Tag Archive for: peace

Remembrance

The world I live in, is not what I want it to be.
Iโ€™d love to live in a world filled with ๐’‘๐’†๐’‚๐’„๐’†.
The kind of peace that allows for stability, growth, and unity among people of all nations.
We are after all, brothers and sisters, children of God.
In a peaceful world, weโ€™d be able to resolve our differences through diplomacy and dialogue, by valuing our diverse cultures and develop deeper mutual understanding.
Peace creates a place where individuals and communities can thrive, free from the fear and trauma of any conflict.
Such a world of peace will encourage compassion, where nations prioritise humanity over dominance, power and greed.

War

War, on the other hand, creates massive divisions, devastates economies, and leaves long lasting scars on generations, trapping people in cycles of poverty and displacement as we witness now.
Warโ€™s effects are not only confined to battlefields; they impact families, disrupt education, and lead to significant challenges for all of us.
All this violence creates instability – societies struggle to work together and address the many global issues we see now, including climate change, poverty, and injustice.
Sadly, we continue to live on a planet filled with the ravages of war.
โ€œImperfect people share planet earth with other imperfect people.โ€ โ€“ Russell M. Nelson.

Peace

Yet, I know that peace can come to all who earnestly seek the Prince of Peace, and turn to Him, even Jesus Christ.
โ€œPeace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.โ€ โ€“ John 14:27
Here in the UK, Remembrance Sunday is a special time of reflection, respect, and gratitude, that brings a renewed commitment to peace and understanding.
Like many millions today, I will take some time to pause and reflect to honour the bravery and sacrifices of those who served and lost their lives in wars and conflicts.
I hope, by reflecting on the past, it will inspire us to work toward a future free of conflict, by trying to understand one another better.
The poppy I choose to wear is a powerful symbol, representing the millions of lives lost and reminds us of the hardships faced by soldiers and their families.
Lest we forget, I simply want to pay my respects to the fallen.
To those who gave of their lives – that we may have our freedom today.
In 1916, John Maxwell Edmunds said, “When you go Home, tell them of us and say, For your Tomorrow, we gave our Todayโ€.
For those who gave everything, we will always remember them.

The Source

In my preparations for a forthcoming learning intervention with a large company, I held a 1-1 call with the leader of the organisation.
He shared lots of thoughts, feelings, analysis and views about current issues, yet I felt I needed more.
After some in depth discussion, I suggested that it would be helpful to meet 1 by 1 with each of the Senior Management Team (SMT).
Thus, I travelled south, to be with them this week.
After setting the context, I asked one question and ran a little activity, repeating it several times over two days.
In each of my personal encounters, one by one they spoke openly and passionately about their responsibilities.
The outcomes were insightful, helpful and enlightening.
Spending time with each leader, connecting with them, grasping their perspectives and engaging with them personally helped me to discern the nature of the challenges at hand.
Direct communication, powerful questioning and active listening were key to each of them giving me their personal views.
Reflecting upon this activity, I believe it to have been a successful use of everyoneโ€™s time.

Why?

I went to ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐œ๐ž.

In our dialogue, connecting with each member of the SMT was a powerful ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐œ๐ž of helpful insight, allowing me to foster authentic relationships and avoid any distortion of information.

Since then, I have thought about another ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐œ๐ž of even greater insight.
Going to ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐œ๐ž, especially in matters of faith and spirituality, carries an unparalleled significance that cannot be replaced by second-hand knowledge, interpretation, or analysis.

Who?

I believe that Jesus Christ is “๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’”๐’๐’–๐’“๐’„๐’†”” of all peace, light, truth and joy.
When we go to Him, we are referring to an intimate, personal encounter with the divine that shapes our spiritual understanding and life in ways that books, sermons, or even conversations with others can never fully achieve.
Encountering Jesus Christ in a personal, direct manner leads to deep, long-lasting change.
๐‡๐ž is ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’”๐’๐’–๐’“๐’„๐’† of the living waters, providing an abundance of life, spiritual sustenance and joy.
Speaking to the Samaritan woman as she drew from Jacobโ€™s well, Jesus declared โ€œBut whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.โ€ โ€“ John 4:13-14
I hope that we will all choose to drink from the divine ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐œ๐ž of all living waters and connect with Him, even Jesus Christ.

