Endowed and Sealed

The two week marathon is over... Life is slowly returning back to its normal crazy pace.

It was amazing!

We actually had people come join us from various person of the country. We never expected to become important enough to justify such love. The sealer joked that he felt in the presence of celebrities, due to the visitors...

During the first part of the sealing ceremony, my wife could not contain herself. She was so choked up, she could barely respond when the sealer asked her if she accepts the covenants... I did my best to support her with all my strength, and she eventually regained some composure.

When the kids walked into the sealing room, all in white, I felt they recognized the magnitude of the event and the settings. They were so atypically quiet and calm, doing as they were told and paying attention to all that was around them.

It was a marvelous day. It was our day!

In the past we have already been married twice (to each other). The first time in 1990, in a traditional Thai ceremony. The second in 1993, in a reform Jewish ceremony. We had always viewed the first as performed for my wife's parents and the second for mine. This time (our third and last) was for us...

We had a wonderful reception in the evening in which we met with some additional friends who could not make it the ceremony.

I am committed to returning to the Temple as soon as I can.

TOTD: "Growing through Adversity" is not just a phrase, it is a state of mind.

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Baptism of the First Born

It is done!

Our oldest son is officially a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Despite the short notice and the amount of stuff we were planning, we got through it, Saturday evening.

We were excited by the amount of non-member friends that were able to make it. They all said how much they enjoyed the evening.

The baptism itself went almost smoothly, except for the part where I said "... In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost... " instead of "... In the name of the Father, *and of* the the Son, and *of* the Holy Ghost... " So, I had to say it again...

Our son did a wonderful job by singing a solo of "I am a child of God". Then, during the confirmation, I added the Hebrew version of "Receive the Holy Ghost": "קבל את רוח הקודש".

At the end of the evening, I put my wife in an awkward situation by asking the conducting member of the bishopric to call on her to the stage to say a few words to our son.

My wife does not appreciate the spotlight, nor speaking in public. All could tell she was at a loss. However, she picked up the glove, and gave a short and moving description of our pride in our son. I know the spirit was with her on that stage.

The one thing that was very evident was the love we received from all who attended. An embracing feeling that transcended any issues of age or ethnic background. It filled our hearts with such gratitude that the next morning (fast Sunday) my wife notified me that she plans on talking about it, during Sacrament (fast and testimony).

She knew she could not manage her thoughts while on the pulpit, so she wrote them all down, and had me review. When the time came, she hesitated, and I needed to encourage her. Her talk/testimony was about service derived from love. It moved many hearts even when it described the members as "tired saints".

For me, this talk was akin to a miracle. I do not know when, or if, she had ever given a talk before, nor bore her testimony from the stand. I had not expected to hear that for as long as I lived. Yet, there it was in front of me. Yea, miracles do happen!

TOTD: Miracles happen every day, all stone us and to each of us. You just need to know how to look.

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Impromptu Baptism

We've had our endowment at the Temple planned for Dec. 11th for some time now. We were trying to figure out if we want to get sealed as an Eternal Family on the same day, and decided to make the extra effort.

When I called to request a sealing ceremony to be added, I found out that our oldest boy, being older than 8 and not yet baptized, cannot be sealed to us. That was Tuesday... Here we are, on Friday, and we almost have everything ready for a baptism tomorrow.

When he turned 8 in April, we discussed baptism with him. We felt that since he has reached the age of accountability he needs to be part of the decision making process. He was hesitant, not fully understanding what and why. He even went as far as to declare "I never want to get baptized", when I mentioned that after baptism he will be expected to read the Scriptures regularly ("What? More homework?")

We took it upon ourselves to explain and teach him, and for the next several months we talked about it. His main interest was in receiving of the Holy Ghost. He knows he can be a brat: picking on his younger siblings, talking back, forgetting his priorities... just like any other 8 year old would... However, he is aware that this behavior can and should be corrected. He seems to truly believe that having the Holy Ghost as an immediate companion will assist in his ability to choose the right.

We are very excited for him. I intend to do my best, and baptize him myself. I will also be confirming him as a member of the Church and blessing him with the companionships he so desires - that of the Holy Ghost. I have never done either, and I am somewhat hesitant, but I know this is God's will and therefore it is mine.

TOTD: My prayer is to be blessed with surmounting tougher and tougher challenges.

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Thoughts for Chanukkah

I subscribe to a Jewish oriented website (http://www.aish.com). They send a newsletter every week with very interesting articles (naturally Jewish in nature). Whenever I can make some time, I read them and enjoy most of them very much. I especially enjoy comparing notes between what I hold to be true and what they propose...

