Wow! I was talking to my sister about her idea to write a guest post and realized it had been a couple months since I've written. School started, and we've been bombarded by problems that I won't bore you with, but despite all that I think it time I record the next chapter of my spiritual journey.
I joined a group on Facebook about divine dreams, and at first thought it would be just for fun, but the longer I was there the more I learned about my own gift for dreaming. I learned the meaning of a significant dream from my childhood and threw myself into seeking learning from God about the direction he wants for my life. Having found joy in service at a nondenominational church after a while it seemed I'd learned about what they had to offer. Then I started having dreams that gave me the impression it was time for me to move on somewhere that would offer more and deeper knowledge. I remembered a woman telling me about a Messianic Jewish Synagogue. I started feeling the desire to learn more about the Jewish roots of Christianity, after all Christ was himself a Jew and taught Judaism, and while the sacrifice of Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses so there was no more need to sacrifice animals, Jesus being the last "sacrificial lamb", there are other aspects of the law that can and likely should be kept. In my heart, I feel that learning more about these laws will inform me of more of the nature of God and His character. I decided to seek out and attend one of these Messianic Jewish Synagogues.
After attending a Friday night service I notified the people I served with at the Christian church I had found. The contrast between their reaction and the reaction I got from Mormons when I differed with them on some matters of doctrine was so stark it was truly astonishing to me. The reaction of Mormons had been to gossip, shun, or argue or some combination thereof. Here, they prayed for me and my family and our journey, told me they would miss me, hugged me, and reminded me I was always welcome. They accepted and validated my spiritual journey agreeing I had to follow what God had placed in my heart and I felt nothing but love from them. There was no judgment whatsoever. I almost couldn't believe it! Was this what it was like for normal Christians? They just do what feels right in their own spiritual journey, and allow others to do the same, and just love each other with the love Christ preached? What an idea! It was such a refreshing experience I almost rethought my decision. My kids had fun there, and I could do something more productive if the sermon wasn't a topic that would enrich me. Last week I couldn't get myself to go because I knew the topic was relating to how to decide who to vote for, and I've already decided and this not being a political blog I'll say no more about that, just that it wasn't how I wanted to spend a Sunday. Perhaps this next week, or perhaps not, either way I know I am welcome and loved there despite believing things that are not common held beliefs in the congregation. And with that example of Christlike love I don't think I've met a more Christian bunch of Christians anywhere else!
Showing posts with label Spiritual Gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spiritual Gifts. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
The Truth About Relief Society Part 3: The Teachings of the Modern LDS Church
If you haven't first read Part 1 and Part 2, I recommend reading them first. Part 2 will be directly referenced throughout Part 3.
In Daughters in My Kingdom, an LDS Church publication about the history of Relief Society, it talks about the founding of Relief Society and about Joseph Smith teaching the sisters it says, "The Prophet's teachings in this setting guided the work of the Relief Society sisters and the priesthood leaders who served them. Those teachings continue to influence the work of the Church today." (Daughters in My Kingdom, p. 17) The purpose of this part is to analyze the truthfulness of this claim and see just how much Joseph Smith's teachings really influence us today.
Gifts of the Spirit
We saw in Part 2 Joseph Smith teaching about the gifts of the Spirit coming straight from 1 Corinthians 12, and then expounding on it teaching all believers would manifest one or more of these gifts and the women were included. And the gifts were tongues, the interpretation of tongues, prophesy, knowledge, wisdom, healing, and being healed. But what are we taught in General Conference about spiritual gifts?
Really it's hard to find many sources in modern teachings about spiritual gifts. Some talks mention them in passing saying to seek them, but really not much if anything about what they are, or how to use them, or what each one should be used for. The spiritual gifts found in the scriptures is just not expounded on because it is such a rare occurrence in the LDS Church for someone to actually have any of them, so if we talked about them and brought them to attention we would have to face the reality these gifts Christ promised to those who believe in Him are for the most part absent among us. I would think that within each ward there would be at least one holding each gift so we could benefit one from another, but in all the several wards I've been in I have never heard of even one person who had and openly exercised their gift to benefit the ward. Healing blessings I would receive would really be prayers for the doctor to do a good job.
Keys and Guarding Against Corruption in the Church
To quickly recap, Joseph Smith taught the sisters that both the Relief Society and the Church had the keys and that there were aspiring elders who had already led to corruption within the Church and warned them to guard against such things within their Society. While a search for Spiritual Gifts conference talks generates about two and a half pages of results, a search for keys generates ten pages of talk titles to sort through.
Spencer Kimball in his talk, "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" declared the comfort we should receive from this quote from Wilford Woodruff, "I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so he will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from his oracles of God and from their duty." So not only is there no possibility of corruption but once someone gains the position of leading the Church they lose their agency and are incapable of leading the Church astray. Many other bloggers have written about this topic so I will recommend you to them.
Searching for general conference talks about corruption results in talks referencing the evils and corruption that is in the world, never within the church or even warning to watch for it. It simply isn't considered a possibility, or at least not one they want us to be aware of. But they are more than happy to preach about the keys, and the fact that they are the only ones who have them.
Seeking the Presence of God
Joseph Smith taught the sisters that as they would be faithful they would receive angels, Christ and ultimately come to the presence of the Father all in this life. It was clear he was talking about now and not some hypothetical or distant future. Jörg Klebingat in his talk, "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence" (I actually had hope reading the title.) expounds much more on how to have confidence than he does about approaching the throne of God. In fact the only time he really talks about being in the presence of Christ or God is as a hypothetical question in his introduction and in his testimony at the end saying, "I testify of a loving Savior who is anxious for your 'confidence [to] wax strong in the presence of God.'" Instead the body of his talk was about things like taking spiritual responsibility, exercise and eating right, embracing obedience, getting good at repenting and forgiving, and accepting trials as a part of mortality. All of these things are great, but he neglected to tell us how they will aid us in approaching the throne of God, aside from having more confidence. All other references I found were either about being in God's presence after the resurrection, or leaving it because of the Fall of Adam. We no longer teach it as a possibility within this life.
So all these topics taught by Joseph Smith are largely ignored, set aside, or outright contradicted in the LDS Church's current teachings. I could have done more research to collect more sources, but I found no joy, or light in the things I found and prefer going back to sources of light. So Part 4 will resume teachings of Joseph Smith to the Relief Society in Navoo.
In Daughters in My Kingdom, an LDS Church publication about the history of Relief Society, it talks about the founding of Relief Society and about Joseph Smith teaching the sisters it says, "The Prophet's teachings in this setting guided the work of the Relief Society sisters and the priesthood leaders who served them. Those teachings continue to influence the work of the Church today." (Daughters in My Kingdom, p. 17) The purpose of this part is to analyze the truthfulness of this claim and see just how much Joseph Smith's teachings really influence us today.
Gifts of the Spirit
We saw in Part 2 Joseph Smith teaching about the gifts of the Spirit coming straight from 1 Corinthians 12, and then expounding on it teaching all believers would manifest one or more of these gifts and the women were included. And the gifts were tongues, the interpretation of tongues, prophesy, knowledge, wisdom, healing, and being healed. But what are we taught in General Conference about spiritual gifts?
In "Life's Lessons Learned" by Joseph Wirthlin, he talks briefly in passing about the gifts of the Spirit, "We all possess spiritual gifts. Some are
blessed with the gift of faith, others the gift of healing. In the body
of the Church, all of the spiritual gifts are present. In my case,
perhaps one of the spiritual gifts for which I am most grateful is that I
have been blessed with an obedient spirit. When I heard wise counsel
from my parents or Church leaders, I listened and tried to make it part
of my thoughts and actions.
"Brethren of the priesthood, I urge you to cultivate the gift of an obedient spirit."An obedient spirit has never been referenced in the scriptures as a spiritual gift. Obedience is a personal choice, and more of a character attribute than it is a gift of the Spirit.
