Who am I?

Consider the power of the idea taught in our beloved song “I Am a Child of God” (Hymns, 1985, no. 301), sung so impressively by the choir at the beginning of this session. Here is the answer to one of life’s great questions, “Who am I?” I am a child of God with a spirit lineage to heavenly parents. That parentage defines our eternal potential. That powerful idea is a potent antidepressant. It can strengthen each of us to make righteous choices and to seek the best that is within us. Establish in the mind of a young person the powerful idea that he or she is a child of God and you have given self-respect and motivation to move against the problems of life.

Dallin H. Oaks, “Powerful Ideas,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 25

A Lifetime Pursuit . . .

Good morning all! Such a fabulous day! I thought I'd start it off with a quote by Richard G. Scott.

"President Ezra Taft Benson emphasized the importance of spiritual knowledge, saying:

'We should make daily study of the scriptures a lifetime pursuit. … The most important [thing] you can do … is to immerse yourselves in the scriptures. Search them diligently. … Learn the doctrine. Master the principles. …

'You must … see that … searching the scriptures is not a burden laid upon [us] by the Lord, but a marvelous blessing and opportunity' (Ezra Taft Benson, “Godly Characteristics of the Master,” Ensign, Nov 1986, 45).

President Spencer W. Kimball commented:

'Spiritual learning takes precedence. The secular without the foundation of the spiritual is … like the foam upon the milk, the fleeting shadow. … One need not choose between the two … for there is opportunity to get both simultaneously' (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 390)."

Richard G. Scott, “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 86

Your Sphere of Responsibility . . .

"Your obligation is as serious in your sphere of responsibility as is my obligation in my sphere. No calling in this church is small or of little consequence. All of us in the pursuit of our duty touch the lives of others. . . The life you touch in your service will be as valuable to God as any other life. And so how you touch a life is as serious a matter for you as it would be for any other servant of God."

Henry B. Eyring, “To Touch a Life with Faith,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 37

The Calling of Father or Mother . . .

"The calling of father or mother is sacred and carries with it great significance. One of the greatest privileges and responsibilities given to us is that of being a parent—helping to bring to earth a child of God and having the sacred responsibility to love, care, and guide children back to our Heavenly Father. In many ways earthly parents represent their Heavenly Father in the process of nurturing, loving, caring, and teaching children. Children naturally look to their parents to learn of the characteristics of their Heavenly Father. After they come to love, respect, and have confidence in their earthly parents, they often unknowingly develop the same feelings towards their Heavenly Father.

"Our children will remember us by our example. . . Examples become memories that guide our lives."

Robert D. Hales, “How Will Our Children Remember Us?,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 8

Reciprocate the Same Love . . .

". . . We must be more Christlike in our attitude and behavior than what we see in the world. We should be as charitable and considerate with our loved ones as Christ is with us. He is kind, loving, and patient with each of us. Should we not reciprocate the same love to our wives and children?"

Ezra Taft Benson, “What Manner of Men Ought We to Be?,” Ensign, Nov 1983, 42

An Unending Supply of Challenges . . .

"Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."

Thomas S. Monson, “Patience, a Heavenly Virtue,” Ensign, Sep 2002, 2–7

All That is Really Desirable . . .

"The world defines happiness as pleasure or fun, not the inner peace and joy that come from partaking of the fruit of the tree of life. Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) clearly explained the difference: 'Happiness includes all that is really desirable and of true worth in pleasure, and much beside. Happiness is genuine gold, pleasure but gilded brass. … Happiness is as the genuine diamond, which, rough or polished, shines with its own inimitable luster; pleasure is as the paste imitation that glows only when artificially embellished. … Happiness leaves no bad after-taste, it is followed by no depressing reaction; it calls for no repentance, brings no regret, entails no remorse; pleasure too often makes necessary repentance, contrition, and suffering; and, if indulged to the extreme, it brings degradation and destruction.' "

Steven E. Snow, “Book of Mormon Principles: The Sweet Fruits of Obedience,” Ensign, Jan 2004, 24–27

The Contest of Priorities

"Some of our most important choices concern family activities. Many breadwinners worry that their occupations leave too little time for their families. There is no easy formula for that contest of priorities. However, I have never known of a man who looked back on his working life and said, 'I just didn't spend enough time with my job.'"

Dallin H. Oaks, “Good, Better, Best,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 104–8

A Small Act of Kindness . . .

I was reflecting on how Heavenly Father puts little things in our paths to let us know he cares and thought I'd share a neat experience I had.

