A Better World

God is Calling. Now What?

2011-10-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Israel, Israel, God is Calling - Hymn #7 - Richard Smyth A question carried by implication throughout the song is "What do you do when a God calls?" or "Israel, Israel, God is Calling. What are you going to do about it?" There is no doubting what the speaker wants the reader to do. "Come to Zion. Come to Zion" is repeated 8 times in these verses. The poem wants a very specific action from

Transitioning to Redemption

2011-09-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Redeemer of Israel, #6, William W. Phelps A few years back I was hit by a pretty severe disease which, due to a late diagnosis, had its way with me for a long while before leaving me in pretty bad shape. I remember nights where my wife and I would feel a deep desperation due to lack of answers and direction. But as those moments invariably ended in very fervent prayers, we came to feel some

What makes the titans of the world look up?

2011-09-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

#5 High on the Mountaintop Joel H. Johnson Lofty words and elevated imagery seem to burst and skip off the tongue with this hymn's strong beat. It produces a rich and vibrant sound that has made it one of the longstanding classics in our Latter Day Saint Hymnal. Interestingly enough, I know I more often hear this hymn's opening line mistakenly sung as a mountaintop, instead of "high on the

Truth Still Eternal

2011-08-31T01:01:00.000-07:00

Hymn #4 "Truth Eternal" - Parley P. Pratt Do words age? Can ideas lose their freshness? Sometimes even the foundational, premise terminology of the gospel begins to sound old, even at times uninteresting. Has this happened to you before? Whether it's a lesson topic that provokes an inward (albeit undeserved) groan, or the song on the radio that cannot possibly be changed fast enough, we

No Longer Strangers and Pilgrims On the Earth?

2011-07-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

Hymn #3, Now Let Us Rejoice “these all… confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Can you imagine that sensation, where this world is a foreign place to men and women who have lived their entire lives here? Can you imagine feeling like this is just an echo of the place you once called home? We get this same sense of earthly disconnection as Nephi’s brother, Jacob,

The Spirit and Fire of God!

2011-06-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hymn 2: The Spirit of God The opening line of William W. Phelps’ The Spirit of God is also the hymn’s most relatable metaphor, and it guides our interaction with the piece. First lines of hymns are very important. For example, look at the tone this sets, The Spirit of God like a fire is burning. Fire is a powerful image. Fire is dynamic, and as we have seen all over the world, spreads…

Morning Breaks: Atonement and Triumph

2011-06-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt the light of the gospel break upon your soul? Baptism is often such a time. I remember my own baptism vividly, and gifts certainly occupied my thoughts, but not the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Instead I remember vividly the nice baptism book which each of my older brothers had received from an aunt. I had looked forward to receiving it for years. Then there was my so sweet

Nursery Nightmares

2011-05-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite cartoons is Recess. I never particularly enjoyed the story, except where it brought in the kindergarteners. The portrayal of the kindergartners was priceless, and has endeared that show to me forever through a surprising and delightful depiction.They always enter the scene en masse, vicious and dangerous, and they strike fear into the hearts of the entire school.My older

Lost Laundry Scrolls

2011-05-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

These are some of my most prized possessions. From before I left on an LDS mission in 2003 I have kept these notebooks of scriptural, religious, and personal thoughts on anything and everything. The notebooks are used to remember the ideas that pass through my mind and disappear. These following notebooks and fragments are what I call the Lost Laundry Scrolls.This first one was tragic, until I

Yielded Lives

2011-05-09T01:22:00.000-07:00

2 Nephi 26:10The two words that hit me with surprising power are these, that "they yield". This is not a one time error, but it sounds more like a state of being. The verb is in its present tense, yielding to the devil, not yielded, choosing works of darkness, not having chosen. This is happening now. That is its tragic power for me. I feel such a sense of loss as mighty ones turn to

