Believe

by

Hilary Weeks

Believe that He hears you and that each prayer that rises to heaven returns answered.

Believe that your conversations with your children may not be written in their journals,

but they will be written in their hearts.

Believe that as you look for the good in others, you’ll find it in yourself.

Believe that opening the scriptures opens your life to light and power from on high.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake,

and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat,

and were all filled….

Luke 9:16-17

He will make up the difference.

Believe that the Savior will make up the difference and you will be enough.

Believe that within you are divine attributes which you may use anytime, anywhere, in any place.

As we choose to trust and follow. He whispers again. With time, His whisperings becomes clear and unmistakable and we find that our companion guides and fills us with heaven’s light and power.

We have learned to communicate with Deity.

The Spirit is ready. He is ready to guide our decisions, purify our thoughts,

inspire our minds, teach us the mysteries of the kingdom and confirm

God’s love for you and me.

Believe that the Holy Ghost desires to be your companion and

that you will find a true and loyal friend in Him.

“The bridge of service invites us to cross over it frequently.”

Thomas S. Monson

Believe that the most simple acts of service are often the most profound.

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling,

and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty,

 dominion and power, both now and ever.

Jude 1:24-25

Believe that through the Sinless One our sins will be washed away.

I testify to you that God has known you individually for a long, long time.

He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars,

He knows your names and all your heartaches and your joys!

Neal A. Maxwell

Joseph Smith went into the grove, knelt in prayer and saw two Personages,

Whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above him

in the air. He said: ‘One of them spake unto me, calling me by name

and said, pointing to the other This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!’

Believe that your name, your life, your circumstances and concerns

are known to the Savior and that He speaks of you to the Father daily.

May we always be known as followers

By

Thomas S. Monson

It has been my opportunity through the years to associate with countless individuals

who I would consider to be outstanding examples, even lights to the world. There is a special

spirit we feel around such people which makes us want to associate with them and to follow

their example. When we encounter them, they are a powerful influence, for they radiate the love of the Savior and help us to feel His love for us.

In speaking of those who are unafraid

to live lives of righteousness and example, I am reminded of one of the missionaries who

served in Eastern Canada when I was the mission president there. He was a special young

man by the name of Elder Roland Davidson. He was dedicated and hardworking and

obviously loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then he became very ill. After weeks of

hospitalization, as the surgeon prepared to undertake extremely serious and complicated

surgery, the surgeon asked that we send for the missionary’s parents. He indicated that there

was a great likelihood that Elder Davidson could not survive the surgery. His parents

came. The evening before the surgery, his father and I, in that hospital room in Toronto,

Canada, placed our hands upon the head of that young missionary and gave him a blessing.

What happened the following day provided for me a never-to-be-forgotten example

of the influence of a true “believer.” Elder Davidson was in a six-bed ward in the

hospital. The other beds were occupied by five men with a variety of illnesses. On the morning

of Elder Davidson’s surgery, his bed was empty. I learned later that the nurse came into

the room with the breakfast these husky men normally ate. She took a tray over to bed number

one and said, “Fried eggs this morning, and I have an extra portion for you.” Bed

number one was occupied by a man with his toe wrapped up in a bandage. He had suffered

an accident with his lawnmower. Other than his injured toe, he was well physically. He said

to the nurse, “I’ll not be eating this morning.” “All right,” said the nurse. “We’ll give your

breakfast to your partner in bed number two!” As she went over to bed number two, he

said, “No, thank you. I think I’ll not eat this morning.” She said, “That’s two in a row. I don’t

understand you men, and there is no one this morning in bed three.” She glanced at the bed

Roland Davidson had occupied, and then she went on to bed four, bed five, and bed six. The

answer was the same from each one: “No, this morning I’m not hungry.” The young lady put her hands on her hips and said, “Every other morning you eat us out of house and home, and today not one of you wants to eat. What’s going on here?” And then the man who occupied bed

number six came forth with the answer. He said, “You see, bed number three is empty.

Our friend, Davidson, is in the operating room under the surgeon’s hands. He needs all the

help he can get. He is a missionary for his church, and while he has been lying on that

bed he has talked to us about the principles of his church principles of prayer, of faith, and

of fasting wherein we call upon the Lord for blessings.” He continued, “We have come to

admire Davidson as a person of great goodness and compassion and faith. He’s an example

of what a follower of Christ should be. He has touched our lives each one of us and

we are fasting for him today.” The operation performed on Roland Davidson was a success. In fact, when I attempted to pay the surgeon, he refused any money, saying, “It would be dishonest for me to accept a fee. I have never before performed surgery when my hands seemed to be guided by a power which was other than my own. No,” he said, “I wouldn’t take a fee for the surgery which Someone on high helped me to perform.”

