Truth Seekers

In Relief Society a week or so ago, during our discussion about the prophet Joseph Smith our teacher read a quote from Elder Neil L. Anderson: "Why does the Lord allow the evil speaking to chase after the good? One reason is that opposition against the things of God sends truth seekers to their knees for answers." (This was from his October 2014 talk entitled "Joseph Smith").

That one description--"truth seekers," has stuck with me. Am I a truth seeker? As I've pondered this, I've found two ways in which I hope to be a better truth seeker.

1- First and foremost I want to be a better "truth seeker" in the gospel. I know I have been a truth seeker at times, but sometimes I guess I forget that my spirit is hungry. Unfortunately. And then I taste a little bit of the sweetest parcels of truth and I realize I've been starving! I've always felt like asking questions is a brilliant thing to do---as long as you sincerely, with the Holy Ghost as a companion, seek the truth as you look for answers.

2-In personal relationships. In every relationship there will be awkward moments, ups and downs, hard times, and hurt feelings. I hate those times. But one thing that makes it easier is seeking the truth of the situation. When we worry about the details and fret about the small offenses, it holds us back. Not only that, but it clouds our vision. The truth is that we are all God's children. We are here to love each other, and by doing so we help each other become better. I've found it's easier to assume the best in people. I haven't always done that and I've learned the hard way that most folks really do have good intentions. Sure there's a lot of bad in this world because there's supposed to be...but holding on to the good and assuming the best in our loved ones is often a force that pushes us all to a better emotional place. I've found that in tough moments if I take a step back and ask myself, "What is the truth in this situation?" and I separate the emotions for a moment, it helps me see the truth and then I can respond better and be more loving, kind, and hopefully a little more like how our Savior would be.

Moroni 10:5 "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

As I've said before this blog is a place where I can write my life lessons so that I can look back and remember what the Lord was trying to teach me. He often has to teach me the same lessons over and over again. I choose to share it because sometimes maybe it'll be helpful in other's lives as well.

"If you can't see it, hear it, or feel it, then it doesn't exist."

At least that's what the mean kangaroo from Horton Hears A Who thinks.

I've been watching this show almost daily, (not voluntarily...by force from my 2 year old) and every time I hear her make this comment in the movie I cringe. The whole movie is her battle with Horton concerning what she believes in an unimportant "spec." However, Horton has heard the voice of the Mayor of Whoville (a place with many good Whos) and thus he knows that the spec is a world smaller than theirs and it must be protected.

In relation to real life...and whether God exists or not... I tend to NOT follow the kangaroo's advice.

I, like Horton, have a belief in something that I would say is not obviously seen, heard, or felt. And I don't think we need big elephant ears to hear it, because even the kangaroo, along with all the other animals in the jungle, eventually heard the people of Whoville.

I have heard the Holy Ghost speak to me, not with my ears, but with my heart. I have seen countless miracles that I know are miracles from a Heavenly Father who is concerned about me in my life. I have felt in my heart, and soul the truth: that an Only Begotten Son came here and died for me. And I know that He rose again. He lives and He is aware of me, and He loves me---even when I make dumb choices. His love I have felt so strong that I want to be better, and like Horton I want to protect it, and I want to tell everyone that it exists---even if they haven't yet heard it, seen it, or felt it.

And for those who have heard/felt/seen and are wondering if they still believe...

As silly as this may sound there's a part in the movie where a dirty rotten vulture takes the "spec" which currently resides on a clover, and he throws it into a field of clovers. Horton faithfully goes through every clover...not finding the "spec" anywhere. All of a sudden the wind picks up and all the clovers he has checked start flying around and he starts to think maybe all hope really is lost---when he finally sees the tiny "spec" on top of it's trusty clover. He recovers that clover and after a few more trials he finally gets it to a safe place.

Sometimes we have to have tremendous faith in something that we cannot find. And I promise that eventually, we will see the miracle...but remember, it might be the size of a spec.  And "even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you" (Alma 32:27) and you'll realize that the truth exists. If you faithfully search you too will see, hear, and feel that He is real--Jesus Christ is real and He loves each of us more than we could ever understand.

