When you come to the edge of all the light you know ...

Attached to my refrigerator, for many years, has been a saying, written on a ripped piece of notebook paper, given to me by, I think, our cousin Ernie Hewlett. Somehow, with a new refrigerator that does not magnetize on all sides, it became lost, but last night as I was going through one of many stacks of papers … sometimes true cleaning means just stuffing “junk” into a bag until there is time to throw it away … eventually you realize you really didn’t need most of it … going through my papers I found the little piece of wisdom I had been holding on to for so long. The saying states, “ When you come to the edge of all the light you know and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown - Faith is knowing that one of two things will happen; You will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught how to fly.” Many in the world “knock” faith … it is for the weak they say, or a product of religion … how can you have faith in something you do not see or cannot prove … EXACTLY! That is what faith is. If you could prove everything or see everything there would not be a need for faith. I have faith in a loving Heavenly Father who knows the end from the beginning and knows where I fall in that timeline. I have faith that he knows who I am. I have faith that he also knows each of my children personally… knows their strengths and weaknesses, their fears and sorrows and has a plan for each of them. This past summer, just before I left for Canada to take care of my mother, I was asked to speak in our church meeting the Sunday before the July 24th holiday, which in Utah celebrates the entrance on the Mormon Pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley. Knowing that I needed to prepare the talk while I was away, I took a book with me to read. The book, "The Price We Paid," by Andrew D. Olsen tells the "extraordinary story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies who suffered almost unspeakable tragedies including the loss of life, during their trek to Zion. My husband's great, great Grandmother, Elizabeth White Stewart and her family were in the Hodgett Wagon Company, that were asked to accompany the handcart immigrants. We know her story well, and I thought I knew many of their stories, but I was and am so moved by their journals and accounts. The book became my constant companion for the next almost two weeks. When my mother slept I read. Sometimes I read to her and when I headed home after a long day I read again. I marked and marked the book. I can't bear to take the tags off the pages. There were some days where I was overcome, but when I think of faith names come to mind; Job, Abraham and Isaac, Lehi and his family, many of my friends and church leaders, Tami Slock, my neighbor, and certainly, the Mormon Handcart Pioneers. I used a quote by Elder Wilford W. Anderson in my talk, " Faith in the Savior requires more than mere belief. The Apostle James taught that even the devils believe and tremble. But true faith requires work. The difference between the devils and the faithful members of the Church is not belief but work. Faith grows by keeping the commandments, We must work at keeping the commandments." From the Bible Dictionary we read that," miracles do not produce faith but strong faith is developed by obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in other words, faith comes by righteousness." ...

"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a a lambfor a burnt offering: so they went both of them
together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the baltar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me."

When you come to the edge of all the light you know ... Faith requires work. I have so much to learn about faith. Faith is listening and following those so quiet prompts, even if you do not understand why or how you can do what is asked. I love stories about faith ... I suppose it increases my own and certainly gives me greater resolve to go and do and go and do better. This I Believe!

The Best Sunday Ever !!!!

