They Knew The Prophet Joseph

James Houston Sr. Knew Joseph Smith; His wife Margaret had a visit from a stranger telling her to join the Church

Here are the conversion stories of James Houston and Margaret Crawford. James knew the prophet Joseph Smith. His wife's conversion story about the stranger that visited her home and wrote on their freshly white-washed wall is equally fascinating.

James is the father of James Houston who is the father of Lucy Houston (grand-daughter of James Houston Sr.) Lucy Houston is the grandmother of Reid A. Robison (mother of Gloria Dawn Adams Robison). This means James Houston Sr. is the great-great grandfather of Reid A. Robison and the first person in that line to join the Church.

Margaret Crawford is the wife of James Houston Sr. and the great-great grandmother of Reid A. Robison and the first person in that family line to join the Church.


Conversion Story of James Houston Sr.

“I was brought up to be a shawl weaver. I saw a lot of trouble in my youth. It caused me to reflect much and I had a strong desire to know the true way to be saved in the kingdom of God. I saw that the great men did not agree on what was right. There was no use of me trying (presumably to reconcile my religious desires with the common teachings of the time), but still I had a great desire to know, (the truth about religion).

One day I was at an election meeting when the priest was doing his best. While he was speaking upon the subject of “What To Do To Be Saved,” I felt a desire to (some day) be with the good people when they were gathered together.

I continued praying in my heart when eventually something came over me that made me feel good all over. I did not say anything about it to others. I often thought about it, but did not know what it was. But I know now.

The Lord heard my prayers and gave me the answer (the knowledge) that I would be shown the right way. At this time I think that I was about 14 years old. (James Sr. was born on June 4, 1817)

I worked as an apprentice for two years under my brother, John (just before he died). After his death, he came to me one night in a dream. He asked me some questions and I asked him some. From that time on things took a turn (presumably he meant to say that he began to understand). I can see many ways that the Lord opened up the way for me to see the gospel.

The Elders (Mormon) came to Paisley about the time of my dream. The Elders were from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was so engrossed in company that I did not get to hear them.

I went to a place one night and they would not let me in for they had been disturbed the night before. However, I did get into conversation when one of those who did hear and had attended the meeting the night before. He told me of the Angel appearing to Joseph Smith and what the Angel said. I got the loan of a “voice of warning” and began to read. The devil was mad and I did not know what was the matter. The man of the house where I lodged was religious and what I read in the book was so good, I began to preach to him. It made him “raving” mad and he said “all these things are done away….” In anger he went on to speak of “……sins…..” etc. I could not understand why he was so mad and me so glad. But I was not to be put off that way. I could not get ride of that feeling (of gladness) and I would argue in the workshop until I was astonished at myself.

I sailed for America in 1840 with a small company of the Saints under the direction of Brother Millner. I could see the same spirit manifest against the Saints (on board ship). All this confirmed my newly found faith.

After a pleasant journey of nine weeks, we landed in New Orleans. The Gospel had a great affect on my mind and I thought a great deal. Brother Millner invited me home with him to Springnel (State not mentioned). While I believed the Gospel to be true, I thought that I was not good enough to be baptized. However, I went to the meetings regularly and in 1841, I was baptized and confirmed the same night.

I knew that the Gospel was true for I received the ‘spirit’ according to the promise. In the spring of the same year (1841) Brother Lyman Wright came on a Mission. He gathered some stock for the Temple and Nauvoo House. He needed someone to help drive the cattle and I volunteered. I eventually arrived in Nauvoo, the City of the Saints on April 30, 1841. I cannot begin to describe the many strange reflections; suffice it to say that I saw the Prophet of the Lord, Joseph Smith. A few days following my arrival, I began to board in the house next to that of the Prophet and I continued to live there for nine months.

I can assure you that the Prophet was all he professed to be. I know he was a true Prophet of God for I have heard him speak and prophesy as he was lead by the Holy Ghost. He was a fine and great man. I knew this by the Holy Ghost that was in me.

