I have learned in a very personal way that God is real. He loves us. He listens. The best way to know this, is simply to put His amazing “free wireless service” to the test any time of the day or night. Amazingly, the more we use it, the clearer our reception gets. Continue reading
The Conference Center, SLC Utah
It is impossible to give true justice to a General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a mere summary. However, for the sake of my many readers who may not have had the opportunity to watch or hear the conference yet, or for those who would like my perspective – here are a few of my personal observations and highlights from the recent October 2011 Conference weekend: Continue reading
In the final moments of last week’s LDS General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson, 16th President and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave some profound instruction: Continue reading
On January 22, 2010 The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued an official statement on Haiti, urging its members to Help. This video features the text of that statement, combined with images from Haiti, and set to the LDS Hymn
DO GOOD! – DONATE at give.lds.org/emergencyresponse
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Video courtesy HaveYouDoneAnyGood Channel
David Foster
When Grammy-award winning songwriter and producer David Foster collaborated with Grammy-award winner Carole Bayer Sager to write ”The Prayer“, it was a match made in heaven. Their song debuted in the 1998 animated film Quest for Camelot, and went on to win a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Written with lyrics in both English and Italian, ”The Prayer” was first recorded as a duet between Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli. In 2008 it was recorded by Dion & Josh Groban, and in 2009 Groban and Bocelli gave a memorable performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Over the years this song has been translated into many languages, and recorded by multiple artists. It also likely ranks as a “top hit” to be belted out in the privacy of showers and automobiles everywhere.
As our hearts are aching for the people of Haiti, and so many other sorrows throughout the world both public and private, I cannot think of a better time to offer up this musical prayer for peace, love, safety and comfort.
For Info on this recording click here / Video courtesy MoTabChoir01
“The Prayer” Lyrics
I pray you’ll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don’t know
Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your Grace
To a place where we’ll be safe
La luce che tu dai
I pray we’ll find your light
Nel cuore restera
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarci che
When stars go out each night
L’eterna stella sei
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c’e
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe.
Sogniamo un mondo senza piu violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita
La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E’il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Needs to find a place,
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe
E la fede che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salvera
By now nearly all the world is aware of the devastating 7.0 earthquake hitting Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Tuesday. It’s been heart-wrenching to see the images and stories of destruction and desperation through media report . It’s hard to resist the intense desire to just rush to the airport, and book the next flight to HELP somehow!! Ironically, this generous spirit of charity has actually caused problems. As Haiti Aid Begins to Arrive, it is proving too much, and too fast for the poor Haitian airport and ground support to handle. What an agonizing Catch 22! It is nice to have trusted sources providing simple ways to get involved, such as LDS Philanthropies, or the Red Cross (including - Texting “Haiti” to 90999).
Rescued
Amid all of this chaos and heartbreak, thankfully there have been stories of survival and hope, adding a positive perspective. I was particularly touched to hear that large groups are gathering and singing songs of praise together! What a beautiful testament to the faith and heart of the people of Haiti. We were also relieved to learn that All LDS Missionaries In Haiti Are Safe - and that LDS Church Humanitarian Aid mobilized and shipped within 12 hours - with aid continuing to progress. This gives balm to the troubled heart. I know from past experience with large-scale tragedy, there will be many more miraculous and heartwarming stories to hear in the future. But, during these beginning stages of disaster, the negative usually far outweighs positive. Being able to see the whole picture is filtered through a slow motion lens.
Pres. Uchtdorf
I have reflected on the most recent lead article in the January issue of the LDS Liahona Magazine. This publication is the church’s globally distributed magazine – a sister publication to the North American ‘Ensign Magazine’. The First Presidency Message for the month of January 2010 is interstingly enough entitled Hold On A Little Longer written by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
His message of hope seems especially appropriate, and even prophetic. I would like to direct his words specifically to all suffering due to the Haiti tragedy:
“…hold on a little longer—even when things look bleak. Know and remember this: the Lord loves you. He remembers you. And He will ever sustain those who “endure in faith to the end” (D&C 20:25).
You are continually in my thoughts and my prayers. May you each find peace amid the chaos. May you hold tight to your faith, and feel strength in singing praise and hymns together. May you feel the Savior’s love for you individually, and experience tender mercies. May those who are desperately and tirelessly working to send aid reach you as quickly as possible! And may God work His mighty miracles in this hour of great need.
