MIGHT HAVE AN EQUAL CHANCE...

HA, NOT A CHANCE!!!

Alma 49 is all about visiting and home teaching! I will be emailing my sisters tonight the great insights of what diligent faithful/consistent visiting teachers can do--given in this chapter!

But as a taste of how great God is--verse 22 makes me smile. The Lamanites, having an amazingly wicked used to be member of the church at their head--they, the Lamanites came to destroy their brethern the Nephites. There are so many great insights in this chapter! But I have to smile over the following verse.

Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead and wounded bodies.

The Lamanites just wanted "an equal chance to fight". HA, NOT A CHANCE! I had to smile because when we live the principles of the gospel and strive to keep God's commandments daily- WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OVER THE ADVISORY! There is no "equal" chance for Satan to get at us, because living the Gospel of Jesus Christ daily/consistently gives us power and strength, and Satan and his influences in the world just have no chance with us!

I know--you are thinking if it could only be that easy. A wise Sheri Dew said, "If life were easy, it wouldn't be hard". The fortifications on those weak cities I am sure were a lot of work. No slacking in their stride and efforts in order to be prepared. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ helps fortify you when the devil and all his temptations come to wipe you off. Home teachers and visiting teachers are the shovels of the Lord! We can help build up our brothers and sisters' cities.

And then when Satan rages--because he will and does, he too, like the Lamanites wish and long for an "equal chance to fight us". BUT FAT CHANCE and NO CHANCE! Small and simple things. The wall of dirt and the deep ditch found in Alma 49 was not built over night. But small and simple, consistent and resilient, faithful and faith filled, fixed and determined brought about a protection that made the enemy wish they could have an equal chance because they were on lower ground!

Living the gospel and all it's beautiful standards gives one GREAT advantage and protection over the father of all contention.

Pretty cool to know you are on the undefeated team A.K.A the Lord's side of the line.

To catch the whole vision of what the power of faithful leaders, home teachers and visiting teachers can do, read and be filled from Alma 49. Click Here To Read (Wow! What a moment of this blog's history! After a year of having it, this is the first time I figured out how to embed a link! See!!! MIRACLES DO HAPPEN! ha ha)

The Church is TRUE!

There is no middle ground for Satan.

SUNBEAMS

SUNBEAM = a beam or ray of sunlight.
BEAM = a group of nearly parallel rays.
RAY = a narrow beam of light-gleam or slight manifestation - light or radiance.
SUNLIGHT = the light of the sun; sunshine.
LIGHT = something that makes things visible or affords illumination


This morning, for whatever reason I felt to go play the piano before doing much of anything else. I thumbed through some songs and tried to give them a new arrangement. I came to "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam" and played a very deep and thoughtful melody.

How true that song is. Trying not to sing the primary tune, which is very cute, the meaning is quite profound.

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, to shine for him each day; In ev'ry way try to please him, at home at school, at play. A sunbeam, a sunbeam, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam. A sunbeam, a sunbeam, I'll be a sunbeam for him. Jesus wants me to be loving and kind to all I see, showing how pleasant and happy His little one can be. A sunbeam, a sunbeam, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam. A sunbeam, a sunbeam, I'll be a sunbeam for him.

One can be a beam that parallels our Savior and His love. We can, through our obedience to Him, manifest radiance in His plan for us. And as we do, the light of the "Son" we will become.

Jesus wants ME for a sunbeam!

THE WAY IS PREPARED...WALK THEREIN

The other day I came to my bedroom exhausted from the day. Although tired, God helped me open the scriptures and read through heavy eyes. I was touched and moved by Alma 41:8.

I have made a commitment to accomplish something pretty impossible based on my ability by the beginning of June. It will take nothing short of a miracle, and yet I feel it can be done. I read-

"...the way is prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved."

I honestly don't see a way for this goal to be accomplished, but again, like He does so often, God sent me a scripture to rescue my soul from losing hope. My way is prepared, and I will walk therein! Ha, literally!

