Jasper's Ultrasound DVD

Brooke and I thought it'd be fun to edit Jasper's 20 week ultrasound DVD and put some music to it!  Brooke did a great job of clipping out the boring stuff and putting the title screen, closing screen, and music in it!  Here it is:

Just 4 more weeks till she's due!!!  I'm so excited!  :)

Summer Update!

I haven’t written for a while since don’t have my weekly religion blog assignment!  My next classes start up in just over a week.  I’m taking a required Family Foundations course and a Business orientation one.  That’s a total of 3 credits, which will be nice since Jasper will be born in just a few weeks!  I had to change my major to Business again since BYU-I decided to discontinue the English online degree program.

Jasper’s due date is just 53 days away!  Here’s a picture of her adorable face from her 20-week ultrasound.  She's almost 33 weeks now!  And she is SO CUTE!!!  :)

Jasper's 20-Week Ultrasound

My mom and Melanie are throwing a baby shower next month on the 29^th, so I got registered for things at Target.com!  It was lots of fun checking out all the cute baby clothes and things. :)  Click here to view my registry!

We moved from Provo just over a month ago.  We live in Sandy now!  Brooke & Taylor moved to Sandy too, so we’re all renting a 5-bedroom house together!  It’s fun.  Michael started teaching Social Studies a couple weeks ago.  I reactivated my 24 Hour Fitness membership and really enjoy swimming lately!  I’m also 10 miles closer to work now, which is awesome!  It only takes me 15 minutes to get to work and I love it!  It’s also nice because I go southbound to work, whereas MOST commuters go north, so I don’t have to deal with the awful traffic as much.  Same with going home!  However, traffic around the Point of the Mountain often has its way of being sluggish for some reason.

We’ve had a hot summer!  It’s starting to cool down gradually, which is nice!  Autumn will be here soon and I can’t wait!  It’s my favorite season.  I love the smell of autumn, the golden sunshine, the colorful leaves, etc.  It’s great!

William Blake: The Modern Mystic

Introduction

I quickly became intrigued by William Blake when reading about his unique religious views.  I was fascinated by his accounts of seeing visions.  As a young boy, he saw a God put his head to the window.  Furthermore, he also saw "a tree filled with angels, bright angelic wings bespangling every bough like stars" (Livergood).  He continued to experience visions throughout his life, which undoubtedly inspired and influenced his writing.

Not only was he a writer, but also an extraordinary artist.  He would illustrate his works with beautiful paintings and relief etchings.  The process of relief etching was a very meticulous one – consisting of time-consuming steps and careful workmanship.  I think this added so much to his work; making it even more a part of him.  His wife would assist him in the procedure of relief etching and painting in the colors.  This personal touch to his work adds a significant dynamic to his poems and writings.

Knowing about the life of William Blake before reading his poems definitely helped set the context for me.  Having some background information helped me to read his poems with an understanding of his spiritual interests.  I found his poems to be very insightful and with spiritual meanings as I read them.  They express his thoughts, beliefs, and hopes in a beautiful, artistic way.  He is able to contrast opposing aspects of life and nature.  He shows how they are connected and make the world what it is.  This is demonstrated by his collection of poems entitled Songs of Innocence and of Experience.  The poems are short and simple, yet packed with deep messages and wisdom.  These poems were often read to children, but the messages are intended for both young and old.  The poems are still enjoyed by people of all ages today.

Chronology

Data collected from BlakeArchive.org Chronology and HumanitiesWeb.org Chronology

1757                      Born in London, 28 November, to James Blake and Catherine Wright Armitage Blake.

1767                      Begins attending Henry Par's drawing school.

1768                      Begins writing Poetical Sketches.

1771                      Becomes an apprentice of James Basire, the engraver to the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Society.

1779                      Apprenticeship with Basire ends and he enters the Royal Academy of Art's Schools of Design.

                              He becomes a journeyman copy engraver.

1780                      Blake may have participated in the Gordon Riots in London (June).

                              He was arrested on suspicion of spying during his sketching trip on the River Medway.

1782                      50 copies of Poetical Sketches are printed.

                              Blake becomes a freelance engraver.

                              Blake marries Catherine Boucher on 18 August.

