Joy cometh in the morning

Someone whom I love very much is in a very painful place right now.  It is so hard to know how to help so I did the only thing I knew to do.  I sewed up a quick quilt.

I showed her the back and told her that right now all looks dark and then I flipped it over to show that there will be light again.  I want this lap quilt to wrap her in my love and symbolically give her hope for the future.

Psalms 30:5  ". . .weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

I bought this pattern and a fat quarter bundle ten years ago while visiting my sister near Denver.  I was still teaching and it got placed on a shelf.  Blue and yellow were popular back then.  My sewing room was once my daughter's room and is still blue and yellow. I often see this pattern using fat quarters in quilt shops so I figured it must be a good and enduring one.  I really enjoyed putting it together.

When I took the quilt outside for a photo before sending it off to show my love and concern, I noticed more blue and yellow.

I bought those pots years ago in Williamsburg and they continue to make me happy.  I hope there is some hopeful light or sunshine in your life today.

Angels of Light

Last summer I purchased this art print from Howard Lyon, a former boy of the neighborhood and now husband, father, and artist.  He was at BYU Education Week in Provo sharing his work with the public.  I loved this piece and even recognized a few of the faces which were modeled on Howard's wife, family, friends, and others including a sister missionary from Pakistan who served our ward congregation in Arizona.  I loved this sister (in the middle on the right) and this painting.  It now hangs on a wall of the townhouse in Provo.

As I cleaned and dusted before leaving this week, I glanced at the painting and instead of Herald Angels I saw them instead as sister missionaries going out into the world to share their message of hope and truth.  Since the announcement at LDS General Conference in October that the minimum age for sister missionaries would be lowered to 19 years of age, there has been a flood of young women submitting their papers to serve missions across the world.  Read about the response here.

These young women are now beginning to leave home and go out into the world where they will bless the lives of so many who will listen and learn from them and their message.  They will be as angels.

Alma 29:1  "Oh, that I were an angel. . ."

Sunday musing

This morning in my church program there was this quote from a talk by President Monson entitled "Hidden Wedges."

The spirit must be freed from tethers so strong and feelings never put to rest, so that the lift of life may give buoyancy to the soul. In many families, there are hurt feelings and a reluctance to forgive. It doesn’t really matter what the issue was. It cannot and should not be left to injure. Blame keeps wounds open. Only forgiveness heals. George Herbert, an early 17th-century poet, wrote these lines: “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven, for everyone has need of forgiveness.”

I took this picture in a cherry tree orchard in Utah.  One can see that those are new cherry trees.  I find it interesting that those cherry trees stand straight as the wooden poles next to them have bent in the wind.  Perhaps the trees were once tethered to the poles to keep them upright, but now they stand on their own.  They have been freed.  When we forgive and lay down our grudges and hurt feelings we, too, are freed.

President Monson's talk in General Conference of April 2002 began like this:

In April 1966, at the Church’s annual general conference, Elder Spencer W. Kimball gave a memorable address. He quoted an account written by Samuel T. Whitman entitled “Forgotten Wedges.” Today I, too, have chosen to quote from Samuel T. Whitman, followed by examples from my own life.

Whitman wrote: “The ice storm [that winter] wasn’t generally destructive. True, a few wires came down, and there was a sudden jump in accidents along the highway. … Normally, the big walnut tree could easily have borne the weight that formed on its spreading limbs. It was the iron wedge in its heart that caused the damage.

The story of the iron wedge began years ago when the white-haired
farmer [who now inhabited the property on which it stood] was a lad on his father’s homestead. The sawmill had then only recently been moved from the valley, and the settlers were still finding tools and odd pieces of equipment scattered about. …

On this particular day, it was a faller’s wedge—wide, flat, and heavy, a foot or more long, and splayed from mighty poundings [—which the lad found] … in the south pasture. [A faller’s wedge, used to help fell a tree, is inserted in a cut made by a saw and then struck with a sledge hammer to widen the cut.] … Because he was already late for dinner, the lad laid the wedge … between the limbs of the young walnut tree his father had planted near the front gate. He would take the wedge to the shed right after dinner, or sometime when he was going that way.

He truly meant to, but he never did. [The wedge] was there between the limbs, a little tight, when he attained his manhood. It was there, now firmly gripped, when he married and took over his father’s farm. It was half grown over on the day the threshing crew ate dinner under the tree. … Grown in and healed over, the wedge was still in the tree the winter the ice storm came.

In the chill silence of that wintry night … one of the three major limbs split away from the trunk and crashed to the ground. This so unbalanced the remainder of the top that it, too, split apart and went down. When the storm was over, not a twig of the once-proud tree remained.

Early the next morning, the farmer went out to mourn his loss. … Then, his eyes caught sight of something in the splintered ruin. ‘The wedge,’ he muttered reproachfully. ‘The wedge I found in the south pasture.’ A glance told him why the tree had fallen. Growing, edge-up in the trunk, the wedge had prevented the limb fibers from knitting together as they should.” 

My dear brothers and sisters, there are hidden wedges in the lives of many whom we know—yes, perhaps in our own families.  (Use the link above to read the entire talk.)

So as I muse on this Sabbath Day, I encourage you to start 2013 with the buoyancy of soul which comes from removing wedges of feelings hurt, wrongs imagined, and grudges held.  Let you life be lightened through forgiveness of others and a reliance on the Savior's gift of grace.

