Milestone -- Over 50,000 Page Views / Judy & Lloyd

We started our blog She Says, He Says in October 2008 and recently achieved a milestone of sorts by registering more than 50,000 page views over the course of the blog.

This post lists Our Most Read Posts Ever - the 10 posts that our readers chose to view the most often (averaging 600 views each)

She Says, He Says has a worldwide readership with most significant participation from the United States, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Ukraine, and Poland.

Thank you for choosing to read She Says, He Says

-- Judy and Lloyd

Our Most Read Posts Ever

Clicking on a title will take you to the post.

1 - (1905 views) Parable of the Divers

2 - (970 views) "For the Strength of the Hills" Was Written About the Vaudois Mountains in Switzerland--Who knew?

3 - (826 views)  Christmas Dress for Ellen

4 - (665 views)  Bishop G.A. Thompson on Biblical Chastity

5 - (400 views)  Videos of High School Students Receiving Mission Calls -- Background Details

6 - (384 views)  The Peace of God, Which Passeth All Understanding

7 - (357 views)  There HAS to Be an America

8 - (280 views)  Sweet Hour of Prayer

9 - (276 views)  The Spirit of Christmas

10 - (233 views) Who Told Thee Thou Wast Naked?

Amazing Strength in Families / Judy & Lloyd

JUDY: I recently saw this on YouTube and it really affected me. I think it shows the strength and power of families:

Soldier Homecoming Surprise

Along with this, I recently read that military marriages are surprisingly resilient. We hear lots about how military divorce rates are increasing and how veterans have all sorts of other dire problems. In fact, what is not reported is that the military divorce rate is still way below the national average for divorce compared to the civilian population. A strong, loving, committed family is one of the best sources for healing--whatever the wound. As you can see in these YouTube pictures, love is a powerful force for good, and it's in families that this kind of healing love is found.

LLOYD:  I remember a particular Brother who came before a Stake Disciplinary Council with his Bishop. And I wondered how his situation would ever be resolved for him and his family. Both the Bishop and Stake President reported that the man's wife had accepted his deep remorse and was a major support to her husband in his repentance process, and their children had rallied around them both. I watched this happen and have thought about it often.

Years later one of the younger daughters of this family referred obliquely to their family trial and then commented on the amazing influence of love they had all experienced. The daughter was recently married and said that this personal family experience had given her great strength and increased her understanding and faith in the power of a covenant marriage.  The family not only remained intact but has also been productive and healthy in every aspect.

Judy once had occasion to tell me, "Lloyd, this isn't about you, or about me, or even about us. It's about our covenant with the Lord and to this marriage."  The deep affection between husband and wife, and father and children demonstrated above in "Soldier Homecoming Surprise" only hints at the power available through family bonds and a covenant marriage.

Originally posted in She Says, He Says, May 2012.

What is "The Law of Sarah - Option B?" / Lloyd

Today, as the Lord hastens his work in a darkening and dangerous world the need is more critical than ever for faithful women to bring children into the world and nurture them in the faith, righteousness, and courage.

Satan has never ceased to wage war against the most essential aspect of mortality -- the very first commandment for Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth.

My own children and family friends have reported the need to remove themselves from more affluent Church congregations, where there was open hostility against having large families, to congregations where having children was celebrated and supported.

I’m reminded of my Grandmother’s branch in Philadelphia during the 1930’s. Couples felt constrained by social and economic pressures to have no more than two children. She said that when someone brought a baby to meetings the women would pass them around and hold them in great yearning. Nevertheless, she reported they felt duty bound to limit the size of their families. In her later years Grandmother wistfully commented, usually when holding one of our babies, that she wished she’d had more children.

Satan's negative influence aimed at curbing family size is felt not only in government policy & judicial decisions and private social agencies, but also in church congregations caught up in materialism.

How might God frustrate Satan in his war against faithful families and their righteous desire to have children?  By exercising Option B of the Law of Sarah.  By adjusting the current laws of human fertility, and thereby enabling and encouraging families to continue having children into their later years.

We recall that the Lord “commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife . . . because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people -- thus, fulfilling, among other things, the promises.” (See D&C 132:34)

“Option A” was Sarah when she was barren, giving another woman to her husband to wife and to have children as stipulated by the law of that dispensation.

“Option B” was God enabling Sarah to give birth in her advanced years. And it will be God again changing the biological affairs of having children by prolonging the fertility of women -- in some cases perhaps dramatically opening or reopening “closed” wombs so they might have the children they desire. Consider Sarah’s story (at age 90):

- And they [three holy men] said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

- And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

- Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

- Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

- And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

- Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

- Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. (Genesis 18:9-15)

After she bore Isaac Sarah rejoiced and in lyrical delight proclaimed:

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. (Genesis 21:6)

What would be the effect in our generation should God change the management of affairs by extending the biological age of fertility among the faithful -- in a generation when few may be having children?

Some will celebrate and others will be deeply distressed

When the Lord chooses to exercise Option B of the Law of Sarah, when he has changed the management of affairs for having children, we in the Church and Satan will recognize that the Lord is weighing into this war with a clear demonstration of His power, intervention, and determination about the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. After all, providing mortal bodies for God's spirit children was the point of organizing this earth in the first place.