Short Thoughts

Yesterday we received our "honorable release" certificates from the Mount Timpanogas Temple. Along with these certificates we received a letter from the temple presidency.

Our thoughts of course returned to our Friday 2nd Shift sisters and brothers, wondering how their day was going, and experiencing a few sweet moments remembering our time serving there....

On Thursday McKenna, Emma and I had a "tea party" out on our deck. McKenna was in charge and she set quite a pretty table and poured "pink tea" and passed out cookies to me and to Emma. What a sweet time to spend with our granddaughters!

Today is the 4th of July: next year we won't be celebrating our country's birth date on "home soil." I love to look at our flag-of-freedom, flying free still in the winds that circulate around our globe. How blessed we all have been, to be Americans in this choicest of lands!

Today is also our last days as "civilians," as Don calls us. Tomorrow we will be set apart as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Don found a quote that has us thinking deeply: Our Savior Jesus Christ was overjoyed to make covenant with His Father.

“Why should a man be baptized? Why should he partake of the Sacrament: How can these things help a man to be a true disciple of Christ? Even in these sacramental aspects of religion, Joseph Smith gives man a creative part. There is not an ordinance mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants or the Book of Mormon that is not inseparably linked with a religious life. It is only efficacious as it prepares or inspires us to live righteously. We would like to illustrate this with one ordinance. Nowhere in the Prophet's teachings, is baptism taught as a means of bringing forgiveness of sin for which we are not responsible. Nor is baptism taught merely as a gift from God bringing to us entrance into the Church and remission of sin, in exchange for passive obedience. The Book of Mormon teaches a wholly new emphasis in baptism that makes of it an exciting adventure. Nephi, in discussing the baptism of Jesus, ignored the usual reasons for baptism when he raised this question: 'Now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfill all righteousness in being baptized of water? Know ye not that He was holy? But notwithstanding, He being holy, He showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh, He humbleth Himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that He would be obedient unto Him in keeping His commandments.' [2 Nephi 31]

"We have been taught that Jesus was baptized merely to set us an example, to show us that we must also be obedient. But in this passage in Nephi, we find that Jesus' baptism meant something to Him. He wanted to be baptized, to show to all men and to His Father in Heaven, that He, too, humbled Himself before God and took upon Himself the will of God. And that, indeed, is to fulfill all righteousness.” Joseph Smith-His Creative Role in Religion, Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons, p.48; by Dr. Lowell L. Bennion, Sixth Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermon, Logan L.D.S. Institute of Religion, December 5, 1948.

Don: It is my idea and words that it was a “joy” and “with gladness” for Christ to witness through baptism His willingness to be obedient to the Father. He was happy, even thrilled, to make and keep that covenant.