Election 2012 - "oh, my"

This is where I lived with my husband and first baby in 1976.  We were in the unit on the right.  Lehi has really grown since we lived in this duplex which then sat on a simple street without sidewalks or neighbors.  It was purchased by Glen's father as an investment property.  I drove by it the other day after shopping in Lehi and took this picture.

1976 was a presidential election year and a bicentennial celebration year honoring the formation of The United States of America in 1776.  Jimmy Carter won that year beating Gerald Ford who had been vice president before becoming the president when Nixon resigned over Watergate.  Carter was a one term president.  That was my hope for Obama.

I truly was surprised at the amount of despair I felt as I realized that Mitt Romney would not be our next president last Tuesday evening.  It has been a hard four years.  I was so ready for a change.  I spent a long night tossing and turning.  I really do worry for my grandchildren who will carry the burden of big government and mandates with its inherent loss of freedoms and agency.  California has led the way and I worry that they will be our first bailout, our Greece.

With Carter we entered a phase of run away inflation.  I dreaded my grocery store runs, knowing that prices always went up while the food budget didn't.  Interest rates for home loans were in the double digits.  It was a constant squeeze.  It felt scary.  That is how I feel now.  Scared and worried.

It's interesting to compare the two maps and see the changes in red and blue states in the last 36 years.  Notice how close the popular vote was in both elections.  It seems hardly worth it to vote for president unless you live in one of the swing states with their valuable electoral votes. But I will vote.  I won't squander that right.

How the election shaped up by county in 2012

On this Veteran's Day it is hard to know that generations of men and women have sacrificed to uphold our freedoms and principles.  Now we are told that the culture is changing and we have to change, too.  I know that the world is changing and there will be change, but I also know that a strong country needs strong and committed families who value work and honesty and taking the higher road.

As a Mormon watching a Mormon run for President of the United States, I also felt very much like Daniel C. Peterson who described his feelings here.  He is of my generation and a Mormon and he states it so well.

BYU Education Week wrap up

Yes, I did go to Education Week this year.  No, I didn't attend as many classes as in the past.  Yes, once real life encroaches on your former visit/vacation place the extras and everyday are harder to manage. Glen and I were in good form on the first day, Monday.  Then Glen got pulled into business concerns and I had many things to attend to before the next week's guests arrived.  I found that if I worked hard at home in the morning, I found easy parking on campus in the afternoon, thus my late afternoon and early evening Education Week experience.

My yearly wrap up is a bit late due to the arrival of the fun guests (see above) and a quick trip back to Arizona.  This Sunday seems like a good time to share some of the insights I gained and want to remember.

* Prophets of the Restoration by Robert Freeman

The life of each of the Latter-day Prophets was reviewed as well as the historical context of their time, and their unique contributions to The Church of Latter-day Saints.  The presenter stressed this point, "Each was uniquely selected for a time and a situation." Some of the items new to me:

-Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were contemporaries of John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow who followed them in service, all having been born in the early 1800's.

-Lorenzo Snow attended Oberlin College in Ohio, while in England presented a copy of The Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria, and called the first sister missionaries to service.

-Joseph F. Smith was an orphan at age 13 and then watched 13 of his own children die, served 5 missions with the first to the Sandwich now Hawaiian islands when 15 years of age, introduced Family Home Evening, and worked hard to purchase church historic sites.

-Heber J. Grant had the 2nd longest presidency with Brigham Young serving the longest.  He served during the turbulent times of Prohibition, USSR formation, Stock Market crash and Depression, Hitler, Pearl Harbor, WWII, atomic bomb dropped on Japan and then dies shortly after the end of WWII.  He serves during the same time as US Presidents Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, and F. Roosevelt.  Before becoming president he serves as one of the first missionaries to Japan later helping with the translation of the BOM into Japanese.  While president he begins the modern Welfare Program, opened the first Deseret Industries, and established the Utah-Idaho Sugar Co.  He was the first prophet to have not known the first prophet, Joseph Smith.

-George Albert Smith was the first widower to become president.  He was also the first LDS president to appear on the cover of a national magazine cover, Time magazine.  He was a nature lover and avid scouter who saw the milestone reached of 1,000,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

-David O. McKay oversaw the internationalization of the Church.  During his presidency Queen Elizabeth becomes queen, Alaska and Hawaii become states, the Civil Rights Movement occurs, the Berlin Wall is built, the Cuban Missile Crisis occurs, John F. Kennedy is assassinated, and Neil Armstrong walks on the moon.  He serves during the presidencies of Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon and is the longest living president when he dies at age 96.

-Joseph Fielding Smith was born in 1876, still pioneer times but lived until 95 which was long enough for him to have the privilege of flying in a fighter jet.  He stated, "That's about as close as I can get to Heaven now."  During is services Nixon is president and the United States is embroiled in Viet Nam.

-Harold B. Lee had a short presidency and died at age 74 on the day after Christmas in 1973.  As a stake president in Salt Lake City during the Depression, he instigated the kernel of temporal welfare which became the Welfare Program.  He was especially dedicated to the youth of the church and I still remember his visit to Mesa when I was a college student and how President Lee came to a very crowded Tri-Stake Center specifically to meet with those my age.  It was an astounding experience!

-Spencer W. Kimball doubled the missionary force creating 51 new missions.  He also made the official declaration in June 1978 giving the Priesthood to all worthy males..

-Ezra Taft Benson was the last president born in the 1800's and was born when President Snow was president in 1899.  He served both God and country and was Secretary of the Agriculture under Eisenhower.  He also served a post WWII tour of Europe bringing much aid and comfort to all.