In his talk "Eyes to See and Ears to Hear" Kim Clark talks about spiritual gifts and even the day of Pentecost in the New Testament. "Just before His suffering in Gethsemane
and on Calvary, Jesus made His disciples this remarkable promise: 'He
that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater
works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.'
"Jesus
fulfilled that promise: beginning with the day of Pentecost, the
disciples were blessed with the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. Through their faith in Christ, repentance, and obedience, the Holy
Ghost became their companion, changed their hearts, and blessed them
with an abiding witness of the truth.
"These
gifts and blessings strengthened the Lord’s disciples. Although the
times they lived in were dangerous and confusing, they received the
spiritual gift of eyes to see and ears to hear." In actuality the day of Pentecost was accompanied by much more than "eyes to see and ears to hear." It was an outpouring of the Spirit in which the apostles saw visions, and spoke in tongues and those listening through the interpretation of tongues each heard them in their own language. Yes, in one sense this can be called "eyes to see and ears to hear" as the things they saw and heard were spiritual and only able to be seen and heard if one had the necessary gifts of the Spirit to do so. As he continues it is obvious he doesn't mean for us to think we can receive the same visions and tongues and the interpretations, no he only thinks, "We need eyes to see more clearly the Savior working in our lives and ears to hear His voice more deeply in our hearts." And while I agree with this statement I don't consider it to be the same in any way as the gifts of the Spirit and certainly not on par with or greater than the works of Christ as He promised His apostles.Really it's hard to find many sources in modern teachings about spiritual gifts. Some talks mention them in passing saying to seek them, but really not much if anything about what they are, or how to use them, or what each one should be used for. The spiritual gifts found in the scriptures is just not expounded on because it is such a rare occurrence in the LDS Church for someone to actually have any of them, so if we talked about them and brought them to attention we would have to face the reality these gifts Christ promised to those who believe in Him are for the most part absent among us. I would think that within each ward there would be at least one holding each gift so we could benefit one from another, but in all the several wards I've been in I have never heard of even one person who had and openly exercised their gift to benefit the ward. Healing blessings I would receive would really be prayers for the doctor to do a good job.
Keys and Guarding Against Corruption in the Church
To quickly recap, Joseph Smith taught the sisters that both the Relief Society and the Church had the keys and that there were aspiring elders who had already led to corruption within the Church and warned them to guard against such things within their Society. While a search for Spiritual Gifts conference talks generates about two and a half pages of results, a search for keys generates ten pages of talk titles to sort through.
Spencer Kimball in his talk, "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" declared the comfort we should receive from this quote from Wilford Woodruff, "I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so he will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from his oracles of God and from their duty." So not only is there no possibility of corruption but once someone gains the position of leading the Church they lose their agency and are incapable of leading the Church astray. Many other bloggers have written about this topic so I will recommend you to them.
Searching for general conference talks about corruption results in talks referencing the evils and corruption that is in the world, never within the church or even warning to watch for it. It simply isn't considered a possibility, or at least not one they want us to be aware of. But they are more than happy to preach about the keys, and the fact that they are the only ones who have them.
Seeking the Presence of God
Joseph Smith taught the sisters that as they would be faithful they would receive angels, Christ and ultimately come to the presence of the Father all in this life. It was clear he was talking about now and not some hypothetical or distant future. Jörg Klebingat in his talk, "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence" (I actually had hope reading the title.) expounds much more on how to have confidence than he does about approaching the throne of God. In fact the only time he really talks about being in the presence of Christ or God is as a hypothetical question in his introduction and in his testimony at the end saying, "I testify of a loving Savior who is anxious for your 'confidence [to] wax strong in the presence of God.'" Instead the body of his talk was about things like taking spiritual responsibility, exercise and eating right, embracing obedience, getting good at repenting and forgiving, and accepting trials as a part of mortality. All of these things are great, but he neglected to tell us how they will aid us in approaching the throne of God, aside from having more confidence. All other references I found were either about being in God's presence after the resurrection, or leaving it because of the Fall of Adam. We no longer teach it as a possibility within this life.
So all these topics taught by Joseph Smith are largely ignored, set aside, or outright contradicted in the LDS Church's current teachings. I could have done more research to collect more sources, but I found no joy, or light in the things I found and prefer going back to sources of light. So Part 4 will resume teachings of Joseph Smith to the Relief Society in Navoo.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
The Truth about Relief Society Part 2: Joseph Smith's Teachings
If you haven't already read Part 1 I recommend reading it first.
Joseph Smith's Teachings From the 6th Meeting
In the sixth meeting of the Female Relief Society of Navoo, Joseph Smith wished to address the sisters, but before doing so "That as his instructions were intended only for the Society; he requested that a vote should be taken on those present who were not members to ascertain whether they should be admitted." (JSP Navoo Relief Society Minute Book p. 34) Some sisters were given a "no" vote and before proceeding with the meeting a committee was appointed to inquire about the objections. The committee returned at the end of the meeting to present their results and the objections against one of the women was removed. (ibid p. 41) (This could be examined too in relation to how "no" votes are handled now, but for that discussion I will just direct you here as the purpose of this post is only the topic of Relief Society.) Joseph Smith wanting this teaching to only be for the Relief Society sisters, shows both the seriousness of the topic and a certain amount of what was going on in the church at the time as you will see.
In just the previous meeting one sister spoke in tongues, followed by a sister who interpreted, and one who prophesied, and after the conclusion of the meeting two sisters administered to one who was sick and healed her. (ibid p. 32-33) Reports of this meeting came to Joseph and so he chose to address the sisters at the following meeting. He taught from Corinthians about the gifts of the Spirit. "He said the reason of these remarks being made, was, that some little thing was circulating in the Society, that some persons were not going right in laying hands on the sick etc. Said if he had common sympathies, would rejoice that the sick could be healed." (ibid p. 35-36) He continued on "no matter who believeth; these signs, such as healing the sick, casting out devils etc. should follow all that believe whether male or female. He asked the Society if they could not see by this sweeping stroke, that wherein they are ordained, it is the privilege of those set apart to administer in that authority which is confired on them -- and if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let everything roll on." [emphasis added] (ibid p. 36) Today in the Ordain Women movement women are only asking for what Joseph Smith gave them in the first place, and they are being excommunicated for doing so. Joseph Smith continued to teach the sisters, "Respecting the female laying on hands, he remarked, there could be no devil in it if God gave His sanction by healing -- that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on the sick than with wetting the face with water -- that it is no sin for anybody to do it that has faith, or if the sick has faith to be healed by the administration." (ibid p. 36) He cautioned the sisters about speaking in tongues "If any have a matter to reveal let it be in your own tongue. Do not indulge too much in the gift of tongues, or the devil will take advantage of the innocent. You may speak in tongues for your comfort but I lay this down for a rule that if any thing is taught by the gift of tongues it is not to be received for doctrine." (ibid p. 40-41) Joseph Smith taught the sisters in his day they had the same power to do the the same things as the men, because these were Spiritual Gifts that all who believe have access to. And the spiritual gifts he spoke of were those found in the scriptures namely tongues, the interpretation of tongues, prophesy, knowledge, wisdom, healing, and being healed.
He next taught them about maintaining their proper place and order within their Society. "President Smith continued by speaking of the difficulties he had to surmount ever since the commencement of the work in consequence of aspiring men 'big great Elders' as he called them, who had caused him much trouble, whom he had taught in private counsel and they would go forth into the world and proclaim the things he had taught them; as their own revelations -- Said the same aspiring disposition will be in this Society, and must be guarded against -- that every person should stand and act in the place appointed, and thus sanctify the Society and get it pure" He then spoke about not having long and not having many opportunities to teach them, "He spoke of delivering the keys to this Society and to the church." [emphasis added] (ibid p.37) If Emma and her counselors held keys as the leaders of the Relief Society they had just as much a claim to the continued line of authority as did the 12 apostles according to this quote. And in the context of the church being plagued with aspiring men who had their own goals and not the welfare of the church in mind, the claim of these three sisters' authority might even be more legitimate. "He said if one member becomes corrupt and you know it; you must immediately put it away. The sympathies of the heads of the church have induced them to bare with those that were corrupt; in consequence of which all become contaminated --" (ibid p. 38) No wonder Emma chose not to go west following after men her own husband admitted were corrupt and contaminated. This teaching to the sisters of the church shows that the leaders of the church were already embarking on the road to apostasy, and not only was it very possible for the church to be led astray it was something to very carefully be guarded against.
