It's not called the 'Solution' Society!

I really love this quote:

“The very name "Relief Society" describes our purpose: to provide relief. While we often have the desire and the natural tendency as women to fix what's broken, we are not the "solution society." We are the Relief Society. We can soothe a suffering heart when we can't eliminate the trouble. We can bring reassurance and support, kindness, and calm.”

—Elaine L. Jack , Ensign, Nov. 1995

Another Journal Entry - Happiness!

I just re-read this that I had written from September 2005. As I read it it reminded me that I need to do that again, to take joy in the little things that happen all the way throughout the day, and record them, because it is so easy to not even recognise how awesome your life is! Here it is:

“And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.”
(2 Nephi 5:27)

I thought about that scripture when I woke up yesterday, and made it my goal to ‘live after the manner of happiness’ that day. So as I lay in bed coming around to consciousness (which sometimes takes me a while!) I decided to count the number of times I felt happy that new day - after 200 times I stopped counting, but kept feeling happy. I had counted things like:

Singing in the shower, hugging a stranger in the supermarket, pointing the shower head the wrong way and spraying myself in the face (which I have done umpteen times before!), skipping and running through the park with the kiddies, jumping up and down on the bed and then falling off because I was laughing so hard (which also kept me laughing for hours after!), remembering ‘June memories’, driving with the windows in the car down and singing at the top of our voices and seeing other drivers laugh at us, seeing the sun shining on a beautiful flower, smelling freshly cut grass, flopping on my bed with fresh crisp sheets on, reading my Book of Mormon, having a gospel conversation, doing research for something I’m writing, getting an email from a friend, feeling needed, receiving a thank you from a stranger, remembering my testimony, making a present for someone, basking in the sun, looking at a picture a young woman painted of me, reading a card another young woman had sent me, wearing a yellow t-shirt that reminds me of my mum, finding a pair of trousers which I thought I had lost as they were too small – only to discover they now fit:), wearing some fluffy socks, feeling peace, looking at a bag I had made on Saturday night (it's sooo lush!)and laughing at fighting with me friend over bits of material for it, reminiscent of my mum:), counting the flowers in my bedroom, doing a handstand (which is something that you all would’ve found very funny if you had seen it too!), saying my prayers, praying sincerely for a couple of people and feeling how much Heavenly Father loves them, pretending to conduct an orchestral piece for my sister & dad, finding accommodation near to the temple in Denmark for me to stay in, cleaning my sisters room, doing a boy push-up, seeing if I could walk from the lounge to end of the garden with my eyes closed, playing songs on the piano, meeting a baby's gaze, oh oh oh, and I went in a shop yesterday and there was some music playing in the background, and there was a baby boy, about 18 months old, whose head was bobbing in time to the music, with the kind of rhythm I could only dream of having:).

Well, those are just the ones which came to mind first off – so you can see how I got to 200 so quickly. I suspect that is normal, but I certainly didn’t recognize how many happy moments I had each day until I counted them.

I read this somewhere yesterday:
“First, we must visualize our objective. What is our purpose? The Prophet Joseph Smith counseled: “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God”
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 255–56).

I hope that happiness will be yours today also:)

"The Publicity Dilema" by the LDS Church

A fabulous article from the Church addressing the HBO show 'Big Love', 'Prop 8', and other responses to the negative portrayal of the Church and it's members - a definite model to how we should personally act when faced with criticism.

Experiencing Joy

"When I think of happiness or joy in this life, I begin with some experiences that are simple and basic. I see the expression on the face of a one-year-old taking those first steps. I think of a child loving a puppy or a kitten. If the more mature have not dulled their physical or spiritual sensitivities by excess or disuse, they can also experience joy in what is simple and basic..."

—Dallin H Oaks Ensign, Nov. 1991

Undeveloped Film

I believe most of what we need to know is already within us.

When N. Eldon Tanner was made president of the West European Mission in the early 1960’s he visited the missionaries in France. He told them that they were not really taking to their investigators some new and undreamed–of doctrine. “No,” he said. “Instead, think of it this way: all these people were exposed to the gospel long before you or they came to this earth. It’s all these in their minds and spirits, like undeveloped photographic film, your job is just to develop the film.”

When I was a little girl we used to have a darkroom in our attic as one of my brothers was very much into photography. I used to love going up there and watching the film develop in the dark. Just like an undeveloped photographic film, it seems to me that the way that we are developed is often in a ‘darkroom’ also. The times of greatest growth seem to happen at times of our greatest need or trial. It’s those times that we realise what is really within us, and what our relationship with our beautiful Saviour is.

I am so grateful for the times in the dark, but also for the times in the Light which is when I can fully appreciate what has developed within me.

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).

May the Light shine in your hearts today.

Which One is Me?

There should not be, as someone has said, “one self for church, another self for business, another for recreation, home, travel, and so on.” This point is well expressed in the following verse by Edward Sanford Martin:

Within my earthly temple there’s a crowd;
There’s one of us that’s humble, one that’s proud,
There’s one that’s broken-hearted for his sins,
There’s one that unrepentant sits and grins;
There’s one that loves his neighbor as himself,
And one that cares for naught but fame and pelf.
From much corroding care I should be free
If I could once determine which is me!

(“My Name Is Legion,” in Obert C. Tanner, Christ’s Ideals for Living, Salt Lake City: Deseret Sunday School Union Board, 1955, p. 118.)

President Hinckley Always Makes Me Cry!!

