Easter

The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. - 1 John 2:8

I love both Christmas and Easter in that it is a special time to reflect on the light of the world - and the good news of the gospel. President Uchtdorf's most recent conference address I think captured the joy of the gospel beautifully:

"My dear friends, the Savior heals the broken heart and binds up your wounds (see Psalm 147:3). Whatever your challenges may be, wherever you live on this earth, your faithful membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the divine powers of the gospel of Jesus Christ will bless you to endure joyfully to the end."

There is darkness in the world - there are things that are hard, and so we must endure them. But the light of the world has come and his name is Jesus Christ. And we can endure our trials and difficulties with joy.

"Enduring to the end is exalting and glorious, not grim and gloomy. This is a joyful religion, one of hope, strength, and deliverance." (President Uchtdorf, Now Let Us Rejoice)

The joy that President Uchtdorf refers to is the joy found in our Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. - Isaiah 12:3

Flashback

My family at Disneyland in 1988 (I think).

1 John 2:8

The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

iTunes Playlist

Morning Has Broken (Cat Stevens)
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
Beautiful Savior (Becky Williams)
How Can I Keep From Singing (Enya)
The Lord is My Shepherd (Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
Joy to the World (Sufjan Stevens)
Rutter's Requiem VI. The Lord Is My Shepherd (Choir of Clare College, Cambridge)
All Creatures of Our God and King (Mormon Tabernacle Choir)

somewhere i have never travelled by E.E. Cummings

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully, mysteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

for Reija, on her birthday

lily has a rose by E.E. Cummings

lily has a rose
(i have none)
"don't cry dear violet
you may take mine"

"o how how how
could i ever wear it now
when the boy who gave it to
you is the tallest of the boys"

"he'll give me another
if i let him kiss me twice
but my lover has a brother
who is good and kind to all"

"o no no no
let the roses come and go
for kindness and goodness do
not make a fellow tall"

lily has a rose
no rose i've
and losing's less than winning(but
love is more than love)

Cheddar and Dill Scones

The Thomas family traditionally bakes these at Christmas. It's a simple recipe, but can take a bit of time because of preparing the fresh dill and cheddar cheese, but I think it's worth it :)

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1/3 cup minced fresh dill
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 3/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch pie pans.

Beat eggs, buttermilk and minced fresh dill in medium bowl to blend. Combine flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, pepper and salt in large bowl. Add butter to flour mixture and cut in until mixture and grated cheddar cheese. Stir to mix well. (Dough will be stiff and crumbly.) Knead gently until dough just holds together.

Divide dough in half. Pat each half into prepared pans to 1-inch thickness. Using long knife or pizza wheel, score each round into 6 wedges. Bake until toothpick inserted into each center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to rack and cool scones slightly. Cut into wedges.

Note: Sometimes I bake them in mini-muffin pans

Quote of the Day

Men’s souls conform to the society in which they live, with very few exceptions, and when men come to live with the Mormons, their souls swell as if they were going to stride the planets.

Hyrum Smith

How beautiful upon the mountains

I just posted the last two scriptures because they really do convey my thoughts and feelings about the ward I just left. I really missed it today - not because I don't love my current ward, but just because it was in my previous ward that so much of my faith was nourished and it was in that ward where I came to a true knowledge of my Redeemer. How beautiful that ward is to me!

Like the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, like the waters of Mormon - that time and place, and all of its associations, will always be precious.

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Mosiah 18:30

...the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.

Tom Ka Gai (Thai Chicken Cocount Soup)

I started making this when I was in college. I merged basically two recipes (one from Joy of Cooking and one from a Thai restaurant my father likes in the City). It has elements that are not authentic (such as jalapeno), but, frankly, I love the flavor, so I recommend using it anyway! This is one of my favorite soups.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups coconut milk
1-1.2 lbs. chicken
1/2 lb. straw mushrooms (substitute button optional)
1 oz. ginger, sliced
1 oz. fresh lemongrass (optional)
3 jalapenos, seeded, sliced
1/3 c. lime juice
3 Tablespoons Thai Fish Sauce
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon Thai Chile Sauce

Directions:
Bring coconut and 1 cup of water to a boil. Add ginger, jalapenos, lemongrass, and cook at medium heat for a few minutes. Add chicken, salt, fish sauce, sugar, parsley, and lime juice. Cook until chicken is done. Throw mushrooms in, remove from heat - serve immediately. Add chili totaste. Serves 4.

