The Sabbath

President Kimball taught how we might observe the Sabbath: “The Sabbath is a day:

• on which to take inventory—to analyze our weaknesses, 
• to confess our sins to our associates and our Lord. 
• on which to fast in ‘sackcloth and ashes.’ 
• on which to read good books, a day to contemplate and ponder, …
• to study the scriptures and to prepare sermons, 
• to nap and rest and relax, 
• to visit the sick, 
• to preach the gospel, 
• to proselyte, 
• to visit quietly with the family and get acquainted with our children, 
• for proper courting, a day to do good, 
• to drink at the fountain of knowledge 
• of instruction, 
• to seek forgiveness of our sins, 
• for the enrichment of our spirit and our soul, 
• to restore us to our spiritual stature, 
• to partake of the emblems of his sacrifice and atonement,
• to contemplate the glories of the gospel and of the eternal realms, 
• to climb high on the upward path toward our Heavenly Father” 

(Teachings, 216).

A Perfume

"Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting. Reach out. Share. Smile. hug. happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself...." 

- Og Mandino

The Final Word in Reality

‎"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality"

 ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Feedback

So as you can see I've changed the look of this blog somewhat. I'm not sure I like the background so that may change, but I think it looks less cluttered now, which I do like:). With the Playlist music would you prefer to click it to play it, or have it automatically start? I can't decide which is better, and is there anything that you would like me to focus more on in this blog?

Lastly, I just wanted to say a big thank you to you all for stopping by too - you always make my day brighter:).
Sarah

Seeing What You Believe

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe."

Saint Augustine

Just for Fun: Tom Cruise Shares His Thoughts on Home Teaching!

There's Always Something You Can Do

A 'no excuses' quote:)

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Speak of Jesus More Frequently

"We hold in our arms the rising generation. They come to this earth with important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. We cannot be casual in how we prepare them. Our challenge as parents and teachers is not to create a spiritual core in their souls but rather to fan the flame of their spiritual core already aglow with the fire of their premortal faith."

"The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?"

"To fathers and mothers, to grandfathers and grandmothers, and to those without children of their own who lovingly nurture children and youth, my counsel is to speak more frequently about Jesus Christ. In His holy name is great spiritual power. “There [is] no other name given nor any other way … whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ.”

"As you reverently speak about the Savior—in the car, on the bus, at the dinner table, as you kneel in prayer, during scripture study, or in late-night conversations—the Spirit of the Lord will accompany your words."

Neil L. Andersen, “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus,” Ensign, May 2010, 108–12

(Re-posted from here)

Teaching Children to Pray

"Parents should teach their children to pray. The child learns both from what the parents do and what they say. The child who sees a mother or a father pass through the trials of life with fervent prayer to God and then hears a sincere testimony that God answered in kindness will remember what he or she saw and heard."

Henry B. Eyring, "That He May Write upon Our Hearts," Ensign, Aug. 2009, 5

Wake Up

"Like the elephant, we are unconscious of our own strength. When it comes to understanding the power we have to make a difference in our own lives, we might as well be asleep. If you want to make your dreams come true, wake up. Wake up to your own strength. Wake up to the role you play in your own destiny. Wake up to the power you have to choose what you think, do, and say." 

-Keith Ellis-

A True Grandmother

"A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do."
~Lois Wyse

What Have I Lost?

"Brother [Thomas B.] Marsh was one of the first modern-day Apostles . . . . He eventually became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

"While the Saints were in Far West, Missouri, Elizabeth Marsh, Thomas's wife, and her friend Sister Harris decided they would exchange milk in order to make more cheese than they otherwise could. . . . They agreed that they should not save what were called the strippings. . . . Strippings came at the end of the milking and were richer in cream.

"Sister Harris was faithful to the agreement, but Sister Marsh, desiring to make some especially delicious cheese, saved a pint of strippings from each cow and sent Sister Harris the milk without the strippings. This caused the two women to quarrel. . . . The matter was referred to the home teachers to settle. They found Elizabeth Marsh guilty of failure to keep her agreement. She and her husband were upset with the decision, and the matter was then referred to the bishop for a Church trial. The bishop's court decided that the strippings were wrongfully saved. . . .

"Thomas Marsh appealed to the high council, and the men comprising this council confirmed the bishop's decision. He then appealed to the First Presidency of the Church. Joseph Smith and his counselors considered the case and upheld the decision of the high council.

"Elder Thomas B. Marsh, who sided with his wife through all of this, became angrier with each successive decision—so angry, in fact, that he went before a magistrate and swore that the Mormons were hostile toward the state of Missouri. . . .

"After 19 years of rancor and loss, Thomas B. Marsh made his way to the Salt Lake Valley and asked President Brigham Young for forgiveness. . . . Said Brother Marsh: 'The Lord could get along very well without me and He . . . lost nothing by my falling out of the ranks; But O what have I lost?! Riches, greater riches than all this world or many planets like this could afford' (Thomas B. Marsh to Heber C. Kimball, May 5, 1857, Brigham Young Collection, Church History Library)."

Thomas S. Monson , "School Thy Feelings, O My Brother," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 68

The Way Through Difficulties

‎"You never need to be discouraged or afraid. The way through difficulties has always been prepared for you and you will find it if you exercise faith." 
~Henry B. Eyring

Seek Faith, Dispel Doubt

The Saviours disciples were on a boat one night and they saw a man walking across the water to them. The Saviour told them, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
“And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith,wherefore didst thou doubt?
(Matthew 14:27 - 31)

Like Peter, we desire to come closer to the Saviour, and the Saviour always says "Come". Often when we make the initial decision to make a concerted effort to come closer to Him we step out with all confidence in our actions and direction. More often than not the sea we cross to reach Him isn’t calm, usually, as Peter found, it is ‘boisterous’. The movement of the waves shook Peter’s faith, and He cried out for the Lord to save him. I think that is beautiful. And how long did it take the Saviour to save him? It says,‘immediately’ he stretched forth His hand, and caught him. The Saviour taught him that despite the external forces around him, that faith can overcome all obstacles in our journey to Him.

We will all have times when the vastness and immensity of what we are to cross seems greater than us, at those times when we reach for the Saviour He will reach for us, but He will also teach us that we don’t need to doubt, only increase in faith.

President Thomas S. Monson shared this:
"President Stephen L Richards, who was a counselor in the First Presidency many years ago, was a profound thinker. He said, 'Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.' My advice is to seek faith and dispel doubt."
(Thomas S Monson, "Pathways to Perfection," Ensign,May 2002, 99)