1783                      Blake's father dies in July.

1784                      Blake and James Parker open a print shop together at 27 Broad Street.

                              He begins working on An Island in the Moon.

1787                      Blake’s brother, Robert, dies at 19.  Robert shows William a new method of engraving in a vision.  This is how Blake develops relief etching.

1788                      First illuminated works, All Religions Are One, and There Is No Natural Religion, are published.

1789                      Songs of Innocence is published.

                              Begins working on The Book of Thel.

                              Writes Tiriel.

1790                      Marriage of Heaven and Hell is published.

1791                      The French Revolution is published.

                              Blake's mother dies in September.

                              Blake illustrates Original Stories from Real Life by Wollstonecraft.

1793                      America: A Prophecy, Visions of the Daughters of Albion, and For Children: The Gates of Paradise are published.

                              Blake engraves Albion Rose.

1794                      Songs of Experience, The First Book of Urizen, and Europe: A Prophecy are published.

1795                      Book of Ahania, The Book of Los, and The Song of Los are published.

1796                      Begins working on The Four Zoas.

1800                      Moves to Felpham in Sussex to work for William Hayley.

1803                      Blake is charged with treason after a dispute with a soldier.  He is put on trial at Chichester and is acquitted.

1804                      Begins working on Milton: A Poem and Jerusalem.

1809                      His work is exhibited at the Royal Academy.

1810                      He begins to suffer bouts of depression until 1817.

1817                      Hesiod is published.

1820                      First copy of Jerusalem is printed.

                              For the Sexes: The Gates of Paradise is published.

1822                      The Ghost of Abel and On Homer’s Poetry On Virgil are published.

1826                      Job is published.

1827                      Blake dies on 12 August of complications from gallstones.

Biographical Impressions

            The life of William Blake was lived in ordinary circumstances.  He was born in London in 1757 to James and Catherine Blake.  They had seven children, but two of them passed away while infants.  Although he grew up in an ordinary neighborhood and settings, he lived a fascinating life (poets.org).

His spirituality added a unique dynamic to his life.  He was seen as an eccentric by those who knew him.  His spiritual beliefs, ideals, and experiences were radical – causing many people to believe him to be either insane or a genius.  From his early childhood, he saw visions and angels.  He had siblings who passed away as he grew up.  He felt their spirits’ presences throughout his life, especially the spirit of his brother Robert.  He was visited by Robert’s spirit and was shown the illustration technique of “relief etching” that he became known for (poetryfoundation.org).

He was very in tune with his spiritual nature, which I strongly believe influenced his writing and art.  Alexander Gilchrist wrote a biography on William Blake in 1863 and said that he “neither wrote nor drew for the many, hardly for work'y-day men at all, rather for children and angels; himself 'a divine child,' whose playthings were sun, moon, and stars, the heavens and the earth" (poetryfoundation.org). 

His parents recognized that William was a different child.  They educated him at home and he was strongly influenced by the Holy Bible (william-blake.org).  They supported his artistic interests and enrolled him in a drawing school at the age of 10.  He began writing poetry during his time at school.  He became an apprentice to an engraver when he was 14, which provided many inspirational experiences.  Some of these included sketching assignments of Gothic monuments and architecture, including Westminster Abbey.  These experiences would prove to be an inspiration to Blake throughout his life and works (poets.org).

Blake’s contemplative, spiritual nature enabled and inspired his writing and art.  Many of his works reflect his spirituality and beliefs.  His collection of poems called Songs of Innocence and of Experience convey deep meanings about life, nature, and that everything has its opposite.  He subtitled the work with the statement “shewing the two contrary states of the human soul.”  He illustrated the collection as well, adding visual appeal and meaning to his written works.  The Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience are to be read together, as they mirror one another.  They contrast each other by their different perspectives – the innocence poems being “happy songs” despite the injustice and suffering of the world.  The experience poems depict the world through veteran eyes, addressing this suffering, injustice, and evil of the world (Greenblatt, 81).  This collection, as well as his other works, are greatly influenced by his study of the Holy Bible along with his spiritual disposition.

“He produced his personal, spiritual work, and it was this part of Blake's work that inspired his development of illuminated printing and prophetic books, written ‘so that the spirits could see them.’ The poems in Blake's Prophetic Books were exciting texts of a mystical nature, and very few people could understand them” (skoletorget.no).  His poems and works communicate his spirituality and “his hope that man can overcome all limitations by means of the spirit within himself” (skoletorget.no).