My friends, may we be, as the Apostle Paul admonished, “an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in

faith, in purity.”

May we always be known as followers of Christ and, as such, become “as

lights in the world.”

A gift of His great love

Baptism

"Me, my Lord, baptize Thee? Why comest Thou to me?"

And John the Baptist bowed his head in deep humility.

But Jesus said with a gentle smile,

"Let your heart be still.  Suffer it to be so now,

All righteousness fulfill."

So down the Jordan's shallow bank

Christ went with humble grace.

Into the stream John lowered Him

With wonder on his face.

When from the water Jesus came,

The heavens opened above.

God's holy Spirit came to earth,

A gift of His great love.

And now, my child, your turn has come,

You have been baptized too.

The Light of Christ is in your face

For all the world to view.

Washed Clean

If we could only understand

All we have heard and seen,

We'd know there is no greater gift

Than those two words "Washed clean!"

Boyd K. Packer

We, too, are never alone

The legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage

by unknown

His father takes him into the forest,

blindfolds him and leaves him
alone.

He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the
blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.

He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience because each lad must
come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild
beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm.

The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat
stoically, never removing the blindfold.

I t would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night,

the sun appeared and he removed his
blindfold.
It was then that he discovered

his father sitting on the stump next to him.

He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone.

Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us,

sitting on the stump beside us.

When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there.

'For we walk by faith, not by sight.'

~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 ~

Reaching higher can fill the longing deep within our hearts

Where Is Your Sycamore Tree?

by Emily Freeman

Luke 16:13 – Luke 20:18

Luke, chapter 19, tells the story of a man named Zacchaeus

who hoped to see Jesus when He passed through Jericho.

The scriptures tell us that this man held a high position and was quite rich. However, notwithstanding these things, he was not able to see the Savior when He passed by because of the crowd.  Zacchaeus was not about to let the circumstances surrounding him impede his chance to see who the Savior was.

He ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree for a better view.

There he waited and watched for the Lord to come near.  “And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.  And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully.” (Luke 19:5-6)

How many of us have ever found ourselves in a similar situation?

We live in a world that moves at a very fast pace.  With email, cell phones and FedEx, our lives are never still.  We work longer hours with shorter deadlines.  Success today has become more than holding an important position or acquiring wealth, we want the most for our children, our families and ourselves.  Often this means filling our schedules and every spare moment with more and more of what we hope will bring us joy.

Somewhere amidst the press of all of these demands, we try to make room for the Savior.

But are we wise enough to take the time and remove ourselves to a place where we can sit

apart from the daily grind and allow Him a place in our lives? 

Walking away for even a moment can help us receive needed counsel from the Lord.

Zacchaeus was able to focus on the Savior once he climbed into the sycamore tree.

Where is your sycamore tree?

Think of a place where you can go just for a moment to allow yourself to focus on the Lord.

Perhaps sometime this week you could spend a few minutes there and take the time to prioritize what is most important in your life. Consider the direction that the Savior gave Zacchaeus, “Today I must abide at thy house.” (Luke 19:5)  That guidance is just as important for each one of us.  The Savior’s spirit must abide in our homes every day, but it is up to us to decide how we will invite Him in.

The Savior did not suggest that Zacchaeus should stay in that place where he had discovered

the Lord…there in the Sycamore tree…

He told Zacchaeus to come down, to come back into the press and then follow the direction He had given.

Likewise, we cannot ignore the pressures that surround us.

Being wise enough to remove ourselves for a short time to focus on the Savior will give us the opportunity to move forward with determination in the direction that we need to go.  Then we need to come back to our everyday life with a resolution to follow the guidance we are given.

The scriptures tell us that Zacchaeus was told to “make haste” (Luke 19:5) as he prepared for the Lord, and he did.  Once he had come down there was an urgency, a higher level of priority given to this task than to any other task he might have had.  Because of his preparation he was able to receive the Savior joyfully.

Joseph Smith once said, “Seek to know God in your closets.”

Did you know that next to the fireplace in the master bedroom of Joseph and Emma’s home in Nauvoo there is a closet?  If you peak just inside the door of this small closet there is ladder that leads up to a tiny alcove.  The secret haven at the top of the ladder is just large enough for one person to sit comfortably.  It was a quiet place where Joseph could go and ponder.  I wonder how many conversations between Joseph and the Lord took place there.

It seems that even Joseph knew the importance of finding a special place

 where he could escape to find a quiet moment with the Lord.

Today you might not have the opportunity to sit in a tree or climb a ladder into a hidden alcove,

but set aside some time to find your own secret haven.  Spend a moment there to ponder.

Sometimes reaching higher can fill the longing deep within our hearts.

Let that secret haven become your sycamore tree.

