In Come Follow Me readings - I note outlined months maybe even years ago to be published in our manuals for exactly THIS week we have been studying the story of Alma (the younger who is righteous now) being kicked out of the city by....riots! Yes. And then being told by the same angel that he is acceptable to the Lord, but that he needs to
go back to the city. In the new Book of Mormon video which is fabulous (by the way) he not only goes back, but he runs back to the city. There to find Amulek. What a beautiful example of not hiding from the evils of the world, but of standing up for what is right.
Over and over again in the last week have been touched with the reality of the scriptures. The repeat of the same lines of destruction repeated in our day. I am in awe at the power of the word of God, the timing of the Lord, and His influence and instruction available if we will but open our eyes to see and ears to hear. That very phrase was in my studies this week. So powerful!
This week in my Book of Mormon class I was the lead student for our gathering meeting on Thursday. The opportunity to meet with these other students has been a life-changing opportunity. At no other time have I had the opportunity to learn deeply from such a diverse set of people. The very fact that we have meet together for such a long period of time, we have built friendships with each other, while SO different! I never would have made such friendships. I have had the opportunity to see with new eyes and my heart has been changed to have new compassion for others in different walks of life.
In that class this week we studied the Gathering and Gospel Symbols. I love the topic of the gathering especially as we see the signs of the last days unfold before our eyes (noted above in other areas). Yes, the timing of the Lord is perfectly synchronized! President Nelson says he can't speak of the restoration in "hushed tones." That is how I feel about the miracles I see every day! Brad often gives me a rough time that I use so many !!! exclamation marks in my writing !!! They mean I love this!!!! haha
This quote is from a talk at BYU I by Pres. Henry B. Eyring:
“They will have the power to innovate and improve without requiring more of what money can buy. Those graduates of BYU-Idaho will become—and this is a prophecy that I am prepared to make and make solemnly—those graduates of BYU-Idaho will become legendary for their capacity to build the people around them and to add value wherever they serve.” (President Henry B. Eyring, A Steady Upward Course).
Compare this to this promise from “The Future of the Church: Preparing the World for the Savior’s Second Coming” By President Russell M. Nelson Ensign, April 2020
"I promise you that as you follow Jesus Christ, you will find sustained peace and true joy. As you keep your covenants with increasing precision, and as you defend the Church and kingdom of God on the earth today, the Lord will bless you with strength and wisdom to accomplish what only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can accomplish.We are to be builders of an individual faith in God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and faith in His Church. We are to build families and be sealed in holy temples. We are to build the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth (see Matthew 6:33)."
Indeed, the promises regarding the latter-days are coming to pass! I love being a part of them! there is so much to know, to learn, to read, to understand and to share with all! I am so blessed!
Our scripture study topic is to identify and see the symbols in the scriptures. I was touched to study Matt 13 about the wheat and the tares. I did not know (Bible Dictionary) that tares are not just weeds but they are poison! What? Poison! And they look identical to the wheat until the final stages of growth. Wow! How does this apply to my life? I have some people around me that feel like poison while appearing on the outside to be safe like wheat. They profess to be righteous, but they way they treat others and the words they use are destructive and mean!
This is powerful to me! The scriptures say in the last days they will be sorted. I believe that is happening even now. I don't want to be poison! From there I was guided to D&C 101:65 but on to 67 and 68 about gathering. We have had many pushing back about gathering back for Sacrament meeting. Some are rebelling and refusing to wear a mask, not caring about why or others who don't want to get sick - just selfish - I refuse to wear this! Well, what about others? What about the instruction from the Prophet of God who has asked us to wear a mask? What if we were being told to look to a staff that was a serpent? That seems absurd even - but it healed them! Wearing a mask isn't absurd - it is common sense. It seems just the kind thing to do honestly! I want everyone to feel safe and to come. I am grateful for the cute ladies who help me at the grocery store. I want them to be healthy and safe. Why is it a sacrifice for me for the hour or less that I will be there to wear a mask? It is NOT! I will gather in. I will follow the Prophet. I see the wheat and the tares being separated! I want to be gathered in and not burned! How simple is that. Easy!
That night, after the gathering, a note was forwarded from one member who has deep gospel knowledge that the garners are the temples. That we will be gathered into the temple! I love that! Several in my gathering are not endowed, or temple worthy so it is touchy to talk about the temple openly in our gathering. That mention sent me on a hunt to find that quote, but instead I was lead to this which was just what Chandler and Haley needed the next day and which related directly to my Entrepreneur class this week studing the theme Overcoming Challenges! Oh the correlation of the Lord! I am grateful for the tender mercy that lead me to this powerful message! I was touched when I climbed into bed very late that night, but full of peace and joy knowing that the gathering is not easy. It requires our vigilance. It will take effort, and require our best! Yet, it is worth it! Wow, these two clips are powerful!
Jeffery R. Holland: "God's opportunity is man's extremity." Not depressing. It is always the last door. It is always raining. It IS hard. There are wonderful blessings. There is something in this walk of salvation, this quest, that says we have to pay something for that. When we have come to know the Savior, it is when we have been out somewhere at least in the borderlands of Gethsemane. The road to salvation always goes through the valley of Gethsemane. It always goes to the hill of Calvary.
