Change...

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but we are not. Each day, ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change, become more Christlike, and qualify for the gift of exaltation and live eternally with God, Jesus Christ, and our families.

Elder Russell M. Nelson, Thanks be to God, May 2012 Ensign

You know, I had never thought about change like this before.  There is a saying, There is nothing as constant as change.  There are only 2 things that don't change- God and truth.  Everything  and everyone else changes and is expected to.  God wants us to change and become more like Him.  When we finally become like Him in every way, then change is no longer necessary.   Another word that could be used interchangeably with the word "change" could be the word "learn".  God doesn't have anything left to learn. He knows everything. 

The important thing to keep in mind is that when we change, it should always be towards God and goodness and not the other way.  Change for change sake alone isn't good.  It is what we are moving toward.

Some of my thoughts on Being Thankful...

The Sunday before Thanksgiving, I was asked to speak in church.  Here are some of my thoughts from reflecting and pondering on gratitude:

In thinking about thankfulness and being grateful, I have noticed that Pres. Monson speaks to this topic often.  He has spoken more than once about Jesus and healing the ten lepers.  This is found in Luke17:

11 ¶And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were ^alepers, which stood afar off:

 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the ^apriests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him ^athanks: and he was a Samaritan.

 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten ^acleansed? but where are the ^bnine?

 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

I have thought over the years a lot about why 9 of the men that Jesus healed would not have thanked Him.

I usually come to the conclusion that they were just so caught up in the moment and overwhelmed with the joy and preparation of going to show themselves to the priest to be pronounced clean, that they just didn’t pause to say thanks.    It dawned on me this week, that there could have been other reasons. 

Maybe they were healed but they were consumed with other issues going on that they didn’t feel thankful.  Maybe just after one of them was healed, they found out their donkey died and they would have to walk to the priest and it was a long way away.  Maybe they were mad about the way Jesus had healed them.  Maybe they had expected their healing to be a more elaborate affair.  Maybe they were bothered that though they were healed their skin itched intensely and they were consumed with that.  Maybe they had another issue and they were hoping Jesus would heal that too and He didn’t.

Maybe they felt entitled and didn’t think they should thank Him.  Maybe they felt He was just doing His job. 

We, as humans, find many reasons to not feel thankful.

I was having a great time these past few weeks thinking about gratitude and all the great blessings in my life. 

Then near the end of the week, there were a couple things that didn’t go my way.  It made me feel sad and even mad and a little discouraged.  It wasn’t as fun to think about all the way Heavenly Father had blessed me with.  It was easier to feel bugged and concentrate my thoughts in that direction. 

That is when I found a quote from Pres. Monson that I had marked sometime before.  I thought it was interesting that I would find this in the midst of what was going on.  This is from his general conference talk 2 years ago.  Here is the quote:

When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given.

Pres. Thomas S. Monson

“The Divine Gift of Gratitude”

This helped me to realize that the true measure of our gratitude to our Heavenly Father is not to thank Him when things are going great but to be able to find the ways He is blessing and helping us in the midst of challenges and problems. 

This isn’t a new thought, but I feel that Heavenly Father wanted me to have this experience so that I would share it in my talk.  This sounds pretty basic, but I feel that someone else in this congregation besides just me, was supposed to have that reminder today.

Pres. Monson spoke about counting our blessings in the most recent general conference.  Let me remind you what he said:

We are blessed with so very much. And yet it is sometimes difficult to view the problems and permissiveness around us and not become discouraged. I have found that, rather than dwelling on the negative, if we will take a step back and consider the blessings in our lives, including seemingly small, sometimes overlooked blessings, we can find greater happiness.

I would recommend this same exercise to you—namely, that you take an inventory of your life and look specifically for the blessings, large and small, you have received.

I know that all of us have been given blessings that we haven’t even considered.  I think that Pres. Monson is trying to tell us that the more we consider on the many blessings God gives us, our view opens and we see can even more.  Blessings that we had not even considered before.

My favorite movie of all time is “It’s a Wonderful Life”.  I like to watch it sometime during the Christmas season and so I will be watching it again soon!  George Bailey has some tough breaks in his life and is consumed by his problems, which are large.  He is given an opportunity to see how much he has been blessed.  It has a quick happy ending but that is because it is a movie.  But the concept is the same for our own lives:   Even when things aren’t going so well, we need to search for all the ways Heavenly Father is blessing and helping us.