- Howard W. Hunter served the shortest presidency, less than a year.  He was a musician and played 7 different instruments.  He had a dance band that played on cruise lines. He was instrumental in the construction of the Orson Hyde Garden at the Jerusalem Center.

-Gordon B. Hinckley became the longest living president and was known as the "media president" with strong skills in public relations.  He was an articulate person who gave international and national interviews.

-Thomas S. Monson, current prophet and president, was our first "veteran" president having served in the Navy.  He was the youngest apostle called since the early 1900's.  He had responsibility over the Eastern Europe Area for 20 years and dedicated the first stake and temple in Frieburg, East Germany before the dismantling of the Berlin Wall.  He told the Saints to prove their trustworthiness to the East German government as he also tried to do and it allowed them religious freedoms not given to other congregations.

*The Chiasmus Story 45 Years Later presented by John Welch

August 16, 1967 is the day that John Welch calls "Chiasmus Day."  We, his students, celebrated with him the 45th anniversary of his discovery of the poetic device of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon while a Mormon missionary serving in Germany.  As a BYU student before his mission he took a class from Hugh Nibley who was always looking for poetic forms in the Book of Mormon.  He also had Robert K. Thomas as an instructor who taught the Bible as literature and encourage his students to read the BOM as literature.

In 1966, John Welch, was serving in the South German Mission in Bavaria.  In 1967 he was transferred to Ravensburg with a companion for 9 months.  While there John saw a flyer telling about lectures on Friday mornings (the missionaries day off or D-Day much has the current P-Day) on the New Testament.  They attended and John first heard about chiasmus as a Hebrew writing device.  He learned of Paul Gaechter who had published a book in 1965 which tried to show that Matthew was more Jewish than Mark because he used symmetry arranged elements and argued that Mark was more Greek.

On August 16, 1967 early in the morning, John Welch was reading his German BOM and came to Mosiah 5:6-15, which because of the German layout of the words jumped out to John as a chaismus.  John Welch stated that further study of King Benjamin's speech determined that it is in its entirety a chiasmus.  Mosiah 5:18-19 is the dead center of his speech.  There are 2467 words before and 2476 words after this scripture verse.

In jest, he also shared that August 16 was also the middle day of his mission.  He shared with us letters from his mission showing the progression of what he had learned and what he was finding in his Book of Mormon.  He also wrote to his BYU professors letting them know what he had found.  On Nov. 20, 1967, John Welch gave his first formal presentation about chiasmus.  On his way home from his mission he went to visit Paul Craecher, a Jesuit priest, in Innsbruck.  Gaechter marveled at his discoveries, told him that the BOM was a beautiful book, and said two things.  "You must continue this work" and "You have found a life's work."

When back in Provo, he went directly to the home on 700 North to see Hugh Nibley even though it was already after 9 PM.  Nibley kept him late into the night wanting to know about everything that was in the briefcase he carried. (John's suitcase had been stolen but luckily all his important papers were in the briefcase.)  Nibley agreed to be John Welch's mentor for a Masters thesis on Chiasmus.

Much as been published about chiasmus in the last 45 years.  For a more detailed telling of this story go here.

*The Pearl of Great Price presented by David A. LeFevre

I attended the Pearl of Great Price adult religion class in the Mesa East Stake last school year so attended these presentations as a summation of a year of study.  I always enjoy David LeFevre's presentations, much information in a short period of time.  The thing I want to share is that as Egyptoligists learn more, Joseph Smith's translation of Abraham looks better and better.  One hundred years ago, it was mostly negative but now every year it looks better.

*The Doctrine of Baptism for the Dead as Practiced in Nauvoo (1841-1845) presented by Susan Easton Black

Black's presentation was a comprehensive history of how baptism for the dead came to be practiced, how it proceeded from baptisms in the Mississippi River to a wooden font, and the building of the Nauvoo Temple with its stone font.  Such baptism was the main religious activity during this time period until the endowment was introduced. She also gave a detailed telling of the temple activity which took place before the people left Nauvoo and their temple behind.  I always enjoy Susan Easton Black's great historical perspective.  Side note:  Black and her husband were seated behind us at the Beach Boys Fourth of July Concert in Provo.  It really was a disconnect for me; Black, Beach Boys, sports stadium :)

So that is it for this year.  I have fewer notes in my notebook but a determination to return Ed Week to a priority next August.  Maybe I need to sign up for housing in the dorms!

Romney's true wealth

In this morning's paper I read an article stating that if Romney does indeed win the presidency, he will be among the wealthiest ever elected president. As I pondered on that, I decided to share the above picture with you. I am sure that Mitt Romney would agree that his true wealth and treasure would be his grandchildren. I was delighted to see his oldest granddaughter standing next to him as he addressed the public last Saturday at the conclusion of the South Carolina primary election.

I have learned that one of life's greatest rewards are the grandchildren that come later in life. As I visit with my age related friends, I find that they agree with me. They, too, find that one of the great joys of life comes from grandparenting. If I had the opportunity to ask, I think that Mitt and Ann Romney would also be on board.

I recently read of a released study by BYU that was not only thought provoking but also reaffirming. Grand parents can and do make a difference according to the years long study. I know that my grandchildren are my joy and my treasure. I enjoy being with them, encouraging them, loving them, and being entertained by them. I am a blessed and happy grandma!

*We received a Christmas card from Mitt with the above picture. What a great reward for sending his campaign a bit of money.