Note: It really does only serve 4. It makes a very small batch.

Press Release: Love Quilts

So I finally finished the finest quilt I have ever made!

I fell in love with this fabric after I saw a quilt my cousin Nie's baby received as a gift. So I bought some and made it into a large (between twin and queen size) quilt.

Hooray for finishing projects! It only took me a year ;-)

The Forgotten Dialect Of The Heart by Jack Gilbert

How astonishing it is that language can almost mean,
and frightening that it does not quite. Love, we say,
God, we say, Rome and Michiko, we write, and the words
get it all wrong. We say bread and it means according
to which nation. French has no word for home,
and we have no word for strict pleasure. A people
in northern India is dying out because their ancient
tongue has no words for endearment. I dream of lost
vocabularies that might express some of what
we no longer can. Maybe the Etruscan texts would
finally explain why the couples on their tombs
are smiling. And maybe not. When the thousands
of mysterious Sumerian tablets were translated,
they seemed to be business records. But what if they
are poems or psalms? My joy is the same as twelve
Ethiopian goats standing silent in the morning light.
O Lord, thou art slabs of salt and ingots of copper,
as grand as ripe barley lithe under the wind's labor.
Her breasts are six white oxen loaded with bolts
of long-fibered Egyptian cotton. My love is a hundred
pitchers of honey. Shiploads of thuya are what
my body wants to say to your body. Giraffes are this
desire in the dark. Perhaps the spiral Minoan script
is not a language but a map. What we feel most has
no name but amber, archers, cinnamon, horses, and birds.

Doctrine & Covenants 59:4

And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time—they that are faithful and diligent before me.

Press Release: Passing the Torch

I recently got released as RSP in the Stanford 1st Ward to go up to the retirement ward in the stake (AKA Stanford 2nd). As I told my grieving cohorts of ST1, this is just the circle of life. We're born, we go to the 2nd Ward, and then we die.

The best part of getting released was passing the torch to one of my favorite people ever! JANE! (A close second was the RS Presidency Retreat a week later... see details here. Yes, I did stay up until 6am. Shocking.)

To give you an idea of how great it was that she has replaced me, check out these pictures (taken well before we knew our fate...)

This is Jane dressing up as me at my Birthday Party (just 5 days before she was called to BE the new me!) Note the expression, the dark finger nails, and the quilted jacket. She even dyed her hair black (it washed out, sadly):
This is from the Ward Christmas Party. I was trying to create a legacy. I didn't think I would ever find someone who could carry it on. But little did I know that the same Jane I was dressing to impress (and the owner of another lovely red blob suit) would not only carry on, but bring it to another level!

Just further evidence that God knows us, loves us, and that the Relief Society is a blessed organization.

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Thirst by Mary Oliver

Another morning and I wake with thirst
for the goodness I do not have. I walk
out to the pond and all the way God has
given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord,
I was never a quick scholar but sulked
and hunched over my books past the
hour and the bell; grant me, in your
mercy, a little more time. Love for the
earth and love for you are having such a
long conversation in my heart. Who
knows what will finally happen or
where I will be sent, yet already I have
given a great many things away, expect-
ing to be told to pack nothing, except the
prayers, which, with this thirst, I am
slowly learning.

