I am alone at our ranch in beautiful Pine Valley. We entertained children and friends of children and our friends Saturday evening and then, with many committments, they all headed home, except me, because my committments are here; cleaning up, putting away and time to think, do genealogy and a little schoolwork. But Sunday was for church and again, this is where I was supposed to be. Church usually feeds my spirit, but often here it not only feeds it, but renews it, as it did yesterday. I do believe the commandment to rest from your labors on the Sabbath ... to change it up, to do the things that feed us on Sunday, so we can be better Monday through Saturday. But our small Woodland Ward expands on holiday weekends and although it was not as large as it is during a typical holiday weekend it was large in spirit. Shauna Smoot Bradley, a cousin, taught the Relief Society lesson on Sacrifice, and immediately a hymn we sing,about the Prophet Joseph Smith, came to mind. The words, "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven." She later posted the words on the board. Of course the boy prophet sacrificed ... his time, his reputation, his children, his very life, but me, what have I ever sacrificed? I have struggled with that term ... taking care of my mother, an honor; sending sons on missions, a blessing: money, time ... not really sacrifices. One lady in church talked about her in-laws; volunteering in the Salt Lake Temple on both Friday and Saturday nights, because when they asked the temple president what the greatest need was, that was his response. They live in Woodland, at least an hour's journey in good weather. I contemplated my own sacrifices ... I could think of few, except the sacrifices a mother makes for her children, but then again, some days I see them as sacrifices and other days just the mothering things that I expected and see as a mother's payment or hope for a righteous, happy, productive posterity. In my World Book Dictionary it says, "1.a "The act of offering to a god (God) especially for the purpose of propitiation or homage" 2.a. "a giving up of one thing for another; destruction or surrender of something valued or desired for the sake of a higher object or more pressing claim." In coming to terms with sacrifice in my life I read those and other definitions. If in sacrificing I am honoring God and expressing my faith then yes I have sacrificed and in so doing I have strengthened that faith and testimony. The book Mormon Doctrine says that, "Sacrifice is the crowning test of the Gospel. Men are tried and tested in this mortal probation to see if they will put first in their lives the things of the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33. Jesus said to the rich man, "If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Working in the temple Friday and Saturday nights; Sacrifice. Paying tithing; Sacrifice. Sending youg men and women on missions/ serving missions; Sacrifice. Using vacation time to help the youth; Sacrifice. Getting up early in the morning to do those things asked of us, like setting up 1,500 chairs, or going to the temple, or reading scriptures; Sacrifice. Popularity for obedience and personal integrity; Sacrifice. Giving up exciting, compelling activities to attend meetings and devotionals and firesides and institute and Family Home Evening. So many small sacrifices and even seemingly large sacrifices to pay homage to God and put first the things of the Kingdom. A test of our faith. Refreshing acts in a world where we are told by so many to put ourselves first. The story of Abraham and Isaac exemplifies the pinnacle of faith. Abraham, upon being commanded to offer his only son whom he loved deeply, as a burnt offering, proceeded to Mount Moriah, a three day journey. Upon the altar he placed the wood that Isaac had carried, bound Isaac to the wood and stretched forth his hand, and as he was about to slay Isaac, with a knife, he heard the voice of the Lord, calling unto him from Heaven, "Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou has obeyed my voice. Such amazing faith! As a mother, I cannot conceive, with my little offerings, what was in his mind and heart and soul. Joseph Smith said, " A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary (to lead) unto life and salvation ... From the days of righteous Abel to the present time, the knowledge that men have that they are accepted in the sight of God is obtained by offering sacrifice ...: (Lectures on Faith, pp.58-60). And, recently President Deiter F.Uchtdorf stated, "Whether we are rich or poor, regardless of where we live on this globe,
we all need each other, for it is in sacrificing our time, talents, and
resources that our spirits mature and become refined." Sunday, September 23, 2012
It continues to be about nourishing the word ... and Sacrifice
