extended family support blesses
and supports individual family members.
22-
Help family members learn to minister within
the family. That’s where these habits are formed and expanded. As
they watch you reach out to others beyond the family, they learn to embrace
service to others as well.
23-
We draw closer to the Savior by learning to live
and love our covenants. They help us discover and draw closer
to Him.
24-
Teach them to trust in the Lord and to rely on
His promises.
25-
Inculcate the words of the Hymn, “Let Us All
Press On (#243).” It becomes a meaningful Family Motto
Sense
of Becoming and Growing:
1.
Walk and teach the
covenant path as outlined in the Doctrine of Christ. Life is a marathon, rather than a sprint.
2.
Lessen the appearance
of burden in Church service. We must find joy in our service if we are
to teach family members that there is great joy as we serve the Savior
within His Church.
3.
Balance the priorities
of life. (Family, Employment, the Lord’s
work, and appropriate self-care).
4.
Teach the difference
between “Careful vs. Casual” in keeping our covenants. (Sister Becky Craven)
5.
Embrace the role of
missions in strengthening all who serve…including you. There is power in
missionary service to anchor ourselves and our youth to the Savior and His
Gospel.
6.
Embrace the role of
the Temple in walking the covenant path and bear witness of Temple blessings.
7.
Identify and follow
the “patterns” for personal happiness and joy provided through Gospel sources.
(Pattern for families, for Church Service, for Community Service, for
marriages, etc.)
8.
Have faith and
optimism for the future. During
turbulent times we can feel peace and joy if we are on the covenant path, no matter
what storms may be raging in the world.
9.
Regularly ask
ourselves the following question: “What can I do to be more holy in my
life, to walk the path Christ has exemplified more fully?”
10. Understand, respond to and teach the process of being
prepared for life’s unexpected challenges, disappointments, ironies, and
confusions. (Example: The apostles of Christ’s day were not anticipating
Christ’s death. Their faith was sorely tried.) Our faith and the faith of our
family members will be sorely tried, and spiritual equilibrium will be shattered
unless a bedrock foundation of trust in the Lord and His promises is
established.
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