GOSPEL OF HOPE-NUMBERS DON'T LIE

Alma 13:28-29

But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;

Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.

These are great words to live by. I reminder that I want to become better than I was yesterday. Heavenly Father is so merciful with all of us. He wants us to be happy. The gospel is the gospel of hope. Praying and watching continually will help us to not be tempted about which we can bear. Going to church, saying our prayers and reading our scriptures helps us stay watchful and keeps our mind linked to god.

A girlfriend from work let me borrow a book of quotes she has kept. I don't have his name with me, so I appologize--but I will add it as soon as I know who said the quote, but the quote basically said that if we are members of the church in an average life time we will have partaken/participated in renewing our sacrement covenants over 3,000 times. That says to me that we have a merciful father in heaven who knows we are going to screw up at least 3,000 times or more. That tells me that one can't be reminded enough to keep moving forward, keep trying and to keep holding on. at least 3,000 times to renew our covenants, at least 3,000 times to start afresh again...just imagine if we were able to go to the temple once a month or a few times a month. if it is just twice a month that is 1,400 of God's children we are helping on the other side. 1,400 souls (because we can't start attending until we are 12) and who knows how many sets of missionaries that helped prepare them. Going a few times a month doesn't seem to be a lot, but when you look at a life time of doing it--the impact is significant. We are told by small and simple things, are great things brought to pass. Going to church and renewing our covenants weekly is such a small act--but an act that I believe Alma knew would change lives. Change lives enough to try to achieve all we are suppose to become in those two verses:
-humble ourselves before God
-call on his holy name
-watch and pray continually - so we won't be tempted above that which we can bare
-be led by the holy spirit
-BECOMING
-humble
-meek
-submissive
-patient
-full of love
AND
-ALL long-suffering
-HAVING
-faith on the Lord
-a hope that we will have eternal life (hope we are going to make it!)
-love of god ALWAYS in our hearts
-be lifted up ta the last day
-enter into his rest

Oh I love that Alma said "becoming", not become. To become something is an end destination. If I have become skinny, I am skinny! ;) But becoming something--"becoming" is a process not a destination. I believe the decision of always becoming better then we are right now, will land us a destination entering (again "enter" is a process) into his rest. Alma did not say we will be "in" the rest of god, but "enter" into his rest. The partaking of the sacrement 3,000 times in a life time my math says starting at age eight and living to the age of 72, that is 64 years of partaking of the sacrement 48 times a year because 4 Sundays are gone for stake and general conference, that gives you over 3,328 times taking that sacrement. And that is if you are never sick or have to skip a Sunday! I HATE math and numbers, but boy, I sure get excited over this!

Just another reminder of how perfect God is and how far I am off, BUT that he is willing to work with me--a whole lot! At least 3,000 times a lot. Repetition, second chances, repentance--the ultimate phrase is the Atonement.

No wonder it is called the gospel of hope! At least 3,000 times hoping at becoming better than we are right now!

In case I don't have a chance to say Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas! Merry means = full of cheerfulness or gaiety; joyous in disposition or spirit. Christmas is the celbration of the birth of Jesus Christ. May we all be FULL of cheerfulness (my parents are such a good example to me on this) because JESUS was born, lived, died, and IS living for us. May we be, "Joyous in Christ". And with 3,000 chances at least-how can one not be joyous at that!?!

Merry Christmas.

ps. Thanks to little Mia for being so amazingly cute!

Peace vs. peace

This morning, after going to bed quite late, Heavenly Father was kind enough to help me roll out of bed at 6 so I could go walking. 3 new inches of snow covered the ground. I walked around the condos with general conference in my ears and deep gratitude in my heart. I love the gospel! I love that I have the gospel. I love that my parents taught me the gospel--sometimes I am sure it felt as thought it were in vain. I love that I have a personal Savior, who died for all men including me and would have just atoned even if it was only for me. It was a beautiful morning in the dark, half moon, lit sky.

As I knelt down to say my morning prayers I felt to sing a song to help me have the spirit. Without thought of what song to sing, out loud on my knees I started singing Hymn 207, It Came upon the Midnight Clear. I admit I did not know all the words, but found myself singing "Peace on the earth, good will to men". At the moment I sang "Peace" my mind brought to view of a baby in a manger. I could not finish singing as the magnitude of the word struck chords in my heart. I have always thought of peace on earth as kindness, love, no hated or contention--which that is part of peace, but the impression upon my mind was that the angles were singing Jesus Christ was on the earth. Peace is the Savior! And now as I read the rest of the sentence it has always been there, but I have never registered the meaning - "Peace on the earth, good will to men from heaven's all-gracious King." Peace, like Savior, Redeemer, Morning Star, Breath of Heaven, Messiah, Captain, Gardner, Lord, Master--is just another name the scriptures and angels call the Savior. He is the Prince of Peace-our Heavenly King all-gracious sent His Son, "Peace". I am sure everyone else has caught this meaning before, but this is news to my mind and heart today!

Peace was placed in a manger. Peace, taught in the temple. Peace healed the lepers. Peace came upon the waters and calmed the sea. Peace left men to ponder. Peace healed the brokenhearted.

As I finished my prayer I came to my desk to finish my study in Alma 7. And there in the last verse of the chapter we are told how one can have "Peace"/"peace".

And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess, your women and your children, according to your faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus I have spoken. Amen.

According to your faith and good works!

The Savior can be ever present in our lives, all we possess can have both "Peace" touch it, prosper it, heal it. That brings "peace" and "Peace"! To always abound in good works in verse 24 we are told we have to have faith, hope, and charity, THEN we will always abound in good works. And with faith and good works the peace of God comes.

