A Testimony of my Christian Faith

An Ode that chronicles my spiritual rebirth since I,
Patricia Doreen Hendy joined The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints through baptism on December 31, 2011)




















1.
Bountiful blessings God pours on my head,
Feasting I on His Word, my daily bread,
Ever since on December thirty-first
Twenty-eleven, sinful paths indeed reversed;
Spiritual darkness enslaved soul many years;
Now daily, at the Cross, I wipe my tears;
God's love for me, told to me, by His Son
Through Prophets, some died in jails or dungeon.

2.
Wayward pictures I yearn no more to paint,
My belief in Christ has no brakes to restraint;
Baptized now, I am a Latter Day Saint
In The Church of Jesus Christ, on Black Rock;
Restored teachings of Christ they did unlock;
Praising God, with Saints and Elders well-versed,
Splashing waters of truth, quenching my thirst;
Worshiping my God, and Christ in the Church;
Restored by Prophet Joseph Smith's research.
The bio of the Prophet Joseph Smith
And his restoration work is no myth.

3.
Joseph Smith guided by the Holy Ghost;
Interpreted for Saints their great guidepost;
From ancient plates inscribed with commandment,
Of God's Plan for His children their vestment;
Unearthed plates brought forth the Book of Mormon;
Thus, mankind's knowledge of God is broaden;
Guiding believers to God as they pray;
The Book of Mormon written for our day;
Divinely teaching the doctrine of Christ;
Strengthening families so highly priced.
Comparable it is, to the Bible
This Mormon Book of godly counsel;
Guidepost to believers' spiritual growth.
My faith says it's true; so I take no oath
Gladly, now I speak these words; in the name
Of Jesus Christ, with lips I dare proclaim.

4.
My ancestral roots sailed Atlantic sea;
With pirates; Africa no more they see;
In chains to promise land America,
Golden plates buried there from vision told;
That archived ancient Prophets of New World,
Scribed by Prophet Mormon in fifth century
After the death of Christ, and eventually
Moroni, his son buried golden plates.
Joseph Smith in a dream, through many gates
Angel Moroni, gave him golden plates;
Guided by God, in time, he deciphered
With known seers, the golden plates once buried
Formed the Book of Mormon, truth embedded
Which, the Prophet Joseph Smith handed
To The Church, he restored for all to heed,
With spiritual fodder for lost sheep to feed,
On teachings of God's word to the remnant;
And all who believe God's Master Plan up front.

5.
The Book of Mormon bears witness with Bible;
Their genetic structures are seminal;
Providing for all, the moral compass.
No more tainted with spiritual blindness,
For I have truly seen this great new light;
This day I have come to claim my birthright,
Every day praying with supplication
To God, The Father of all creation;
Who has sent my way a living Prophet
To show God's way to a life perfect.

6.
Sure! Humans depend on Christ, to fulfill
The promise made in heaven; He was killed;
God’s Plan of Salvation we gained through Him;
Without God’s Plan earthlings' lot would be grim;
Acts ten forty-three detailed the outcome;
Saving us from doom Jesus Christ did come;
On the cross He died wearing thorny crown;
The crowd looked on as soldiers took Him down.

7.
The name of our Savior is Jesus Christ;
His spilled blood the redeeming sacrifice;
Ancient prophets from Adam, all them knew
The name of Jesus Christ, long before the act
Of Christ coming as man, they were exact;
The Bible and Book of Mormon construe,
That Jesus Christ incarnation is true;
Enoch saw Jesus Christ on cross bears clue;
In Moses scripture read facts about it
In “Pearl of Great Price” says quite a bit;
Driving discourse on this very topic.

8.
Long before Jesus Christ came to this earth;
Isaiah spoke about His death and His birth;
Isaiah fifty-three: three through seven;
A lamb to the slaughter sent from heaven;
The Redeemer for all the earth's people;
Weaning mankind off satanic evil;.
Nephi saw Mary cradled child in arms;
"Behold Lamb of God", the angel said;
"The Son of the Eternal Father" laid
To save all sinners, from eternal hell;
The battle won; evil chariots fell;
Angels of light with halleluiah sang;
All the bells of earth joyously they rang.
King Benjamin a Nephite also saw
The Great Mentor, from which we can all draw
From His perfect life, He displayed with awe.

