My thoughts on Sister Cook's talk "Never, Never, Never Give Up!".
A plan! A simple plan to make it through this rough and tumble life.
"First, gain a strong testimony, step by step. Second, seek the help of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, your family, and others who will support you in your decision to follow the plan. And finally, live to be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost."
1. Gaining a strong testimony. How very important this has been for me as I have faced the challenges that have been thrown at me. First infertility, then a broken body, then the passing of three great member of my family and now cancer. I know for sure I would have succumb to depression and been a very angry person had I not had a testimony of the the Plan!
Sister Cook says, "Your testimony is strengthened “gradually through your experiences. No one receives a complete testimony all at once” (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 179). You’ll recall that in order to climb the steepest part of the mountain, we approached it one step at a time. To gain a testimony, you must nourish it step by step. “[Your testimony] will increase as you make decisions to keep the commandments. As you lift and strengthen others, you will see your testimony continue to develop.” As you establish personal habits of prayer, scripture study, obedience to the commandments, and service to others, “you will be blessed with moments of inspiration that will [strengthen] your testimony”.
As I prepared to run my marathon, I didn't go out the first week and run two hours. NO! I ran 30 minutes a day for weeks and slowly built up to running 120 minutes and then eventually I ran my race. My testimony is always being worked on and strengthened through the experiences I am having--but only if I allow the Spirit to touch my heart and mind and testify.
2. "Second, seek the help of others to give you added strength and support. Look first to your Heavenly Father through prayer. You are His daughter. He knows you and loves you. He hears and answers your prayers. We are taught countless times in the scriptures to “pray always” (see, for example, D&C 90:24). As you pray, the Lord will be with you just as the Lord was with Joshua."
I know this and I just need to be reminded of it when I don't feel it.
We also need to seek help from our family and friends. We are put into family units and need to go to them first. I know how hard it is to tell your family your problems. You always want to look good in their eyes. You want to be a success. It hurts when you have to go to them for help. It is much easier to go to a stranger. I think the same idea holds true when we turn to the Lord. Yet, the Lord doesn't want well people to come to him, he wants those that are sick and need him. I know as a parent I want my children to come to me when they have problems so we can work them out together. Guess I need to take my own advice.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Be of Good Courage
My thoughts on Sister Ann M. Dibb's talk "Be of Good Courage" .
Courage! I've had to deal with courage for the past few months. I've had to find it, use it and sometimes pretend until I felt I had enough courage to continue to press forward. I've feel like I've fallen short on some days.
I have taken courage in Sister Dibb's talk.
"... the Lord promises Joshua, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” We can find courage and strength in this promise that the Lord will always be there for us and will never leave us alone. We are taught that Heavenly Father knows and loves each of His children. As one of His precious daughters, you have access to His assurance and guidance through the power of prayer. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers”."
I often think of the poem about the footprints in the sand. How I want to believe that but often feel like I'm the only one walking. Like the person in the poem we have to turn around to notice that we aren't alone. That is called "remembering" and if you want an interesting study, look how often the prophets of old (and new) are asking us to REMEMBER! "Remember, remember..."
Believe it or not, I've been struggling a bit with prayer as of late. My prayers seem all the same and they seem almost unanswered. This is so perplexing. I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that my testimony of prayer was unshakable, but right now, I just don't know what is going on. My children's prayers lack faith and so do mine. Something is wacky at my house. How befuddling.
"... when the Lord tells Joshua, “Observe to do according to all the law . . . : turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” The Lord is instructing Joshua to be strictly obedient to the commandments and not to deviate from the Lord’s path. President Howard W. Hunter taught: “Joshua knew that his obedience would bring success, and although he did not know exactly how he would succeed, he now had confidence in the result. . . . Surely the experiences of the great prophets [found in the scriptures] have been recorded [and preserved] to help us understand the importance of choosing the path of strict obedience”."
I've learned a little about obedience now that I'm a mom. Funny how when you are a parent you learn a little bit about our Father in Heaven. He knows a bit more than I do and maybe I should just trust him and obey even when it is hard and the other way look more appealing. I never really have questioned commandments, I've just done it.
"Here the Lord refers to a “book of the law” and tells Joshua to “meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: . . . and then thou shalt have good success.” The Lord is instructing Joshua and all of us to read the scriptures. Daily scripture study—especially reading the Book of Mormon—establishes a firm foundation for your developing testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. It invites the Spirit into your life. President Harold B. Lee counseled, “If we’re not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner [and] our spirituality isn’t increasing in depth”."
I will say I've been very consistent with my scripture reading, but not studying. I need to get better at that. I need to cut something out of my life and add personal scripture study. I just have to be better at it. I know I think of the scriptures often, but I'm not studying them. I wonder how better my life would be if I did personal study?
"Heavenly Father knows our individual journeys are not easy. We are faced every day with situations that require courage and strength."
and he will give us the courage if we pray for it. (Now read that again Doreen and believe it and live it.)
Courage! I've had to deal with courage for the past few months. I've had to find it, use it and sometimes pretend until I felt I had enough courage to continue to press forward. I've feel like I've fallen short on some days.
I have taken courage in Sister Dibb's talk.
"... the Lord promises Joshua, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” We can find courage and strength in this promise that the Lord will always be there for us and will never leave us alone. We are taught that Heavenly Father knows and loves each of His children. As one of His precious daughters, you have access to His assurance and guidance through the power of prayer. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers”."
I often think of the poem about the footprints in the sand. How I want to believe that but often feel like I'm the only one walking. Like the person in the poem we have to turn around to notice that we aren't alone. That is called "remembering" and if you want an interesting study, look how often the prophets of old (and new) are asking us to REMEMBER! "Remember, remember..."
Believe it or not, I've been struggling a bit with prayer as of late. My prayers seem all the same and they seem almost unanswered. This is so perplexing. I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that my testimony of prayer was unshakable, but right now, I just don't know what is going on. My children's prayers lack faith and so do mine. Something is wacky at my house. How befuddling.
"... when the Lord tells Joshua, “Observe to do according to all the law . . . : turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” The Lord is instructing Joshua to be strictly obedient to the commandments and not to deviate from the Lord’s path. President Howard W. Hunter taught: “Joshua knew that his obedience would bring success, and although he did not know exactly how he would succeed, he now had confidence in the result. . . . Surely the experiences of the great prophets [found in the scriptures] have been recorded [and preserved] to help us understand the importance of choosing the path of strict obedience”."
I've learned a little about obedience now that I'm a mom. Funny how when you are a parent you learn a little bit about our Father in Heaven. He knows a bit more than I do and maybe I should just trust him and obey even when it is hard and the other way look more appealing. I never really have questioned commandments, I've just done it.
"Here the Lord refers to a “book of the law” and tells Joshua to “meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: . . . and then thou shalt have good success.” The Lord is instructing Joshua and all of us to read the scriptures. Daily scripture study—especially reading the Book of Mormon—establishes a firm foundation for your developing testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. It invites the Spirit into your life. President Harold B. Lee counseled, “If we’re not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner [and] our spirituality isn’t increasing in depth”."
I will say I've been very consistent with my scripture reading, but not studying. I need to get better at that. I need to cut something out of my life and add personal scripture study. I just have to be better at it. I know I think of the scriptures often, but I'm not studying them. I wonder how better my life would be if I did personal study?
"Heavenly Father knows our individual journeys are not easy. We are faced every day with situations that require courage and strength."
and he will give us the courage if we pray for it. (Now read that again Doreen and believe it and live it.)
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