If I have the prince = "Peace" in me or resting upon me, surely my heart can calm contentions. Surely I will have the spirit to keep clinging to the iron road. Surely I will give more benefit of doubts instead of jumping to unfair judgments/thoughts, surely I will focus more perfectly on the good in others rather then their struggles.

Peace was born on the earth the angles declared. And He still is and can be in our hearts and in our actions. Peace died upon a cross and conquered death.

May my faith and good works--brings Peace, Jesus Christ.

MIRACLE IN THE DRYER?!!

What do you get when you cross a nice pair of dress slacks with a piece of paper/tissue?!
A mess!!

Mom called me the other day to share a miracle. She said she was doing a load of dark laundry. After the clothes had all been put into the water she had the impression to check her pockets. Wanting to be obedient to the prompting she pulled out each fully soaked piece of clothing and looked through the pockets. All she found was a hotel room key. Satisfied that she had followed the prompting she left the clothes to be washed.

After the load was finished she put the clothes in the dryer. When the dryer ended she opened the door and pulled out the first garment. She found 2 pieces of lint (of what you would get when you wash a tissue). An "Oh no!" filled her mind. She must have not found a hidden tissue in one of the pockets. She was not excited for the mess of a washed tissue.

To her surprise she finished pulling all the laundry out of the dryer only to find her clothing was all in good order--no more lint to be found anywhere. She figured she didn't wash a tissue and the two white pieces she had found were left over from another load.

She pulled out the lint screen to find it was completely CAKED on with tissue. At least a good 1/2 inch thickness across the whole screen. For anyone who does laundry--you know the time waster it is when you find you have washed a tissue because another load and 8 lint roller brush papers later you finally have your clothes back to normal. As she pulled off the heavy amount of lint the scripture came to her mind- "...after all we can do."

She received a prompting to check her pockets. She did, every one- but found nothing. She did all she could do. And instead of getting a batch of laundry back looking like my pants above, she only had 2 pieces of lint and a lint screen chuck full of tissue. The Lord took care of what she couldn't do...

Now I know what someone is thinking. "Does the Lord really care about tissue in a pocket? Would he preform a miracle on wet tissue?" Well this much I do know.
-My mom had an impression and followed it. She did go through ever piece of clothing. She pulled them out of the water each one and checked the pockets. She only found a plastic card.
-I can testify of what a batch looks like when you wash a tissue! Look at above! That was only one article of clothing from a batch that looked all the same--"snowville". I pulled out my laundry quite annoyed with the mess and the time it would take to correct the mess.
-I know that God cares about my mom.
-She had I am sure prayed like she had every day asking to accomplish what needed to get done.
-Had the tissue not been miraculously collected she would have spent a lot of time (a lot being another hour re-doing a load but on a fully scheduled day and hour can be killer!)
-As soon as she pulled out the lint catcher and saw the matted thickness of tissue the end of a scripture popped into her head...

2 Nephi 25:23
For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

She did all she could do! And because of that, God preformed a miracle in the dryer! She and I both believe that she was permitted to see the 2 pieces of white tissue on a pair of pants just so she would know the the magnitude of the miracle preformed.

So come on Bryndi! It is just Tissue gathered in a lint screen... Right?! If the Lord in His mercy will help my mom with a load of laundry then surely he will help with greater things. And He does! I have had many impressions since this experience with remembering that I do my very best-all I can do and the Lord will make up the rest. Doesn't mean we aren't going to have days of wet tissue all over our dark clothes. Believe me--I have done a few batches in the last couple weeks that have left me frustrated and annoyed with the extra time wasted for my carelessness of not checking all my pockets.

I am not going to do all the math of this beautiful miracle. If God will collect all the tissue in a dryer-then surely he will sustain you in your Goliath, however big or small.

I will leave with this. I know that God lives and loves us. There is not anything that stops us from having miracles daily--except ourselves. In my life I have witnessed/shared in the miracle of unseen angels, complete direction in a moment of loss, peace in the darkest of abysses, life given back-physically and spiritually, 180 degree change in attitude, hearts softened, anger hushed, kindness instead of sarcasm, mercy and love, instant healing, comfort over pain, strength in a struggle, triumph over sorrow, faith over fear, love over hate, forgiveness instead of harsh grudges, softness instead of hardness, holding of the tongue, the quietness of wet cheeks in a moment of faith, addictions conquered, enduring instead of stopping... these are just to name a few.

Christ is the reason for the season... ALL SEASONS OF LIFE! Cold ones, wet ones, hot ones, spring filled ones. Is it no wonder that we all love spring, and yet it only lasts for a few short weeks. But yet it is worth going through a long cold winter just because we know we will get and see spring!

This picture below is very symbolic to me. It was the first Christmas home from after the mission. It was taken at Nyk's (my sister) bridal shower. Taylee and I are placed right in front of Krysti's beautiful Christmas tree. (wow, I look so young! ha ha) What you can't see, is right in front of Tay and I--Kiss had up grandma's manger scene. (I wish I would have taken a picture of the scene.)

I was just walking by the manger scene headed to be with the party when I looked at the small baby Jesus laying before "the world". In an instant my heart heart got it. I was flooded with the thought that because of that infant, laid in a manger, choirs of angels sang, shepherds came and wise men searched. Because of that infant, sins can be forgiven and kindness can trump ugliness. Because of an infant worlds with out end have a reason to rejoice. There is hope. Like the sun in the sky giving light in a dark dreary place, the Savior the son of our Heavenly Father, gives life unto every darkened dreary soul. He illuminates darkness. Melts away cold. He brightens hope, He conquers fears. A King of King, a literal Prince of peace. --- all this from walking by Kiss's manger scene. I never got nor liked manger scenes before this moment. I now, can't look at a manger scene without reflecting and praising.

Jesus is the Christ. As Moses was a "type" of Him--Jesus came to set His people free!

Onward and Upward!