Bishopric Boating Day

We all had a great time in the lake and sun.  The day ended with lighting and rain and the thing we feel the worst about....Joe falling off the tube 

Timmerman Reunion

Pictures from our reunion

New School Year

Year Round school is so crazy.  There is always so much going on when it starts...  No one wants to go to bed at night to get up for school.  We always start the last week of July

Cousin Time

Danny and Makella came to Utah to go to EFY and then visit for a week.  The kids had a fun time together

In case you were wondering, they made Tyler try to guess the food by smell 

It was fun to spend time with them this summer

Tyler made peanut butter pancakes with chocolate syrup

Box of Light

ear Elder Soutas

I love to study about light! I have always had a love of all of the scriptures about light and truth. 

I sent this to Jordan when he was on his mission.  He had been studying about Light and I thought you might like it too.

 I also wrote a silly little poem probably about 10 years ago. I had just read a book called "The Sign of The Son of Man - The Shechina" It was so facinating to me...... If you look in the bible dictionary under Shechinah.

It says: The Presence. A word used by the later Jews (and borrowed from them by the Christians) to denote the cloud of brightness and glory that marked the presence of the Lord, as spoken of in Ex. 3:1–6; 24:16; 1 Kgs. 8:10; Isa. 6:1–3; Matt. 17:5; Acts 7:55. The Prophet Joseph Smith described this phenomenon in connection with his first vision, as a “light … above the brightness of the sun,” and said that he saw two Personages whose “brightness and glory defy all description,” standing “in the light” (JS—H 1:16–18).

So I attended book club with Jill Hunsaker and Rhonda Angeletti and all of those ladies and it was Rhonda's turn to choose our book and she chose a poetry book and then

challenged all of us to write a poem. Well I have to admit, I'm kind of the odd one, I never really read most of the books they all want to read...I've always preferred to read books that give me more gospel knowledge. So, I had just read this book on the Shechinah and since it had impacted me so much, that's what I wrote my poem about.

My most favorite scripture which I memorized when Dad was on his mission is That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day (this also happened to be President Hinkley's favorite scripture which I just found out a few months ago)

Here are more of my notes about Light: (the notes are from several sources - a lot of it comes from Elder Larry Lawrence when he spoke to us in Stake conference a few years ago and other's are from stuff I've read)

We can add and accumulate light

The Brighter our spirits, the brighter our glory

The spirit giveth light unto every man D&C 84:46

Light cleaveth unto light

We should teach our children while they are still young they still have that heavenly light it will cling to their spirit

Example of King Lamoni Alma 19:6

Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark ^aveil of ^bunbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the ^clight which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had ^dovercome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God—

The Holy Ghost offers more light -converts exchange flashlights for floodlights

D&C 50 That which is of God is light and he that receiveth light and continueth in God receiveth more light and that light

groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day

This is the secret for eternal progress

We are judged not by what we do, but what we have become

Celestial light = truth sect 84

l

How to nourish our spirits - feed our spirits more truth

Ask in prayer, seek in scripture

Doctrine and Covenants 93:28 teaches us how to receive light. “He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light.” We receive light when we take God’s doctrines, principles, commandments, and covenants deeply into our hearts and then obey them. Consider Doctrine and Covenants 88:33 in those terms. “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.” I think it would be entirely in the spirit of this verse to substitute “light” for “gift.” Listen. “For what doth it profit a man if light is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the light? Behold, he rejoices not in the light which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the light.”

Elder Robert D. Hales gave a powerful illustration of this principle. He said,

When I was a boy, I used to ride my bicycle home from basketball practice at night. I would connect a small pear-shaped generator to my bicycle tire. Then as I pedaled, the tire would turn a tiny rotor, which produced electricity and emitted a single, welcome beam of light. It was a simple but effective mechanism. But I had to pedal to make it work! I learned quickly that if I stopped pedaling my bicycle, the light would go out. I also learned that when I was “anxiously engaged” in pedaling, the light would become brighter and the darkness in front of me would be dispelled.

