on the rim

December 1, the beginning of #LighttheWorld Ideally, we should continue the campaign throughout the year.  We should always look for  the opportunity to serve others.  For those who claim to be Christians, it is time to put up or shut up, we see  the world as a fallen place, and it is.  We see need everywhere.  Some wonder why a God that has the ability to heal with just a word, or a touch, would allow the sickness, the disease, the poverty to continue. Why wars go on and on.  Why people are not taken in, and cared for as the Savior said. God has granted us our greatest gift; Agency.  The ability to choose good or evil.  The ability to help, or not.  Our Father loved us so much that that is his gift, and because we would sin, part of the gift is his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly laid down His life as a sacrifice for sin.  That is how important agency is to our Father. What do we do with that agency?  I ha...

I have been mulling this one since Sunday.  Not really sure how it will turn out, but here goes. On Sunday morning, I got to get up early, and head to Independence, MO, to sing with the Stake Choir in their Stake Conference.  For those that don't understand that, a Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a collection of smaller units in a geographical area.  Twice a year, they have a conference, where the Saints are taught, and the business of the Stake is conducted.  While I am not a member of the Independence Stake, I was invited, no doubt because of my neediness to be taught, to sing with the choir.  I had mentioned in a previous post that one of the songs was "Oh What Songs of the Heart" , arranged by Dr. Mack Wilberg, director of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square (formerly the Mormon Tabernacle Choir).  I am so grateful the director took pity and invited me, it is my favorite arrangement of my favorite hymn. It...

I received an invitation from a good friend to sing in a choir for an upcoming conference.  Of course, I am kind of a closet groupie for the director and her husband, and so the answer was easy.  But then it became irresistible. My favorite arrangement of my favorite hymn in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' hymnal.  I missed the first rehearsal, but attended tonight, and will next week as well. I would probably walk over broken glass on top of burning coals to sing that song.  Okay, not really, but if memory serves, I think I have sang it in performances one season, my first with the Heartland of America Community Choir and Orchestra, in 2004.  Fourteen years.  Now, those who have had me as a choir director know that as we sang songs I would say this was my favorite, or that one was, but really there is only one favorite. (no don't cue the Highlander music).  Know what it is? The lyrics and music were written by a frequent duo in th...

I don't normally write here on a variety of subjects in one post, but I have a feeling to do so tonight. On Wednesday night, Sarah and I attended the Kansas City Missouri Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Temples are special houses of worship for the Latter Day Saints, not a place where you go to "church", we feel they are truly "The House of the Lord" (it is even written on each temple).  For more on temples, you can check out this video, or let me know of whatever questions you have, and I would be glad to do my best to answer them. https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/temples Again, no young men in white shirts will call as a response to you checking it out,  only if you want, or they are randomly in the area. Wednesday night was special as it was the last night for the former temple presidency.  Temples are presided over by Temple presidents and counselors, who are called by God through His prophet on the earth.  We have good frie...