Daily Ponderings: After This Manner of Language

1 Nephi 3:21

And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God.

I can be persuasive to myself and other if I let Him help me choose my words.

TFHW: The Little Things

9-29-22
Prayed for TFH council
Took care of Kitten's back
Read talks for Kitten's covenant class
Turned on the fireplace
Came down and gave Kitten a hug
Came down and measured windows in the sunroom
Helped Kitten get dinner to the missionaries
Said the nighttime family prayer

Daily Ponderings: The Ways of Remembrance

1 Nephi 2:24

And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.

I will seek His peace as often as I remember. As I continue to practice, I will remember more often until His peace becomes my peace, and I have it continually, with the unthinking ease of breathing. It will become my default response to everything.

What Peace Is

"Peace is what I feel when my mind, body, and emotions are at rest. Instead of striving to control or resist, I feel a sense of profound acceptance."

He doesn't want me to sacrifice my material possessions or my time. He wants me to sacrifice my greedy, grasping clutch on emotions of fear and anger.

It Begins With Physiology

"behave like the person you want to become. Take action first and you'll change the way you think and the way you feel"

The Source of Peace

To put off the natural man and become a saint means to put off short term thinking in favor of long term. This habitual choosing of the long term is the source of peace.

I should sacrifice any immediate, urgent emotion for peace.

The Value of Sacrifice

In sacrifice, I am forced to examine my life and decide, one by one, what things are less important than my relationship with God. Sacrifice gives me the POWER TO CHANGE to become the kind of person who deliberately chooses God [LONG TERM] over any specific, given, other thing [SHORT TERM].

TFHW: Attending

9-27-22
Attended Kitten's covenant class twice
Improved place names

Daily Ponderings: Manifested Unto Me by His Holy Spirit

1 Nephi 2:17

And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

I should let the Holy Spirit manifest peace unto me

TFHW: A Little Extra

9-26-22
Improved place names
Held FHE
Emailed Tom
Emailed Roy

Daily Ponderings: Called the Name

1 Nephi 2:8

And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.

I should name things after the way I want them to be.

TFHW: Missed It

9-25-22
Called Roger

Daily Ponderings: Heard These Things

1 Nephi 1:20

And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

I should listen to the words of the prophets and let them fill me with peace

TFHW: Fixed It

9-24-22
Improved place names

Daily Ponderings: And He Read

1 Nephi 1:13

And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.

I should avail myself of the wisdom of the scriptures and ponder them for answers

TFHW: Reach Out and Connect

9-23-22
Texted Roger
Texted TFH council
Printed out name cards for temple
Talked to Gary

Daily Ponderings: With the Spirit

1 Nephi 1:7

And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

In all things I should strive to be with the Spirit. The first step in striving is to let His peace fill me

TFHW: Do the Work

9-22-22
Mowed the lawn
Didn't get upset upon discovering the month-old license plate renewal notice

Daily Ponderings: Be With You

Revelation 22:21

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

He will be with me if I ask Him to, and He will fill me with His peace

None Unacceptable

Just as there are no unacceptable people, there are no unacceptable parts of myself. All are to be accepted and embraced.

TFHW: Make It Better

9-21-22
Told Kitten about Betty's fall

Daily Ponderings: For Without

Revelation 22:15

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Outside of the path of His peace there is nothing I want.

Sacrifice v. Consecration

Sacrifice - getting rid of the things that aren't like Him Consecration - adding the things that are like Him

Sacrifice

Doing more than my fair share, while focusing on the desired outcome, and not counting the cost. I'm focusing on the future (godliness, long-term thinking) and discounting short-term (worldly) inconvenience.

TFHW: Always an Adventure

9-20-22
Attended Kitten's covenant class twice

Daily Ponderings: When I Had Heard and Seen

Revelation 22:8

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

When He gives me instruction, I should follow them with peace in my heart.

TFHW: In the Evening

9-19-22
Held FHE Responded to Br. Allgaier

Daily Ponderings: Written in the Lamb's Book of Life

Revelation 21:27

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

I can choose to write myself into His book by filling myself with His peace and loving as He does. No unacceptable people.

TFHW: Ask and Receive

9-18-22
Asked Br. Allgaier to receive at the veil Smores night with family

Daily Ponderings: The Foundation

Revelation 21:19

And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

I should make His peace my foundation. I struggle. I forget. I resist. He still loves me. I can always try again. No matter what.

TFHW: In His House

9-17-22
Did endowments at the temple
Texted Sarah
Texted Roger
Waited for Kitten to talk to Sr. Maines

Daily Ponderings: Carried Me Away in the Spirit

Revelation 21:10

And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

I should invite His peace to help me feel like I'm on the mountain

TFHW: Preparation Day

9-16-22
Prepared names for the temple

Discussed TFHW with Iran

Daily Ponderings: Written in the Book of Life

Revelation 20:15

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

I should write my name in the book of life by bringing His peace deep inside myself

TFHW: Updates

9-15-22
Updated TFH Council group text list

Daily Ponderings: A Great White Throne

Revelation 20:11

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

I should fill myself with His peace so that I will be able to sit on the white throne.

This will take time, practice, and patience

Daily Ponderings: Worship the Lord

Isaiah 27:13

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

I should declare Him to be good and strive to become like Him by embracing His peace.

