April 1999 General Conference Saturday Afternoon

Thomas S. Monson -The Sustaining of Church Officers

Ted E. Davis -The Church Audit Committee Report

F. Michael Watson -Statistical Report, 1998

• Total Membership - 10,354,241

Neal A. Maxwell -"Repent of [Our] Selfishness" (D&C 56:8)

• Each spasm of selfishness narrows one's universe that much more by reducing his awareness of or concern with others.
• Long ago it took a Copernicus to tell a provincial world that this planet was not the center of the universe. Some selfish moderns need a Copernican reminder that they are not the center of the universe either!
• There is no room for road rage on the straight and narrow way.
• Unselfishness is best grown in the family garden.
• The unselfish are also more free.
• If we can be interested in others, even if they are not interested in us, we will find ourselves "under a freer sky, [and] in a street full of splendid strangers."
• Meekness is the real cure, for it does not merely mask selfishness but dissolves it!
• We can also meekly let our ideas have a life of their own without over sponsoring them. Rather, let the Spirit impel our worthy ideas.
• "The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity."
• Today, in place of some traditionally shared values is a demanding conformity pushed, ironically, by those who eventually will not tolerate those who once tolerated them.
• Selfishness is actually the detonator of all the cardinal sins.
• Unsurprisingly therefore, selfishness leads to terrible perceptual and behavioral blunders.
• Strange as it seems, when severely selfish people are no longer little in their own sight, everybody else shrinks!
• We actually have an obligation to notice genuine, telltale societal signs.
• Historically, of course, it is easy to criticize bad leaders, but we should not give followers a free pass. Otherwise, in their rationalization of their degeneration they may say they were just following orders, while the leader was just ordering followers!
• Power is most safe with those, like Washington, who are not in love with it! A narcissist society, in which each person is busy looking out for number one, can build neither brotherhood nor community.

Richard G. Scott -Receive the Temple Blessings

• Before entering the temple, you will be interviewed by your bishop and stake president for your temple recommend. Be honest and candid with them. That interview is not a test to be passed but an important step to confirm that you have the maturity and spirituality to receive the supernal ordinances and make and keep the edifying covenants offered in the house of the Lord.
• As you seek an eternal  companion, look for someone who is developing the essential attributes that bring happiness: a deep love of the Lord and of His commandments, a determination to live them, one that is kindly understanding, forgiving of others, and willing to give of self, with the desire to have a family crowned with beautiful children and a commitment to teach them the principles of truth in the home.
• I suggest that you not ignore many possible candidates who are still developing these attributes, seeking the one who is perfected in them. You will likely not find that perfect person, and if you did, there would certainly be no interest in you. These attributes are best polished together as husband and wife.
• Occasionally a man attempts to control the destiny of each family member. He makes all the decisions. His wife is subjected to his personal whims. Whether that is the custom or not is immaterial. It is not the way of the Lord. It is not the way of Latter-day Saint husband treats his wife and family.
• You do your part. Don't abandon hope for a temple marriage.
• If you are single and haven't identified a solid prospect for celestial marriage, live for it. Pray for it. Expect it in the timetable of the Lord. Do not compromise your standards in any way that would rule out that blessing on this or the other side of the veil. The Lord knows the intent of your heart.
• Come to the temple now. It will greatly bless your life and provide essential ordinances for those beyond the veil that they cannot obtain by themselves.

Stephen A. West -"Out of Small Things"

•  May we take courage, faith, and comfort from the small, quiet, and gentle acts of caring, loving, humble, and dedicated followers of Christ.

Robert J. Whetten -True Followers

• It's not enough to say we believe and that we love Him; we must be found possessed with His kind of love for others at that last day. It is not necessary for us to lay down our life for others as He did, but like the Savior, we should bless the lives of others by giving of what our life is made up of--our time, our talents, our means, and ourselves.
• Like faith, love must be exercised to grow.
• And motherhood, like priesthood, is a divine call to serve and to nurture others. Who that has witnessed the pure love of a mother for her child can deny that this kind of love is of God?

Robert D. Hales -Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty

• We must understand that each of our children comes with varying gifts and talents.
• As parents, we should never let the searching and struggling of our children make us waver or lose our faith in the Lord.
• The family is strengthened as we draw near to the Lord, and each member of the family is strengthened as we lift and strengthen and love and care for one another. "Thee lift me and I'll lift thee, and we'll ascend together."

Dallin H. Oaks -The Witness: Martin Harris

• People who deny the possibility of supernatural beings may reject this remarkable testimony, but people who are open to believe in miraculous experiences should find it compelling. The solemn written testimony of three witnesses to what they saw and heard--two of them simultaneously and the third almost immediately thereafter--is entitled to great weight. Indeed, we know that upon the testimony of one witness great miracles have been claimed and accepted by many religious people, and in the secular world the testimony of one witness has been deemed sufficient for weighty penalties and judgments.
• Furthermore, their testimony stands uncontradicted by any other witnesses. Reject it one may, but how does one explain three men of good character uniting and persisting in this published testimony to the end of their lives in the face of great ridicule and other personal disadvantage? Like the Book of Mormon itself, there is no better explanation than is given in the testimony itself, there is no better explanation than is given in the testimony itself, the solemn statement of good and honest men who told what they saw.
• 1. Witnesses are important, and the testimony of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon is impressive and reliable. 2. Happiness and spiritual progress lie in following the leaders of the Church. 3. There is hope for each of s, even if we have sinned and strayed from a favored position.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

March 2014 General Women's Meeting

This may be the first time that I've done notes on the Young Women's/Relief Society conferences for my blog as I watch them, but it seems like a great occasion to start. Because for the first time, girls/women ages 8 and up have gathered together as one to hear messages inspired by the Lord. It was a momentous occasion and the love and spirit felt were so strong, it was amazing. :)  

Rosemary M. Wixom -Primary General President

• We are daughters of our Heavenly Father.
• Keeping covenants protects, prepares, and empowers us.
• Look around you the future is bright.
• As women of all ages we walk in His Light.
• Keep your feet firmly planted on His Path.
• Your witness doesn't have to come verbally, it can be shown/shared in other ways.
• Together, with God, we are unstoppable.

Bonnie L. Oscarson -Young Women General President

• There is tremendous strength in our unity.
• Rejoice in our many different roles as women in God's kingdom.
• To be sisters, implies that there is an unbreakable bond between us that will allow us to come to each other's aid no matter the situation.
• We can't continue to judge each other or ourselves.
• We are unique in our differences. Together we can create the kingdom.
• We need each other, women naturally seek friendship, support, and companionship.
• Don't let barriers keep us from associated with each other because of our differences.
• Even a child can make a big difference in someone's life.
• There is no age barrier when it comes to Christlike service.
• When Young Women join Relief Society they will need; A friend to sit next to, an arm around the shoulders, and an opportunity to serve.
• If there are barriers it is because we ourselves have created them.
• We need deep satisfying friendships with each other.
• Love each other more, love each other better.

Linda K. Burton -Relief Society General President

• We can offer our hands and our hearts to others in service to Christ.
• "If any man shall do His will, he should know of the doctrine." 
• Don't beat yourself up trying to become 'perfect.' As we move forward in life we become more 'complete' or perfect.
• We can't do it alone. We need help.
• All the easy things the church has needed to have done, have been done, now it's high adventure.
• No matter what Satan does to try and convince us otherwise, our true identity is a disciple of Jesus Christ.
• The best way to strengthen  home is to keep covenants. Promises between ourselves and to our God.
• Help Wanted.
• Step forward in righteousness, and say by your words and their actions "Here I am, send me."
• May we offer our helping hands and healing hearts to each other.

