He Is Risen!

I remember singing this song as a child.  

It's nice to see pictures to the words and think of the meaning of this hymn.    

You can also see the video by clicking here

"Reflection concerning the division and turmoil that has arisen"

This morning I listened to a BYU Hawaii Devotional talk titled "In the Days of Service" given by Elder Robert C. Gay.  As I started listening, these words immediately caught my attention:

As I begin today, I would like to share a brief, personal reflection concerning the division and turmoil that has arisen out of the recent pandemic and election in the United States. I, like probably many of you, have spent real time reflecting over all that has transpired. In this process I have felt both sadness and distress, but also resolve and peace. During this period, I have often turned to the scriptures for increased light and understanding. There I have been touched by one particular account. It is the occasion where the Savior with His disciples one evening began to sail across the Sea of Galilee. You may recall as they journeyed across the water a fierce storm arose. Waves crashed over their boat causing their ship to fill with water. Despite this chaos Jesus slept. He was calm. Soon, though, His disciples awakened Him and frantically asked, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38). We next read this soul defining response and query from our Savior, “And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:39-40).

What are we to learn from this? In part, for me I have been impressed that I must understand and know as never before that no matter what is going on in our lives, the overarching reality is that God is not absent but in the details, and can rebuke any storm. Please know and keep this truth dear, that our Savior knows, understands, sees and is in control of all things. He has all power to intervene and lift us from anything going on in our lives.

As I pondered Elder Gays beginning statement on the division and turmoil that we are seeing today, I feel he gave the solution in these words of his talk:  

Our Savior once taught, “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11).

Many years ago...my father taught me this very principle. At a gathering as someone asked him how they could make a difference in life, I heard him share a statement that he kept framed on his office wall. The words come from a French professor (that lived during the early 1800's) by the name of Chateaubriand. He was a brilliant historian and writer. One day a group of students came to him with a challenge. They asked him to summarize the history of the world in a single sentence. After pondering the question for a few moments, Chateaubriand said this:

“In the days of service all things are founded, in the days of special privilege they deteriorate, and in the days of vanity they are destroyed.”

He is greatest, as the Savior said, who serves. This too is what my father wanted me to understand as much as anything else. But what does this really mean? It means that all we do must be about service. For relationships to thrive, for societies to flourish, and for mankind to fulfill his potential, we must choose to serve. This includes every corner of our lives, including that which is done in person and online. In contrast...if we choose the course of the natural man, which is so easy to do, all things are destroyed (see Mosiah 3:19). Your challenge today at BYU is not only in earning a degree but in coming to know how to utilize the skills and knowledge given to you here in service to God and mankind.

Thank you, Elder Gay, for your words of wisdom.  You can listen to or read the whole talk by clicking here.  

Podcast: The Story of How the Coronavirus Vaccine Came To Be

My daughter shared with me this podcast from This American Life.  In the program, David Kenstenbaum spoke with four scientists who worked on the coronavirus vaccine.  

What I loved about listening to this podcast was that David interviewed and talked to the scientists, themselves. He didn't interview politicians, or news stations, or journalists, or talk radio personalities.  He talked to THE scientists who developed the vaccine.  

I learned a lot as I listened to the podcast, and you can too. I came to the conclusion that these scientists were working under divine guidance. When I was done listening, it gave me confidence and direction on how I will move forward when the vaccine becomes available to me. 

Another daughter said this about the podcast as she shared it on her Facebook page:  

"Here is a podcast talking to the people who were behind creating the Covid-19 vaccine. Pretty interesting. I learned that the vaccine has been in the making for years! Wow! I feel God's hand was truly involved here...several years before this chaos even began. Can you imagine if scientists only started to develop this when the pandemic broke out?  We wouldn't see a vaccine for a long time."  

Copy and paste the below link into your browser to listen to the podcast:

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/727/boulder-v-hill/act-two-10

After you click onto the link  you will see this.  Click onto the play button to hear the podcast.     

It's that Time of Year to Wish You a Merry CHRISTmas!

We've been enjoying the nativities that we've been able to collect over the years and the memories that go with them.  We have other Christmas decorations, too, but the nativity celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the reason for celebrating Christmas. 

The three-tiered cardboard set in the middle is the original nativity scene that I received in 1966 from my Primary class.  I remember, as a 10 year-old, reading from the Bible the story of Jesus's birth to my family as I set it up. 

The carved mahogany nativity on the far right is from Belize.  We were happy to be able to get it just before we came home from our mission.  We got the Wise Men from a thrift store in California.  In Duarte, we hung it on our wall.  Here in South Jordan, Scott made a stand for it.  

