Saturday, August 21, 2010

DIRECT COURSE

I just love Alma's words--
"...never be weary of good works...be meek and lowly in heart...O, remember, learn wisdom... cry unto God for all thy support...let all thy doings be unto the Lord...let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord...let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good...at night lie down unto the Lord...risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God..." (emphasis added.) Alma 37:34-37
God really wants us to communicate/commune with him! He is surely not hiding his face.

I am embarrassed to say, I am pretty sure that I have always read verse 36 with the word in my mind of "afflictions" of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever, not "affections". TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT WORDS!! And although I do believe God wants me to place my afflictions on him-- affections means = feelings! Such beautiful council to me.

A few verses of reminders of why we don't give up on our journey. If I feel my path is not being direct, I must take heed and do a self check to see--have miracles wrought by the power of God ceased in my every day life? I am promised that I can have them daily, (vs. 40). If they have ceased, it is not because God has stopped being a God of miracles, but I have ceased "being" for God.



What transgressions?! Being slothful (is that the same thing as just forgetting to call on God...)forgetting to exercise faith--I am all about a direct course! :)

I am thankful for the atonement that allows me to get my life back in check. And by small and simple things--great things can and do come to pass!

The amazing Monica told me at the temple this week how God does extraordinary things by humble circumstances---a God was born, the son of God, laid in a manger. A compass that can show the way and have writings on it--just a humble ball of medal--but extraordinary things came to pass. Girls and guys go out, with not that much education--extraordinary things come out of their mouth, and yet they are just a means of a 19/21 year old. The Book of Mormon an extraordinary book brought about by journal entrees etched into metal. God our Father and Jesus Christ (extraordinary visitation) apear to a boy of 14 and call him by name! After baptism and receiving the gift of the holy ghost, I can be completely cleansed for the week by participating/partaking of the sacrament. Extraordinary things happen in/through/by humble means!

So it can be with my life. If I will remember to exercise faith and be diligent, God can do something extraordinary with my path and my course. I need not be wondering in a wilderness, thirsty and hungry for blessings/revelations. God has an oasis that he is willing to share with anyone who will come! A direct path for me to trod, and miracles to be had daily. They are mine for the taking, Oh if I will commune with God! Oh if I would council with him in all my doings--for I do want to be directed to do and be good works continually. Does this mean I always get a finger writing on the wall to tell me where to step and when to turn left or right? No of course not. God wanted me to come to earth to learn how to use my agency. But I do believe, if he has an opinion on something, and I have faith enough to ask, he will impress me with whatever. And when he puts it back in my court-I will just move forward, go and do, and trust/have faith that if he needs my feet/service/attention somewhere else, he will let me know.

OH what a good morning with Alma. I do love that man. Because he has sons, he is already taken. But maybe in the here after I can see if he has an available brother! ;) Ha ha, just kidding, (kind of! ;))

The church is true!

After thought:
I just posted this, and went about my day when it dawned on me the words used in verse 37 of Alma 37. "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good..." We are told to counsel with the Lord in ALL our doings. Counsel is to = advice; opinion or instruction given in directing the judgment or conduct of another. We are not told we will have a, "do this or do that" comment back from the Lord, but we are promised right there that HE WILL DIRECT us for GOOD! What a promise! I surely can put all my money in that bank! I do want to be about good, and whether he verbalizes/uses the spirit to prompt or just lets me go on my own, I can bank on the fact that I WILL be directed by him FOR good! What an awesome promise for just counseling with the Master Councilor. Again, extraordinary things come out by the means of just being on our knees. God is good!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

BE HIS

I received a text on Sunday morning asking if I would teach etiquette and dinner conversations to the Deaf Ward youth on Tues night. My First reaction was "heck no" however the spirit was quick to press to my mind that I needed to teach. Ask anyone in my family, when it comes to setting the table, I just get a letter grade of F! Maybe a D+ on a good day, but for the most part I can never remember which side the cup goes on or what side the fork goes on. Me teach etiquette, quite a joke of a thought.

And then dinner conversation?! Boy, the angels must have had a good chuckle when I texted back, "sure I will".

:)

In preparation for the evening, Tues I woke up and went walking. I flipped my ipod over to the Young women General conference presentation. I listened to a great talk, and then listened to the music played in a special presentation done at that event. The chorus to the song talked about being strong and of good courage. I enjoyed the music as I had not ever heard it before. And then, towards the end of the song, I heard it sung, "be His". The words stopped me dead in my tracks. I played that part of the song over and over. I have a list of a 100+ be's to be, but never have I heard the be to "be His". I LOVED IT! My eyes became moist as I thought of the girls and my opportunity to teach them.

