Come Follow Me

Waiting with God for my time to come

Seemed to take forever, then some.

The day to say goodbye was here

“Follow my Son and do not fear.”

Parents taught me right and wrong

To praise God’s Son with prayer and song.

I chose to follow God’s only Son

Baptized in water, I had won!

Mem’ries of life with God were gone

To a life of joy and sorrow drawn.

Suff’ring seems to win the day

Is there really no other way?

Why can’t I just enjoy my life?

Commandments seem to bring me strife.

My eyes now dimmed from God’s true light

The urge in me is now to fight.

As this battle rages strong

I hear a voice, “Could God be wrong?”

I start to listen, then repent

I then recall Him whom God had sent.

The words I hear within my heart

“Come follow me, that is a start.”

One step back is all it takes

To fix all of my many mistakes.

You cannot follow in the dark

Jesus Christ creates the spark.

That spark then becomes a flame

That Satan cannot ever tame.

Do not fall for his endless lies

They trap you as a web does flies.

God’s the only way to survive

And for His glory we must Strive.

Our reward for choosing light

Is being on the side of right.

The words of His Son will always be

“I am the way, Come Follow me!”

                                                        

Taiana ‘Ileiane Kimanamo’ui Brown

The heavens wept when you were born

On that beautiful, sacred morn.

You made your family tree complete

You were your parent’s special treat.

Your smile was a gift from God above

A symbol of His perfect love.

Pure love you gave to all mankind

To help them, their God to find.

Unwavering faith you did possess

Which saved you from a world of stress.

Ancestors who have gone before

Knew greatness for you, was in store.

Your wisdom had no limits here

For you understood and had no fear.

Humble as the day is long

That made you firm and godly strong.

Trials are as a mountain high

Taking us up to touch the sky.

You understood the test of life

Would at times be full of strife.

You passed your test with no regret

You left your mark on all you met.

Tears on both sides of the veil did fall

As you moved on to a greater call.

Nana, we all look forward to the day

When with your family you will stay.

In the presence of our precious God

In majesty and glory shod.

Marion “Rico” Goodrich

Worth of Souls

A single ray of morning light

Destroys the darkness of the night.

A single act of godly love

Tells me that God lives up above.

I am nothing more than a grain of sand

And yet I fail to understand

That grain of sand is but a stone

That becomes a diamond God will hone.

The world is blind to God’s perfect plan

It stands in awe, of that made by man.

Just as man will return to dust

All things man-made will turn to rust.

Open your eyes and you will see

All that you are and what you’ll be.

The child of a celestial king

Who He gathers under His wing.

We must return to His open arms

He will protect us from evil’s harms.

His power and grace, are without compare

We are His greatest work and heir.

I am one

I am one of God’s countless children

Who lived with Him before my birth.

His plan he made for each of us

To gain a  body and come to Earth.

How hard it must have been to leave

Our heavenly home was all we knew.

We put our faith in His only Son

That he would help us make it through.

I am one of many children

Born to parents who love me.

Their love for me fills my heart

They show us what we can be.

My life is not what I had planned

Why does it seem to be unfair?

I try to follow my Savior’s steps.

And not fall into deep despair.

I am one, but I am known

By a loving Father, in heaven above

He knows my suffering, pain and joy

His son he gave to show his love.

A life of trial our Savior lived

He suffered, bled and died for all.

I now have a glorious chance

To be saved from a frightening fall.

He IS the One, Our savior Jesus Christ

The only one to set us free.

One by one he saved each child

So we could like, our Father be.

He is our Savior, God and king

Always near our side He will stay.

Always look to Him for power
For in the end, Christ wins the day.

Father Jack

He gathered all his family near

To share with them what he held dear.

His love of God and family 

Shone in his eyes so all could see.

He beckoned all who heard his voice

To always make a righteous choice.

Live your lives as Christ did teach

That we may out to others reach.

His greatest deed in this short life

Was marrying mom, his loving wife.

A dozen blessings came to them

They cared for them as a precious gem.

Trials came in many ways

Some lasted years, some only days.

Giving back to God a son

Was one that could not be outdone.

He chose to learn humility

And serve his God most faithfully.

Spreading the gospel was his joy

He knew he was in God’s employ.

Many came to know God’s plan

Through service to his fellow man.

He showed his faith by his great work

He never from a task would shirk.

His faith was strong as a mustard seed

As on his knees he would always plead.

