Family Camp, Balsam CG, July 15-17, 2010

I am grateful for another wonderful family camp, with nearly every family member there. We missed David, Rebecca and their boys, Katrina who was heavily involved in school at BYU-I, and Heidi who in Romania with a BYU service program. Staci was able to come on Friday afternoon. Andrew's fiancee, Britain, joined us for a while on Friday.

Thanks to Matthew and Valerie for their pictures.

Interpreting personal revelation about choices

I believe the prophet Joseph once answered a question about the major difference between our Church and others, with the statement, “We have the Holy Ghost.” After we are baptized, each of us is entitled to personal direction from the Spirit for our lives and responsibilities. These revelations are sometimes clear but also can be subtle and difficult to understand or interpret. For example, the Book of Mormon tells us that a group of Lamanites “at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and knew it not.” (3 Nephi 9: 20)

I am thinking that there might be at least three types of answers or directions that arise from the Spirit, that it would be helpful to be ale to interpret correctly according to the Lord’s intent. One type is a warning of something not to do or say. Valerie has written well on this option as Mother's Spirit School- Lesson Five (Sunday, March 14, 2010). She identified feelings of discomfort, uneasiness, unrest as spiritual warnings of something to avoid. In my own life, I have most often experienced or identified this kind of spiritual reaction as I have begun to say something that might be seen as unkind or gossipy. I hope I am getting better at recognizing these kinds of feelings and acting on them correctly.

Positive answers are often experienced as feelings of peace or joy (for example, see Mosiah 4:2-3, where these feelings communicated forgiveness from God), or as a burning in the bosom (D&C 9:8). The following incident suggests that there might be two types of “Yes” answers. Paul Warner, in a BYU Education Week talk, described a situation in which a young man had been dating a young women that he really liked, had prayed to know if they should marry, and seemed to have received a positive answer to his prayers. However, the young women had rejected his proposal of marriage, in spite of his protestations that the Spirit had answered his prayers with direction that they should marry. The Church leader taught the lesson that the positive spiritual promptings meant that the Lord approved or “was OK” with this young man pursuing marriage with this particular girl, but did not communicate that she was the “one and only” for him and he for her, and did not compromise her freedom to choose or act for herself. (Paul R. Warner, “Divine Answers to Personal Concerns” BYU Eduation Week address, Aug 18, 1997 --http://www.byub.org/talks/Talk.aspx?id=1662)

In a similar vein, I recall the experience as Bishop of determining various callings to be extended to ward members. For major callings, especially those of executive positions (presidents of auxiliaries, Aaronic Priesthood presidents, other callings involving special needs) we sought for a burning, ringing confirmation regarding the specific person. On the other hand, we moved ahead with the majority of callings with a lessor spiritual witness. I do not recall making any calls about which I and my counselors did not believe we felt the peace of the spirit. However, we relied to a considerable extent on our own judgment as persons holding presiding keys, acting in the capacity to which we had been called, in order to maintain staffing across all church programs. We were cognizant that a number of ward members were available and could have performed these particular callings equally as well as those we called, and that the Lord would probably would have also consented to our using them in these capacities, but, in our judgment, the persons we selected were a good choices and our preferences at the time of call.

Therefore, I am suggesting that the Spirit may give to us two types of “Yes” answers. One is that the response by the Spirit identifies the only correct answer. This very action, or choice, or person is the Will of the Lord. No other correct option exists. The second “Yes” answer means something a little different, that the Lord accepts or supports your choice but your choice may be one among many that the Lord might affirm if asked.

Wolf Hollow missionaries

Here is a letter I sent to 10 missionaries currently serving from our Wolf Hollow 2nd ward. Some of them are pictured: Clay Kerecman, Cole Hunter, Brandon Davis, Steven Harding, and with his parents, Travis Reynolds. Other missionaries are Ryan Jackson, Max Livingston, Jason Simons, Brad Voorhees, Caleb West,

Dear Elder

Sister Lewis and I got back from our mission in Raleigh North Carolina a month ago and were so pleased and proud to see the number of missionaries from our ward who were a part of the Priests Quorum when I was privileged to be its advisor. The communication we received from the ward while we were away did not give much in the way of details about people and missionaries. We are excited to see so many missionaries and to hear your parents tell us of the fine service you are giving.

