Merry Christmas!

 Look to the Light

Here's a Christmas gift to you - whoever you may be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aup9M5HZawI&feature=player_embedded

Congratulations Cameron...

Cameron completed his Eagle Project just after Thanksgiving.  He collected winter clothing (coats, gloves, hats, scarves, boots etc.) for the Salt Lake City Mission, a Christian, non-denominational organization that helps homeless individuals and families as well as those who have lost jobs or families who have a parent in prison.  The SLC Mission provides a breakfast every morning.  They assist the unemployed in looking for work.  They have a winter clothing room to help those who are in need of warm coats etc.    

Cameron collected over 42 garbage bags of good coats, gloves scarves, hats etc.  He had them all washed and sorted into sizes.  He found dry cleaners to donate cleaning for coats that couldn't be washed.

He also went to a retirement center here in Orem and arranged for the women there to make blankets, fleece shirts, gloves and hats.  Altogether his project has probably logged in over 500 hours.

 

Cameron, Bethany, Christian and I delivered the clothing the Mission offices in Salt Lake the Monday after Thanksgiving.  It was a great experience.  There were about seven men who had come in off the streets having coffee in the office that morning and they all came out to the van and helped unload the clothing.  They were very polite and expressed appreciation to Cameron for his work.  While we were there the first customer came in for a coat. 

 The Mission clothing director (far right) was very appreciative.  He said they had emptied their clothing room the week before Thanksgiving as we had had a cold spell with temperatures in the single digits.  He was not expecting to have any clothing available for several more weeks.  He invited us all to come back on Christmas Day to help with the dinner they put on.  I think we will go and help out.

Mo Tab Christmas Concert....

David Archeleta and Michael York

Friday night some of us attended the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert - (Yes, the coveted event where getting tickets seems next to impossible - I believe I saw somewhere that there were over a million and a half requests for tickets this year.  We did not luck out with the computer-based allocation system  but Allysha did and as Ella had a dance performance in the Nutcracker we were the blessed recipients of her tickets much to Caitlin's delight!!)  Guest stars were David Archeleta and Michael York who narrated several Christmas stories.  Both were fabulous!   The entire evening was stunning, enchanting, beautiful and angelic.  Very lovely.  It was a highlight of the season.

P.S.  Caitlin tried very hard to get an DA autograph afterward at Deseret Book but the line was impossibly LONG - out the door and down the block, around the corner etc. - so instead she settled for slipping inside the store, buying his book and getting a few pics on her cell phone.  "He did look at me," she told us on the way home.

Maybe we should do more of this....

28 If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.
29 If thou art sorrowful, call on the Lord thy God with supplication, that your souls may be joyful.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 136:28 - 29)

Thoughts on government....

David O. McKay

  “That government is best which has as its aim the administration of justice, social well-being and the promotion of prosperity among its members” (Elder David O. McKay in Conference Report, Apr. 1930, p. 80).

 

Anthony W. Ivins, Heber J. Grant, Charles W. Nibley

In January 1928 the First Presidency (Heber J. Grant, Anthony W. Ivins, and Charles W. Nibley) issued a statement that read in part:

“Laws which are enacted for the protection of society have no value except when they are administered in righteousness and justice, and they cannot be so administered in righteousness and justice, if dishonest men occupy administrative offices.
“The Lord says ‘When the wicked rule, the people mourn.’ Wise men, good men, patriotic men are to be found in all communities, in all political parties, among all creeds. None but such men should be chosen. . . .
“Without beneficent laws, righteously administered, the foundations of civilization crumble, anarchy reigns, decay and dissolution follow.
“We call upon all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world to honor the laws of God, and obey and uphold the law of the land; and we appeal to good men and women everywhere, regardless of creed, party affiliation, race or condition to join with us in an effort to put into operation the words of Lincoln, the great emancipator, that our country may continue to be a light to the world, a loyal, law-abiding, God-fearing nation.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1928, p. 16.)

Scriptural backing for WikiLeaks

 

3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.  (New Testament | Luke 12:3)

(Lest anyone take me too seriously, this in tongue-in-cheek.) 

Best Wishes Elizabeth....

I must post well-wishes to Elizabeth Smart who just finished the month long trial of her captor Brian David Mitchell.  He was found guilty, not that anyone doubted his involvement in her kidnapping, but he was held accountable for his actions as opposed to being found non-guilty by reason of insanity.  I believe in accountability and that such is good for individuals and society as a whole.  If there needs to be treatment for mental illness I hope Brian David Mitchell will receive what is needed in prison.  In the meantime, I'm happy that Smart can move on with her life, return to her LDS mission in Paris and put this horrific experience behind her.  She is amazing and courageous.  She hopes to take her experience and turn it into good for others. God speed Elizabeth.

The Joy of the Saints

Peace, Mercy & Joy
By Alva

I have been thinking this past week about a phrase found in the book of Enos from the Book of Mormon.


3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.
4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer 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 voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
(Book of Mormon | Enos 1:3 - 5)

As I re-read Enos a few days ago that phrase caught my attention and I found myself thinking about it over the next few days.  There is quiet and at times robust joy in attempting to live as a follower of Christ.   It is an inner peace that permeates all of life, even times of sorrow and difficulty.  It is beyond and outside of $$, entertainment and success.  It is found in living and in loving God and all men.  It is a pleasure in the beauty of daily life.  It is joy in the "hope" in Christ.  It is real.  It gives strength. 

Magnificent Messiah

George Frideric Handel

Tonight Randy and I attended a local church choir event.  The culmination of the evening was a few pieces from Handel's Messiah.  We, of course, had the opportunity to  try our hand (or our vocal chords) at singing some of the chorus parts in between a few solos.  One of my favorite and cherished Christmas traditions is to take whoever will come with me (this year it was Bethany, Kip and I) and attend the Messiah Sing-In at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake Thanksgiving weekend.  The symphony hall is filled with several thousand other Messiah lovers like myself.  There are enough decent voices (I'm not one of them) in the audience to make the sing-in participation quite thrilling.  The Utah Symphony is there and a Salt Lake City choral group along with four always-fabulous soloists.   It's not just the holiday experience that I love.  Handel's Messiah stirs my soul to the core.  It lifts me to heavenly realms.  I love the music and the scriptural text from book of Isaiah.  The entire composition rejoices in the Savior of the world.  I've attended the Messiah Sing-In for years now.  I can imagine Handel himself conducting a magnificent celestial version of Messiah in the spirit world.  I certainly intend on being front and center at that performance when my time comes to relocate.