THE BEST SUNDAY EVER !!! That was what one of our "younger" members of our LDS Ward (church) said today, as hundreds of people and almost as many trucks, shovels, rakes and chain saws hauled away a massive amount of post storm debris from our neighborhood, the entire Mueller Park LDS Stake, and many other areas in Davis County. Following a hurricane-like storm last Wednesday night and Thursday morning, with winds up to 100 miles an hour in some areas, some people have spent every waking hour cutting down trees and piling the limbs on the curb. The city of Bountiful said that if it was placed out on the side of the street they would come by and haul it away. Then came the pronouncement Saturday night that we may be in for another forceful storm tonight. The Priesthood Quorum leaders met early Sunday morning at our church Stake Center and decided that church would be short, at least in the official sense, and that before and after meetings we were to go out and "bring it all in." Another call for rescue. So to church we went, some in suits and ties and others in jeans and work clothes. What a great site and a wonderful meeting. One young man said that it was the perfect beginning to the Christmas Season. Some smelt of pine and I am sure others had different odors, but not one would have noticed, as the spirit of gratitude and service was everywhere. After the meeting everyone went to work, young and old, rich and poorer, abled and some a little disabled. Some could cut down trees, others could rake and pick up needles and dirt, some lifted and hauled away broken fences. Someone on the radio said yesterday, that many fences were brought down, and it wasn't just the wooden ones.I think that was true in our neighborhood also. Big trucks and front-end loaders dug up and carted off huge stumps and giant logs. Who knew there were lumbermen among us! Some even baked cookies and brought around hot chocolate. Everyone could do something. It was also said today, that the trees that came down were all shallow-rooted trees, mostly pine. I had similar thoughts the past few days. It speaks to where we need our roots to be ... firmly planted and running deep. Service helps anchor our roots and so does a testimony Sunday, a day of physical work. shared with neighbors and friends under crisp blue-grey skies. The shepherds had tended the flock, I am sure there were a few new stars in the skies and I know the magi had both given and received gifts. It is Sunday, the Sabbath, and the storms may rage around us, but we will pull together and together make it through today and any day that we need to. That's what brothers and sisters, children of a loving Father in Heaven do! My insides are smiling bigger than my outsides, but all of me is warm. Service warms us and brings peace to our souls, and this certainly was one of the BEST SUNDAYS EVER. This I Believe! Merry Christmas ...

I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel of (Jesus) Christ ! Romans 1:16

In the last session of the LDS General Conference Elder Tad R. Callister spoke of his ancestor's experience with the Book of Mormon, "Years ago my great-great-grandfather picked up a copy of the Book of Mormon for the first time. He opened it to the center and read a few pages. He then declared, “That book was either written by God or the devil, and I am going to find out who wrote it.” He read it through twice in the next 10 days and then declared, “The devil could not have written it—it must be from God.”1
That is the genius of the Book of Mormon—there is no middle ground. It is either the word of God as professed, or it is a total fraud. This book does not merely claim to be a moral treatise or theological commentary or collection of insightful writings" and then he recounted the following story, simple, yet I could feel the sincerity of this young girl and I saw myself in her words ...

She Knew It Was True
Some years ago I attended one of our worship services in Toronto, Canada. A 14-year-old girl was the speaker. She said that she had been discussing religion with one of her friends at school. Her friend said to her, “What religion do you belong to?”
She replied, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons.”
Her friend replied, “I know that church, and I know it’s not true.”
“How do you know?” came the reply.
“Because,” said her friend, “I have researched it.”
“Have you read the Book of Mormon?”
“No,” came the answer. “I haven’t.”
Then this sweet young girl responded, “Then you haven’t researched my church, because I have read every page of the Book of Mormon and I know it’s true.”
I too have read every page of the Book of Mormon, again and again, and I bear my solemn witness … it is from God.

If you have not read the Book of Mormon, you too can know that it is true. One of the scriptures in the Book of Mormon states, " And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost (Moroni 10:4). This I Believe! Give yourself a gift ... it is almost Christmas ... learn for yourself if it is "the word of God or a total fraud."

To read or listen to the entire talk given by Elder Tad R. Callister go to http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-book-of-mormon-a-book-from-god?lang=eng

