It is not very far

 

“Obedience is a powerful spiritual medicine. It comes close to being a cure-all.”

Boyd K. Packer

 

“It is a good thing to be at peace with God”

Joseph F. Smith

 

“God will judge you by the way you make use of all your possibilities.”

Marvin J. Ashton

 

Criticism is a destroyer of self-worth and esteem.”

H. Burke Peterson

 

“Death is a graduation day – and a time of assessment to see what we have become.”

Sterling W. Sill

 

“Experience is the best teacher of discernment.”

Robert D. Hales

 

“While mortals morn “a man is dead,” angels proclaim “a child is born.”

Heber C. Kimball

 

“If the desire is strong enough, performance is assured.”

Hartman Rector, Jr.

 

“Discipline makes the disciple, not knowledge.”

R. Quinn Gardner

 

“All our losses and sufferings will be made up to us in the resurrection.”

Bruce R. McConkie

 

“In a profound sense, a family is not alone. When it is consecrated to the Lord’s work, His Spirit will always be with them.”

Barbara B. Smith

 

“Fear is the devil’s first and chief tool.”

John A. Widtsoe

 

“It is better to trust and sometimes be disappointed than to be forever mistrusting and be right occasionally.”

Neal A. Maxwell

 

“To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you never before done.” Richard G. Scott

 

“Human development… consists of both refusing to do evil and choosing to do good.”

Neal A. Maxwell

 

The Redeemer chose Imperfect men to teach the way to perfection. He did so then. He does so now. Thomas S Monson

 

“We see things not as they are, but as we are.”

Delbert L. Stapley

 

“The person who has earned love the least needs it the most.”

F. Enzio Busche

 

“If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us!”

Neal A. Maxwell

 

“With celestial sight, trials impossible to change become possible to endure.”

Russell M. Nelson

 

“If you pray for an angel to visit you, you know what he’ll do if he comes. He’ll just quote the scriptures to you – so you know you’re wasting your time waiting for what we already have. I’m quite serious about that.”

Hugh Nibley

 

“How far is Heaven? It is not very far; In the temples of God, it is right where you are.”

Thomas S. Monson

He will show you the Way.

If you can't hear God speaking to you, then maybe you're to preoccupied with your own voice.

Author Unknown

“Stay focused. Don't let the thick fog of moral pollution and the detracting voices of the world keep you being worthy to enter holy temple. Retain the vision of the Savior’s holy house ever in your hearts and minds.”

Elaine S. Dalton

"He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but he will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face."

Thomas S. Monson

When life’s challenges bear down upon you, know when you hear Jesus say, “Peace, be still!”

you will know he is talking to your own personal storms and not just in generalities.

Ronald J Hammond

“You may not be able to see a path right now, but that doesn't mean it's not there.”

By Emily Freeman

Sometimes my head reels with all the questions I have for God.

I’m not talking about the big questions…those wonders that fill the Universe.

I’m talking about the ordinary details of my life questions.  What should I do here, how do I proceed, this is what I need, Lord, this is what I long for, hope for, wish.

My mind gets so caught up in the questions.  They come one right after the other.  The one prompting the next.  A rush of desires and needs and questions cascading into a flood of emotion and worry and longing for answers.

This is what happened on Friday morning.

I was driving in my car trying to solve all of the problems of the world…please say you have mornings like that…

There are things I have been praying about for quite a while that seem unresolvable.  

I am just not sure how to move forward.

After a good twenty minutes of pouring out my heart I felt the frustration setting in.  I had so much to say and no answers were coming.  So much to say that I couldn’t even get it all out in twenty minutes.  So much to say that I could have continued the pleading for way longer than the time it was going to take to drive to where I was going.

So much to say that there wasn’t any time to listen.

That’s when the realization settled in.

I had become so proficient in pouring out my heart that I had neglected learning how to listen.

In that instant I realized that there was a preparation that must take place before the answers could come.

A stilling, a paving of the way, a preparing of the heart.

If I wanted to receive the answers I longed for, I had to prepare a landing place.

And so it begins.

The challenge for this week…

Prepare a landing place.

How?

First, I am trying to live in gratitude.  Gratitude is one of the quickest ways to prepare a heart for listening.  It fosters humility.  It soothes stress.  It invites the Spirit.

Second, I am surrounding myself with stillness.  Still music.  Still conversations.  Still entertainment.  That which brings peace.  Uplifts.  Strengthens the Spirit.

Last, I am immersing myself in the scriptures.  I am opening the pages with a prayer in my heart that I will be led to the verses I need.  I am spending time there.  Devoted to listening.  Discovering.

Three simple goals that I will live by daily in the hopes that answers will come.

I am preparing a landing place.

I will be honest, as I begin this week anticipation is already filling my soul.  I can’t help but wonder what this week holds in store.  What answers heaven holds for this heart of mine.

My prayer is simple…let them descend to this resting spot, this heart haven, this landing place.

I am preparing.

