Stretched Forth His Hand

While reading Mosiah 16:1 this morning (in Spanish), I read a phrase that struck me in a different way.  In Spanish the phrase is "extendió la mano"  In English the phrase is "stretched forth his hand".  As I've read that phrase my whole life in English, the visual thought in my mind is that of a prophet putting his hand up in the air as if to emphasize a point for dramatic effect.  But in reading it in Spanish, it connotes a different visual thought - that of someone holding his hand out as if to help someone else - like pulling someone up out of a hole.

This second visual thought makes more sense when you read Jacob 5:47: But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard?

In this context, the Lord is holding out a hand of rescue.  I now think that whenever a prophet stretches forth his hand before speaking, his hand is reaching out as if to help someone out of a hole, not reaching his hand to the sky.

Another context to think about is the veil at the temple.  The next time you go, listen for those words and note the actions.

Lastly, there are a few references of hands being stretched forth in the New Testament one of which is the Lord rescuing Peter after Peter's faith begins to falter while trying to walk on water.

Sunday School Lesson Notes from Ward Conference

The counselor in our stake presidency gave the lesson in our Sunday School today.  I always enjoy his talks and discussions.  Despite the fact that I feel so overwhelmed at the fact of how much I yet lack, when listening to him, I still feel animated to go and do.

However, this hodge-podge lesson he gave, fell a bit flat.  But there were some gems.

He started off by asking what the themes were in Sacrament Meeting when the stake president spoke along with the bishop.
- strengthen the family
- rescue
- youth attendance to meetings
- missionary tours of the buildings
- faith in Christ
- make and keep covenants
- act, don't wait
- gain a testimony

He spoke that these 'meetings' are not meetings; but they are revelatory sessions.

Boys have been called as missionaries.  We need more of them and we need them to be better prepared missionaries.

We need to strengthen the Melchizedek Priesthood base ... it is about the fathers of the boys.

Come unto Christ; rejoice in Christ.

Pay attention to the media - make sure it is not consuming your home.

Study the scriptures thirty minutes a day.  Part of that should be in the Book of Mormon.

Read the first chapter in the new Handbook of Instructions.
- actions, desires of heart and kind of person you've become - these are the basis of your judgement.

Then he shared a story of John Robinson who wrote a letter to the people on the Mayflower.  (Somehow he was a descendant of someone in the Mayflower or even John Robinson himself .. and he learned this while do Family History work.)  He advised them to repent daily.  If they did not, they would be swallowed by the dangers of others.

His counsel to us is: think of unrepented sins; think of repented sins.

Kingwood Stake Conference Notes

Our stake, along with all the other stakes of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico participated in a sattelite broadcast from SLC.  I jotted down a few notes.

Elder Marlin K. Jensen talked about translating beliefs into action.  He quoted Mosiah 4:10 where King Benjamin said, "If ye believe all these things see that ye do them."  Covenants help us link beliefs into actions and ordinances.

He talked about a prosperity study that was done on a bunch of nations.  The one thing that was consistently linked to a nations prosperity was not resources, race or education; rather it was contract-keeping.  He then told of the example of Zoram and Nephi.  So strong were oaths in Nephi's time, that when Zoram made an oath that he would not try to flee from them, Nephi and his brothers were relieved - they did not have to worry about Zoram.  He said, in the end, after all has been said and done, all that will matter will be if you have kept your word - your covenants.  He also reminded us all of Karl G. Maeser's quote: "I have been asked what I mean by 'word of honor.' I will tell you. Place me behind prison walls--walls of stone ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground--there is a possibility that in some way or another I may escape; but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of the circle? No. Never! I'd die first!"

Sister Ann M. Dibb spoke next.  She spoke of virtue.  She talked about a sister from Nacogdoches who lived a virtuous life.  She said that everything this sister did or said was centered around being a Mormon.  This sister said, "being a member of the Church was a party of my identity."  Sister Dibb also spoke of PROS.  P for pray; R for read from the Book of Mormon; O for obeay the standards; and S for smile!

Elder Ballard spoke next.  He gave some stats ... 75 stakes + 3 districts in Texas/OK/NM.  There are over 380,000 members in those 3 states.  He spoke a bit about Lucien Woodards?  He was sent from the Prophet Joseph Smith to see about a land purchase in Texas.  Zodiac, Texas was first settled by members.

He then spoke of keeping the doctrine of Christ simple.  He then discussed and commented on the first principals and ordiances of the Gospel as outlined in the 4th Article of Faith.  He also included the enduring to the end.  With regard to enduring to the end, he related a story.  There was this 90-year-old patriarch in his ward.  He prayed every night to die in faithfulness.  Elder Ballard approached this brother and asked him "aren't you safe?"  This brother grabbed Elder Ballad by the lapels of his jacket and said, "look me in the eyes!  No man is ever safe until he endures to the very end!"

Lastly, President Monson spoke.  His talk was very similiar to several talks he's given recently.  The topic was rescueing.  Our ward has been focused on rescueing ... members, ancestors, and neighbors who are not of our faith.  He has referred several times to the painting by J.M.W. Turner entitled Shipwreck, the Rescue.  President Monson calls this painting To the Rescue!  I did some searching a while back and finally found the painting.  I'll include it here for reference.