Joseph Smith also taught of the urgency and importance of doing good and seeking a relationship with God. "If you do right, no danger of going too fast: he said he did not care how fast we run in the path of virtue. Resist evil and there is no danger." When after speaking of their gift for charity some quote often used in the church he continues with things you will never hear at church, "if you live up to your privilege, angels can not be restrained from being your associates -- females if they are pure and innocent can come into the presence of God; you must be innocent or you cannot come up before God. If we would come before God let us be pure ourselves. The Devil has great power -- he will so transform things as to make one gape at those who are doing the will of God -- you need not be tearing for their deeds, but let the weight of innocence be felt; which is more mighty than a millstone hung about the neck. Not war, not jangle, not contradiction, but meekness, love, purity, these are the things that should magnify us. ... iniquity must be purged out -- then the veil will be rent and the blessings of heaven will flow down." (ibid p. 38) Joseph Smith believed it was possible and wanted the sisters to come into the literal presence of God in this life. It was something for them to strive for and seek.
Part 3 will contrast these teachings with what the LDS church teaches today.
Joseph Smith's Teachings From the 6th Meeting
In the sixth meeting of the Female Relief Society of Navoo, Joseph Smith wished to address the sisters, but before doing so "That as his instructions were intended only for the Society; he requested that a vote should be taken on those present who were not members to ascertain whether they should be admitted." (JSP Navoo Relief Society Minute Book p. 34) Some sisters were given a "no" vote and before proceeding with the meeting a committee was appointed to inquire about the objections. The committee returned at the end of the meeting to present their results and the objections against one of the women was removed. (ibid p. 41) (This could be examined too in relation to how "no" votes are handled now, but for that discussion I will just direct you here as the purpose of this post is only the topic of Relief Society.) Joseph Smith wanting this teaching to only be for the Relief Society sisters, shows both the seriousness of the topic and a certain amount of what was going on in the church at the time as you will see.
In just the previous meeting one sister spoke in tongues, followed by a sister who interpreted, and one who prophesied, and after the conclusion of the meeting two sisters administered to one who was sick and healed her. (ibid p. 32-33) Reports of this meeting came to Joseph and so he chose to address the sisters at the following meeting. He taught from Corinthians about the gifts of the Spirit. "He said the reason of these remarks being made, was, that some little thing was circulating in the Society, that some persons were not going right in laying hands on the sick etc. Said if he had common sympathies, would rejoice that the sick could be healed." (ibid p. 35-36) He continued on "no matter who believeth; these signs, such as healing the sick, casting out devils etc. should follow all that believe whether male or female. He asked the Society if they could not see by this sweeping stroke, that wherein they are ordained, it is the privilege of those set apart to administer in that authority which is confired on them -- and if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let everything roll on." [emphasis added] (ibid p. 36) Today in the Ordain Women movement women are only asking for what Joseph Smith gave them in the first place, and they are being excommunicated for doing so. Joseph Smith continued to teach the sisters, "Respecting the female laying on hands, he remarked, there could be no devil in it if God gave His sanction by healing -- that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on the sick than with wetting the face with water -- that it is no sin for anybody to do it that has faith, or if the sick has faith to be healed by the administration." (ibid p. 36) He cautioned the sisters about speaking in tongues "If any have a matter to reveal let it be in your own tongue. Do not indulge too much in the gift of tongues, or the devil will take advantage of the innocent. You may speak in tongues for your comfort but I lay this down for a rule that if any thing is taught by the gift of tongues it is not to be received for doctrine." (ibid p. 40-41) Joseph Smith taught the sisters in his day they had the same power to do the the same things as the men, because these were Spiritual Gifts that all who believe have access to. And the spiritual gifts he spoke of were those found in the scriptures namely tongues, the interpretation of tongues, prophesy, knowledge, wisdom, healing, and being healed.
He next taught them about maintaining their proper place and order within their Society. "President Smith continued by speaking of the difficulties he had to surmount ever since the commencement of the work in consequence of aspiring men 'big great Elders' as he called them, who had caused him much trouble, whom he had taught in private counsel and they would go forth into the world and proclaim the things he had taught them; as their own revelations -- Said the same aspiring disposition will be in this Society, and must be guarded against -- that every person should stand and act in the place appointed, and thus sanctify the Society and get it pure" He then spoke about not having long and not having many opportunities to teach them, "He spoke of delivering the keys to this Society and to the church." [emphasis added] (ibid p.37) If Emma and her counselors held keys as the leaders of the Relief Society they had just as much a claim to the continued line of authority as did the 12 apostles according to this quote. And in the context of the church being plagued with aspiring men who had their own goals and not the welfare of the church in mind, the claim of these three sisters' authority might even be more legitimate. "He said if one member becomes corrupt and you know it; you must immediately put it away. The sympathies of the heads of the church have induced them to bare with those that were corrupt; in consequence of which all become contaminated --" (ibid p. 38) No wonder Emma chose not to go west following after men her own husband admitted were corrupt and contaminated. This teaching to the sisters of the church shows that the leaders of the church were already embarking on the road to apostasy, and not only was it very possible for the church to be led astray it was something to very carefully be guarded against.
Joseph Smith also taught of the urgency and importance of doing good and seeking a relationship with God. "If you do right, no danger of going too fast: he said he did not care how fast we run in the path of virtue. Resist evil and there is no danger." When after speaking of their gift for charity some quote often used in the church he continues with things you will never hear at church, "if you live up to your privilege, angels can not be restrained from being your associates -- females if they are pure and innocent can come into the presence of God; you must be innocent or you cannot come up before God. If we would come before God let us be pure ourselves. The Devil has great power -- he will so transform things as to make one gape at those who are doing the will of God -- you need not be tearing for their deeds, but let the weight of innocence be felt; which is more mighty than a millstone hung about the neck. Not war, not jangle, not contradiction, but meekness, love, purity, these are the things that should magnify us. ... iniquity must be purged out -- then the veil will be rent and the blessings of heaven will flow down." (ibid p. 38) Joseph Smith believed it was possible and wanted the sisters to come into the literal presence of God in this life. It was something for them to strive for and seek.
Part 3 will contrast these teachings with what the LDS church teaches today.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Auras, Energy Fields, Their differences, Energy healing and what exactly it does
(A post I wrote back in January and some how thought I published when I hadn't)
So, here is what I have come to know, and how it influences my outlook on energy healing. First we consist of a body and a spirit. Both of these are in human form, and the spirit resides inside our body and makes us alive. The body has an energy field or electro-magnetic field closely surrounding it. A youtube video I watched about how to learn to see auras was really about how to see the energy field. The energy field also has meridians within the body that allow the energy to flow, and chakras that sort of pool and collect certain energies. These chakras should be regularly cleared of any negative emotions which have gotten stuck there. The chakras also sort of bridge and connect your body and spirit together.
The aura (for lack of a better word to call it to distinguish it from the energy field) is part of our spiritual side of our being and is much more complex than our energy field. It can move as we will it to. It connects us with the Holy Ghost, and it can protect us from evil spirits as we strengthen it. No person can access it without our permission. I heard of someone who had the spiritual gift of seeing auras, and she could not just see some energy surrounding their body, she also saw things they were interested in, their talents and hobbies sort of floating around them. An energy healer can use their own aura to assist their energy field in their work, but it is only to access the client's energy field.
