Mormonism in Pictures: Mormon Helping Hands Aid Fire Victims in Chile

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are providing ongoing cleanup efforts following a devastating wildfire that destroyed hundreds of homes in Valparaiso, Chile last month. Thousands of people were left homeless and 15 people died in the port city, located northwest of Santiago in central Chile. The fire began on 14 April 2014 and burned for days.

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Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are providing ongoing cleanup efforts following a devastating wildfire that destroyed hundreds of homes in Valparaiso, Chile, last month. © 2014 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thousands of Mormon Helping Hands volunteers from various Latter-day Saint congregations and missionaries organized immediately after the fire to help those affected. Assisting in cleanup and debris removal was the main task for workers right after the fire. Here a group of volunteers prepares for a day of service in the hills of Valparaiso.

Latter-day Saint volunteers also deliver comfort to residents who lost their homes in the fire.

Missionaries from the Viña del Mar Mission put on volunteer vests to serve those impacted by one of the largest fires ever known in Chile.

Sisters of the Relief Society of the Church receive and sort clothing and other donations for the victims.

The youth of the Church also help the fire victims.

Online Collections of Civil War Records Updated for Memorial Day

If you have an ancestor who served in the American Civil War, it may now be easier to find information about that relative online. In conjunction with Memorial Day, FamilySearch.org is announcing significant updates to its Civil War historic records collections available online.

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President Abraham Lincoln meets with soldiers during the Civil War.© All rights reserved.

A new landing page provides a quick overview of the vast array of historic records and resources from federal and local sources for those researching casualties and veterans of the Civil War, also known as the War Between the States, which took place from 1861 to 1865. More than 600,000 soldiers were killed in what remains the bloodiest conflict in the history of the United States.
The Civil War collections include: Union and Confederate pension records, service records, prisoner of war records, pictures and information about key figures from the Civil War, including President Abraham Lincoln; Ulysses S. Grant, commander of the Union armies; and Robert E. Lee, general of the Confederate Army.
The searchable records are available by state from sources such as widow’s pension records and headstones of deceased Union soldiers. United States census records from 1850 and 1860 help locate those who lived at the time of the Civil War. Locating African American Civil War ancestors is possible through Freedmen’s Bank and Bureau records, including correspondence and marriage documents. 
“Each soldier family has a story, and these stories are handed down from generation to generation,” said Ken Nelson, collection manager for FamilySearch, a nonprofit volunteer-driven group sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “When you want to get the particulars of what that service was, you start going to these government records that document this service.”
Nelson said the census data gives people a “glimpse of what the towns looked like prior to the war.” He explained the state information is useful because “a majority of the men were in volunteer regiments raised out of counties and towns. These regiments represented their homes.”
Women also contributed to the war effort by serving as nurses and working in soldier aid societies that sent supplies to the front. Nelson said many of their stories are preserved in letters and diaries.
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is an outgrowth of the Civil War. Union veterans of the Civil War formed the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) in 1866, which was instrumental in organizing an annual event honoring the war dead from the Northern states by placing flowers on their graves. The first official observance of Decoration Day was held on 30 May 1868 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, which is commemorating its 150th anniversary.
Southern states didn’t honor Decoration Day until the end of the First World War in 1918, when the holiday began honoring the American dead from all wars. Decoration Day was officially established as Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law in 1971.
“If you think about it, veterans themselves perpetuated Memorial Day,” said Nelson. “A lot came out of the Civil War. We saw the beginnings of national cemeteries.”
Today, the observance has also evolved to include family and friends. Flags are also placed on graves at Arlington and in many cemeteries across the country to honor veterans. This year, Memorial Day will be held in the United States on Monday, 26 May.
“I’ve enjoyed working with these records because they tell a story and these lives are relived through these records,” added Nelson, who said that additional military records will be added to FamilySearch’s database as more indexing work is completed.
Those who have photos, stories and correspondence of family members who served in the armed forces may also share those memories with future generations at FamilySearch.org.
“There are deeds that must not pass away and memories that must not wither,” reads a Civil War monument in the Mt. Olivet cemetery in Salt Lake City, Utah, dedicated on 30 May 1894. Some Civil War veterans are buried at Mt. Olivet and other cemeteries in the state.
Nearly 2 million veterans settled across the country when the Civil War ended in 1865.  Census information from 1890 counted 800 Union veterans in Utah.

