I have
been focusing my efforts on my kids. I have always wanted to be a better mom
but wasn’t sure which way I needed to go in order to do this. Did I need to be
stricter? Did I need to get them more slack? Did they need me to fix every
fight? Did I need to back off and let them resolve it? Sometimes it is really
hard to know what the “right” thing is so I felt a sort of lost in the
parenting world, not knowing which choice was the right one, worried I was
ruining my children by not parenting them correctly. These quotes have been so
helpful to me to know what to do. I didn’t need to focus on the daily things as
much but to step back and focus on the feeling in the house. We were living
together but we weren’t really a family it felt like we coexisted. The quote
that helped me the most was from Sister Lynda S. Reeves. She said, “The only
things that really need to be accomplished in the home are daily scripture
study and prayer and weekly family home evening.” I wasn’t starting their days
off right. We weren’t praying as a family or holding regular family home
evenings. I decided to focus my efforts on this and so far it has helped my
children listen more, fight less, laugh more, enjoy and content just being
around each other. They are still kids and they still do fight but it is a step
in the right direction and it is a huge answer to pray. The crazy thing is the
answer was so easy, but I was looking so hard for a more complicated fix I didn’t
even notice the solution that was staring me in the face. We have tried holding
daily scripture study and prayer in the morning and at night. We are more
consistent when we do it at night but I find it is more beneficial when we do
it in the morning. It is harder to coordinate and requires more effort but it
is more than worth it to have less contention and more love during the day. I
am so grateful for this experience and will continue to do this with my young
family. This is such a perfect time in their lives to get in the habit of daily
scripture study and prayer so it will be a habit when they are older, so I’m
grateful for the timing. I enjoyed doing this challenge.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Pornography
“How applicable is Alexander Pope’s classic “Essay on Man”:
Vice is a monster of so frightful mien
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”
~President
Thomas S. Monson, “Pornography, The Deadly Carrier”, quoting Alexander Pope,
July 2001 Ensign, lds.org.
“Parents, the days are long past when regular,
active participation in Church meetings and programs, though essential, can
fulfill your sacred responsibility to teach your children to live moral,
righteous lives and walk uprightly before the Lord. With President Monson’s
announcement this morning, it is essential that this be faithfully accomplished
in homes which are places of refuge where kindness, forgiveness, truth, and
righteousness prevail. Parents must have the courage to filter or monitor
Internet access, television, movies, and music. Parents must have the courage
to say no, defend truth, and bear powerful testimony. Your children need to
know that you have faith in the Savior, love your Heavenly Father, and sustain
the leaders of the Church. Spiritual maturity must flourish in our homes.”
~Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Can Ye
Feel So Now?” October 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“As we encounter that evil carrier, the
pornography beetle, let our battle standard and that of our communities be
taken from that famous ensign of early America, “Don’t tread on me.”
~President Thomas S. Monson, “Pornography,
The Deadly Carrier”, July 2001 Ensign, lds.org.
“Brothers and sisters, how do we protect our children
and youth? Filters are useful tools, but the greatest filter in the world, the
only one that will ultimately work, is the personal internal filter that comes
from a deep and abiding testimony of our Heavenly Father’s love and our
Savior’s atoning
sacrifice for each one of us. How do we lead our children to deep
conversion and to access our Savior’s Atonement? I love the prophet
Nephi’s declaration
of what his people did to fortify the youth of his day: “We talk of
Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, [and] we prophesy of Christ … that our children may know to what source they
may look for a remission of their sins.”
~Sister Linda S. Reeves “Protection
from Pornography-aChrist-Focused Home” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are
worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of
unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick
but do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories
or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature records them in this
marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t vomit back filth.
Once recorded, it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted
images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in
life.”
~Elder
Dallin H. Oaks “Pornography” April 2005 General Conference, lds.org.
“We must also act to protect those we love. Parents install
alarms to warn if their household is threatened by smoke or carbon monoxide. We
should also install protections against spiritual threats, protections like
filters on Internet connections and locating access so others can see what is
being viewed. And we should build the spiritual strength of our families by
loving relationships, family prayer, and scripture study.”
~Elder
Dallin H. Oaks “Pornography” April 2005 General Conference, lds.org.
“The young man I mentioned earnestly asked if the Apostles knew how
early in life teaching and protecting against pornography and impure thoughts
should start. With emphasis, he stated that in some areas even before youth
graduate from Primary is not too early.”
~Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Can Ye
Feel So Now?” October 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“We as parents and leaders need to counsel with our
children and youth on an ongoing basis, listening with love and understanding.
They need to know the dangers of pornography and how it overtakes lives,
causing loss of the Spirit, distorted feelings, deceit, damaged relationships,
loss of self-control, and nearly total consumption of time, thought, and
energy.”
~Sister Linda S. Reeves “Protection
from Pornography-aChrist-Focused Home” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Parents, are we aware that mobile devices with Internet
capacity, not computers, are the biggest culprit?”
~Sister Linda S. Reeves “Protection
from Pornography-aChrist-Focused Home” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Research has also shown that frequent use of pornography can
lead to obsessive behaviors and can rewire the brain to capture a person in the
prison of addiction.”
~Elder M. Russell Ballard “Be
Still and Know That I am God” May 2014 CES Devotional, lds.org.
“Another aspect of pornography is that it is generally a
“secret” activity. Users often hide their use or at least minimize their use
from everyone, including their romantic partners and spouses. Studies have
found that when people engage in this type of self-concealment—when they do
things they are not proud of and keep those things a secret from their family
members and friends—it not only hurts their relationships and leaves them
feeling lonely but also makes them more vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and
poor self-esteem. Keeping secrets damages trust.”
~Elder M. Russell Ballard “Be
Still and Know That I am God” May 2014 CES Devotional, lds.org.
|My Feelings|
This is something that has scared me ever since my first daughter was born. I am so afraid of my kids being exposed to pornography or being in danger of being hurt by someone addicted to it, whether it be physically or emotionally. I know this can corrupt a person to their very soul. Then I realized I was living by fear, and not faith. If I abide by this counsel then they will be armed with knowledge, truth, and faith. If I do what is asked of me then we will be protected by the spirit and will have the help of Heavenly Father along the way. I know this world is evil today but that doesn’t mean we can be armed and ready for it.
Parenthood
“Motherhood is
not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them
cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It
is what God gave you time for.”
~Elder Neil
A. Andersen “Children”, October 2011 General Conference, quoting Rachel
Jankovic, “Motherhood Is a Calling (and Where Your Children Rank),” July 14,
2011, desiringgod.org.
“To you noble women, our Heavenly Father knows your
prayers and desires. How grateful we are for your remarkable influence,
including reaching out with loving arms to children who need your faith and
strength.”
~Elder Neil
A. Andersen, “Children”, October 2011 General Conference, lds.org.
“ As Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have
the responsibility to teach our Creator’s plan for His children and to warn of
the consequences of disregarding His commandments.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen,
“Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Follow more diligently His example and His commandments. Embrace
more deeply His love, His mercy and grace, and the powerful gifts of His
Atonement. As you do, I promise you that you will see the whirlwinds for what
they are—tests, temptations, distractions, or challenges to help you grow.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen,
“Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“A woman’s moral influence is nowhere more powerfully felt or more
beneficially employed than in the home. There is no better setting for rearing
the rising generation than the traditional family, where a father and a mother
work in harmony to provide for, teach, and nurture their children.”
~Elder D. Todd Christofferson,
“The Moral Force of Women October 2013
“In all events, a mother can exert an influence unequaled by any
other person in any other relationship. By the power of her example and
teaching, her sons learn to respect womanhood and to incorporate discipline and
high moral standards in their own lives. Her daughters learn to cultivate their
own virtue and to stand up for what is right, again and again, however
unpopular. A mother’s love and high expectations lead her children to act
responsibly without excuses, to be serious about education and personal
development, and to make ongoing contributions to the well-being of all around
them.”
~Elder D. Todd Christofferson,
“The Moral Force of Women October 2013
“Giving them confidence in your love can help them
develop faith in God’s love.”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “I Have
Given You an Example” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“ The most powerful teaching of children is by the example
of their parents. “
~Elder Dallin H. Oaks “Protect
the Children” October 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“Children are highly vulnerable. They have little or no power
to protect or provide for themselves and little influence on so much that is
vital to their well-being. Children need others to speak for them, and they
need decision makers who put their well-being ahead of selfish adult
interests.”
~Elder Dallin H. Oaks “Protect
the Children” October 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“Obedience brings blessings.”
~Elder
Robert D. Hales “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments” April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
“Obedience is taught by example. By how we live,
we teach our children, “Learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to
keep the commandments of God.”