Critical Interpretations

            Literary critic and poet, Keith Sagar, wrote an essay on Blake’s collection of Songs of Innocence and of Experience.  He begins his essay by bringing up the point of dualism.  He wrote that Blake, like most great poets, was “an enemy to dualism.”  Instead, he focused on the “contrary” and sought to unite them holistically.

“Dualistic thinking is so built into our ordinary language, and the language of philosophy and theology, that the words hardly exist to enable us to think non-dualistically, holistically, that is in terms of systems, patterns, relationships, correspondences. But poetry is such a non-dualistic language, which is why poetry is invariably metaphorical, and the poet is the connection-man and healer. The language and vision not just of Blake but of poetry itself insists that the contraries are equally important and inseparable. ‘Without contraries is no progression’, wrote Blake. He sought to transform the energies generated by conflict into creative energies, moving towards mutual acceptance, reconciliation, harmony, expressed in imagery of music and marriage” (Sagar).

            His essay continues to demonstrate this mutual acceptance or harmony by sharing excerpts from different poems from the collection.  He starts with Songs of Innocence, acknowledging their joyful, childlike feel, yet the shadows of experience still make their presence known.  He explains that Blake’s intention of Songs of Innocence and of Experience is not to invite us “to choose between them, that no such choice is possible or desirable, and that we are not simply going to be offered here the truism that innocent joy is preferable to the sorrows of experience” (Sagar).  Through this collection of poems, we are able to accept both the joys and sorrows in life as they must always coexist.

            In another critical essay called Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, the author also brings up the dualism, and the message of the poems of finding balance and harmony between the good and bad.  It uses many examples from the poems to show the presence of both good and evil.  The author of the essay also identifies the symbolism that Blake uses in his poems.  He uses symbols of joy and despair in Holy Thursday.  I thought some of the examples were very interesting, such as the symbolism of thorns symbolizing the suffering of Christ.  The author makes a great statement saying, “though his powerful, vivid use of imagery, personal tone, and sense of paradox, William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, are able to work together in order to express a natural sense of balance of the human spirit” (Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience). 

The essay continues to show this balance through the different poems, using “I Saw a Chapel,” “Holy Thursday,” “I Heard an Angel,” and “Earth’s Answer.”  The poems express very different perspectives, yet still convey that both aspects of innocence and experience are necessary.  “Blake seems to be emphasizing in these two poems that although innocence and experience are two very different perspectives, and are often associated with what is good and what is evil, a person cannot grow and develop without both, because both states of innocence and experience contain elements of good and evil. Mankind simply cannot exist without both contrary aspects of the human soul” Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience).  This idea really reminded me of Lehi’s teachings of “opposition in all things” (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:11).  It is through this balance that we learn, gain experience, and grow.  This is what Blake was teaching through his poems contained in Songs of Innocence and of Experience.  I love the closing statement of the essay, which says:

 “Perhaps Blake is saying that neither innocence, nor experience is better, for both are necessary for the growth of mankind. Maybe the question Blake is asking the reader to think about it not, ‘How can I completely live in the world of experience,’ or ‘How can I completely live in the world of innocence,’ rather, ‘How can I learn from both innocence and experience to grow as a human being?’  Blake seems to emphasize that a person cannot dwell on regrets, or be completely oblivious to change.  Change is inevitable, and regrets are necessary, and in order for a person to learn about the beauty and importance of life, one must be able to appreciate the good, as well as learn from the bad” (Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience).  I feel like that is an excellent summary of Blake’s beliefs and intent of writing the collection.  We are meant to learn to live in harmony with these contradictory presences in our lives.  Life would lose meaning without this opposition, and Blake expresses this very well in his beautiful collection of art and poetry.