New Friends

Last week, whilst on BBC Radio 4โ€™s โ€œBeyond Beliefโ€, the final question asked to the panellists was โ€œDoes evangelism (missionary work) actually work?โ€
Responding, I said, โ€œAbsolutely!โ€
Like many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sharing the gospel daily in normal and natural ways is in my DNA!
Last year there were 251,763 new converts of the church around the world.
That equates to 690 new members every day, or 29 every hour.
Post covid, the rate of church growth is accelerating, with an annual increase of 22% year on year.
And why is that so?
Firstly, I believe that it is to do with the times in which we all live.
โ€œThis know also, that in the last days perilous times shall comeโ€ โ€“ 2 Timothy 3:1
We live in such times, and many people are searching for something.
During the last 3 years, Iโ€™ve had the exciting opportunity to be deeply involved in missionary activities of the church in Belgium and the Netherlands.
It was a labour of love.
Doing so, has helped me understand the Saviourโ€™s great commission to His disciples (you and me) to โ€œgo ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghostโ€ โ€“ Matthew 28:19.
Many are finding peace, joy, comfort and reassurance in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Secondly, no matter where you are on planet earth you will find missionaries of the church.
They are pretty distinctive, with their nametags and white shirts.
Today there are 74,000+ young missionaries and another 29,000 senior missionaries serving around the world.
Last night, Monic and I made some new friends in two of those, serving here in our area.
Both come from large families.
Cash Lunt is from Arizona, he is the eldest of 7 children
and Bernardo Machado is from Brazil, he is the eldest of 8 children.
Daily, just as the disciples of old, they go forth throughout Dunfermline and beyond, to invite others to Come unto Christ.
If you see them today, why not stop, talk with them and make some ๐’๐’†๐’˜ ๐’‡๐’“๐’Š๐’†๐’๐’…๐’”.
Their message will literally change your life for the good.

Worn Out

After our missionary interviews in Apeldoorn on Thursday, we headed to our hotel room.
It was late afternoon, and I took my shoes off to settle down for a wee nap.
I was pretty tired that afternoon.
Whilst napping, Monic took this photo.
She captured my socks โ€“ perfectly!
Little did I know they were in such a threadbare way! โ˜น
Just like my socks, I admit, Iโ€™m starting to feel a little worn out.
My socks reminded me of my shoes from the last few weeks of my mission in the 1980โ€™s.
Whilst serving in Cambridge, England in May of 1985, I remember cutting up cardboard from cereal boxes and putting it in my shoes.
Both shoes had a big, huge hole in them!
Let me the state the obvious, whilst serving a mission, things get ๐’˜๐’๐’“๐’ ๐’๐’–๐’•!
Especially, socks and shoes!

Definition

Worn out; โ€œshowing signs of wear, drained of energy, extremely tired; completely exhausted.โ€
I love this quote from Spencer W. Kimball, โ€œMy life is like my shoes – to be worn out in service.โ€
During His ministry on the earth, Jesus Christ spent His time serving and helping others.
True disciples of Christ do likewise.
Every missionary knows about the importance and value of rendering service and lifting others.
Alma 37:34 states: โ€œTeach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.โ€
When Iโ€™m tired, I slow down, sit still, listen and pray.
Yet, growing old on a mission (or in life) is never easy.
There is so much more to endurance than just surviving to the end!
How we finish a mission, just like a marathon really matters.
Endurance is an important principle found within the doctrine of Jesus Christ.
Enduring to the end, can be one of lifeโ€™s most difficult challenges, but it can also be one of lifeโ€™s greatest triumphs.
Enduring signifies โ€œpatient continuance in well doingโ€ – Romans 2:7.
I know that it is the joy of being with the missionaries and many others that refreshes me. I also know that never being weary of good works, ultimately brings rest to anyone who may feel a little worn out.
How do you endure when you are feeling a little worn out?

Christmas Eve

It was noisy.
Then it changed.
Missionaries arrived.
Our focus changed.
Beautiful melodic music filled the air.
Cellos.
Piano.
Singing.
Joy. Love. Peace.
Together.
Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Angelic. Glorious. Inspiring.
Thank you, dear missionaries.

Walk and Talk

Never before have we lived so close to a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In Scotland, it is a 4 ยฝ hour drive to the temple in Chorley, Lancashire.

Today, we live only a short distance away in Leidschendam, a 20-minute drive from the temple in Zoetermeer.

Temples are different from the thousands of Church meetinghouses located around the world.

Meetinghouses are where Sunday worship services, youth gatherings, service projects, and other community events take place.

Temples have a more specific purpose.

They are places specially set apart for sacred service and ceremonies.

They are the House of The Lord.

The House of the Lord is the most sacred place of worship in the world โ€” a place where heaven touches the earth, a place where marvellous blessings are bestowed, and a place where we can feel closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as we strive to become more like Them.

Temple Grounds

In recent weeks the temple grounds have become a favourite place to walk and talk.