And Death Shall Have No Dominion by Dylan Thomas

And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan't crack;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.

for A & J T, love kt

Come to my Birthday Party

Thursday - 8pm - email me for details =)

iTunes Playlist

Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy (Queen)
I Never (Rilo Kiley)
Little Flowers (Denison Witmer)
Eyes (Rogue Wave)
Give a Little Love (Rilo Kiley)
The Story (Brandi Carlile)
Last Goodbye (Jeff Buckley)
Lover, You Should Have Come Over (Jamie Cullum)
Anthony (Nickel Creek)
Rosanna (Toto)
So Contagious (Acceptance)
Breathe In, Breathe Out (Mat Kearney)
Plastic Stars (Freezepop)
Hey Boy (The Blow)
A Comet Appears (The Shins)
I Sing I Swim (Seabears)
Today Will Be Better, I Swear! (Stars)
How It Ends (Devotchka)

Sorry, Kids

I've been heads down at work and with the RS. I will make renewed efforts.

xoxo
kt

2 Samuel 2:7

Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant

Mosiah 23:10

Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands

The Doctor is In

Joel 2:28

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions

Day in the Life

coworker: "are you behaving yourself"
kt: shakes head
coworker: maintains stern(ish) expression
kt: "are you surprised?"
coworker: shakes head

My Holiday in Holladay, UT

I found my street:
If only the Distribution Center had spelled it correctly when they embossed my scriptures.

Saddddddd

Ezekiel 36:26

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Merry Christmas

Isaiah 58

2 They take delight in approaching God
3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?
4 Behold ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him?

9 Then shalt thou call , and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

13 And thou shalt call the sabbath a delight, and shalt honour the Lord, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.

Calvin & Hobbes

Merry Christmas

Love kt

Quote of the Day

tra il dire e il fare, c’è di mezzo il mare

An ocean lies between saying and doing

1 Kings 3:7

I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty and Testing by Richard G. Scott

Even if you exercise your strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you. He loves you to a depth and completeness you cannot conceive of in your mortal state. Indeed, were you to know His entire plan, you would never ask for that which is contrary to it even though your feelings tempt you to do so. Sincere faith gives understanding and strength to accept the will of our Heavenly Father when it differs from our own. We can accept His will with peace and assurance, confident that His infinite wisdom surpasses our own ability to comprehend fully His plan as it unfolds a piece at a time.

Read the full talk here.

Reprise

Here.

Ecclesiastes 7:3

By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Proverbs 13:12

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

Seattle Report: Pike Place Market

Friday morning I flew to Seattle for Strawbs' wedding. My first time in Washington State!

Strawbs and (now) Mrs. Strawbs!

Pike Place Market

I went with my Nielson cousins in a bus to Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. Strawbs has 10 siblings (one is on a mission right now) and they and their spouses and I all piled in the bus. It was a nice bus. We crossed the water and had a great time listening to Strawbs give us a tour as we went downtown.

kt, delighted to be on the bus:

Lizzy's husband:

At Pike Place, we all piled out of the bus (at Pike & Pine) and split up. About half of us ate cheese together at Beecher's; cheese and mac & cheese (made with penne), and grilled cheese. My aunt Mary bought No Woman cheese. "A nutty Jamaican cheese with cloves and brown sugar." Yum.

Then, Strawbs & soon-to-be-Mrs. Strawbs took me to the fruit market, where I bought dried strawberries (wow!) and a comice pear. We also sampled white truffle oil, pumpkin butter, and lavendar raspberry jam.

The fruit was too beautiful:

We then went back to Pike & Pine and got hot chocolate and ginger snap cookies (giant three dollar cookies). They were so soft and good, I kept thinking about them all weekend and have not stopped thinking about them since.

Quote of the Day

Some look at the overwhelming need in the world and think, What can I do that could possibly make a difference?

I will tell you plainly one thing you can do. You can live the law of the fast and contribute a generous fast offering.

Joseph B. Wirthlin

BRB: gone to Seattle

for Strawbs' wedding!

Psalms 37:7

...fret not because another prospereth in the journey.

Joy: Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream and Sprinkles

This is the original, found only at Southern Kitchen. I make my own at Melville, of course =)

Gordon, Stu, Whitney, and I all went last Saturday ('s tradition). Here is the documented proof of our enjoyment:


Whitney:
Stuart:

Life is good.

Quote of the Day

The right way, like the wrong way, must be paid for.