Lawrence J. Trudeau wrote an essay on the collection, sharing a textual history of the work, as well as the major themes of it.  I learned that the most common edition of Songs of Innocence and of Experience took about 35 years to produce.  Like the other essays, this one focuses on “the opposition between the innocent, joyous perspective of the child and the more experienced, less spontaneous, perspective of the adult” (Trudeau).  He also mentions the contrasts included in the poems and how they reflect English society of the time they were written.  It was a time when personal, political, and economical freedom was desired, but at the same time, there was also much apprehension concerning such freedom and the possible consequences.  I like how Trudeau brought up this aspect of the poems in relation to English society.  He uses “The Chimney Sweeper,” “Holy Thursday,” and “London” as examples of this social mirror.  These poems depict the unfavorable conditions of children’s work, poverty, and social protest.

Trudeau also includes a “critical reception” section of his essay, sharing the different opinions, meanings, and controversies regarding the collection.  He brings up the controversy that exists about the organization of the collection and the relation of poems with similar titles as well as those that are different.  Trudeau explains this as follows:

 “Many critics have studied the obvious dialectical pairings of individual poems, such as the contrasting versions of ‘Nurse's Song’ or ‘The Chimney-Sweeper’ in each section. Others see affinities between poems that do not have similar titles, such as the cluster ‘Laughing Song,’ ‘The Little Black Boy’ and ‘The Voice of the Ancient Bard.’  Attempts to establish a direct correspondence across the board between the two sections have proven fruitless, however.  Donald A. Dike maintains that ‘Blake was too fine an artist to pair off in detail all the poems in the sequences; to get what he was after, it was enough to do this with a few.’  K. E. Smith suggests that attempts to match up the individual songs are complicated by the fact that Blake himself changed the order of the poems several times, moving some from Innocence to Experience. Smith suggests that Blake was ‘constantly highlighting different paths through the innocent world,’ rather than pointing to one final, ideal arrangement of the poems” (Trudeau).

            I like the different viewpoints that this author shared.  It helped me to see the works in not just a spiritual viewpoint, but in historical context and the meaning of the works in relation to society.

            Lastly, another essay written by Kate, uses very specific examples of poems in relation to the terms “innocence” and “experience.”  She writes “Innocence and Experience are in opposition to each other. Innocence is the child, unspoiled by society. Experience is what becomes of the child when it comes in contact with society” (Kate).  The focus of her essay is the comparison and contrast of the two poems “The Lamb” and “The Tyger.”  She shares her thoughts on these poems and the symbolism used in them.  She relates “The Lamb” to innocence and Christ.  The people and animals in the poem all live harmoniously together without any sorrow, pain, fear, or night.  “They Tyger,” in contrast, has undertones of experience, with fear and nighttime.  The two poems are opposites of each other, yet still tie well together to balance each other out, as what one lacks, the other has.

Principal Critics

            S. Foster Damon was an American critic and poet who specialized in William Blake.  He graduated from Harvard and became an English instructor.  His works include A Blake Dictionary: The Ideas and Symbols of William Blake and William Blake: His Philosophy and Symbols.  Both of these works are invaluable guides on the ideas and symbolism that Blake shares and uses.  He led a successful career at Brown University.  The school’s website has a page about him and states, “with his interest in alchemy and spiritualism, [he] was especially qualified to expound ‘the esoteric side of Blake's genius,’ and placed Blake ‘in his historical earthly setting with true biographical art.’  Damon was to become one of the world's leading authorities on Blake, publishing several influential books during the course of his career” (Mitchell).

Algernon Charles Swinburne, an English critic and writer, wrote William Blake: A Critical Essay in 1868.  It contains a comprehensive criticism of Blake’s poems and prophetic books.  Before writing this book, he assisted Alexander Gilchrist, an author of a biography on William Blake.  “Swinburne helped prepare Gilchrist’s biography of Blake for publication, but he grew to dislike the finished book. His disgust culminated in the publication of his own assessment of Blake’s life and work a few years later. Swinburne’s book is useful for its commentary on Blake’s prophetic poems‚ works largely ignored by Gilchrist‚ as well as for its characterization of Blake as a rebel” (biblioboard.com).  His contribution has remained a valuable recourse for those studying William Blake and his works.

Alexander Gilchrist wrote the classic biography, The Life of William Blake.  His interest in Blake’s life began while he was still relatively young.  “As a student, Gilchrist had heard rumours of Blake as the eccentric erstwhile occupant of Fountain Court, which he passed through every day on the way to his legal chambers” (guardian.co.uk).  He later decided to begin his great work of a biography on Blake.  He spent years compiling materials and interviewing Blake’s living friends.  He died before the work was completed, so his wife, Anne Gilchrist, finished it for him.  It was published in 1863 and continues to be “a standard reference work on the poet” (Wikipedia.org).

