Moon setting as the Sun is rising Simultaneously

MOONSET at SUNRISE

Photos of the moon "setting" as the sun is "rising"

on September 23, 2010 looking west over Oquirrah Mountains

Moon about to set in the west before the sun rises in the east

That you many be equal in the bonds of heavenly things,

yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavely things.

For if ye are not equal in earthly things

ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things.
Doctrine and Covenants 78: 5-6

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Today is a day of balance in the heavens, it is the Fall Equinox. As I have mentioned in an earlier post today is when the skies above, the light and dark, the day and night are "equal". I have tried to document this through photographs of the importance of this day. This morning I woke up not knowing that I would be impressed to take more photos of the moon. I think my family is starting to think I am crazy.. or possibly some kind of "werewolf" since I am always looking at the moon. :)

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Despite my unusual behavior, I was once again taught this morning of things that that I couldn't quite see before and my understanding was opened.

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As I took the picture of the moon "setting" over the mountain..I noticed that the sun simultaneously was "rising". You can see the sun starting to shine on the tops of the Oquirrah mountains in the top picture. It is complete Balance. Moon light fades as sun light brightens... at the exact time. So, enjoy this day of balance. We live in a world completely out of balance. In fact everything is reversed. Good is now evil.. and evil is now called good. After today. darkness starts to take over in the skies and the balances scales of light and dark are unequal.

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It is important to note that as we approach the Winter Soltice of this year... the darkest day of the year.. that is will also coincide with a Total Lunar Eclipse on December 21, 2010... meaning we will not have any moonlight as well. So, For a moment in time..we will experience little to no light from the sun or moon on the darkest day of the year. It is during these total lunar eclipse that the moon appears red.

The Sunrise on the Beginning of Fall

Photos taken this morning at sunrise on September 22, 2010.

"Then shall thy light break forth as the morning,

and thine health shall spring forth speedily;

and thy righteousness shall go before thee,

the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward."

Isaiah 58:8

This was an amazing morning. The signs in the heavens this past couple of days have been beautiful. Light breaking forth out of Darkness of the night. Words can't describe the feelings that I felt I as experienced this sunrise. The best two words would be Eternal Hope and Redeeming Love.

The Fall Equinox and Full Moon Simultaneously

All 3 of these photos were taken last night on September 21, 2010

I took the photo below when it was dark, but with a longer shutter speed and larger aperature...it looks like day. Just like a camera.. the more light can enters in when we open up ourselves up to receive it.

All this photo is missing is Elliott and ET riding on a bicycle.

The Fall Equinox begins today, on September 22, 2010 starting at 9:09 PM. An Equinox lasts for a 24 hour period and occurs twice a year (Spring and Fall). It is on these two days that there is equal day hours and night hours.. ((light and dark are in balance). After today there will be gradually more darkness than sunlight. It is also interesting to note that it is also a full moon tonight. After tonight the moon will start to wane (diminish in phase or intensity) or less full and giving off less light. This is significant that these two events are happening at the same time. The number nine is also significant. (9th month at 9:09 PM). It is also the last number in the completion before we start back at 0. As the old cycle dies a new one is born again. Nine means judgement and finality. It also is being what we call FALL, we are entering into a harvest season.

Chiasmus: The Symmetry and Focal Point

Photo taken in the Cinque Terre city of Vernazza in Italy in May 2009

"and the WINDOWS OF HEAVEN WERE OPENED"

Genesis 7:11

"Resurrection" by Karl Bloch

Last Saturday, I attended an all day conference "Discoveries in Chiasmus". Chiasmus is a pattern in all things. Each presenter from various fields and disciplines showed this pattern in the scriptures as well as in art, literature, architecture, science, biology, and music. One of the paintings that was used to show this form was this painting by Karl Bloch. (I usually only post photographs that I have taken with the exception of this and the other Bloch painting that I posted at the beginning of my blog.)

When looking to find a photo to post today, I came across the photo of these windows which is very similiar to the Karl Bloch painting. Two shutters on either side (Two angels) of the main subject. Flowers in the lower middle of the image. A painted archway= a dooway, main subject is the windows... main focus is Christ.

I learned that the world is full of revelation. The Lord is shouting to us all around. Unfortunately many of us are too deaf and blind to see and hear. Do we open our windows of our soul to open up and see the beautiful 'flower's just outside.. or do we keep our shutters closed?

Here is a write up in the newspaper about the conference:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700066633/Chiasmus-everywhere-everywhere-chiasmus.html

LIGHT

Photo taken at the Parowan Gap on September 6, 2010

It has been awhile since I have posted anything new. It has been a busy week. I wanted to at least post a photo. This has significance. I will write more shortly.

September 11th: A historical day of tragedies

Photo taken at the Mountain Meadow massacre site on September 6th, 2010

"And is shall come in a day when the blood of saints shall cry unto the Lord,

because of the secret combinations and the works of darkness."

Mormon 8:27

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Tomorrow we remember the tragic events that took place in our country. It happened 9 years ago. There is another tragic event that happened on September 11th, 1857 which ended in the murder of innocent men, women and children. We don't talk about this very much within the church. It is what we refer to as the Mountain Meadow Massacre. The above picture is taken of the grave memorial site that my family visited a couple of days ago.
I will write more shortly.

