R.S. lesson on Prayer

Today's reading was from a conference talk, or general authority, but I feel first impressed to write a little about our RS lesson from Sunday.  The lesson was on Prayer and talking about how we can "open our souls" through prayer.  We talked and shared ideas on how to improve our personal prayers as well.  I was reminded through the lesson how I need to do the things that I know, and that will improve my own prayers.  There were a few thoughts or ideas shared that I wanted to remember-
1) report back.  Open the day with a prayer and then at night report back on what you have done through out the day, or how you acted upon the promptings you had that morning.
2) For evening prayer, if you do nothing else, pray for your children. If you aren't praying for them, who is?
3) look for answers to your prayers, they aren't always obvious, but if we keep a journal where we write down where we have seen Gods hand in our lives that day, it will help our testimony grow.
4) Pray in the morning for inspiration on how you can make it a great day! Start with gratitude for even waking up, and breathing...then find something about the day to be excited about and hope for. 
5)Write our impressions and thoughts down.  I know this- I just need to be better about it!

ACT: Work on my nightly prayers- make sure I say them for the rest of the week.

Lot's Wife

Yesterday being mother's day, the Sacrament speaker was Sis. Peterson (our high councilman's wife) and she shared a talk by Elder Holland about "Remember Lot's Wife" I found the talk fascinating and shared it at ARP last night. It spoke of walking forward with hope. Lot's wife couldn't let go of the past- she was too attached to it, and let it define her and pull her back from the hope of what could lie ahead of her in the future. Elder Holland said "her attachment to the past outweighed her confidence in the future" How easy it is to hold onto past wrongs, sins, habits, broken dreams and memories. Elder Holland suggests that we have faith in our Savior, we trust him to lead us to something better, and there in is hope.  Hope is not a knowledge of what will happen, but a belief or expectation.  Christ loves us- he becons to us to come to him and find peace and rest.  We must believe that, and hope for that, but what is it that holds us back?  The past? 

I think it is significant that she turned to salt.  Salt is used to dry things out.  When we loose hope, Joy is drained from us, and the fullness of happiness is lost.  Happiness and Hope are truly a life blood that fills us.

Turning from the past, doesn't mean that we have to completely sever all ties and forget what has happened- Like Margi says, take what you like and leave the rest at our meetings.  I will apply that to the past as well. The apostle paul said:

"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

 We can't let the past define us, we can't look back longingly like Lot's wife did.  We can't be so attached to it, that it paralyzes us from moving forward towards what Christ has for us.  We must move forward with forgiveness, repentance, and hope into a new day with new chances and new opportunities, for ourselves and others.

 
"God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go."  Elder Holland

ACT:  Topic for the week is Finding Hope in Christ.  I feel like my job as a missionary is to simply share my testimony of the promises of the savior.  And all those are about finding hope through him.  I need to work on learning those things/references.

Sunday John and I taught in Primary. The lesson was "Jesus Christ can heal us"  We shared the story of Jarius' daughter that was raised from the dead. We discussed how Christ, through the priesthood can heal us today of all ailments as well. Sometimes through a miracle, but more often than not, through a blessing from the priesthood.
I was impressed to share the story of the woman that was healed from the issue of blood at our ARP meeting last Sunday.  I decided this week to read it a little more carefully and study it.  I was impressed and didn't realize that Christ was hurrying to help Jarius's daughter at the time.  And on his way to help someone else, her life was blessed as well. Although, when he did feel of her presence, he wasn't angry or annoyed that someone had taken his time or kept him from something important- a real life or death situation.  But instead he said comforting words to her that continued to give her peace. 

He felt his virtue go out- I can't help but wonder if I would notice "if virtue" was taken or went out from me.  Am I in tune enough with the spirit to feel that actual transference of power and virtue?   There are times when I feel people "chase the spirit" away or drain me emotionally with their problems or attitudes, but I can't help but wonder if this is different.  I know there are times when I have helped someone, or when I have had an intense spiritual experience (an incredible speaker, or prayer, video, etc.) and afterwards I feel "drained" but in a good way.  I always thought it was similar to how Joseph Smith felt, just on a much smaller level, because as we become an instrument in his hands we feel his power work through us and actually flow through us. 
I pray I can be an instrument in his hands to help others around me to heal.