~Elder
Robert D. Hales “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments” April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
“Brothers and sisters, because I know from my own
experiences, and those of my husband, I must testify of the blessings of daily
scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening. These are the very
practices that help take away stress, give direction to our lives, and add
protection to our homes. Then, if pornography or other challenges do strike our
families, we can petition the Lord for help and expect great guidance from the
Spirit, knowing that we have done what our Father has asked us to do.”
~Sister Linda S. Reeves “Protection from
Pornography-aChrist-Focused Home” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org
“Pure Christlike love flowing from true
righteousness can change the world.”
~Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Cost-and Blessings- of Discipleship” April 2014
General Conference, lds.org.
|My Feelings|
My family is the most important thing to me. It is also something I worry about all the time. I am a worrier by nature but once I had kids is kicked it up a notch. It seems in today’s world everyone has an opinion on how kids should be raised and the best things for parents to do for their children. The problem with this advice is the advice and “expert knowledge” has a wide range so it’s hard to know who to listen to. Although, I find great comfort in knowing the advice and knowledge from the Apostles is sound and even more I have the Holy Ghost to help me know what is best for each child. I love that I have the Lord’s servants to turn to and their knowledge can be accessed at any time through the scriptures, Ensign, or lds.org. I also know I can always approach my loving Heavenly Father at any time and can receive help.
Family
“Families are central to God’s eternal plan. I testify of the
great blessing of children and of the happiness they will bring us in this life
and in the eternities.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen, “Children”, October 2011 General Conference,
lds.org
“He designated the purposes of marriage to go far beyond the
personal satisfaction and fulfillment of adults to, more importantly, advancing
the ideal setting for children to be born, reared, and nurtured. Families are
the treasure of heaven.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen,
“Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“The way you feel in the temple is a pattern for how you want to feel
in your life.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen,
“Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“We do not diminish the value of what women or men achieve in any
worthy endeavor or career—we all benefit from those achievements—but we still
recognize there is not a higher good than motherhood and fatherhood in
marriage. There is no superior career, and no amount of money, authority, or
public acclaim can exceed the ultimate rewards of family. Whatever else a woman
may accomplish, her moral influence is no more optimally employed than here.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson, “The Moral Force of Women” October 2013 General
Conference, lds.org.
“Former Young Women general president Margaret D.
Nadauld taught: “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who
are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind.
There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have
enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough
greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We
have enough popularity; we need more purity.” In blurring feminine and
masculine differences, we lose the distinct, complementary gifts of women and
men that together produce a greater whole.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson, “The Moral Force of Women” October 2013 General
Conference, lds.org.
“Sisters, of all your associations, it is your
relationship with God, your Heavenly Father, who is the source of your moral
power, that you must always put first in your life.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson, “The Moral Force of Women” October 2013 General
Conference, lds.org.
“What we
love determines what we seek.”
~Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“Many children would have had the blessing of being raised by both of
their parents if only their parents had followed this inspired teaching in the
family proclamation: “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and
care for each other and for their children. … Parents have a sacred duty to
rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical
and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another.”
~Elder Dallin H. Oaks “Protect
the Children” October 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“Where family meals are concerned, it’s not the food
but the family interaction that nourishes the soul.”
~Elder
Robert D. Hales “Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the
Rising Generation” April 2010 General Conference, lds.org
“Christlike love is the greatest need we have on this
planet in part because righteousness was always supposed to accompany it.”
Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Cost-and Blessings- of Discipleship” April 2014
General Conference, lds.org.
|My
Feelings|
I love
my family! I love being a mother and wife. I know when I am keeping the
commandments and doing what is asked of me I will be happy on earth but also
enjoy the eternal blessings. I want to spend eternity with my family. If I want
to make sure we all make it there I need to be a good example, do the small and
simple things daily, teach my children, and always be improving myself. I love
the power of prayer and the ability I have to repent and start over daily. I
know Heavenly Father put us together for a reason and I want to make sure I am
doing my part!
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Self-discipline
“Self-mastery builds a strong conscience. And your conscience determines your moral responses in difficult, tempting, and trying situations.”
~Elder Russell M. Nelson “Decisions for Eternity”, (October 2013 General Conference), lds.org
“We also can be in the world but not of the world as we
reject false concepts and false teachings and remain true to that which God has
commanded.”
~Neil A.
Andersen, “Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, quoting
President Monson, lds.org.
“Obedience makes us progressively stronger, capable of
faithfully enduring tests and trials in the future.”
~Elder
Robert D. Hales “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments” April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
“But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of
the Lord Himself, … ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you … and the
Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you.’”