I labored at the Nauvoo House that summer. I got my blessing from Patriarch, Hyrum Smith on September 29, 1841 and he requested that I should be ordained into the Seventies Quorum. I was ordained at the October Conference.

I kept working, looking, watching and praying and the experience I got did me great good. In 1842, I continued working the same as the year before. An apostate named Bennett tired to do great harm by stirring up the people against us. The word of the Lord was for all the brethren to go and preach the Gospel. It had the desired effect upon me for on November 1, 1842, in company with Brother Samuel Mulliner, I started on a three-year mission to Scotland. While on this mission, I married Margaret Crawford, whom I baptized July 26, 1845 in the River Clyde, New Lauark-Shire, Scotland.

Margaret Crawford Life Story

Margaret Crawford, the daughter of James Crawford II and Elizabeth Brown was born March 1, 1825 in Dunsyre, a small village at the southend of the Pentland Hill range. She was raised near the Boghall Castle and experienced living closed to where here ancestors lived.

At the age of two, Margaret moved to Wilsontown in 1827 where her brother, James was born and in 1829 on to Peebles-Manor parish where John another brother was born. In 1831, at the age of six, they moved to Eddleston, Peebleshire where Christine, a sister was born. Then the family moved to Biggar, where Margaret, being the eldest of the family, helped her father on the farm.

Margaret attended a dress-making school which proved to be a benefit to her during her life. While in here teenage years, her mother, Elizabeth Brown Crawford, died, and she was able to sew her mother’s burial clothes.

Margaret was very well-educated and had a knowledge of the Old English handscript. Her son, Thomas, later would write most of his missionary journal in this language which she had taught him because they were living in America at the time.

The Crawford family lived near Dalveen Pass, one of the finest passes in the Lowlands. James Houston traveled past this site many times while on his mission in Scotland. The Crawford family also lived close to the land of Crawford and Crawford-John, where the Crawford families had many castles and were a well-to-do people and were closely related to one another. This was also the valley in which they raised Clydesdale horses which also was helpful in Margaret’s later years in southern Utah when her family raised Clydesdales.

When Margaret was seventeen years old, she helped her mother clean and white-wash the walls in their home using a mixture of white-chalk and water. After they had just finished the large fireplace at one end of the room, they stepped back to admire the snow white walls and hoped it would not have to be done again very soon. Just then there was a knock at the door and there was a stranger who entered the room and took a piece of charcoal from the hearth and proceeded to write upon the beautiful white walls. Margaret and her mother stood watching the stranger in speechless amazement.

The stranger wrote on the wall the following: “Margaret would be visited by a young man who was teaching a new and strange religion, who was from the New World and had crossed many waters to teach the gospel to her. He was from their own nationality. She would listen and accept this strange religion and marry him and go to the New World and build a home and have a great posterity.”

Three years later, a missionary by the name of James Houston, who was from Scotland, but had moved to America, knocked on her door, taught her the gospel and baptized her. Shortly after that, they were married.

Who First Joined The Church in Our Family?

The 5 J's have at least 24 ancestors on Grandpa Robison's side of the family that first joined the Church at the time of the restoration. These people are the great-great-great-great grandparents of the 5 J's. What are their names? Where did they come from?

1. Lewis Robison - joined the Church in Nauvoo and was 3 greats (not 4). He was born in Cincinatti, Ohio and his dad was a Reverend named Charles. He was baptized in Nauvoo.

2. Clarissa Minerva Duzette - joined the church in Nauvoo and was born in Worcester, Ohio. Also 3 greats for the 5 J's (not 4) and was the first wife of Lewis Robison.

3. Grandpa Robison's grandmother was Phebe Elizabeth Pearson. Her grandfather Jacob Ephraim Pearson was born in 1787 in Manchester, Maine and died in Circleville Utah.

4. Jacob Pearson's wife was Rhoda Ewers and was born in 1789 in Gill, Maine. She also died in Circleville, Utah.

5. Phebe Elizabeth Peaarson's grandfather on her mother's side was Jacob Foutz, who was born in Washington, Penn. in 1800. He is the one who survived Haun's Mill Massacre by covering himself with bodies and pretending he was dead. He died in Salt Lake City.