This is my prayer – Your sister, MoSop
video courtesy Libera.uk.org
LDS Tongan Temple
On Thurs. Jan 7, 2010 [Wed Jan 6 in North America] a baby boy was born in the LDS (Mormon) Nuku’alofa Tonga Temple. The circumstances surrounding this unusual occurance were nothing short of miraculous. Mormon Soprano has received permission from all parties involved to share the story with you, as told by Sister Frederika ten Hoopen (“Sister Teni”), serving as an LDS Sister Missionary Nurse in Tonga:
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“I went to the [Tonga] Temple last night. I had taken my watch off at home (something the brethern have asked us to do), so I ended up leaving 20 minutes earlier than usual, and arrived early, [about 6:30 PM] planning to attend the 7:00 PM session. As I was entering, the brothers at the desk said they needed a nurse urgently, and asked me to go into the waiting room!
Tonga Temple
“What I did not know at the time of my arrival is that the phones and internet had gone down at the temple, and no one could call out. The Acting [Temple] President had tried to find me, but no one knew where I was, as I am now working as a proseletyzing missionary. He began to fervently pray for me to come to the 7:00 temple session, and had just completed his prayer when I walked in the door.
“When I entered [the temple waiting room], there was the mommy sitting in a wheelchair in all her white [clothing] and she had already delivered most of the baby. I was very concerned about the baby, and felt the tremendous urging of the spirit prompting me as to what to do. I give all the praise to the Lord! I had to scoop him out of her [undergarments] and turn him over to get him to breathe, and then came that famous cry! They do not have twist ties in Tonga, so I asked for scissors, and elastic bands. I cut the cord and put the elastic bands on. All this time, Sister Clayton [a temple worker] was helping me, as she has had 8 children and many grandchildren! We lifted the mother out of the wheelchair and onto the floor where I delivered the placenta (afterbirth). It took a few pushes and I needed to help it along, but finally it came. In Tonga, the family takes the afterbirth and ceremonially buries it, so it was important to have it preserved.
proud parents with Sister Teni holding the baby
“The mother of the baby’s name is Ati. She is a teacher here in Liahona, and had just returned from BYU Hawaii where she had been taking a course. Her due date was set as February 14th, and she had seen her doctor the night before she came to the temple [with everything appearing on schedule]. She and her husband decided to attend a session at the temple together, where she went into labor without warning. Her husband was by her side the whole time of the delivery.
“I could hardly believe it, but the birth only took 20 minutes for all of this to happen from beginning to end! At this point, the ambulance arrived and took mother & baby to the hospital, and all was well! In the meantime, I noticed that I never got one drop of blood, or anything on me! I was able to wash up, get ready for the session, and attend just as planned!
Sister Teni, Mommy Ati & Baby Teni Keleitoni Temipale and Sister Clayton
“The next morning [Sister Clayton] and I went to the Hospital to see the baby. Mom and Dad were waiting for us. They [gave us a great honor] and asked us to name their baby. His name will be “Teni Keleitoni Temipale“, which is the Tongan translation for our names, [ten Hoopen & Clayton] plus the Temple.
“I joined the church 11 years ago in New York City, which has changed my life forever. This was another incredible blessing, to be of some small service in the Kingdom.
I have a testimony that the Atonement can heal all ills of this society, and the world! I share these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With Love, Sister Teni (ten Hoopen)”
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Sister Teni’s life is also a miraculous story. She was born and raised in Canada, and moved to New York City in 1980. She joined the LDS Church in 1998, and three months after her baptism, travelled by train with her two boys to live in Utah. A little over a year ago, she chose to serve at her own expense as a single Senior Missionary. She was originally called to the Samoa mission, but one week before arriving at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah her assignment was changed to be the Missionary Nurse in Tonga. After arriving in Tonga, her mission President sent her to serve in Niua – more famously known as “The Other Side of Heaven“, and became the first white (palangi) single Sister Missionary to serve there. Delivering a baby at the Temple is just one of the many miraculous and unique experiences of her missionary service. She is beloved by the Tongan people:
[Sister Teni] is truly a remarkable and wonderful example of Heavenly Father’s answer to many prayers. The lives she’s touched, the miracle of her being here in Tonga, that’s another story all together! She has escaped near death, survived a typhoon [the Tsunami that hit Niua in September] nursed the survivors, healed and witnessed a true miracle, baptized families, delivered a baby in a Temple, and saved one person I know very well–literally saved their life. She is an answer to prayers, my very own Angel, and quite a few others feel that way, too!
- Sister Kathleen Peaua, a Latter-day Saint living in Tonga
We thank Sister Frederika ten Hoopen (“Sister Teni”) for her selfless service, and for sharing her story and testimony with us. We also welcome baby Teni Keleitoni Temipale to the world, and extend best wishes to his family!
This past weekend I was archiving files on my computer, and I discovered some photos I took in July 2008. One image in particular has captured my attention. If a “picture is worth a thousand words” then this one certainly tells a beautiful story. It symbolizes all that I am personally thankful for – evoking words such as:
God. Family. Home. Country. Freedom. Worship. Life, and Eternity.
