Thursday, May 26, 2011

'Be not faithless, but believing'

 
'Be not faithless, but believing'

John 20:27

A man's or woman's life becomes what his or her thoughts make of it.









Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.

Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a

meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.



"If you can't, you must. If you must, you can."
It's not knowing what to do, it's doing what you know."




Believe in your dreams and they 'may' come true.



Believe in yourself and they 'will' come true.


"Living the gospel does not mean the storms of life will pass us by, but we will be better prepared to face them with serenity and peace. 'Search diligently, pray always, and be believing,' the Lord admonished, 'and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly.'"
Joseph B. Wirthlin
All Things are Possible if you Believe
"There is a great difference in believing or knowing that there is a God and in knowing God. When we claim that we know God,...there is great responsibility to respect and love and follow his counsel and his doctrines and his commandments and to grow as a child to become more godlike."
Bernard P. Brockbank

"No matter what circumstances you experience, your influence can be marvelously far-reaching.
 I believe some of you have a tendency to underestimate your profound capacity
for blessing the lives of others. More often than not,
 it is not on the stage with some public pronouncement but in your example of
 righteousness and the countless gentle acts of love and kindness done so willingly,
 so often on a one-to-one basis."
James E. Faust

"When the time comes for you to sacrifice for that which you believe
will you have the faith to make that sacrifice?
Will you commit to do anything the Lord asks,
even if it means putting aside a lifelong goal?"
"When the challenges of mortality come, and they come for all of us,
it may seem hard to have faith and hard to believe.
At these times only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement can bring us peace,
 hope, and understanding. Only faith that He suffered for our sakes will give us the strength to endure to
the end. When we gain this faith, we experience a mighty change of heart, and like Enos,
 we become stronger and begin to feel a desire for the welfare of our brothers and sisters.
We pray for them, that they too will be lifted and strengthened
through faith on the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ."

Robert D Hale
"Truly understood and properly practiced, faith is one of the grand and glorious powers of eternity. It is a force powerful beyond our comprehension. "Through faith … the worlds were framed by the word of God." Through faith, waters are parted, the sick healed, the wicked silenced, and salvation made possible. Our faith is the foundation upon which all our spiritual lives rest. It should be the most important resource of our lives. Faith is not so much something we believe; faith is something we live."

Joseph B. Wirthlin
"I too believe that God will always make a way where there is no way. I believe that if we will walk in obedience to the commandments of God, if we will follow the counsel of the priesthood, he will open a way even where there appears to be no way."
Gordon B. Hinckley


"We cannot have faith without belief, but we can believe without having faith.
Belief is the foundation of faith. Faith is trusting in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The scriptures contain many assurances of salvation to those who exercise faith and obey the commandments... Faith is the motivating force that impels action."

O. Leslie Stone

"My final plea tonight is that you have the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness. Because the trend in society today is away from the values and principles the Lord has given us, you will almost certainly be called upon to defend that which you believe. Unless the roots of your testimony are firmly planted, it will be difficult for you to withstand the ridicule of those who challenge your faith. When firmly planted, your testimony of the gospel, of the Savior, and of our Heavenly Father will influence all that you do throughout your life. The adversary would like nothing better than for you to allow derisive comments and criticism of the Church to cause you to question and doubt.
Your testimony, when constantly nourished, will keep you safe."

Thomas S. Monson


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Thought for the Day



"Don't judge others just because they are choosing to sin differently than you are."
 It is so easy for us to find the short comings and differences in others and hold things against others but then we expect mercy for our faults from others.  I hope that we can all look for the good in others because we Will find it!

Sister Jordan Scanlon


Sunday, May 22, 2011

Each Drop of Wisdom








Life is like a rainbow
You need both the sun and the rain to make its
colors appear



"You don't have the power to make rainbows or waterfalls,
 sunsets or roses, but you do have the power to
bless people by your words and smiles...
You carry within you the power to make the world better..."

Sharon G. Larsen


"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of
others cannot keep it from themselves."



Studying the gospel is like catching a
double rainbow each drop of wisdom reflects
light hinting there's more to see and know



"In moments when the light of resolution dims and
when the heart grows faint, we can take comfort from His promise:

 "Be not weary in well-doing. Out of small things proceedeth that which is great. Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind."

Thomas S. Monson,


"If ever you are tempted to become discouraged or to lose faith,
remember those faithful Saints who remained true in Kirtland.
Hold on a little longer. You can do this!
You are part of a special generation.
You were prepared and preserved to
live at this important time in the existence of
our beautiful planet earth. You have a celestial pedigree
and therefore have all the necessary talents
to make your life an eternal success story."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf



"We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly,

but let us never lost sight of the reason for the journey,

or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way."




"The world's greatest treasures are heaven made!"





"The Lord gives us a spirit of hope
and a feeling of comfort and confidence
that we can overcome the obstacles we face.
He has shown the way to gain strength during our struggles.
With His assistance, we have the ability to succeed.
Listen to His words of counsel and comfort:
"Fear not, little children, for you are mine,
and I have overcome the world
and none of them that my Father hath given me
shall be lost."