This is a clip called "Lesson I Learned as a Boy", from a talk given by President Hinckley, and it made me cry! It shows the power of choices. When we make choices based on love the Lord can use us. Don't you just love President Hinckley, oh, and remember to mute the music on my blog before watching.

Winning the Battles

Maybe some of you have wondered, like me, why the wars are recorded in the Book of Mormon. I am sure there are lots of explanations and things that we can gain from reading them. As I read Mormon 1 & 2 I noticed that the Nephites usually won the battles against the Lamanites, or else they ran away from them, here’s a quick rundown:

Abt 322AD
- There were many battles between the Nephites and the Lamanites, the Nephites won each of these battles.

Abt 327 - 330AD
- The Lamanites came into battle against the Nephites and the Nephites fled and went to fortify themselves against attack
- The Lamanties come again and drive them out of the next land
- Then there’s another big battle and a lot of bloodshed, the Nephites eventually win

Abt 345AD
- Lamanites attacked again and the Nephites fled again
– Then they were driven forth again.

Abt 346AD
- Lamanites attacked. Nephites won.
- Nephites attacked the Lamanites and won

I wondered why the Lamanites kept on attacking even though the Nephites mostly won the battles, surely they would’ve given up especially at the beginning when there were many battles and they lost every one?

I believe Satan deals with us the same way - just because we have beaten him, or a temptation one time, that doesn’t mean that’s it forever. Sometimes the battles are easy because the Lord is with, other times, we are ill-prepared and we have to flee to fortify ourselves, other times, serious damage is done. I remember not so long ago, thinking I had conquered a particular weakness, but realized that what I now thought was a strength was still be subject to attack. That was good for me to know. Satan is very persistent, and never gives up on us, but can never win, only as we let him – as we have the strength of the Lord on our side.

“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.”
(Alma 13:28 - 29)

Overcoming Aloneness

"The key to overcoming aloneness and a feeling of uselessness [is] to step outside yourself by helping others... We promise those who will render this kind of service that, in some measure, you will be healed of the loss of loved ones or the dread of being alone. The way to feel better about your own situation is to improve someone else's circumstances."
(Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, Nov. 1989)

And there are definitely many people who need us at the moment.

Inconsistent Discipleship

Neal A Maxwell in his book 'Men & Women of Christ' said:

"We can ease the stress caused by our inconsistency, pain through which we put ourselves repeatedly. Unfortunately, like Oliver Cowdrey, we do not always "continue as [we] commenced" (D&C 9:5). As with our wasteful automobile driving habits that consume extra energy because of quick starts and stops, so it may be with inconsistent discipleship we actually inflict costs on ourselves in the face of divine counsel."

It's hard to keep the momentum of change going sometimes isn't it. Sometimes we try to run faster that we are able, which leaves us too tired to complete the journey as we had planned. To be a consistent disciple we need to run as fast as 'the Lord' knows we need to run, and just as we would regularly service our cars, so we need those regular spiritual tune-ups too to keep our engine in tip-top condition. It's the only way we won't 'become weary and faint' on our journey.

I hope you will be full of energy today - if not physically, spiritually!

A Warm Glow for the Elderly

"What [the elderly] need in the loneliness of their older years is, in part at least, what we needed in the uncertain years of our youth: a sense of belonging, an assurance of being wanted; not merely a room in a building, but room in someones heart and life. We cannot bring them back the morning hours of youth. But we can help them live in the warm glow of a sunset made more beautiful by our thoughtfulness..."
—Richard L. Evans, Thoughts for One Hundred Days

Please share some of your love today.

Spiritual Lightning

This is from one of my favorite gospel writers:

“And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word [the doctrine of Christ] in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.” (Alma 33:23).

Having burdens lightened through the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ requires planting in the soul a spiritual knowledge of things as they really are (see Jacob 4:13). Much of the heaviness that we bear develops from a faith that is not sufficiently informed.

When we are weighed down by the problems of a telestial world, we need some spiritual lightening. Spiritual lightening suggests spiritual principles and powers that can light up our minds and lighten our loads. It may be possible to assume too great a burden and to take it all too seriously. This is possible even when the damages in our lives involve sex, drugs, and other heavy sorrows – because virtually all damage, innocently incurred, or self-inflicted, is ultimately reversible through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is spiritual lightening to realize that in most cases the actual details of the elements of our lives matter less than what we choose to become in the midst of them”.
(from ‘Spiritual Lightening’ by M. Catherine Thomas, p.2 & 7)

I think that is a powerful statement that “the actual details of the elements of our lives matter less than what we choose to become in the midst of them”. The “why me?” questions are often the ones which accentuate the burdens we face, and the way forward is when we start answering the questions of “what am I to learn?” and “who am I to help?” because of these things.

As we come unto the Lord with full purpose of heart we will see things as they really are, because we will have the vision of eternity.

Tools from the Rock

The story of Nephi being commanded to build the ship has always been one of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon. The Lord had told Lehi and his family to get to the promised land, and he told Nephi how that journey would be possible:

“And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.”
(1 Nephi 17:8)

To build his ship, he knew he would need to right tools, and this is where he went to get them:

“And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock.”
(1 Nephi 17:16)

If we liken the ship to the type of life we lead, and the tools to the attributes that we have, the only place to go to make a ship, or a life, which is after the manner God has in mind for us, is to go to the Rock, our Redeemer, this is the only place we can go to find the tools of love, peace, kindness, longsuffering, patience, faith, that will help us to build a life that ensures our journey will be a happy one for us. This we can control.

I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the Comforter which enlightens our minds and brings understanding along the way.

With best wishes for a beautiful day.

The Testaments - Part 7 - The Final Clip