It shows in your smile :D

Our world can always use more flowers :D

Baked Chicken with Creamy Curry Sauce

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/4 cup mayo
1 cup low fat sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup 

2 tsp. sweet curry powder

1 T fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Trim all fat and tendons from chicken breasts. I like to cut each breast crosswise to make 4-5 pieces, which gives more surface for the sauce to penetrate, but this isn't necessary. 

Put chicken into glass casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Mix other ingredients in bowl, then spread over chicken. Bake 40-60 minutes, until bubbling and slightly starting to brown.  I usually check it at least once and separate the chicken pieces so the sauce is running down between them.  Serve hot.

Grace will lead me home

......surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don't expect it and often feel they don't deserve it.

Jeffrey R. Holland

My Shepherd will supply my need; . . .
In pastures fresh he makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back,
When I forsake his ways;
And leads me, for his mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

These words penned by Isaac Watts in the 18th century still comfort the weary soul today. Who has not wandered from wisdom's path? Who has not felt the need for mercy? Paraphrased from the beloved 23rd Psalm, the hymn reassures that the Good Shepherd is ever mindful of His sheep: "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness."

The message is not that bad things will never happen to us,
but rather that we will not have to face bad things alone.

Even in dark hours, the Good Shepherd knows His sheep and the path they trod. And the sheep know the Good Shepherd. They trust Him. They've felt His gentle touch. They've heard His loving voice. They know His loyal and unchangeable heart. They know that when danger comes, He will not desert them. He will stand with them and defend them.
Like sheep, sometimes we go astray and get off the course that leads to peace and happiness. Even then, we are not alone. The Good Shepherd is willing to search even for "the one" who is lost. Because of His watchful care, we can resolve with the Psalmist: "I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. . . . Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."

Lloyd D. Newell

Few things in this world bear the power of a mother's heartfelt prayer. John Newton's earliest memories with his devoted but frail mother recall afternoons spent praying and memorizing hymns and Bible passages. His mother died when he was seven years old, but her tearful prayers for him would leave a lifelong impression.

John Newton was on his own at a young age, alternating between boarding school and the grueling work of the high seas. As a teenager he was pressed into service with the British navy and fell into a life of sin. Finding the conditions unbearable, he deserted the navy but was later captured and flogged. A darkness settled over him as he sailed through dangers and adventures unrivaled in fiction. He was exchanged to a slave ship where he worked as a slave trader and was brutally abused by the captain. Eventually he became the captain of his own ship.

One night in the spring of 1748, as John was returning home from Africa, a violent storm arose. Steering the ship in what must have seemed like his last hours alive, perhaps John thought of his mother's prayers. He later wrote of his experience, "The Lord came from on high and delivered me out of deep waters."

Upon his safe return home, John acknowledged his spiritual roots and committed himself to a life of living and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. His mother's prayers had been answered, for her son had been saved by God's amazing grace. In the words of John Newton's famous hymn, "Amazing Grace."  "Thru many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home."

Lloyd D. Newell

"Heaven is not a prize for the perfect, but the future home of all who are willing to be perfected." 

 Brad Wilcox

Let's make it all awesome :D

Sunday will come

"Each of us will have our own Fridays-those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death-Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come."
Joseph B. Wirthlin 

If you can count that high!

Lemony Chicken and Dill Soup

Ingredients

Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil

3 medium carrots

3 stalk celery

1/2 medium onion

3 clove garlic

8 c. low-sodium chicken broth

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 bay leaves

3 sprig fresh thyme

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2/3 c. orzo

4 c. packed fresh baby spinach

3 tbsp. fresh dill

1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Garlic Toast

1 baguette

1/4 c. olive oil

2 clove garlic

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and sauté until onions are soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add broth, chicken, bay leaves, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F, 24 to 26 minutes.

Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Remove chicken to a bowl and shred, with two forks, into bite-size pieces. Stir pasta into broth and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add spinach, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, and shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with Garlic Toast 

To make the garlic toast: Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Stir together the olive oil garlic and brush over bread. Season with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees F until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

And the most precious gift of "All" is our families

Trust in Him

I may be one, but one becomes two, when you stand with me, and I stand with you..." 

  Hilary Weeks

Life doesn't get easier, you just get stronger.

 "He knew there'd be moments when no earthly words Could take away your sorrow And no human eyes could see what you're going through"  He'll Carry You

Hilary Weeks

"Don't ruin a good today because of a bad yesterday." Let it go.

