The Stick of Joseph

During the month of October, Jocelyn at {We Talk of Christ} has encouraged, set up, inspired other spiritual bloggers to write about the {Book of Mormon}. Her inspiration came from the {Ensign's} special issue all about the Book of Mormon. Today she is hosting a linky party for anyone who wants to testify of the Book of Mormon.

Honestly, I have many excuses as to why I haven't posted yet this month, but none of them matter... okay, my family matters. However, I absolutely had to take a moment today to add my testimony of the Book of Mormon.

I tried to think of a one moment where the Book of Mormon absolutely changed my life, the problem is... there isn't just ONE moment. The Book of Mormon changes EVERY moment of life. Each time I open its pages, I am strengthened, uplifted, taught, or humbled. Each time I find myself growing closer to my Savior, even Jesus Christ, of whom this very book testifies. And, it's not just the Book of Mormon, the Bible does the same. The Book of Mormon works hand-in-hand with the Holy Bible to testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

Growing up in the church, I never had a problem with excepting the Book of Mormon as truth, especially after I prayed, as Moroni {suggests}. However, many people outside of the church have difficulty believing the Book of Mormon to be true, especially with the scripture in {Revelation}. However, both the Bible & Book of Mormon testify to the Book of Mormon's authenticity. First in the Bible, {Ezekiel 37}:

16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one ^astick, and ^bwrite upon it, For ^cJudah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and ^dwrite upon it, For ^eJoseph, the ^fstick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become ^aone in thine hand.
18 ¶And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us ^awhat thou meanest by these?
19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of ^aJoseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

The Stick of Judah is the Bible and the Stick of Joseph is the BOOK OF MORMON. They work together to help us understand deeper the gospel of Jesus Christ. The kicker comes in the Book of Mormon, {2 Nephi 29}--read the whole chapter, if you get a chance:

6 Thou fool, that shall say: A ^aBible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

7 Know ye not that there are more ^anations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the ^bisles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the ^cearth beneath; and I bring forth my ^dword unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the ^atestimony of ^btwo nations is a ^cwitness unto you that I am God, that I remember one ^dnation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two ^enations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the ^asame yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my ^bwords according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one ^cword ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my ^dwork is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever. (emphasis added).

This is why the Book of Mormon is true. God is the same, yesterday, today & forever, so why would the heavens be closed to us now? Why would He stop talking to His children? The scripture in Revelation doesn't mean there is no other scripture, it just means the actual Book of Revelation is done. The Holy Bible, as we know it, wasn't written in chronological order, so does that mean all the letters Paul wrote before his death aren't scripture? NO because God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He loves ALL of children and wants to see us again.

It breaks my heart when this is the reason people don't believe in the Book of Mormon. We are LOVED & ADORED by our Father in Heaven. He doesn't want us to be alone, He wants us to follow his council so He, and His Son, Jesus Christ, can lift us when we can't stand. The Book of Mormon validates the principles taught in the Bible because it adds a further witness to the divine truth of God & Jesus Christ.

I will forever testify that the heavens are not closed. The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It works with the Bible to lead us to the way of Eternal Life & Salvation. If we but open our hearts, the promises within are waiting.

Here's the rest of the linky party:

Savior of the World

Here I go again, with another resolve to write on this blog.

In January, I was asked to direct a local production of {Savior of the World}. I had 12 weeks to put together the show; anyone who has been part of a production knows that’s not a lot of time. Plus, I broke my toe in the middle of production. I had plenty of opportunities to be frazzled and break down, however, every time I felt about to hit that point, I would feel a calm reassurance that everything would work out. I knew that was from the Lord. There were times that the only thing keeping me going was this blessing; because I only saw the big picture with my mortal eyes, He saw what our potential was and kept me moving.

From the beginning, my focus was meant to be on Jesus Christ, after all, it was a play about His Resurrection. So, every time, any one of us got together we’d say a prayer and have devotional. I can testify of the power of the Spirit in this production. I can’t begin to number the times where myself or someone else in the production felt the guidance of the Spirit. We came together, as a group, and became a family; a family one with our Lord and Savior. I know this came from inviting the Spirit through prayer and focusing our minds to who we were representing, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Another big decision was to take the performance area off the ‘stage’ and put it in the audience; it’s called ‘Intimate Theatre.’ I felt, and the Spirit confirmed, this was the best way for an audience to take the world away and focus completely on their feelings toward the Savior. And focusing on their feelings came from the characters in the play. Through the characters’ own personal journeys to the Savior, our audience was able to, hopefully, gain a deeper appreciation for these people who had a first-hand witness to the reality of the Savior’s resurrection and deepen their own. This was my goal… for all of us involved to REMEMBER HIM and I saw that in the audience reaction on performance nights.

