Story of repentance and redemption

John Netwon's story behind "Amazing Grace"


The Greyhound had been thrashing about in the north Atlantic storm for over a week. Its canvas sails were ripped, and the wood on one side of the ship had been torn away and splintered. The sailors had little hope of survival, but they mechanically worked the pumps, trying to keep the vessel afloat. On the eleventh day of the storm, sailor John Newton was too exhausted to pump, so he was tied to the helm and tried to hold the ship to its course. From one o'clock until midnight he was at the helm.
With the storm raging fiercely, Newton had time to think. His life seemed as ruined and wrecked as the battered ship he was trying to steer through the storm. Since the age of eleven he had lived a life at sea. Sailors were not noted for the refinement of their manners, but Newton had a reputation for profanity, coarseness, and debauchery which even shocked many a sailor.

John Newton had rejected his mother's teachings and had led other sailors into unbelief. Certainly he was beyond hope and beyond saving, even if the Scriptures were true. Yet, Newton's thoughts began to turn to Christ. He found a New Testament and began to read. Luke 11:13 seemed to assure him that God might still hear him: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him."

That day at the helm, March 21, 1748, was a day Newton remembered ever after, for "On that day the Lord sent from on high and delivered me out of deep waters." Many years later, as an old man, Newton wrote in his diary of March 21, 1805: "Not well able to write; but I endeavor to observe the return of this day with humiliation, prayer, and praise." Only God's amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slave-trading sailor and transform him into a child of God. Newton never ceased to stand in awe of God's work in his life.



I love this rendition of John Newton's song by the BYU Womens' Choir:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Mtpk4jeVA

A Favorite movie about the man who fought for years to abolish slavery in England features John Newton as a character:

trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6Cv5P9H9qU

South Korea-North Korea

Seoul Korea Temple Promise

by Steve Cale, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea,
28 Feb 2004

The temple in Seoul Korea has a promise of temporal
protection attached to it. I know of no other temple in the world for
which temple attendance will protect the country from war.

I'm a Korean linguist for the U.S. Air Force. I've
been stationed in Korea for 12 of the last 22 years. I served my
mission in Sendai, Japan and then returned home to Idaho and married my wife
Lauri. I joined the Air Force in 1982 and was sent to the Defense
Language Institute in Monterey, California to learn Korean. I was then
assigned to Osan Air Base and arrived in Korea in 1984. I am an
Intelligence professional.

On December 14, 1985, my wife and I were privileged
to attend the dedication of the Seoul Temple. The day was very
cold and the wind was blowing very strong, but as we waited in the parking
lot of the temple for our session, we were kept warm by the many
friends surrounding us. We entered the temple and took our seats.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, who was a counselor in
the First Presidency at the time, was to dedicate the temple. In his
remarks before the dedicatory prayer, he made a comment that was so
startling, that I committed it to memory. He said, "If you will use
this temple, you need not fear an invasion from the north." What a great
promise!

I also remember the remark, because during my mission, I had the
opportunity to work with Elder Kikuchi of the Seventy. He was also at
the dedication and afterwards as we were talking, he
remarked how neat that promise was. My family left Korea in 1986 and
returned in 1988 for a second tour. We stayed that time until 1991. The
Saints in Korea had been attending the temple regularly and I feel this is
why the 1988 Olympic Games were held without incident even though the
North Koreans had threatened to disrupt them.

In 1993, my family and I returned yet again to Korea
and at that time, tensions were increasing over the possible
development by the North Koreans of nuclear weapons. In 1994, it actually
appeared that we might go to war with North Korea over this issue. Even
though I had heard a prophet of the Lord declare that we would be
protected, I began to doubt the promise. I wondered if perhaps I had
misunderstood President Hinckley's words that day.

That summer, many of us were invited to Seoul to a
training session with Elder Boyd K. Packer and Elder Henry Eyring. The
chapel in Shingdang was filled with church leaders both Korean and American.
Elder Eyring spoke first and then Elder Packer stood up to speak. He
let us know that "training" was not the only reason that he and Elder
Eyring had come to Korea. He told us that President Hinckley was
concerned for the safety of the saints in Korea. Therefore, the day before,
President Packer and Elder Eyring had gone up to the Demilitarized Zone,
the border between North and South Korea, and had performed a
priesthood ordinance which placed guardian angels at that border. He told us
that because of our faithfulness in attending the temple, we would be
protected.


I don't know if I was more surprised to hear that there were actually
guardian angels at the border, or that there was a priesthood ordinance to put them there.
One Korean stake president asked Elder Packer, "how long will they be there?" His answer was,
"as long as they are needed and you are faithful in your temple attendance." Now I
knew we were safe for I had heard the promise twice.