It's a Wonderful Life

About the only thing I have been able to check off my traditional Christmas list of things I like to do by this day just two weeks before Christmas, is to watch It's a Wonderful Life. I viewed it on the big screen for the very first time while in Utah. (Dane and Brittany projected it on the wall for me.) I love how watching this movie always changes my perspective for a time. I ponder on those around me whom I love and try to imagine my life without them. That always hurts. Then I wonder, "Have I made a true difference in the lives of anyone with whom I have interacted?" This usually leads to, "Have I lived thus far the life that I want to live?"

While in Utah I viewed the newest exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art, "The Weir Family 1820 - 1920." It was wonderful and brought me back to David McCullough's latest book and how travel abroad influenced the shaping of American culture in the 1800's. I always read all the little plaques on the wall next to the art work. This quote by Charles Erskine Scott Wood, a Weir family friend, about Julian Alden Weir, touched me so deeply that I had to write it down on the exhibit brochure so that I might remember it. Perhaps it best summarizes what it means to live a wonderful life.

"I. . . insist that you (Julian) are the most fortunate man I know. Enough to keep the wolf from the door, a clear conscience to keep ghosts from the window, loving and lovely children, a sympathetic wife, an occupation which is always coaxing you, not driving you."

A Better Life

Glen and I watched "A Better Life" on demand from our cable company Friday night. Granted, we don't watch or go to many movies, but this one really touched me. I've thought about it many times over the weekend.

I feel that actor Demian Bichir deserves an Academy Award nomination for his role of Carlos, illegal immigrant and father who is fighting for a better life for his son, Luis. He reminded me of the gardeners who have helped Glen over the years on some of his big projects. Because of Glen's Spanish speaking ability, we often learn of their stories, many of which parallel that portrayed in "A Better Life."

This movie reminded me that immigration is less black and white and more shades of gray. This is the latest statement by my church regarding illegal immigration. Part of that statement reads:

The bedrock moral issue for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is how we treat each other as children of God.

The history of mass expulsion or mistreatment of individuals or families is cause for concern especially where race, culture, or religion are involved. This should give pause to any policy that contemplates targeting any one group, particularly if that group comes mostly from one heritage.

I feel that any stance on immigration which forgets that we are all children of God coupled with attendant feelings of power and alienation is dangerous and even frightening. Compassion coupled with a study of the issues which fuel immigration might lead to solutions which do not divide families nor cause despair and hopelessness. We are all God's children.

The Iron Rod

In the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 8, Lehi relates in detail a dream that he has had to his family. The dream is full of symbolism. In the painting above the artist, Minerva Teichert, depicts part of the dream. "The great and spacious building" in the background represents the pride of the world and its worldly enticements. "The rod of iron" in the foreground represents the "word of God" and how holding on to the rod brings one peace and safety.

Minerva Teichert painted two slightly different versions of Lehi's Dream. In this version, Lehi's wife, Sariah, is once again pictured kneeling but her focus has changed to the muddied waters in front of the spacious building. The first time I viewed this version, I felt great emotion. As a mother I related deeply to Sariah who is on her knees, one hand on the rod while the other reaches out toward "the great and spacious building" which has claimed some of her own. I feel her mother's heart pleading for their safe return to the rod which will lead to great blessings.

Both versions are pictured side by side in this book, "The Book of Mormon Paintings of Minerva Teichert" by John W. Welch and Doris R. Dant. During one of my readings of the Book of Mormon I also turned to this book and its beautiful illustrations. It helped to personalize the many stories of The Book of Mormon.

Remembering 9/11

My sister, Lynette, bought the fabric in Denver so that we could each make and quilt a wall hanging as a remembrance of September 11, 2001. Lynette celebrates her birthday on September 10th. She expressed to me her gratitude that her birthday occurred the day before and not on 9/11.

Yesterday as I was cleaning wood floors I was lamenting to myself that they didn't look so new anymore. I clicked through the calendar of my mind to check how old that floor really was and as I went through the memorable events that keep that mind calendar in order, I stopped at 9/11. Yes, the wood floor was installed the summer before 9/11. That floor deserved to show some use. It was 10 years old!

Just like I can reflect on where and who I was during the Cuban Missile Crisis or when JFK was assassinated or his brother Bobby shot down in LA, I will always remember 9/11. In fact, it is probably the most memorable of my national memories, perhaps because I was an adult or more probably because it was horrific for so many and made us all feel so vulnerable.

The TV was on in my bedroom tuned to the Today Show as I prepared to leave that Tuesday for a brand new Augusta Ranch Elementary where I was the new librarian. I listened in horror as I dressed, combed my hair, and prepared to leave the house as the events in New York played out live. I remember driving the 12 miles or so east on the US 60 feeling so numb. Our numbers that day were lower as many parents elected to keep their children at home. I remember the drive home that afternoon without one jet in the sky heading for Sky Harbor. Here I was almost 2000 miles away and yet it was so hard to process mentally what had happened, what was happening.

Fridays at school were Spirit Days. Usually that meant wearing your Augusta Ranch t-shirt to school on Friday. After 9/11, it was announced that a special spirit day would be held that week and that we should wear red, white, and blue to show our support and respect for those affected by the current events. Unfortunately, that day was also a previously scheduled fire alarm practice (unknown to the students.) As I left the Library and headed outside to the playground, my first thought was, "These lines of students will look like targets for a terrorist." And then I saw something that made my heart turn and my eyes water.

