Response to Ju

Julia,
The answer to your question is so simple. Just have perfect children!

But in all seriousness, Josh and I have this quote hanging on our fridge:

I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.
- Marion G. Romney
Ensign May 1980 "The Book of Mormon"

The whole talk is pretty good, too! This is just the last paragraph. We use it as our family goal.


Otherwise, I really believe that sometimes children will just be children. I actually think my children are nicer to each other than my sisters and I were and I try to remember that when I get frustrated with their bickering. Oh yes, they fight. Are you shocked to hear that? :-)


Andrea - loved your notes from your lesson. It gave me some things to think about.

Response to Ans

That was great! I wish you were one of our RS teachers! We have teachers who basically just read the lesson. grrr . . . This was very refreshing and loved reading it.


I have one question I thought we could discuss: How do you fully keep contention out of the home, making it more like the temple? That is really the one feeling I wish I could incorporate into the home, that lack of contention. Whenever I go to the temple I see those smiling elderly people all willing and able to help. There's a peace there I would love to replicate and it's mostly the sibling rivalry & whatnot that gives me the other not-so-temple-like feelings. :-) Discuss please.


I also gave a talk in church yesterday about agency, more specifically the principle to act and not be acted upon. I would like to add that here, but it's on our other computer, so I'll attach it later.

Don't you just love learning and studying deeper?!

LOL
JULIA

More temple stuff

Kami and I decided that we could post about whatever we wanted on this blog. So, more about temples from me. I taught the RS lesson today from Elder Christofferson's talk, "The Power of Covenants." Since I don't get to teach Elder Bednar's talk, "Honorably Hold a Name and Standing," or "Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples," by Elder Stevenson, I freely stole from those talks for my lesson as well. Also, I used Mormon Doctrine despite it not being an authoritative text because I wanted to. Don't worry, I told the sisters where I was getting the information so they could choose to take it or leave it.

Basically, I learned a ton while preparing for this lesson. Much of what I read I knew without really knowing it. If that makes sense. First, Elder C started off by talking about what covenants are and I tried to think of all the covenants I have made and what I've promised. I didn't know what all I'd promised. Then I asked Timothy--neither did he. I went to Mormon Doctrine and Elder McConkie really clarified some things for me.

First, he classifies covenants and talks about making a progression of covenants, each one leading you closer to fully taking upon yourself the name of Christ and being sanctified. The first level of covenant is the covenants of salvation which we hear about as the new and everlasting covenant, or law of the gospel, or the article of faith: first principles and ordinances of the gospel are faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost. Those are the primer covenants, so to speak.

Then, you run into the "covenants of conformity." Meaning, you conform (obey) specific commandments and receive specific blessings. Many commandments don't have specific blessings attached, like only having one piercing in your ear, so you reap unspecified blessings for your obedience. However, some commandments have specific blessings. Elder M mentioned the word of wisdom, tithing, keeping the Sabbath day holy, and the United Order (consecration). As you conform to those commandments, God is bound to give you the specific blessings promised, thereby making it a covenant.

Then you reach the covenants of exaltation, which are the covenants for those ready to receive more blessings by being obedient to more covenants. These are, obviously, the temple covenants. Elder M also said that receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood is a covenant of exaltation. I hadn't thought of that one. These covenants allow you to become gods and goddessess and receive all that the Father has.

Elder C stated, "In times of distress, let your covenants be paramount and let your obedience be exact. . . . Our covenant commitment to Him permits our Heavenly Father to let His divine influence, 'the power of godliness' flow into our lives." I thought of it as a spigot--we're in charge of how many blessings we receive by how "exact" our obedience is.

Elder C talked about the types of blessings we get through our obedience to our covenants including: "a continual flow of blessings," "the resources we need to act rather than simply be acted upon" (which I read as increased self-discipline), "greater control over our lives," "greater capacity to . . . work and create," "a steady supply of gifts and help," "the faith necessary to perservere," our "faith expands," "bestowal of divine power," "endowed with power from on high," companionship of the Holy Ghost, and others that didn't stick out at me quite as much. See 1 Nephi 17:3 and D&C 97:8.

