I definitely believe in miracles! I was 35 1/2 weeks pregnant when my doctor put me on bed rest because the baby had stopped growing at 33 weeks. 1 day before 36 weeks I was admitted to the hospital for observation because the levels with the umbilical cord flow were off the charts high(I don't know all the technical terms). I was only in the hospital for 2 hours when my doctor came in and said that I would be induced that night to have the baby. He said with the circumstances, one day could mean life or death for the baby and he didn't want to take the chance of prolonging my pregnancy any longer. We had the baby the next morning at 7:45am. My doctor said that twice during labor and delivery, he almost took me in for an emergency C-section. One of those times, just before delivery, the baby's heart rate dropped so low he thought it had stopped. He nearly rushed me in but had the thought to let me try to get him out on my own. 5 minutes of hard pushing later, our baby boy was born. He came out screaming. The doctor visibly sighed with relief. My doctor explained and showed us that the baby had twisted the umbilical cord into a perfect cork screw spiral from end to end. That's why the blood flow and any nutrition had almost completely stopped going to the baby to cause him to stop growing. He weighed in at 4lbs 7 oz. and only 17 inches long. Being 4 weeks early, the NICU team was there ready to take him. After only 6 hours of observation, he was able to leave the NICU. All the doctors said they couldn't believe that he was doing so well! Most 36 week-ers are in the NICU for at least a couple days. He's now almost 2 weeks old and doing SO well!
We feel so blessed to have such a healthy baby and that everything went well with the labor and delivery! I know the Lord blessed us in this experience and that angels were there helping along the way. I know the Lord answered my prayers that things would go well and that the priesthood blessing I had came directly from Him that everything would be alright.
"When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. …
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by. …
So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end."
Miracles
By Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Dallin H. Oaks, "Miracles", Ensign, June 2001, 6
From a talk given at a Church Educational System fireside in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on 7 May 2000.
Miracles happen every day in the work of the Church and in the lives of its members.
"When I was a college student, almost 50 years ago, Elder Matthew Cowley (1897–1953) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to a BYU audience about miracles. That devotional message had a great impact on me, and I have felt to revisit its subject. Like Elder Cowley, I will seek to provide an answer to the prophet Mormon’s question “Has the day of miracles ceased?” (Moro. 7:35). In fact, many miracles happen every day in the work of our Church and in the lives of our members. Many of you have witnessed miracles, perhaps more than you realize.
A miracle has been defined as “a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand and of themselves cannot duplicate.”1 The idea that events are brought about through divine power is rejected by most irreligious people and even by some who are religious. All of us have known people who have what Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once called “the anti-miracle mind-set.”2 This rejection of miracles in the last days was prophesied. The prophet Nephi foretold that the Gentiles would “put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain” (2 Ne. 26:20). He also prophesied that churches would be built up in which persons would teach with their learning, deny the power of God, and tell the people that if someone should “say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles” (2 Ne. 28:6).
Some people reject the possibility of miracles because they have not experienced them or cannot understand them. In contrast, President Howard W. Hunter declared, “To deny the reality of miracles on the ground that the results and manifestations must be fictitious simply because we cannot comprehend the means by which they have happened is arrogant on the face of it.”3
Types of Miracles
The word miracle is used in different ways. We sometimes say that any happening we cannot explain is a “miracle.” To me, a computer is a miracle. So are cell phones and space travel. But these wonders are explainable by physical laws understood by some mortals. I call them miracles because I do not personally understand them and therefore cannot duplicate them at will.
Another category of miracles, so-called, are the tricks that some magicians and religious practitioners stage in order to produce astonishing events in aid of their professions or ministries. You will remember that the magicians in Pharaoh’s court duplicated some of the miracles Moses produced through the power of God (see Ex. 7–8). Perhaps these magicians were servants of the devil, using his power, but I think it more likely that they were simply skilled practitioners of magic tricks that they used to reinforce their position in Pharaoh’s court.
Religious practitioners have employed similar deceptions in our own day. About 40 years ago a professional dramatic production planned for a midwestern city had to be postponed because the producers could not find enough professional actors to perform the required roles. A great religious revival was under way in that city, and I was told the revivalists had hired all of the available professional actors to portray miraculous healings and conversions to enhance their position and goals with their audiences. Before we are too critical of such techniques, we should remember that we engage in similar deceptions whenever we exaggerate a happening in order to dazzle an audience into thinking we have experienced a miracle or to enhance our stature in other ways.
Warning!
We know from the scriptures that persons without authority will use the name of Jesus Christ to work what seem to be miracles. The Savior taught that as part of the Final Judgment many would say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22). You will remember that these pretenders were rejected by the Lord (see Matt. 7:23).
Not every manifestation or miracle comes from God or from mortal deception. The adversary has great powers to deceive, and he will use these to give his corrupted copy of the genuine miracles worked by the power of God. I will say no more of this, since I believe it is not desirable to say much about the powers of the evil one. It is sufficient for us to know that his power exists and that we have been warned against it (see Rev. 13:11–14; D&C 28:11; D&C 50:1–3).4
I will now describe two types of genuine miracles. These two fit all of the elements of the definition: they are brought about by divine power, mortals do not understand them, and mortals cannot duplicate them of themselves.
First, miracles worked by the power of the priesthood are always present in the true Church of Jesus Christ.5 The Book of Mormon teaches that “God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles” (Mosiah 8:18). The “means” provided is priesthood power (see James 5:14–15; D&C 42:43–48), and that power works miracles through faith (see Ether 12:12; Moro. 7:37). The scriptures contain many accounts of such miracles. Elijah’s raising the widow’s son and Peter’s healing of the lame man are two familiar examples from the Bible (see 1 Kgs. 17:8–24; Acts 3), and there are many others. I will describe some modern examples later.
A second type of genuine miracle is the miracle worked through the power of faith, without specifically invoking the power of the priesthood. Many of these miracles occur in our Church, such as by the prayers of faithful women, and many occur outside it. As Nephi taught, God “manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith” (2 Ne. 26:13; see also 1 Ne. 7:12; James 5:15).
Macro-Miracles
Some miracles affect many people. The ultimate such miracle is the Atonement of Jesus Christ—His triumph over physical and spiritual death for all mankind. No miracle is more far-reaching or more magnificent.
Other far-reaching miracles—impossible to explain by rational means—occur as a result of obedience to the commandments of God. Thus, there is something miraculous about the way the members of our Church pay their tithing so faithfully and are blessed for doing so.
To cite another far-reaching miracle, there is no rational way to explain why young men and women give a year and a half to two years of their lives in the middle of their education and marriage eligibility to suffer the hardships incident to an inconvenient and highly disciplined pattern of missionary service to their fellowmen. Other miracles occur in funding missions by missionaries or families too poor to do so but who do so anyway.
Still another miracle is the way missionaries are protected during their labors. Of course we have fatalities among our young missionaries—about three to six per year over the last decade—all of them tragic. But the official death rates for comparable-age young men and women in the United States are eight times higher than the death rates of our missionaries. In other words, our young men and women are eight times safer in the mission field than the general population of their peers at home. In view of the hazards of missionary labor, this mortality record is nothing less than a miracle.
Other large-scale miracles are occurring in the Church’s family history work. The effect of our FamilySearch™ Internet Genealogy Service in the time it has been available is truly miraculous. After one year our Internet site averaged eight million hits per day, representing daily visits by about 130,000 persons. In this same one-year period, the site registered users from 117 countries who downloaded over 410,000 copies of our Personal Ancestral File. This was an eight-fold increase in usage over the prior technology. Family history work is exploding in a miraculous way.
Micro-Miracles
In contrast to these far-reaching miracles are the more familiar categories of miracles that impact only a few individuals. The scriptures abound with such miracles, and miracles as great as these still occur. I have seen them, and so have you. Elder Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985), then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said:
“We do have miracles today—beyond imagination! …
“What kinds of miracles do we have? All kinds—revelations, visions, tongues, healings, special guidance and direction, evil spirits cast out. Where are they recorded? In the records of the Church, in journals, in news and magazine articles and in the minds and memories of many people.”6
Most of us are acquainted with miracles that have occurred in our personal lives and the lives of those we love, such as miracles involving births and deaths and miraculous healings. All of these are fulfillments of the Lord’s modern promise to
“show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name” (D&C 35:8).
When Miracles Don’t Happen
I have been speaking of miracles that happen. What about miracles that don’t happen? Most of us have offered prayers that were not answered with the miracle we requested at the time we desired. Miracles are not available for the asking. We know this from the Lord’s revelation directing that the elders should be called to lay hands on and bless the sick: “It shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed” (D&C 42:48). The will of the Lord is always paramount. The priesthood of the Lord cannot be used to work a miracle contrary to the will of the Lord. We must also remember that even when a miracle is to occur, it will not occur on our desired schedule. The revelations teach that miraculous experiences occur “in his own time, and in his own way” (D&C 88:68).
Why Don’t We Hear More about Miracles?
Why don’t our talks in general conference and local meetings say more about the miracles we have seen? Most of the miracles we experience are not to be shared. Consistent with the teachings of the scriptures, we hold them sacred and share them only when the Spirit prompts us to do so.
The revelation on priesthood affirms the biblical teaching in Mark 16:17 that “signs,” including miraculous healings and other wonderful works, “follow them that believe” (see also D&C 84:65). Similarly, modern revelation directs that “they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation” (D&C 84:73). Another revelation declares, “Remember that that which cometh from above is sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit” (D&C 63:64). President Brigham Young explained, “Miracles, or these extraordinary manifestations of the power of God, are not for the unbeliever; they are to console the Saints, and to strengthen and confirm the faith of those who love, fear, and serve God, and not for outsiders.”7
Latter-day Saints generally follow these directions. In bearing testimonies and in our public addresses we rarely mention our most miraculous experiences, and we rarely rely on signs that the gospel is true. We usually just affirm our testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel and give few details on how we obtained it. Why is this? Signs follow those that believe. Seeking a miracle to convert someone is improper sign seeking. By the same token, it is usually inappropriate to recite miraculous circumstances to a general audience that includes people with very different levels of spiritual maturity. To a general audience, miracles will be faith-reinforcing for some but an inappropriate sign for others.
There are good reasons why we do not seek conversions by exhibiting signs. “The viewing of signs or miracles is not a secure foundation for conversion. Scriptural history attests that people converted by signs and wonders soon forget them and again become susceptible to the lies and distortions of Satan and his servants (Hel. 16:23; 3 Ne. 1:22, 3 Ne. 2:1, 3 Ne. 8:4.). …
“In contrast to the witness of the Spirit, which can be renewed from time to time as needed by a worthy recipient, the viewing of a sign or the experiencing of a miracle is a one-time event that will fade in the memory of its witness and can dim in its impact upon him or her.”8
President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901), who served for more than a quarter century in the First Presidency, observed: “It has been a matter of remark among those who have had experience in this Church that where men have been brought into the Church by such manifestations, it has required a constant succession of them to keep them in the Church; their faith has had to be constantly strengthened by witnessing some such manifestations; but where they have been convinced by the outpouring of the spirit of God, … they have been more likely to stand, more likely to endure persecution and trial than those who have been convinced through some supernatural manifestation.”9
Sharing Miracles
Although we are generally counseled not to speak of sacred things like the miracles we have witnessed, there are times when the Spirit prompts us to share these experiences, sometimes even in a setting where our account will be published. The miracles written in the scriptures were obviously intended to be shared, usually to strengthen the faith of those who already believed. Modern servants of the Lord have also felt impressed to describe miraculous events to strengthen the faith of believers. Many of these have been published. I have chosen to share some of these here.