L. Lionel Kendrick







"The guardian angels of life sometimes
fly so high as to be beyond our sight,
but they are always looking down upon us."



"Love doesn't hide. It hopes all things,
it endures all things, and it never fails."




"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls."

~Mother Teresa~



"I thank my God everytime I remember you."


"Happiness held is the seed;
happiness shared is the flower."



"Happiness sneaks in through a door
you didn't know you left open."




Saturday, May 21, 2011

Fresh Courage Take


















Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear;
But with joy, wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.
'Tis better far for us to strive
Our useless cares from us to drive;
Do this, and joy your hearts will swell
All is well! All is well!
Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
'Tis not so, all is right.
Why should we think to earn a great reward,
If we now shun the fight?
Gird up your loins; fresh courage take;
Our God will never us forsake,
And soon we'll have this tale to tell,
All is well! All is well!
We'll find the place which God for us prepared,
In His house full of light,
Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
There the saints will shine bright.
We'll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we'll tell,
All is well! All is well!
And should we die before our journey's through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
With the just we shall dwell!
But if our lives are spared again
To see the saints their rest obtain,
O how we'll make this chorus swell,
All is well! All is well!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

KIDS IN CHURCH



THIS WILL MAKE YOU SMILE



KIDS IN CHURCH
3-year-old Reese:
'Our Father, Who does art in heaven,
Harold is His name.
Amen.'



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A little boy was overheard praying:
'Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it.
I'm having a real good time like I am.'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


After the christening of his baby brother in church,  
Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car.
His father asked him three times what was wrong.  
Finally, the boy replied,
'That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home,
and I wanted to stay with you guys.'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


One particular four-year-old prayed:
'And forgive us our trash baskets  
as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they  
were on the way to church service,
'And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?'  
One bright little girl replied,
'Because people are sleeping.'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3.
The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake.
Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.  
'If Jesus were sitting here, He would say,
'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.'  
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said,
' Ryan, you be Jesus!'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A father was at the beach with his children  
when the four-year-old son ran up to him,  
grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore
where a seagull lay dead in the sand.
'Daddy, what happened to him?' the son asked.  
'He died and went to Heaven,' the Dad replied.  
The boy thought a moment and then said,  
'Did God throw him back down?'  



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A wife invited some people to dinner.
At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said,
'Would you like to say the blessing?'
'I wouldn't know what to say,' the girl replied.
'Just say what you hear Mommy say,' the wife answered.
The daughter bowed her head and said,
'Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?'



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Rain - Thomas Kinkade


We Will Not Become Discouraged

   

Steadfast and Immovable

Mary Ellen W. Smoot
Relief Society General President
"We cannot abandon our faith when challenges come our way.
We will not turn away; we will not retreat; we will not become discouraged."
Some people and events come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts,
and we are never the same.
Tonight, as a presidency, our prayers are that the words spoken here this evening will leave footprints upon our hearts and keep us firm, steadfast, and immovable as daughters of God.
As I have traveled the world, the faithful sisters of Relief Society have left footprints upon my heart. I have
 watched their devoted efforts to assist and serve one another here and around the world.
I will never be the same.
I ask that your prayers be with me . . . 
I hope I will say a few things that will penetrate your hearts and lead you closer to our Savior and Redeemer.
We choose to be steadfast and immovable in our faith because of the promises of eternal glory, eternal increase, and continued family relationships in the celestial kingdom.
We love our families and know that
our greatest joy and peace come to us as we watch each family member
face the tests of life and . . . overcome the world.
Occasionally I place my hands on both sides of the face of one of my children or grandchildren when they are doing something that will bring immediate or long-term harm to themselves in the process. I look deeply into their eyes and carefully explain to them how much they are loved and cherished. Then I describe the harm that could result from the actions they have chosen.
I can envision the Savior holding our faces between His hands and pleading with each of us individually to
 remain steadfast and immovable and faithful to the God who made us.
Sisters, I wish I could place my hands on both sides of your faces, look deeply into your eyes, and impart to you a clear vision of your vital role as beloved daughters of God whose "lives have meaning, purpose, and direction." We are women who "increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study," who "seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost." We "dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes" and "find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.1" We are women of the Relief Society organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Before coming into this mortal world, we lived together in the presence of a loving Heavenly Father.
I imagine one of our favorite topics of conversation was what
would happen when we passed through the veil and entered this earthly existence.
Now we are here. Even though we were instructed regarding the difficulties we would encounter on earth, I doubt we understood or could have known how demanding and trying, how tiring and even sorrowful at times this mortal existence would be. We have no doubt all, at some point, felt that what we were experiencing was just too hard to bear. Yet the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "When [we] joined this Church [we] enlisted to serve God. When [we] did that [we] left . . . neutral ground, and [we] never can get back on to it. Should [we] forsake the Master [we] enlisted to serve it will be by the instigation of the evil one, and [we] will follow his dictation and be his servant."2
I can imagine our Savior placing His hands on both sides of our faces, looking deeply into our eyes, and promising a sisterhood, a Relief Society, to help us in our trials. This organization for all women of the Church is for the purpose of helping to bring us to the Savior and assisting one another in helping the sick and the poor. Relief Society sisters will put their arms around the new members and make everyone feel needed and nurtured, no matter what their status of life is at this time. They will welcome the new young women as they arrive and make them an integral part of every activity. Use them. We cannot afford to lose them. Everyone will be lifted and loved. Everyone will follow their priesthood leaders as they guide us through a narrow passageway to a safe harbor, pure truth, and a lifestyle befitting daughters of God.
President Gordon B. Hinckley has counseled the women of the Church: "Rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass."3
When I hear sisters say, "It is just too hard to do my visiting teaching" or "I simply do not have time to pray and read my scriptures!" or "I have too much going on to attend home, family, and personal enrichment meeting," I want to say as President Hinckley has counseled, "Rise to the great potential within you." We may need to step back and consider if our actions are consistent with those things that matter most to us. As we place first things first in our lives, we can live each day without regret.
We go to Relief Society each week not only to be fed, nurtured, and loved, but also to report for duty. Sometimes the most important duty is right within the walls of our own homes.
Lucifer is doing all that he can to divert us from those things of first importance. One of his most effective tools is to convince us that it is impossible to stay centered on spiritual things when the demands of life are so pressing.
When a lawyer asked the Savior which of all the commandments was greatest, Jesus responded without hesitation: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. . . . And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."4 These are the great commandments. Upon them hang all the law and the prophets. These are the things that matter most. As we strive to live these commandments, the others will take care of themselves.
How is our relationship with our Heavenly Father? Do we love Him with all our heart, might, mind, and strength? How well do we love our families, our neighbors, our Relief Society sisters, our fellowman? These questions help us recognize the things that matter most and serve as a template upon which we can place the activities of our days to see how we measure up.