Coming back to Pres. Monson, in his general conference talk from 2 years ago, he also mentions another experience of Jesus and gratitude.

As [Jesus] traveled in the wilderness for three days, more than 4,000 people followed and traveled with Him. He took compassion on them, for they may not have eaten during the entire three days. His disciples, however, questioned, “Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?” Like many of us, the disciples saw only what was lacking.

“And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And [the disciples] said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

“And [Jesus] commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

“And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”

Notice that the Savior gave thanks for what they had—and a miracle followed: “And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.”

A miracle followed when Jesus expressed thanks for what they had, though it wasn’t nearly enough.   I had read this scripture story many times and had never taken it to be a story of expressing thanks.  I really appreciated Pres. Monson’s thoughts on this. 

In talking about being thankful, I haven’t mentioned yet how much easier it is to think about the things that are wrong.  Last week, I got to listen to one of my favorite talks by Elder Holland, The Tongue of Angels and it was great to be reminded of a few things he said that deal with the topic of negativity and complaining:

I love what Elder Orson F. Whitney once said: “The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.” ⁶ We should honor the Savior’s declaration to “be of good cheer.” ⁷ (Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, “Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow.” I have often thought that Nephi’s being bound with cords and beaten by rods must have been more tolerable to him than listening to Laman and Lemuel’s constant murmuring. ⁸ Surely he must have said at least once, “Hit me one more time. I can still hear you.”

Yes, life has its problems, and yes, there are negative things to face, but please accept one of Elder Holland’s maxims for living—no misfortune is so bad that whining about it won’t make it worse.

It doesn’t take any special giftedness or smartness to see what is lacking in a situation.  It sometimes does take looking deeper or pondering to find what is good or hopeful in a situation.  And if there is anything I have learned in life, it is that our Father in Heaven can masterfully make something good happen in the midst of any situation, no matter how bad it may seem.

In fact, I wonder if this is one of the most important lessons He would like for us to learn in this life.

Almost always, with any blessing, there are always aspects of it that may not be good.  For example, in the pre-earth life when we learned we would have this earth to come to and gain a body, we shouted for joy.  Now, here on earth, we see that it is not always easy to shout for joy.  Everyone was given a wonderful body to use while we are here.  This is a huge blessing.  But even with this huge blessing, things go wrong.  Our body doesn’t always work the way we want it to.  We get sick, body parts break down or don’t work right.  But even with the things that go wrong, the blessing of having a body and learning all the lessons from having one, are practically innumerable.

It is a great blessing to have children, but sometimes those children don’t listen to what we tell them, don’t make good choices, and it makes us feel stress or disappointment.  Sometimes when children are small, all their needs can be overwhelming and hard for us to always appreciate them.  Or you may even have the great blessing of a child going on a mission and you may miss them intensely.  Or you may have the privilege of loving someone so much and then you lose them to death.

The trick in this life is to play the “Glad Game”.  Any of you who have seen the movie or read the book “Pollyanna” are familiar with this game.  It is to find something positive or hopeful in any negative situation that you might encounter. 

It seems to me that Pres. Monson is asking us to play the glad game. 

He said :  We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.

I want to repeat this thought of Pres. Monson’s again:

When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given.

If we cultivate this ability, then when things happen that we can’t find any good in, we will have developed enough faith to know that God isn’t finished yet.  Or maybe we are just having some of those experiences so that we can appreciate when things do go well.

Let’s always try to be the tenth leper.  Even when things aren’t going well, let’s make miracles happen by concentrating on the great blessings we are all still receiving from God all the time.  For some, it will require thinking hard and digging deep, but I think Jesus and Pres. Monson were trying to show us that miracles occur when we take the time to be thankful always.

I would like to end with a couple thankful scriptures.  The first is found in Alma:

 37 ^aCounsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for ^bgood; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the ^cmorning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alma 37:37

And this scripture from Psalms that my mom used to always repeat to me as a child which is one of my very favorites:

24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

WOW! Word of Wisdom Quotes

I am giving a lesson on the Word of Wisdom in Young Women today and I wanted to share a couple of awesome quotes that I found during my preparation.

