Category: Death

All items related to the ending of a life

Share Glad Tidings

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Share glad tidings  of great joy  unto every soul.
When we find  something of great worth, share that truth  so we all can grow.
The Church of Jesus Christ  of Latter-Day Saints  teaches what is true.
Let us invite  souls everywhere.  Repentance  makes us new.

When we share  the Gospel's light  with others  that we see,
We must ask for  the Holy Ghost  to help set their  spirits free.
For only God  can enter in  and touch the  hearts of man.
With holy fire  the Holy Ghost testifies of  God's great plan.

There are countless souls  upon this earth  who know not  where to look.
Duty calls  us who know  to give each soul  God's Holy Books,
And share our testimony  with every willing soul.
With guidance from  the Holy Ghost, each child is helped  to grow.

Great shall be  each soul's reward, with every soul  we help save.
We share the truth  of Christ our LORD  & we build  beyond the grave.
Christ is the way, the truth & light.  There is no other way.
Share glad tidings  of great joy  and share it  every day.

In April 2023, President (and prophet) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Russell M Nelson, extended this invitation, “….study .. the account of the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites in the Americas, as recorded in 3 Nephi. Not long before that appearance, His voice was heard among the people, including these words of supplication: ‘Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?….behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive.’

Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ extends that same invitation to you today. I plead with you to come unto Him so that He can heal you! He will heal you from sin as you repent. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world.

Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about HIs Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him! …I testify that following Him is the only way to enduring happiness.”

Fridays and Sundays

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This is a quote from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, on of the previous Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Last week, using the New Testament as our text, we journeyed through the last days of the life of Jesus Christ. Friday was the day of Jesus’ trial, condemnation and death on the cross at Calvary; definitely a difficult day for him. But then Sunday came with the glorious truth that he had risen from the grave and left the pain a sorrow of Friday behind forever.

This is a message of hope for all of us who have our ‘Fridays’. It is a reminder that Jesus Christ is truly the answer to everything, and can help us get to our ‘Sundays’.

www.churchofjesuschrist.org

Easter

Jeanne 1 Comment
This video and many others are found on churchofjesuschrist.org

Springtime is a grand showcase of New Life. Daffodils and tulips push their green stems up from newly thawed ground, a symbol of rebirth. The cold grip of winter with it’s lifeless landscape gives way to a miraculous splendor of life and color. It’s a parable! The tulips shed their dried up petals as the summer heat seems to dry up their very lives. The bulb lies hidden in the cold, dark earth until that glorious spring morning when it rises again. Resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has broken the grasp of death. He lives today, and His power can enable us to become both new in spirit in our dark times in life, and new in body as a resurrected and eternally living person, a gift given to all of us, and celebrated again this Easter. Easter is truly a message of deliverance for all of us.

At Samhain

Jeanne 4 Comments

Samhain is a Celtic ancient ritual celebrated October 31-November 1 to bring in the dark part of winter, to recognize the fall harvest, and also to honor the dead, much like is done in the Aztec tradition of ‘Day of the Dead’. This year, instead of focusing on the trick-or-treat candy gatherings, we chose to focus on remembering those dear to us who have left us through death.

My daughter wrote a poem about this occasion, and, with her permission, I have featured it in this post inasmuch as it speaks of setting “a place at our fest table for those remembered most dear, in hoping to feel the warmth of their company once more.” We did set two places at the table for Mom and Dad, and included foods they especially liked on the menu. It was (as is) good to include them in our daily lives both in remembrance and also in knowing we can feel them near on many traditional occasions.

Our lovely Mother travels around the Great Sun as She always has
She carries human kind, the mountains, the oceans, our homes
We turn away from the Sun, and sense the cold vastness of space
The darkness comes.  Stark final harvest and bloody first slaughter
Ponder a time before the progression to modern convenience
Consider what you can give to those with less fortune
Step into the browning, fallen crunchy leaves to share in
Ancient traditions of costume, fare and lighting lanterns
The barrier between this life and the next becomes liminal
Set a place at our feast table for those remembered most dear
In hoping to feel the warmth of their company once more
Sorry this post is a few days late! Life seems to be running faster than I can keep up. Slow down and make memories.

I’m Fine

Jeanne Leave a comment 
I'm fine; there is nothing whatever the matter with me.
I'm just as healthy as can be.
I have arthritis in both my knees, 
And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze.
My pulse is weak, and my blood is thin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
I think my liver is out of whack, 
And a terrible pain is in my back.
My hearing is poor; my sight is dim.
Most everything seems to be out of trim.
My days, my doctor says are few,
Every week he finds something new.
And the way I stagger sure is a crime.
I'm likely to drop most any time.
I jump like mad at the drop of a pin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
I have arch supports for both my feet, 
Or I wouldn't be able to walk the street.
Sleeplessness I have night after night,
And in the morning, I'm a perfect fright.
My memory is failing.  My sight is dim,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

The moral is:  As this tale unfolds,
That for you and I who are growing old,
T'is better to say, "I'm fine", with a grin,
Cause it surely will help the shape you are in.