Henry B. Eyring -First Counselor, First Presidency

• No two of us will have the same memory of when we made the covenant of baptism and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, but our feelings of the experience, the love felt from our Heavenly Farther will be similar.
• You will have tests, trials, and opportunities chosen specifically for you.
• It is your choice on how you react, grow and learn from such moments in your life.
• Lift, and comfort each other.
• Heavenly Father smiles on you whenever he sees you helping one of his daughters along the path.
• Heavenly Father sees greater potential in us than even our mothers can see.
• Treat every person you meet as a child of God.
• Each person you meet is His loved spiritual child.
• You are more alike as His daughters of God then you are different.  
• Satan is attacking sisters at younger and younger ages, but God is increasing the spirituality of those same sisters exponentially.
• Follow the examples of great women.
• Help your family see the path home.
• God will provide the help you need so that you can come back to his presence.

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

 

Late Night Rescue

Soo I think I freaked a bunch of people, including myself, out last night.

Not on purpose, let me assure you.

I'm not even sure how 'it' happened or 'why' it happened, though there have been theories tossed about.
So perhaps writing it all down would bring something to light to make it clear....clearer.

Yesterday started out normally enough. With work. lol I was slightly sleep deprived, but that's kinda typical with work life.
But after work, is when my routine changed from the 'usual' sort of stuff.
As I dropped by Kikay's to pick her up so that we could drive north for the gem fair that was in town.
ROCKS! Sparkily Objects everywhere!
It was totally a ton of fun, and I spent waaaay too much money.
Yet, I was feeling pretty good near the end of it.
Which meant that I hadn't yet started feeling the usual headache that comes from being in such a crowded place. I mean, there are so many different vibes, auras, personalities are combining together in a mass 'ZING' that sometimes I can't handle it.
I was doing pretty good though.
Yet, we ended up taking longer than expected -or I guess I should say 'wanted' because usually we take too long whenever we're there. But this time, we were expecting to be pretty good as we were both watching the clocks as we both had somewhere we needed to be by a certainish time.

But. We ended up getting distracted at the wrong moment and time slipped by.
Not so bad, only I had friends expecting me to meet up with them at a certain time...and that time had passed us by. :S Oops.
So knowing that I was delaying my friends...is probably would be what started the headache. The tension.....knowing that it was me they were waiting on and nobody else.
We left as soon as we could.
Only to hit rush hour traffic.
So though I assured my friends I'd be like half an hour...
It was like an hour later that I finally met up with them.
They were kind enough though to stick around and actually make room for me in one of their cars so I wouldn't have to find the place myself.
As we were going up to one of my friend's cabins up the canyon in the valley there.
I mean, I would have been fine driving up there myself.
...I kinda wished I had in the end. Cus you know...if you're in charge of driving, you're also in charge of leaving.

Yet, I hadn't been too concerned about carpooling because I thought I was going to be meeting up with a bunch of my Institute Council friends.
Only...when I hopped into the car...I only knew one person there. Everyone else was a complete stranger. O.o Huh?
I knew that the original plan was for Council to meet up and bring their 'significant' others.
But apparently, somehow...that ended up not happening.
So the tension I'd already felt at being in an energetic area (gem show) compounded upon the stress of trying to meet up with my friends as quickly as possible...compounded upon the realization that I only knew one person in the car.
Again, I tried not to be too concerned. I mean, other people were invited. And I would be meeting up with my friends at the cabin. Right?

So, I tried my best to massage my headache away on the drive up, listening to the others in the car.
I wasn't totally comfortable...there was a bit of a disconnect between me and my carmates. That sort of antagonism that can only come from being stuck in a car with three other girls and one cute guy....which meant there was a bit of vying for attention off and on, and me feeling like an intruder.....

Then I heard the magic words. "Food."
I'd been expecting to eat up at the cabin, but again the plan had been changed. We were apparently going to a place called "Burger King." in the city before we reached the cabin. While a surprising change, it wasn't displeasing at all because really....I hadn't eaten much all day. Usually I have snack foods to well...snack on during my breaks at lunch with more 'real' food coming when I got home. However, I hadn't had a chance to eat since my last break at work hours before due to going to the gem fair and having to rush to meet up with my friends. So perhaps my headache would go away if I got some 'real' food into me. So yah, totally looking forward to the eating place.
Where, I met up with two others of my Council...and like twelve other people I didn't know at all.
And most of them...seemed to know the guy I'd ridden up with (as it was his cabin we were going to.)

The food really seemed to help me chase the headache away.
Being at a table with the other two people I knew, was also a benefit to chasing the headache away.

Yet, things got a little tense for me as I realized how far 'up the canyon really meant.'
We passed through the town, into the suburbs, into the mountains with paved roads into further up the mountain with dirt roads, into the point where there was still snow thick upon the ground, to the point where the cars behind us had to go back down the mountain to a church parking lot to wait for my driver to drive us up to his cabin to drop us off so that he could drive back down the roads to pick up the rest of the group and shuttle them up to the cabin.
Yah. Deeeep into the mountain woods.
Which I loved. :) It had like three things I enjoyed.
Mountains (with forest kinda a like not really an enjoyed)
Snow. (Which meant COLD. Love the cold!)
And a fireplace. Totally cool!

Only, I hadn't realized how 'cold' 'up the canyon' would be, so I only had a light 'jacket' on. If it could be called a jacket, It was a button up shirt over a t-shirt....and the cabin was freezing cold.
Not bad because I loved the cold. I promptly sat on a couch to work on getting that spot warm and curled up into a ball to keep my body heat in a condensed area.

What wasn't cool...was that there was limited cell reception up there.
What was a bit disconcerting was that everyone who drove up with me brought stuff to sleep over with.
What was scary was that our ride...didn't come back in the expected time frame.

So our ride was delayed...problems on the road with one of the other cars as it happens. But it brought out the paranoia of 'we're trapped in the middle of nowhere!' out.
The fact that everyone else brought stuff like they were sleeping over made me wonder...had I missed something? Was everyone staying over? I knew it had been an option, but now was it a fact? Because 1. I hadn't brought anything like that with me. And 2. I had work in the morning. Would I be able to get back down on time? If we were stuck up there without a car or if I was stuck up there...would I be able to contact work w/ the spotty reception to let them know I would be late?

Unfortunately....I didn't have much fun at this cabin adventure. I managed to hold conversations with the strangers I'd been left with. -Since the one guy I knew went to pick up the others- but it took me a lot of effort, and when the 'party' showed up and everything got noisy.....

Yah...I ended up just curled up on that couch. Not totally interacting with people as my headache just got more and more pounding. I would have taken meds for it, but the twisty path we took to get to the cabin had left my stomach...unsettled. And I didn't want to risk not keeping it down.

It became a bit of a waiting game for me. As I did confirm that there was a group going back down the mountain at 11pm that night. So I would just try my best to not...well...make a scene I suppose. Wait it out. Wait it out. Wait it out.
Which I managed to do until about 15 mins before time. When I realized...what if they aren't leaving at 11? What if they decide to stay later?
This was added to the new worry of 'would my car get ticketed/booted/towed if I didn't get back to the visitor parking lot where I'd parked to meet up with my friends before a certain point?

