I'm giving a talk tonight at a baptismal service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was asked to speak on the Holy Ghost. Here is my outline--such as it is.
The Holy Ghost
I. The Holy Ghost
A. 3rd member of Godhead
B. Personage of spirit
II. Gift of the Holy Ghost
A. The greatest gift a mortal can enjoy.
B. Purposes
1. Testator; the testifier of truth song: I Know My Father Lives
a. You received the Holy Ghost which was the convincing power of the truth of the Gospel.
b. That’s how you knew the Gospel was true and that you needed to be baptized.
C. The right to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost
1. You do not have it as a constant companion
2. When you receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost it will => continuing, renewed assurance of the truthfulness of the Gospel
3. It will leave you if you do not receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost or if you do not live worthy of it
4. based on worthiness and desire for it.
5. The Spirit will not live in an unclean tabernacle
D. Revelator:
1. Knows all things.
a. Story: Leah walking home
b. Story: Steven passing his Spanish test
c. Story: Where my car keys were
2. Guide and direct Story: Micah continuing his mission
3. Comforter Story: My brother Ron 's car accident
4. Voice of warning
III. How do you recognize it?
A. “One way I distinguish my own thoughts from the promptings of the Holy Ghost is by recalling how I feel when I think about my testimony of the Savior. If I feel the same about spiritual promptings as I do when I think of my testimony—warm and sure—then I know I need to obey.”
B. President Ezra Taft Benson suggested that we use the following six questions as a guide in decision making:
1. Could it retard or injure spiritual or moral progress?
2. Could it create unhappy or unpeaceful memories?
3. Is it contrary to the revealed will or commandments of God?
4. Could it harm any individual, family, or group?
5. Would the decision make [me] a better person?
6. Could a blessing be derived from this particular action? [See D&C 130:20–21]” (God, Family, Country, 151).
Friday, March 11, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Before and After
I am the first to admit that I am not a great photographer.
But you can get the idea. Here are the kitchen area before and after shots.
But you can get the idea. Here are the kitchen area before and after shots.
Notice
the corner to the left of the stove. I am particularly please with the after shot despite the blurry nature of it.
Here we have a dark view of the kitchen counter to the right of the stove and an after shot of the same area.
This is my favorite magic trick. This is the Pierre Deux lamp that my friend was coveting. Because it cost $300 without the shipping fee, I offered to turn one of her lamps into a reasonable facsimile of it. I am quite pleased. Maybe I should take another picture of my lamp without the light on. But I couldn't wait to show it off.
the corner to the left of the stove. I am particularly please with the after shot despite the blurry nature of it.
Here we have a dark view of the kitchen counter to the right of the stove and an after shot of the same area.
This is my favorite magic trick. This is the Pierre Deux lamp that my friend was coveting. Because it cost $300 without the shipping fee, I offered to turn one of her lamps into a reasonable facsimile of it. I am quite pleased. Maybe I should take another picture of my lamp without the light on. But I couldn't wait to show it off.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
A Room Without a View
This is a picture of what I would like to make for the upstairs round window. I think it's gorgeous. Instead of blues and browns, I would like it to be purple and green, to match the room decor and instead of fleur-de-lis, I'm thinking a minimalistic celtic symbol (not a shamrock). I also thought I'd do the center in clear beveled glass so we can still see the view. Steven says he doesn't care if we can see the view or not from that particular window because there are two more windows on either side of it. Nice window.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Lately
I suppose you've been wondering what I've been doing to kill time until my return to Cody. I have been spending other people's money in the name of beautifying America. Here are before and after shots (very bad ones) of my friend Kathy's kitchen. I hand cut stencils for the back wall to go with our inspiration piece--plates she bought and hung on the wall. Naturally, they are not in any of these pictures. I told you they were bad pictures.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Reminiscences
When I was a young mother, my mother visited me in Salinas. Leah was just a tiny baby and she was a lot of work. While we were going somewhere, a song popped into my head and I began singing it. I still don't know very many of the words, but the ones that kept coming back to me and that I sang were, "You'll never know just how much I love you. You'll never know just how much I care."
As I was singing it, I looked at Mom and said, "She'll never know, will she?"
My mother looked deep into my eyes and answered, "No. She'll never know."
As I was singing it, I looked at Mom and said, "She'll never know, will she?"
My mother looked deep into my eyes and answered, "No. She'll never know."
Saturday, February 5, 2011
English Story about Hotel Soap
Here is another story I just love. As I said last time, I really don't care whether it is true or not. It's just a good story.
Attached is some correspondence which actually occurred between a London hotel's staff and one of its guests. It was printed in the London Sunday Times.
Dear Maid,
Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Dial. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way.
Thank You,
S. Berman
Dear Room #635m
I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as you requested. The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This leaves only the 3 bars I left today, as my instructions from the management is to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory.
Kathy,
Relief Maid
Dear Maid,
I hope you are my regular maid. Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap. When I got back to my room this evening, I found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet. I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-sized Dial so I won't need those 6 little Camays which are on the shelf. They are in my way when shaving, brushing teeth, etc. Please remove them.