Silent Seeming Companions

2011-04-19T23:34:00.000-07:00

Romans 7:21-24As with every one of our perfectly suited vices, the closer we get to God, and the greater in Him that we become, so too our vices, silent seeming companions, follow a parallel course alongside. Residing within only a few small degrees of variance from our desired straight and upward paths, these are our ever present evils, those self-centered, self-gratifying inclinations that

A Powerful Plea

2011-02-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

3 Nephi 17:7• At His invitation, “Bring them hither, and I will heal them,” the people at Zarahemla did just that, bringing all their sick and afflicted to the resurrected Savior to be healed, and He did heal every one of them that was brought unto Him. This is a moving and powerful portrait of compassion and love. At this moment in scripture we note also the powerful echoes from 3 Nephi 9:3,

Not What You Expect?

2010-08-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

1 Nephi 18:2Are things not quite as you would expect them to be in this gospel? Three times it is repeated here as Nephi constructs this ship, emphasizing with almost blatant redundance that it is not after the manner of men. It isn't too surprising then that the ways of God might be somewhat of an adjustment to our finite mortal scope. And not just Nephi's ship. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Perhaps the

Liahonas at Our Feet

2010-02-07T13:06:00.000-08:00

Alma 37:37How did the Liahona work? They had to believe that God could make the spindles move. With scriptures it must be the same. God has set the scriptures at our feet, and as we read through these pages, it matters how we approach them. There are times when reading is nothing more than that, reading. But then there are times when our need arises, and we are actively looking for guidance,

A Simple Question

2010-01-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

Were the words of Noah sufficient for Moses? How about the words of Moses for Elijah, or for Isaiah? The answer is simple. No. They needed more, and specific to their circumstances. We read about all kinds of guidance the Lord provided Moses. The Book of Isaiah is replete with profound insights given him by the Lord. All prophets needed their separate guidance from the Lord. Amos 3:7Why?

Love Purified by Action... is Charity

2010-01-23T23:52:00.000-08:00

Doctrine and Covenants 4:5We talk about charity, and often have different ways of describing it, but how does charity differ from love? When we use the term charity instead of love, what does that add? Could it be that charity represents the lengths to which we'll go for that love? Isn't charity that pure love by which Christ was willing to descend below all things in our behalf? That is the

We're Busy?

2010-01-16T22:05:00.000-08:00

Look at our Heavenly Father. He's the one who doesn't have time.Yet still He does so much for us. :)See Alma 40:8

The Good, the Bad, and the Roots for Both

2010-01-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

It doesn't have to matter where we grew up, although we can certainly take advantage of our optimum surroundings. In the end it is our strength, the strength of our roots, that will decide our productivity despite surroundings. From Jacob 5:22, we see that even from the poorest spot of ground there can be a fruitful harvest. The key element is the nourishment provided by the Lord of the

The Softly Blowing Winds

2010-01-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

Acts 27:8-16Everything looked good. There were almost no risks in continuing forward. There was no indication of poor weather or danger sufficient to cause any alarm, except that an apostle of the Lord had spoken against it. His words would have kept them in the “fair havens”, but they, in their supposed wisdom and knowledge, pushed forward. We have men today of such Apostolic title and

How Far Will We Take It?

2009-12-15T00:04:00.000-08:00

Just how deep is our participation of the sacrament? Beyond the shell of bread and water to the roots of the sacred ordinance? Look at the progression:1. Bread and water. 2. Body and blood. 3. Physical death and spiritual death. 4. Resurrection and atonement. 5. Immortality and eternal life. Bread and water is the beginning of a marvelous chain, revolving around the life and mission of the

Faith and Power

2009-12-04T23:32:00.000-08:00

Mark 5:41-42Christ heals, brings back from the dead, forgives sins, but in so many places, as in this story, Christ is petitioned to perform miracles by individuals who desire the blessings not for themselves but for loved ones. "Look upon my son".., my daughter, my friend, and Christ tells them the same thing he tells the actual people seeking blessings for themselves. "According to your faith

A verse for Halloween...