So I went up to the ride leader, admitted that I wasn't feeling well.
-The fire had started giving off it's 'smoke' smell and that was making my stomach feel worse.

lol Which totally started off a flurry of "Oh I have this medicine, I have this oil thing that helps with that, let me get you some water that helps!"

I only accepted the last because again the med might not have stayed down, and the smell of the oil might have brought everything up. But the water. So cold and delicious. I liked that.

However, it was a relief to know that I would finally be heading home. I knew it wasn't going to be the most enjoyable ride as it was a twisty mountain road.
And I knew that we were like...an hour away from my car. An hour away from being home and being able to hopefully sleep and get rid of my headache.

The shuttle drive down to my carpool's car wasn't too bad. The roads were as I expected them which meant I wasn't feeling the best. However I wasn't feeling worse.

And then we started the drive down in the other car.
It was somewhere along the drive down the canyon to the town....that I realized my pinkies were tingling.
You know that tingling where your foot's fallen asleep?
It was like that but it was just in my pinkies and the side of the palm below them that were tingling. On both hands.

That couldn't be good. Yet, moving things around I felt totally fine.
-Beyond the headache/nauseous stomach thing.

Of course, having taken anatomy, having a family full of nurses.
I knew something had to be wrong. Was I having a stroke? Was I fainting? Was this something related to my headache or not at all? Was this how it felt like to be paralyzed?

And then it got worse.
My whole hands started tingling. It started going up to my elbows.
My left leg began to experience the same feeling. A tiny bit in my right.
Behind my left eye and the skin next to it...

About that point we stopped at a 7/11 for a pit stop.
I got out, and by the time I came back...nothing had changed.
I thought that getting up and walking about would help. It didn't.

-Yah, totally freaking out my carmates I suppose. As my two friends had never seen me like this, and the two strangers in the car had never met me before. Imagine their thoughts? lol No idea. But I'm sure I made quite the impression on them. If at all. I was kinda just a huddled shadow behind the driver's seat. But it was to the point where I was like "Everything is going numb."
-Only spoken because both my friends were in the 'doctors' sort of field. One tutored/did labs for Anatomy classes. The other had just been accepted to grad school to go become a doctor.

Their answer was...surprising.
I don't know who it was, but somebody asked if I would like a priesthood blessing.
By this point...I realized I was freaking out. Silently. My whole body was shaking like I was going through shock. Trembling like I was cold though my body felt warm. Tears were falling from my eyes because seriously guys...this was one of the scariest things I'd experienced. Tingling all over? Never happened before and I didn't know the cause because seriously, I felt as normal as I could be for being slightly 'sick.'

I accepted the blessing. Oh, I needed it now. That was for sure. It did bring a measure of comfort to me, just knowing that I was in a car with guys who were able to provide such a blessing in an emergency. Having my other friend wrap her arm around me and let me lean on her shoulder for most of the rest of the car drive home. Oh so comforting along with the blessing to help me get through it.
The tingling didn't go away right away though.

Which brought on another worry.
How was I going to get home?
I mean with a headache and an upset stomach...I thought I could have managed my way home.
But with my body going all tingly on me?
I didn't trust myself. I didn't know what would happen next. What if I fainted trying to drive home?
And then there was the problem of 'Hey....it's basically Midnight....who would be up to come to my rescue?"

Kikay? I sent her a text asking her if she was up.
And then a few minutes later...I sent a text to Mirleki who happens to be her roommate, just to be on the safe side.
Luckily Mirleki responded in the affirmative that she was awake.
Which allowed me to make my plea. Could she drop Kikay off at my car so that she could drive me home? Because I wasn't feeling well and didn't think I could make it home myself? And that I was still about 15 minutes away from my car.

Yah...probably the quickest way to freak out my friends. ^^;; Oops.
I'm glad though that they realized that they would need to carpool over to my apartment as well so that Kikay could get a ride back home with them after she dropped me and my car off at my place.

Once I got confirmation that they were able to do that, I called the next person I knew could help me.
My Daddoo.
Since he's a nurse, with a lot more experience then my fellow college aged friends, I figured he could help me.
Ah, it must have been soo difficult to understand me those first few sentences because my voice was soo wavery. But just hearing his voice. Calmly talking to me and asking me questions about my symptoms, helped me to calm down. To stop freaking out.
What we came down with was that I was probably too tense and that if I could stretch out and work on relaxing the tingling should go away, perhaps a hot shower would help with that as well.

After that phone call, even though nothing had changed, I felt a lot better. Because I knew I had friends and family nearby willing to help me.
Even more comforting the people in the car began talking about how they would get me home, if anyone knew where I actually lived, what they could do with my car in the meantime.
Lol it was good to know that they weren't just going to drop me off and say "Good luck!" and leave me there.
I did tell them that I'd already covered that, my sister and friends were coming to drive me home."

Ah the relief.
The relief seeing my rescue party waiting for me besides my car.
I'd made it.
To them, the tension was released a bit from them when they saw that I was able to get out of the car and 'walk in a straight line' by myself. lol.
I hadn't told them how sick I was, just that I was unable to drive. Soo they could have possibly been imagining me curled up in the car unable to move moaning my little heart out.
So to see that I was still mobile. Was good.
Though not good that I chose to get into the back seat of my car so that I could lie down.
But. I was in my car.
Kikay was in there with me. Driving me home.

I didn't stay laying down for long.
It was like just being in that 'familiar' setting finally released the last of the tension.
Within a few minutes the tingling in my limbs had disappeared and just as quickly I was able to sit up in the car. By the time we got to my place, I felt almost normal. Even the headache had managed to fade if not the uncertainty of my stomach.
I was at a point where I knew I would be steady on my feet, but it felt like if I lost my 'will power' over my muscles I could collapse at any moment. But still I walked normally with Kikay up to my apartment where she could make sure I got inside alright before she returned to her roomies.

I ended up taking a nice long hot shower -which probably woke my roomies up....it was late....- and was soon in bed with a heat pack, and after a quick Foray onto Facebook (where Mirleki caught me still up....^^;;) I fell asleep.

And felt basically normal when I woke up.
I still had that 'unsteady feeling' when I stood up on my feet. That thought where I knew I was steady as a rock, but that feeling that the wind could topple me at any moment. But it quickly faded as I got to work and went about the usual Saturday craziness.

Sooo in the end, I'm still not sure why I felt this tingliness.
Was it just being in a tensed up 'balled positions' (I would change positions) for hours?
Was it the lack of good food?
Lack of sleep?
Something related to the headache?
Just over working myself?
Perhaps I was low on Iron?

Still not sure, but I really hope it never ever happens again.

But in any case, I'm soo grateful in the end for all those who came to me in my hour of need. As seriously, I wouldn't know what I would have done without all they did. The blessing, the arm around the shoulder, hearing the calming voice, the willingness to figure out a way to get me home, actually coming to drive me home.....
Was totally heart warming.

Thanks guys. Thank you so much.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

I was going to a family reunion, for the first time in forever. I felt like the prodigal son who had been away for a long time, but was trying to come back home and live a normal life. Only I kept messing things up. Badly. Ruining things. Three times it happened. And everyone was soo disappointed in me to the point where I threw up my hands into the air and said "Why did I even decide to come back?" To which my little sister -Kikay but younger- said something along the lines of "Because I love being around you. I love you." And the total trust in her voice, the hero worship in her eyes where she saw me as a better person calmed me down.....enough for the family reunion to start discussing what sort of memorabilia we'd be selling that had our family name on it this year to people. And these two guys pulled out cats that were wearing knitted black hats with holes for their ears in them and these light tan cottony bears around their faces. I had no idea why we would ever want to sell that or who would actually want to wear it. Even the cats agreed with me, one quickly finding a way to toss both of the things off her head....

