What I learned from Elder Jackson and his wife Ann:

Enthusiasm is contagious! They came to visit our mission and it was evident that they were excited about missionary work, and the excitement was catching.

They were ideal house guests in that they would help themselves to food, as I had invited them to do. I needed to leave early each morning to get things set up and they were on their own for breakfasts, but they got out what they needed.

They showed genuine interest in each missionary. They spent an hour each day greeting and visiting with every single missionary.

They showed support of Matthew and I and our ideas and inspiration.

What marvelous stories and life experiences they shared!

They taught gospel truths along with specific tools which would help the missionaries.

They have a broad knowledge of people and customs, having lived all over the world.

They are committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ and desire to serve the Savior all of their days.

 

 

 

I am blessed to have lived on the earth when President Russell Nelson was the prophet. I will miss him! The breadth of the direction he gave was immense! He challenged me spiritually, and I accepted several of his invitations which stretched my testimony and learning. One such was his invitation to "Learn about God and how He works." I am sure I never would have delved into the scriptures with the intent to learn about God the Father in detail, were it not for President Nelson's invitation. As the prophet of God on the earth, he offered many promises to us, and blessed us, along with inviting us to do certain things. He lifted us as individuals, as a church, and in my opinion, he lifted the world with his light. He is a man of unmatched intelligence and dedication, a man who adored his family and showed his devotion to them, and a man who taught the world to love one another and live as the Savior did. Thank you President Nelson!

 

I received word this week that a dear friend passed away. How I love her! I now have another friend in heaven and I look forward to the day I see her again.

Here is what I learned from Sally:

Sally remained upbeat and cheerful, even humorous, though her health and mobility declined. She was attentive to others and interested in conversation. 

Her love of the Book of Mormon was evident. I often walked into her room and saw her with the Book of Mormon on her lap, reading from it. She told me it was her favorite book and that she loved it. 

Sally adored her family! She loved showing me pictures of them and telling me about each member of her family. She knew about their lives, their concerns, and their joys. She prayed with faith for them, and she looked forward to phone calls from family. Surely the best treat of all was when one of her children picked her up, and it was not for the purpose of driving her to another doctor's appointment, but it was to take her to one of their homes for a family dinner or event. She lived for those special occasions! 

She faced adversity with patience and perspective. She lovingly served her special-needs daughter until she could no longer physically do so. And, Sally loved music! She begged for me to play the piano for her, and her knowledge of classical composers impressed me. She would name the composer as soon as I began a classical piece. She loved classical music best of all, but she also loved church music and songs from musicals. 

I am truly grateful to have known her. Her life and example strengthened me.

There is so much to say about this amazing woman! Her name is Kimber and she is serving with her husband here in the Cebu, Philippines mission. I call her "extra-mile Kimber," because she finds things to do in many areas and many ways to brighten the lives of the missionaries. We had a Mission Leader Conference this past week and she made a french toast breakfast for the 26 missionaries, including a variety of homemade syrups. She and her husband help with purchasing supplies, running the English Connect program, and so much more. We get to enjoy them for a few more months before they finish their mission. Kimber is a cheerful contributor and a bright light!

 

 

I miss you mom and I think about you so much! 

Thank you for teaching me to love life. You enjoyed every stage, and you smiled your way through each chapter. You found joy in living.

Thank you for teaching me to love children. I cherish the children I have as I know you cherished yours. I never felt like a burden to you. You built me up and provided confidence when I didn't feel it.

Thank you for making our house a home. You put your touches everywhere and we all enjoyed being there.

Thank you for loving literature and music, BYU sports and cooking. We share many of the same hobbies.

Thank you for your firm faith. You always trusted the Lord and turned to Him with every concern, knowing He would hear your prayers and help. Your faith never wavered.

The years pass and the seasons change, and yet I still try to model my life after yours. Of course, we are different and my experiences will not always match yours, but no matter life's happenings, your character and your spirituality provide templates for me to pattern my life on. I know what you valued, and I value it too. I know the direction you were facing, and I try to face the light too. I know you were striving to be a disciple of Christ, and I am trying to be one too.

I love you mom! Thank you! I am eternally grateful for you.

There is an article in the October Liahona that has stirred many thoughts. Elder Lynn G. Robbins writes about virtues. He explains that the Lord "counseleth...in justice, and in great mercy." Elder Robbins continues: "These two virtues are not opposites but complementary." Elder Robbins provides a list of complementary virtues, and these are so great!

• Justice and mercy

• Agency and responsibility

• Faith and works

• Religious/covenant keeping (outward) and spiritual/discipleship (inward)

• Uniformity and flexibility

• Unity and diversity

• Letter of the law and spirit of the law

• Reverence/solemnity and joy/sociality

• Boldness and meekness

• Valor and discretion

• Discipline and lovingkindness

• Fairness for all and uncompromising

• Gentleness and firmness

• “Let your light so shine before men” (Matthew 5:16) and not “aspir[ing] to the honors of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:35)

I have a friend named Stephanie (also goes by Buffy) who is moving to Brazil this week. I will miss her! She is a blessing my life. 

