Intructions for doing the Latter-day Hokey Pokey

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         Instructions for doing the Latter-Day Hokey Pokey                  

by Kayleen Henderson

 

ü Put your right foot in:  If you put your right foot in as the gospel requires, you’ll put your best foot forward.  You’ll get your foot in a door, ministering as the spirit directs.  If you put your right foot in, you’ll soon add your left foot so that you can have feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:15). You can run and not be weary (D&C 89:20).  And the scripture will be fulfilled that saith “How beautiful are the feet that bringeth good tidings” (Isaiah 52:7). With both feet in you’ll be able to follow the Prophet, and stand in holy places (D&C 45:32).

ü Put your right hand in: With your right hand in you can; sustain, covenant, and sometimes lead. Soon you’ll wish you had your left-hand in.  You’ll need it to; serve, support and lift others.

ü Put your head in:  With your head in, you can turn the other cheek.  With your head in you can rely on your sound understanding (Alma 17:2). With your head in, you will search the scriptures, ponder them and turn them all around. 

ü Put your backside in:  Once you get your backside in, you’ll rise up and get going in the strength of the Lord (Mosiah 10:10). And you will be anxiously engaged (D&C 58:27).

ü Put your whole self in:  With your whole self in you can serve God with all your heart, might, mind and strength (D&C 4:2). When you are all in, it’s because you love Jesus Christ and you want to do what he would do.

 

And “That’s what it’s all about”.

 

 

Pearls

A mark of a great teacher, parent or leader, is that they do not ask those they lead, to do anything that they would not be willing to do themselves.

Jesus was the greatest teacher, He was the master.  He told us to seek goodly pearls and when we find one of great price we need to sell all we have to buy it.  For us, the pearl we seek is the great plan of happiness; the plan that was made from the beginning that would enable us to choose to return to live with God again.  It is the plan that gives purpose to earth life.  It would require a Savior who was perfect and could and would redeem us from our sins, enabling us to return to our Father clean. because clean is the only way back.  The pearl is the gospel and its worth is great.

So, did Jesus, the master teacher, do what He asked us to do - give up all He had to obtain the goodly pearl?

Jesus learned carpentry from  Joseph His earthly father.  But he left his trade to teach the gospel.  We don’t know of any earthly possessions except a garment. One that a women with faith touched the hem of, and soldiers cast lots for.  So what could He sell?  The only thing He really had was His will and His life. When He said “not my will but thine be done”, He gave his will and it was swallowed up in the will of the Father.  Then He gave His life on the cross.  And with His two possessions He bought the pearl.  For Jesus Christ the pearl was not the Gospel because He was the gospel. The pearl Jesus bought with all he had is you.

Happiness comes in small packages

Leave a comment.  What makes you happy?

Here's mine.  Happiness is when your Sixlets have Eight.

Colorful Campfire

This fire was at Lake Powell in Southern Utah/Northern Arizona.  All there was to burn on the vast shore line was sand and tumbleweeds.  The kids (the cousins) in this picture got stuck a few times gathering up the tumbleweeds, but they make a tremendous blaze.  For fires on a smaller scale, there are different ways to add color and sparkle.  You can toss a pinch of sugar into the fire for a crazy effect. A bit of flour or powdered creamer will add pizzaz to a campfire program or story.  There are so many ideas that can be found online.  

For adding fun to the fire, check out these links:  

http://guidezone.e-guiding.com/bvfmagic.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trzDg-ZqFM0 
http://www.campfiredude.com/

I love quiet moments around a campfire, listening to the crackle, with the cool air and night sounds at my back.  I love to talk and sing with family and friends and cook something on a stick; a marshmallow, or starburst or even just the stick.  But I am also aware of the destructive power of fire if it is not respected.  

Our neighborhood won't recover for many years from the devastation caused by a wild fire that blew through our little canyon two years ago. Homes were gone in a few minutes and in a few hours 66 homes were destroyed.  Even the cement foundations were cooked into dust.  Metal was melted into puddles.  There were some narrow escapes, but it was a miracle that no one died.  Many animals died.  

The smell was incredible as the trucks loaded with remains drove down the road to dispose of horses, goats, cats and dogs.  I suspect there were wild animals too.  We have many deer that wander through the yard.  Our house was spared due to a change in wind direction.  Others were saved by firefighters.  It was hard to feel happy that our house was still standing when so many neighbors were homeless.  

 So love the fire and always use caution.  

This picture is just one section of the fire. It looks like a burned hillside, but there used to be homes.  Many have been rebuilt now but the hillside is still burned sticks that used to be cedars and junipers.

Mother's Day Mayhem

For Mother's day one year, I decided to cook the turkey that was still in the freezer.  We invited both sets of parents for dinner, and with our 6 kids, we had a full house. 

So on that warm May day, I cooked up a Thanksgiving sized feast.  The house began to heat up.  We opened windows and turned on the ceiling fan above the dining table.  Finally, everything was laid out; potatoes, gravy, asparagus, jello, corn, rolls and turkey.  I don't remember who sounded the call to "COME & EAT", but immediately following, like the walls of Jericho, the glass fixture on the ceiling fan, came tumbling down.  Tiny glass shards were everywhere, in and on everything. 

I don't remember what we ate for dinner. I think we tried to scoop the top layer off of the potatoes and rinse anything that was rinse-able. It was scary chewing.

I have found that Mother's Day and birthdays, are best survived by laughing, always laughing, and by serving others. I had a friend in college who always gave his parents birthday presents on his birthday to thank them for having him, raising him and loving him.

Happy Mother's Day to Mom's and to everyone who has a Mom. 

It's your day!

Coincidence

  

What are the odds that when my car broke down in the Walmart parking lot, that within five minutes our mechanic would walk by and fix the car. If either of us would have gone shopping at any time other than at that little span of time or parked anywhere else, I would have missed him.  I've heard that there are no coincidences. 

*""President Monson often says, “There are no coincidences” as he makes the point that his experiences in life have taught him to always look for the Lord’s hand. ""     

Yesterday was one of those times when I was reminded that I am not alone.  Often I have had to struggle with car trouble and work out a solution to the problem, but, yesterday - yesterday I saw a **tender mercy. 

*Thomas S. Monson, in To the Rescue, 60.  Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

**Pslams 119:77

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/03/have-i-done-any-good-in-the-world-today?lang=eng#footnote7-10403_000_015

The Cross Walk

Today, I was coming home after dropping my daughter off at the High School.  I stopped at the cross walk to let two teen boys go across the street. The red-head did a thank you wave to me as he went across, even in the presence of his friend.  It made me smile.  Ok, maybe my daughter can go out with that kid--a, when she's older.

Frosty Morning

It was a beautiful frosted morning. Every twig on every weed had crystals.  It was a fantastic sight. It would be humanly impossible to do in a life time what nature did in a few hours.  The whole valley was frosted.  All you can really do is stop long enough to be amazed.