I love the story of Captain Moroni!  I love that he loves his people and his nation enough to act!  When a man named Amalickiah conspires to be king and revoke the liberties of those who believe in and follow Jesus Christ Moroni takes action.
  I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Our prophets and apostles have asked the members to ask us to study, to become informed, to pray to be enlightened and then to vote according to what we feel is right and true.  Last week they asked us to attend the caucus meetings.   I feel this is a clarion call from our prophets. I feel it’s a cautionary warning to “be wise” in our decisions and to truly consider what’s at stake.   Much like in the Book of Mormon when in Alma 46 Captain Moroni after seeing where his nation was headed, knowing his people needed to remember what they had fought so hard for and what was at stake rends his coat, and writes upon it the “Title of Liberty “In memory of our God our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children.”  He fastened his rent coat to a pole put, on his battle armor then “he bowed himself to the earth and prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest up on his brethren.” He then traveled the land reminding all the people what was at stake.  Rallying them to wake up and be aware of where their nation was headed.  I believe this call to act at the caucus meetings and elections from our prophet and apostles and Moroni’s title of Liberty are very similar.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell in his talk Repent of Our Selfishness from April 1999 says this “Cultural decline is accelerated when single-interest segments of society become indifferent to general values once widely shared. This drift is facilitated by the indifferent or the indulgent as society is led carefully down to hell (see 2 Ne. 28:21). Some may not join in this drift, but instead they step aside, whereas once they might have constrained, as is their representative right.”

We are seeing this happen now.  In Mosiah29:25-32 we read how the government was supposed to run and how we should make decisions and not “go with the drift or step aside” In verse 32 we read “I desire this land to be a land of liberty.”

How can we sit idly by and watch the decline of the nation throwing our hands in the air and say my note won’t count so why should I bother.  Our votes will count we can do something.  Our God intended this land to remain free in verse 37 it reads “but I desire that this land be a land of liberty.”

Liberty is defined as 1. Freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control,

2. Freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.  Liberty means freedom.

How I love and am grateful for this land!  I loved growing up listening to my grandparents and parents praying for it and the freedoms we enjoy, though at the time I had no idea how truly magnificent these freedoms and this land were,  I always felt a sense of pride, comfort and safety as these loved ones of mine petitioned the Almighty God,(who they seemed to know) for our safety, freedoms and nation.  
This land was made and intended to be free but only can be so long as we do our part, as we stand true to our values to the commandments of our Heavenly Father and as we defend what was meant to ensure our rights freedoms and liberties.   Let us remember our God, the way he kept and preserved this, our nation.  Let us remember the founding fathers guided by God to establish a place where we may be free where we may live in peace. Let us remember those who’ve fraught so valiantly to preserve and defend this sacred land of freedom and the prosperity we enjoy and let us do all within our power to continue to preserve watch over and care for those freedoms that our children and grandchildren and generations to come may enjoy the same ability we now have to worship God our father and his son Jesus Christ without fear or reservation. Oh be wise I pray in our decisions and choices to preserve this our nation. Be wise...
( the picture I used is the Arnold Friburg painting that belongs to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints depicting Captain Moroni with the Title of Liberty.

You Never Know How Much Good You Do

From the Book of Mormon we learn of Enos, a prophet, who had concerns of his standing before God, he describes his experience as a wrestle before God in prayer. (See Book of Mormon Enos Chapter 1) He struggled as we all do at times to understand and express our sincere desires.  And Just like Enos, through our own “wrestle” we to can find the right words and we become humble and can communicate freely with our Heavenly Father. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, Heavenly Father can communicate with us. We can know for ourselves where we stand in the sight of God and what we can do to help others.   After Enos prayed for his own welfare he turned his prayers to the Nephites, his brethren, and then the Lamentites, who hated the Nephites.  He wanted them to know and feel the love of God.  He labored to that end. Like wise King Benjamin (another Book of Mormon Prophet in the book of Mosiah) Loved, served, and labored with his people.  He tilled the ground with them, fought for freedom and righteousness with them, and taught them about the Savior Jesus Christ.  Through his words and example his people felt of his love and were comforted, converted, and strengthened.

