He is 'formed' in us

“Every influence for peace ought to be exercised. Lucifer is exercising every means to destroy the souls of the human family. He is more active than he has ever been and he works in such an insidious way. I will not take time to enumerate the many ways he employs but there is one way in which he operates, and has operated from the beginning of the world, and that is to tempt one individual to destroy the reputation of another by saying unkind things of them.”

George Albert Smith

…Our relationship with God is most sacred and vital. We are His spirit children. He is our Father. He desires our happiness. As we seek Him, as we learn of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Spirit, our lives become more stable and secure. We experience greater peace, joy, and fulfillment as we give our best to live according to God’s eternal plan and keep His commandments.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“In the quiet hours, in the heat of battle, and through the hazards of the day; in
times of temptation, of sorrow, of peace and of blessing, let us pray always, both
alone, and with our families gathered around us, with gratitude for the blessings of
life, for understanding of its problems, and for strength to endure to the end.”

Heber J. Grant

 “While there may be thorns and disappointments, while there may be heartache, even heartbreak, there can be peace and comfort and strength from the Lord for those who follow Him.”

Gordon B. Hinckley

“’Inasmuch as long-suffering, patience, and mercy have ever characterized the dealings of our heavenly Father towards the humble and penitent, I feel disposed to copy the example, cherish the same principles, and by so doing be a savior of my fellow man.’  The Prophet’s words admonish each of us to learn the ways of our Heavenly Father and copy his example. In so doing, we will bring peace and contentment into our lives and perhaps influence others to come back to the Lord.”

Roderick J. Linton

“At times we may rationalize that the Lord will understand our disobedience because our special circumstances make adherence to His laws difficult, embarrassing, or even painful. However, faithful obedience, regardless of the apparent size of the task, will bring the Lord’s guidance, assistance, and peace.”

Bruce A. Carlson

“We are all prone to brood on the evil done us. That brooding becomes as a gnawing and destructive canker. Is there a virtue more in need of application in our time than the virtue of forgiving and forgetting? There are those who would look upon this as a sign of weakness. Is it? I submit that it takes neither strength nor intelligence to brood in anger over wrongs suffered, to go through life with a spirit of vindictiveness, to dissipate one’s abilities in planning retribution. There is no peace in the nursing of a grudge.’”

Gordon B. Hinckley

“When we strive to be Christlike, He is ‘formed’ in us [Gal. 4:18–19]; if we open the door, He will enter; if we seek His counsel, He will counsel us. For Christ to be ‘formed’ in us, we must have a belief in Him and in His Atonement. Such a belief in Christ and the keeping of His commandments are not restraints upon us.

By these, men are set free.

This Prince of Peace waits to give peace of mind,

which may make each of us a channel of that peace.”

Howard W. Hunter

 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Gal. 4:18–19

“…fill our days as much as we can with those things which matter most.”

Thomas S. Monson

This week try not to let the most important things pass you by.

Be diligent in personal prayer and scripture study.

Don’t let anything dampen your enthusiasm.

Dare to accomplish what you most want to do.

Don’t set any limits on yourself.

Refuse to let fear keep you from accomplishing what you most want to do.

Offer your whole soul.

Remember the pillar of light

 

The Atonement provides a way for us to mend everything that is broken.

..when faced with opposition we often ask “why” Why me? Why now? Why this?

when we should ask “what” what would be more constructive, “what” is  God trying to teach me.

There are places on this earth that have been made sacred by what happened there. According to the Old Testament, one of these places is Sinai, Horeb, or “the mountain of God” where the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush. As Moses approached the bush, the Lord said to him, “Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground”.

In a grove of towering beeches, oaks, maples, and other trees, about one quarter of a mile west of the Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith family home near Palmyra, 14-year-old Joseph Smith saw in vision God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, in the spring of 1820. This divine manifestation, in response to Joseph’s prayer to know the truth concerning religion and how he might obtain a remission of his sins, began the Restoration of the gospel in this final dispensation. It also made that grove of trees a revered place in the history of our Church a place we honor with the name “Sacred Grove.”

Trees always grow toward the light.

Trees require opposition to fulfill the measure of their creation.

Trees are best grown in forests, not in isolation.

Trees draw strength from the nutrients created by previous generations of trees.

Figuratively as we stand in the Sacred Grove, so stand always in your minds and in your hearts, in that sacred place and live true to the truths that God began to reveal there.

Remember, the life’s lessons that the Sacred Grove teaches:

When powers of darkness seek to destroy you as they once did an inquiring young Joseph Smith, stand in the Sacred Grove and remember the pillar of light, “above the brightness of the sun”.

When opposition and adversity hedge up your way and hope dims, stand in the Sacred Grove and remember that “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7).

When loneliness and isolation are your lot and you struggle to establish fulfilling human relationships, stand in the Sacred Grove with the community of Latter-day Saints who have covenanted to help bear your burdens and comfort you in your need.