~Neil A.
Andersen, “Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, quoting
President Harold B. Lee, lds.org.
“Sisters, of all your associations, it is your relationship with
God, your Heavenly Father, who is the source of your moral power, that you must
always put first in your life.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson “The Moral Force of Women”, October 2013 General
Conference, lds.org.
“Our destiny is not determined by the number of times we stumble
but by the number of times we stand up, dust ourselves off and strive forward.”
~Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf “You
Can Do It Now” October 2013 General Conference, lds.org.
“Do not become so absorbed
with trivial things that you miss learning the doctrine and teachings of the
Lord.”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “I Have
Given You an Example ” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Shall I falter or shall I finish?”
~President Thomas S. Monson “I will not fail thee or forsake thee” October 2013 General Conference, lds.org.
“A strong human spirit with control over appetites
of the flesh is master over emotions and passions and not a slave to them. That
kind of freedom is as vital to the spirit as oxygen is to the body! Freedom
from self-slavery is true liberation!”
~Elder Russell M. Nelson
“Decisions for Eternity”, (October 2013 General Conference), lds.org
“Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval.”
~Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Let your faith Show”, quoting Pres. Monson, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
|My Feelings|
The church follows the pattern of line upon line,
precept upon precept. I believe further light and truth cannot be given until
this concept has been grasped. So much rides on the ability to control ones appetites.
This is one area I want to work on in my life so I can improve myself and my family’s
life. These quotes helped me realize how much is truly impacted with self-discipline.
You are more in control of your emotions and passions (mine being chocolate and
peanut butter-a delicious but deadly combination), stronger conscience, moral
power, more obedient, more faithful, and closer to God. I want to work on self-mastery
in my life. Not only will I fit back in my pre-baby clothes but I will be
closer to Heavenly Father and on the right path to make it back to Him.
Atonement
“There is, of course, a powerful force that will subdue the
whirlwinds of sin. It is called repentance.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen
“Spiritual Whirlwinds”, General Conference April 2014
“In the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “Christ’s victory over death
ended the human predicament. Now there are only personal predicaments, and from
these too we may be rescued by following the teachings of him who rescued us
from general extinction.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”, April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
“Likewise, besides being a “perfect, just God,” He is a perfect,
merciful God. Thus,
the Savior makes all things right. No injustice in mortality is permanent, even
death, for He restores life again. No injury, disability, betrayal, or abuse
goes uncompensated in the end because of His ultimate justice and mercy.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”, April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
“It is one thing to know that Jesus Christ came to the earth
to die for us. But we also need to appreciate that the Lord
desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to enliven us—not
only to guide but also to strengthen and heal us.”
~Elder David
A. Bednar April 2014 Conference “Bear UpTheir Burdens With Ease”, lds.org.
“Not only does the
Atonement of Jesus Christ overcome the effects of the Fall of Adam and make
possible the remission of our individual sins and transgressions, but His
Atonement also enables us to do good and become better in ways that stretch far
beyond our mortal capacities. Most of us know that when we do things wrong and
need help to overcome the effects of sin in our lives, the Savior has made it
possible for us to become clean through His redeeming power. But do we also
understand that the Atonement is for faithful men and women who are obedient,
worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more
faithfully? I wonder if we fail to fully acknowledge this strengthening aspect
of the Atonement in our lives and mistakenly believe we must carry our load all
alone—through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline and with our obviously
limited capacities.”
~Elder David A. Bednar April
2014 Conference “Bear UpTheir Burdens With Ease”, lds.org.
“The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes possible our
becoming more like our Father in Heaven so that we can live together eternally
in our family units.”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “I Have
Given You an Example ” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“The Lord’s way is the only way for us to experience enduring
happiness.”
~Elder Russell M. Nelson “Let
Your Faith Show” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Not only does the Atonement of Jesus Christ overcome
the effects of the Fall of Adam and make possible the remission of our
individual sins and transgressions, but His Atonement also enables us to do
good and become better in ways that stretch far beyond our mortal capacities.”
~Elder David A. Bednar “Bear Up Their Burdens
with Ease” April 2014 General Conference
“Through the Savior’s Atonement we can receive capacity and
strength beyond your own.”