Energy healing is to help people clear emotional energy that got stuck in a meridian or chakra or sometimes in other places in the body. These emotions can be resentments we don't want to let go or that we don't know how to let go, or bad paradigms we learned when we were young particularly about yourself. Many suffer from beliefs about themselves they just don't know how to overcome. That they are unlovable, or unimportant, or failures. These beliefs become self-fulfilling prophesies as situations they are in they will subconsciously sabotage, till it fits their paradigms and proves them right. Energy healing helps to locate and then allow the good energy to flow again.
There are multiple modes of energy healing from things as simple as kissing boo-boos to modes as complex as accupuncture. Some are more geared toward physical ailments, and some are more geared towards emotional ones. Often physical ailments can have emotional causes, so the two will be interrelated. A massage therapist who also talks you through releasing a stress so that they can get a stubborn knot out. Or a counseling session that ends up through emotional healing inadvertantly healing some physical ailment that has been bothering you for years.
So, here is what I have come to know, and how it influences my outlook on energy healing. First we consist of a body and a spirit. Both of these are in human form, and the spirit resides inside our body and makes us alive. The body has an energy field or electro-magnetic field closely surrounding it. A youtube video I watched about how to learn to see auras was really about how to see the energy field. The energy field also has meridians within the body that allow the energy to flow, and chakras that sort of pool and collect certain energies. These chakras should be regularly cleared of any negative emotions which have gotten stuck there. The chakras also sort of bridge and connect your body and spirit together.
The aura (for lack of a better word to call it to distinguish it from the energy field) is part of our spiritual side of our being and is much more complex than our energy field. It can move as we will it to. It connects us with the Holy Ghost, and it can protect us from evil spirits as we strengthen it. No person can access it without our permission. I heard of someone who had the spiritual gift of seeing auras, and she could not just see some energy surrounding their body, she also saw things they were interested in, their talents and hobbies sort of floating around them. An energy healer can use their own aura to assist their energy field in their work, but it is only to access the client's energy field.
Energy healing is to help people clear emotional energy that got stuck in a meridian or chakra or sometimes in other places in the body. These emotions can be resentments we don't want to let go or that we don't know how to let go, or bad paradigms we learned when we were young particularly about yourself. Many suffer from beliefs about themselves they just don't know how to overcome. That they are unlovable, or unimportant, or failures. These beliefs become self-fulfilling prophesies as situations they are in they will subconsciously sabotage, till it fits their paradigms and proves them right. Energy healing helps to locate and then allow the good energy to flow again.
There are multiple modes of energy healing from things as simple as kissing boo-boos to modes as complex as accupuncture. Some are more geared toward physical ailments, and some are more geared towards emotional ones. Often physical ailments can have emotional causes, so the two will be interrelated. A massage therapist who also talks you through releasing a stress so that they can get a stubborn knot out. Or a counseling session that ends up through emotional healing inadvertantly healing some physical ailment that has been bothering you for years.
The Truth about Relief Society Part 1: The Founding and Origional Organization
My experience that prompted this post
You never know how little authority women in the church have till you are called to a position in which you think you can do something meaningful, just to find out you can't even plan a single topic without permission from a man. We take such pride in saying Relief Society is the oldest women's organization in the world, but how is it a women's organization if we have to get permission from a man who isn't part of said organization to do anything within it? To me this doesn't make any sense at all. I wouldn't mind if women never get the priesthood, but can we at least get control over our own organization again? The High Priests, and Elders can organize their own activities, extend their own callings and fulfill their responsibilities all on their own. Why should the women need the oversight and supervision of the Bishop to do the same things? We are treated not like equals but like children. We don't want the priesthood so we can be Bishops, or Elders (at least most that I know of). Men can have those callings, we just want the freedom to do what we like within our own organization. In attempting to plan a gathering outside of normal Sunday services I have to get permission for the topic AND the teacher of the topic. Apparently this control over the women has been going on for well over 60 years.
So what was Relief Society when it was founded? Let's look at what Relief Society was when organized by Joseph Smith. With the Joseph Smith Papers we can go straight to the source and read about the organization of Relief Society straigh from their own meeting minutes:
"If any Officers are wanted to carry out the designs of the Institution, let them be appointed and set apart, as Deacons, Teachers, etc. are among us. . . .
You never know how little authority women in the church have till you are called to a position in which you think you can do something meaningful, just to find out you can't even plan a single topic without permission from a man. We take such pride in saying Relief Society is the oldest women's organization in the world, but how is it a women's organization if we have to get permission from a man who isn't part of said organization to do anything within it? To me this doesn't make any sense at all. I wouldn't mind if women never get the priesthood, but can we at least get control over our own organization again? The High Priests, and Elders can organize their own activities, extend their own callings and fulfill their responsibilities all on their own. Why should the women need the oversight and supervision of the Bishop to do the same things? We are treated not like equals but like children. We don't want the priesthood so we can be Bishops, or Elders (at least most that I know of). Men can have those callings, we just want the freedom to do what we like within our own organization. In attempting to plan a gathering outside of normal Sunday services I have to get permission for the topic AND the teacher of the topic. Apparently this control over the women has been going on for well over 60 years.
So what was Relief Society when it was founded? Let's look at what Relief Society was when organized by Joseph Smith. With the Joseph Smith Papers we can go straight to the source and read about the organization of Relief Society straigh from their own meeting minutes:
"President Smith further remarked that an organization to show them how to go to work would be sufficient. He proposed that the Sisters choose a presiding officer to preside over them, and let the presiding officer choose two counselors to assist in the duties of her office -- that he would ordain them to preside over the Society -- and let them preside just as the Presidency presides over the church and if they need instruction -- ask him, he will give it from time to time." [emphasis added] (JSP Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book p.7-8)
Notice the women choose the leader, and she chooses counselors, all Joseph did is propose the organization and ordain the women they chose to lead them. They can ask him for instruction but he did not mandate anything in the form of policies or anything else, a Constitution was all up to them to create for themselves.
"If any Officers are wanted to carry out the designs of the Institution, let them be appointed and set apart, as Deacons, Teachers, etc. are among us. . . .
"He then suggested the propriety of electing a Presidency to continue in office during good behavior, or so long as they shall continue to fill the office with dignity etc. like the first Presidency of the Church.
"Motioned by Sister Whitney and seconded by Sister Packard that Mrs. Emma Smith be chosen President -- Passed unanimously --" (ibid p.8)
The ONLY role of the priesthood in Relief Society was to ordain the women to offices within the Society, not even to propose or vote on who those sisters should be!!! Joseph Smith did not call Emma to be the first President of Relief Society, the sisters did by common consent. Relief Society had it's own funds, and it's own treasurer, and was not dependent on the Church for it's financial means to carry out it's purposes. Joseph Smith gave the first donation of $5, and after the minutes of each meeting a record was kept of donations including who gave and the amount. The men present for the initial organization and naming of the Society withdrew before the choice of secretaries and treasurer were made. (ibid p. 13)
Sisters who wanted to join the Female Relief Society of Navoo had to apply and their membership be voted on by common conent of those who already belonged (this is an action at the begining of each meeting, the sustaining of new members), just as men admitted to the priesthood are sustained by common consent then and still today. Every meeting (except one when Joseph Smith thought they were growing too fast) started with the sustaining of new members, and a list of those who were added to the Society. Early meetings talked about the importance of avoiding evil, and in the third meeting Joseph Smith said, "none should be received into the Society but those who were worthy -- proposed that the Society go into a close examination of every candidate." (ibid p. 22) Much of this responsibility fell to Emma.
What has Changed?