The generation of spiritual light comes from daily spiritual pedaling. It comes from praying, studying the scriptures, fasting, and serving—from living the gospel and obeying the commandments.

Sometimes people ask, “Why do I have to go to sacrament meeting?” or “Why do I have to live the Word of Wisdom, pay tithing? Why can’t I have one foot in Babylon?” May I tell you why? Because spiritual pedaling takes both feet! Unless you are fully engaged in living the gospel—living it with all of your “heart, might, mind and strength”—you cannot generate enough spiritual light to push back the darkness.

Notice that Elder Hales had a generator on his bicycle, not a battery. One of the lessons in that image is that we must continually generate light. Please remember that you can’t enjoy all the light that you need unless you steadily and diligently pedal—with both feet! Elder Henry B. Eyring taught us a related principle when he said that “great faith has a short shelf life.” That principle also holds for the light we receive through continuing in God. Listen to Elder Eyring’s counsel: “However much faith to obey God we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep it refreshed constantly.” We might say, “However much light we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep that light refreshed constantly.”

soooooo…

Obedience - if you are not gaining light, you are losing it

Don't sit still It takes effort to search knowledge

The Glory of God is Intelligence or Light and Truth

Pattern of How Jesus obtained glory:

- veil was drawn over the Savior at His birth

- His spirit received light, grace to grace

- As Jesus learned a truth, he obeyed it quickly

-he never went against the light

He added to His light

We can have His image in our countenance

Ecclesias - A man's image maketh his face to shine

President Faust: "

I recently recalled a historic meeting in Jerusalem about 17 years ago. It was regarding the lease for the land on which the Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies was later built. Before this lease could be signed, President Ezra Taft Benson and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, then president of Brigham Young University, agreed with the Israeli government on behalf of the Church and the university not to proselyte in Israel. You might wonder why we agreed not to proselyte. We were required to do so in order to get the building permit to build that magnificent building which stands in the historic city of Jerusalem. To our knowledge the Church and BYU have scrupulously and honorably kept that nonproselyting commitment. After the lease had been signed, one of our friends insightfully remarked, “Oh, we know that you are not going to proselyte, but what are you going to do about the light that is in their eyes?”

He was referring to our students who were studying in Israel.

What was that light in their eyes which was so obvious to our friend? The Lord Himself gives the answer: “And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings.”1 Where did that light come from? Again the Lord gives the answer: “I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”2 The Lord is the true light, “and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.”3 This light shows in our countenances as well as in our eyes."

There is an inner light in the countenance of those who have sought and found truth

Pres Heber J Grant's father had a vision of the spirit world. He saw darkness in some family member's spirits.

There are accounts of near death experiences. These people say the spirit world is filled with light. One person saw that the more a person had obeyed God, the brighter his or her light was in the spirit world

Sanctification applying light and truth D&C 88

if you want the spirit to show you what to do, feast upon the word Ask - What should I work on right now - how can I gain more light?

“Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. …

“And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;

“Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—

“The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed.” (D&C 88:6–7, 11–13.)

This earth will be a celestial sphere, like a sea of glass and fire. The prophet Brigham Young said: “It will not then be an opaque body as it now is, but it will be like the stars of the firmament, full of light and glory: it will be a body of light. John compared it, in its celestialized state, to a sea of glass.” (Journal of Discourses, 7:163; italics added.)

Jesus Christ is "in all and through all things, the light of truth; which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ . . . the light which shineth, which giveth you light . . . through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings.”

This is from Gladys Knight: Renowned singer and entertainer

“Since I joined the Church, I desire to be more and more obedient to God. As I do so, many people say to me, ‘I see a light in you more than ever before. What is it?’…During one performance at Disney world…[a member of the audience asked,] ‘Could you please tell us…how you got that light?’