One of her favorite things is to walk outside in the gulley; and she keeps the conversation going while quickly walking on the various pathways, always ending up by the rushing water. Rushing water fills her soul with happiness, as does sunlight.  

I have noticed that she is real and doesn't try to be who she isn't. She is good to bounce things off of, and she will share an honest opinion when it is asked for. People find it easy to talk with her because of her honesty and authenticity. It is enjoyable to be with her and I often laugh when I am with her. 

One of her gifts is her ability to reach out to others and include them.  Her home and heart are always open! She is good at welcoming people. 

I admire her steadfast testimony of the Savior and His gospel. She stands as a witness at all times and in all places. 

Don't you love her smile? She will assuredly attract friends in Brazil and will soon have as large a circle of friends there as she has here. Love and best wishes to you dear friend!

My dear father-in-law passed away at the age of 95.  Here is a picture of J. Richard Clarke Barbara Clarke with our son Logan from 2015. 

I am eternally blessed to be a part of the Clarke family.  Dad Clarke welcomed me into the family with open arms and always cheered me on and supported me.  He thought more of me than I do of myself, and he had confidence in my abilities. He always looked happy to see me and would ask about my life and our family.

He was a man of integrity and high values who made intentional choices as to the direction of his life. He introduced me to the word "probity," which means having strong moral principles, honesty, decency. He has inspired me to aim high and live life with a purpose.

Dad Clarke was (is) the spiritual rock of our extended family. He was a strong witness of the Savior and the restored church, and he delighted in discussing the gospel. We had many family study groups which I enjoyed and learned from.

I will miss him! I am happy that he was released and can now move on. Though his body failed him, he remained cheerful and submissive to the very end. What a legacy of faithfulness, hard work, and love he leaves!

 

"I testify that the Savior is the salt in our lives, inviting us to taste of His joy and love.  It is He who is the leaven when our lives are hard, bringing us hope and lifting our burdens through His matchless power and redeeming love.  He is our light, illuminating our path back home."

(Susan H. Porter, "Lessons at the Well," General Conference, April 2022)

Here are a few additions to this quote from a Relief Society lesson by Elaine Christensen: Salt is the smallest ingredient in a recipe but is important.  Though we are small and our acts are small, we can make a difference.  We can provide lift for people. It only takes a little ray of light to pierce the darkness. Provide small, steady faith to others--it will bring a lift to them.

Today a young man spoke in our church sacrament meeting. He talked about the influence his friends and family have had on him. He suggested that when we talk about missionary work, we remember to be missionaries to our friends who are active in the church, along with people who are not active, or are not religious.  I agree with his point. We are never too strong or converted to not need replenishment. It is strengthening and needed when we hear our family members and friends testify of truth, and to see them live the gospel principles they testify of.

I have been thinking about the positive influence of family members and friends in my life. I am blessed to have many "believing" family members and friends, and their lives are models for me. I listen to their words.  I notice their actions.  I feel solidity when I think about facing the adversary as a band of believers, and not a sole individual. We look out for and lift one another.  

All of my friends, believing or not, are of value to me. Some family members are not presently active in the church, and they are still (of course) very important and needed.

Life is meant to be lived together. How would we learn the principles of charity, forgiveness, long-suffering, tolerance, patience, and unity if not for each other? I thank the Lord for family, friends, neighbors, variety, differences, and a chance on earth to learn and grow.

Last week we lost a dear friend--Paul Madsen. We first became acquainted with Paul and Ramona Madsen in the 90's when we were living on Aspenwood Way. Both of our parents were serving missions out of the country and Paul and Romona were assigned to be our home teachers. They gave our family much  more than the suggested monthly visit. 

Sometimes we would invite them over on Monday night for Family Night, and other times we would gather at their home.  They came to know the children and would inquire as to their activities and interests, supporting them and cheering each child on. "Grandpa Madsen" was a veteran and owned an Army jeep and the children loved taking rides in the jeep. We celebrated birthdays and holidays, and they somehow fit us into their circle of love, though they had children and grandchildren of their own.

Paul and Ramona are wise and caring. They welcomed us into their home to visit and counsel together, although there was a lot of humor and ribbing going on too. Paul served his country during multiple wars and conflicts, sometimes taking his family with him on location, and other times leaving them while he served. One of the main things we learned from Paul was a love of country and deep feeling of patriotism. The Madsen's have different personalities but compliment each other so well, and they displayed commitment and love throughout their 73 years of marriage. 

