I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.
And he replied,
"Go into the darkness and put your hand in the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!"
So I went forth and finding the Hand of God
Trod gladly into the night
He led me towards the hills
And the breaking of day in the lone east.
So heart be still!
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." -Nelson Mandela
We might as well have been born in some other...dispensation, unless we can feel that we have a mission in Zion. We are living to be Saints. (Eliza R. Snow, as quoted in Dew, pg. 203)
We need to get a celestial education and share it with others along the way.
Jesus taught that each of us should exhibit an active love and benevolence towards every one of His Father’s children.
I want to be my children’s greatest cheerleader, not their greatest critic.
I want to fill their lives, hearts, and dreams with love and confidence, not doubt and insecurity.
What I say reaches their soul--
What a gift, what a privilege,...
what a responsibility.
“Our only confidence can be in God; our only wisdom obtained from Him; and He alone must be our protector and safeguard, spiritually and temporally, or we fall.” (Joseph Smith, Teachings of, pg 161)
FAVORITE SCRIPTURES
Be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you. (D&C 61:36)
Be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom of heaven is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours. (D&C 78:18)
Ether 12:4
Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the
souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.
D&C 5:34
Yea, for this cause I have said: Stop, and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee.
D&C 123:17
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
James 1:27 : “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
Psalm 23
2 Nephi 4
D&C 84:88
Mosiah 18:12
“O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that (she) may do this work with holiness of heart.”
1 Nephi 19:9
And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught: wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.
Mosiah 4:14-15
And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another...But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
FAVORITE POEMS/SAYINGS
A Mother’s Prayer
Oh give me patience when tiny hands
Tug at me with their small demands
And give me gently and smiling eyes;
Keep my lips from sharp replies.
And let no fatigue, confusion, or noise
Obscure my vision of life’s fleeting joys,
So when, years later, my house is still–
No bitter memories its room may fill.
Author Unknown
Alexander Pope Quote
’Tis education forms the common mind: Just as the twig is bent the tree’s inclined.
It is our duty to make the world better for our having been in it
The question, then, is: Which will give the more abundant life–pampering our physical nature or developing our spiritual selves? Is not that the real problem? –Heber J. Grant
Come unto me,” the Savior said, “all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28) So you come unto Christ to be yoked with Him and with His power, so that you’re not pulling life’s load alone. You’re pulling life’s load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and suddenly your problems, no matter how serious they are, become lighter. That’s what we mean by coming unto Christ, being yoked to Him. (Elder Nelson, Ens. June 2005, pg 18)
“Every noble impulse; every unselfish expression of love; every brave suffering for the right; every surrender of self to something higher than self; every loyalty to an ideal; every unselfish devotion to principle; every helpfulness to humanity; every act of self-control; every fine courage of the soul, undefeated by pretense or policy, but by being, doing, and living of good for the very good’s sake–that is spirituality.” Heber J. Grant
“The man who...[has] in mind making better the world in which he lives, desiring to contribute to the happiness of his family and his fellows. And who does all things for the glory of God, will, to the extent that he denies himself for these ideals, develop his spirituality.” Heber J. Grant
What are we working for? Wealth? Riches? If we have embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ, then we are working for eternal life...It is far better if it is possible for us to start the children out in the battle fo life with nothing recorded on the pages of their years, except good deeds and faith-promoting thoughts.
[I] hope that parents will realize that the example of integrity, of devotion, of loyalty to the Gospel, and the disposition not to find fault, but to labor diligently and unceasingly for the advancement of truth, it a marvelous heritage to leave to their children. –David O. McKay
Contend not with others, but pursue a steady course–
Gordon B. Hinckley
LEST WE FORGET
She came tonight as I sat alone
The girl that I used to be...
And she gazed at me with her earnest eye
And questioned reproachfully.
Have you forgotten the many plans
And hopes that I had for you?
The great career, the splendid fame
All wonderful things to do.
Where is the mansion of stately height
With all of its gardens rare?
The silken robes that I dreamed for you
And the jewels for your hair?
And as she spoke, I was very sad,
For I wanted her pleased with me...
This slender girl from the shadowy past
The girl I used to be.
