What If?

From the blog Sisters in the Scriptures which is associated with the New Testament class I'm attending.

"After class one of the sisters shared a story with me. She told of a friend who lost a 15 year old daughter in a tragic ski accident. To the family's surprise President Monson came, uninvited. to the funeral. Of course he was asked to speak, and said that he had seen the story of the accident in the paper and came to offer words of comfort. He told the family to eliminate two words from their vocabulary: "What if." What magnificent advice from a prophet. One writer said, "Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future." The grace of Christ is there to help us have peace about both the past and future, and joy in the present."

Quote of the Day

"What is said is not as important as what we hear and what we feel."  Robert D Hales

Live by Faith

In an effort to understand why things are happening to people I love I turned to Job.  I'm sure I've read Job before in seminary studies, but I've never read it before with questions in direct need of answers.

After reading some of Job, I still felt like I needed greater understanding and turned to the Institute Old Testament manual for more insight where I found this quote by Spencer W. Kimball.

"Who is responsible for man’s troubles? Was it the Lord who directed the plane into the mountainside? Did God cause the highway collision? Was it He who prompted the young child to toddle into the canal or the man to suffer the heart attack? Responding to these questions, President Kimball said:

“Answer, if you can. I cannot, for though I know God has a major role in our lives, I do not know how much he causes to happen and how much he merely permits. Whatever the answer to this question, there is another I feel sure about.

“Could the Lord have prevented these tragedies? The answer is, Yes. The Lord is omnipotent, with all power to control our lives, save us pain, prevent all accidents, drive all planes and cars, feed us, protect us, save us from labor, effort, sickness, even from death, if he will. But he will not.” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 96.)

Spencer W. Kimball continues in Faith Precedes the Miracle with this thought in Chapter Eight:

"If we looked at mortality as the whole of existence, then pain, sorrow, failure, and short life would be calamity. But if we look upon life as an eternal thing stretching far into the premortal past and on into the eternal post-death future, then all happenings may be put in proper perspective.

Is there not wisdom in his giving us trials that we might rise above them, responsibilities that we might achieve, work to harden our muscles, sorrows to try our souls? Are we not exposed to temptations to test our strength, sickness that we might learn patience, death that we might be immortalized and glorified?

If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the gospel, free agency, would be ended. No man would have to live by faith.

Active Patience

Today a few things I have been studying have come together.  This morning I was studying an article entitled Patience in Affliction  by Elder Angel Abrea.

TRIALS

Trials and tribulation are as much a part of life as are the joys.  However, when we are in the midst of these trials they can seem to be more than we can bear.  Elder Abrea stated:

Tribulation, afflictions, and trials will constantly be with us in our sojourn here in this segment of eternity, just as the Savior said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” (John 16:33.) Therefore, the great challenge in this earthly life is not to determine how to escape the afflictions and problems, but rather to carefully prepare ourselves to meet them.

I say prepare ourselves because it demands persistent effort to develop patience as a personal attribute. In practicing patience, one comes to understand it and to acquire it.

From Liberty Jail, in a time of anguish and deep suffering for the gospel’s sake, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the following message to the Saints: “Dear brethren, do not think that our hearts faint, as though some strange thing had happened unto us, for we have seen and been assured of all these things beforehand, and have an assurance of a better hope than that of our persecutors. Therefore God hath made broad our shoulders for the burden. We glory in our tribulation, because we know that God is with us, that He is our friend, and that He will save our souls.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 123.)

Joseph Smith's account here helps give me understanding regarding my own trials.  Despite being put in jail in awful circumstances, Joseph still has hope. Sometimes it is hard to find hope, but we can pray for hope.  And even at times we can rely on someone else's hope.  We often pray that our trial will be taken from us or that the Lord will help us that things will work out.  But often God doesn't take the trial away.  We know the Lord didn't remove all trials from before Joseph Smith.  I've seen many around me push forward in spite of physical illnesses.   As I was also contemplating my own trials, the thought came to me about a book I read almost 20 years ago.  The book was The Hiding Place by Corrie Tenboom.  It is a memoir of her and her sister's experiences in a Nazi concentration camp.  Their trial was not because they deserved it or because they weren't good, quite the contrary.  Sometimes bad things happen to good people.  Corrie and her sister continued to have such a strong belief in God and amazing faith even through all the torture, despair, and even the death of her sister.  I remember her describing the overcrowding, filth, and bugs in the sleeping area where they spent the majority of their time.  Corrie's sister pointed out to Corrie that their conditions were in a way a blessing, because it was so bad that the Nazi soldiers wouldn't even come in there, providing them some protection.  Their optimism was absolutely inspiring.  Neither of them lost their faith or doubted God, they held on to hope and eventually Corrie was freed from the camp.

In addition to praying that the trial might be removed from us, we can pray to recognize the blessings we do have.  We can also do as Joseph Smith and pray that God will broaden our shoulders to be able to endure the burden.

Elder Holland said in this video Wrong Roads, sometimes the only way to get from point A to point C is to go through point B.

Joseph had an eternal view of the mortal things he was enduring, for he said, "for we have seen and been assured of all these things beforehand."  I think sometimes part of the test associated with the trial is to maintain an eternal perspective while experiencing the stress, pain, and suffering that we may be required to endure.  It is easier said than done.  For some, their trials are as of Job's or as extreme as Corrie Tenbooms. But for each of us the question is the same:

When we have lost everything, had everyone we love taken from us, will we still love God?

PATIENCE

We have been told we must be patient in our suffering and trials.  I love the insight Elder Abrea gives on how we should be patient:

It should be made clear that we are not talking here about a passive patience which waits only for the passing of time to heal or resolve things which happen to us, but rather a patience that is active, which makes things happen. Such was the patience Paul described in his epistle to the Romans when he used the words “by patient continuance in well doing.” (Rom. 2:7.)

Perhaps one of the best examples of patience which gives us an eternal perspective of its application in our lives is found in the words of Peter: “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” (1 Pet. 2:20.)

Patience in affliction and adversity means to persist firmly and never forsake that which we know to be true, standing firm with the hope that in the Lord’s due time we will gain an understanding of that which we do not understand now and which causes us suffering.

Then the promise in Malachi will become a reality: “Then shall ye return, and discern … between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” (Mal. 3:18.)

One day I was praying for a specific situation and what I could do to change it, or at lease some how help out and the answer came to me to SERVE OTHERS.  Sometimes, when we want so badly to have an affect in our personal life it is more effective to seek to do God's will by serving others.  By serving others we are serving God and therefore bringing blessings to others as well as ourselves.  By serving others when we are in need we learn selflessness and perspective on our own circumstances, helping us to be ACTIVELY PATIENT.