Yesterday was an all-around bad day. Period. My husband got laid off, the kids were being holy terrors as we tried to kill time waiting for him to call us to go pick him up (we were killing time from 3:15 p.m. to almost 7 p.m.) and my stress level was really high. When the time came to go pick him up, my kids and I were at the library. As I went to open the door of my car, I found a small envelope tucked into the driver's side window. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't an ad for a local business like I thought it would be. Instead, the note on the front read, "To: Whoever finds this. You have an awesome smile - you TOTALLY deserve an ice cream!" Tucked inside was a coupon for a free ice cream cone from a local grocery store.

That may not seem like much, but after I got in the car, I was totally overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of the person who left it and completely in awe of Heavenly Father for knowing that I needed a small act of kindness right then. So thank you to whomever left that little note. I'm sure you didn't know how much I needed it.

Confronting the Complexities of Life . . .

"Ofttimes we become anxious and fearful as we confront the complexities of life. If we seek divine guidance and follow the gospel path, we will be led to our final destination. Sometimes adversity may seem so overwhelming that we feel powerless to continue. If we appeal for help with humility and faith, our Heavenly Father will provide a way to lovingly help us through."

Tai Kwok Yuen, “‘He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Green Pastures’,” Ensign, May 1993, 86

A Force for Permanant Change . . .

"As we repent and live in accordance with the commandments of God, the Atonement of Jesus Christ becomes a force for permanent change in our lives. We become more pure in heart and true disciples of the Master. Personal prayer, contributions of tithes and offerings, honoring the Sabbath day, and partaking of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper are all regular practices that protect us from the bondage of sin and bring us true freedom and joy."

Russell M. Nelson, “Combatting Spiritual Drift—Our Global Pandemic,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 102–8

A Powerful Idea . . .

"A powerful idea with immediate practical application is the reality that we can pray to our Heavenly Father, and he will hear our prayers and help us in the way that is best for us. Most of us have experienced the terrible empty feeling that comes from being separated from those who love us. If we remember that we can pray and be heard and helped, we can always withstand that feeling of emptiness. We can always be in touch with a powerful friend who loves us and helps us, in his own time and in his own way."

Dallin H. Oaks, “Powerful Ideas,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 25

I'm back!

Hey all! Sorry it's been so long, but I'm back! I'm doing rather well with my scripture reading goals, though it's really been an uphill battle to put them into a routine. Today's a new day! ^.^

In a World Filled With Conflict . . .

"Study and ponder the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, individually and as families. In a world filled with conflict and confusion, you will find peace and safety in the revealed word of God."

M. Russell Ballard, “Equality through Diversity,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 89

Reaffirm Your Faith . . .

"This is an age of pessimism. Ours is a mission of faith. To my brethren and sisters everywhere, I call upon you to reaffirm your faith, to move this work forward across the world. You can make it stronger by the manner in which you live. Let the gospel be your sword and your shield."

Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stay the Course—Keep the Faith,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 70

The Far Effects of Service . . .

"President Hinckley said something that I just love about our patterns of interconnectedness in the Church. He said: 'To those of the Church, all within the sound of my voice, I give the challenge [to] … never lose sight of the whole majestic and wonderful picture of the purpose of this, the dispensation of the fulness of times. Weave beautifully your small thread in the grand tapestry, the pattern for which was laid out for us by the God of heaven.' (Ensign, Nov. 1989, p. 54.) We may not know what contribution our small thread makes to the great tapestry. We may not understand the pattern that our lives make as they intersect, connect, separate, and intersect again, but God does.

". . . Brothers and sisters, we never know how far the effects of our service will reach. We can never afford to be cruel or indifferent or ungenerous, because we are all connected, even if it is in a pattern that only God sees."

Chieko N. Okazaki, “Cat’s Cradle of Kindness,” Ensign, May 1993, 84

The Four-Point Guide

As each realizes his own potential and what our Heavenly Father expects of him, a determination to live proper standards, to be true to one’s best self, and to act always in accordance with a high sense of true values, there will follow incomparable joy and lasting peace.

A four-point guide will help focus our attention on such a goal:

First, be where we ought to be. A wise father counseled his son: “If you ever find yourself where you shouldn’t be, then get out!” Choose your friends carefully, for you will tend to be like them and be found where they choose to go.