Why Religion Matters: The Ground We Walk On

What does it mean to take something for granted? Every day we walk on ground we seldom notice. It’s just there, underneath us, supporting our feet as we go about our days learning, working and worshiping. Though often unseen, the ground of our lives is full of religious meaning. Many of life’s compelling questions tend to be spiritual. How do we achieve our deepest longings? What makes something right or wrong? Whom should we love? How do we overcome suffering? The answers we receive shape our reality. But religion is always contested. Some even imagine a world without faith. What, then, do we stand to lose?
 
The rigors of science and technology open us to many wonders and truths, but they cannot, as one writer explained, “connect with purpose, intimacy, emotion—the stuff that matters most in people’s everyday lives.”[2] The highest in human accomplishment often traces to religious inspiration. Much of the world’s finest art, architecture, music and literature are clothed in the beauty of spiritual longing. Sacred writings provide ethical frameworks that spark deeds of self-sacrifice, integrity and love. Religion gives societies a shared moral aspiration, instils social commitment without legal compulsion, encourages voluntary compliance of the law and reminds us of our inherent dignity. Belief in deity motivates people to overcome the despair of death and turn suffering into good.
The values of society have roots in the ground of religion. Our modern aspirations toward human rights, altruism and humanitarian aid, for example, have religious pedigrees. Behind efforts to feed the poor, house the homeless and treat the sick, a church ministry is likely to be found.[3] Trust in our civic foundation depends on the spiritual disciplines of honesty, empathy and reciprocity. Everyone benefits when we live up to these ideals. Secular journalist Will Saletan wrote: “Religion is the vehicle through which most folks learn and practice morality. In the long run, it’s our friend.”[4]
And then come all the precious, indefinable things. Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that human beings are born with a “taste for the infinite” and a “love for what is immortal.”[5] Individuals across time and culture have pondered and sought these intangibles. Identity, understanding, salvation, belonging — the things of the soul — never stray far from our hearts. Agnostic writer Julian Barnes tapped into something profound when he said, “I don’t believe in God, but I miss him.”[6] A world without religion looks flatter, emptier and simpler, yet still craves the God it once knew.
Today people across the globe find refuge in God and their faith communities. Eighty four percent of the world’s population identifies with a religious group.[7] The world is not sinking into disbelief, but that belief is becoming more rich, pluralistic and complex. We are all stewards of society, and our choices determine who we become. The ground of religion needs constant cultivating and nourishing. A garden cannot take care of itself.

 

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[1] Theo Hobson, “The Return of God: Atheism’s Crisis of Faith,” The Spectator, Apr. 19, 2014.

[2] Alasdair Craig, “God Is Dead — What Next?” Prospect, May 1, 2014.

[3] See Robert A. Putnam and David E. Campbell, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us (2010).

[4] Will Saletan, “When Churches Do the Right Thing,” Slate, May 8, 2014.

[5] Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America (2000), 510.

[6] Julian Barnes, Nothing to Be Frightened Of (2009), 1.

[7] Pew Research Religion & Public Life Project, “The Global Religious Landscape,” Dec. 18, 2012.

After 25 years on the job, steelworker Lec Holmes is an expert in his field

After 25 years on the job, steelworker Lec Holmes is an expert in his field. But as he helps construct The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ second temple in Provo, Utah, he admits it’s “not like a typical [construction] job.” Not typical because of its steep pitched roofs (he’s used to square buildings with flat roofs). Not typical because of the unity among the various parties involved in construction (he says “everybody gets along”). Not typical because Mormon temples are built to the highest standards (he notes that workers at the Provo site are “more conscious on the quality of work that's done here”).
Indeed, for those who live near them, the Church’s completed temples are “beautiful” structures, meant to last hundreds of years thanks to their high-quality materials and rigorous building standards.

 

This document explains the process of building a Mormon temple from start to finish. It shows that the creation of these sacred structures is much like the construction of any other building (leaders identify a need and select a site, and architects design and contractors build), but it is also unique in many ways because of the significant role temples play in Latter-day Saint theology.
Funding, Identifying a Need and Selecting a Site
First, it’s important to note that Mormon temples are built using Church funds set aside for that purpose and that the Church pays for the costs without a mortgage or other financing. “We’ve had a long-standing practice in the Church for well over 100 years that we don’t take loans or put mortgages on properties to build temples,” says Elder William R. Walker, executive director of the Church’s Temple Department. “So we would not build a temple unless we could pay for the temple as the temple was built.”
The Church seeks to provide opportunities for Mormons across the globe to access its temples. Eighty-five percent of members live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple, and temple sites are generally located in areas with enough members (there’s no required number) to warrant construction, or where great distances exist between temples. Public announcements for new temples are usually made by the president of the Church at a general conference. 