The following is a very brief excerpt from one of these articles. The name of the article is "Is it a Jewish value to yield or to resist?":

"While the Shabbat candles illumine the private domain of the home, the Chanukah candles are a statement to the public domain. Similarly, the place for yielding is in the home, within the family. The place for standing up for one's convictions is the public realm. Unfortunately, we often reverse the two..."

You can find the full article here: http://www.aish.com/h/c/t/dt/48969871.html

TOTD (taken from the same article): Validating another's reality is the key to honoring others.

On the Wisdom of callings

A little while back I wrote about my wife's new calling as a primary worker. She had since taken the job to heart. She earnestly reads the Scriptures as well as the manual to gain insights into what her girls might need.

As parents with three small children, we have always found it hard to find time to read the Scriptures. However, now with this new calling, she is the one driving the reading - asking for my opinion or discussing a topic.

I find myself enjoying a renewed bond with my wife that has lain dormant for some time. When you add the blessings associated with Scripture reading, I can truly testify to the wisdom and inspiration of this calling.

TOTD: Every day is a good day when you have the people you love beside you. Don't forget to tell them that...

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Climbing the Tree

As I may have mentioned in the past, I am an avid Audio Book fan. I listen to books in my car whenever I am alone, which is at least every day on the way to work and back. I usually have a few books waiting in my library for me to get around to listening to them.

A couple of weeks ago I finished the book I was listening to ("The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson) and was faced with the challenge of what to listen to next... I was inspired to select "Paths of Glory" by Jeffrey Archer. This novel is based on the true story of George Mallory, who set off to be the first man to reach the summit of Everest back in 1924. His body was discovered in 1999, and nobody knows if he reached the top or not.

I completed listening to the book on Friday, and the next morning (Saturday) my dear wife reminded me that I had agreed to help her with cutting down one of the trees in the back yard. She described her olan, which included her climbing into the big pine next to the targeted tree and attaching a sturdy rope between the two. This was to be done at two locations so that when we cut it down it will not come crashing on the top of the house.

So what does a caring husband like myself do?... I called the missionaries... Upon their arrival, my wife and I explained the plan. At first they were skeptical (these young boys have obviously not seen my wife in action). However, when my wife made her stand at 25 feet off the ground and started throwing the rope onto the remote limb, one of them pulled out his camera and captured the attempts in video.

Once she was done with the first connection, they had to leave, and my wife needed to go to pick up the kids. I was left alone to my own devices. I chose to climb higher and secure the second connection. As I was climbing up, I recalled several points I had just read in the book about Mallory. This was great inspiration since it allowed me to slow down and think ahead. Once I reached approximately 40 feet, I braced myself and successfully caught the limb.

It was starting to get dark when I started to head down. The main thing that stuck in my head from the book was that the way down is always more difficult and treacherous than the way up. Despite the darkness, I took my time and carefully analyzed the best path down. I ended up successfully reaching my ladder and coming down with hardly a scratch.

Now all that is left to do is to cut that tree...

TOTD: The game of Life operates according to "sudden death" rules.

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Ezekiel - יחזקאל

Yesterday I gave a lesson on the book of Ezekiel. Consider condensing a 48 chapter book into a 40 min. lesson. "Fortunately", the teaching manual only directs you to four discussion points in 3 chapters. But even that is overwhelming.

The two things that I knew of the prophet Ezekiel are his visions of the dry bones and the two sticks (one for Judah and the other for Joseph). To my surprise, they are found in the same chapter - 37. Both relate to promises in the latter days:

The dry bones vision shows God's power and plan not only with regards to the Resurrection of all the house of Israel, but also the Restoration to the promised land.

The vision of the two sticks represents a double meaning: Each stick represents a book (sticks used to roll the scroll onto them) - Judah's stick for the OT, and Joseph's stick for the BoM. These will be used at the latter days in a joint fashion to promote a stronger faith (as we do today). The other meaning is the combining of the two peoples - Judah (Jews) and Joseph - under one Shephard and king.

What I took away from this lesson was an all-encompassing feeling of Gratitude to the Savior for his leadership and sacrifice that allows the execution of the plan. Prophets of old knew their stuff, and reading about it always strengthens my testimony.

TOTD: A good shepherd leads his flock, an hireling drives them from behind. We are all shepherds to those for whom we provide service.

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You've got a friend

Sunday I was working around the house and listening to the radio (actually I was streaming music to my phone... the evil impact of technology...). A song came up that I have known for most of my life now: Carol King's "You've got a friend", performed by James Taylor.

