Lessons in the Key of Life: June 2011

Jun

18

Just Stay Focused!

My father, the late John Wallace Brown, was a hard working man. As a young boy growing up it was not uncommon for my father to work two or three jobs just to pay the bills, keep food on the table, and a roof over his little family’s head. Even in his later years he still went to work in a local hometown restaurant, and after he finished working at his job, he would go to work in his own lawn care business which he had for several years. In addition to the lesson on the value of hard work, my father taught his four children another valuable life lesson, and that is to “Just stay focused!”

My father used to say this all the time, and I must admit that my brother, sisters, and I probably did not give his counsel the consideration that it deserved. It is said that hindsight is 20/20, and now almost five years since his passing, looking back in retrospect, I think I am finally beginning to understand what my father was trying to tell us.

At the time of my beloved mother’s passing in June 1997, for example, my father could sense that his children were hurting over the loss of their mother, as he himself was hurting. To help comfort his children he would often say, “Just stay focused!” I believe what he was saying to us at that time was that even though our mother was no longer with us physically, she would always be near in our hearts. I believe that he wanted us to always remember the good times that we had together and to never forget the things that she taught us. In his own way he was saying to us that weeping may endure for a night, but joy does come in the morning. The love that we had for our mother would never fade, and the sweet memories of her would always be with us if we but stay the course and “Just stay focused!” which is exactly what our mother would want us to do.

“Just stay focused!” - only three little words - but those three small words of counsel have often come to mind even in recent days as I endeavor to stay on course in my life. There have been some moments since my mother’s and my father’s passing that I have felt like throwing up my hands and giving up, but in the back of my mind I can still hear my father say, “Just stay focused!” My father was a living example of often being knocked down in life, but somehow he always found the strength and the courage to get back up and keep going. Through that example I have learned that life can seem to be unfair and unkind at times, and there are going to be times when it seems that it just isn’t worth the effort to push on any further, but the choice is mine as to whether I will give up and give in, or “just stay focused!“ and stand up and press on to the end.

Thank you Dad for teaching me this valuable life lesson through your counsel and example which has helped to mold and shape me into the man that I am today. I only pray that I will always keep your words of counsel before me, and that I will always be the man that you hoped and prayed that I would become. I pray that I will never let you down. I love you and miss you very much. Happy Fathers Day!

Posted 18th June 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Father Home Family Love
Jun

11

Peace in the Midst of A Storm

This talk was given on the occasion of the baptism of Josephine Mae Hunter on 11 June 2011 in Annapolis Maryland.

“God does not send thunder if a still, small voice is enough” (Ensign, November 1976, p.14) - Neal A. Maxwell

President Howard W. Hunter, the fourteenth President of the Church once said, “Perhaps no promise in life is more reassuring than the promise of divine assistance and spiritual guidance in times of need. It is a gift that is freely given from heaven, a gift that we need from our earliest youth through the very latest days of our lives” (Ensign, November 1968, p.59). That free gift of which President Hunter spoke is the gift of the Holy Ghost which you will receive tomorrow during Sacrament meeting right after being confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit, without a body of flesh and bones, and is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter.

The Holy Ghost works in perfect unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, fulfilling several roles to help us live righteously and receive the blessings of the gospel. Some of those roles include:

The Holy Ghost “witnesses of the Father and the Son” as we learn in 2 Nephi 31:18 which reads, "And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive."

The Holy Ghost reveals and teaches “the truth of all things” and It is only by the power of the Holy Ghost that we can receive a sure testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We learn of this in Moroni 10:4-7 which reads:

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would aask 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.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

As we strive to always choose the right and remain on the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy Ghost will guide us in our decisions and be a shield of protection for us against physical and spiritual danger.

It is also through the Holy Ghost that we can receive gifts of the Spirit for our benefit and for the benefit of those we love and serve. In Doctrine and Covenants 46:8-11 we read these words:

8 Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given;

9 For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.

10 And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church.

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.

The Holy Ghost is the Comforter (John 14:26). As the soothing voice of a loving parent can quiet a crying child, the whisperings of the Spirit can calm our fears, hush the nagging worries of our life, and comfort us when we grieve. The Holy Ghost can fill us “with hope and perfect love” and “teach [us] the peaceable things of the kingdom” (Moroni 8:26; Doctrine and Covenants 36:2).

It is through the power of the Holy Ghost that we are sanctified as we repent, receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, and remain true to our covenants (see Mosiah 5:1-6; 3 Nephi 27:20; Moses 6:64-68).

And the Holy Ghost is also the Holy Spirit of Promise (see Ephesians 1:13; D&C 132:7, 18-19, 26) confirming to us that the Priesthood ordinances that we have received and the covenants we have made are acceptable to God. This approval; however, depends on our continued faithfulness.