“the question was direct. so I gave a direct answer: ‘I have become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Shekinah (Hebrew) - The presence of the Lord in a Brilliance of Light”

Moses

2 And the ^aangel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of ^bfire out of the midst of a ^cbush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God ^acalled unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

Lehi

1 Nephi 5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his ^aheart, in behalf of his people.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a ^apillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much;

Joseph Smith

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

1 Nephi 5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his ^aheart, in behalf of his people.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a ^apillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much;

The temples we have here in Provo and in Ogden are also symbols. Have you ever noticed the band around them and the pillar.  But it is a symbol of a shadow by day and a pillar by night. It is the pillar of fire and the cloud. When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, that is where they knew to put the tabernacle. During the day, the cloud was over it, and at night there was a pillar of fire. It was a symbol of the presence of Jehovah. (It was called shekinah, a Hebrew word to symbolize "the presence of the Lord.") They would get up in the morning and the cloud would be afar off, and they knew they had to move the tabernacle over there to follow Jehovah through the wilderness to get out of bondage and to get back home.

In section 84:

“For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

“And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.” (D&C 84:45–46.)

This word light appears 535 times in the scriptures.

Light has a relationship to the Son of God: “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.” (D&C 88:67.)

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. Moroni said: “And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.” (Moro. 7:18; i

John said: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12;

 theme verse is Doctrine and Covenants 50:24: “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” The following verse teaches us that God gives us truth that we “may chase darkness from among [us]” (D&C 50:25). If you are armed with light and truth, you need not be afraid of the dark. We’ve just referred to the verse that follows our theme verse. Consider the verse that precedes it. “[T]hat which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness” (D&C 50:23). Please ponder that powerful truth. If there is anything in your life that turns out your lights, you need not wonder where it comes from. If it does not strengthen and encourage you, it cannot be of God. It is darkness. Chase it away with light.

and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. The light grows brighter and brighter because we are drawing nearer and nearer unto the Source of the Light, but also because we are increasingly filled with the light of his doctrines, principles, commandments and covenants and thus increasingly like Him. The perfect day is that day when we enter into and receive the fullness of the Father.

I hope your day is filled with light!

Love forever, Mom

Jordan's response

First of all, thanks so much for your package! It was seriously the coolest thing ever! I've been studying about llight all week and was really searching for some answers. It was seriously like a tender mercy from the Lord that your package was all about light. Even Elder Woodland was like, "Holy crap, you have an inspired mother." That I do. :) I haven't quite had time to study it since I got it like 5 min ago. But I have some questions for you.

What is the differnece between light and truth? Sometimes it says that light it truth but it also says that we will grow in light AND truth. What does it mean that truth shineth? I was kind of thinking this week about it. I liked how it said that we receive light by obedience and lose it by disobedience. That reminded me of how we receive happiness and misery by the same. It made me think about how light brings happiness. Isn't it interesting that one of the leading causes of depression is a lack of vitamin D which comes from sun light? Isn't it interesting how happy people radiate light?

But what is light? It is simply radiant energy that acts on the retna of the eye that gives the eye sight.

So light=energy=power=the power of God. (It says that in DC 93). It comes straight from the throne of God to fill the immensity of space. Light=Priesthood power. I'm sure you've looked at the crazy circle thing in the book of Abraham too...

Well enough of that. But seriously thanks so much for the package.

Oh and Luis got baptized yesterday! It was such a great service and well attended. He is being well received into the ward. He was so happy. After he was baptized he rose up his hand and waved to everybody and everybody waved back. It was really funny. ha ha I sent a picture of the baptism for you.

Schechinah

Testimony of Light

Once upon a time I watched the sun rise

dispelling darkness with radiant glow

the day ahead was mine to spend

sharing with those I know

What is this light we receive

as each day follows next?

In the beginning, divided from darkness-

if we believe the text

Did the same light that warms our shoulders

consume a burning bush?

Or as a shadow by day and a pillar by night

guide Israel through a wilderness?

When a young boy prayed this heavenly pillar

shone through branches to restore—

darkness is past and true light now shines

filling earth once more

Have you seen a new born baby’s eyes shine

as you talk of heavenly things?

That which is of God is light

this gift from above he brings

If within me shines this light

that all mankind may see

then love and truth I hope to show

a beacon we may be

Whether our view is a slow setting sun

or a burning of warmth in our hearts

we can know His Presence

and the light that He imparts

-Jennifer Lynne Soutas