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

Surprise! It's Strangers

Stress.
It can come in a variety of ways, places and in probably the most inopportune times.
Usually when I'm like "I need to be having fun!"
And the stress caused headache is like "Nah, totally go to bed. You need to avoid this sort of thing."

But, I discovered something about myself.
In that I don't like being 'surrounded by strangers.'
Yet, it's more specific than that.
It's the "I don't like being surrounded by strangers when I'm not expecting to be surrounded by strangers."

You see, earlier this month when I went to Brandon Sanderson's signing...totally was expecting the crowds and crowds of people that I had no idea who they were. It was actually more of a surprise to run into someone I actually knew than to be surrounded by people I didn't know. But because I expected it, I was fine with it. I knew what to do, knew that I would be shy. Hoped that I would find someone to talk to in the meantime, but had prepared possible alternatives in case I didn't so that I wouldn't find myself watching the clock wishing time would go by faster.

Yah. What happened wasn't like that.
No, I expected this event to be a group of friends.
With a some strangers termed "significant others." so you know...couples joining us.

That wasn't what I found at this event.
No, it was like four people I knew, and a ton of strangers I had no idea who they were.

And apparently I didn't like that. I didn't like unexpectedly being surrounded by a bunch of people where I was like "I have no idea who these people are."
I tried to fight off the stress by being like "Oh this person reminds me of this person."
Didn't help.
The stress came. With it the tension. With it the headache.
And so...it wasn't nearly as 'fun' as I'd been hoping this event was going to be, because I wasn't feeling well....and I hardly knew anyone there.

Which would have been the best moment to make new friends.
But because I wasn't feeling well.....meant that I wasn't talkative, and meant that I did more observing than watching as I tried to get my headache to go away with out success.

Yah....for a person who likes surprises.....I don't like having a ton of surprise people come to something......

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Editor's Note: Post written on Saturday due to events specified more clearly in Saturday's Post which made me unable to post on the day this was supposed to be posted.

Faith in Every Footstep

A cow helped provide necessary nourishment on the trail for the family of my great-grandmother Margaret McNeil as she came to Zion from Scotland.
As a 12-year-old, it was Margaret's task to arise early and get breakfast for the family and milk her cow.
She would then drive the cow on ahead of the company to let it feed in the grassy places.
She wrote:

"The cow furnished us with milk, our chief source of food.
... Had it not been for the milk, we would have starved. ...

"One night our cow ran away from [the] camp, and I was sent to bring her back.
I was not watching where I was going and was barefooted.
All of a sudden I began to feel I was walking on something soft.
I looked down to see what it could be, and to my horror found that I was standing in a bed of snakes, large ones and small ones.
At the sight of them I became so weak I could scarcely move; all I could think of was to pray, and in some way I jumped out of them.
The Lord blessed and cared for me.

-M. Russell Ballard -Faith in Every Footstep -October 1996 General Conference

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream involved fish....

-S.N.D

Between The Bed and Wall

I sat up too quickly in bed today.
Totally forgetting that I had something on my chest.
A massage stone of mine that helps to relax tense muscles.
And like a rocket, it made it's way straight for the most dreaded zone.
That space between the bed and the wall.

To slow.
It disappeared down into the abyss.
Yet, I dove right after it.
Only to not find that.
But something else entirely.
My heat pack!

I had lost that thing forever ago it seems like.
I knew it was around, but I hadn't ever been able to find it.
I mean, It's not something I think of being able to squeeze its way down in that small space.
But it did.
And it took quite a bit of moving about and pulling to get it back up again.

But there it was! My long lost lovely heat pack. ^^

Talk about my joy of finding it. ^^

And no worries. :) I found my massage stone as well. :)

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

I was hanging out with my sister in a family's home. It seemed to switch between being the house of various aunts and uncles throughout but at some point, Kikay and I were on the grounds of college campus and one of the Vocal Point guys Jon came up to her and gave her a birthday present of twenty dollars which was extremely exciting for her. We ended up walking away from our bags we'd left on a bench, and when I turned around Ad from the same group was tucking something into a card that was in a big orangish envelope. I went over to investigate for Kikay and pulled out a $50 bill wrapped around the twenty. I waved it in her direction telling her she now had $70, but a moment later I happened to look at the card, and saw that it was written to me. Inside was just a note of confidence basically telling me to keep writing and to follow my dreams which was uplifting. :) Only....now I had to tell Kikay that the $50 was hers, but actually was mine. She seemed to take it well enough, but I didn't have a chance to dig into that deeper as a sudden gust of wind sent us all in a panic to go take cover because of a huge snow storm coming our way. I took the time to tuck the money into my wallet and place it in my purse before dashing away. I didn't get far, as the ground was suddenly covered in snow and I got distracted by the various ice statues that were surrounding a nearby pond, thinking that it would be fun to dress up all in white and to see if anyone would notice that we were real people. I tried to get Vocal Point in on the act and a few of the guys seemed willing, but we ended up not doing that as I had to find Kim. We ended up back at the house where the parents and Aunt Lin were working to...do something with the windows. It involved removing the screen and placing some green rope looking stuff down in the crack below. We ended up exploring the house and all the different bedrooms that Aunt An/ Uncle Brad seemed to have in the basement for all the girls and boys in their family. Then I ended up working on doing the dishes, which was disgusting as I kept finding things like wrappers and the like in the water, and I couldn't understand why people didn't just throw them away which I did so as I couldn't see why anyone would want to keep the things and have them cleaned up. The most discouraging find in the sink was an open bottle of Advil still mostly full of pills. I had to dump out the whole bottle as it was ruined.

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
And I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

If You're Hungry....

My roommate has been getting a lot of visitors over recently, due to a variety of factors.

And one night, her visitors involved a couple of guys.
Guys who were apparently, very hungry.
Only they weren't 'hungry' enough to 'eat' anything here.

Oh, so untrue.
As they kept mentioning it.
Kept glancing to the cupboards.
Mentioned they were going to leave and get food.
And then...opened the fridge just to see what we had in there.

That's when I stepped in.
"There's some leftover Chinese in there you can have."
Guy perks up."Really?"
"Yah, top left corner in the take out box."
"You sure?"
"Yah, I'm not going to eat it."
He takes it out, and opens it and sees the mountain of food. His eyes grow big.
"You can't be serious!"
Oh but I was.
"Take it." I repeated. "I'm not going to eat it."
He takes a noodle and places it in his mouth and reacts like it's manna from heaven. "Are you sure??"
"Yah. Take it."
Oh the gratitude expressed to me from that point forward. "You're Awesome!" "Thanks so much!" This is soo good."

Ah, the power of awesome Chinese food. ;) lol
And the fact that their portions are like 4 times what I can eat in a reasonable amount of time. *shakes head*

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

April 1999 General Conference Saturday Morning

Gordon B. Hinckley -The Work Moves Forward

• We are a happy and blessed people, working to build the cause and kingdom of God on earth. Regardless of race or nationality, whether we be poor or rich, old or young, we meet to share our common testimony of the Lord, in whose name we worship.
• This is a tremendous undertaking, with many problems, but no matter the difficulty, things work out and I am confident we will reach our goal.

