I was reading the most read chapter in the Book of Mormon last night, 1 Nephi 1. Vs. 20 says that "the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith...."
I woke up this morning thinking of the tender mercies the Lord has given me. I am sure that because I had been reading chapter one of 1 Nephi that my first thoughts were of my parents. I, like Nephi, was born of goodly parents. I am so grateful for the lessons they taught me at a young age. But most of all, I am grateful that they taught me about God and His love for me.
My parents are both gone now but I still feel their influence in my life. It is a tender mercy for me to know that even though their mission is different right now, they still care about their loved ones on Earth. When we are seeing great afflictions in our lives, there are loved ones on the other side that are praying for us.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Faith the Choice is Yours
I enjoyed the conference talk by Bishop Richard C Edgley entitled "Faith--the Choice is Yours." I liked it so much that I used most of it in my Relief Society lesson on faith. I think the part I liked best was when he was talking about the scripture in Matthew 17:20 that says if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you can remove mountains.
He said. "I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. but because of faith, I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed."
It brought a new light to my mind and I realized that I too had seen a mountain removed. I have seen doubt, despair, sin, and pain in my own life replaced with hope, optimism, repentance, forgiveness, peace hope and gratitude. Yes I have seen a mountain in my own life removed.
He said. "I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. but because of faith, I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed."
It brought a new light to my mind and I realized that I too had seen a mountain removed. I have seen doubt, despair, sin, and pain in my own life replaced with hope, optimism, repentance, forgiveness, peace hope and gratitude. Yes I have seen a mountain in my own life removed.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Faith
My lesson in Relief Society this month is on faith. Faith is a hope for things which are not seen, which are true. (Hebrews 11:1) We do so many things as a routine. We forget that everything we do is based on faith. We get up in the morning because we have a hope of accomplishing something that day. We go to work because of our hope that we will be able to do something that will benefit ourselves and others. We plant a garden with the hope of being able to harvest it in the fall. We begin each new task with the hope that by the end we will reap the benefits of that task.
Imagine how hard it must have been for Noah and his family to build an ark. It was not raining the day he began building that ark. It was not raining the day he finished building the ark. It might not have been raining as the animals were entering the ark. If there was a seasonal rain I am sure the people danced and laughed. I bet people ridiculed him even after the floods began. But as the rain began to lift that ark off the ground I bet there were some who were wishing they had built an ark.
Our faith moves us to action.
Imagine how hard it must have been for Noah and his family to build an ark. It was not raining the day he began building that ark. It was not raining the day he finished building the ark. It might not have been raining as the animals were entering the ark. If there was a seasonal rain I am sure the people danced and laughed. I bet people ridiculed him even after the floods began. But as the rain began to lift that ark off the ground I bet there were some who were wishing they had built an ark.
Our faith moves us to action.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Conference
I have been trying to decide which talk I enjoyed the most but there were so many good talks.
I enjoyed the talk by Jairo Mazzagardi (hope I spelt that right) He talked about the fence post that was over taken by a tree. The tree eventually grew around the post and pulled it right out of the ground. Sin sneaks slowly into our lives over time until it overtakes us. It is making me take a look at my live and seeing the sins I need to weed out of my live before they become full blown trees making them impossible to get out without a great deal of help.
I will enjoy listening to the talks again while I am working after school this week.
I enjoyed the talk by Jairo Mazzagardi (hope I spelt that right) He talked about the fence post that was over taken by a tree. The tree eventually grew around the post and pulled it right out of the ground. Sin sneaks slowly into our lives over time until it overtakes us. It is making me take a look at my live and seeing the sins I need to weed out of my live before they become full blown trees making them impossible to get out without a great deal of help.
I will enjoy listening to the talks again while I am working after school this week.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Women's Conference
I almost forgot the Women's Conference last night. Joe and I went shopping yesterday morning and checked out in the line of a sister that lives in our ward. She asked if I was going to the conference. How grateful I am that she said something. I went home and finished making my salsa and then got ready for the conference.