I found this poem (untitled), handwritten in an old file among scraps of geneological tidbits, from Bob's family.  It's not his handwriting, so I won't attribute it to him.  I have no idea who wrote it and probably should not be posting it.  If anyone knows the author, please let me know.  Perhaps his Grandma Davis wrote it.  She was very expressive in writing.

Nevertheless, I like it because it fits with events of the past few weeks.  Bob was finally able to get a new hip replacement a few days ago.  Everyone who works at a hospital looks just barely old enough to be in high school.  All of them.  His surgeon must have begun medical school in kindergarten!.  As they recorded the necessary information, they were amazed that we had been married almost 48 years.  And I reflected on our present physical and mental health--comparing it to our early years of marriage--and reluctantly admitted that we had changed.  A lot.

Bob's marathons have been traded in for shuffles to the car.  My foot was in such bad shape the night before his surgery, that I wondered how I'd get him up to surgery.  Bob's legs and ankle are generously marked from previous surgery scars.  We use grabbers and canes.

And I wondered what happened to all those decades?  Wasn't it just last spring when we planned our wedding?  Isn't getting old for our aunts and uncles and grandparents? --  but never for us!

Another View

Jeanne Leave a comment

No poem today. Just a few thoughts about terrible things that happen. The kind of things that cause us fear and worry and hopelessness. Ukraine and the Russian invasion. We read about things everyday: storms, earthquakes, shootings, Covid. If you wanted to get a super-dose, read Matthew chapter 25. It contains the prophecies of Jesus concerning our time just before the second coming. Taken seriously, it’s pretty scary stuff, right? And yet, Jesus referred to the day of his coming and GREAT and dreadful.

So, I’m thinking about the GREAT part of it. I was reading in the Book of Mormon recently where the account is written of a prophet, Samuel, who prophecied to the people in ancient America about 5 BC and how they would know when Christ would be born in Bethlehem. He spoke of astrological signs and about a day when it would remain light as mid-day when the sun went down, and when the sun came up again, that would be the day of his birth. So, 3 days of light. 5 years later that did happen.

in 3 Nephi chapter 5, verse 2 it reads, “And they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come, because of the many signs which had been given, according to the words of the prophets; and because of the things which had come to pass already they knew that it must needs be that all things should come to pass according to that which had been spoken.”

So, this is how modern day disasters, etc. can build our faith. We have seen ample prophecies fulfilled, and that, in and of itself, can be evidence that God is a man of his word, and we can rely (or have faith) in the promises (and blessings) yet to come.

What do you think? Does this offer you any solace or hope? How do you deal with fearful events? Please state your views in a comment.

Time

Jeanne 1 Comment

Time while on this Earth is always flowing in multi-colored dimensions, and always passing and ever changing, ever growing. In this life each moment and second of time are never the same….

Our last post referred to a Youtube 1964 video entitled “Man’s Search for Happiness”. This video presents a concept of ‘time’ unique to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

“For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.” Alma 34:32 (in the Book of Mormon).

In times past I’ve often been pacified by thinking that I have lots of time to do whatever I need or want to do, but when I turned 60, my thinking changed as I realized that I was now that ‘older generation’. Time became a more treasured commodity! And now I see that with each passing year, we are less able to do what we used to do in the same amount of time, which only makes time more precious.

A few weeks ago my son’s family (including 5 kids) came for a visit. My knees were unusually painful, and I realized that I simply could not do what I used to do, and that it would take more TIME to do everything now. Stress. So, I formulated a plan. A plan to make better use of time. Instead of running around trying to clean up and fix meals and do dishes, I would look for opportunities to talk one-on-one with the grandkids. To really listen, and to ignore the trivial housework that I knew would nag me. Well, it worked pretty well. I was able to slow down and found my grandkids quite delightful and entertaining.

In the before mentioned youtube, the question is asked, “Time, where does it take me?” And I ask myself how do I spend my time? It’s so easy to be bossed by our self-made lists, and then to be shocked at the end of the day that we didn’t get it all done. I am trying to take time each morning to evaluate what things are most needful for that day, and especially try to think of people and their needs and to put them at the top of my list as the most needful. Often, I am impressed by the spirit to think of someone or something….all in an attempt to have quality time rather than empty time.

Bob recently wrote this: TAKE TIME

Take time to see a rainbow or to watch a butterfly.
Take time to help another soul who has something in their eye.
Take time to watch a sunrise, or sunset on each new day.
Take time to tank the Lord for everything that comes our way.



