Moroni 7:5-26

Christ has said that if we ask for good things with faith that the Lord will bless you, behold it shall be done unto you. So then our responsibility lies in searching out if it be a good thing and having faith. In order to know if it is a good thing vs 5-15 are clear as to how to discern good from evil. And 15 states that it is given to us to judge ie we have our agency to know good from evil. And we are told that the "way to judge is plain" because we look to the source, that which is of God is good, that which is of Satan is evil. But we are also told that we "may know with a perfect knowledge" if it is of God. And the way to know is in vs 19 "search diligently in the light of Christ...and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing...ye certainly will be a child of Christ." So search the scriptures, the prophets, patriarchal blessings, and the temple-all things that are of the light of Christ. And "lay hold" of them or take them unto yourself. I guess this is all just part of the process of becoming like Jesus.

Cry unto him over the flocks of your fields....

I am so thankful to know that my Heavenly Father does hear and answer my prayers. We have had a lot of extra expenses on our rental properties recently but we were able to work it all out. Then this morning my tenant called to tell me that her furnace wasn't working. We just had the unit serviced 4 months ago and it is only 7 years old so it should have been fine. But she called to say that it wasn't even turning on. I told her I would check into it and call her back. I fell to my knees and pleaded with the Lord to know what to do because the company absolutely doesn't have enough reserves to replace a furnace right now. I pleaded for His help and then got up and went to call the heating company that last serviced it hoping that maybe their work would be guaranteed and they would go out and inspect it for free. I picked up my phone and my tenant was calling me back. She told me that she didn't know why, but the furnace just switched on and began working again. I knelt back down and thanked my Heavenly Father for hearing my prayer and answering my prayer. Our prayers are not always answered so quickly and directly and I know that and didn't expect such a direct and clear answer, but I needed it. I needed that witness once again that He is there for me as my faith had been waning. I know that my Heavenly Father does continue to perform miracles on the earth today and that he has blessed me and my husband with a miracle today. He is a merciful and loving Father who knows what we need if we turn to him.
It says in the scriptures, in Alma 34: 20,24-25 that we should pray over our flocks, crops, and our fields. My little rental property is our little flock/field and the Lord has blessed us this day.

Celestial Thursdays

Thursdays at the temple have always been the most celestial time in the temple. For 4 years, before Gracie was born, I worked in the temple on Thursday nights (the True shift). I loved working at the temple and not just because I met and got to know Luis on those Thursday nights. My world was a little crazy, especially my work, and Thursday night gave me a few quite hours of peace to clear all the stress and madness out of my head. It allowed me the time each week to regain an eternal perspective of my mortal experiences. I really miss it.

Recently, after becoming so overwhelmed with everything in life and with my children's latest developmental stages I remembered that it had been months since I had been to the temple. We would try to get a sitter for ward temple night a couple of times, but it never panned out, and since Luis was in the branch Presidency we would send him and I'd stay home with the kids. But then I didn't make the effort on another day to still get myself there. I think that the state I was in was also compounded by my minimal efforts at my personal scripture study and the fact that I haven't understood what's being said in church in over a year. (Except High Council speakers who are always in English--bless them) I realized that I haven't been getting that extra spiritual boost that comes from listening to others experiences and testimonies about the principles of the gospel.

Resolved. I finally committed within myself that regardless of what ever else is going on, one Thurs night each month I would be going to the temple. I sent Luis an email, telling him to mark on his calendar that he was busy on that day from now on, starting in two days. I needed the temple and so I went and it felt great to be back there. And then last week I went again as I was starting to feel depleted again. I walked in and noticed that the baptistry was full of youth and leaders and was inspired by them, and then I looked over and saw a brother that I had met back in 2001 when I started working in the temple. I caught his attention and he slipped out to say hello. I hadn't seen him in years and was so happy to see him again and catch up. He informed me that he had been released as bishop and was now serving in his stake presidency. Seeing him confirmed to me that I was in the right place at the right time--in the temple. It brought back to me how much more of a consistent happiness was with me when I was in working in the temple.

I changed into my white clothes and proceeded to go upstairs, and ran into a sister that was and still is working the True Thursday night shift. This sister had caught my attention the first time I saw her, because she just beamed and radiated happiness that was so contagious. She hugged me and pointed out to another sister there that I was happy and beaming. I realized I was--I was so happy I was beaming. It felt so wonderful and I remembered this is who I really am. Not the cranky, tired, stressed out mom that I had allowed myself to fall into. In the temple we not only see others how Heavenly Father sees them, but we see ourselves that way too. Realizing now what I have been missing, the desire and hunger to have that feeling back in a constant way has begun to grow.

I continued upstairs and again saw another sister that I had worked with there at the temple before. The Lord always has a way of teaching us in 3's. There was just something so divine about those friendships that were made in the temple. I truly believe it is the same society that exists in heaven. And by being able to taste that 'good fruit' again I was filled and happy again. And the desire to return to the temple feels real. I can't wait til I can go again and want to prepare my heart and mind even more to be fed and taught by the Lord.

I am so thankful that I was able to remember that feeling of happiness--not even happiness, but just pure, pure joy--that I knew before and can know again. It is coming back, and I hunger for it. I need it, I need to show it to my children and teach them how they can obtain that fruit too.

Saturday Morning

So I have had a decision to make. I enjoy gardening, especially fruits and veggies. It's Saturday and I had registered a couple of weeks ago for a free class on composting this morning. I've been wanting to learn more about composting and get a composter started for my backyard for a year or two. Luis is going to watch the girls while I go. However, yesterday I started having the feeling that I should go to the temple instead. It's a choice. A small decision, but every decision changes the direction we are headed. I could go to the temple another day, so why am I feeling that I should go right during the class. I don't know. Choices.

Mother's who know

Life has been very busy lately. I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping up with it however, each time I think about it the thought comes to my mind, "Mother's who know do less." I am recognizing the truth in this saying and have decided to apply it. Letting go of things is hard, but I can see how much it will benefit my girls and husband.

Mothers Who Know Do Less

Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord’s kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power.

Julie B. Beck

Come Unto Christ

As I am preparing to teach my lesson tomorrow in Church, I am reflecting on the article in the Ensign magazine "Come unto Christ" By President Henry B. Eyring Second Counselor in the First Presidency. He asks us to reflect often on how the Atonement of Jesus Christ has changed us. So I then pose the question to myself, "How has the Atonement changed me?". I first remember specific times when I felt the power of forgiveness and the overwhelming peace and joy that accompanied that. I remember low and sad times when I knew that there really was someone else there to know what I felt and what I was going through, because Christ has descended below all and risen again. Because of the Atonement I am blessed with peace and knowledge of the hereafter when someone I know passes on.

After Luis and I got married I was organizing his things in the spare closet in order to fit more in. I was consolidating all the packaging he had kept from all the computer software, there were so many boxes. Later we determined that apparently I had thrown away the Quicken box that had a special number on it needed to reinstall Quicken on the computer. A virus required us to restore our computer to factory settings and reinstall programs. We weren't able to reinstall Quicken and have been without it since. We have been wanting to be more organized in our finances and use Quicken again, and so I was praying and hoping that I had just misplaced the Quicken box. I searched Quicken online to see how much it was and they have a free online Quicken that we are able to use. What a big little blessing.

Quote of the Day: "As we ask in faith, we can receive revelation upon revelation and knowledge upon knowledge and come to know the mysteries and peaceable things that bring joy and eternal life. The mysteries are those matters that can only be known and understood by the power of the Holy Ghost." Elder David A. Bednar