6. Jacob Foutz's wife was Margaret Mann, who was born in 1801 in Thomastown, Penn. She died in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

7. Grandpa Robison's mother was Effie Jensen. Her grand-father was Christian Frederick Jensen who was born in Denmark in 1838 and died in the Mormon settlement of Kimball, Alberta.

8. Christian Frederick Jensen's wife was Johanna Hansen who was also born in Denmakr and died in the same town, Grandpa Robison was born in - Aetna, Alberta in 1834.

9. Grandpa Robison's mother's parents from her mother's side were the Skrivers and teh Sorensens. Her grandfather was Peder Petersen Skriver who was born in 1859 in Denmark and who died in Cardston, Alberta in 1879.

10. Peder Skriver's wife was Jensena Sorensen who was born in Denmark in 1858 and died in Aetna, Alberta.

That summarizes the list of the first members of the Church from Grandpa Reid Enoch Robison's side of the family.

For Grandma Gloria Dawn Adams Robison, her ancestors also joined the Church in Europe for the most part.

11. Her father's great grandfather was William Adams. He was born in Ireland in 1822 and died in Bluff, Utah.

12. William Adams' wife was Mary Ann Leech. She too was born in Ireland in 1821 and died in Parawan, Utah (the same town Grandma Robison was born in).

13. Grandma Robison's great grandfather on his mother's side was Thomas Davenport. He was born in England in 1815 and while a missionary for the Church wrote the hymn "Come All Ye Sons of God." This stirring hymn is sung by Priesthood holders world-wide as they remember the importance of their ordination. He too passed away in Parowan, Utah. (1888)

14. Thomas Davenport's wife was Sarah Burrows. She was born in 1811 in England and died in 1882 in Parowan, Utah.

15. Grandma Robison's great grandfather on her father's mother's side of the family was John Hardison Redd. He was born in Snead's Ferry, North Carolina in 1799 and died in Spanish Fork, Utah in 1858.

16. John Hardison Redd's wife was Elizabeth Hancock. She too was born in Snead's Ferry, North Carolina in 1798 and dies in Spanish Fork, Utah in 1853.

17. Grandma Robison's great grandfather on her father's mother's side of the family - the other set of grandparents - was John Lowell Butler. He was born in 1808 in Sampson, Kentucky and was the hero of the day at Gallatin County in Missouri where the mob tried to prevent the Saints from voting on election day. John took a club and drove the mob away. He died in Spanish Fork, Utah in 1853.

18. John Lowell Butler married Caroline Farozine Skeen who was born in Sumner County, Tenn. in 1812. She died in Panguitch, Utah in 1875.

19. Grandma Robison's mother's side of the family was equally rich in conversion stories at the time of the restoration. Her mother's great grandfather was James Houston who was born in Scotland in 1817. He joined the Church there and died in St. George Utah in 1864.

20. Jame's Houston's wife was Magaret Crawford. She too was born in Scotland in 1825 and was visited by a stranger who wrote a message on her wall in charcoal shortly before she joined the church. The message was about who she would marry and that she would join the Church. She died in Panguitch, Utah in 1912.

21. Grandma Robison's other set of grandparents on her father's side were William Darby Cooper and his wife Lydia. William was born in South Carolina in 1828 and died in Washington, Utah in 1867.

22. William Darby Cooper's wife Lydia was born Lydia Ellen Rochester in Union, South Carolina in 1828. She also died in Washington, Utah in 1902.

23. On Grandma Robison's Mother's side of the family, her great grandfather was Joseph Asay who was born in 1823 in New Jersey. He died in Mt. Carmel Kane, Utah in 1879.

24. Joseph Asay's wife was Sarah Ann Pedrick, who was born in 1818 in New Jersey and died in 1900 in Emery, Utah.

25. Grandma Robison's Mother's other side of the family had a great-grandfather named Christopher Lister Riding, who was born in England in 1816. He died in St. George in 1887.