L. Tom Perry -Teach Them the Word of God with All Diligence

• "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."
• Our teaching will be effective if we approach it humbly through prayer and study. We will then be assisted by the Spirit in imparting the word, consistent and in harmony with what the Lord would have us teach.
• Most teachers never realize the full impact of their teaching.
• A great teacher can make a great difference in a great many lives.

Joe J. Christensen -Greed, Selfishness, and Overindulgence

• "The worst fear ... I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church. ... My greater fear ... is that they cannot stand wealth."
• Our prosperity brings some real challenges because many are getting rich, more of us are waxing fat, and as a result of greed, selfishness, and overindulgence, we could lose the Spirit and literally kick ourselves out of the Church.
• Money in and of itself is not an evil, but as Paul taught Timothy, it is the love of money that is the root of all evil.
• First, we should not confuse wants with needs.
• If we are not careful, it is easy for our wants to become needs. Remember the line "There, there, little luxury, don't you cry. You'll be a necessity by and by."
• Second, we should avoid spoiling children by giving them too much.
• A wise young mother said: "I choose not to give our children what I can afford to give them. I hold back for their sake."
• "Children who always get what they want will want as long as they live."
• All too many enter marriage who have never learned to cook, sew, or develop other important life skills. Ignorance of these needed skills, along with the lack of understanding of the management of money, so the seeds for many failures in our children's marriages.
• I fear that in many cases we are rearing children who are slaves to expensive fads and fashions.
• We would do well if in all these areas of material things we and our children would follow the oft-quoted motto of our pioneer forebears to "fix it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
• Third, as we have heard so often, live modestly and avoid debt as if it were a plague.
• Samuel Johnson said, "Do not accustom yourself to consider debt as an inconvenience, you will find it [to be] a calamity."
• Financial consultants indicate that "most people have it all wrong about wealth. ... Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier.  You are just living high. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend."
• Finally, be generous in giving and sharing with others.

Carol B. Thomas -Preparing Our Families for the Temple

• We understood the importance of never discussing the temple outside the temple, not because the ceremonies were secret but because they were sacred. "They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared."
• New understanding comes as we prepare our families for the temple. May I share a few things I have learned:
• 1. Going to the temple often provides balance in our lives.
• 2. The spiritual atmosphere of the temple curbs our appetite for worldly things.
• 3. The temple is a place of revelation.
• 4. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that Satan will try to keep us from going to the temple.
• 5. The Spirit of Elijah is brooding in the land.
• 6. In the temple the Spirit of the Lord provides comfort and peace, especially during moments of despair.
• Each of us may ask ourselves, "How often should I attend the temple?" Our leaders will never tell us how often we should attend, because it is different for every person.

Jeffrey R. Holland -The Hands of the Fathers

• In considering such beauty of the "at-one-ment" in that first Easter season, we are reminded that this relationship between Christ and His Father is one of the sweetest and most moving themes running through the Savior's ministry. Jesus' entire being, His complete purpose and delight, were centered in pleasing His Father and obeying His will. Of Him He seemed always to be thinking; to Him He seemed always to be praying. Unlike us, He needed no crisis, no discouraging shift in events to direct His hopes heavenward. He was already instinctively, longingly looking that way.
• Dads, is it too bold to hold that our children might have some small portion of the feeling for us that the Divine Son felt for His Father?
• Of even greater concern than the physical absenteeism of some fathers is the spiritual or emotionally absent father. These are fatherly sins of omission that are probably more destructive than sins of commission.
• A young Laurel I met on a conference assignment not long ago wrote to me after our visit and said, "I wish my dad knew how much I need him spiritually and emotionally. I crave any kind comment, any warm personal gesture. I don't think he knows how much it would mean to me to have him take an active interest in what is going on in my life, to offer to give me a blessing, or just spend some time together. I know he worries that he won't do the right thing or won't say the words well. But just to have him try would mean more than he could ever know. I don't want to sound ungrateful because I know he loves me. He sent me a note once and signed it 'Love, Dad.' I treasure that note. I hold it among my dearest possessions."
• Most fathers are wonderful. Most dads are terrific.

James E. Faust -This Is Our Day

• This is our time, and it involves more than just looking at the clock.
• Our awareness of time affects how we think and act.
• An honorable man or woman will personally commit to live up to certain self-imposed expectations, with no need of an outside check or control. I would hope that we can load our moral computers with three elements of integrity: dealing justly with oneself, dealing justly with others, and recognizing the law of the harvest.
• Religion is more than a ritual; it is righteousness.
• In order to move forward spiritually we need to have the Savior's image in our countenances and in our hearts.
• Undoubtedly, education unlocks the doors of the future for us. But we should be sure that our computers of faith are working so that we can constantly remain on the course of righteousness.
• The marvels of modern science and technology will not exalt us. Indeed, the great challenge we face as we prepare for the future is to be more spiritually enlightened.

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

Involved my manager...or the manager over her deciding to close down our store. This put me into a panic as I had no other jobs lined up, no idea what I wanted to do with my life after this and I had no idea how I would manage to pay rent and bills if I had no source of income.

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

No Oar To The Head Please

Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came to the Institute and spoke in our Devotional.
Totally exciting! I mean. I WAS ABLE TO GO!!
Seriously. I was able to go. Do you know how rare it is for me to make it to the Devotionals? It's extremely rare. Because most of the time I'm scheduled for work at that time.
But not this day! Oh no. I was scheduled a night shift that didn't start until afterwards. YES!! The most important Devotional of the year and I was able to make it! Totally exciting. lol

He was soo cool. I mean, like so super cool. He's just as cool in person as he is watching him when he's speaking at General Conference. It's just amazing. The talks he chooses to give, even to an Institute full of people have so much power. He doesn't hold back. It's like I got a nice teaser taste of what's to come in a couple of weeks. I almost wish for him to give the same talk so that I can have a hard copy of it in the Ensign afterwards.

As he was talking to...those who are feeling downtrodden. Alone. Worthless.
He was talking to those who....want to change, but feel like nobody is going to give them the chance.
Or if they do change, the people who they would count on to be their friends....won't let their past actions go. They keep dragging it back up again and again, treating you like your 'old' self when you aren't that self anymore.

I loved his analogy.
You don't go up to a swimmer in a row boat, who's been struggling against the current, fighting the waves, is nearly in sight of shore and oh so tired, and hit them over the head repeatedly with the oar.

No, instead you would help them into the boat and take them to shore!

It's a great analogy.
And one that we really should avoid doing to each other.
"I want to change, but I need my friends to help me." Was the title of Elder Holland's talk. -not the exact title but something along that line.
There is only so much that a person who wants to change can do for themselves.
They need friends or family to help support them, to build them up to keep progressing in the positive change they're making to their lives.
If they're constantly recast in a role because their friends won't let them be the 'new person' they're seeking to be....it's not good.

