Bev Psalm 64: Gathering

 

In the storms of our life have we gathered

   sufficient meat to sustain us?

The meat of the gospel, not milk.

Do we feast on the deeper meaning of words

   spoken by prophets ancient and living?

Jeremiah foretold the gathering in our day.

The seeds planted in far-flung parts of the world

   have sprung forth and missionaries are sent.

They are fishers of men.

Anciently Jesus called fishermen to be His apostles.

Today apostles lead, guide, and invite us to go up

   unto the mountain of the Lord, His house, the temple.

Do we remember who we came from

Honoring our forefathers, then providing them with

   opportunities to learn of Jesus Christ, their Savior

   performing work for them that they cannot do

   for themselves?

After the fishers have found us, let us hunt ancestors

   from every mountain, hill and hole in the rock.

These holes in the rocks once were tombs

   cut in stone, now are stones over gravesites.

FindaGrave and Billion Graves help us to be

   hunters of our deceased families.

Their calling was to multiply and replenish the earth

   giving God’s spirit children bodies, to be tried,

   and tested to see if they would do whatever

   God commanded.

The desire of my heart is to find every baby

   that died young during years where the storms

   of life included rudimentary medical care,

   plagues, illnesses, accidents, even murder.

Widespread wars, the deceit of conspiring men

   felled many family trees, leaving no boughs

   or branches, only roots.

The computer now helps us hunt, threshing

   mountains of data, to find the one.

We gather scattered Israel, one family at a time.

Onto the ship of the gospel to be safely

   gathered in to weather life’s hurricanes.

Bev Psalm 63: Emojis and Glyphs

We use glyphs every day to show an idea, thought or word in emojis:

   thumbs up, praying hands, smiley face or hearts.

Similarly, a glyph may be an inscribed pictograph, like what I saw engraved on

   rock faces at Saguaro National Park West in Picture Rocks, Arizona.

Nephi’s name, shown on Stela 5 at Izapa, Chiapas, Mexico is a seated scribe.

I relate to that image as I sit in my revelatory recliner.

The word Nephi means grain or maize after what he brought by a ship

   he built and sailed to the new world.

Legends are stories of old that become imbedded in a society.

Lehi’s glyph means jawbone. He opens his mouth to speak

   the inspired words of prophet.

What is your glyph?

Mine is a bee; like Deborah of old, whose name means bee,

   she sat under a palm tree.

My palm trees grow in the courtyard and I view them through

   glass patio sliding doors.

My tent is an apartment on the ground floor of a huge complex.

Now, I sit, I write and create.

I am a keeper of records, more  digitally, no longer on paper.

What do my psalms bring to the world; what “small means” of these

   can the Lord use to bring about great things?

Understanding the past brings the present into focus and makes

   the future a little clearer. Is that prophecy?

Oh Lord hear the words of my mouth.

My tent and palm trees in the desert

Bev Psalm 62: Into the Wilderness

 

Bev Psalms are the story of God’s hand in my life

   leading, guiding and directing me.

When our daughter was four, we moved to

   Kwajalein because of my husband’s new job.

2,000 miles West across the country.

2200 miles further across the Pacific Ocean.

To live on an island 2 ½ miles long and a

   ½ mile wide.

A speck of land in a very large ocean.

We traveled from today over the dateline into tomorrow.

Separated from family and friends,

   I turned to the Lord.

A miracle occurred here in my wilderness

   during the four years we lived in this isolated spot.

Hours were spent reading and studying

   the scriptures every morning.

I began an in-depth study of my patriarchal blessing.

My compass pointed toward Jesus Christ,

   The North Star, the Bright Morning Star.

Whether a Liahona, a compass or the Holy Ghost

   leads you along your personal covenantal path,

What hidden treasures will you discover?

Bev Psalm 61: Olive Branch Records

If a branch of tree olive tree is broken off and

   transplanted in another part of the Lord’s vineyard,

And the Book of Mormon is the story of one such branch

   planted on the American continent,

Reason suggests there must be other branches planted elsewhere.

Other sheep in another folds.

Christ visited them because they are all God’s children.

They have records, too.

One day as scattered Israel is fully gathered

   more will be revealed to the faithful.

Already the Doctrine and Covenants and the

   Pearl of Great Price are ours.

When we treasure up the revelations in the

   Bible and these other records,

We will receive more.

Nephi told of one such branch of the olive tree.

Olive oil is used for light, medicine, food and anointing.

It is sacred.

Gethsemane, the “olive press,” was chosen by the

   Savior for the place to begin His atonement.

Nephi saw the destruction of his own people

   yet, the story goes on and there is hope.

God’s plan of happiness, sheds forth a brilliant light

   to all the world.

He promises if we ask in faith, keeping the commandments,

   all things will be made known

In this, the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times

We will receive strength from the True Vine

Christ is our Tree of Light

We will be one fold with one shepherd.