I enjoyed Sister Silvia Allred's talk. One thing that I felt I needed to remember was how to be steadfast and immovable. 1. prayer 2. scripture study 3. obedience 4. service
President Thomas S Monson gave a great talk as usual. He gave the cutest anecdotal story about a woman who complained to her husband about how dirty her neighbors laundry was each time it was hung out. Finally one day she noticed the laundry hanging on the line was clean. She asked her husband what he thought had happened to teach the neighbor how to do laundry. Her husband said he knew what had happened. He said he had gotten up early that day and had washed the windows.
Don't judge by appearances.
I can hardly wait to read the talks again.
I enjoyed Sister Silvia Allred's talk. One thing that I felt I needed to remember was how to be steadfast and immovable. 1. prayer 2. scripture study 3. obedience 4. service
President Thomas S Monson gave a great talk as usual. He gave the cutest anecdotal story about a woman who complained to her husband about how dirty her neighbors laundry was each time it was hung out. Finally one day she noticed the laundry hanging on the line was clean. She asked her husband what he thought had happened to teach the neighbor how to do laundry. Her husband said he knew what had happened. He said he had gotten up early that day and had washed the windows.
Don't judge by appearances.
I can hardly wait to read the talks again.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
This Do in Remembrance of Me
Elder Jeffrey R Holland gave a talk in the 1995 October conference titled "This Do in Remembrance of Me." He talks about the things we can do to remember our Savior. Here is a part of that talk.
"If remembering is the principal task before us, what might come to our memory when those plain and precious emblems are offered to us?
We could remember the Savior’s premortal life and all that we know him to have done as the great Jehovah, creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. We could remember that even in the Grand Council of Heaven he loved us and was wonderfully strong, that we triumphed even there by the power of Christ and our faith in the blood of the Lamb (see Rev. 12:10–11).
We could remember the simple grandeur of his mortal birth to just a young woman, one probably in the age range of those in our Young Women organization, who spoke for every faithful woman in every dispensation of time when she said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).
We could remember his magnificent but virtually unknown foster father, a humble carpenter by trade who taught us, among other things, that quiet, plain, unpretentious people have moved this majestic work forward from the very beginning, and still do so today. If you are serving almost anonymously, please know that so, too, did one of the best men who has ever lived on this earth.
We could remember Christ’s miracles and his teachings, his healings and his help. We could remember that he gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and motion to the lame and the maimed and the withered. Then, on those days when we feel our progress has halted or our joys and views have grown dim, we can press forward steadfastly in Christ, with unshaken faith in him and a perfect brightness of hope (see 2 Ne. 31:19–20).
We could remember that even with such a solemn mission given to him, the Savior found delight in living; he enjoyed people and told his disciples to be of good cheer. He said we should be as thrilled with the gospel as one who had found a great treasure, a veritable pearl of great price, right on our own doorstep. We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them—guileless and pure, quick to laugh and to love and to forgive, slow to remember any offense.
We could remember that Christ called his disciples friends, and that friends are those who stand by us in times of loneliness or potential despair. We could remember a friend we need to contact or, better yet, a friend we need to make. In doing so we could remember that God often provides his blessings through the compassionate and timely response of another. For someone nearby we may be the means of heaven’s answer to a very urgent prayer.
We could—and should—remember the wonderful things that have come to us in our lives and that “all things which are good cometh of Christ” (Moro. 7:24). Those of us who are so blessed could remember the courage of those around us who face more difficulty than we, but who remain cheerful, who do the best they can, and trust that the Bright and Morning Star will rise again for them—as surely he will do (see Rev. 22:16).
On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment he received, the rejection he experienced, and the injustice—oh, the injustice—he endured. When we, too, then face some of that in life, we can remember that Christ was also troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9).
When those difficult times come to us, we can remember that Jesus had to descend below all things before he could ascend above them, and that he suffered pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind that he might be filled with mercy and know how to succor his people in their infirmities (see D&C 88:6; Alma 7:11–12).
To those who stagger or stumble, he is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end he is there to save us, and for all this he gave his life. However dim our days may seem they have been darker for the Savior of the world.