It's definitely given me a lot to think about. My own relationships. How I treat those around me.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Wakey Wakey

It wasn't a very restful night.
Sleeping with my puppy and my kitty....can be an adventure and a half.
Whining, purring, barking, scratching....
They did a great job of waking me up every couple of hours or so it seemed like.
Which was bad...cus I was trying to get a good night's sleep for my eyes so that they'd be nice and rested for their appointment for the eye doctor this morning.
Ha. I got rest, it just wasn't consistent rest, or restful rest.
Especially about an hour or so before my alarm was supposed to go off to wake me up for my appointment.
Because work called.
Yah. Gotta love that. It's like 9 times out of 10 that whenever I head home....work ends up calling to see if I can come in early.
Yep, that was exactly why they called.
Apparently the opening coworker for my department was injured -not at work- and couldn't come in -as fixing it involved being put under anesthesia....
And I was the next person scheduled to come in, only that was like two hours after the store opened.
Bad. Very bad.
So they wanted to see if I could come in earlier.
Which....I couldn't.
For one I've been trying for the past month or so to get in to see the eye doctor for my eyes. And I finally was able to work things out so that I could! -Totally involves the doc coming in a little earlier in order to see me first....such an early hour.
and for two, I was totally an hour away from work. So I couldn't quite make it down there like in ten minutes or something.

But I did my best. I gave a guesstimate of when I would be done with the doctors and about when I could get down there. In the meantime...luckily there was another coworker who knew how to open my department, and could work on doing so until I could get there.

As yah, I'm that sort of person where I'll willingly jump in to help if I can make it, or wherever I could.
Which meant, that once my appointment with the eye doctor was over,
I raced back down to work, getting there about twenty minutes after the store opened.
Woot the day was saved!
By my coworker really, they managed to open nearly all of the department without me. :) Which was a huge stress relief for me. As I didn't have to try and open stuff while dealing with customers.
In any case, I came in an hour and a half earlier than I had expected to when I went to bed last night.
But that meant.
I could leave early! Woot! ^^ Benefits to earlier starts. ^^;;

So all in all, it's been a pretty good day. I finally got to see the Eye Doc, and got to leave work earlier than expected! Yay!

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

Unsurprisingly enough involved work. My manager Dot was showing me all these test and such that I hadn't completed because I hadn't been to work yesterday, and apparently yesterday was the day to do all the tests, and he kept pulling out more and more papers to have me go throughout the store and fill out.....

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

Sneaky Visit

There is something slightly entertaining about coming in and out of places unnoticed.

Of course, for those who end up getting....surprised (scared) when I'm suddenly somewhere they weren't expecting me...it's not entertaining.

But for me it is.
Particularly if they don't realize I was there.

Last night I came home to the Parental's place to have a brief nap after work before meeting up with some friends for dinner. Since we both live a bit of a distance  a way, the Parental's home town is a nice halfway point for the both of us.
Because I was early, I took advantage of the nearness of their place, and crashed on the couch.
Nobody else was home.
And really beyond the nap, the only thing I did was feed the dog because it was dinner time for her as well. :)

Guess what?
It wasn't noticed that I'd been there.
Not until I mentioned "Oh don't worry, I fed her yesterday" when my brother was like "I don't think I fed the dog yesterday." (I came up again for a different reason.)
And he was like O.o What?! When were you up here?! WHY!

lol Yep. Sometimes its fun to be sneaky. ^^

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Tithing and Meat

All of us can afford to pay tithing.
In reality, none of us can afford not to pay tithing.
The Lord will strengthen our resolve.
He will open a way to comply.

May I share with you a letter I received some months ago which provides such an example?
The letter begins:

"We live on the edge of a small town, and our neighbor uses our pasture for his cattle and as payment provides us with all the beef we want.
Each time we get new meat, we have some of the present supply left over; and since we live in a student ward; we take meat to some students we feel might have use for some good beef.

"During the time my wife was serving in a Relief Society presidency, her secretary was a student's wife--the mother of eight children. Her husband, Jack, had recently been called as ward clerk.

"My wife had always prayed to know which students might need our help with our excess meat.
When she told me she felt we should give some meat to Jack and his family, I was very concerned that we might offend them.
So was she.
We both were worried because they were a very independent family.

"A few days later, my wife said she still felt we should take the meat to them, and I reluctantly agreed to go along.
When we delivered the meat, my wife's hands were actually shaking, and I was very nervous.
The children opened the door, and when they heard why we were there, they began dancing around.
The parents were reserved but pleasant.
When we drove away, my wife and I both were so relieved and happy that they had accepted our gift.

"A few months later our friend Jack got up in testimony meeting and related the following.
He said that all his life he had had a hard time paying tithing.
With such a large family, they used all the money he made just to get by.
When he became ward clerk, he saw all the other people paying tithing and felt he needed to also.
He did so for a couple of months, and all was well.
Then one month he had a problem.
In his job, he completed work and was paid a few moths later.
He could see that the family was going to be far short of money.
He and his wife decided to share the problem with their children.
If they paid their tithing, they would run out of food on about the 20th of the month.
If they didn't pay their tithing, they could buy enough food to last until the next paycheck.
Jack said he wanted to buy [the] food, but the children said they wanted to pay tithing--so Jack paid the tithing, and they all prayed.

"A few days after paying their tithing, we had shown up with our package of meat for them.
With the meat, added to what they had, there was no problem having enough food until the next paycheck.

"There are so many lessons here for me--for instance, always listen to my wife--but for me the most important is that the prayers of people are almost always answered by the actions of others."

Thomas S. Monson -"Be Thou an Example"  -October 1996 General Conference

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

Involved Fairies -Like the Disney Fairies..., a Hamster, And later a ghost that was being evil that had this big jutting double chin and a face like my brother's.....

-S.N.D

Fooooood

There are times when being creatively minded....can become a major roadblock.
Like when being asked "What's your favorite food?"

Simple enough right?
It should be.
But I'm like. O.O
IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE!

One overall food I like above all other food?
What food would I choose to eat over and over and over again and still love it?

....In reality, I can't think of anything because really....I go through phases.
What I'll like and eat everyday for weeks on end....will suddenly go into the 'meh, I don't want to eat this anymore.' and I won't touch it for months on end.

Which is why I constantly switch through foods. But I do have my favorites in categories.

Favorite Nut: Almonds
Favorite Meat: Deer
Favorite Drink: Strawberry Banana Pina Colada
Favorite Cheese: Cheddar...or PepperJack
Favorite Bread: Cheesebread

So give me a category and sure I can name one or two items I love to eat right off the top of my head.
But say "What is your favorite food."
And wow....I really have no idea.

>.>
<.<
Alright. I do....I do have an idea.
But I hesitate to answer it, because it's sooo specific....that I haven't had it in years.
Not since High School.

It's a Bean and Cheese Enchilada with A Red Sauce and Melted Cheese on top.
Oh. For Cafeteria food...this, this was my heaven. I loved it. I literally would jump up and down for joy when I discovered that was what we were having for lunch.
And, if I could convince my friends to give me some of their French fries? Oh. Heaven just exploded in Angelic Choruses, because the Fries dipped in the Sauce from the Enchilada tasted amazing!

Yes. My mouth just waters thinking about it.
But again, I haven't had it in years. And I most likely won't get it again, because I heard that they changed it up at the school...and it isn't the same anymore.

*mourns* Just like when they 'changed up' my elementary food favorite of breadsticks with melted cheese in the middle. Stuffed Crusts. Soo tasty, and then they replaced it with something rubbery. *shudders* 

In any case.
I guess if I get asked the "What is your favorite food?" in the future....I may just have to go with...

Mexican Food.