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

I have a new gratitude journal and as I wrote today that was the quote. My mother, Catherine Rose Rahier Lillie died early this morning, November 6, 2011. I wanted to be there, but I didn't know her death was that eminent. My sister called me. She had just left the rest home and returned to the home where she was staying and received a call to go back. Mother died before she got back. I wasn't there ... This morning I was writing things I am grateful for and things that my "Charming Gardener" mother taught me or things she instilled in my soul that have made me blossom. I love sewing and above my sewing table I have a quote that says, "Thanks to my mother's tender care, for she materials did prepare, and taught my hands to sew!" She made me beautiful clothes for my Barbie doll and then had a milliner make matching hats with hat stands. I even had a wooden orange crate wardrobe for the clothes. I love flowers, I love cooking and entertaining, and finding and "stashing" the perfect new recipe. I LOVE history, and she would read roadsigns and tell me stories of "Indians" that lived by their home by the river (Carlton, Saskatchewan, Canada). We even would look for arrowheads and try and find the Indian burying ground. I want to relearn knitting and she was a beautiful knitter and crocheter. When she was in the rest home I would bring crotchet needles and knitting needles and try and have her knit. In the early part of her time there she tried, but later her fingers became arthritic and her arms didn't bend well. It was sad to see her not be able to do things that she loved; solitaire, scrabble, reading and reading and MORE reading, and there is no rehabilitation in a rest home, at least there wasn't for her. She even lost her voice after her stroke and when she would speak it would be very softly. She was, I thought, a great teacher. When I was young she would teach me French on a small chalkboard. Growing up she had limited schooling, some say she reached an eleventh grade level. I have some of her school books. She always spoke of her teacher, Doug Brown and I believe I have a picture of Doug Brown. I know she wished she had had more education, but it was the 30's and she had to leave home at the age of twelve to work. Education has and will always be very important to me. And I suppose most of all she, maybe not directly, taught me to love God or at least gave me opportunities to learn about and love God. As a child religion was important to her and her family, or at least she talked about her church and I am sure in a small community the church played an important part in their life. Her father was a Belgian Catholic, her Grandmother Minnie was a German Lutheran, her mother Isabella was an Anglican and when we were young we went to the St.James United Church at the corner of our street, Woodlawn Street, in St. James (Winnipeg), Manitoba, Canada. When the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints came to our home, mother was home from work recuperating from foot surgery. She listened to them, Elder Bruce R. McMurtrey and Elder Benny Richard Smith. Sometimes she took us to church and often we went with others. My name is Sharon Arlene Lillie Hewlett. My mother is Catherine Rose Rahier Lillie. I am a Mormon and I Believe that my mother is better than she was a day ago. I know that there is a post mortal life where our spirits live until the resurrection. I am still sad, but I prayed that she wouldn't have to spend more time in the rest home. I am sad that I didn't spend more time with her, but life got in the way and I could have put life on "hold" a little more. So the most important things in my life I learned from my mother and owe to my mother and my father. They had little but they gave me a home, food to eat, a family, traditions and the opportunity to give my children even more. I have never complained about what I didn't have. I thought I had it all, at least in the things that count. Mother, I love you, I am grateful for your giving me birth and for you being my "charming gardener."I will blog for you and because of you ... This I Believe! This is a Christmas and a Thanksgiving song. One of my new favorites. It has given me peace today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOEsbLSUDYY&feature=fvsr

A Temple in Winnipeg ... What a Blessing!

