HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween

No one in my family was small enough to go bang on doors last evening, so I sat home while my dog went nuts eveyime some gremlin showed up at the door. Danny and Rachel have invested thousands on Halkloween stuff---hands that walk and legs that slide and graavestones and skelatons and talking heads and such---and the yard is full of their decorations. So a few more kids came this year. We average less than ten per season.

I am not a big fan of this holiday, but I did prepare a handout yesterday for the benefit of my students and other teachers. Here it is:

THE SCRIPTURES HAVE A GREAT DEAL TO SAY ABOUT FEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, THE LORD AND HIS SERVANTS HAVE SAID “FEAR NOT” TO THE RIGHTEOUS AT LEAST 66 TIMES, AND “BE NOT AFRAID” 26 TIMES

FEAR NOT

Genesis 15:1
Genesis 21:17
Genesis 26:24
Genesis 43:23
Genesis 46:3
Exodus 20:20
Deuteronomy 1:21
Deuteronomy 20:3
Deuteronomy 31:6
Deuteronomy 31:8
Joshua 8:1
Joshua 10:25
Judges 6:10
Judges 6:23
1 Samuel 12:20
1 Kings 17:13
2 Kings 6:16
1 Chronicles 28:20
2 Chronicles 20:17
Isaiah 7:4
Isaiah 35:4
Isaiah 41:13
Isaiah 41:14
Isaiah 43:1
Isaiah 43:5
Isaiah 44:2
Isaiah 54:4
Jeremiah 46:27
Lamentations 3:57
Daniel 10:12
Daniel 10:19
Joel 2:21
Zechariah 8:13
Matthew 1:20
Matthew 10:28
Matthew 28:5
Luke 1:13
Luke 1:20
Luke 2:10
Luke 5:10
Luke 8:50
Luke 12:17
Luke 12:32
John 12:15
Acts 27:24
1 Peter 2:18
Revelation 1:17
2 Nephi 17:4
Alma 7:15
Alma 61:31
Helaman 5:26
3 Nephi 22:4
3 Nephi 24:5
D&C 6:33
D&C 6:34
D&C 6:36
D&C 30:5
D&C 35:27
D&C 38:15
D&C 50:41
D&C 79:4
D&C 98:1
D&C 101:36
D&C 122:9
D&C 136:17
D&C 136:30

BE NOT AFRAID

Deuteronomy 20:1
Joshua 1:9
Joshua 11:6
2 Kings 1:15
2 Kings 19:6
2 Chronicles 20:15
2 Chronicles 32:7
Proverbs 3:25,26
Isaiah 10:4
Isaiah 37:6
Isaiah 40:9
Jeremiah 1:8
Jeremiah 10:5
Jeremiah 42:11
Ezekiel 2:6
Matthew 14:27
Matthew 17:7
Matthew 28:10
Mark 5:36
Mark 6:50
Luke 12:4
John 6:20
Acts 18:9
I Peter 3:14
2 Nephi 24:20
D&C 98:14

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You might consider printing this out on orange paper and handing it out next year instead of Almond Joys and Butterfingers. Of course the kids would hate you and your dentist would firebomb your home, but it is an idea . . .

I am thinking about how often and in how many circumstances the Lord has said this kind of thing to his faithful children. I suppose if he were with us all the time, instead of near Kolob, we would never worry about anything. Of course he is with us all the time. He has promised to go with us (D&C 32:3), and to be in our midst (D&C 38:7). He has assured us that no weapon formed against us can prosper (3 Nephi 22:17), and that his eyes are upon us (D&C 38:7). What are we supposed to be afraid of?

After all, "With God, nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37), and "Nothing is too hard for [him] (Jeremiah 32:17)." So what if the Assyrian Army is on the way or Goliath is sharpening his 15-pound spear head. So what if Captain Comstock is headed for Haun's Mill or Johnston's Army is coming through Wyoming . . . Fear not.

When neighbors told Jairus to quit bothering the Lord because his 12-year old daughter was now dead and therefore could not be healed, Jesus responded at once and said, "Be not afraid. Only believe" (Mark 5:36).

His daughter was dead, for goodness sake! Be not afraid. Only believe. I feel like we really have been given the tools and the understanding to set aside worry and fear in our lives almost entirely.

Friends and family came yesterday and we played games for a few hours while we answered the door and contemplated the delights of leftover candy. And we had a lot left over. Nothing like the collections we used to have when Danny took his pillow cases out in Junior High, but we had enough to get by.

Thanks for listening.

Ted