As I was listening to the words, I found myself looking at them differently:

"When you're down and troubled,
And you need a helping hand,
And nothing is going right... "

Which one of us has not had days like this?

"Close your eyes and think of me,
And soon I will be there,
To brighten up even your darkest night... "

Who is it that is always there, just waiting for us to call?

"You just call out my name,
And you know wherever I am,
I'll come running to see you again.

"Winter, spring, summer or fall,
All you have to do is call,
And I'll be there...
You've got a friend! "

He is always there: my brother and friend, even the Lord Jesus Christ.

TOTD: Any lyrics that relate to friendship can and should be seen in a similar fashion. Ex: "You've got a friend in me" by Randy Newman (theme from Toy Story).

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Temple Recommend

We finally have one!

Met with the Stake President Wednesday night. We had a nice chat about the new ward organization. After that, he met with each one of us independently. When he met with me, we spoke a little about my parents and more about my testimony. Finally, he signed the Recommend.

I am so thrilled at the prospect of going to the Temple. I left a message with the Temple to see if the date we want is available (12/11/2010). Hopefully it will all turn out OK.

Last Sunday I gave my first lesson at the new ward as GD teacher. I felt I was not as prepared as I should have been or like to be. However, the lesson turned out fine. Any lesson about Isaiah and his description of the depth of the love of the Savior can't really go wrong.

Turns out that some of the Old Testament books are much easier to read in English than in Hebrew... I find myself, on occasion, using the KJV to interpret the Hebrew Tanakh... True, on occasion I disagree with the translation, but most often it simply provides clarification.

TOTD: "Blood is thicker than water" should apply to all our brothers and sisters.

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An accidental testimony

Following the re-zoning of our stake boundaries, both my wife and I received callings. I got to be restored to my favorite calling as one of the Gospel Doctrine teachers. When a member of the bishopric came by to offer a calling for my wife as a Primary worker, she surprised us both by sharing the following story:

Since the time when we found out that we are moving to a new ward, she had known she will receive a new calling. Specifically, she was inspired it will be working in the Primary. The member of the bishopric was pleased and added that the exact calling will be determined by the Primary presidency. Based on past experience, both my wife and I expected that she will be working with the smaller kids.

When we got to church the following Sunday, my wife found out she will be teaching the older kids (ages 9-11). She described her response as one of total shock. One that really required a camera to be present...

Now comes the good part:

A week later my wife had a few non-member friends over for a "Girl's Night" birthday dinner at our house. As the night progressed, they decided to play a game of embarrassing moments. When it was her turn, my wife shared her story about the calling and her embarrassing response to it. She did not fail to include the fact that she had been inspired by the Spirit with regard to the calling.

She finished her story, which had all her friends completely mesmerized, by demonstrating the embarrassing response. When she was done one of her friends commented on her surprise by saying that she simply wasn't listening hard enough to the message from the Lord.

Later, she confided in me that that friend was right... Part of her inspiration was that the new calling will be challenging, and she should have understood it to mean that she will be working with more than just the smaller kids.

Now, my wife is usually shy about sharing her testimony. When I noted that I was happy she shared it, her response was "No, I was just telling them a story..." I am always happy to support this type of "story"...

TOTD: The harder you listen, the more you will hear.

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On Pride and Gratitude

More from General Conference.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke of Pride in the Priesthood session. Amongst other things he said: "In fact, it could be said that every other sin is, in essence, a manifestation of pride." Thus, pride is the root of all sin.

On the other hand we have President Monson's talk "The Divine Gift of Gratitude". Here President Monson says: "Someone has said that 'gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.'" (Cicero).

So we have Pride vs. Gratitude as the two foundations of Sin vs. Virtue. Consider this the next time you address any situation in your life...

TOTD: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich. (President Ezra Taft Benson)

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General Conference Oct. 2010

For the past several weeks I have been listening to General Conference on my phone in the car. I never really have the time to listen to it during the conference weekend, but I regularly catch up later.

As with most recent conferences, the direction is clear and direct: "Here is what you need to do and here is how you do it."

I have not yet finished the entire conference, but a few of the talks have caught hold of my heart. One of these was by Elder Richard G. Scott, labeled "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character".

Towards the end of his talk, Elder Scott refers to "four principles which have brought the deepest feelings of peace and happiness into [his] own life". These struck me when I first heard them.

Later my memory rearranged them when I tried to remember, so that I came out with the following order:

* Faith
* Obedience
* Repentance
* Service

Easy to remember as "FORS". As indeed they should be the driving force behind each and every one of us.

