Intellectual Pride

“Intellectual pride is very prevalent in our day. Some people exalt themselves above God and His anointed servants because of their learning and scholarly achievements. We must never allow our intellect to take priority over our spirit. Our intellect can feed our spirit and our spirit can feed our intellect, but if we allow our intellect to take precedence over our spirit, we will stumble, find fault, and may even lose our testimonies”.


(Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Press On,” Liahona, Nov 2004, 101–4)

Peace

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” 

(John 14:27.)

Really Living

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Without Arms

These are a few words from the Book of Mormon that have been drifting through my mind the last few weeks. You will probably remember that the Lamanites wanted to attack Limhi’s people, but after talking with the king of the Lamanites the record says the Limhi’s people: “…..went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites…” and “….when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them…..”(Mosiah 20:25,26).

I thought about the principle of 'without arms' with regard to relationships in general. We don’t come with the kind of arms that were meant in these verses e.g. shields, arrows, swords etc., but sometimes we come with other 'arms' that have been acquired throughout our life experiences like: pride, mistrust, impatience, an unforgiving heart, defensiveness, lack of self-worth, selfishness, and use these, we think, to protect ourselves from being hurt again.

I have had experiences where I have had these kind of bad 'arms', and each time I’ve felt horrible, as the result has never been an increase in compassion and understanding, nothing good has been strengthened or protected in me, but has only become weaker as a result. I have also had experiences where I have dropped the bad 'arms' I have gained and found that that is where charity has been gained and I have come so much closer to my God, and where beautiful lasting friendships have been my prize.

When we choose to be open to hurt, we really open ourselves to an increase in joy, trusting that God will be pleased with our attempts to be more like the Saviour who never comes to us with 'arms', but gives us His all, suffering all pain, just in the hope that we may choose happiness and a better way.

If we get hurt for loving people - so what! - really, what is the worst that can happen, so we may get hurt from time to time, but the Saviour will heal our hearts and we will love Him all the more for that, and we will be used to help so many more people to feel of God’s love for them because the Lord will know He can trust us, because we trust Him.

Re-posted from October 14th, 2008

Book Review - Walking Through Illusion

A while ago I was contacted by Betsy Otter Thompson who has written a book entitled: 'Walking Through Illusion', and asked if I would do a book review for her. So here it is:


'Walking Through Illusion features a series of short stories about biblical people who either knew Jesus or knew of him, and were influenced by him in one way or another....The author believes that we don't take our beliefs with us when we leave here; we take the love we had from having them.'

There were some things that I loved about the book, for example, at the end of each chapter there are worksheet sections and questions to ponder, because if you don't apply something in your life then it never really changes you.

I also found some of the quotes in there meaningful, for example, "If you want to become a teacher, you must live the lessons you preach". There were many many others in there that I thought were powerful also.

The way the book is written is by Betsy asking a question to Jesus and recording His reply to her question. For example:

Betsy: "Did you go through a time of wanting approval, Jesus?"

Jesus: "Yes, but seeking approval attracted people seeking mine. To get approval, I had to give approval; especially to myself:"

Reading the conversations that the author described that she had with Jesus did make me feel uncomfortable at times. There were some replies to the questions asked where it described a Jesus who is unfamiliar to me, and a less perfect one than the One I know, and is contrary to the Bible's teachings on a particular subject. I think the beauty of the Savior is that we can all have a personal relationship with Him, and I don't want to devalue anyone's with Him as I would not wish them to do so with mine, but those conversations didn't bring me any closer to Him, or enlighten me any further, and made me feel 'on edge' at times. I do love the concept for the book though, just not all of the content, and will be quoting from it on here as there are some valuable messages included.

I had emailed Betsy after I read it with how I felt about it, and to see if she still wanted me to post a review on it, as it wouldn't be a glowing one, and I got such a beautiful and gracious email back from her, full of love, when she could've been defensive. She seems like a wonderful woman who really is seeking to bring others to Christ. If this book is something you may be interested in reading, definitely check it out. For more information click here.

Improved Prayers

"A key to improved prayer is to learn to ask the right questions. Consider changing from asking for the things you want to honestly seeking what He wants for you. Then as you learn His will, pray that you will be led to have the strength to fulfill it."

