Posts by JamesEKerns
Astonishment
This morning I finished reading the book of Luke. I am rereading the New Testament. I am astonished all over again at the wisdom in the gospels, at the acts of Jesus, at His graciousness, at His sacrifice, at His love, and at the wonderful thing which Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John did when they determined to tell Jesus’ story, and sat themselves down to record what they saw and what they knew. Their words are powerful. Their testimonies are believable. Their words are life changing to those whose hearts and minds are open to the Spirit.
Read MoreThe Great Die-up
The Great Die-up was an event that affected Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas in the winter of 1886-87. It was a weather catastrophe that killed millions of cattle. “The Great Die-up” is a macabre word play on the term “round-up.”
Read MorePersonal Revelation
Usually the revelations that come to me are flashes of inspiration. They are bits of light and knowledge that come as I write. They are thoughts that I’ve never had before. Or sometimes they are thoughts that I should do something, especially something that I should do for someone else. Very occasionally the revelation is a dream or an inaudible, but very plain, voice. It is these experiences that I would like to record here.
Read MoreTwo Acts of Service
Today I learned about and observed two beautiful examples of service.
First was Adam’s mentioning that he’d been to Bremerton, Washington this past weekend. He flew his plane to Stanfield and picked up Aaron. They continued on to Bremerton arriving there at 1:00 or 2:00 Friday afternoon. By 7:00 in the evening they had Nathan’s new septic system in place and working.
Abortion
I am looking at the painting on my wall called Road to Bethlehem by Joseph Brickey. It depicts Joseph leading the donkey on which is riding his very pregnant wife, Mary. They are passing a small flock of goats being tended by a young boy.
Read MoreIs It Happenstance?
I’m up each morning in time to observe the sunrise. I live where I have an unobstructed view of a range of high mountains to the east over which the sun rises. I watch as the sun reaches its farthest point of rising to the north on June 21st, the day summer officially begins. It then starts a slow march back to the south, rising a minute later each morning. On December 21st, winter has set in, and it reaches its farthest point south. It then begins its march back to the north.
Read MoreThoughts from General Conference
The just-completed general conference was most impressive. President Russell M. Nelson ended the conference by exhorting Church members to follow through with the impressions that they had. This article is to help me do that.
The last impression I received was that in his closing remarks 98-year-old President Nelson was telling us goodbye. This is surprising and upsetting. He has been so vital and energetic and such a wonderful leader that we have all expected and hoped that he’d be leading the Church well past his 100th birthday.
Fighting the Chill
All of our married life I have been working on a project, and I still don’t have it done. It has been my job from the beginning to warm my wife. I have sometimes suspected that she married me for my warmth.
Her feet are always cold. I very distinctly remember the first time she put her feet on my bare legs in bed. I screamed. I have refrained from screaming since then, since I know what to expect, but the first order of business when getting into bed is to get her feet warmed up.
Prophecy and the Second Coming
These are troubling times. It would be easy to become anxious and disturbed if one did not have faith that God is in control, and that His plan, purposes, and prophecies are being carried out.
It is plain to those who are watching that the Lord’s Second Coming is drawing near. The signs are ever more abundant. My personal expectation is that the target date is 6 April 2034. That date will be the 2000th anniversary of the Savior’s resurrection. That date will be Easter, as well as the Passover. April 6th is very obviously an important, and significant, date to the Lord. That is why He decreed that the Church should be organized on that date.
Walls
Walls are erected as a defense. People build walls to protect themselves from the elements and from others who might harm them. Walls form enclosures which become areas of safety.
Some famous walls in history include the walls of Jericho, the walls of Jerusalem, and the walls of Babylon. All of these were erected as a defense against invaders. All were effective up to a point. That point was reached when the wickedness that the walls were enclosing became such that the people inside were beyond redemption. At that point the Lord penetrated and destroyed what wicked men considered were their impenetrable defenses.
Cold, Lukewarm, and Hot
Three scriptures need to be put together in a sequence or a continuum, and then we need to measure where we are on the line.