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A worker applies gold leaf to the exterior of the Church's Kansas City Missouri Temple. The temple was completed in May 2012.© 2014 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Once the decision is made to build a temple in a certain area, the First Presidency then prayerfully chooses the precise spot on which to build — a pattern that has been in place since the Church’s beginnings. For example, soon after entering the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847, Brigham Young identified the block of land on which to build the Salt Lake Temple. And more recently, after the Church announced in 2008 that it would build a temple in Kansas City, Missouri, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency (at Church President Thomas S. Monson’s request) spent several days visiting many possible sites in the area. President Uchtdorf returned to Salt Lake City and recommended to President Monson the spot where the temple was eventually built.
Bill Williams, who has been a Church architect since 2003, says the Church looks for sites “that would have prominence, be in an attractive neighborhood, a neighborhood that would withstand the test of time.”
Design Phase and the Importance of “Sustainable Design”
After the temple site is selected and the Church determines how large the building should be (based on the number of members in the area), a team of Church architects creates potential exterior and interior designs.
While the purpose of each of the Church’s 140 temples is the same, many aspects of each structure’s inner and outer look and feel are unique, tailored to the local people and area. Williams says good architects "want to create something unique, something that has its own personality, and [Church leaders] allow us to do that” with temples. He adds that much can be done to make a temple unique, including “the decorative motifs, the kind of furniture, the interior accouterments, how articulate it is. It could be anything from the modern look that you see in the Washington D.C. Temple to something like the gothic, neoclassical look that you find in the Salt Lake Temple.”
To create a look and feel that is just right for a specific temple, architects solicit a number of sources. For example, as the Church has designed its future temple in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Williams says his team met with locals to “understand the nature of the people, the country that they live in, the Mormons that are there and how we can better fit the temple” to them.
A critical aspect of the planning process is “sustainable design,” a concept that Williams says seeks to reduce a temple’s long-term operational cost. “Whatever we can do to make the environmental systems, the mechanical systems energy efficient, to make the interior materials have longevity so that they don't wear out straightaway, anything we can do to conserve water, it's great for us as the owner because it makes that long-term cost less. That's what it means to be sustainable.”
And with a temple’s complex systems, sustainability is no easy feat. “We’ve got thousands of systems and components that all have to work in harmony,” says Jared Doxey, the director of architecture, engineering and construction in the Church’s Physical Facilities Department. “And getting everything the way it was designed at the highest quality, it's a very complex maze of issues that have to just be 100 percent right.”
In selecting building materials, the Church settles for nothing but the best. The pattern for this, Elder Walker says, is found in the description of Solomon’s Temple in 1 Kings 7 in the Bible. “They used the finest materials and the finest workmen to build the temple. And that’s the pattern we follow,” Elder Walker says. “Not to be ostentatious, but to be beautiful in a wonderful tribute to God.”
And the role of inspiration is most important to temple design, Williams says. “These are His houses, and we would like to make sure that everybody feels that responsibility, so that when we begin design meetings, we start with a word of prayer.”
The design process can take up to two years, and Elder Walker notes that all along the way — “from architectural detail clear down to colors and carpet swatches” — the First Presidency is involved and provides final approvals.

Well it seems that people are not flocking to this blog

Well it seems that people are not flocking to this blog as I thought it takes time I know but we need to find out why people are not coming. People need to know that Jesus lives and there is salvation out their

Mormon Helping Hands Volunteers Participate in Arkansas Tornado Cleanup

Jason Rowland owns a tree service in central Arkansas and was among other Mormon volunteers who showed up in western Pulaski County over the weekend to clean up debris from a devastating tornado that hit the region on 27 April 2014. In fact, Rowland has spent the past two Saturdays and two Wednesday evenings helping out his neighbors.

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Volunteers clean up downed trees in central Arkansas, which was hard hit by a recent tornado, Saturday, 10 May 2014.© All rights reserved.