The difference is that for the right way we pay in advance while for the wrong way we pay afterwards - a much higher and more painful price.

C.G. Jung

Quote of the Day

Cherish your spiritual burdens because God will converse with you through them and will use you to do his work if you carry them well.

Jeffrey R. Holland

Press Release: New Phone

What I mean is, I bought a new phone. Please, please, please email me your phone number (if you haven't already).

This picture is newly taken with the new camera phone:

Love

kt

p.s.

and I lost my cell phone. yep. I'm cool. Please email me your cell phone number....

love
kt

brb

I'm in the city that I love.

Be back on Monday!

Fasting & Prayer

"And they did pray for that which they most desired." - 3 Nephi 19:9

This summer I started fasting and praying more fervently. I think I always approached fasting and prayer more pragmatically in the past; I thought that fasting made sense in terms of paying offerings, as well as supporting the principles of health and sacrifice. Also, prayer, in my mind, was intended to unite my will with God's will.

While I still think that uniting my will with God's is the primary purpose of prayer - or at least that is the firstfruit of it, I learned this summer that perhaps I was missing something through my pragmatic assumptions.

I was reading about Alma (the younger) and his experience with receiving the visitation of an angel. I have always thought it was really interesting that he received an angel, when so many other waywards with potential do not. However, one of the things I noted is that Alma's father and the church had done much fasting and prayer for Alma - and that the angel was a result of their faith and prayers on his behalf. It was still up to Alma to receive the words of the Angel, but it was sent because of the prayers & fasting of those who loved him with the strength of faith.

"Pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." - James 5:16

This has changed the way I pray. I realize that now I can pray for the Holy Ghost to be sent to those I love. It is still up to them to receive the Holy Ghost, but if I increase my faith, I can be a blessing to those I pray for. I love this idea. Especially because I do not always know what to pray for when I am worried about my loved ones - sometimes I worry I am asking amiss. But with this, I know that the Holy Ghost will teach that person everything he or she needs - if he or she is willing to receive it. My faith and spiritual power is not great enough to send an angel (nor sure I would want to send one...), but I know that what I have, I can offer it to God and the Holy Ghost can use it to minister to me and those for whom I pray according to our individual needs. Whether that is comfort, feeling the love of God, repentance, forgiveness, bringing to their remembrance things they already know or believe to be true, the Spirit can teach it. It is a beautiful thing to consider that just as the Spirit teaches when we speak, it can bless when we pray. We can rely on the Holy Ghost to do what we cannot, where others are willing to receive it.

Fasting

I love this passage by Elder McConkie about the spiritual and physical components of fasting. It really helps me to apply the principles of prayer that I have learned to fasting:

Since the soul consists of both body and spirit (see D&C 88:15), we offer our whole souls when we place the desires of both body and spirit in subjection to the will of our Heavenly Father. Fasting and prayer help us to learn to control our appetites; they also help us to "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).

We should all give some attention to the matter of fasting. We haven't really called on the Lord so much that we can reach him intimately if we don't fast occasionally, and pray often. Many of our personal problems can be solved by so doing. Do you remember what the Savior said to his disciples who couldn't cast out the evil spirit, after they asked why they couldn't do it when Jesus had done it so easily? He replied, "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:21)

I have been fasting more regularly for the help and the spiritual strength that I need - as well as for those that I love and have been on my mind. I have seen firsthand that fasting and prayer does indeed send the spirit to those we pray for. And in this way, we really can be a blessing to them.

Blessings

Isaiah 58 teaches us that after we have fasted and taken care of the poor, that "The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."

We need to grow and increase in spiritual power and in the power of prayer and fasting. I know that as we do so we will be able to bless each other, grow and change, and also claim great spiritual gifts.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ, that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure." - Moroni 7:47-48

Basically, life is good

Doctrine & Covenants 44:2

Inasmuch as they are faithful, and exercise faith in me, I will pour out my Spirit upon them.

Doctrine & Covenants 81:5

Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

Speaking of Gordon

Isn't he delightful?