Today the men decide who will be in various positions in Relief Society and the men decide how much money from church funds can be used by the Relief Society, the men decide what topics we can teach and when and who can teach them. Voting on new members who wish to join has been done away now and any female member of the church over the age of 18 is automatically a member of Reilief Society. We don't make our own lessons, and we don't have our own funds to administer relief with. Really we don't do any administering relief any more. We do some service to those who need it from time to time, but most of our ability to give relief has been crippled by the church burocracy (speaking from my own experience and observation). We instead create our own new organizations (like the Liahona Children's Foundation) separate from the church when we find a need of relief because we can't give relief in Relief Society any more.
Continue to Part 2
Sisters who wanted to join the Female Relief Society of Navoo had to apply and their membership be voted on by common conent of those who already belonged (this is an action at the begining of each meeting, the sustaining of new members), just as men admitted to the priesthood are sustained by common consent then and still today. Every meeting (except one when Joseph Smith thought they were growing too fast) started with the sustaining of new members, and a list of those who were added to the Society. Early meetings talked about the importance of avoiding evil, and in the third meeting Joseph Smith said, "none should be received into the Society but those who were worthy -- proposed that the Society go into a close examination of every candidate." (ibid p. 22) Much of this responsibility fell to Emma.
What has Changed?
Today the men decide who will be in various positions in Relief Society and the men decide how much money from church funds can be used by the Relief Society, the men decide what topics we can teach and when and who can teach them. Voting on new members who wish to join has been done away now and any female member of the church over the age of 18 is automatically a member of Reilief Society. We don't make our own lessons, and we don't have our own funds to administer relief with. Really we don't do any administering relief any more. We do some service to those who need it from time to time, but most of our ability to give relief has been crippled by the church burocracy (speaking from my own experience and observation). We instead create our own new organizations (like the Liahona Children's Foundation) separate from the church when we find a need of relief because we can't give relief in Relief Society any more.
Continue to Part 2
Thursday, December 10, 2015
"Whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment..."
Learning to conquer my own emotions has been a challenge lately. My four year old son loves to make piles of things. And these messes have been a HUGE trigger for me. Yesterday he emptied all the drawers of the dresser he shares with his brother and sister. I was so mad it took a lot of energy just to control myself. He had even taken out the drawers themselves. Every time I entered the room I was filled with rage at how messy it was and what a huge job cleaning and reorganizing it would be. I knew I had to overcome these feelings. I couldn't be productive while I had so much anger, and I would damage my relationship with my son if I gave in to any of the temptations the anger was bringing into my heart. I yelled and threw things. I never harmed my son physically, but my outbursts scared him. I knew I needed to calm down.
I put on some calming heart chakra meditation music, then I used a tapping algorithm for anger, and meditated to clear my chakras. The next time I entered the bedroom I had no emotion at all and was able to calmly begin working on the problem at hand. I still have more work to do on it today, but I focused the most on ridding our home of the anger I had felt and filling it with love again. It has made an amazing difference. I used to get very emotional about messes in my home. This habit was damaging to my relationships with my children, and the time wasted being emotional made cleaning them up take much longer than it had to.
Now I think I have tools in place that if I get angry again I can do things right away to rid myself of the anger and be able to really focus on the task at hand. This is all part of my process of learning my gifts, and healing myself and my home. I hope to continue to learn how to follow God's command to not be angry, and to love even my enemies, which on certain days seems like my son. May God bless you on your path toward loving everyone, even your enemies, as well.
I put on some calming heart chakra meditation music, then I used a tapping algorithm for anger, and meditated to clear my chakras. The next time I entered the bedroom I had no emotion at all and was able to calmly begin working on the problem at hand. I still have more work to do on it today, but I focused the most on ridding our home of the anger I had felt and filling it with love again. It has made an amazing difference. I used to get very emotional about messes in my home. This habit was damaging to my relationships with my children, and the time wasted being emotional made cleaning them up take much longer than it had to.
Now I think I have tools in place that if I get angry again I can do things right away to rid myself of the anger and be able to really focus on the task at hand. This is all part of my process of learning my gifts, and healing myself and my home. I hope to continue to learn how to follow God's command to not be angry, and to love even my enemies, which on certain days seems like my son. May God bless you on your path toward loving everyone, even your enemies, as well.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
"Verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual..."
Today my sister sent me a text asking me to pray for her. She had hurt her back. She said she could not walk or sit up. We'd talked about chakras before and after praying for her I sent her a text saying to clear her lower three chakras that are along her back. After she texted back asking how to do that I decided to call her. When I
called to talk to her she said she had been very angry while doing
something in her kitchen. There was a portal in her kitchen, and she twisted her back while reaching down to pick up a shoe of her kids had left on the floor. As she picked it up she stepped in the portal, and strained her back. The back pain started when she bent over. She threw the shoe and then pushed it along the floor with her foot. Afterwards she thought stretching would help her back, so she did some pilates
that made it worse. She had been in so much
pain she could not sleep, walk, or sit. Her husband had to take off
work and she was lying in bed.
I talked to her about the event, what she had done since (she had gotten two preisthood blessings), and I talked to her about emotional and spiritual problems she was having. She had closed the portals in her home, but there were more on her property she hadn't had enough energy to do. She had cast out the associated spirits. She wasn't angry at her child any more, but was angry at some people in her fellowship group because of problems within the group. We talked a bit about the need for her to forgive and love them. She pointed out that she could only control her side of the relationship. I aknowledged this and emphaised the need for her to take control of her side. I instructed her first in prayer asking God to help her let go of the anger, forgive, and then have Charity for these people in her life. After the prayer I led her through a chakra healing meditation session, something I have never done before with anyone. With each chakra I instructed her to release things I knew specific to her and her situation. When it was over she said she physically was in less pain. By the end of our session she was relaxed enough and the pain was lessened enough to sleep. I wasn't sure I could actually help her. I only hoped that I could. When she told me how much better she felt I was so happy that I had been able to help her despite my huge lack of experience.
She found out later after seeing a chiropractor that she had a comptessed disk, and the associated pulled muscles, which he said is along the same level of pain as a broken rib. She has gotten through this without going to the hospital or being on pain medication, by using the meditation I taught her.
May God bless you to find whatever healing you need. If you don't have anyone you think you can ask for help feel free to contact me.
I talked to her about the event, what she had done since (she had gotten two preisthood blessings), and I talked to her about emotional and spiritual problems she was having. She had closed the portals in her home, but there were more on her property she hadn't had enough energy to do. She had cast out the associated spirits. She wasn't angry at her child any more, but was angry at some people in her fellowship group because of problems within the group. We talked a bit about the need for her to forgive and love them. She pointed out that she could only control her side of the relationship. I aknowledged this and emphaised the need for her to take control of her side. I instructed her first in prayer asking God to help her let go of the anger, forgive, and then have Charity for these people in her life. After the prayer I led her through a chakra healing meditation session, something I have never done before with anyone. With each chakra I instructed her to release things I knew specific to her and her situation. When it was over she said she physically was in less pain. By the end of our session she was relaxed enough and the pain was lessened enough to sleep. I wasn't sure I could actually help her. I only hoped that I could. When she told me how much better she felt I was so happy that I had been able to help her despite my huge lack of experience.
She found out later after seeing a chiropractor that she had a comptessed disk, and the associated pulled muscles, which he said is along the same level of pain as a broken rib. She has gotten through this without going to the hospital or being on pain medication, by using the meditation I taught her.
May God bless you to find whatever healing you need. If you don't have anyone you think you can ask for help feel free to contact me.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
"He that endureth to the end shall have eternal life."
This morning as I was pondering the concept of enduring to the end I realized it is either the least understood doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or the most misunderstood doctrine. I guess I should write about the others first, but they will have to come latter to whatever extent they they are not naturally incorporated here. There are many sources about Faith, and I would recommend The Lectures on Faith to any of my readers who would like to learn about faith. I don't think I could teach it better than Joseph Smith so I will leave that to him.