26. Christopher Riding's wife was Eliza Adelaide Dolbel, who was born in St. Jean, Jersey, Channel Islands, in France in 1834. She died in Provo, Utah in 1908.

If you go to http://www.familysearch.org/ and enter these names and the dates of their deaths, you will find their pedigree charts. A faster way to do this is to enter these names:

Marion Robison, died in 1951, in Meeteetse, Wyoming and select pedigree.

Effie Jensen, died in 1978, in Lovell, Wyoming and select pedigree.

Thomas Marion Adams, died in 1980, in Lovell, Wyoming and select pedigree.

Lucy Ora Houston, born in 1902, in Paragonah, Utah and select pedigree.

*Note: When you print the Marion Robison page, there will be some blanks for Lewis Robison and his wife Clarissa Minerva Duzette. In that case enter, Lewis Robison and put 1883 as year of death, in Salt Lake City Utah; and enter Clarissa Minerva Duzette and put 1891 as year of death in Salt Lake City, Utah.

It would be a fun family home evening project to print off these pages as well as the pages from your spouses side. Your next challenge will be to fill in a four generation page for your mother's line. See if you can do this and then if you have questions, we can help you.

Barbara Schultz Polizzi was born to Clyde and Henrietta Schultz.

Glenn Lavern Flint was born to Oscar Glenn and Nellie Flint.

The Story of Red Sleeves

When Grandpa Robison was a little boy growing up in Montana, he loved to visit his grandparents in Lovell, Wyoming. Often he would ask his Grandpa Adams to tell him a story. A favorite story of all the grandchildren was that of "Red Sleeves & the Bear." Dallin, Amanda, and Emily have a big black bear running around loose in their neighborhood in Summit Park, Utah. In fact, just today a trap was put up in their front yard.

The story of Red Sleeves will be a good one to tell all the grandchildren. It is still one of Grandpa's favorites after all these years.

The Story of Red Sleeves & The Bear

(related to Reid A. Robison by his grandfather Thomas M. Adams in the late 1950s)

Once upon a time, there was a hermit that lived in the woods in the Big Horn Basin, in Wyoming. He was very poor and his coat was so worn out that all you could see was the red lining of his coat sleeves. No one knew his name, so people referred to him as “Red Sleeves.”

Old Red Sleeves loved to hunt. Day after day he would tromp around the hills and hunt wild animals. He especially loved to hunt for bears.

One day, Red Sleeves came face to face with a Big Black Bear. The Bear must have sensed that Red Sleeves was trying to shoot him so he began to chase him. After running away from the bear for one hundred yards, Red Sleeves sensed that the bear was gaining on him, so he turned and shot him in the right front leg. That big black bear only hesitated for an instant and continued chasing Red Sleeves.

After another hundred yards the bear got even closer and so Red Sleeves turned and shot the bear in his left front leg. Again the bear barely slowed down and continued the chase in hot pursuit of Red Sleeves.

By then old Red Sleeves was getting worried. He continued another 100 years and again turned and fired off a third shot. This time his bullet hit the bear in the rear right hind leg. Again that bear was not fazed and continued the chase and got even closer to Red Sleeves.

Finally after another 100 yards, Red Sleeves knelt down one last time and fired off his last bullet. This time he hit the bear in his rear left hind leg. The bear was not dazed in the least and kept on chasing old Red Sleeves and got almost within grasp of him.

Just then they reached the edge of the forest and Red Sleeves climbed up a tall tree to escape the bear, but the bear climbed right up after him. When Red Sleeves got to the top of the tree, he realized that he was out of tree. There was no where else to climb and the bear was inches away.

The big black bear opened his mouth very wide and was all set to eat Red Sleeves, when at the very last second, Red Sleeves reached down inside of the bear’s mouth and grabbed onto his tail and pulled him inside out. Well, when he did that the bear scurried back down the tree and ran away in the opposite direction.

