New and Last Dispensation

Well I got lucky and was asked to substitute in my ward Relief Society, Lesson # 44. It was thrilling to read Joseph Smith's animated vocabulary as he spoke of his and our day. The verbage is still resonating in me and called me up short as to my attitude and energies. I felt blessed to get to recommit to "The Kingdom of God or nothing!"

I can't wait to meet him for I am absolutely amazed at what young Joseph did with such gladness in his countenance considering his circumstances. Being hated and mocked everywhere you are, and having friends betray and hate you, I have some limited experience with. However I have only my imagination to rely on when thinking of hot tar and feathering. Added routinely having my home invaded, risking lives of my loved ones, and being threatened, chased, imprisoned, starved, tortured, whipped and poisoned are all things that would send me over the "edge".
And still he kept on shining his light to the world and loving and forgiving. Let me share the words I felt challenged to achieve and be motivated by.

untiring zeal

joyful anticipation

peculiar delight

worthy of archangels

welding together

unite our energies

not idle spectators

magnitude and grandeur

having endured

passed through privations

fired the souls

mighty operations

great, glorious and sublime

etc.

I hope to better live with my trials and circumstances. To enjoy less murmuring and grumbling with this attitude adjustment and again receive all things with gladness. I WILL Follow the Prophet!

Cecily

At the moment she was born life was never to be the same again!! Such a Blessing! Just in time to not be a Halloween baby Cecily came to us as a 'Miracle' (she was a trick and a treat), which we had not understood until the whole ward confessed their prayer vigil that this one would be 'A Girl'.

Things changed quickly; Jim got in touch with his kinder and gentler voice and actions. The boys became more aware of those differences causing Pete as a 6th grader to note, 'Girls get special treatment'. The word he used was 'favored'.

Sweet cheeks Cecily was anything but favored at home, but she became a tough girl that whined less than most, and sang enough to bring swarms of complaints from her brothers.

In her 21st year we will miss the joy, gladness, peace-making of her here, as she rushes off to share her engaging personality with the Spainards. She is going to learn more than she is ready for, but her lifelong toughness and male-heavy environment will bless her to 'go the distance'.

As her testimony of 'hard' continues to develop into a splendid preparatory lesson her homelife produced, she will be sorely missed. And the estrogen levels here will be compensated for by her little nieces. No one can get enough 'female energy' in their life, you go girl! Bless on!!!