Every Soul is Free to Choose

March 26- April 1
Song: 

Video: Puzzling Through The Repetitions of Life      by Jackie Nyguard

Ponder:                                                                                                As members of this church, we believe in obedience, sacrifice, consecration, sustaining leaders, bearing one another's burdens, and making covenants with God to remember Him and obey these commandments. Which, quite frankly, requires a lot of repetition. In return the Lord promises us His Spirit. I propose that in keeping our covenants and puzzling through this life in a spirit of obedience, there are two important elements that need to come together--repetition and thinking.

All this repetition is a puzzle. How we approach the repetition matters for the disciples of Jesus Christ we aim to become. Simple repetition is important, but iteration can accelerate growth, help us continually learn, and produce greater beauty and understanding. 

2017 photos of my family

Mason-18, Brigitte, Max (dog Molly in front) Natalie-15

Phoenix-11 Nick, Jasmine, Isis-16

Luke-17, Sally holding Joel-4, Andy, Lily-15

Mabel-13, Samuel-6, Paul-8, Nell-11

"One in Charity"

Song: ( Hymn 293)
click here to listen with LDS music player or click here to watch music video or watch below

Lyrics
1. Each life that touches ours for good
Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;
Thou sendest blessings from above
Thru words and deeds of those who love.

2. What greater gift dost thou bestow,
What greater goodness can we know
Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways
Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

3. When such a friend from us departs,
We hold forever in our hearts
A sweet and hallowed memory,
Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee.

4. For worthy friends whose lives proclaim
Devotion to the Savior's name,
Who bless our days with peace and love,
We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.

Text: Karen Lynn Davidson, b. 1943. (c) 1985 IRI
Music: A. Laurence Lyon, 1934-2006. (c) 1985 IRI

Talk: "One in Charity" by Sandra Rodgers click here to watch

Story from the Talk: "The Netherlands Potato Project"
click here or watch below


Ponder: (Sister Rodgers testimony)
"May  we discover needs close at hand we never knew before."
"I do believe that as we serve healings will take place."
"I do believe that others will come to know the Savior better because of our service in His holy name."
"I do believe that we as sisters will become a stronger force of peace and goodwill in a world so in need of understanding, respect and safety."
"I do believe that when our hearts are knit unity and love the Lord's power...we will be able to accomplish miracles and every purpose of the Lord will be fulfilled."

How Vast is Our Purpose? (March 12-18)

Song: As Sisters in Zion
click here for LDS interactive player or watch below

Talk: How Vast is Our Purpose
click here to read the talk or watch below

Quotes to Ponder:

"Women bring with them into the world a certain virtue, a divine gift that makes them adept at instilling such qualities as faith, courage, empathy, and refinement in relationships and in cultures."

"Women are given gifts that allow them to see the details as well as the big picture, often at the same time."

"We are full partners with the priesthood in the work of salvation—the saving of the souls of men and  women—which is the focus of allour efforts."

 "As I work to express the Savior’s love through serving them  (others) in ways that are meaningful to them, their hearts soften and they often become
receptive to the Spirit."

"Whether your “work of salvation” is largely in the home at this time in life or your influence extends to a global scale, or somewhere in between, the Lord is pleased with your efforts when you are focused on serving God’s children and the eternal goal of returning to Him as a “new and improved” version of your spiritual self."

More inspiring songs:                                                                        Improve The Shinning Moments
Go Forth With Faith

I Think the World is Glorious

  Song: I Think the World is Glorious (March 4-11)

    click here for song from the Children's Songbook or watch & listen to the Tabernacle Choir    

            

Talk: Growing Together (Music & the Spoken Word. February 26, 2017) 
 by Lloyd D. Newell

    click here to listen to talk or read the talk below

   Many years ago, a young boy visited his uncle who worked in the lumber business. They were looking at the trees in the lumber camp when the boy noticed a very tall tree standing alone on the hilltop. Full of excitement, the boy showed his uncle the towering tree. “Look at that big tree!” he exclaimed. “It will make a lot of good lumber, won’t it?”

   To the boy’s surprise, his uncle shook his head. “No,” he said, “that tree will not make a lot of good lumber. It might make a lot of lumber but not a lot of good lumber. When a tree grows off by itself, too many branches grow on it. Those branches produce knots when the tree is cut into lumber. The best lumber comes from trees that grow together in groves. The trees also grow taller and straighter when they grow together.”1

   It is true of trees, and it is true of each of us. We grow into better people when we grow together rather than alone. While there’s value in independence, there are also critical lessons to learn from interdependence. The personal growth that comes from giving and receiving help can happen in no other way.

   We were not meant to be solitary, to stand alone, apart from one another. We need other people to love and care about, and we thrive when others love and care about us. Each one of us is needed, and each one of us has something to offer. Together we are better than we would be alone.

   All around us are those who are lonely—those who need a friend, a word of encouragement, a kind outreach. So many people are looking for the light of love, the warmth of friendship. We can resolve not to let them stand alone in the dark or the cold. We can reach out to them. We can take an interest in them and include them. We can help them stand taller and grow straighter, and like trees that grow in groves, we will find that we too can stand taller and grow straighter. This is what happens when trees—and people—grow together.      -Lloyd D. Newell

I made the cutest snow penguin over the week-end. 

Hope it brings you as much joy as it does me.