The first is where we would hope to be. As my mind surveys the standard works, it rests on Hyrum Smith with his integrity and enthusiasm as being representative. I also think of Nephi, who just before Christ came to the Nephites, worked with such “unwearyingness.” (Helaman 10:4-5).
Mac Kerns Memorial Service
I am grateful for this opportunity to speak and to be the family representative at my brother’s memorial service. But I’m a poor choice. As I’ve searched around in my mind for memories of ever living with my brother, I can’t find a thing. Mac is 13 years older than I am, and he left home and got married before my memory kicked in.
Read MoreOn the Way to Twin Lakes
High above the valley, atop a treeless ridge, one glimpses eternity. The view is vast and endless. God’s creations are exposed to view, and roll on and on until swallowed by distance.
And yet they continue.
Ephraim
Several weeks ago Mikelle noticed a line in the hymn, “The Spirit of God,” which says, “And Ephraim be crowned with his blessing in Zion.” She asked her dad, “What does that mean?” He replied, “Ask Grandpa.”
Read MorePassionate
It’s always refreshing to meet someone who is passionate about something. It’s interesting to hear him or her discourse on what he’s excited about.
Today we met a young man who attended our ward for the first time with his wife, two little boys, and his mother. He has taken a job at our local car dealership. His mother explained that he is passionate about cars.
Man with a Purpose
Aunt Peggy said to my father, “James moves like a man with a purpose.”
I now think often of that compliment and observation as I slowly amble to the next thing needing to be done. Moving is harder now. Things take longer. I’m in need of a new knee, I’m 75 years old, and I don’t have the energy that I used to have.
The Book of Elijah
It occurs to me that at least one of our major, and most important, prophets left no book that he authored. I think that unusual. I refer to Elijah. Every other major prophet was commanded to write, and left inspired words to guide and teach us.
Read MoreWhy Are You Good?
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were all good men living in environments not conducive to inspire one to be good. How did they do it? Why did they do it?
Abraham’s own father offered him to be killed for his goodness. Abraham didn’t subscribe to the idol worship of his father and community, so he was bound and put forth as a candidate for idol sacrifice.
Fire
Fire is an interesting study. Oxidation, combustion, and explosions are all the same process. All three are simply oxygen uniting with another substance, but at different rates. The result is that new substances are produced by the union of oxygen with the original substance.
Read MoreInch By Inch
The song says, “Inch by inch, and row by row, I’m going to make this garden grow.” That’s the way we operate. At the beginning of a big job you look ahead and think, “There’s no way I’ll ever be able to get this done.” But you just begin. You do a little each day, and suddenly, one day, the job is done.
Read MoreFrom Last Place to First
The Kentucky Derby in 2022 was won by a horse named Rich Strike. The top 20 horses in the country qualify to enter the derby. Rich Strike was number 21; but just before the derby began, one of the 20 other horses had to drop out, putting Rich Strike in. He was rated last, and was late getting out of the gate. He was initially one of the last three horses in the pack. He wove in and out among the horses, and passed one after another until there were only two running ahead of him. He put on a burst of speed, and passed them by a length to win the Kentucky Derby. It was a hugely exciting race.
Read MoreBullies and Fighting
Growing up in Iowa my grandfather was a scrawny kid that the bigger boys liked to pick upon. He often remembered with shame being chased home from school. As a young father these memories all came back as he observed several terrified boys being chased down the street by another. Conflicting emotions arose within him when he realized that the boy doing the chasing was his own son.
Read MoreDon’t Miss the Train
My father grew up on a remote ranch in Wyoming. Selling the cattle that they raised sometimes involved loading them onto railway cars and shipping them to Chicago, three states away. My grandfather and his boys had to accompany the cattle.
Read MoreScattering and Afflictions of Israel
1920-1945 Hitler and Stalin killed many millions of Israelites
1616-1619 The Great Dying, when 90% of Native Americans perished in pandemics
384 Nephites destroyed by Lamanites
Ages of the Patriarchs
Adam 130 years old when he begat Seth
Seth 105 “ “ “ “ “ Enos
Enos 90
Cainan 70
Mahalaleel 65
He Plans Ahead, Doesn’t He?