For many years a small piece of paper has been on the door of my fridge, it reads, "I promise you that all who faithfully attend to temple work will be blessed beyond measure. Your families will draw closer to the Lord, unseen angels will watch over your loved ones when Satanic forces tempt them, the veil will be thin, and great spiritual experiences will distill upon this people." - Vaughn J. Featherstone. About six months ago, in the Saturday morning session of conference of the church I attend ( I originally said "my" church, but it isn't mine, it is the Saviors' church), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it was announced that in the city where I was born and grew up, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, a temple would be built. http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/winnipeg/ Sayings like, "when pigs fly", came to mind, or maybe, "in the Lord's due time." Winnipeg, REALLY! My eyes and my heart welled up and although you could only see the tears in my eyes I know there were tears in my heart also. What a blessing to that small group of Saints, who up until now have had to go to Cardston or Chicago, or Regina or Bismarck ... now they will be able to serve in their "backyard ... I was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The missionaries came to my home when I was eight years old, Elder Bruce R. McMurtrey and Elder Benny Richard Smith. You never forget the names. My mother talked to them and it created quite a division in my family. I wasn't able to join the church until I was sixteen, but, with the support of many, I went to church all those years . I learned about temples, saw pictures of temples, but never saw one, in person, until I went away to university. I remember coming with a friend to Salt Lake City from Rexburg, Idaho, where I spent my first year of college, and upon rounding a corner south of North Salt Lake, I saw the Salt Lake Temple. I am an emotional person and I think I sobbed quietly! I have lived in Utah for about forty years, always living within a ten minute drive of a temple, but the people who nurtured me spiritually in Winnipeg have not has the blessings of a temple in their midst. Now they will! My husband's family were temple builders. John Rowe Moyle, after being kicked in the leg by a cow, had his leg amputed and walked, each week, with his wooden leg over the mountains from his home in Alpine, Utah to work on the Salt Lake Temple. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1Z2DIWp7FQ (Clip from the move, "Only A Stonecutter - Ashlyn, my daughter was an extra in the movie). One of the last things he did before he died was carve the words "Holiness to the Lord," that appears on the east side of the Salt Lake Temple. His son James was a foreman on the Salt Lake Temple. Somewhere on the Winnipeg Temple you will find those same words. Follow this link to know more about temples https://www.facebook.com/Mormon/videos/1445295125504104/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED and the Winnipeg Temple http://mormontemples.org/winnipeg Elder James E. Talmage said: “‘Mormonism’ has taught me that God holds himself accountable to law even as he expects us to do. He has set us the example in obedience to law. I know that to say this would have been heresy a few decades ago. But we have the divine word for it: ‘I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.’ ( Doc. and Cov. 82:10 .) He operates by law and not by arbitrariness or caprice.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1930, p. 96.) I go to the temple to serve, to find peace, often to pray and contemplate life's situations and I belive that I go to the temple so that my children and now grandchildren will draw closer to the Lord and unseen angels will watch over them. "When you come to the temple you will love your family with a deeper love than you have ever felt before. The temple is about families." - Richard H. Winkel. The temple is a place of beauty that leads our thoughts and actions heavenword. It will be that way for all the people in Winnipeg ... this I BELEIVE! My name is Sharon Lillie Hewlett, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am a Mormon, I was born and raised in Winnipeg, and my spiritual roots are from there also.

A Giant in My Neighborhood ...

I am a pretty simple person. It doesn't take a lot to impress me, but I have a giant of a person in my neighborhood and he has impressed me for as long as we have lived here and even before that, and his life's assignments have just taken a new direction, or have they? Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi is my neighbor, not large in stature, but huge in spirit, and he is my examplar. I think he would say he is quite simple also. He knows what he believes and he lives it. He is true to who he is and to what he believes. This past General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints he was released from full time status as a member of the First Quorum of Seventy in the Church and placed on emeritus status. Today he sat in church with his wife for the first time in forty-seven years, not because they do not love each other, not because he doesn't go to church, but because they love the Savior and he has served in leadership postions in the church for all those years, and she has sat with her children or alone ... Elder Kikuchi's father was killed by Americans during the war. He has said that he hated Americans, so was not receptive when, at the age of fifteen, two American missionaries knocked on his door. As they left one of the missionaries told him that he had a message about a boy near his age, who, wanting to know the truth talked with God. Elder Kikuchi gave them ten minutes ... and he has served ever since. For three and a half years he served a full time mission in his country for our church. Two months after coming home he married his sweetheart and two months later he was called as a Bishop (similar to a pastor or preacher) for his congregation (Branch) and that is why they have not sat together in forty-seven years. They have served together in different ways. She has supported him in his work both out of the church and in the church. Together they have raised four children. She is a sweet lady and they are both humble, loving, compassionate, and in every way true servants of the Lord. At the age of thirty-six he was asked to give up his secular work and was called as a fulltime authority to the First Quorum of Seventy, a leadership quorum in the church. The first talk he gave in a LDS General Conference was titled, "Why Me, O Lord? "http://www.blogger.com/ As I listened to Elder Kikuchi bare a powerful testimony today in our church service (Sacrament Meeting) I was so moved, even quieted ... I don't know how to describe the feeling. Mesmerized sounds too worldly, speechless doesn't describe it, but peaceful and respectful may come close. In a religous venacular I would say the the Spirit spoke peace to my soul. I knew what he was saying was true. His words are powerful, but his spirit is even more so. He is a servant of God, who has given his all to move the gospel forward. I can honestly say that I love he and Sister Kikuchi and their family. I love them for what I know about them and what I don't know. I love them because of what they have given and the example they have set for our family, our neighborhood, our ward, and for the rest of the world. I will miss seeing him sit at the front in our church, but he will now sit with his wife, after forty-seven years. In that first talk he stated, "My dear brothers and sisters, I never expected to be called to such a heavy responsibility. I'm still asking myself and the Lord, "Why me O Lord? Why me O Lord?" Yet, my brothers and sisters, still within my soul I hear in the bosom of my heart, I will go where you want me to go dear Lord, overmountain or plain or sea." They have gone and done and gone and done over and over again! "Well done good and faithful servant(s), thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the lord (Matthew 25:23) ..." I have been reading some of Elder Kikuchi's talks. This is one I just read. What he said is true ... This I Believe ... You can too! http://lds.org/ensign/2000/05/heavenly-father-has-a-special-plan?lang=eng&query=*+(name%3a")

