Eat Your Food and Go To Bed

This post is about a couple of fun and

inspirational "farewell" messages that were presented

during the recent Nashua Stake Conference meeting

by our former Mission President Thomas Blair

and his companion Sister Heather Blair.

Since this blog is intended to share things we

experience or observe that touch our hearts

and replenish oil in our lamps, those messages qualify!

Sister Blair shared a past conversation she had by telephone

with a granddaughter who is attending a pre-school

near her home sponsored by another religion.

In grandmotherly fashion, Sister Blair asked the child about

the highlights of her day, and what she had learned.

Her innocent response was at first baffling,

but then it turned instructive.

"They need to learn more about God," she said.

"Oh? What are they teaching you?" was the followup question.

"Eat your food, and go to bed."

After winding off the story, Sister Blair talked about how

this summary really does cover some Gospel essentials.

In 2 Nephi 32:3, we are told to "feast upon

the words of Christ." In 2 Nephi 9:51, the admonition changes

to become "feast upon that which perisheth not."

And in Jacob 3:2 comes the invitation to "receive

the pleasing word of God, and feast upon His love."

As for the second part of the pre-schooler's paraphrase,

Sister Blair directed us to read Christ's message 

of comfort in Matthew 11:28 

"Come unto me ye who are heavy laden, 

and I will give you rest."

Paul reports in Hebrews 4:3 that 

"we which have believed do enter into . . . rest."

In Alma 12:34, we are promised that "whosoever

repenteth shall enter into my rest."

President Blair framed his message around the slogan

found on the New Hampshire license plates.

"LIVE FREE OR DIE"

This statement is attributed to General John Stark 

back on July 31, 1809, who was New Hampshire's 

most famous soldier of the American Revolutionary War.

This battle cry was intended to rally forces for war, 

but it could be laid out also as a distilling 

of the Gospel of Peace, according to President Blair. 

He quoted scriptures from 2 Nephi to help make his point:

2:27 Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life

through the great Mediator of all men,

or to choose captivity and death.

10:23 Remember that ye are free

to act for yourselves -- to choose the way

of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

2:27 Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life,

or to choose captivity and death.

Effective speaking that engraves images of

remembrance upon the mind!

Now I find myself recalling these scriptures

when I see cars around us on the highways

with the New Hampshire plates,

or when I sit down to eat my meals.

Thank you, President and Sister Blair!