I was reflecting on my Bishop's fifth Sunday lesson in which he talked about the scripture Moses 6:60, "For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;" To me this was clearly about baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the Sacrament. (I would encourage my reader if they want to study and ponder that particular scripture to study also the verse before, and two verses after it.) Yet these never came up in the discussion of this scripture (perhaps people thought these things were too obvious and not deep enough). We could have talked extensively about each of them as symbols and how to pursue the things that the ordinances represent. Instead the discussion was about obedience, following the Spirit, and I guess Christ's grace, we didn't talk much about the third because the bishop said it was the one we don't have to do anything for, because Christ did it for us. He said obedience and following the Spirit can contradict each other as they did for Nephi when the Spirit told him to kill Laban. In my mind the Spirit is what we need to be obedient to, so there is never a contradiction as they are part of the same thing. And the bishop made sure to emphasize that because they contradict each other we are never to tell anyone else what we receive as personal revelation. (oops. Here I go.)
So what does this have to do with enduring to the end? Well, hopefully I can write this clearly. My thoughts have been jumping around and moving rather quickly this morning. Enduring to the end needs some terms defined. Often in the church we think "the end" is either death or judgment as in the end of our mortal existence. But an "end" will often also mean a goal we have in mind. What if "the end" can happen before we die, and is a specific goal we should be seeking? Namely I would say the end we should have in our mind when we say "endure to the end" should be receiving our calling and election sure. Then I would think that "enduring" is not merely getting through our trials, but rather it is continuing to seek after our end despite our trials and sacrifices that will be asked of us along the way. Changing what we think of as the end completely changes what it would mean to endure on the journey there. Enduring till you die, brings to mind the old, "keep on keeping on!" While enduring to a goal brings to mind working hard to get there and achieve said goal.
To relate this back to the scripture in Moses, when we are baptized we do it to show obedience, and it is a symbol of giving up our old sinful life in favor of a new life that is in line with God's will. Receiving the baptism of fire and the Spirit is the ability to continuously receive revelation for your life, one or more spiritual gifts, and line upon line, precept upon precept gain intelligence, light and truth and ultimately knowledge of the mysteries of God. "By the Spirit ye are justified" means that wenever our actions are based on a prompting from the Spirit they are justified. In the world they say "the end justifies the means," but this is not true. It is the Spirit that justifies us before God. An action specific to you (such as Nephi killing Laban) shouldn't be preached as what is right for everyone, we all have different life missions to receive revelation about. But when it comes to teachings, we are not to hide our candle under a bushel and not share it with anyone. We should not share mysteries of God that they need to learn for themselves, but things that might help them on that path to gain knowledge of the mysteries for themselves are important to share one with another that all may be edified and rejoice together. We are to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. The Sacrament, in which we symbolically take the flesh and blood of Christ, is something we are commanded to take often, and as a repetitive thing should bring us closer and closer to God as we do it. In the scripture, "by the blood ye are sanctified," the way we take of Christ's blood many times shows that this is a long process to sanctify our souls. It is not an over night occurrence. Continually seeking to be sanctified by the blood of Christ is part of enduring to our goal of receiving Him in person to have our calling and election made sure.
I hope the light and truth I share here can help you on your journey of actively working towards your goal of coming unto Christ in the flesh. This is the desire of my heart and that others might see this, be enlightened thereby, and Glorify the Father who is in Heaven. God loves you and is waiting for you to come unto Him and be perfected in Christ. May God bless you on your journey. I love you.
I was reflecting on my Bishop's fifth Sunday lesson in which he talked about the scripture Moses 6:60, "For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;" To me this was clearly about baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the Sacrament. (I would encourage my reader if they want to study and ponder that particular scripture to study also the verse before, and two verses after it.) Yet these never came up in the discussion of this scripture (perhaps people thought these things were too obvious and not deep enough). We could have talked extensively about each of them as symbols and how to pursue the things that the ordinances represent. Instead the discussion was about obedience, following the Spirit, and I guess Christ's grace, we didn't talk much about the third because the bishop said it was the one we don't have to do anything for, because Christ did it for us. He said obedience and following the Spirit can contradict each other as they did for Nephi when the Spirit told him to kill Laban. In my mind the Spirit is what we need to be obedient to, so there is never a contradiction as they are part of the same thing. And the bishop made sure to emphasize that because they contradict each other we are never to tell anyone else what we receive as personal revelation. (oops. Here I go.)
So what does this have to do with enduring to the end? Well, hopefully I can write this clearly. My thoughts have been jumping around and moving rather quickly this morning. Enduring to the end needs some terms defined. Often in the church we think "the end" is either death or judgment as in the end of our mortal existence. But an "end" will often also mean a goal we have in mind. What if "the end" can happen before we die, and is a specific goal we should be seeking? Namely I would say the end we should have in our mind when we say "endure to the end" should be receiving our calling and election sure. Then I would think that "enduring" is not merely getting through our trials, but rather it is continuing to seek after our end despite our trials and sacrifices that will be asked of us along the way. Changing what we think of as the end completely changes what it would mean to endure on the journey there. Enduring till you die, brings to mind the old, "keep on keeping on!" While enduring to a goal brings to mind working hard to get there and achieve said goal.
To relate this back to the scripture in Moses, when we are baptized we do it to show obedience, and it is a symbol of giving up our old sinful life in favor of a new life that is in line with God's will. Receiving the baptism of fire and the Spirit is the ability to continuously receive revelation for your life, one or more spiritual gifts, and line upon line, precept upon precept gain intelligence, light and truth and ultimately knowledge of the mysteries of God. "By the Spirit ye are justified" means that wenever our actions are based on a prompting from the Spirit they are justified. In the world they say "the end justifies the means," but this is not true. It is the Spirit that justifies us before God. An action specific to you (such as Nephi killing Laban) shouldn't be preached as what is right for everyone, we all have different life missions to receive revelation about. But when it comes to teachings, we are not to hide our candle under a bushel and not share it with anyone. We should not share mysteries of God that they need to learn for themselves, but things that might help them on that path to gain knowledge of the mysteries for themselves are important to share one with another that all may be edified and rejoice together. We are to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. The Sacrament, in which we symbolically take the flesh and blood of Christ, is something we are commanded to take often, and as a repetitive thing should bring us closer and closer to God as we do it. In the scripture, "by the blood ye are sanctified," the way we take of Christ's blood many times shows that this is a long process to sanctify our souls. It is not an over night occurrence. Continually seeking to be sanctified by the blood of Christ is part of enduring to our goal of receiving Him in person to have our calling and election made sure.
I hope the light and truth I share here can help you on your journey of actively working towards your goal of coming unto Christ in the flesh. This is the desire of my heart and that others might see this, be enlightened thereby, and Glorify the Father who is in Heaven. God loves you and is waiting for you to come unto Him and be perfected in Christ. May God bless you on your journey. I love you.
Friday, November 27, 2015
"In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me."
First I would like to make clear my reason for publishing this post. It is not to gain glory or praise but rather it is to help give others the courage to reach out in love to their fellow man. God has not led me into harms way, and I trust He will continue to do so. The world has many needs and until we unitedly work together to help one another there will always be someone in need of a helping hand, a warm meal, a place to sleep, or a feeling of love. I found one such today, and consider what I did for him to be a small simple thing, hardly worthy of notice, yet not many would do what I did today.
As I have been seeking to be closer to God, I have been praying for the opportunities to help my fellow man and use my gift of empathy and love to benefit others. Today there was an ice storm, and my husband forgot to bring his ice scraper to work with him. I offered, and brought it, found his car, and put it in for him so he'd be able to scrape his car off when he gets off work. On the way out of the parking lot I passed a homeless man with a sign asking for food. I felt like I needed to go back and help him. I found a safe place to park and flashed my lights at him. He came over and I offered to bring him to my home for dinner tonight since I was already planning on feeding company. He accepted and got in. He looked around at my four kids in the back of my van and asked if I was babysitting.
"Nope, they're all mine."