TOTD: Remember how personal the Plan of Salvation is. This world was created for YOU to grow. Yes, God had so much faith in YOU...

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Missionary Blessing

In addition to being a blessing to themselves, missionaries are a true blessing to the members they serve.

We were fortunate to receive service from several missionary companionships over the course of the past several months. Quite a few of these service projects revolved around our yard and the weeding thereof. It was a great help for my wife, since my job keeps me busy and quite unavailable to help.

Last Saturday we spoke with my parents in Israel. They have a small yard that has several fruit trees and a small lawn. Since their return from visiting us in August, they have been slow to recover from the trip. So was their lawn. For the past month, they are diligent in pulling out weeds and cleaning up, but still have only managed about 30%.

When we spoke with them, the first thing that came to our minds was to find someone who could be paid to take care of the yard. Their response was that they tried it once, with a highly recommend person, and were disappointed by the quality of the work they received. My mother said that she really doesn't feel she can trust anyone with the effort.

When we heard this, my wife and I looked at each other knowingly: you know that if you have missionaries helping you, you do not need to be concerned about diligence or the sincerity of the effort. We were joking about how we should contact the BYU center in Jerusalem and ask them if they have a couple of missionaries to spare... True, my parents do not live close to Jerusalem (about an hour's drive), but my mother would not let them leave without a very hearty meal ;-)

We are so blessed by the missionary program from both sides of the fence. The kids get a once in a lifetime experience of the virtue of service, and the members can see God's work unfold as their needs are met by the hands of His messengers.

TOTD: When you receive service, remember to pay it forward.

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Living in the past

I have known for a while now that different people live in different times. However, it only dawned on me recently that this also applies to one's general perspective on life.

There are those who live in the future, constantly concerned with "what will happen if... ". They seem to be lost in worry and miss out on the beauty of the "here and now". There are those who live in the past, always reminiscing on how they had planned their lives and how things are so very different today.

Then there is me, living in this moment, right now. Somewhat concerned about the future, but not enough to make very elaborate plans about it. Somewhat aware of the past, but not enough to remember it constantly. I find myself relying on God to remind me of relevant past experiences and flag important planning needs.

Prayer is my reality IV. Through it I am fed my past recollections as well as my future needs as they pertain to my daily reality. This leaves me sometimes with gaps in my preparedness, which, in turn, drive my education.

Despite the fact that this method of mine is far from perfect, I still wish more people would live in the present. There is so much to do and see and be in this time and place. Life is way too precious to waste it on the past or to save it for the future. Righteous living is a blessing in the here and now. That is something no one can take away from you.

TOTD: Pain is greatly removed from those who find exaltation in giving.

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Baptism at 8

My wife came home yesterday with an interesting story. She attends a parent group at the local church (non-LDS). During their meeting, the topic for discussion was education. When they got to boys between 8 and 12, the person leading the discussion mentioned that this is the age when they start changing physically. He claimed parents should be prepared to discuss sex and Chastity. Girls mature in a similar fashion, but on a different scale. There, too, parents should be prepared to consult on the same topic.

To me the connection to the age of baptism was obvious. The Jewish ritual of maturity - the Bar-Mitzvah, occurs at 13. Without much investigation, I would conjecture that this age reflects when a person is physically capable of having a family. At 13, you are supposedly ready to be thrown into the world, to hack it on your own.

On the other hand, starting your path to maturity with baptism at 8, gives you a better opportunity. You can use this to grow both physically and spiritually.

To me, this again shows the difference between the law of Moses (more physical for the younger human kind) vs. the law of Jesus (more spiritual for the latter days).

TOTD: Educate your children or they will educate you.

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Why Blog

I find myself in a very interesting position. I am not familiar with many LDS members who grew up in Israel, or with Israeli background. My disconnect with my birth religion stems from the fact that I always had a problem with the term "Jewish".

When people refer to someone being "Jewish", they are mingling two concepts: Religion and Origin (or Ancestry). I much prefer using different terms for these, which the English language allows, but Hebrew does not. In English I would use "Jew" to describe someone who descended from the tribe of Judah, vs. "Jewish" to describe someone who follows the Jewish faith (Judaism). In Hebrew these are both "יהודי".

I never viewed myself as "Jewish", and so long as I was living and Israel, with Hebrew as my main means of communication, I could not distinguish myself from the Jewish faith. I ended up defining myself as a "Hebrew" "עברי", which managed to confuse everybody and create a very interesting topic of conversation.