Everyone involved worked tremendously hard on this performance and it was because of our individual connections to the Savior. I felt of His love and understanding for us; we wanted to invite others to come unto Him, so He was with us. He knew of our little production and what we were trying to accomplish. During production I kept repeating, ‘if one person involved (cast, crew, audience) draws closer to Christ because of the production, then we did our job.’ I know we did our job because I’ve drawn closer to Him (and I know others did too because they told me), and for that I’ll look back on this experience and be forever grateful.

House of the Lord

We had to renew our temple recommends tonight and I thought about this quote:

Under the definition of ‘Temple’ in the Bible Dictionary, we read the following: ‘It is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth,’ followed by this insightful statement: ‘Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.’ For me this suggests a sacred relationship between the temple and the home. Not only can we turn the doors of our homes to the temple, or the house of the Lord; we can make our homes a ‘house of the Lord.’

Gary E. Stevenson, “Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples,” Ensign, May 2009, 101

I like the comparison of the temple and homes. I had a friend tell me today how she loves to walk in our home because she feels happy. That's how I always want it to feel. I want joy to radiate from the walls because the spirit can be felt. This means, each and every day, my family needs to be a little better. Soft words and kind tones instead of loud and accusing voices. Listen to uplifting music instead of questionable material. What we choose to bring into our homes can make each moment feel temple worthy. Our homes and temples are sacredly intertwined and we can bring out that potential.

What an incredible prospect!

18 Random Rules

My MIL sent these to me a LONG time ago, and I've been wanting to share them:

Eighteen Random Rules of Life - Michael Josephson

I love maxims, those concise capsules of worldly wisdom. I collect them
and write them and, of course, love to share them. Here are 18 random
rules of life worth posting on your mirror or, better yet, using as
dinner-time discussion starters.

1. Find the lesson in every failure and you'll never fail.
2. The likelihood that you're right is not increased by the intensity
of your conviction.
3. Real friends help you feel worthy and make you want to be better.
4. When you're in a hole, stop digging.
5. Don't confuse fun with fulfillment or pleasure with happiness.
6. Refusing to let go of a grudge is refusing to use the key that will
set you free.
7. Hating hurts you more than the person you hate.
8. Counting on luck is counting on random chance. Your odds are much
better when you plan and work.
9. Being kind is better than being clever.
10. Don't underestimate the power of persistence.
11. The easy way is rarely the best way.
12. It's much easier to burst someone else's bubble than to blow up your
own.
13. You can't avoid pain, but you can avoid suffering.
14. Self-pity is a losing strategy. It repels others and weakens you.
15. Shortcuts usually produce short success.
16. Control your attitude or it will control you.
17. It's more important to be significant than successful.
18. The world is waiting for you to heal it.

I haven't shared this yet, because I really wasn't sure how to connect it with nurturing our spiritual growth. What I've realized, with this email sitting in my inbox, is ALL of these 'rules' can apply to our spirituality and the gospel. What it all boils down to is trying to be a little more like Jesus Christ each day. Each one gets us to be a better version of ourselves---which is one step closer to Him who we should follow.

He is our ultimate example--- our 'rule of life.'

No Need for Darkness

I got this in my inbox and wanted to share:

We know Joseph Smith is a prophet; that the Father and the Son appeared to him in the spring of 1820 to usher in this final gospel dispensation; that he translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God; that he received keys and authority from angels sent for this very purpose; and that the Lord revealed to him the doctrines of salvation. "We announce that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth, the only place where men may come to learn the true doctrines of salvation and find the authority of the holy priesthood. "We believe the Holy Ghost is a revelator and that he will bear testimony to honest people everywhere that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this church is 'the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth.' (D&C 1:30.)"There is no need for anyone to remain in darkness; the light of the everlasting gospel is here; and every sincere investigator on earth can gain a personal witness from the Holy Spirit of the truth and divine nature of the Lord's work. "Peter said: '. . . God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted' by him (Acts 10:34–35), which means that the Lord will pour out his Spirit upon the faithful so they will know of themselves of the truths of this religion.