And when experiences or people or conflicting truth claims challenge your faith and create doubt concerning the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, stand in the Sacred Grove and take strength and encouragement from the generations of faithful Latter-day Saints who have steadfastly stood there before you.

Marlin K. Jensen

Among these may be your gifts

“Taken at random, let me mention a few gifts that are not always evident or noteworthy but that are very important. Among these may be your gifts, gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable…Tthe gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.”

Marvin J. Ashton

“A tranquil conscience invites freedom from anguish, sorrow, guilt, shame, and self-condemnation. It provides a foundation for happiness. It is a condition of immense worth.”

Richard G. Scott

“By pressing forward, we can stand on what was yesterday’s horizon, thereby
drawing hope from our own experiences.”

Neal A. Maxwell

“Sometimes the most difficult things to see are those that have been right in front of us all along… We who have heard the glorious message of the coming of the Son of God, we who have taken upon us His name and have covenanted to walk in His path as His disciples

we must not fail to open our hearts and minds and truly see Him.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“The things of God are understood by the Spirit of God. That Spirit is real. To those who have experienced its workings, the knowledge so gained is as real as that which is acquired through the operation of the five senses.

I testify of this.”

Gordon B. Hinckley

“Unsurprisingly the triad of faith, hope, and charity, which brings us to Christ, has strong and converging linkage: faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ, hope is in His atonement, and charity is the ‘pure love of Christ’!

Neal A. Maxwell

“When the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, the Lord guided their journey each day as they looked to Him for direction. In Exodus we read, ‘And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light.’ His leading was constant, and I give you my humble witness that the Lord can do the same for us. So how will He lead us today? Through prophets, apostles, and priesthood leaders and through feelings that come after we pour out our hearts and souls to Heavenly Father in prayer. He leads us as we forsake the things of the world, repent, and change. He leads us as we keep His commandments and try to be more like Him. And He leads us through the Holy Ghost.”

Carl B. Cook

“’Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.’  That is a priceless promise. As you continue to center your mind and heart in Him, He will help you have a rich and full life no matter what happens in the world around you.”

Richard G. Scott

"May we be consumed with the Creator of all things

 

rather than the things created."

 

 

Today, may we mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.

 

Howard W. Hunter

 

 

“Someone has said, “A friend is a person who is willing to take me the way I am.” Accepting this as one definition of the word, may I quickly suggest that we are something less than a real friend if we leave a person the same way we find him.”

 

Marvin J. Ashton

 

“No matter how difficult something you or a loved one faces, it should not take over
your life and be the center of all your interest. Challenges are growth experiences,
temporary scenes to be played out on the background of a pleasant life. Don’t
become so absorbed in a single event that you can’t think of anything else or care
for yourself or for those who depend upon you. Remember, much like the mending
of the body, the healing of some spiritual and emotional challenges takes time.”

Richard G. Scott

     

 

God’s arithmetic: Happiness adds and multiplies as you divide it with others.

 

       

 

“The missionary servants of the Church of Jesus Christ today are sent forth, not to assail nor ridicule the beliefs of men, but to set before the world a superior light, by which the smoky dimness of the flickering flames of man-made creeds shall be apparent. The work of the Church is constructive, not destructive.”

 

James E. Talmage

 

 

“The passage of time has not altered the capacity of the Redeemer to change men’s lives. As he said to the dead Lazarus, so he says to you and me: ‘… come forth.’ Come forth from the despair of doubt. Come forth from the sorrow of sin. Come forth from the death of disbelief. Come forth to a newness of life. Come forth”

 

Thomas S. Monson

 

 

The more we know the Savior, the longer our view becomes

 

   

When priorities are in place,

 

one can more patiently tolerate unfinished business.

   

 

May we ever remember that the mantle of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 

is not a cloak of comfort but rather a robe of responsibility.

 

Our duty, in addition to saving ourselves,

 

is to guide others to the celestial kingdom of God."

 

Thomas S. Monson

 

 

"When we become altogether committed to knowing and loving the Lord, we begin to understand how altogether committed He is to knowing and loving us." This is the hope we need, the strength that keeps us going when times get difficult. This is the blessing of Becoming His.”

 

 

"If you want to find happiness, find gratitude." 

 “President Thomas S. Monson has described our day as moving away ‘from that which is spiritual …with the winds of change swirling around us and the moral fiber of society continuing to disintegrate before our very eyes.’ It is a time of growing disbelief in and disregard for Christ and His teachings. In this turbulent environment, we rejoice in being disciples of Jesus Christ. We see the Lord’s hand all around us. Our destination is beautifully set before us. ‘This is life eternal,’ Jesus prayed, ‘that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.’

Being a disciple in these days of destiny will be a badge of honor throughout the eternities.”