If we are Actively Patient we are still working to change our situation, seeking guidance, serving others, and not just sitting by waiting for things to change.  The key is someone with Active Patience works in faith while at the same time being accepting of God's plan and timing in our lives.

I know that God is mindful of all our experiences, both joyful and painful.  And maybe, just maybe our experiences are so that we will understand the power of the Atonement and how it can be effective in our lives. Jesus Christ atoned for our sins and our sorrows, our mistakes and pain-whether self inflicted or by someone else.  He does have the power to heal our souls, even if the trial is still before us.

Like a Broken Vessel

I can't tell you how much I love this talk.  I have watched friends and family struggle for years with depression and anxiety.  I personally have had my ups and downs (literally for those that know me) with anxiety.   And then after I had my first child, nearly drowned in Post Partum Depression for 8 months.  On a good day I could get my teeth brushed, and that was all I could do.   I've watched the stresses of work and exhaustion take it's toll on loved ones, bringing them to the brink of giving up.  Elder Holland says it as it is, but also sees the eternal perspective of our mortal challenges and offers hope.

Talents

Because you will find, as a general thing, that talent is diffused through the many and rarely combined in single individuals; and it only needs opportunity in order to be developed.

Lorenzo Snow

Quote of the day

If you are set on a course of faith and activity in the Church, stay on course and keep your covenants. Continue forward until the time when the Lord’s blessings will come to you and the Holy Ghost will be revealed as a moving force in your life.
~Boyd K Packer

Come Join with Us

I listened again today to Elder Uchtdorf's most recent talk "Come, Join with Us".  I can't tell you how inspired the prophet and apostles are.  As I listened to and then read his message again.  I found the lessons that the Lord intended for me. It is amazing how God can answer our prayers through others so directly.  I received my answers and guidance, but only the Lord knows your heart.   Please listen or read this message and find the answers that the Lord  has for you.  Please feel free to comment on what part of this message was written just for you.

Fear or Faith

Last week I had a conversation with my friend about making our decisions in life in faith instead of out of fear.  Today I found this verse as I was reading and it reallly summed up our conversation so beautifully.
2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

I love how it clearly distinguishes that our fears are not from God.  Satan tempts us and tries so hard to get us to doubt the good, the possibilities, and the hope in life.  But the gifts from God are power, love, and a sound mind.  Not power like Satan tempts us to seek after--power over others or at the expense of others--but power to do works of righteousness.

It's all worth it!

This quote was especially meaningful tonight. I pray that it offers hope to others facing trials.

Sometimes to be tested and proved requires that we be temporarily deprived—but righteous women and men will one day receive all—think of it, sisters—all that our Father has! It is not only worth waiting for; it is worth living for!

~Spencer W Kimball

Let Us Think Straight

Repentance and Forgiveness

About a year ago I happened upon this talk on BYU Speeches.  The teachings in this talk are profound and memorable and when I saw it again on the website, I knew I needed to listen to it again.  It is one of the best talks on Repentance and Forgiveness.


Here is one of the great quotes from this talk:

"At this point, let me pause and add a lesson that applies both in your own life and also in the lives of others. There is something in us, at least in too many of us, that particularly fails to forgive and forget earlier mistakes in life—either mistakes we ourselves have made or the mistakes of others. That is not good. It is not Christian. It stands in terrible opposition to the grandeur and majesty of the Atonement of Christ. To be tied to earlier mistakes—our own or other people’s—is the worst kind of wallowing in the past from which we are called to cease and desist."

 24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

Today's Quote:

And if they persecute you, so persecuted they the prophets and righteous men that were before you. For all this there is a reward in heaven.

D&C 127:4

Quote of the Day

We should consider that of ourselves we can do nothing. We are the children of God. We are in darkness, [unless] God enlightens our understanding. We are powerless, [unless] God helps us. The work that we have to do here is of that nature that we cannot do it unless we have the assistance of the Almighty. … Here is the great trouble with men of the world, and too much so with the Elders of Israel; we forget that we are working for God; we forget that we are here in order to carry out certain purposes that we have promised the Lord that we would carry out. It is a glorious work that we are engaged in. It is the work of the Almighty; and He has selected the men and the women whom He knows from past experience will carry out His purposes.  Lorenzo Snow

Fasting

A friend of mine asked me about fasting and so I decided to read up on it before explaining it. Here are some of my favorite thoughts about fasting:

To fast is to go without food and drink voluntarily for a certain period of time. Fasting combined with sincere prayer can strengthen us spiritually, bring us closer to God, and help us prepare ourselves and others to receive His blessings.

Purposes of Fasting

On one occasion, the Savior cast a devil out from a child and used this experience to teach His disciples about the power of prayer and fasting. His disciples asked Him, “Why could not we cast him out?” Jesus answered: “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (See Matthew 17:14-21.)

This account teaches that prayer and fasting can give added strength to those giving and receiving priesthood blessings. The account can also be applied to our personal efforts to live the gospel. If we have a weakness or sin that we have struggled to overcome, we may need to fast and pray in order to receive the help or forgiveness we desire. Like the demon that Christ cast out, our difficulty may be the kind that will go out only through prayer and fasting.

Higher Place of Learning

Places of Learning

Temples are places of learning. Their principal purpose is to provide ordinances necessary for the children of God to enable them to return to dwell with Him. Temple ordinances lead to the greatest blessings available through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Everything in the Church—the meetings and activities, the missionary efforts, the lessons taught and the hymns—all lead to the work done in holy temples.

The Lord blesses those who attend to the sacred ordinance work in the temple. And the blessings He gives will not be limited to the time spent in the temple. Those who do temple work will be blessed in all aspects of their lives. Their labors in the temple will strengthen them and refine them spiritually.

from LDS.org

Motherhood in Proper Perspective

Really loved this quote from Henry B Eyring in an amazing, must read talk on Education for Real Life. Serving others and Motherhood isn't valued in society as much as it should be.  Elder Eyring's eternal perspective is so encouraging on days when it seems like too much.

Your service may not be in what the world would recognize as a lofty calling. When the real value of service becomes clear in the judgment of God, some people who worked in quiet anonymity will be the real heroes. Many of them, perhaps most of them, will be the underpaid and underrecognized people who nurtured others. I never visit an elementary school and watch the teachers without thinking about that future day when the rewards will be eternal. I never visit a hospital and watch those who nurse and those who clean without thinking of that. I never visit a workplace where someone serves me and others well, earning wages barely enough to provide the necessities for a family, without thinking of the future. And I never see a mother juggling three little children who are crying while she is smiling, as she shepherds them gently, without seeing in my mind’s eye that day of honor in the presence of the only Judge whose praise will finally matter.