Joseph Fielding Smith, "Out of the Darkness," Ensign, June 1971, 4

What a great testimony. There is no need for darkness. The Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth today and we need to declare it to anyone who will hear. :)

Fortification

A few days ago, in my quest to read the {Book of Mormon} again, I came to {Alma 49}. They are in the midst of the war years during this chapter. What struck me this time was the measure of the Nephites' attack preparation. They did one of two things during this time period: fought or prepared to fight.

They never once asked if the fight may or may not happen. They knew, one day, it would happen--- so they prepared. They didn't waste a moment making sure their families and cities could withstand the imminent Lamanite invasion. When the invasion occurred in Chapter 49, the Nephites' fortifications worked. Now, the Lamanites tried numerous ways to get through the Nephites' defenses. They didn't just stop after the first attack, they kept going. With the guidance of Moroni, the Nephites prepared for more than one attacks. Even though the Lamanites kept trying to get in, the Nephites stood strong through their protection.

Such is the same today. We may not be in a physical war, but we are in a spiritual war. Satan and his followers will try to get at us in more than one way; they won't give up because they want us to be miserable like them. Does that mean we should give up? NO! We must follow the example of the Nephites and prepare! Use our time to strengthen ourselves and others through the gospel---so that when our trials come (because they will) we will stand strong and be able to fight off the foe!

The best part about this whole reading was in Chapter 50 verse 23:

But behold there never was a ^ahappier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges.

Just because they spent time preparing for the battles in life, didn't mean they couldn't be happy. Not just happy either--- really really happy. We can find joy in fighting for the truth because it is that--- the truth!

I needed this message now because it reminded me that the little things I do for myself, others, and my family matter. If I'm doing the right thing, then I'm helping the fortification become that much stronger and we become that much happier. :)

Watching Over

Like Meagan, this week I'm in awe of Heavenly Father's ability to watch over us---all of us. My husband was gone most of last week; he went off hiking and camping with the Scouts for High Adventure. Before he went, I had mixed feelings about it all. I really didn't want to be left alone the whole week, but I knew he was supposed to be there to guide and protect the boys--- plus he really wanted to go and I didn't want him to be disappointed.

Before he left, he said a prayer asking all of us to be watched over and protected during the week. Multiple times, I watched and felt this prayer being answered. From my friends spending time with me to scriptures in my personal study talking about the Lord always being there I knew we were never alone.

He knows us all. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. He knows what makes a laugh, and what makes us cry. He knows what we need and when we need it. During that week, I needed to feel loved and watched over--- I was able to have that prayer answered through promptings of the Holy Ghost and friends, who I'm guessing had promptings too.

I'm so very grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows and loves me and my family. And, I know He knows and loves all of us. Because of that love He never leaves us---even during our trials--- He's there watching over.

Joyfully Living

When I arrived home from vacation, I had a pile of mail waiting for me. Mostly filled with ads and bills, something out of place caught my eye, the July/August 2010 issues of {LDS Living}.

In scanning the magazine, I found a brief article, Message of Joy, about a brother who was paralyzed from the waist down 20 years ago. One of the things Brother Rushton said really stuck out to me:

Not one of us can escape mortality. My challenge is very obvious, but everyone has their own unique challenges that are not as visible as mine. We can either go away from God and lose our faith, or adversity can bring us closer to Him.

I felt as though this was speaking to me. This life is not meant to be easy. Challenges and trials help us to grow; help us to see how we are weak and strong. We'll always have some kind of challenge in our lives and it is up to us how we react to them. Do we mope and complain about everything that's happening and wonder why? Or do we stand up, do what is right, and then learn and grow through the process?

Heavenly Father knows how many times I've chosen number one instead of two. I feel I difference when I choose the latter. I feel happier, healthier, and more in tuned with the part of me who has existed throughout the eternities.

The beauty of it all is that we have the choice of how to face our challenges/trials. It is up to us to choose who to serve... the adversary or the Lord.

Priesthood: A Beacon

On Sunday, we had the Gospel Principles lesson about {The Priesthood}. At one point, a sister related an analogy another member pointed out to her early in the week.

