Thursday, March 29, 2012

Learning The Language of God and The Earth
Preach My Gospel Chapter 7 - Nancy Baird
March 27, 2012

QUOTES FOR 
"LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF GOD AND THE EARTH"
Preach My Gospel chapter 7

Nancy Baird



"The poem on the page is only a shadow of the poem in the mind.  And the poem in the mind is only a shadow of the poetry and the mystery of the things of this world." 
                     Stanley Kunitz, poet

"Man lives in the midst of forces he does not perceive because he suffers from what has been called 'paradigm blindness'; that is, he does not perceive things that exist outside his currently accepted set of beliefs and experience."    
"The mind is the frontier and the tool" to spiritual awareness.
                    Catherine Thomas, Light in the Wilderness, ix.


"The writer...is careful of what he reads, for that is what he will write.  He is careful of what he learns, because that is what he will know."                                                   
                   Annie Dillard, The Writing Life, 68.

"Mormon belief is nothing new; it is the oldest understanding of the cosmos." 
                    George Handley, Humanities, BYU, Spring 2011, 13.

"Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God."
                    Teilhard de Chardin, French philosopher, Jesuit priest

"One of the few things I know about writing is this:  spend it all... right away every time.  Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.  The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now.  Something more will arise for later, something better...the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful it is destructive.  Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you."
                    Annie Dillard, The Writing Life, 78.

"We usually tend to think of consecration in terms of property...But there are so many ways of keeping back part and so many things we can withhold a portion besides property."
                    Neal Maxwell, BYU Studies, 32, no 3, 7.
    "Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs -
    Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
    World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings."
                    Gerard Manley Hopkins, "God's Grandeur" (last three lines.)

    "Too late did I love Thee!  For behold, Thou wert within, and I without, and there did I seek thee; I unlovely, rushed heedlessly among the things of beauty thou madest.  Thou were with me, but I was not with Thee."
                    St. Augustine

Learning the Language of God and The Earth - PMG 7 -Nancy Baird - March 27, 2012(Audio)

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

General Young Women's Meeting

       

You can view highlights from the March 2012 General Young Women Meeting here

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Blessings of General Conference

It is not surprising that in the face of tremendous evil and temptation the Lord does not leave us to find our way on our own. In fact, there is more than enough guidance available to each of us if we will listen. You have received the gift of the Holy Ghost to direct and inspire you. You have the scriptures, parents, Church leaders and teachers. You also have the words of the prophets, seers, and revelators who live in our day. There is so much guidance and direction available that you won’t make major mistakes in your life unless you consciously ignore the guidance you receive.

Every time we are obedient to the words of the prophets and apostles we reap great blessings. We receive more blessings than we can understand at the time, and we continue to receive blessings long after our initial decision to be obedient.

On the day the Church was organized, Joseph Smith received a revelation that included an important principle for all Church members. Speaking to the Church about Joseph Smith the Lord said, “Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you … for his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth.” 

Now listen to the blessings promised to those who heed: “For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good.” 

Those are powerful promises that can keep us safe in these treacherous times. We need them, and the Lord will give them to each of us if we are willing to follow the prophets, seers, and revelators.

Decide now to make general conference a priority in your life. Decide to listen carefully and follow the teachings that are given. Listen to or read the talks more than once to better understand and follow the counsel. By doing these things, the gates of hell will not prevail against you, the powers of darkness will be dispersed from before you, and the heavens will shake for your good.

Elder Paul V. Johnson, Liahona  - November 2005, The Blessings of General Conference

Monday, March 26, 2012

Preparing Our Children for General Conference

“It is when children are young that parents must be innovative in helping them develop good habits regarding conference participation. As our children are given opportunities to observe and learn the role of these special witnesses, they will receive a spiritual confirmation of the sacred calling of their Church leaders, and they will feel a deeper love for and interest in these leaders and their message.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Presidency of the Seventy, “Teaching Our Children to Love the Prophets,” Ensign, Apr. 1996, 47.

Preparing Our Children for General Conference, Ensign, March 2009 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Moroni 10
Diane Adair - March 20, 2012




Moroni 10 -Diane Adair - March 20, 2012(Audio)

Monday, March 19, 2012

Preparing for Conference

 “the servants of the Lord will counsel us. You may listen with anxious ears and hearts, or you may turn that counsel aside. … What you shall gain will depend not so much upon their preparation of the messages as upon your preparation for them.”
President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song, and prayer in this conference, you will find it, And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you.”
 President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency.