2009-11-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

Romans 14:9As stated by scripture, Christ is the Lord of both the living.... and the dead. :) And in all things, both living and dying, we do so unto the Lord, for we are His. How appropriate really then to celebrate a holiday such as a Day of the Dead, in light of Christ's absolute dominion over its binding fetters.We can look to death in a different way while the hope of Christ's atonement

Live for it!

2009-10-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

Matthew 3:13-14, John the Baptist knew the Son of God instinctively, recognized Him immediately, and professed his unworthiness then as he had so often before. (vs. 11) But having lived his entire life in preparation for this meeting, he had no trouble recognizing the long awaited Savior when He stood before him. We must live for that moment, and we must keep His name with us so that He

Fit to Answer

2009-10-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

Fit to AnswerThe Savior stood before them,His word fresh in their hearts,And asked of His disciplesWhat they’d have him impart.-What is it ye desire after I am gone?-Save three all swift responded,To be with Him ere long.Then turning to those three,Who, sorrowful, refrained, He looked upon their hearts,And joyfully exclaimed,-“More blessed… ye” for seeking“To bring the souls of men,Unto me” in

They Wanted More

2009-10-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

We all want more, don't we? More money than we have, more leisure, more of everything that we believe will make us happier. 3 Nephi 28:6-10. Christ asked his disciples what they wanted, and three of them didn't even dare to say it. All of the other disciples asked for a speedy return to heaven, but Christ looked on the hearts of the three, and knew that they wanted more. They wanted to stay,

The Glory

2009-10-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

2 Nephi 20:3When the end comes, what can you do? Where will you run? Where will you leave your glory, all the pomp with which we are encompassed? What tales shall be spoken of us after we have passed on? In what matters or acts (doings) have we left our mark, or trod our path? Where will we leave our glory, that it may be seen of us the measure of our lives?

Forever Present

2009-09-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

3 Nephi 19:33In a chapter and book of past tense action verbs: did, went, turned, said, blessed, etc., suddenly you have "do", a blatant deviation which is forever present to the readers. They do bear record, and we have it here before us. And of all these things that Christ did among them, they are still bearing their powerful witness to all with ears to hear and eyes to see.

Repentance is Seeing.

2009-09-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

Alma 36:13 I* Alma the younger said, “I saw that I had rebelled against my God and I had not kept His holy commandments." Isn't that all repentance really is, seeing? And seeing things as they really are, we can change our lives according to that heightened perspective. The mists of our adversary diminish, and we tap into that lifestyle which more closely approaches the divine. So the next

Please bless....

2009-08-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

Doctrine and Covenants 10:49-50(-52)How often do we idly speak the words, "Please bless..." As we pray they often seem to fall off our tongues without an accompanying thought. Yet scripture reminds us that there can be power in those words.These men and women of old prayed, and the Lord himself spoke of them in scripture saying "they did leave a blessing upon this land in their prayers..." And

Laws

2009-06-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

It's obvious that god keeps laws. Look at laws. Are they restrictions? We take a wide field of possibilities and because of laws we are constricted rather down from the broad field to a narrow path. What is this like? It's a funnel. Why do we use funnels? to make sure whatever we are funneling arrives in the right place. God's laws are funnels for men and women to pass through, which

Powerful Undercurrents, Ominous Warnings

2009-05-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

3 Nephi 27:11 If not built upon the gospel of Christ then even though the works of men will hold or seemingly suffice for a time, by and by the end always cometh and this joy ceases. These things of men must fall. The storm will come and is here among us. Only the true gospel of Christ is strong enough to stand. The rest is hewn down and cast

A Masterful Arsenal

2009-05-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

San Lucas 4:1-2, So we wonder how the word of God is like a sword. Well, swords are used for fighting. Against whom? Satan, right? So here the Son of God himself stands against the power of Satan, and what does he do to resist and retaliate? What does He use to take the offensive in overcoming temptation? Christ quoted the scriptures. He wielded with masterful skill the

Steady Torrent

2009-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ether 6:8 These great winds and tempests continually carried them towards the promised land; So what if we didn’t have those trials, tribulations or those great winds and waves in this life? What if the water were completely calm without wind or waves? It would be a little more difficult to get anywhere. How hard would that be to make it to the