Once I found the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and recognized it for what it is - a direct descendant of the faith of Israel in the time of the Old Testament, I could not resist. I also can't resist the call for opening other people's eyes  to the path our faith has traveled.

I spoke with several people about my desire to serve others by offering my backgraound and my somewhat unique view of life and the church. One of them suggested a Blog, which will allow anyone who is searching for answers to be exposed to my story and ongoing experiences. So here it is.


As for the name? I met with a member of the church who converted from Judaism. She was born Jewish, here in the USA, but found her way to the church in her own amazing story. When we spoke I described my background and the confusion due to the duality of Religion/Ancestry. I then mentioned what made me join the church and said that I do not see myself simply as a "Latter Day Saint", but rather as a "Letter Day Jew".


TOTD: You  should always remember where you come from, so you will know how to get back there when the time is right.

About Judaism

Last Saturday we were invited to dinner with some of our Israeli friends. It was the week of Sukkoth and they had built one in their back yard. Traditionally, these little huts are used as temporary residence during the week of Sukkoth. So our friends had set up a little table for dinner. Unfortunately, we were somewhat disappointed when we realized we will not be dining there.

As the evening progressed, I found myself talking with one of the guests about religion. It started with our host speaking to her increased effort in teaching her kids about Judaism, specifically Yom Kippur (the day of atonement). This led to the guest responding with a comment about how it is hard for her to accept women wearing a yarmulke.

We ended up discussing the essence of what Judaism was really about. I highlighted my belief that, in the end, all that really matters are two things: your relationship with God and your relationship with other people. The rest are formalities that stem from the specific path you have chosen to take. I believe she agreed with me...

TOTD: May your path be full of virtues that clearly define who you are.

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Goodbye to friends

Our friends are leaving, they are off to Chicago. They have only been with the ward for 8 months, but it feels like much longer. He lost his local job, and found a new one out there, so we gave them a farewell dinner tonight... The Spirit of our ward is something that all those who visit feel right away. Despite their short stay in our area, I know we will remain friends.

It is amazing for me to review the time I have been with the Church. Throughout, I have always been a member of the same ward. Now we are heading towards a zoning change, which may mean that our wonderful, warm, "feels like a family" ward may be disbanded... We will know more next week. If they did decide to make my town part of a different ward, I hope I can get called again to teach Gospel Doctrine. I have enjoyed it so much, it would be a shame to stop.

Lessons in Love: Let the spirit guide you through patience.

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My first step towards endowment

Got my initial Temple recommend from the Bishop yesterday. It was a big deal! I am very excited to be on my way to the temple. I know I still need to get the stake presidency to approve it, but I believe it will be OK.
I have been waiting for this for a long time, so now that it's here I am very happy.

The lesson I gave on Sunday was very challenging, but I still managed to get through it reasonably well. My PPT was going while I was trying to figure out how to connect each slide to the next... I did find some interesting things in the book of Hosea, specifically 2:16, with the play on the various ways to say "husband" in Hebrew: Ishi (אישי) = "my man", vs. Baali (בעלי) = "my master / owner". To me this implied a certain raising of the level of the woman depicted in the scripture, as well as the symbolism to the ability to raise even the unfaithful Israel...

I will be posting the entire lesson on my GD website: www.tudtuu.info.

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Amazing Book: A true life changer!

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge

From Publishers Weekly

For years the doctrine of neuroscientists has been that the brain is a machine: break a part and you lose that function permanently. But more and more evidence is turning up to show that the brain can rewire itself, even in the face of catastrophic trauma: essentially, the functions of the brain can be strengthened just like a weak muscle. Scientists have taught a woman with damaged inner ears, who for five years had had "a sense of perpetual falling," to regain her sense of balance with a sensor on her tongue, and a stroke victim to recover the ability to walk although 97% of the nerves from the cerebral cortex to the spine were destroyed. With detailed case studies reminiscent of Oliver Sachs, combined with extensive interviews with lead researchers, Doidge, a research psychiatrist and psychoanalyst at Columbia and the University of Toronto, slowly turns everything we thought we knew about the brain upside down. He is, perhaps, overenthusiastic about the possibilities, believing that this new science can fix every neurological problem, from learning disabilities to blindness. But Doidge writes interestingly and engagingly about some of the least understood marvels of the brain. (Mar. 19)

Joke

Three old ladies are walking down the road.

The first one says, holding on to her hat: "My, it's windy... "

The second one answers : "No, it's Thursday... "

To this the third one responds: "Yes, so am I. Let's go get a drink. "

[brought to you by OPL ]

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