Get Ready for General Conference

Consider the following ways to prepare for general conference (Adapted from the Teachings of the Living Prophets Student Manual):
  1. Schedule time to listen to and study the conference messages. Create an environment where the Spirit can be your companion.
  2. Pray in faith that you will hear messages relevant to your life. Also, pray for Church leaders as they prepare and deliver inspired messages.
  3. Write down personal questions or concerns for which you would like answers. During conference, record the answers and impressions you receive.
  4. After listening to and studying the messages, recommit to live a better life according to the spiritual impressions you have received.
  5. Regularly review and study messages from this conference until the next conference is held.

A previous post where Diane Adair also listed ways to prepare for General Conference Here

    Sunday, March 18, 2012

    Changes to Reading Schedule

    The following Changes have been made to the Reading schedule 

    - March  27th - Learning the Language of God and The Earth - PMG Chapter 7

    - April  17th - Listening, Hearing, Seeing - PMG Chapter 9

    - May 1st  - The soul and Body - PMG Chapter 1

    * PMG - Preach My Gospel

    Daily Thought

    Friday, March 16, 2012

    Daily Scripture

    If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.
    D&C 42:61

    Thursday, March 15, 2012

    Moroni 8-9
    Nancy baird - March 13, 2012


    Quotes For Moroni 8-9

    Nancy Baird
    March 13, 2012


    "Concern for others begins much earlier than [was thought].  Studies show that almost at birth babies respond empathetically to the cries of another infant.  By age five or even before, children are aware of the suffering of others; they know, for example, that a friend is poor while they are rich."
                                                                US New and World Report, 1988

    "Old paint on canvas, as it ages, sometimes becomes transparent.  When that happens, it is possible, in some pictures, to see the original lines:  a tree will show through a woman's dress, a child makes way for a dog.  A large boat is no longer on an open sea.  That is called pentimento because the painter "repented, "  changed his mind."
                                                                Lillian Hellman, Pentimento, 1.

    The playwright, Horton Foote, said that in William Faulkner's work "he heard the themes of enduring suffering and enduring love."
    "I've know people the world has thrown everything at...and yet something about them retains dignity."
                                                               The New Yorker

    "In the deserts of the heart, let the healing fountain start..."
                                                               W. H. Auden

    "For nothing can be sole or whole that has not been rent."
                                                               William Yeats

    Saint Theresa of Lysieus, a French Carmelite nun who died in 1897, wrote to her sister:
    "If you are willing to serenely bear the trial of being displeasing to yourself, then you will be for Jesus a pleasant place of shelter."

    "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity...and delighteth in mercy."
    Micah 7:18   

    "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged."
    Proverbs 16:6

     "...but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling."
    1 Samuel 25:29


    Moroni 8-9 - Nancy Baird - March 13, 2012(Audio)

    Tuesday, March 13, 2012

    Daily Scripture

    And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.
    Moroni 10:30

    Monday, March 12, 2012

    Daily Thought

    "Because Heavenly Father loves His children, He has not left them to walk through this mortal life without direction and guidance.
              President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Why do We Need Prophets?, Liahona, March 2012

    Friday, March 9, 2012

    Daily Scripture

    Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.
    Moroni 7:19

    Thursday, March 8, 2012

    Moroni 7
    Diane Adair - March 6, 2012


    Due to technical difficulties we are not able to post the audio recording of the class.  



     QUOTES - Moroni 7
    Diane Adair


    "The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people." 
                                                 Marvin J. Ashton


    There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.  "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.

    The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "Hmmm..," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today."  So she did and she had a grand day.

    The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.  "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."  So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

    The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.  "YAY!" she exclaimed.  "I don't have to fix my hair today!"
                                             


    The miracle of Christ's charity both saves and changes us.  His atoning love saves us from death and hell as well as from carnal, sensual, and devilish behavior.  That redeeming love transforms the soul, lifting it beyond fallen standards to something far more noble and holy…cleave unto charity--Christ's pure love of us and our determined effort towards pure love of Him and others--without it we are nothing and our plan for eternal happiness is wasted.  Without the redeeming love of Christ in our lives all other qualities even virtuous qualities fall short of salvation and joy."
                                             Jeffrey R. Holland