Take time to thank our Mother for all her tender care.
Take time to thank our Father for his work and being there.
Take time upon each Sabbath Day to take the Sacrament.
Take time each precious day to thank those who pay the rent!

Time is always on the move as we circle around God's Son,
From dawn to eve, we each can see the things that we have done.
At work or play, in war or peace, on land, in air or sea,
We each can choose to use or waste times precious quantity.

Some choose to the pursuit of riches they can gain,
While others seek for higher goals than worldly, selfish fame,
Like love of wife and family within God's eternal plan.
Those who truly seek this goal will understand.

Time is a gift more precious than the riches we can gain.
Greed poisons each person's souls and kills our heart and brain.
We loose the ability to see God's wondrous earth,
As all life flows, sings and grows for those who seek true worth.

Through work and play, Lord teach us love.  Give us eyes to see
And ears that hear another's woes, and a heart both warm and free,
That we may use our time as service we do bring
To love and serve each other, that in time spent, joy will sing.

As always, a great treasure of media can be found on churchofjesuschrist.org

Man’s Search for Happiness

Jeanne 1 Comment

Back in 1963, when I was 16, my Grandmother died. This was the first time I experienced death of someone close to me, and it left a hole in my heart, and was the cause of deep reflections for me, and sadness. I had been taught in Sunday School and in Primary….taught about being a child of God, and about returning to him when we die. I believed that. I had no reason to doubt, especially when my Dad also told me that.

But, believing is only a beginning. I needed to take that belief in my head, and move it into my heart. It was in 1964 that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints produced a 13 minute movie (I believe it was for the World’s Fair) entitled: Man’s Search for Happiness. Because my heart had already been prepared, when I saw that movie, I was very impressed, touched, and, for the first time, felt truth in my heart, not just my head.

For years I have searched for that little video, unsuccessfully. There is a new version produced in about 1989, and that was the one that always came up in my search. It’s nice, but it wasn’t the one that had such deep meaning for me back in 1964.

Well, you can now view it on Youtube! Log in to Youtube and in the search, type in Man’s Search for Happiness 1964, and, POOF!, there it is. To me it was a seed of belief planted in my heart that has grown through the years and brought me unspeakable joy, peace and comfort. Watch it and tell me what you think. Maybe you will like the 1989 version better.

My dear Grandma & Grandpa

I hope that you know that God loves you because you are his child, and He has a plan for your joy and happiness.

Please comment and share you feelings.

Other’s Needs

Jeanne 1 Comment

A couple of months ago, life became ‘out of focus’ for me. I thought I was having a reaction to medications: trouble sleeping, being anxious about everything, not able to think clearly, feelings of doom, nausea, forgetfulness….My MD had me fill out those screening papers for depression. You know the ones.. They ask you to rate how often you feel hopeless and if you find pleasure in daily activites, etc. etc. I scored horribly and she prescribed an anti-depressant, which I decided not to take unless I could not pull myself out.

I tried really hard to focus on the good things going on around me, which, frankly, was quite challenging to do. I tried to think of other people and what they needed and how I could help. I think the most helpful thing was to read scriptures. They give me an eternal perspective, and a virtual slap of reality that we all have troubles, but, we all can turn to Jesus Christ in prayer and thought and receive an unexplainable rest and peace. I tried every day to focus, not just on Christ, but on others around me. Helping others made me feel worthwhile. Little by little, my mood began to change. I began to feel energized and excited about things that I can do.

Serving with heart & mind, body & soul, we help other's needs.
As we serve, others gain more light, as Christ guides our deeds.
We find our hearts grow lighter, leaving worries & cares behind.
Our cares loose their power to overwhelm heart & mind.

When we sit & think about our trials & troubled woes,
Worries grow & magnify & fester our mind, heart & soul.
Mole hills become mountains & they appear impassable.
Let's give time for others needs & our faith will start to grow.

We start to understand the Lord's wisdom when He did say:
"Loose yourself in service unto others," & we will find God's true way.
As we serve other's needs, we become more humble & more meek.
To a bright new way to truly live, as we more humbly seek.
Out of focus!

I know the devastation of Covid, including the disease itself, plus the loss of sociality, and the discord and unrest it has brought about have contributed immensely to widespread depression. Let’s add politics, natural disasters, floods, drought and fires. My hat off to anyone who has not suffered some level of depression. Being that ‘out of focus’ is something that needs attention. Let’s watch out for anyone around us (family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc.) There are many options for treating depression. Perhaps we can all just begin by talking; having conversations with those close to us. I am grateful for my family who listen to me, and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for all the reminders that God loves me and is always there to help. Check out churchofjesuschrist.org

Be Grateful

Jeanne 1 Comment

Psalm #4 

Be grateful for each pain we have that gives us greater light.
Heartaches from our dear ones can help us gain insight.
Let us be more grateful, for everything we learn and see.
Remember, just past death's door, we join in God's eternity.