Richard G. Scott, "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer," Ensign, May 2007, 8

Lioness at the Gate

"I have said lately that women are like lionesses at the gate of the home. Whatever happens in that home and family happens because she cares about it and it matters to her. She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her. For example, if the lioness at the gate believes in the law of tithing, tithing will be paid in that family. If that family has a humble little portion of ten pesos coming in, that lioness will safeguard the one peso if tithing is important to her. If that lioness at the gate knows about renewing her baptismal covenants with God, she will be in sacrament meeting on Sunday, and she will prepare her children to be there. They will be washed, cleaned, combed, and taught about that meeting and what happens there. It isn’t a casual event, but it is serious to her, and it will be serious to them. The lioness at the gate ensures that temple worship is taken care of in the family. She encourages that participation. She cares about seeking after her ancestors. If the lioness at the gate knows about and understands missions, missionaries, and the mission of the house of Israel, she will prepare future missionaries to go out from that home. It is very difficult to get a lion cub away from a lioness who doesn’t believe in missions, but if the lioness believes in a mission, she will devote her life to preparing the cub to go out and serve the Lord. That’s how important she is. Service happens if she cares about it.

"Sisters, you are each like the lioness at the gate."

Julie B. Beck, Address Given at BYU Women's Conference, Thursday, April 29, 2010.

Re-posted from here

When the Heat Cometh

Jeremiah 17:7 - 8

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
“For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

When we have hope and trust in the Lord, and not ourselves - with our limited understanding, and perspective - even ‘when heat cometh’ our roots will stretch deep enough that we won’t wither, never ceasing to yield the fruit which will bring us joy amidst trial.

Have a beautiful day!

Who Am I to Judge Another?

This is from last nights General Relief Society Meeting:


"My dear sisters, each of you is unique. You are different from each other in many ways. There are those of you who are married. Some of you stay at home with your children, while others of you work outside your homes. Some of you are empty-nesters. There are those of you who are married but do not have children. There are those who are divorced, those who are widowed. Many of you are single women. Some of you have college degrees; some of you do not. There are those who can afford the latest fashions and those who are lucky to have one appropriate Sunday outfit. Such differences are almost endless. Do these differences tempt us to judge one another?

Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who worked among the poor in India most of her life, spoke this profound truth: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” The Savior has admonished, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” I ask:Can we love one another, as the Savior has commanded, if we judge each other? And I answer—with Mother Teresa—“No; we cannot.”

—President Thomas S. Monson

Andrea Bocelli & The Mormon Tabernacle Choir - The Lord's Prayer

Compassion and You

"If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete."

Jack Kornfield

Straight to the Point:)

"You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable. . . it's your choice"

- Gordon B. Hinckley

Negativity

"Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power."

Shirley MacLaine

So don't.

The Power of Faith

President Marion G. Romney, a long-time counselor to Church presidents and a former President of the Quorum of the Twelve, said, "Blessed is he who, based on a knowledge

of the gospel has unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Such a one has for his goal the attainment of eternal life. He has an anchor to his soul and a motive for action." (The Power of Faith, Deseret Book Co., 1983, p. 10)

President Romney then detailed four attributes of people who radiate such faith:

First, the possessors of such faith have a sound understanding of the purpose of life. They know that God lives, know that they are His children and that as such are endowed with the potential eventually to rise to the full status of their Heavenly Father.

Second, the possessors of such faith have a sure test by which to distinguish truth from error. They know that they live in a day of great conflict between good and evil, but they are strengthened by the knowledge that God, their Heavenly Father, has not abandoned them in the struggle, but has put within their reach the knowledge and wisdom upon which they can correctly distinguish good from evil.

Third, the possessors of such faith are fortified in their courage to resist temptation and live true to their conviction, like Joseph in Egypt.

Finally, the possessors of a well-informed faith enjoy peace of mind in the days of trial. There is no greater blessing than to be able to weather the trials with full knowledge that the Lord is with us in our times of need. (Summaries from The Power of Faith, pp. 10-14.)

Church News, June 2003