Young people, stay in condition to respond to inspiration.

I have come to know also that a fundamental purpose of the Word of Wisdom has to do with revelation.

From the time you are very little we teach you to avoid tea, coffee, liquor, tobacco, narcotics, and anything else that disturbs your health.

And you know that we get very worried when we find one of you tampering with those things.

If someone “under the influence” can hardly listen to plain talk, how can they respond to spiritual promptings that touch their most delicate feelings?

As valuable as the Word of Wisdom is as a law of health, it may be much more valuable to you spiritually than it is physically.

Pres. Boyd K. Packer, Prayers and Answers, Nov. 1979

Bringing into your body substances forbidden by the Lord in the Word of Wisdom will prevent you from feeling and recognizing the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Growing into the Priesthood,” Ensign, Nov 1999, 38  

The physical blessings of health and strength that are promised through obedience to the Word of Wisdom are now well-known and well documented. In addition, the spiritual blessings of “wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures,” come to those who keep their bodies free from addictive substances. When we obey the Word of Wisdom, windows of personal revelation are opened to us and our souls are filled with divine light and truth. If we keep our bodies undefiled, the Holy Ghost “shall come upon [us] and … dwell in [our] heart[s]” and teach us “the peaceable things of immortal glory.”
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Windows of Light and Truth,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 75–78

Keep the Word of Wisdom. Seek worthy companions. Attend church faithfully. Never fail daily to seek for help through prayer. And I promise you that the way will be easier and you shall have a composure of mind and a confident attitude toward life and the future. You shall be warned of dangers and shall be guided through the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

I bear witness that this revelation is a powerful protection to all members of the Church, particularly to you, the youth of the Church, as you face a life full of so many troubles and danger and uncertainties.

Pres. Boyd K. Packer, The Word of Wisdom: The Principle and the Promises

Jesus' 10 Rules for Getting Along With Others

I am loving reading about Jesus' visit to Ancient America.  This time around, I have found it interesting that many of the things He tells them in His visit deal with practical information about getting along with others.  ( I know, this is all in the New Testament, too.  I seem to read it more often in the Book of Mormon.)

Jesus' 10 Rules for Getting Along With Others

These are found in 3rd Nephi 11-14.

1. Keep in mind that contention is of the devil. 

2. Peacemakers will be called the children of God. 

3. Be reconciled with your brother before coming to Jesus with full purpose of heart.

4.  Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you.

5.  The merciful obtain mercy.

6.  Forgive others so that your Father in Heaven will forgive you.

7.  Judge not, that ye be not judged.

8.  with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

9.  The mote and the beam- Get rid of your own sins and weaknesses before you point out the sins and weaknesses of others.

10.  Treat people the way you would want to be treated.

Christ's atonement

When I was re-reading Elder Ballard's April 2012 Gen. conf.  talk a few days ago,  I realized that Elder Holland had given a similar message in his talk.  I am always looking for patterns and/or principles that are emphasized.


What a great message. 

I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable [of the laborers in the vineyard], but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.

                      ~Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,  The Laborers in the Vineyard

Now, if for any reason you individually or as a family have lost your way, then you need only apply the Savior’s teachings from Luke, chapter 15, to correct your course. Here the Savior tells of the effort of a shepherd searching for his lost sheep, of a woman searching for a lost coin, and of the welcome received by the prodigal son returning home. Why did Jesus teach these parables? He wanted us to know that none of us will ever be so lost that we cannot find our way again through His Atonement and His teachings.
         
                     ~Elder M. Russell Ballard, That the Lost May Be Found

Just found something similar in Pres. Monson's talk to the Young Women of the church:

I have said it before; I will say it again: there is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what the lighthouse of the Lord can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. It calls, “This way to safety. This way to home.” It sends forth signals of light easily seen and never failing. If followed, those signals will guide you back to your heavenly home.

~Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Believe, Obey, Edure

The very waves of the sea

When I read this scripture this morning, I was struck by the phrase "the waves of the sea". When I took these pictures, I was in San Diego for an education conference and some of us went down to the beach to watch the ocean. Watching those waves come in gave me a sense of how powerful the water is and how powerless we are against it. Then when I read that with the power of God, Jacob could control the waves of the sea, among other things, that made me sit up and take notice. Wow- that is power! But in the next verse, Jacob wants us to know that it is not us puny mortal weaklings that have can do this, but it is tapping into the power of God.

