Marriage, Dylan Dandy, Donkey Talk, Robin Hood's Home, Miracles Abound, Falling

Marriage Between a Man and a Woman is Ordained of God

We were delighted to teach the young adults recently about the importance of marriage, an essential  covenant in God's plan for all His children.  The Bible is clear on the importance of a male and female in this union. 

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:

"A family built on the marriage of a man and woman supplies the best setting for God’s plan to thrive—the setting for the birth of children, who come in purity and innocence from God, and the environment for the learning and preparation they will need for a successful mortal life and eternal life in the world to come. …

… It is [God] who in the beginning created Adam and Eve in His image, male and female, and joined them as husband and wife. … Each individual carries the divine image, but it is in the matrimonial union of male and female as one that we attain perhaps the most complete meaning of our having been made in the image of God—male and female. Neither we nor any other mortal can alter this divine order of matrimony. It is not a human invention. Such marriage is indeed “from above, from God” [see Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison, ed. Eberhard Bethge (1953), 42–43] and is as much a part of the plan of happiness as the Fall of Adam and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (“Why Marriage, Why Family,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 52)"

Dylan's Diary

Our grandson Dylan Betteridge is serving a mission in the Winnipeg Canada  Mission.  He is a master of sharing and inviting others to come unto Christ through posts on Facebook.  We are so grateful for him and his service.  Belief in God is always rewarded as we diligently seek Him. 

 

He recently posted the following:

"Jesus is always ready and waiting to reward us with countless blessings. He just asks that we seek him by coming closer to him, and becoming more like him. I know that I have certainly seen God's hands work wonders in my life as I come closer to him, especially though prayer and studying the scriptures.

How do you seek Jesus?"

Going along with this thought is a message from Elder Holland.  He reminds us to pray and visualize our righteous desires and then pray and believe that He can and will grant us what we desire.  

A Scarborough Visit

We love the little sea-side town of Scarborough where Elder Betteridge's grandmother was born.  In 1885 she helped her uncle manage the donkey strings to give tourists rides.  This practice continues to this day on the Scarborough South Beach approximately 150 years later.  Could these donkeys be the posterity of the donkeys that Emily and her uncle used in their business? Elder B asked these donkeys this question, but they didn't have much to say about it!  

On the way to Scarborough we stopped for lunch at the Bay Hotel in Robin Hood's Bay, where Elder B's Bedlington ancestors were born.  Notice the red poppy on Elder B's lapel.  The red poppy is a symbol for "Remembrance Day" on November 11th, where those who have served in the armed forces, defending this great country are honored.  Every year on Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday in November, at 11:00 AM all the churches and public memorials have a two minute moment of silence to remember  all those who have fallen in battle while defending this great nation. 

Our hearts and days are full of gratitude for the many small miracles we witness

Nov 6 Journal Entry

Today the Hand of the Lord is manifested in the realization that everyday there are small and simple miracles to be discovered in our lives, we just need to look for them.  Sometimes they are big ones but most of the time they are small ones, simple ones, almost hidden.  So today we graciously recognize their presence and most of all express our sincere gratitude to Him for opening our eyes to them as we reflect at the end of each day. Here are a few from this week:  A flat owner recognizing us as good potential renters, a comment of sincere appreciation from a sister missionary when we were feeling very tired, learning about more people that Elder Edgley touched while he was here, family members praying for us and then us recognizing an extra sweet spirit in our Institute class as we taught a difficult subject, a Bishop's heart was softened towards a young adult who wants to go to the temple, seeing our family supporting one another while we are away.  

Fall is a beautiful time of year here