Have Faith in the Savior

1. Matthew 13:23 talks about “Preparing the Good Soil of Our Hearts”. President James E. Faust said, “For the seeds of faith to sprout in our lives, we must avoid Satan’s grasp. We also need to prepare our own seedbeds of faith. To do this we need to plow the soil through daily humble prayer, asking for strength and forgiveness. We need to harrow [break up] the soil by overcoming our feelings of pride. We need to prepare the seedbed by keeping the commandments to the best of our ability.” We had a Stake Women’s Conference this past week and one of the keynote speakers talked about preparing ourselves. How can we testify, if we don’t READ? How can we know the Book of Mormon to be true, if we don’t READ? How can we know our Savior and Heavenly Father, if we don’t READ? So, this got me thinking, in order for us to nourish the seeds, we must do our part to learn so that we can stand as a witness and be able to fight off the adversary.
2. Mark 4:35-41. Jesus calmed the storm. I can relate to this part of the lesson so well. It’s not that we don’t want to have faith in Jesus Christ, sometimes we just can’t see past our grief and turmoil. But when we can look with our spiritual eyes, we see things much differently. President Howard W. Hunter said, “Peace was on the lips and in the heart of the Savior no matter how fiercely the tempest was raging…We should not expect to get through life individually or collectively without some opposition.” We will all have trials but we must try our hardest to have faith to weather the storms. Try to see with our spiritual eyes and have faith that all will be well. 
3. Mark 5:1-20. Jesus Christ Cast Out Devils… This scripture reminded me when my depression hits, or when I have negative thoughts, that the devil is trying to enter my life. I remember that on a daily basis and sometimes an hourly basis that I was saying, “Get thee hence Satan!” Through many blessings with the priesthood power, I was able to think more clearly and safely. Jesus caste out the evil spirits and I am thankful that that blessing is available to us now through those that worthily hold the priesthood and act in the Saviors name.
4. Mark 4:24 tells us that we will receive what our spirit is ready to receive but we must prepare ourselves and be willing to receive more.
5. And one of my favorites in Matthew 11:28-30. It talks about "Take my yoke upon you", meaning that we need to be inline with the Savior and our burdens will be light. It doesn't mean that we won't have trials, but we will be able to bear the burdens better with the Savior.

Enjoy the Little Things...

Socks

Warm, cozy and sometimes fluffy socks. The ones that fit snug in your shoes and warms your piggies, especially on those cold days.

This morning I got up and put my new, warm, cozy socks on and it made me smile. Sometimes it's just the little things that we enjoy.

Attacking Depression

Saturday we had a Stake Women's Conference. These theme was "Faith" ...nourished up in the words of faith... 1 Timothy 4:6.

We had keynote speakers, Derl & Laureen Sanderson. They talked about how we can "be the light" and what we need to do to become educated. That is, read the Book of Mormon and other doctrines. We can't expect just to know or to witness without reading and learning.

We then had to choose three of six speakers, which we rotated after so many minutes, and had brunch in between. I really wish we could have heard all of the six speakers.

The first one I went to was Jenny Hamsen. She talked about "Recognizing the Lord's Hands" in our daily lives. She talked about the trials she and her family has had and how she was able to see the Lord's hands even in the midst of the terrible things they had to go through. 

She gave some ideas such as:

• Focus on positive thoughts.
• Follow our promptings.
• Send fun things and inspirations to family and friends through Marco Polo or other apps.
• Keep a journal.
• Reflect each morning on the goals we would like to achieve and reflect each evening about what happened that day.
• Take time for quiet moments of gratitude.
• Church worship.
• Give service each day.
• Daily Repentance. Don't just wait until the Sacrament on Sundays.
• Search the scriptures, general conference address' and other resources.

The second class I went to was by Damon Andreasen and he talked about Depression.

He had some main things to watch and consider using his DEALS concept.

• Diet (eating good food, listening to good music, incorporate good smells, etc.)
• Exercise (exercising burns anxiety our of our body, learn to breathe and slow our minds down.)
• Activity (stay active, don't isolate yourself even when you want to hide.)
• Learning/Live your belief.
• Service/Sleep (give service even when it is hard. Get good sleep.)

He also encouraged us to keep a Positive journal. At least once a week, write three things you are grateful for and one positive experience.

I know that although a journal would be interesting and maybe even inspirational for my  posterity, it would be helpful for myself to look back, not only to remember when things happened but also to see how I got through hard things. Now if I can just make myself keep a journal.

The last speaker I went to was Carrie Gunter. She was told us a hilarious story/experience that happened to her. If only I could tell experiences as well as she did. Anyway, she emphasized on three things.

1. Learn how to laugh. Some things may be hard to laugh at while you are going through them, but finding the good and learning to laugh about it will help get you through.
2. Look at things with and eternal perspective. I need to practice this more. It even says in my patriarchal blessing to see things in an eternal perspective. Doing this will help us see more than the here and now trials.
3. Show gratitude. She told of a book that focused on giving 365 days of gratitude, in other words, sending 365 Thank You notes. It took them more than 365 days to complete but the results were well worth the effort.

The jest of the conference was to have faith and that we can choose happiness. Some days might take more effort but we can do it. No one else can do it for us.

We don't wait until we see what kind of day we are going to have. We choose happiness when we first wake up!