"Don't worry about what others think about you; worry about what they think of themselves when they're with you."

  Hilary Weeks

We celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had, every fear we have ever faced ........."God knows what you need. He wants you to pray about what you need, and He wants you to work for it. But mostly He wants you to believe He can and will provide." 

Jeffrey R Holland

It's assurance for success

We must turn to someone who can see beyond the fog

We cannot foresee what the Lord has in mind for us. Our only course of action is to be prepared and worthy for whatever he requires. We must govern our actions every day with our future in mind."  

 M. Russell Ballard

We are all like this traveler in the fog on an unknown road. Our vision is limited now. We do not know what lies ahead of us. We cannot see the curves, hills and obstacles in our future. We also cannot see the beauty and treasure that may lie a short distance ahead but is now obscured from our view. Our Heavenly Father knows what is ahead for us. He knows the trials and blessings that await us. He loves us and wants to be our guide. If we will place our faith in him, he will lead, guide and direct us. 

He will lead us home.

Sandra Nazar

Pesto Chicken Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients:

Pesto sauce:
3 C packed basil leaves
3 cloves garlic
3/4 C Parmesan cheese
1/2 C olive oil

Lasagna noodles
1lb chicken breast, trimmed
15oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 C tomato sauce
1/2-1 C mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil, cook 9-12 lasagna noodles according to manufacturer's directions.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook chicken breast using desired method, season with salt and pepper, then shred and set aside. 

In the bowl of a food processor, combine basil leaves and garlic. Blending until only fine pieces remain. Add in cheese. With food processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired spreadable consistency is reached. Transfer to a small bowl, set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, Parmesan, salt and pepper (to taste).

Drain lasagna noodles.

Working one or two noodles at a time, lightly coat with pesto sauce, followed by ricotta mixture and shredded chicken. Roll and place in a rectangular baking dish. Repeat process with remaining ingredients. Cover with tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until cheese is fully melted.

Such a cute idea

Axiom of a lifetime

To be your strongest

He loves you, and I love you!

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.

 Dorothy Bernard

Don't stumble over something behind you.

Stop cheating on your future with your past...it's over.

You could make a wish or you could make it happen.

Turn I wish into I will.

Dear Past,
thank you for all the lessons. 

Dear Future,
I am ready.

Each day is a gift, don't send it back unopened.

"He is not waiting to love you until after you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Pistachio and White Chocolate Pudding Cookies

Ingredients

1⅔ cups all purpose flour

(1) 3.4 oz box instant pistachio pudding mix

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp clear vanilla extract

1 egg, room temperature

1 cup white chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pistachios

Instructions

1. Whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream sugars and butter together until light and fluffy.
3. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.
4. Gradually stir in dry ingredients.
5. Fold in chocolate chips and pistachios. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 325F.
7. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
8. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of cookie dough and place on prepared cookie sheet.
9. Bake for 11-13 minutes or just until they are set. If you see any brown, pull them out.
10. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for several minutes before moving to a rack.

So sweet to know

Who intimidates whom

In the midst of the storms and suffering... God is Working.

The way we carry it

Everyone will face a time in their lives where they must go through their own personal Gethsemane. I'm not talking about small issues that come up on a daily basis or talking about having a bad day or week. I'm not even talking about many of the larger problems or stresses that we all face in this probationary state we call life.

No, I'm talking about the very small number of times in our lives where we are on the brink of even living. Where everything in our life is going wrong. The moments that not only can we not see the way out, we can't see anything at all. Those moments where we feel completely lost and alone.Those times where you spend countless hours shedding tears on an already soaked pillow.  Those nights where you wake up as deeply saddened as you did going to bed.  I'm talking about those very limited times where the easiest choice in front of us may appear to be to just give up.

There are simply going to be times in our lives where no one else around us can perfectly understand the trials and tribulations that we are personally facing no matter how good their intentions may be. There are just going to be times where we fall on our knees pleading for help because we have nowhere else to go and nowhere else to look but up. It's during these moments, almost out of necessity, that often times we start to receive a glimpse of His infinite and perfect love that God has for us. These moments are where we need to know that God lives, that He hears us and that He loves us and we need to know them now.

As painful, hopeless and dark as these moments may be, often times they provide us with the spiritual experiences that are so incredibly personal, that our faith and testimony in this gospel truly does "come forth polished as gold."