Jacob 4:6-7

Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

April 2012 Conference quotes

Saturday morning:

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, As We Gather Once Again-

Some of you may be seeking answers to questions and challenges you are experiencing in your life. Some are struggling with disappointments or losses. Each can be enlightened and uplifted and comforted as the Spirit of the Lord is felt.

May we continue to oppose evil wherever it is found.

I thank you for your prayers in my behalf. I have felt those prayers and am most grateful for them.

Our Heavenly Father is mindful of each of us and our needs.

Pres. Boyd K. Packer,  And A Little Child Shall Lead Them-

The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children.

Family time is sacred time and should be protected and respected. We urge our members to show devotion to their families.

Cheryl A. Esplin- Teaching our Children to Understand-

In a latter-day revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord instructs parents to teach their children to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Notice the Lord doesn’t just say we are to “teach the doctrine”; His instructions are to teach our children to “understand the doctrine.”

Our role as parents is to do all we can to create an atmosphere where our children can feel the influence of the Spirit and then help them recognize what they are feeling.

Sometimes the most powerful way to teach our children to understand a doctrine is to teach in the context of what they are experiencing right at that moment. These moments are spontaneous and unplanned and happen in the normal flow of family life. They come and go quickly, so we need to be alert and recognize a teaching moment when our children come to us with a question or worry, when they have problems getting along with siblings or friends, when they need to control their anger, when they make a mistake, or when they need to make a decision.

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom "Converted to His Gospel Through His Church"

The purpose of the Church is to help us live the Gospel. 

Elder Paul E. Koelliker- He Truly Loves Us
“He that trembleth under my power shall be made strong, and shall bring forth fruits of praise and wisdom, according to the revelations and truths which I have given you” (D&C 52:17). 

It is when we yield to God’s will and live His pattern that His Spirit is felt. The Savior taught, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). This principle of having love one to another and developing our ability to be Christ centered in how we think, speak, and act is fundamental in becoming disciples of Christ and teachers of His gospel. 

 Elder Dallin H. Oaks- Sacrifice:
Our lives of service and sacrifice are the most appropriate expressions of our commitment to serve the Master and our fellowmen.

Just as the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is at the center of the plan of salvation, we followers of Christ must make our own sacrifices to prepare for the destiny that plan provides for us.

Pres. Henry B. Eyring- Mountains to Climb
...the ground must be carefully prepared for our foundation of faith to withstand the storms that will come into every life. That solid basis for a foundation of faith is personal integrity. Our choosing the right consistently whenever the choice is placed before us creates the solid ground under our faith.  

Those choices, hundreds in most days, prepare the solid ground on which our edifice of faith is built. The metal framework around which the substance of our faith is poured is the gospel of Jesus Christ, with all its covenants, ordinances, and principles.

It is never too late to strengthen the foundation of faith. There is always time. With faith in the Savior, you can repent and plead for forgiveness. There is someone you can forgive. There is someone you can thank. There is someone you can serve and lift. You can do it wherever you are and however alone and deserted you may feel.

I have visited with a woman who received the miracle of sufficient strength to endure unimaginable losses with just the simple capacity to repeat endlessly the words “I know that my Redeemer lives.

The Savior has promised angels on our left and our right to bear us up.¹⁰ And He always keeps His word. 

Saturday afternoon session
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland- The Laborers in the Vineyard:
“Why should you be jealous because I choose to be kind?”

Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon.

I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.

Elder Robert D. Hales- Coming to Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple, and Sacrifice in Service
Throughout our lives, whether in times of darkness, challenge, sorrow, or sin, we may feel the Holy Ghost reminding us that we are truly sons and daughters of a caring Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we may hunger for the sacred blessings that only He can provide. At these times we should strive to come to ourselves and come back into the light of our Savior’s love.

We become converted and spiritually self-reliant as we prayerfully live our covenants—through worthily partaking of the sacrament, being worthy of a temple recommend, and sacrificing to serve others.