Old ways - New ways

  

This past Sunday was our Ward Conference and the Bishop talked about the changes that have taken place in the past few years. He quoted a scripture from Mosiah 2. “And these are the words which he spake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.”

Then we read in our lesson Luke 5:39 “No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.”

Elder Bruce R. McConkie says this; “The meaning of the Savior’s words can be understood in this way: “In following John, who was sent of my Father to prepare the way before me, you have conformed to the law of Moses [the old wine]. Now, however, [one] greater than Moses is here, even the Messiah, and as John taught, you must now follow him, even though it is difficult for you to ‘straightway’ turn from your old teachings and accept the new” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:186). Following the counsel of the scriptures and the living prophets can be very difficult when these inspired teachings challenge one’s personal views or traditions.”

So, what do these scriptures and commentary mean for me? Well, am I willing to embrace the changes that have happened with the two-hour block? Do I embrace the changes for the missionary dress codes, learning manuals, and the changes in the temple? Or do I mumble and grumble that I like this or that better?

We are blessed to have a living prophet and we are so blessed to have modern revelation and even personal revelation. We are even told in the 9th Article of Faith...

My goal is to embrace the change and see the good in all that is taking place.

Remember what we are told about the changes…”Take your vitamins, kids! We will all need them to keep up.”

Christ Heals and so can we.

lds.org

Winter semester started on January 7, 2019 and I took the opportunity to study the New Testament. I have never read through the whole Bible and I have never really taken the time to “study” it. I ordered the New Testament Student Manual to study along with the scriptures. I did this while I studied the Book of Mormon and I love it! The Study Manual has so many insights and commentaries that help me understand the scriptures a bit more.

This semester I also chose to focus and improve my “thankfulness”. There is much to be thankful for. I have always considered myself to be a thankful person. However, after last year's mental health struggles that Doran and I fought, I had an experience that forced me to understand a new meaning of being thankful. When times are good it is easy to say how thankful we are, but when times are tough, it is harder to see clearly.

One of the things I read about this past week was in Matthew 4:18-22 and Matthew 4:23. In these scriptures, it explains how everyone can be “healers” like the Savior, in that we can help heal others through our service. Even the small, simple acts of love and service can mean a great deal to someone else. When I was having a particularly bad day, a friend dropped some candy and a note off on my doorstep. It may have been just a small gesture for her, but it “healed” my broken mind and heart that day.

We don’t need to wait until Thanksgiving season rolls around to express our thankful hearts. We should be more mindful daily, all year round, of the many blessings we have been given. We can also do acts of service all year round and not just during the Christmas season. On my car visor I have a card that says, “Who needs me today?”. I need to look for opportunities and listen closer to the promptings that I receive and make sure that I act on those promptings, because, I may need to help “heal” someone that day.

School Daze

School Days (When we were a couple of kids)

School days, school days

Dear old Golden Rule days

'Reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic

Taught to the tune of the hick'ry stick

You were my queen in calico

I was your bashful, barefoot beau

And you wrote on my slate, "I Love You, Joe"

When we were a couple o' kids

I remember my grandma singing us this song all the time. She always seemed to be singing the "good ol' songs". Oh how I miss her.

The last year has been a tough one in our house. We have had many struggles with anxiety and depression, but this post won't be about that. But it has made me reflect on my life. Sadly, I can't remember much. However, maybe that is a good thing as well.

The past few months I have been trying to remember my school days. Who were my teachers and what were they like? I still need to see if I can find my class pictures.

I can only remember a couple of negative things and those happened in 5th and 6th grades. There were a few girls that were supposed to be the "good girls" but they weren't very nice to me. Over the years I have tried to chalk it up to "just kids being kids", but maybe I haven't got over it yet because it still bothers me in a way. They are still in the same town as I am and one year, years ago when we were playing church volleyball, one of the girls and I (playing against each other) had great conversations that season. Another one will talk to me if I talk to her first. But one, will avoid me whenever she sees me. In all reality, I'm not even sure that they remember how they treated some of us. Oh well, moving on.

I ordered a couple of LDS chick flick books and they will be getting here tomorrow but I wanted to read something tonight. I was rummaging through my closet full of books and came across a big hard bound book titled "DEAR OLD GOLDEN SCHOOL DAYS". It has a little blue sticker with 1.00 on it and I think it was from one of my moms yard sales. Anyway, I began to read it tonight. It is full of short story memories of people reminiscing about their teachers and school days. There definitely is a lot more respect in the "good ol' days".

I am sure that I had a lot of good things happen while I was in school but I really can't remember. I do remember my 5th grade teacher was Mr. Earl. He was a fun teacher and always seemed to be upbeat and happy. I can still see his face. I'm not sure what ever happened to him or if he is even still around. I had two teachers for 6th grade. We switched for different subjects. Mr. Welch and Mr. West. Fast forward years later... Mr. Welch was our Stake Patriarch at the time Doran and I became active in the church. He gave us our patriarchal blessings the same night. I can't remember if he remembered me from school or not. Since then I have seen both Brother Welch and Brother West in the temple.

This is probably my favorite school picture. My mom took such good care getting my hair just perfect and having my hair ratted and going BACK towards the back of my head. However, before pictures it fell to the side and I loved it!

Oh if I knew that I would have a hard time remembering would turn back the time and write things down so I could reminisce more as well. But for now, I will continue to read these fun little stories of the Dear Old Golden School Days.

What are YOU writing down so you can remember?