Elder Bednar also talked about the blessings of temple ordinances and covenants. He quoted Alma 26: 6: "Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penentrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them." Also D&C 109:22: " . . . that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with ty power, and that thy name may be upon them." Also, "Thus, in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ."

Elder Bednar really drove home the point of the importance of the protection afforded by temple covenants when he quoted D&C 109:24-28:

That no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that he who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself;
That no combination of wickedness shall have power to rise up and prevail over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house;
And if any people shall rise against this people, that thine anger be kindled against them;
And if they shall smite this people thou wilt smite them; thou wilt fight for thy people as thou didst in the day of battle, that they may be delivered from the hands of all thier enemies.

The part that really struck me, though, was when Elder B said, "I invite you to study repeatedly and ponder prayerfully the implications of these scriptures in your life and for your family."

As we know, our homes are supposed to be sacred like the temples. If we keep our covenants we can claim this protection for our homes. Elder Stevenson said, "Not only can we turn the doors of our homes to the temple, or the house of the Lord; we can make our homes a 'house of the Lord.'" I think sometimes we fail to receive blessings because we don't understand them, or ask for them. In this case the blessings are so clear. We should be praying for this level of protection in our home. Essentially, if we are keeping our covenants, we can prevent Satan from having influence in our home. "That no weapon formed against them shall prosper." All of Satan's temptations are weapons, but in our homes, if we keep our covenants, Satan's weapons will not prosper--and therefore Satan's power will be neutralized in our homes. That's some serious protection promised to us. Elder B said, "The devil despises the purity in and the power of the Lord's house. And the protection available to each of us in and through temple ordinances and covenants stands as a great obstacle to the evil designs of Lucifer."

Elder C also said, "The temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos." He then told us to go on a mental tour of our home (I know you all remember this) and evaluate how closely our homes resemble a temple. Things that stuck out for me include: "Is it a place of love, peace, and refuge from the world, as is the temple? . . . do you see uplifting images? . . .. Is the conversation uplifting and without contention? . . . We may be well-advised to consider together, in family council, standards for our homes to keep them sacred and to allow them to be a 'house of the Lord.'"

When I evaluate those three articles together I am struck by how many blessings are promised to us if we keep our covenants, and how our homes can and need to be similar to a temple.

I was also struck by Elder B's call to repentance: "There is a difference between church-attending, tithe-paying members who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple."

Another Book Review

I'm sorry I'm not following the book list right now.
However, at the same time I'm not very sorry because I just read a great book set during the French Revolution era called "The Red Necklace" by Sally Gardner. Now, I was utterly shocked by the ending until I disovered there will be a sequel! Which makes me love the book all the more! This book had magic, mystery, suspense, and a little bit of romance. This was definitely a "neglect your family" book because I was caught from page 1!!

And, I still want you all to read "The Hunger Games" and tell me what you think!! :-)

Sorry, Ans . . . I never got Winston . . . they don't have it at our library and our library is in the process of moving so ordering books is a tad bit tricky these days. :-( Maybe I'll catch up when you're on book 5. :-)

JULIA

Last of Winston

I loved the book. It was incredible to read what Winston had to say about the war. I'm excited to read the other five in the series. I don't have an essay in mind, but I am going to leave you with some more of my favorite Winston lines.

Winston came up with his own explanation for why Londoners didn't suffer from pandemics during the Blitz due to so many people spending time in such close proximity. The explanation was ridiculous but funny, and then he said: "If this is not scientifically correct, it ought to be."

Winston was very supportive in his remarks about the French generally. Not so the Italians. He frequently told his Admirals that they couldn't just look at how many ships the Italians had and concede defeat. They had to remember that Italians were the ones manning the ships, and therefore the British outnumbered them easily. My favorite derogatory Italian statement though was on page 365. In a memo to General Wavell (in charge of North Africa), Winston was berating him for leaving so many troops in Kenya and for declaring the South African Brigade not well-trained enough for fighting. Winston wrote: "Anyhow, they are certainly good enough to fight Italians." Hilarious.