I have too have felt this comfort, conversion and strength from my Savior, from my family and from leaders who’ve served with love and true concern for others. 

From the Doctrine and Covenants we can apply this scripture to ourselves. ”Wherefore, be faithful; … succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”   I know as we pray or “wrestle” before our Heavenly Father we can receive the capacity to love, care for, and serve those around us lifting their hands and their hearts. 

From Hands and Hearts

 I have a friend who battled caner for 7 years. She and I served in the Young women’s presidency together. She was the president; throughout her battle, when most of us think we should “rest” or have a valid reason for not serving, she served. She went to recitals and swim meets, she went to games and helped girls learn to make quilts; she was truly interested and showed love, compassion, and patience.  While loved and she served she continued to battle cancer. She never let that stop her and those young women always knew they were loved. My friend never complained, never focused on her self and always found a way to lift someone else.  When we went to girl’s camp she was having daily cancer treatments.  Instead of staying home she, which we all would have understood, camped with us for the entire week and each day she would leave for a few hours get her treatment then head right back to us at camp.  She wanted to and did show our young women that we and they can do hard things.  Towards the end of her time with us on earth her calling in our ward was being the compassionate service leader.  My friend was in the hospital hooked up to multiple machines and you could find her sitting in bed with her book on her lap making phone calls asking members  to bring meals or provide other service to various people in our ward in need.  She loved those she served! Her love for them was exemplified through her actions. Her testimony and personal relationship of the Savior was evident in how she lived and served.  She was a tremendous example of love, compassion, strength, and humor.  From her hands of service the hearts of those she served were taught and lifted. 

From Hands and Hearts contiuned

Edwin Markham observed:

There is a destiny that makes us brothers;

None goes his way alone:

All that we send into the lives of others

Comes back into our own.

Our hearts can be lifted through service and others can and I believe, do feel in their hearts the love and the deep unending love of our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ.   I loved my friend and so did my family, in particular my middle son Parker.  They just seemed to connect, speak the same language and had a special bond!  Parker had such tender concern and love for her and wanted, as we all did, to help her in some way he decided to pray for help as to what he could do.  He decided to hold a bake sale.  He baked for days.  When neighbors found out Parker had a friend who had cancer and he was holding a bake sale to help them we were overwhelmed with support. Sweet neighbors offered canopies and to help us set things up.  A neighbor brand new in our ward baked cookies and brought them over to the sale so Parker would have more to sell. Though they didn’t know who Parker's dear friend was people were so kind to help him reach his goal and sell all his baked goods.  

Our Heavenly Father helps us as we pray with the desire to help others through the sweet and enabling power of the atonement we then are blessed with capacity, beyond our own to accomplish those goals. 

While the money Parker earned was a tiny drop in the bucket comparatively, the love he had for his dearly beloved friend was incalculable.  We found out a day or so after the sale that our sweet friend was worse than expected and her time here on earth was incredibly limited, so with permission and encouragement from the family we gathered up our family and Parkers incredibly tender gift and headed to the hospital to present it to her.  Words cannot even come close to adequately expressing the immense feeling of love we all felt as Parker presented the genuine gift of love and service from a small boy to his special friend.  When the two friends embraced I was taught what true love of others is.  I felt the Saviors indescribable love for these two friends and for each of us.  There is no doubt in my mind that at this tender time in her life our friend felt the love of her Savior and Redeemer through the act of this boy.  I have been forever changed by this true gesture of love and service. 

I am forever grateful for Parker teaching me the example of pure love through this tender act of service.

“Not only by precept did Jesus teach, but also by example. He was faithful to his divine mission. He stretched forth his hand that others might be lifted toward God.” Pres Monson.  We can truly lift, strengthen and serve others as we look to the Savior and his infinite example of love.  

 Just like the Savior, King Benjamin, Enos, our friend and sour son Parker loved those they served and both were edified, both came to know the Savior and helped others to do the same.  Our Savior loved beyond what we can comprehend and following his example so did these two.  

Opportunities to Do Good