A Modern Apostle

I had a rough day Saturday. I was as discouraged as I have been in a long time. Going to church, I felt much better. I was quite nervous to teach Sunday School today as I was not feeling very positive. I prayed that the Lord's spirit would be there and I was not disappointed. I felt so uplifted by the lesson and the comments that were shared in the class. I love being able to teach from the scriptures, what a blessing in my life.

One of the patterns that Jesus established when he walked on the earth was to call twelve men to be his apostles. Holy men that knew him and were special witnesses of his name to the world. The restored gospel message is that Jesus still calls men on the earth today and reveals to them his will. We have today, twelve men-apostles-who know and testify of the Savior. Gina and I were privileged to attend a meeting this evening where one of the twelve, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, presided. Having such an experience is a pretty rare occurrence. He spoke to us of where Jesus has been known to walk but then explained that to know Jesus, we don't need to walk where Jesus has walked but rather to walk as Jesus walked. There was such a calm peaceful spirit about him. At the end of the meeting he said that he would be honored to have us come shake his hand. We briefly did so. Someone watching said that she noticed that all who came down after greeting him had a smile on their face. I had to agree. As discouraged as I felt yesterday, I felt equally hopeful tonight. I am grateful to feel of the Lord's love, to know that He lives and will guide as today as he has in the past.

Joseph

I have been thinking a lot about Joseph, the man called on to raise the Son of God. I've been carving a figure representing him and had the opportunity to do so at our church's annual "Creche and Carol" event last weekend. It has given me time to contemplate the little we know of him. I truly believe he was a special man and a good father. We do know that he came from the house of David since they had to travel to Bethlehem to be accounted. His lineage was royal. I can imagine that learning that his espoused wife was pregnant came as a great shock. I think he understood and accepted that early on, receiving the angelic visitation explaining his situation. I imagine that his family and friends were not so accepting. I am sure he must have had family in Bethlehem with accommodations and yet he and Mary traveled on donkey and could not find a place to stay. He stood by Mary even taking her and Jesus out of the country to Egypt when his life was in danger. I love Joseph and hope to know more of the man some day.

His very name reminds me of another Joseph who was ridiculed for having claimed to received angelic visitations and being led by God. Is it so crazy to think that God would act today just as He did when announcing the coming of his Son to the earth? I have read that one definition of an angel is a messenger sent from God. I am surrounded by angels and am grateful for the influence of good people inspired to bless my life. I have felt the protection and guidance of others, yet unseen by my eyes. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that is their message, a message that rings as clear and true today as when it was declared by angels to the shepherds of old.

How Beautiful!

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7)

My Sunday School lesson this week includes this scripture. I've been thinking about it a lot. When the prophet Abinadi in the Book of Mormon stood in front of the wicked King Noah and called him to repentance, one of Abinadi's chief priests ask him, "What does it mean in the scriptures when it says "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings..." What followed is a beautiful sermon on the savior. I am convinced that it was the future prophet Alma who must have been touched by Abinadi's words who asked this question. I think it was his way of telling Abinadi that he had received a witness of the Lord and that he loved and appreciated Abinadi. At the time, Abinadi may have thought that his words were for naught. Shortly after this, his last sermon, he was put to death by fire. He was secure in his relationship with His Savior but I imagine he knew a thing or two about discouragement. What he did not know was that his words would not only save Alma but through him the gospel would be preached to three nations. Thousands and thousands of lives were changed in the Savior, and through recorded scripture, many more continue to be even today. I am grateful for a man that held true to the faith even when it seemed that all his efforts were for no effect. I am grateful for a man that knew the Savior, and that made all the difference.

My Nauvoo Memory Stick

For those of you who saw me at the pageant, you probably saw me carrying around my large walking stick. This is a certain hobby of mine, to carve on walking sticks. I usually don't ever finish carving them, but they are fun to hike with and always have something to do while resting. I thought it would be fun to do a walking stick while in Nauvoo, so prior to going I found a good cedar pole. I never quite know what I'll do on these sticks but started on the bottom, carving the words, "Red Cast" and "Nauvoo" up the sides vertically, rimmed horizontally with "2010." In Nauvoo, I had the idea that it would be fun to have everyone sign my stick, so I carved groups of five sided flat spaces up the stick. It was a great way to meet and talk to everyone in the cast. I believe that I succeeded in getting a family member to sign the last name of all the families in the cast as well as the first names of the core cast. In between these groups of names I decided to carve in the Nauvoo temple stone symbols of the sun stone, moon and the star. Amazingly enough there was a perfect number of spaces to have three sets of those up the stick. Lastly, I carved the temples bell tower/spire on the top (without the angel). I have finally finished and wanted to share the pictures with you.

One of my endearing memories of Nauvoo was the spirit of togetherness that we felt together as a cast. This spirit of "Zion," of being of one heart and one mind was an experience that we don't often get to feel. For me, the time we shared in the temple as a cast and then symbolically building it every night on stage represents our efforts in building the kingdom of Jesus Christ on the earth. My stick reminds me of all the cast and how the temple binds us together as one in the Lord.

Isaiah 25:18

"He will swallow up ^adeath in ^bvictory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the ^crebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it."

This is one I came across for an upcoming Sunday School lesson. I chose it after I had a conversation today with someone who told me that she wouldn't ever want to be made comfortable at the end of her life. She wanted to live as long as possible. Death was too scary. I told her that it was not so scary. It was just a new beginning. The knowledge of the Savior's victory over death brings such great peace to my life. I am so grateful to Him and will continue to strive to follow in the paths that He would have me take.

Isaiah 1:19

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

I have always loved the imagery of this verse. It is nice to know that the Lord is not only always there for us but has paid the ultimate price for anything we could ever do. By following his plan for us, he will clean us and make us pure. It is that process which will bring true joy to our lives. It is that joy which we are asked to sure with those around us.

Isaiah 4:5-6

•"And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory [of Zion] shall be a defence.

• And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. "

A few years back I was reading this scripture, trying to understand what it meant. I read it a few times and then it was as if the curtain was opened over the window of my mind and I could see clearly. I realized that the Lord was telling me that my own home could and should be as sacred as a temple. It should be a place where my children feel safe, where the spirit of the Lord could reside and through which he could reveal his will for us. It can be a struggle to keep such a spirit in our home all the time, but we keep trying. If we rely on the Savior, he'll make it happen.