So many times in life we try to do everything on our own. Too prideful to accept or acknowledge that we need help. Remember that as we carry the various burdens we inevitably face in this life, it's not the weight or size of the load that breaks us down but almost always the way we carry it.

Remember that just like our Heavenly Father was keenly aware of the massive burden Christ was about to bear, He is just as aware of the challenges we are about to face or are facing in this life.

Just as Christ knew that His Father would be there for Him and that eventually the glorious Sunday morning would come to overcome any of the sorrows and pains felt just a few days earlier, we too will experience our own personal Sundays where everything comes full circle. We just need to be patient enough to allow God the opportunity to justify our faith in Him.

Christ's love is not dependent upon yours. The abundance or lack of love you demonstrate towards Him or yourself, does not increase or diminish His.  He loves you perfectly and fully. Your strengths do not increase His love and your weaknesses certainly does nothing to diminish it. The epitome of charity, being the pure love of Christ, was demonstrated during that hallowed night at Gethsemane.

Regardless of where we are at in our lives and the mistakes we may have made, the atoning power of Christ is here to provide us our own, incredibly personal story of redemption.

John Huntinghouse

Cheese, Olive and Buttermilk Herb Bread

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups  flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustart powder

60g freshly grated parmesan

60g grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup green olives, sliced

8 pieces sundried tomatoes, sliced thinly

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup mixture of spring onion and Italian parsley

2 tsp thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thye

2 eggs

2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or use 1 1/4 cup less 1 Tbsp fresh milk + 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes before using)

Egg wash (optional) made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water

Extra thyme springs and sea salt, for topping

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter a large loaf tin (23 x 13 x 6cm) and either line it with butter parchment paper or dust with flour. Set tin aside.

2) Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt, pepper and mustard powder into a large bowl. Whisk with a whisk to incorporate the dry ingredients. Add both cheeses, olives, sundried tomatoes, spring onion, parsley and thyme and stir them thoroughly together.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the oil and buttermilk until they are well combined.

4) Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir together to form a thick, sticky batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly.

5) Brush the top of the batter with the egg wash and then sprinkle some thyme leaves and sea salt onto the loaf.

6) Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. If the top starts to burn, place a piece of foil to cover the top of the loaf and continue baking. Leave in tin for 5 minutes before turning ot onto a wire rack.

7) This loaf is best served on the same day. Wrap left overs tightly and store in refrigerator. Gently reheat in oven if serving left overs.

He prepares the called

Your gratitude list will grow

He knows the song of your heart

So true!

Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza

For the Pizza

1. Dough for 1 large pizza
2. 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
3. 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
4. 1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded
5. 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

For the Garlic-Ranch Sauce

1. 2 Tbsp sour cream
2. 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
3. 2 1/2 Tbsp milk
4. 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
5. 1/8 teaspoon chopped, dried chives
6. 1/8 teaspoon dill
7. 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
8. dash of onion powder
9. Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together for the garlic-ranch sauce. Spread mixture over the top of the pizza dough. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over top, followed by the chicken, bacon, and tomatoes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  Bake at 450 degrees F for 9-12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
2. *For grilled pizzas: Oil your grill and turn heat to medium-low. Shape dough into long, slipper-shaped pieces. Brush dough with olive oil and grill for 2 minutes on one side, with the grill cover on. Flip to the other side and brush again with olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes, with the grill lid on. Remove crust to a plate and add toppings.  Return to grill and cook just until cheese is melted, 1-2 more minutes.

Dough for 1 large pizza

Ingredients

1. 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2. 2 tsp sugar
3. 1 1/2 cups warm water
4. 3 Tbsp olive oil
5. 1 1/2 tsp salt
6. 1 tsp white vinegar
7. 3 3/4 - 4 cups flour 

Instructions

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer combine 1/2 cup of the warm water with the sugar and yeast. Stir to dissolve the yeast and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining 1 cup of warm water, and the olive oil, salt and vinegar.
3. Begin mixing on medium-low speed and gradually add the flour --knead for about 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic (it should be sticky, but not soo sticky that it sticks to your clean fingertip.) Cover the bowl with a dry towel and allow to rest in a warm place until doubled in volume--about 1 hour.
4. Gently punch the dough down and place on a floured counter top. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces (this can vary depending on how thick you want your crust/how big you want your pizza. I make three medium size pizzas). Roll and stretch your dough to desired size and thickness. Allow to rest for 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and brush dough lightly with olive oil.
5. Pre-bake the dough on a pizza stone or in pizza pan for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and add toppings. Return to oven and bake for 8-12 more minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Create your Own Calm

It IS!