Ancient Writings: Parawon Gap Part 2

Photo taken at the Parowan Gap on September 6, 2010

Here are a couple of inscriptions we found on the inner rock walls of the Parawon Gap. Above is an inscription of a spiral iris eye. The "all seeing eye" is a symbol that has been used for centuries. The eye is a universal symbol representing spiritual sight, inner vision, and higher knowledge. The circle is an ancient symbol for unity, wholeness, infinity, sacred space, heaven, the sun. (And is also a symbol for female..while the square is the symbol for male) The spiral is linked to the circle but is more closely related to the universe, creation, and progression.

These inscriptions are naturally split into quadrants by the rock crevices. I have been reading a book by V. Garth Norman about the Parawon Gap. From what I have gathered, the above inscriptions that looks like alligator teeth is symbolic of the gap and waving lines are souls ascending and rising above and out of the jaws that want to engulf us. I will write more about this later.

Ancient Writings: Parowan Gap Part 1

Photo taken of road leading to the Parowan Gap on September 6, 2010.

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,

shall be able to separate us from the Love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8: 39

On our way home from St. George we stopped at the Parowan Gap. The road to the Parowan Gap follows an ancient trail used by Native Americans. In the narrow gap where the two mountain come together is a sacred site. In is one these rock walls that these ancients Indians inscribed petroglyphs with extreme skill and geometric precisions. These writings are called petroglyphs (not heiroglyphys).

Definition of the word "gap": separation in space, an incomplete or deficient area,

ALL YE THAT LABOUR: Labor Day Weekend

Photo taken of a tortoise in Snow Canyon, UT on Sept. 4, 2010.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11: 28

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We just returned home from a trip to St. George with our friends, the Carlstons. On an early morning run, my wife came upon a male and female tortoise. (we called them turtles, but a tortoise is a land-dwelling turtle.. a turtle lives in or near the water)

Tortoises (Land turtles) generally have lifespans comparable with human beings. Some have been known to live longer than 150 years. Turtles have very symbolic meaning in many cultures. In the Far East, the shell is a symbol of heaven, and the square underside is a symbol of earth. The turtle unites both heaven and earth. They are aslo symbolic of fertility, immortality and dwelling places for souls making their way through progression.

The reason for posting the photo that I took was first I think it was cool to see a tortoise in the wild and natural environment instead of in a zoo. And second. I have also viewed the turtle to look burdened and heavy laden. The turtle is born with its' shell. How similiar the turtle is to us. Many of us feel weighed down with heavy loads.. I am mindful of mothers with their children. Because of these burdens we often move slow.

Christ repeats over and over that He will lift our burdens and make them light. All we need to do is Come unto Him and He will give us rest.

LIVING...FLOWING WATER

Photo taken at the Salt Lake City Main Library in August 2010

But unto him that keepeth my commandments,
I will give the mysteries of my kingdom,
and the same shall be in him a well of living water
springing up unto everlasting life.
Doctrine and Covenants 63:23

Cascade: A succession of stages, processes, operations, or units. In this photo we see a succession of steps with a cascade flowing with "living water". The photo is cut in half diagonally. The upper right diagonal has living water flowing over the steps. The lower left does not.

We read in Jeremiah 17:13 ...who was prophesying about the destruction of Jerusalem

"O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters."

Do we have living water following in our lives? Are we receiving personal revelation and learning the mysteries of the kingdom? Or are we like the steps on the bottom left without living water?

FREEDOM: Without Restraint or Control

Photo taken on August 26, 2010 of the view of the SLC Main Library

with the flag on top of County Building in the background.

" We do not believe that human law

has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship

to bind the consciences of men,

nor dictate forms for public or private devotion;

that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience;

should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul."

Doctrine and Covenants 134: 4-5

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The above photo is divided in half. On the left is the limitless sky.. free from any contraint. It also shows on this side, the symbol of freedom, the American Flag. On the right side is a glass building... reflecting the sky. The enviroment is contained, controlled.. and safe. We as humans like to feel safe. We like security. We have fear of the unknown, we don't like not having control. We believe that we have freedom in the United States... but we are slowing losing this freedom from those in power positions that want more control, more security. You can not have freedom and control at the same time. As soon as you give someone control.. you lose freedom. Do we want to stay in the safe, glass building? or do we want true freedom?

The Day Dawn is Breaking

Photo taken this morning of the sunrise over Mount Olympus

as it peaks out behind the clouds on August 30, 2010.

The Day Dawn is Breaking

The day dawn is breaking, the world is awaking,

The clouds of night’s darkness are fleeing away.

The worldwide commotion, from ocean to ocean,

Now heralds the time of the beautiful day.

Hymn No 52.

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I woke up early this morning to thunder and lightning. A powerful storm including hail passed through the Salt Lake valley. As the storm was passing, I watched the sunrise. It was a beautiful sky including the unusual low hanging clouds in the valley. In the above photo, you can see the peaks of Mount Olympus. Also, you can see a patch of blue sky. In this one photo you can see the mountain peaks to climb, the stormy skies to weather.. counterbalanced with the glory of sun coming out and blue skies of hope visible.

Then and Now

Photo composited of two photos:

The replica city of Jerusalem at the Israeli Museum

and the City of Jerusalem taken from the Mount of Olives on May 2010

Photo of the Dome of the Rock taken from the Mount of Olives on May 2010


"Then Solomon began to build the House of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah,

where the Lord appeared unto David his father."

2 Chronicles 3: 1

The best known temple mentioned in the Bible is the one built by Solomon in Jerusalem. It was destroyed in 600 B.C. by the Babylonians and was restored by Zerubbabel almost a hundred years later. Part of this temple was burned in 37 B.C., and Herod the Great later rebuilt it.

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The above photo is a replica of the Herod's Temple that existed at the time of Christ. The temple was destroyed by the Romans and never rebuilt again by the Jews. It was replaced by the Muslim shrines in the 8th Century AD which still stand there today, with the Golden Dome of the Rock - the city's symbol.

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The rock is in the center of the shrine, and according to Jewish tradition was the place where Abraham came to sacrifice his son Isaac. According to Muslim tradition, prophet Muhammad ascended to the heaven from this rock. Jews believe that it was on this rock that Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac, and this stone may have once stood in Solomon's Temple.

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On the walls of the Dome of the Rock is an inscription in a mosaic frieze that includes the following words; “Such was Jesus son of Mary and peace upon him on the day of birth and on the day of death and on the day he is raised up again. It is a word of truth in which they doubt. It is not for God to take a son. Glory be to him when he decrees a thing he only says be, and it is."

Supporting Circles get smaller as you reach the pinnacle

Photo taken in August 2010 of the Salt Lake Capital Building

"Thus of divine necessity, the supporting circles around Jesus

gets smaller and smaller and smaller."

from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland talk, "None were with Him."

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The Capital Dome or Rotunda is the tallest part of the Capital and has been described as it's "symbolic and physical heart." Domes have been called the perfect architectural shape: it is a circle, symbol of heaven, executed in three dimension (width, length, and height). In religious architecture domes proclaim the glory of God. The word "dome" comes for Latin "domus" meaning... a house. In Italian, the word for dome, "duomo," meaning a house of God.

The oculus or eye of the dome is considered the Gateway of the Sun. From this gateway at the top of the dome rises the world axis (a sphere) or link between heaven and earth. Domes, therefore are considered thresholds or gateways to the spiritual world.

Personally when I see the dome, I am reminded of Elder Jeffrey R. Hollands talk when he said that as the Lord approached His final mission, the Atonement, the circles of support (His friends, disciples and family) grew smaller and smaller and smaller. It became a solitary event.. truly an "at one ment". or "at one moment". So to as we aspire upward, circles get smaller, less distraction,.. we too have that "at one moment" when we recieve our Savior.. the pinnacle and moment when heaven meets earth.. the link.

A Tale of Two Cities

Photo taken from Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City,Utah on August 10, 2010

Photo taken on May 18, 2009 from Buckingham Fountain in Chicago, Illinois

With the exception of my mission, I have only lived in two states, Utah and Illinois. I have been fortunate to live in the suburbs of each state's major city.. Salt Lake City and Chicago. Both cities have a prominent landmark building. Chicago has the tallest building in the United States, formerly called the Sears Tower, and now called the Willis Tower (the black building seen in the above photo). The most recognized/prominent building in Salt Lake City is the LDS Temple.

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While the Willis building towers 108 stories above in the sky, and can been from miles away... The Salt Lake Temple is more difficult to see now with the high rise buildings being constructed around the temple block. While possibly blocked from visibility from areas in the city, the temple is visible and is a prominent place for those on the other side of the veil.

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As a sidenote: Illinois and Utah are significant states in LDS church history.

Illinois is the final resting place for the prophet Joseph Smith.

Utah the state where Brigham Young came for the continuation of the Church that Joseph Smith restored.

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It would be interesting to hear what both Joseph and Brigham (whose primary goal was to build Zion in their day) would say about these two modern cities. Are we any closer now than we were then to building Zion?

City set on a hill cannot be hid.

Photo taken of the Italian coastal city, Riomassiore in May of 2009.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

Matthew 5:14

In the ancient world, a city on a hill would have signified strength and protection. It was for the purpose of self-defense that cities were built on hills—it was easier to defend a city when attackers had to come up to you, than if you were in the middle of a wide open plain. It gave you a valuable tactical advantage.

For the first hearers of the Sermon on the Mount—his disciples—the phrase a “city on a hill” would likely have had a fairly specific connotation. Jerusalem. For a Jew, Jerusalem was the city on a hill that represented the hopes and aspirations of Israel, as God’s chosen nation through whom the nations would be blessed.

The above "city" in this photo is not only pictoresque , it is an example of a city set on a hill, with homes built on foundation of rock.

Feeding the Hungry

Taken from our bedroom window in July 2010

"And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—

that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day,

that ye may walk guiltless before God—

I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor,

every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry,

clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief,

both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants."

Mosiah 4:26

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The above scripture is from King Benjamin's farewell address to the people gathered at the temple. It is a scripture that makes me uncomfortable, it calls me to repentance... How many of us walk guiltless before God? Do we impart enough of our substance? How much of our substance do we keep for ourselves for our "needs" before we impart to the poor?

Last Saturday, I was asked to help down at St. Vincent DePaul, a "soup kitchen" where those who are hungry and homeless can come get a hot meal. I had helped before about 6 months ago. Most of the people that came in 6 months ago where mostly middle aged men who lived on the streets of Salt Lake. To my surprise this Saturday, it wasn't just men who came to eat... but families, women with babies and small children. The small dining area now has 8-10 high chairs to accommodate the growning number of infants coming in with their mothers and/or fathers.

The economic downturn does not look good. I am not sure these trends will reverse any time soon. Foreclosures, Lay-offs, Bankruptcy, Debt, and Divorce are all rising. It is one thing to see adults go hungry, but like these helpless little birds in this photo waiting for their mother to bring them something to eat.. unfortunately there are a rising number of children in our own backyard who also are going hungry.

Sending our children into the world

Photo taken today of my oldest daughter

going to her first day of Junior High. (photo courtesy of my wife)

"And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning."

Abraham 4: 1

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Junior High. The Beginning of seventh grade. I have been a worried father for years that I would evidently have to send my daughter to junior high. For many, it is one of the hardest years in our life, but it can be the most exciting. We are no longer in the safe enviroment of the one room class in Elementary school with loving teachers for 7 years (K -6). Instead, we have a whole new school to go to where we don't know anything about or what to expect. Multiple classes, multiple teachers. We walk the halls amongst a sea of other students. We hear and see things that we have never been exposed to before: Profanity, Obsensities, Crudeness, Immodesty. To top it all off, we are experiencing changes to our bodies which makes us somewhat unsure of ourselves.

In thinking all about this, I couldn't help be think of the similiarities of when we left our pre-mortal experience to come into this terestial world. The scripture in Abraham refers to going DOWN.... not UP. We read: they WENT DOWN. It is a lower, base existence. No longer are we in the presence of a loving father and mother in heaven. We come down and see/hear some of the evil and corruption the world. We have multiple choices and experiences to choose from. We exercise our agency to choose between the good and evil. We experienced a change in our bodies.
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Many things in this photo of my daughter is symbolic. She looks happy, but I sense a slight nervousness in her eyes and smile. Possibly the same emotions we had as we left to come down here to earth. She is holding in her hand her class schedule. This could represent our life assignments/our life mission that we need to fulfill. We have been preordained to come down here to accomplish certain tasks. She has a backpack on, symbolic of all the knowledge and information/intelligence that we gained prior to coming to earth. The tools and information will help us have advantage here . (D&C 130: 19)

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In this photo, the sun is being blocked by dark over hanging tree. symbolic of the veil we had to pass through. The sun is still there, but blocked from our veiw. She is innocent... all of us born as children pure, not stained yet. She is looking back over her shoulder, possibly saying goodbye one last time.. of our remembrance of our Heavenly Home. There are others who are walking in front of her that she is following. We choose who we follow. Others will try to mislead us. We have only one we should follow in this life.. our elder brother, Jesus Christ.

Sacrifice brings forth life.

Photo taken in Israel in May of 2010.

Christ's Life of sacrifice culminated with the sacrifice of His life.

"A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things

never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvaton".

Joseph Smith, "Lectures on Faith"

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The word sacrifice comes from the Latin words "sacer" meaning sacred and "facere" meaning to make. So sacrifice means "to make sacred." We mostly think the sacrifice to be a negative, as something hard, painful, or having to give up something we don't want to. We focus on what we will lose out on.... doing without something, or giving up something. The more correct way of looking at sacrifice in our own life, is that it is the process of making our lives sacred. We will gain, not lose... but need to "lose" our life, to gain.

Happy Anniversary

Taken on the Fourth of July, 2010 at Disneyland waiting for the fireworks to start.

"Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart,

and shalt cleave unto her and none else."

D&C 42: 22

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Happy Anniversary... Number 16!

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Even though we have been married for only 16 years. I have known my wife since 8th grade. That would make 28 years since we have meet.

I read this quote last night from the Journal of Discourses (JD 19:270) that I thought was beautiful about the relationship of the husband and wife.

"There can be no God except he is composed of the man and woman united, and there is not in all the eternities that exist, nor ever will be a God in any other way. I have another description: There never was a God, and there never will be in all eternities, except they are made of these two component parts; a man and a woman; the male and the female. Not only is the female God equal with the male, but neither would be God without the other."

I LOVE YOU!

Powers of darkness will prevail upon the earth.

Photo taken in Jerusalem in May 2010.

" For all flesh is corrupted before me;

and the powers of darkness prevail upon the earth."

Doctrine and Covenants 38:11.

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By posting this photo of this priest under my headline, someone reading this might think I am suggesting that this "man in cloth" and/or the Catholic Church are the powers of darkness.

However, I am not passing judgement, but use this photo to illustrate something that stood out to me as symbolic. The priest is walking under a dark tree. I think that is significant and possibly could represent each of us... of our clouded understanding of truth, our disconnect with the heavens above, our unbelief, our inundation with philosophies of men, our pride and arrogance, and our unwillingness to seek and call upon the powers of heaven for personal revelation.

Let's read the scripture again... For the scripture states that ALL FLESH is corrupted... not just those in the Catholic church. We live in a time that the powers of darkness does prevail upon the earth. What does "ALL" mean? Does that include me?

How about the word "PREVAIL" mean? Definitions include: more powerful than opposing forces, widespread , to be greater in strength or influence.. TRUIMPH.

WOW! For those of us who prefer light, we have our work cut out for us. So, are we doing anything about it? What do we do in our lives to bring about more light in this world? Or do we find that we are "adjusting" our eyes to the prevailing darkness, and become complacent by accepting and thinking that All is well. Just because our eyes have dialated in the darkness does not mean that the room has gotten any lighter.. it just means that we have become accustomed to the darkness and accepted it.

Searching the scriptures

Photos taken of Catholic Priest and Jewish Woman in Jerusalem in May 2010

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

and they are they which testify of me."

John 5: 39

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In addition to taking pictures of the sites and locations in Israel, I tried to take pictures of the people. Not easy to do without feeling that you are invading their privacy and without asking for their permission. Jerusalem is a sacred city for the 3 dominant religions in the world. Christianity, Muslim, and Judiasm. All 3 religions have their individual scriptures: The Bible, The Torah, and Quran.