In 1996, President Hinckley came to Korea on his way to Hong Kong to
dedicate the temple there. He held a regional conference in Seoul,
which we attended. During his remarks at this conference,
he made reference to the temple promise, and said he was going to change
it. He told us that we now needed to attend the temple faithfully, and
also appreciate it. He told us that we were all being protected by the Lord
because we had done as we were told. This was the third time I had heard
the promise and the second time from President Hinckley's own mouth.

I know that this promise is true. I have seen events happen in
conjunction with my job, in which many times the experts have been
confused as to why the North Koreans did not attack.
I know it is because they cannot.

As a member of the U.S. Air Force, part of my job is to help protect
the Republic of Korea from attack. I feel as a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I can do more to
protect South Korea by attending the temple. As long as the saints in Korea
attend the temple they are protected. I have been so blessed to not
only witness the prophet of the Lord proclaim this great promise, but
also have been here to see the fulfillment of those words.

Gone From My Sight
by Henry Van Dyke


I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

That is dying.

And that is dying...

Story told at church yesterday

The story of the painting, The Last Supper, is extremely interesting and instructive. The two incidents connected with it afford a most convincing lesson on the effects of right thinking or wrong thinking in the life of a boy or girl, or of a man or a woman.

The Last Supper was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, a noted Italian artist; and the time engaged for its completion was seven years.

The figures representing the twelve Apostles and Christ himself were painted from living persons. The life-model for the painting of the figure of Jesus was chosen first.

When it was decided that Da Vinci would paint this great picture, hundreds and hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavor to find a face and personality exhibiting innocence and beauty, free from the scars and signs of dissipation caused by sin.

Finally, after weeks of laborious searching, a young man nineteen years of age was selected as a model for the portrayal of Christ. For six months, Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of his famous painting. During the next six years, Da Vinci continued his labors on this sublime work of art. One by one fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven Apostles; space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece. This was the Apostle, you remember, who betrayed his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, worth in our present day, currency of $16.96.

For weeks, Da Vinci searched for a man with a hard callous face, with a countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, hypocrisy, and crime; a face that would delineate a character who would betray his best friend.

After many discouraging experiences in searching for the type of person required to represent Judas, word came to Da Vinci that a man whose appearance fully met his requirements had been found in a dungeon in Rome, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder.

Da Vinci made the trip to Rome at once, and this man was brought out from his imprisonment in the dungeon and led out into the light of the sun. There Da Vinci saw before him a dark, swarthy man; his long, shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face, which betrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin. At last, the famous painter had found the person he wanted to represent the character of Judas in his painting.

By special permission from the king, this prisoner was carried to Milan where the picture was being painted; and for months he sat before Da Vinci at appointed hours each day as the gifted artist diligently continued his task of transmitting to his painting this base character in the picture representing the traitor and betrayer of our savior. As he finished his last stroke, he turned to the guards and said, “I have finished. You may take the prisoner away.”

As the guards were leading their prisoner away, he suddenly broke loose from their control and rushed up to Da Vinci, crying as he did so, “O, Da Vinci, look at me! Do you not know who I am?”

Da Vinci, with the trained eyes of a great character student, carefully scrutinized the man upon whose face he had constantly gazed for six months and replied, “No, I have never seen you in my life until you were brought before me out of the dungeon in Rome.”

Then, lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, “Oh, God, have I fallen so low?” Then turning his face to the painter he cried, “Leonardo Da Vinci! Look at me again for I am the same man you painted just seven years ago as the figure of Christ.”

This is the true story* of the painting of The Last Supper that teaches so strongly the lesson of the effects of right or wrong thinking on the life of an individual. Here was a young man whose character was so pure, unspoiled by the sins of the world that he presented a countenance of innocence and beauty fit to be used for the painting of a representation of Christ. But within seven years, following the thoughts of sin and a life of crime, he was changed into a perfect picture of the most traitorous character ever known in the history of the world.

*I looked this up on "Snopes.com", which says it is not true, but it nevertheless illustrates how people can change for good or bad.

The Old Shoemaker

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7817412565135961701#editor/target=post;postID=2530063117383844830

How does a swan say:

"Thank you for rescuing me?"

While rescuing injured birds the swan wrapped his neck around the rescuer's neck.
Usually swans are very territorial and don't like human company, but Richard Wiese experiences a moving and wonderful moment during a rescue operation executed with several of his friends from a Foundation aiding and rescuing injured birds in England. This is how he describes this moment: "I lifted him, gently pressed on his chest so that he felt confident and safe. After a few moments the swan stopped resisting and literally wrapped himself around my neck. I could feel his heart beating besides mine.
I wanted to shut my eyes in order to enjoy this moment completely - It's really a wonderful feeling when you sense a true connection and mutual trust- when an animal realizes you mean him no harm.


"Rescuing one animal may not change the world, but for that animal, their world is changed forever!" - Unknown

The Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted Her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. There's one more thing,' she said excitedly...What's that?' came the Pastor's reply? 'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my Right hand.' The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.

Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor. The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming... like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!' So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork... the best is yet to come.'

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled. During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about The fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.