Creative Response

    

     I created a video of Blake's illustrations for Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

 Websites

The William Blake Archive

http://www.blakearchive.org/blake/

This website contains an archive of information regarding William Blake’s life, works, and news.

The Blake Society

http://www.blakesociety.org/

This is a blog containing information about William Blake, and different projects and events the society is involved in.

Poetry Foundation

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/william-blake

This website has extensive information with a biography, bibliography, analyses on various works, and references about William Blake.  His poems are also available to read or listen to as podcasts.

William-Blake.org

http://www.william-blake.org/

This website has a biography, his complete works, and a beautiful slideshow of Blake’s artwork.  It also shares links for related pages, museums, and exhibitions.

Friends of Blake

http://www.friendsofblake.org/

This website is for a group that is involved with various issues relating to William Blake.  Their aim is to raise awareness of Blake’s work and the different historical sites associated with him. 

Works Cited

Bibliooard.com. William Blake: A Critical Essay, by Algernon Charles Swinburne.

<http://www.biblioboard.com/curation/williamblake/acriticalessay/>.

This website contains information about Algernon Charles Swinburne, biographer, expert and researcher on William Blake.  Also contains the Ancient of Days painting by William Blake that I used.

BlakeArchive.org. Chronology. June 14, 2012.

            <http://www.blakearchive.org/blake/chronology.html>. 

This website contains a detailed chronology of William Blake’s life and works.

The Book of Mormon. 1987. Print.

            This book contains teachings about opposition I used to compare Blake’s beliefs about opposition in Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

Greenblatt, Stephen, et al. Norton Anthology of English Literature, Eighth Editions, Volume D. W. W. Norton & Company, 2005. Print.

This book contains a brief biography of William Blake.

Guardian.co.uk. Saving Blake. May 28, 2004.

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004/may/29/classics.williamblake>.

This website contains information about Alexander Gilchrist’s extensive work and research on Blake’s biography.

HumanitiesWeb.org. Chronology. January 13, 2012.

<http://www.humanitiesweb.org/spa/tg/ID/97>.

This website contains a detailed chronology of William Blake’s life and works.

Kate. William Blake - Songs Of Innocence And Experience – Essay. April 13, 2010.

<http://lilk8blog.blogspot.com/2010/04/william-blake-songs-of-innocence-and.html>.

This blog contains a student’s essay about Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

Mitchell, Martha.  Encyclopedia Brunoniana – S. Foster Damon. 1993.

<http://library.brown.edu/collections/harris/damon.php>.

This website contains information on S. Foster Damon, an expert on William Blake.

Phillips, Thomas. William Blake. 1807.

            <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake>.

            This website contains the portrait I used of William Blake.

PoetryFoundation.org. William Blake. 2011.

<http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/william-blake>.

This website contains a biography of William Blake, a bibliography, samples of his works, and additional resources available about him.

Poets.org. William Blake. 1997-2012.

<http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/116>.

This website contains a brief biography of William Blake’s life.

Sagar, Keith. Innocence and Experience. 2002.

<http://www.keithsagar.co.uk/Downloads/blake/Innocence.pdf>.

This website contains an essay that Sagar wrote about Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

Skoletorget.no. The Life and Works of William Blake. February 13, 2004.

<http://www.skoletorget.no/abb/eng/blake/life.html>.

This website contains a short biography of William Blake and sections of information about his different poems and artwork.

Trudeau, Lawrence J. Songs of Innocence and of Experience.  2005.

<http://www.enotes.com/songs-innocence-experience-criticism/songs-innocence-and-experience-william-blake>.

This website contains information about the context, history, and major themes of Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

Wikipedia.org. Alexander Gilchrist. February 24, 2012.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Gilchrist>.

This website contains information about Alexander Gilchrist, a biographer and expert on William Blake.

Wikipedia.org. The Life of William Blake. February 24, 2012.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_William_Blake>.

This website contains information about The Life of William Blake, the biography written by Alexander Gilchrist.