The Sting of Death

2009-05-13T01:05:00.000-07:00

Alma 46:39, 41• Isn’t that what Christ died and was resurrected for? To take away the sting of death? Thus there can be found a prevalent spirit of hope and peace rather than mournful, hopeless despairing, because that is precisely what our Savior did for us. Through Him the fear and sting of death is taken away and we can go out of this world rejoicing.What does it take to have such

Insight to the Father

2009-05-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

3 Nephi 27:30• If you want to see the nature of our Heavenly Father, just look at what makes Him rejoice. Our righteousness and goodness cause Him to rejoice. Even all the heavens rejoice when we are found on His path. Is that not His great purpose, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"? How great is His love for us if that is His greatest joy, knowing that one more of

Expect Miracles

2009-05-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

Alma 57:26• The stripling warriors, a veritable army of miracles. They fought and lost not a single soul. They had been taught- there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt should be preserved and aided in all endeavors by God’s marvelous power. Because of their firmness of mind in what they’d been taught they received such aid. Is it any wonder they saw so many miracles, seeing as

Choose Just Once

2009-05-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Alma 12:11• We choose in this life by whose will we are going to be led. Ours is but a first choice followed by choosing to remain with one or the other. We can give our agency to God and follow His divine will to exaltation and eternal life, or we can harden our hearts against our Lord, join ourselves to the adversary, and be led by his will down to destruction. Ours remains the first and

The same God

2009-04-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

1 Nephi 17:50-51• This likewise becomes our great test of faith, for truly this applies in all aspects of the gospel. Nephi stated boldly and with firmness, If God had commanded me to do all things, I could do them. 51. He mentions how the Lord has wrought so many miracles to bless His children and to allow them to obey His commandments. So having wrought so many miracles among the

Checklist items for teaching?

2009-04-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Alma 34:5-8-Testimony shall be just as we present it. Here the testimony shines out with particular brilliancy. Why? Because Amulek presented it to those present as the golden clasp on his and Alma's words. What is the condition of our testimonies? Are they our golden clasps, or rather worn leather straps, cracked and fading? Are our testimonies reduced to checklist items for teaching, or

God or the Devil?

2009-04-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

Mosiah 21:16 Prosper by degrees at the hand of the Lord, or receive poison by degrees, as in Alma 47:18, at the hands of the devil. Scary that this is still a choice for so many of us so often.

Mighty Prayer

2009-04-11T12:50:00.001-07:00

Alma 2:27, 28· Even though the enemy came upon them in numbers seemingly as great as the sands of the sea to destroy them, they were strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily. What great power lies in this message! Though all the hosts of darkness rise in power against us, it matters not, for we are strengthened by the hand of the Lord. How?---Through mighty

Do you wish to be happier?

2009-04-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

Alma 44:5 · The sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness. Moroni felt confident that all their happiness could be traced back and accredited to the sacred word of god. Does it not all go back to the word somewhere? Some passage which elevated our lives, some principle or truth which illuminated our souls? Why would we cut ourselves off from a

Just because you say something

2009-04-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

2 Nephi 2:13 § “if ye shall say,..”- So it is not about fact. Us saying something or having an opinion does not in any way determine truth. So if ye shall say there is no law then ye may also say there is no sin. There still is a law, and there still is sin, it’s just that you say something different. Thus agency grants us certain privileges, like the privilege

Honor the law

2009-04-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Is it not significant that our Savior came down and first lived the old law for His entire life before introducing the new? Thus, according to Joseph Fielding Smith He honored it, rather than destroyed it. (Answers to Gospel Questions).

Not in His house. Ours?

2009-04-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Alma 45:16 · Okay, so what does that mean? The Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. He doesn’t say, “Oh, it’s just a little sin so I won’t worry about that one this time.” “They’re just children. I’m sure they’ll change eventually. “No, rather He further commanded us to be perfect. God doesn’t justify our committing sin so how can we?