He went on to talk about the fact that he's doing what he's doing for survival. I asked if he had a place to sleep tonight and said I could bring him there after dinner. He had a daughter but didn't want to ask her for help. He used to ridicule and judge the homeless. I mentioned the scripture judge not that ye be not judged. And we discussed it. He told me he's a Christian and talked a lot about thinking people shouldn't judge him. I talked about Christ teaching to care for the poor and the needy, and that that is why I decided to help him. He asked what sort of gathering I'm having for dinner tonight, and I happened to be signed up to feed the missionaries. He asked what church I belonged to and I told him, and then he asked hastily, "Is that the real time?"
"Yes, the clock is correct."
"I forgot I'm supposed to meet my sister." And he gave me directions to drop him off at a church. I think the prospect of dinner with missionaries scared him off, though it could be that he did in deed forget a meeting with his sister. Either way I felt good that he could warm his hands and that he had a place to go. I made it home with just enough time to cook dinner for the missionaries.
During dinner the sisters asked about my day and I told then about my trip out and helping the man with a sign, and his decision to forgo dinner with me when he learned of the missionaries being part of it. After dinner I had a discussion with the sisters about trying to be close to God and that His Spirit gives me the confidence to do things to help others in need. I never would have done something like this 3-4 months ago. But having a prayer in my heart as I go through the day I can have the confidence that if helping someone would jeopardize the safety of myself and my children God would warn me. But perfect love casteth out all fear, and as I love God more, and my fellow man more, I no longer fear what man can do. To quote the bishop in Les Miserables, "Have no fear of robbers or murderers. They are external dangers, petty dangers. We should fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices the real murderers. The great dangers are within us. Why worry about what threatens our heads or our purses? Let us think instead of what threatens our souls." Let us seek love and charity and if we are on the Lords errand he will protect us, but if not we will know that so too were the prophets of old persecuted and killed. The only real fear is for our souls.
As I have been seeking to be closer to God, I have been praying for the opportunities to help my fellow man and use my gift of empathy and love to benefit others. Today there was an ice storm, and my husband forgot to bring his ice scraper to work with him. I offered, and brought it, found his car, and put it in for him so he'd be able to scrape his car off when he gets off work. On the way out of the parking lot I passed a homeless man with a sign asking for food. I felt like I needed to go back and help him. I found a safe place to park and flashed my lights at him. He came over and I offered to bring him to my home for dinner tonight since I was already planning on feeding company. He accepted and got in. He looked around at my four kids in the back of my van and asked if I was babysitting.
"Nope, they're all mine."
He went on to talk about the fact that he's doing what he's doing for survival. I asked if he had a place to sleep tonight and said I could bring him there after dinner. He had a daughter but didn't want to ask her for help. He used to ridicule and judge the homeless. I mentioned the scripture judge not that ye be not judged. And we discussed it. He told me he's a Christian and talked a lot about thinking people shouldn't judge him. I talked about Christ teaching to care for the poor and the needy, and that that is why I decided to help him. He asked what sort of gathering I'm having for dinner tonight, and I happened to be signed up to feed the missionaries. He asked what church I belonged to and I told him, and then he asked hastily, "Is that the real time?"
"Yes, the clock is correct."
"I forgot I'm supposed to meet my sister." And he gave me directions to drop him off at a church. I think the prospect of dinner with missionaries scared him off, though it could be that he did in deed forget a meeting with his sister. Either way I felt good that he could warm his hands and that he had a place to go. I made it home with just enough time to cook dinner for the missionaries.
During dinner the sisters asked about my day and I told then about my trip out and helping the man with a sign, and his decision to forgo dinner with me when he learned of the missionaries being part of it. After dinner I had a discussion with the sisters about trying to be close to God and that His Spirit gives me the confidence to do things to help others in need. I never would have done something like this 3-4 months ago. But having a prayer in my heart as I go through the day I can have the confidence that if helping someone would jeopardize the safety of myself and my children God would warn me. But perfect love casteth out all fear, and as I love God more, and my fellow man more, I no longer fear what man can do. To quote the bishop in Les Miserables, "Have no fear of robbers or murderers. They are external dangers, petty dangers. We should fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices the real murderers. The great dangers are within us. Why worry about what threatens our heads or our purses? Let us think instead of what threatens our souls." Let us seek love and charity and if we are on the Lords errand he will protect us, but if not we will know that so too were the prophets of old persecuted and killed. The only real fear is for our souls.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
"And the Lord was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a still small voice...."
After returning to bed from healing our home and then writing about it, my baby started to stir. I was exhausted and really needed more sleep before facing a day with my children. I closed my eyes and pictured my aura again but this time as a soft arm reaching out to comfort my baby, and encompass him in my love. He soon quieted and went back to sleep. I was able to sleep as well with the first peaceful happy sleep I'd had for a while.
This morning I read that there was an earthquake in Oklahoma, and the shocks reached up into Kansas where I live, though they were not strong enough here to really feel anything or I slept through it. I realized that the spiritual "earthquake" (evil portals opening) happens first and is followed by the earth having a physical earthquake.
I was so excited and happy about healing our home I wanted to tell my husband all about it. As I started to try to explain it he looked at me like I'm crazy, "That sounds like supernatural stuff."
"Well, God IS supernatural. 'Supernatural' is just our word for things science can't explain. The scriptures are full supernatural events. In Moroni we are told that if miracles ceased it is because of unbelief." And I proceeded with my explanation of the events of the night.
"Why would you tell me all this? I have to leave in 15 min."
"Because I'm so happy I solved the problem and healed our home. All the problems from the past few days were caused by this." And we wrapped up the conversation and he left for work.
The kids got up, and for the first time in a while I was motivated to clean my kitchen and living room. My children were more calm than they had been for the past several days. They were no more or less rambunctious than their usual selves. My husband came home feeling sick, and I asked him if he had any questions before he went to lay down. He didn't but he acknowledged that our home felt happier than it previously had.
The rest of the day was rather uneventful. I was actually motivated to get my house work done, which hadn't happened the whole time our home was oppressed. I called my sister and we talked about what happened. She had a bunch of questions I answered (If you have any feel free to leave a comment). She asked if I could do it remotely for her home, but I couldn't. We talked about the spiritual being created before the physical, and how it makes sense that the spiritual portals or rifts would happen before the earthquake. Then she wondered if the same were true before storms. We ended up concluding that there are spiritual storms that precede the physical ones. She has noticed for a long time that her children fight a lot more right before a storm comes, and her husband, a teacher says the same is true for the kids at school. It was all so very interesting and enlightening to me.
I hope this is helpful and enlightening to you too. As this world continues to have more natural disasters let us not neglect our spiritual preparation that can save us from the spiritual storms. I love you and God does too.
This morning I read that there was an earthquake in Oklahoma, and the shocks reached up into Kansas where I live, though they were not strong enough here to really feel anything or I slept through it. I realized that the spiritual "earthquake" (evil portals opening) happens first and is followed by the earth having a physical earthquake.
I was so excited and happy about healing our home I wanted to tell my husband all about it. As I started to try to explain it he looked at me like I'm crazy, "That sounds like supernatural stuff."
"Well, God IS supernatural. 'Supernatural' is just our word for things science can't explain. The scriptures are full supernatural events. In Moroni we are told that if miracles ceased it is because of unbelief." And I proceeded with my explanation of the events of the night.
"Why would you tell me all this? I have to leave in 15 min."
"Because I'm so happy I solved the problem and healed our home. All the problems from the past few days were caused by this." And we wrapped up the conversation and he left for work.
The kids got up, and for the first time in a while I was motivated to clean my kitchen and living room. My children were more calm than they had been for the past several days. They were no more or less rambunctious than their usual selves. My husband came home feeling sick, and I asked him if he had any questions before he went to lay down. He didn't but he acknowledged that our home felt happier than it previously had.