Second, say what we ought to say. What we say and how we say it tend to reflect what we are. In the life of the Apostle Peter, when he attempted to distance himself from Jesus and pretended to be other than what he was, his tormenters detected his true identity with the penetrating statement, “Thy speech bewrayeth thee.” The words we utter will reflect the feelings of our hearts, the strength of our character, and the depth of our testimonies.

Third, do what we ought to do. Pierre, one of the central characters in Tolstoy’s War and Peace, torn by spiritual agonies, cries out to God, “Why is it that I know what is right and I do what is wrong?” Pierre needed a mind-set, a resolve—even a stiffening of his backbone. One clever with words put it this way as he paraphrased the familiar counsel “Never put off ’til tomorrow what you should do today,” by adding, “Why do we not put off ’til tomorrow what we shouldn’t do today!”

Then there is the excuse of the weak: “The devil made me do it.” It is only when we take charge of our own actions that we direct them in the proper course.

Fourth, be what we ought to be. The Apostle Paul counseled his beloved young friend Timothy: “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Peter asked the question: “What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?” Then Peter’s life answered convincingly his own question. The Master’s own voice queried: “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”

Thomas S. Monson, “The Upward Reach,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 47

Live in Such a Way . . .

“Live in such a way that people who know you but don’t know Christ will want to know Christ because they know you.”

Author unknown, as quoted by H. David Burton, “Courage to Hearken,” Ensign, May 1994, 66

Our Task . . .

"Our task is to integrate the principles of the gospel into our lives so that our lives will be in balance. When our lives are in balance, before you realize it your life will be full of spiritual understanding that will confirm that your Heavenly Father loves you and that His plan is fair and true and we should strive to understand it and enjoy living it."

M. Russell Ballard, “Equality through Diversity,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 89

One Thing Most Needed . . .

“If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are desperately seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an ‘iron rod’ as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life, amidst the strange and devious roadways that would eventually lead to destruction and to the ruin of all that is ‘virtuous, lovely, or of good report’.”

Harold B. Lee, “The Iron Rod,” Ensign, Jun 1971, 5

Prepare Spiritually and Temporally . . .

"Just as it is important to prepare ourselves spiritually, we must also prepare ourselves for our temporal needs.

"First, gain an adequate education.

"Second, live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day.

"Third, avoid excessive debt.

"Fourth, acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life.

". . . prepare spiritually and temporally for the strength and security of our family units."

L. Tom Perry, “‘If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear’,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 35

Whether You LIke it or Not . . .

"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.”

Thomas Henry Huxley, in John Bartlett, comp., Familiar Quotations (1968), 725, as quoted by Sue Hirase, “Healing My Homesickness,” Ensign, Jan. 2010, 66

A Necessary but Painful Process . . .

“One’s life … cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free. …

“Therefore, how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, ‘Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!’ …

“Real faith … is required to endure this necessary but painful developmental process.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds,” Ensign, May 1991, 88, 90, as quoted by Adam C. Olson, “Making Mountains: The Parables of the Mountain Guide and the Mountain,” Ensign, Jan 2010, 46–49.

Stand Steady and Face it . . .

We live in a day when the adversary stresses on every hand the philosophy of instant gratification. We seem to demand instant everything, including instant solutions to our problems. …

It was meant to be that life would be a challenge. To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal.

Teach our members that if they have a good, miserable day once in a while, or several in a row, to stand steady and face them. Things will straighten out.

There is great purpose in our struggle in life.

President Boyd K. Packer, “Solving Emotional Problems in the Lord’s Own Way,” Ensign, Jan 2010, 50–51

When Humanity is Feverish . . .

"In a world of some discouragement, sorrow, and overmuch sin, in times when fear and despair seem to prevail, when humanity is feverish with no worldly physicians in sight, I too say, 'Trust Jesus.'"

Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Look to God and Live’,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 13

My Progress

I've been making goals as I've been doing this blog. Time to see how I'm measuring up.

1- I still need to answer the questions about scripture study. I'll do that for today's study session, and if I still don't find all the answers, it will lead me on to tomorrow's.

2-What about my scripture reading goal? Not working out like I planned. Turns out I have more time in the in-between moments of life than I do in the time slots I designated. This blog helps a lot. I feel more compelled to reach for spiritual heights if I can share it with someone. Thanks. I'll let you know what schedule ends up sticking. ^.^

3-What about the goal "to not wish for others to change, or for money to spend, or for a secret fairy to come in my sleep and deliver me from my troubles"? It's harder than I realized it would be. I'm getting better at not wishing for others to change or for a secret fairy to touch her wand to my head and have all my cares washed away in a brilliant shower of gold sparkles, but not wishing for money to spend is hard. So I'm trying my hand at writing on the side to see if I can generate some revenue. The only one that I can change is me, after all. ^.^

So my questions for you are:

1-What makes it easy or hard for you to live the gospel?