To worthily partake of the sacrament, we remember that we are renewing the covenant we made at baptism. For the sacrament to be a spiritually cleansing experience each week, we need to prepare ourselves before coming to sacrament meeting. We do this by deliberately leaving behind our daily work and recreation and letting go of worldly thoughts and concerns. As we do, we make room in our minds and hearts for the Holy Ghost.

Worthiness to hold a temple recommend gives us the strength to keep our temple covenants.

We are on the right path when we can say, “I worthily partake of the sacrament each week, I am worthy to hold a temple recommend and go to the temple, and I sacrifice to serve and bless others.”

Whether we are young or old, what we do today determines the service we will be able to render and enjoy tomorrow.

Elder David S. Baxter- Faith, Fortitude, Fulfillment: A Message to Single Parents

Although you may at times have asked, why me? it is through the hardships of life that we grow toward godhood as our character is shaped in the crucible of affliction, as the events of life take place while God respects the agency of man. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell commented, we cannot do all the sums or make it all add up because “we do not have all the numbers.”

Elder Ulisses Soares- Abide in the Lord's Territory!

Elder Quentin L. Cook- In Tune With the Music of Life

Our doctrine is clear; we are to be positive and of good cheer. We emphasize our faith, not our fears. We rejoice in the Lord’s assurance that He will stand by us and give us guidance and direction.²⁶ The Holy Ghost testifies to our hearts that we have a loving Father in Heaven, whose merciful plan for our redemption will be fulfilled in every aspect because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Elder Richard G. Scott- How to Receive Revelation and Inspiration for your Personal Life
The Holy Ghost communicates important information that we need to guide us in our mortal journey. When it is crisp and clear and essential, it warrants the title of revelation. When it is a series of promptings we often have to guide us step by step to a worthy objective, for the purpose of this message, it is inspiration.

Two indicators that a feeling or prompting comes from God are that it produces peace in your heart and a quiet, warm feeling.

Sunday Morning
Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf- The Merciful Obtain Mercy

We all depend on the Savior; none of us can be saved without Him. Christ’s Atonement is infinite and eternal. Forgiveness for our sins comes with conditions. We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others.

This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:

Stop it!

The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each other.

We are not perfect. The people around us are not perfect. People do things that annoy, disappoint, and anger. In this mortal life it will always be that way. Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn how to let go of such things. That is the Lord’s way. Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive.

Elder Russell M. Nelson- Thanks Be to God

I thought of some people I know who are ... oblivious to their Creator and their true “bread of life.” They live from day to day without an awareness of God and His goodness unto them.

How much better it would be if all could be more aware of God’s providence and love and express that gratitude to Him.


Elder Ronald A. Rasband- Special Lessons
Put simply, this life is training for eternal exaltation, and that process means tests and trials. It has always been so, and no one is spared.
Trusting in God’s will is central to our mortality. With faith in Him, we draw upon the power of Christ’s Atonement at those times when questions abound and answers are few.

Elder M. Russell Ballard- That the Lost May Be Found

Now, brothers and sisters, we have available to us a tool even more remarkable than the best GPS. Everyone loses his or her way at some point, to some degree. It is through the promptings of the Holy Ghost that we can be brought safely back onto the right path, and it is the atoning sacrifice of the Savior that can return us home.

When people make family and religious commitments to gospel principles, they begin to do better spiritually and often temporally as well.

Brothers and sisters, the most important cause of our lifetime is our families. If we will devote ourselves to this cause, we will improve every other aspect of our lives and will become, as a people and as a church, an example and a beacon for all peoples of the earth.

The Church stands as an example of heart turning and as a catalyst for good in the world. Among Church members who are married in the temple and who regularly attend Sunday meetings, the divorce rate is significantly less than that of the world, and families remain closer and are in more frequent communication. The health in our families is better, and we live several years longer than the population average. We contribute more financial resources and more service per capita to those in need, and we are more likely to seek higher education. I point out these things not to boast but to testify that life is better (and much happier) as hearts turn toward family and as families live in the light of the gospel of Christ.

So what can we do to not become lost? First, may I suggest that we prioritize. Put everything you do outside the home in subjection to and in support of what happens inside your home.