In fact, in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has chosen to retain for the benefit of his disciples the wounds in his hands and his feet and his side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you. It is the wounded Christ who is the captain of our soul—he who yet bears the scars of sacrifice, the lesions of love and humility and forgiveness.
Those wounds are what he invites young and old, then and now, to step forward and see and feel (see 3 Ne. 11:15; 3 Ne. 18:25). Then we remember with Isaiah that it was for each of us that our Master was “despised and rejected … ; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). All this we could remember when we are invited by a kneeling young priest to remember Christ always.
One request Christ made of his disciples on that night of deep anguish and grief was that they stand by him, stay with him in his hour of sorrow and pain. “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” he asked longingly (Matt. 26:40). I think he asks that again of us, every Sabbath day when the emblems of his life are broken and blessed and passed."
"If remembering is the principal task before us, what might come to our memory when those plain and precious emblems are offered to us?
We could remember the Savior’s premortal life and all that we know him to have done as the great Jehovah, creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. We could remember that even in the Grand Council of Heaven he loved us and was wonderfully strong, that we triumphed even there by the power of Christ and our faith in the blood of the Lamb (see Rev. 12:10–11).
We could remember the simple grandeur of his mortal birth to just a young woman, one probably in the age range of those in our Young Women organization, who spoke for every faithful woman in every dispensation of time when she said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).
We could remember his magnificent but virtually unknown foster father, a humble carpenter by trade who taught us, among other things, that quiet, plain, unpretentious people have moved this majestic work forward from the very beginning, and still do so today. If you are serving almost anonymously, please know that so, too, did one of the best men who has ever lived on this earth.
We could remember Christ’s miracles and his teachings, his healings and his help. We could remember that he gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and motion to the lame and the maimed and the withered. Then, on those days when we feel our progress has halted or our joys and views have grown dim, we can press forward steadfastly in Christ, with unshaken faith in him and a perfect brightness of hope (see 2 Ne. 31:19–20).
We could remember that even with such a solemn mission given to him, the Savior found delight in living; he enjoyed people and told his disciples to be of good cheer. He said we should be as thrilled with the gospel as one who had found a great treasure, a veritable pearl of great price, right on our own doorstep. We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them—guileless and pure, quick to laugh and to love and to forgive, slow to remember any offense.
We could remember that Christ called his disciples friends, and that friends are those who stand by us in times of loneliness or potential despair. We could remember a friend we need to contact or, better yet, a friend we need to make. In doing so we could remember that God often provides his blessings through the compassionate and timely response of another. For someone nearby we may be the means of heaven’s answer to a very urgent prayer.
We could—and should—remember the wonderful things that have come to us in our lives and that “all things which are good cometh of Christ” (Moro. 7:24). Those of us who are so blessed could remember the courage of those around us who face more difficulty than we, but who remain cheerful, who do the best they can, and trust that the Bright and Morning Star will rise again for them—as surely he will do (see Rev. 22:16).
On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment he received, the rejection he experienced, and the injustice—oh, the injustice—he endured. When we, too, then face some of that in life, we can remember that Christ was also troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9).
When those difficult times come to us, we can remember that Jesus had to descend below all things before he could ascend above them, and that he suffered pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind that he might be filled with mercy and know how to succor his people in their infirmities (see D&C 88:6; Alma 7:11–12).
To those who stagger or stumble, he is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end he is there to save us, and for all this he gave his life. However dim our days may seem they have been darker for the Savior of the world.
In fact, in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has chosen to retain for the benefit of his disciples the wounds in his hands and his feet and his side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you. It is the wounded Christ who is the captain of our soul—he who yet bears the scars of sacrifice, the lesions of love and humility and forgiveness.
Those wounds are what he invites young and old, then and now, to step forward and see and feel (see 3 Ne. 11:15; 3 Ne. 18:25). Then we remember with Isaiah that it was for each of us that our Master was “despised and rejected … ; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). All this we could remember when we are invited by a kneeling young priest to remember Christ always.