A few years after the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, a young man took an ox team up Millcreek Canyon on a cold winter day to get logs to build a house. It was extremely cold, and the snow was deep. His sled held five large logs. After he loaded the first one, he turned around to load another. In that instant, the log already on the sled—22 feet long and about 10 inches in diameter—slipped off the sled and rolled down on him, striking him in the hollow of his legs. He was thrown face-forward across the four logs still on the ground and pinned there, alone, with no way to extract himself. He knew he would freeze to death and die alone in the mountains.
The next thing this young pioneer remembered was waking up, sitting on a load of five logs nicely bound on his sled with his oxen pulling the load down the canyon. In his personal history he wrote, “Who it was that extricated me from under the log, loaded my sled, hitched my oxen to it, and placed me on it, I cannot say.”10 Thirty-three years later, that young pioneer, Marriner Wood Merrill, was ordained an Apostle.
Many miracles happen to aid individuals in pursuing their personal family histories. In an issue of the Church News, a woman told how she returned to her ancestral home in Japan to seek information about her ancestors. After finding nothing in official records, local libraries, and cemeteries, she gave up and was driving away empty-handed when she became lost and somehow drove past a cemetery she did not know existed. From the car window she saw a familiar name on a tombstone, stopped, and found many markers with the information she sought.”11
Miraculous healings through priesthood blessings and the prayer of faith are familiar to most of us. An experience related in the Friend magazine is typical. During his early childhood, Elder John M. Madsen was afflicted with double pneumonia. After examining the little boy, a doctor told his parents he could do nothing for him and offered no hope that he would live through the night. Soon the child sank into unconsciousness. When his mother felt for his pulse and could find none, she prayed fervently, and the father gave the dying child a priesthood blessing. Immediately he recovered consciousness and began to feel better.12
In his great talk on miracles, Elder Matthew Cowley tells of several miraculous healings, including this one that occurred while he was serving as a mission president among the Maori people of New Zealand.
One Sunday a father brought a nine-month-old baby forward to Brother Cowley, requesting that he give him a name and a blessing. Here I quote Brother Cowley:
“I said, ‘All right, what’s the name?’ So he told me the name, and I was just going to start when he said, ‘By the way, give him his vision when you give him a name. He was born blind.’ It shocked me, but then I said to myself, why not? Christ said to his disciples when he left them, ‘Greater things than I have done shall you do.’ (See John 14:12.) I had faith in that father’s faith. After I gave that child its name, I finally got around to giving it its vision. That boy is about twelve years old now. The last time I was back there I was afraid to inquire about him. I was sure he had gone blind again. That’s the way my faith works sometimes. So I asked the branch president about him. And he said, ‘Brother Cowley, the worst thing you ever did was to bless that child to receive his vision. He’s the meanest kid in the neighborhood; always getting into mischief.’ Boy, I was thrilled about that kid getting into mischief!”13
President Gordon B. Hinckley shared another miracle in the restoration of sight: “I recall once when I arrived in Hong Kong I was asked if I would visit a woman in the hospital whose doctors had told her she was going blind and would lose her sight within a week. She asked if we would administer to her and we did so, and she states that she was miraculously healed. I have a painting in my home that she gave me which says on the back of it, ‘To Gordon B. Hinckley in grateful appreciation for the miracle of saving my sight.’ I said to her, ‘I didn’t save your sight. Of course, the Lord saved your sight. Thank Him and be grateful to Him.’”14
As I said earlier, the Lord works miracles in response to the faith of His children. No denomination—not even the restored Church—has a monopoly on the blessings of the Lord. He loves and blesses all of His children.
In an airport one day I picked up a copy of the Dallas Morning News. My eyes were drawn to a columnist’s report of a letter detailing a remarkable miracle. The writer’s five-year-old granddaughter, Heather, suddenly became feverish and lethargic. She breathed with difficulty, and her lips turned blue. By the time she arrived at the hospital, her kidneys and lungs had shut down, her fever was 107 degrees, and her body was bright red and covered with purple lesions. The doctors said she was dying of toxic shock syndrome, cause unknown. As word spread to family and friends, God-fearing people from Florida to California began praying for little Heather. At the grandfather’s request, a special prayer service was held in their Church of Christ congregation in Waco, Texas. Miraculously, Heather suddenly came back from the brink of death and was released from the hospital in a little over a week. The columnist concluded that Heather “is living proof that God does answer prayers and work miracles.”15
We do not usually speak of spiritual gifts as a miracle, but sometimes the effect of a spiritual gift is miraculous. For example, many missionaries who must learn a new language are blessed with the gift of tongues. Most often this gift merely accelerates the normal process of learning, but sometimes its effect is so immediate that it can only be called a miracle. A young mission president experienced this in the South Pacific in 1913. John Alexander Nelson Jr. spoke Samoan but not Tongan. When he arrived for an assignment in Tonga, he found that he had been scheduled to speak to a congregation of 300 Wesleyan Methodists. He began in faith by speaking a few sentences of greeting he knew in the Tongan language, and then suddenly found himself continuing to speak in Tongan. He spoke without hesitation for nearly an hour “as fluently as any native.”16
Eric B. Shumway’s book Tongan Saints: Legacy of Faith describes many other miracles experienced in those islands of faith. For example, in the midst of the furious hurricane that devastated Vava’u in 1961, a Tongan father reasoned that he had priesthood power to heal a body and saw no reason why he could not also “heal” the raging storm. Brother Shumway writes, “His dramatic blessing at the peak of the hurricane saved his home and the people who took refuge there.”17
In another experience, heavy ocean waves were crashing onto a beach at a time when the missionaries had scheduled some baptisms. An elder “stepped out and blessed the ocean, commanding it to be still so these sacred ordinances could be accomplished.” Almost instantly the ocean calmed down and five people were baptized. Then as the party started up the path from the ocean, “the waves came crashing in again over the very spot the sacred ordinances were held.”18
One of the greatest miracles we can imagine is for someone to be brought back to life after being dead for a time. So it was with Lazarus, whom Jesus raised (see John 11:17, 39–44). So it has been with others in our day.
The miracle of raising someone from the dead is so exceptional and so sacred that those who have been privileged to see it should never speak of it publicly unless the Spirit specifically induces them to do so. Our published literature contains two such examples I can share. The first is from the Matthew Cowley talk that impressed me so deeply when I was a student at BYU. I quote:
“I was called to a home in a little village in New Zealand one day. There the Relief Society sisters were preparing the body of one of our saints. They had placed his body in front of the big house, as they call it, the house where the people come to wail and weep and mourn over the dead, when in rushed the dead man’s brother. He said, ‘Administer to him.’ And the young natives said, ‘Why, you shouldn’t do that; he’s dead.’ ‘You do it!’ …
“The younger native got down on his knees and he anointed this man. Then this great old sage got down and blessed him and commanded him to rise. You should have seen the Relief Society sisters scatter. He sat up and said, ‘Send for the elders; I don’t feel very well.’ … We told him he had just been administered to, and he said, ‘Oh, that was it.’ He said, ‘I was dead. I could feel life coming back into me just like a blanket unrolling.’ He outlived the brother that came in and told us to administer to him.”19
Another sacred experience is related in the book Tongan Saints. It happened while Elder ‘Iohani Wolfgramm and his wife were serving a mission in their native Tonga, presiding over a branch on an outlying island. Their three-year-old daughter was accidentally run over by a loaded taxi. Four of the occupants of the taxi sorrowfully carried her lifeless body to her parents. “Her head was crushed and her face was terribly disfigured.”20 The sorrowing helpers offered to take the little girl’s body to the hospital so the doctors could repair her severely damaged head and face for the funeral. I now quote the words of her father, Elder Wolfgramm: “I told them I did not want them to take her but that I would ask God what I should do and, if it was possible, to give her life back.”21
The helpers took the little girl’s body into the chapel. Elder Wolfgramm continued: “I asked them to hold her while I gave her a priesthood blessing. By then the curious people of the village were flocking in to see our stricken little daughter. As I was about to proceed with the administration, I felt tongue-tied. Struggling to speak, I got the distinct impression that I should not continue with the ordinance. It was as if a voice were speaking to me saying: ‘This is not the right time, for the place is full of mockers and unbelievers. Wait for a more private moment.’
“My speech returned at that moment and I addressed the group: ‘The Lord has restrained me from blessing this little girl, because there are unbelievers among you who doubt this sacred ordinance. Please help me by leaving so I can bless my child.’”22
The people left without taking offense. The grieving parents carried the little girl to their home, put her body on her own bed, and covered her with a sheet. Three hours passed, and her body began to show the effects of death. The mother pleaded with the father to bless her, but he insisted that he still felt restrained. Finally, the impression came that he should now proceed. I return to his words:
“All present in the home at that moment were people with faith in priesthood blessings. The feeling of what I should do and say was so strong within me that I knew Tisina would recover completely after the blessing. Thus, I anointed her head and blessed her in the name of Jesus Christ to be well and normal. I blessed her head and all her wounds to heal perfectly, thanking God for his goodness to me in allowing me to hold his priesthood and bring life back to my daughter. I asked him to open the doors of Paradise, so I could tell her to come back and receive her body again and live. The Lord then spoke to my heart and said, ‘She will return to you tomorrow. You will be reunited then.’”23
The parents spent an anxious night beside the body of the little girl, who appeared to be lifeless. Then, suddenly, the little girl awoke, alive and well. Her father’s account concludes: “I grabbed her and examined her, her head and face. They were perfectly normal. All her wounds were healed; and from that day to this, she has experienced no complications from the accident. Her life was the miraculous gift from Heavenly Father during our missionary labors in Fo’ui.”24
Miracles I Have Experienced
I have seen quite a few miracles during my Church service. I feel I can share two of them at this time.
I had an experience with the gift of tongues in the newly opened country of Bulgaria. In November 1990 we sent missionaries into Bulgaria. A handful of elders entered from Serbia, without any contacts or training in the Bulgarian language. Through their labors and the blessings of the Lord, we soon had 45 Bulgarian members.
In April 1991 I went to Bulgaria with Area President Hans B. Ringger and mission president Dennis B. Neuenschwander. There, most of our members and about 150 investigators assembled in an attractive civic building in Sofia for a fireside at which I was to speak. My interpreter was Mirella Lazarov, a newly baptized member in her 20s. The audience included many professional people and some government officials. I had prayed fervently for guidance in this talk but had little time for preparation.
I began by telling the audience about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how we differed from other Christian churches. I then felt impressed to speak about the Apostasy, which I did in some detail. In doing so, I completely forgot that I was speaking through an interpreter who had been a member only five months and had almost no background in the subject of the Apostasy. Forgetful of this, I made no attempt to speak in simple terms but made extensive use of the unfamiliar English words involved in a detailed explanation of the Apostasy and the Restoration.
