He is Here!

"He is Here!" Born of Mary. The Son of the Most Highest. He is our Savior, our Atoner, our King.

He is not a distant memory, nor a story of long ago, but is alive and real today. He lives. He is amongst us. He is in our temples, our churches and our homes.

In the Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 he said ... "...for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

While serving in the temple, I heard story after story from our temple president of how frequently the Savior visits His temple. Although I have never seen Him with my physical eyes, I have seen Him with my spiritual eyes. I know He lives. I know He is real. I have been in His presence. I have walked where He has walked.

He is interested in us personally, and wants us all to return with Him to the presence of the Father. I bear my witness of one who has come to know, that He is real. He paid the ultimate price, the eternal price, which, if we are faithful, we will walk through the gate into His heavenly kingdom. He is the keeper of the gate. And it will be our honor and privilege, if we are worthy, as we approach that gate, to give Him the signs and tokens, which will open the gate to let us through.

Beyond the gate lies our next adventure. We will be given our own piece of the Universe to continue what we began on this earth, that of bearing spirit sons and daughters and helping them get into their own places of habitation, planets upon which they can live, learn and grow, and to learn by faith.

All of this was made possible by a Gethsemanatic act of ultimate kindness, a payment of great price.

As all the excitement of opening presents and playing with new toys and gifts starts to fade a bit today, ponder and reflect upon the ultimate gift that never fades and never breaks. It is the key that will open the gate into our next adventure.

Love,

Dad

The More We Give, The More We Receive

At this time of year, I have been thinking a lot about my Savior. At times, to me, I am overwhelmed with His love. I can't fully understand His great sacrifice, His bearing of all my sins, my pains and my anguish. All I know is that I will ever be eternally in His debt for the price He paid for me, a price that allows me the opportunity to move forward along the path which leads to the Tree of Life.

So "because I have been given much, I too must give." I hope I can remember that every day.

Last Tuesday night I took the youth Ice Skating. As I was walking up to the entrance of the ice skating rink, I noticed a lady with her arms full of paper cups and napkins, being followed by her son who was struggling to carry a large drink container. I didn't say a word but just walked over and grabbed a handle of the container, and some of her paper cups. I smiled, as they thanked me, and walked into the facility with them, and then walked away after setting the items down.

It wasn't much, but it helped me to realize and understand what the Savior meant when He said "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt 25:40) It made me feel warm inside. I don't share this to boast, but share it as an incident that I realized needs to be repeated everyday in my life. I need to be looking outward to help others and not focusing on myself. "For whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matt 16:25)

I hope we as a family can look for the simple acts of kindness we can perform everyday, and not focus as much on our own issues or needs. I don't completely understand how it all works, but it seems...

"...the more we give, the more we receive."

Love,

Dad

The Wonder of our Universe

We've all talked from time to time about the universe and how immense and wondrous it is. Some of us have read the book the Kolob Theorem, and have pondered our own Milky Way Galaxy, which is just one of billions of other galaxies in our Universe. I continue to be amazed with how small we are in comparison to the billions and billions of stars in our Universe, and yet our Heavenly Father instills in us our greatness and importance.

Throughout history, the Lord has opened the eyes of the prophets, and have allowed them to gaze into the Universe and see the immensity of it. They knew that creation goes on and on, and that there is no space in which there is not a kingdom.

To Moses he said "And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come, and there is no end to my works, neither to my words." (Moses 1:38)

"And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten." (Moses 1:31-33)

To Enoch: "And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, is would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thous are there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou are just; thou are merciful and kind forever." (Mose 7:30)

To the Prophet Joseph Smith the Lord said: "And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or lesser kingdom." (D&C 88:36-38) (This quote could be a whole new discussion; maybe for another time) To me, it is hard to comprehend the size and scope of God's creations, because they have no end.

And yet, we have the promise, as we remain faithful, that "all that my Father hath shall be given unto him." (D&C 84:38)

 I've collected some facts about the Universe in which we dwell, which to me, boggles the mind:

• Our Milky Way Galaxy is approximately 100,000 light years in diameter. To understand how really big 100,000 light years are, consider this: Light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles a second or 700 million miles an hour. And we are only one of billions of galaxies.
• Our Milky Way Galaxy has approximately 400 billion stars (Suns) and it is estimated by astronomers that there are as many as 500 billion other galaxies in the universe.
• As quoted to prophets on the earth by the Lord, there are more stars than all of the grains of sand on earth.
• Most of the elements found in the human body originated in stars; we are literally made of stardust. Or to put it another way, the earth was made from other planets and stars, and we were made of the dust of the earth.
• Our Universe is expanding and growing. The galaxies are moving away from each other, allowing room for the creation of more galaxies. Thus, as we are faithful, we will have kingdoms of our own.