2-How do you share the gospel with others?

3-What do you do for your scripture study?

Infinite Power of Hope

In this YouTube video by MormonMessages, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, shares how hope encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. More information on this topic can be found here.

Not Something You Have Today and Keep Always . . .

The Lessons

One of the great, enduring lessons of the Kirtland period is that our spirits need constant nourishment. As President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) taught: “Testimony isn’t something that you have today and you keep always. Testimony is either going to grow and grow to the brightness of certainty, or it is going to diminish to nothingness, depending upon what we do about it. I say, the testimony that we recapture day by day is the thing that saves us from the pitfalls of the adversary.”6 We need to stay close to the Lord every day if we are to survive the adversity that we all must face.

In some ways our world today is similar to Kirtland of the 1830s. We too live in times of financial distress. There are those who persecute and rail against the Church and its members. Individual and collective trials may sometimes seem overwhelming.

That is when we need, more than ever, to draw near unto the Lord. As we do, we will come to know what it means to have the Lord draw near unto us. As we seek Him ever more diligently, we will surely find Him. We will see clearly that the Lord does not abandon His Church or His faithful Saints. Our eyes will be opened, and we will see Him open the windows of heaven and shower us with more of His light. We will find the spiritual strength to survive even during the darkest night.

Although some of the Saints in Kirtland lost sight of the spiritual experiences they had, most did not. The majority, including William Draper, held fast to the spiritual knowledge God had given them and continued to follow the Prophet. Along the way they experienced more bitter trials but also more sweet spiritual growth until, ultimately, those who endured to the end were “received into … a state of never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2:41).

Strengthening Your Testimony

“Strengthening Your Testimony,” Ensign, Jan. 2010, 8

Take this self-evaluation quiz to help you think about how you are doing in strengthening your testimony:

• • Do I desire to believe?

• • Do I fast and pray for a stronger testimony?

• • Do I read and ponder the scriptures each day?

• • Do I try to keep the commandments each day?

• • Do I try to follow promptings from the Holy Ghost?

• • Do I bear my testimony when prompted to do so?

• 
  

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Hold on a Little Longer,” Ensign, Jan 2010, 4–8

In the Midst of Pain

Recently in his own pain and suffering, my friend and associate Elder Clinton Cutler said of his experience, “The Lord’s peace comes not without pain, but in the midst of pain.”

Our Father in Heaven has promised us peace in times of trial and has provided a way for us to come to Him in our need. He has given us the privilege and power of prayer. He has told us to “pray always” and has promised He will pour out His Spirit upon us. (D&C 19:38.)

Thankfully, we can call upon Him anytime, anywhere. We can speak to Him in the quiet thoughts of our mind and from the deepest feelings of our heart. It has been said, “prayer is made up of heart throbs and the righteous yearnings of the soul.” (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977, p. 238.) Our Heavenly Father has told us He knows our thoughts and the intents of our hearts. (D&C 6:16.)

Rex D. Pinegar, “Peace through Prayer,” Ensign, May 1993, 65

The Powers of Heaven . . .

"The powers of heaven are available to everyone through righteousness. Mormon teaches that “every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ” (Moro. 7:16; emphasis added).

"My plea for each of us is to recognize that God has given each of us power—the power to act, to choose, to serve, to love, and to accomplish much good. Perhaps it is time to take control of ourselves. Our prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, has said, “Be faithful … do good.” He has told us: “we have nothing to fear. God is at the helm. … He will shower down blessings upon those who walk in obedience to His commandments” (Ensign, May 1995, p. 71).

Janette Hales Beckham, “The Power of Goodness,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 11

To Safe Guard the Family...

As I was studying about the family in the scriptures, I came across this entry in the Bible Dictionary. "Family life is safe guarded with such divine commandments as . . . Exodus 20:12, 14-17." (See also Mosiah 13: 20-24.)

12 ¶ ^aHonour thy ^bfather and thy ^cmother: that thy ^ddays may be ^elong upon the ^fland which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
14 Thou shalt not commit ^aadultery.