After the crowd had departed, Sister Lazarov tearfully told me of her unique experience in translating my talk. Despite her fluency in English, she sometimes heard me speak words or express thoughts she did not understand in English. She said that whenever this happened, “another voice” spoke through her so she found herself using words or explaining concepts in Bulgarian that she did not understand in English. I told her to cherish this experience and testify of it to others. She had experienced the gift of tongues in a classic circumstance in which the Lord gives a spiritual gift to one person so that others of His children can be edified and His work can be forwarded (see D&C 46:9).
I experienced another miracle during an attempted military coup to overthrow the government of Philippine president Corazon Aquino in December 1989.25 Many persons were killed in nearly a week of heavy fighting between rebel and loyal government troops. A principal site of this fighting was Camp Aguinaldo, which adjoins our temple in Manila.
During the first day of the attempted coup, gunfire and bombing could be heard from our temple. That night the road in front of the temple was occupied by rebel armored vehicles, trucks, and many soldiers. With the coming of daylight on Saturday, these rebel forces exchanged gunfire with the loyal government troops in Camp Aguinaldo. Opposing aircraft fired rockets and dropped bombs.
At about 3:00 P.M. Saturday afternoon, the rebel soldiers breached the gate of the temple and occupied our temple grounds. At this time we had five Philippine employees there: three security men and two custodians. Our temple president, Floyd H. Hogan, instructed them by phone not to resist the soldiers entering the temple grounds or the temple annex, which housed auxiliary facilities like name processing, but to secure the temple and take cover there. The man in charge, Brother Espi, later wrote that he worked to develop a good relationship with the rebel soldiers to convince them that even though they wanted to get access to the temple, “because of the sacred nature of the temple, they should not try to enter.”
Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning there were almost continuous exchanges of gunfire between the government troops in Camp Aguinaldo and the rebels around the camp, including those occupying our temple grounds. Brother Espi later wrote: “We all thought that we are on our own but still asked our Heavenly Father to strengthen each one of us and to spare the temple from being desecrated.”
Others were praying too. In his later report, Area President George I. Cannon wrote: “The Sunday when the rebellion was going on was fast Sunday. Throughout the Philippines the members were praying and fasting for the temple, for the members, and for the missionaries.”
Sunday morning a government helicopter gunship appeared and strafed the vicinity of the temple, but retreated because of stiff resistance from the rebels’ 50-caliber machine guns. About noon that day an air force plane dropped several bombs that hit the residence house near the temple. Bomb fragments broke windows in the temple annex.
Sunday evening Manila radio reported that the Mormon temple was in rebel hands but that a government force was moving in to drive them out. At that report, President Hogan, the temple president and a retired colonel in the U.S. military, went into action himself. He made the dangerous walk from the temple president’s home to the assembling government troops. There he found that their commander had given the rebels one hour to surrender and planned to attack them at 11:00 P.M. His force included armored personnel carriers, heavy mortars, and at least 150 soldiers, who believed they outnumbered and could easily defeat the rebel force in the temple annex. But their attack would obviously employ extensive heavy weapons and rifle fire and would cause great damage to the temple facilities. President Hogan argued with the commanding officer that if he would only wait until daylight, the rebels might abandon the temple grounds and no attack would be necessary. The commander insisted that he had to follow his orders, and President Hogan was not able to contact the general who had given the order to see if he would rescind it.
During this time I was the member of the Quorum of the Twelve whom the Philippines Area President contacted for help at headquarters. Thirty minutes before the 11:00 P.M. Manila deadline, Area President George I. Cannon phoned me to report that our temple annex and grounds were the last remaining rebel stronghold in Manila and the army had massed artillery and troops for an assault at any moment. He said he had done all he could through the Philippine government and the American ambassador to discourage the attack, but without success. It was then 7:30 A.M. Sunday in Salt Lake City.
By a remarkable coincidence—one of those happenings that cannot be coincidental—the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had scheduled an unusual meeting that Sunday morning. At 8:00 A.M., 3 December, just 30 minutes after I received that alarming report from Manila, the assembled First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve bowed in prayer and pleaded with the Lord to intervene to protect His house. Elder Marvin J. Ashton led our prayer. As we prayed, it was 11:00 P.M. Sunday evening in Manila, the exact hour appointed for the assault.
The attack never came. Twenty minutes after our prayer, President Cannon phoned Church headquarters to report that the military commander had unexpectedly decided against a night assault. Early the next morning, Philippine time, President Hogan phoned to say that the rebels had melted away during the night. I recorded in my journal, “I consider this a miracle of divine intervention no less impressive than many recorded in holy writ.”
On Monday morning President Hogan inspected the temple annex. It had shrapnel marks and many broken windows on the north side, but inside, none of its locked rooms had been entered. The temple itself had not been entered and was not damaged. A total of six mortar or rocket shells had exploded inside the temple grounds. From their trajectory, President Hogan concluded that some of these shells had to have passed between the spires of the temple. The patron housing building under construction nearby had been hit by four or five rockets and had sustained extensive damage. The Manila temple opened for normal sessions the next day.
A week later I received a letter from the Philippine ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Pelaez, whom I had recently hosted at Church headquarters. His letter explained how he had worked behind the scenes, as soon as he learned that our temple was threatened, to urge the Philippine military to “do everything possible” to spare this sacred building from damage. After the fighting was over, they had reported to him that “they were careful in their counter-shelling, so as not to cause damage” to the temple.26 I concluded that the Lord had worked behind the scenes through these government servants to save His house.
When I was in the Philippines a few months later, I personally inspected the temple and grounds and found that despite all of the shelling and exchanges of gunfire within a few feet of this sacred edifice, it was completely unmarked by any shell fire except for one bullet hole, apparently a single stray rifle shot, at the top of the highest steeple. As President and Sister Donald L. Hilton of the Philippines Manila Mission wrote in a letter sent to their missionaries, “an unseen army of angels assisted faithful temple guards that the temple was not desecrated.”
The Greatest Miracle of All
I have spoken about miracles. I have given illustrations of miracles in the Church as a whole and in many different circumstances involving a few individuals or a crisis of weather or war. But the greatest miracle is not in such things as restoring sight to the blind, healing an illness, or even raising the dead, since all of these restorations will happen, in any event, in the Resurrection.
Changing bodies or protecting temples are miracles, but an even greater miracle is a mighty change of heart by a son or daughter of God (see Mosiah 5:2). A change of heart, including new attitudes, priorities, and desires, is greater and more important than any miracle involving the body. I repeat, the body will be resurrected in any event, but a change affecting what the scripture calls the “heart” of a spirit son or daughter of God is a change whose effect is eternal. If of the right kind, this change opens the door to the process of repentance that cleanses us to dwell in the presence of God. It introduces the perspective and priorities that lead us to make the choices that qualify us for eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7).
My dear brothers and sisters, I pray that each one of us may experience and persist in that miracle of the mighty change of heart, that we may realize the destiny God has prescribed for all of His children and the purpose of this Church to bring to pass the eternal lives of men and women. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, and He is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our Resurrector. We are His spiritual children, spiritually begotten by His sacrifice in Gethsemane and on Calvary and possessing the opportunity to qualify for eternal life. May God bless us to do so."
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Stress
I've been really stressed out lately with finances, work, and just daily life and this talk helped me a lot. I thought I'd post it.
Of Things That Matter Most
By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Of Things That Matter Most", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 19–22
Close Audio
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.
It’s remarkable how much we can learn about life by studying nature. For example, scientists can look at the rings of trees and make educated guesses about climate and growing conditions hundreds and even thousands of years ago. One of the things we learn from studying the growth of trees is that during seasons when conditions are ideal, trees grow at a normal rate. However, during seasons when growing conditions are not ideal, trees slow down their growth and devote their energy to the basic elements necessary for survival.
At this point some of you may be thinking, “That’s all very fine and good, but what does it have to do with flying an airplane?” Well, let me tell you.
Have you ever been in an airplane and experienced turbulence? The most common cause of turbulence is a sudden change in air movement causing the aircraft to pitch, yaw, and roll. While planes are built to withstand far greater turbulence than anything you would encounter on a regular flight, it still may be disconcerting to passengers.
What do you suppose pilots do when they encounter turbulence? A student pilot may think that increasing speed is a good strategy because it will get them through the turbulence faster. But that may be the wrong thing to do. Professional pilots understand that there is an optimum turbulence penetration speed that will minimize the negative effects of turbulence. And most of the time that would mean to reduce your speed. The same principle applies also to speed bumps on a road.
Therefore, it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.
The Pace of Modern Life
This is a simple but critical lesson to learn. It may seem logical when put in terms of trees or turbulence, but it’s surprising how easy it is to ignore this lesson when it comes to applying these principles in our own daily lives. When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking somehow that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be.
One of the characteristics of modern life seems to be that we are moving at an ever-increasing rate, regardless of turbulence or obstacles.
Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.
It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks.
What Is the Solution?
The wise understand and apply the lessons of tree rings and air turbulence. They resist the temptation to get caught up in the frantic rush of everyday life. They follow the advice “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” 1 In short, they focus on the things that matter most.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in a recent general conference, taught, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.” 2
The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life.
There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions.
For example, it wasn’t long after astronauts and cosmonauts orbited the earth that they realized ballpoint pens would not work in space. And so some very smart people went to work solving the problem. It took thousands of hours and millions of dollars, but in the end, they developed a pen that could write anywhere, in any temperature, and on nearly any surface. But how did the astronauts and cosmonauts get along until the problem was solved? They simply used a pencil.
Leonardo da Vinci is quoted as saying that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” 3 When we look at the foundational principles of the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, we can recognize and appreciate in its plainness and simplicity the elegance and beauty of our Heavenly Father’s wisdom. Then, turning our ways to His ways is the beginning of our wisdom.
The Power of Basics
The story is told that the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi had a ritual he performed on the first day of training. He would hold up a football, show it to the athletes who had been playing the sport for many years, and say, “Gentlemen, … this is a football!” He talked about its size and shape, how it can be kicked, carried, or passed. He took the team out onto the empty field and said, “This is a football field.” He walked them around, describing the dimensions, the shape, the rules, and how the game is played. 4
This coach knew that even these experienced players, and indeed the team, could become great only by mastering the fundamentals. They could spend their time practicing intricate trick plays, but until they mastered the fundamentals of the game, they would never become a championship team.
I think most of us intuitively understand how important the fundamentals are. It is just that we sometimes get distracted by so many things that seem more enticing.
Printed material, wide-ranging media sources, electronic tools and gadgets—all helpful if used properly—can become hurtful diversions or heartless chambers of isolation.
Yet amidst the multitude of voices and choices, the humble Man of Galilee stands with hands outstretched, waiting. His is a simple message: “Come, follow me.” 5 And He does not speak with a powerful megaphone but with a still, small voice. 6 It is so easy for the basic gospel message to get lost amidst the deluge of information that hits us from all sides.
The holy scriptures and the spoken word of the living prophets give emphasis to the fundamental principles and doctrines of the gospel. The reason we return to these foundational principles, to the pure doctrines, is because they are the gateway to truths of profound meaning. They are the door to experiences of sublime importance that would otherwise be beyond our capacity to comprehend. These simple, basic principles are the key to living in harmony with God and man. They are the keys to opening the windows of heaven. They lead us to the peace, joy, and understanding that Heavenly Father has promised to His children who hear and obey Him.
