The Lord Will Provide

I was reading in 1 Nephi 17 tonight and came across some cool things. This chapter tells us that Nephi is commanded to build a boat. His brothers complain and don't believe that he can construct a boat. Nephi tries to teach Laman and Lemuel about faith and that the Lord will provide. He uses a couple of examples from the scriptures. One in particular stood out to me. He recounted how Moses smote a rock and water gushed out of it. For some reason, I wasn't familiar with this story. So, I went to the Bible where the story is told. There are a couple accounts of the story. The people of Israel were complaining of thirst and that they didn't have water. So, Moses went to the Lord and asked him what he should do. The Lord took care of it by providing a great miracle.

It's really cool. The takeaway - God will always provide. He loves us and will take care of us. He will open up doors that seem closed and provide a way when it seems there is no way. He is just as much a God of miracles today as he was back then.

I love the following verse from earlier in Chapter 17: "And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness."

"God is in the Midst of her"

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof...

4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her...

10 Be still and know that I am God....

I came across these passages tonight and absolutely loved them! I was familiar with verse 10, but had not read the other verses in this psalm (Psalms 46). I especially love verse 5. With God, we are strong! He will help is with whatever we are going through. Just thought I'd share. 

The Power to Change

Recently, I've heard of some changes that two people I know have made in their lives (two separate instances). To be honest, I was somewhat shocked, but mostly happy. These individuals had committed some serious, serious sins. Neither if them were active in the Church just a year ago. But, both have now been able to partake of the blessings of the temple.

The Atonement is an AMAZING thing. It is only possible to change your life for the better through Christ. There is hope because of Him.

Hearing of these changes reminds me that I need to have more faith in others and see others for who they can become . I need to do the same for myself. It is also very important to not judge. 

What an amazing thing the Gospel is! 

"Content with the Things Allotted Unto Us"

I listened to this talk this morning and absolutely loved it. I love Elder Maxwell. His talks really seem to speak to me. He was a man who knew hard times. He knew what it meant to come unto Christ. (He dealt with cancer.)

I've decided I really need to listen to this/watch this several times to process everything in this talk.

But, one part of the talk I really like says, "Being content means acceptance without self-pity. Meekly borne, however, deprivations such as these can end up being like excavations that make room for greatly enlarged souls. Some undergo searing developments that cut suddenly into mortality’s status quo. Some have trials to pass through, while still others have allotments they are to live with."

I don't think he is saying we need to resign ourselves and think, "Well, my life stinks. That's just the way it is. It'll never get better." 

No, I think he's saying we need to think more along the lines of, "Ok. This is a trial I have been given. Heavenly Father wants me to go through this. I can do this. I can make it. I can be stronger because of this."

So many things to think about. Hope this uplifts and comforts you as well. 

19 Years Ago

Nineteen years ago today, I became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is crazy to think it has been that long. But, I think of how I've grown and learned so much in that amount of time. At eight years old I had such limited knowledge. But, I felt in my heart that the Church was true. My testimony started to grow at an early age. I can honestly say that I've always known the Church is true. I feel that that is truly a gift from God. As I've grown older, I have studied it out in my mind and prayed to know if it is right. And I have felt the confirmation from the Spirit.

At eight years old I had no idea what lied ahead or who I'd become. Little did I know that years down the road I'd become a representative of The Lord and the Church as I served a mission in Chicago.

I can honestly say that being a member of the LDS Church has been the best thing I have ever done. No one is forcing me to remain active in the Church. I do it on my own. And I see the blessings that come from it. I know who I am, where I came from before I was born, why I am here and where I am going after this life.

I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it.

Trials

I've been thinking about trials lately. I have a couple of trials that I've been dealing with for a long time. Several years, actually. One in particular is getting very difficult to bear. Like many others, I find myself asking, "why?" Unlike some people, I don't think it's wrong to ask "why." I think this is good. I'd like to know what I am suppose to learn from this trial.

I read a talk tonight by President Henry B. Eyring that was very enlightening. He says, "Dependence on God can fade quickly when prayers are answered. And when the trouble lessens, so do the prayers." This really hit me. I think one of the reasons for my trial is so I will be humble and depend on God.

I'm sure there are many other things I am supposed to be learning from that trial and the other things I deal with, but that was just a thought I had that I wanted to share

Elder Orson F. Whitney said, “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.” 

I love that. It is so powerful. It's interesting to me that some may think trials are punishment from God, when in reality they are gifts from God. A loving Heavenly Father gives us the trials that are most perfect for us so we can become who He wants us to become. Our trials are necessary.

Heavenly Father truly loves all of us. 

Perilous Times

I, like the rest of the nation, am deeply saddened by what happened in Boston on Monday. So horrible. So incomprehensible. 

It's a sad, sad world we live in today. We are all at risk. At school, the movie theater, watching a marathon, on the airplane. Violence is part of our society. 

I'm not surprised by this however. These are the signs of the times. Along with man made disturbances, there are natural disasters happening left and right. Just today, there was an earthquake in China - killing 30 people. Ancient and modern prophets have foretold of natural disasters and violence that will precede the second coming. 

In Doctrine and Covenants 45:33 we read, 

"And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another."

Umm, yeah. This week.  Verse 33 goes on to say, 

"And I said unto them: Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled."

I think that is very important. It is scary, but we should not fear. We must recognize that this is going to happen. I feel like we don't spend enough time discussing the second coming. It's real. It's going to happen. Perhaps sooner than we realize. We need to be prepared. 

In the end, everything will be ok. Justice will be served. The righteous will be blessed.