Pg. 369 is a memo Winston wrote to some of his generals, he wrote: "All water supplies between Mersa Matruh and the Alexandria defences must be rendered 'depotable.'" Then in a footnote he wrote, "This was the wretched word used at this time for 'undrinkable.' I am sorry."

Winston was never fond of defensive warfare. In some history books I've read, the authors claim that Winston wasn't a very good tactician. That might be the case, but from reading Winston's own words the feeling I get is that he was a risk-taker surrounded by people who wanted to play it safe. When he did convince people to take risks, it sometimes turned out brilliantly, and it sometimes didn't. He would shrug and say, "That's war," but others wouldn't let it go so easily. That's my take on it. However, I'm no expert. Yet.

On pgs. 462-463, Winston is explaining the military offensive designed by Wavell (Africa) and his compadres. Winston was very excited. He wrote, "We were all delighted. I purred like six cats. Here was something worth doing."

Pg. 464: More funny snideness directed at the Italians. The admiralty finally, after much urging by Winston, attacked the Italian fleet. It was a huge victory for the British. Winston wrote, "An ironic touch is imparted to the event by the fact that on this very day the Italian Air Force at the express wish of Mussolini had taken part in the air attack on Great Britain. An Italian bomber force, escorted by about sixty fighters attempted to bomb Allied convoys in the Medway. They were intercepted by our fighters, eight bombers and five fighters being shot down. This was their first and last intervention in our domestic affairs. They might have found better employment defending their fleet at Taranto."

Pg. 466: Winston sums up his view of waging war in a note to General Wavell, "As we told you the other day, we shall stand by you and Wilson in any well-conceived action irrespective of result, because no one can guarantee success in war, but only deserve it."

Pg. 470: Winston on the election to a third term of President Roosevelt. "Still, it was with profound anxiety that I awaited the result [of the election]. No newcomer into power could possess or soon acquire the knowledge and experience of Franklin Roosevelt. None could equal his commanding gifts."

474: Winston on finance. "From the time I formed the new Government and Sir Kingsley Wood became Chancellor of the Exchequer we followed a simpler plan, namely, to order everything we possibly could [of war materials and weapons] and leave future financial problems on the lap of the Eternal Gods. Fighting for life and presently alone under ceaseless bombardment, with invasion glaring upon us, it would have been false economy and misdirected prudence to worry too much about what would happen when our dollars ran out."

Pg. 484: Winston on lend-lease (the policy that allowed America to give for an undetermined length of time everything possible to Britain to facilitate in the fighting). " . . . the most unsordid act in the history of any nation."

Pg. 497: On the fact that Hitler was a crack-pot. The Russian ambassador to Germany in response to a lengthy meeting with Hitler: "Molotov replied that he had followed the arguments of the Fuehrer with interest and that he was in agreement with everything that he had understood."

In summary, this book was fantastically written and documented. Winston is the man--whether leading the British Empire or writing history, his genius is evident.

Temple Part 2

I wasn't able to go to the last temple fireside but my friend had asked for a copy of his powerpoint presentation, so this is basically word for word what's on there, plus pictures. Sweet, eh?

Ancient Temple Typology:

•The temple is the architectural embodiment of the cosmic mountain or universe.

The form of the Buddhist mandala is architectonic, the square section being the platform upon which sits a circular temple. The square represents material space with gateways at the four quarters of the earth, while the circle focuses upon its timeless center (See picture above.)

Michelangelo's preliminary plan for San Giovanni de' Fiorentini (1559) follows the ancient tradition of the centralized temple plan. The symbolic relationship between square and circle is that of the human and the divine. The integration of the two is a metaphor for equilibrium between earth and heaven. (see picture above.)

The cosmic mountain represents the primordial hillock, the place which first emerged from the waters that covered the earth during the creative process.

The temple is often associated with the waters of life which flow from a spring within the building itself—or rather the temple is viewed as incorporating within itself such a spring, or as having been built upon the spring.

