2 Nephi 32:8-9 "...and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.
But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that they performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."
This is what I got out of my scripture study today. I need to include the Lord in all of my actions and decisions. I need to start asking the Lord for his input in even the smallest of decisions I need to make. I need to speak with him as a friend. To always ask for his help and to always desire to know what he would have me do. I hope that I can remember to seek his advice as a Father (for he is my Father in heaven) more frequently, in all that I do.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Happiness: A choice
For a while I was feeling quite depressed. I get that way sometimes. Some people can easily find happiness in all they do. Some people, like me, have to work for it every step of the way. I am a happy person most of the time because I make myself work for it.
Anyway, I had been feeling like my happiness had gotten away from me again. I am far from my family and I miss them a great deal. I am tired and feel like I can never get enough sleep. My kids are always demanding things from me and sometimes I just don't feel like filling that sippy cup up with milk just one more time.
I have found that when this happens to me there is only one solution. Find the spirit again. Somehow it had slipped away from me. I hadn't done anything monumentally wrong to loose it, I had just not put in the effort into keeping it. I was just going through the motions of life without any thought for what I was or was not doing. So I lost it. I was in tears almost every night. I was praying for answers. Finally one night while I was feeding Scott, I let everything out to the Lord. I prayed out loud. I don't know if it is just me or not but sometimes I feel that my outspoken prayers have more power than the ones I say in my head. Maybe it's because when I get to the point of saying them out loud, I am finally meaning everything I say. I asked for help to know what I could do to feel that connection with the Spirit again so that I could be happy.
The next day I was still going through the motions and one of the things that was on my checklist to do for the day was to go visiting teaching. Visiting teaching is not one of my favorite things to do and I'm very bad at actually doing it. But I have a great partner who always makes sure we see our visiting teachees. So I went. The woman we went to visit happened to mention that she had done a 40 day Book of Mormon feast where she read the Book of Mormon in 40 days. I knew that was my answer. I went home and started reading. The first day felt like I was reading my scriptures for forever. The second day felt shorter and I was really getting into what I was reading. From then on, I have felt so much better. I am happy again. I have also received answers to other questions and problems I have had through reading my scriptures. I love the Lord and I know that He loves me. He answers my prayers. I know that He is a loving Father in Heaven. And I know that above all, He wants me to be happy.
Anyway, I had been feeling like my happiness had gotten away from me again. I am far from my family and I miss them a great deal. I am tired and feel like I can never get enough sleep. My kids are always demanding things from me and sometimes I just don't feel like filling that sippy cup up with milk just one more time.
I have found that when this happens to me there is only one solution. Find the spirit again. Somehow it had slipped away from me. I hadn't done anything monumentally wrong to loose it, I had just not put in the effort into keeping it. I was just going through the motions of life without any thought for what I was or was not doing. So I lost it. I was in tears almost every night. I was praying for answers. Finally one night while I was feeding Scott, I let everything out to the Lord. I prayed out loud. I don't know if it is just me or not but sometimes I feel that my outspoken prayers have more power than the ones I say in my head. Maybe it's because when I get to the point of saying them out loud, I am finally meaning everything I say. I asked for help to know what I could do to feel that connection with the Spirit again so that I could be happy.
The next day I was still going through the motions and one of the things that was on my checklist to do for the day was to go visiting teaching. Visiting teaching is not one of my favorite things to do and I'm very bad at actually doing it. But I have a great partner who always makes sure we see our visiting teachees. So I went. The woman we went to visit happened to mention that she had done a 40 day Book of Mormon feast where she read the Book of Mormon in 40 days. I knew that was my answer. I went home and started reading. The first day felt like I was reading my scriptures for forever. The second day felt shorter and I was really getting into what I was reading. From then on, I have felt so much better. I am happy again. I have also received answers to other questions and problems I have had through reading my scriptures. I love the Lord and I know that He loves me. He answers my prayers. I know that He is a loving Father in Heaven. And I know that above all, He wants me to be happy.
Service
I like our "new" ward quite a bit but since we have moved into it I have felt that it isn't as closely bonded as our old ward was. Maybe it had something to do with the old ward being a relatively young ward with a lot of students in it. But what I feel like made the biggest difference is that we were constantly receiving emails of opportunities to serve others in our ward. We would get emails when someone needed dinners, when someone needed rides, when someone needed prayers, if someone needed help cleaning/moving etc. And people would respond, boy would people respond. If you didn't get an email back to them within a couple of hours of receiving the email then everything would already have been taken care of.
Our ward was close. I loved knowing who people were and that there were always people I could help out even if it was just by saying a prayer for them. I knew that if I ever needed anything, I could ask and it would be taken care of. If the people within the ward are feeling like they don't know each other, I think one of the best things you can do is to give them the opportunity to serve. Let them loose themselves in serving others.