He's not peaceful because he's defeated. He's peaceful because He's strong and knows nothing can hurt Him.

Nothing can hurt me either. Not really. He can give me the power I need to be strong if I ask for it

The Kind of Person

The power of going to the temple is that it makes me the kind of person who goes to the temple, and I will go out of my way to act consistently with this identity.

The endowment isn't magic, it's leveraging the laws of human nature.

It's His understanding and use of law that gives God his power.

TFHW: Fifty Six

9-14-22
Sent Ryan a birthday text
Emailed Patty
Spent birthday with family

Daily Ponderings: Shall Reign With Him

Revelation 20:6

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

I can become like Him if I practice receiving His peace continually

TFHW: Being There

9-13-22
Attended Kitten's covenant class

Daily Ponderings: Thy Confidence Wax Strong

D&C 121:45

Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

If I'm doing it right, I will feel strong and confident

Daily Ponderings: Him That Sat Upon the Horse

Revelation 19:21

And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

I should keep myself worthy to ride a white horse by keeping myself filled with His peace

Struggle

When struggling, I should pour out my soul to Him

TFHW: Lesson Learned

9-12-22
Did FHE

Daily Ponderings: Out of His Mouth

Revelation 19:15

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

I should see that only truth and kind words come out of my mouth.

TFHW: This Is Our Path

9-11-22
TFHW report to Ward Council

Daily Ponderings: Arrayed in Fine Linen

Revelation 19:8

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

I can put off the natural man, banish Satan, and feel His peace. If I fail, I can try again. Sometimes it's hard.

TFHW: Helping Around the House

9-10-22
Did some chores
Went birding

Enter Into His Rest

From Bruce C. Hafen's 2015 "Peter, the Priesthood, the Temple, and Christ's Atonement:

"Alma implored all of us to become sufficiently "humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering," -there are those same higher level words again - that we too might "enter into his rest.""

To enter into His rest means to feel no anxiety whatsoever while facing the trials of life. Humility, meekness, submissiveness, patience, love, and long-suffering all presume and absense of anxiety.

Daily Ponderings: In Her Was Found

Revelation 18:24

And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Inside of me shall be found His peace

TFHW: Spread the Word

9-9-22
Texted TFH council

Daily Ponderings: So Great Riches

Revelation 18:17

For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

Revelation is the story of how seeking happiness through counterfeits comes to naught.
I can have so great riches if I follow His promptings

TFHW: Priesthood Power

9-8-22
Gave Kitten a blessing

Daily Ponderings: Lived Deliciously

Revelation 18:9

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

There is nothing wrong with living deliciously. In fact, it's the way he wants us to live. But these have chosen to pursue delicious living through a counterfeit, instead of in His way

I can live deliciously if I listen to Him.

TFHW: Inspiration

9-7-22
Was told what message to give the Ward Council on Sunday
Trimmed the hedge

Daily Ponderings: Which Thou Sawest

Revelation 17:18

And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

I should rememberthe things that I have been a witness to, and the things that I know, and stand by the truth of them.

TFHW: Present!

9-6-22
Attended Kitten's covenant class
Ate pancakes instead of cereal for breakfast
Woke Joshua up for school

Daily Ponderings: Have One Mind

Revelation 17:13

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

I should seek His will and to be of one mind with Him

TFHW: Start with an Eagle

9-5-22
Went to Horicon Marsh
Did FHE

Daily Ponderings: Willing and Obedient

Isaiah 1:19

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

I should aim for willingness and obedience.

Daily Ponderings: I Will Tell Thee the Mystery

Revelation 17:7

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

If there's something I don't understand, He can explain it to me, if I ask.

TFHW: Speak Up

9-4-22
Bore my testimony on Temple and Family History
Prepared to go to Horicon Marsh

Daily Ponderings: A Great Hail out of Heaven

Revelation 16:21

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

I am sent blessings in accordance with my good works, and my willingness to recognize the blessings as such.

TFHW: Barn Swallow

9-3-22
Birding at Menomonee Park

Daily Ponderings: Keepeth His Garments

Revelation 16:15

Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

I should keep myself clothed with His peace at all times by listening to and following His promptings

Scriptures

Do I read the scriptures as entertainment, or distraction, or as a catalyst, toward spiritual growth?

TFHW: Doctor in the House

9-2-22
Fixed Kitten's back during work

Daily Ponderings: Power Was Given Unto Him

Revelation 16:8

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

If I ask for it, He will give me the power I need

TFHW: Turning Toward

9-1-22
Listened to Kitten's insights about covenants and gifts
Promised to call Temple workers who haven't responded yet

Daily Ponderings: The Glory of God

Revelation 15:8

And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

He will give me the power to transform to become like Him if I will listen to His voice through the Holy Ghost

Gospel Thneed

Everyone needs a thneed. A thneed is all things to everyone, depending on what they need at the time. The gospel is a spiritual thneed

TFHW: Temple Prep

8-31-22
Went birding at Greenfield Park
Texted Shirley Schreiber about Stake Temple Day
Took family out to Kopps as a treat for taking the van to Griswold's
Talked to Kitten about the bathroom
Watched a movie about John James Audubon