Neil L. Andersen

 “Those who serve even in adversity will maintain a living hope of a better future. They will continue to be firm in the midst of a crisis because their hope is in Christ. Those who serve will accept their assignments with humility, recognizing their limitations but convinced that two people can do all things they propose to do as long as one of the two people is God.”

Carlos H. Amado

 “…Struggles are a part of the sacred sanctification process. There are no soft or slothful ways to become sanctified to the point that we are prepared to live in the presence of the Savior. And there can be blessings in the burdens we bear. As a result of these struggles, our souls are stretched and our spirits are strengthened. Our character becomes more Christlike as we are tried and tested.”

L. Lionel Kendrick

 “I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us.”

Thomas S. Monson

  

 “We cannot hope to influence others in the direction of virtue unless we live lives of virtue. The example of our living will carry a greater influence than will all the preaching in which we might indulge. We cannot expect to lift others unless we stand on higher ground ourselves.”

Gordon B. Hinckley

The future of this world has long been declared; the final outcome between good and evil is already known.  There is absolutely no question as to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard.  The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the field trying to decide which team’s jersey we want to wear.”

 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

You never really know who or what your baby is laughing at

 “Christ’s enabling power helps us feel happiness and cheer amid mortal gloom and doom. Misfortune and hardship lose their tragedy when viewed through the lens of the Atonement. The process could be explained this way: The more we know the Savior, the longer our view becomes.

The more we see His truths, the more we feel His joy.”

Camille Fronk Olson

“Wherever you now find yourself on the road of discipleship, you are on the right road, the road toward eternal life. Together we can lift and strengthen one another in the great and important days ahead. Whatever the difficulties confronting us, the weaknesses confining us, or the impossibilities surrounding us, let us have faith in the Son of God, who declared, ‘All things are possible to him that believeth.’”

Neil L. Andersen,

I love this painting by James Christensen.

I wonder how often I am like this man, moving through life overwhelmed, burdened, weighed down.

Eyes focused on the rod.
Hands too full to grasp hold.

  

To every man there comes that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to him and fitted to his talent.  What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.

Winston Churchill

A beautiful girl with a thick braid falling gently over her shoulder closed her eyes, bowed her head, and said, “Please help us today, when we are tapped on the shoulder, to do the great thing Heavenly Father has in mind for us.” Please help us today. When we are tapped on the shoulder today.

…it’s as we wait for the tapping daily and then say “I will go” that we truly come to know the Lord.

In those moments we see His mercies and we experience His miracles as He prepares a way.

We do not travel alone

On the Lord’s Errand

By Emily Freeman

Jacob 5:2 – Jacob 6:6

Yesterday we read a line that I can’t stop thinking about…

“Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the temple, 

having first obtained mine errand from the Lord.”  (Jacob 1:17)

I am good at errands.

I go to the store with a list of grocery items quickly scribbled by Meg.

I am on her errand school lunch supplies, snacks, and favorite dinner items.

Then I am off to the auto shop to drive home the old blue ford pickup.

I am on my husband’s errand now allowing him to stay at work just a few minutes longer.

When it is late afternoon I make an unexpected run to the junior high sports fields.  Grace forgot her lacrosse goggles.  I am on her errand ensuring she will be safe during practice today.

I can’t help but think of Jacob as I journey.  His errand was from the Lord …and he did magnify his office, taking the responsibility, teaching them with all diligence, and laboring with all his might.

I wonder if I have set aside any time in my day for an errand from the Lord.

It is as I read the words of Zenos quoted by Jacob in chapter five that I begin to understand

what an errand from the Lord might look like.

Perhaps it will require pruning, digging, and nourishing.
I am not a farmer, but I have life experiences that look like those three words…

I think of what it means to prune and words like adversity, repentance, and change come to mind.

In my mind the digging symbolizes preparing a way for the nourishment to come.  …setting aside time to read my scriptures, attending church, and going to the temple might be errands that could help me accomplish this.

Nourishment is what I get when I arrive at those places if I have prepared my heart.

There is a phrase repeated several times within this chapter…with all diligence…with all our might.
I wonder how different my errand from the Lord would look if I did it with all diligence…with all my might.

My study, my worship, my serving.

Within the top margin of this chapter I have one sentence written…what could I have done more?

It causes me to reflect.

Now I take time to really ponder my errand from the Lord…as a wife, as a mother, as a teacher, as a Saint.
Have I performed my responsibility with all diligence, with all my might?

What could I do more?

My life focus changes.  My perspective adjusts.

The Lord knows what I could do.  He knows how I might do it.
After all, it is His errand I am on.

I take the promise found at the end of the chapter to heart, “And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me…behold ye shall have joy with me.”  (Jacob 5:75)

The best part of being on the Lord’s errand is that we do not travel alone.

He has promised to labor with us.
He has also blessed us to experience joy therein.

What does your list of things to do look like today?

Have you left a little room for an errand with the Lord?