God is so good! I glory in His kindness in bringing about the Book of Mormon. In darkened days and when hearts are heavy, the light of it's pages pierces my soul and I am illuminated! And when days are already sunny and bright and my heart is light, I am lifted as the scriptures say on eagles wings with the truths therein!

So moral--your life can only get better--by reading, pondering, studying, and applying the truths and principles from/in The Book of Mormon! http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/contents

A way is prepared for each of us!

WALK THEREIN!

THE CHURCH IS TRUE

Elder Orson F. Whitney said:

The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God. Looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.

Given the two options, I so much rather live, be, breathe, act, dwell in the spirit of optimistic! Wouldn't you?! :) This quote almost perfectly describes my Bishop! Who wouldn't want to not be around he and his eternal family with such an attitude always present?!

The Church is True--this is a statement that is part of my regular vocabulary. No matter what is going on in life, whether grey clouds, sunshine, sleet or blizzard covered mountains... because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true--my life is amazing! Saying the church is true is my way of having an outward reminder of my inner commitment to stay positive and optimistic. My parents may laugh a little reading this because they know better then ever that I am not ALWAYS positive nor optimistic. But I sure like to strive to be.

The Church is true!

I was particularly touched by Ali's blog this week. I don't know how to paste the link (so pathetic, I know! I am all a computer all day long, but I can't get my html coding to ever work for me...) into your browser and read her Sunday post. Her insight about forgiving ourselves is pretty awesome! http://justwinget.blogspot.com/2010/02/dear-blog.html Thanks Al!

...IS THERE MORE?

Last general conference was amazing for me. Okay, that is a "duh" statement because I always love general conference. But over and over I recount the words of Richard G. Scott's talk on Sat morning. He said:

Subsequently I prayed, reviewing with the Lord what I thought I had been taught by the Spirit. When a feeling of peace came, I thanked Him for the guidance given. I was then impressed to ask, “Was there yet more to be given?” I received further impressions, and the process of writing down the impressions, pondering, and praying for confirmation was repeated. Again I was prompted to ask, “Is there more I should know?” And there was. When that last, most sacred experience was concluded, I had received some of the most precious, specific, personal direction one could hope to obtain in this life. Had I not responded to the first impressions and recorded them, I would not have received the last, most precious guidance.

This was new insight for me at conference! It had never occurred to me to ask God if there was "more" after I finished out my prayers.

Since conference I have quite a few times felt prompted to ask when I was finished with the prayer if there was something more... and a few times there has been something more.

This morning as I knelt and prayed and received some hard things to do--but I am confided God will help me do them. I ended my prayer and jumped up to read my scriptures before running to work. But I felt that I needed to go ask Heavenly Father if there was something more He needed/wanted me to know. So I went back down to my knees and simply asked if there was something more He wanted me to know. The answer came, "You are loved". I paused on my knees and the tears spilled down my cheeks.

Two things here. Yes I know that God loves me! Just with the picture above I was sitting on a pier at 5:45 AM in Mexico studying my scriptures with the breeze on my face and the multi colored fish below my feet and the stunningly blue water surrounding me on all sides. While pondering over some scriptures, over walks a little bird just a few feet from me. It is not the most amazing shot you have ever seen, God knowing I love birds and morning light--gave me this perfect little scene to shoot.

His love is evident by the people He puts in my life, for the gospel knowledge, for temples, for quite moments made just for me--but today, there was no scene, but words. Not through a blessing but through a real one on one moment. Second, "you are loved" is the lingo I use and say to others and I could not help but smile that God would use a style I use, to get through to me.

So for anyone out there who feels alone or feels the tasks ahead are hard to bare, get back down on your knees and ask the Lord if there is anything else He would have you know. And then, when His words/feelings/impressions come...write them down. Because they will!

I am loved! So are you!