Meriden 8/18/13

August 18, 2013

Hi Family:

This time of year is our monsoon season (from about the first part of July to September).   Unfortunately, it hasn’t been a very good monsoon year.  We usually get some really good storms and will get 6+ inches of rain during the 2 months.  We haven’t gotten near that this year.  We still have several days where there is enough moisture for it to get cloudy and we get some sprinkles, and somewhere in the valley will get some good rain, but the storms have mostly been small and very isolated.  It’s disappointing because the storms can be fun, and water runs in the washes (that can cause problems for driving).   Hopefully, we can get some good storms in the next couple weeks.  One of the nice things about monsoon season is the amazing sunsets!   I love to go outside at sunset time just to watch the colors in the sky.

Nathan has been busy working at Wal-Mart.  He’s decided that he doesn’t want to work at Wal-Mart forever!  Only 2 more months.

Jim left Friday for South Dakota for Air Force stuff.  He’ll be there until Aug. 30.  Yesterday he drove to Mt. Rushmore.  Hopefully he’ll get to do more sightseeing in the Rapid City area.

My summer break ends this week as I start subbing and next week I start my Calc 2 class. 

My Sunday School lesson today was about the Nauvoo period.  We talked about settling Nauvoo (I read the part of Joseph Bates Noble’s journal where he got really sick and Joseph Smith healed him, see below), the missionaries that went to England, and the Lord’s guidance to several people in D&C 124.  I especially like 124:87…

“87 Therefore, let my servant William put his trust in me, and cease to fear concerning his family, because of the sickness of the land. If ye love me, keep my commandments; and the sickness of the land shall redound to your glory.”

Look at the footnotes for the word redound.  I challenged my class to do something missionary related this week to help the missionary work in our ward and to read their patriarchal blessings.  I would like to give y’all the same challenge. 

Have a great week!!

Love,

Meriden/Mom

From Joseph Bates Noble’s autobiography:

About this time a general conference was held at Quincy, at which some six or eight persons were called to go on missions, and I was one of the number.

We soon commenced to move our families up the river about fifty miles, to a place called Commerce, afterwards Nauvoo. Quite a number of us crossed the Mississippi River, to the Iowa side, to avail ourselves of some log cabins that had formerly been used as barracks for soldiers, at a place called Montrose.

Our exposure during the previous winter caused a great deal of sickness. I and some of my family were attacked with bilious fever. I think I can safely say that one half of the families of the whole people had more or less sickness, and many died. Two of my children were buried; and I was nigh unto death. So low was I that my wife asked me, in tears, if I was dying.

At this time Brother Elijah Fordham, a next-door neighbor to me, was very sick; indeed they were preparing clothes for his burial. In this trying hour the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he, with Brothers Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt and others, came to Brother Fordham's house and commanded him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to arise and walk. He immediately jumped from his dying bed, kicked off the drafts from his feet, and came into my house, following the brethren, and shouting, leaping, and praising God with all his might.

President Smith, while leading the way to my bed, made this remark: "Brother Noble, you have been too long with me to lie here." As soon as I saw him the tears of joy burst from my eyes. In a moment he was by my bedside, and took my by the hand. Without waiting for the other brethren to get to my bed, he commanded me, in the name of Jesus Christ, to arise and walk. I arose, and while putting on my clothes I fainted. When I regained consciousness I was on the bed, and Joseph was standing close to me.

As soon as my eyes met his he said, "Wherefore didst thou doubt?" and again commanded me to arise.

While he was speaking I felt the healing virtue flowing through every part of my system. I immediately arose and walked, rejoicing and praising the Lord with all my heart, for His blessing resting upon me, by which I was made whole.

Brother Fordham was more active and stronger than I was. He never sat down in my house, but as soon as Brother Joseph had given directions to my wife concerning some nourishment for me, he left with the rest of the brethren. They went and administered to others who were sick, and called them up in a similar manner.

Joseph, at this time, rebuked the Elders for administering the form without the power. Said he, , "Let the Elders either obtain the power of God to heal the sick, or let them cease to administer the form without the power."