[tmtranscripts] S.E. Idaho Transcript 8-8-03

[Bill Kelly]

S.E. Idaho TeaM
8-8-03

Let confusion subside, tension relax, guilt dissolve in forgiveness and
love renew each of you.  I am Ham.  Let us pray.

Unto You who made the stars, the planets, the galaxies and all the
splendors of space, to You Who creates life anew, to You Who are the Source
of all that is, we bow our hearts in humble adoration and worship.  Great
Father/Mother/Spirit, You dwell in us and we dwell in You.  Let our
thoughts and our conversations rise up to You as incense.  May our lives
draw nearer to You and ever reflect Your nature.  Amen

Daniel(Bob S.): I am Daniel, your teacher, guide, friend, stalwart
companion and lover.  Friends, let us unite our hearts toward the task
before us.  Each of us has lives of individual character.  Yet as each of
us travels our individual pathways we glean sustenance from others with
whom we interact.  That is the beauty and importance of relationships.  I
am not the main speaker tonight.  I couldn't resist a few words of
assistance to each of my friends in this group.  Well, with those words of
introduction let me turn the time over to our guest speaker tonight.  One
moment please.

Elyon(Bill): I am Elyon, visiting tonight from your sister community in
North Idaho.  You will be seeing more interchange occur between teachers as
time goes on; for the cross fertilization of personalities and the dynamics
of enhanced interaction between teachers and students that this format
encourages is, of course, productive of greater possibilities for
educational enhancement.  As you surmise, we are a happy crew here.  More
teachers are in this room than mortals.  We do outnumber you tonight.
Specifically, in addition to your personal teachers, there is myself, Ham,
Daniel, Minearisa and Aaron.  But it is our pleasure to sit down with you
whether you be one, two, three or thirty so that we may enhance your
experience of cosmic family.  

This is an experience of the cosmic family where you are communicating with
intelligences, entities, whose presence cannot be verified with your mortal
eyes.  However, you are convinced of the reality of this communication by
other means, for the most part, for some have actually seen us.  You are
not in a seance with the spirits of the dead from your own immediate
family.  We are not the spirits of the dead; we are ascending morontial
former mortals who have been assigned to these tasks as a result of our
volunteering and then our further training regimen.   My point in
commenting on this follows from the original explanation of my presence
here, the intercommunication which occurs with guest teachers or speakers
and results in an enhanced experience of family.  That is the reason that I
have pointed out that we are experiencing cosmic family.  

You have been arduous students and your discussions before the transmission
aspect of your meetings have reached the point of enlightenment so that our
formats have evolved from fully thought out lesson plans ahead of time to
much more of the interactional discussion group format.  In other words, we
see your time with us now as much less like students sitting in a lecture
hall and much more like students sitting in a circle in a seminar, where
everyone is expected to participate.  Now what we are doing is bringing in
visiting professors, people well known to you, whose contributions to the
Teaching Mission are familiar to you to the extent that you have read our
words in transcripts.

I wish to change the subject now and go into an interactional format.  I
want to know what you think Ham means when he says that we are here to tell
you to get to work.  You brought this up as a question earlier.  Let's talk
about it.  What do you think Ham means when, on fire with the Spirit from
the conference,  he says, "Let's get to work".  What is your reaction, my
friends?  What comes to mind?  What do you need to work on?  We have agreed
that it isn't mowing the lawn.  (Laughter)

Bob S.: I'm not sure.  At a foundation level all of us are working on
growing our personalities toward that fullness that God envisions us to be
once we become perfected.  I have a feeling, though, that he may be talking
to each of us differently.  In my own case I have several projects in mind
that I have just been sitting on.  So I appreciated his words saying to get
off the stool and get busy on those projects.  

Elyon: So, Bob, you are saying that the work is individualized.  Each
person has their own projects or goals  or thoughts about what they should
be doing.  His words to you related, in your mind, to these projects?

Bob S.  Yes.

Elyon: You found it helpful because, why?

Bob S.  I have been distracted lately.  Other more human events have taken
priority.

Elyon: Okay.  Understood.   Then, some of the rest of you here, including
Isaac, would like to comment on what you think Ham meant when he said get
to work?