Volunteers gathered on 10 May in the Ferndale and Pinnacle Mountain areas where the tornado first touched down with chainsaws, tractors and tree service equipment.  Much of the damage in the rural area was from downed trees. Rowland is known for volunteering his services during disasters, including storms such as Hurricane Katrina and service projects. Local leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints say cleanup efforts will be ongoing. 
UPDATE (6 May 2014):
Hundreds of Mormon Helping Hands volunteers gathered in central Arkansas on Saturday, 3 May 2014, to help clean up debris in communities devastated by recent tornadoes. Storms tore through the area on 27 April, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses in the communities of Vilonia, Mayflower and surrounding towns. Local Church leaders estimate it will take weeks to clear all of the tornado debris in Arkansas
Fifteen people were killed and more than 150 people were injured when the deadly tornadoes hit the southeastern United States, including a 31-year-old Latter-day Saint father who died when he was struck by some wood while shielding his daughter. His wife and two daughters survived. The twister was a category EF4, with winds of at least 180 mph.  
About 1,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their neighbors who were wearing yellow Mormon Helping Hands shirts joined the American Red Cross and Team Rubicon, a national organization that coordinated the volunteer efforts, to sort through debris. “We were unprepared for the type of recovery we were going to face,” explained George Wing, a spokesman for the Church’s North Little Rock Stake (similar to a Catholic diocese), who said the tornado hit with such a velocity that there were no walls standing and the structures were reduced to “bits and pieces that needed to be sorted.” Wing said not a single piece of wood was salvageable. “We didn’t see a single 2-by-4 worth saving. This was not your typical chainsaw operation.”
Some of the personal items recovered by volunteers include a girls’ soccer picture, a Mormon missionary badge, a Primary child’s Faith in God award and some food storage cans and buckets. One man was overjoyed to find his wife’s purse and remarked that everything was going to be all right now.
Renee Carr of the new Searcy Stake in central Arkansas said the tornado hit one day after members of the congregation participated in its first “Day of Service” to clean hiking trails around Heber Springs, an annual event organized by the Church worldwide in which local congregations gather to render service in their communities.
Carr said members from local congregations in the Searcy Stake, including women and children, gathered to tie more than 50 quilts and put together office kits for the tornado victims. “Our first Relief Society stake activity got converted into a relief effort at the building, tying quilts and assembling kits,” added Carr, who lost her home to a tornado in 2008. The women were originally planning to collect food for local food pantries and recipes for families for their already scheduled Saturday meeting, but they switched their activity to relief efforts. The office kits contain paper, stamps, envelopes, scissors and other items and can be helpful when families are working with insurance companies and rebuilding their lives.
Some regular Church activities, such as an upcoming father and son campout, have been canceled while local congregations focus on helping their neighbors recover from the disaster.