Augusta Ranch Elementary was home to a very diverse population. The English language learning program was servicing students speaking 13 different languages. As I watched the students stream out from the building my eyes were drawn to two brothers of Middle Eastern descent. They were searching each other out and they were dressed head to toe in brand new red, white, and blue clothing. I could tell that their parents had made a special effort to show that they supported the United States of America. Tears flowed as I realized that these parents were trying to protect their sons from hate and prejudice. They had purchased new "armor" so that their sons might be protected in this new reality.

That will always be my most personal memory of that week 10 years ago. As a parent I could understand parental love and the need to protect one's own. My mother's heart wept for everyone.

Pioneer Day Posting

Grandpa Jordan Jensen with Janae on her baptism day, 1990

Twenty years ago our family spoke in church during Sacrament Meeting. Our assigned topic was Pioneers. I'm not sure that the actual Sunday was on July 24th, but it was a Sunday prior to the 24th in July of 1991. Utah has a state holiday each July 24th to honor those pioneers who first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.

We had moved into our current home at the end of May and it is a bit of a custom to have new move-ins of an LDS ward speak so that other ward members might get to know them better. This particular time, the assignment came to the whole family so not only did Glen and I speak but so did Eric, Ryan, David, and Janae. Four year old Nathan was given a bye.

Today while in church and listening to a new to the ward young couple talk about what it means to be a "pioneer," I couldn't help remembering that Sunday all those years ago. I had helped to write up four talks plus my own. Each of those children told a story about one of their pioneer ancestors. Today when I got home I searched my file for those four talks. I could only find this one given by nine year old Janae.

My great, great, great, great grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Jones was a very small person and she ran errands for the prophet Joseph Smith. Her mother was a good friend of his wife Emma, and they would dress Mary Elizabeth up as a little girl and give her a rag doll to carry in her arms even though she was a young lady.

When the prophet was in hiding or being watched by those that did not like him, she could pass by the guards without being noticed. This enabled her to deliver messages for the prophet. Sometimes she would pretend that she was driving the milk cows to the pasture to graze. When all was clear, she would go looking for the person the message was for. Other times she went skipping off with her rag doll through the streets of Nauvoo until she saw the person whom a message was for. She would then say, "Brother, I am ambushed." This was her password. The person would then know she had a message from the prophet. She was 16 years old when Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were murdered in Carthage Jail in 1844. She often told of how stunned the people were and how they could think of little else. When she came across the plains in 1850, she had a baby girl 3 days before reaching the Salt Lake Valley. She had married Job Pitcher Hall.

Mary Elizabeth's parents were neat, too. Her father, William Jones, was a stone mason and helped build the Nauvoo Temple. Her mother, Elizabeth Hughes Jones, was a charter member of the very first Relief Society.
-Janae Jensen, Mesa 76th Ward

I was unable to locate the boys' talks but I know I talked about how we can all be "pioneers" as we become one who goes ahead or becomes the first to do something. Today this makes me think of my daughter-in-laws Emelia and Nichelle who were brave enough to be the first in their families to do something different and I'm so glad that they did.

On this day I'm so grateful for many of my ancestors who were true pioneers.

-Nathanial Foote, who crossed the Atlantic ocean to Massachusetts colony in 1633 and then became one of the original "Ten Adventurers" who traveled up the Connecticut River and founded Wethersfield and eventually Hartford.

-Warren Foote, who lead a wagon train of 100 from Nebraska to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1850.

-Issac Ricks, who came from England and settled in Virginia in 1660.

-Jonathan Ricks, who followed Daniel Boone through the Cumberland Gap and settled on Donaldson Creek in 1802.

-Job Pitcher Hall, husband of Mary Elizabeth, who joined the Mormon church in Maine then journeyed to Nauvoo in the early 1840's. He and his brother, Charles, accepted the call by Brigham Young in 1850 to open the Iron Mission in what is now southern Utah. He and Charles built the first log cabin in what is now Iron County.

-John Lloyd Roberts, whose family joined the Mormon Church in Wales. He journeyed across the Atlantic to New Orleans as an infant, surviving the cholera which killed his father and brother as they traveled by steamboat up the Mississippi. His mother, Gwen, struggled on with the remaining three children.

-Anders Olsson Nyborg, who also immigrated to Utah from Sweden and helped settle Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete County.

-Jordan Clay Jensen, pictured with Janae, who became the first in his family to gain a higher education, becoming an engineer and helping pioneer telecommunications with patents for equipment used on satellites used in space.

I also honor all the women who pioneered with these man and sometimes without them. Often times they were the true heroes.

There are many different ways to be a "pioneer."

Sitting on a fault line

I've been sitting on a fault line while watching the news from Japan this week. It didn't make me feel so secure. I found a brochure online which explains about the Wasatch faults. It included a picture of the Seven Peaks Water Park in Provo and what used to be the golf course to show the location of a fault line. Our town home sits on part of that golf course which has been developed into homes. Local news reporters stressed over and over the importance of being prepared for the "Utah" big one. I'll admit that I have never pondered until this week this little quirk about our "home away from home."

Looking northeast from the water park

Looking southeast from fault line

As I watched "60 Minutes" tonight, my heart broke as I viewed the damage and heard the story of the school teacher struggling to pull students from the sea water in the school gymnasium onto a balcony. He had finally found his footing on the basketball standard. How powerless we truly are in the face of a natural disaster let alone the disaster waiting to happen as man-made nuclear reactors also lose power.