Recognizing Promptings from the Holy Ghost

One idea that came to my mind this week was to make a point to record in my journal everything little thing that I felt was a prompting from the Spirit.  I had been recognizing that I had been prompted in three different ways and heeded two of the promptings but totally missed the other. I realized as I was recognizing these promptings it was helping me to recognize a few more.

Then the thought came to me that by writing down these promptings it will begin to help me recognize more and more promptings from the Holy Ghost.  Thus helping me to listen and heed the Holy Ghost better.  I've mentioned before that when I write in my journal I record things that I have learned from the Holy Ghost in [brackets] in my journal.  That way when I review my entries, I know which ones were my ideas and what was revelation from God.

Walk in the Paths of Virtue

View the first part of the discussion on D & C 25:2 regarding faith here.

Part 2:

As I discussed in my previous post, Doctrine & Covenants section 25 is a revelation received by Joseph Smith to his wife Emma.  However in the last verse (16) it says, "And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all. Amen." Although this was received for Emma, it applies to all of us.

In Doctrine and Covenants 25 verse 2 it reads:

"A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion."

The phrase "Walk in the Paths of Virtue" is the action we need to take so the Lord will preserve our life and that we may receive of our Father's inheritance. Virtue is a fading term and concept in the world today.  Few hold it in value and yet the Lord has told us in this verse that it is equally as necessary as being faithful and most importantly, that it is His will.  As President Hinckley said it is part of that price we might pay if we want to receive the associated blessings from our Heavenly Father. So then, we examine how we can "Walk in the Paths of Virtue."  To walk means physical action and movement. It is progress on the straight and narrow path to return to our Father in Heaven . I think it's interesting to note here that Paths is used here in the plural.  I went to Merriam-Webster.com to look up the definition of Virtue:

Definition of VIRTUE

1. 1

   a : conformity to a standard of right : morality
   

   b : a particular moral excellence
   2

   plural : an order of angels — see celestial hierarchy
   3

   : a beneficial quality or power of a thing
   4

   : manly strength or courage : valor
   5

   : a commendable quality or trait : merit
   6

   : a capacity to act : potency
   7

   : chastity especially in a woman

The multiple definitions of Virtue identify the Paths of Virtue we are to follow.

• While I think the definition that society most often associates with the word Virtue is definition #7- the chastity of a woman. Amazing how little value the world gives to this quality that the Lord sees of highest value.   The part of President Hinckley's quote that is of great application to this path of virtue regarding Chastity is: "No woman can afford to demean herself, to belittle herself, to downgrade her abilities or her capacities. Let each be faithful to the great, divine attributes that are within her."  President Hinckley is asking us, reminding us to see ourselves as Jesus Christ and God the Father see us--as we truly are. As their daughters with divine traits and attributes.   Now I don't want to leave this definition of Virtue without looking at it in totality. It says "especially in a woman" but that does not exclude men.  The chastity of men is something rarely even considered in today's society let alone valued.  Men God's children too and deserving of the greatest and highest blessings also?  The world's messages to men does not place value on being a great husband,father, and patriarch.  But one of the greatest blessings in my life and in the eternities is my husband, because he chooses follow God.  And because he chooses faithfulness and virtue he is a great blessing to our children also.  

• Now the first definition of Virtue listed above is particularly interesting to me as I view the world we live in and raise our young daughters.  This two-part definition:

Conformity to a Standard of Right and a Particular Moral Excellence. 

This is a Path of Virtue that I want to teach my daughters to follow.  I have always loved the saying in the scriptures "Let Virtue Garnish thy Thoughts Unceasingly" and I think this definition is worthy of being in our thoughts unceasingly.

My children will not learn it in school, they will not learn it from their friends, or society.  They will learn it in our home.  There is right and wrong.  What society teaches tries to blur the lines making some think that right is wrong and wrong is right.  But the scriptures are very clear and they are our standard.  I am also so thankful for modern-day prophets and the standards that they have set as a guide for me in my youth and my little kids today.  As I read  "For the Strength of the Youth" it is clear that this is "A Particular Moral Excellence".  If you haven't heard of "For the Strength of the Youth" click on the link and study for yourself whether it is good.

• The second Definition is for the plural word Virtues meaning an order of angels.  Is there anything more beautiful and angelic than people that embody Virtue?
• 3rd: a beneficial quality or power of a thing: Virtue is a beneficial quality.  We are blessed with spiritual power when we are virtuous in our lives.  We are protected from the many trials and sorrows that may accompany an unvirtuous life. 
• 4th: manly strength or courage:  We may feel things spiritually, but if we don't physically do the things we are supposed to do (ie: attend church, get baptized, leave the party we know is not good, go to the temple) we won't receive the blessings God has for us.  Doing what is right today takes physical strength or courage, a lot of courage.  
• 5th: A commendable quality or trait: Choosing to live a virtuous life is commendable.  The world may not value it, but we are not seeking after the world's approval, but the Lords.   
• 6th: A capacity to act- Potency:  Having virtue also means having the capacity to act to stand up for what is right.  Everyone has a pretty good idea of right from wrong, but not everyone chooses to do what is right. Virtuous person has the ability to achieve and the capacity to bring about a particular result-standing for what is right and true. 

Blessings

The blessing pronounced in D & C 25:2 is:

I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.

What a great blessing, that our life can be preserved.  There are fads all over the place to help us live longer and healthier and the only one with the sure promise that our life will be preserved is obedience to God's laws.  By being faithful and virtuous, we shall also receive and inheritance in Zion.

Education

I was asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting in a couple of weeks on Education.  So there will probably be a lot of posts on education for the next few weeks.  Here is today's favorite quote:

Education is not merely a good idea, it’s a commandment.” - Elder Uchtdorf 

If we are not constantly learning then we are not progressing and we do not just stay in one place but we beginning going backwards.   I went to college, graduated with my bachelors, but if I don't continue learning and growing my mind then I start forgetting.   I need not only to continue my spiritual studying, but I need to continue secular learning also.

Elder Eyring said: He also cautioned that “your education must never stop. If it ends at the door of the classroom on graduation day, we will fail. And we will need the help of heaven to know which of the myriad things we could study we would most wisely learn. . . .

“The real life we’re preparing for is eternal life,” President Eyring said. “Secular knowledge has for us eternal significance. Our conviction is that God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to live the life that He does.”

I think my main focus right now needs to be on Spanish.

Quote of the Day:

“Parents are not simply to teach their children,” Elder Bednar said. “Rather, they are to teach them to understand. And understanding is a gift from God.