Sure I'm a stay at home mom who watches way too many children's movies and maybe I relate the gospel to silly things. But it's important to me, and it is very real to me, and I love the gospel. I love knowing that I can walk with the Savior everyday if I would just invite Him. And I know He is watching even when I forget to invite Him. "His grace is sufficient" for my good days and bad. (Moroni 10:32)

Laughter is easier.

Laughter is easier than crying
Loving is easier than hatefulness
Kindness is easier than regret
Forgiveness is easier than carrying hurt
Repentance is easier than continuing sin
Obedience is easier than Repentance
Joy is better than Pain
Pain is better than ignorance
Loss is easier with Faith
Choice is better than Force
Happiness is possible because of Christ.


You may initially disagree on some of these statements. But honestly, the easier path is always righteousness, and the only way to stay on it is with Christ. And this life comes with all sorts of junk we have to sort through---so hopefully you choose to do so with our Brother, the only truly reliable source available.

Hopefully you choose to laugh as often as you can. Hopefully you choose to not carry burdens alone. Hopefully you try your darndest knowing full well your capabilities are limited without Him. Hopefully you see the purpose of pain, and the beauty of choice. Hopefully you seek for quiet moments---to commune with the best Listener of all. Hopefully in the midst of all that is scary, hard, and frustrating---you seek peace....And hopefully your heart is sensitive enough to feel it. After all,

Hope and Faith are much easier, and Stronger, than Doubt.

Miracles-Blessings-Trials

This is the topic that kept me up last night. I may have been awakened by a baby who is leaving me no room to sleep peacefully throughout the night without taking a visit to the little girl's room. And then the same beautiful baby in this belly of mine also needed food. Needless to say, I am awake every night for various lengths of time. Which is essentially what brought me to this subject. This miracle pregnancy, (for I truly believe every pregnancy is a miracle) may be a beautiful and a wonderful and an exciting thing, it has also been a trial. As most women would agree, pregnancy is NOT easy peasy lemon squeezy.

BUT, it gives us a gift which requires more gratitude than I think I could ever explain. It's a gift of life, a gift of love, a gift that is eternal. This hard 9 months brings about my most cherished calling in life...motherhood.

Unfortunately I do not wake up every morning with those kinds of thoughts in my head. The first phrase that typically enters my mind is usually, "Oh girl please go back to sleep!" But then I get up. Except on those awesome days daddy is home and he lets me sleep a little longer :)

As I pondered all of this, I realized every miracle, blessing, and trial in my life has all been connected to each other. Whether it was because of a "trial of my faith" that I received a miracle, or if because of a blessing in my life I also had trials that went with it. Sometimes the pattern just goes crazy and life looks something like this:

Miracle. Trial. Blessing. Blessing. Blessing. TRIAL. trial. trial. .....miracle. Blessing. trial. etc.

Examples:
The miracle that I feel when I am able to sing a song and know that one heart was touched. But tied with that often comes the feelings of nervousness, and the all too familiar headache that I get afterward because I get so stressed out about it sometimes. Especially the journey of song that happens after having a baby. Waiting for my voice to get back to normal, and not feeling as sure of myself was and will be hard again. But as hard and emotional as it can be, it's worth it. Because I see someone who was listening and somehow I know, that I was an instrument for the Lord to touch his or her heart. And that's all I need to keep singing.

The miracle that is a child. I've mentioned pregnancy, (cuz that's kindof on my mind all day everyday) but to see my little girl grow and learn to talk and walk. But with that comes potty-training, repetition of books that I would at this point feel very comfortable about throwing into the fire, and of course the all too familiar newborn stage that I'm positive takes superpowers to endure. But we do it because we love it. She knows how to blow away my frustrations as if they were little feathers, by just giving me a smile and saying the phrase daddy taught her... "Yeah, Buddy!" :)

Every one of us experiences trials big and small, but somehow if we are on the right path--it seems like Heavenly Father knows how to keep us moving forward if only we with look with an eye of faith and see His hand in all things. Sometimes my miracles are as simple as me finally getting a break during naptime when my toddler hasn't taken a nap in two days. Sometimes it's just that feeling of how grateful I am to have such an amazing husband, and the miracle is as simple as me waking up next to him every morning.