Wikispaces.com. Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience. 2000-2006

<http://ontheroad29.wikispaces.com/file/view/Songs+of+Innocence,+Songs+of+Experience+Essay.pdf>.

This website contains an essay on Blake’s work, Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

William-Blake.org. Biography. 2002-2012.

<http://www.william-blake.org/biography.html>.

This website contains a biography of William Blake through different stages of his life.

Teaching

2 Peter 2:1-19 teaches us to be aware of false teachers and how we can identify them.

Characteristics of False Teachers:

Teach Heresies Deny the Lord Speak feigned words Make their teaching a business Walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness

Despise the government Presumptuous Selfwilled Not afraid to speak evil of dignities Find rioting as a pleasure

Adulterous Sinful Unstable Speak alluring words of vanity Promise liberty when bondage results Covetousness

How this list helps me recognize false teachers today:

If I hear people with these characteristics or teaching things with these characteristics, I can know to be weary and that these people are most likely false teachers.  Because the scriptures share this information, I will know what to be aware of and what false teachers are like.

Dangers of returning to the “pollutions of the world:”

2 Peter 2:20-22 teaches us that it’s worse to know righteousness and to turn back to the “pollutions of the world.”  Doctrine & Covenants 82:3 teaches us that “to much is given, much is required.”  When we are given light and truth, we are accountable for the knowledge we have and how we choose to use it.  Verse 7 of the same chapter teaches us that when a person repents, but goes back to their old ways, their old sins will return to them.  If we want to be forgiven of our sins, we must always strive to live the gospel and keep the commandments.

Living Our Religion

The Epistle of James in the New Testament gives wonderful insights on ways that we can live our religion and follow Jesus Christ.  James 1:19 teaches us that we should be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. 

James 3 teaches us the following:

Things We Say That Are Offensive to God	Things We Say That Are Pleasing to God
Cursing men Speaking badly about others	Praises to God Blessings

James 4:1-12 teaches us about the effects of worldliness and how we can counter those effects through our faith and actions:

Symptoms of Being in the World	Prescription for Being out of the World
Wars Fighting Lusts Killing Covetousness Adultery	Submit yourself to God Resist the devil and temptations Draw closer to God Purify your heart Speak kindly about others Humble yourself

I’m so glad we have the scriptures as a reference and that we have Jesus Christ and his gospel to direct our lives.

Works of Righteousness

Paul concludes his epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 13 with some great teachings and counsel.  Some of the things he shares include answers to these questions:

How should we treat strangers and those “in bonds?”

We must love those around us, including strangers and those in bonds.  “Let brotherly love continue” and “be not forgetful to entertain strangers” because we may not be aware of who these strangers are.  (Verses 1-2)

How is marriage looked upon?

Marriage is honorable in all.  God will judge adulterers and whoremongers.  (Verse 4)

What warnings are given about covetousness?

We should avoid coveting others, but be content with what we have.  We must recognize that God will never leave or forsake us.  (Verse 5)

What is “the same yesterday, and to day, and forever?”

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.  We can always rely on him and his unchanging gospel. (Verse 8)

How are we sanctified?

We are sanctified through the blood and Atonement of Jesus Christ.  (Verse 12)

How do we respond to those who rule over us?

We must obey those that rule over us.  We should trust that they have our best interests at heart. (Verse 17)

Who did Paul ask the people to pray for?

We should pray for the leaders of the church. (Verse 18)

There are many more great principles and teachings found in this chapter.  I’m so grateful for the scriptures and the guidance and strength they give me.

Jesus Christ is Greater than Angels

Paul taught of Christ’s greatness in the Epistle to the Hebrews.  He taught:

• Jesus is the Creator, God’s son, and is in the exact image of God.
• Jesus Christ is greater than the angels.  His name is more excellent, as well as his inheritance and calling.  The angels serve Christ.
• The words of angels are important,  but the words of Christ are even greater.
• Jesus is greater than Moses.  Moses was a faithful prophet and servant of God, but Christ was a faithful son of God.

Paul taught many truths of Jesus Christ.  In Hebrews 1 he states:

• Jesus Christ is the appointed heir of all things.
• Jesus Christ created all things.
• It’s through Christ that our sins can be purged.