Then right before I left work, I opened up an email from uncle Paul. There was a painting (the one at the top) in the email and a letter from the artist explaining his piece.
9 August 2010

The artist said:
"This painting was unique from its very beginning. It would be great if I could take credit for the composition and message it conveys but in my mind, that would be like Moses taking credit for bringing water from the stone in the desert.

"Usually when I have an idea for a painting it starts as a simple seed and it grows as I play with the image in my mind, moving the characters around, imagining the lights and shadows, the values and the colors, eventually deciding on its composition after what might be weeks or even months of pondering and sketches, but this painting was different. There was no seed, no moving of characters, it was totally different.

"I was sitting in church on a Sunday afternoon as the Sacrament was being passed and bang, there it was, the image was instantaneously placed before my mind's eye just as you see it here. This experience has happened to me only three times and it has been very special each time." --Doc Christensen
For the past two months I have been trying hard to ponder on the Savior during the preparation and participating of the sacrament. Confession, I am guilty of that being the time I am pleading for help or pleading for whatever I am in need of that week. But I have wanted to focus so badly on just Jesus Christ. When I saw this picture, I was moved. I love the look of each family member as they realize or see who is passing their sacrament. I thought I might like the picture better in black and white, but nope--it is perfect the way it is.

Looking at the picture is how I want every time I take the sacrament to be. So beautiful and sacred, and the Savior, suffered/loves me perfectly.

... And thanks to this artist Doc Christensen who followed an impression to paint. I love it!

The evening with the yw and ym went great! All my old girls that I used to teach 2 years ago, are all grown up and even more beautiful inside and out then I could have imagined them. I was grateful for the experience. As I pulled up to the church, Bishop Larson pulled up next to me. Seeing him and his family always does good for my soul! God helped me teach two subjects I am lacking in. He was very kind.

Our Heritage Makers reunion was a great sucess. So many amazing people to meet and see. It was truly a week of miracles and of God.
Meet Jeremy! This is Patti's son. By being around him last week and seeing how positive he was, even with 110 degree heat, put me in my place. By the end of working with him I was/am bound and determined to be a better person. Jeremy really has a good heart. And I love that he is a hard worker. I LOVE people who know how to work! It is a big deal for me.
Speaking of hard workers, each of these women at some point last week made me want to cry. How is that I am blessed to work with such women!?!

Starting with Debbi on the left. She is very organized/blessed with the gift of having it all together.

Then there is Marin, our HM designer. I can tell you I have never enjoyed working with a designer as much as I have enjoyed working with her. Before reunion I had a couple marketing ideas to be sold at reunion. Instead of her trying to sell me on why her design was good and how she would not budge (this is an example of past designers I have worked with, not an example of her), she constantly would ask me if what I was looking at was what I envisioned. My projects turned out because one, God is amazing and inspired some pretty cool items to create, but two because her heart is so willing to design to what people envision. Ego is not to be found in her. I love working with her.

On my left you will find Susan. She is Don's (our director over marketing and creative) wife. She didn't get paid for being there, and yet didn't mind. She said she just likes being around the consultants and hearing the new things. She and her husband are great folks. Not only is Susan a hard worker, she is fast! I loved working with her in the store.

Then Jen, is next to my right. I have found in her someone who loves God. She is so willing to serve. By the end of the week, and this banquet we were all exhausted from early mornings, late nights and little, if any sleep. Four straight days of this heavy schedule, but there was Jen after banquet already with her gown off so she could start packing all our presentations up. Love that girl!

And then of course, last on the right is Patti! My Boss, and mission blessing!

I hope she won't mind me sharing this... but before reunion there was a night when her son had quite the episode and left the house and started to walk but not in a right state of mind. Patti followed after him wanting to make sure he would be okay and to help calm him down. A few miles they walked, each with no shoes, in the middle of the night. When Patti felt she had done all she needed to do to calm down his thinking, she called her husband to come and get her and to bring her son's shoes to him so that he could wear them.

Her son was complaining to me how messed up his feet were with walking two miles without shoes and blamed it partly on Patti. ... what was so tender to me was the love of a mother. Little thought did he give to his mother's feet who where all cut up and a little raw--feet that had a big week ahead of being stood on and in uncomfortable shoes all day long for four days straight. But Patti never complained and didn't say anything. She told me the story right after we had devotional one night. She had just mentioned her feet being sore and cut up. I drug the story out of her. Patti went off to bed, and I went into the bathroom and on my knees cried as I prayed. Oh the love of a mother. Oh to us kids that have no idea the sacrifices and love our parents show forth. My own mom and dad always giving so much with no return of anything--at least usually.