9.
This redemption story we also find
In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John enshrined;
From their accounts this was a virgin birth
Of Mary His mother, the first on earth;
Engaged to wed Joseph the carpenter;
The baby Jesus lying in manger;
The gifts wise men gave bore prophetic twist:
Gold, frankincense and myrrh dare not dismissed
Those clues God has to reclaim His children;
When in garden their parents were bitten,
By evil ploy of God's archenemy;
On Adam and Eve’s heads the penalty;
Surly passed down to every descendent;
Both past and present, the blight unpleasant.
Daily before sun comes up I’m reading;
God’s Word through Prophets dead and living;
Greatly inspires my poetic thought;
Asking Jesus Christ for thoughts to exhort.

10.
God in all His goodness, love and mercy;
Sent Jesus Christ to earth so unworthy;
His blood stamps sinners’ passport to heaven;
Isaiah fifty-three one to seven.
His blood the total union for mankind
In God’s Master Plan, so bearing in mind,
Jesus came making it clear to sinners;
What they must do to keep from soul killers;
Follow precepts and examples He set;
His hallmark sinners must never neglect.

11.
Soon hearts turn to the central festival;
Of the Christian Church, is memorable;
The Only Begotten of the Father,
Jesus Christ rose from dead three days after;
Left on wooden cross of crucifixion;
The entire Christian world left in bereft;
My God and Father has forsaken Me;
In Mark fifteen, thirty-four states His plea.

12.
From this abandonment we do realize;
What His suffering this way testifies;
Victory and high marks from His Father;
Scored mankind’s redemption in full measure;
Head bowed, The Savior gave up His spirit;
Violent earthquake on earth did blanket;
When Savior’s body taken from the tomb;
Overcoming death; Christ rose in full bloom;
Prophesy fulfilled, read John twenty, verse nine;
Resurrection and Redemption entwine;
Read third Nephi eleven and Ensign.

13.
After His Resurrection the Savior,
Came to Nephites forthwith and thereafter;
His Church in the Americas He built;
Blessing and teaching them biblical wit.
His Church in the Americas doth shine;
Taking heed of His lessons doth assign;
Repent of all sins; love Him with whole heart;
From all manner of wickedness depart;
This gospel of Jesus Christ is a priceless gem,
Extracted from manger in Bethlehem;
To receive His blessings what must we do?
Repent, love God and to one self be true;
Thomas Monson leads Church as Peter did
Listen to his teachings from holy grid.
Living Prophet he is guides to the right,
Away from Satan’s fruits loaded with blight.

14.
Physical and spiritual death widespread;
Adam’s fall brought these upon mankind’s head;
Christ’s Atonement stopped mankind’s destruction;
Sinful ways addressed through God’s remission;
Carved in God’s Master Plan so merciful;
Sending down a Savior most powerful;
To redeem all mankind from sin and death,
If we follow commands on righteous path;
Alma thirty-four: nine to sixteen say:
All are fallen and must perish but yea,
Lost sheep are found through divine Atonement
At centre of redemption’s component
Stands, Jesus Christ, the Only One who could
Guide, sinners through righteous paths as they should;
Since Jesus suffered and died to atone
Mankind’s sins in Gethsemane alone;
So He came into this world where He died;
His blood of atonement still flows worldwide.

15
Take the Book of Mormon from off the shelve;
Read second Nephi nine, seven to twelve;
With faithful understanding those verses
Are clear as crystal as one converses;
Atonement saves mankind from physical
And spiritual death, so diacritical;
Do delve on this topic with prayerful thought,
Edifying verses read on the spot;
And the reconciliation as seen
Throughout, Romans five: twelve through seventeen.

16
The Resurrection gives life new meaning:
The spirit and flesh and bones teaming
After death, earthlings become immortal
This understanding is very vital
Every person born on earth will be
Resurrected, from graves earthlings will flee.
Yes! Christ died, and rose to mankind’s rescue
First Corinthians twenty, twenty-two...

17
Jesus Christ is anointed from his birth;
He is the first to resurrect on earth;
Acts twenty-six, verse twenty-three with girth
Gives proof that Jesus Christ burst through the tomb
The Light of God’s Love arose in full bloom
With physical body that people touched
And Alma eleven says such and such:
Christ untied the bands of temporal death;
Spirits unite with their bodies with breath;
And mortal bodies rise to immortal,
Void of all corruption’s sinful portal.