~Elder David A. Bednar “Bear Up
Their Burdens with Ease” April 2014 General Conference
“By the
same token, we are all accountable to Him for our lives, our choices, and our
actions, even our thoughts. Because He redeemed us from the Fall, our lives are
in reality His.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”, April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
|My
Feelings|
I
am grateful for second chances and for living prophets today who can touch my
heart and help me understand the gospel at a deeper level. I especially love
the quote from Elder Christofferson. I need to always remember everything I
have been given is from Him. I am in debt to Him and will not be able to repay
that debt, but I can show Him my gratitude for it through my actions, words,
and deeds.
Forgiveness
“As
you pray for forgiveness, you will find yourself forgiving others. As you
thank God for His kindness, you will think of others, by name, who need your
kindness. Again, that experience will surprise you every day, and over time it
will change you.”
~Elder Henry B. Eyring “The
Priesthood Man” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“The grace
of Christ is real, affording both forgiveness and cleansing to the
repentant sinner.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”, April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
“Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in
common: They are forgiven. And they forgive.”
~Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf “The
Merciful Obtain Mercy” April 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the
unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more
gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care.”
~Marvin J. Ashton”The Tongue Can Be
a Sharp Sword” April 1992 General Conference, lds.org.
“As Alexander Pope wrote, ‘To err is human; to forgive,
divine’.”
~President
Thomas S. Monson, quoting Alexander Pope “An Essay on Criticism” (1711),
part 2, line 525.
“Where do hidden wedges originate? Some come from
unresolved disputes which lead to ill feelings, followed by remorse and regret.
Others find their beginnings in disappointments, jealousies, arguments, and
imagined hurts. We must solve them—lay them to rest and not leave them to
canker, fester, and ultimately destroy.”
~President
Thomas S. Monson “The Peril of Hidden Wedges” July 2007 Ensign, lds.org
“Let us be kind.
Let us forgive.
Let the love of God fill our hearts.
Let us do good unto all men. The Savior promised: “Give,
and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over. … For with the same measure that [you use] it shall
be measured to you again.” Shouldn’t this promise be enough to always focus our
efforts on acts of kindness, forgiveness, and charity instead of on any
negative behavior?”
~Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf “The
Merciful Obtain Mercy” April 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“May we ever be exemplary in our homes and faithful in keeping all
of the commandments that we may harbor no hidden wedges but rather remember the
Savior’s admonition: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if
ye have love one to another’.”
~President Thomas S. Monson “The
Peril of Hidden Wedges” July 2007 Ensign, lds.org
“The fruit of true repentance is forgiveness, which opens the door
to receive all of the covenants and ordinances provided on this earth and to
enjoy the resulting blessings.”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “Finding
Forgiveness” April 1995 General Conference, lds.org.
“Full obedience brings the complete power of the
gospel into your life with strength to focus on the abandonment of specific
sins. It includes things you might not initially consider part of repentance,
such as attending meetings, paying tithing, giving service, and forgiving
others. The Lord said: ‘He that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven.’”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “Finding
Forgiveness” April 1995 General Conference, lds.org.
|My
feelings|
There
are times it is hard to let go of past hurts but these quotes not only give me
hope of being able to heal old wounds but also hands me the tools to make it
happen. I love the quote from Elder Eyring. If I am doing what I need to and am
asking for forgiveness from a loving Heavenly Father, I will find it easier to
forgive myself and others. Satan wants to drive wedges, especially in families.
If we can overcome this and give others a little more grace, we would be doing
well. I loved a comment I once heard from a woman who had been married for 50
years. She said her and her husband lived by this motto: If I am hurt or
angered by something you said then I have misunderstood you, for I know you would
never do anything to hurt me intentionally.
Agency
“The devil has no
power over us only as we permit him; the moment we revolt at anything which
comes from God, the devil takes power.”
~Elder James
E. Faust “Serving the Lord and Resisting the Devil” Ensign September 1995,
lds.org
“How do you
prepare for your whirlwinds? “Remember … it is upon the rock of our Redeemer,
who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when
the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, … his shafts in the
whirlwind, … when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you,
it shall have no power … to drag you down … because of the rock upon which ye
are built.” This is your safety in the whirlwind.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen
“Spiritual Whirlwinds”, General Conference April 2014, lds.org
“President
Harold B. Lee said: “The only safety we have as members of this church is
to … learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give
through His prophet.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen
“Spiritual Whirlwinds”, General Conference April 2014, lds.org
“Given the reality
of the Resurrection of Christ, repentance of any violation of His law and
commandments is both possible and urgent.”
~Elder D.
Todd Christofferson “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”, April 2014 General
Conference, lds.org.
