I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I joined back in 1964 after a long struggle with faith. I had loved the Savior ever since I could remember, but the church of my youth deserted me as it moved into the intellect movement of the 60's. Without spiritual guidance, I fell away. The Lord distinguished between the words of my mouth and the longing of my heart. He knew that I wanted to believe and so he sent a young woman who told me the story of the Restored Gospel. She bore her testimony of Jesus Christ and promised me that I could know for myself and have my own testimony.

Now forty-six years later I can only thank her from the bottom of my heart for introducing me to the church. Indeed I do have my own testimony. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, called to restore Christ's church to the earth. We have a prophet today who leads and guides us. I am so grateful for Latter-day scriptures that bear testimony of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the Word of God. It stands as another witness of the Savior and it's truths have touched my life in very personal ways.

I hope that my poetry reflects the growth of my testimony and my love for Jesus Christ.

The Redwoods

When I was in the fifth grade, our music teacher taught us a song named "I know a Green Cathedral".  We memorized it and sang it in a program for our parents.  I have always loved that song.  But as happens with so many songs, it got lost in the recesses of my memory for a  very long time.  Then in 2006, my husband and I were called to the California Santa Rosa Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  We drove all the way to California not knowing what was in store for us.  Soon after arriving the locals began telling us of things we must see and do while we were there.  Seeing the redwoods was on the top of that list.  And so we found ourselves one day at the Muir Redwoods National Monument just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. After a short walk, we found ourselves in the midst of these giants and all at once I knew what that song from so long ago meant.  Here I felt what the composer had been saying as the words and the melody came back to my mind.

I know a green cathedral,
a hallowed forest shrine.  
Where trees in love join hands above
to arch your prayer and mine.

Within its cool depths sacred, 
the priestly cedar sighs.
And the fir and pine lift arms divine
unto the clear blue skies.
 
In my dear green cathedral
there is a quiet seat.
And choir loft in branched croft  
where songs of birds hymn sweet.

And I like to think at evening
when the stars its arches light. 
That my Lord and God 
treads its hallowed sod 
in the cool, calm peace of night.

1 comment:

  1. Alan & LaurieAugust 8, 2011 at 3:22 PM

    While Loretta and I attended different schools at different times for fifth grade, I also learned this song in music class in the Detroit Schools, and often can be heard humming it. Whenever we return to Michigan in summer and drive or walk under rows of fully grown trees on either side of the road, I think of this song again, and wonder whatever happened to teaching America's children to appreciate God's infinite beauty.
    Laurie Phillips Johnson
    Saratoga Springs, Utah

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)