Virginia: I think in terms of things that Jesus did and what he said.  His
highest priority was family first.  That was his biggest service, taking
care of family.  Certainly that is to be a part of our relationship in
service to those around us.  It is very important to have family served.
But he also talks about service as doing that which the other person really
wants, and not what we think they want.  So I can throw out all the
possibilities and if the door is not opened where I thought it should be, I
have got to believe that is not the will of God, that this person or group
doesn't want that type of service at this time.  Always it comes down to
making sure to have quiet time, meditation for the preparation of the day
and for the preparation for that service.  Nine times out of ten I
remember.  But I don't always remember.  I know it is not magic.  But I
also know it helps me get my day rolling with a better attitude. I do think
attitude is important in preparing for a positive day, making my attitude
correct.

Elyon: I am most pleased with your summary of work of spiritual
significance.  You have included the importance of stillness and of
service, especially service to people which includes something they want
done, as well as guidance road markers.  I am referring here to the doors
that are not opened indicate that another door is the one you need to be
opening.  So, I would say, based on what you have described, that to you
the "do it now and get to work" injunction probably means to keep on doing
what you have been doing.  Am I correct?

Virginia: Yes, I think so.  Because you can do what you think is correct
and I think God uses your motive, although sometimes your motive doesn't
measure up to the circumstances of the time.  I am thinking that the hungry
don't really care what my motive is, they just need food.  So I have to
careful to give what someone needs whether or not I believe it is right or
wrong, meeting the needs of that brother or sister.

Elyon: Great.  I appreciate your easy contribution, Virginia.  Isaac, would
you respond please?

Isaac/Bill: Well, the first thing that I think of is establishing a little
more consistency in stillness time.  I am pretty consistent with the end of
the day stillness, but I am not very consistent with the beginning of the
day stillness.  Sometimes after an hour or two has gone by I think that I
should have some stillness time and then I do that.  I guess I have a goal
for myself that I should not leave the bedroom when I get up and have that
cup of coffee, that before I do that I should try it in the bedroom, two or
three days at a time and see if it works and then stretch it out.  That was
the first thing I thought of..  Otherwise, I kind of feel like Virginia,
that I am doing quite a few things that I think are legitimate service
projects, including Tring and transcribing.  That's a major job most every
week.  I feel pretty good about that.  The other area would be the
spontaneity thing where if I think of somebody and start to worry about
them...instead of worrying, I aught to offer a prayer.  Also, if I get an
idea of something good that I should do, and have the time to do it, I
aught to do it then and not put it off.  That's my response.

Elyon: My friend, thank you for your willingness to interact with the
question.  There are others of you who haven't responded.  Of course, in a
discussion you have the right to remain silent.(laughter) But if you would
like to comment, it would be helpful.  Carol, could you, would you say a
little more about what you said earlier in the discussion?

Carol: Well, I think to me what he said, that we need to get to work, I
took it very personally.  I feel that I have a lot of room in which to grow
and work on, personally, let alone the service part or any of those other
things.  I think, to me, when he said that it meant that, personally, I
need to get to work and spend more time in stillness, read more, study
more, think more, figure out what I need to do to grow spiritually.  That's
kind of what I thought when he said that.  

Elyon: I understand.  As one who has joined this classroom later than some
of the others in this room, you are alluding to or describing the need to
continue to build a foundation.  That needs to be done before service work
will be as easily and effectively undertaken.  Did I catch that correctly?

Carol: Yes.

Elyon.  I commend you on your insight, for this is true.  Many people hear
the exciting word of spiritual opportunity and eagerly start on the journey
of spiritual growth.  But, without laying a good foundation, they become
discouraged in their efforts to evangelize or convince others, or do other
service projects, because they don't have the habits of nourishment
necessary to maintain their energy output.  So, when things get
discouraging and difficult, as they always will, they falter and fall
behind and often times consider their whole experience to be invalid.
Perhaps not often; but this happens.  So, therefor, I agree with you that
to work on the things you have mentioned, which are clearly the foundation
for other things, is a wise course.
Marty, would you comment?  (Laughter)

Marty: I am a lot like Carol, still struggling with the quiet time, finding
a time to do it on a regular basis, to get into that habit.  I guess to me,
and I am sure there is a lot more to go, but the service, possibly not in
the evangelical sense, but to serve other people is not as hard for me, in
that if I see something that I think I can help, I enjoy doing it.  It's
not a problem for me there.  Spreading the Word, so to speak, that becomes
a little more difficult.  I have to hope that my actions do it better than
words because I am not good with the words part.  So, mine would be to work
on that part of it, possibly, and particularly the quiet time.

Elyon: Thank you.  May I make a suggestion?

Marty: Of course!