    "Real faith fosters hope…it allows us to look beyond ourselves and our present cares.  Fortified by hope, we are moved to demonstrate the pure love of Christ through daily acts of obedience and Christian service….The trial of faith, hope and charity, which brings us to Christ, has strong linkage---faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ…hope is in the Atonement and charity is the pure love of Christ."
                                             M. Russell Ballard

    "To gain unshakeable faith in Jesus Christ is to flood your life with brilliant light.  You are no longer alone to struggle with challenges you know you can't resolve or control yourself…If you are despondent, racked by transgression, ill, alone or desperately in need of comfort and support, I testify the Lord will help you when you obey the spiritual law upon which that help is predicated.  He is your Father, you are His child.  He loves you.  He will never let you down."
                                            Richard G. Scott

    Hope is the anchor of our souls.  I know of no one who is not in need of hope-- young or old, strong or weak, rich or poor.  Everybody in this life has challenges and difficulties.  That is part of our mortal test.  The reason for some of these trials cannot be readily understood except on the basis of faith and hope because there is often a larger purpose, which we do not always understand.  Peace comes through hope."
                                            James E. Faust

    "The nearer we get to Heavenly Father the more we are disposed to look with compassion upon perishing souls.  We feel we want to take them upon our shoulders and cast their sins behind our backs."
                                           Joseph Smith, Jr.


    Book of Mormon DVD Presentation 1-19; #15 - "The Mediator"


    The Mediator by Boyd K. Packer, Ensign April 1977

    Quoted from Heidi Swinton;  Ensign, March 2012 pg. 34, "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?"

    Monday, March 5, 2012

    Daily Scripture

    Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.
    D&C 24:8

    Sunday, March 4, 2012

    Daily Thought

    “The greatest danger in the world today is not being poor temporally. It is darkness in a world that grows increasingly wicked. As we are obedient, we are blessed with bright light to see in the darkness and to not be afraid.”
    Elder Bednar

    Friday, March 2, 2012

    Daily Scripture

    ... and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
    1 Nephi 14:14

    Thursday, March 1, 2012

    Moroni 1-6
    Nancy Baird - February 28, 2012

    QUOTES FOR MORONI 1-6
     Nancy Baird


    No thinker has ever entered into another thinker's solitude."
                                                         Martin Heidegger, German philosopher

    "A lawyer's most important tool is not the law, nor facts, it is imagination."
                    
                                                        Woody Deem, law professor, BYU Law School

    "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
                                                       Albert Einstein

    "Thy mind, O man, if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost Heavens, and search into and contemplate the...darkest abyss..."
                        Joseph Smith, quoted by John Welch, BYU Studies, vol.50, number 2, 2011, 66.
    "The poem on the page is only a shadow of the poem in the mind.  And the poem in the mind is only a shadow of the poetry and the mystery of the things of this world."
                                                       Stanley Kunitz, poet

    “No one knows anything about Christ’s work simply by being born a member of the Church, and often he knows little about it after years of unmotivated exposure in meetings or classes. He must learn. And learning involves self-investment and effort. The gospel should be studied as carefully as any science. The literature of the Church must be acquired and read.  Our learning should be increased in our spare time day by day. Then as we put the gospel truth to work in daily life, we will never find it wanting. We will be literate in the most important field of knowledge in the universe, knowledge for lack of which men and nations perish, in the light of which men and nations may be saved.”
                                                      Elder Marion D. Hanks

        "It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.  What weather they shall have is not ours to rule."
                                                    Gandolf, in J.R.TOLKIEN,  The Return of the King, 190.

    "The spirit which inhabits these tabernacles naturally loves truth, it naturally loves light and intelligence, it naturally loves virtue, God and godliness; but [the spirit] being so closely united with the flesh, their sympathies are blended...the spirit is indeed subject to be influenced by the sin that is in the mortal body, and to be overcome by it...unless it is constantly enlightened by the spirit which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world..."
                                                      Brigham Young, JD II:237-238   
    "We are our memory."
                   Jorge Luis Borges

    "It may be infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him.  The former may be of a moment of passion, the latter is the heart's choice."
                                                  George McDonald, Christian philosopher, writer.

    "With the eyes of our understanding, we see things that are spiritual.  With our spirits reaching out, we can touch things that are spiritual and feel them.  Then we can see and we can feel things that are invisible to the physical senses."
                                         Elder Boyd K Packer, "The Light of Christ, Ensign, April 2005, " 8-14.


    Moroni 1-6 - Nancy Baird - February 28, 2012(Audio)