I remember that walk. It was a beautiful late summer afternoon. I lingered, and eventually the light began to fade. As I walked past the cemetary, I happened to turn and look back toward the LDS Temple nestled on the hill. At that moment, I saw the rays of the setting sun shimmering through the American flag, and the temple prominently settled in the background. I snapped a photo. At some point I downloaded the image to my computer, and then forgot about it. Until today.
This photo makes my heart swell with gratitude. I am grateful to our forefathers who sacrificed everything, including their very lives to build a country where men and women would be free to worship according the dictates of their own conscience. Through their courage & determination, and with divine assistance, they made that dream a reality. Likewise, I am grateful for my Mormon ancestors who sacrificed everything, including their very lives, to build a haven in the West. They desired a place where they could worship according the the dictates of their conscience, and raise their children free from persecution, terror, mob violence and fear. Through their courage & determination, and with divine assistance, they made that dream a reality.
If those pioneers and forefathers could have seen into the future, to our day, what would they have thought? Certainly, they could be amazed at how our nation has grown, and at our advances in medicine and technology. They could marvel at all of our modern conveniences, our tall buildings and rapid transportation. However, perhaps they might see something less impressive, and disconcerting. They would see that beyond all of our surface comfort and wealth, there lies a collective soul in bankruptcy.
Where is our courage and determination? How are we safegarding the religious freedoms they fought so hard to establish and preserve? What personal sacrifices are we making on behalf of our future generations? What legacy are we striving to leave?
In general, as 21st Century beings, we have become so distracted by our “pursuit of happiness”, we seem to be forgetting the things that matter most.
Bishop Burton
The current conventional wisdom is that more is better and less is usually undesirable. For some, the pursuit to acquire more of this world’s goods and services has become a passion. For others, more of this world’s wealth is necessary just to sustain life or raise living standards to a minimum level. The unbridled desire for more often has tragic consequences…
It is hard to say no to more, when you can afford to say yes. Parents are rightfully anxious about the future. It is difficult to say no to more sports equipment, electronics, lessons, clothes, team participation, et cetera, when parents believe more will help children thrive in an increasingly competitive world. Young people seem to want more, partly because there is infinitely more to catch their eye. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimated that American children see more than 40,000 commercials a year. – Bishop H. David Burton, – “More Holiness Give Me” Oct. 2004
One of my favorite hymns was penned by the revered Evangelist composer Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876), entitled “More Holiness Give Me“. It is found in many congregational hymnbooks – including the Latter-day Saints. The song is written as a plea to heaven for a list of virtues.
P.P. Bliss
The virtues expressed in “More Holiness Give Me” fall into several groups. Some are personal goals, like more faith, gratitude, and purity…Others center on adversity, [such as] patience in suffering, and strength to overcome…The rest firmly anchor us to our Savior…more blessed and holy; and more, Savior, like Thee. More of these virtues is better. Less is not desirable.
As I gaze at my photo, I can hear this hymn clearly in my mind. There is a certain line that particularly stands out…”More Freedom From Earth-Stains“… I offer a prayer in my heart for my family, my country and its citizens whom I love so much, and for the entire world to receive More Freedom. Oh, how I pray we will seek more of holiness, and we will turn to the One who can cleanse, heal and protect us in this time of great need. The truth is undeniable:
More Holiness offers More Freedom.
An Arrangement of Phillip Paul Bliss’ hymn by Michelle Willis. Performed by the BYU-Idaho Womens Choir, directed by Kathryn Ricks Willis.
Prayer is one of the most fundamental aspects of my spirituality, and relationship with God. My parents taught me to pray before I could even speak the words. However, as I grew, and practiced the habit of offering daily simple prayers to my Father in Heaven, my words and feelings matured, and my spiritual communion deepened.
Mormons are a praying people. We do not say rote or memorized prayers, but rather speak from the heart. We talk to God as a child would to their father, with respectful intimacy. We pray when we awake in the morning. We pray before each meal. We pray at the opening and closing of each church related meeting and activity. We pray before travelling a long distance. We pray as a family at least once each day, and we offer private prayers. We pray at the close of day before retiring for bed.
Why so much praying?
Put simply; it is a commandment from God to ‘pray always’ (Luke 21:36; 2 Nephi 32:9; D&C 10:5; 90:24). And, because we believe in God, we take His commandments seriously. We also pray as an outward expression of our faith in God, and our acknowledgement of His hand in every aspect of our lives.