A Mountain to Climb

I love the song by Miley Cyrus "The Climb" In it she talks about trying to reach her dream and  overcome challenges.  The chorus goes something like this:

My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing,
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on, cause

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb (yeah)

Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith
 It's all about
The climb



I was drawn to it, because, I think that is the way we all feel at times. There are mountains in this life we face, but the climb is what it is about.  It is about who we become during the climb up whatever mountain the Lord gives us.
Elder Eyring in this past conference (April 2012) entitled his talk "A Mountain to Climb."  Which as I read it this morning, made me think of this song. But he shares with us how Pres. Kimball counseled us to "ask" for mountains to climb- that will help us become the person the Lord wants us to be.  He gives us counsel on how to overcome and endure to the end.
I think the mountains in my life come whether I ask for them or not...=) but the idea of getting over them and enduring to the end is the same whether I asked for the trials or not.
First he shares how we are not different than Joseph Smith, Pres. Kimball, or even Christ himself that they all had to pass through trials and tribulation.  Even such great trials that it made them cry out-


"Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

“Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.”³

We must have a solid foundation, so when we face those mountains, our faith is not shaken and we are able to endure and climb.

Keys to Enduring Faith
1.  We must prepare the ground: We do this through our personal integrity and by choosing the right continually. This surrounds the framework of ordinances found in the gospel.
2. Judge correctly the curing time.  The lord won't give us more than he knows we can handle. Don't ask for more before we are ready.   "Getting older does not do it alone. It is serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul that turns testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength"

3) Elder Eyring quotes Moroni as he shares with us that even the smallest amount of faith ALLOWS God to grow our faith.

“And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

“For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.

“But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.

“Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.”⁷

Faith leads to hope.  I heard it defined once as faith is trust in God, knowing that he does live, and died, but Hope happens when we realize that it applies to us.  He did it for ME!   But we have to start with Faith, a sure foundation of faith, and then when those trials come, we understand that God loves us, and he sent his son for us individually. Once we have a knowledge that God loves ME, it is easier to understand the idea that all things will work together for our good, because we understand he loves us and in loving us, wants what is best for us, and will support us though our trials, even though he can't always take them away.

4) Loving and Serving as the Savior did, also gives us faith, and that charity that we aquire as we serve also leads to hope, which allows us to endure to the end. 

Hope is what and why we continue to climb that mountain every day.  Hope is what carries us forward so we can endure each and every day, or trial we are called to go through.  Faith fosters Hope, and hope then fosters Charity, which in turn feeds hope again when hope is lost.  As those charitable acts come back to us. 

What a wonderful concept.  Faith Hope and Charity- according to Moroni- are the greatest things we should aquire here.  We read in Mormon this morning as a family.  He was talking to our day and warned about putting trust in things that "canker." There are many things we can search for, and hope to obtain in this life.  How many are so worried about their retirement funds? But even money will canker and gives a false sense of security.  The things that will truly help us have an "endurement fund" and help us endure our trials is Hope.  Which comes from faith.Which comes from doing what Elder Eyring said- we must prepare the ground, put forth the smallest particle of faith, be patient and  feed/water that seed of faith as we serve others.  Then we can harvest hope- a true knowledge and applications that God knows and loves us individually.