Go there to seek the Lord,

then make haste to prepare and receive Him joyfully.

Filled with Divinity

by

Sheri Dew

We cannot underestimate the purpose of our mortal existence.

Emily Freeman

This life was designed to be a test, a test to determine if we want to be part of the kingdom of God more than we want anything else.

We don’t really know what we believe in or care about until what we believe in or care about is threatened, challenged or measured.
While we have been assigned to take the test of mortality during the most spiritually rigorous and demanding time in the world’s history, we have not been left alone.

The Lord will carry our burdens, but not our baggage.

Burdens have the potential to exalt us, but baggage just weighs us down and wears us out.

Behavior that injures our brothers and sister, even when it feels justified, loads us down with "trip around the world" size baggage, baggage we can’t carry without wrecking our spiritual joints.

 
Turning to the Savior during these moments allows Him to shelter us from the full pain we might experience from these mortal trials.

Emily Freeman

Charity is the pure love of Christ, and not only will it endure forever but its power to change and heal and transform us is limitless and eternal.




Charity is not an emotion or an action. It is not something we feel or do. Charity is who the Savior is. It is His most defining and dominant attribute. It is what enabled Him to endure the Garden and the cross for you and me. It is one of the things that makes Him God. Thus, when we plead for the gift of charity, we aren’t asking for lovely feeling toward someone who bugs us or someone who has injured or wounded us. We are actually pleading for our very natures to be changed, for our character and disposition to become more and more like the Savior’s, so that we literally feel as He would feel and thus do what He would do…..

Truly, if life were easy, it wouldn’t be hard. However, it may be that many of us are making life for more difficult than it needs or is supposed to be. As the handcart pioneer discovered, he was not expected to make his grueling journey alone. He learned firsthand that there was help, there was power available for him from beyond the veil. The same is true for us. We are not alone, at least, we’re alone only if we choose to be alone. We’re alone only if we choose to go through life relying solely on our own strength rather than learning to draw upon the power of God…..

Unfortunately, perhaps too many of us are content to simply move through our days and weeks, attempting to keep the distractions of the world at bay, even working hard to serve the Lord and fulfill our various obligations. But we don’t act as if we believe in the Lord’s promises regarding our spiritual privileges. We don’t really believe He will tutor us personally regarding the hidden doctrines of the kingdom…..

While life is meant to test and challenge and strengthen us, if we are attempting to negotiate the twists and turns and ups and downs of mortality alone, we’re doing it all wrong.

He has given each of us our own unique set of qualities and talents,
our own spark of greatness that will allow us to reach our full potential.

Emily Freeman

Life is designed to be challenging precisely so that we will turn to our Father, learn about Him and His Son commit above all else to follow Jesus Christ. 

He never intended us to attempt this phase of our eternal existence alone,
separated from Him, yes, but never alone.

 

 If we choose to live a life where we recognize every good thing, we have chosen a life of abundance.

Emily Freeman

God is our Father, We were created in His image, and thus our DNA is filled with divinity. Our Father bestows all heavenly and eternal gifts, the gift of charity, the gift of His fullness, the gift of inheriting all that He has and becoming exactly like He is, the gift of perfection, and ultimately the gift of eternal life.

May we do as the disciples did and gather or recognize those tender mercies from the Lord that none be lost.

Emily Freeman

"Be strong in the Lord"

By Emily Freeman

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,

and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…”

(Eph 6:10-17 emphasis added.)

The armor the Lord has provided for His Saints living in the last days is unique in the fact that it can be personally designed and fitted with each warrior in mind. 

Elder Packer explains that “this shield of faith is handmade in a cottage industry… it is fabricated and fitted in the home, handcrafted to each individual.”

I love the thought of armor that is handcrafted to fit each individual. With that in mind think for a moment of your weaknesses, and then consider your strengths.

How can the armor of God be handcrafted and fitted to become more of a protection to you personally?  This process is crucial, because as Elder Talmage explains “the armor is important, but the man within is vulnerable if he can be reached.”

That is why it is essential that we take upon us the whole armor, not just the parts we think we need.  At the end of verse 13 there is an interesting phrase, “having done all, to stand.”  To me, having done all means taking upon us the whole armor, or in other words, the full protection of the Lord.

To receive this full protection we must be willing to consider each piece of the Lord’s combat equipment on a regular basis.  It is essential that each piece of equipment becomes familiar to us, for God gives the full resource of protection to those who follow Him.

If we follow closely we will find that the scripture in Ephesians speaks of six levels of protection:  truth, righteousness, preparation in the gospel, faith, salvation, and the spirit, which is the word of God.

Are we implementing all six levels of protection into our life daily?  Does the communication we allow into our mind invite truth, righteousness, and the Spirit?  Are we setting aside time every day to study the gospel, to read the word of God, to understand salvation?

