Behold the Commandment---Search the Scriptures

President Spencer W. Kimball said:

We are pilgrims upon this earth, sent here with a mission to perform. a great work to do, 

for which we need guidance from the Lord...

Truly, 

to be without the word of the Lord to direct us
 is to be as wanderers in a vast desert who can find no familiar landmarks, 

or
 in the dense darkness of a cavern with no light to show us the way to escape....

"For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard."(2 Nehpi 4:15-16)

...But I ask us all to honestly evaluate our performance in scripture study. 

 It is a common thing to have a few passages of scripture at our disposal,

 floating in our minds, as it were,

 and thus to have the illusion that we know a great deal about the gospel.

 In this sense, having a little knowledge can be a problem indeed. 

 I am convinced that each of us,

 at some time in our lives, 

must discover the scriptures for ourselves--

and not just discover them once but rediscover them again and again.

 (How Rare a possession--Scriptures" Ensign, Sept 1976, p. 4.)

The above was part of my scripture study this week and today...

But there is a story to all of this.

Our power was off in Juniper, in fact from Minidoka to Snowville for about 24 hours give or take in different areas.

Here in Juniper there is a dairy.

The generator didn't work...

So neighbors got together with their own generators...

this didn't work so they had to make a trip to town to rent one.

Now this is the Sabbath.

The power went off Saturday about 5 in the afternoon.

Cows needed milked.

This morning still no power and the cows were hurting.

Because power was off church was canceled.

All the guys were at the dairy.

I was worried about Chris and her family.

I drove down there because Chris turned off her phone to save the battery.

At that time I felt we should get together for some kind of spiritual gathering.

On    the way back to our home I started to think...

 I should invite Mellisa and Ben's family.

I did that and felt like I should offer the invite to all of the Juniper families.

So I called everyone.

As it turned out we had the Bryce and John Campbell families...

Ben Campbell Family..

And Chris and her family.

Esquivels yes, but roots are Campbell.

So it was a Campbell gathering.

We had 18 children...

Three over 12

15 under 10.

We had six adults.

So we had a Primary...

Sort of.

We sang.

Then had the children tell of their favorite scripture story.

We were fed by the 'little children'.

Angie and Dani not so little gave us some great stories and things to think about.

To listen to them tell these stories brought tears to my eyes.

I was so amazed.

We sang some more songs and closed.

The prayers were given by the children and they led the music.

So as I thought of this experience and the scriptures I had been reading this week.

It came together as this blog.
These children KNOW the scriptures...
because their parents are doing their job!
It was very humbling to sit in the presence of these wonderful spirits.

When ever the saints meet...

there must be FOOD!

(Monday)

 Other events of this week...

I had my very first visit by my visiting teacher.

That felt so good to be served and loved.

Tanya Nelson and Gwen Hurst are my care takers.

We went to Logan for the doctor.

then met Becky and kids at lunch...

They are so fun.

I went to the movie with them, (3D)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 Becky Larry Jordon and Sydney

Stan went and purchased a pickup.  

Shouldn't leave that guy alone in town.

He really needed some wheels.

It was s good purchase.

2006 Honda Ridgeline.

(Tuesday)

The power was off  Tuesday so Mary Lynne Nelson came over to visit.

We visited for 4 hours.

AND

had a very quiet lunch together.

We have so much more to visit about...

But that will be another day.

How good it felt to be with a very good friend again.

 (Wednesday)

I went to the Chiropractor and on the way made some visits.

Luana Barrett (93) my very good friend who is so lonely because her hubby has passed on last October.

Delsie Teeter (87) who fell into her tub while making a potty visit.

Ouch!

She is doing better but what an ordeal!

(Thursday and Friday)

I went through all the papers we collected for two years.

Journals...

Letters...

memorabilia...

receipts...

Bank records...

I got 2010 and 2011 done.

I have the beginning of 2012 to sort out yet.

(Friday night)

We had the privilege to attending Raft River High School Musical Performance.

Calamity Jane.

What a treat!

The first musical we attended in RR was Calamity Jane.
(When Chris was in first grade)

Vadis Wards oldest daughter was Calamity Jane.

Well her cousin Mandie Beyler (Marty Beyler's daughter) was Calamity Jane this time.

So fun...

Angie was in this play and I thought she did a very good job.

She even add libbed when someone forgot their lines.

The next night, Saturday, when the power went off in the middle of the musical they just kept going.

They said it made it a lot more fun.

 Sylvia Grush always giving service to our drama department

  Angie is in the brown skirt and white blouse

 Angie is wearing the brown dress with white sweater.

Friday I took care of Claire, 

She is Steve and Natalie's little girl.

What a sweetie.

She has some separation issues...

But she did very well...

She trusted me and that was a miracle I prayed for.

What a joy to get to know her better.

Saturday we thought we were assigned to clean the church.

Ben's family went over and did the lions share for us.

Thanks Ben's family.

They worked with John and Beth Campbell's family

and Gary and Valerie Bakes family.

John Campbell

 Olivia and Haven cousins

 Dani with Morris Hall the supervisor of our ward cleaning and Stan

 Dani

 Yes they worked hard...
they are done with their assignments.
Beth Grant and big Melissa

 Ben...

 Valerie Bake and son Shaun

Shaun Bake

girls taking care of Grant.
Dani little Melissa Olivia and Haven

From there we went over to the Twin Falls temple.

We did sealings with...

 Peter and Sylvia Grush (who supplied our names)

Ryan and Ranae Bowman (principle at the High School)

LeGrand and Cheryl Dilworth

And 

Bryce and Jodi Campbell.

What a wonderful experience to work in the temple with such great ward family members.

This is a blessing that money could never replace.

We met up with Mike and Michelle and had dinner at the River Rock Grill.

That was great to be with them again.

We just don't see enough of them.

We did some shopping and got a call from Chris and a text from Ben...

Both saying the power was off and to take our time.

Chris and the girls were coming home from the play and we met them at Sublett

It was snowing.

We followed them home.

Coming home from Twin Falls there was a lot of darkness because of the power being off.

The generator for Peter Grush's dairy supplied the only lights in the valley.

It is so hard to come home with groceries and have the power off...
But ...
 not as hard as those poor guys out all night in snow and wind trying to get our power back on.
OR
Those at the dairy trying to find a way to milk those poor miserable cows.

 Finding emergency candles and layering clothing...
is not bad...
We have a beautiful home...
We were dry and very comfortable compared to those out fighting the elements.

 Wet

 Cold

miserable...
BUT...
it also means more moisture in the ground for our crops this summer.
A real blessing...
We have absolutely nothing to complain about!

And so now were are back to the beginning of this blog.  

One could read the scriptures casually,
but as one searches the following words apply:

 meditate (Joshua 1:8); 

 study (2 Timothy 2:15); 

heed (1 Nephi 15:25); 

hear (1 Nephi 19:24) 

treasure (JS-M 1:37);  

ponder (2 Nephi 4:15).

Notice that the Savior particularly directs his listeners to search the writing of the prophet Isaiah.
 In 3 Nephi 23:2 we learn why:
because Isaiah 'spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel.'
But he also commanded that all the prophets be carefully studied,
for they too testify of important truths.

 (Logan Monday evening)