Dan's dad was a great fan of the prolific writer, Louis L'Amour... and I wasn't.I came to this opinion without ever having read any of his work though. And I might never have changed my mind had it not been for the book club I belong to. Because we'll be discussing it this week, I just finished The Lonesome Gods by LL and, wow, what a fun read! I am going to read more from him, and then Grandpa Tyrus and Iwill have something new to talk about when we meet up someday in that great hacienda in the sky.
I copied down one longish quote from the book that I may bring forth at a later date, and I've memorized this shorter one that I want to opine about now. First, what do you call The main character in a book or play around whom most of the action is based? Oh yeah, the protagonist. Well in The Lonesome Gods, the protagonist is six-year-old Johannes Vern, and we get to watch him grow up, enemies and hardships multiplying as he grows. At one point, a friend and sort of adviser says to him,"We have enemies, Johannes. But enemies can make one strong. And we will be strong." I love this message, and I think Heavenly Father set it up that way for us for a reason.Trials, or how we handle them, can make us or break us. And, once in awhile, weneed to be broken! In 3 Nephi 9:20 Jesus said, "And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, and they knew it not."
Having your heart broken causes a lot of pain. That may be the understatement of the year, huh. But hearts can recover. And when at last they do, through the power of the atonement of Christ, they are stronger than ever. So please stand firm, resist those enemies, chiefly Satan, and all will be exceedingly well in the end. Take it from Louis L'Amour, Johannes Vern, and me. And take this too: it's another of my childhood favorites, Buttons and Bows, sung by Miss Dinah Shore. That's what my dad liked, music from the early days of radio, and I liked it right along with hhim. I wonder if we're passing any of our interests down.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Johannes and Me
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2 comments:
I just went visiting teaching today and as part of the lesson Henry B. Eyring says:
"The purpose of God's creations and of His giving us life is to allow us to have the learning experiences necessary for us to come back to Him, to live with Him in eternal life. That is only possible if we have our natures changed through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (despite hard stuff), true repentance, and making and keeping the covenants He offers all of his Father's children through His Church."
This reminded me of Helaman 15:3 …they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.
Then this reminded me of a conference talk given a few years ago where they quoted Brigham Young. It was something to the effect of… Every trial that we experience in this life is essential for our salvation.
So I guess what I am trying to say is that Heavenly Father loves us so he has given us a way to return to him. Even if it means a little heart ache; whether it’s a natural consequence for poor choices or something that just can’t be avoided like the loss of a loved one. We need to remain faithful even when it’s hard and try to see the purpose behind the trial. Heavenly Father doesn’t give us trials for no reason. There is always a little progression to be had. And I admire you so much for your rock solid faith despite the trials that you and Uncle Dan have faced. I can only pray that when “the mighty winds” come my way that I can remain steadily grounded in my faith in Jesus Christ and find the purpose of the trial.
Dear Cindy, what a wonderful comment you've left. Thank you. Here's a secret that I might not have revealed if you hadn't put your heart out there so openly.
My faith was shaken a little. I had some questions and doubts, and they only added to my pain. The one thing I guess I did right was that, not knowing what else I could do, I kept praying and searching the scriptures for answers. I made a decision to trust after weeks that felt like years, and that made all the difference. I have some answers, other questions remain. But I wil trust God as I wait for them. It has been, and still is, a process. Yikes!
Love, - Aunt Bonnie
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