Dustin L. Burnham's Testimony

My Testimony and Conversion... Unto all who reads, I am a convert to the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. I grew up in a loving family that taught me good morals and supported me from day one. I love them! We were not very religious however, so I really had no solid spiritual foundation. Friends in elementary and high school spoke to me about Jesus and the Bible, but I did not understand Their importance at that time in my life. When I was about 15 years old my kidneys began to fail, and I eventually ended up on dialysis by the age of 18. I was a very miserable teenager during those high school years. It was a difficult challenge having a chronic disease, and I was depressed because of it. Fumbling through life, I partook of anything and everything the world had to offer. You could say I was quite comfortable in the presidential suite of the "Great and Spacious Building" (what the world has to offer). At the age of 19 I received kidney transplant, selflessly donated by my grandmother. It was like night and day with my health. I had been sick for so long that I had forgotten what it was like to be healthy! I had a new lease on life (or so I thought.) Not only did I have a new kidney, I was now also of legal age and could go to the bars and clubs - involving myself foolishly in them. I began to hang around people whom you could consider modern-day Gadianton Robbers (bikers and gang members). I began to have a chip on my shoulder, thinking the world owed me respect. The false sense of security I had around these "gentlemen" had also puffed up my pride even more. Then, one morning, my mother woke me up and told me to turn on the television. It was September 11, 2001. My heart sank into my stomach. I was scared, confused and ashamed. Ashamed at how I had been living my life up to that point. Ashamed by my selfish recklessness and utter disregard for the sacrifices my family and friends had made for me over the previous years. Something stirred inside of me. I had a deep yearning to know the TRUTH. What was I doing with my life? Why had I gone through so much? What was the meaning of it all? I had been given a second chance at a healthy life, yet I was literally wasting it away with frivolous living. I was also troubled because those who allegedly crashed the planes said they did so in the name of their God and their religion. This did not sit right with me. From the little I knew about God, I was under the impression that He loved us - or He at least liked us enough to not have us kill each other! From that point on I began a “spiritual binge“. I quit cold turkey all of the substances, places and people that had been a negative influence in my life. I had no desire for ANY of it. I went to the library on many occasions and studied the different religions and beliefs of the world. Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, Hinduism. I LOVED it!! I was soaking it up. I was a sponge. Eventually, I began to learn about Christianity. I cracked open an old bible and began to read. "In the beginning..." As hard as I tried, I couldn't really understand it. And to make things even MORE confusing, there were many, many different denominations and sects within Christianity itself. Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-day Adventist, Presbyterian, Evangelical, Episcopalian... You get the idea. I was overwhelmed! And who WAS this Jesus? My answers soon came. About mid-October I was at a "friend's" house, sitting on a couch. Whilst sitting, I had an unmistakable feeling that I had to leave, NOW!!! - that it was not safe to stay. I abruptly left and got into my car. I began to drive home, wondering if the impression I just had was real. Then, all of a sudden, a thick warm blanket of pure love and light enveloped me from head to toe. To describe this experience with mere mortal words cannot do it justice. The feeling was like having all of the best times of my life wrapped into one joyous, happy moment. The feeling was like having every birthday party, Christmastime and colourful dream coming true - all at once - multiplied by infinity. My heart burned within me. It was so familiar. Someone or Something not of this world knew exactly who I was, and loved me with a love that is indescribable. I began to ball like a baby and wept with sheer joy. I then began to weep with sadness, realizing that the life I had been living was not what I was put on this earth to do. I felt encouraged to continue seeking, searching and I would find the answers I was so desperately yearning for. I experienced peace in my heart, comforting me and urging me to continue to the Light - to continue to fight for good. That moment changed me forever. I know that what I felt and experienced was real and true. I also know that God knew it, and I could not deny it - neither dared I! From that day on I continued my spiritual journey. I learned more about the different denominations and doctrines, but they were more confusing than comforting. I even went to a bible study group. They spoke about God and Jesus, which was good, but something was missing. Where was that feeling that I had previously experienced - that burning within my heart that had filled me full of hope, faith, love and light? I was starting to get frustrated. November 13, 2001 was my father's birthday. That evening, my family decided to go out for dinner to celebrate. I wasn’t feeling too well so I stayed home, alone. I turned on the television to one of my favourite shows. A woman on the show explained to a man that she was a Mormon. What was a Mormon? Was it another religion I could study? I was getting excited. And while I was pondering this new topic, the doorbell rang. Oh, who could that be?! I was watching my show, just beginning to process this new information about Mormons. I answered the door... Two missionaries from The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints stood before me, The Book of Mormon in their hands. These two young men introduced themselves, both curiously named "Elder". They explained to me their message about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith’s First Vision and the purpose of the Book of Mormon. What touched my heart the most was their invitation to read passages from the Book of Mormon, and then ask God MYSELF to know if it was true. We talked in the doorway for about 20 minutes. They gave me a copy of the book and said they would contact me in a few days. I felt like I was walking on air. I immediately went upstairs and began to read. I did not understand everything right away, but I knew in my heart that I had to pray to God to know if this was what I had been searching for. Besides, it just couldn't have been a coincidence that the Mormon missionaries showed up at my door at the EXACT same time there was a Mormon on television, right? I got down on my knees, not knowing how to pray, but prayed silently nevertheless. I offered up the sincerest desires of my heart and asked God to show me what was true. I asked Him if it was right to meet with the missionaries. I prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true. I got up, poured myself a bowl of cereal and opened a magazine to an article in the back. I began to read. The article was about BYU's football team. It explained how players on the team sometimes left football for two years to serve throughout the world as missionaries for The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. This was NOT a coincidence any more. This was divine intervention. This was an answer to the prayer I had said only minutes before. I met with the Elders the next day. They taught me many truths - plain and precious truths that had been lost due to the Great Apostasy – that were restored once again to the earth through the Prophet, Joseph Smith. They boldly testified of living Prophets and Apostles upon the earth today, teaching me how I could find out for myself if what they were telling me was really true. How? By sincerely studying, pondering and then praying to my Father in Heaven. I learned about the Holy Ghost. Who is the Holy Ghost and what does He feel like? He is a Personage of Spirit – the third member of the Godhead. He testifies and bears record of God the Father and Jesus Christ. He reveals all truth. He can cause a warm burning within our chest and heart - like purifying fire. He can cause sudden strokes of ideas and quicken our understanding about scripture and doctrine. He can fill us full of hope, faith, love, peace and light - all of the things I had felt that day driving home!! The Holy Ghost is also a still, small Voice. If we are too preoccupied or distracted, we can drown out that Voice. After a couple of meetings, the Elders then asked me to pray aloud for the first time. I had never done that before! Nervously, I bowed my head and crossed my arms. I began to pray to my Heavenly Father. And you know what? My chest burned within me! I felt pure warmth and peace. I had received a witness from the Holy Ghost! I had found what I was looking for! Over the next two weeks I participated in the concluding lessons, and prepared myself to enter the waters of baptism. I was baptized November 29, 2001 and received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands a week later. The Spirit of the Lord has been my constant companion – my guiding light (so long as I remain worthy of His companionship). Entering into this sacred covenant with God has been the greatest and best decision I have ever made. I testify that God lives, and that the Heavens are open. He is the Father of our spirits and Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son - the Redeemer and Saviour of the world - our Advocate with the Father. Through His Infinite Atonement, He has made it possible for us to return to the Father’s presence by obedience to the Gospel principles of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance and the ordinances of baptism and confirmation (receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands) by proper Priesthood Authority. God the Father and His Beloved Son have ALL power. Their timing is perfect. Jesus Christ is the Light and the Life of the world. My greatest of joys is knowing exactly who I am, where I came from and where I am going – that there is a plan for each and every one of us. I testify that Joseph Smith truly was a Prophet called of God, and that angels ministered to him (and to us) continuously. Joseph was an instrument in the hands of the Almighty in restoring the Fullness of the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints is the only true living church upon the face of the whole earth - God Himself bearing witness of it. This knowledge has opened and softened my heart. I love and care for EVERY human being upon the face of the earth. We are ALL God’s children – each and every one of us! It’s magnificent! The Bible AND the Book of Mormon are true. They are the Words of God – both witnessing and testifying of the glory of Christ. I invite all to exercise faith by reading these scriptures, (especially The Book of Mormon) and you will come to know that they are true for yourself. Come; humbly learn what The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints has to offer. God is faithful, and will not leave us alone in the dark - if we but reach out and seek Him. This humble testimony I leave before the entire world, in the most sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen. My warmest regards, Dustin L. Burnham.