One request Christ made of his disciples on that night of deep anguish and grief was that they stand by him, stay with him in his hour of sorrow and pain. “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” he asked longingly (Matt. 26:40). I think he asks that again of us, every Sabbath day when the emblems of his life are broken and blessed and passed."
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Perfect A
Arturo Toscanini, the late, famous conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, received a brief, crumpled letter from a lonely sheepherder in the remote mountain area of Wyoming:
“Mr. Conductor: I have only two possessions—a radio and an old violin. The batteries in my radio are getting low and will soon die. My violin is so out of tune I can’t use it. Please help me. Next Sunday when you begin your concert, sound a loud ‘A’ so I can tune my ‘A’ string; then I can tune the other strings. When my radio batteries are dead, I’ll have my violin.”
At the beginning of his next nationwide radio concert from Carnegie Hall, Toscanini announced: “For a dear friend and listener back in the mountains of Wyoming the orchestra will now sound an ‘A.’ ” The musicians all joined together in a perfect “A.”
The lonely sheepherder only needed one note, just a little help to get back in tune; he could go on from there. He needed someone who cared to assist him with one string; the others would be easy. Then, with all strings in tune—in harmony—the lonely sheepherder would have a source of companionship and joy and could play uplifting strains.
(David B. Haight, “People to People,” Ensign, Nov 1981, 54)
Where do we find our perfect A to tune our lives?
The scriptures tell us where we can find our perfect A. The scriptures tell us who to turn to and why we need to turn to Him.
Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, (daughters, mothers, fathers), remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
All we have to do is find the time to read and study the scriptures. In all honesty we don't have the time not to read them. We can gain a testimony from the scriptures and we can in turn help our children learn to love the scriptures and gain their own testimony of Jesus Christ. Nothing else in life matters. Our testimony will be the thing that will pull us through the trials that face us.
“Mr. Conductor: I have only two possessions—a radio and an old violin. The batteries in my radio are getting low and will soon die. My violin is so out of tune I can’t use it. Please help me. Next Sunday when you begin your concert, sound a loud ‘A’ so I can tune my ‘A’ string; then I can tune the other strings. When my radio batteries are dead, I’ll have my violin.”
At the beginning of his next nationwide radio concert from Carnegie Hall, Toscanini announced: “For a dear friend and listener back in the mountains of Wyoming the orchestra will now sound an ‘A.’ ” The musicians all joined together in a perfect “A.”
The lonely sheepherder only needed one note, just a little help to get back in tune; he could go on from there. He needed someone who cared to assist him with one string; the others would be easy. Then, with all strings in tune—in harmony—the lonely sheepherder would have a source of companionship and joy and could play uplifting strains.
(David B. Haight, “People to People,” Ensign, Nov 1981, 54)
Where do we find our perfect A to tune our lives?
The scriptures tell us where we can find our perfect A. The scriptures tell us who to turn to and why we need to turn to Him.
Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, (daughters, mothers, fathers), remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
All we have to do is find the time to read and study the scriptures. In all honesty we don't have the time not to read them. We can gain a testimony from the scriptures and we can in turn help our children learn to love the scriptures and gain their own testimony of Jesus Christ. Nothing else in life matters. Our testimony will be the thing that will pull us through the trials that face us.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Feasting on the scriptures
D&C 84:88
And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
How comforting to know that God knows who we are and will bear us up. To me that means when things are tough He will be there. And what of the angels that will be round about us? Could that be loved one that have passed on before? God knows what trials we will have to face. He knows what will be difficult. He knows how hard it will be and He will be near to help us through each trial. Well that make the trials easy? Probably not. But it will make it so we can bear all things the Lord sees fit to put in our way.
Now what do I have to do to receive this blessing? ....
And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
How comforting to know that God knows who we are and will bear us up. To me that means when things are tough He will be there. And what of the angels that will be round about us? Could that be loved one that have passed on before? God knows what trials we will have to face. He knows what will be difficult. He knows how hard it will be and He will be near to help us through each trial. Well that make the trials easy? Probably not. But it will make it so we can bear all things the Lord sees fit to put in our way.