He prayed for us by name each day

That from the path we would not stray.

His legacy he leaves behind

Is not of things or gold refined.

But loving God and His only Son

Is what our dad has always done.

Tight Like Unto A Dish

Ether 2:17
And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.

"Tight like unto a dish" is a powerful phrase, especially if we follow Nephi’s counsel and “…liken all scriptures unto us” (1 Ne 19:23). If we liken the barges to two homes; our bodies, which house our spirits and our physical homes which protect us from the world, and the sea to the influences and temptations of the world, then this scripture is very powerful.
Notice that the top, bottom, sides and even the door of the barges were “tight like unto a dish” against the fierce, unrelenting sea into which they would be placed.
In order to survive, they were instructed to only open the door to get air when they were not underwater. We as well, should not open our doors to any evil or worldly influences. Many times, once that door is opened, it is very, very difficult to close.
Water has the ability to find its way into any opening no matter how small. We are literally like the barges in the sea. At times we are buried in the depths of the sea and it seems that we will perish, but we see that the Lord will be with us always.

Ether 6:6-7
6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.
7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.

Trusting in the mercy, grace and goodness of our Heavenly Father we will be able to overcome the evils of the “sea”. We must do the things asked of us, which include: prayer, sincere scripture study, Family Home Evening, and being grateful for all we have and will receive, especially during difficult times. We must also actively fight against evil, no matter what form it has and where it arises, and do all in our power to keep it out of our bodies and homes.
These simple things keep us, and our homes “tight like unto a dish” against evil.
On a side note, their journey upon the sea lasted almost a year, but the Lord never abandoned them.

The Art of Trials

They looked like random pencil lines
Each one alone, they took no form.
How could this be a work of art
It was so far outside the norm.

The lines were twisted as if in pain
It made no sense to me at all.
I wished it all to just make sense
So I would not feel so very small.

Years went by to no avail
To figure out what it all meant.
My finite mind, it could not see
The message that, to me, He sent.

One day a knock came at my door
My closest friend was now with me.
Where is that masterpiece of art
The random one you got for free?

I had not thought of it for years
My life had taken many a turn.
I must go search and hope I find
The art for which I now did yearn.

I found it buried deep beneath
The things I thought that mattered most.
I pulled it from its dusty home
It looked so old, just like a ghost.

I gave it to my dearest friend
Ashamed that It had been misplaced.
He took it from its aged frame
One by one it's lines He traced.

These lines, my son, are trials faced
I was beside you with each one.
Never were you left alone
That lonely task fell to my son.

Now hold that masterpiece up high
Against the grand celestial light.
I now beheld what I could not see
The lines now formed a glorious sight.

The image that I gazed upon.
Was me all dressed in radiant white
The image only could be seen
Because of God's pure holy light.

Choose The Right!!

The choices that we choose to make
Remove or add the weight of sin.
When we were young and full of strength
The added weight seemed very thin.

I can make it on my own
I am strong, don’t need God’s hand.
What has he really done for me?
I really do not understand.

Time and years move very fast
Our heavy soul cries out from pain.
The weight we carried for so long
Has now become a prison chain.

One will tell you all is lost
The other says “Come unto me.”
He has the power to break the chains
Remove your pain and set you free.

Believe and follow all God’s words
That is the only path to take.
The first steps back seem oh so slow
Our God will never us forsake.

One step becomes a million
Each one easier than the one before.
With our eyes set on HIS glory
God will provide us so much more.

As we walk along the path
We must hold fast to the iron rod.
That will ensure we eat the fruit
The everlasting love of God.

Find the One

Night had come, the sun had set

He gathered sheep into the night.

Counting each dear lamb with care

Each one was precious in his sight.

Ninety-eight then ninety nine

One more to find to make it whole.

He searched again to no avail

A lamb was lost, it pained his soul.

He would not rest nor would he sleep

‘Till all were gathered in the fold.

Leaving safety far behind

He journeyed out into the cold.

He searched the high land and the low

For signs of life or of distress.

By name he called the precious lamb

He would not falter nor digress.

Through trees and valleys, fields and streams

The shepherd’s search was resolute.

His eyes turned to the heavn’ly sky

“Please guide me to the proper route.”

No sooner than the words were said

Faint cries he heard from a distant glen.

Rushing to the missing lamb

Into his arms it came again.

Safely home both did return

To join the fold from whence they came.

The Shepherd that we call our Lord

Loves each of us just the same.