I have found especially for myself that when I am feeling depressed or tired the best thing to help is to go serve someone. I remember as a kid that we would take cookies out to people frequently. We often did this for our service family night. I always thought it was funny when my dad would ask, "so, who do you think needs cookies tonight?". My thought was always, "does anyone actually NEED cookies?". haha. Now I realize that it was not the cookies that they needed but everything that came with the cookies. The love that was shown, the thought that was put into it, the opportunity to show someone that we were thinking of them and loving them. That they weren't alone. That someone cared. So now my question to you is, "who do you know that needs cookies?".
Our ward was close. I loved knowing who people were and that there were always people I could help out even if it was just by saying a prayer for them. I knew that if I ever needed anything, I could ask and it would be taken care of. If the people within the ward are feeling like they don't know each other, I think one of the best things you can do is to give them the opportunity to serve. Let them loose themselves in serving others.
I have found especially for myself that when I am feeling depressed or tired the best thing to help is to go serve someone. I remember as a kid that we would take cookies out to people frequently. We often did this for our service family night. I always thought it was funny when my dad would ask, "so, who do you think needs cookies tonight?". My thought was always, "does anyone actually NEED cookies?". haha. Now I realize that it was not the cookies that they needed but everything that came with the cookies. The love that was shown, the thought that was put into it, the opportunity to show someone that we were thinking of them and loving them. That they weren't alone. That someone cared. So now my question to you is, "who do you know that needs cookies?".
Monday, April 15, 2013
25 Words or Less
In conference there was a talk about a man who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. After 2 years of not being able to let his family know that he was alive, his captors finally let him write them a letter but limited him to 25 words or less. This is what he wrote, "These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year."
If I had to write a note to my family in 25 words or less right now, this is what I would say:
Repent. Have faith. Be strong. Do good. Help others. Smile. Learn. Family. Do all that the Lord asks of you. Have gratitude for your blessings.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Women
Recently there seems to be a big pull for women to have the exact same roles and responsibilities as men. It seems that this is even happening within the church which I find truly sad. Everywhere I see women fighting for "rights". Sometimes I think this is ok. I think women should be able to vote and such but I think that we have passed the line on many things. Mainly I feel this is true inside the church.
I keep hearing people talking about how women should be able to say more prayers in conference, or should be able to hold priesthood callings, or should be able to wear pants to church, etc. I even heard someone say that it wasn't fair that the young women had less money to spend than the young men (this is mainly because the young men have a budget from boy scouts that does not come from the ward funds).
Here is where I have the problem. If these people really believed or understood that this church is run by the Lord then they would stop worrying about all of these things. This church is run by the Lord through prophets and apostles and other leaders. The Lord even pays attention to the smallest details including the young women's and young men's budget. These guidelines were put into place by the Lord because they are what is right for us. I do not pretend to know what the Lord knows or has in mind for us and if He says that this is what is right and what is best for me, then I'm going to accept it and go with it. He knows better than me and I'd much rather take His word for it than do what I think to be right and realize later that the Lord does know what He is doing much better than I do.
In the Proclamation to the World, it talks about some of the differences between men and women. We were meant to have different responsibilities. That does not make either gender a lesser gender. It makes us different. The Lord requires both men and women in the gospel. Both are His children. He loves both the same.
I am grateful to be a woman. I am grateful that I can be a mother. I am grateful to have men in the church who hold the priesthood. I am grateful that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me and for us all. And I am grateful to be a member of this church where we have leaders who can receive direct revelation from the Lord.
I keep hearing people talking about how women should be able to say more prayers in conference, or should be able to hold priesthood callings, or should be able to wear pants to church, etc. I even heard someone say that it wasn't fair that the young women had less money to spend than the young men (this is mainly because the young men have a budget from boy scouts that does not come from the ward funds).
Here is where I have the problem. If these people really believed or understood that this church is run by the Lord then they would stop worrying about all of these things. This church is run by the Lord through prophets and apostles and other leaders. The Lord even pays attention to the smallest details including the young women's and young men's budget. These guidelines were put into place by the Lord because they are what is right for us. I do not pretend to know what the Lord knows or has in mind for us and if He says that this is what is right and what is best for me, then I'm going to accept it and go with it. He knows better than me and I'd much rather take His word for it than do what I think to be right and realize later that the Lord does know what He is doing much better than I do.
In the Proclamation to the World, it talks about some of the differences between men and women. We were meant to have different responsibilities. That does not make either gender a lesser gender. It makes us different. The Lord requires both men and women in the gospel. Both are His children. He loves both the same.
I am grateful to be a woman. I am grateful that I can be a mother. I am grateful to have men in the church who hold the priesthood. I am grateful that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me and for us all. And I am grateful to be a member of this church where we have leaders who can receive direct revelation from the Lord.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Trials or Blessings
Someone posted this quote on their Facebook and it really stood out to me, "What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise." -Oscar Wilde. I don't know who Oscar Wilde is but I fully agree with him. I have had these experiences over and over again.