Now what do I have to do to receive this blessing? ....
- Read the scriptures.
- Say my prayers.
- Go to church.
- Follow His commandments.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Daniel's Graduation
Yea, Daniel and his family graduated with a Masters in Engineering. Even better than that is the fact that he has a job. He will be working for L-3 Communications in Salt Lake.We have had a wonderful weekend just enjoying visiting with family in Logan.
My Ring
A couple of weeks ago I lost my mothers wedding band that she had given me just before she died. I had been wearing it night and day. I had washed some dishes in Clorox water and the water burnt my finger under the wedding band. I took the band off and put it on the only finger it would fit on the other hand. At the time I thought, "You should go put your ring away." I didn't. The next day I had the same thought. About an hour later I realized the ring was gone. Often we get prompting from the Holy Ghost just like the ones I had received. We follow those promptings and we have no idea what could have happened because we did follow them. Other times we do not follow those prompts and something bad happens. So how do we know when we are getting a prompt from the Holy Ghost? Because any good thought comes from God, we can bet that any good warning comes from God too. I hope I can learn to be a better listener. I know I can listen better as I study my scriptures and say my prayers.
This weekend we have been staying with Daniel and Jana. I watched them as they helped their children say a few verses from the scriptures and say their prayers each night. Last night Tyler was bent out of sorts and did not want to read the scriptures. However, by the time the family had finished he was calm and ready for prayer. Did the scriptures make the difference? Yes. Is it always going to be easy? No. Is it going to be worth it? Yes!
Back to my ring. I knew that I had lost my ring around the house. Jennifer and her family were there and bless Jalynn's heart, she went clear through my garbage to make sure it did not drop off in there. The ring was not in the garbage. As I watched her I had a thought. "You are going to have to clean deep." Later I had another thought just about like that. "You will not find your ring unless you do some deep cleaning just like Jalynn did as she dug deep into the garbage." So I did some deep cleaning. I started in the kitchen because that was the room I had been in most of the time. When I cleaned the shelves off by the phone, I pulled some books off one of the shelves to rearrange them and low and behold there was my ring setting on the shelf. I am glad the Lord allowed me to have my mother's ring back. I am even happier with the lesson He taught me in listening. Any good thought comes from God.
This weekend we have been staying with Daniel and Jana. I watched them as they helped their children say a few verses from the scriptures and say their prayers each night. Last night Tyler was bent out of sorts and did not want to read the scriptures. However, by the time the family had finished he was calm and ready for prayer. Did the scriptures make the difference? Yes. Is it always going to be easy? No. Is it going to be worth it? Yes!
Back to my ring. I knew that I had lost my ring around the house. Jennifer and her family were there and bless Jalynn's heart, she went clear through my garbage to make sure it did not drop off in there. The ring was not in the garbage. As I watched her I had a thought. "You are going to have to clean deep." Later I had another thought just about like that. "You will not find your ring unless you do some deep cleaning just like Jalynn did as she dug deep into the garbage." So I did some deep cleaning. I started in the kitchen because that was the room I had been in most of the time. When I cleaned the shelves off by the phone, I pulled some books off one of the shelves to rearrange them and low and behold there was my ring setting on the shelf. I am glad the Lord allowed me to have my mother's ring back. I am even happier with the lesson He taught me in listening. Any good thought comes from God.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Touching Shoulders
There's a comforting thought at the close of the day
When I'm weary and lonely and sad;
That sort of grips hold of this poor old heart
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my being, and drives out the blues
And finally thrills through and through,
It's just a sweet memory, that chants this refrain,
"I'm glad I touched shoulders with you."
Did you know you were brave?
Did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited, and listened and prayed?
And was cheered by your simplest word.
Did you know that I longed for the smile on your face?
For the sound of your voice ringing true,
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
"I had merely touched shoulders with you."
I'm glad that I live, that I battle and strive,
For a place that I know I must fill;
I'm thankful for sorrows, I'll meet with a grin
What fortune may bring, good or ill;
I may not have wealth, I may not be great
But I know I will always be true,
For I have in my life, that courage you gave,
When once, "I touched shoulders with you!"