My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. They will teach us to do “all these things … in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [we] should run faster than [we have] strength. [But] it is expedient that [we] should be diligent, [and] thereby … win the prize.” 7
Brothers and sisters, diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the world. That is why “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, … that [we] may know to what source [we] may look for a remission of [our] sins.” 8 In the complexity, confusion, and rush of modern living, this is the “more excellent way.” 9
So What Are the Basics?
As we turn to our Heavenly Father and seek His wisdom regarding the things that matter most, we learn over and over again the importance of four key relationships: with our God, with our families, with our fellowman, and with ourselves. As we evaluate our own lives with a willing mind, we will see where we have drifted from the more excellent way. The eyes of our understanding will be opened, and we will recognize what needs to be done to purify our heart and refocus our life.
First, our relationship with God is most sacred and vital. We are His spirit children. He is our Father. He desires our happiness. As we seek Him, as we learn of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Spirit, our lives become more stable and secure. We experience greater peace, joy, and fulfillment as we give our best to live according to God’s eternal plan and keep His commandments.
We improve our relationship with our Heavenly Father by learning of Him, by communing with Him, by repenting of our sins, and by actively following Jesus Christ, for “no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Christ].” 10 To strengthen our relationship with God, we need some meaningful time alone with Him. Quietly focusing on daily personal prayer and scripture study, always aiming to be worthy of a current temple recommend—these will be some wise investments of our time and efforts to draw closer to our Heavenly Father. Let us heed the invitation in Psalms: “Be still, and know that I am God.” 11
Our second key relationship is with our families. Since “no other success can compensate for failure” 12 here, we must place high priority on our families. We build deep and loving family relationships by doing simple things together, like family dinner and family home evening and by just having fun together. In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. Taking time for each other is the key for harmony at home. We talk with, rather than about, each other. We learn from each other, and we appreciate our differences as well as our commonalities. We establish a divine bond with each other as we approach God together through family prayer, gospel study, and Sunday worship.
The third key relationship we have is with our fellowman. We build this relationship one person at a time—by being sensitive to the needs of others, serving them, and giving of our time and talents. I was deeply impressed by one sister who was burdened with the challenges of age and illness but decided that although she couldn’t do much, she could listen. And so each week she watched for people who looked troubled or discouraged, and she spent time with them, listening. What a blessing she was in the lives of so many people.
The fourth key relationship is with ourselves. It may seem odd to think of having a relationship with ourselves, but we do. Some people can’t get along with themselves. They criticize and belittle themselves all day long until they begin to hate themselves. May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations, ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you personally. Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you—as His precious daughter or son with divine potential.
Rejoice in the Pure Gospel
Brothers and sisters, let us be wise. Let us turn to the pure doctrinal waters of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us joyfully partake of them in their simplicity and plainness. The heavens are open again. The gospel of Jesus Christ is on earth once more, and its simple truths are a plentiful source of joy!
Brothers and sisters, indeed we have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.
Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.
Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace. For this I pray, as I leave you my blessing, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Of Things That Matter Most
By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Of Things That Matter Most", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 19–22
Close Audio
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.
It’s remarkable how much we can learn about life by studying nature. For example, scientists can look at the rings of trees and make educated guesses about climate and growing conditions hundreds and even thousands of years ago. One of the things we learn from studying the growth of trees is that during seasons when conditions are ideal, trees grow at a normal rate. However, during seasons when growing conditions are not ideal, trees slow down their growth and devote their energy to the basic elements necessary for survival.
At this point some of you may be thinking, “That’s all very fine and good, but what does it have to do with flying an airplane?” Well, let me tell you.
Have you ever been in an airplane and experienced turbulence? The most common cause of turbulence is a sudden change in air movement causing the aircraft to pitch, yaw, and roll. While planes are built to withstand far greater turbulence than anything you would encounter on a regular flight, it still may be disconcerting to passengers.
What do you suppose pilots do when they encounter turbulence? A student pilot may think that increasing speed is a good strategy because it will get them through the turbulence faster. But that may be the wrong thing to do. Professional pilots understand that there is an optimum turbulence penetration speed that will minimize the negative effects of turbulence. And most of the time that would mean to reduce your speed. The same principle applies also to speed bumps on a road.
Therefore, it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.
The Pace of Modern Life
This is a simple but critical lesson to learn. It may seem logical when put in terms of trees or turbulence, but it’s surprising how easy it is to ignore this lesson when it comes to applying these principles in our own daily lives. When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking somehow that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be.
One of the characteristics of modern life seems to be that we are moving at an ever-increasing rate, regardless of turbulence or obstacles.
Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.
It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks.
What Is the Solution?
The wise understand and apply the lessons of tree rings and air turbulence. They resist the temptation to get caught up in the frantic rush of everyday life. They follow the advice “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” 1 In short, they focus on the things that matter most.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in a recent general conference, taught, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.” 2
The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life.
There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions.
For example, it wasn’t long after astronauts and cosmonauts orbited the earth that they realized ballpoint pens would not work in space. And so some very smart people went to work solving the problem. It took thousands of hours and millions of dollars, but in the end, they developed a pen that could write anywhere, in any temperature, and on nearly any surface. But how did the astronauts and cosmonauts get along until the problem was solved? They simply used a pencil.
Leonardo da Vinci is quoted as saying that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” 3 When we look at the foundational principles of the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, we can recognize and appreciate in its plainness and simplicity the elegance and beauty of our Heavenly Father’s wisdom. Then, turning our ways to His ways is the beginning of our wisdom.
The Power of Basics
The story is told that the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi had a ritual he performed on the first day of training. He would hold up a football, show it to the athletes who had been playing the sport for many years, and say, “Gentlemen, … this is a football!” He talked about its size and shape, how it can be kicked, carried, or passed. He took the team out onto the empty field and said, “This is a football field.” He walked them around, describing the dimensions, the shape, the rules, and how the game is played. 4
This coach knew that even these experienced players, and indeed the team, could become great only by mastering the fundamentals. They could spend their time practicing intricate trick plays, but until they mastered the fundamentals of the game, they would never become a championship team.
I think most of us intuitively understand how important the fundamentals are. It is just that we sometimes get distracted by so many things that seem more enticing.
Printed material, wide-ranging media sources, electronic tools and gadgets—all helpful if used properly—can become hurtful diversions or heartless chambers of isolation.
Yet amidst the multitude of voices and choices, the humble Man of Galilee stands with hands outstretched, waiting. His is a simple message: “Come, follow me.” 5 And He does not speak with a powerful megaphone but with a still, small voice. 6 It is so easy for the basic gospel message to get lost amidst the deluge of information that hits us from all sides.
The holy scriptures and the spoken word of the living prophets give emphasis to the fundamental principles and doctrines of the gospel. The reason we return to these foundational principles, to the pure doctrines, is because they are the gateway to truths of profound meaning. They are the door to experiences of sublime importance that would otherwise be beyond our capacity to comprehend. These simple, basic principles are the key to living in harmony with God and man. They are the keys to opening the windows of heaven. They lead us to the peace, joy, and understanding that Heavenly Father has promised to His children who hear and obey Him.
My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. They will teach us to do “all these things … in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [we] should run faster than [we have] strength. [But] it is expedient that [we] should be diligent, [and] thereby … win the prize.” 7
Brothers and sisters, diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the world. That is why “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, … that [we] may know to what source [we] may look for a remission of [our] sins.” 8 In the complexity, confusion, and rush of modern living, this is the “more excellent way.” 9
So What Are the Basics?
As we turn to our Heavenly Father and seek His wisdom regarding the things that matter most, we learn over and over again the importance of four key relationships: with our God, with our families, with our fellowman, and with ourselves. As we evaluate our own lives with a willing mind, we will see where we have drifted from the more excellent way. The eyes of our understanding will be opened, and we will recognize what needs to be done to purify our heart and refocus our life.
First, our relationship with God is most sacred and vital. We are His spirit children. He is our Father. He desires our happiness. As we seek Him, as we learn of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Spirit, our lives become more stable and secure. We experience greater peace, joy, and fulfillment as we give our best to live according to God’s eternal plan and keep His commandments.
We improve our relationship with our Heavenly Father by learning of Him, by communing with Him, by repenting of our sins, and by actively following Jesus Christ, for “no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Christ].” 10 To strengthen our relationship with God, we need some meaningful time alone with Him. Quietly focusing on daily personal prayer and scripture study, always aiming to be worthy of a current temple recommend—these will be some wise investments of our time and efforts to draw closer to our Heavenly Father. Let us heed the invitation in Psalms: “Be still, and know that I am God.” 11
Our second key relationship is with our families. Since “no other success can compensate for failure” 12 here, we must place high priority on our families. We build deep and loving family relationships by doing simple things together, like family dinner and family home evening and by just having fun together. In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. Taking time for each other is the key for harmony at home. We talk with, rather than about, each other. We learn from each other, and we appreciate our differences as well as our commonalities. We establish a divine bond with each other as we approach God together through family prayer, gospel study, and Sunday worship.
The third key relationship we have is with our fellowman. We build this relationship one person at a time—by being sensitive to the needs of others, serving them, and giving of our time and talents. I was deeply impressed by one sister who was burdened with the challenges of age and illness but decided that although she couldn’t do much, she could listen. And so each week she watched for people who looked troubled or discouraged, and she spent time with them, listening. What a blessing she was in the lives of so many people.
The fourth key relationship is with ourselves. It may seem odd to think of having a relationship with ourselves, but we do. Some people can’t get along with themselves. They criticize and belittle themselves all day long until they begin to hate themselves. May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations, ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you personally. Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you—as His precious daughter or son with divine potential.
Rejoice in the Pure Gospel
Brothers and sisters, let us be wise. Let us turn to the pure doctrinal waters of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us joyfully partake of them in their simplicity and plainness. The heavens are open again. The gospel of Jesus Christ is on earth once more, and its simple truths are a plentiful source of joy!
Brothers and sisters, indeed we have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.
Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.
Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace. For this I pray, as I leave you my blessing, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Perspective
I read this on my cousin Colton's blog. The credit goes to him though it doesn't have the name of who wrote it. When I read this I realized that I can't judge a situation by first impression. I need to try to have a good perspective on things no matter how they started or how they turn out. This was a great lesson to learn!
"I did not provoke the fight so I feel no remorse for what I was forced to do. We were arguing, and seeing that I was right and he was wrong, he decided to fight to cover up his stupidity.
He swung at me first, but being in top condition, I was able to act quickly and block the punch neatly with my head. Whereupon I jumped to the ground knocking him down on top of me.
Then I placed my ear in his mouth and poked his finger several times with my eye. His teeth hurt so much from the strength of my ear that he became irate and tried to kick me, but I cleverly blocked his onslaught with my ribs and face.
I scrambled to my feet and ran to my car in hopes that I would get away and save this man from my deadly hands. Before I could start the car, he pulled me from the still open door. I then proceeded to swing at him but only managed to hit myself with his head. Then I said, "What's this? Two against one?"
