What a special day!!!
Kirk has come home to be with us because the family “turns him on” – Eric,
Chris and little Eric will be here and Leland and Shirli will bring their
special spirits to make this a memorable day. Kirk and I arose at 6 am to take
John and Rick to the airport. They will fly to Salt Lake
to join Nathelle and family – Tom, Kathy, etc. for a few days.
We all feel a great deal of
anticipation regarding Chris’ and Shirli’s deliveries. Chris should deliver
anytime and any day this week-end. Shirli expects her baby around Dec. 14. We
have so much to be Thankful for. The Lord has blessed us so abundantly. We are
enjoying a family unity and love such as I have never known. I sincerely hope
that whoever might read this will feel the Spirit of transformation that has
come over us. Truly we are now experiencing “A Bit of Heaven on Earth” in our
home and can see and feel what salvation in the Celestial kingdom; being able
to continue this relationship in the presence of God will be like.
I have been asked to give the
Christmas message to the University Ward. This is a special privilege to be
asked by a very discerning group of young people. I welcome the opportunity
because I must ponder and pray and think deeply about the Savior if it is to be
meaningful and then prepare myself further by fasting that I might have the
guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is not just another assignment but rather a
quest in understanding that I might carry the audience with me on to a greater
understanding of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I miss Jane and
Tom tremendously and look forward to Christmas when they will be returning
home.
Although there is much to be done
along the pathway of personal purification, I feel that the Spirit of the Lord
is with me and guiding me. Two things have happened this past week which
indicate it to be so.
Briefly, I was asked to see a woman
about her back problem (2 previous surgeries) whom I did not know. It happened
that she was a member of the Church. As we were talking after her exam it came
to me by the Spirit that one of the key problems in her life was preparing to
go on a mission. I told her so and she was startled and asked me how I
knew about her. I told her I knew nothing about her before I walked into the
hospital room. She then told me about her plans to go on a mission and how her
son had administered to her and told her that she would be led to a person who
would help her with her medical problems.
I have also been concerned about a
brother who is a recent convert who became very confused and troubled. I was
asked to fellowship him as a home-teaching companion. One night he was so
confused and negative that he called the Bishop and asked that no one in the
church contact him.
Lately I have had a strong feeling
to go against that request and contact him and let him know of my concern for
him. Last Sunday night he called me to tell me that he was feeling better and
was finding his way back to the church. I just regret that I did not get the
call to him first.
101 Priesthood brethren in our
Stake will be making a temple excursion tomorrow to Oakland. This will be a special spiritual
experience. We have 18 going from our ward. It has been my assignment to put it
together for our ward.
May the Spirit of the Lord be with
us this day and know the gratitude of our heart for all the blessing
that are ours as a family; for the stewardship we have been given to manage;
for life here upon this particular world where He worked out His ministry; for
experience in adversity, love, and joy; for a deep-seated desire to learn – an
insatiable desire to learn about Him; for a testimony and conversion
to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