This sister has solar power nightlights outside along her driveway. These warn cars, and people, about the drop on the other side and act as a guide to the driveway. As she routinely replaced the batteries in these lights, the young man helping her noticed how these lights are similar to the Priesthood. He said the Priesthood acts as a shield and guide the Children of God. It protects us from potential dangers by guiding us to the right path. But, it only works when Priesthood holders are worthy to use it by staying worthy of the Holy Ghost--- 'recharging your spiritual batteries.'

To me, it seemed very timely. My brother reported to the MTC on Wednesday to prepare to preach the gospel to the people of Columbus, Ohio. He, along with every other missionary, acts as a beacon to those who are searching for the gospel. But, like the young man noted, the priesthood is a beacon to all. The Priesthood is the power of God on the earth through proper authority. Without it, we would be lost. We would miss the opportunity to make essential covenants with our Heavenly Father. We would not even have the earth on which we stand. It is by this power, and through worthy holders, that we have the chance to live eternally with our Heavenly Father.

I don't know about you, but I'm sure grateful for the Priesthood. :)

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

This is the newest Mormon Messages video. I know I've needed words of encouragement on those days when my two-year-old tries my patience. Even those who aren't mothers yet are mothers at heart. We help our nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, cousins, ward members to be better through our divine qualities of Motherhood. In using these qualities we grow closer to the Lord.

Enjoy!

A Little Taste of Job

I posted this yesterday on our family blog and thought I should share with y'all.

These past couple weeks have been dooseys. I've had a few health problems which all collided this week making it Job-worthy (at least to me). So here's the back story:

Problem 1---My knees.. and NECK? Go figure. I've always had bad knees; chalk it up to the genes (my mom and aunt both had knee surgery growing up). It really hasn't been a big deal; I get an occasional ache here or there and then it passes. Well, back in March my left knee started clicking when I went upstairs. I didn't think it was a big deal, until it started hurting. So, I scheduled an appointment with a Chiropractor. While I was there I mentioned a constant neck pain that I have; again I didn't think anything of it. They took x-rays of my knees and neck and found bone spurs in my knees and severe whiplash in my neck (FYI: never go on the Boomerang ride at Seven Peaks in Provo, UT---that's when I got my whiplash). WHAT? So much for being minor things; my chiropractor was more worried about my neck, so I currently go to the chiropractor once every two weeks because, frankly, that's all we can afford.

Since she didn't really do anything about my knees, I took that problem to our family practice doctor. I ended up getting MRIs around both knees. It showed no bone spurs (whew) but some kind of problem with both my meniscus and one ACL and it also showed the beginning stages of arthritis----great.... So he referred me to Physical Therapy. I've actually enjoyed it a lot; I've learned exercises to do at home and I'm in my last couple of weeks (good thing because we're going to Seattle next week...wow...next week...). The clicking is now occasional and I hope it goes bye-bye soon.

Problem 2----umm...well... I won't go into great detail with this one but I've had more issues with Annabelle, feeding her and clogging. For a couple of months I got into the pattern of getting a clot or two a week, thinking about calling my OBGYN and then the next day it'd go away. Finally, a couple weeks ago, I gave in and called her office. They wanted to see me IMMEDIATELY--- so after begging my amazing neighbor/friend to watch Jared for a couple more hours (thanks again) Belle and I were off to see the doctor. She took one look at me and said, yeah, you have an infection, but they took a sample just to be safe. A week later, just after finishing my first round of medications, her office calls and says the culture came back resistant to the medication I just finished so they are prescribing me a stronger one... great.... unfortunately... that leads to problem three... we think...

Problem 3----REALLY? In the middle of problem two, I get a weird leg rash. So I go to my dermatologist and he gives me more medications---- Yikes! That goes away after applying my meds for a day, so I stop, which is what he told me to do. This past Saturday, after romping around in a grass field for family pictures (stay tuned for those) I noticed at home, that I had a small allergic reaction around my armpits, so I take a benadryl and think nothing of it--- until it wakes me up in the middle of the night because I'm itching subconsciously. Sunday morning, it was bad, luckily I was able to cover it up for church and hope it didn't get worse. Greg and a friend gave me a blessing and it was the first thing that really helped all day. I felt like it would get better, and it did, before it got worse. By night fall, I had it on my legs too....and by the next morning it got larger on my arms and on my torso.