Old Eyes See Best

When Grandpa Robison was a little boy in third grade, he lived in Billings, Montana. Several times a year his parents would take him to his visit his grandparents in Lovell, Wyoming. Lovell was 90 miles south of Billings. Grandpa and Grandma Adams had a farm and Grandpa Robison, who was called "Robbie" loved to go with his Grandpa Adams to change the water in the irrigation ditches. The family often tells the story about one of their first visits to Lovell, when Robbie's little brother, Brad was two years old and barely talking. As they left Lovell after one of their visits, Brad pointed to a cow and said "look mommy, the damn cows are out." When Grandpa Adams was confronted about the story, he said if a cow is out, there is no other name for it. Brad thought all cows were called damn cows until a very embarrassed mother corrected him.

One of the things that Grandpa Adams taught Robbie was to never walk behind a horse because you could get hurt. Not imagining how you could get hurt, Robbie with visions of Wyatt Earp, the movie star cowboy floating in his head, walked up to one of Grandpa's horses and smacked him on the behind. The horse gave him a swift kick in the thigh and he flew back 10 yards against a tree and bumped his head. For the next week in school, he limped around with a big bruise on his leg and a big bump on his head.

What did Grandpa Robison (Robbie as a little boy) learn from this lesson? He learned this very valuable lesson - "Old Eyes See Best."

In Moses 6:27,35-38, we read valuable lessons about "old eyes".

27 And he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people, and say unto them—Repent, for thus saith the Lord: I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against them; for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off;

35 And the Lord spake unto Enoch, and said unto him: Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash them, and thou shalt see. And he did so.

36 And he beheld the spirits that God had created; and he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eye; and from thenceforth came the saying abroad in the land: A seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people. (Shouldn't we say See-er to really understand this word?)

37 And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places, and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him. (Aren't most men offended by what prophets announce?)

38 And they came forth to hear him, upon the high places, saying unto the tent-keepers: Tarry ye here and keep the tents, while we go yonder to behold the seer, for he prophesieth, and there is a strange thing in the land; a wild man hath come among us. (Is President Hinckley, a wild man come amongst us? - No, but the worldly might think so because he announces God's will and not man's.)

When we think about the experience of the early Saints in Missouri, we often think about how the Missourians were not nice to the early Saints. But what do we have in Missouri right now as a memory? Nothing. That is the lesson of Missouri. There is nothing there.

Joseph Smith sawthe enemy far off...the people did not listen. He told them to start laying a foundation for the temple in Independence. They did not obey.

There is a great parable about this in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 101: 43-53

43 And now, I will show unto you a parable, that you may know my will concerning the redemption of Zion.

44 A certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice; and he said unto his servants: Go ye unto my vineyard, even upon this very choice piece of land, and plant twelve olive-trees;

45 And set watchmen round about them, and build a tower, that one may overlook the land round about, to be a watchman upon the tower, that mine olive-trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard. (Now the tower may be compared to the temple and the watchmen to the Priesthood - the watchman, of course is our living prophet, President Hinckley.)

46 Now, the servants of the nobleman went and did as their lord commanded them, and planted the olive-trees, and built a hedge round about, and set watchmen, and began to build a tower.

47 And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves: And what need hath my lord of this tower? (Now this is a very bad question. What they should be asking and what we should ask when we hear President Hinckley is "what does the prophet see from the top of the tower?)

48 And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace?

49 Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things.

50 And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord.

51 And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive-trees.

52 Now, behold, the nobleman, the lord of the vineyard, called upon his servants, and said unto them, Why! what is the cause of this great evil?

53 Ought ye not to have done even as I commanded you, and—after ye had planted the vineyard, and built the hedge round about, and set watchmen upon the walls thereof—built the tower also, and set a watchman upon the tower, and watched for my vineyard, and not have fallen asleep, lest the enemy should come upon you?

I hope that you will learn the valuable lesson my grandfather taught me "old eyes see best." Listen to your parents and grandparents. Listen to the Lord's chosen servants his prophets and you will see that "old eyes see best."

Mine Angels Round About You

The Miracle of Elder Jenkin's Appendectomy

D&C 84:88

"And whosever receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face, I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you , to bear you up."

