Sermoncitos, a family tradition
Attitude
One who expects completely to escape low moods is asking the impossible...Like the weather, life is essentially variable,...and a healthy person believes in the validity of his high hours even when he is having a low one (Harry Emerson Fosdic). JoAnn and I have been down with sore throats for a few days and are exercising all the normal cures and remedies hoping to get back to the temple this week. The ironic thing is, the cures are working...but we reek so bad from garlic doses and onion poultices, that we would not be very popular nor even welcome there as workers.
Being sick once in a while is not such a bad thing and as Mr. Fosdic implies, it's even "normal". It's not only a way for the body to "de-tox" itself...but it also makes you appreciate the healthy and happy times, even more. There was a great Jewish mystic of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century who regularly experienced ecstacy on solitary wanderings through forests. He recommended the following: "Always be joyful, no matter what (or who) you are. With happiness, you can give a person life. Every day we must deliberately induce in ourselves a bouyant, exuberant attitude toward life; in this manner, we will gradually become receptive to the subtle mysteries around us. And, if no inspired moments seem to come, we should act as though we have them anyway. If you have no enthusiasum, put on a front. Act enthusiastic, and the feeling will become genuine."
We achieve true and sincere happiness as we care for and love others. President David O McKay said, "There are three means of achieving the happy, abundant life: first, making God the center of one's life; second, using the free agency given to man; and third, rendering service to others. JoAnn, even when feeling her worst, made extra potato soup for a widow in the ward and wearing our face masks, we made a brief visit to a very greatful sister. I remember having to wear such masks particularly in the early days of transplant. JoAnn made sure even though I was not feeling so happy to be there...she adorned my mask with a big red smile. It worked! I soon started counting my blessings, putting God and others first. The result was I made others happier, and also I enjoyed a much quicker recovery.
"Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof... if, we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virture, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God" (Joseph Smith).
Have a great weekend,
Love, Nathan Howard
Lucas the Healer
Congratulations on becoming certified as a healer. Patch Adams’s philosophy of healing began with attitude. Grandpa Ed Howard taught the same thing. He believed that most illness was brought on by people believing they were sick. “Harry Emerson Fosdic put it this way:
One who expects completely to escape low moods is asking the impossible... Like the weather, life is essentially variable,...and a healthy person believes in the validity of his high hours even when he is having a low one” .
Uncle Nathan believes that being sick once in a while is not such a bad thing and as Mr. Fosdic implies, it's even "normal". It's not only a way for the body to "de-tox" it self...but it also makes you appreciate the healthy and happy times, even more. There was a great Jewish mystic of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century who regularly experienced ecstacy on solitary wanderings through forests. He recommended the following solution to health:
"Always be joyful, no matter what or who you are. With happiness, you can give a person life. Every day we must deliberately induce in ourselves a bouyant, exuberant attitude toward life; in this manner, we will gradually become receptive to the subtle mysteries around us. And, if no inspired moments seem to come, we should act as though we have them anyway. If you have no enthusiasum, put on a front. Act enthusiastic, and the feeling will become genuine."
We achieve true and sincere happiness as we care for and love others. President David O McKay said:
"There are three means of achieving the happy, abundant life: first, making God the center of one's life; second, using the free agency given to man; and third, rendering service to others.”
Joseph Smith also gave advice for achieving the abundant life:
"Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof... if, we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God."
The president of a Lamanite branch needs to be in the service mode, and needs to have a vision of his purpose and his role in healing the people. The people of Zarahemla did not bring the Lamanite refugees brought by Ammon into their own city, but set aside a refuge for them (Alma 27:22-24). The land of Jershon became a place of refuge for all who were rejected by their families and communities (Alma 35:6,7).
We pray that your little church may become a place of refuge and peace and health for all people; a place where family and community differences are forgotten and the gospel of Christ brings harmony and order to lives, and progress and prosperity to families; a place where all can become “fellow citizens with the saints”; a place where all belong, and thus are healed.
Felicidades en tu graduación, ¡qué Dios te bendiga!
Dad and Mom Howard