The author is believed to be: Lawrence Holtzberry, deceased
Mr. Holtzberry was a member of the Lions Club District 13K (Hebron, Ohio)
I heard this poem when I went to Akela's Council staff development meeting this weekend. It was so touching that I had to find the poem and share it.
When I'm weary and lonely and sad;
That sort of grips hold of this poor old heart
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my being, and drives out the blues
And finally thrills through and through,
It's just a sweet memory, that chants this refrain,
"I'm glad I touched shoulders with you."
Did you know you were brave?
Did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited, and listened and prayed?
And was cheered by your simplest word.
Did you know that I longed for the smile on your face?
For the sound of your voice ringing true,
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
"I had merely touched shoulders with you."
I'm glad that I live, that I battle and strive,
For a place that I know I must fill;
I'm thankful for sorrows, I'll meet with a grin
What fortune may bring, good or ill;
I may not have wealth, I may not be great
But I know I will always be true,
For I have in my life, that courage you gave,
When once, "I touched shoulders with you!"
The author is believed to be: Lawrence Holtzberry, deceased
Mr. Holtzberry was a member of the Lions Club District 13K (Hebron, Ohio)
I heard this poem when I went to Akela's Council staff development meeting this weekend. It was so touching that I had to find the poem and share it.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Conference Story
I am not sure which conference talk yesterday was my favorite so I thought I would take time over the next few blogs to share thoughts about some of the talks that I enjoyed.
I have always loved President Packer's talks. I thought his story about Gideon and how he chose his army to be particularly good. Those that drank from the stream by putting their mouth to the water were not ready for an enemy attack. Those that brought the water to their mouth were on the lookout for an attack. We need to be on the lookout. We need to bring the water of the gospel to our mouths and be prepared. We need to be ready to fight the last great battle. There will be a time when the only thing between us and the adversary is the Father with his Priesthood.
I loved how so many of the talks told us how to awaken the power of the Priesthood in the home and strengthen our homes. I feel as if the talks given yesterday have awaken something within me. I want to become stronger. I want to be a beacon for my family. I often think of what a great beacon my mother was for me. I hope I can become as strong as she was. As a young mother I realized that my mother had been praying for me all through the years. I learned that her prayers were strong and often helped me. I often felt the comfort of her prayers. I knew that her prayers held great power. Now that she is gone, I know that she is still praying for me, my brothers and sister, our children and their children. She will never stop praying for us. As I look to the beacon that my mother set up for me, I realize that her mother set a light up for her. When things get dark we just need to remember to head toward the light.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
My Lucky Day
I once read a children's book called "My Lucky Day." A little pig knocks on a door and to his horror it is answered by a wolf who, upon seeing the little pig, says it is "My lucky day." He takes the pig in to eat him. The pig does manage to escape but not until his has had a warm bath to clean him, a large meal to fatten him up, and a massage to tenderize his meat. The pig leaves refreshed and the wolf is left exhausted. My question is, who's lucky day was it? The final page of the book shows the pig checking off wolf from his list of animals that might want to eat him and saying that it was his "lucky day."
I have reserved this blog for religious thoughts. So what does a pig story have to do with religion?
In my minds eye I see Satan standing in the Garden of Eden watching Adam and Eve and saying to himself, "This is my lucky day. I can destroy God's plan." Satan, not knowing the mind of God tempts Adam and Eve. They do end up eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But who's lucky day was it? Yes, Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, yes, they became mortal, yes, they could no longer walk and talk with God.
After the Fall, Eve said, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient." (Moses 5:11)
Lehi also explained:
"And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created...
"And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
"But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:22-25)
Who's lucky day was it? Oh, it was OUR lucky day! Yours and mine! I am so grateful for the Fall as it has provided me the opportunity to become like my Father in Heaven.
Now one more question about Satan. Where was Satan when the great plan of happiness was presented? Was he self absorbed in his own attempt for power? Was he too busy recruiting spirit children to follow him? Where did he miss the fact that he was God's plan?
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