Elyon: We are recommending to our long time students, which includes you,
that they try to practice the presence of God in all their  moments.  I
don't mean to say that you should spend hours in a convent in meditation.
But rather, as you go about your life and you do whatever you do in the
course of the day, that when the thought strikes you of another person that
you have a concern for, that you bring that concern into the presence of
God.  It can be done very quickly.  Envision that person surrounded by the
love of God and  if you want, mentally offer a request.  That is really
what is meant by the New Testament injunction to pray without ceasing, to
be always receptive to prayer.  

Another thing to be receptive to would be the feelings of gratitude.  I
know you are receptive to these things, but I am trying to frame this in
such a way that you can see this as an aspect of stillness, even though it
isn't the meditation position of relaxation.  Stillness is really the
awareness of your connection with God at the center, that then connects you
to everything else that is meaningful, other people, the rest of creation,
and gives every moment of your life a potential sacred quality.  Are you
understanding what I am trying to say?

Marty: Uh huh.  I do try to do that, but not near what I should.  But I
think I would benefit from stillness in the morning and I haven't been able
to come up with it!  I need a regular time each day in order to do it.
That is where I am still struggling.

Elyon: Yes.  I understand your point.  You are right, the discipline of a
regular time is very helpful.  Okay.

Virginia: Elyon.  You put up a red flag for me!  I don't want to be an
evangelist anymore!  Nor do I want to convince anybody of anything, to go
anywhere, or to do anything, but to just simply let all  know that God love
us all the same.  We are all children of God.  We are not special.  And I
know I have heard the teachers say that.  But whenever I hear those two
words I just go bonkers because we don't have to convince anybody of
anything...

Elyon: It is time, my dear,  for you to let go of the negative emotional
connotations of those words, rather than protest about our talking about
them... (Laughter)...because they are good words.  To spread good news is a
positive attribute.  I understand your distaste at the terms because they
have been perverted and continue to be used by people with unscrupulous
motives who con others out of money and exert power over other people in
the name of evangelism.  But we cannot abide by your request to no longer
use the words.  I suggest you toss your flags in the rubbish bin. (Much
laughter)

Virginia: (laughing) Klarixiska is much softer!  (A great outburst of
laughter at this point) I'm sorry.

Elyon: Well, you've got tough skin.  You can hear it from me!  Now,
actually, here is some work that you all need to do, that all of us need to
do.  Work on getting past the need to keep the scaffolding in place once
the wall is built!  Let the scaffolding fall.  The wall is built and the
next level is laid across it.  Then we erect more scaffolding to move on to
the next story in this analogy of constructing a building.  Of course on
this planet if you let the scaffolding fall down you would have to buy new
ones (laughter) but spiritually you can let go of that which no longer
serves you.  Let it go.  Don't be judgmental about the scaffolding.  Don't
be critical that you had to use it at one time.  Don't be critical of those
who still find it useful for them.  Remember it was the result of using
this scaffolding that you were able to build another level on your
spiritual foundation.
Liz, you are not normally a member of this group, so I don't want to
pressure you.  But if you want to respond, you may.  Otherwise, we understand.

Liz: The phrase, "Do it", to me means get off the sidelines and get
involved, get started.  Doesn't that about say it all?  

Elyon: Okay.  Thank you for allowing me to do this interactional format
with you tonight.  I will conclude my comments with just one thought.  We
here in the morontia life are constantly doing things, too.  We are always
learning new things.  We are given tasks to do.  We are instructed in how
to do them the best way. After we have finished, we are evaluated.  We
don't just go off on our own, choose our own thing and have no feedback
from others.  We are quite connected.  

That is the kind of "doing it" that Ham is talking about.  It is not a lone
wolf, off by yourself, kind of action that he is proposing.  You have our
support for all your work, whatever you choose to do: personal growth,
service projects, etc.  You also have each other.  You can be supportive
and interact with feedback as well.  So my hope is that now that you have
expressed yourselves to each other so that you know what each person is
thinking about, you will be able to form this support network.

Very well, my friends, I am going to draw this evening to a close at this
point.  Minearisa is desiring to offer our final prayer.  Please stand and
hold hands.  Minearisa will conclude this evening.

Minearisa(Bill): I am Minearisa.  Let us pray.  

Thank You, oh great Source of all goodness, for another time of fellowship
with this community of my mortal associates.  Thank You for the opportunity
to teach and to exemplify Your nature in my actions and in the actions of
all others who are in this party tonight.  Help us to not be afraid to seek
guidance from human sources as well as celestial sources.  Take away the
fear that anything can harm us who are under Your divine protection and in
Your perfect care and comfort.  Send these, my students, forth with robust
hearts and renewed energy.  I ask it in the name of Michael, our Master
Son.  Amen.