Images of Christ at the MOA

While at BYU Education Week, one of my favorite afternoons was spent in the Museum of Art. Currently on exhibit in the museum's basement is "The Life of Christ" by James Tissot. In the late 1800's Tissot journeyed to the Holy Land where he sketched and then painted in water color over 365 paintings from the life of Christ. These were printed in a bible called the "Tissot Bible." BYU was donated a copy of this bible by Joseph Fielding Smith. It belonged to his father, Joseph F. Smith. 124 of the original paintings, now owned by the Brooklyn Museum, are on display. They are small in size but amazing in detail. This one took my breath away. It is Christ's view from the cross. These paintings are on display until January 2011.

Learn more here and here and here.

Interestingly, I found on another blog the Tissot paintings which were included each month in the 1908 issues of the Children’s Friend:

Saint Joseph Seeks a Lodging at Bethlehem.

St. Luke ii. 4. “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea,
unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.”

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

St. Luke ii. 28. “Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God.”

Jesus Sitting in the Midst of the Doctors.

St. Luke ii. 46. “They found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors.”

Jesus Found in the Temple.

St. Luke ii. 49. “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me?
wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

First Miraculous Draught of Fishes.

St. Luke v. 6. “And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their net brake.”

Christ Sendeth Out Seventy Two-by-Two

St. Luke x. 1. “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two.”

The Blind Man Washes in the Pool of Siloam.

St. John ix. 7. “He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.”

The Rich Young Man Went Away Sorrowful.

St. Matthew xix, 22. “But when the young man heard that saying,
he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions.

Christ Driving Out Those that Sold in the Temple.

St. Matthew xxi, 12. “And Jesus went into the temple of God,
and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple.”

The Palsied Man Let Down through the Roof.

St. Mark ii. 4. “They uncovered the roof where he was; and when they had broken it up they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.”

Jesus Healing the Blind and Lame.

St. Matthew xv, 30. “And great multitudes came unto him,
having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed.”

Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes.

St. John vi, II. “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks,
He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were sat down.”

I purchased "James Tissot The Life of Christ" published by the Brooklyn Museum in conjunction with its 2009 exhibit. It includes the complete set of the 350 watercolors owned by The Brooklyn Museum. Because of the small size of the originals, the images in the book are close to full size. I hope to share them with my grandchildren.

The Carl Heinrich Bloch exhibit is to open mid-November at MOA. Altar piece art works are being borrowed from churches in Denmark. These pictures of Christ's life and work are familiar to church members but this will provide an opportunity to see the very large originals in person. They were first brought out of obscurity by the Church when prints of Bloch's work were used in the "Improvement Era" in the 1950's. Timed tickets for this exhibit will be available online beginning the end of September. The exhibit runs until May 2011. See more here.


"A Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda" by Bloch (1884) is one of the MOA's signature pieces. It takes an entire wall. It arrived on September 10, 2001 from a port in New York City. This was a bit of a miracle of timing. Any later and it would have been delayed with the events of 9/11. The Bloch exhibit is a special opportunity which has been several years in the making. It has taken much time and effort to secure the agreements which will allow these paintings to make their way to Utah from Denmark.

I also bought "Jesus The Son of Man: The Life of Jesus in the Words of the Gospels and the Paintings of Carl Bloch" for the perusal of my grandchildren.

For two months it will be possible to experience both exhibits at the same time; the small water colors of Tissot and the very large oils of Bloch come together as "Images of Christ."

Quotes and informational nuggets from Education Week

BYU Education Week is always my favorite place to be in August. Here is a quick list of things that I learned or loved this year. Ask me if your interested in hearing more. I've got lots of notes!

Teaching Adults by Kevin R. Miller:
- Adult learners need to be actively engaged in the first 2-3 minutes.
- Adult learners have life experiences to share.
- "We hope that in your educational pursuits you will learn wisdom . . .Wisdom is not just learning, but intelligent application of learning." President Ezra Taft Benson
(Our Sunday school lesson today from Proverbs discussed the meaning of wisdom as well.)

From series about Abraham Lincoln by Ron L. Andersen:
- "Some legal rights are moral wrongs." Abraham Lincoln
- November 1861, Lincoln checks out several books from the Library of Congress, one being the Book of Mormon. Returned it 8 months later.
- Of eleven proclamations given as president, nine called for a day of fasting and prayer.

From Devotional with Elder Snow:
- "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world." Nelson Mendela
- Seekers of truth never stop learning.

From education director of the MOA, Rita Wright:
- Regarding symbolism; it is important to teach children the value of symbols, both literary and visual. The teaching we receive in the temple is symbolic.
- Part of the brain atrophies if not feed by higher things such as art, music, and literature.
- 1 Nephi 11:21 "And the angel said unto me: Behold the ^aLamb of God, yea, even the ^bSon of the Eternal ^cFather!" Beholding involves considering, contemplating, and understanding.
- "Ponder them in your heart. . ." Luke 2:19
- "rest upon our minds" D&C 43:34
- "The pure soul of the child must be considered sacred."

Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible by David LeFevre:
- Joseph Smith called it the "New Translation." NT didn't work when they were footnoting the new cross referenced quad in the 1970's (New Testament - NT) so Robert Matthews suggested JST.
- To learn about Robert Matthews and the relationship he formed with the RLDS or Community of Christ, see BYU Studies, Vol. 49, Number 2, 2010 (I have a copy.) It was through this relationship that the church was able to get permission to include the JST verses in our current scriptures.
-Worked on the translation from June 1830 - February 1833
- In 1830, "Mormon Doctrine" could have been a pamphlet. By the end of the translation, all the doctrine was in place. The JST is directly tied into the D&C as Joseph studied, pondered and asked.
- Joseph Smith had a daily revelatory experience during the translation while reading the Bible. As we read our scriptures, so can we!