Multiple times throughout his ministry, our Savior, 
Jesus Christ emphasized the importance of praying to Our Father in Heaven. Jesus offered very powerful prayers – many of which are recorded in the Bible, such as The Lord’s Prayer, and The Great Intercessory Prayer, for us to read, treasure, and exemplify.
We are taught to pray ‘vocally as well as in [our] heart;. . . before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private’ (D&C 19:28)”.
There have been many times in my life when I have cried out in prayer to God silently in my heart. Those informal, urgent prayers have been answered in marvelous and immediate ways. Sometimes, the answer has come as a calm reassurance, or a peaceful feeling. And there have been times when the answer has been more dramatic. There is one thing I am certain of – God is our loving Father in Heaven. He hears our prayers, and I believe He is anxious to answer us. Usually, answers come in ways we do not expect, and sometimes do not like – but always in the way we need most.
David A. Bednar, LDS Apostle
“I testify that prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all of our doings, as we express heartfelt gratitude, and as we pray for others with real intent and a sincere heart. I witness Heavenly Father lives and that He hears and answers every earnest prayer.” – David A. Bednar, “Pray Always,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 44
Quentin L Cook
This life is not always easy, nor was it meant to be. It is a time of testing and proving. When we are having a particularly hard time, and things seem unbearable, we can be assured that we are not alone. There is One who will bear our burdens, and hold us in His arms.
This video illustrates an excerpt of LDS apostle Quentin L. Cook’s talk entitled “Hope Ya Know, We Had A Hard Time” given at the Church General Conference in October 2008.
When Nick Vujicicwas born, his Australian Christian parents held a tiny child with no arms or legs. Despite the crushing odds Nick faced, he has turned his trial into triumph. He now spends his life speaking to groups all around the world. His message is one of hope and joy. No matter what we face in life, we never face it alone. Nick is a living testimony, that with God, everything is possible!
“Circumstances do not have to change for you to become victorious.”- Nick Vujicic
I recently came across a short biography of Elder John B. Dickson of the Latter-Day Saint Seventy. I found his life story very inspirational, and his words of wisdom are applicable to our own daily living:
Elder John B. Dickson
“When it was time for me to go on a mission, I was very excited to serve the Lord. Just before I was to leave, however, I found out that I had bone cancer. The chance of living long enough to serve a mission wasn’t very high. I had faith that the Lord would provide a way if He wanted me to go.
My father gave me a blessing in which I was told that I would serve my mission in Mexico, serve in the Church all my life, and have a family. My right arm had to be amputated above the elbow, but my life was spared, and the promises I was given have all been fulfilled.
“Some would think that losing an arm would be a terrible burden, but it has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. I learned that it is very important to have challenges and to face up to them.”
Elder Dickson had always been right-handed, and now he had to learn to do everything left-handed. One struggle was learning how to tie his necktie. He said:
“One Sunday morning when I was in my bedroom with my necktie in my hand, I thought, How am I going to tie this? I thought about getting a clip-on tie. I thought about asking Mom to help me. But I couldn’t take her with me on my mission just to tie my ties. So I decided I had to learn how to do it myself. I finally figured it out by using my teeth. I still do it that way, even after having tied it thousands of times.”
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I’ve been thinking about the idea of “Using Our Teeth“. The subject of teeth is foremost in my mind currently. Last Friday I had some surgery on my mouth and teeth (NOT fun). Since then, I’ve been in a lot of pain, and I can’t eat anything that requires chewing (which rules out a LOT).
Often, when we are faced with a difficult burden or task, one of the most overwhelming things is accepting that life cannot be the same (either temporarily, or permanently). I know that my mouth will heal, and I will get to eat again. It’s not going to last forever. However, some things in life are more serious. We may face a trial that means we can never move forward doing things the way we used to. In the English language, when we are having a hard time, we might use the phrase: “I’m holding on by the skin of my teeth”. Imagine that you are hanging over a steep cliff, and the only thing keeping you from plunging into the abyss is by grasping a branch with your teeth! Obviously,you are surviving, but you are in need of some help FAST!
Making a change is always hard. Especially when it is not something we anticipated, and is unpleasant. “Different” is uncomfortable. Sometimes, it’s painful, and really unfair. If we want to find a solution, it usually means we have to have courage, be flexible, and maybe we have to get a little innovative.
"Heavenly Hands"
No matter what we face, it is important to remember we were created to succeed! In our darkest hours, the Lord has given each one of us a precious promise:
“I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand, and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts; and my angels round about you, to bear you up.”
The Lord never makes a promise He doesn’t keep. It is my hope that no matter what, we will keep our faith strong in these troubled times. Let’s not be afraid to use our teeth once in awhile if necessary. And if we can’t use our teeth, then let’s just hold on some other way! - MoSop