Furthermore, the scriptures teach us why Christ, the Son of God, came to earth to experience mortality.  We needed a way to repent of our sins, and he made that possible through the Atonement.  He suffered every temptation, pain, and sickness we will ever experience.  Every emotion we will ever feel, he has felt it too.  Through this, we can rely on him for strength during difficult times, knowing we are never alone.  Because Christ was perfect, yet paid for our mistakes and sins, we can become perfect through him as we repent and strive to follow him.  I’m grateful for Jesus Christ and his love for each of us.

Find Solutions in the Scriptures to Life’s Challenges

Although the scriptures are from ancient times, we can still use them to find solutions to modern life challenges.  For example:

Example 1:  People sometimes argue and complain over petty matters in church meetings of throughout the week.

Solution:  Philippians 2 teaches us that we must be unified and love one another.  We shouldn’t let petty issues create strife or think that we are better than each other.  It says we should “do all things without murmurings and disputings.”

Example 2:  Many youth feel that their parents’ testimony is sufficient for them.  Since they have good parents, they rely on them for all their spiritual strength.

Solution:  Philippians 2 states that we must “work out your own salvation” and shine as a light to the world.  President David O. McKay shares additional insight on this topic:

“An outstanding doctrine of the Church is that each individual carries the responsibility to work out his own salvation, and salvation is a process of gradual development. The Church does not accept the doctrine that a mere murmured belief in Jesus Christ is all that is necessary. A man may say he believes, but if he does nothing to make that belief or faith a moving power to do, to accomplish, to produce soul growth, his professing will avail him nothing. ‘Work out your salvation’ is an exhortation to demonstrate by activity, by thoughtful, obedient effort the reality of faith. But this must be done with a consciousness that absolute dependence upon self may produce pride and weakness that will bring failure. With ‘fear and trembling’ we should seek the strength and grace of God for inspiration to obtain the final victory.
“To work out one’s salvation is not to sit idly by dreaming and yearning for God miraculously to thrust bounteous blessings into our laps. It is to perform daily, hourly, momentarily, if necessary, the immediate task or duty at hand, and to continue happily in such performance as the years come and go, leaving the fruits of such labors either for self or for others to be bestowed as a just and beneficent Father may determine.” (David O. McKay in CR, Apr. 1957, p. 7.)

Example 3:  An investigator is considering joining the church, but his family will no longer associate with him if he does.

Solution:  The blessings of the gospel are incomparable with things we may lose to obtain it.  Philippians 3 discusses this and says “I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”  We “can do all things through Christ which” strengthens us.

The scriptures teach us that as we “feast upon the words of Christ” through study, we will know what to do.  This is true for any decision, situation, or challenge that we will ever face.  I’m grateful for the strength and wisdom that the scriptures provide and that we have them available to use as a resource in our lives.

Adorable Kitten!

Isn't this the most adorable kitten ever?!  I LOVE it!!!

The other day I found a picture of this sweet kitten while researching tips on keeping your cat healthy.  It's now my desktop background and I must share it with everyone!!  It's just the cutest thing ever!!!

Live as Saints Should Live

Paul gives wonderful counsel for us on how we can live Christ’s gospel and receive salvation.  In Romans 13:11, he stated that our salvation is nearer than we believed.  Ezekiel 3:20 and Doctrine & Covenants 14:7 both bring up that to receive salvation, we must continue in righteousness, follow God’s commandments, and endure to the end.

In Romans 12-13, Paul lists multiple things that we can do that leads us to salvation.  Here are a few of them:

Romans 12:1 – Sacrifice ourselves to the service of God.

Romans 12:2 – Not follow the ways of the world, but follow the ways of God.  Be transformed and renewed.

Romans 12:9 – Love without dissimulation.  Cleave to what is good and abhor that which is evil.

Romans 12:13 – Serve others, give to those in need, be hospitable.

Romans 12:16 – Don’t think you are better or wiser than others.  See others as your equals.

Romans 12:21 – Overcome evil with good.

Romans 13:1 – Rely on the power of God.

Romans 13:3 – Do what is good.

Romans 13:8 – Love one another.

Romans 13:9 – Keep the commandments.