The gift of the Holy Ghost is different from the influence of the Holy Ghost in that before you were baptized I an confident that you felt the influence of the Holy Ghost from time to time and that it was through that influence that you received a testimony of the truth. After you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, you are entitled to His constant companionship as long as you remain faithful and keep the commandments.

Josephine, each of us face our own storms, as it were, in this life. Some of us face more storms than others. And when those storm winds begin to blow we long for not only shelter from the storm, but also for calmness and peace. I testify that there is One who can give us that calmness and peace that we long for. Christ promised His disciples that he would not leave them comfortless, but that He would come to them. He also promised in John 14:16, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever”. I further testify that He makes that same promise to you and to me. As you remain faithful and true and are obedient to the commandments and the covenants which you make, you will always have the Great Comforter to be your guide and to give you peace in the midst of any storm that you may face. These things I know to be true and bear witness of them in the Sacred name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Posted 11th June 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Peace Life Storms Comfort
Jun

10

Excuses, Excuses!

Someone once said, "The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse." Some people seem to have a knack for always having an excuse as to why they cannot do something, no matter how simple or difficult the task at hand may be. Steven Grayhm, a Canadian actor, director, scriptwriter and producer, once said "Excuses are the tools with which persons with no purpose in view build for themselves great monuments of nothing". It was Pierre-Jules Renard, a French author and member of the Académie Goncourt, who once said, "The only man who is really free is the one who can turn down an invitation to dinner without giving an excuse". And Benjamin Franklin once said, "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else".

This author is not so naive or insensitive that he does not understand that there are times when people are legitimately unable to do things because of extenuating circumstances. On the other hand; however, there seem to be some people who are so wrapped up in themselves and what is happening in their own little world that they can never spare the time to be of assistance to someone else. For example, if you were to ask these people for a ride to somewhere, they will be quick to tell you that they can't because they are not going your way, but in reality, they have to pass right by the doors of the place where you need to go. All it would take is a few extra minutes of their precious time to drop you off and then be on their way, but obviously that appears to be an inconvenience to them. How many times, even at church have people been asked to stay behind, or to come a little early to help do something, and they never seem to be able to because they always have to be somewhere else to do something else? Sometimes that may be the case, but not all the time. Sometimes they are just making excuses for not doing something that they did not have the desire to do in the first place. And as the Yiddish proverb states, "If you don't want to do something, one excuse is as good as another".

People who consistently make excuses to keep from doing something often deprive themselves of many wonderful blessings and opportunities. An excellent illustration of this is given in the parable of the great supper as recorded in the fourteenth chapter of Luke’s gospel in verses 16-24:

16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.The Master invites all to come and partake of the Great Supper that has been prepared, but how many will have an excuse for not accepting the invitation and will say as those in the parable, “I pray thee have me excused”? Of a surety “none of those which were bidden shall taste of [His] supper“ (Luke 14:24). The Master expounds upon this as He further teaches us in Luke 14: 26-27, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple“.

How sad to think of the blessings that some could have if they would but only accept the invitation that is given to “Come” instead of always making excuses not to go. Truly there are many who are called, but few will be chosen because “their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:34, 35). In all of their giving of excuses they have failed to learn that “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

When called upon to do something, do we willingly give of our time to be of assistance, or are we quick to formulate an excuse to get out of doing what has been asked of us? Can it be said of us that we are always willing to lend a hand when needed, or do people merely see us as a person who always has another excuse?

These thoughts I leave with you humbly in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Posted 10th June 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Life Excuses Helping Others
Jun

9

I Am Sorry

I am sorry - three little words - eight letters - and yet one of the most difficult things for some people to say. Perhaps it is the word “sorry” that some people seem to have so much trouble with, for as Sir Elton John, the singer/songwriter says in his song, sorry seems to be the hardest word. I might add to that thought that saying “I am sorry” is not as difficult as it may seem, but rather, it is saying “I am sorry” and meaning it.

How many times have we had someone come to us and say that they were sorry for some wrong that they had done against us only to sense as they walk away that there was absolutely no sincerity in their words? Even though their back is turned towards us as they walk away, it is almost as if you can see the smirk on their face and read their thoughts that they are only waiting for the next opportunity to do something else. How many times have we been found guilty of such actions ourselves?