We are so proud of you for your service as a missionary. Our mission reminded us first-hand about the challenges you face and the determination and strength of character you must have to persevere. Also the joys.

We filled multi roles in our mission. During the week, we served the young missionaries as we had charge of cars and apartments, and had the blessing of interacting with them constantly. We loved them and enjoyed their commitment, testimonies, and desire to serve. We loved to hear of the miracles that they experienced as they did their work.

On weekends, we were the proselyting missionaries in a branch about 100 miles south east of Raleigh out in the farming country of NC. This was our greatest thrill. We developed wonderful relationships with the members of the branch, and experienced a couple of baptisms, several reactivations, and one couple being sealed in the Raleigh temple. In addition to teaching the standard missionary lessons, we were able to teach the Gospel Principles lesson manual in its entirety in the Sunday School and also the Temple Preparation lessons. We have two more couples we worked with who should be ready by the end of the summer to be sealed in the temple.

We were excited to find Trevor Randolph speaking in Sacrament meeting yesterday, and to be entering the MTC this week preparatory to going to the Korea Pusan mission. We also understand that Jace Johnson is in the process of submitting mission papers.

Is there anything we can do to help and support you in your missionary labors? I am extremely grateful for the association I have had with you and hope and pray that the Lord will continue to be with you.

Love, Brother Lewis

Owlz game

We took the whole gang, along with Scott, to an Orem Owlz game Thursday evening. We sat on the grassy hillside, which doubles as General Admission seating. The little kids enjoyed the play area, and Holden interacted with Hoot. The Owlz won 7-6, with a rally in the 9th inning.

Christopher birthday party

Thursday afternoon we held a birthday party for Christopher, who was turning five years old. Alison and sisters were still at Girl's Camp and he was in Spanish Fork with Valerie and us. We had brownies and Oreo cookie ice cream, made by Grandma Wendy with some help by Holden. Christopher blew out five candles and opened some presents and seemed to have a good time.

Payson temple site

On our way back home from The Grotto, we drove by the site for the new Payson temple. It is supposed to be planned for this field on the west side of the town. We clocked the time and distance from our Spanish Fork home: 10 miles and 14 minutes.

Hike to the Grotto

Thursday morning, July 8th, our whole group hiked to The Grotto in Payson Canyon. I was touched that Christopher seemed to want support and held my hand all of the 1/4 mile trail up to the falls.

On a warm day, the hike was cool and most of the kids colled off further in the creek or water falls.

Family visits

The Chandler's arrived at Grandma Bell's in Draper on Sunday evening. Meanwhile a favorite relative of Wendy's was visiting in Salt Lake. This is Wendy's sister Sue's daughter, Kimberly Fulkerson, and family. We attended a family picnic at Sugarhouse park Monday evening, where I met them for the first time and Wendy had a happy reunion. As a teenager, Wendy baby-sat Kimberly, and in turn Kimberly tended Wendy's older children when they were small before she married and moved away. They currently live in Springfield IL. In the pictures we see Kimberly, her husband Glenn, and their five children, Kaitlyn, Ashley, Maddy, Thomas, and Benjamin.

Pictures show Kimberly's family together and with Grandma Annette, and also four generations of girls, Annette, Sue, Kimberly, and daughters

Valerie arrived at our place in Spanish Fork with eight boys as we arrived back home from Salt Lake, her four youngest and also the four youngest Soderquists.

Talk at baptism for Aaron Soderquist, etc.

When I was 8 years old, I was looking forward to my baptism. The months went by and all of a sudden I was nine years old and hadn’t been baptized. My mother told me later that my father (who was not a member of the Church) didn’t want me to be baptized until, as He said it, “I was old enough to make the choice by myself.” I began to say in my prayers each night, “Please help me to be able to be baptized.”