We received this dip and drape Wise Men set as a wedding gift.  We were married in December of 1977.  Dip and drape was the rage back in the 70's .  I'm glad they have survived all these years, as their heads are made out of hollowed-out eggs.    

This is the first year we have displayed this nativity.  I found it at a Deseret Industries in the middle of the year and was happy to find the perfect place to display it in our kitchen.  

Kristine gave us the coconut shell manger scene when she was attending BYU-Hawaii.  Lisa gave us the red set that she picked up as she traveled through Guatemala on a study abroad.  

The nativity sketched in glass that sits beyond the music stand was obtained from a thrift store in Logan, Utah, several years ago and is displayed on our piano year round.  

Lisa brought back this set from Argentina, where she served her mission.  

My sister-in-law, Kerri, hand crafted and painted this for us.  We started out with a few pieces and each year, for several years, she would send a new figurine to add to our set.  

We got this the year we moved to South Jordan to set up in our new home. 

Scott's mother gave us this set when she moved.  

When we lived in Duarte, I found this beautiful rendition of the nativity at a Senior Center community yard sale.  It fits perfectly in our entryway to our home.    

2021

Rachel gave this to me for my birthday this year.   

She got it at the Swiss Days Festival in Midway, Utah

We were excited when we got this new Nativity set.  We thought we were pretty clever when we bought a star ornament and hung it from the ceiling with a fishing string.    

The star on the top of our Christmas tree was the original star we made for our first Christmas tree 40+ years ago.  We cut out a cardboard star and covered with tin foil.  All  of our ornaments are ones with memories that we've gathered throughout the years.  

2022  

We are happy this year to add this figurine of Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus to display in our living room.  I was able to purchase it from the thrift store a few months ago.  

2023

I cut this picture out of the 2022 December Liahona Magazine and framed it.  

It is now hanging in our living room. 

The painting is called:  Heaven’s Gift, by Dan Wilson, courtesy of Havenlight.  

You can see the painting by clicking here.  

This caption is under the painting in the magazine.  “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

I got this Joy sign... 

...and this, "O Come Let Us Adore Him" stand....

...from the after-Christmas clearance sales last year.  

Merry CHRISTmas!

We Have a Dozen......

...Grandchildren!  

#12 was born to Sam and Makelle this past week.  

What a wonderful way to end this crazy 2020 year. 

Welcome Hallie 💕

We Are Zooming By.....

Click onto the picture to get a closer look at our family members.  

You can see the other MagPad Christmas cards through the years by clicking here  

Reading of Luke 2 in Several Languages

On December 1, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aired an event to begin the 2020 Christmas season: "Celebrating the Light of the World: A Christmas on Temple Square Performance".  

The program was a virtual tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, along with many musical performances focusing on the Savior's birth. You can view the event on Youtube by clicking here.  

My favorite part was of the program was this reading of Luke 2 done by our Church leaders.  They spoke in Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish--with subtitles, of course! 

 

You can also see the video by clicking here. 

This is a testimony that God loves all His children around the world.   Enjoy!

The Christ Child: A Nativity Story

This video is a beautiful portrayal of the Nativity.  You can be sure that it will be a family tradition for us to watch this video every Christmas season.  The ComeUntoChrist.org YouTube page describes the video:

This new depiction of the Nativity story recounts in beautiful detail the sacred events found in the Bible about Jesus's birth over 2,000 years ago. Journey with Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Witness the awe of the shepherds in the plains of Judea. Feel the joy of the wise men as they kneel before the Light of the World – our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

You can also view the video by clicking here.   

I learned a lot from "The Christ Child: Behind the Scenes" video shown below.  It is well worth the time to watch it.  The ComeUntoChrist.org YouTube page describes the "Behind the Scenes" video this way:  

Go behind the scenes of "The Christ Child." This 17-minute special explores the history, artistry, and scriptural insights that went into producing the stunning 2019 short film about the birth of Jesus Christ. 

You can also see the video by clicking here

Enjoy a few photos of different scenes from the movie shown below.  

Merry CHRISTmas!