Nothing really helped the burning itching pain and it never went away. So, yesterday, I went back to the dermatologist. He determined that I'm having a reaction to my stronger antibiotic that I stared taking a couple days before the rash appeared. So, he gives me something to stop the reaction and tells me to stop taking the medicine. I call my OBGYN to get the okay to take my new medication while feeding Belle, and she gives me a new one for my infection---one that I'm not allergic to *crosses fingers*.

Mostly I'm typing this up because I want to document what I've been going through the past couple of months. I'm not doing it to complain (okay, maybe a little). I've had a hard time trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be learning from all of this, because I found myself thinking 'one of these things I can handle, but all of this, come ON!' I started to understand, even in the smallest form what Job had to have been feeling when trial after trial came his way. After starting to throw a pity party, I always found myself coming back to the Savior; it didn't help at all that our lesson was all about the Atonement.

Yeah, I've had worse pain. Ovarian cyst---worse. Labor--- WAY worse. But, in that moment I felt helpless because nothing was helping. Until I remembered the One person who's felt it all. Not only does he know exactly what physical pain I've been through, but also the emotional trials along with it. He can take it away. Yesterday, when I was having issues with all of this, I got I church gem in my inbox titled: "severe trials, supreme blessings" My first thought was, what? really? It was from President Uchtdorf's talk from last priesthood session. He was talking about the Kirtland era of Church History and how it was a time of great trial but also great blessings, he then said: " 'Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me' (D&C 88:63). As the Saints of Kirtland drew near unto the Lord, He truly did draw near unto them, pouring out the blessings of heaven upon the heads of the faithful."

Of course, the emotional basket case that I am, I cried as soon as I read that and said, 'message received.' I'll do my best, even though it may seem small, because I know I can get through what this life brings with my family, my faith, and the Lord by my side.

Just a Thought

Since I've been using Mormon-Ads as my pictures, I thought tonight I'd just share the picture and let everyone 'think' about it... don't forget to read the scripture.
I've been thinking about thinking lately. Our thoughts are so powerful; it is the place where our agency is born. It is where we learn and grow; forming opinions and ideas which create and define us.... and it's up to us to invite the Holy Ghost in to help them stay clean and happy. This does not mean there won't be a struggle, but as long as use the Spirit as our guide, we have the chance to wipe the slate and be clean again.

Remember, remember what is important and what's not. :)

The Power of Our Voice

My seven month old is currently discovering the power of her voice. Up until this point, she has been a very laid-back baby; hardly ever cries to let us know if something is amiss. She'll usually go longer between feedings and changes then she needs to.

Case in point, the other day was witching hour at our house: nap time. Getting two kids down at the same time requires more energy than I ever realized. I usually pick one and get that child down, then move on to the next. The two-year-old is usually first because his nap time is more consistent each day.

After getting him down, I sat next to my daughter and played for a little while. She seemed okay the whole time we played, until she wasn't. She started whimpering, looking at me and then used her new found skill, her voice, to let me know sometime was wrong. I picked her up, she wiggled and didn't stop talking to me. She wanted my help, so she let me know. I finally connected the dots and placed her down for a nap. The look she gave me as I set her down told me how grateful she was for my help and that I was able to finally understand her.

Walking downstairs, I realized this is how Heavenly Father must feel sometimes. We are our own agents, always being watched over by a loving parent. However, no matter how much He loves us, He will not help us unless we communicate our needs to Him. We need to take the time to kneel in prayer to Him.

It's not that He doesn't want to help us; we need to want the help as well. We have been given that choice through our agency. Once we know He's there, just like my daughter, we communicate our gratitude for all He does and continues to do for us.

It's amazing the things you can learn from a seven-month-old.

Spiritual Application!

I absolutely love fifth Sunday lessons; I love being able to having another testimony of the Bishopric. Since we had family in town, I was able to take notes and delve into the topic.

A few months ago, all of the regional leaders in our area had a training with Elder Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Our Bishop was so touched by how it was done that he spoke to the youth a couple months ago (my husband works with them, so that's how I know) and then the adults this past Sunday.

We were asked to come to the meeting with questions about our multiple stewardships, be they in the family or at church. And, not just any questions, but the type of questions that keep you up at night. He then stated: When a problem is present, there needs to be a reinforcement of doctrine or principles. Well, in order to reinforce we must first understand what doctrine and principles are.

