January 10, 2021

Sometimes we have to do hard things. I have reflected on some of the hard things I have done in my life. I remember when I was first called to be a Seminary teacher. I was working full time and called to do a very high intensity calling of preparing and teaching a spiritual lesson to 16 youth ages 14 and 15 five days a week at 6:00 AM every weekday morning during the school year. I had to get up at 4 in the morning to get ready, drive the twenty or so minutes to the Church so I can be there at least 30 minutes before class started to prepare my room and greet my students. I had to prepare a lesson everyday and somehow get to bed by 8 so I could get enough sleep for the next day.

I won't lie. It was hard. But it was also the best calling I have ever had. And the most rewarding for me. I grew closer to the Lord so much. I had incredible students in my class; however, there were times I wondered if I was reaching any of them. I know they probably just wanted to still be in bed...but they were there. I'm sure they hoped they could just lay their heads down and sleep...but they stayed awake and participated. I love each and every one of those students for all the years I taught.

I remember one day one of my students came to me and told me that I had saved her friend. I had made a difference. I felt so good. I realized that if I could touch just one student it would all be worth it. Years later I visited that student and she told me what I had done for her. Again, I felt if she was the only one I touched it was worth it.

I recently had another experience as a read a comment by someone I know. The comment touched my heart so much that I knew if my post was only for that person it would have been worth it.

This reminds me of how the Savior went about teaching and reaching the one. I have heard it said that even if I was the only person who ever lived on planet earth, the Savior still would have come down and suffered and bled and Atoned just for me. It is all about the ONE. We are to minister to the one. All ordinances are performed for individuals and not for groups.

I love Elder Bednar's book called One by One. That is what we are to do. Serve each other One by One in anyway we can. This is how we Love One Another!

27Steve Wilcox, Kylee Wilcox and 25 others

7 Comments

1 Share

Like

Comment

Share

 January 9, 2021

What a wonderful blessing prayer is for us. They are answered in the Lord's time which is always the best time for us...even if we don't see it at the time. We are impatient people. We live in a world where we can have things almost instantaneously. We want our prayers answered that way too. But what would that teach us?

If every prayer was answered immediately would we ever learn faith? Would we learn to trust in God? Would we learn appreciation? Would we develop strength or grow spiritually?

No. Sometimes we need to "wait upon the Lord" and to "trust in the Lord with all thine heart...and he shall direct thy paths". (Proverbs 3:4-5)

The Lord knows what is best for us. He will hear and answer our prayers, not necessarily when we think it should be answered, but when it is best answered.

And the answer may not be what we want it to be, but it will be what we need it to be. That is what it means to trust in the Lord. He will never ignore us.

12Julie Bland Grossnickle, Erin Atkin and 10 others

2 Shares

Like

Comment

Share

 January 9, 2021

I'm going to stick to posting positive things on Social Media. I didn't mean to start a firestorm of back and forth comments and arguments. I was upset and voiced my opinion. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. However, I much prefer the positive, feel good comments I see when people post beautiful and uplifting things. I'm going to stick to that. 

I believe Alma when he said: "And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God." (Alma 31:5)

The world I envision promotes Good News instead of the headlines we read today. It celebrates when people accomplish things and do acts of kindness. People do not get jealous when others achieve, instead they celebrate them. The world I envision help others so there is no poor among them. They are industrious in building up the world around them. They help the infirmed and poor and build them up so they too can be as productive as they are capable. They help each other develop and use the strengths they have.

The world I envision loves our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. They strive to be like Them and everyone is better for it. 

If everyone treated others as they would like to be treated then think of the world we would have. There would be no murders or robberies.  There would be no crime of any kind. People would get along. There would be no wars or gangs or riots or any of the terrible things that seem to be a part of our daily lives now. 

I pray for the world I envision to come to pass before we destroy the world we live in.