15 Thou shalt not ^asteal.

16 Thou shalt not bear ^afalse witness against thy ^bneighbour.

17 Thou shalt not ^acovet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s ^bwife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

I hadn't thought that those commandments were part of safe guarding the family before. But pondering on it, they really do. Especially the last four. Don't break the trust with your marriage partner by fooling around. Don't be sneaky and take things that don't belong to you (trust issues again). Don't lie about others (is it me, or is that something else dealing with trust?). And be satisfied with what you have.

Perhaps we could say that being satisfied with what you have could cure most of those ills. So that's my goal for today: to not wish for others to change, or for money to spend, or for a secret fairy to come in my sleep and deliver me from my troubles. I suppose that the only one I can wish to change is myself. So far I need to work on the times when I will study the scriptures. The goal I set previously isn't working out yet. I'm making time, just not enough time. More on that later.

Always Remember Him. . .

In a previous post, I talked about the importance of finding the ‘rocks’ or important things that we need to accomplish in our daily lives. One thing in particular stands out to me; it is the covenant we make with the Lord every Sunday when we partake of the sacrament. And it’s interesting because the Lord teaches by repetition. In the prayer on the bread, we covenant to “always remember Him” (DC 20:77). Then in the prayer on the water, we covenant AGAIN to “always remember Him” (DC 20:79). It is the only covenant repeated in both prayers. Heavenly Father wouldn’t have us covenant twice to always remember his Son if it weren’t essential to our spiritual journey on this earth.

One way that we can “always remember” Christ is to make time in our daily lives is to “give heed to the words of Christ” (Alma 37:44). In other words, we can set a time in our schedules to study the scriptures. I’m going to do that. My goal is to read the scriptures around 12pm every weekday, around 1pm on Saturday and after 8pm or before church on Sunday. I have a goal also to record my progress here, because "to change is difficult." And this is a big change for me.

Do you have a set time for studying the scriptures? Is it a set length of time or just until you feel fulfilled?

Let’s make the journey together.

Burning Questions about Scripture Study

Lately I've had a burning desire to understand how to study the scriptures better. How is it that I'm supposed to read and understand the information inside them? How am I to apply and live the words of Christ daily? What's the difference between a spiritual immersion into the scriptures and reading just because we're told to?

I'm going to focus on finding the answers to these and other questions about scripture study. I really want to know what I'm supposed to do and how to do it.

Come on the journey with me.

How to Study the Scriptures

"If we are to be effective in our study of the scriptures, we must prepare for it to be a special spiritual experience. The following suggestions may be helpful.

1. Schedule

"Schedule a time to search the scriptures daily. Scripture study is such an essential part of our spiritual development that we must take time and make it a priority in our daily schedule. Our spirits should never be deprived of the much-needed spiritual nourishment which comes from scripture study. Without this spiritual food our spirits become starved and weakened to temptation.

"President Kimball taught the principle that “no father, no son, no mother, no daughter should get so busy that he or she does not have time to study the scriptures and the words of modern prophets.” (Ensign, May 1976, p. 47.)

2. Pray

"We should begin and end each study session with prayer. We must invite the Spirit to teach us. Nephi taught that: “the mysteries of God shall be unfolded … by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (1 Ne. 10:19.)

3. Search

"To search is to seek, to explore, to examine carefully. As we study we should do so with purpose, searching for specifics and an expansion of our vision of eternal truth. We must search for principles, doctrines, answers to questions, and solutions to problems. We should look for doctrinal relationships and for possible hidden meanings of that which has been recorded.

4. Ponder

"To ponder is to meditate, to think, to feast, and to treasure. It is more than a mental method, it is a spiritual striving to obtain and to understand truth. We should follow the process taught by the Savior to the Nephites as he taught them sacred principles. He then instructed them to “Go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow.” (3 Ne. 17:3.)

"We should ponder the meanings of the things we learn from our search of the scriptures. The Apostle Paul instructed the Philippian Saints to “think on these things.” (Philip. 4:8.) To think involves forming mental images in the mind and focusing intently upon that which has been discovered. Nephi counseled to “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Ne. 32:3.) To feast is to consume, to digest, to absorb.

"As we ponder, we should follow the counsel of the Savior when he said, “Treasure up in your minds continually the words of life.” (D&C 84:85). This implies that we should repeat in our minds the principles we have learned and draw upon them in each of our decisions.

5. Relate

"Nephi has counseled to “liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.” (1 Ne. 19:23.) We must read as if the Lord were speaking directly to us in a personal manner.