Who are you talking to?

2009-03-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

· 3/28/09- So we pray, but to who? Who is it that we are praying to? Can we picture our Heavenly Father in the room with us as we pray, listening, conversing with us? Or could we catch ourselves at times saying words to a formless nether, while our Heavenly Father asks us that very question, “Who are you praying to? It’s like on the Truman Show when he is talking to his wife and

Decision to act

2008-10-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

Alma 46:19-21 · Okay, so others felt the same way as Moroni. They shared his desire for liberty. They shared his love of freedom. But for many, although they had the desire, it wasn’t enough for them to have that desire. It wasn’t enough for them to have that desire, because they lacked the courage to act. Then comes Moroni, example to all in that when he saw

Christ's Birth

2008-10-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

Alma 37:37 · What conditions was Christ born into? It was not important that He be born wealthy or necessarily to a clearly prominent family, though He was the literal descendant of the Kings of Israel. Rather that He have good parents to guide Him.

2008-10-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Jacob 4:14-15 L · “Greater Heights”, because they sought for things they could not (were not permitted) to understand they became blind, the plainness was taken from them and they stumbled. Jacob goes on to say that because they stumbled, the Jews rejected Christ. They rejected the rock foundation upon which they could have built. If we

Steadiness on a Lower Road

2008-09-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

I lived my life a little long, but steady to the end/Never once my course did change, never my ways did mend/and so I died as I had lived, a stunted, squatted oak/whilst all around me tow’ring tall, t’ward heaven rose greater folk/I never stretched my lowered boughs beyond my pleasant ease/and so I never knew the feel, of cool, upper canopy’s breeze.

Why are ye fearful?

2008-08-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

Matthew 8:24-26Not only is it important that Christ calmed the winds and the waves, but what did He say to His disciples? He chided them somewhat, and it seems to me that He did so because despite having the Son of God in their midst, the disciples were fearful. What is there to be afraid of when Christ is with you? So He asked them, "Why are ye fearful?" What storm could possibly trouble you

King David

2008-08-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

Psalms 23:3, 4,He restoreth my soul, He leadeth me beside still waters. Think of him sitting and writing this psalm. From the cavity of his soul he cries, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...” What is that? It’s life. We are in that valley. So often this life feels just so; As if we were walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Yet he cries, despite such

DVD Journey of Faith

2008-08-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

So a lady shared a great thought on this DVD that I'd never really thought about before. She pointed out the concern regarding raising a family in these last days with all the wars and destruction and moral degredation that surround us, and then she talked about Mormon and Moroni in the Book of Mormon. Think about that. At the very end of the book, they were all that was left. There were none

In response to 3 Nephi 8

2008-07-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

You know, When I was a child, and I was told of all the massive wars and rumors of wars and destruction, and natural distasters that would occur near the second coming, I always imagined that it would be all at the same time and quite noticeable. BUT if you look at these latter days, these things have been slowly introduced little by little into ours lives that we don't even realize that these

3 Nephi 8

2008-07-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

· This is the destruction that will enter our lives without Christ. Tempests, earthquakes, mighty storms, thunders, lightnings, destruction, death, and a darkness so bleak, enveloping, and tangible that you can feel its vapor. All without Christ. Without His light in our lives we become dead, burned, carried away in the whirlwind. When we shut out this light from our lives, this is

Alma 43:53-54

2008-07-21T00:05:00.000-07:00

Why stop? Why, after this group of people came against their lands for the sole purpose of gaining power over them, and slaying them and bringing them and their families into bondage, why stop when those enemies were in their power? The answer came as a surprise to me, when I realized a distinction was made in the chapter regarding the cause Moroni fought for. Moroni wasn't fighting against

Idle minds... ahhhhh.