I love Patti. I love my parents. Oh to the moms and dads out there who don't give up on their children and their sometimes (and sometimes often) stupid acts of agency. Nyk had quite a team in AZ. She hit Gold Director in Heritage Makers! Lots of women asked me how she was doing, and I was straight with them. Nykki is the most amazing woman I have ever met with covenant making with the Lord. When she gets a go a head with partnering with God with whatever--NOTHING can stop her from achieving it. I am sure for the Nephi in us, I would have gone back one and maybe even twice to get the brass plates, but three times? I think I would have written off the second time of, "I tried, and that must have been the test because it didn't work." But not Nyk. If she gets the okay/go a head from God that what she is about to do, or is perusing is okay--she puts all of her money in the bank and KNOWS that God will do his part. I learn a lot from this awesome little sister of mine! Little, because physically she is, but her spirit is a giant!

Does anyone know what type of tree that has flowers like this!?!?

This is my biggest regret of last week. I would walk past this tree oh, maybe 10 or so times a day. And when the blossoms are open, they make a perfect tight little star. This is a picture of the blossoms the morning I left. They were not quite open into the tight little star... but every day I would walk by this tree and every time I did I would look up to admire the stars. Lots of the flowers come to think of it at the resort were star shaped. Every time I looked at them, they made me think of God. A new star led the way for the wise men, and like the saying at Christmas time, "wise men still seek him". I want to be a wise woman and seek him always and forever.

This week on the "alter" I had the thought that I needed to place my heart before God. That meant that I was in for something that was going to break my heart. As I have been pondering this all week, really, I just want to do what God would have me do. Serving him and seeing people come closer to him is I think, the greatest joy I could experience at this time in my life. I am constantly amazed at the Christlike people that are planted in my path.

God sure does like to spoil me! And if I will follow him, he will not lead me astray.

My prayers have become more plead filled for asking for him to make me a tool. I don't want my will, or rather I want my will to become his will for me. He knows what is best. He never forsakes us or leaves us alone. He is my rock! He is salvation! He is hope and peace in the mist of a storm. In Him, I will put all my trust.

BE HIS!

This is what I want and will work on.

God is good. :)

Sunday, August 8, 2010

CHANGE

change: to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone:
God is definitely wanting me to becoming something different because my life is not to be left alone. Nor would I want to be left alone. :)

Nephi and his family as soon as they landed in the promise land they fasted in gratitude to God for bringing them to their destination safely and I am sure for a whole lot of other gratitude feelings. Today I fasted to in gratitude for the chance to be in the Provo South Stake. It all started back in 2005 after leaving a sacrament meeting in the Deaf ward and having a friend ask me to join the ward. I shook my head and said that I wasn't deaf and didn't have any deaf family members. But she said the bishop was new and I should try to join the ward. I went out to my car not giving it a second thought, but while in my car, the spirit told me to go back in and talk to the bishop. That decision started a chain reaction.

I was able to be over the sunbeams. Then I was blessed with a choice calling in YW's and worked with two amazing presidents. Lynn Snarr saw something that I could not see in myself, and had the courage/faith to put me as a councilor. Then Becca took over and had the faith and courage to keep me as a councilor. Oh the things I learned from both of these women.

Then a singles ward was formed and Becca's husband Ben Larson, was made the new bishop. Our stake president asked all the young singles to go and support the ward. I do believe in being obedient to my leaders. I went and--the choice blessing unfolded. I have never worked with such worthy priesthood holders in such a way. The last two years of the East Bay 3rd ward has been life changing.

All of these choice blessing because Heavenly father wanted me to "change" up which ward I was attending.

Well, that time for "change" has come yet again. This week in the temple after trying to discern/get over a horrible dream--by the time I left the temple, I knew I was to change wards/stakes. Never have I even given this much thought! Why would I leave the very thing that has helped bring innumerable blessings and choice people into my life?!!

However, I know in whom I trust.

Today was my first day at my new ward. The most beautiful LDS chapel I think I have ever been in. (Granted I haven't been in a TON, so this isn't saying much, but with the choir tours and the mission, I feel I have had a good exposure to different buildings. ;)) Stain glass windows and murals in the sacrament room--breath taking. In a way it was like being in an older temple with all the custom work. Such work brings another level of devotion and spirit to the whole experience. I sat in aw as I looked at the handy work (basically the handy work-to/in devotion to god)--it was beautiful.

Going to this new ward, and leaving behind the one of the choicest blessings for me of my old ward and the people associated with it, was a very sobering one. It has been a tear filled week.