The more hardships I hear from other's lives I watch my blessings become miracles...because they mean that much more to me knowing that I didn't have to go through what another person may have had to endure.

"If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill. The Lord is anxious to lead us to the safety of higher ground" -President Henry B. Eyring

I suppose my mind tends to lean towards the negative...and so when the world is quiet, the Lord has to teach me about the beauty of this life, and specifically my own life. I really like sleep, but again the trial of bags under my eyes comes with the blessing of me waking up with a smile on my face.

"Don't be gloomy. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. This is the gospel of good news, this is a message of joy, this is the thing of which the angels sang when they sang of the birth of the Son of God. This is a work of eternal salvation; this is something to be happy and excited about. You won't get anywhere if you go with a frown on your face" -President Gordon B. Hinckley

I'm so excited to meet this new little girl growing everyday inside me. If you've been around me this summer and I've seemed gloomy, I'm sorry I got a little like Eeyore when I was sick. I promise happier me is here. I don't feel like I need to tie a trash bag to my belt in case I throw up anymore.I'm feeling...not normal...but certainly a lot more like I can turn my frown upside down :)

I'm thankful for my miracles-blessings-trials and all, because it helps me know the Lord just loves me.

My Testimony of the Temple

First off, when I said I would rejoin the lovely Facebook crowd, it was for one reason. One reason only.
To use it as a tool to share my testimony. So, when I got invited to join this "Flood Facebook with the Temple" group, I jumped at the chance.

How do I write about something---when  I feel my knowledge of it has only scratched the surface?

I'm praying the spirit will guide me in sharing my feelings and emotions about the temple in a way that will be felt more than understood just by words.

I feel I have so much more to learn about the temple. But here's what I know:

-I know that when I'm there I have the opportunity to feel peace in a way that is specific to the Lord's House. I know in the temple, when I quiet my mind and heart, my chest burns with the warmth of God's love--as if in one instance He can answer all of my questions, just by reminding me that, "I'm here. I love you. I know you. I hear you."

-I know that the ordinances that take place in the temple are eternal. I know we can act as Saviors on Mount Zion, doing work for those who have passed on. I know the people who came before us that didn't receive the special blessings that come from the temple, can still receive those blessings with our help.

-I know that the Lord has spoken to me in the temple. In a way that my heart understands...which is much stronger and more everlasting than anything I could ever hear with my ears.

-I know that I feel peace and gratitude knowing that my family can be together forever. The sealing power in the temple is real, and it binds families together for eternity.

-I know that when I'm in the temple, especially with my siblings and parents, I feel content. I feel like everything is going to be okay.

-I know only a few things, but the experiences I've had in the temple have always led me to believe that it is truly a House of the Lord. It is a place where our Savior can dwell. It is a place where the distractions of this world are put aside, and we can focus on eternal--and the most important--of all things. If I'm ever in search of direction, I can go there and see my path more clearly. If I just need to feel peace--one of the hardest things to find in this world--I can go there and finally feel it.

If you don't know where else to go in this life, go to the temple. Find your way there. Do what you have to do to be worthy to enter. It's the one place in this world that reminds me of what it must have felt like in heaven. I'm grateful that I have had the blessing of living so close to the temple, and that my family has been blessed because of it.

First, Seek to Obtain My Word

“Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men” (D&C 11:21). (lds.org)

I wonder, in all seriousness, the literal number of times I have been told to read my scriptures. Throughout my childhood, my teenage years, and even since being an adult. So many times. So many. 

Why? 