Stella's Wedding

Gordon and I went to our friend Stella's wedding in October. Gordon officiated and I simply helped out and had a good time :)

It was a really lovely wedding. I will post more pictures as they come, but here is a picture of the spread of cakes... aren't they lovely? I love the cake stands.

Halloween

I went to my family's ward Halloween party - and I got to show off Brady (who was a tiger). He is the cutest most definitely.

Here we are just walking around...
p.s.

The Great Commandment by Joseph B. Wirthlin

The measure of our love is the measure of the greatness of our souls... The most cherished and sacred moments of our lives are those filled with the spirit of love. The greater the measure of our love, the greater is our joy. In the end, the development of such love is the true measure of success in life.

Read the full talk here.

chocolate cake for breakfast

Anyone else thinking of Bill Cosby right now?

James 5:16

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

This Ottoman is 10 times better than you!

Because it's been too long...


enjoy!

Boldness

I wrote this in February, but just found it. I've been thinking a lot about Visiting Teaching lately - well, for years now - I love it!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was talking with a very dear friend of mine about what I've learned through visiting teaching in 2006/2007 - how while we sometimes make being "buddy buddy" our primary goal with those who we are trying to encourage, it is in fact the doctrine and the witness of the Holy Ghost which will really change hearts. There was a specific quote in the VTing message in February 2007 about the difference between being "convinced" and being "converted" - so it all reminded me of this.

We discussed that when we are fellowshipping, YES we need to build friendships, but MOST importantly we have a responsibility to testify boldly and to teach/discuss doctrine. I think sometimes we are self-conscious or think that boldness would be inappropriate or overbearing, but I know that we can be bold and sensitive at the same time - and in fact boldness is EVERYWHERE in the New Testament.

Below are some examples. I did a search on boldness and these were the results that stood out to me:

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/acts/4/13#13
I think sometimes we feel inadequate to testify, so this is comforting.

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/eph/6/19#19

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/philip/1/20#20
I REALLY LOVE this scripture, and I don't remember having noticed it before.

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/8/16#16
It occurred to me, as I read this, that if we have perfect love for those we are testifying to, then we shouldn't be self-conscious / fear having boldness.

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/38/12#12
The same idea, about not being bold, yet not overbearing.

Link to the search: http://scriptures.lds.org/en/search?search=boldness&do=Search

Truth Restored

mormon.org

what you will find...

Press Release: kt quits facebook

"I feel good about it," commented kt.

2 Samuel 22: 36

Thy gentleness hath made me great.

------------------------------------------------

This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Les Miserables and something else I've been thinking a lot about.

That to be gentle is to be godly - and how Jesus Christ really is the perfect example of love and gentleness. When he said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," he really understood that they in fact didn't know what they were doing. And that none of us really know. We're clumsy and negligent and simply do our "sawdust best."

And the opposite of clumsiness - that is to be gentle, to be kind, loving, and careful. And that is godliness, that is greatness.

1 Kings 3:5-14

5 In ^aGibeon the LORD ^bappeared to Solomon in a ^cdream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a ^alittle child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a ^agreat people, that cannot be ^bnumbered nor counted for multitude.

9 Give therefore thy servant an ^aunderstanding ^bheart to judge thy people, that I may ^cdiscern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked ^ariches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine ^benemies; but hast asked for thyself ^cunderstanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have ^agiven thee a ^bwise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both ^ariches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my ^acommandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

----------

I love this passage because again and again I see in the scriptures how much the Lord values a pure heart and humility. He is so pleased that Solomon is humbly asking for discernment and wisdom that he may judge righteously. The Lord is anxious to bless us and pour His Spirit upon our heads: he looks only to see if we will turn our hearts to Him and if we will come be His people. He gives every good gift that we seek.

Quote of the Day

Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but rather when there is nothing more to take away.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I love this quote because it makes me think of purification - goodness is not so much a matter of "collecting" good qualities, so much as purifying what we are. I think many of our strengths are also our weaknesses simply because they are not pure. For example, someone may be outgoing and friendly with some self-centeredness. It's not a matter of changing one's personality, but perhaps simply purifying it. I want to do this!