 

The woman with the issue of blood

Last night as we met with the FSG I was impressed to share my testimony of how much the Savior loves each of them there, how he knows them, he is aware of them.  The story of the woman with the issue of blood was brought to mind and I shared that.  How she struggled for 14 years with this issue, she had exhausted resources and energy trying to find a cure, but then by simple faith, acting upon that faith, she reached out and touched his garment.  He commands us to "come unto him" and be healed.  He walked down the street in front of her.  He, knowing all things, could have known that she was there, and what she struggled with, but it was not until she took the action upon herself to reach out, to come unto him, that he was able to heal her, and to make her whole.  Just like Mary, Jesus's mother had to ask last week with turning the water to wine.  I believe that we have the same obligation.  We must first come to him, do our part, put our faith in his ability to heal us/help us/stregnthen us, and then stretch forth our hand to be healed.  The brother of Jared had to find and cut the rocks, Noah had to build the ark and then the Lord blessed their efforts and their action.
Yesterday we took the opportunity to walk through a fun little nature walk/statue garden in Nampa.  There was a sign that said, "Faith is something I am doing" that impressed me.  Faith is action, not just words.  We have to stretch forth our arm, build the ark, or find him and ask, but when we do our part, he will heal us, he will save us, and make us whole. And the results of that healing/changing will make us more than we ever could have been on our own. We will become the "best wine" not just the world's wine.

 ACT:  Put my faith in action.  I have faith he will help me loose the weight I need to- now I need to stretch out my hand- Do what I know and can do, and then ask him to help make up the difference.My part is faith that if I exercise, eat right and take my vitamins, the Lord will bless my body to help it respond.

King Benjamin

The last few weeks I have been feeling like I got bitten by the "grouchy bug." I just feel so grumpy all the time, and angry.  Not sure exactly at what, but the smallest thing seems to set me off and I have been way more critical and snappy than I like to be with John and with my kids.  Even with my friends.  I think I have a little devil that has attached himself to my shoulder and I can't seem to shake him loose.  Satan really seems to be working on me....That is why I decided to start in King Benjamin this morning for my Book of Mormon reading.  He speaks a lot about relationships, peace and charity. I feel I need more peace in my relationships and the only way to accomplish that is through charity and putting off the natural man.  I think part of it may be that Satan didn't have to worry about me because I had such little self discipline and concern for my self that he knew I wasn't a concern or that he already had me, But as I am working on my self discipline with my food and physical appearance, and health, he has to find a new avenue to catch me in.  He has decided that my emotions now are my weak point- Lack of sleep doesn't help either.
Mosiah 3
 "For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy ^arighteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy."
 Joy comes because of righteousness AND the atonement! We can have joy because we have hope.  That hope comes through the atonement, we are not cut off when we make a mistake, but have hope that we can overcome it.

"For the ^anatural ^bman is an ^cenemy to God, and has been from the ^dfall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he ^eyields to the enticings of the Holy ^fSpirit, and ^gputteth off the ^hnatural man and becometh a ⁱsaint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a ^jchild, ^ksubmissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

This is exactly the scripture I needed to read.  I feel very much like the natural man (woman) in me is surfacing and I have not been a "saint" lately.  But he gives counsel in this scripture on how to overcome-

1) Yield to the enticing of the spirit- I feel those promptings, I just need to make sure I act on them.

2) Through the atonement- I need to repent constantly, and that is the joy and hope I can find.

3) Become as a child- submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things.  These are all the things I seem to be struggling in.

ACT:  I will work on this list of "becoming like a child" by listening to the enticings of the spirit so they can help me.