You truly are!

Windows of Heaven

"The blessing that comes to us through heavenly windows may be a greater capacity to change our own circumstances rather than expecting our circumstances to be changed by someone or something else."

David A. Bednar

The gates of heaven are unlocked!

The windows of heaven are opened!

Today and forevermore God's grace is available to all whose hearts are broken and whose spirits are contrite. Jesus Christ has cleared the way for us to ascend to heights incomprehensible to mortal minds.

I pray that we will see with new eyes and a new heart the eternal significance of the Savior's atoning sacrifice. I pray that we will show our love for God and our gratitude for the gift of God's infinite grace by keeping His commandments and joyfully "walking in a newness of life." In the sacred name of our Master and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.

 Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (6 oz) pkg. chicken flavored stuffing mix

1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 tablespoon prepared, Dijon mustard

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces 

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups cooked, chopped ham

6 slices of extra thin Swiss cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Prepare stuffing as directed on package.  Mix soup and mustard in medium bowl; stir in chicken, broccoli and ham. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with cheese slices and stuffing.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.

Happy or Sad, which is harder?

Staff of life

Sweet peace brings the light

Tiniest ember of belief

"Listen with love."

Henry B. Eyring

"The Lord knows where each piece belongs so that it fits into the plan." 

Rafael E. Pino

"When we offer succor to anyone, the Savior feels it as if we reached out to succor Him." 

Henry B. Eyring

"The path we have chosen to walk is narrow." 

Jorge F. Zeballos

"Much that is good, much that is essential ... can be achieved in less than ideal circumstances."

D. Todd Christofferson

"We will not accidentally come to believe in the Savior." 

L. Whitney Clayton

"Tribulations often enrich, refine and guide us to a deeper understanding 

of the purpose of our existence." 

José Teixeira

"May the Lord's grace bring happiness now and faith in sure promises to come."

D. Todd Christofferson

"Christ's peace can permeate any heart -
 -hearts that are troubled, burdened with grief,
confused and pleading for help."

Thomas S. Monson

"The more we understand the extraordinary role of Christ in our lives,
the more conscious we become of our purpose." 

José Teixeira

"RM doesn't mean 'Retired Mormon.' "
M. Russell Ballard

"Great courage ... will be required to choose the right."

Ulisses Soares

"The burdens his faithful servants must carry in this life
are made lighter by His Atonement." 

Henry B. Eyring

"All of us need the Savior's Atonement to heal us.
All of us are lost and need to be found."

Brent H. Nielson

"Only God knows hearts."

Henry B. Eyring

"With the gift of God's grace, the path of discipleship
does not lead backward; it leads upward."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"He is the God above all, the father above all, and
yet willing to give undivided attention to one of his children."

Henry B. Eyring

"Even the smallest act of discipleship
or the tiniest ember of belief can
become a blazing bonfire of a consecrated life."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Peach Coconut Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 cups flour
• 3½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 cup peaches, diced small
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a loaf pan or 4 mini loaf tins by spraying with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together sugar, butter, and egg, then stir in milk.
3. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir until just combined.
4. Gently fold in bananas, peaches, and coconut, sprinkling a teaspoon or two of the coconut on top of the loaf/loaves.
5. Bake 50-60 minutes for a full loaf, or 30-35 minutes for mini loaves. Loaves are done when slightly golden on top and when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

The calm in the storm

He will support His own

All in good time

They lead us

Utah Scones

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)–I use bread machine yeast
2/3 cup warm (105-115 degree) water
2 c. buttermilk (whole buttermilk, if you can find it)
½ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use peanut oil)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
8-9 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Peanut oil for frying (other high smoke point oils also work great)

Honey Butter

Fresh Raspberries

Instructions:

Dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes or until very bubbly and frothy.

In the bowl of a stand or heavy-duty mixture, mix the milk, sugar, melted butter, vegetable oil and salt until completely dissolved. Add baking powder and 3 cups of flour to the milk mixture and beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.

Add the eggs and mix until completely combined. then stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough should be very soft–it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour or is doubled in bulk.

When the dough has risen, lightly sprinkle a large, clean work surface with flour. Punch down the dough and then roll it to about 1/4″ thick. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the dough into equal rectangles. Separate the dough pieces so they have enough room to rise. Cover with a clean cloth.

