Bulgarian Rose

Yesterday was a very interesting day of sorts.  I had a busy day planned, but things fell into place in ways I wasn't expecting.

A sweet friend brought me a very exquisite gift.  I don't know that I can convey how much it means to me.  She served a church mission in Bulgaria, and later married a man from there, and he joined her in the States.  When she came to visit me yesterday, she brought me a small vial of Bulgarian Rose oil, held in a Bulgarian Muskal.

There is a lot of grey area in the world of essential oils.  I'm really not much of an expert in this area, however I understand minimal basics.  To purchase a vial of 100% absolute is very expensive. The company I work with values a 5 mL bottle of their Bulgarian Rose Absolute at over $375.  However they don't sell it; they offer it as a sales incentive to those who reach a certain level of sales.  I am not keen on stressing over those things, so I have never earned it.  However my friend bringing me this Muskal with Rose Oil in it is more valuable to me than had I done the work to earn the more potent version, because there is friendship attached to it.  It is a true, heartfelt gift, which words cannot describe.

Rose is well known for being one, if not the highest vibrational oil on the planet.  Symbolically it represents Divine Love, and helps one connect in feeling that Diving Love.  (See Emotions & Essential Oils for more info.)  Tonight I used it as inspired, to assist my efforts in clearing out negative influences, and the felt the Savior cleanse my body.  It was certainly something I would consider anointed oil.

Oils are such a precious gift.  My friend likely had no idea of the significance this gift would hold for me, but she played a very instrumental part in real Christ-centered healing.  Thank you friend.  Thank you Jesus.  What precious gifts You bestow.  <3 

Spiritual Gifts and Talents

This past summer my family went to a family reunion about 2 hours away, and we got to attend a small local church.  Our family literally doubled the number in attendance, and got to really participate.  The lesson was on gifts of the spirit, but the congregation interpreted it mostly to be about talents, and offering to share talents with the church.  The take away was that there, if someone had a talent, it'd be a good idea to speak up about it and let it shine.

In my ward here, growing up there were few pianists, so since I was 12 or so I had an opportunity to play in church, whether it were just for the Young Women, or sometimes in sacrament meeting.  As a college student home on summer break, I would once in awhile get asked to play the organ (not my main instrument), and learned to adjust.  But it's been almost three years since I had a music-based calling, plus a cross-country move, and people have moved into our ward and most people forgot that I even played, so it was a surprise to a lot of folks when I got called as an asst. organist a few weeks ago.  I get to trade off and on with another organist.  

Well our building got upgraded a few years ago, and I'm not trained on the new organ, with 50+ buttons and stops.  (Who knew it was desirable to play the English Horn on your organ???)  So since the start of the year, I've been up there trying to just find out where the volume pedal is, and kinda feeling like a buffoon when I couldn't even get the basic sound I wanted.  Someone offered to get a more experienced organist up to help me figure things out, and while I didn't want her to know how ignorant I was, I accepted the offer.  So this seasoned organist shows me a few things, and WOW, what a difference!  From there on I was able to go to town, and really enjoyed playing.

Again yesterday, another organist friend (also a counselor in the Stake Presidency) was around and I asked him to help me find the buttons that the lady had shown me previously (yeah, I forgot from week to week!  It turns out the buttons toggle on both the top AND bottom.  I was only pushing on the top...)   Again, had even more of a blast.  Playing the organ!!!  I never thought it was my my thing, but I seriously loved it.

I'm sharing this because I really loved an example I heard Denver Snuffer share about mowing the lawn in Zion.  (Can't recall if I saw it on his blog or read it in a book.)  In Zion, he explains, one might feel inclined to mow the lawn, and love it so much that he keeps on mowing into his neighbor's lawn.  And so on and so on until he feels content and pretty much mowed the whole neighborhood and then some.  Can you imagine if that were how church were?  To sit and play music and learn/master a new instrument, just because you feel like it?  Or to stay at the church, studying scripture or visiting as long as you want, without worry of vacating the space?

What would you do, if you had all the time in the world, and no worries or pressure?  What gift or talent or service would you volunteer to go to town on?  And is this remotely related to any calling you have now?  How would church be, if it were small and quaint like the one we visited last summer, and you had to stretch and grow in the service of a calling that you chose, because you simply desired it?  I really love this idea.

For added fun, I must share.  Two Sundays ago, I realized if I really wanted to master the sound, I'd have to learn to start playing the pedals.  The only problem was that I couldn't see them because of my skirt.  So guess who's wearing pants to church!!!  First time in my life and I have never had such a fun time at church as I did yesterday.  I almost sat Indian style in Relief Society too, but didn't want to make my friend jealous that she had to sit in a skirt.  That is, after all, my favorite way to sit.  Maybe next week.

And for your viewing pleasure, a most amazing organ performance.  Enjoy!

A Quote about Ralphie

Something to remember: 

"... And remember that the Three Wise Men giving gifts to Jesus when he was dead broke is not a precedent for us to give expensive gifts to each other. If we are actually going to follow the scriptures, we will give gifts to the impoverished rather than continue an anti-Christian tradition of transforming our kids into frothing Ralphies who long for a Red Rider BB gun far more than they long for the love of Christ."  