Months and years went by. We lived an hour’s drive away from the branch and didn’t get there too often. Still I had the desire and kept the wish to be baptized in my prayers. When I was 17 years old, the week after I had graduated form high school, the President of the branch visited us, and said, “We have reserved the baptism font at the Hood River Ward next Saturday. Why don’t you come and get baptized?” Somehow we got there and I did get baptized. I felt so clean and pure. For a few days it was like I was walking around two feet off the floor.

As I thought back about those years, I wondered, “Why did I feel so strongly about being baptized?” The answer is that I knew in my heart that was what God wanted me to do. Here are three important things I have learned about my baptism, and they are also true for you.

First, I wanted to be a member of Heavenly Father’s church. Baptism is the way to become a Church member. I recall being frustrated when I reached age nine unbaptized, because, as I understood it, I would then be classified as a convert when I was baptized. I identified myself as always being a member and wanted it to be official. You lucky guys. You are able to get baptized today. You are making promises to God and he is making promises to you. You are becoming members of Heavenly Father’s Church.

Second, I felt vulnerable when I wasn’t baptized. What if something happened to me and I wasn’t baptized? I needed to have my sins washed away through the atonement of Christ. I worried about not being able to be clean and return to God’s presence. Forgiveness is a great blessing to you. You have reached a point where you know right from wrong and are becoming accountable for your sins. We all make mistakes. After being baptized if you sin and then repent, Christ will pay the price for your sin and you can again be forgiven. You will have this blessing for you entire life if you continue to repent as you make mistakes and seek for forgiveness from Heavenly Father.

Third, I needed the gift of the Holy Ghost to give my life direction. I didn’t begin to really understand this until after I was baptized and received that gift. All of a sudden things were different in my life. I felt an influence that had not been present before prompting me about things I should do–where and when to go to college, what things were most important for me to fulfill my purposes. You will receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost today. It can be a wonderful blessing to you, just as it has been for me. You will need to listen for its promptings and keep your life pure to have this gift with you always.

I know these things are true. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Two new temples

While in Salt Lake for doctor's appointments, we did an endowment session at each of the new Salt Lake Valley temples, Draper on the 17th and Oquirrh Mountain today. And we enjoyed being the witness couple at today's session.

They each are so beautiful. We were surprised at their elevations which afforded a terrific view out over the valley. This is especially true for the Oquirrh temple from which we could see downtown, the U on the mountain, all across the SL valley from north to south, Timp, Cascade Peak, Maple Mt., Loafer Peak and Mt. Nebo.

The spaciousness was impressive-- tall, roomy ordinance rooms. And the mountain mural scenes in the ordinance rooms were lovely. And how about the double grand staircase in the Oquirrh temple?

A week at the cabin

Last week was cabin week. We got up there Monday afternoon and stayed until Saturday. We had visitors most of the time. Olivia and Jack were delivered there by their mom on Tuesday afternoon and picked up Saturday about noon. On Wednesday Scott and Emilie came up, bringing up their kids family, plus Erin, Jeremy, Joshua, and Brianna. It took two cars. The Lewis kids were with us while Matthew and Kim, Alyssa, and Megan participated in a Stake youth conference pioneer trek. Scott left Thursday morning to go to work and Emilie took their family home that evening. We had the Lewis kids with us until we left the cabin and got them home in the late afternoon Saturday.

We hope to have most all of the families with us at the cabin this summer in small groups and see this as a good way to get re-acquainted with the children.

Back home to our doctors

Our various doctors are starting to play “catch-up” now that we are home again. We began with Dr. Bradley, our dermatologist, who is doing biopsies on spots on our faces. We have yet to work with our cardiologist, proctologist, urologist, internist, gynecologist, and multiple GPs. We hope they don’t have too much more fun at our expense.

Resting with dear ones in God's kingdom

Wendy and I had an experience a few days ago, one that happens occasionally while studying the scriptures together with someone else, in which our thoughts and understandings leapfrogged forward together from idea to idea to give us important and delicious insights into gospel truths. This spiritual awakening centered around our understanding and application of the term “entering into the rest of God.”

