“Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. … Such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.”
- President Thomas S. Monson
My goal is to recognize trials when I am in the middle of them and to look forward to the growth that will come from them. In other words, to have a positive attitude!
President Thomas S. Monson has declared:
“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. …
“My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.”
Elder Bradley D. Foster said, I have learned much from a book titled Why Did This Happen to Me? by Ray Pritchard. He says: “Sometimes we will face things for which there is no earthly explanation. In those moments we need to erect a sign that reads, ‘Quiet: God at Work.’ Meanwhile, hold on, child of God. Keep believing. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Let God do His work in you. The greatest tragedy is to miss what God wants to teach us through our troubles.”
That is just what I said up above. (Sorry the computer is being weird and won't let me change fonts,etc...)
Saturday, April 26, 2014
March 2014 - The Lord's standard of Morality - Elder Tad R. Callister
Pornography,,,
"If you are afflicted with this malady, you need to do all within your power to overcome it. It may require confession, intense prayer, fasting, immersion in the scriptures, replacing idle time with constructive time, putting strict boundaries on Internet usage, professional counseling, and the like, but you can overcome it. At some point willpower will be an indispensable ingredient—there is not a pill or counseling technique to solve every addiction." (my emphasis)
"In essence, our thoughts become the seeds of our actions. We do have the power within us to take control of our lives and our thoughts. Good and evil thoughts cannot coexist in our minds any more than light and dark can exist at the same time and in the same place. At some point we must decide which will be our invited guest." (my emphasis)
"If we so desire, we can drive out every evil thought and immediately replace it with an uplifting song or poem or scripture. Just as darkness flees at the presence of light, so evil flees at the presence of good." (my emphasis)
None of us should think we are too powerful or too immune to succumb. Secluded locations, late nights, and morally loose friends have incredible magnetic fields to draw us into Satan’s clutches. (my emphasis)
There is no field so dark or corner so secluded that no one will ever know. God will know, and you will know if you violate His moral law. (my emphasis)
The older I get the more sickened I feel at the lack of morality in society. It breaks my heart, especially for babies and children and families who are so affected by it. TV shows mock the sanctity of that which the Lord deems sacred - the procreative powers. It is not a sport, it is not a game, it is not a recreational or animalistic activity. It is sacred.
"If you are afflicted with this malady, you need to do all within your power to overcome it. It may require confession, intense prayer, fasting, immersion in the scriptures, replacing idle time with constructive time, putting strict boundaries on Internet usage, professional counseling, and the like, but you can overcome it. At some point willpower will be an indispensable ingredient—there is not a pill or counseling technique to solve every addiction." (my emphasis)
"In essence, our thoughts become the seeds of our actions. We do have the power within us to take control of our lives and our thoughts. Good and evil thoughts cannot coexist in our minds any more than light and dark can exist at the same time and in the same place. At some point we must decide which will be our invited guest." (my emphasis)
"If we so desire, we can drive out every evil thought and immediately replace it with an uplifting song or poem or scripture. Just as darkness flees at the presence of light, so evil flees at the presence of good." (my emphasis)
None of us should think we are too powerful or too immune to succumb. Secluded locations, late nights, and morally loose friends have incredible magnetic fields to draw us into Satan’s clutches. (my emphasis)
There is no field so dark or corner so secluded that no one will ever know. God will know, and you will know if you violate His moral law. (my emphasis)
The older I get the more sickened I feel at the lack of morality in society. It breaks my heart, especially for babies and children and families who are so affected by it. TV shows mock the sanctity of that which the Lord deems sacred - the procreative powers. It is not a sport, it is not a game, it is not a recreational or animalistic activity. It is sacred.
This should have been the first post! Why I am doing this blog...
The Ensign magazine is published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints of which I am a member.
Each month I read inspiring thoughts, teachings and experiences of others. Often, I wish to share something with one or all of my children or a friend but I forget to do it.
So, I decided to use a blog as a forum to do this.
I hope that my children, especially, will read the Ensign from cover to cover each month. When I was a young mom I set a goal to do this ( I think there were more pages and smaller print in those days too!) It took me a few years of setting this as a goal to accomplish it but eventually i did and I have read almost every issue from cover to cover for many, many years.
I invite reader's comments on my posts. I love learning from others!
Enjoy these Ensign Gems!
- Betty
Each month I read inspiring thoughts, teachings and experiences of others. Often, I wish to share something with one or all of my children or a friend but I forget to do it.
So, I decided to use a blog as a forum to do this.
I hope that my children, especially, will read the Ensign from cover to cover each month. When I was a young mom I set a goal to do this ( I think there were more pages and smaller print in those days too!) It took me a few years of setting this as a goal to accomplish it but eventually i did and I have read almost every issue from cover to cover for many, many years.
I invite reader's comments on my posts. I love learning from others!
Enjoy these Ensign Gems!