“If, in the end
you have not chosen Jesus Christ, it will not matter what you have chosen. “
~ Elder Neal A. Maxwell “Response
to a Call” April 1974 General Conference, lds.org
“Communication
with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege. It
is based upon eternal, unchanging principles. We receive help from our Father
in Heaven in response to our faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency.”
~Elder
Richard G. Scott “How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration in Your Personal
Life” April 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“Keeping divine
commandments brings blessings, every time! Breaking divine commandments brings
a loss of blessings every time!”
~ Elder Russell M. Nelson “Let
Your Faith Show” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Decisions
determine destiny.”
~Thomas S.
Monson, “Decisions Determine Destiny” Church Educational System fireside,
Nov. 6, 2005, lds.org.
“We will each have
a personal interview with Jesus Christ. We will account for decisions that
we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes, and how we honored God’s
pattern for marriage and family.”
~ Elder Russell M. Nelson “Let
Your Faith Show” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Be careful who
you follow!”
~Elder Robert
D. Hales “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments” April 2014 General Conference,
lds.org.
“Using our agency
to obey means choosing to “do what is right and letting the consequence
follow.” It requires self-mastery and brings confidence, eternal happiness, and
a sense of fulfillment.”
~Elder Robert
D. Hales “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments” April 2014 General Conference,
lds.org.
|My Feelings|
It is wonderful to know the more I choose the right
and the good, the easier it gets. It makes the road back to Heavenly Father
that much easier. It will be a hard road but I can make it easier on myself by
making those small but significant day to day “right” choices. As I do this I
will be a good example to my children and I will grow spiritually. I also need
to remember this works in reverse as well. When I make a poor choice, it will
be a little bit easier to make that same poor choice again and again if I don’t
break the cycle.
Revelation
Neal A. Maxwell ”The Holy Ghost: Glorifying Christ” July 2002 Ensign |
Revelation
“Let us humbly and prayerfully seek to understand and accept God’s commandments, reverently listening for the voice of His Holy Spirit.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen, “Children”, October 2011 General Conference, lds.org.
“Changes in the civil law do not, indeed cannot, change the moral law that God has established. God expects us to uphold and keep His commandments regardless of divergent opinions or trends in society.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen, “Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Challenges will come to you, but as you trust in God, they will strengthen your faith.”
~Elder Neil A. Andersen, “Spiritual Whirlwinds”, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“Physical death will be temporary, and even spiritual death has an end, in that all come back into the presence of God, at least temporarily, to be judged. We can have ultimate trust and confidence in His power to overcome all else and grant us everlasting life.”
~Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Resurrections of Jesus Christ”, April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
“President Hunter explained it this way: “I would like to say something to you that I consider to be very important. Throughout your life, you will be faced with many choices. How well you select among the alternatives will determine your success and happiness in life. Some of the decisions you will make will be absolutely critical and can affect the entire course of your life. Please measure those alternatives against the teachings of Jesus Christ.” To be able to do that you must know and understand his teachings. As you exercise faith and live worthy of inspiration, you will be directed in the important choices you make.”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “Removing Barriers to Happiness” April 1998 General Conference
“There are lives to brighten, there are hearts to touch, there are souls to save.”
~President Thomas S. Monson “True Shepherds” October 2013 General Conference lds.org.
“By becoming the answers to someone’s prayer, we often find the answers to our own.”
~Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf “Waiting on the Road to Damascus” April 2011 General Conference, lds.org
“It is important that our daily activities do not distract us from listening to the Spirit.”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration in Your Personal Life” April 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“Humility is a fertile soil where spirituality grows and produces the fruit of inspiration to know what to do.”
~Elder Richard G. Scott “How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration in Your Personal Life” April 2012 General Conference, lds.org.
“We can gain great knowledge from the scriptures and obtain inspiration through prayers of faith.”
~Elder Russell M. Nelson “Let Your Faith Show” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
Elder
Russell M. Nelson “Let Your Faith Show” April 2014 General Conference, lds.org.
|My
Feelings|
I am
grateful for my knowledge that I can pray to my Heavenly Father to ask for help
or comfort and know that His is always listening. I know He answers prayers and
I can receive an answer through other people. If I am doing what is asked of me,
I can be guided to help those in need as well. This can only happen if I am
living worthy of the spirit, for without the Holy Ghost I cannot receive revelation.
I have learned that I need to take charge of my daily activities so I can
always have the ability to be worthy of, listen to, and learn from the spirit.
|
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