Doctrine is truth revealed from heaven about eternal progression. It answers the why questions in life. Elder Bednar explained there are only 3 or 4 doctrines: Nature of the Godhead, Plan of Salvation, the Atonement and an unknown (it was implied that either E. Bednar was still trying to figure this one out or didn't want to give it away because it's meant for own discovery). These doctrine, eternal truths, set the foundation for everything else in the church and in life.

Principles then are guidelines for activity which grow out of doctrine. They answer the what? question; things like faith, obedience, repentance, everything in the scriptures, etc. Our Bishop reminded us not to get too rapped up in classification. The importance is in how we apply the doctrines and principles in our lives.

Applications of doctrine and principles are very personal and can change throughout time and circumstance. Applications cannot be taught by an every day mortal human being; they must be taught through the Holy Ghost through personal revelation. We use personal revelation to apply revealed principles like the Word of Wisdom, Sabbath Day, repentance, etc. in our lives and do so; but what may be good for one is not what was revealed to another.

Does this mean one is right and the other is wrong? I don't know, but what I do know if two trying-to-be righteous individuals are using the gift of the Holy Ghost to make right decisions, then they must both be right. The key there is we know if it's right for us by our own personal worthiness. We need to be worthy of the Holy Ghost in order to make decisions with his help.

What we can do is use our illustrations (experiences) of how personal applications of doctrine and principles work in our lives; which I think is exactly what we do with this blog! "I read this the other day," or "I was thinking about..." is usually how our posts begin. The spirit is talking to us; wanting us to share how it helped us because then we help each other. We try to grow closer to Christ, and each other, by sharing our own personal experiences of how we applied the gospel.

This whole hour was a big A-Ha! moment for me. The gospel is much simpler than we think. My husband wonderfully shared when the Bishop spoke to the youth, but I didn't write it down so I forgot. I remember how when he shared with me how I wanted to turn around and share it to my Spirituality sisters and everyone who would listen. I'm so grateful for inspired leaders who take their stewardship responsibility seriously and strive to spread the happiness around.

Let's never be afraid to share our 'secret weapon' because it's a something that helps us all.

Humility & Deeper Learning

First off--- I forgot to say Congrats to Meagan and family! Bennett is adorable! ;)

As natural men, we all go through spiritual slumps. In my mutual days, I remember our Spiritual journey described as a roller coaster ride. Some days (or longer periods of time) we feel as though the world is on our shoulders and nothing we do is right, we are at the lowest low. But then, something changes and we keep moving closer to Christ and living righteously, we've reached the top. And, since we are imperfect, we inevitably come back down. Why? One reason: pride.

Heaven knows my imperfections and I attempt to work on them daily; sometimes that attempt isn't as successful as it should be and I always wonder why. A couple days ago I was feeling particularly low, then I got this gem (emphasis added):

How can I question without losing the Spirit? . . . All of us have questions at times in our lives on policies, procedures, or even principles. The best way to find the answers we seek is to search out the solution for ourselves."How do we go about it?"First and foremost, it is our attitude, or how we ask the question, that is very, very important. If it is a demand, one loses the opportunity for an answer."Second, if we have strong feelings about the way something should be and are unwilling to listen, we may lose the opportunity to get an answer." One only has to remember when Martin Harris wanted to take home pages of the Book of Mormon translation to show to others. Joseph Smith prayed to the Lord a number of times to finally be allowed to let the man do it. The Lord knew that the pages would be lost. But sometimes we want something so much and keep praying about it that the Lord lets us do it for our learning experience." Sometimes we are drawn into seeking and giving answers that bring recognition or notoriety to 'our' thinking and to 'our' opinion. Don't look for signs or answers that build you up. Humility and submissiveness to God will always be fundamental in receiving direction from Him.

Robert D. Hales, Gifts of the Spirit, Ensign, Feb. 2002, 17–18

How do we get answers? How do we get out of Spiritual slumps? We need to seek and then be willing to listen. We need to have the desire to learn, grow and become better.

Sometimes, when the right answer comes to us, we forget to listen. We forget to use the precious gift of the Holy Ghost because we think we know better. Pride enters and grabs hold. Like Martin Harris, sometimes the answer will come how we want it because the Lord wants us to learn and remember. Remember Him who is teaching us. Remember that He definitely knows better than we ever will.

Deeper learning and revelation only come when we strive to be like Christ and recognize that just in the striving we are becoming better. We are not asked to be perfect in this life, we're asked to do our best through being humble and following His ways.

To my fellow perfectionists out there, this is a good thing! His perfections make up for our imperfections; we just need to be humble enough to look to Him.

