A great letter from a great sister...

Hello Sisters, August 16, 2007
Recently I was thinking about trying to buy a home. I never had one of my own before and was kind of excited and yet really scared. I even went looking at houses and found one I really liked. Yet, no matter how I went over my finances I just couldn't manage to come up with all of the needed money right now. I was anxious and frustrated. This was not at all the "peacefull feeling from the Holy Ghost I expected to feel. After all, wasn't this a "good thing"? Didn't I do all of my "homework" and make a decision? So why wasn't I feeling that peace? Could it be I wasn't supposed to move yet? But that hardly seemed logical since the longer I wait the more difficult it will be to get a loan and move. I wanted that house. Still I felt unsure and anxious. But was that really the spirit or just the normal I'm going to owe on this for the rest of my life anxiety?
I was perplexed and asked for a blessing. In the blessing I was told that Heavenly Father knew of my desire for a home of my own but that he wanted me to wait for awhile. I seemed to feel some relieve but also disappointment that I would never attain this goal. Why am I telling you all of this? For two reasons 1) we all face every day delimmas in which we are sometimes uncertain if it is the spirit or our own feelings and anxieties. We all want to do what Heavenly Father wants us to do so we must really trust that when we have good calming feelings our answer is yes. The opposite is also true. We must trust that when we have strong anxiety and uncertaintly then we shouldn't do as we planned no matter how much we may think we want to. 2)As I was contemplating this very thing and wondering if some day I would have a home of my own and if so how, I came across a wonderful scripture that can help us all to increase our faith and patience Doctrine Covenants 5:34 "Yea, for this cause I have said: Stop, and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing I have commanded thee." There it is sisters, all we have to do is be obedient and He not us will provide a way for us to accompish what he commands us to do. This scripture has brought me much relief and hope in my everyday problems. I hope it does the same for you.
Sister H. M.
Stake R.S. pres.

Scriptures are like a book of answers

Did you ever have one of those Sundays where you listened to the speakers or teachers and just soaked everything in? Today was one of those Sundays for me. It started off when I woke up early to study the Sunday school lesson...which actually is next week's lesson as I came to find out at church. (woops).

In Doctrine & Covenants 19:23 it says

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you
shall have peace in me.

My question I want to throw out is this: What does it mean to "walk in the meekness of my spirit"? Learn of him is studying, reading, pondering, etc. about his Gospel. Listening to his words, speakers, teachers, etc at church, listening to the promptings of the Spirit. I get that. But how do you walk in the meekness of his Spirit???
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As we live our lives here on Earth we try to live by the Holy Ghost. Our actions and examples bear the fruit of our faith. Problems or situations will arise that we may not know the answer to. What is our first response to this? I'll admit that sometimes I want to vent out emotions or I'll run it through my head until my stress level has reached an all time high. :-o Yeah, I know...soooo not healthy!

Today I learned that if you don't know what to pray for, then pray to know what to pray for. We need to be asking specific questions in order to get specific answers. Funny thing is, sometimes Heavenly Father doesn't answer us with an answer, but with lessons that teach us. Now and then when we come to Him in sincere prayer asking in faith, he will test that faith.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it
shall be done unto you. (St.John 15:7)

Our discussion turned to how we can abide in Christ. What does it mean to abide in him? How does he abide with us? Keeping the commandments, loving thy neighbor, keeping the word of wisdom, living a life of righteousness that is in keeping with the Spirit, and most importantly, aligning your will with His. When we can do that, the promise given in the scripture above can come to pass.
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I heard this today and it stuck out to me.

If you have fear in your heart, get down on your knees.

I Love the Sabbath Day

Especially putting on church music on the computer so we can listen to it while we are getting ready for church. :-) I love this day of rest. I love being able to feel the Spirit as I go to church. I love being able to feel the Spirit when I'm there. I love hearing other peoples' testimonies. I love going to the classes and learning what the teachers have prepared for us.

There's something about going to church every Sunday. It's hard to explain. I come home feeling filled more than I was before. I feel a better person than before. I feel more happy than before. On Sundays like these I know I have filled my lamp with enough oil for the week. At least in that aspect of my life. It is what I am taught at Church that motivates me to do the things I need to. Like the "lamp oil" quiz below. I am so much closer to the Spirit as I have strived to work on the things I'm lacking on. It's the greatest feeling knowing that you have progessed spiritually than from last week...and that you are headed on the right path.

I think another blessing from following the council of the Lord is helping you see your strengths and faults...where you need to work on the most. I know that bc I've tried to keep close to the Spirit, my heart has been opened up to finding out these things about myself. And it's very liberating!! Knowing these things will have a positive ripple effect in life as I change my will over to the will of the Lord.

Choose the better part

"If our hearts are right before God, adversity will school us, help us overcome our carnal nature, and nurture the divine spark within us. Were it not for adversity, we would not know to “choose the better part.” Adversity helps us see where we need to repent, to bring into subjection baser instincts, to embrace righteousness and enjoy peace of conscience."

--Keith B. McMullin, "Be Prepared … Be Ye Strong from Henceforth", Ensign, Nov. 2005, 10

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Something that I was reading today that stuck out to me...

Alma 37:43-47

43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.
44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.

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In the scripture above it gives us a promise if we but follow the word of Christ it will point us a straight course to eternal bliss. The quote above also tells us that there will be bumps along that course. Reflect upon your situation right now? What kind of attitude do you have about it? Are you like Nephi and Samuel that exercise their faith in Jesus Christ? Or are you murmuring like Laman and Lemuel? Are you doing everything to the best of your ability to have the Spirit be in your life to guide you? Are you accepting His will in all things? Are you encouraging the Spirit to be in your life by doing the things that would invite it and being the places that would invite it?