 

#GiveThanks

 A week ago today, President Nelson shared a message to the world.  This is what the church's Youtube channel said about his message: 

“Gratitude provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.”​

In his 96 years of life, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has seen almost everything—a Great Depression, a world war, and a global pandemic, to name a few. And he would like to propose one remedy that can help us find joy in hard times: gratitude. #GiveThanks ​

Practicing gratitude may not prevent us from experiencing sorrow, anger, or pain, but it can help us look forward with hope. We can give thanks for our loved ones, for our bodies and minds, for music and literature, for the beauty of the natural world.​

President Nelson suggests three ways you can #GiveThanks in your own life:​
1) Turn social media into your own gratitude journal.​
2) Say a prayer of gratitude.​
3) Build your relationship with Jesus Christ.​

By counting our blessings, we can more fully appreciate and enjoy our lives as we work toward greater unity, kindness, honesty, and tolerance.​

____________________

By following his counsel this past week, my life was blessed.  Here are my social media gratitude journal posts for the past 7 days:

Day 1 of the #GiveThanks challenge: 

I am grateful for Scott and his eternal love for me.  #GiveThanks  #HeTreatsMeLikeAQueen

Day #2 of the #GiveThanks challenge”: 

I am thankful for my children. They each hold a special place in my heart. 

Day 3 of the #GiveThanks challenge: 

On this sabbath day, I am thankful for the message about the Atonement of Jesus Christ in the song, “The Miracle” by Shawna Belt Edwards.  

The Miracle

By Shawna Belt Edwards

Jesus walked upon the water

He stilled the storm and calmed the angry sea

With His hands He healed the leper

He made the lame to walk, the blind to see

He fed a thousand people with a loaf or two of bread

And when the ruler's daughter died

He raised her from the dead

Jesus is a God of miracles

Nothing is at all impossible to Him

But I know this

Of all His miracles, the most incredible must be

The miracle that rescues me

Jesus bled and died to save me

A price that I could never pay alone

When He rose again, He gave me

The greatest gift the world has ever known

Yes, I can be forgiven every time that I repent

And someday He will lift me up to live with Him again

Jesus is a God of miracles

Nothing is at all impossible to Him

But I know this:

Of all His miracles the most incredible must be

The miracle that rescues me

The miracle that rescues you and me

Day 4 of the #GiveThanks challenge: 

I’m thankful for the opportunity that Scott and I had to serve a mission to Belize. These two photos hang in our home and they are a daily reminder of our choice experiences we had while we were there. You can read about our mission experiences by clicking here or onto:  ourmissiontobelize.blogspot.com    

Day 5 of the #GiveThanks challenge: 

I’m thankful for all the members on my family tree.  They have all personally touched my life from my grandparents down to my grandchildren. I have the best family ever!! 

Family tree photo credit goes to Shabby Chic

Day 6 of the #GiveThanks challenge: 

I would be remiss if I didn’t give thanks to the medical community for all they have done for our family this past year. Heaven only knows all the blessings our family has received from caring doctors, nurses, delivery rooms, surgical rooms, NICUs, medical personnel, clinical trials, and urgent care. I will start with #GivingThanks to my daughter, Rachel, as she works at Huntsman Cancer Center here in Salt City.

Day 7 of the #GiveThanks challenge: 

Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” I am thankful that there is a prophet on the earth today. As I follow his counsel, I am blessed beyond measure. I invite you to take a few minutes to listen to his message given a week ago.  As you do and heed his advice, you too will be blessed. 💕  

Veteran's Day Tribute 2020

In honor of Veteran's Day, I would  like to share my favorite photos of the veterans who have served from our family.  

Bryce Jeppson: Marines

George Magnusson:  Navy

Kiefer Harris:  Air Force

David Wood:  Army

This is a video produced by Daily Wire with a narration from President Ronald Reagan titled:  Today We Honor Our Veterans.   The Daily Wire honors all those who have served our nation: "There would be no America without our veterans.  To every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Coast Guardsman, and Guardian: THANK YOU!"

These are the inspired words of President Ronald Reagan's from the speech starting at 0:35 in the above video:

We celebrate Veterans Day on the anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I.  The Armistice that began on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.  The timing of this holiday is quite deliberate in terms of historical fact, but somehow it always seems quite fitting to to me that this day comes deep in autumn when the colors are muted and the days seem to invite contemplation.  

It is in a way an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country in wars far away.  The imagination plays a trick.  We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise, but most of them were boys when they died and they gave up two lives—the one they were living, and the one they would have lived.  When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands, and fathers, and grandfathers.  They gave up their chance to be revered old men.  They gave up everything for our country—for us. All we can do is remember.  I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.  

In memory of those who gave the last full measure of devotion, may our efforts to achieve lasting peace gain strength.  Let us make a vow to our dead.  Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for—strengthened by their courage, heartened by their value and born for their memory.  Let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.