General Women's Broadcast September 2011

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2011/09/forget-me-not?lang=eng&query=forget
This is such a powerful talk for women.  It reminds us some very important things that we need to remember in every day life.  The 5 Forget Nots!

Death

What is this thing that men call death,
This quiet passing in the night?
'Tis not the end but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.


Oh God touch though my aching heart
And calm my troubled haunting fears.
Let hope and faith transcendent, pure
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.


There is no death, but only change,
With recompense for victory won.
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.


This is a poem written by President Gordon B. Hinckley in 2007 after he had lost his wife.  He later gave permission to Janice Kapp Perry to put it to music.  It is beautiful and has brought comfort to me as I have felt pain and sorrow at the recent loss of some very dear people in my life.


A cousin that I grew up with passed away the first part of this year and my Father early spring.  Both of them took up a lot of time in my mind and still I think of them and what they are doing and if they are happy and not in pain anymore.


Through the faith and knowledge I have in the gospel of Jesus Christ I know that they are well and happy.  They are busy doing the work of the Lord.  Teaching and testifying of His love and plan to know of eternal life and families.  


President Thomas S Monson is a living prophet in our day.  He testifies that "Each of our temples is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is real and as certain as is our life here on earth."

In the words of Amulek "The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame."
Alma 11:43

I Believe

Behavior is a function of Faith. Faith motivates our everyday activities. Faith dwells within the heart of everyone. Faith is the moving cause of all action. All blessings, we receive by faith, both spiritual and temporal.

We must have perfect faith in the Savior Jesus Christ in order to be saved. He descended below all things. Even though we don't understand all things He does. Doubt not, Fear not.

Love is the motive that gives us faith to believe. Love is a gift. God loves us more than we can comprehend. He gave his only begotten Son. We love Him because he first loved us.

Pray unto God and he will console you.

We went to the Conferance Center this spring for our Regional Conferance. The Salt Lake Temple is in the background.

Life is Very Uncertain

I see my last post was over a year ago. On August 1, 2010....8-9-10....my father in law and his wife were in an accident that Joe, my father in law died as a result of his injuries. It was heart breaking and shocking to deal with. I had to turn to Heavenly Father many times to find the courage to make it through this test in my life. It was very difficult to witness the pain of my husband and also deal with my pain.

My testimony of the hearafter has grown as a result of this trial and heartache. Also the knowledge that Heavenly Father is there for us. My Savior is also my friend and my comfort. I know that he is ready and willing to take the burden from me. I only need to hand it to him. Sometimes, I have to give it to him again, because I have taken it from Him to carry on my own.

I also have to be conscious of my feelings toward the man that caused this accident. He was driving a semi at a high rate of speed and couldn't stop. Maybe there was something else that influenced him also. We are letting the attorney figure that out. We want to know what happened, as near to accurate as possible. We probably will never know all the truth, but there are questions unanswered that need to be answered.

On December 5, 2010 I also lost my Teddy Bear. He was my best buddy. My little maltese puppy. He was only 18 months, but he died of an incurable disease called GME. The disease attacks the the spinal chord and brain. It was very painful and he was only diagnosed with it for 10 days before he was in such pain that we had to put him to sleep. The only treatment was prednisone and the length of life was 1-4 weeks, with the quality of life very poor. I miss him, but I know he is happy now and I will see him again.

Well, I have been looking at some of the blogs I follow, and I really need to make an extra effort to update my blog. Actually, to heck with that, but maybe I should try to post a little more frequent.

Summer has been wonderful in that the weather was warm and we had lots of sunny days. I love summer. The difference in this summer and others, that I can most relate to, is the deaths of people I know. It has brought into greater focus just how fragile life is and how often we take it for granted or wish our days away. Instead of enjoying the daily journey, I sometimes look at it as mundane and monotonous. So here are a couple of pictures when I was thinking....yeah life is pretty great and I am so blessed.

Newsroom Blog: Messages of Hope Come From Times of Tragedy

Newsroom Blog: Messages of Hope Come From Times of Tragedy

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Divine Callings

"When President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Elder David A. Bednar were first sustained as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a witness of the divine origin of their calls came to me during the session. I was also given in that moment an understanding of the surpassing sacredness of the call and service of an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not have the words to express that understanding because it was communicated Spirit to spirit without words. To think of it now reduces me to a depth of humility I have never before experienced, and I plead with my Heavenly Father to sustain me as He ever has that I might measure up to something that is far beyond my native capacity and be able to focus outwardly, losing myself in your service. I trust in Him, and I know that His grace is sufficient, and so I here unreservedly commit all that I have and am to God and His Beloved Son."
D. Todd Christofferson, "Born Again," Ensign, May 2008, 76
This is a very powerful feeling, to have a personal witness of something that is real and true. I too have had a witness of divine appointment of our prophet President Thomas S. Monson. It was in a very still and quiet way, when he spoke for the first time in Conference after he became our prophet a few weeks prior. I could see him differently, as more divine I suppose. It was a beautiful witness of the truth of a prophet in modern day.
I commit myself to be more humble and meek before my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ to overcome my weaknesses and imperfections and strive to use the power of the atonement in my daily life, as a guide and accounting to myself and Heavenly Father, who loves me and accepts me unconditionally.