He further cautions us about judging others in Romans 14:1-13 and 15:1-3.  We don’t need to judge others – everyone will eventually be judged at the judgment seat of Christ.  People may have different opinions and practices than ourselves, but it’s important to remember that everyone is a child of God.  It’s the intent of their hearts, their faith in God, and the spirit in which they act that is more important than their different opinions or beliefs.

Doctrine & Covenants 38:25-27 gives further insight by saying we must esteem each other as ourselves.  We must be united.

Paul frequently used the term “saints” to refer to the members of the church in his day.  By following his counsel and striving to live Christ’s gospel, we truly can live a saint-like life.

Baptism

Romans 6 in the New Testament has excellent teachings on baptism.

It teaches us that we need to change – we can’t continue sinning and assume that God’s grace makes it alright.  We need to start a new life, following the teachings of Jesus Christ and following Him.

It teaches us of the significance of baptism and it’s symbolism of Christ’s life.  Just as Christ died and was resurrected, we are “buried” in the water (symbolizing death) and are brought back up with newness of life.  Our old selves are gone and our new selves are alive in Christ and His teachings.

This symbolism of being buried in the water and coming out of the water “reborn” lends itself well for full-immersion baptism.  Sprinkling does not have the same significance or meaning that is intended.

We can maintain the “newness of life” we experience at baptism by striving to follow Christ’s teachings, keep the commandments, overcome sin and temptations, and doing all we can to do God’s will.  As we fill our lives with righteousness and remember that it is through Christ that we can be redeemed, we will invite His Spirit into our lives and we will be strengthened.

Mosiah 3:19 in the Book of Mormon teaches us that the “natural man” is an enemy to God.  That part of us should die at baptism as we start anew and become more like Christ.

Romans 6 furthermore explains how we can know whose servant we are.  It is by identifying what we yield to – do we yield to sin or are free from sin?  What do we bring into our lives – corruptions or holiness?  Romans 6:23 states it very well:

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

It is through repentance and trying our very best to follow Christ that we are made free.  Sin imprisons us and we become captive to Satan.  But as we free ourselves from sin and its ugly consequences, we are made free and can ultimately enjoy eternal life through Jesus Christ.

L-R: Me and Brooke at our baptism in 1996.

Use the Spirit to Come to the Lord

2 Corinthians 3:6 teaches us that “the Spirit giveth life.”  Conversely, Romans 6:23 teaches us that "the wages of sin is death."  It is essential that we do our best to invite the Spirit into our lives, to avoid sin as much as possible, and to repent when we fall short.

2 Corinthians is full of information and teachings of the Spirit and how we can become closer to God.

2 Corinthians 4:6-10 - We must be hopeful as we face life by always having Christ in our hearts and minds.  God is our strength and will help us overcome everything.  

2 Corinthians 4:14-18 - Gratitude will strengthen us and bring us closer to God.

2 Corinthians 5:7-10 - We must walk by faith rather than sight.  This means putting our trust in God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - We must be ambassadors of Christ, bear testimony and witness of Him.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17 - We must strengthen each other, help each other, and be united in faith.

2 Corinthians 7:1, 9-10 - We must cleanse ourselves through sincere repentance and strive to always to better.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - We can face difficulties and trials with strength as we rely on Christ.

I know that as we strive to live with Christ's Spirit in our lives, we will be strengthened in our daily lives and feel the presence of God with us.  We are so blessed to have a God who loves and cares about us and will help us when we need Him.

Del Norte County, California
Photography by my mom :)

Being Influential for Good in the Lives of Others

Paul was an apostle and knew of his important role to preach the gospel.  1 Corinthians 9 tells of how dedicated he was to sharing the gospel.  He said in verse 16, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”

He writes of how he would connect with people of various backgrounds and lifestyles.  He was a Jew among the Jews, weak among the weak, showing that he would adjust to these different people in order to most effectively teach them.  

That is what we must do as well.  We must adjust to different people and their needs to best share the gospel with them.  If we strive to be on their level, they won’t feel that the gospel is foreign or strange, but will feel more comfortable and accepting.  We can do this with people of different cultures, regions, and lifestyles.  If we can effectively connect with them, we will be much more successful in sharing Christ’s gospel with them.

Missionaries Teaching the Gospel in Seattle, WA
(L-R: Elder Dymock & Michael)