Isaiah’s words are being fulfilled, the restoration has come.

We are nevermore to be confounded.

Let us fall down and worship Him,

Walk uprightly on the covenant path and

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

 

Bev Psalm 60: Politics, Pride and Money

Everywhere I look there are ads

Elections are in November

I promised my husband that I’d always vote

   even though when he was alive, we’d cancel

   each other’s vote out.

How did politics get this complicated.

When I was in high school we held Girl’s State.

You had to campaign, select a slogan, write a

   piece of legislation, gather others to your cause.

Now when someone’s elected, they think the same way.

You’ve got to write legislation or have a proposition.

As a voter you have to decide.

From an older person’s perspective, it came down to

   Money and pride.

It was no different 2600 years ago. Lehi had to let go of

   Gold, silver, precious things and his land of inheritance.

Pride in being the oldest, blinded Laman, primogeniture

   became the common law for thousands of years.

There’s no money in the desert.

It’s too hot to even complain or demonstrate.

Now I have to read all the pros and cons.

Research a candidate’s life and philosophy.

Prayer is the final step of yes or no, or a

   check in the box to vote for or against.

But a promise is a promise. I’ll vote early.

Only God knows the right choices,

   the beginning from the end.

He said, Ask and ye shall receive answers.

Just do it!

 

Bev Psalm 59: Look!

 

Nine times Nephi was told to “Look!”

Four pages and he saw because he had

   desired to know the meaning of Lehi’s dream.

He saw Nazareth and a virgin, the mother of the

   Son of God.

The tree was the love of God, His beloved Son,

   Jesus Christ.

Look, he saw the rod was the word of God

   leading to the Fountain of Living Waters

   and another name for The Tree of Life.

He saw the Redeemer of the World and the

   prophet John who would baptize Him;

   twelve followed Him.

He saw angels ministering to the children of men.

Look! Jesus went forth to heal, and caste out devils.

Oh my, he saw the Son of God, judged of the world,

   lifted upon the cross for our sins.

   Pride ruled the wise of the world. He was shown

   the destruction of all who fought against the twelve.

He saw us on the land of promise where

   Lamanites and Nephites would battle.

   great mountains would fall, rocks rent, plains

   raised, cities burned or sunk into the sea.

What might we see, if this were to be?

   The heavens opened, the Lamb of God descended,

   twelve apostles chosen, judges in Israel.

Is the second coming foretold? Our apostle, a judge?

Finally, he saw generations of righteousness pass

   into battles because of the temptations of the devil

   and vain imaginings and pride of hardened hearts.

The final ending, beheld, leaving a dark and loathsome

   remnant, idle and doomed.

Now we must Look unto Christ

Behold the snares laid to entrap us

Beware of pride and idleness and

Look to live in His righteousness.

Bev Psalm 58: Glory in the Desert

I want to see and know all the things Lehi saw.

Like Nephi of old, it is the desire of my heart.

They wrote of them on plates of ore

Such a hard and difficult task of engraving.

My journal is paper and my pen a BIC

How easy it is for me.

Then here on a blog that no one sees

I record my insights from four pages daily reading

   in the Book of Mormon

A psalm because God Commanded it.

The Lord knows the beginning and the end

Somewhere in the middle I know He will

Prepare a way for my psalms to mean something.

Here I can testify that the Messiah came.

Jesus Christ, our Savior, will come again.

In the wilderness of my cyberspace

I help prepare the world for His second coming.

My desert, my wilderness.

The Holy Ghost has made manifest that

Lehi’s desert is beautiful because the

Lord reveals Himself there!

My desert is beautiful because He has

Spoken to me amidst the thorns and thistles,

   Rocks and sand;

As I reside in my revelatory recliner

Seeking to see as they saw

The Lord in all His glory in a desert.

Bev Psalm 57: Gospel Fruit

Love, Share and Invite

Prophets call to all of God’s children.

Partake of His love.

Take action, walk on His covenant path.

Reading scriptures daily, brings knowledge.

Shun the world and it’s beckoning lusts.

Be not ashamed of pointing fingers.

Leave the world behind; you must!

Love your family enough to share.

Share with friends and with

   those whom you care.

The glorious fruit of God’s love is bright

Glowing, illuminating His path for you.

Invite all to taste the sweetest fruit

Like a prophet’s declared

Do this and you’ll find joy and happiness.

But, sharing with loved ones

   on both sides of the veil,

Brings even greater joy as they

Partake of the delicious fruit of the gospel.

Lehi and Sariah offer Fruit to Family

Bev Psalm 56: My Father’s Tent

A mother who mourned that her sons were lost,

   complained of her husband as a visionary man.

When they returned safely, comforted, she knew that

   The Lord had protected her sons while on His errand.