“. . . Within a Christ-centered home, love, trust, and confidence invite the presence of the Holy Ghost. In such a home the Holy Ghost can teach children to understand. Ultimately, it is not parents who do the teaching. Certainly, parents must diligently and effectively explain basic gospel doctrines, teach true principles, and share sacred experiences. But who truly does the teaching and certifies the truthfulness of what we come to know? The Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead. He is the Comforter who knows all things. He is thereby able to search the minds and hearts of all of us and then tailor a blessing to us, according to our individual needs and circumstances. And it is teaching and certifying by the Spirit that produces understanding. Parents in Zion have the responsibility to establish and maintain that type of Christ-centered and spirit-filled home.”

~Elder Bednar

Bueno

Doctrine and Covenants 90:14-15
14 And from time to time, as shall be manifested by the Comforter, receive revelations to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom;

 15 And set in order the churches, and study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people.

I enjoy learning new things, however learning Spanish has been difficult and let's be honest, I think I've been dragging my feet on this one.  Mostly because instead of sitting down for an hour or two in a class every week, I need to find 15 minutes here or there and sit down with a work book and try to learn it.  Finding the program, LiveMocha.com has helped a lot.  But after reading this scripture, I feel like I need to make learning Spanish a high priority in my life right now.

Draw Nearer to You

While clipping coupons tonight, I figured I'd watch a show online that I had missed and wanted to see.  But a feeling came to me that maybe there was something better that I should be listening to.  So I pulled up LDS.org and browsed through April's General Conference talks.  Elder Eyring's talk, "Come Unto Me" sounded like an area I could use some reinforcement in and so I began.  And then I came to this part of the talk, which applies to someone I love that has been on my mind a lot.  I have prayed to know how to help this person and the Lord has lead me to the answer.

"Many of you have loved ones who are wandering off the path to eternal life. You wonder what more you can do to bring them back. You can depend on the Lord to draw closer to them as you serve Him in faith.

You remember the Lord’s promise to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon when they were away from their families on His errands: “My friends Sidney and Joseph, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.”13

Like Alma and King Mosiah, some faithful parents have served the Lord long and well yet have had children who wandered despite their parents’ sacrifice for the Lord. They have done all they could to no apparent avail, even with help from loving and faithful friends.

Alma and the Saints of his day prayed for his son and the sons of King Mosiah. An angel came. Your prayers and the prayers of those who exercise their faith will bring the Lord’s servants to help your family members. They will help them choose the way home to God, even as they are attacked by Satan and his followers, whose purpose it is to destroy families in this life and in eternity.

You remember the words spoken by the angel to Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah in their rebellion: “And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.”14

My promise to you who pray and serve the Lord cannot be that you will have every blessing you may wish for yourself and your family. But I can promise you that the Savior will draw close to you and bless you and your family with what is best. You will have the comfort of His love and feel the answer of His drawing closer as you reach out your arms in giving service to others. As you bind up the wounds of those in need and offer the cleansing of His Atonement to those who sorrow in sin, the Lord’s power will sustain you. His arms are outstretched with yours to succor and bless the children of our Heavenly Father, including those in your family."

This direction from Elder Eyring gives me hope and helps me to know that I should embrace opportunities to help any of God's children and God will draw nearer to me and sustain my loved ones. God's plan really is so beautiful.

c. None of the above.

The other day I had two people text me with an activity for my kids in the afternoon.  Both were great opportunities that would be good for my kids.  As I am trying to be a little more guided by the Spirit in my life right now, I decided that this would be a good thing to pray about to know what to do.  I didn't feel anything strong either way, so I made my decision and went.

After getting home, I realized my kids and I were exhausted from too many summer activities packed into one week.  I realized that I had only prayed about two options when really there were three.  I now understood that my third option was to not go to either activity at all, but to go home and rest a little and prepare for company that was coming for dinner that evening.

I realized that I had been running faster than I had strength.  When I was praying, the most likely reason I hadn't felt direction either way was because I hadn't considered that neither option was right.

Well, we did survive the crazy, busy day and all ended well.  However, this experience proved to be a preparation for things to come.

We had family in from out of state and we were invited to go and spend one more evening with them.  My kids loved their kids and would have been so excited to spend more time with them since we rarely see them.  For me, family comes first, always.   And I jump at opportunities to spend any time with family and usually bend over backwards to make it happen.

However, when I needed to text back whether or not we were going to come, last weeks experience came to my mind.  I set aside a moment from my children (locked my self in the bathroom) to pray to know if going to see family, although important, was really what was best for my family at that moment.  I felt as I prayed that the distance of the activity, how late it would be when we arrived home, and the stressful day my husband had been having at work all pointed to the conclusion that this would not be the best thing for my family tonight.

My children needed rest and a decent bedtime. My husband needed some quiet time away from work.  And although extended family is important, tonight my immediate family needed to come first.

Lesson learned.

Mountains to Climb

After praying this morning I began searching for something on faith on the Mormon Channel. I added a couple of things to my playlist and then suddenly this video began playing.  It was just what I needed to hear.

Parenting Handbook: Chapter 1

Children don't come with instruction manuals, but we do have our scriptures to teach us how to raise our children.    From my free online Doctrine & Covenants class we have been studying the Armor of God as mentioned in Ephesians 6:11-18 as well as Doctrine & Covenants 27:15-18.

A Quote by Harold B. Lee was shared and I feel like it provides us parents with knowledge as to how to protect our children today.

Now the loins are that part of the body between the lower rib and the hip into which you will recognize are the vital organs which have to do with reproduction. . . . And so he was saying that that part of the body was one of the most vulnerable. We should have our loins girt about with armor. . . . Next we would have a breastplate over the heart. Now in the scriptures you will remember that the heart has always been used to typify our conduct. . . .

. . . Now there we have the four parts of the body that the Apostle Paul said or saw to be the most vulnerable to the powers of darkness. The loins typify virtue and chastity. The heart typifys our conduct. Our feet, our goals or objectives in life and finally our head, our thoughts. . . .

. . . We should have our loins girt about with truth. What is truth? Truth, the Lord said, was knowledge of things as they are, things as they were and things as they are to come . . . . What is going to guide us along the path of proper morals or proper choices? It will be the knowledge of truth. There must be a standard by which we measure our conduct else how shall we know which is right? . . . "Our loins shall be girt about with truth," the prophet said.

And the heart, what kind of a breastplate shall protect our conduct in life? We shall have over our hearts a breastplate of righteousness. Well, having learned truth we have a measure by which we can judge between right and wrong and so our conduct will always be gaged by that thing which we know to be true. Our breastplate to cover our conduct shall be the breastplate of righteousness.