The first one that I really remember recognizing the Lord's hand in something like this was a time when I was suppose to be flying down to CA to visit my family. I ended up getting quite sick on the day that I was suppose to head down so I didn't end up making it. I was so very disappointed and was wishing that I could have gone. Then a few days later I started having problems with my pregnancy at the time and I was able to go in to my doctors and get the care that I needed. I was grateful for a Heavenly Father who knew what was best for me and made sure that I was where I was suppose to be. Since that time I have often looked for the blessing in whatever trial I have been going through and I have seen so many blessings in disguise.
In church on Sunday we were reading in D&C 122: 5-8. In this scripture the Prophet Joseph is receiving revelation while in Liberty Jail. It lists a bunch of trials that the Prophet had to endure. The one that stood out to me the most was in verse 6, "if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you?". It listed many other awful things that the prophet had to endure but at the end it says, "know thou, my son, that all these things shall give you experience, and shall be or thy good". Then it goes on to say, "The son of man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?"
Wow! I have never had to endure such great trials as either Joseph or Christ but whatever trials I do go through, I know are for my good. I also love that it says they give us experience. I don't think I have ever gained faith without an experience (or many!) to go along with it. What a great blessing! The next time you think you are going through a trial, try to stop and look at it and see if you can find the blessing. You might be surprised by what you find.
The first one that I really remember recognizing the Lord's hand in something like this was a time when I was suppose to be flying down to CA to visit my family. I ended up getting quite sick on the day that I was suppose to head down so I didn't end up making it. I was so very disappointed and was wishing that I could have gone. Then a few days later I started having problems with my pregnancy at the time and I was able to go in to my doctors and get the care that I needed. I was grateful for a Heavenly Father who knew what was best for me and made sure that I was where I was suppose to be. Since that time I have often looked for the blessing in whatever trial I have been going through and I have seen so many blessings in disguise.
In church on Sunday we were reading in D&C 122: 5-8. In this scripture the Prophet Joseph is receiving revelation while in Liberty Jail. It lists a bunch of trials that the Prophet had to endure. The one that stood out to me the most was in verse 6, "if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you?". It listed many other awful things that the prophet had to endure but at the end it says, "know thou, my son, that all these things shall give you experience, and shall be or thy good". Then it goes on to say, "The son of man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?"
Wow! I have never had to endure such great trials as either Joseph or Christ but whatever trials I do go through, I know are for my good. I also love that it says they give us experience. I don't think I have ever gained faith without an experience (or many!) to go along with it. What a great blessing! The next time you think you are going through a trial, try to stop and look at it and see if you can find the blessing. You might be surprised by what you find.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Faith Like Peter's
I have heard since primary the story of Jesus walking on water and then Peter also walking and then sinking when he doubts. Often the focus is on Peter not having enough faith and so he was not able to stay walking on the water.
We had a talk in sacrament meeting today that focused on another aspect of it that I have heard before and have loved. Peter must have had a great amount of faith to have been able to walk on the water even for a single step. And when his faith did waiver, he calls for the Lord to come and save him as soon as he began to sink. And the scripture says "and immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand". I love the use of the word immediately there. The Lord was there to lift him up as soon as he asked for help.
In the talk, the speaker also pointed out that it doesn't say how they got back to the ship but that they imagined that the Lord didn't let go of Peter and Peter didn't let go of the Lord until they were back on the ship, whether Peter was carried, dragged, or they were just holding hands.
I hope that I can have as much faith as Peter, that I could walk on water for even a few steps and when my faith waivers that I remember to call out to the Lord for help. I know that the Lord will be there to lift me up immediately. I know that he will not let go of me until I am safely back on board the ship.
We had a talk in sacrament meeting today that focused on another aspect of it that I have heard before and have loved. Peter must have had a great amount of faith to have been able to walk on the water even for a single step. And when his faith did waiver, he calls for the Lord to come and save him as soon as he began to sink. And the scripture says "and immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand". I love the use of the word immediately there. The Lord was there to lift him up as soon as he asked for help.
In the talk, the speaker also pointed out that it doesn't say how they got back to the ship but that they imagined that the Lord didn't let go of Peter and Peter didn't let go of the Lord until they were back on the ship, whether Peter was carried, dragged, or they were just holding hands.
I hope that I can have as much faith as Peter, that I could walk on water for even a few steps and when my faith waivers that I remember to call out to the Lord for help. I know that the Lord will be there to lift me up immediately. I know that he will not let go of me until I am safely back on board the ship.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Spiritual Maturity
While we were down in CA visiting my family, I went to my dad's Gospel Doctrine class. I really love going to my dad's classes because he is one of the wisest men I know and I feel like I always learn something from him.