Quote of the Day

Let's face it a good heart burst is nice.
RM

iTunes Playlist

October, First Account (Be Your Own Pet)
No I in Threesome (Interpol)
If You're Wondering (Eisley)
Give a Little Love (Rilo Kiley)
The Heart's a Lonely Hunter (Thievery Corporation)
Little Flowers (Denison Witmer)

Quote of the Day

It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.
Winston Churchill

Quote of the Day

We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today, our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever.
Joseph B. Wirthlin

Quote of the Day

The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill another.
George Eliot

Quote of the Day

Men are all worms. But I do believe that I am a glow-worm.
Winston Churchill

Galatians 6:7-8

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Just so you know

I am already booked for weddings on these dates in 2008:
August 29
August 30

So don't even think about getting married on either of those dates if you want me to be there.

I'm just saying.

i am a little church(no great cathedral) by E. E. Cummings

i am a little church(no great cathedral)
far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities
-i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,
i am not sorry when sun and rain make april

my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;
my prayers are prayers of earth's own clumsily striving
(finding and losing and laughing and crying)children
whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness

around me surges a miracle of unceasing
birth and glory and death and resurrection:
over my sleeping self float flaming symbols
of hope,and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains

i am a little church(far from the frantic
world with its rapture and anguish)at peace with nature
-i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing

winter by spring,i lift my diminutive spire to
merciful Him Whose only now is forever:
standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence
(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness)

Quote of the Day

Daily hope is vital, since the 'Winter Quarters' of our lives are not immediately adjacent to our promised land. ...An arduous trek still awaits, but hope spurs weary disciples on. Those with true hope often see their personal circumstances shaken, like kaleidoscopes, again and again. Yet with the 'eye of faith,' they still see divine pattern and purpose.
Neal A. Maxwell

LOLCAT of the day

Press Release: kt's new church calling -or- life's tender mercies (or jokes)

...as discussed via email

Subject: Fascinating
So, I just realized, you are RSP and B [ex-boyfriend] is EQP... how do you feel about that? Is everyone asking you that question?
M

my reply:

hahaha. well, I have gotten some funny smiles :)

First of all, I'm delighted that the Lord has such a great sense of humor. And as I think about it, I think I would have done the same thing in His position. I feel like the tender mercies in my life are often little "jokes" and ironies - the Lord must know that I dearly love to laugh and that I love to have stories to share... so from that perspective, I'm delighted.

Secondly, I mean, we've talked a bit about my experience with getting called - sometime we should talk more about that, because this actually makes it even more miraculous - the context, I mean.

Thirdly, I think B is fabulous and so I'm way excited that I get to be real friends with him again. Whereas we often "archive" our past relationships, I look at this one as simply "overwriting" what was before into something different.

And so, I say,
life unfolds
the Lord is wise
and hooray for good stories!

K

Doctrine & Covenants 42:61

If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.

This, then, is happiness

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not ^ahidden from thee, neither is it far off.

It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy ^aheart, that thou mayest do it.

The Sweetest Thing

My baby sister with my baby nephew. *love*

LOLCAT of the day

Alma 34:26-27

But this is not all; ye must ^apour out your souls in your ^bclosets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your ^ahearts be ^bfull, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your ^cwelfare, and also for the welfare of ^dthose who are around you.

Quote of the Day

Why has your moral agency been given to you? Only to live a pleasurable life and to make choices to do the things you want to do? Or is there a more fundamental reason—to be able to make the choices that will lead you to fully implement your purpose for being here on earth and to establish priorities in your life that will assure the development and happiness the Lord wants you to receive.
Richard G. Scott

Read the talk here.

Quote of the Day

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.
Einstein

Thanks, Gordon :)

People are good

When I worked at eBay they had recently come out with this Ad Campaign. I love it.

Why?Because people ARE good !

one shall sow, another shall reap

Over Labor Day weekend, I was visiting my grandfather in Arizona, and in discussing the concept of "one shall sow, and another shall reap," he pulled out this excerpt about one of his contacts when he served his mission in Argentina. He let me keep a copy :)

Reginald Dorff served a mission to Argentina in the early 1950s when baptisms were few.