What shall . . . protect our feet, or by what shall we gage our objectives or goals in life? . . . "Your feet [should be] shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." (Ephesians 6:15.) Interesting? What is the gospel of peace? The whole core and center of the gospel of peace was built around the person of Him who was cradled in the manger, of whom on that night the angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace good-will to men." Or to put it even more correctly, "on earth peace to men of good-will." Our feet should be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace to them of good-will. . . .

And then finally the helmet of salvation. Did you ever hear of that kind of a helmet? The helmet of salvation. What is salvation? Salvation is to be saved. Saved from what? Saved from death and saved from sin. . . .

. . . The Apostle Paul said, in effect, "A helmet of salvation shall guide our thinkings all through our days." Well, as we think that through, let me review them again for just a moment, to get the full significance. Truth to safeguard our virtue; righteousness to keep our conduct right; the preparation of the gospel of peace to guide our course and to set our standards and aims in life; salvation, a return back to the presence of the Lord shall be the inhibiting promise and a motivating objective to guide us on to the victory of life over death. That is what it means. . . .

Well, now the Apostle Paul went one step further. He didn't leave the man just with the armour on and expect him to cope against an army, seen or unseen. He had his armoured man holding in his hand a shield and in his other hand a sword, which were the weapons of those days. That shield was the shield of faith and the sword was the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. I can't think of any more powerful weapons than faith and a knowledge of the scriptures in which are contained the Word of God. One so armoured and one so prepared with those weapons is prepared to go out against the enemy that is more to be feared than the enemies of the light. . . . [the] more to be feared than the enemies that come in the daylight that we can see are the enemies that strike in the darkness of the night that we can't see with our eyes. (Harold B. Lee, Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Provo, 9 Nov. 1954], pp. 2–3, 6–7.)

This gives us as parents a great guide as to what are the best things to teach our children. Not just to protect them defensively against Satan, but giving them offensive weapons that will help our children to progress and build the kingdom of God.   This quote strengthens my resolve to have my little children read and know the scriptures, for it is their sword with which they will fight their battles in life.

Faith

Today I ended up on Seth Adam Smith's blog reading his posting about faith.   This quote from his blog made me rethink about my experiences (trials) over the last few years.  While I have struggled through years of church in another language, feeling starved for spirituality and feeling like my faith was diminishing quickly, I wondered why when I need spiritual experiences most am I in a place where I don't understand them while they are going on all around me.  His blog quote says:

Doubt—opposition to our faith—actually gives us the ability to strengthen our faith. So keep in mind that if Lehi’s formula of opposition is true, then opposition will grow in proportion to our faith. Ironically, the more we increase in faith, the more our faith will be tested and opposed. It’s a law of nature that must be observed.

Maybe instead of my faith slipping, it was just me being pushed to greater faith because of greater opposition.  Maybe my faith was stronger than I realized.  I really liked this posting I read on Seth Adam Smith's blog, it's a good read.

No woman can afford...

Today I am studying D & C 25 which is a revelation received by Joseph Smith to his wife Emma, however in the last verse (16) it says, "And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all. Amen." Although is was received for Emma, it applies to all.

In Doctrine and Covenants 25 verse 2 it reads: "A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion."

This verse caught my eye since recently I was reading about doing the will of the Lord instead of my own will. And I'm currently trying to figure out what the Lord's will is for me.  This verse clearly states what the Lord's will is for us as his children.  This next quote I read in my online Doctrine and Covenants independent study class.

"In very large measure each of us holds the key to the blessings of the Almighty upon us. If we wish the blessing, we must pay the price. A part of that price lies in being faithful. Faithful to what? Faithful to ourselves, to the very best that is within us. No woman can afford to demean herself, to belittle herself, to downgrade her abilities or her capacities. Let each be faithful to the great, divine attributes that are within her. Be faithful to the gospel. Be faithful to the Church. We have all about us those who are seeking to undermine it, to look for weaknesses in its early leaders, to find fault with its programs, to speak critically of it. I give you my testimony that it is the work of God and those who speak against it are speaking against him.

Be faithful to him. He is the one true source of your strength. He is your Father in Heaven. He lives. He hears and answers prayers. Be faithful to God." (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1984, p. 90; or Conference Report, Oct. 1989, p. 111.)

I love this quote in so many ways:

1)    When he says "No woman can afford to demean herself, to belittle herself, to downgrade her abilities or her capacities."  This fills me with strength to do one the things that I have been struggling to do all these years--Wake early, before kids, and study the scriptures, for one.  I can always find an excuse as to why this won't work on any given day, but it doesn't matter, because I feel like this has been a commandment given to me and regardless of what time my kids fall asleep (11 pm last night) or what time I finally got to bed (12:40 am) I still need that time of peace and quiet to study and hopefully listen to the will of the Lord.  I love how President Hinckley counsels me that I can't afford to downgrade my ability. I am capable of waking that early and studying and the more I do it the more it will be a habit and become easier.  And so I will set my alarm for 5 am again (since my spicy toddler wakes between 6 and 6:30 even when she didn't fall asleep until 11 pm.)  The Lord helped me to wake yesterday when my mom accidentally and unknowingly called me at 5 am my time when she was going into work-an unusual blessing.

2)   To a large degree, we hold the key to blessings from our Father, according to our faithfulness.  I love his perspective on faithfulness. Frequently we discuss faithfulness almost as a check list of commandments.  But he points out that we are to be "Faithful to ourselves, to the very best that is within us."  We ourselves were taught our first lessons in the premortal existence and to those truths that we know in our hearts we are to be faithful.  The very best that is within us is also our divine potential as we are the spirit children of God, our Heavenly Father.  As his children we possess divine qualities and character traits.  And as His children, and through the atonement of Christ we all possess the ability to return to our Heavenly Father, to become like Him.  That is what we need to be faithful to. Those are the things that are the very best within all of us. It's easy, so easy to loose sight of this when the world is constantly putting us down, trying to tell us we are less than, not good enough.  I love that Heavenly Father and His prophet haven't lost sight of our goodness within and our potential.  And gently, they  remind us of who we are to become.  Quite the contrast from the bombardment of noisy lies and misconceptions that come from the world and Satan.  And thus it brings me back to the point that I need to be up in the early morning, reading, and listening to that still small voice to guide me in these truths.

