" If we are to search for

 real light and eternal certainties,

 we have to pray as the ancients prayed.

 We are women now, not children

 and we are expected to

 pray with maturity.

 The words most often used to

 describe urgent, prayerful labor

 are wrestle, plead, cry and hunger.

 In some sense, prayer me be

 the hardest work we ever will

 engage in, and perhaps

 it should be."

-Patricia Holland

Character Building

Have you ever felt so discouraged?

I went to church today feeling so down hearted and weak. 

It just felt like everyone around me was happy. I just thought to myself, why am I feeling

like this? I feel like I am never going to be good enough and I am just weak and am tempted all the time. Why can't I be strong enough to just do the little things?

I just sat on the bench in sacrament meeting and quietly said a prayer asking for love and encouragement. Little did I know the answer to my prayer would come in Relief Society.

The lesson was on overcoming weakness.  

"And if men come unto me I will show

 unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness

 that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient

 for all men that humble themselves before me;

 for if they humble themselves before me,

 and have faith in me, then will I make weak

 things become strong unto them."   

-Either 12: 27

The teacher had us think of our faults and weaknesses. She explained the steps to making weak things strong, which were...

1. In order for our weaknesses to be made strong we need to give them up to the lord and feel his love.

2. I need to stop letting Satan beat me up! He doesn't want me to be happy or powerful.

3. I need to be humble enough to see and accept my faults.

4. We need to ask Heavenly Father to search our hearts for good and light.

5. I need to remember that everyone has weakness and that it is part of heavenly fathers plan in making me great like a queen. It is part of his great "Character Building" as he molds and shapes us into the best versions of ourselves.

6. I needed to ask ourselves if by holding on to my weaknesses and faults, was I progressing?

"Become what you want to

 be by consistently being

 what you want to become."

Through that lesson I felt so much relief in knowing that heavenly father loved me and this was all part of his plan. I need to learn to hand him my weaknesses and faults through faith. I need to trust him, and may he make me humble in doing so.

Overlooked Blessing

Today I did one of my favorite shampoo

ladies hair (Marilyn). She sat and told me all about

her husbands conversion and their story.

I have been doing her hair forever, but I think

it was an answer to my prayers for her to 

not tell me until now. 

Her and I sat and cried our eyes out as she expressed

great love and appreciation for her husband

and the spiritual experiences they were

able to have together.

I immediately was reminded of the sweet memory

of Zane's baptism. I didn't take it for granted...

but I didn't exactly realize the blessing I was being given.

Zane and I have been through a lot together.

SO today I am writing of my love and appreciation

for Zane and his willingness to change.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father knew what I needed

and sent me Zane. He knew I needed

to learn to appreciate and understand repentance,

missionary work, and baptism.

I am so blessed to date a good boy who holds the priesthood,

and fulfills his church duties. 

Don't overlook the blessings you have! Heavenly Father is mindful and watches out for all of us. He knows what we need and how to bless us in a way that we will understand and appreciate it. I am so grateful everything he has given me. 

Growth

Tonight I had a good talk with one of my best friends,

She was having a really hard time with life and all

of its' requirements.

She has been under a lot of stress lately

with work, school, dating, friends, family and her calling.

Last night she asked me if I thought that Heavenly Father asks too much of us sometimes. I explained to her that it may feel like that sometimes, but I believe every opportunity happens for a reason whether it was to teach us something, stretch us, test our obedience or help make us grow.

The piercing words from a sister missionary on temple square came to mind, "there is no growth in the comfort zone." This

is so true! Heavenly Father can't teach us new things and mold us into the people he wants us to become if we are living "in the comfort zone" he needs us to be out of our element so that we will learn to turn to him and trust him. 

I know that our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of you very much. He knows you, hears you, and cares about you.

Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

"When Life gets too hard to stand, Kneel" 

Greater Desire

Zane is currently up in Alaska attending his cousins wedding.

Isn't the Anchorage Temple beautiful?

He sent me this picture while he was patiently waiting outside for the bride and groom to come out.

"I love to see the Temple...I'm Going There Someday"

I decided to put another bullet point on my bucket list tonight.

I would love to see every temple in the world!

I know this is a little bit of an over shot item on my list, but it is becoming one of my dreams. It started out with the challenge of just going to all of the temples in Utah, but my desire is much bigger than that! I love the temple, and am going there (to all of them) someday!