Wendy was driving the car and I was reading a conferences talk aloud, specifically the April 2010 Priesthood Session talk by Elder Rasband about missionary work (THE DIVINE CALL OF A MISSIONARY, Elder Ronald A. Rasband). He concluded by citing the Lord’s answer to a question raised by the Whitmer brothers to the prophet Joseph: “For many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you. And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father.” (Doctrine and Covenants 15:6; 16:6)

Wendy recalled a scriptural insight that I had shared just prior to our leaving for our mission, while working in the Provo temple. I had been assigned that month to work at the veil for a period of a couple of hours. This means that I, along with a number of other brethren, would need to be available to help patrons come through the veil at the end of each endowment session. In the Provo temple, these sessions are scheduled to end about 20 minutes apart. Typically it takes about 8-10 minutes to do this work for each session; then the workers sit together along a back hall waiting for the next session to finish. There are copies of the Book of Mormon available to study while waiting. I found that it was profitable to come back to the same scripture over and over during these brief periods of study.

I had been reading repetitively from Alma chapter 13 (actually 12:26 through the end of 13) over the course of several days and session breaks, when a new meaning came to me regarding the idea of the “rest of God.” This was a chapter whose meaning had always seemed obscure to me, but this new insight opened to me significant understandings not previously available. The insight was this: I had always assumed that the concept of entering into God’s rest referred to being saved in the kingdom of heaven after this life is over. (Alma 13:29 gives this meaning clearly.) The thought came to me that this phrase might have an additional meaning that pertains to this life–the here and now. I got this insight particularly from verse 6, where the prophet Alma is stating how men qualify for the priesthood. Their purpose in the priesthood is to teach others the commandments of God that these persons may enter into God’s rest, just as they themselves have already experienced this state: "And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest." (Alma 13:6)

The word “also” is the key, which communicates the truth that you cannot give someone else something that you do not already have. In this case, it seems that a man must have already “entered into the rest of God” in order to qualify to receive the priesthood and to be able to teach others those things that would qualify them to ALSO enter into God’s rest.

What might it mean then, to enter into God’s rest in a temporal sense? Scattered through Alma chapters 12 and 13 seem to be descriptions of this state:
“have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins” (12:34)
[have received a] “preparatory redemption” (13:3)
“being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God” (13:12)
“establish peace in the land” (13:18)
“be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering; Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts” (13:28-29)

A person entering into this temporal state of rest appears to be having experienced something of the redemptive power of the Savior, knowing a forgiveness of sins and experiencing the Spirit’s peace, joy, and love.

But what does it mean to “rest” with someone else in God’s kingdom in this temporal sense, as noted in the Lord’s instruction to the Whitmers? Wendy and I considered the added joys to be had when experiencing these blessings mutually with persons you have helped to become converted to the Gospel. We though of our love for Todd and Tabatha and their love for us and how we felt when with them. We mentioned how easy the relationship felt, the lack of stress or tension as we interacted, that a perfect unity seemed to exist, a “happy reunion and sweetest communion.” (The Day Dawn is Breaking, hymnal, p. 52)

We noted Alma’s joyful reunion with the sons of Mosiah as they were returning from 14 years of missionary work among the Lamanites: “Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren: and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth...” (Alma 17:2) These missionaries also rejoiced in their relationships with their Lamanite converts: ”Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name... For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla, these our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would still... have been strangers to God.” (Alma 26:8-9)

Wendy and I then shared this insight, “We have this kind of secure, loving, joyful unity with many others.” We started to name some–other people in Mt. Zion and from previous wards and from our temple callings, our Lewis sons and daughters and their spouses and older children, Wendy’s siblings and their spouses, my sister Dorothy, many of the missionaries both young and senior with whom we served in North Carolina, etc.

We are grateful for these spiritual insights, but more especially, the opportunity to live out their application in our relationships with many wonderful people.