Active Learners

Recently, I read these verses at the end of 2 Nephi Chapter 28:

29 Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we ^aneed ^bno more of the word of God, for we have enough!
30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon ^aprecept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn ^bwisdom; for unto him that ^creceiveth I will give ^dmore; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. {emphasis added}

I really like these verses because it reminds me to never stop learning. It is not enough to say, "okay, I think I've learned enough about the gospel or I think I've learned all about Chemistry." When we start thinking that, we are in trouble because we won't have the capacity to learn and grow more.

If we are to become eternal beings, we need to recognize the importance of knowledge. Learning and gaining knowledge is a process. If we don't use our agency to choose to learn and grow, we won't continue on the path towards greater knowledge. Knowledge isn't going to be forced upon us; just like everything else, we have the right to choose, to act.

I've always loved this thought; being a teacher and all. We need to be active learners and seekers, so--- I say to us all--- go and seek out the best books and gain some knowledge!

Little Reminders

I just wanted to quickly say how grateful I am for little reminders, echoing kind of what Meagan talked about. I too feel very grateful for the blessings the Lord gives me. Most of the time I don't know what I do to deserve them. I try my best, and I think, the Lord recognizes that.

One of the little reminders I have in my life is my CTR ring. I wear it on the ring finger of my right hand. Besides my wedding ring (and fake engagement ring), it is the only ring I wear. They are my physical 'little reminders.'

They remind me of the woman I am and have covenanted to become. They remind me of the goofy redhead who I'm blessed to spend now and forever with. They remind me of the eternal blessings in store if I can somehow pass this mortal test. They remind me of the truthfulness of the gospel. They remind me to never ever give up--- always hold to the rod and choose the right. They remind me of the potential in us all.

I know this is silly, but for me, I need the physical reminders. My mind likes to play tricks on me; getting me to think that no one likes me/wasting my time/never going to do my best. One of the ways I get out of that horrible downward spiral is to look at my hands. When I do, I see the two things that have never failed to bring me happiness: family and the gospel.

Isn't that what this life is all about?

Safety & Peace

Just a quick thought I had a couple weeks ago. At the beginning of {First Nephi Chapter 17}, Nephi explains the journey in the wilderness is taking a toll. They had "many afflictions." But, within their afflictions they were blessed. Nephi gives the reason in verse 3:

And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and ^astrengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did ^bprovide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness. {emphasis added}

Heavenly Father knows and loves each and every one of us. Right here in this verse, it says what we need to do to face our challenges: Keep the Commandments. If we keep the commandments, then the Lord with bless us to keep moving forward. Just like the {primary} {song} says:

Keep the commandments; keep the commandments!
In this there is safety; in this there is peace.
He will send blessings;
Words of a prophet:
Keep the commandments.
In this there is safety and peace.

Before the Call

I found out today that my youngest brother had his mission papers sent in last night. I'm so very excited for him, the experiences he'll have, and the lives he'll touch. I know he'll be amazing. I'm grateful to call him my brother and for him to be an example for my kids, especially my little boy.

My son is only a toddler, but it is important for me (and my husband) not to forget that he's two going on 19. As his parents, we have a divine responsibility to teach him NOW to have the DESIRE to love the Lord and serve Him. Not if he'll serve a mission, but when. Elder Bednar, in {Becoming a Missionary}, said:

My dear young brethren {and sisters}, the single most important thing you can do to prepare for a call to serve is to become a missionary long before you go on a mission. Please notice that in my answer I emphasized becoming rather than going. Let me explain what I mean.

In our customary Church vocabulary, we often speak of going to church, going to the temple, and going on a mission. Let me be so bold as to suggest that our rather routine emphasis on going misses the mark.

The issue is not going to church; rather, the issue is worshipping and renewing covenants as we attend church. The issue is not going to or through the temple; rather, the issue is having in our hearts the spirit, the covenants, and the ordinances of the Lord’s house. The issue is not going on a mission; rather, the issue is becoming a missionary and serving throughout our entire life with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. It is possible for a young man to go on a mission and not become a missionary, and this is not what the Lord requires or what the Church needs.

My earnest hope for each of you young men is that you will not simply go on a mission—but that you will become missionaries long before you submit your mission papers, long before you receive a call to serve, long before you are set apart by your stake president, and long before you enter the MTC.