That should be specific and broad all at the same time....right? :)

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

 Me, and a group of others, including my brother were on a race around our neighborhood. We ran up a hill by the Sals and I turned left to run the route I knew well, taking the lead at this point. I ran and ran and won the race! But as I sat relaxing, another came up to me and told me that I had gone and done the wrong route. I hadn't finished the race yet. My brother (or a different guy) had decided to go on a different route than I'd thought we were going on. Which meant, that I was way behind on the others. I took off running, feeling like I was getting no where fast. Everything felt heavy, but I wanted to try and win, even though I knew it was impossible. I went the route, towards the south end of the street, down the hill, and back around along Orchard to circle up. I'd been told how the others had gone, but as I ran -way too slowly- I worked on plotting on doing the route, but in a way that I didn't have to go along the same stretches repetitively because we were using the streets above my parents hone as the route and so I wanted to do everything, but not how my brother was doing it...

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

Stop Hogging The Goods!

Why do the Blu-Rays get all the good stuff?
Seriously.
Bonus Features,
Interviews,
Bloopers,
Deleted Scenes!

And what does the regular DVD get?
Like...Nothing.

How is this fair?!
What if I don't have a Blu-Ray player?
What if I don't want to have to convert my whole collection of movies to Blu-Ray?
Seriously.
 *pouts*
Just lemme see the special features please?
I loves learning knowledge.

You're denying me my edumacation!
I don't care if you give the DVD better picture quality.
That's what the theatres are for. That's what Blu-Ray can be for.
How about you include something nice for the DVD buyers as well, k?

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves. (Actually, I'll be watching Frozen over and over lamenting the fact that my dvd player can't play blu-ray)
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

I dreamt that my two friends Tay and Jess had returned from their missions and we were hanging out for the first time. With some awkwardness and some fun, some weirdness and some normal....

-S.N.D 

October 1998 General Conference Sunday Afternoon

L. Tom Perry - Youth of the Noble Birthright

• The Lord has blessed us with lands of promise to enjoy during our mortal probation. The nations of the earth, if they would continue to follow the ways of the Lord, could be a blessing to His children here. You special young sons and daughters, He expects you to be especially mindful of the bounteous blessings you have received from Him.
• If we are prepared we should have no fear.
• It is never too early to determine the direction you want to prepare yourself for. Don't wait until you register for college to decide what you want to study. It is such a waste of time and money to attempt to pursue an education without having a definite goal.
• We have all been blessed with many talents and abilities.
• It matters not the size or the quantity but the effort we put forth to develop the talents and abilities we have received. You are not competing with anyone else. You are only competing with yourself to do the best with whatever you have received. Each talent that is developed will be greatly needed and will give you tremendous fulfillment and satisfaction during your life.
• The almost universal gift everyone can develop is the creation of a pleasant disposition, an even temperament. It will open more doors for you and give you more opportunities than any other characteristics I can think of.
• Remember, you are part of that eternal unit that requires your best effort. Be certain you bring warmth, kindness, understanding, consideration, and a strong love to your eternal family.

Jeffrey R. Holland -Personal Purity

• "No man [or woman], however brilliant or well-informed, can ... safely ... dismiss ... the wisdom of [lessons learned] in the laboratory of history."
• Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? ... Whoso committeth adultery ... destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away."
• In the case of how life is terminated, most seem to be quite responsible. But in the significance of giving life, we sometimes find near-criminal irresponsibility.
• "the spirit and the body are the soul of man" and that when the spirit and body are separated, men and women "cannot receive a fullness of joy."
• The body is an essential part of the soul.
• Can you see the moral schizophrenia that comes from pretending  you are one, pretending you have made solemn promises before God, sharing the physical symbols and the physical intimacy of your counterfeit union but then fleeing, retreating, severing all such other aspects of what was meant to be a total obligation?
• In matters of human intimacy, you must wait! You must wait until you can give everything, and you cannot give everything until you are legally and lawfully married. To give illicitly that which is not yours to give (remember, "you are not your own") and to give only part of that which cannot be followed with the gift of your whole self is emotional Russian roulette. If you persist in pursuing physical satisfaction without the sanction of heaven, you run the terrible risk of such spiritual, psychic damage that you may undermine both your longing for physical intimacy and your ability to give wholehearted devotion to a later, truer love. You may come to that truer moment of ordained love, of real union, only to discover to your horror that what you should have saved you have spent, and that only God's grace can recover the piecemeal dissipation of the virtue you so casually gave away. On your wedding day the very best gift you can give your eternal companion is your very best self--clean and pure and worthy of such purity in return.
• Of all the titles God has chosen for Himself, Father is the one He favors most, and creation is His watchword--especially human creation, creation in His image. You and I have been given something of that godliness, but under the most serious and sacred of restrictions. The only control placed on us is self-control--self-control born of respect for the divine sacramental power this gift represents.
• "The means by which mortal life is created [is] divinely appointed" and that "the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife"? Don't be deceived and don't be destroyed. Unless such powers are controlled and commandments kept, your future may be burned; your world could go up in flames. Penalty may not come on the precise day of transgression, but it comes surely and certainly enough.
• That body is therefore something to be kept pure and holy. Do not be afraid of soiling its hands in honest labor. Do not be afraid of scars that may come in defending the truth or fighting for the right, but beware scars that spiritually disfigure, that come to you in activities you should not have undertaken, that befall you in places where you should not have gone. Beware the wounds of any battle in which you have been fighting on the wrong side.

Ronald T. Halverson -"Ye Also Shall Bear Witness"

• "True joy is an intense inner peace and happiness."
• We live in a world where many hear of Christ but do not know Him. It is incumbent upon us as members of the Church to share our testimony with others. In humility, we bear witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. If they will but open their hearts to Him, they will find the reassurance, the peace and joy that His gospel brings. They will find strength to meet the challenges of life in a difficult world, and by accepting His teachings and keeping His commandments they will be heirs to His promised blessings.

Earl M. Monson -Establishing the Church

• "If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them."
• The work moves well if each one has a driving conviction in his heart and mind that Jesus Christ is the head of this Church, that He truly lives and guides this work, and that all of us have an important part in bringing it to pass.
• "The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we may become." The gospel is at the heart of what we may become and how to get there. With that help we are able to live in this world while separating ourselves from that which is debasing, and we can become better people while we are here.
• As a man "thinketh in his heart, so is he."

Merrill C. Oaks -The Living Prophet: Our Source of Pure Doctrine

• "There are those who would assume that with the printing and binding of these sacred records, [and he was speaking here of the four standard works] that would be the 'end of the prophets.' But again we testify to the world that revelation continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain these revelations which come month to month and day to day. We testify also that there is, since 1830 when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, and will continue to be, so long as time shall last, a prophet, recognized of God and his people, who will continue to interpret the mind and will of the Lord."
• As the policies and procedures of the Church are refined by continuing revelation and inspiration, there are those who become disturbed by any changes. Some literally hunt for situations where earlier Church leaders or members made statements which are not in complete harmony with our understanding and practices today. The mind-set of some is that anything from an earlier time must be more correct.
• I would offer the following thoughts on such matters (1) Some of the procedures of the Church were not completely developed early in this dispensation and have been amplified and clarified by subsequent prophets. (2) Our protection from erroneous doctrine lies in an overriding belief in continuing revelation to the current prophet.
• 'When the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred, there were many saints who died spiritual with Joseph.' So it was when Brigham Young died: so it was when John Taylor died. Do revelations given to President John Taylor,, for example, have any more authority than something that comes from our president and prophet today? Some Church members died spiritually with Wilford Woodruff, with Lorenzo Snow, with Joseph Albert Smith. We have some today willing to believe someone who is dead and gone and to accent his words as having more authority than the words of a living authority today."