Most of us upon this earth are searching for truth, many do not know where to find it. Many feel that they have God's word and don't need anymore.. the very idea that God can or has spoken .. (and will) to others is disturbing. It requires us to learn more, and may require us to change. But new information from God should always be welcomed. It should be exciting.. even if it requires to change.

We as Latter Day Saints have the Book of Mormon. Many of us still don't fully understand this additional testament of Christ. Should other scripture come forth.. how will we react?

Reflections

Taken from the LDS Church Plaza on August 11, 2010

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,

and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy,

for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

I Corinthians 3: 16-17

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I took this picture yesterday on the Church Plaza. The color blue is my favorite color. When water is pure, clean, and still... it will reflect the sky/the heaven above. Are we not similar to the water? When we are pure, clean, and still in our lives, do we not also reflect heaven here upon this earth ?

Teaching my Children.. actually teaches ME.

Photo of my daughter Brooke mowing our backyard on Aug 5, 2010.

"I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight."

Isaiah 45:2

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Last week, while my wife was out of town, I gained a greater appreciation/empathy for my wife.. as well as those in this world who are single working parents (those who have the overwhelming responsibility of working, parenting, and taking care of the house and yard ALONE.) Too much for one person.

As I was trying to get the house/yard looking good before my better half returned home, my middle daughter asked if she could help me.. and next on my list was mowing the lawn. My first response was.. "oh, that is okay.. daddy will do it." Probably somewhat disappointed from my declining her wish, she just stood outside watching me mow. Justifying my actions, I thought to myself .....I still have alot to do.. and letting her help would a) take more time and b) not look as good since I am very meticulous in having the lines straight when I mow.

Then the "teaching moment" happened.. to ME. I had the strong impression that I was to allow my daughter to mow the lawn. So, I stopped the mower, I called her over and said, okay... Let's mow the lawn together. Concerned that she wouldn't hurt herself.. I walked beside her as she held on to the gas powered lawnmower. She would come to the end of the lawn and stop. I would then turn the mower around and then she would proceed to mow the other direction. Back and forth.. until we finished. I tried not to correct the crookedness and unstraight lines. Looking back.. the lawn never looked so good.

The prompting to teach my daughter to mow, actually was a lesson from the Lord to teach me. Even though He is all-powerful, He allows each of us to learn, make the mistakes, walk in crooked paths as He walks beside us. He will turn us around when needed. He is patient. Only through Him can our crooked paths be made straight.

Chaistic Structure

Photo taken on the roller coaster ride in Park City, Ut on July 28, 2010

I took my kids up to the Alpine Slide in Park City a couple of week ago. The rolller coaster ride looked a little safer for my 6 year old to ride, so we decided to ride the roller coaster ride instead. Luckily I brought my camera on the ride... I snapped this photo quickly while riding on the track. This is the best illustration of a chiasm in the man-made world.

I have posted about chiams before on my blog, but for those who are unfamiliar with the term, a chiasm is usually referring to a literary structure used in ancient literature where concepts are placed in a symmetric order to emphasize them. The ideas converge at the center or the focal point of the thought. In the scriptures the focal point is usually Christ.

Here is a beautiful one that I just found in the New Testament in Matthew 11:28-30.

Come unto me:

All ye that LABOUR and are HEAVY laden.

.........take my YOKE upon you

...................LEARN of me

.................................FOR I AM meek and lowly in heart

.....................FIND rest unto your souls

...........for my YOKE is easy

my BURDEN is LIGHT.

Thorns and Thistles.. My dad comments on my bee post.

And again, he saith thou shalt be as the blossoms of a thistle,

which, when it is fully ripe, if the wind bloweth,

it is driven forth upon the face of the land.

Mosiah 12:12
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This is a continuation from the last post. My dad called me today and made some great comments about bees, and the importance of honey in the scriptures. In all the great exoduses we read in scripture, Honey was an essential survival food. We read in Exodus that the Israelites in the wilderness survived on manna which had the taste of honey. Exodus 16:31.

In the above picture you can see on the left, the thistle in full bloom compared to the blossom stage on the right. The thistle is a prickly, obnoxious weed, yet it flowers into a beautiful, perfectly round ball. After the fall of Adam, The garden of Eden was "cursed" to bring forth thorns and thistles to test and try us... yet in the end if we bring forth fruits of repentence we can turn our thistles into something beautiful.

Sidenote: There are many other references to honey are found throughout the New and Old Testament. The Word of God is compared to honey.. "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth". Psalms 119: 10

This scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants deserves it's own post and photo, (I hope to expound on it in a future blogpost,).. but for now just quote it. "And I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh; D&C 38:18

Bees and the Hive...a Zion-like society

Photo Taken in a cemetary in Park City, UT on July 28, 2010

"And they did also carry with them deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honey bee."

Ether 2:3

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Like most kids, we were taught early in our lives to run away from bees. We didn't want to get stung. Bees were never seen as "good"... we just wanted their honey. When I took this picture, since I was not fearful of the bee.. it did not harm me. It was fun to watch it gather the pollen from this flower.

I wanted to post some interesting things that I learned about bees from reading a chapter written by my friend, Yvonne Bent.

"Joseph Smith and Brigham Young had a very good understanding of bees. Utah was originally going to be named Deseret, which meant ‘Honey Bee”. The product of the bees is the most perfect food on the earth. The Jaredites ate this food while on their journeys across the waters in the barges. Lehi and his company carried bees with them to the promised land. There is an obvious message that the properties of honey is important to make this earthly journey with success and health. We would do well to examine the bee and benefits of honey closer.

Bees wear their lives out in the service of the hive. Everything the bee does is for the benefit of the hive. All the product the bees deliver, (for example: the resin used to protect the hive, the royal jelly for the queen so that she can continue in the reproduction and life of the hive, the honey for the life of the bees, and the wax for their housing); ALL of this is turned into the good of the hive."

Sounds like the bees live in a Zion-like society.

August Sky over Mount Olympus

Taken from my street corner on August 1, 2010

"Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty!

Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power and goodness

and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth."

I Nephi 1: 14

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I took this picture yesterday evening on the first day on August. It was a beautiful and unusual sunset. The mountain seen in the background is Mount Olympus. The other Mount Olympus is in Greece, which is the highest mountain in their country. In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was regarded as the "home of the Gods", specifically of the Twelve Olympians, the twelve principal gods of the Classical Greek worlds.

Salt Lake City happens to be the home of 12 men, not" gods".. who we refer to as "apostles" in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During his ministry, Christ called 12 disciples. What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle? Are they synoymous terms or is there a difference?

In researching this.. I found that the term disciple means "learner" in Latin..while the term apostle means "messenger, or one who is sent forth". So the difference is ... a disciple is one who learns from a teacher...and an apostle is sent to deliver those teachings to others.

I don't think the terms can be mutually exclusive. A true apostle of the Lord would also need to be a disciple.. learning from Christ Himself, to know the messages that Christ would have him teach...

It is interesting to note that Jesus, Himself, is referred to as an "apostle" in Hebrews, one of His titles, a designation meaning that He is the personal and select representative of the Father... or a "messenger, one who is sent forth".

Discerning the Signs of the Times

Taken on July 11, 2010 somewhere between St. George and Cedar City, UT

"The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him
that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say,
It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day:
for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites,
ye can discern the face of the sky;
but can ye not discern the signs of the times."
Matthew 16: 1-3

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This photo was taken out of the car window going 75 miles an hour by my wife on our way back from California. She is amazing. (I couldn't pull over to take it, since I had already reached our quoto for stopping and pulling over.)

I have always remembered the old saying: Red at night, Sailors Delight. Red in the morning, Sailors Warning. Christ spoke about this weather adage in the New Testament.

In the above scripture, The Lord is chastising the religious leaders for not being able to discern the "signs of the times" (which I read as meaning: they could not see Christ for who He really is) even though these leaders could see other "signs" like discerning the face of the sky. Why could they not see Christ? Why could they not discern the signs of the times, the prophesies that were in their scriptures? The scriptures that the Pharisees and Saducees read/studied/taught were full of these "signs of the times" pointing to Christ foretelling of His birth, mission, and sacrifice. (Obviously, like us, they didn't read or understand the words of Isaiah like they should have. )

Christ does acknowledge that these learned religious men understood some "signs" or precepts of men like determining what the weather might be like the next day from the color red in the sky. However, they couldn't see the most important sign... those signs that pointed to the coming of Christ. Are we any different?

Are we seeing "signs" today that we should be discerning? How about the lastest oil spill in the Gulf? Could that be one of the things that John spoke about in Revelations? Maybe instead of looking at the color red in the sky, we can see a "sign" or prophesy in the color red in our ocean. (FYI: I did not take the below is a photo. It is oil that has reached the marshlands of Louisiana.)

SAD.

Let your light so shine

This is a photo of my daughter lighting her sparkler from a candle my wife is holding.

Taken on July 24, 2010

"If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark,

the whole shall be full of light,

as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light."

Luke 11: 36

It was fun experimenting with taking pictures last week of my daughter's "at home" fireworks display. The photos have been great to use on this blog to illustrate some profound scriptures. The above verses in the New Testament is taken from the same chapter in Luke that Jesus teachs the disciples how to pray to the Father. The verse begins with IF... If thy whole body therefore be full of light... having no part dark. Wow.. is this possible? We live in such a corrupt, dark world, it seems almost impossible to not be effected by the darkeness that surrounds us. However.. where there is light, no darkness can be present. The goal for us is to have our WHOLE body full of light.... so we can dispel the evil and the darkness from around us. If we emulate light... I can't help but think others around us will feel/sense/see .. and ignite a spark of light within them as well.. just like the lighting of this sparkler from the candle.

Receiving Personal Revelation: Like a spiritual IV

For behold, thus saith the Lord God:

I will give unto the children of men line upon line,

precept upon precept, here a little and there a little,

and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts,

.... for they shall learn wisdom,

for unto him that receiveth I will give more."

2 Nephi 28:30

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My wife had surgery yesterday.This surgery was harder than most since it involved not just my wife, but the loss of her past 3 month pregnancy. We have been comforted and blessed and have felt everyone's love and support during this difficult loss. Thank you for all of your prayers.

I took this picture of my wife's IV yesterday before her surgery. "IV" stands for Intravenous therapy (it also is the Roman number for 4. ) Doctors use IVs on/in their patients in order to inject liquid substances directly into the veins. It is the fastest way to deliver fluids and medications throughout the body.

An IV is usually the first thing that a patient recieves and is also the last thing that is taken off in post-op. It is one of the ways to keep the patient alive. It is constant.

Similar to the IV that helps sustain life in the physical body (especially during times of affliction)... Do we need a Spiritial IV in our life?. Are we even hooked up? If you look at the photo.. the bag of fluid could be compared to All Truth, All Knowledge.. All light that eminates from our Father in Heaven. We, as mortals are only able to absorb so much... thus the smaller container which uses the "drip system"... (line upon line. precept upon precept). If we take in this "light"... we will receive more. Much of what I see today is that most people are connected to other things. Their IV's are not hooked in to the spiritual, but the temporal (mostly through electronic gadgets).

One Eternal Round

"Listen to the voice of the Lord your God, even Alpha and Omega,

the beginning and the end, whose course is one eternal round,

the same today as yesterday, and forever."

Doctrine and Covenants 35: 1

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Instead of going to the public firework display downtown on Saturday for the 24th of July, my daughters preferred to stay home and light sparklers and dance around on our front lawn. This photo is of my oldest daughter, Jessica drawing circles with her "magic wand" sparker. (I think she was feeling a little left out since I haven't posted a picture of her yet on my blog... BTW, This photo effect of capturing her drawing an unbroken circle with a sparkler took a couple of attempts.)

What I hoped to convey in this photo is the visual image of what a One Eternal Round looks like. You can not see where my daughter began.. nor where she ended in drawing this "fiery" circle. Similar to the fact that God is Eternal.. without a beginning or an end. We also know that the Lord does not and can not walk in crooked paths.. nor does he vary from that which he hath said... His course is ONE ETERNAL ROUND.

This concept always been difficult for my puny mind to comprehend, however, I know it to be true. His ways are not our ways. Our mortal minds seem to do better understanding a linear timeline with a beginning and an end. I receive comfort in remembering there really is no end especially at times when we experience an "end" or loss in our life. On the way to work this morning, I turned on the radio. The song that was being played was the Beatles classic... ob-la-di, ob-la-da... LIFE GOES ON. .. Yes, Life does go on. A tender mercy from the Lord.

Our Hearts

This is Sarah, age 6...my youngest daughter. She would be a good match for the Energizer Bunny. We were all excited about the prospects of having an addition to our family in 6 months... especially Sarah. We have had fun wondering if the baby would be a boy or a girl ......As mentioned in my post "the waves of our life".. a routine ultrasound showed that our baby's heart is no longer beating. We are all dealing with the loss in our own ways..With Sarah's childlike faith, she innocently said to my wife yesterday that maybe the baby's heart will start beating again.

A couple of weeks ago, I took a certification class in CPR. We learned the procedure necessary to get someone's heart to start beating again. Here are a couple of thoughts that have come to me from the recent events in our life. We know that in the last days, men's hearts will fail them. (D&C 45) and that the love for others shall wax cold. Symbollically.. our hearts will stop beating the way they were meant to.
In order to restore life to a heart that has failed.. one must perform CPR which consists of breathing air into the lungs and chest compressions. These chest compression are strong, intense pressure which are firm (pushing straight down 2 inches)... Many times you will hear the ribs crack under this pressure. Painful.. but necessary. If that doesn't work than ultimately electronic shocks are given called "defibrillation."
What is in store for our future? Will we need to experience some events in our life to get our hearts beating again, and flowing with love for our fellow man. "Chest compresssions" could come in the form of loss, tributation, challenges.. all meant to soften our hearts and humble us to have the most important quality that our Savior looks for...a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

"If a man have faith he must needs have hope;

for without faith there cannot be any hope."
Moroni 7: 42
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As I was looking through my photos yesterday, I came across an older photo that I took back in 2004 when we were hiking Diamond Head on Oahu. I thought I would post this as the culmination of the series of events and pictures of this past week. The Ocean, waves, Lights/Lighthouse along the shore, colors etc are all brought together in this one image. Yes, the storms of life will always be present... but there will always be a glimmer of hope... evidence that we see in the rainbow.

The waves in our life

The above picture was taken from one my favorite beaches… Corona del Mar (or Crown of the Ocean). A similar view of this beach is painted as one of the murals inside the Newport Temple. The ocean is one of my favorite places on earth because of the beauty and the peace. I view the ocean with it’s waves to be very symbolic of things that happen in our lives. The waves have the power to give and to take. Seashell and other creations are left/given on the beach for us to admire and gather.. The waves also can take away anything left on the shores and pull it back into the depths of the seas.

Much like the ocean, my wife and I have experienced this giving and then taking away in our lives these past 3 months. As many of you know, we announced that we are expecting our 4th child. However, yesterday, on our routine, scheduled appointment, the ultrasound showed that our baby no longer has a heartbeat and has stopped growing. Normally the body would have miscarried the baby, but in my wife’s case.. she still feels all the symptoms of strong, healthy pregnancy which makes this a little more difficult. She is scheduled next week for the surgery. We both feel at peace and have received answers from our Heavenly Father to our questions. Although painful and difficult with any loss… we move forward striving to align our will, with His.

Complimentary Colors

Photo taken of clouds just before the hot summer night sunset on July 18, 2010.

"And then they shall look for me, and, behold, I will come; and they shall see me in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory; with all the holy angels;

and he that watches not for me shall be cut off."

Doctrine and Covenants 45: 44

I have really enjoyed looking up at the sky lately. I don't think we look heavenward as much as we should. Seems like we are too distracted and looking at our cellphones, computer screens, and televisions. Suggestion: Nothing is better than lying on the grass on a hot summer's evening and watching the colors on the clouds as the sun goes down. The brillant blue and the golden orange in the sky are actually complimentary colors (for those who are familiar with the color wheel; Complimentary colors are pairs of colors that are "opposite" hues ). Van Gogh predominantly used these two colors, blue and orange, in many of his paintings including his famous self portrait.