The rest of the day was rather uneventful. I was actually motivated to get my house work done, which hadn't happened the whole time our home was oppressed. I called my sister and we talked about what happened. She had a bunch of questions I answered (If you have any feel free to leave a comment). She asked if I could do it remotely for her home, but I couldn't. We talked about the spiritual being created before the physical, and how it makes sense that the spiritual portals or rifts would happen before the earthquake. Then she wondered if the same were true before storms. We ended up concluding that there are spiritual storms that precede the physical ones. She has noticed for a long time that her children fight a lot more right before a storm comes, and her husband, a teacher says the same is true for the kids at school. It was all so very interesting and enlightening to me.
I hope this is helpful and enlightening to you too. As this world continues to have more natural disasters let us not neglect our spiritual preparation that can save us from the spiritual storms. I love you and God does too.
"We war not with flesh and blood..."
Over the past 3-4 days I've had several problems in my home. My baby who had been getting up 1-2 times a night was getting up 4-5 times. My children were making messes in my living room much much faster than normal. They were making messes in my kitchen too. They were constantly fighting. My son would run away into the yard when it was time to get on the school bus. My husband was having insomnia. I spent 2 days weeping, I thought because I felt alone in my journey to come unto Christ. I was retreating from my duties to hide in our office much more than usual (I'm a total introvert and need my quiet time, but this had become excessive). Old emotional triggers I thought I had healed were back. I was having trouble connecting to God, I thought because of these old wounds, or because I just didn't have enough faith.
I joined a Facebook group for empaths, and someone there talked about the earth shifting and spiritual portals opening that let mischievous or evil or good spirits into a place. While nursing my baby the fourth time last night I became aware of such a portal in my bedroom right between the crib and my bed. I closed my eyes and spread my aura out to the borders of our property and asked it if there were more portals. Then I started with the yard, was there one there? yes. Is there one in the kitchen? yes. Is there one in the living room? yes. Is there one in my bedroom? yes. Is there one in the bathroom? no. Is there one in the office? no. Is there one in the kids' room? no. I visualized each portal as a tiny tornado and prayed and pictured it retreating back up into the ceiling. Then I pictured some means of sealing the spiritual wound, until I had done this to each portal, praying and asking the Lord to close and heal them. Then in the name of Christ I commanded any remaining spirits to depart.
Immediately upon finishing this process I felt peace and love from God fill me. The only reason I thought I wasn't healed from my emotional wounds from years ago was because these spirits were blocking me from connecting with God at night as I had been doing very readily each night since I decided to seek Him. I thought my faith must not be strong enough. I now know I have faith and it is strong.
Everything started to make sense. The reason my neat tidy 6 year old daughter played with her yogurt the way my 2 year old does. The reason my kids were wilder and messier than normal. The reason my son would run off when it was time to get on the bus. The reason I retreated to the office where there was no portal. I hope to see immediate changes in their behavior just as I had received immediate peace fill me.
I'm so glad the Lord guided me to that Facebook group where there was an answer to my problem I didn't know I had. God does love me. He is looking out for me and my family. He answers our prayers in real and powerful ways, sometimes, maybe often, His answers are set in motion before we even know what to pray for. Come unto Christ and be made whole. He can heal you. He can heal your family. He can heal your home. He is all powerful and no problem no matter how insurmountable it may seem to us is too great for Him who gave His life for us. And praise and glory be to the Father who provided a Savior for us. A Savior who is continually saving us, not just once when He performed the atonement, but also is saving us NOW. As we come unto Him He will help us in our fight. " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12). The fight is real, and it can be scary, but when we know we aren't fighting alone, perfect love will cast out all fear. Fear not but be believing!
I love you! Be of good cheer. May God bless you in your home too!
I joined a Facebook group for empaths, and someone there talked about the earth shifting and spiritual portals opening that let mischievous or evil or good spirits into a place. While nursing my baby the fourth time last night I became aware of such a portal in my bedroom right between the crib and my bed. I closed my eyes and spread my aura out to the borders of our property and asked it if there were more portals. Then I started with the yard, was there one there? yes. Is there one in the kitchen? yes. Is there one in the living room? yes. Is there one in my bedroom? yes. Is there one in the bathroom? no. Is there one in the office? no. Is there one in the kids' room? no. I visualized each portal as a tiny tornado and prayed and pictured it retreating back up into the ceiling. Then I pictured some means of sealing the spiritual wound, until I had done this to each portal, praying and asking the Lord to close and heal them. Then in the name of Christ I commanded any remaining spirits to depart.
Immediately upon finishing this process I felt peace and love from God fill me. The only reason I thought I wasn't healed from my emotional wounds from years ago was because these spirits were blocking me from connecting with God at night as I had been doing very readily each night since I decided to seek Him. I thought my faith must not be strong enough. I now know I have faith and it is strong.
Everything started to make sense. The reason my neat tidy 6 year old daughter played with her yogurt the way my 2 year old does. The reason my kids were wilder and messier than normal. The reason my son would run off when it was time to get on the bus. The reason I retreated to the office where there was no portal. I hope to see immediate changes in their behavior just as I had received immediate peace fill me.
I'm so glad the Lord guided me to that Facebook group where there was an answer to my problem I didn't know I had. God does love me. He is looking out for me and my family. He answers our prayers in real and powerful ways, sometimes, maybe often, His answers are set in motion before we even know what to pray for. Come unto Christ and be made whole. He can heal you. He can heal your family. He can heal your home. He is all powerful and no problem no matter how insurmountable it may seem to us is too great for Him who gave His life for us. And praise and glory be to the Father who provided a Savior for us. A Savior who is continually saving us, not just once when He performed the atonement, but also is saving us NOW. As we come unto Him He will help us in our fight. " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12). The fight is real, and it can be scary, but when we know we aren't fighting alone, perfect love will cast out all fear. Fear not but be believing!
I love you! Be of good cheer. May God bless you in your home too!
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
"First cast the beam out of thine own eye."
I'm a humble person with lofty goals. I want to do more to help this world than just raising my children. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and I love being a mother, but I feel driven to do more and be more. I want so much to do something that actually makes a difference for good in this evil world. I don't care if I'm ever known or if it makes me any money (in fact using a Spiritual gift to make money seems to me to be a form of preistcraft). I want to please God, and use my gift somehow to bless others.
I'd been browsing websites about empaths, and looking over books, and their reviews on amazon, and most deal with how to "cope" with being an empath. I don't want to just cope, or get by, or manage this gift. God gave me this gift for a reason, and it wasn't just to learn to recognize that an emotion isn't mine and then give it back. I called my big sister for advice. She had promised to find me a good reliable book when we first discussed my gift, and I hadn't heard back weeks later. While on the phone with her, she found a website that talked about letting bad energies in, then healing them into good before sending them back again. I loved this idea. To actually heal others feelings became my new goal. It felt good to know a goal and know there was someone using her empathy to make a difference like I want to. It's possible.
Then staring me in the face were my own hurts I've held over the years. I know the first person I have to learn to heal is myself. Once I heal myself, my own family will be next and teaching my daughter who I think might be an empath how to heal instead of meltdown. Then I will see what more God might have in store for me.
I'd been browsing websites about empaths, and looking over books, and their reviews on amazon, and most deal with how to "cope" with being an empath. I don't want to just cope, or get by, or manage this gift. God gave me this gift for a reason, and it wasn't just to learn to recognize that an emotion isn't mine and then give it back. I called my big sister for advice. She had promised to find me a good reliable book when we first discussed my gift, and I hadn't heard back weeks later. While on the phone with her, she found a website that talked about letting bad energies in, then healing them into good before sending them back again. I loved this idea. To actually heal others feelings became my new goal. It felt good to know a goal and know there was someone using her empathy to make a difference like I want to. It's possible.
Then staring me in the face were my own hurts I've held over the years. I know the first person I have to learn to heal is myself. Once I heal myself, my own family will be next and teaching my daughter who I think might be an empath how to heal instead of meltdown. Then I will see what more God might have in store for me.
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