That was the final straw. I lost all control. There will be no mercy! Taking him in my death grip, I pounded him in the knee with my stomach, then hit him two or three times real hard in the fist with my teeth! He had had it! I could tell. After that he didn't even try to pick me up off the ground. He was to CHICKEN!
PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING! This life is tough sometimes and our trials can either tear us apart or drag us down. Or we can learn from them and use them as building blocks to better ourselves. THE CHOICE IS YOURS!"
It's all about Perspective!
1 Samuel 16:7 "...for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
"I did not provoke the fight so I feel no remorse for what I was forced to do. We were arguing, and seeing that I was right and he was wrong, he decided to fight to cover up his stupidity.
He swung at me first, but being in top condition, I was able to act quickly and block the punch neatly with my head. Whereupon I jumped to the ground knocking him down on top of me.
Then I placed my ear in his mouth and poked his finger several times with my eye. His teeth hurt so much from the strength of my ear that he became irate and tried to kick me, but I cleverly blocked his onslaught with my ribs and face.
I scrambled to my feet and ran to my car in hopes that I would get away and save this man from my deadly hands. Before I could start the car, he pulled me from the still open door. I then proceeded to swing at him but only managed to hit myself with his head. Then I said, "What's this? Two against one?"
That was the final straw. I lost all control. There will be no mercy! Taking him in my death grip, I pounded him in the knee with my stomach, then hit him two or three times real hard in the fist with my teeth! He had had it! I could tell. After that he didn't even try to pick me up off the ground. He was to CHICKEN!
PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING! This life is tough sometimes and our trials can either tear us apart or drag us down. Or we can learn from them and use them as building blocks to better ourselves. THE CHOICE IS YOURS!"
It's all about Perspective!
1 Samuel 16:7 "...for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
Friday, October 22, 2010
Small and simple things
October 17, 2010 Paul and I were able to visit my parents on their mission in Tallahassee, Florida. That Sunday while we were there we visited the Branch that they attended. To preface this, a few year back I was the primary president in our ward. I was discouraged because we only had 40 kids in our entire primary (this is compared to the normal for the area of 100+ kids per primary). It was a challenge to do certain things because of the few children we had. While Paul and I were visiting this Branch in Southern Georgia I was humbled. I went to primary with my mom. They had 6 children there. They usually have 8. They were practicing their primary program coming up a few weeks later and I was humbled to see these children practicing and to see the primary president working with them. Because of the small size of this primary, there was only the primary president, a lady who helped, and my mom to play the piano. They were definitely challenged because of their small size! I was humbled to know that with only 8 children in their primary, they still sing their songs, they still put on a primary program, and they still have sharing time and class time. They make it work! Not much was different from my small primary of 40 children! I realized how blessed I was to have that many children in my primary! I realized that I need to always recognize and count my blessings!
Psalms 115:13 "He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great."
Psalms 115:13 "He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great."
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Lord Listens
So Paul and I manage an apartment complex with 288 tenants. This complex is currently in the process of being built and will house BYU-I young men in the fall. We were given the job of filling this complex from 0 tenants to the full 288. There was a slow start, and also some miscommunication on marketing which has made it hard to get to our goal of being at least 90% full when the semester starts. At this point there is only 4 weeks left until school starts. About a week ago we still had 90 openings. I had been praying so hard that we could fill so that we could prove to this new boss that he made a good choice in hiring us. It was at this time that my prayers were answered. The Lord listened and provided a way for us to fill, and to fill quickly. We were asked by the school to fill one entire building with girls, just this semester, because they were short on girls' housing. We received 50 contracts in 1 week and as of today, we only have 13 openings in the entire complex. That's 95% full and we anticipate being 100% within the next 4 weeks. The Lord knew we needed this and that we needed His help. He knew we couldn't do it alone and He knew we needed this financially. He truly does listen and answer our prayers but we must live worthy to receive that blessing.
President Spencer W. Kimball: The Lord has given us this solemn commandment: “He that observeth not his prayers before the Lord in the season thereof, let him be had in remembrance before the judge of my people” (D&C 68:33). “And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord” (D&C 68:28). “I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as in secret, in public as well as in private” (D&C 19:28).
Our personal prayers are more specific. They fall into at least two categories. There are the formal prayers where we kneel regularly. Here we talk to the Lord more intimately. We pray for some of the same things as in our family prayers, but more for our immediate and pressing needs. We express our innermost thoughts. We confess our weakness. We plead for help to overcome and for forgiveness of our transgressions, our evil thoughts. We bare our souls.
There are the personal prayers which are less formal. We always have a prayer in our hearts that we may do our best, that we may appear well, that we may remember the things we have learned. We pray as we stand to speak, as we walk, as we drive. We remember our friends, our enemies. We pray for wisdom and judgment. We pray for protection in dangerous places and for strength in moments of temptation. We utter momentary prayers in word or thought, aloud or in the deepest silence. Can one do evil when honest prayers are in his heart and on his lips?
Great decisions must be made by most of us. The Lord has provided a way for these answers. If the question is which school, what occupation, where to live, whom to marry, or such other vital questions, you should do all that is possible to solve it. Too often, like Oliver Cowdery, we want our answers without effort. The Lord said to him:
“Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.”
“But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.”
“But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought” (D&C 9:7–9).
The Lord does answer our prayers, but sometimes we are not responsive enough to know when and how they are answered. We want the “writing on the wall” or an angel to speak or a heavenly voice. Often our requests are so absurd that the Lord has said, “Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not” (D&C 8:10).
There must be works with faith. How futile it would be to ask the Lord to give us knowledge, but the Lord will help us to acquire knowledge, to study constructively, to think clearly and to retain things we have learned. How stupid to ask the Lord to protect us if we unnecessarily drive at excessive speeds, if we eat or drink destructive elements. Can we ask him to provide us with material things if we give no effort? “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).
How do you pray? Like publicans or arrogant officials? (See Luke 18:11–13.)
In your secret prayers, do you present yourself with your soul bared, or do you dress yourself in fancy coverings and pressure God to see your virtues? Do you emphasize your goodness and cover your sins with a blanket of pretense. Or do you plead for mercy at the hands of Kind Providence?
Do you get answers to your prayers? If not, perhaps you do not pay the price. Do you offer a few trite words and worn-out phrases, or do you talk intimately to the Lord? Do you pray occasionally when you should be praying regularly, often, constantly?
When you pray, do you just speak, or do you also listen? Your Savior said, “Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).
The promise is made to everyone. There is no discrimination, no favored few. But the Lord has not promised to crash the door. He stands and knocks. If we do not listen, he will not sup with us nor give answer to our prayers. Do you know how to listen, grasp, interpret, understand? The Lord stands knocking. He never retreats. But he will never force himself upon us. If we ever move apart, it is we who move and not the Lord. And should we ever fail to get answer to our prayers, we must look into our lives for a reason. We have failed to do what we should, or we have done something we should not have done. We have dulled our hearing or impaired our eyesight.
Do you give thanks or merely ask for favors? Or are you like the lepers by the road? (See Luke 17:12–13.)
In our public prayers we must not be like the Pharisees or hypocrites who loved to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they might be seen of men. (See Matt. 6:5.)
We are all under heavy obligation to our Lord. None of us has reached perfection. None of us is free from error. To pray is required of all men like chastity is required, and Sabbath observance, and tithing, and living the Word of Wisdom, attending meetings, and entering into celestial marriage. As truly as any other, this is a commandment of the Lord.
Do you think prayer is not answered because you do not understand? Some people hear a noise; others think it thunders; while others hear and understand the voice of God and see him personally.
When we pray alone with God, we shed all sham and pretense, all hypocrisy and arrogance.
We all need prayers to bring us close to God, to give us new birth.
And in all our prayers we remember our insufficiency, our limitations, our dependence, our lack of wisdom. Like children we do not always know what is best for us, what is expedient. And so in all our prayers we say, “Thy will be done” and mean it. We would not ask a Church leader for advice, then disregard it. We must never ask the Lord for blessings, then ignore the answer.
And so we pray, “Thy will be done, O Lord. Thou knowest best, kind Father. I will conform. I will accept it gratefully.”
President Spencer W. Kimball: The Lord has given us this solemn commandment: “He that observeth not his prayers before the Lord in the season thereof, let him be had in remembrance before the judge of my people” (D&C 68:33). “And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord” (D&C 68:28). “I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as in secret, in public as well as in private” (D&C 19:28).
Our personal prayers are more specific. They fall into at least two categories. There are the formal prayers where we kneel regularly. Here we talk to the Lord more intimately. We pray for some of the same things as in our family prayers, but more for our immediate and pressing needs. We express our innermost thoughts. We confess our weakness. We plead for help to overcome and for forgiveness of our transgressions, our evil thoughts. We bare our souls.
There are the personal prayers which are less formal. We always have a prayer in our hearts that we may do our best, that we may appear well, that we may remember the things we have learned. We pray as we stand to speak, as we walk, as we drive. We remember our friends, our enemies. We pray for wisdom and judgment. We pray for protection in dangerous places and for strength in moments of temptation. We utter momentary prayers in word or thought, aloud or in the deepest silence. Can one do evil when honest prayers are in his heart and on his lips?
Great decisions must be made by most of us. The Lord has provided a way for these answers. If the question is which school, what occupation, where to live, whom to marry, or such other vital questions, you should do all that is possible to solve it. Too often, like Oliver Cowdery, we want our answers without effort. The Lord said to him:
“Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.”
“But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.”
“But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought” (D&C 9:7–9).
The Lord does answer our prayers, but sometimes we are not responsive enough to know when and how they are answered. We want the “writing on the wall” or an angel to speak or a heavenly voice. Often our requests are so absurd that the Lord has said, “Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not” (D&C 8:10).
There must be works with faith. How futile it would be to ask the Lord to give us knowledge, but the Lord will help us to acquire knowledge, to study constructively, to think clearly and to retain things we have learned. How stupid to ask the Lord to protect us if we unnecessarily drive at excessive speeds, if we eat or drink destructive elements. Can we ask him to provide us with material things if we give no effort? “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).
How do you pray? Like publicans or arrogant officials? (See Luke 18:11–13.)
In your secret prayers, do you present yourself with your soul bared, or do you dress yourself in fancy coverings and pressure God to see your virtues? Do you emphasize your goodness and cover your sins with a blanket of pretense. Or do you plead for mercy at the hands of Kind Providence?
Do you get answers to your prayers? If not, perhaps you do not pay the price. Do you offer a few trite words and worn-out phrases, or do you talk intimately to the Lord? Do you pray occasionally when you should be praying regularly, often, constantly?
When you pray, do you just speak, or do you also listen? Your Savior said, “Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).
The promise is made to everyone. There is no discrimination, no favored few. But the Lord has not promised to crash the door. He stands and knocks. If we do not listen, he will not sup with us nor give answer to our prayers. Do you know how to listen, grasp, interpret, understand? The Lord stands knocking. He never retreats. But he will never force himself upon us. If we ever move apart, it is we who move and not the Lord. And should we ever fail to get answer to our prayers, we must look into our lives for a reason. We have failed to do what we should, or we have done something we should not have done. We have dulled our hearing or impaired our eyesight.
Do you give thanks or merely ask for favors? Or are you like the lepers by the road? (See Luke 17:12–13.)