-LaFevre also explained that when Martin Harris lost the 116 pages of the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Oliver started again at what was Mosiah 3. It is now Mosiah 1 and you will notice that there are no introductory notes for the book of Mosiah. They continued until Moroni and then went back and translated the small plates (1 & 2 Nephi, etc. to Mosiah.)
- Now that there is once again access to the original manuscripts of Joseph Smith through the Community of Christ (Emma kept these in her possession when the Saints left Nauvoo) it is known that the chapter markings were part of the translation from the plates.

A Book of Commandments and Revelations, BCR, by Grant Underwood:
- Background information can be found in BYU Studies, Volume 48, Number 3, 2009 (I have a copy.) The BCR has been published as part of the Joseph Smith Papers with very high resolution pictures of each page. BCR is in very fragile condition, now can be studied without handling the original.
- Commandments = Revelations. Today we might title the D&C, "Book of Revelations."
- When Joseph Smith started his journal in 1832, there were already over 70 sections or revelations.
- Lends great insight into the early history of the church.

There are always so many classes from which to pick. I also attended classes by Brent L. Top and David Ridges and spent time in the Museum of Art enjoying the exhibit "James Tissot: The Life of Christ." More about Rita Wright's class and the MOA exhibits of paintings of Christ in another post.

Every day as I came up out of the basement of the Joseph Fielding Smith Building looking east, the view of the mountains just took my breath away! What a blessing it is to spend time on this beautiful campus every year.

Demigods

TJ has been feeling a bit left out of the "spend the night" action this summer. When he asked to come over he asked, "Can just Heather and I spend the night?"

If I were TJ, I'd want Heather around, too. That girl has some imagination. Glen pulled up "Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief" on cable to watch with them on Friday evening. The next morning they woke up to swim with me but . . .

the backyard soon became Mt. Olympus and they were playing "demigods" instead of Heather and Ruby's usual "flower fairies."

Poseidon tight rope walked through water, Hades took over the fireplace, and they ran their own "Demigod Summer Camp." They even got out the encyclopedia and looked up Greek mythology to check out more god names and what they ruled.

It wasn't until today at church that I realized that I should have told them that that being part Greek god might be fun for a morning, but being a child of God with godlike attributes is best!

Great gifts

This book and bookmark were gifts from Nate, Nichelle and Janae. Nate and Nichelle gave me the book for my birthday, Janae the bookmark for Christmas. See how well they compliment each other. It has given me joy just to look at the two together on my chair side reading table. But, the greater joy came as I bookmarked my way through this book one early morning section at a time followed by a thirty minute pondering swim. I received so many insights into the life and mission of Jesus Christ in a simple and clear way.

I especially pondered my way through Chapter 15, "The Cleansing and Healing Power of the Atonement." In a more informal way, David J. Ridges relates his real life experience as a bishop and stake president in helping others apply correctly the cleansing and healing power of the Atonement. He discusses additional thoughts on the Atonement of which I will share a few:

***"Is it true that once you been forgiven, you will no longer remember the sin?"

Brother Ridges relates the story of Alma the Younger in Alma 36 to explain that a memory of the sin will still be with us, but the pain and torment upon such memory will be gone. It is the Lord who will remember our sins "no more."

***Often times those who had had their blessings restored would come to him distressed because "I thought I was doing so well, but now I see so many things in my life that need fixing. I didn't even notice them before, but now they are everywhere! It has become very discouraging." Brother Ridges answer was "Great!" Then he would go on to explain that the Holy Ghost was now gently pointing out things they had failed to notice before.

1 Nephi 8:20 "And I also beheld a ^astrait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a ^bworld."

He points out the strait and narrow are basically the same thing. Years ago a colleague had explained that the phrase "strait and narrow path" means, in effect, a "narrow and narrowing path." He continued to explain "that the path leading back to God is narrow, requiring specific righteous choices and obedience in order to remain firmly on it. As we progress and draw closer to God, we tend to make the path along which we are walking toward Him narrower and narrower. In other words, we watch our words and thought and deeds more carefully, trying to be more Christlike. We don't allow ourselves to do things that are 'on the edge' or questionable, nearly as much as we used to. As we tighten our obedience to God's commandments and to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we receive more light and knowledge from above, which serve to illuminate our path more brightly. Thus, things in our lives show up that we hadn't even noticed before. Rather than being discouraged by this, we can look upon it as a sign that we are making significant progress toward returning home to our Father in Heaven."

***Brother Ridges states, "It was my observation as a bishop and stake president that sometimes, members who had been involved in grievous sin did not feel worthy to feel so good, after they had gone through the requirements of repentance and had been cleansed by the Atonement. Perhaps it is one of Satan's effective tools to press the false notion upon such individuals that it is not fair to those who have not committed serious sin that they should join them in feeling worthy and whole." He goes on to say that it is a vital part of the repentance process to accept the miracle of forgiveness from the Savior when He offers it. The devil would want us to feel otherwise. We can look to Enos to explain how this is done in Enos 4-8.