 

Written in the winding trail of our experience

 

Sometimes we must move forward when the end is invisible and all that we can see is the next step.

Shortly after I was called to be a General Authority, I went to see Elder Harold B. Lee for counsel.  He listened very carefully to my problem and suggested that I see President David O. McKay.  President McKay counseled me as to the direction I should go. I was very willing to be obedient but saw no way possible for me to do as he had counseled me.

I returned to Elder Lee and told him that I saw no way to move in the direction I was counseled to go.  He said, “The trouble with you is that you want to see the end from the beginning.”  I replied that I would like to see a least a step or two ahead.  Then came the lesson of a lifetime.  “You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness, then the light will appear and show you the way before you.”

I have learned over and over again that all of us must walk by faith near the edge of the light”

Boyd K. Packer

“‘Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith’”

Ether 12:6

"Unless you are fully engaged in living the gospel with all of your heart,

you cannot generate enough spiritual light to push back the darkness."

Robert D. Hales

“No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“ ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ He spoke these comforting words in the context of asking his followers to develop a love pure enough to extinguish hatred, lust, and anger. His yoke is easy-but he asks for all our hearts. His words do not describe an event, but a process. He does not request the answer to a yes-or-no question, but an essay, written in the winding trail of our experience. As we move along that trail, we will find that he is not only aware of our limitations, but that he will also in due course compensate for them, after all we can do.’

Bruce C. Hafen

"knocking" at the door Jesus promised would open to us

 

“If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill.” To choose the Lord’s way is to choose higher ground.

 

“See that ye look to God and live.” The ultimate source of empowerment and lasting acceptance is our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. They know us. They love us. They do not accept us because of our title or position. They do not look at our status. They look into our hearts. They accept us for who we are and what we are striving to become. Seeking and receiving acceptance from Them will always lift and encourage us.

The heart is the center of our feelings. When I hear the Savior say, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock,” I hear Him knocking at the door of my heart. If I open this door to Him, I am more responsive to the invitations of the Spirit, and I am more accepting of God’s will.

 

Erich W. Kopischke

 

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, hat ye may be able to withstand in the evil day. …

“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:

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”

Ephesians 6:11-18

 

And one day The armour of God will be replace with soft robes of righteousness, beautiful garments being clothed with purity, Eternal is the reward for those who glorify God in body and spirit.

“…… are we not the sons and daughters of God, and when he
shall appear, if we are faithful, shall we not be like him? Yes; and
when the glorious day arrives we shall once more have the privilege of standing
upon this earth and meeting in joy and thanksgiving … thousands of others who
have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, and who, through the
merits of His atonement, are anointed kings and priests unto God,

and with Him reign exalted in His kingdom.
May we all be found worthy of this reward; and now,
while we travel through this world of change and sorrow, may we take pattern by the
lives of the worthy … and, above all, follow in the steps of the great Exemplar of all
righteousness, our Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace be ever with you all.”

Wilford Woodruff

 

 

 

Let us begin now

 

“Come, follow me,” the Savior said. Then let us in his footsteps tread,

 

For thus alone can we be one With God’s own loved, begotten Son

Jesus’s teachings were not meant to be theoretical. Always they were to be acted upon. Jesus taught, “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man” and

“Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing”….

Savior, may I learn to love thee, Walk the path that thou hast shown. …

 

Savior, may I learn to love thee Lord, I would follow thee.

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. The purpose of this teaching and the purpose of following our Savior is to come to the Father, whom our Savior referred to as “my Father, and your Father; and … my God, and your God”.

From modern revelation, unique to the restored gospel, we know that the commandment to seek perfection is part of God the Father’s plan for the salvation of His children. Under that plan we are all heirs of our heavenly parents. “We are the children of God,” the Apostle Paul taught, “and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”. This means, as we are told in the New Testament, that we are “heirs … of eternal life” and that if we come to the Father, we are to “inherit all things” all that He has a concept our mortal minds can hardly grasp. But at least we can understand that achieving this ultimate destiny in eternity is possible only if we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, who taught that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”.

We seek to follow Him and become more like Him, here and hereafter.

Is it enough alone to know That we must follow him below, While trav’ling thru this vale of tears? No, this extends to holier spheres. … For thrones, dominions, kingdoms, pow’rs, And glory great and bliss are ours, If we, throughout eternity, Obey his words, “Come, follow me.”

 

Dallin H. Oaks

 

Let us begin now, to emulate Christ. Cast off forever will be the old self and with it defeat, despair, doubt, and disbelief. To a newness of life we come a life of faith, hope courage, and joy. No task looms too large, no responsibility too heavy, no duty is a burden. All things become possible.

 

Thomas S. Monson

 

There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the gate Of heav'n and let us in.