The grounds are a place of beauty, serenity, and reverence.

The grounds attract many local visitors.

They have become a sanctuary to rest, to contemplate and to consider the deeper purpose and meaning of life.

The grounds have also become for me, a place to listen to, meet with, talk with, read with, laugh with, study with, walk with, pray with, reflect with, ponder with and counsel with our missionaries.

Learning

As we walk and talk, we learn together as our thoughts are elevated heavenward.

In my professional coaching career, I have also found that breakthroughs occur in our thinking more easily when surrounded by nature, open space, and a tranquil environment.

Walking and talking just make good sense!

My wife and I take time to walk and talk every day.

We take in the surroundings and breathe in fresh air. By so doing, we are using all our senses to be in the present and soak up the natural world.

โ€œThe sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose.โ€- Charles Dickens

Imagine for a moment your favourite walking spot.

How does it make you feel when you walk there?

Glorious!

๏ผง๏ฝŒ๏ฝ๏ฝ’๏ฝ‰๏ฝ๏ฝ•๏ฝ“๏ผ
Friday was a long day of missionary interviews in Rotterdam.
Arriving back at the house late afternoon, the mission home was filled with missionaries busy transforming the living room into a film studio for a Christmas video.
Observing from a distance, my first tuneful thought was, โ€œItโ€™s beginning to look a lot like Christmasโ€ฆโ€
It wasnโ€™t long before a beautiful Christmas Carol was sounding melodically through the mission home, filling it with love, peace and joy.
โ€œ๐‘ฏ๐’‚๐’“๐’Œ ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’“๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐‘จ๐’๐’ˆ๐’†๐’๐’” ๐‘บ๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ, Glory to the new-born Kingโ€ฆโ€ they sang.
Many beautiful truths and countless Christmas traditions are even more powerful because they have been set to music.
We sing songs of praise, worship, and gladness as we recount the events of the glorious birth of Baby Jesus in Bethlehem.

Remember these inspiring Christmas carolsโ€ฆ

โ€œ๐‘ฑ๐’๐’š ๐’•๐’ ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐‘พ๐’๐’“๐’๐’…, the Lord will come, and earth receive her King!โ€
โ€œ๐‘ถ ๐‘ณ๐’Š๐’•๐’•๐’๐’† ๐’•๐’๐’˜๐’ ๐’๐’‡ ๐‘ฉ๐’†๐’•๐’‰๐’๐’†๐’‰๐’†๐’Ž, How still we see thee lieโ€
โ€œ๐‘ถ๐’‰ ๐’„๐’๐’Ž๐’† ๐’‚๐’๐’ ๐’š๐’† ๐’‡๐’‚๐’Š๐’•๐’‰๐’‡๐’–๐’, Joyful and triumphant!โ€
โ€œ๐‘จ๐’๐’ˆ๐’†๐’๐’” ๐’˜๐’† ๐’‰๐’‚๐’—๐’† ๐’‰๐’†๐’‚๐’“๐’… ๐’๐’ ๐’‰๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’‰, sweetly singing oโ€™er the plainsโ€
โ€œ๐‘บ๐’Š๐’๐’†๐’๐’• ๐‘ต๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’‰๐’•! ๐‘ฏ๐’๐’๐’š ๐‘ต๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’‰๐’•! All is calm, all is brightโ€
โ€œ๐‘จ๐’˜๐’‚๐’š ๐’Š๐’ ๐’‚ ๐‘ด๐’‚๐’๐’ˆ๐’†๐’“, no crib for his bedโ€
โ€œ๐‘ญ๐’‚๐’“, ๐‘ญ๐’‚๐’“ ๐‘จ๐’˜๐’‚๐’š ๐’๐’ ๐‘ฑ๐’–๐’…๐’†๐’‚โ€™๐’” ๐‘ท๐’๐’‚๐’Š๐’๐’”, Shepherds of old heard the joyous strainsโ€
The Lord has said that the songs of the righteous are prayers unto Him and they should be answered with blessings upon the heads of those who sing them. (D&C 25:12)
The missionaries singing, brought greater peace and harmony into our home.
There was even more…
As their sweet voices, elegant music and sacred words passed through our ears, they penetrated deeply into our hearts, drawing each of us closer to God.
It was beautiful.
What is it that brings such love and joy into our lives?
It is the Spirit of Christmas.
Drop the last syllable and that becomes the Spirit of Christ.
His spirit had just entered our hearts once more.
One of the greatest glories of Christmas is the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who came to earth to help us get His glory into our lives.
Enjoy singing many carols this Christmas Season โ€“ they are truly ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ!
What is your favourite Christmas Carol?

