Meals on Wheels 2008

My meals on wheels group in 2008. We've been doing the same route since July 1999. Back row is me, Kathie Evans, Marilyn Allred, Brandi Vreins, Ruth Niemeyer. Front row is Teresa Eubank, Anne Marie Evans, Julie Sorensen (a little in back), Coree Westmoreland and Wendy Larsen.

Believe and Remember

The following comes from A Child Is Born by W. Jeffrey Marsh, pgs. 14-23:

A few years ago a Church News editorial described three levels of Christmas. The first was called the 'Santa Claus level.' It is the level of Christmas trees, food, fun, decorations, colorful packages, shopping and socials in warm open houses, excited children, and exhausted but loving parents; the level at which we eat too much, spend too much, and do too much - and enjoy every minute of it. But soon the tree dries out and the needles fall. The toys break, the dieting begins, and we notice the lonely and hungry are still with us.

A higher and more fulfilling level of Christmas could be called the 'Silent Night level.' It is the enjoyment of all beautiful Christmas carols, the magnificent Nativity, the shepherds in the hills near Bethlehem, angels with their glad tidings, the new star, and wise men traveling from afar in search of the Holy One. But even this level will not long satisfy the desperate needs of a fallen world. Those who keep Christ in the manger will never find the mature Savior, and will, in the end, still be disappointed and empty.

For Christmas to meet all the expectations of both child and adult, for Christmas to last all year long and grow in beauty and spirit it must have the power to change lives. And that only happens on the third level, the 'level of the Resurrected Lord,' the level of the adult Christ. It is here we find lasting joy, lasting hope, and lasting peace. This level teaches us of charity, forgiveness, and love for the unlovable, forgiveness for enemies. This is the adult Christ who gave us a perfect example and asked us to follow Him. "Accepting that invitation is the way--the only way--to celebrate Christmas all year and all life long.

BELIEVE Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. When Christ came into the world he also came unto the world. He was sent here to each of us. His whole 'work and glory' is to bring to pass our eternal life and immortality. In Gethsemane and on Calvary, He worked out the infinite and eternal Atonement. It was the greatest single act of love in recorded history. Then followed His death and miraculous Resurrection. "I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up on the cross." "To this end was I born, for this cause came I into the world."

"REMEMBER, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God that ye must build your foundation.....a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." Similarly, if we build the symbols of Christmas on Christ, we won't fail to experience the real spirit of Christmas.

President David O. McKay observed, "What you sincerely in your heart think of Christ....will determine what you are [and] will largely determine what your acts will be."

I am still reading this book and it is opening my mind and my eyes to a higher and better way to celebrate this wonderous time of year. I highly recommend grabbing this book. At www.deseretbook.com it is marked down to half off, about $6.95. What a bargain!!

Happy Christmas to all as we BELIEVE and REMEMBER our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Many years ago two General Authorities called a very young man to be a new stake president. In his response, the new stake president said he would give total devotion to his calling and would not ask any of the members of his stake to be more devoted than he. Then he bore his testimony that he believed the gospel with all his heart and proposed to live it."Later at lunch one of the General Authorities asked this new stake president whether he knew absolutely that this gospel is true. He answered that he did not. The senior Apostle said to his fellow Apostle, 'He knows it just as well as you do. The only thing that he does not know is that he does know it. It will be but a short time until he does know it. . . . You do not need to worry.'"A short time later, the new stake president testified that following a spiritual experience, 'I shed tears of gratitude to the Lord for the abiding, perfect, and absolute testimony that came into my life of the divinity of this work' (Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards, comp. G. Homer Durham [1941], 192-93). "Many of us do not have a full awareness of what we really know. Even though we have been taught the gospel, we may not be fully aware of what the Lord has put in our 'inward parts' and written in our hearts. . . . You are heirs to great promises. You have the opportunity to become more than 'hewers of wood and drawers of water' (Josh. 9:21)."I do not claim to have an absolute understanding of all of the principles of the gospel, but I have come to know with certainty the divinity and authority of this Church. This came to me gradually, line upon line and precept upon precept. I now know that I know, just as you can come to know that you know. It can happen to you."Knowledge comes through faith. In our day and time we must come to know the truthfulness of what was on the golden plates without seeing them. They are not available for us to see and handle as they were for the Three Witnesses and for the Eight Witnesses. Some of those who actually saw and handled the golden plates did not remain faithful to the Church. Seeing an angel would be a great experience, but it is far greater to come to a knowledge of the divinity of the Savior through faith and the witness of the Spirit."
James E. Faust, "It Can't Happen to Me," Ensign, May 2002, 48

Better Edward

This is Cillian Murphy. I think he looks more like Edward Cullen should look. What do you think??

Quotes from Pres. Monson

"Joy and happiness come from living the way the Lord wants you to live and from service to God and others"

"In moments when the light of resolution dims and when the heart grows faint, we can take comfort from His promise: 'Be not weary in welldoing.' Out of small things proceedeth that which is great. Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind."

"Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was the supreme builder of bridges for you, for me, for all humankind. He has built the bridges over which we must cross if we are to reach our heavenly home."

"The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that facade is heartache, unhappiness and pain....YOU be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow."

Movies

I saw two movies this weekend....yes, at the theater. CYBI?? First was Australia with KVO on Friday. This is a really really good movie. I highly recommend.

Then on Saturday I saw Twilight with Becky B. and Kristy P. Twilight was much better than expected. Edward didn't bug me at all. Jacob is still my favorite character. He is so darn adorable! This was Kristy's third time and she likes it more each time.