The reason that such springs exist in temples is that they were perceived as the primeval waters of creation. The temple is thus founded upon and stands in contact with the waters of creation. These waters carry the dual symbolism of the chaotic waters that were organized during the creation and of the life-giving, saving nature of the waters of life.

•The temple is built on separate, sacral, set-apart space.

•The temple is oriented toward the four world regions or cardinal directions, and to various celestial bodies such as the polar star.

-As such, it is or can be an astronomical observatory, the main purpose of which is to assist the temple priests in regulating the ritual calendar. The earthly temple is also seen as a copy or counterpart of a heavenly model.

•Temples, in their architectonic orientation, express the idea of a successive ascension toward heaven. It was constructed of three, five, or seven levels or stages.

-Monumental staircases led to the upper levels, where smaller temples stood. The basic ritual pattern is that the worshippers ascended the staircase to the top, the deity descended from heaven, and the two met in the highest level.

The plan and measurements of the temple are revealed by God to the king or prophet, and the plan must be carefully carried out.

The temple is the central, organizing, unifying institution in ancient Near Eastern society.

•Inside the temple, images of deities as well as kings, temple priests, ad worshipers are washed, anointed, clothed, fed, enthroned, and symbolically initiated into the presence of Deity, and thus into eternal life. Seasonally dramas depicting heavenly wars, victories over evil, creation of the cosmos, cities, temples and social order.

-Sacred marriages are also carried out seasonally.

•The temple is associated with the realm of the dead, the underworld, the afterlife, the grave. The unifying features here are the rites and worship of ancestors. The unifying principle between temple and tomb is resurrection. The temple is the link between this world and the next.

•Sacral, communal meals are carried out in connection with temple ritual, often at the conclusion of or during a covenant ceremony.

God's word is revealed in the temple, usually in the holy of holies, to priests or prophets attached to the temple or to the religious system that it represents

The temple is a place of sacrifice.

The temple and its ritual are enshrouded in secrecy.

And that's all for tonight, because I have much else I have to get done. There is another section I have and I'll try to post it soon.

Recipe

Sorry--wrong blog.

A MUST READ!

I just finished an excellent book.
THE HUNGER GAMES by SUZANNE COLLINS

Anyone read this yet? If not, I recommend it and would LOVE to talk about it. :-)
There's a sequel coming out in Sept. I think, too, so should be good, good, good!

I would say this book reminds me of Ender's Game (if I need to compare it to anything).

Read it! It's great!

JULIA

Random

A couple years ago I watched part of the movie "Yes", in which everything is in iambic pentameter. It was neat to watch something contemporary written that way. Anyway, I don't recommend it really, it was all about affairs and what not. But here's one quote that sums up the theme of the movie.

Cleaner: And, in the end, it simply isn't worth / Your while to try and clean your life away. / You can't. For, everything you do or say / Is there, forever. It leaves evidence. / In fact it's really only common sense; / There's no such thing as nothing, not at all. / It may be really very, very small / But it's still there. In fact I think I'd guess / That "no" does not exist. There's only "yes".

Reading Shakespeare reminded me of it.

Hamlet

I know I'm a little behind but I finally finished Hamlet. I didn't like it nearly as much as I liked Macbeth. But it is always a pleasure to read Shakespeare. The words are just so well put together, and so clever. I love just the rhythm and how they sound together. That being said, Hamlet reminded me of Oedipus Rex--completely lame--where the characters have no real control of their destiny and die stupid deaths. Anyway, I'm going to be completely brief because I have loads of things to do, but here are a couple of my favorite lines.

Ham: Is this the prologue, or the posy of a ring?
Oph: 'Tis brief, my lord.
Ham: As a woman's love.

Hee. Hee. (However, that annoyed me too. Hamlet was so cruel to Ophelia when it was really his mother that had made a poor choice, and he based all women off of her.)

Ham: I am myself indifferent honest; but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not born me: I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious; with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them it, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do crawling between heaven and earth? We are arrant knaves, all: believe none of us.

I just love it--every thought is so beautifully said.

Anyway, I really do have to get going. But I was surprised reading Hamlet, how many quotes and snippets are everywhere else in our culture, even besides my father's oft misquoted lines.