In our public prayers we must not be like the Pharisees or hypocrites who loved to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they might be seen of men. (See Matt. 6:5.)
We are all under heavy obligation to our Lord. None of us has reached perfection. None of us is free from error. To pray is required of all men like chastity is required, and Sabbath observance, and tithing, and living the Word of Wisdom, attending meetings, and entering into celestial marriage. As truly as any other, this is a commandment of the Lord.
Do you think prayer is not answered because you do not understand? Some people hear a noise; others think it thunders; while others hear and understand the voice of God and see him personally.
When we pray alone with God, we shed all sham and pretense, all hypocrisy and arrogance.
We all need prayers to bring us close to God, to give us new birth.
And in all our prayers we remember our insufficiency, our limitations, our dependence, our lack of wisdom. Like children we do not always know what is best for us, what is expedient. And so in all our prayers we say, “Thy will be done” and mean it. We would not ask a Church leader for advice, then disregard it. We must never ask the Lord for blessings, then ignore the answer.
And so we pray, “Thy will be done, O Lord. Thou knowest best, kind Father. I will conform. I will accept it gratefully.”
Monday, July 26, 2010
The Invisible Mom
I've been thinking a lot lately how I'm just not a very good mom. I'm not patient enough, kind enough, loving enough, cook good enough, clean enough, etc. I see other moms and how they are with their children and I realize how much I need to improve. I'll be honest, with being pregnant my emotions are a lot higher and I feel at times that's what makes me an even worse mom and maybe that's why this has been on my mind lately. Well, I ran across a few quotes and stories that have made me realize that yes, while there are areas to improve, there are also NO perfect moms! These really helped me and I feel like I'm on my way to becoming a better mom. I know I have a long way to go, but hopefully just trying to do better will pay off eventually.
"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." Margaret D. Nadauld
Invisible Mother......
"It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the
way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and
ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.
No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing
on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands,
nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a
clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What
number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the
eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude -
but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen
again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England ..
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on
and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so
well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe ..
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To My Dear Friend, with admiration for the greatness of what you are
building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam.
He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.
It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him
to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.
And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does.
We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of our perseverance." Anonymous
Doctrine & Convenants 93:40 "But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth."
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Blessings of Diligence and Faith
A couple weeks ago Paul and I held interviews for new managers for one of our apartment complexes that we oversee. We got the 12 narrowed down to 3 that we really liked. It wasn't an easy process. We had a lot of great couples who interviewed. We finally decided on the one couple whom we thought would be the best fit for what we were looking for although there was one other couple who was so close it was almost an eeny, meeny, miny, moe decision. Well, we let the 11 couples know that we were glad they'd interviewed with us but that we had made a decision on another couple. We told that couple that came in the close second that we wanted to keep their resume on file so we could talk to them again in the fall when we would have another opening. Well, I called our #1 couple to give them the good news and she said that they had accepted a position just 3 days prior at another apartment complex. I was sad that we couldn't hire them but also glad that I could use couple #2! So, I called couple #2 back to give them the good news. She was so excited! Later on I learned about what couple #2 had gone through prior to this job acceptance and I couldn't help but wonder if I had really listened to the spirit or not when we decided to hire couple #1. She said that she had been praying really hard about being able to get this job because her fiance had just lost his job that week. Just the day before we hired them, she had been to the temple all day praying that this job would work out for them. You can understand her complete disappointment after getting my first phone call that we had hired someone else! The news coming only a couple hours later that we really WERE going to hire them was a HUGE answer to her prayers! Her faith in the Lord and her diligence in going to the temple paid off! I know that not all problems will work themselves out this way but what a great example to follow! I know that going to the temple, having faith, and praying is the best way to talk to the Lord about our concerns and our problems. He really does listen to us and when we really, truly seek that answer, he'll answer us one way or another. "Blessed are they who have kept the covenant." D&C 54: 6
"If our people will faithfully attend the temple the Lord will bless them in the following ways:
Greater love and unity in the home.
Businesses & Professions will prosper.
Their children will be saved.
Angels will protect them."
Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone
"If our people will faithfully attend the temple the Lord will bless them in the following ways:
Greater love and unity in the home.
Businesses & Professions will prosper.
Their children will be saved.
Angels will protect them."
Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone
Monday, July 5, 2010
Making it Alone
Last week my husband took the scouts on a 3 day float trip on the Salmon River. A year ago a scout leader was drowned in that river on a similar excursion. Well, I don't do well anyway when my husband is gone and knowing this, I wasn't thrilled at all. He didn't have any cell reception to call me each night so I wouldn't be able to talk to him until he was on his way home. Every day the children and I prayed for his safety. The first day he was gone, one of our chickens got out. Our chickens peck so I wasn't too thrilled about chasing it back into the coop. I called my friend across the street and she came to help me. After about 15 minutes we finally got it back in. The second day he was gone, 2 of our pigs got out. Again, I couldn't chase them back in alone so I called my neighbor and he came to help me. He was able to get them back in by us chasing and cornering them, then he'd grab a leg and lift it back in the pen. Those little pigs weigh about 75 pounds each so I never would have been able to do that by myself. I decided that night that if anything happened to my husband, I'd sell those darn animals! I'm not much of a rancher/farmer! It's just a good thing that the cows didn't get out too! Later that night I was feeling really lonely and worrying about his safe return. The spirit was there and comforted me to know that IF anything did happen, I'd be OK. It would be hard, extremely hard, but I would be OK. With the love and support from friends and family I would make it through it. I was also comforted that he would return home safe. The second he walked through the door I realized just how much I really loved him! It could never be put into the right words, but I love him with all my being! He means more to me than life itself! I'm so thankful for the blessing that we have each other, that the Lord knew we needed each other to continue through this life and to raise children together. I'm so grateful for the Gospel in our lives. To have the knowledge that when we finally do depart from this life, that we'll still have each other throughout all eternity. Our lives don't end here on this earth! We will continue to live forever! I hope that I can live my life according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ so I can have that blessing of being eternally happy!
David A. Bednar: "In the classroom of mortality, we experience tenderness, love, kindness, happiness, sorrow, disappointment, pain, and even the challenges of physical limitations in ways that prepare us for eternity."
John M. Madsen: "Tragically, millions in the world today still prize and choose “the riches of the earth” over the “riches of eternity” (D&C 38:39), not knowing or fully understanding that “he that hath eternal life is rich” (D&C 6:7; emphasis added), and that eternal life is God’s greatest gift to man (see D&C 14:7). In His great Intercessory Prayer, the Savior gives to all mankind the key to obtaining eternal life: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3)."
David A. Bednar: "In the classroom of mortality, we experience tenderness, love, kindness, happiness, sorrow, disappointment, pain, and even the challenges of physical limitations in ways that prepare us for eternity."
John M. Madsen: "Tragically, millions in the world today still prize and choose “the riches of the earth” over the “riches of eternity” (D&C 38:39), not knowing or fully understanding that “he that hath eternal life is rich” (D&C 6:7; emphasis added), and that eternal life is God’s greatest gift to man (see D&C 14:7). In His great Intercessory Prayer, the Savior gives to all mankind the key to obtaining eternal life: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3)."
Monday, June 28, 2010
Acceptance
This last weekend I was able to visit with my Grandma Koon and help clean her house. She'll be 90 this September 9(I was born on her 60th birthday). She can't see well, so she needed some help. Me, Annika, Mandy, my 2 aunts, Diana & Martia, my cousins Erik, Tiffany, Steve, and his fiance were all there cleaning. We had a really good time doing it and at some point during, I can't really recall exactly when, I was thinking about how accepting my grandma is. I've had a few relatives that have really made some bad choices in their lives and through it all, my grandma still accepted them into her home. Whether they lived with her for a period of time, or just stayed with her for a while, she allowed them in. I'm not sure I could have been that accepting as she did. She's an amazing woman and I hope I can follow her example to be more accepting to others. I feel so blessed to be able to share a birthday with such an amazing person!
From an interview with Elder Francisco J. Viñas of the Seventy, currently serving as President of the Caribbean Area Presidency; by Sarah Cutler
“By love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).
How do you build an eternal family? The first step is to learn from your parents. My parents were baptized in 1951, when I was four years old. We were among the first members of the Church in Uruguay.
From my parents I learned how to treat other people. They taught me to reach out to everyone, even to those who were not from our own country or culture. One time a Norwegian ship captain came to Uruguay. He was alone, without his family. My family invited him to stay in our home. Many people already lived in our little house, but we took in one more.
Seeing my parents take care of others taught me a simple principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ: be friendly to others, treat them well, and do not judge them. Be kind, and help people when they have a need.
I also saw how my parents served in the Church and how they helped the missionaries. Before I was called as a priesthood leader, I had already received great training in my home from my parents.
The sooner in your life you start living the gospel, the better your life will be. Someday you will be able to pass the same gospel message and heritage to your children and then to their children. You can start a new generation of an eternal family if you learn the basic principles of the gospel.
My parents’ example was a great heritage for me and my family. I hope it will continue to be for all the generations to come. My wife and I have a great relationship with our children. We have tried to help them understand what my parents taught me, that if you love others and help them, you are blessed. Our children have had many challenges, but all of them have been sealed in the temple. They are active in the Church, and we hope they will pass on this heritage to the next generation.
My grandchildren are the fourth generation of our family in the Church. We hope that we can share with them the same ability to accept others, to help them, and to lift them up. We are working to establish a family based on faith in Jesus Christ and a strong testimony of His gospel.
From an interview with Elder Francisco J. Viñas of the Seventy, currently serving as President of the Caribbean Area Presidency; by Sarah Cutler
“By love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).
How do you build an eternal family? The first step is to learn from your parents. My parents were baptized in 1951, when I was four years old. We were among the first members of the Church in Uruguay.
From my parents I learned how to treat other people. They taught me to reach out to everyone, even to those who were not from our own country or culture. One time a Norwegian ship captain came to Uruguay. He was alone, without his family. My family invited him to stay in our home. Many people already lived in our little house, but we took in one more.
Seeing my parents take care of others taught me a simple principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ: be friendly to others, treat them well, and do not judge them. Be kind, and help people when they have a need.
I also saw how my parents served in the Church and how they helped the missionaries. Before I was called as a priesthood leader, I had already received great training in my home from my parents.
The sooner in your life you start living the gospel, the better your life will be. Someday you will be able to pass the same gospel message and heritage to your children and then to their children. You can start a new generation of an eternal family if you learn the basic principles of the gospel.
My parents’ example was a great heritage for me and my family. I hope it will continue to be for all the generations to come. My wife and I have a great relationship with our children. We have tried to help them understand what my parents taught me, that if you love others and help them, you are blessed. Our children have had many challenges, but all of them have been sealed in the temple. They are active in the Church, and we hope they will pass on this heritage to the next generation.