All rejoiced and gave thanks, praising the Lord.

They were home again with their parents

   who dwelt in a tent.

Tents became a symbol for Zion our home.

Stakes were firmly grounded to hold up the large tent.

Ropes were fastened to poles and the entire

   structure was raised.

There were rugs and dividers creating many rooms

   in the father’s mansion.

Ancient people on the American continent traditionally

   have lived in tents.

Mobility to move in times of winter, war or

   community needs were necessary.

Tents and temples are raised and built around the

   world where needed.

Saints now gather, unified in stakes, to support

   the higher covenants of the gospel

   found in our Father’s house, Holiness to the Lord.

Children wander and play

Mothers worry and rejoice

All return to the Father’s tent.

Bev Psalm 55: A Hallowed Cave

Why did Jesus live in deserts?

My desert in Arizona is like the desert

   on the Arabian Peninsula.

Why is keeping records so important?

Personal journals contain inspired writing.

Prophets record not only the law and commandments,

   but also what God wills for future generations.

The plates from a family leader, record Lehi’s

   genealogies and records from the tribe of Joseph.

Sacred stories in the language of the fathers so that

   their progeny will know the law and commandments.

Deserts, records, family writings, all necessary;

A sacrifice was needed to save thousands

   who follow the Savior, from the entire world.

We will benefit from the beatings the older brothers

   gave Nephi in a cave in the desert.

Their anger was due to pride; not recognizing the

   Lord’s calling their little brother as a teacher and

   ruler over them.

That cave where they’d fearfully fled to in the desert

   from wicked Laban’s soldiers, became hallowed by

   an angel appearing to stop the abuse.

Like the Capulets and Montagues, the Hatfields and the

   McCoys, a family blood-feud begins here between the

   Lamanites and the Nephites;

Their story continues throughout the Book of Mormon.

A battle between wickedness and righteousness

A battle between darkness and light.

One man, Laban, died so that a nation might be born.

A symbolic sword of Laban made of gold and tempered steel

   not only cuts off the head of the serpent,

But becomes the double-edged metaphor of God’s words

   cutting asunder both soul and spirit; a discerner of

   thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hide not in a cave of fear or ignorance.

Shine forth as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Learn His ways, as we travel the covenant paths

   in our present-day deserts.

The fled in fear to a cave in the rock

Bev Psalm 54: Light bursts Forth

Better than science fiction; better than time travel.

Our human hearts seek eternity and wisdom

God answers with a brilliant pillar of light.

His glory shines upon His prophets, seers, revelators.

In Zedekiah’s day, Lehi saw the heavens open.

In 1820, Joseph Smith beheld two personages

   In a pillar of light.

God speaks to men; they hear His voice and His son

   Jehovah, the premortal Christ, shows prophets a book.

God commands these prophets to write and speak.

They obeyed in ancient days when

   His will was to be revealed.

Today prophets write and speak His words,

   timely guidance for a troubled world.

The Book of Mormon with the prophet Nephi

   writing, begins with his own introduction.

Nephi testifies that he alone wrote it and it’s true.

His father, the prophet Lehi, saw a bright vision and

   dreamed dreams to guide his family.

Nephi’s desire was to know the mysteries of God

He prayed and his heart was soft and open.

The Lord chose him, over rebelling brothers to

   write His story, and the story in the Book of Mormon.

We give thanks that he was born of goodly parents

   and obeyed God’s commandments.

Because now truth is again on earth, a burst of light.

God’s mercy is over all those He hath chosen because

   of their faith, enabling them to shine a beacon of light, 

   helping a darkened world find it's way.

Prophets of old saw our day.

The Book of Mormon was gathered from many prophet’s

   writings, abridged and condensed to speak to us.

Let us read, study and ponder the words found there

   each day, that we might have the light of revelation

   to guide us in the deserts of our own wilderness,

   even cyberspace, is my prayer.

Bev Psalm 53: Key to Understanding

Before you read a book, you must understand its structure.

Modern literary format uses chapters and often an introduction.

The Book of Mormon is no different.

Abridged by the prophet, Mormon, who once lived upon this

   continent, explains within the text about the sources he used.

To the average reader this is hidden within 531 pages of text.

Modern scholars give us the Key to Understanding with a brief

   explanation before that text begins.

The Plates of Nephi, some small, some large, are one set.

The Plates of Mormon include abridgement, commentary and

   continued additions by Mormon and his son Moroni.

The Plates of Ether, my favorite, records a journey so ancient

   that it refers to the tower of Babel and the confusion of

   tongues that divided the world into nations.

The Plates of Brass, kept by one family with their genealogies,

   God’s interactions with them in Jerusalem, were brought

   to the New World so that their language and history would

   not be lost, changed or forgotten and taught to their children.