why do doctors not treat the poor

Hello again today is such a good day but a lot of thinking and thoughts go into today. Today I had a issue I can be paying no copays with one insurance sounds good right but they would switch me to a plan I did not want to be on. I love ppo’s I can go anywhere but  it comes with a price but that is not what’s on my mind what is rely on my mind is why doctors take co pays up front and then tell you if you have no money we would not want to see you. Some of this is life threading and they don’t rely care it just drives me into the mad house. What I should do is report them the the ftc saying there with holding services that is life threading 

I need Thee ev'ry hour

119 I Need Thee Every Hour - 119 I Need Thee Every Hour .mp3

Found at bee mp3 search engine

I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Refrain:
I need Thee, O I need Thee!
Ev'ry hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour!
I come to Thee.

I need Thee ev'ry hour;
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow'r
When Thou art nigh.

I need Thee ev'ry hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

I need Thee ev'ry hour;
Teach me Thy will,
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.

I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son!

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Story:
Several of the hymn stories in this book relate the trying experiences of the children of God and how their afflictions have been the material from which great hymns were written.

However, here's one which came into being through completely different and happier circumstances. It makes a refreshing and interesting change.

Annie Sherwood Hawks was bom in Hoosick, New York, on 28th May 1835. Even from an early age she was writing poetry and, at 14, had some published in a newspaper.

When she married, at 24, she moved to live in the Brooklyn area of New York. There, she and her husband joined the church whose pastor was the noted hymn writer and composer, Dr. Robert S. Lowry.