 

 

 

 

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

From Lion House Classics
· 4 whole chicken breasts, halved
· 8 thin slices cooked ham
· 4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into strips
about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/2-inch thick
· Salt
· Pepper
· Thyme or rosemary
· 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
· 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
· Cordon Bleu sauce (below)
Skin and bone chicken breast halves. Place each half between sheets of plastic wrap, skinned side down, and pound with meat mallet to about -inch thickness. On each ham slice place a strip of cheese; sprinkle lightly with seasonings. Roll ham and cheese jelly-roll style, then roll each chicken breast with ham and cheese inside. Tuck in ends and seal well. (Tie rolls if necessary, or fasten edges with toothpicks.) Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in cornflake crumbs, turning to thoroughly coat each roll. Place rolls in 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 400˚ F for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve with Cordon Bleu sauce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Cordon Bleu Sauce
· 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
· 1/2 cup sour cream
· Juice of 1 lemon (about cup)
Blend ingredients and heat. Serve over chicken rolls. Makes about 2 cups, or eight 1/4-cup servings.
 

Crying for help...crying for water

From December 11 to 13, 1862, the Union forces attacked Marye’s Heights, a large hill overlooking the town of Fredericksburg, Virginia, where six thousand Rebels awaited them. The Southern troops were in secure defensive positions behind a stone wall which meandered along the foot of the hill. In addition, they stood four deep on a sunken road behind the wall, out of sight of Union forces.

The Union troops over forty thousand strong launched a series of suicidal attacks across open ground. They were mowed down by a scythe of shot; none got closer than forty yards from the stone wall.

Soon the ground in front of the Confederate positions was littered with hundreds, then thousands, of fallen Union soldiers in their blue uniforms over twelve thousand before sunset. Crying for help, the wounded lay in the bitter cold throughout that terrible night.

The next day, a Sunday, dawned cold and foggy. As the morning fog lifted, the agonized cries of the wounded could still be heard. Finally, a young Confederate soldier, a nineteen-year-old sergeant, had had all he could take. The young man’s name was Richard Rowland Kirkland. To his commanding officer, Kirkland exclaimed, “All night and all day I have heard those poor people crying for water, and I can stand it no longer. I … ask permission to go and give them water.” His request was initially denied on the grounds that it was too dangerous. Finally, however, permission was granted, and soon thousands of amazed men on both sides saw the young soldier, with several canteens draped around his neck, climb over the wall and walk to the nearest wounded Union soldier. He raised the stricken man’s head, gently gave him a drink, and covered him with his own overcoat. Then he moved to the next of the wounded—and the next and the next. As Kirkland’s purpose became clear, fresh cries of “Water, water, for God’s sake water” arose all over the field.

The Union soldiers were at first too surprised to shoot. Soon they began to cheer the young Southerner as they saw what he was doing. For more than an hour and a half, Sergeant Kirkland continued his work of mercy.

Tragically, Richard Kirkland was himself killed a few months later at the battle of Chicamauga. His last words to his companions were, “Save yourselves, and tell my pa I died right.”

Thomas S. Monson

 “…Be not afraid. Believe with all your hearts. Develop an unshakable faith in the Son of God. Let your hearts reach out in earnest prayer. Fill your minds with knowledge of Him. Forsake your weaknesses. Walk in holiness and harmony with the commandments. Drink deeply of the living waters of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Joseph B. Wirthlin

“Most people in trouble end up crying, ‘What was I thinking?’ Well, whatever they were thinking, they weren’t thinking of Christ. Yet, as members of His Church, we pledge every Sunday of our lives to take upon ourselves His name and promise to ‘always remember him.’ So let us work a little harder at remembering Him—especially that He has ‘borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows … , that he was bruised for our iniquities … ; and with his stripes we are healed.’ Surely it would guide our actions in a dramatic way if we remembered that every time we transgress, we hurt not only those we love, but we also hurt Him, who so dearly loves us. But if we do sin, however serious that sin may be, we can be rescued by that same majestic figure, He who bears the only name given under heaven whereby any man or woman can be saved. When confronting our transgressions and our souls are harrowed up with true pain, may we all echo the repentant Alma and utter his life-changing cry:

‘O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me.’”

Jeffrey R. Holland

In our actions and deeds may we be the water to help quench the thirst of those who lives are parched, those whose lives are in distress, those who have stumbled and need a helping hand up, that they may come to know the Hand of God and

His Divine gifts of grace and mercy.

Wherefore, be faithful…. succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

Standing guard.... It says everything - Memorial Day

Dramatic photo, steeped in symbolism, taken at the National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN on a June morning - as it appeared in the Minneapolis Star/Tribune. Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words! It says everything.
This could become an official Memorial Day, 4th of July and/or Veterans Day remembrance photo;

“Our symbol standing guard”.

 

 

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M&M Pudding Cookies

 

M & M Pudding Cookies

 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup mini M&M's

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Then add flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Stir well until combined. Then add chocolate chip and M&M's.

Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls or use a medium cookie scoop. Bake 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Let cool on cookie sheet for about 10 minutes.

Makes about 24 cookies.