A Pale Blue Dot

What is your ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ž๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž?
It is our turn on earth.
We live in troubled times.
Every day there are awful atrocities throughout our tiny planet.

โ€œLook again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

Pale Blue Dot

Our posturing’s, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
The Earth is the only world known so far to harbour life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.
It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.โ€
– Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space.
Put things into ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ž๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž…
Frequently Iโ€™m asked โ€“ โ€œIs there a God, is there a creator?โ€
In answer to that question, consider this responseโ€ฆ
โ€œWhat are the odds that a tornado spinning through a junkyard would create a Boeing 747?โ€ โ€“ Bruce C. Hafen.
Let us focus on those things that will sustain a lasting peace of mind and heart.
That is my ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ž๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž.
Where can you turn for peace?

Remembrance

Today is Remembrance Sunday in the UK.
On the 11th it was also Veterans day in the USA.
It is an opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.
If I were at home, Iโ€™d be gathering at a local memorial service in town.
Earlier this morning, I recalled an experience from April this year, when I had a sobering reminder of the reality of the ravages of war and in particular the horrors of WW1 whilst visiting Ipres in Belgium with a group of missionaries.
We visited several museums, trenches, tunnels, including a gigantic crater site where a huge explosion took vast numbers of soldierโ€™s lives.
Then on to the Christmas truce site โ€“ where we sang silent night from opposing trenches together in English and German. We then played football in memory of the game played on Christmas Day 1914.
Afterwards we travelled to Tyne Cot, where we reverently walked around a vast sprawling cemetery.

Remembrance

Then onto the Menin Gate where we laid a wreath on behalf of the church.
I was also invited to deliver the exhortation, known the world over.
โ€œThey shall grow not old,
As we that are left to grow old:
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning,
We will remember them.โ€
The last line was then repeated by the vast crowd in attendance.
It was a sobering moment at the end of a sobering day.
Today, our world is filled with conflict.
The scope of what needs to be done to increase peace, security, human dignity and to relieve suffering throughout the world leaves one wondering where to even start.
A good place to start would be to follow Jesus Christ.
He is indeed the โ€œPrince of Peaceโ€ โ€“ Isaiah 9:6
In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ speaks tenderly saying โ€œBlessed are the peacemakersโ€ โ€“ Matthew 5:9.
A peacemaker is someone who reconciles people with God and with one another.
I believe that He is the way, to long lasting peace.
We must actively seek peace in the world, in our communities and in our homes.
Turn to Christ.
๐‡๐ž ๐ˆ๐ฌ ๐“๐ก๐ž ๐–๐š๐ฒ.
Follow His example.
Are you a peacemaker?

Where can you turn for peace?

๐–๐ก๐ข๐œ๐ก ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐œ๐ž๐ฌ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ?
โ€œThere areโ€ฆ so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without significationโ€ the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:10.
There are indeed so many voices โ€“
Voices that cry and plead with us to follow them.
Voices that deceive, threaten, and spread terror.
Voices that lull us into a false sense of security.
Voices that gossip.
Voices online, in magazines and newspapers, clamouring for attention, offering a maelstrom of advice.
Voices that promise us the world and happiness – if we will but enslave ourselves by the bondage of debt for a generation and for some a lifetime.
๐๐ž๐ฐ๐š๐ซ๐ž of all these voices that clamour for your attention.
Are you distressed, perplexed or even fearful of these voices?
Is it time to shun the screaming of the headlines for a season?

Where can you turn for peace and tranquillity?

 

First – sever contact with the constant throb of the next alert on your mobile device.
Second – stop scrolling and set your mobile device aside.
Third โ€“ take a break from the daily global headlines and crisis of the world, which is in constant commotion.
Fourth โ€“ take a walk, enjoy nature and temporarily retreat into a different world.
Soon youโ€™ll realise, like I have, that the troubles of the world are made by man and inflated by man.
If we could live kindly and appreciatively of one another, in peace, then all other problems would resolve themselves in the due course of time.
Maybe my suggestion is too simplistic.
Maybe, after all, I am just too simple?
After your walk and break it’ll be time to return.
Fifthly – For some, there is one voice above them all.
โ€œThe sheep hear his voice: โ€ฆ and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, โ€ฆ for they know not the voice of strangerโ€ John 10:3-5
From among the multitude of voices we hear during our mortal life, we must recognise the voice of the Good Shepherd, even Jesus Christ, who calls us to follow Him toward our heavenly home.
His voice is sweet and pure.
I hope you find Him.
#HearHim