Gordon T. Watts- Gratitude

• The expectation that more is deserved can cause our plate of plenty to appear empty. Gratitude has many faces and takes on many forms. Failure to recognize the Lord for all we have will soon result in selfish behavior.
• Gratitude begins with attitude. While to some every apple shines, to others the remaining blemishes after the polishing process are all that's visible. We must use caution not to be drawn into the growing populous of ungrateful people who have become calloused to blessings as they bicker in misery.
• Joy and happiness are born of gratitude.
• If we are feeling ungrateful, we need to pedal a little faster. The depth and the willingness with which we serve is a direct reflection of our gratitude.
• "Gratitude is twin sister to humility, pride is a foe to both."
• "A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness."

Russell M. Nelson -We Are Children of God

• We are dual beings. Each soul is comprised of body and spirit, both of which emanate from God. A firm understanding of body and spirit will shape our thoughts and deeds for good.
• Your body, whatever its natural gifts, is a magnificent creation of God. It is a tabernacle of flesh--a temple for your spirit.
• Other attributes of the body are equally amazing, though less evident. For example, backup is provided. Each paired organ has instant backup available from the other pair. Single organs, such as the brain, the heart, and the liver, are nourished by two routes of blood supply. This design protects the organ if harm should come to any one channel.
• To return to God through the gateway of death is a joy for those who love Him.
• Prior to our mortal existence here, each spirit son and daughter lived with God. The spirit is eternal; it existed in innocence in the premortal realm and will exist after the body dies. The spirit provides the body with animation and personality. "All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure."
• "The spirit of man [is] in the likeness of his person."
• Even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.
• Development of the spirit is of eternal consequence. The attributes by which we shall be judged one day are those of the spirit. These include the virtues of integrity, compassion, love, and more. Your spirit, by being housed in your body, is able to develop and express these attributes in ways that are vital to your eternal progression.
• Spirit and body, when joined together, become a living soul of supernal worth. Indeed, we are children of God--physically and spiritually.
• For reasons usually unknown, some people are born with physical limitations.
• Nevertheless, the gift of a physical body is priceless. Without it, we cannot attain a fullness of joy.
• A perfect body is not required to achieve a divine destiny. In fact, some of the sweetest spirits are housed in frail frames. Great spiritual strength is often developed by those with physical challenges precisely because they are challenged. Such individuals are entitled to all the blessings that God has in store for His faithful and obedient children.
• just as physical strength requires exercise, so spiritual strength requires effort.
• In time, addictions enslave both the body and the spirit.

Gordon B. Hinckley -Benediction

• We shall go on building.
• We respect those of other churches. We desire their friendship and hope to render meaningful service with them. We know they all do good, but we unabashedly state--and this frequently brings criticism upon us--that this is the true and living Church of our Father in Heaven and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• They are magnificent. They are doing a great work. They are better than they've ever been, and they must go on improving. Their best today will not be good enough tomorrow. Keep it up, dear friends.

General Relief Society Meeting

Mary Ellen Smoot - Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord

• Invitations from the Lord are vital. They guide us back to our Heavenly Father and lead us in the way of truth and righteousness.
• "Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."
• Consider with me, for a moment, what it means to walk in the light of the Lord. First of all, we'll have light--light in our countenances, light in our outlook, light even when darkness surrounds us. And it also means we will walk with purpose and direction.
• One of the gifts God has promised to all who earnestly seek Him is faith.
• "Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God's laws the greater will be the endowment of faith."
• Faith and all spiritual gifts are available to everyone who is willing to live for them.
• I fully believe that our talents are developed as we are called upon to serve. If we will faithfully accept the call, hidden talents will be discovered, such as love; compassion; discernment; being a good friend, peacemaker, teacher, leader, homemaker, writer, researcher--these are all talents.
• Each one of you has unique gifts. Use your gifts to serve others.
• "God is looking down upon you, the angels are recording your secret acts.
• Bring up our children to be polite and refined, that they may be useful monuments to society.
• The Lord would need you to be an incredible force for good and a powerful instrument of the priesthood of God.

Virginia U. Jensen -Come to Relief Society

• "Know that you are daughters of God, children with a divine birthright. Walk in the sun with your heads high, knowing that you are loved and honored, that you are a part of his kingdom, and that there is for you a great work to be done which cannot be left to others."
• As women, we have natural tendencies to love and nourish.
• "There is no sister so isolated ... her sphere so narrow but what she can do a great deal towards establishing the Kingdom of God upon the earth."
• It is my sincere belief that the most powerful protection against the deteriorating conditions of the family is a faithful righteous mother.
• Everyone is welcome to Relief Society. There is no one kind of acceptable Latter-day Saint woman. It matters not were you come from, what your weaknesses are, what you look like--you belong here! The Lord loves you--each of you, collectively and individually. We are not ordinary women. We are women of the covenant, women who have recognized the truth, accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ, and made covenants with the Lord to follow Him and do His will. And He needs us--each one of us-- to do our part in bringing to pass His great latter-day work among the children of men. We need Relief Society , and Relief Society needs us.

Sheri L. Dew -We Are Not Alone

• It is not good, nor is it intended, for any of us to be alone.
• The pain of loneliness seems to be part of the mortal experience. But the Lord in His mercy has made it so that we need never deal with the challenges of mortality alone.
• It's not living the gospel that's hard. It's life that's hard.
• It is the "grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint ... to have the manifestations of the spirit every day of our lives ... [so[ that we may know the light, and not be groveling continually in the dark."
• No mortal comfort can duplicate that of the Comforter.
• Are we satisfied with far less than the Lord is willing to give us, essentially opting to go it alone here rather than partner with the Divine?
• Our challenge is not one of getting the Lord to speak to us. Our problem is hearing what He has to say.
• Our ability to hear spiritually is linked to our willingness to work at it.
• It is a question worth asking, for let us be clear: The adversary delights in separating us, the sisters of this Church, from the Spirit. Because he knows how vital our influence and our presence is in the latter-day kingdom of God.
• The Spirit cannot be restrained among righteous women who are doing their best.
• We must arise as the women we were prepared to be during aeons of premortal training. We don't have the luxury of living beneath ourselves or being causal about seeking the gifts of the Spirit.

Gordon B. Hinckley -Walking in the Light of the Lord

• You provide inspiration. You provide balance. You constitute a vast reservoir of faith and good works. You are an anchor of devotion and loyalty and accomplishment. No one can gainsay the great part you play in the onward rolling of this work across the earth. You teach in the organizations and do it so very well. Your preparation is an example to all of us.
• You are the keepers of the homes. You give encouragement to your husbands. You teach and nurture your children in faith. For some of you life is difficult and even bitter. But you complain so very little and do so very much. Howe deeply indebted we are to you!
• I believe our problems, almost every one, arise out of the homes of the people. If there is to be reformation, if there is to be a change, if there is to be a return to old and sacred values, it must begin in the home. It is here that truth is learned, that integrity is cultivated, that self-discipline is instilled, and that love is nurtured.
• The home is under siege. So many families are being destroyed.
• Stand above the sleaze and the filth and the temptation which is all about you.
• You know what is expected of you. Stay away from that which is tempting. Avoid evil--its very appearance.
• Nurture and cultivate your marriage. Guard it and work to keep it solid and beautiful.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi