Chaos

I have decided that if people would just live the way Jesus Christ taught when he was here that the world would be a much better place and all this turmoil would cease to exist. I have been thinking about the word forgiveness lately. I have been struggling with something that has caused conflict in my husband's family. It is this. How do you treat a person that has not, will not, and has no intention of repenting of wrong doing. This person does not think that they did anything wrong and so that is why there is no repentance, but the person is mean, hateful, and vengeful. How do you treat a person that you want to forgive and can forgive for what they have done to someone in your family, and not offend your family member who is dealing with all the hurt and hate? That is my dilemma. I am polite and courteous and yet somehow I am doing the wrong thing. The Savior said, that only he can choose who to forgive, but we have to forgive everyone. Does that mean you still treat them with contempt? I don't know. If anyone has any answers, please let me know. My heart says "Be Nice, but don't be their buddy." That's what I thought I was doing.

"Heaven is for Real"

We went to our missionary reunion last week. It was so wonderful to see all those people that we know and love and worked with and performed with. The Nauvoo Brass Band kids were there also. Every time I saw someone new I was so excited. We just hugged and hugged.

It all of a sudden occurred to me that this is what it will be like when we die. We will walk through the veil separating us from this life and we will see all the people that we knew and loved in our mortal life. We will spend all of our time hugging.
It will be wonderful!

Phill's Death

Well just after I posted this blog, Phill, Ralph's brother died at his home. It was a sad occasion because spiritually he was not prepared to go. However, our Father in Heaven will be merciful because Phill, Dean, and Ralph's parents did not really know the gospel and therefore did not teach it to their family. The only reason that Dean and Ralph were in the church was because of the good women that they married who encouraged them to get active and be sealed in the temple for all eternity.

Phill will have his chance to accept or reject the gospel and his brother Dean who is there now will help him do that. Now we just have to get Ruthie to realize that the gospel of Jesus Christ is here in it's fullness and that she can have all of the blessings of eternity right now. If not in this life, I feel certain she will have a chance to accept the gospel in the life to come. Their family will certainly make sure that the work is done. Hurrah for the doctrine of eternal ordinances for the dead. We do have the truth don't we.

Death

Ralph's brother Phill has been in the hospital for 2 weeks. He is very ill and we don't know if he is going to make it or not. We hope he does. His wife Ruthie was telling us that one night he said to her "I hope I wake up in the morning." He is afraid to die.

I have thought about that and I guess we are all afraid to die, but those of us who have a testimony of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ know that death is just a door to another place where peace and love abound. There is no pain or suffering just peace and love. I hope that Phill can dig back to his understanding of the gospel and know that God loves him and will be waiting for him with open arms when it is time for him to go home. I know this is true.

Writing Again

Well, as you can see it has been awhile since I have written. I hope everyone has had a Merry Christmas. Yes, I am saying Merry Christmas!!! It is getting to the point where the minority who do not believe in God are telling the rest of us what we can believe in. In this country majority rules so if we want to have a Nativity on our town square, we will have it. It has nothing to do with Church and State. Our Founding Fathers never intended for this Nation, founded on Christian Principles, to get rid of God. The Founding Fathers did intend that the Government could not have a state church and that be the only religion. All other religions are welcome. So if you are an Atheist, fine, you have your religion. If you are an Agnostic, fine, you have your beliefs, but don't tell me that my little town cannot put up a Nativity just because you don't believe in it. The Majority of my town is Christian and if you don't like that then move someplace where you will be happy. Everyone should be happy.
Have a great day.

Violence

It is really a shame that our World has become so violent that now even our elected officials are not safe in their own towns. I was shocked and Saddened at the shooting of Congresswoman Gifford. Whether you are a Republican, Democrate, Tea Party, or Independent, all of us should be shocked at this. What does this say about our society? I can hardly wait for our Savior to come again.

Christmas Greeting

Make your own greeting

New Grandson

Welcome Benjamin to Our Family

Create a free greeting card

New Baby

Well we have a new baby. Kamarie, my daughter and Husband Jon just had their 1st boy after 4 girls. We are so thrilled. I can hardly wait to hold him. Now I have to get an afghan made and his lullaby done. What a life. I love it.

Christian or Not?

A week ago I read an article about a couple in South Carolina who were turned down as scout leaders for a pack that was sponsored by another church because they were Mormon and Mormon's aren't Christians. This is what they claimed anyway. Now I think that it was within their right as a church to have who they want to be scout leaders, but it is "They aren't Christians" that I take issue with.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,(notice the name Church of Jesus Christ) we certainly do believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe he was the literal Son of God and Mary was his mortal mother. We believe his mission was to come to this earth to be crucified and die for all of the sins of mankind. We also believe that he overcame death and is a resurrected man. We believe that all mankind will be resurrected because he sacrificed himself for us. Now if that is not being a Christian I don't know what is. Sure we differ with other churches on the subject of the Trinity and we do not accept the man made doctrines of the Nicean Creed, but we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray to our Father in Heaven through Him, the Son.

Here is the difference between what we believe and others believe. We know that the priesthood, Aaronic and Melchizedek, which are in the old testament, were lost when the apostles of Jesus Christ were killed. We believe that His original doctrine and teachings had been changed and distorted. We believe that the fullness of His gospel has been restored in these Latter Days. The Priesthood is back on the earth. Families can be sealed together forever. We look forward to the Savior's Second Coming when we will meet him and fall at His feet and worship Him.
Have a Great Day.

Changes

I suppose I will have to change the title of our blog now that we are home from our mission. It is a big adjustment for me. I would rather be protected by that bubble we were in than be back in the world, but I know I must live in the world so I will do my best. I understand why couples keep going on missions. Serving the Lord is really rewarding and the world seems to just go away. I like that. More later.

Scott Rawlinson and Boys

This free slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Going Home

Well, our mission is over and we will be heading home on Monday.
It has been such a great experience. My Testimony of the truthfulness
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has increased by leaps and bounds.
There is a living prophet on the earth today. His name is Thomas S. Monson.
The Savior of the world leads and guides His church in these latter-days.
I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love Jesus Christ my Savior and Redeemer.
See you all soon.

Memories

As I was traveling out of Nauvoo to run an errand, I began thinking about leaving this peaceful little place on the bend of the Mississippi. On a map it barely shows up, but it is here. There I was driving down Highway 96 looking at the trees that lined both sides of the highway. It was these trees that were so colorful this fall, so bleak this winter, so alive this spring, and now vibrant in their green colors. As I drove down the road, there were places where there were no trees, and I could see the mighty Mississippi River. I began to reflect on the things I will miss when we leave Nauvoo.

It made me realize that our time here is growing short. I have so much more to learn and so much more to do. I hope that I am a better person from serving this mission. I am afraid of coming home and not having anything to do. I am afraid to come home to a place where I may not be needed. I am afraid of having to face the world again with its problems. BUT, I will look forward to seeing our children and grandchildren. Attending birthday parties, piano recitals, sports contests,etc. I will trust in the Lord that he will know what we are to do next.

Spiritual Feast

It has been such a long time since I have written. I apologize to you all. We are now down to the 2 month mark and time is going fast, way too fast. I think we will be ready to come home even though it will be hard to leave. We live in a little bubble here, protected from the outside world and all its problems. It will be different to come back to the world.

This last 2 weeks we have had a spiritual feast. Two weeks ago we were privileged to host the Young Ambassadors from Brigham Young University. They are a performing group of 20 performers and 16 band and Tech members. We took them to various places outside of Nauvoo where they performed and shared their talents with others for free. What a choice group of young people. In that one week we grew to love them very much. The second week, another couple hosted them, but we were still able to keep in touch. At the end of their program every night they sang "I Am a Child of God". Their spirits have touched our souls in ways that cannot be expressed.

Sunday, Elder and Sister Black were two of our speakers. They told some powerful stories. I will relate Sister Black's to you and then Elder Black's tomorrow.
Sister Black's sister was expecting her 5th child. They found out before the baby was born that he would not be able to speak, that he would be mentally handicapped and most likely be in a wheel chair. Her husband left her and the children. When the baby was born, Elder Black gave him his name and a blessing. He was named Dillon and Elder Black blessed him that he would go on a mission and that he would love books.
Elder Black wondered about this and what it meant because it seemed impossible.

Years later, after her sister had remarried, her sister had the opportunity to go to a special ceremony in honor of fallen police officers in Salt Lake City. Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Council of the Twelve Apostles was one of the speakers. As he was speaking, he seemed to be looking at something and then he spotted Dillon and his stepfather. He walked toward them and went up to Dillon and said, "How old are you young man?" Sister Black's sister informed him that Dillon did not speak. Elder Packer told her that her son was on a mission. What impressed the mother of this boy and Sister Black was that an Apostle of the Lord, left the ninety and nine to search out the one. By the way, Dillon does love books. Although he cannot read them, he always carries a book with him.
Blessings come to pass, and prayers are answered in ways we do not always expect.
May we all be faithful and be patient as we wait upon the Lord.