The chapters are called books, usually named for their

   principal author; fifteen in all.

As predicted, this sacred record was sealed up to come

   forth in our day. Selections included just for us.

Read it to find answers to the very problems we face today.

God saw us and knew what we needed.

Reading with prayer, brings inciteful revelation.

Therein lies the greatest story ever told of

Jesus Christ and His doctrine and Plan of Happiness for

   all of God’s children in the troubled times we live in.

The key that unlocks eternity and our place in it

   with our Eternal Father, and His son, our elder brother,

   Is Jesus Christ.

The Book of Mormon is another testament

   of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.

Jesus is the Key to Understanding

 

Bev Psalm 52: Law of Witnesses

A story unfolds on the 23rd of September 1827

   almost two hundred years ago on the Hill

   Cumorah, in Manchester, Ontario, New York.

A young boy visits the sacred place where

   an ancient record has been hidden.

Years pass, one by one, with an angel from

   God’s presence instructing him.

Joseph Smith, Jr. translated this ancient

   record written on shining golden plates

   into modern speech by the gift and power of

   God, as testified by eleven witnesses who

   saw them, and heard the voice of the Lord

   command them to bear record.

Out of these documents that testify of its verity,

It has been published to the world in 1830 as the

Book of Mormon.

Now is the day when all people of every nation

   read it in their own language.

May God’s light shed forth upon all His children.

Receive my word; then I reveal more!

 

Bev Psalm 51: Sacred Words

Action words found, reveal truths profound.

Words written twice add emphasis.

What was hidden now becomes known.

God sends forth His words to a world so hungry

   for hope and truth, peace and rest.

Once hid up by prophets of old, from the earth

   His doctrine shines so convincing.

The plan of salvation outlined, and delivered.

Will we abide in the precepts presented;

   study and ponder, ask and gain a

   testimony of this divine translation?

Consequences follow:

Turn away and be separated from God to

   progress no more;

Accept the invitation and blessings will

   pour, like living water, leaving us to

   desire more.

 

Bev Psalm 50: Scattered Sheep Now Gathering

 You and I are works in progress!

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of

   Latter-day Saints, our first article of faith reads:

We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His son Jesus Christ

   and in the Holy Ghost.

As the Book of Mormon declares, "Salvation was, and is, and is to

   come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, 

   the Lord Omnipotent."

How much faith is enough? Is it a once kind of thing, or is it more?

Strong faith requires more than strong desire, our Prophet Dallin H Oaks

   said in his recent talk, "The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for All."

It means daily trying, one step at a time with prayer and scriptural learning.

There are two ways to gain knowledge.

The first is by scientific methods and digital information. This could be AI

   formulated and may or may not be accurate.

The second is by the spiritual method which begins with faith in God, 

   relies upon scriptures and inspired teaching and personal revelation.

Oaks says, "There is no ulltimate conflict between these different methods

   because God, our omnipotent Eternal Father, knows all truth and 

   expects us to learn by both methods."

At age 90, and a former lawyer and judge, his experience with these

   methods is a witness to their truth. His counselors are a physicist and 

   a lawyer, and previous President Russell M. Nelson, now deceased 

  (at age 101) was a world-renowned heart surgeon; they all know

   from experience that these are truths.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ has the solutions to so many

   world and individual problems.

Many in the world are hungry for our Savior!

The believing, hopeful people are like scattered sheep.

The Savior is gathering them from the four corners of the earth:

   North, South, East and West,

He is calling to them, Come Follow Me, and find joy in the 

   Plan of Happiness, established before the foundation of the world.

His is gathering His sheep and lambs to His fold.

Bev Psalm 49: God's Promise to Us

I am unintimidated by life's challenges, Why?

Because God has promised that He will never break his covenant with me!

God asked Moses, "Why don't they trust me?

Despite all I have done, why won't they believe me?

Jesus Christ promises spiritual peace no matter our circumstances.

Faith in Jesus Christ frees us from uncertainty because our hope

   rests on His Faithfulness and righteousness not our own.

One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to show us "what 

   great things the Lord hath done...that (we) may know the covenants

   of the Lord, that we are not cast off forever."

The ancient prophet Moroni exhorts us, "that (we should) remember

   how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men

   (throughout the ages), and ponder it in (our) hearts."

Jesus Christ knows the situation of both the living and the dead, and

   has made provisions, whether for in this world or the next.

Will I incline my ear to hear what He says, when I call upon Him?

   as the psalmist said in Psalm116:2... "Because He hath inclined His

   ear unto me, will I call upon Him as long as I live"

Listen O ye Saints to Elder Dale G. Renlund's words in his talk,

   "How Long Will it Be Ere They Believe Me?"

Let us not focus on the here and now and lose sight of the bigger

   picture, both where we have been and God's promises to us.

Lend Me Thine Ear; Living and Dead