In the times we live in there's so much proof of this or that. There's research on one thing and research on another thing. There's ways to document everything in life making it "easier" to find truth. Unfortunately, I think I have been distracted and confused at times and I have relied on many different sources for strength and reassurance. Though they have all been good sources, I still find myself seeking peace. I don't think it's just my personality speaking when I say we live in a pretty crazy and not-exactly-peaceful world. There are literal psychos all over the place. I don't use the term psycho lightly or impolitely either. I am simply pointing out the obvious. I've always wished I could go back in time and live in a quieter world, (not forever, but maybe a day) but then I think, maybe I'm better off not knowing the extent of the horror that exists on the earth today. If I were to see how good it may have been at times, maybe I would be too afraid to come back to 2014. Because of the world's terribleness, we are bombarded by advertisements for anything and everything that will, "make us happy." 

But the thought of trying to figure out what will help bring me peace is overwhelming--when I look to the world's advice. How do I know what's right? How do I find something that will truly help and give me everlasting comfort? Out of all the worlds offerings, how do I know where to go? Sound familiar? 

Joseph Smith had a similar experience when seeking which religion he should join. He was offered many seemingly good choices, yet he was confused. 

So, he sought God's word. 

The scriptures were the only foundation he saw fit to lead him to figuring out the answer to a life-changing question. "What should I do?"

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" James 1:5

Admittedly, my impatience makes me try to skip the scripture-checking step and go directly to prayer. Not a bad way to go, but maybe not the best.

As I've tried to be better at reading my scriptures, I know why Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ tell us to "Obtain My Word". 

In the Bible Dictionary, under the word "Prayer" we read:

"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

There are many passages in the New Testament that teach the duty of prayer (Matt. 7:7; 26:41; Luke 18:1; 21:36;Eph. 6:18; Philip. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1 Thes. 5:17, 25; 1 Tim. 2:1, 8). Christians are taught to pray in Christ’s name (John 14:13–14; 15:7, 16; 16:23–24). We pray in Christ’s name when our mind is the mind of Christ, and our wishes the wishes of Christ—when His words abide in us (John 15:7). We then ask for things it is possible for God to grant. Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ’s name at all; they in no way represent His mind but spring out of the selfishness of man’s heart." (lds.org)

When I read the scriptures, I better understand our Savior. I start to see how Heavenly Father was and is, and my mind automatically starts to think higher thoughts. And one of the blessings that I feel directly comes from reading the scriptures, is peace. 

So here we are in this world trying to seek truth. Trying to be happy. I've found that if I will just do the simple "primary answers" of reading my scriptures, saying my prayers, and going to church--my life changes for the better. I find peace--and I feel the divine strength that gives me confidence, knowledge, and power to go forward with faith.  

I don't have a lot of knowledge or wisdom, but I can bear testimony of a few powerful truths. I know that reading the scriptures is one of the ways we keep a firm grip on the iron rod. It's one way we can find solace, and one way we can find answers to the questions we are always asking. When we obtain His word, we start to receive revelation for our lives, guidance towards the straight and narrow path of righteousness-- in a world that offers too many different roads to take. 

It's a simple task, but we have to do it. We cannot afford to leave our scriptures closed. We cannot risk thinking that we know enough. If our lives are too busy to read, maybe we need to reevaluate our priorities. 

This is the newest lesson I'm learning in my life. There's always something the Lord's tryin' to teach me. And since I'm a little dumb sometimes I get the same lessons over and over :) But that's okay, it just means the truth is real and it lasts. What was true for me as a child is still true for me as an adult. I have to do the simple things to be the happiest. That's just the way it is. 

One Simple Smile.

It's amazing how one genuine smile from someone can make you feel like taking in a deep breath...and finally really breathing. Of course all of us who are alive, breathe. But some of us have a hard time getting through each day physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually...whatever it may be. But sometimes, one smile, is like a breath of the freshest air you've ever breathed. It's simple.

I may not always say the right thing. I may not always DO the right thing. But I can smile. Even when I'm sad, my heart is still willing to throw out a genuine smile...simply from the fact that even though I may not know you, I know you're a child of God like me. And I know I have struggles so I figure you do too. So if I can't do anything else I will smile, truly smile. And I hope people feel that.

Because I felt it today from someone else. And it made me breathe, like life feels good.

And I'm thankful for that.