So gently arising, I took her hand,
And guided her up the stair
Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay
Innocent, sweet and fair.
And I told her that these are my only gems,
And precious they are to me;
That silken robe is my motherhood
Of costly simplicity.
And my mansion of stately height is Love,
And the only career I know
Is serving each day in these sheltering walls
For the dear ones who come and go.
And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,
She smiled through her tears at me;
And I saw that the woman that I am now
Pleased the girl that I used to be.
Rowena K. Lewis
Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the No Man's Land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back. “You can go,"said the Lieutenant, “but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away.”
The Lieutenant's words didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their company's trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. “I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. Your friend is dead, and you are mortally wounded.”
“It was worth it, though, sir," the soldier said.
“How do you mean, worth it?'" responded the Lieutenant. Your friend is dead!"
“Yes sir," the private answered. “But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, ‘Jim, I knew you'd come.‘”
"This Little Light of Mine" Editor: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Barry Spilchuk
Quotes from “A Discussion with Russell M. Nelson”: “What counsel would you give people who wish they were more committed but find it difficult?” His answer: “Those people need to have a little private time and ask themselves what they really want in life. Is it entertainment? Is it wealth? Is it fame? They need to decide what they really want to accomplish. No runner ever starting a race would ever start without knowing whether he’s doing a hundred-yard dash or a marathon. Many people, in and out of the church, have not really named their objectives, what they want to accomplish more than any thing else. But once they have made the decision to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, to emulate His example, to live according to His precepts, then their commitment is secure. That has to be done individually....
“Repentance is more than just undoing the wrongs you’ve done. It’s a whole change of your outlook on life. You want to think like the Lord. You want to talk like the Lord. You want to act like the Lord. You want to believe, you want to pray, you want to love the way the Lord does.”
A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, while the bearer delivered only one and a half pots of full water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day
by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself and because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all
the way back to your house."
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the
path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw and I
planted flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day while we walked back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace this house."
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
Elder Robert Whetten (Ens. May 2005, pg. 91)
“Conversion means consecrating your life to caring for and serving others who need your help and sharing your gifts and blessings. The Lord didn’t say, “Tend my sheep when it is convenient; watch my sheep when you aren’t busy.” He said, “Feed my sheep and my lambs; help them survive this world; keep them close to you. Lead them to safety–the safety of righteous choices that will prepare them for eternal life”...Every unselfish act of kindness and service increases your spirituality. God would use you to bless others...In your journey through life, you are to reach out and bless the lives of your fellow travelers, to give of yourself to those who need you. “For whosoever will save his life,” the Master said, “shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”
"I REALLY LIVED"
By Sister Marjorie Hinckley
"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
“It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead...the women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and that is purifying to the children of men.” (Joseph F. Smith, as quoted in No Doubt About It, Sheri Dew, pg. 43)
“Gordon B. Hinckley; “You are good. But it is not enough just to be good. You must be good for something. You must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for your presence. And that good that is in you must be spread to others.”“ (No Doubt About It, Sheri Dew, pg 3)
Ideally, the family is a place where we may safely retreat, where we may safely be vulnerable, where we develop resilience and replenish our emotional supply, and where we are taught what is important, what is good, and where happiness really comes from. (No Doubt About It, Sheri Dew, Pg 57)
“Our young people need love and attention, not indulgence,” taught President Benson. “They need empathy and understanding, not indifference, from mothers and fathers. They need the parents’ time. A mother’s kindly teachings and her love for and confidence in a teenage son or daughter can literally save them from a wicked world.” “Praise your children more than you correct them, “ he counseled. “Praise them for even their smallest achievement... Encourage your children to come to you..with their problems and questions by listening to them every day.”
“My plea...is a plea to save the children,” President Hinckley has said. “Too many of them walk with pain and fear, in loneliness and despair. Children need sunlight...They need kindness and refreshment and affection. Every home, regardless of the cost of the house, can provide an environment of love which will be an environment of salvation.”