Organize your personal lives to provide time for prayer and scriptures and family activity. Give your children responsibilities in the home that will teach them how to work. Teach them that living the gospel will lead them away from the filth, promiscuity, and violence of the Internet, media, and video games.

 Second, we need to do things in the right order! Marriage first and then family.

Third, husbands and wives, you should be equal partners in your marriage.


Here the Savior tells of the effort of a shepherd searching for his lost sheep, of a woman searching for a lost coin, and of the welcome received by the prodigal son returning home. Why did Jesus teach these parables? He wanted us to know that none of us will ever be so lost that we cannot find our way again through His Atonement and His teachings.

Elder O. Vincent Haleck- Having the Vision to Do

As we put into action the teachings of our leaders, we gain a deeper understanding of our Savior’s vision for us. Throughout this conference we have received inspired counsel from prophets and apostles. Study their teachings and ponder them in your hearts while seeking the Spirit of the Holy Ghost to help you catch a vision of these teachings in your life. With that vision, exercise your faith in acting upon their counsel.

We experience hard things in our lives that can sometimes diminish our vision and faith to do the things we should. We become so busy that we often feel overwhelmed and unable to do any more. While each of us is different, I humbly submit that we must focus our vision on the Savior and His teachings.

Elder Larry Y.  Wilson- Only Upon the Principles of Righteousness

As you can see, helping children exercise their agency properly requires teaching them how to pray and receive answers to their prayers. There must also be teaching about the value and purpose of obedience as well as about all other essential principles of the gospel.⁶

In raising our family, we decided that our most important goal would be to help our children establish their own connection to heaven. We knew that ultimately they would need to depend on the Lord, not on us. Brigham Young said, “Were I to draw a distinction in all the duties that are required of the children of men, … I would place first and foremost the duty of seeking unto the Lord our God until we open the path of communication from heaven to earth—from God to our own souls.”⁷

Pres. Monson April 2012

As We Gather Once Again:
May each of us resolve anew to live so that we are worthy sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. May we continue to oppose evil wherever it is found.

“If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” May we ever continue to do so.

I thank you for your prayers in my behalf. I have felt those prayers and am most grateful for them.

Willing and Worthy to Serve:

We have been taught the specific duties of the priesthood which we hold, whether it be the Aaronic or the Melchizedek Priesthood. I urge you to contemplate those duties and then do all within your power to fulfill them. In order to do so, each must be worthy. Let us have ready hands, clean hands, and willing hands, that we may participate in providing what our Heavenly Father would have others receive from Him. If we are not worthy, it is possible to lose the power of the priesthood; and if we lose it, we have lost the essence of exaltation. Let us be worthy to serve.


Let us learn and contemplate our duty. Let us be willing and worthy to serve. Let us in the performance of our duty follow in the footsteps of the Master.

The Race of Life:

In this fast-paced life, do we ever pause for moments of meditation—even thoughts of timeless truths? When compared to eternal verities, most of the questions and concerns of daily living are really rather trivial.

In our times of deepest reflection or greatest need, the soul of man reaches heavenward, seeking a divine response to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after we leave this life?

Our Heavenly Father did not launch us on our eternal voyage without providing the means whereby we could receive from Him guidance to ensure our safe return. I speak of prayer. I speak too of the whisperings from that still, small voice; and I do not overlook the holy scriptures, which contain the word of the Lord and the words of the prophets—provided to us to help us successfully cross the finish line.

Our Heavenly Father rejoices for those who keep His commandments. He is concerned also for the lost child, the tardy teenager, the wayward youth, the delinquent parent. Tenderly the Master speaks to these and indeed to all: “Come back. Come up. Come in. Come home. Come unto me.”

As We Close This Conference:

We live in troubled times. I assure you that our Heavenly Father is mindful of the challenges we face. He loves each of us and desires to bless us and to help us. May we call upon Him in prayer, as He admonished when He said, “Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth.”

may your homes be filled with love and courtesy and with the Spirit of the Lord. Love your families. If there are disagreements or contentions among you, I urge you to settle them now.

Jesus, the perfect leader

Here is an article about Jesus given by Pres. Spencer W. Kimball:
Click here.

Saved by grace

I was reading this scripture in the Oct. 2011 talk by Pres. Henry B. Eyring today:

Moroni 10:32
“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.”