Parents and grandparents take comfort in that scripture as they sends their sons forth to serve missions.

And as you know, there are so such things as coincidences.

This lesson is about the protection missionaries receive as they serve the Lord.

Here is the story of Elder Jenkins, (see the top two pictures) who is currently serving in Trinidad.

Yesterday, Elder Jenkins had an emergency appendectomy. When the doctor opened up the inflamed area, he discovered that the appendix was infected and had gangrene. Even though the appendix had ruptured, it was caught at the perfect moment for its removal. (See the third picture)

What was unusual about the circumstances leading up to this emergency surgery?

First, Grandmother Robison and I are constantly on the road and had just returned two days prior.

Second, we were travelling with the Area Doctor, Elder Otto, who stays in Trinidad for 3 days every six months and checks the medical condition.

Third, the doctor had suggested that Elder Jenkins and his companion remain in their apartment for the day during zone conference in the mission home. Not realizing that directive and not wanting to awaken Dr. Otto when the Elders called early on the morning of zone conference, Grandma Robison and I instructed them to come to the mission home.

Fourth, throughout the day, Dr. Otto was able to monitor the medical condition of Elder Jenkins. Rather than treat Elder Jenkins for Denge as directed by the initial symptoms, Dr. Otto felt prompted to medicate Elder Jenkins with the medicine one would administer to a person suffering from an inflamed appendix. By nightfall, the pain had localized into the right side of his abdomen, a classic symptom of problems with the appendix.

Fifth, the decision was made to get Elder Jenkins to an emergency clinic, the closest, yet finest in the area. The doctor who normally leaves at 7:00 p.m. had remained until 7:15 p.m. She determined that it was a classic appendectomy and called for a surgeon who specializes in this type of surgery. At that point, Elder Jenkins was given a blessing. Dr. Otto anointed and I sealed the anointing.

Sixth, the surgeon was located and performed the surgery at 9 p.m. Upon making the incision, he discovered that the appendix had ruptured, that gangrene had set in, but that the infection was confined to the area in which the appendix was located. Prayers were answered, the power of the Priesthood was manifested. After successfully operating on Elder Jenkins, the doctor was able to give a full report in person to Dr. Otto and myself.

What if....any of these steps had been out of sequence? There is no such thing as a coincidence. "Mine angels are round about you" -- further evidence of being engaged in the Lord's work in which miracles surround us, miracles brought us here, and miracles await us.

May the Lord continue to bless each of His missionaries in this His work.

(Suggestion: This might be a good story to tell in a talk about Grandma and Grandpa's Mission or at least one to tell in Family Home Evening.)

Fishermen Casting Their Nets

Lesson on Fishermen Casting Their Net

Have you ever wondered about the practical application of the Savior's teaching regarding fishermen casting their net? This terrific series of photos was taken in St. Lucia on our most recent mission tour. Note how strong the bodies of these men become as day by day they go about their work. Also note the fabulous catch they made as they pulled in their net. We watched them try and second time and come up with only a handful.

Let's look at the actual teaching from the bible:

Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Do these photos help you imagine what was involved in casting a net into the sea?

“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
“And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”

Don't you love the word "straightway." When we are asked to serve, do we go "straightway?" (Which is immediately.)

After the Savior’s Resurrection, Peter and other disciples went “a fishing.” However, “that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.”

He told them to “cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.”

Doesn't the last picture help you imagine what a full net of fishes would look like?

When we study the life of the prophet Joseph Smith, we find similar faith-developing obedience.
Early the next morning after the angel Moroni’s all-night-long visits with him in September 1823, Joseph went to work with his father. Because he had been awake nearly all night, he “found [his] strength so exhausted as to render [him] entirely unable” to perform “the necessary labors of the day.”

Joseph's father told him to return home, and he “started with the intention of going to the house; but … [his] strength entirely failed [him], and [he] fell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything.” When he awoke, he “looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over [his] head, surrounded by light as before.” Joseph was commanded to “go to [his] father and tell him of the vision and commandments which [he] had received.”

Although understandably weary, he obediently “returned (straightway) to [his] father in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter to him.” His father replied “that it was of God, and told [him] to go and do as commanded.” Exhausted but obedient, Joseph then “left the field, and went to the place where the messenger had told [him] the plates were deposited, a journey of several miles.”

Each day we decide what we will do and what we will not do, among myriad of choices. When we choose to obey the commandments (straightway) and cheerfully as our top priority, neither murmuring about nor measuring the things He commands, we become fishers of men (and handmaids of the Lord) and cast our nets on the right side of our own ships. We simply go and do the things the Lord has commanded, even when we are weary, trusting that He will help us to do exactly as He asks. As we do so, the Lord helps our unbelief, and our faith becomes powerful, unshakable, and vibrant much like the picture of the muscles on the fishermen in the second picture.

While in the Liberty Jail, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance [or faith], to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”

No matter where we live, who we are or what we are doing presently in the Church, there is much about our daily lives that is repetitive and even routine. As we go about this day to day work, we must remain focused and go about doing the things that matter most.

The "must-do" priorities include making room in our lives for the minimum daily requirements of faithful behavior: true obedience, humble prayer, serious scripture study, and service to those around us. No other daily vitamins strengthen the muscles of our faith as fast as these actions. We also must remember that sincere fasting fosters strong faith. Fasting is especially important as we faithfully seek to correct deeply embedded character flaws which go “not out but by prayer and fasting.”

Just as the fishermen developed muscles in day by day work casting and reclaiming their nets, so too is the process of developing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a step-by-step, line-upon-line, and precept-upon-precept process. We promote strengthen our faith when we do what is right. As we do this, increased faith will always follows as a consequence.

If we exercise our faith daily with prayer, study, and obedience, the Savior helps us overcome our unbelief, and our faith becomes a shield to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

Alma taught that we may “withstand every temptation of the devil, with faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Just as the fishermen of the photo can not expect to gather successful piles of gathered fish, we can neither ignore nor reject the essential ingredients of faith and then expect to reap a rich harvest.

The Savior taught us so much about life by His parables and illustrations. The example of casting our nets is rich with lessons of obedience, diligence, and steady work to gain the blessings of not only a rich harvest of fish but strong physical bodies. Steady persistance in obedience and diligence in following Heavenly Father's will yields strong spiritual bodies.

The big bird teaches the little bird

President Howard W. Hunter told the story of watching a mother bird and her babies. When he was a young lad he watched a big bird hop across the yard, cock her head to the side and thump the grass three times. Immediately the big bird caught a worm. She took the worm over to the baby birds and ....then the big bird swallowed the worm. She did not even give the little birdies a bite. Then the big bird flew up to the top of a tree, caught a bug, and showed it to the baby birds and....then the big bird swallowed the bug. Again, she did not even give the little birdies a bite.

What do you think happened next? Well, the next thing you know, that big bird just flew away.

What do you think the baby birds did?

They jumped out of the nest, cocked their heads, thumped the ground three times....and each caught a worm.

We need to involve our students in order to be effective teachers.

Doctrine and Covenants Section 68:25 reads: "And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents."

Note that it is not enough to "teach our children" but rather we must teach them to "understand."

Further, Section 50:13,14 asks this question: "Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question--unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.

Teaching is not telling. Teaching is a process. Understanding is an outcome. It is the Spirit that is the teacher as we note in Section 50 verse 14 above.

Elder Richard G. Scott taught us this valuable insight about teaching: "Ensure that there is abundant participation because that use of agency by a student authorizes the Holy Ghost to instruct. It helps the student to retain your message. As student verbalize truths, they are confirmed in their souls and strengthen their personal testimonies."

Returning back to the story of the big bird and the little birds. The big bird loved the little birdies and wanted them to learn how to find worms and bugs on their own. She set an example for them by showing them how it was done. She insured abundant participation by her students (the little birdies). They were not just taught, but they were taught to understand.