It is time to give ourselves to the Master and allow
Him to lead us into fruitful fields where we can
enrich a world filled with darkness and misery. Each
of us, no matter who we are, no matter where we serve,
must arise and make the most of each opportunity that
comes.Jeffrey Holland
"Our world needs straightening up. It needs leadership. It needs
enlightenment. It needs those who are able to analyze problems and
suggest solutions, those who can draw upon the past to make
intelligent decisions for the future, those who understand the
ramifications of certain kinds of actions, those who appreciate fully
the interplay between virtue and morality and integrity and the fabric
of society." Pres. Hinckley
"It is not enough to just live, just to survive. It is incumbent on
each of us to equip ourselves to do something worthwhile in society -
to acquire more and more light, so that our personal light can help
illuminate a darkened world. And this is made possible through
learning, through educating ourselves, through progressing, and
growing in both mind and spirit." Pres Hinckley
"Each of us, regardless of our circumstances, can find a way to study
and grow. Our industry in so doing will cause the years to pass faster
than we might wish, but they will be filled with a sweet and wonderful
zest that will add flavor to life and power to our personal influence
and ability to teach and lead." Pres. Hinckley
"If our hearts are fixed on the Savior, we will have a solid reason
to rejoice, to rejoice in spite of adversity and to rejoice even in
our adversity. Sometimes we make our burdens heavier because we
think we shouldn't have problems. We feel guilty. We compare
ourselves to (others) . . . we don't need to compare ourselves to
anyone else. We are okay, just the way we are, each of us, with our own needs, our own abilities, our own desires of righteousness, and
our own set of obstacles to overcome. . ."
"If you're doing the best you can, that's good enough. I don't know
many men and women who aren't doing their absolute best in every
way, but plenty of them keep track only of the things they don't do
perfectly. Many people I know accomplish a phenomenal amount, but
often they don't pay attention to what they've done. Rather they
concentrate on what's left undone or what remains still to do. Their
hearts are literally downcast. They have given their hearts to their
burdens, not to the great Helper and Lifter of burdens. . ."
"When you feel discouraged, when all of your courage has leaked away
and you feel downcast and your lower lip is getting too close to
your jogging shoes, I give you permission to pat yourself on the
back for what you are doing. The savior did not suffer in Gethsemane
and die on the cross to rebuke you, to chastise you, to turn his
back on you, and to despise you. He did all of these things so that
he could redeem you and save you and lift you up to meet him in the
clouds of glory at his second coming, "and so . . . ever be with the
Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). That is the glorious message of the
gospel to all of us." Chieko Okasaki
You can have the utmost assurance that your power will be multiplied many times by the L0rd. All He asks is that you give your best effort and your whole heart. Do it cheerfully and with the prayer of faith. You will feel at some time, perhaps at many times, that you cannot do all you feel you must...The forces arrayed against you will try not only to frustrate your work, but your desire to do Dis will, and your asking in faith will determine how clearly the Master can guide you by answers to your prayers...He chose you...The Lord knows you...He has prepared a way so that He could issue your call.
–Elder Eyring, Oct 2002
♡So trusting my all to thy tender care, and knowing thou lovest me, I’ll do thy will with a heart sincere,... I’ll be what you want me to be.”♡
Faith is not only believing that God can, but knowing that He will...
Out of clutter, find simplicity
From Discord, find harmony.
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.--Einstein
We must be the change we wish to see in the world- Gandhi
“If Americans should ever come to believe that their rights and freedoms are instituted among men by politicians and bureaucrats, then they will no longer carry the proud inheritance of their forefathers, but will grovel before their masters seeking favors and dispensations” –Ezra Taft Benson (“The Proper Role of Government” 1968)
WEAKNESSES
Weakness in seeing perspective in trial: Elder Damiani (Ens. May 2005, pg 95) “Jesus Christ told the Twelve Apostles some of the things that can destroy our hope and make us give up: allowing ourselves to fall into temptation; not enduring affliction, tribulation, and persecution; fearing “the cares” of the world; seeking wealth first; giving us instead of enduring to the end.”
Questions to ask: What does the Lord want me to do in this situation? How can we know whether we are being tried or whether the Lord is punishing us?
Scriptures to remember: Whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance. (D&C 95:1)
Posted at 7:34 am? Your poor husband must have been freezing.
ReplyDelete