I have witnessed on several occasions the behavior of my now 12-year-old nephew and the way that he sometimes treats his mother. In his young age he has learned what “buttons” to push to get his mother upset. When he notices that she is not happy with what he has done he is quick to run to her and say “I am sorry” while grinning and laughing the whole time. He would wait until he thought that things had cooled down and then he would try pushing more “buttons”. One day his mother grew tired of playing the little game and said to him, “Please don’t tell me you are sorry again until you really mean it”. Now, someone will say that his mother (my sister) was really being harsh. I beg to differ. What she was doing was teaching him a very valuable lesson on how we should treat others, and when we have done something wrong to hurt or offend them, we need to be sincere in our apology. This is perhaps a valuable lesson that many of us as adults need to learn as well.

If we continually go to people and say “I am sorry” for the things that we have done wrong, yet we have no real feelings of remorse, than the words that we say become nothing more than vain repetition - they are void and meaningless. In essence all we have done is put a temporary band-aid on a fresh wound to help stop the bleeding and to help keep the germs out which could cause infection. We may have applied the band-aid, but we never took the time to clean the wound or to apply any type of medicine to the wound to help in the healing process. Sooner or later that band-aid will need to be removed to clean and re-dress the wound. When that happens the wound is exposed to the open air and the original pain that was felt can possibly commence again. Merely saying the three little words “I am sorry” without truly meaning what we say, is not a cure all to make all wounds whole again. Anyone can say “I am sorry”, but how many really mean that they are sorry? It is when we say “I am sorry”, and sincerely mean what we say, that the wounds that were inflicted are cleansed, medicine is applied, there is less chance of any infection, and the healing process is begun.

Posted 9th June 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Life Sincerity Apologies
Jun

4

And Be Ye Thankful

Alma 26:8 - "Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever."

Traditionally, every third Thursday in November is set aside for the celebration of Thanksgiving Day. This is a time when families, friends, and loved ones gather together to watch Thanksgiving Day parades, followed by the many football games, and to partake of the delicious, mouth watering feast that has been lovingly prepared. On this special day homes are filled with the savory aroma of turkey or ham cooking in the oven, as well as, all of the other delectable sustenance that help to make the meal complete. As the family gathers around the dinner table heads are bowed and a prayer of thanksgiving is offered. Thanks is not only given for the meal that has been set before them and the loving hands that prepared it, but thanks is also given to the One who bestows upon each person such bountiful blessings as family, friends, health, strength, warmth, security, and prosperity.

However, Thanksgiving Day should not be the only day that we pause to give thanks, but rather, every day of our lives should be a day of “Thanks Giving”. In Ephesians 5:20 we are taught that we are to be found “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Philippians 4:6 further teaches us to “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” to “let [our] requests be made known unto God“.The Apostle Paul also reminds us in Philippians 4:4-5 that we should “Rejoice in the Lord always” and “let [our] moderation be known unto all men for “the Lord is at hand“.

In our daily lives do we truly express a heart of thanksgiving to our Great Provider for all that he has done and continues to do for us? If we do, what is it that motivates us to do so? Do we thank Him because of our love for Him, or do we remember to thank Him only after we get the things that we desire? J. Reuben Clark Jr. said, “A blessing always carries with it a responsibility” (CR, October 1954, p.38). As Christians we have the responsibility and privilege to give thanks for everything “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning [us]” (1 Thessalonians 1:18). Therefore, we should take time each day to reflect upon the many blessings that are ours. We all need to take some time from our busy lives and schedules and realize that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

President David O. McKay said, “Thankfulness is measured by the number of words; gratitude is measured by the nature of our actions” (CR, October 1955, p.4). When others see how we express our thanksgiving and gratitude to our Heavenly Father they begin to recognize to whom we turn as our source of life and strength thus bringing conviction, as well as, inspiration to their own lives. Take a look at the life of the psalmist David as an example. He lived his life in a constant state of praise and adoration to the Lord. He not only demonstrated his thankfulness to God through his prayers, but it also flowed through his worship, his speech and his actions. He composed psalms about God’s love, and he danced in jubilation of the things that God had done in his life. Anyone who knew David knew exactly who it was to whom he gave thanks. Our Heavenly Father is pleased by the glory our sincere adoration brings to Him. A grateful heart prepares the way for Him to do a marvelous work in our lives.

We should also teach our children to have hearts of thanksgiving. By so doing they will become better prepared to respond to the trials and adversities that they will encounter in life. Sir John Marks Templeton, an American-born British stock investor, businessman and philanthropist, beautifully expressed this thought when he said, “How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child’s personality. A child is resentful, negative - or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people”.

And now, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6,7). “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15). In the Sacred name of Him who is worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. Even Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Posted 4th June 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Thanksgiving Praise Adoration Gratitude

Lessons in the Key of Life

Lessons that I have learned as I journey through life.

Just Stay Focused!

Peace in the Midst of A Storm

Excuses, Excuses!

I Am Sorry

And Be Ye Thankful