The Year's End

My post today is a little more like a journal entry than my typical post. I guess it is the Christmas season, or another year winding up, but my heart has been pretty full and I feel so blessed. I hope to be able to share some thoughts intelligently.

Over the past 10 days or so, I have been greatly influenced by three books. They are “Beloved Enos” by Denver Snuffer, “The Hidden Christ” by James Ferrell, and “The Beloved Bridegroom” by Donna Nielsen.

Donna Nielsen is a wonderful woman that lives here locally in Salt Lake City. She has built a name for herself as an expert in ancient Jewish culture. She has been a speaker at Education Week and also has a couple of talks on CD. On one of these CD’s she told a story that I could really relate to.

When I was a child and went to the doctor’s office, one of my favorite things to do was to look at Highlights magazine. My favorite part of Highlights was a drawing that at first glace was simply some kind of landscape drawing. Upon greater inspection, however, it became apparent that there were “hidden items” in the picture. These were items like a comb, or a teacup, or a pencil. It was fun to find all of them. Donna Nielsen’s point is that the gospel similarly has many hidden symbols that are not apparent until close inspection.

During the course of 2009, I have been blessed in so many ways… certainly in more ways than I deserve. I have learned so much about the gospel. It seems I have learned more about the Savior in the last year than I have through my entire life. I have learned more about sacred symbols than at any other time. I have learned these from personal revelation or from reading the books of great men and women like those listed above. Many times it has been a combination of the two.

Denver Snuffer, an author most of you have never heard of, has taught me that it truly is possible to have a personal witness of the Savior Jesus Christ in this life. He taught me that the books of first and second Nephi do indeed contain the fullness of the gospel. I attend the Temple differently and much more frequently since reading his first book “The Second Comforter”. His book “Beloved Enos” takes the single chapter of the book of Enos and teaches a profound lesson about symbols and personal revelation.

I’ve learned from James Ferrell’s “The Hidden Christ” that Christ can be found throughout the entire Old Testament. I have always heard this to be true but I guess I am too dense to see the parallels myself. When someone else shows them to me, they seem so obvious.

From Donna Nielsen I have learned that Christ’s parables make much more sense if you understand the context in which they are written. To understand the parable of The Wedding Feast, and of the Ten Virgins it is important to know about Jewish culture of the day. Nielsen writes “An knowledge of the Biblical marriage imagery can greatly enrich our understanding of how God relates to us through covenants. Biblical covenant marriage imagery encompasses principles as diverse as Sabbath observance, the Atonement, temple worship, and missionary work. It literally begins with Adam and ends with Zion.”

I went to the LDS Conference Center during the Christmas Season and saw “Savior of the World”. It was really great. Much of the first act of the play has to do with Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, and Mary and Joseph and the significance of their betrothal and marriage. Reading Donna Nielsen’s book has shed an unbelievable amount of light on everything that happened in those two stories and why they are significant.

In addition to great books, I have had many great experiences just brought about by life. Not all of them have been pleasant but they have taught me that Heavenly Father is in charge…and that he loves us. I have learned so much about being a parent this year by following the pattern of our Heavenly Father and His parenting methods to me. I have learned much by the example of faithful saints with whom I have served.

Yesterday I attended the funeral of Steve McAllister, a man I greatly admired. After his funeral, and all the things that were said, I admire him even more. Steve was the Stake Clerk in the Holladay North Stake. I don’t know exactly how many years he served but he was the clerk while I was on the high council; under the leadership of two Stake Presidents.

A really great poem by Rudyard Kipling titled "The Sons of Martha" was read. It was one of Steve's favorites. It deals with the story of Mary and Martha in the New Testament and goes on to explain how some are destined to be "behind the scenes". It was very moving. That was Steve... happy to be a clerk. I have so much to learn.

The Sons of Martha
Rudyard Kipling 1907

The sons of Mary seldom bother, for they have inherited
that good part;
But the Sons of Martha favour their Mother of the
careful soul and the troubled heart.
And because she lost her temper once, and because she
was rude to the Lord her Guest,
Her Sons must wait upon Mary's Sons, world without
end, reprieve, or rest.
It is their care in all the ages to take the buffet and
cushion the shock.
It is their care that the gear engages; it is their care that
the switches lock.
It is their care that the wheels run truly; it is their care
to embark and entrain,
Tally, transport, and deliver duly the Sons of Mary by
land and main.

They say to mountains, "Be ye removed." They say to
the lesser floods, "Be dry."
Under their rods are the rocks reproved-they are not
afraid of that which is high.
Then do the hill-tops shake to the summit-then is the
bed of the deep laid bare,
That the Sons of Mary may overcome it, pleasantly
sleeping and unaware.
They finger death at their gloves' end where they piece
and repiece the living wires.
He rears against the gates they tend: they feed him hungry
behind their fires.
Early at dawn, ere men see clear, they stumble into
his terrible stall,
And hale him forth a haltered steer, and goad and turn
him till evenfall.
To these from birth is Belief forbidden; from these till
death is Relief afar.
They are concerned with matters hidden - under the
earthline their altars are-
The secret fountains to follow up, waters withdrawn to
restore to the mouth,
And gather the floods as in a cup, and pour them again
at a city's drouth.

They do not preach that their God will rouse them a
little before the nuts work loose.
They do not teach that His Pity allows them to drop
their job when they dam'-well choose.
As in the thronged and the lighted ways, so in the dark
and the desert they stand,
Wary and watchful all their days that their brethren's
day may be long in the land.

Raise ye the stone or cleave the wood to make a path
more fair or flat -
Lo, it is black already with blood some Son of Martha
spilled for that!
Not as a ladder from earth to Heaven, not as a witness
to any creed,
But simple service simply given to his own kind in their
common need.

And the Sons of Mary smile and are blessed - they
know the Angels are on their side.
They know in them is the Grace confessed, and for
them are the Mercies multiplied.
They sit at the Feet - they hear the Word - they see
how truly the Promise runs.
They have cast their burden upon the Lord, and - the
Lord He lays it on Martha's Sons!


Both Stake Presidents spoke at the funeral yesterday—President Steven J. Scott, and President David C. Marriott. Both men have been great influences in my life. President Scott was the stake president that called me to the high council. He is the greatest mentor I have had in my life. At a time of a serious trial in my life—he was my closest friend. I hope that I can be as faithful as he has been throughout my life. His wife Carol is equally wonderful. Both talks by both men were wonderful and I was blessed.

As the year draws to a close, I want all who are reading this blog to know that I know that our Heavenly Father lives and that He loves us. I know that His dear Son Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world. I know that we can be forgiven of our own sins and that we can forgive others through the example of the Savior.

May we all be better in the year to come!