some good stuff

I was taking the week off from blogging, but I read some cool stuff last night I wanted to share.

The first is this nugget from the April Ensign, pages 16-22, Elder Bateman's talk:

" I wish to illustrate. . .that living faithfully and serving with all one's heart, might, mind, and strength are really functions of steadily enduring, of doing one's best each day, in contrast to great bursts of energy that one tries to prolong."

"To serve with full direction of heart is to serve with full purpose of heart. The concern is with direction not speed. . . . What counts is one's desire and determination, not an extraordinary burst of energy. Although the Lord expects us to do our best, He is looking for steady candle power on a hill and not bright flashes in the sky that briefly illuminate, then fade."


I am loving the book, The Backslider, by Levi Peterson. It's full of wisdom, here are a few of teh ruminations of the main character, Frank Windham:

"He carried the scriptures in the glove compartment, and every day at lunchtime he read from the Book of Mormon. . .He could see he had a bad spirit because he didn't like Nephi, who was the humblest man on earth."

(Having a conversation with Nathan, an old ranch hand, at a funeral) Nathan said: "What I can't hardly believe is I'm going to die poor. I've lived the gospel all my life, I've responded to the call of the authorities; I've said my prayers and been good to my neighbors. And what do I have to show for it?"

"They were alone in the cemetery. The wind had already to grizzle with snow the red clay of Salsifer's grave. Frank couldn't get over Nathan's envy of Salsifer, his lust for worldy vanities. Frank was jolted and scared. The living were in graves as much as the dead. Everyone who who breathed was locking in a coffin, was hugged to the dark silence of the gravelly earth. "

And the last few pages are wonderful, they tell of Frank's talk with Cowboy Jesus:

"It was Jesus, his face as kind as the August dawn.

'You're lost,' he said.

Ashamed, Frank cast his eyes downward.

'It's not much of anything.'

(Jesus) 'It isn't any bother. Hearing your griefs is my business. Go ahead and tell me."

And they have a gentle conversation and ends with Frank making the conclusion: "Jesus is kind."

It's a really wonderful book. I've got it dog eared already and I'm going back with a red pen.

This is the joy of blogging for me, finding stuff like this.