- Betty
Aligning our will with His - March 2014 Ensign (see pg. 42 - Rachel and Leah)
Lessons we can learn from Rachel and Leah:
Even though our circumstances may be different from what we expected, we will be blessed was we trust in the Lord and align our will with His. I love what Elder Maxwell taught - the only thing we have to give Him is our will. I do trust in the Lord. The atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ fills me with hope.
Although our family situations may seem less than ideal, great blessings will come to us through our obedience and faith.
When my family was young I would look at the pictures of families on the Ensign magazine and think about how much I wanted my family to look like that. There was a quirky song in the '70s's called "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" about someone wanting their picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine. Well, I would think, I want my family on the "cover of the Ensign magazine" . When I would really stop and think about it, I would realize that those were posed pictures. Photographers were not lurking outside windows to snap a candid picture of a family reading scriptures or having Family Home Evening or family prayer. But I still really wanted my family to look like those families. In reality, had a photographer snapped a candid photograph during one of those times they would have seen clutter, children annoying each other, mom and dad scolding, children sleeping, etc. But we still tried. Though we may not have been ideal - or looked like the families who were on the covers of the magazines we tried to teach our children the gospel of Jesus Christ and instill habits of study and worship. It is now up to them to make those a part of their lives. Like I said above, I live on hope.
What Can I Do?
Put my full trust in the Lord and focus on the good in my family situation as I strive to "make weak things become strong" (Ether 12:27)
Evaluate my family relationships and ask myself if there is someone in my family with whom I can develop a better relationship.
Even though our circumstances may be different from what we expected, we will be blessed was we trust in the Lord and align our will with His. I love what Elder Maxwell taught - the only thing we have to give Him is our will. I do trust in the Lord. The atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ fills me with hope.
Although our family situations may seem less than ideal, great blessings will come to us through our obedience and faith.
When my family was young I would look at the pictures of families on the Ensign magazine and think about how much I wanted my family to look like that. There was a quirky song in the '70s's called "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" about someone wanting their picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine. Well, I would think, I want my family on the "cover of the Ensign magazine" . When I would really stop and think about it, I would realize that those were posed pictures. Photographers were not lurking outside windows to snap a candid picture of a family reading scriptures or having Family Home Evening or family prayer. But I still really wanted my family to look like those families. In reality, had a photographer snapped a candid photograph during one of those times they would have seen clutter, children annoying each other, mom and dad scolding, children sleeping, etc. But we still tried. Though we may not have been ideal - or looked like the families who were on the covers of the magazines we tried to teach our children the gospel of Jesus Christ and instill habits of study and worship. It is now up to them to make those a part of their lives. Like I said above, I live on hope.
What Can I Do?
Put my full trust in the Lord and focus on the good in my family situation as I strive to "make weak things become strong" (Ether 12:27)
Evaluate my family relationships and ask myself if there is someone in my family with whom I can develop a better relationship.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
March 2014 - Service and Ministering
"One of the assurances that you are being purified is an increasing desire to serve others for the Savior. Home teaching and visiting teaching become more of a joy and less of a chore. You find yourself volunteering more often in a local school or helping care for the poor in your community. Even though you may have little money to give to those who have less, you wish you had more so that you could give more (see Mosiah 4:24). You find yourself eager to serve your children and to show them how to serve others." President Henry B. Eyring
This is so true. I have seen this in my life and I long to feel like I am living this way again. I feel as though I ebb and flow and have been ebbing for too long.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has encouraged us to pray for opportunities to serve: “In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day … looking for someone to help” (“Be Anxiously Engaged,” Ensign, Nov. 2012, 31). (emphasis added)
This is so true. I have seen this in my life and I long to feel like I am living this way again. I feel as though I ebb and flow and have been ebbing for too long.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has encouraged us to pray for opportunities to serve: “In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day … looking for someone to help” (“Be Anxiously Engaged,” Ensign, Nov. 2012, 31). (emphasis added)
Keys to Ministering
Emulate the Savior.
Reach out to the one.
Seek inspiration.
Nurture.
Be faithful in your ministry.
Ministering means doing “the work of the Lord on the earth” and helping others to “become true followers of Jesus Christ.” That work, President Thomas S. Monson has said, includes reaching out to “the aged, the widowed, the sick, those with disabilities, the less active, and those who are not keeping the commandments.”
When we minister, we should seek and heed promptings from the Spirit. As President Monson has said, “If we are observant and aware, and if we act on the promptings which come to us, we can accomplish much good.”
“We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness. … We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”
President Thomas S. Monson, “What Have I Done for Someone Today?” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 86.
“Often small acts of service are all that is required to lift and bless another: a question concerning a person’s family, quick words of encouragement, a sincere compliment, a small note of thanks, a brief telephone call,” said President Monson.
I want my life to be one of service. I have tried to live that way. It brings true happiness. I feel like I have been in a several year slump. I want to be an instrument in His hands.
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