The use of complimentary colors is aesthtically pleasing because when placed next to each other, the complements make each other appear brighter. A lesson can be learned with the husband and wife relationship. Are those marital relationships "brighter" when they compliment each other?

Interesting to note: If you stare at one of the single complimentary colors for a sustained period of time (for example: blue), then look at a white surface, an "afterimage" of the complimentary color will appear (in this case: orange)

Dividing the Light from the Dark

I took this picture tonight from my front yard on July 18, 2010

"And the Gods organized the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day,

and the lesser light to rule the night."

Abraham 4:16

This photo shows a little more detail of the moon than the last photo I posted. I am learning how to focus and use my camera better. Interesting to note that when we know how to focus better, the more we can see. This is not only true with a camera, but with our lives.

From a distance we don't see, or can't see all the hidden details... or especially when we don't focus. To take this picture, I needed to zoom in, focus and hold still in order to capture the image. Good advice in our lives for us to use in how we parent our children .. to studying the scriptures.

Our World and the Moon

I took this photo last night outside my daughter's bedroom window.

It's a world of laughter, a world of tears,

Its a world of hopes, It's a world of fear,

there's so much that we share

that its time we're aware,its a small world after all.

There is just one moon and one golden sun

And a smile means friendship to everyone. Though the mountains divide

And the oceans are wide. It's a small small world

Lyrics to the Disney song 'Its a small world"

Most of us are familiar with this song. Our world is a world of Laughter, Tears, Hopes, and Fears with one moon, one sun. Last night, I happened to look out my daughter's bedroom window and caught a view of the moon before it disappeared behind the trees. (Granted, it is not one of my best photos, since it is kind of blurry.)
I always knew this, but it occured to me that it is the earth that is casting the shadow on the moon. It is our world that is blocking the sun from the moon recieving it's full light potential. How often do we have things in our life that cast shadows on us causing us to not receive the full light from above. Or worse, do we cast shadows on others by our actions that hamper or block out the light for others to recieve?

Waves: The Rise and Fall

Photo taken of waves from a lookout point over Crystal Cove Bay in

Newport, California on May July10, 2010

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

James 1:6

I am fascinated with the ocean. I love to walk on the beach with bare feet. I enjoy the sound of the waves and the smell and taste of the salt in the air. There is nothing more beautiful then a sunset over the ocean. The ocean has the ability to stimulate and fill all 5 of our senses....our sight, sound, taste, touch and smell.

The one sure thing about waves is the pattern or cycle: the building up, the rise and then the ultimate break, crash and fall. The wind and current causes the water to rise near the shore until the height of the wave along with gravity causes the wave to "break" or crash. Can the wave be a metaphor for our lives?... I am sure many of us have heard about the "pride" cycle. Humility and Repentance, Righteousness and Prosperity, Pride and Wickedness, Destruction and Suffering. The wave, like countries, institutions, and people, rises in majesty only to come crashing down. Most people live as if the "waves in their life" will stay constant.. as if the rise will continue on forever... Is it possible to avoid the crash? or is this part of our learning and experiencing all things here in mortality?

Brightly Beams: Part 2

Photo taken of the sunset at Newport Pier, CA on July 10, 2010

"Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy"

Hymn No. 335 verse 3

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother, some poor sailor tempest tossed,

Trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.

Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!

Trying now to make the harbor, some poor sailor may be lost.

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The last verse of this song is asking each of us to be a "lighthouse" to those who might be lost at sea. Even though this photo that I took on the Newport Pier is not really a lighthouse, I think it illustrates an important concept. I framed the sun to appear as a light within a lookout point on the pier. The reality is ...there is only one true light... the light that illuminates all things, and that comes from Christ. We can not be a "light" ourselves without having the light of Christ within us. We might think we have light.. but is it artificial light?.. or does it shine from our testimony of Christ?

Brightly beams: Part 1

Photo taken off the freeway near St. George, Utah on July 12, 2010

"Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy"

Hymn No. 335

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Brightly beams our Father's Mercy from His Lighthouse evermore

But to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore

Let the lower lights be burning: send a gleam across the wave.

Some poor fainting struggling seaman you may rescue, you may save.

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My oldest daughter gave the Family Night Lesson yesterday and had us sing this Hymn as the opening song. I wasn't very familiar with this song, but her lesson from The New Era had a story about being a "light" or a bright beam to others, and suggested to read/sing the words to this song. The song suggests that we are to be a "lower light" for others, however, for us to be a "light", we need to be constantly looking to the "brighter .. or upper light" that comes from our Father in Heaven. Driving home from our trip this past week, we drove through a summer rainstorm. As the storm passed the sun broke through just before it set in the evening sky. Despite the not wanting to stop on the freeway to take a picture... the sun rays/beams where too beautiful to not capture these brightly beams from above.

Discovering your family

Photo taken at Crystal Cove Beach near Newport, California on July 9, 2010

"And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also.."

I Nephi 8: 12

I am truly a blessed man. We just returned from a wonderful trip to the West Coast. I don't think there is anything better than getting away from all the distractions of life and work and spend time with your wife and children. Cell phones (even though I don't have one), Work Schedules, Appointments, Committments etc were ALL silenced to the sound of waves, seagulls, and walking on the sand.