21 January 2010

Love

I love being a mom. Every day I thank my Father in Heaven for the sublime gift of motherhood. My little guy is four months old, and as sweet as any child could be. He often looks up at me after I feed him and gives me a giant smile; then he gives several syllables of sweet cooing. Though he doesn't have the vocabulary to say it, I very clearly hear, "I love you, Mommy." At moments like that, my heart melts, and I can only smile back and respond, "I love you too, Sweetheart."

It makes me realize how much our Heavenly Father must love us, and how it warms Him (and us) to communicate with us. Though my prayers are feeble (much like my four-month-old's talking), He hears and understands. Through the gift of His Spirit I am able to feel His love, and my life is full. This, I believe is the essence of eternal joy. It's love.

04 June 2009

Prayer and the Blue Horizon

"Prayer is a heavenly gift designed to help us achieve spiritual lift. It enhances and cultivates our relationship with God. Isn’t it remarkable that we can converse with the supreme Source of wisdom and compassion in the universe at any time of our choosing, in any place?

Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him, confess weaknesses, petition needs, and express deep devotion to our Heavenly Father. As we make this spiritual effort in the name of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, we are endowed with increased inspiration, revelation, and righteousness, which bring the brightness of heaven into our lives.

Prayer helps us transcend the stormy times. It gives us a glimpse of that blue sky that we cannot see from our earthly vantage point, and it reveals to us another vista—a glorious spiritual horizon filled with hope and the assurance of the bright blessings the Lord has promised to those who love and follow Him."

--President Dieter F. Uchtdorf


I testify that this is true. So very true, and so often exactly the one thing that I need most of all. Truly prayer is a supernal gift.

02 January 2009

WOW

I was studying about covenants this morning and read the following. It is so wonderful, I just had to share.

True to the Faith (p. 44): Always remember and honor the covenants you make with the Lord. Then you will not need to be commanded in everything you do. You will be inspired by the Holy Ghost and Christlike conduct will be part of your nature. As the Lord has promised, you will "receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal" (D&C 42:61). Your greatest hope should be to enjoy the sanctification that comes from this divine guidance.

Jeremiah 31:31-34: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel ... for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Moroni 10:33: And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not is power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

All I can say is WOW! I was so blown away as I pondered on the greatness of my Father in Heaven and my Savior that I had to just sit and ponder for a while. What a wonderful gift of covenants!

19 December 2008

Blessing

2 Cor 2:9 -- But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Just one week ago today I was sealed in the House of the Lord to the most incredible man in the world. As Heavenly Father has blessed me through our union, I am exceedingly amazed at His glory and the wonder of His plan. There is no greater joy than following the Savior's plan and teachings. I could never have imagined such happiness, and I know it will only increase and become more fulfilling. What a glorious blessing!


29 November 2008

Lessons Emphasized Recently

- When I pray, God hears.
- When I ask in faith, God grants.
- When I act in faith, I am happy.
- Anything that distances me from my Father in Heaven is sin, and it hurts -- a lot.
- Jesus is my Savior.
- The Savior's love is powerful.
- His Atonement is cleansing.
- When I repent, Father forgives.
- Repentance takes away the hurt caused by distance from God.
- Forgiveness feels wonderful.
- God is my Father, and He really wants me to repent, so He can lovingly forgive.
- His arm is stretched out still, and still, and still.
- Father begs me to come unto Him through Christ.
- When I pray, God hears.

"Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me" (D&C 19:23).

12 November 2008

Hope

Today as I was walking up to the temple, I was contemplating my life and the sacrifice I would offer to the Lord this week. I was feeling somewhat overwhelmed with the demands on my time at present, and I noticed especially that I have not been as faithful, hopeful, or charitable as I would like to be. I lamented this fact to the Lord, then added, "But I'm really trying hard. I so want to be good. I'm doing my best...is it enough?"

His reply (I picture him saying it with something of a sympathetic smile)? "No, child, it's not enough."

Oh, well, that's not the comforting and reassuring answer I was hoping for, but the truth hit me like a ton of bricks. He's right (duh!). It's not enough, and it will never be enough. My best just doesn't cut it. Surprisingly, this didn't fill me with despair, but rather faith, repentance, and therefore hope.

I'm not enough, but He is. So trust Jesus.

10 November 2008

A More Determined Discipleship

I testify that:

1. God has always and will always speak to the world through His prophets.

2. God has the right to speak on anything He chooses.

3. Those who argue with God do so to their own condemnation.

4. The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are the prophets of God called to lead His children all over the world today. Without question, God will stand by the words of His chosen, and I declare that Thomas S. Monson is His chosen.

In light of recent national events, I find the following to be incredibly poignant. This is just a few excerpts from an exceptional talk by Elder Neal A. Maxwell given at BYU in 1978. 

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.)

President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had “never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ!

This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.

Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel.

There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself.

Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, “summer is nigh” (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!

Properly humbled and instructed concerning the great privileges that are ours, we can cope with what seem to be very dark days, and with true perspective about “things as they really are,” we can see in them a great chance to contribute. Churchill, in trying to rally his countrymen in an address at Harrow School on 29 October 1941, said to them:

“Do not let us speak of darker days; let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not dark days: these are great days—the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race.” (Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, p. 923.)

So should we regard the dispensation of the fulness of time—even when we face stern challenges and circumstances. “These are great days”! Our hearts need not fail us. We can be equal to our challenges, including the aforementioned challenge of the secular church!

The disciple will be puzzled at times, too. But he persists. Later he rejoices and exclaims over how wonderfully things fit together, realizing, only then, that with God—things never were apart!

When, in situations of stress, we wonder if there is any more in us to give, we can be comforted to know that God, who knows our capacities perfectly, placed us here to succeed. No one was foreordained to fail or to be wicked.

When we have been weighed and found wanting, let us remember that we were measured before and were found equal to our tasks; and therefore, let us continue but with a more determined discipleship.

God bless you and keep you, my special friends, to the end that you will carry out each and every assignment given to you so very long ago. You have been measured and found adequate for the challenges that will face you as citizens of the kingdom of God; of that you should have a deep inner assurance. Be true to that trust, as all of us must, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."