Brother Baxter asked me to speak on my experiences as a patriarch, or on anything else that I wanted. Speaking just on my experiences might take me three minutes, so I’d like to expand the topic to include the gathering of Israel.
Read MoreKeeping the Sabbath
Rocky made a very hopeful beginning, but eventually became too busy to attend church. He looked for excuses to not keep and observe other church practices. He purchased a classic Chevrolet Malibu, and gave it a beautiful black and gold paint job. He put the car up for sale, and immediately got a response. The man was coming on Sunday to see it, and would definitely buy it. Rocky said that he’d hold it for him. Many calls were received thereafter from others who were interested, but he told them all that he had already sold the car.
Read MoreChoice
I am struck by the faithfulness of three very young men who were called in their youth as prophets of God. Joseph (who was sold into Egypt), Nephi, and Joseph Smith were all just boys when they began having manifestations which ultimately positioned them to become powerful leaders. All three thereafter experienced terrific hardships which might have discouraged and broken lesser men, yet there is no indication that any of them ever faltered, murmured, or complained. Instead of succumbing to their troubles (which they could easily have done), they chose to believe that their situations had a purpose, and that things would work out. Their optimism and steadfastness seem almost super-human.
Read MoreMarjorie’s Testimony
The gospel of Jesus Christ gives me:
Stability
Direction
Hope
A Failed Patriarchal Blessing?
A woman confided in me that nothing in the patriarchal blessing she received 50 years ago has come to pass, and that she is now too old for those promises to take place. Her patriarchal blessing stated that she would be surrounded by a righteous family, and that is not at all the case.
Read MoreHow I Feel About Death
Terry Fisher called a week ago Wednesday to inform me that his wife, Carolyn, had just passed away. She had surgery a week earlier, developed blood clots, and they overwhelmed her heart. I told Terry that I would consider going to her funeral. He suggested that I might even speak. Thankfully, though, other more appropriate arrangements were made. Her funeral is today, and I don’t have to make the trip to Ogden.
Read MoreNotes from Encyclopedias
1. Aluminum is the third most common element after oxygen and silicon.
2. The Amazon River is the second longest river in the world after the Nile. The Amazon is 4,000 miles long. It begins about 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean in the Andes in Peru. The Amazon falls 16,400 feet in its first 600 miles, and only 800 feet during the rest of its course. Ocean ships can sail 2,300 miles up the Amazon to Iquitos, Peru. The Amazon carries more water than the Mississippi, Nile, and Yangtze rivers together. High tides at the river’s mouth occasionally overpower the river’s current which creates a wall of water, called a bore, that measures up to 15 feet high and rushes upstream.
Who Are the Ukrainians?
I have long been fascinated by statements in the scriptures indicating that the lost tribes of Israel are in “the north countries.” (Ether 13:11, D&C 110:11, D&C 133:26-32, Isa. 49:12, Jer. 3:18).
I worked in the Boise Temple with Steve Buss, who served as a co-mission president in Siberia. I asked him, “What do the patriarchal blessings say about those people?”
Experiences with the Holy Ghost
I recall several times when the Holy Ghost has spoken to my mind in a quotable sentence. The first time was in answer to my desperate, first-ever prayer. It said, “Everything is going to be all right.” That proved to be an understatement.
Read MoreThe Setup
Unlike with the other articles in this collection, I am not the author of the following. This is a wonderful Holy Ghost story as experienced by Duane G. Chadwick.
In 1948 before the Book of Mormon was translated into the Cook Island Maori language, my companion and I were invited to come to a Maori school teacher’s home and speak in a cottage meeting. I don’t remember asking for the appointment and he hadn’t shown prior interest in the church but we were happy to accept the invitation.
The Creation
This I Believe
1. The earth was not created out of nothing. I believe that it was created out of existing materials brought together and organized by God, the Creator. (Abr. 3:24).
2. The earth was not created in a 24-hour day, nor in a 7-day week as we know them. One day in God’s time is as 1,000 years to man. (Abr. 3:4, 5:13). When the scriptures speak of the seven days of creation, they are symbolically referring to periods of time that might have been thousands or millions of years long.