Do we show our love to the Lord if we spend our time at R-rated movies, reading pornographic material, or involving ourselves in activities that would be degrading or unbecoming a daughter of God? Do we show our love to the Lord if we dress immodestly? Recently I spoke to a large group of youth, and one young man after the meeting handed me this note: "Please, will you let the women of the Church know how much I appreciate their modesty? I know in our world it is difficult to find modest clothes. But please let them know that it is worth it to me and to the wholesome men they will marry."
We cannot abandon our faith when challenges come our way. We will not turn away; we will not retreat; we will not become discouraged. We will move boldly and clearly forward and be an example for all those around us in modesty, humility, and faith. Being steadfast and immovable is a personal quest that has eternal rewards, for if we do so, "Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life."5
Some years ago, in her parting words to the Relief Society sisters, Sister Belle Spafford said, "The average woman today, I believe, would do well to appraise her interests, evaluate the activities in which she is engaged, and then take steps to simplify her life, putting things of first importance first, placing emphasis where the rewards will be greatest and most enduring, and ridding herself of the less rewarding activities."6

Sometimes it takes a traumatic event to help us understand things of first importance. A few weeks ago we experienced one of those dramatic events that changed our lives forever and helped us realize the need to be prepared. The most frequent sentiment expressed by those directly affected by the recent terrorist attacks on the eastern coast of the United States was that all they wanted was to have their family together again. I understand this reaction.
             
Earlier this year, I underwent a serious surgery and spent many days in the hospital. As I pondered my life and what I would report to the Lord if I were called home, I realized with absolute clarity that the family is one of the most important responsibilities we have. I knew my greatest joy would be to have my children, grandchildren, and future great-grandchildren remain firm, steadfast, and immovable in the gospel. In those lonely moments in a dark hospital room, I realized that what we do within the walls of our homes far outweighs the things we do outside of them.
Yes, at times we are beset by troubles and pain and grief. But we must not surrender. We must not retreat. Eliza R. Snow, the second president of the Relief Society, penned these words: "I will go forward. . . . I will smile at the rage of the tempest, and ride fearlessly and triumphantly across the boisterous ocean of circumstance. . . . And the 'testimony of Jesus' will light up a lamp that will guide my vision through the portals of immortality, and communicate to my understanding the glories of the Celestial kingdom."7
Oh, that I could look face-to-face into the eyes of every sister and have her catch the fire of those words and truly understand who she is and what she is capable of accomplishing. Oh, that the words of our declaration could take root deep within us: "We are beloved . . . daughters of God. . . . We are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ. . . . We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity."8
Discouragement, sorrow, pain, and grief may beset us and try us.
But my beloved sisters in the gospel, while it is too late to turn back,
we can stand firm and steadfast and leave footprints on the hearts of those whose lives we touch.
We can smile at the rage of the tempest and ride triumphantly across the boisterous ocean of circumstance.
We can have the testimony of Jesus Christ
light up a lamp that will guide us through the portals of immortality.
That we may finish gloriously, that we may focus our energies on those things of first importance, and that we may yet meet on the other side of the veil and embrace each other with the triumphant knowledge that we have remained steadfast and immovable is my hope and prayer for you,
dear sisters, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.