So, think about the great blessings and promises that await each of us, as we are faithful, grow and develop in the Gospel, that we can have worlds without end that will provide a place for our offspring. It's kind of hard to understand, but it is what awaits us.

Love,

Dad

The Olive Tree

At Teresa's request, my post this week is on the Olive Tree, it's symbolism and it's place in the Gospel.

About 15 years ago I read a book called "The Allegory of the Olive Tree," produced by the "Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS)" It was probably one of the most comprehensive books I've read on the subject of the Olive Tree, Olives and the oil they produce.

When you stop and think about it, the olive tree and the sacred oil it produces, plays a very important part in our spiritual development. The olive oil is used to heal the sick and to anoint worthy members in the temple to become divine royalty, based upon their endurance to the end. In early Christian tradition, olive oil is symbolic of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost is the sealer of eternal ordinances. It is the testator and bearer of truth and righteousness. It is a conduit or avenue in communicating spiritual messages. As we endure to the end and prove ourselves worthy, the Holy Spirit of Promise (The Holy Ghost) is what seals us up to Eternal Life. It is His stamp of approval that the Father and Son recognizes as the final approval of exaltation.

So why olive oil and it's source, the olive tree? Let me share some things I have learned about this tree, and as I share these insights, look at them from a "deep" symbolic nature.

The tree of life in Lehi's dream is said to be an olive tree, as well as the tree of life in the Garden of Eden, that Adam and Eve were forbidden to partake of after they partook of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. So the fruit of these trees are the olive. In the case of Lehi's dream, we are told that Lehi and some of his family "pressed their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fuit of the tree." Nephi, desiring to know the meaning of the dream his father saw, was visited by the Spirit of the Lord and was carried away to an exceedingly high mountain (Symbolically the temple, a place where God can reveal his higher ordinances and blessings). When Nephi asked about the meaning of the tree, he was told that the tree was a representation of the Love of God, and that it's "fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits: yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God."

So what is the greatest of all the gifts of God? It is Eternal Life and Exaltation in His kingdom. So as we partake of the fruit, we are partaking or receiving the stamp of the Holy Spirit of Promise that we have the promise of Eternal Life. That's why, when Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden had transgressed, that God protected them from partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Life, because had they done so, they would have "eternally" remained in their sinful state eternally, having not had the blessing of the Atonement yet in their life, and God's plan would have failed, and He would have failed as a God. So God wisely would not allow that to happen.

There is further "deep" symbolism of the Olive tree, the olive and it's oil. During early jewish times, olive oil has been used for nourishment, light and physical comfort. It should then be considered that olive oil, down through the centuries, has come to be a symbol of life and of the spirit which gives life. Also, the fact that olive trees are known to live for centuries rather than for decades, is a fit symbol for eternal life.

When Nephi asked the angel the meaning or symbolism of the tree of life that his father saw, the angel then proceeded to show Nephi the birth, atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore the tree also is a representation of the Love of God (Christ) and His unconditional love for each of us. To further tie in the symbolism of Christ and the tree of life, the term Messiah, in Hebrew form is defined as "The Annointed One."

To produce olive oil in ancient times, the olives had to be crushed in a press. It took immense pressure to squeeze out the little bit of oil from the olive. In like manner, Jesus was considered the olive, who was beaten, brused and suffered greatly in the Garden of Gethsemane, until, like the olive in an olive press, had so much pressure upon him, carrying the weight of everyone's sins, that he finally bled from every pore, symbolically producing the oil (Holy Ghost) that will give us the promise and sealing of Eternal Life. Speaking of Gethsemane, the hebrew definition of the name means "olive press."

There are SO many other symbolic parallels, that there is not time to share. Maybe we can have a further discussion on this face to face. I will give you a couple of other things to ponder concerning olive oil. It was used as a oil in lamps, to light the way. It was olive oil that the 5 unwise virgins ran out of and hence missed the arrival of the Bridegroom. The House of Israel, who we are a part of (think of your temple covenants), are grafted into the olive tree in the Lord's vineyard, as outlined in Jacob 5. So we become part of the Tree of Life, as our grafted branches take hold and start to produce our own fruit. ("By their fruits, shall you know them.")

There is a lot here to deeply think about and ponder. Isn't it wonderful how the Gospel fits together so perfectly through symbolism. The temple, and it's ordinances are full of symbolisms, layers and layers of symbolism.

"... I wonder if the cross was made out of olive wood?"

Love you all, Dad