 January 9, 2021

I can not believe what is happening today. This is the most childish, hateful, vindictive, petty, ridiculous, and pointless thing our house majority is trying to push through right before Trump leaves office. Can you believe they are actually trying to impeach President Trump again stating that he incited the riots on the Capital, even though we have footage of Antifa being heavily involved?

This is so stupid on so many levels. First off it won't even happen until Trump is out of office. They are going to impeach a past president. 

The are going to spend valuable time when the new administration, house and senate need to get real work done, and not waste time over something so futile.

And their reason is simple to smear Trump again as being the only president to be impeached twice, even though it would be AFTER he served his full term.  And none of the impeachments on any president were ever convicted...including the first one on Trump. That kind of childish behavior is not what I want leading my country. 

I believe we need strict term limits instead of having these "professional" politicians who spend all of their time campaigning instead of doing what is best for the American people. We need fresh blood in Washington. We need to get back to a government BY THE PEOPLE and FOR THE PEOPLE and we can only do that if we get NEW people in there.

It is time we start focusing on the GOOD that people do and not look for or make up terrible things.  Just to name a few of Trump's accomplishments:

1. He facilitated peace in the Middle East by getting diplomatic agreements between Arab countries and Israel and acknowledging Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel.

2. Trump did NOT start any wars and nearly got us out of all our existing wars.

3. Unemployment declined steadily from the time Trump took office until COVID when it jumped to 14.8%; however, it has continually declined again down to 6.7%.

4. Made Space Force the 6th branch of the Armed Forces.

5. Provided more affordable healthcare options for Americans through association health plans and short-term duration plans.

6. The FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history. Many drug companies are freezing or reversing planned price increases.

7. Reformed the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugs—saving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars.

 Divine Nature

I believe in Divine Nature, meaning I have inherited divine qualities, which I will strive to develop. It is a gift from a loving Heavenly Father who loves me as only a parent can.

What I do with that precious gift is up to me.  I tend to struggle with a battle that rages inside me. On one side I know I have been given this great gift to help me become the best person I can be. I can recognize that I have Heavenly Parents who love me and want me to return to live with them someday. Heavenly Father has given me the gift of the Holy Ghost to be my constant companion to guide and direct me throughout my life. To help me make correct decisions and choose the right. He has given me His only Begotten Son to Atone for me and provide a way for me to be forgiven of my sins. He has given me Scriptures to help guide me and teach me about my Savior and how I should strive to be like Him. He has given me gifts and talents and help make me who I am. And He has given me one of the greatest gifts he can give...Agency so I can choose for myself what I will do and who I will be. That is the side I want to win.

On the other side I hear voices or thoughts about how I messed up and its too late now. I am told I'm not good enough. I'm told I have to do it myself, no one is there to help me. I am told I blew it so just do what feels good and enjoy. I am told it doesn't really matter because there is only this life. I am told I deserve more and others should be doing for me! I am told all sorts of LIES; but, when I am down I listen to those lies and even believe them sometimes. I don't want this side to win.

I realize I am the one who chooses which side to join. It is my choice. I have all the tools and help I need to defeat the other side. I can choose NOT to listen to the lies anymore. I have ALL the help I need to be on the winning side. The choice is up to me!

 January 6, 2021

Boy do I need this! I am always trying to be perfect and falling short so I beat myself up all the time. It is OK to be imperfect. Heavenly Father loves us NO MATTER WHAT! We don't have to be perfect to be in His sight. He just wants us to be striving to do our best. I can do that. I can strive to improve a little bit everyday. Then one day after this life, when I have received all the blessings of the great Atonement of Jesus Christ He will make me perfect in the sight of God. Only through Him can I be made perfect.

#givethanks

1Ken Jenson

I love this quote about Hope. I also know that Hope is expectation and not wishful thinking.  We have HOPE in Jesus Christ. Moroni 7:41 says: "And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise." 

We don't just "wish" that is true. We EXPECT it will happen because it is what has been promised. I have hope, even in these troubled times. I hope life will get back to normal and we will be on our way to New Zealand to fulfill our mission. I expect this will happen, because I have HOPE!

#givethanks