6. Apply

"President Marion G. Romney counseled: “Learning the gospel from the written word … is not enough. It must also be lived. … One cannot fully learn the gospel without living it.” (Ensign, Sept. 1980, p. 4.) As we learn a principle, we must make a real effort to apply and to live it in our life."

--L. Lionel Kendrick, “Search the Scriptures,” Ensign, May 1993, 13

What's Most Important?

A teacher stood in front of his class with a large jar and a pile of rocks on the table in front of him. As the class watched, the teacher filled the jar to the top with the large rocks. Then he asked, “Is the jar full?”

The students, seeing a jar full of rocks answered, “Yes.”

“It is not.” The teacher then pulled out a large bucket of sand, which he added to the jar with rocks in it. After filling the jar to the top with sand, the teacher asked, “Is the jar full?”

The class saw a jar completely filled with rocks and sand and answered, “Yes.”

“It is not.” The teacher then pulled out a pitcher of water and filled the jar to the brim. Then he asked, “What is the point of this lesson?”

The students answered, “To fill the jar.”

“No,” said the teacher. “If we would have started with the sand and water, we would not have had room to put the rocks in. The lesson is for you to find what the ‘rocks’ are in your life. What are the important things that you need to do, and how are you going to make time for them so they don’t get left outside your jar at the end of the day?” (Hilton, John III, “Please Pass the Scriptures,” 13; rewritten by me. Also, various examples on the Internet.)

One of my "rocks" is scripture study. I find that when I make time each day to search, ponder, and pray about the scriptures, I am filled with the Holy Ghost and am guided in all that I do. May you find time in your daily life to incorporate the words of Christ and be guided by Him.

A Person of Ordinary Ability . . .

"The Lord has a great work for each of us to do. You may wonder how this can be. You may feel that there is nothing special or superior about you or your ability. Perhaps you feel, or have been told, that you are stupid. Many of us have felt that, and some of us have been told that. Gideon felt this when the Lord asked him to save Israel from the Midianites. Gideon said, “My family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judg. 6:15). He had only 300 men, but with the help of the Lord, Gideon defeated the armies of the Midianites.

"The Lord can do remarkable miracles with a person of ordinary ability who is humble, faithful, and diligent in serving the Lord and who seeks to improve himself."

--James E. Faust, “On the Edge,” New Era, Feb 1997, 4


This quote gives me comfort and hope.

Sometimes I feel like the world weighs on my shoulders and there's nothing I can do about it because I'm just an insignificant me. But the Lord works through "small and simple" things to bring to pass great works.

Even though I may not feel that I have the ability to do much, the little things that I do can have a great impact - one I may not even realize. I know that if I work toward striving to do all the Lord would have me do and improving myself a little at a time that I will bring about something great.

Weeping may endure for a night. . .

"As we ponder the events that can befall all of us--even sickness, accident, death, and a host of lesser challenges--we can say, with Job of old, "Man is born unto trouble." . . .It may be safely assumed that no person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and tribulation. Nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil, ruin, and misery. . . To all who so despair, may I offer the assurance of the Psalmist's words: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

--President Thomas S. Monson, “Peace in Our Savior,” Ensign, Jun 2005, 2–7

"Repent . . . that I may heal you" by Niel L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve

I recently gave a talk on Elder Niel L. Andersen's talk, "Repent . . . that I May Heal You." The following are some amazing Jewels from that talk.

"The Lord’s desire that we come unto Him is often an invitation to repent. ‘Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.’

"The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to “re-turn” toward God.

"For most, repentance is more a journey than a one-time event. It is not easy. To change is difficult. It requires running into the wind, swimming upstream. Jesus said, 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.'

“Sometimes in our repentance, in our daily efforts to become more Christlike, we find ourselves repeatedly struggling with the same difficulties. As if we were climbing a tree-covered mountain, at times we don’t see our progress until we get closer to the top and look back from the high ridges. Don’t be discouraged. If you are striving and working to repent, you are in the process of repenting.

“For those who are truly repentant but seem unable to feel relief: continue keeping the commandments. I promise you, relief will come in the timetable of the Lord. Healing also requires time.

*Change this next part to be more personal. “At this very moment, someone is saying, “Brother Andersen, you don’t understand. You can’t feel what I have felt. It is too difficult to change.”

“You are correct; I don’t fully understand. But there is One who does. He knows. He has felt your pain. He has declared, “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” The Savior is there, reaching out to each of us, bidding us: “Come unto me.” We can repent. We can!"