4 And my soul ^ahungered; and I ^bkneeled down before my Maker, and I ^ccried unto him in mighty ^dprayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

5 And there came a ^avoice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are ^bforgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

6 And I, Enos, knew that God ^acould not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?

8 And he said unto me: ^aBecause of thy ^bfaith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee ^cwhole.

***Sometimes we become discouraged by overemphasizing one word in this verse:

2 Nephi 25:23 For we labor diligently to write, to ^apersuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by ^bgrace that we are saved, after all we can ^cdo.

Brother Ridges states, "If we place undo emphasis on all, it can lead us to believe that we must be a 'walking nervous breakdown' in order to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. However, if we emphasize we, it provides a healthy balance between what we can sincerely do with honest hearts, and the grace or help of the Savior that ultimately cleanses us from sin and enables us to return to the presence of the Father. Occasionally we meet members of the Church who get so caught up in trying to be perfect that they are forever serious, sad, and often depressed. They worry so much about their faults and imperfections that they fail to enjoy the journey. The Atonement, properly understood and accessed, enables us to find much happiness and enjoyment along the road through life, in spite of trials and tribulations along the way. The Prophet Joseph Smith reminded us that we are not expected to attain perfection during this life. In fact, he taught that it would be a great while after we die before we finish qualifying for exaltation."

***"What must we do to enable the Savior to make us clean?"

We must follow the "principle of improvement." When we "do not improve" is when we find ourselves in trouble. Sincere continual improvement enables the Savior to make us clean through the Atonement. Elder Marvin J. Ashton stated in General Conference of April 1989:

"The speed with which we head along the strait and narrow path isn't as important as the direction in which we are traveling."

Brother Ridges states:

"If we get mixed up in our thinking between "spotless" and "perfect" and decide that we have to be perfect, it can lead to much discouragement and can lead some members to the point where they quit trying to live the gospel. With the help of the Savior and the Atonement, we can all get to the point where we can be made clean, or spotless, and thus qualify to enter back into the presence of God. Christ was the only one who was perfect during mortality, and perfection will come along in due time for us after we have passed through the veil."

I testify to you that the Atonement is real and can cleanse and heal us; both those who have fallen short and those who have experienced great pain and distress through the actions of others. It is a gift of love, the greatest gift.

Young and Smart Characters

TJ, my oldest grandchild, is still young and is definitely smart. He also provides good company. Both Grandpa and I enjoyed his company this weekend. He is holding copies of my two latest reads, both delightful because the main characters are young, a bit quirky, and very smart.

THE SELECTED WORKS OF T. S. SPIVET by Reif Larsen is the tale of a 12-year old boy living on a ranch in Montana. The ranch life is not his true passion, cartography and scientific observation are. His illustrative skills are outstanding and his work soon earns him the Beard Award at the Smithsonian. This is the tale of his journey east to accept the award without telling his family. The Smithsonian is unaware of his true age. It is also the story of an extended scientific family. This is a book to be savored. It is a bit oversized at 8 x 9 1/2 inches. This allows for wide margins which are full of T. S.'s maps, drawings, diagrams, and notes. One can't help but learn new things. I will never forget Tecumsah Sparrow Spivet. Surely there is a sequel already in progress.

(Thank you to Eric's family. This is how I spent my Mother's Day Border's gift card:)

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE by Alan Bradley is a winner of the Crime Writers' Association Debut Daggar Award. I do not regularly read mysteries, but the title and a great review of this book piqued my interest. Eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce lives in England on a country estate called Buckshaw which has been in her family for generations. She is an aspiring chemist with her own on-site laboratory (created for a promising chemist in the family during the time of Queen Victoria who was sent home from Oxford after a mental breakdown) and her speciality is creating poisons. She is also at constant war with her two older sisters. Her mother died in a mountaineering accident and her father hides away in his study with his stamp collection. A dead bird with a penny stamp impaled on the beak left on the doorstep followed by the discovery of a dieing man in the cucumber patch sets the stage for Flavia to use all of her smarts and skills in solving the mystery. Flavia is a most engaging heroine. I see sequels in her future as well.

I found it interesting that I picked two books to read in a row which were based on such young, imaginative characters. Two weeks prior, I picked three books all set in the early 1900's with political overtones with regards to immigration and anarchy. They would not provide the basis for such an engaging post, eh?

This morning I turned on the BYU channel as I was getting ready for church. A former talk of Elder Richard G. Scott was playing. He was basing his address on:

1. Alma 7: 23
   23 And now I would that ye should be ^ahumble, and be ^bsubmissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

Elder Scott stressed that his trying to be "easy to be entreated" had made a huge difference in his life as regard to his personal relationships and the pattern of his life. I ran to a dictionary to look at the meaning of "entreated."

entreat - bid: ask for or request earnestly

So, I assumed that "easy to be entreated" would mean that as one would ask for or request earnestly of another that if they were easy to be entreated, they would respond positively and with love and kindness.

So are we "easy to be entreated" when our visiting teacher calls to make an appointment, we are asked to substitute in the nursery, or when a friend or family member asks for our help and support? That has been my Sunday Musing today.

I can say that my sweet TJ, at the tender age of 10 1/2, exemplifies the scripture above. Those are his very qualities and I love him so much. He was easy to be entreated when I asked him if he would like to help me clean out the game closet.

He and grandpa filled the back of the Tahoe with games and puzzles which they delivered to DI. We kept the special ones. (I hope this includes any of your sentimental favorites. Simpsons' Trivia, Nathan?) TJ gladly returned home with a rock collection, fossils, and a compass plus other odds and ends. We managed to free up a shelf for "grandpa collections" and you all know what that means!

Thank you TJ for helping to move it all out including vacuuming the dust and debris.