Paul has suffered from multiple health problems the past decade, and yet has remained faithful, optimistic, and friendly. We will miss him terribly, but we are so grateful for the blessing of knowing him and having him as a friend.

https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/20446537/Rulon-Paul-Madsen/Midvale/Utah/Goff-Mortuary

"Against the Sky" by Robert Reid

"It is good to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future.  It is good to look upon the virtues of those who have gone before, to gain strength for whatever lies ahead.  It is good to reflect upon the work of those who labored so hard and gained so little in this world, but out of whose dreams and early plans, so well nurtured, has come a great harvest of which we are the beneficiaries.  Their tremendous example can become a compelling motivation for us all, for each of us is a pioneer in his own life. We are still pioneering.  We have never ceased pioneering."
Gordon B. HInckley, Teachings of Presidents of the Church, pg. 89

Elder Holland spoke at the BYU commencement last month.  He was the president of BYU the first time I attended the university, and there he was, 35 years later, speaking at graduation. I love him and I always enjoy hearing him speak. I have included a couple of memorable lines from his commencement speech:

Go out there and be undaunted.  Go out there and light a candle.  Be a ray of light.  Be your best self and let your character shine.  Cherish the gospel of Jesus Christ and live it. The world needs you and surely your Father in Heaven needs you. You have 'entered to learn.' Now 'go forth to serve' and strengthen.

In the days and years ahead, you may suffer some discouragement and disappointment.  On occasion you may feel genuine despair, either for yourself or your children or the plight and conditions of others. When such times come, I ask you to remember this: This is a Church of happy endings.  Troubles never need to be permanent nor fatal.  

Tonight for our young women's activity we watched the recent Face to Face Church Broadcast.  These two men were powerful and sweet as they shared their thoughts and testimonies.

The times I have heard God's voice are times when I am quiet inside.

 The Holy Ghost is not willing to compete.  

 Create an environment where He can be still and small.

God is supposed to speak back to us. (after our personal prayers)  

Provide an environment for Him to speak to us.

Say to God--I'll do anything you want.

Be a disciple.  Be can example.  Live resolutely.

I attended the funeral of a special lady yesterday, Frances Young.  She is the mother of my sister-in-law.  Though not a blood relative, we often called her Grandma Young as she felt like a part of our family.

Her daughter paid tribute to her yesterday and said that her mother taught her to do correct things like read the scriptures and pray, but it was the example of her mother, the way that she lived her life, that made the biggest impression on her.

One speaker said, "Frances Young was a safe place."  I have thought about that so much since yesterday.  What does it mean to be a "safe place?"  Frances was full of love for everyone.  She was easy to talk with and she never seemed rushed when you were visiting with her.  People felt comfortable around her and better about themselves.  When you were in her home or around her, you could feel the Spirit.

Thanks Frances 

for the great memories, 

for your life, 

for your example, 

and for your love.

What President Monson had to say:

When we keep the commandments, our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and less complicated.  Our challenges and problems will be easier to bear and we will receive His promised blessings.

You may be tempted to lower your standards and to follow the crowd

in order to be accepted by those you desire to have as friends.  Please

be strong, and be alert to anything that would rob you of the blessings of eternity.  The choices you make here and now are forever important.

We are surrounded by persuasive voices, beguiling voices, belittling voices, sophisticated voices, and confusing voices.  I might add that these are loud voices.  I admonish you to turn the volume down and to be influenced instead by that still, small voice which will guide you to safety.

If the commandments had been written by man, then to change them by inclination or legislation or by any other means would be the prerogative of man. The commandments, however, were God-given.  Using our agency, we can set them aside.  We cannot, however, change them, just as we cannot change the consequences which come from disobeying and breaking them.

There are within our sphere of influence those who are lonely, those who are ill, and those who feel discouraged.  Ours is the opportunity to help them and to lift their spirits.

I reiterate what we have been told repeatedly—that in order to gain and to keep the faith we need, it is essential that we read and study and ponder the scriptures.  Communication with our Heavenly Father through prayer is vital.

To each of you, I say that you are a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father.  You have come from His presence to live on this earth for a season, to reflect the Savior’s love and teachings, and to bravely let your light shine for all to see.  When that season on earth has ended, if you have done your part, yours will be the glorious blessing of returning to live with Him forever.

(October 2015 General Conference)

Matthew came home from Seminary Graduation and said, "You just knew that the Parkview girls would be dressed modestly and they all were."  We call this group of girls the "5 A's" because they all have first names that start with the letter "A", they are in the same ward, they are friends, and they are all outstanding, great girls.  

Hats off to young women (and young men) who are "in-line" with the standards of the church, who search to find modest clothing, who stand as examples to younger youth, who radiate goodness and virtue, and who show their love of the Lord by the way they live their lives.
(Also pictured here is a great young women's leader)