2008-07-19T17:01:00.001-07:00

Alma 53:5· What is the principle? Keep busy. Keep family occupied. Otherwise, their minds go to other things. While the Lamanite prisoners were working it was easier to guard them, and took less manpower or effort. Keep yourselves occupied with good things, hobbies, pursuits, etc. Had those prisoners been sitting idly by, then their minds would have readily turned to their

Alma 32:34-35

2008-07-11T00:17:00.001-07:00

Alma 32:34-35 · “Is this not real? I say unto you, yea”. That the word hath swelled our souls and that it hath sprouted up. This is light. This is real. What kind of a thing is light? These things such as swelling and sprouting are real. Just as real as light. Can light be touched? Can it be caught in a closed fist? Can we pull it back into the source with

1 Nephi 14:7

2008-06-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

1 Nephi 14:7 · First we have an everlasting work taking place here and now, either to peace and life eternal, or hardness, blindness and captivity. We are engaged in this work. Then they speak of the 2 churches on the earth. That of the Lamb of God or that of the devil. The church of the devil is over all the earth and has dominion over the same. This

Fig Tree

2008-06-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

God has given us talents, right? So when we come into the church, and serve in our varying capacities, isn't it obvious that God intended us to bring all those talents with us as we come into His service, for the building up of His Kingdom? He needs what each of us possess. Without these things we are like the fig tree full and tall, possessing every advantage needed for it to produce the

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-17T00:19:00.000-07:00

I’m thinking about some of the greatest examples of repentance in the Book of Mormon. Two in particular came to mind. Alma the Younger and Enos. Now something interesting and profound I noticed about each example made an impression on my mind. Enos was out hunting beasts in the forest, and the words of his father came into his mind and sunk deep into his heart. That

2008-06-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

Had an interesting conversation with someone the other day. They were so amazed that I could be completely comfortable basing my entire life on a faith which yeilded no temporal evidences for its validity. For any of like minds:You'd do well to remember that nowhere in scripture does the Lord say to seek after such evidence, and facts. You will not find it. As you go through scripture and

1 Nephi 17:21

2008-06-10T00:06:00.000-07:00

1 Nephi 17:21 How true the statement, as Laman and Lemuel say that the whole time they’d been in the wilderness they could have been happy. They believed in a happiness which came from ease, and wealth, and worldly prominence, so they lamented for their supposed lost happiness. What they did not realize is that if only they’d humbled themselves, they might have been truly

2008-06-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Some notes in music seem to penetrate the earlobes and pierce through perfectly, resonating throughout your skull, seemingly singular notes that hit the chords perfectly, piercingly. Likewise, for me at least, there are some smells amongst all the world’s smells that pierce my sinuses(often perfumes, for example) and seem to pick and twist, boring into my nostrils with perfect annoyance until

A lot to ask?

2008-06-05T23:35:00.000-07:00

It’s interesting to think about the rich young ruler and the request made of him by the Savior to leave it all for His sake and give everything to the poor. As that request was made and as the rich young ruler listened heavy heartedly, he had sitting before him by the Savior’s side examples of men who had done just that. They had been asked the very same, had they not? “

1 Nephi 15:24

2008-06-05T00:08:00.000-07:00

· (Satan’s Tactic) Here we have a crucial insight into our adversary's tactics. The rod of iron is something we hold firmly to, the word of God which keeps us on a steady, undeviating course like a compass, or Liahona. Now the adversary sends in fog, or mists of darkness. What happens in mist or in fog? Our sight is diminished. Fog affects our vision, and

Alma 10:5-6

2008-06-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

I would imagine that we are all in this situation more often than we realize. Even Amulek stated how he "never had known much of these things," then he stops and realizes that he really had. In fact, he had seen quite a bit. So for him it wasn't a question of whether or not he'd seen, but rather how much did he realize he'd seen. We are surrounded daily by the potential to see the mysteries

So many lost, so many wandering

2008-05-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

A prayer for all those precious loved ones we feel powerless to help. So Many Lost, So Many WanderingO loving God, our Holy Father,heavy hearts plead at thy feet. So many lost, so many wand’ring; It is for these, we now entreat. Oh, their great pain, their mournful longing, now combined with all our own! Father, up within thy heavens wilt thou please, help