My new ward is great, and everywhere I turned today I found powerhouses for God. I am not sure what I am suppose to accomplish or rather the things God would have me learn--but this I do know that all the past changes in my life that God has led me through, in the end, I always finish out that "change" with a day of fasting in pure gratitude for what God has done for my life. That was my fasting today.

To all those that have influenced my life in the last several years--I am in debt. Choice, choice brothers and sisters. Choice friends and people who I want to aspire to become more like when I grow up. I am counting my blessings by the buckets full. So grateful I am for the time I have been given to be in the Provo South Stake.

John Bytheway made the comment that Nephi said he will go and do. Not sit and stew. I have no idea why this needed change, but I will not sit and stew. I will go and do.

Change. Nothing like baptism by immersion!

Friday, August 6, 2010

"THE LORD USES US BECAUSE OF OUR UNIQUE PERSONALITIES AND DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN IN SPITE OF THEM."

Filling the Measure of Your Creation
I've often wondered of the struggles that may have plagued the mind of Moses when the Lord asked him to leave his royal privileges and position in order to serve him in abject poverty and meagerness. Contrast his mission with the Lord's design for Joseph to stay in Egypt, to use his power and prestige for righteous purposes. Apparently Jeremiah was never given the blessings of marriage or children although Jacob had the comfort and companionship of four righteous women and many children. Joshua seems to have been an incredibly confident, charismatic, take-charge kind of leader, but Moses was often reluctant and tentative and sometimes had to ask the Lord twice for directions. Each had a crucial--but very different--role to play.

Furthermore, age seems to make little difference in the diversity of this tapestry. David was a Mere child when he deftly dispatched Goliath, but Abraham was more than one hundred years old when he gave us the supreme Mortal example of faith and obedience. Esther had the wealth and attention of kings, giving her the opportunity to help save a nation, whereas Ruth was a poor, unaccepted Moabite--but one whose royal blood, ironically, carried the lineage of the Son of God himself. The Lord uses us because of our unique personalities and differences rather than in spite of them. He needs all of us, with all our blemishes and weaknesses and limitations. --Holland, Patricia T. January 17, 1989

I heard this speech from an MP3 a few weeks ago. BRILLIANT! So true, and so encouraging.

"He needs all of us, with all our blemishes and weaknesses and limitations."

How comforting to know He can still use me, US! None of us our perfect. But he knows how to perfectly use us.

Jesus is the Christ!

Believe!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

TO THE RESCUE!!!!


So yes I am a bit slow in my challange to finish the Book of Mormon in a few weeks, but I will get there! Early, early to rise it has been! :)

Mosiah 21:5 was very touching to me tonight.
And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.
Their afflictions were brought on because of their iniquities. King Noah setting a bad example, killed the prophet Abinadi, and allowed his people (with great encouragement by his own example) to have/live iniquities. Later when King Noah is killed in fulfillment of Abinadi's words... the people start to repent. But their prior choices have led them to be surrounded on every side,.

How often do the choices I make (if following my own carnal desires/natural man) lead me to a place where I can not deliver myself, there is no possible way and that the temptation/burden/enemy/has surrounded me on all sides?? This is a plead for VISITING/HOME Teachers if I have ever heard one!

Limhi's people, who were now striving to be a God fearing/loving people, because of past choices could not deliver themselves. But how sweet and kind our loving Heavenly Father has set up a trumpet and perches faithful home and visiting teachers who can sound a warning/guidance through an ensign message, who can be on the look out for danger to come, or perhaps are sent at the time that someone is in need of delivering, who cannot deliver themselves!! What a beautiful/profound, true scripture.

Now lest someone read this and think I am an AMAZING visiting teacher, I tell you I have had my fair share of sleeping on the trumpet of that duty. But I do believe in what home and visiting teaching can do.

Along with being delivered the other reminder came to my mind--is that we ALL are in need of the Savior. For we all at times are surrounded every side, no way to deliver ourselves. How we may try, if we do it alone--and that's just it--we can't do it alone. As hard as we try we can never do this life alone. We can't be delivered from our appetites and passions, we can't be delivered from death, from hell, from temptations without the Savior! And sometimes he sends us our deliverers in the form of a home teacher and visiting teacher. May we be so blessed to be on that errand.

There is NO WAY without Jesus Christ. (Thank goodness he has provided a Way through the atonement. We can be released from the jaws of hell and the awful monsters that threaten to destroy. A little mellow dramatic? To anyone who has ever felt there is no way out, no way for deliverance because one is surrounded on every side--any form of the Savior whether through a scripture, a song, a home/visiting teacher, a kind act...someone doing something for you that you can not do--is truly a tender mercy from God.

To the Rescue my God will come! And may I be worthy to be sent to the rescue if he so would have me.