Uncle Bob
Marjorie served us an avocado with our dinner today. She said, “I remember the first avocado that I ever tasted. Uncle Bob brought it from California. None of us had ever tasted avocados before. He said it was really good. I liked it right away.”
Read MoreGive the Holy Ghost a Chance
Marjorie and I are dutifully doing the “Come Follow Me” program. This year it is the Old Testament. We began at the beginning of the year, and read multiple chapters from the Bible each evening. We are currently in 2 Kings, which is far ahead of where we’re supposed to be. We not only do the suggested reading, but also many of the chapters that are skipped in the program. At the end of the year I want to be able to say that I’ve read the Old Testament again. That will be so, except for the dull chapters that explain the details of the Mosaic Law and the trappings of the temple.
Read MoreThe Clock’s in High Gear
I’ve observed that time is passing faster and faster. My 89-year-old non-member cousin put his finger on the cause. He observed that the clock is in high gear, and boy, is it ever. You’ve noticed it, too.
The Lord Himself said that “I will hasten my work in its time.” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73).
Who Art Thou?
King Lamoni, in the Book of Mormon, asked a question of Ammon which we all need to ask and to answer of ourselves. Ammon had just done an astonishing thing, and Lamoni wasn’t sure whether Ammon was a man or a god. Ammon was brought before the astonished king who nervously asked him, “Who art thou?” (Alma 18:18).
Read MoreThe Holy Ghost in Our Neighborhood
I was excited last week when Thomas asked me to speak at his baptism on the topic of the Holy Ghost. The next evening we read an article in one of my books entitled “Coincidences,” and it occurred to me that perhaps the story might be useful in my talk.
I don’t actually believe in coincidences. I do, however, believe in the Holy Ghost, and that He engineers things to happen in our lives when we most need them, and especially when we ask for them.
Sibling Meeting
James: I wish I would have remembered to bring my tape recorder. I found a cassette tape where I recorded dad quoting his corruption of poetry.
Mac: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal … “
Making Time
In his closing remarks in the October 2021 general conference President Russell M. Nelson asked us to do a most unusual thing. Four times he made this remarkable request: He asked us to “make time for the Lord—each and every day.”
Read MoreMinistering
Talk given in Baker Second Ward’s fifth-Sunday meeting 30 January 2022
As I have thought about my topic during the past week, I have identified three principles that apply to ministering:
1. You don’t have to have an assignment to be a minister.
The Priesthood
I found myself thanking the Lord for my Priesthood this morning. It is a privilege to hold. It is an honor. It is a responsibility. It is an incalculable blessing.
Read MoreGod Will Not Be Thwarted
It is estimated that there are about 7,000 languages in the world. Many others have gone extinct. The question is asked, “Why so many? How did this happen?”
Read MoreMaking Time For The Lord
The Lord has said, “I will hasten my work in its time.” (D&C 88:73).
My own 89-year-old non-member cousin has observed that “the clock is in high gear.” And, boy, is it ever. It’s interesting that even he can see it.
Pre-earth Service
In the terrestrial room of the temple yesterday a thought went through my head that I’ve never had before. Since I wasn’t even thinking of such things at the time, and because of where I was and what I was doing, I have to think that it was a revelation to me. I haven’t heard or read anything that the Brethren have said on this matter, so if it is so, the “revelation” was just for my benefit, and is not something that I should be preaching.
Read MoreThe Daily Recipient
Elder Anthony D. Perkins, in his October 2021 conference address used the term “daily recipient.” That caught my fancy. A daily recipient of what? —The Lord’s grace, His blessings, His comfort, His guidance, His joy.
Read MoreGive Me Light
As a 19-year-old young man I was given this book. (The light-blue Book of Mormon with a golden Moroni on the front cover). Because of a voice which I had previously heard in answer to my very anguished, first-ever prayer—a voice which simply said, “Everything is going to be all right”—I knew that something was going to happen when I opened it. I took it home and stood it upright in the center of the desk in my room.
Read More