If these six pieces of armor are our greatest protection, it becomes vital to implement them into our daily routine.

Have you ever taken the time to notice that the armor of the Lord is mainly centered on a frontal attack?  It consists of a covering for the loins, a shield, a helmet, shoes, a sword, and a breastplate.

What happens if the enemy comes from behind?

In Isaiah 58:8 we find the answer, “and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.”  (Isaiah 58:8 emphasis added)  The footnote for rereward explains that it can be defined as rearguard.

The Lord will not leave us to fight the battle alone.

He has promised to guard us from the things we don’t foresee.

He has our back.

The world we live in is dangerous, the battle rages all around us, but as Saints we are encouraged to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”  (2 Timothy 2:3)  Becoming a good soldier of Jesus Christ will require us to put on the full protection of the Lord.

We must surround ourselves with that which builds truth, increases righteousness, and solidifies our preparation in the gospel.

We must handcraft and fit our armor with faith, focused on salvation, as we are led by the Spirit.

Then we can stand in righteousness, knowing the Lord is behind us.

let this cup pass

 In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.

 The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made which was made.

 In him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men;

John 1:1-4  Joseph Smith Translation

Some years back I was pondering the scripture

O my Father, if it be possible,

let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Matthew 26:36

More specifically I was pondering the word cup, what did it mean, so I went to the dictionary to look up the word cup this would lead me from one word to another and another as I looked up each word and there definitions this would lead me to what I (Susan Powers) feel is the true definition of cup. I am forever beholden to Our Lord and Savior. The very words we read and speak are of His creation. I did not deviate from the words or definition unless the word would repeat itself. It amazed me how almost every word applies to the Atonement or some part of the gospel.

Cup - small drinking vessel

Vessel – a container

Container – enclose, include, ** hold within

Include - comprise

Comprise - cover

Cover – protect, hide, place something over

Protect – shield from injury

Shield – broad piece of armor carried on the arm

Armor – protective covering

Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins,

and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day,

having done all, that ye may be able to stand.

Doctrine and Covenants 27:15

**Hold – possess, restrain, grasp

Possess – have as property, or as a quality, control

And seek the face of the Lord always, that in

patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life.

Doctrine and Covenants 101:38

Property – quality peculiar to an individual

Peculiar – characteristic of only one

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;

 that ye should shew forth the praises of him who

hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

1 Peter 2:9

 Foot note Peculiar GR purchased, preserved;

Ex. 19:5 the Heb. word is segullah, meaning “special possession or property.”

Characteristic – distinguishing quality

Distinguishing – perceive as different, set apart, discern

Discern – discover with the eyes and mind

Discover – make known

Known – perceive directly or understand

Perceive - realize

Realize – make actual, **obtain, beware

Actual – really existing

Existing – actual being

Being - existence

**Obtain – gain by effort

Effort – putting forth of strength

Strength – make grow

Grow – maturity , advance increase

Maturity – carefully consider, developed

Developed – grow, increase, evolve

Evolve – develop, change by degree

Change – make or become different, exchange

Exchange – the giving or taking of one thing in return for another

Giving – put into the possession or keeping of another, pay, perform, contribute or donate, utter, yield to force, surrender

Utter - absolute

Absolute – pure, free from restriction, definite

Definite – having distinct limits, clear in meaning, intent or identify

Limits – boundary, confines

Boundary- line marking, extent, separation

Separation – divide

Divide - distribute

Distribute – spread, hand out

Spread – unfold, scatter

Unfold – reveal, develop

Reveal – make known, show plainly

Show – demonstrate, ** teach

Demonstrate – show clearly or publicity explain

Explain – give reason for

**Teach – tell or show fundamental, cause to know consequences, import knowledge

Fundamental – basic of central importance or necessity

Necessity – very great need, something that is necessary, circumstances that cannot be changed

Necessary – indispensable, inevitable

Indispensable – absolutely essential

Inevitable – incapable of being avoid or escaped

One of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: “I will not leave you comfortless: My Father and I will come to you and abide with you.”

My other plea at Easter time is that these scenes of Christ’s lonely sacrifice, laced with moments of denial and abandonment and, at least once, outright betrayal, must never be reenacted by us. He has walked alone once. Now, may I ask that never again will He have to confront sin without our aid and assistance, that never again will He find only unresponsive onlookers when He sees you and me along His Via Dolorosa in our present day. As we approach this holy week Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb—may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that we may be in, even until death,” for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Jeffrey R. Holland

"He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious".

Doctrine and Covenants 78:19

There I will be also

To love, and be loved, is to feel the sun from both sides."

"To love, and be loved, is to feel the Son from both sides"

And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.