18
Alma forty continues at great length
To utter great words filled with hope and strength
How Christ brings the gift of resurrection
Of all people waiting in succession;
Their body-parts restored to perfect frame;
This chapter on this topic does explain
How righteous dead raised enters paradise,
Wicked dead raised off to Hades despised,
To await their resurrection in God’s time;
No earthling can predict the end-of-time,
When all mankind asleep in graves will rise;
Such a mystery beyond mortal eyes;
But this all mankind must know, for there is
A set time, when all shall rise, think on this:
An awful death comes upon the wicked,
Their lips on the bitter cup are pitted.

19
About the resurrection faith tells me
First resurrection God’s face saints will see;
The resurrection unfolds in two parts:
For the just, and for those with evil hearts;
The dead in Christ shall rise first with glory;
Unrepentant souls will swim Lake Fiery;
Resurrected beings have own profile;
Pleas of the ungodly shall be futile;
How are you preparing to leave your home,
For when Christ comes again to take you home?
I want to be ready when Jesus comes;
No more will I dance to the devil’s drums.
What must I do to meet glorious day?
Heed what latter day prophets have to say;
They bring honor and glory to His Name;
For Jesus Christ walked this earth without blame;
His play book He left for us to embrace;
For mankind of every color or race.

Barbados Postage Stamps Speaking Volumes - Part III

(in Ballad Meter)

With texture of a marshmallow,
The rock sat in Barrow;
Proudly wrapped in Broken Trident;
The Union Jack silent.
A bold shift in Bajan postage;
The royal head abridge;
When Queen Elizabeth gave back,
With great poise, and great tact.

This rock, her ancestors sliced up;
Lapping royal tea-cup;
In sixteen twenty five.
Each slice on human rights deprive;
More than three hundred years preserved;
Before new Queen observed;
Her reign brings to Bajans new hope,
And a new skipping rope.



Each postage stamp bears Bajan craft;
Drives postal photograph;
With themes, and scenes of our land;
Sir Garry from Bayland;
Cricketer from Police Sports Club;
Queen Elizabeth dubbed;
Sir Garfield Sobers on the field;
Greatest all-rounder kneeled.

Bajan's living legend knighted;
Captaincy accepted;
Sir Frank Worrell was his mentor;
His batting caused uproar
That pleased, huge crowds around the ground
Joy round him did surround
Sir Garfield St Auburn Sobers.
Collie Smith, he ponders...

Traumatic time indeed for him;
Drinking tears kept him slim;
Hits six sixes in one over;
Pleasing crowds, moreover,
On six consecutive balls in cricket,
From powerful wicket;
Seeing on postage Sir Gary;
Hones, cricket mastery.

In my head now, October nine;
This thought floods brain of mine;
The anniversary, Tony!
With strong roots universally;
In eighteen sixty four,
This much I do recall and more;
The arrival of World Post Day
I's today; so they say.

Reflecting now on UPU
Headquarters for mail crew,
Of the Universal Postal,
A problem-solving hull;
A Union, we take for granted,
And benefits charted;
The UPU in many ways;
Hugs Bajan postal trays.

With pride and appreciation;
We in this small nation;
Celebrate World Post Day with hearts
In Bern's postal ramparts;
Of Swiss' Confidence they instill;
In our postal mill;
Impacting all living beings
For WNS postings.

© Paterika Hengreaves
October 9, 2011/Barbados

Working on Part IV
Please check back later

Barbados Postage Stamps Speaking Volumes - Part II

(In Ballad Meter)

Interestingly enough this;
This postage stamp depicts
Britannia, Roman goddess,
On postage face impress.
What are the images you see?
Neptune god of the sea;
Which Britannia personified;
The Romans canonized.

Britannia the old fashion
Name, poured on Great Britain;
Female personification;
Of the island Britain;
Like Neptune she holds a trident;
Three prongs are evident.
Neptune rode waves with seahorses;
Well Britannia does.

For crying out loud here this thing;
On Barbados acting
Like she is, Great Britain's England;
Wears tag, "Little England".
Barbados stamps from the outset;
Mirrored England's stamp set;
Postage stamps icons during the,
Victorian era.

Look at postage stamp one farthing;

Give credence and backing;

Much more is on this postage plate;

So let's reiterate;

Barbados story of money,

Few words stated mintly;

Three and a half centuries ago,

Crown's grip on it did show.

Pounds shillings and pence, changeable;

British money table;

Four farthings, one penny it is;

Twelve pence one shilling,Chris.

Imagery on the stamps does say;

Victoria holds sway;

Eighteen thirty-seven young queen;

On the throne at eighteen.

