The great work of the temples

Familia Pino, 25 Marzo 2011

"The Prophet Elijah was to plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to their fathers, foreshadowing the great work to be done in the temples of the Lord in the dispensation of the fulness of times, for the redemption of the dead, and the sealing of the children to their parents, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse and utterly wasted at his coming." Doctrine & Covenants 138:47-48

Super Luna Marzo 2011

"When we go back into the other life and find our dead friends living there, if we have not performed the labor that is necessary for their exaltation and glory we shall not feel very happy and it will not be a very pleasant meeting.  We ought not to wait for opportunities to be pleasant and agreeable always; but we should strive, even if it takes a little sacrifice on our part, to put ourselves in a condition to perform this labor" (The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p. 97).

Super Luna

"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matthew 16:27   .

Super Moon last night

And behold this is not all, there shall be
many signs and wondersin heaven. Helaman 14:6

"Righteousness must be the aim of the Saints in all things . . . Do good and work righteousness with an eye single to the glory of God, and you shall reap your reward when the Lord recompenses every one according to his work . . . In the name of Jesus Christ we entreat you to live worthy of the blessings that shall follow after much tribulation, to satiate the souls of them that hold out faithful to the end" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 353)

For as the light of the morning 

cometh out of the east, 

and shineth even unto the west, 

and covereth the whole earth, 

so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:26

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. Mahatma Ghandi.

My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord

2 Nephi 4

16Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
 
17Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorrowethbecause of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
 
18I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
 
19And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
 
20My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
 
21He hath filled me with his alove, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
 
22He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
 
23Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.
 
24And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
 
25And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carriedaway upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.
 
26O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
 
27And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
 
28Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
 
29Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
 
30Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
 
31O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
 
32May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
 
33O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
 
34O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
 
35Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Knowing what is important

Heather is grateful for the protection and blessings of Heavenly Father today.  Brandon layed his motorbike onto the road to avoid being hit by a fast car that did not stop or slow down at an intersection out in the country.  Covered with blood, he was taken to the Lubbock hospital with a concussion and shock.  However, he only has skin damage, and is expected to recover soon.  His home teachers will give him a blessing tomorrow.  Heather says, "everything is fine, we know it could have been much worse".

Heather is taking time off from work to stay with Brandon while it is so hard to walk and he is in so much pain.  "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

The "grim reality" of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan has caught the attention of the people of Ecuador.  People who came to the temple seeking safety and peace were told by Security: "the temple is closed for maintenance, your home is the holy place where you should teach and protect your family".

Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen. (Doctrine and Covenants 87:8)

"The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean bhands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalm 24:1-5).

Heather and Brandon are very happy with the nurses, physicians, physical therapists, and all who are taking care of him.  Spring Break just started, so he will not even miss school.

The bishops in Ecuador are reminding the people to listen to the prophets and have supplies on hand for emergencies, but not to value possessions.  There are other values much higher.  "If we are poor, and have not as much as our neighbor possesses, do not envy him, and do not worry about it.  As I said in the beginning of my remarks, there is an eternity before us, and we shall always be ourselves, and nobody else, and what we do not gain today we will gain tomorrow, or some other time" (The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p. 131).

Like Brandon and the people of Japan, we are all at risk every moment of every day.  "We are all in it together, all of us, and we have a great work to do.  Every teacher can be a better teacher than he or she is today.  Every officer can be a better officer than he or she is today. Every father can be a better father, every mother a better mother, every husband can be a better husband, every wife a better wife, every child a better child.  We are on the road that leads to immortality and eternal life and today is a part of it.  Let us never forget it" (The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 582).

To us what is important is our family and our friends.  "For this cause we also . . . do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:9-11).

Grandma loves Annie

Heber J. Grant

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.  And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." Doctrine & Covenants 58:27-28

"Never be found among the number that try to see how little they can do; but always be found among the number that try to see how much they can do" (Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards, p. 97).

Guayaquil Temple Steeple at sunset in March

Sister Howard loves to be of service to her family, friends, and everyone all over the world.  Her last assignment in the Gallup schools was to train and support families and parents.  The training included child care.  In this 2006 video we see her in action, soothing Annie by loving and talking and holding and shushing in her ear.  Another technique not demonstrated is swaddling.

Learn of Me

Carlene and Annie and happy to talk to Grandma and Grandpa on Skype

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:29

"By learning of Him, by believing in Him, by following Him, there is the capacity to become like Him. The countenance can change, the heart can be softened, the step can be quickened, the outlook enhanced. Life becomes what it should become. Change is at times imperceptible, but it does take place." (Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 1996, p. 51).

Fishing in the Rio Miguir is like fishing in the
California Coastal Range, except it is
almost 10,000 feet in altitude.

Countenance change, heart softened, step quickened, outlook enhanced, life what it should be... sounds like fishing trip.  Maybe going fishing is a way to be more like God... if you also learn, believe and follow as well.

Be Merciful to Others

Joseph Smith

"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7

"The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs. . . . If you would have God have mercy on you, have mercy on one another" (History of the Church, 5:24).

Bishop Luis Correa

Bishop Luis Correa is an attorney.  Many of his clients are applying for divorce.  His teaching to them about love and marriage and mercy and forgiveness result in reduced income, and increased blessings to the families he restores.

Change can take place

Thomas S. Monson

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:29

"By learning of Him, by believing in Him, by following Him, there is the capacity to become like Him. The countenance can change, the heart can be softened, the step can be quickened, the outlook enhanced. Life becomes what it should become. Change is at times imperceptible, but it does take place." (Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 1996, p. 51).

Our view can change.  Don't judge yourself or anyone else 
until you have the opportunity to see the issue in a different light.