We walk where he walked. We feel what he felt. We pray the way he prayed. At least in some symbol. I do not know what it is to say we are disciples of Christ. Come and see. You are welcome to where I go, come follow me. Be prepared that we have to do some of that journey. Somewhere in the shadow of Calvary. There is no other way. From: Jeffery R. Holland, "Cast Not Away Your Confidence" Talk at BYU https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/jeffrey-r-holland/cast-not-away-therefore-your-confidence/
As mentioned, my Entrepreneurship class has been focused this week on overcoming challenges. Elder Holland's emotional sharing is powerful. I know that it is through the challenges that we can become stronger. It is only through the challenge that we become strong and have our witness of the power of God manifest in our lives! Chandler and Haley are right now trying to make decisions about law school. They have been accepted to two schools. They have found someone to take their lease, and have to be out of their cute house in three weeks. I was prompted to call Haley Friday, and she needed a shoulder. I am so grateful to know that we don't go alone! Our Savior is there for us always! The road is lonely and difficult! Whether going to school, starting a business, being a mom. But it is worth it! No roads are the same! I am so grateful I get to go with Bradley C. Harr! I hope Haley and Chandler pull together, yoked together with our Savior! They can do this!
The next parts I studied in preparation for my Book of Mormon class were about being yoked. I love this! A single yoke helps spread out the weight, making it easier to pull. But this is not what the Savior said either! He said take My Yoke! Like a carefully fit backpack, he knows exactly our size, or shoulder needs, the weight of our pack. All those considerations have been taken into consideration. 
He knows all those details! He cares about that! While the weight is good for me to carry, and I learn from the crisis (Elder Holland above) I know thatHe is there to help me! When two are paired that are not equal strength, who does the heavier lifting? The one more prepared! He 
doesn't say: I don't want to be on your rope or yoke, you might pull me down. No! He begs us to share our yoke with him! He wants us to join in the pull He knows we can handle.
doesn't say: I don't want to be on your rope or yoke, you might pull me down. No! He begs us to share our yoke with him! He wants us to join in the pull He knows we can handle. 
I was touched by this article I was guided to by Boyd Matheson (Linked). I love the mention of one year after Rome. President Nelson pointing out that was a hinge point: Yes! One year later, the world is on lockdown. Who even knew what that was before! I love the scripture which echos: “Therefore, go ye into all the world;” this time continuing, “and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:62). Yes, Send. Send forth the goodness! Send forth the message that we don't have to do this alone! Climaxed with this message of hope yoked together with sending so beautifully by Unity in Rome w/ Sheri Dew. We need unity! Let us yoke with our Savior to Send forth His glorious joy!
Switching to one of my other classes - Family Relations - it is so interrelated! This week we have studied communication. Our how our Heavenly Father wants us to learn communication! Do we know how to listen? Do we only spew!? This class includes lots of reading. This week I was touched at the overlap of this text to the other things I am studying!
From Family Relations Text:
"Humans are symbolic creatures; we create, manipulate, and employ symbols to direct our own behavior and to influence the behavior of others (Lauer and Handel 1983:80). Symbols are shared meanings. Language is a system of these symbols. When we use a particular symbol, such as “love,” we engage in a certain amount of shared meaning with others." (p. 194)
Yes, symbols are so powerful! Communication is so key! It was painful to read the text this week honestly.
This quote: "While communication is not a cure-all, it is important not to handle conflict with the silent treatment or by simply hoping that everything will turn out well with the passage of time. Couples who avoid confronting a problem, who rely on the passage of time to dissipate the issue, tend to have a lower quality of intimacy and marriages that are less satisfying (Alford-Cooper 1998:94)."
My relationship with my parents is "less satisfying." I found a card this week to my dear little Sophia from Kathryn (I should call her mom but she is not). The card said "I THINK you turn 9 this year. She doesn't know when her birthday is. She doesn't know how old she is. She doesn't know anything about her! Nine years, and time has not changed! It hurts. I wish there was a relationship. There is not. I wish things were different. They are painful! I wish.
On to positive things. I am so grateful for such a beautiful family! I am so grateful for the amazing man I married! He is SO fantastic! I love that we have created such a beautiful life! I love time with him! I love this quarantine has helped him learn to work from home so I can just walk in the other room and find him there! His office is not liking him working from home, they can't distract him easily. haha I can! I love having him to just spy on! To have him join us for lunch on the back porch, scriptures in the morning. I love having him closer! I am so blessed!
Together we were so blessed before law school in 1995 to be invited to participate in a Couples Communication class offered through the law office he was work in. It was a last-ditch attempt to save the marriage of one of Bob's kids. He invited any who were willing to stay to bring their spouse and attend the class. It changed our lives! I am so grateful. The timing was perfect! It was just before we were leaving for law school in Memphis Tennessee. It changed our lives. Did I say: It changed our lives! We don't storm, and fight for power! We don't stonewall and ignore or give the silent treatment. Through law school, when I was hurt, I would simply drop the talking and listening mat on the floor and so the next time we were together we could take turns to find solutions to the problems. I am so grateful to have had so many years of finding win-win solutions with such an amazing man!
As a result of this reading this week, I visited the Couple Communication.com site. and learned that they are offering the facilitator training online! I have tried to arrange for this class for my extended family years ago. I could NOT find anyone in the state to teach it! I have invited my daughters-in-law and daughter recently married to join us, and we are all going to the facilitator training! Yay! It is in two weeks. What great learning! I am excited to meet in the middle - in Salt Lake - in a hotel to learn together! Annie (Jed's wife) said she was always willing to learn how to make good relationships better! yes! I am so grateful! Haley has a BA in Marriage and Family so this is right up what she has studied. I am so happy they are both coming! (Note: Liesl is in the midst of changing jobs, and so she is too busy to attend with us.) We look forward to sharing and teaching each other at our Family Gathering at Lake Powell in August! I am so happy!