What are the two pees worth today?
Such reckoning would say
In Barbados money, six cents;
Inflation dents the fence.
Imperialist's grip on Bimshire
Postage stamps, front and rear;
Dubbed Barbados Britannias
Seen on mail at Christmas.

These Britannias had much themes:
Sea, land, air, and dog scenes
Celebrations, and so much more;
Seen in each stamp photo;
Look at Britannias below,
And see how those themes glow;
In this postage stamp gallery;
Compiled for you gladly.



Did these Bajan Britannias

Suffer asthenias?
No way, they had power to stir
The colonial air;
Feeding the lungs of royalty,
And their entrenched army,
The largest Empire on earth;
With glory and self-worth.

Two centuries these British knaves
Britannia, ruled the waves;
Politics play on sticky squares;
Land owners billionaires;
Hindsight sees the bad and the good;
Sherwood housed Robin Hood;
Empire and George VI would die;
His daughter is not shy.

In the year nineteen sixty-six,
Elizabeth did fix
Imperial wrongs, she addressed;
Her Commonwealth cleaned mess;
Bajan Brittanias lost mark;
Independence stamps spark;
Britain no longer holds this rock;
Forty-five years we lock.

Barbados Postage Stamps Speaking Volumes - Part I

(In Ballad Meter)

Barbados postage stamps for you;

Plenty facts stuck with glue;

These sticky little squares do show;

Monarchy you should know;

What rates for the weights they must hold,

On papers  new or old?

Postage stamps do tell true stories;

Not of Whigs and Tories.

Revenue for the government;

Stamps legal document;

We make love to those sticky squares;

With kisses; glue adheres;

Queen Victoria days of yore;

Penny Post at the door;

World's first known postmark who carved it?

Henry Bishop made it.

Who gave us the adhesive stamp?

Was Rowland Hill, the champ;

Barbados postage stamps left clues;

On kings and queens infuse;

On this half penny stamp of green;

Historical facts  seen;

A crown that floats above a head;

What message does it spread?

During Victorian era,
He wore a crown never;
A consort he was her husband
She proposed to this man
Strong woman would made that occur
He said yes, yes after
Acrostics she did; he liked chess
They both played with success.

Queen Victoria on the throne
Morality enthroned
To such a far flung colony;
Barbados, so tiny;
Growing sugarcane island's crop;
And slaves working non-stop;

No wage, in pounds shillings and pence;

Worked the fields; heat intense.

Cutting  sugarcane for dray carts;

Fed  the mills, poor, poor, hearts!

Bedchamber crisis at Palace;

Peel resigned from office.



More to come. Check back later. Thank you.

Rhyme Scheme for the National Anthem of the USA

The Star Spangled Banner
By Francis Scott Key 1814

Stanza 1                                                                   Rhyme Scheme

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light                                a
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?               b
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,           a
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?          b
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,                    c
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.              c
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave                         d
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?                    d

Stanza 2

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,                e
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,                     f
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,                    e
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?                              f
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,                     g
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:                               g
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave                       D
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!                      D

Stanza 3

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore                          c
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,                          h
A home and a country should leave us no more!                           c
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.             h
No refuge could save the hireling and slave                                  d
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:                      d
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave                    D
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!                     D


Stanza 4

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand                             i
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!                   h
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land          i
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.        h
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,                        j
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."                               j
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave                   D
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!                  D


Someone on this blog asked: What is the rhyme scheme of "The Star Spangled Banner"? So here it is. The capital letters in the Rhyme Scheme indicate repeated rhymes.

ab ab cc dd      ef ef gg DD      ch  ch dd DD      ih ih jj DD

Autumn Haiku

Happy Autumn trends
Many leaves are falling now
This silly season

© Paterika Hengreaves

Read more: Avian Christmas Dish Wish

Ode to Poetry

(Modern American Ode)

Since poetry is the food of the senses
Cart me loads of wholesome flesh,
Beneath skin and on the bone;
Like a flamingo, I take my time to pick,
And eat with delightful intensity,
Savory slices of great poetry.

With beak-like quills
Of granite, flint and stone,
In jaws ever clinching,
Opening ready to unwind;
Flinging words, like flying feathers,
Each crafted thought
Cascading down,
With riddled and sensuous thrills;
Those myriads of cognitive sparks,
Lighting up the mind.

Oh give me poetry to make me grow;
A little fat and a bit of this, and that;
Succulent slices of great poetry;
Poetic ancestors boldly left behind.

© Paterika Hengreaves