How much can you say in just three words?

For years I have loved the segment, "Your Life in Three Words," that ABC does on Saturday morning just before the 7 o'clock hour.

Good Morning America asked, "How much can you say in just three words? Can you express your thoughts, your feelings, your sadness or joy? Could your three words be a celebration of a special event, or a thought on everyday life?"

Viewer responses poured in and continue to pour in. I was just watching it ... an older lady riding in a hot air balloon, two kids entering kindergarten, a young college student just moving into his new dorm, a couple getting married, a woman waiting for an organ donation ... a hockey team, "Summer is Over!" (Being Canadian I understand how they feel, but I am not glad summer is over!) Every week regular people describing their lives in 3 words. I am a counselor in a high school. One year I wanted our students to describe their lives in 3 words. My coworkers were not inspired. They didn't get it. Yesterday while watching a documentary on Steve Jobs, the commentator said that we should be able to describe our mission in a tweet ... short, brief, but succinct and meaningful. I am inspired every time I watch the segment and it makes me SMILE! One year on one of many solo car treks to Canada, I decided that I would think of my testimony of Jesus Christ in 3 words. My children know I love to think and muse on these treks. When I stop I get out either my electronic device or, before gadgets, a pen and a pencil ( I suppose they are gadgets also) and write. Some times at a rest stop, sometime at a restaurant or a truck and biker stop, and sufffice it to say at other places and times. Her are some of my three word testimonies; "Did not doubt," "Mother's knew it," "Grateful for Atonement," "Jesus loves me," "Joseph Smith prayed," "Serve the Lord," Father, Son, Holy Ghost," He answers prayers," "Love my neighbor" ... just a few. I probably started the list about three years ago. I am glad I watched tv this morning early. It reminded me of my testimony, three words or more ... This I Believe! " http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Your3Words/ So, if you are going to comment, please ... in three words ... inspire me all over again!

He is My Savior and Redeemer ...

The news today cited a Texas Pastor who, called Mormonism a cult and stated that Mr. Romney (Mitt Romney) is not a Christian. REALLY ... are we not past this ... THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. The Articles of Faith, which is a declaration of what we believe states, "We Believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost." Not one, three distinct personages, two personages of flesh and one a personage of spirit ... the Godhead. We Believe in Jesus Christ, we worship Jesus Christ and the Father through Him. He is my Savior and Redeemer. Through his atonement all men will be resurrected. He died to save us all ... This I Believe! This is fear and political posturing. Neither wins votes and certainly not the praises of men or of God... " we believe in Christ ... and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ ... We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ and we ... look forward unto that life which is in Christ. For the right way is to believe in Christ ... Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore we must bow down before him with all (our) might, mind, and strength, and (our) whole soul." 2nd Nephi 25: 24-29. For a great talk, "We are Christians Because ..." go to http://lds.org/ensign/1984/01/we-are-christians-because?lang=eng&query=We+believe+Christ and a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, an apostle of the Lord, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBl4W_W2rWE&noredirect=1 A poem written by Richard L. Evans solidifies this position and my wish for myself, my family and humankind, "Oh give us once again the faith of a little child that we may come to know from the very center of our souls, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. God bless us with the joy and peace that comes from such a testimony." For more information about what I and members of the The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints believe go to http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/