"Doubt Not, Fear Not"

Today I stumbled into a blog that I didn't really want to find.
It was called,

Mormons: The truth about the modern cult

Although this blog was very offensive and very sad to read,

I really felt the spirit in knowing that what I believed was true.

Sometimes the spirit whispers truth and gives us comfort when we are

in situations where truth is being tested and little faith is being

expressed and shown. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the

only TRUE gospel on the earth today! I wish everyone could see

how easy and perfect it really is! 

I loved this comment that was left by an anonymous blogger

regarding a post about patriarchal blessings. It was said with

such courage!

"Look to me in every thought, Doubt not fear not"- D&C 6:36

Anonymous said...

Mr B., it is unfortunate for you to think that this blessing is a generic template. It is very specific to you and quite beautiful and provides warnings which you obviously have ignored. I feel sorry for you and for those valiant ancestors whom you have let down. There is no generic template, every blessing is different and I have seen the fulfillment of many promises in my own. The apostle Paul was right when he said, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1cor 2:14). Most of the comments on this page reflect this point. Susie Potter the Church is exactly what it claims to be and that is the true kingdom of God on Earth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is impossible for Joseph Smith to have made it up. The depth of the language, knowledge of history and names etc, was way beyond what he knew as a poor uneducated farmer. Read Moroni 10:4. The feelings you have when the missionaries are present are from the holy ghost which tells you that it is true. No other force, except the Holy Ghost can cause those feelings. As for glossing over, there is no glossing over the answers are there perhaps the missionaries don't know them all but they are there. Joseph Smith used the Urim and Thummin to translate the same stones used by ancient prophets as well. Anyone who reads the Book of Mormon with real intent and desires to know will come to know that it is the word of God. Sadly many don't care or want to know. It is foolishness unto them. From the Book of Mormon we read, "O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish."(2Nephi9:28)

"Good Things to Come"

Don't you quit!

You keep walking!

You keep trying!

There is help and happiness ahead!

Some blessings come soon, some come late,

and some don't come til heaven.

But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ...

they come!

It will be alright in the end!

Trust your Heavenly Father, and believe in good things to come!

James 1:5

Tonight Zane came to my house needing to tell me some big news...

I started to worry a little, thinking it was bad. 

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
-James 1:5

He joked around with me about it being something it wasn't...haha but after a drawn out joke, he was excited to tell me that he set up an appointment to meet with the missionaries on Monday night.

I am so proud of him! He has come such a long way, and we have shared so much. I was surprised to see him get so excited over that. The church has made me so happy so I couldn't help but be very excited for him. I know how happy it will make him if that is what he chooses.

I am so happy for him!

Beacon of Light

Yesterday I went down to temple square to 

walk around and watch

the Joseph Smith movie.

I sat on the grass next to the reflection pond, 

and just couldn't stop staring at the temple.

My eyes and focus have always been set

on the temple as if it were a light

house set on a hill.

"I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday..."

I am so blessed to live so close to

so many temples! The temple

has brought such a peace into my

life. 

I know that I will make it to the temple

if my focus stays there, I know 

there is nothing I could want more.

"I must give up what I want now for what I want later"

Testify of Truth

It is sometimes through others testimonies that ours can grow. I thought I would share this strength in my life with you. My best friend is serving a mission in Ghana, Africa. He has grown so much! The other day he wrote me an email bearing this sweet testimony. Hearing him testify brought tears of unwavering truth. His testimony has helped build mine in so many ways.

Kate,

 I just want to let you know that

 I KNOW without any doubt that

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

 is the Lord's Kingdom on the earth today.

  I am doing the greatest thing that anybody

 in the world could possibly ever be doing...

going out and proclaiming the true and

 everlasting gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ.

  I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet

 of God and he was called to restore

 the fullness of the gospel in these latter

 days so that all of us can receive

 the wonderful blessings of the gospel

 and what means the most to me...

the blessing of the temple.

  Kate, I know that only through

 Jesus Christ can we be saved and only

 in this church do we have the keys of the

 kingdom of heaven which makes it possible

 to bind families forever and ever so that one

 day we can become like our Heavenly Father.

 I know all of these things are true

 without any doubt.

  Kate, I'm so proud of how much you

 love and trust our Heavenly Father.

 You are wonderful and don't ever

 let anybody tell you differently.

  I know this church is true Kate!

Love Sam