The First Vision

One of the core principles or lessons taught by LDS missionaries is the story of the "First Vision", where Joseph Smith saw God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.  (If you'd like to read more about it, I'm quite certain you can learn more at www.mormon.org.  I'm assuming most readers of this post are already familiar with the full account of what happened, so I'll proceed accordingly.)  People can agree or disagree as to the truth of that vision, whether or not it happened, or whether or not they believe Joesph.  I believe him, but regardless of that, I want to discuss what he said he was taught, and some principles behind it.

In the year 1820, Joseph went into a grove of trees near his home in Palmyra, NY, to ask God in prayer a simple question: Which church do I join?  His experience was anything but ordinary, and he shares that he experienced a stifling power overtake him, which attempted to destroy him.  Only in calling out for God to save him from this unseen power was he relieved of it, and was next presented with a visitation from God the Father and Jesus, His Son (as I noted above).

This past week I have had opportunity to share my thoughts with a family member about my thoughts relating to this vision.  I am quite perplexed.  I am a Mormon, and I believe in visions.  I believe in healings, miracles, spiritual gifts of diverse kinds.  I believe that there is an unseen world, and we can be affected for good or ill by those within that realm.  I believe that most Mormons believe likewise, or at least purport to believe so.

Despite me believing that, doesn't mean it's true.  Not all Mormons appear to believe in these things.  How do I know?

It seems that the belief of many Latter-day Saints is that the president of the LDS Church is the only one entitled to have or experience such things.  As a young adult, I felt so strongly that psychics or mediums were "of the devil", and I remember distinctly sharing with my friend's mom that going to a psychic was unacceptable.  Anything similarly related to skills of a psychic (foretelling the future, as in prophecy) were likewise considered taboo to be avoided.

Do I still feel the same?  No.  Granted, I'm not calling up "Miss Hilda" on her 1-900 number in Jamaica.  But I have had occasion to meet people with spiritual gifts that some would call "psychic".  Do I think they're evil, or of the devil?  Absolutely not.  Does that mean they're perfect?  Or that because they can see things the rest of us can't see, they must be somehow more elect or chosen by God?  I don't think so.  I think it's a gift – a marvelous one – but we all receive unique gifts.  Some are just less visible than others.

What does this have to do with Joseph Smith?  Joseph was a visionary man, much like Lehi.  Also like Nephi, Alma, Abinadi, Moses, Noah, Moroni... the list goes on and on.  Do I think that the Bible and/or Book of Mormon are the only records that have any account of living prophets?  Or do I think that if it's not in those books, then it can't be true?  No way!  Do I think that anyone can receive the gift of visions, tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc?  God willing, yes!

So why are we Mormons, Christians, so skeptical when someone says they have had a vision?  Or that they can see spirits?  Or that they can see someone's history or even their future by looking at them?  Why do we label them, medicate them, and call them schizophrenic?  I'm just curious, how this came to be.

If Joseph Smith walked up to us in our day, would we Mormons honestly believe him?  Would we sell our homes, move westward, and gather?  Would we study the words he was able to translate more fervently, if he still had a mortal body?  Would we take it more seriously?  Any of it?

Just curious.     

Ammon, descendant of Zarahelma

It's been fascinating to read the Book of Mormon in a relatively fast manner.  It's allowed me to grasp things through different glasses.  There's a section in Mosiah and into Alma where there's a bit of a "flashback", where so many different stories are told quite quickly, and it's often been hard for me to keep them straight.  I hope to record on here some notes to keep the stories a bit more clear in my mind.

One thing I caught yesterday in Mosiah 7:3 was the description about Ammon.  Often when we take lazy perspectives on the Book of Mormon, we just assume that most of the main characters are descendants of Lehi, and then Nephi as well.  They're all lumped into the label "Nephites" for general reference.

In regards to Ammon, we learn that he is "a descendant of Zarahemla" –a Mulekite.  For the reference chain on this, read Mosiah 7:3, Omni 1:14-15, and Mosiah 25:2.  (If you click on Mos. 7:3, there's a hyperlink that'll lead you to Omni, then to Mosiah.  Cool!)  That means he was a descendant of Mulek, son of Zedekiah, king of Judah.  He was not of the descent of the family of Lehi. 

Ammon and about 40 others, to include his three brothers, were sent to find the people of Zeniff, who left Zarahemla about 79 years prior to settle in the land of Lehi-Nephi.  When they encountered Limhi and his guards, they (Ammon & bros.) were taken, bound, and imprisoned for several days. 

(The Lamanite King before King Limhi, by Minerva Teichert)

Upon giving an opportunity to speak with Limhi again, they all basically get reintroduced.  We learn of Limhi's background, but *thus far* there is nothing spoken to say if he's a Nephite or Mulekite.  I'm excited to read the account that was kept from Zeniff down to Limhi, and learn more about what went on! 

~Jen:)