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
My day off was last Wednesday, so the relief maid left 4 hotel soaps which we are instructed by the management to leave. I took the 6 soaps which were in your way on the shelf and put them in the soap dish where your Dial was. I put the Dial in the medicine cabinet for your convenience. I didn't remove the 3 complimentary soaps which are always placed inside the medicine cabinet for all new check-ins and which you did not object to when you checked in last Monday.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Your Regular Maid,
Dotty
Dear Mr. Berman,
The assistant manager, Mr. Kensedder, informed me this A.M. that you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service. I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints, please contact me so I can give it my personal attention. Call extension 1108 between 8 AM and 5 PM.
Thank You,
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
Dear Miss Carmen,
It is impossible to contact you by phone since I leave the hotel for business at 7:45 AM and don't get back before 5:30 or 6 PM. That's the reason I called Mr. Kensedder last night. You were already off duty. I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check-in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the bathroom shelf. In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap. Why are you doing this to me?
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108.
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
Dear Mr. Kensedder,
My bath-sized Dial is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room including my own bath-sized Dial. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem, I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience.
Martin L. Kensedder, Assistant Manager
Dear Mrs. Carmen,
Who the **** left 54 little bars of Camay in y room? I came in last night and found 54 little bars of soap. I don't want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one #### bar of bath-sized Dial. Do you realize I have 54 bars of soap in here? All I want is my bath-sized Dial. Please give me back my bath-sized Dial.
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
You complained of too much soap in your room so I had them removed. Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily. I don't know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays. I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-sized Dial. I was able to locate some bath-sized Ivory, which I left in your room.
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
Dear Mrs. Carmen,
Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap inventory. As of today I possess:
On shelf under medicine cabinet--18 Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.
On Kleenex dispenser--11 Camay in 2 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 3.
On bedroom dresser----1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, l stack of 4 bath-sized Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4.
Inside medicine cabinet--14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2
In shower soap dish--6 Camay, very moist.
On northeast corner of tub--1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used.
On northwest corner of tub--6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3.
Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip. May I suggest that my bedroom window sill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for future soap deliveries. One more item--I have purchased another bar of bath-sized Dial which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.
S. Berman
Attached is some correspondence which actually occurred between a London hotel's staff and one of its guests. It was printed in the London Sunday Times.
Dear Maid,
Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Dial. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way.
Thank You,
S. Berman
Dear Room #635m
I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as you requested. The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This leaves only the 3 bars I left today, as my instructions from the management is to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory.
Kathy,
Relief Maid
Dear Maid,
I hope you are my regular maid. Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap. When I got back to my room this evening, I found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet. I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-sized Dial so I won't need those 6 little Camays which are on the shelf. They are in my way when shaving, brushing teeth, etc. Please remove them.
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
My day off was last Wednesday, so the relief maid left 4 hotel soaps which we are instructed by the management to leave. I took the 6 soaps which were in your way on the shelf and put them in the soap dish where your Dial was. I put the Dial in the medicine cabinet for your convenience. I didn't remove the 3 complimentary soaps which are always placed inside the medicine cabinet for all new check-ins and which you did not object to when you checked in last Monday.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Your Regular Maid,
Dotty
Dear Mr. Berman,
The assistant manager, Mr. Kensedder, informed me this A.M. that you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service. I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints, please contact me so I can give it my personal attention. Call extension 1108 between 8 AM and 5 PM.
Thank You,
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
Dear Miss Carmen,
It is impossible to contact you by phone since I leave the hotel for business at 7:45 AM and don't get back before 5:30 or 6 PM. That's the reason I called Mr. Kensedder last night. You were already off duty. I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check-in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the bathroom shelf. In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap. Why are you doing this to me?
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108.
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
Dear Mr. Kensedder,
My bath-sized Dial is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room including my own bath-sized Dial. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem, I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience.
Martin L. Kensedder, Assistant Manager
Dear Mrs. Carmen,
Who the **** left 54 little bars of Camay in y room? I came in last night and found 54 little bars of soap. I don't want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one #### bar of bath-sized Dial. Do you realize I have 54 bars of soap in here? All I want is my bath-sized Dial. Please give me back my bath-sized Dial.
S. Berman
Dear Mr. Berman,
You complained of too much soap in your room so I had them removed. Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily. I don't know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays. I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-sized Dial. I was able to locate some bath-sized Ivory, which I left in your room.
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
Dear Mrs. Carmen,
Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap inventory. As of today I possess:
On shelf under medicine cabinet--18 Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.
On Kleenex dispenser--11 Camay in 2 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 3.
On bedroom dresser----1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, l stack of 4 bath-sized Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4.
Inside medicine cabinet--14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2
In shower soap dish--6 Camay, very moist.
On northeast corner of tub--1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used.
On northwest corner of tub--6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3.
Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip. May I suggest that my bedroom window sill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for future soap deliveries. One more item--I have purchased another bar of bath-sized Dial which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.
S. Berman
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