A future missionary needs to have good examples set before him. I'm so grateful for my husband, father, and brothers---who have set an example for my little boy. Because of their examples I'll be able to have teaching moments with my children. We can write to their Uncle, learn about what he's teaching to others, and become more like Jesus.

Even though I didn't serve a mission I hope I can be the example they need. I hope I'm up to the challenge, to show my children just how amazing this gospel is. I hope they see the light in my eyes when I talk about my Savior, the temple, and having the chance to be with our family forever.

Like everything in this life worth having, it will not be easy. In December 1979, a man working for the Ensign related what parents can do before a mission call. He talked about sitting at the dinner table with his parents while he refused to eat his cauliflower. At one point in the dinner, his mom mentioned this, "missionaries eat everything on their plate whether they like it or not because that’s the polite thing to do. When you’re a missionary, somebody will eventually serve you something you won’t like. If you don’t eat it, you’ll hurt their feelings. So you might as well get into the habit now of eating everything on your plate.” Eventually, he ate his food, and it wasn't that bad.

I want to be that kind of Mom. I want to have the ability to teach gospel principles of kindness and sacrifice---then allow my children to make the choice for themselves. Further in the article, he gives suggestions on how parents can help children prepare for missions. Frankly, there's a lot and it's all good, so go read it! He ends with this:

If preparing sons for missions sounds like a big job, it’s because it is. But the challenge is not beyond reach—and the blessings are truly great, both in the home and in the lives of those involved. Rewards don’t come without effort, though, so parents should start preparing their sons now, no matter how young they are. My present concern is teaching my two-year-old son to like cauliflower. The next step will be the scriptures!

What Parents Can Do... Before the Call

It's a noble work to spread the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our children were, and will be, born in the church for a reason; they are MEANT to become missionaries. They are meant to gain a testimony and proclaim its truths to the world. We are here to show them the first step and be their examples.

FYI:The New Era had {a special issue} all about missions a few years back and I went looking through it today and found lots of amazing gems. Take some time this week and glance over this issue. I recommend: Missionary Mail, The Five M's of Missionary Work, and Gifts to Bring Home from the Mission Field. It's a wonderful issue full of insights for anyone---I'm really excited to use the Missionary Mail one! :)

Need to Talk

First off--- I'm sick right now, so I'm sorry if my ramblings don't come together for efficient understanding...

On March 31st, I accomplished one of my goals this year and finished the {Book of Mormon} in a three month period. It was fantastic. Each time I finish it, I come away a better person. It is the one book, I can read over and over again without being disappointed. This is one of the ways that I know the words in it are true and from God.

So, now I'm back to the story of {Lehi} and his posterity. Lehi's son, {Nephi}, has always been an amazing man in my eyes. What particularly impressed me this time was how he's constantly did one thing before anything--- he prayed. Next time you read his story, notice the pattern. Before he sets out with his brother, before going back to Jersualem the second time, before killing Laban, before talking to his brothers about their conduct or trying to escape from their murderous intentions, before going hunting with his 'new' bow, before believing the words of his father---- he prayed. He opened up a line of communication that is ALWAYS there--- and it's always there for us too. It's a direct line to our Heavenly Father.

After realizing this about Nephi, no less than 24 hours later did I get a 'Church History Gem' with this quote in it:

Since my youth, I have always been impressed by the fact that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, would answer the heartfelt prayers of a 14-year-old boy who was searching for the truth. Just as He answered Joseph Smith's prayer, our Heavenly Father will answer your prayers in His own time and in His own way.

Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Growing into the Priesthood," Ensign, Nov. 1999, 41

I kept being reminded, even when I think I'm all alone---I'm not. If I can't talk to anyone, not even Greg, I know I can talk to Him. And even in those times I can talk to someone, prayer is how I show gratitude to Heavenly Father by recognizing his role in my life.

Prayer is how we learn to communicate with the spirit. It shows Heavenly Father we have a desire to know for ourselves. To know which decision to make, to know the truth of the gospel, to know why we have the challenges we do; prayer helps us gain knowledge. Eternal Knowledge; this knowledge (answer to our prayers) may not be what we expected, but that is for us to deal with because the fact remains that Heavenly Father did and always will answer the prayers of His children.

But all this only comes when we ask---- and how do we ask? Through prayer. When you need to talk, Heavenly Father is always there--- all you need to do is kneel.