My grandchildren are the fourth generation of our family in the Church. We hope that we can share with them the same ability to accept others, to help them, and to lift them up. We are working to establish a family based on faith in Jesus Christ and a strong testimony of His gospel.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Cows
April 9, 2010: I was out running this morning and decided to go down a dirt road next to my neighbor’s house. I’ve been down the dirt road before. No big deal. It dead ends so I would just turn around at the end and come back. I thought it would be nice to change up my run a little. Well, I got to the end of my road where I would need to cross the highway to go down the dirt lane. I thought to myself, “Maybe I shouldn’t go there alone today.” I looked down the lane, saw nothing out of the ordinary and crossed the highway. Again I thought, “I’m alone, maybe I shouldn’t go today.” Again, I thought what harm is there? There’s nothing down there. So I continued. Just as I passed the first cattle guard I noticed a herd of about 20 cows on a dead run to a spot in the fence just ahead of me. I thought it was weird that they were running but I continued. About 25 yards ahead of me they crossed through an open part of the fence and crossed the dirt road into the adjacent field. I continued running to the next cattle guard where I turned around to go back. Just as I did I saw another group of cows running to the same opening in the fence and cross through to the same area of pasture as the first group of cows. As I started to get closer to that opening I noticed that the large group of cows all turned to watch me. At that same time I looked to the opening and saw 2 more cows heading to it, they saw me and turned around and started running the opposite direction along the fence. As I passed the opening one of the cows that was running changed direction and started running straight for the fence. If the cow were to make it through or over the fence, we’d get there at about the same time. As I hesitated continuing with the large group of cows still watching me, the cow tried to plow through the fence! She got caught up and couldn’t go through so she turned around and ran back into the field. I picked up my pace to make it to the next cattle guard, and just as I did, the large herd started running towards it too. I stared to get a little scared thinking that they might change direction and come towards me! I knew I couldn’t take on 30 cows by myself so I picked up speed to make it to the cattle guard before them. I made it and knew I was safe. Those cows were jumpy and unpredictable and trying to get away from me like I was trying to get away from them. In that instant I recognized that what I thought were my own thoughts, were actually the warnings of the spirit. I learned a valuable lesson this morning: Even though I wasn’t harmed by those cows, I knew that the Lord had kept me safe from the cows even though I didn’t recognize and listen to the spirit when it told me not to go down that road. I also know that that won’t always be the case. Next time I don’t listen to the Spirit the outcome may not be a good one.
Glenn L. Pace, “The Elusive Balance,” Tambuli, Feb 1988, 43
Be Patient with Spiritual Setbacks
If we do not learn to recognize the witness of the Spirit, Satan can thoroughly confuse us with his own demonstrations. How, then, can we acquire the ability to recognize a witness of the Spirit?
First, eliminate the guilt you feel when you have fallen short of your spiritual expectations. Have you ever been certain you have received a spiritual witness only to have subsequent events prove you were in error? Have you ever dismissed what you later found out was a genuine spiritual witness? We have more patience with our failures in learning to ski than we do in learning how to recognize the Spirit. When we fall going down the slope, we get up, laugh at ourselves, and try again. When we have a failure in recognizing the Spirit we feel great guilt and are reluctant to go forward. It’s natural to have spiritual setbacks. It’s okay. It’s all right. Stay with it.
We all know it takes years of practice to become a professional athlete. However, we expect to be overnight successes in spiritual things.
Joseph Smith said, “A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation until you become perfect in Christ Jesus” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 151).
Please note he said, “you may grow into the principle of revelation.” To become proficient in basketball one practices shooting countless shots. By repeating successful approaches and changing failures, the player gets the uncanny ability of knowing as soon as the ball leaves his hands whether the shot will be good or not.
In spiritual matters we need to learn exactly when we have had a witness of the Spirit and when we have had a counterfeit thrown at us by Satan or by our own ambition and desire. How many of you young men have told your girlfriend, “I have received a spiritual witness that you are to be my wife”? In some cases I would suggest the witness is more a desire than a spiritual manifestation. If you receive that witness, put it to the test. Ask her to marry you, if she says yes, you were right; if she says no, you were wrong. But keep your witness to yourself. She is perfectly capable of receiving her own revelation.
What does a spiritual confirmation feel like? It’s the feeling you have when you read the Book of Mormon or when you talk of heavenly things with your parents or a valued friend. Learn to recognize it and follow that feeling.
If it were possible, I would lay down a formula for instant and certain success. Because the variables change each day, consistent success is very difficult to obtain. We may be in tune more on one day than another. We may be more emotionally vulnerable one day than another. However, with all the variables there is one constant. The Spirit witnesses only the truth.
If your success ratio for recognizing the Spirit is low, ask yourself these questions:
1. How well am I living the commandments?
2. Am I studying the scriptures in order that I might be more attuned to spiritual things?
3. Am I praying with real intent?
4. Have I done my homework and gone to the Lord with a well-thought-out solution?
5. Have I learned to recognize a stupor of thought?
6. Can I honestly say “thy will be done,” and I am willing to take “no” for an answer?
Don’t fail to invest adequate time learning things of the Spirit. I’m not speaking of religion classes, although I heartily endorse them. I’m speaking of learning how to recognize and obtain revelation. It’s a lifetime course, but you don’t have to wait until graduation to receive benefits. The rewards are immediate as you begin to achieve that elusive balance between intellectual pursuits and the promptings of the Spirit.
Glenn L. Pace, “The Elusive Balance,” Tambuli, Feb 1988, 43
Be Patient with Spiritual Setbacks
If we do not learn to recognize the witness of the Spirit, Satan can thoroughly confuse us with his own demonstrations. How, then, can we acquire the ability to recognize a witness of the Spirit?
First, eliminate the guilt you feel when you have fallen short of your spiritual expectations. Have you ever been certain you have received a spiritual witness only to have subsequent events prove you were in error? Have you ever dismissed what you later found out was a genuine spiritual witness? We have more patience with our failures in learning to ski than we do in learning how to recognize the Spirit. When we fall going down the slope, we get up, laugh at ourselves, and try again. When we have a failure in recognizing the Spirit we feel great guilt and are reluctant to go forward. It’s natural to have spiritual setbacks. It’s okay. It’s all right. Stay with it.
We all know it takes years of practice to become a professional athlete. However, we expect to be overnight successes in spiritual things.
Joseph Smith said, “A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation until you become perfect in Christ Jesus” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 151).
Please note he said, “you may grow into the principle of revelation.” To become proficient in basketball one practices shooting countless shots. By repeating successful approaches and changing failures, the player gets the uncanny ability of knowing as soon as the ball leaves his hands whether the shot will be good or not.
In spiritual matters we need to learn exactly when we have had a witness of the Spirit and when we have had a counterfeit thrown at us by Satan or by our own ambition and desire. How many of you young men have told your girlfriend, “I have received a spiritual witness that you are to be my wife”? In some cases I would suggest the witness is more a desire than a spiritual manifestation. If you receive that witness, put it to the test. Ask her to marry you, if she says yes, you were right; if she says no, you were wrong. But keep your witness to yourself. She is perfectly capable of receiving her own revelation.
What does a spiritual confirmation feel like? It’s the feeling you have when you read the Book of Mormon or when you talk of heavenly things with your parents or a valued friend. Learn to recognize it and follow that feeling.
If it were possible, I would lay down a formula for instant and certain success. Because the variables change each day, consistent success is very difficult to obtain. We may be in tune more on one day than another. We may be more emotionally vulnerable one day than another. However, with all the variables there is one constant. The Spirit witnesses only the truth.
If your success ratio for recognizing the Spirit is low, ask yourself these questions:
1. How well am I living the commandments?
2. Am I studying the scriptures in order that I might be more attuned to spiritual things?
3. Am I praying with real intent?
4. Have I done my homework and gone to the Lord with a well-thought-out solution?
5. Have I learned to recognize a stupor of thought?
6. Can I honestly say “thy will be done,” and I am willing to take “no” for an answer?
Don’t fail to invest adequate time learning things of the Spirit. I’m not speaking of religion classes, although I heartily endorse them. I’m speaking of learning how to recognize and obtain revelation. It’s a lifetime course, but you don’t have to wait until graduation to receive benefits. The rewards are immediate as you begin to achieve that elusive balance between intellectual pursuits and the promptings of the Spirit.
Missing
Feb. 2010: I have a hard time discerning between the spirit or my own mind. One day I really needed my camera for something and I couldn’t find it. My sister-in-law had just stayed with us so I called her to see if she accidentally had taken it with her when she went home. She hadn’t. I called a few of my other sisters who were just at my house the night before, to see if they picked it up by mistake. They hadn’t. So I started searching through the house. I went into Lincoln’s room first and looked at my pile of jewelry supplies for a few seconds. I thought to myself “That’s just my jewelry supplies. It’s not there.” Then I continued to look through the house. I was getting really frustrated and worried that I had left it somewhere. Finally, towards the end of the day after calling a few more people and asking them if they’d seen it, I had the thought to go look again in Lincoln’s room. I thought to myself, “It’s not there! I’ve looked there!” I went in anyway and stared at my pile of jewelry supplies. I was about to leave again when I had the thought, “look under the supplies.” Then I thought to myself, “why would it be under there?! It’s NOT there!” So, I figured I had nothing to lose by looking so I did. Lo and Behold, there it was. I had put it there so my nieces and nephews wouldn’t get it, then I happened to stack my jewelry supplies around it without realizing it. I knew then that I need act on a thought. Especially if that thought keeps coming back into my mind. When that happens, THAT’S the spirit! Not just my mind, telling me what I need to do. D&C 85:6 "Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest..."
Being Specific in Prayer
March 2010: We have been going through some pretty hard times. One thing that has been on our mind during this time is to get some renters in one of our vacant rentals. We’d been praying about it but nothing had happened. Finally one night, I was very specific in my prayer because I had been very frustrated at not being able to fill this vacancy. I asked to “please bless us to find some renters for the basement apartments very soon.” Before this time I had been more general. Just asking for our situation to get better. The very next day we filled that vacant spot. It dawned on me just at that time, that the Lord wants us to be specific in our prayers, not general. The spirit was very strong in making sure I understood that. I know that the Lord hears our prayers. He wants to help us and provide for us. This was such a strong testimony to me that He listens to our prayers. It wasn’t just coincidence that this happened. I know the Lord heard my prayer and knew my frustration. D&C 6:11 "And if thou wilt inquire, thou shatl know mysteries which are great and marvelous..."
Receiving Personal Revelation
Nov. 22, 2009 Stake Conference: Elder Spencer V. Jones of the First Quorum of the Seventy came to speak to us. Paul and I attended the adult session the evening of Nov. 21, 2009. He spoke about receiving personal revelation. He said that revelation that comes to the mind is specific counsel. For example, if a thought comes to our mind to visit someone in particular, or where to find something that is lost, or how to handle a situation. If a feeling comes to the heart, it will be general. For instance, a feeling of peace, guilt, comfort or joy. I thought about that and realized that I have had quite a few promptings from the spirit that I haven’t recognized. I need to be more careful about listening and acting immediately. Recently, Paul and I have been praying about what to do with our career. There have been many changes in this last year that has led us to start looking for other options. I continue to have the thought that Paul needs to do something with his teaching degree. Each time I have prayed about it, that’s the idea that comes to mind. We are currently moving forward with this prompting and having faith the Lord is leading us in the right direction. Ephesians 1:17 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him."