Dr. Lowry immediately recognised Mrs Hawks talent for writing and encouraged her to use it. In fact he even offered her a challenge. 'If you'll write the words,' he said, I'll write the music,' and he was as good as his word.

"I Need Thee Every Hour", was written in April 1872 and is thought to have been based on the exhortation of Jesus in John 15 verses 4 and 5.

'Abide in me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can
ye, except ye abide in me. I am the
vine, ye are the branches: he that
abideth in me, I am in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without
me ye can do nothing.'

The new hymn was first performed in November that year at the National Sunday School Convention in Cincinatti, Ohio. Very soon it was taken up by the famous evangelistic team of Moody and Sankey, who, it seems likely, did most to make it popular. It was translated into many other languages too; and even featured in the great Chicago World's Fair.

But what about the actual penning of those comforting lines?

Well, a short time before her death, on January 3rd 1918, Mrs Hawkes gave the full background story. I quote her own words.

'I remember well the circumstances under which I wrote the hymn. It was a bright June day, and I became so filled with the sense of the nearness of my Master that I began to wonder how anyone could live without Him, in either joy or pain. Suddenly, the words I need Thee every hour, flashed into my mind, and very quickly the thought had full possession of me.

Seating myself by the open windows, I caught up my pencil and committed the words to paper - almost as they are today. A few months later Dr. Robert Lowry composed the tune Need, for my hymn and also added the refrain.

For myself, the hymn, at its writing, was prophetic rather than expressive of my own experiences, for it was wafted out to the world on the wings of love and joy, instead of under the stress of great personal sorrow, with which it has often been associated.

At first I did not understand why the hymn so greatly touched the throbbing heart of humanity. Years later, however, under the shadow of a great loss, I came to understand something of the comforting power of the words 1 had been permitted to give out to others in my hours of sweet serenity and peace.'

It must have given the talented lady great satisfaction to write something which has been such a blessing to so many.

I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine,
Can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee!
Every hour I need Thee:
O bless me now my Saviour!
I come to Thee.

The 100 Most Popular Christian Hymns

The 100 Most Popular Christian Hymns
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Abide With Me
Alas And Did My Savior Bleed?
All Creatures of our God and King
All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name
All The Way My Savior Leads Me
Amazing Grace
Are You Washed in the Blood?
At Calvary

Battle Hymn of the Republic
Be Thou My Vision
Before The Throne of God Above
Blessed Assurance
Blest Be The Tie That Binds

Child of the King
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
Cleanse Me
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Count Your Blessings
Crown Him With Many Crowns

Day By Day
Doxology
Eternal Father, Strong To Save

Face To Face
Fairest Lord Jesus
Faith is the Victory
Faith of our Fathers
Fight the Good Fight


God Leads His Dear Children Along
God Will Take Care Of You
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Have Thine Own Way, Lord
He Hideth My Soul
He Is Coming Again
He Lives
His Eye Is On the Sparrow
Holy, Holy, Holy
How Firm A Foundation
How Great Thou Art


I Am Thine, O Lord
I Love To Tell The Story
I Need Thee Ev'ry Hour
I Surrender All
I'd Rather Have Jesus
I'll Fly Away
In the Garden
In The Hour of Trial
In The Sweet By and By
It is Well

Jesus, Lover Of My Soul
Jesus Loves Me
Jesus Paid It All
Just As I Am

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Lord I'm Coming Home
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love Lifted Me

Moment By Moment
More Love To Thee
Morning Has Broken
My Faith Looks Up To Thee

Nearer My God, To Thee
No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus
Now We Thank All Our God

O Come All Ye Faithful
O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
O Holy Night
O Little Town of Bethlehem
O Worship The King
Old Time Religion


Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
Peace, Perfect Peace
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Precious Lord Take My Hand

Rescue The Perishing
Revive Us Again
Rock of Ages

Safe in the Arms of Jesus
Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
Softly And Tenderly Jesus Is Calling
Standing on the Promises

Take My Life and Let It Be
Take Time To Be Holy
The Old Rugged Cross
There Is A Fountain
There Is Power In The Blood
Till The Storm Passes By
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Trust And Obey

Victory In Jesus

What A Day That Will Be
What A Friend We Have in Jesus
What Child Is This?
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
When We All Get To Heaven
Wherever He Leads, I'll Go

Yesterday, Today, Forever