This quote from the Gospel Doctrine manual really stood out to me, "God is not only our Ruler and Creator; He is also our Heavenly Father. All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God. "Man, as a spirit, was begotten, and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 335)."
I thought this was a very interesting quote because it tells us that we were spiritually mature before we came to earth. We were not just thrown down here with no experience. We were spiritually mature and we still have that spiritual maturity in us even though we cannot fully remember it. It is also a comforting to know that like our parents here on earth, our Heavenly Father raised us and taught us what we needed to know before he sent us out on our own.
I know that with the Lord we can learn again how to be spiritually mature in this life.
This quote from the Gospel Doctrine manual really stood out to me, "God is not only our Ruler and Creator; He is also our Heavenly Father. All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God. "Man, as a spirit, was begotten, and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 335)."
I thought this was a very interesting quote because it tells us that we were spiritually mature before we came to earth. We were not just thrown down here with no experience. We were spiritually mature and we still have that spiritual maturity in us even though we cannot fully remember it. It is also a comforting to know that like our parents here on earth, our Heavenly Father raised us and taught us what we needed to know before he sent us out on our own.
I know that with the Lord we can learn again how to be spiritually mature in this life.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Tough Days
Today has been a hard day. I feel stressed and sad and tired and lonely. I had to leave my family down in CA and come back home to WA. I always miss my family when I leave but for some reason this time was extra hard coming home. I want to move to CA to be closer to my family but I have a number of things stopping me (like a job, hospitals for Emma's surgery, and the fact that I just like WA better than CA). We have been seriously considering moving down there after Emma's surgery is over though.
Last night while I was laying in bed, thinking about how I was going to have to leave in the morning, I felt very strongly that Heavenly Father has a plan for me. I felt like I could hear the words, "Right now you need to stay in WA, I know it is going to be hard. My heart breaks with yours. But I know what is best for you in the long run." I also got a strong impression that He felt what I was feeling and knew exactly how hard it was going to be but He would get me through it. He was there wanting to let me do what I wanted because I wanted it but because He is a wise Father He knew that it was not what was best for me.
So for now I will stay in Seattle and be far from my family because I know the Lord has a plan for me. I will gladly turn my life over to Him and do what he asks me to do because I trust Him. I know that it will be hard but with His help and comfort He will get me through it. I feel so strongly the words of the hymns "I Stand All Amazed" and "I Feel My Saviors Love" and I know them to be true.
I wish that I could write down in words all that I feel and know to be true, that my children would know it too. I am not a well spoken person and feel that I cannot write it or say it as strongly as I feel it but for anyone who reads this, I want you to know that I know my Savior lives! I want to shout my praises to Him frequently. I know that He is a Great and Good God! And most especially that He loves me and wants me to be happy just as He does for all of His children.
So at the end of this day, that has been a hard day all around, with a lot of things that haven't gone quite right and a day that I feel extremely sad, I want to say Glory to God! I am so grateful for all of His blessings. I am grateful to have all of my family here with me now and the opportunity to have them all for eternity. I cannot think of a greater gift than that. I love my Heavenly Father and hope that I can stand up and fulfill the plan that He has for me.
Last night while I was laying in bed, thinking about how I was going to have to leave in the morning, I felt very strongly that Heavenly Father has a plan for me. I felt like I could hear the words, "Right now you need to stay in WA, I know it is going to be hard. My heart breaks with yours. But I know what is best for you in the long run." I also got a strong impression that He felt what I was feeling and knew exactly how hard it was going to be but He would get me through it. He was there wanting to let me do what I wanted because I wanted it but because He is a wise Father He knew that it was not what was best for me.
So for now I will stay in Seattle and be far from my family because I know the Lord has a plan for me. I will gladly turn my life over to Him and do what he asks me to do because I trust Him. I know that it will be hard but with His help and comfort He will get me through it. I feel so strongly the words of the hymns "I Stand All Amazed" and "I Feel My Saviors Love" and I know them to be true.
I wish that I could write down in words all that I feel and know to be true, that my children would know it too. I am not a well spoken person and feel that I cannot write it or say it as strongly as I feel it but for anyone who reads this, I want you to know that I know my Savior lives! I want to shout my praises to Him frequently. I know that He is a Great and Good God! And most especially that He loves me and wants me to be happy just as He does for all of His children.
So at the end of this day, that has been a hard day all around, with a lot of things that haven't gone quite right and a day that I feel extremely sad, I want to say Glory to God! I am so grateful for all of His blessings. I am grateful to have all of my family here with me now and the opportunity to have them all for eternity. I cannot think of a greater gift than that. I love my Heavenly Father and hope that I can stand up and fulfill the plan that He has for me.
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