In 1950, Venado Tuerto, Argentina, there were no latter-day saints, except the missionaries who had established a beautiful nucleus of more than 60 friends and investigators. Sunday worship services were held, with all prayers, music, sermons, presented byt he elder missionaries. During that time, la Senorita Paulina Quiriquino, previously taught by Elder Rodney Bradshaw and his companion, requested baptism on October 19, 1950.

District meetings in Rosario saw Paulina and Elders Robert Reese and Reginald Dorff in that city, December, 23, 1950, where her baptism was approved. Elders Reese and Dorff were detained and unable to reach the river-side baptism on time, and President Lyman Wilson performed his first and only baptism. He traveled much on behalf of mission president Harold Brown. President Lyman was soon to complete his mission, and early in his mission Elder Dorff had baptized another missionary's candidate. This was his only baptism in 35 months, so the Lord has ways to 'balance the books.'

In 1978, the Dorff family drove 40,000 miles from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires and had a wonderful reunion with Hermana Quiriquino. She had just been released from a stake mission in which she brought 150 converts to baptism.

What great influence we can have in simply teaching each other who we are and the love that Heavenly Father has for us. The aim is to serve and love each other truly and sincerely - regardless of what the results are.

Job 27:3-6

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. ... My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

To My Valentine by Ogden Nash

More than a catbird hates a cat,
Or a criminal hates a clue,
Or the Axis hates the United States,
That's how much I love you.

I love you more than a duck can swim,
And more than a grapefruit squirts,
I love you more than a gin rummy is a bore,
And more than a toothache hurts.

As a shipwrecked sailor hates the sea,
Or a juggler hates a shove,
As a hostess detests unexpected guests,
That's how much you I love.

I love you more than a wasp can sting,
And more than the subway jerks,
I love you as much as a beggar needs a crutch,
And more than a hangnail irks.

I swear to you by the stars above,
And below, if such there be,
As the High Court loathes perjurious oathes,
That's how you're loved by me.

Quote of the Day

I will give out divers schedules of my beauty. It shall be inventoried; and every particle and utensil labeled to my will: as, item, two lips indifferent red; item, two grey eyes, with lids to them; item, one neck, one shin, and so forth.
- Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare

I'm back!

I had so much fun on my trip to Arizona last year, that I went for Labor Day again this year.

This time I spent the entire time in Mesa & Tempe. I did see the ASU/SJSU football game. 30 Yard Line. Second Row. Thank you, Davey J :)

And I missed the heat wave in California, so now I'm back to a cool 70 degrees and I'm ready for Fall!

Flashback

Remember this?

I still think it's true. I'm just saying.

Golden Birthday!!!

Today is my favorite older brother's birthday!

30 on the 30th :)

Happy Birthday, golden boy! (now get yourself a wife!)

Quote of the Day

Once you realize life is hard, it gets easier.
- some guy who called into the Dennis Prager Show

Book Club Voting

So I am hypothetically part of a book club and today I am presenting books for the club to choose from for September's read. These are their options:

The Woman Warrior
Maxine Hong Kingston
Length: 209 pages
Probably best compared to The Joy Luck Club, although I was not fond of that at all, and I really love this book. It is fictionalized Chinese memoirs interspersed with the myth of Fa Mulan. Really, really great to read and to analyse. Some great prose and imagery.

Franny & Zooey
JD Salinger
Length: 202 pages
VERY different from Catcher in the Rye – actually reminds me very much of the Royal Tenenbaums in terms of tone/style. Lots of cursing (like Catcher in the Rye), but one of my favorite books. Quick read.

Quote of the Day

Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.
Marvin J. Ashton

My Nephew: Brady

LOLCAT of the day

Quote of the Day

Help us, O Lord, to remember thy love for us and help us to be fortified by thy strength when our eyes are blurred with tears of sorrow and our vision is limited.
Marvin J. Ashton