3)   President Hinckley.  This quote comes from President Hinckley.  The prophet that preceeded the current prophet, President Monson.  All prophets are called of God, I know that, but I loved President Hinckley.  And part of the reason why I felt so much love for him was because each time he spoke I felt so much love from him.  Even though he was the prophet for the whole world, all of those millions of people. It felt like he knew me individually.  It felt like he was praying for me.  He had that gift of God, the capacity to love everyone and for me to feel it.  It is how I imagine Christ is.  With so many people that have lived on this earth from Adam to now, Christ is able to know each one of us, individually, he knows what our pains, concerns, weaknesses, strengths, and desires are. Christ loves us and we can feel it.  President Hinckley was a great example to me of this Christ-like love.  So when President Hinckley says, "Be faithful to him. He is the one true source of your strength. He is your Father in Heaven. He lives. He hears and answers prayers. Be faithful to God."  I believe it, even when my faith is weak, because I feel that love from him and I know that it comes from God.

Check out my next posting on "And Walk in the Paths of Virtue" (D & C 25:2).

What is My Will?

Today's lesson is “I Seek Not Mine Own Will, but the Will of the Father”.  I have been evaluating myself recently on the subject of pride and have been recognizing how my pride had influenced my decisions to my detriment.  Here are some quotes from the lesson that are giving me insights into moving forward with no regrets.

"When we seek God’s will, we follow a course in which there will be no failure."

"There is a course for every person to pursue in which there will be no failure. It will apply to temporal as well as spiritual matters. The Lord has given us the keyword in these verses that I have read from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants:

“If your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you, and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God.” [D&C 88:67–68.]"

I want to be filled with light and comprehend all things, or even just more than I understand right now.  This scripture tells me how I can be filled with light and filled with happiness--seek God's will first in all things.

Even our Savior, Christ the Lord, our perfect example said:  “I can of mine own self do nothing.” [John 5:30.]

Lorenzo Snow commented:

"It is remarkable that the God who made the worlds, who came down here clothed with flesh, performed mighty miracles, and sacrificed his life on Mount Calvary for the salvation of the human family—that He should say,“I can of mine own self do nothing.” And He goes on to say:

“As I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” [John 5:30.]

That is a wonderful saying, and there is a great deal in it. Now, what we want is to have that spirit in every act of our lives and in every undertaking, whether temporal or spiritual, and not think of self. We should try to ascertain how we should spend the money and the information that God has given us. The answer is simple—for the glory of God. Our eye should be single to the glory of God. That is what we left the other life for and [came] into this. We should seek to promote the interests of the Most High God, and to feel as Jesus felt, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” Inasmuch as we act today and tomorrow, this week and next week, in the interest of God, and have our eye single to His glory, there can be no failure.2 "

I need to make sure that my prayers aren't just a laundry list of things that I need, but instead ask God how I can be in His service and what is His will.  A couple of weeks ago I recognized that service was missing in my life.  I hadn't been serving others as I could because I was too busy or couldn't afford it.  I realized how many blessings and feelings of goodness I was missing out on and how I had also prevented the Lord from blessing others by avoiding these opportunities.  It's true that I was busy and money was tight, but I realized that my faith was not sufficient to believe that "all things are possible" through my Lord and Savior.  So about a month ago I began praying for opportunities to serve and told my Heavenly Father that I would accept these opportunities without hesitation. It was amazing how opportunities came at me everyday.  I was able to clean my friends house when she was sick and unable to. I was driving out of my neighborhood and saw my neighbor walking, clearly out of breath and struggling up the hill.  I'm so glad I recognized this opportunity and turned around and went back and asked her if she wanted a ride somewhere.  She said she was walking to the car repair shop to pick up her car.  She had only accomplished a few hundred feet and had another mile or two to go.  She climbed in my car and we were there at the shop in 3 or 4 minutes. This walk would have taken her an hour or more.  It was on my way to where I was going and wan't even an inconvenience at all, but I recognized what a huge help it was to her that day.  And I felt joy that I could help my Heavenly Father.  With my kids' school year coming to an end my busyness exploded with all the end of the year parties and field trips.  Writing this today has helped me recognize that I have fallen back into the trap of busyness and have once again missed opportunities to serve.  I need to seek out these opportunities again in prayer.  

Hope

If we heed the commandments and the words of the living prophets then "the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory."

What a powerful promise this is that we are given.  Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-6

4 Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;

5 For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.

6 For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.

The Sacrament

The Sacrament Prayers

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there are set prayers that are used each time to bless the Sacrament before passing it to the congregation. Here are the prayers that we use, they can be found in the book Doctrine & Covenants 20:75-79:

75 It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus;
76 And the elder or priest shall administer it; and after this manner shall he administer it—he shall kneel with the church and call upon the Father in solemn prayer, saying:
77 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.
78 The manner of administering the wine—he shall take the cup also, and say:
79 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

In my online class that I am taking on the Doctrine & Covenants, I am studying the sacrament. One of the things that I read was something that I had never thought of before, even after 30+ years of hearing those prayers every Sunday. The course mentioned that the sacrament prayers don't actually bless the bread and the water, but they bless the souls of those who partake of the emblems. It does say in the prayers, "to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it," and " to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it. " I had never considered that these prayers aren't actually blessing the bread and water, but were blessing them to the good of my soul. If we take of the sacrament worthily we are made holy, not the emblems. I'm looking forward to going to church today and considering this element of the Sacrament prayer as I partake.

Communion with the Lord

I have been trying to find ways to make partaking of the Sacrament more meaningful to me. Recently I was called to direct the music in Sacrament meeting. This calling has placed me on the stand during the sacrament with my husband managing the children down in the seats. I am blessed by this calling to be able to sit (without any children on my lap) and be able to actually think during the sacrament. Reading this quote today, made me realize this blessing. It also pointed out to me that I need to take full advantage of this time to meditate and commune with the Lord.

"Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord. . . . I believe the short period of administering the sacrament is one of the best opportunities we have for such meditation. . . .

Great events have happened in this Church because of such communion, because of the responsiveness of the soul to the inspiration of the Almighty. I know it is real. . . . You will find that when these most inspirational moments come to you that you are alone with yourself and your God. They come to you probably when you are facing a great trial, when the wall is across your pathway, and it seems that you are facing an insurmountable obstacle, or when your heart is heavy because of some tragedy in your life. I repeat, the greatest comfort that can come to us in this life is to sense the realization of communion with God.

If we partake of it mechanically, we are not honest, or let us say, we are permitting our thoughts to be distracted from a very sacred ordinance." (David O. McKay, in Conference Report, Apr. 1946, p. 115.)

Quote of the Day

"Holiness is religious principles put into action--it is faith gone to work--it is love coined into conduct--devotion helping human suffering, and going up in intercession to the great source of all good." (Delbert L. Stapley, Improvement Era , Dec. 1968, p. 55; or Conference Report, Oct. 1968, p. 29.)