It made me think about the link between the grace of Christ and what we are expected to do so that we can receive that grace. I found an interesting and helpful quote by Elder Bruce R. McConkie at this website.

Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom. We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. … The way it operates is this: you get on the path that’s named the ‘straight and narrow.’ You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. … Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life—though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do—you’re still going to be saved.

(Bruce R. McConkie, “The Probationary Test of Mortality,” Salt Lake Institute of Religion devotional, 10 January 1982, 12)

Just something to think about as we continue our journey today......

Formulas in the Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 31:13
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

So-
follow the Son
+
full purpose of heart
+
acting no hypocrisy
+
no deception before God
+
real intent
+
repenting of your sins
+
being baptized
=
RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST,
SPEAK WITH THE TONGUE OF ANGELS

2 Nephi 31:20
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

press forward with a steadfastness in Christ
+
perfect brightness of hope
+
love of God and all men
+
another dose of pressing forward
+
feasting upon the word of Christ
+
endure to the end
=
YE SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

Moroni 10:4

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

When you receive these things:

Ask God in the name of Christ, if these things are not true
+
ask with a sincere heart
+
real intent
+
having faith in Christ
=
God will manifest the truth of it unto you.

Reflecting on the atonement

I have already mentioned how the analogy in this BYU devotional by Brad Wilcox has increased my understanding of how the atonement works in our lives. It has helped me to understand that the the biggest obstacle to utilizing the atonement in our lives is giving up.

I have heard that some leave the church because they feel it is just too hard to keep all the commandments and they just can't keep it up. They give up. They feel they are just not "celestial" material. Sometimes I feel that way, too.

When we feel that way, we have to dig in our heels and just keep "practicing". Satan would love to have us feel that we will never make it. He loves it when we give up.

Here is a scripture that backs up the "keep trying" theory:

Moroni 6:8

But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.

This is another reason why we meet together as saints so often. It is important that we take the sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants. It keeps us from being bogged down with our sins. We are renewed and cleansed every time we take the sacrament. Heavenly Father doesn't want us to waste our energy beating ourselves up about our sins, but using that energy to keep trying.

I know this is true. One of the first steps to my understanding this came about 6 years ago when I was discouraged about my lack of progress and realizing that there were many things I needed to do better but I just didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. The General Relief Society broadcast was coming up and I knew I needed to listen to the messages but I felt like I was going to hear so many things that I needed to do that it would just be overwhelming. I went anyway and was startled at the main message of the meeting: Come Unto Me.


Here are links to the talks at that broadcast:
Eternally Encircled in His Love- Bonnie D. Parkin

Remembering the Lord's Love- Kethleen H. Hughes

To Look, Reach, and Come Unto Christ- Anne C. Pingree

In the Arms of His Love- Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

This post is a combination of some of the things I have felt about the Savior's love for us. He is mighty to save. When we give up and think we just aren't celestial material, we are telling the Savior that he is not powerful enough to save us. He is powerful enough to save others, but not all of us.

I love this scripture:

2 Nephi 31:19

And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

Alma 34:18

Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

Sariah

In looking on the internet for information on Sariah, I found this article from Meridian Magazine. It is apparently the first chapter in a book on women in the Book of Mormon. I found it very interesting and insightful. I would be interested in buying this book.

Dreams

I don't know where I have been but I don't believe I ever knew that Joseph Smith's father had a dream very similar to the dream that Lehi had. This would have occurred when the prophet Joseph was just a little boy.

Here is an account of that dream from a gospel study blog that I like to visit:
Seth Adam Smith blog

My top 10 favorite Book of Mormon scriptures

In honor of beginning to read the Book of Mormon again this year, I have compiled a list of my 10 favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon. It is pretty hard to whittle it down to just 10, but here they are:

What are your favorites??

1) 1 Nephi 1:20
...But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

2) 1 Nephi 3:7
I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the things which he commandeth them.

3) Moroni 10:3-5
Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

4) 3 Nephi 1:8, 11-14

But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.

And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.

5) 2 Nephi 25:26
And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

6) Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, 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.

7) Mosiah 3:19
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

8) Ether 12:27
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.

9)Alma 37:36-37
Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

10) 3 Nephi 11: 14-17
Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.