I have not forsaken you

 

 

 

A diamond is just a piece of coal that handled stress exceptionally well.

 

Only God can turn sand into Pearls and coal into Diamonds

 

 

“always have his Spirit to be with us”. This should be our most earnest desire. Nothing will prepare us to stand against the opposing forces like the blessing and power of the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost is the messenger who provides personal revelation, communication, and connection with our Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Suppose we were to make a pledge to do all within our power to keep the communication lines open. Suppose there were no compromise, no justification, and no excuse to tolerate any enticement of the world in our entertainment or other activities that would lessen the Spirit. Let us strive every day to avoid anything that could weaken our spirit and extinguish the light. Let us simply give it up, turn our backs, and walk away.

Ardeth G. Kapp

“The Holy Ghost satisfies and fills up every longing of the human heart, and fills up every vacuum.  When I am filled with that Spirit my soul is satisfied, and I can say in good earnest, that the trifling things of the day do not seem to stand in my way at all.  But just let me lose my hold of that spirit and power of the Gospel, and partake of the spirit of the world, in the slightest degree, and trouble comes; there is something wrong.  I am tried, and what will comfort me?  You cannot impart comfort to me that will satisfy the immortal mind, but that which comes from the Fountain above.  And is it not our privilege to so live that we can have this constantly flowing into our souls?”

Eliza R. Snow

If you have problems in your life, don’t assume there is something wrong with you. Struggling with those problems is at the very core of life’s purpose. As we draw close to God, He will show us our weaknesses and through them make us wiser, stronger.

Bruce Hafen

No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God. . . . And it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we came here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.

 

Orson F. Whitney

We know about our Savior, but it is often in our adversities that we truly find Him and know Him and love Him. In our times of trial, if we turn to Him, the Spirit bears witness that our Savior not only can, but will, ease our burdens. I can testify from my own experience in life, that some of our heaviest burdens, disappointments, and heartaches can in time be replaced with “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” while “we wait upon the Lord”

Ardeth G. Kapp

 

The trials of mortal life usually require that we do hard things, because things are hard our natural reaction may be frustration, disappointment, a desire to find an easier way an especially fear, that is why it is a trial, we feel inadequate and even at a loss, but we do not have to take counsel from our fears and our frustrations.  We can act in faith with Christ’s power and His love to do what is hard with an attitude of hope and optimism. The scriptures teach us that through the powder of His Atoning Sacrifice Jesus can make our burdens light. He can strengthen us to do the things that are hard,  He can change our hearts and bless us with assurance of His help.

 

Kim B. Clark

There are courageous women among us today and those who will follow after us when we do our part. In the poetic words of a Mormon pioneer, Vilate C. Raile, we see this legacy of faith passed from one generation to the next.

They cut desire into short lengths
And fed it to the hungry fire of courage,
Long after—when the flames died—
Molten gold gleamed in the ashes.
They gathered it into bruised palms
And handed it to their children
And their children’s children.

………. let us be grateful that God allows us to struggle, to cry, and to feel pain.

Else how could we comfort others in their tribulation?

Let us be grateful to know about hurt and healing.

Else how could we know the Healer, the Great Physician, who invites us to come unto Him and be healed?

Let us be grateful to know about fear and faith.

Else how would we recognize the light of faith after the dark night of fear?

Let us be grateful to know about discouragement and encouragement.

Else how could we reach out and take another’s hand in empathy, understanding, and love?

Let us be grateful to know about offenses and forgiveness.

Else how could we ever begin to appreciate the Atonement?

Let us be grateful for His infinite love and hear in our minds and hearts His words of comfort: “What I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you”

I testify that in those difficult times, when our crosses seem unbearable, He who carried the cross for all of us our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will sustain us, be with us, and will be the strength in our backs when we turn to Him in earnest and fervent, sincere and humble prayer.

Ardeth G. Kapp