In a large, heavy pan, heat about 2-3 inches of peanut or other high smoke point oil over medium heat until it reaches 350-360 degrees (use a candy thermometer). When hot, add a few dough pieces and cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook the other side. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Serve immediately smeared with honey butter with a handful of raspberries pressed into the honey butter. Makes about 24 scones.

Honey Butter

Ingredients:

2 sticks real butter, (close to room temp- works best when slightly chilled still.)
2/3 C honey
¾ C powdered sugar

(If your butter is too soft, you'll end up with a gooey mess, so I just leave it out on the counter for about 20 minutes or so before beating and it turns out nice and fluffy)

Just place it all in a bowl and beat with an electric hand-mixer for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.  Serve at room temp.

He is always near

The beauty of Grace

Happy Easter!!! :D

Before Easter there must be a cross.

I walked today where Jesus walked, In days of long ago; I wandered down each path He knew, With rev'rent step and slow. Those little lanes, they have not changed-- A sweet peace fills the air. I walked today where Jesus walked, And felt His presence there. . . .

I knelt today where Jesus knelt, Where all alone He prayed; The Garden of Gethsemane-- My heart felt unafraid! I picked my heavy burden up, And with Him by my side, I climbed the Hill of Calvary, . . . Where on the Cross He died!

I walked today where Jesus walked And felt Him close to me! 

In a very real sense, all can walk where Jesus walked when, with His words on our lips, His spirit in our hearts, and His teachings in our lives, we journey through mortality. I would hope that we would walk as He walked--with confidence in the future, with an abiding faith in His Father, and with a genuine love for others. Jesus walked the path of disappointment. Jesus walked the path of temptation. Jesus walked the path of pain. Consider the agony of Gethsemane. "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. . . . And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." 

And who among us can forget the cruelty of the cross. His words: "I thirst. . . . It is finished." 

Yes, each of us will walk the path of disappointment, perhaps due to an opportunity lost, a power misused, or a loved one not taught. The path of temptation, too, will be the path of each. "And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves."  Likewise shall we walk the path of pain. We cannot go to heaven in a feather bed. The Savior of the world entered after great pain and suffering. 

We, as servants, can expect no more than the Master. 

Before Easter there must be a cross.

While we walk these paths which bring forth bitter sorrow, we can also walk those paths which yield eternal joy. We, with Jesus, can walk the path of obedience. We, like Jesus, can walk the path of service.

Like a glowing searchlight of goodness is the life of Jesus as He ministered among men. He brought strength to the limbs of the cripple, sight to the eyes of the blind, hearing to the ears of the deaf, and life to the body of the dead.

His parables preach power. With the good Samaritan He taught: "Love . . . thy neighbour."  Through His kindness to the woman taken in adultery, He taught compassionate understanding. In His parable of the talents, He taught each of us to improve himself and to strive for perfection. Well could He have been preparing us for our journey along His pathway.

Finally, He walked the path of prayer.

Three great lessons from three timeless prayers. First, from His ministry: "When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." 

Second, from Gethsemane: "Not my will, but thine, be done." 

Third, from the cross: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." 

It is by walking the path of prayer that we commune with the Father and become partakers of His power.

Shall we have the faith, even the desire, to walk these pathways that Jesus walked......

As you and I walk the pathway Jesus walked, let us listen for the sound of sandaled feet. Let us reach out for the Carpenter's hand. Then we shall come to know Him. He may come to us as one unknown, without a name, as by the lakeside He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same words, "Follow thou me," and sets us to the task which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands, and to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings that they shall pass through in His fellowship; and they shall learn in their own experience who He is.

We discover He is more than the Babe in Bethlehem, more than the carpenter's son, more than the greatest teacher ever to live. We come to know Him as the Son of God. He never fashioned a statue, painted a picture, wrote a poem, or led an army. He never wore a monarch's crown or held a scepter or threw around His shoulder a purple robe. His forgiveness was unbounded, His patience inexhaustible, His courage without limit.

Jesus changed men. He changed their habits, their opinions, their ambitions. He changed their tempers, their dispositions, their natures. He changed men's hearts....

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.

As we do, and direct our footsteps along the paths that Jesus walked, let us remember the testimony Jesus gave: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. . . . I am the light and . . . life of the world."  "I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father." 

To His testimony I add my witness: He lives.

Thomas S. Monson