I am alone at our ranch in beautiful Pine Valley. We entertained children and friends of children and our friends Saturday evening and then, with many committments, they all headed home, except me, because my committments are here; cleaning up, putting away and time to think, do genealogy and a little schoolwork. But Sunday was for church and again, this is where I was supposed to be. Church usually feeds my spirit, but often here it not only feeds it, but renews it, as it did yesterday. I do believe the commandment to rest from your labors on the Sabbath ... to change it up, to do the things that feed us on Sunday, so we can be better Monday through Saturday. But our small Woodland Ward expands on holiday weekends and although it was not as large as it is during a typical holiday weekend it was large in spirit. Shauna Smoot Bradley, a cousin, taught the Relief Society lesson on Sacrifice, and immediately a hymn we sing,about the Prophet Joseph Smith, came to mind. The words, "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven." She later posted the words on the board. Of course the boy prophet sacrificed ... his time, his reputation, his children, his very life, but me, what have I ever sacrificed? I have struggled with that term ... taking care of my mother, an honor; sending sons on missions, a blessing: money, time ... not really sacrifices. One lady in church talked about her in-laws; volunteering in the Salt Lake Temple on both Friday and Saturday nights, because when they asked the temple president what the greatest need was, that was his response. They live in Woodland, at least an hour's journey in good weather. I contemplated my own sacrifices ... I could think of few, except the sacrifices a mother makes for her children, but then again, some days I see them as sacrifices and other days just the mothering things that I expected and see as a mother's payment or hope for a righteous, happy, productive posterity. In my World Book Dictionary it says, "1.a "The act of offering to a god (God) especially for the purpose of propitiation or homage" 2.a. "a giving up of one thing for another; destruction or surrender of something valued or desired for the sake of a higher object or more pressing claim." In coming to terms with sacrifice in my life I read those and other definitions. If in sacrificing I am honoring God and expressing my faith then yes I have sacrificed and in so doing I have strengthened that faith and testimony. The book Mormon Doctrine says that, "Sacrifice is the crowning test of the Gospel. Men are tried and tested in this mortal probation to see if they will put first in their lives the things of the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33. Jesus said to the rich man, "If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Working in the temple Friday and Saturday nights; Sacrifice. Paying tithing; Sacrifice. Sending youg men and women on missions/ serving missions; Sacrifice. Using vacation time to help the youth; Sacrifice. Getting up early in the morning to do those things asked of us, like setting up 1,500 chairs, or going to the temple, or reading scriptures; Sacrifice. Popularity for obedience and personal integrity; Sacrifice. Giving up exciting, compelling activities to attend meetings and devotionals and firesides and institute and Family Home Evening. So many small sacrifices and even seemingly large sacrifices to pay homage to God and put first the things of the Kingdom. A test of our faith. Refreshing acts in a world where we are told by so many to put ourselves first. The story of Abraham and Isaac exemplifies the pinnacle of faith. Abraham, upon being commanded to offer his only son whom he loved deeply, as a burnt offering, proceeded to Mount Moriah, a three day journey. Upon the altar he placed the wood that Isaac had carried, bound Isaac to the wood and stretched forth his hand, and as he was about to slay Isaac, with a knife, he heard the voice of the Lord, calling unto him from Heaven, "Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou has obeyed my voice. Such amazing faith! As a mother, I cannot conceive, with my little offerings, what was in his mind and heart and soul. Joseph Smith said, " A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary (to lead) unto life and salvation ... From the days of righteous Abel to the present time, the knowledge that men have that they are accepted in the sight of God is obtained by offering sacrifice ...: (Lectures on Faith, pp.58-60). And, recently President Deiter F.Uchtdorf stated, "Whether we are rich or poor, regardless of where we live on this globe,
we all need each other, for it is in sacrificing our time, talents, and
resources that our spirits mature and become refined." 
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