The Work of God

I have been struggling today after speaking with one of my close friends this morning.  She had seemed interested in my church a little but today informed me that she is going to start attending another church.  I have been wondering if I missed something. Was there something life changing I was supposed to say to her and I wasn't "in tune" with the Spirit and missed it.  I woke up this morning before my kids and thought I should read my scriptures but I was tired and compromised and read in my bed (which didn't last too long).   

Then tonight I was rereading today's lesson on Sacred Family Relationships by Lorenzo Snow and even though he was talking about parenting it applied to my concerns of today. 

"This is not our work that we are engaged in, it is the work of God."

He's right, this is not my work, it is His.  I have already shared many things with my friend and I will continue to try to be more "in tune" with the Spirit so that I will be ready to answer any questions if she does have any.  The Lord is so kind to give me these gentle reminders that He is in charge and I need not worry. 

Baptism Talk

Had to write a talk on baptism for one of my best friends' children's baptism.   Why reinvent the wheel so I found a great start to writing a talk on a blog. The original baptism talk I found was here at Strong Armor blog. I cut and pasted the talk into Word and began editing it to fit the kids I was speaking to. I felt a little guilty copying someone else's talk, but in the end I was amazed at how personal it had become and it was perfect for my friends two kids. It was such an amazing night.

Here is my talk on Baptism:

I am so excited to be here today. I have watched A. and J. learn about the church and have seen their faith grow. I am very proud of both of you and how you have prepared yourself for this day. You have both listened learned about Christ and on your own decided that you want to follow Christ by being baptized.

J. and A., Do you know that you are about to participate in your very first ordinance and make your very first official promise to Heavenly Father?

Today when you are baptized you will promise Heavenly Father that you will remember Jesus, follow Him and keep His commandments. And our Heavenly Father loves us so much that whenever we make a promise to Him, He makes a promise right back to us.

Today Heavenly Father will also make a promise to you. He promises you that He will forgive you if you make mistakes and do something wrong - if you are sorry for what you did and get on your knees and repent he will forgive you. He also promises that you can have the gift of the Holy Ghost with you and that you can return to live with Heavenly Father again someday.

When we make a promise to Heavenly Father and He makes one right back to us, those promises are called covenants. Heavenly Father never breaks His promises to us, and we need to try our hardest not to break our promises to Him.

Let’s go over once again what you will promise today:
1. To take upon you the name of Christ (D&C 18:21-25)
2. To bear one another’s burdens that they might be light (Mosiah 18:8)
3. To stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, and in all places. (Mosiah 18:9)
4. To obey the commandments of God and to serve him (Mosiah 18:10)

God promises:
1. To accept you as a member of his Church
2. To forgive your sins if you repent
3. To give you the gift of the Holy Ghost
4. To bring you into the kingdom of God in heaven if you keep doing what is right and keeping the commandments.

When you are baptized and go under the water you are washed clean of any mistakes or sins. And you have a fresh start as the newest member of Christ’s church. Try to remember the feelings you feel after you are baptized and confirmed and write them down in a journal to help you remember those feelings. Heavenly Father is so please with the choice you have made and you will feel of His love.

Even though you are only eight and ten years old, you know how hard it is not to make mistakes, don’t you. It is hard for everyone to choose the right every single minute of every single day. Heavenly Father knows that. None of us is perfect, Jesus was the only one that was perfect and so when we make mistakes, cause we all do, Heavenly Father wants us to repent and try harder to do what is right.

Every Sunday you have a chance to remember the covenant or promise you made today. That is what people do when they bow their heads during the Sacrament. They remember the promises that they made to Heavenly Father and the promises He made to them. They think about what kind of person they were during the week between Sundays and if they have been obedient. They also make a decision on how to do better the next week. But most importantly they remember that Jesus died and was resurrected so that they might live again someday. And that he suffered in Gethesmane to atone for their sins so that they could live with Him some day if they choose the right, read the scriptures, always say their prayers, and obey the commandments.

Heavenly Father gives you another great gift to help you make good choices – it is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Someone else will talk about this wonderful gift after you are baptized. The Holy Ghost will help you choose the right.

Your Heavenly Father loves you so very much (even more than your mom, which is pretty hard to beat) and he is so proud of you J. and A. for choosing to follow Christ.

Remember that this is the first day of the rest of your life. After you are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, you will be absolutely clean in the eyes of your Heavenly Father. I pray that you will always remember your promise and the feelings you feel today and do all you can to keep yourself spiritually clean-- like today.

Fathers

As I was reading today's Relief Society Lesson this morning this quote impressed me:

"President Snow continued: “This is the last family re-union we have reason to expect this side of the spirit world. May the God of our fathers help us to keep His laws, live honorable lives, preserve inviolate our virtue and integrity, listen to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, and seek diligently to purify ourselves, that not a single member of this family be lost by deviating from the straight and narrow path, but may we all prove ourselves worthy to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, crowned with glory, perpetuating in immortality the family union, and continue to increase down through the endless ages of eternity.”

President Snow may have been a prophet and president of the Mormon church, but he obviously understood that his first calling was as a father and patriarch of his family. He gathered his family, all of them, and taught them, testified to them and blessed them.  He is an amazing example of what a father can be and he left profound legacy for his children.

Lessons Learned

Here is a quote from today's Sociadad de Socorro lesson (thank goodness for the LDS Gospel Library app that helps me follow along in English)

[But, like the child with the toy or the plaything, we too often satisfy ourselves with the perishable things of time, forgetting the opportunities we have of developing within us the great, the eternal principles of life and truth. The Lord wishes to establish a closer and more intimate relationship between Himself and us; He wishes to elevate us in the scale of being and intelligence, and this can only be done through the medium of the everlasting Gospel which is specially prepared for this purpose.]

Lorenzo Snow

Today was one of those moments where this quote was speaking directly to me.  God is amazing how he can speak to us so directly through others words.  It warmed my heart hearing from the Lord that he wants a closer relationship with me.  He loves me and I feel it.  He so gently invites me and you back to Him.  He sees my potential. I love how he says that He, "wishes to elevate us in the scale of being and intelligence".  Elevate was particularly poignant as I have felt for a long time like I was in a dark hole and couldn't climb out.  He has gradually lifted me through scripture study and prayer to a place now where I can breath, see a little ahead of me and feel of the Spirit. But He sees more for me to "elevate [me] in the scale of being and intelligence."  I have also found that Spanish has been a little easier to understand as of late.  I see that I need to continue to pray and study for increased understanding in the Gospel and the language.