Priesthood Authority
Nov. 20, 2009. My Grandma Fielding was put in the hospital in the ICU with an enlarged pancreas, gall stones, and a slightly deflated lung. She had been on a respirator and feeding tube and had been sedated so her body could heal. The doctors asked her if she had a will. She gave power of attorney to my uncle Brian, her youngest son. Her body was retaining fluids and not passing them through her system. She was even getting fluid in her lungs. Things were not looking good for her. Grandpa passed away almost exactly 2 years ago now and she’s been very lonely. I believed her will to live had diminished significantly. Mom and dad were on their mission in Tallahassee, FL at this time and it had been extremely hard on mom not to be able to be there for her. All her siblings had been able to go and be with her. Also, that same week, my sister Annika’s brother-in-law Paul Niederer, was in a four-wheeler accident and was also in the ICU. I was in the same stake as them. That weekend he was in the ICU was stake conference. Our stake president, Randy Sutton, and the General Authority who was here for it, Elder Spencer V. Jones of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy, asked Eva if they could go to the hospital to give Paul a blessing. Of course Annika and Trevor went to the hospital to assist in the blessing. While there, Annika asked if would be too much trouble if they gave Grandma a blessing as well. Elder Jones blessed her with a longer, healthy life. 2 days later, she was able to eat some regular food, the respirator and feeding tube were taken out, and she was moved out of ICU. She was still in the hospital through Christmas but was able to come home a few weeks later. She got stronger and through several weeks of therapy, she was finally able to walk without a walker, and was able to drive again. I guess I’m just selfish, but I wasn’t ready to have her leave us just yet. The Lord is merciful and hears our prayers. Sometimes we don’t like the answer but he always answers if we’ll listen. D&C 121:36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness."
Dirty Feet
I have a huge testimony of Priesthood Blessings. It was the summer of 1984 and I was just a few months shy of turning 4. We lived in a red brick house about 2 miles South of Ririe, ID. I remember having a barbeque one night and we roasted hotdogs and marshmallows. The next day I remember wanting to get my feet dirty so I was playing around near the fire pit in some fluffy dirt. I saw the ashes and they looked just as fluffy so in I went. The next thing I remember is sitting on our front steps with my feet in a large bowl of ice water waiting for my mom and dad to get home from the hospital from a surgery mom had. I remember them pulling into the driveway. Next I remember lying down on a hospital bed in the emergency room. I remember looking at my toes and not being able to see them because the blisters were so big. I had 2nd and 3rd degree burns on both feet. I remember that when I started to heal I had to wear slippers on my feet because it hurt to wear shoes. I was given a priesthood blessing from my dad and I know that it’s because of that that I don’t have a single scar. There are no signs that I was ever burned that bad. D&C 1:38 "...whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."
Burned
When I was 8 years old, sometime in either 1988 or 1989, I was chasing my brother Clifton through the house. We ran into the kitchen where my mom was just pulling a pot of boiling gravy off of the stove. She was turning around to put the pot on the other side of the kitchen on the counter when I ran into her. The gravy ended up being spilled on the right side of my face, up over my nose, and just under my left eye. I remember leaning over the bathtub and applying a cold washrag to my face. We rushed to the emergency room. I was given a Priesthood Blessing because of the 2nd and 3rd degree burns. I remember laying in the ER looking up at the lights crying. One night shortly after that, we were at my Grandpa and Grandma Fielding’s house. I wanted so badly to jump on the trampoline with my cousins. I asked my mom if I could. I remember her telling me that I had to be careful so that no one touched my face. Sure enough, my cousin accidentally hit my cheek with her hand. Skin came off of my face and onto her hand. The Lord blessed me tremendously. I don’t have any scarring on my face from the burns. I can’t imagine how different my life might be if I had burn scars on my face. I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood. It is real! I am proof of that. One would never be able to guess that I had that experience. With burns like the ones I had, I should have scars but I don’t. Because of the priesthood, I was healed. I will never deny that truth and that power. 3 Nephi 7:17 “…And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.” (Jan 2009)
Multiple Tender Mercies
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."
It's so wonderful to recognize the tender mercies of the Lord. While in NYC, June 2009, my mom and dad and I experienced a few of these.
#1. The night before flying out, mom, dad and I were staying in a hotel in SLC. I was really nervous about flying and I knew mom was worse off than me. While saying my prayers that night I explained to the Lord how nervous I was and how bad I just wanted to be comforted that the flight would go well and we would be safe getting to and from NYC. In that exact instant, the Spirit said to me as plain as day, "All will be well." At that exact moment, my stomach stopped churning and I was comforted. On the flight the next day and on the flight coming home when I would start to get a little nervous, that same thought came to my mind and I calmed down and was comforted.
#2. Rebekah listened to the Spirit and brought extra batteries and sunscreen in her backpack into the city. That same day, Mom's camera batteries died and she thought her batteries were fine. I had forgotten to pack my sunscreen for Lincoln.
#3. We went to the grocery store to get sunscreen, baby food, etc and I realized I was out of formula also. I was saying how I didn't want to pay the high price for it there in NJ and wished I could get it at Sam's Club from home for cheaper. I was stressing about the price when Rebekah remembered that the day before, she, very randomly, got a sample can of formula in the mail. I asked her what kind it was and it happened to be the exact kind I use for Lincoln. Her youngest is 5. There was NO logical reason for her to get that sample in the mail.
#4. Right as I was leaving to drive to mom and dads so we could drive to SLC together to catch our flight, the thought came to my mind that I needed some cash. I mentioned that to Paul and he ran in the house to get some from our rainy day stash (since it was Sunday and we weren't near an ATM). He brought me way more than I thought I'd need since I had my credit card. On our first day in the city we were at the Empire State Building and I lost my credit card. I noticed immediately and I called my bank to cancel my card. It was a good thing I had all that cash for the rest of my trip.
#5. I was sitting in the airport waiting for my flight. Lincoln was fussy. I had his car seat, my purse, the diaper bag and a small suitcase for me to carry on the flight. (I was putting my purse and diaper bag in the suitcase as my one carry on.) I was praying that I would be able to get everything onto the plane OK. I really didn't have enough hands to take it all and was stressing a little about it. I said a silent prayer for help. Just as we were about to board, a man came up to me and asked if he could help me. I was instantly comforted and was calm that he was sent to help me. He asked what seat I was in and it ended up that we were sitting behind/in front of each other. I was also praying that at least 1 woman was sitting next to me in case I needed help with Lincoln. Both seats next to me ended up being occupied by women. Another prayer answered. I asked the man if he was going to Salt Lake because he was from there or for business. He said he's actually from Eastern Idaho. I said I was also. He was from Blackfoot and I told him I was from Rexburg. He said that his wife got stranded on the freeway a couple years ago and a nice couple stopped to help her and waited with her for 2 hours for a tow truck. He said he owed it to help someone else out so he saw I needed the help and that's why he asked. Through conversation I found out he was of my same religion so I knew that the Lord had directed him to help me.
It's always so humbling to me when I realize that listening to the Spirit brings such wonderful results. Another experience occurred before my trip that I didn't realize was a blessing until after my trip and I was so grateful that the Lord saw fit to have it happen. I won't go further into detail about that experience since I don't want to include names but the Lord foresaw an experience that would have been very hard for me to face if it had occurred differently than it did.
I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am grateful for the blessing of being Temple worthy and being able to attend the Temple. I'm grateful for the blessing of having the Spirit as my constant companion. Even when I don't listen, He's always there. I could not and will not ever deny the power of the Holy Ghost or the presence of the Lord in my life. The Lord lives. There is no doubt in my mind about that. I can't wait until the day when I can see Him again and have Him say to me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Well done." I know I'm not perfect, but I strive to be and hope someday I can be.
It's so wonderful to recognize the tender mercies of the Lord. While in NYC, June 2009, my mom and dad and I experienced a few of these.
#1. The night before flying out, mom, dad and I were staying in a hotel in SLC. I was really nervous about flying and I knew mom was worse off than me. While saying my prayers that night I explained to the Lord how nervous I was and how bad I just wanted to be comforted that the flight would go well and we would be safe getting to and from NYC. In that exact instant, the Spirit said to me as plain as day, "All will be well." At that exact moment, my stomach stopped churning and I was comforted. On the flight the next day and on the flight coming home when I would start to get a little nervous, that same thought came to my mind and I calmed down and was comforted.
#2. Rebekah listened to the Spirit and brought extra batteries and sunscreen in her backpack into the city. That same day, Mom's camera batteries died and she thought her batteries were fine. I had forgotten to pack my sunscreen for Lincoln.
#3. We went to the grocery store to get sunscreen, baby food, etc and I realized I was out of formula also. I was saying how I didn't want to pay the high price for it there in NJ and wished I could get it at Sam's Club from home for cheaper. I was stressing about the price when Rebekah remembered that the day before, she, very randomly, got a sample can of formula in the mail. I asked her what kind it was and it happened to be the exact kind I use for Lincoln. Her youngest is 5. There was NO logical reason for her to get that sample in the mail.
#4. Right as I was leaving to drive to mom and dads so we could drive to SLC together to catch our flight, the thought came to my mind that I needed some cash. I mentioned that to Paul and he ran in the house to get some from our rainy day stash (since it was Sunday and we weren't near an ATM). He brought me way more than I thought I'd need since I had my credit card. On our first day in the city we were at the Empire State Building and I lost my credit card. I noticed immediately and I called my bank to cancel my card. It was a good thing I had all that cash for the rest of my trip.
#5. I was sitting in the airport waiting for my flight. Lincoln was fussy. I had his car seat, my purse, the diaper bag and a small suitcase for me to carry on the flight. (I was putting my purse and diaper bag in the suitcase as my one carry on.) I was praying that I would be able to get everything onto the plane OK. I really didn't have enough hands to take it all and was stressing a little about it. I said a silent prayer for help. Just as we were about to board, a man came up to me and asked if he could help me. I was instantly comforted and was calm that he was sent to help me. He asked what seat I was in and it ended up that we were sitting behind/in front of each other. I was also praying that at least 1 woman was sitting next to me in case I needed help with Lincoln. Both seats next to me ended up being occupied by women. Another prayer answered. I asked the man if he was going to Salt Lake because he was from there or for business. He said he's actually from Eastern Idaho. I said I was also. He was from Blackfoot and I told him I was from Rexburg. He said that his wife got stranded on the freeway a couple years ago and a nice couple stopped to help her and waited with her for 2 hours for a tow truck. He said he owed it to help someone else out so he saw I needed the help and that's why he asked. Through conversation I found out he was of my same religion so I knew that the Lord had directed him to help me.
It's always so humbling to me when I realize that listening to the Spirit brings such wonderful results. Another experience occurred before my trip that I didn't realize was a blessing until after my trip and I was so grateful that the Lord saw fit to have it happen. I won't go further into detail about that experience since I don't want to include names but the Lord foresaw an experience that would have been very hard for me to face if it had occurred differently than it did.
I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am grateful for the blessing of being Temple worthy and being able to attend the Temple. I'm grateful for the blessing of having the Spirit as my constant companion. Even when I don't listen, He's always there. I could not and will not ever deny the power of the Holy Ghost or the presence of the Lord in my life. The Lord lives. There is no doubt in my mind about that. I can't wait until the day when I can see Him again and have Him say to me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Well done." I know I'm not perfect, but I strive to be and hope someday I can be.
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