New church assignments

The ward and stake moved pretty quickly to put us back to work in the Church. We each got some assignments Sunday. Starting July, Wendy has a visiting teaching district with three families. I also received a home teaching assignment. They gave me and my companion only one family, but the people look like they need us quite a lot, so maybe one family will be enough for us.

I got two other assignments on Sunday. First, I was asked by the ward Emergency Preparedness leader to again be a Block Captain for the ward's program. Second, the Stake President's Second Counselor asked me to serve as a Scouting Unit Commissioner in this stake. In well-run Stakes and Scouting Districts, Unit Commissioners are assigned as aides to a small number of scouting units. In this case I will have two wards to help, support, offer training and encouragement, etc. regarding the functioning of their Troops, Varsity Teams, and Venturing Crews.

We also made a commitment to support the ward choir. There is a lot of talent in the leadership of the choir and we are believing that it will be a gratifying experience. The director is Bruce Seely, who has just completed a 5 year stint as a member of the Tabernacle Choir and is very experienced musically. Professionally, he is a host/announcer for a classical music program for KBYU-FM. The choir accompanist is Don Cook, who is a professor in the BYU music department, teaching organ.

Some things we learned on our mission

1) The Book of Mormon is foundational to our testimonies of the truthfulness of the restored Gospel. It provides “convincing evidence” that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and, by extension, that this is God’s true Church and Thomas S. Monson is God’s prophet today.

2) Better that any other writing, the Book of Mormon answers the “great questions of the soul” and through its study and application, enables us to get closer to God. Especially significant as evidence of the latter is the obtaining of a spiritual witness that one has a remission of sins and is currently on the path to eternal life, through the restored Gospel.

3) There is great joy in teaching the gospel, particularly in telling the stories of and testifying about the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the restoration of the Gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith

4) A wonderful bond of love develops with persons you helped to receive the Gospel.

5) The object of all of our work is not simply to get people into the Church but to get them to the temple. The temple ceremonies and covenants are extensions of and enlarge upon the covenant of baptism. The temple deepens our desire and ability to take his name upon us, to always remember him, and keep his commandments. Through worshipping in the temple, and through "honorably holding a name and standing in the temple", we may become “established” in God’s kingdom for ourselves and for all family generations. (D&C 109:24)

6) Where love exists in marriages and families, the temple provides the ultimate support and enhancement to this love. Every great love story needs and deserves the temple.

7) The Lord is in charge and very directly involved with this work, miracles happen constantly around us, and we need to see them and recognize them.

8) Missionaries are most effective when they allow the Spirit to direct their work. Spiritual direction comes best when we actively seek answers to specific questions. Along with the scriptures, conferences and the temple are important sources of revelation, especially if we go early to ponder, ask, and seek.

9) Most of the young missionaries have wonderful commitments to the work. They are obedient, diligent, and full of faith.

10) We learned that there is a higher level of appreciativeness and service, based upon the examples of the young missionaries, to observe and readily express gratitude for the many things that others do for us, and to constantly ask others what we call our NCRM missionaries' Golden Question: “What can we do for you?”

11) Senior missionaries can do a tremendous amount of good, but there is a big shortage of applicants. In the North Carolina Raleigh Mission, during the time we were out, the Church could never supply the mission with its full quota.

12) Seniors will never go on missions if they wait until all obstacles are overcome. The way to be able to go is to commit to the Lord to serve a mission as soon as possible, then let the Lord clear the way.

13) We developed greater love for and understanding of our Lewis family North Carolina and southern roots, including:

• Southern country culture, foods, speech, flowers, trees, etc.
• North Carolina contributions to our nation’s history
• Revolutionary and Civil War battles and sites
• Local geography and places where our ancestors lived
• Specific family history details and resources
• Acquaintanceship with wonderful distant cousins
• History of missionary work and growth of the Church in Eastern North Carolina

[Our talks in Sacrament meeting in the Wolf Hollow 2nd ward on June 13th and our testimonies to the Spanish Fork South Stake High Council on June 17th were mostly centered on these items.]