As I continue to try to change my habits, it is also clear from above that I am too often satisfying myself with "the perishable things of time." And by doing so I am "forgetting (or missing) the opportunities we have of developing within us the great, the eternal principles of life and truth."  I feel that the Lord is pleased with my progress, but is asking me to take it to the next level, or raise the bar.  We learn line upon line, precept upon precept and He is telling me I'm ready for the next step.  I need to continue setting aside the things of the world and focusing more on my home, children, husband, and the Lord.  I feel His confidence in me, and I'm going to need His help.

Small and Simple Things

This morning my girls and I climbed in the car, ready for a special outing to Sea World.  Only to find that my little toddler had left on the fog lights in the car yesterday and we had a dead battery.  Yesterday when coming home from the grocery store I pulled in forward and then thought that maybe I should back in so that my little helper wouldn't be next to the street when helping unload the groceries.  I never, hardly ever back my car into the driveway, but I thought it's not a bad idea. So I pulled out and backed the car into the driveway.  It was helpful for unloading groceries, but was a huge blessing this morning when I needed a jump start. A special thanks to the gardener across the street for letting us use his jumper cables and the neighbor for jumping the car with his truck this morning to get us going.  After attaching the cables from his truck to my car, it was clear that the cables would not have reached if my car was parked front first in the driveway and he had parked his truck next to my car.  What a blessing from the Lord for placing that little thought in my head to turn the car around.  This experience confirmed to me what I had mentioned in my earlier post, that the Holy Spirit speaks to me in such subtle ways they are easily missed if I am not paying attention and listening. I am so grateful for this inspiration from the Holy Spirit and that I listened.  It seemed just a little thing, but it made all the difference!

We were only 20 minutes late meeting our group for the field trip and had a great day! And to my youngest, No more playing with fog lights!

Life Choices

Stand Strong in Holy Places by Elder Robert D. Hales

"In addition, use your agency to develop yourself personally. As you discover your gifts and talents, remember that parents and mentors may assist you, but you must let the Spirit guide you. Choose and act for yourself. Be motivated from within. Make a plan for your life, including education or vocational training. Explore interests and skills. Work and become self-reliant. Set goals, overcome mistakes, gain experience, and finish what you begin."

Set goals,

overcome mistakes,

gain experience,

and

finish what you begin

Steadfast & Immovable

Alma 1:22-25

22 Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, ....
23 ... and it was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the cause of much trial with the church.
24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their names wereablotted out, that they were remembered no more among the people of God. And also many bwithdrew themselves from among them.
25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were asteadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with bpatiencethe persecution which was heaped upon them.

I think that sometimes we think that if do what is right and believe then we will have peace and happiness and no trials.  Tonight verse 25 was particularly interesting to me as I reflect on some of the trials I have experienced over the last few years.  In 22-24 it discusses how members of the Church had become prideful and contentious and "withdrew themselves from among them (the church)".

Second, in verse 25 those remaining in the Church "were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God" however, despite their righteousness "persecution ...was heaped upon them."  But because of their righteousness "they bore [it] with patience."

In these verses, they were all members of the church, they all had trials, the difference was the second group had the strength they needed to endure their trials because of their obedience and diligence to keeping the commandments.  Thus confirming what I had once heard, "Obedience is the first law of heaven."  I have no idea who said it or if someone important ever said it, but I heard it and it stuck with me.

First, I must ask myself, "What can I do to soften my heart toward the Lord?"  I have been trying really hard lately to remember my morning and nightly prayers.  But I have also realized that I also need quiet time to ponder and listen to the Lord.  I remember one year when I was in college, I lived by the stadium and everyday walking home from campus I had to walk across the large stadium parking lot.  I quickly began to love this part of my walk, for there was no one around me which is hard to find on campus and in an apartment of six girls.  I found myself talking to my Heavenly Father as I would cross the parking lot and before long found myself speaking to him out loud.   I would tell Him about my day, about the things that concerned me, and the things that had made me so happy.  I felt very close to Him during this time of my life because I spoke to Him so regularly.

Now as a stay-at-home mom quiet time is rare and I have had to consciously start to make quite time for myself--not only finding time when I'm playing 20+ questions with the kids but also making sure that when I do get those quiet moments to myself that I take advantage of them and speak to my Heavenly Father instead of filling that moment with a phone call, looking up something on the internet, or listening to music.  I am learning to be a "deliberate mother" as I have seen mentioned elsewhere.  

Second, How can I become Steadfast and Immovable in keeping the commandments?  Identifying the commandments where I can improve is my first step and then I will have to seek out help from the Lord.  I am so grateful that our Savior continues to forgive even though we try and slip and fall again and again sometimes. I am reminded of Ether 12:27:

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

All men are given weaknesses, but will we become proud and contentious or will we turn to the Lord and accept of our weaknesses and humble ourselves before God having faith in his teachings and promises, then will he cause our weak things to become strengths.  And with those strengths He has many good works for us to fulfill.

Be Ye Therefore Perfect

“Do not expect to become perfect at once. If you do, you will be disappointed. Be better today than you were yesterday, and be better tomorrow than you are today.”  Lorenzo Snow

Here comes the early bird.

If Martin is to enter into God's rest he is first commanded to repent and to obey the commandments. Passive repentance is turning from evil. Active repentance is doing that which he should do. There is no other way to satisfy the law, and there is no other way to obtain God's love. Even the love of God himself cannot reach the heart that is unrepentant. (John A. Widtsoe, The Message of the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969], p. 34.)

I love how repentance is defined in this quote.  "Passive repentance is turning from evil.  Active repentance is doing that which he should do."

A small example from my life is a habit I have been trying to change.  The "Natural Man" in me is a Night Owl and for years I have know that it is better to go to bed early and get up early and study the scriptures in the morning.  Early Bird gets the Worm, right?  So I have been trying as of late to go to bed early (haha, right now I'm just shooting for 10:30 pm, which I'm sure is hilarious to my friend who is consistently in bed before 9 pm).  But according to this definition of repentance it is not only the going to bed early that I must embrace, but also the rising early, before my children, and study my scriptures at the only time of the day when there is quiet in my house.  And so you may notice that right now it is 5:44 am that I am writing this.  

Not only do I need to leave the undesirable behavior behind, but I need to replace it with a behavior that will bring about good and strengthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father. 

Formula for Success

This April's General Conference was wonderful.  I could tell the talks had so much information in them and would require further study (especially because my children seemed a little more active this time.)  Elder Scott is one of the apostles that always seems to be speaking directly to me and this conference was no exception.  One of the many things he pointed out was this formula for creating a Christ Centered Home.

I have learned a truth that has been repeated so frequently in my life that I have come to know it as an absolute law. It defines the way obedience and service relate to the power of God. When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God—power to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace.

 Obedience + Service = Power of God