Have a Great Day!
Love,
Elder and Sister Rawlinson, Mom and Ralph, Dad and Linda, Grandpa and Grandma. Ralph and Linda

The Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit and his influence can be felt by many at the same time. When we are Baptized, we are given the right to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost constantly in our lives. However, we have to earn it. We have to be worthy of his companionship. If we are in wrong places or doing wrong things, the Holy Ghost will not stay with us. Then we are left on our own and can be easily influence by Satan and his followers. May we all live and do the things, that will keep the companionship of the Holy Ghost with us.

Our Robin Building Her Nest

This robin is right outside our window building it's nest. Here are some photos also. she laid one egg a day for 3 days.

Mortality Without Soap

The other day at Prep Meeting, Sister Black gave the thought. The theme for the week was "Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can be cleansed of sin."

We all know that we can buy any kind of cleaning solution in the world for everything that needs to be cleaned. There are cleaning solutions for the wall, floor, sinks, counters, bathrooms,etc. But what if you got your clothes dirty, your hands dirty, your face dirty, and you just kept getting dirtier and dirtier. What if you could never become clean. What if there was not a cleaning solution in the world that would make you clean again. I know I would not be happy. I don't like being dirty, do you? There is no hope to become clean. Then someone comes along to help. Oh not just any someone, but a special person who loves us so much that he comes up with a way to get us clean again by using a new soap. He gets the dirt on himself so that he knows how to get it off of us. He finally is able to offer us the new soap. We have a desire to become clean again and so we use the soap and promise that we will work to stay clean. Oh, sometimes we still get a little dirt on us, but now we know how to become clean again.

This is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This was the reason He came to earth was to help us become clean again. I am so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ and His atonement in my behalf. I can only hope that the drops of blood He shed for me will not be in vain.

Treasures

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

At zone conference Sister Ludwig spoke about treasures. Number 1 on her list was to treasure your good name. Many of us don't realize that what we do reflects back to our family. Our family name has a standard to live up to good or bad. The story is told about GEORGE ALBERT SMITH, who had a dream that his grandfather, GEORGE A. SMITH, came to him in a dream and asked him what he was doing with his name. He replied that he had done nothing in his life that would bring shame to his name. Can we say the same if one of our ancestors came and asked us that question?
Something to ponder isn't it?

Spring has sprung!

I saw new baby calves today. They were cute! I have begun working in the garden 1 day a week also. I was very lucky to get so close to this robin.

This slideshow design made with Smilebox

Nauvoo Miracles

Here in Nauvoo we have what we call "Nauvoo Miracles" I dare say every missionary here has some crisis and heartache going on at home. Not all problems are automatically solved just by serving the Lord, however, we learn to trust in Him whose wisdom is far above our own. Sometimes we cannot fix things that depend on the agency of others, but we do observe the little miracles and blessings that are received because it is His will that they happen,
Several Months ago Elder and Sister Mueller's son Mark was diagnosed with a Brain tumor. It was pretty big and they did do surgery, but part of it was still in his brain. Elder and Sister Mueller asked the mission to fast and pray for their son. We did with faith knowing that all was in the hands of our Father in Heaven and it would be his will that would be done. This young man had been inactive in the church. His girlfriend was not a member of our faith. This young man was encouraged by his parents to begin attending church again, which he did. Then a new technique came along. The doctors were able to go in with special equipment and zap the tumor. It was not known how this would all turn out, but this morning in Preparation Meeting, Elder Mueller announced that the MRI that was just done, showed no signs of a tumor or any disease at all. There was some dead tissue left from the zapping. A Nauvoo Miracle? Yes.
In my own life we had a 'Nauvoo Miracle of our own. That was when our son Rob gave his diabetic sister one of his kidneys. When the donation was made, that kidney began to work immediately. Traci now has a new lease on life. We know not how many years she may have left, but we certainly hope enough to raise her boys. Another "Nauvoo Miracle"
Anyone who says miracles do not occur today is wrong. Miracles are performed everyday. The Lord has not forgotten us. He loves us and continues to help us daily.
I just wanted to share this with you. Have a Great Day.
Elder and Sister Rawlinson