Miracles of Christ- Water to Wine

Today I am reading in the New Testament. When I was set apart as a missionary, I was counseled to study the miracles of the Savior, so I can help those in the classes learn of the Savior's miracles and power and the ability he has to produce miracles in their lives as well.
I decided to start with Christ's first miracle. John said "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him." I found it interesting that as I sat down to study it, they had a new video out of it on LDS.org. I was so impressed, as I read it and as I watched it.  Christ's miracle was not seen of many- only his mother, the servants pouring wine, and his disciples new of the miracle that day.
Even with this simple miracle there are a few basic principles that can be learned:
1) Not seen of many- simple, quiet, behind the scenes- but still affected many that didn't even know they had partaken of a miracle- even the "ruler of the feast himself" did not know what had happened. Miracles are all around us, many we don't even recognize, but still partake of daily.
2) Simple every day things- Wine isn't a life or death matter, but yet was still worthy of a miracle, because it was important to his mother. So with us, Christ is in the details of our lives.
3) "Whatever he asks- do it" Christ's mother told her servants to "do whatever Jesus asked of them." They didn't doubt or argue with him, even when asked to pour the "water" for the ruler of the feast.  They did as he asked, and expected a miracle.  How often do we doubt, and get in the way of the miracle.
4) The "best" wine- The ruler states that the "best wine" has been saved for the end of the feast.  Christ not only changed the water to wine, but to even better wine than they had before. So it is in our lives, Christ can turn our lives from ordinary "water" to the best wine, better than anything we could do on our own, or that the world will give us.
 5)  Mary asked- Then trusted, but didn't counsel the Lord:  As I have been studying revelation- I was reminded that the Lord needs us to ask in order for us to receive revelation- I think it is the same for miracles- we must come to him. He stands at the door, our job is to approach him and open that door so he can perform the miracle we need.  We must ask, but not council the Lord. Mary stated her need, and Christ then perceived what was needed to be done, but Mary didn't tell him what to do or micromanage him, she just trusted that he could help- and made herself and her servants available to do whatsoever he asked of her.

Wow! I had no idea this simple miracle held so many truths, and I just touched the surface I am sure!
Yesterday as I studied the ARP book, my ACT was to "be careful not to counsel the Lord" in my prayers as I seek revelation. I think that applies again today as well. 

Revelation

The topic I picked for this week is Personal Revelation.  After my thought in our  ARP meeting, I thought this would be a good one.  I shared how often we we go to a class or want someone to give us a list of exactly what we need to do to solve our problem. We want the answers handed to us, however that isn't the way that God works.  There is not "right way" to do something that works for everyone.  We are all so different with different needs, desires, fears, and strengths. The Lord gives us principles, and leaders/teachers can share what worked for them, but ultimately it comes down to us learning how to talk to the Lord and receive our own inspiration and guidance for our problems.  Joseph Smith taught- Teach them correct principles and then let them govern themselves. Principles of the Gospel is the general Map, it tells us the things to watch out for and the mile markers along the way, but the application of those principles in our individual lives are what we must ask for from our Heavenly Father, and as we seek them, he will give us the unique individual answers we seek.
He knows us, He loves us, He will answer us.  Personal Revelation is one of the most amazing things about this gospel.  As I study Personal Revelation this week, I hope to find ways to apply and receive more in my life. Today I am going to study Elder Scott's Talk from last general conference (April '12) entitled "How to obtain revelation and inspiration for your personal life."
Notes below:

Difference between Inspiration and Revelation:
When it is crisp and clear and essential, it warrants the title of revelation. When it is a series of promptings we often have to guide us step by step to a worthy objective, for the purpose of this message, it is inspiration.

How do we recieve Revelation:
By asking

Principles that enhance Revelation:
1) Eliminate Anger and other negative emotions
2)A good sense of humor enhances, loud laughter does not
3) Careful quiet speech
4) Good Health Habits (Sleep, exercise, diet, etc)
5) do not let daily habits distract
6) Study Scriptures and examples of others that have received revelation and help
7) Write down and record experiences of revelation
8) sanctify yourselves or in other words “keep my commandments.”
9) Temple attendance will "endow you with power"
10) Be mentally and physically clean with purity of intent
11) Righteous environment
12) Humility
13) Trust God
14) OPEN YOUR EYES and recognize the ways that God has already inspired you:
         Words given to Oliver Cowdry when wondering why he hadn't recieved inspiration:

“Blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.

“Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth.”

How to Recognize inspiration:

Peace to your heart, and a quiet warm feeling

"Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege. It is based upon eternal, unchanging principles. We receive help from our Father in Heaven in response to our faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency."