A messy toy room and the Second Coming - what they have in common

This is something I wrote about 5 years ago. It has been coming to my mind lately and so I thought I would reshare:

 My two kiddos, (ages 6 and 4) share a room so that the other room can be used as a toy room. It is not cleaned every single day. I like that I can shut the door to this room and no one can see the mess. I have also adopted the philosophy that a messy toy room is some evidence that my children were playing with their toys instead of watching tv or playing computer games. (It makes me feel better about the mess! Ha, ha!)

However, at least once a week, that toy room needs a good cleaning. This isn't pretty as my sweet, adorable children have perfected their whining techniques claiming that I have asked them to do the impossible. But I stay strong. I didn't make the mess, they did. So, I've adopted the counting system. I give them a certain task within the mess and tell them to have it done by the time I count to 10. Usually, when I get to about 8, I start slowing down and even using fractions - 9 1/4, 9 1/2, 9 3/4 and then I take an extended deep breath before I say the number 10.  Sometimes, if I have gone to another room while they are cleaning, I come down the hall toward the toy room counting very loudly so they know I am on my way and they better finish things up. Why? I want them to succeed. I want them to complete the task. I love them. (and they are still young enough that this is an effective system) :)

"What in the world does all of this have to do with Jesus Christ?" you ask.

Well, let me tell you...
There has been a lot of talk lately about predictions of the Savior's Second Coming. Some people claim to know when this is going to happen. Some people think these people are crazy. Some people feel afraid. Some people don't care a single bit.

Remember, Satan flat out lies but he often takes the truth and twists it. The truth is that Jesus Christ will come again. He WILL.  It has been prophesied since even before He came the first time that He would come a second time. Here's one example:

"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:1 Old Testament)

Artist: Harry Anderson

Did that happen the first time He came? No. So it is a verse that is obviously referring to His second coming - a time when the whole world will KNOW without a doubt that Jesus was and is the Christ because He will not come as a little babe in Bethlehem. He will come as our King and He will reign in righteousness and glory and He will establish a perfect, peaceful kingdom. (I think this is a hard concept to grasp for those of us who live in an imperfect, non-peaceful world - which just happens to be all of us. But just because we can't comprehend it, doesn't mean it won't happen.)

So, yes, Jesus will come again. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when. But satan still tries to spread the lie that Jesus won't come. If satan can't convince you that Jesus won't come, maybe then he twists the "when". He convinces some people that they can know the exact day and time of the Savior's second coming.Why? Who knows. he just likes to get in there and wreck havoc wherever we are vulnerable.

Jesus HIMSELF said, "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:36) He reissued this statement in modern day revelation: "...but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes." (Doctrine and Covenants 49:7)

Back to my kids and their toy room. They know I'm coming down the hall because I told them in the beginning that I would come when time was up. They don't know the exact moment I will come. They can guesstimate but that's it. And if they have been listening, they have heard me counting the whole time so they can know when time is almost up and they better get moving  if they are going to be finished with their tasks in time.

So, aren't we all Heavenly Father's children? Yes. Often, we are a bunch of young children who need little incentives and reminders like our Father counting to 10 to motivate us to get things done.

The thing is that He has been counting to 10 for a very long time now. Those who have ears to hear and hearts to understand have been paying attention. We know that the time of our Savior coming again is very close. How close we don't know but it is probably safe to say Heavenly Father is at the point of using fractions like 9 1/2 and 9 3/4. He's coming down the hall toward the toy room and He's counting very loudly so as to get our attention so that we can be ready.

(When you visualize this, don't see Him as a gruff, mean, Father stomping His feet, ready to point out that we didn't do what He asked. Remember He loves us so much He let His Son suffer and die for us. He did not send us here to fail. Picture Him as the loving, patient, yet wise Father He is. Pray to know that Father.)

Unfortunately, one way our Father must "count loudly" so as to get our attention is by allowing wickedness, war and turmoil. "The prophets have warned that the earth will experience great turmoil, wickedness, war and suffering. The prophet Daniel said that the time before the Second Coming would be a time of trouble such as the earth has never known (see Daniel 12:1). We can expect earthquakes, disease, famines, great storms, lightnings, and thunder and hailstorms." (Doctrine and Covenants 88:90 - 91; Matthew 24:7; Doctrine and Covenants 29:16) (Gospel Principles: Lesson 43 "Signs of the Second Coming")

Sound familiar? Watch the news lately? How many times have you heard over the past few years that a weather-related catastrophe is the worst in recorded history? Our Father is counting and warning and doing all He can to help us be ready for that day when His Son, our Savior, comes again. He doesn't do this because He likes destruction and watching us suffer. Quite the contrary! (I've had to take toys away from my children just to help them finish their task. Not because I like to see them cry, but because I know they need to know that I'm serious about what I have asked them to do.) He does this because He loves us enough to do whatever it takes to help us be ready. He knows that the sadness and anguish we will feel at the Savior's Second Coming if we are not ready, will far outweigh any anguish we might feel now. He WANTS us to succeed. He would that ALL of His children would make themselves ready. But He will never force us so He does what a perfect Father would do, all He can.  It is His work and glory, remember? (Moses 1:39)

Whether the destruction around the world is happening in your town or not, it is still a message to the whole world. We must pay attention to these events. Not to make us depressed or afraid, but so that we can be ready.

While cleaning the toy room, my children often become distracted by their toys. My daughter starts setting up the doll house - claiming she is sorting through the toys. My son begins a whole train/star wars/cars saga. Similarly, satan has been very successful at getting us to distract ourselves so that we won't be ready. We can be involved in so many wonderful and worthwhile activities. But if these activities are keeping us from preparing ourselves for our Savior's second coming then something needs to be rearranged.

We can listen for the counting and make ourselves ready, or not. It is our choice - completely OUR choice.

In giving some signs of His second coming, the Savior once said, "I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." D&C 38:30

Oh, and one more thing...I mentioned that sometimes I leave the room while my kids are cleaning. But usually, I stay right there with them, helping them clean up their mess, even though I am not the one who made the mess. Sound like Someone else we know? Yup.  Our Father and our Brother are much more involved in our lives than we know - I have no doubt.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is not a day that we need to fear. It is a day we can look forward to. It is a day to pray for and a day to prepare for.

Listen to how the Savior describes what our world will be like once He has returned:

"But, verily I say unto you that in time ye shall have no king nor ruler, for I will be your king and watch over you. Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you shall be a  free people, and ye shall have no laws but my laws when I come, for I am your lawgiver, and what can stay my hand?" (Doctrine and Covenants 38:21-22)

Artist: Simon Dewey

Wowsers! I wanna be there! 

Okay, one more one more thing, it's not just destruction and doom and gloom that signifies that the Savior's Second Coming is near. There are also promises of increased righteousness, the Gospel spreading to all the earth, temples, and churches being set up as safe places to gather. If we are prepared, we don't have to fear. So, we kinda need to actually prepare.

 "Fear not, little flock, the kingdom is yours until I come. Behold, I come quickly. Even so. Amen" 

(Doctrine and Covenants 35:27)  

This amazing painting was done by John McNaughton. Read his thoughts here and see more of his paintings:
http://jonmcnaughton.com/parti...the-second-coming-2/

There is so much that could be written here. I've only skimmed the surface. If you want to study more, here is a good starting place, "Preparation for the Second Coming" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Elder Oaks points out, "

"What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?

If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained?"

He then says, "We are surrounded by challenges on all sides (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9). But with faith in God, we trust the blessings He has promised those who keep His commandments. We have faith in the future, and we are preparing for that future. To borrow a metaphor from the familiar world of athletic competitions, we do not know when this game will end, and we do not know the final score, but we do know that when the game finally ends, our team wins. We will continue to go forward “till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540). 

Miracles do not always appear to be miracles, at first...

This is a message for all of those who have been so kind in sending messages and making calls to offer your prayers and support for our sweet Elizabeth. Some reading this post, who have stumbled here without a knowledge of what has really transpired, might be a confused about a couple of details. Please feel free to email me and I will fill you in on the details.

This is just one part of a very long, learning, faith testing journey...


We have had a miracle...an absolute miracle.

On Wednesday morning, of this week, I received a phone call from a hospital 3 hours away where a Pediatric Neurologist had reviewed an MRI that was done of Lizzy's eyes and brain last week. Upon reading the findings, the doctor had told the Nurse Case Manager to call me and get Lizzy in to see him ASAP. He was concerned that if we waited for a regular appointment time, which would be about 8 weeks away, Lizzy's optic nerves and vision could be damaged and compromised if treatment was not started immediately.


I listened to my "Mommy Gut" which told me to go, so we went.
Thank you so much to all of you who helped with Ben and seminary and other duties at the last minute. I wish I could repay you with more than just a "thank you" but please know the gratitude comes straight from my heart.


It took us longer to get out of town than I had hoped and there were two accidents along the freeway toward Mesa that made our trip take longer than it should have. (That's important to the story) Once we arrived at the ER, the doctors there were very confused as to why we were there. I had been told that Lizzy's records would be made available and the ER staff would understand the situation.
They did not.
They were kind and helpful, but they were baffled.
It was weird.
Of course, there were those questions that implied I was probably a psyscho mom who had made this all up and I'm sure there were hushed conversations out of the room about how to get rid of the crazy mom.
I was asked to tell the reason why I was there again and again.
I am typically not an easily agitated person, but I remained even more calm than usual. I literally felt some power outside of myself keeping me extra calm.

Our Father in Heaven gave this daughter of His a great sense of humor and a bit of a crazy personality. It sure comes in hand sometimes. She and I had some good laughs in the ER together that day (and the next.)

The staff still didn't know what to do with us.
Here was a little girl in the ER with NO symptoms.
They treat symptoms.
They called the on-call Pediatric Neurologist who told them to tell me to go home. (That is important to the story - remember this part.)



"But it's a Pediatric Neurologist who told me to come. Can you call that Neurologist? I would not have come this far and on such short notice if I hadn't been told to do so by this doctor."


They could not locate him. Nor could they locate the Nurse Case Manager. They had all just left for the day and could not be reached.


The ER Staff called in their best doctor who came and did a thorough exam on Lizzy. She gave her a clean bill of health and told us that was the best she could do for us.
We were told to go home.


I did not feel that was right.
You don't tell a mom in an urgent phone call that if she doesn't get her daughter to the ER ASAP that her daughter may become blind, and then expect that mom to just leave if that hasn't been addressed.

I was filled with the KNOWLEDGE that the Lord had arranged this and I was to stay put until He let me know we were done.

There was no question in my mind of what to do.


A good friend had come to the hospital to see us, so we went home with her and slept at her apartment that night.


The next morning Lizzy and I got up early so that we could be the first ones at the door when the Pediatric Neurology clinic opened. This was where the urgent phone call the day before had originated, this was where I was to go. It was a wild goose chase finding that place, but I still felt that was what we were supposed to do.

Never once did doubt enter my mind.


We found the case manager.
She was so kind.
She had no idea we had been turned away from the ER the day before.
I told her that I wasn't going to leave the hospital that day until my daughter was seen by a neurologist.
I said it with a smile on my face and a resolve in my tone and this sweet woman got a tear in her eye and told me she was supporting me 100%.
She went back and talked to the neurologist who had been so concerned.
He called the ER himself and said he was sending us over there and they were to let us in and begin a list of tests he felt she needed ASAP - CT, Spinal tap etc.


So, back we went.


Once again, the ER staff was SOOOO KIND! They ushered us in and treated us with concern and I was so grateful.


But then it started to happen again.


I could hear the doctors and nurses out in the hall saying, "But why is she here in the ER?" "Who talked to the doctor?" "What do we do with her?"


One ER doctor came into the room and asked me to tell our whole story beginning from the very first Optometry appointment in April of 2015 when the swollen optic nerves were discovered.

Then another doctor came in and asked me to share the story.
Then a nurse came in and asked me to share the story.

I very kindly, but firmly, again, said that the only reason I was there was because a pediatric neurologist had told me it was urgent. I explained that we live 3 hours away; we don't even have a working car at this time; I had to borrow a friend's car to make the trip; I have no money and now have two ER visits to pay for and why in the world would I have done that, if I hadn't been told to do it by someone I thought I could trust?


I asked them to PLEASE call the Neurologist over in the clinic.

That's when the biggest miracle happened.


The Pediatric Neurologist who had been on-call for the ER the night before, the one who had told them to tell me to go home, happened to wander into the ER. He had wanted to get Lizzy's information so that he could tell the other neurologist that he would be happy to see us on Friday (today) if we wanted to come back.


"Well," they told him, "She's back."

He wasn't very happy about that and so he thought he would just nip it in the bud and get us out of there himself.

What came next was 70 minutes of one on one care from one of the top doctors in the country, maybe the world, in the field of pediatric neurology and childhood Multiple Sclerosis.

Once he realized why I was there, and how far I had come in order to be there, he calmed down and his concern for our situation took over.


This doctor lives in Wisconsin. He comes to Arizona about once or twice a year to see his grandchildren. While he is here in AZ, this hospital has asked if he would be willing to assist at the hospital when he can. This doctor, I was told, is the one all of the other doctors call and consult with when they need more expertise. He doesn't ask them for help, they ask him.


He did a thorough exam on Lizzy, looked at the results of tests that have already been done and determined that she is a perfectly healthy little girl, who just happens to have optic nerves that are a bit swollen. He cautioned me to keep an eye out for any changes in her vision, blurred vision, double vision, seeing lights, seeing spots, seeing colors differently, sharp pain in her head or eyes etc. He also instructed us to have our doctor check on Lizzy's eyes every 6 months for the next 2 years. Other than that, he feels everything is okay. Lizzy still has the food allergies and she needs to adhere to those guidelines, which, actually will help her body continue to be strong and healthy.

My "mommy gut" felt peace. I felt that this is what we had come for and we could now return home.


I asked him why he thought I received the urgent phone call just the day before. He said that the textbook answer to swollen optic nerves is MS - every time. He was certain the other neurologist felt the need to start Lizzy down an aggressive MS treatment path - a path he does not feel she needs to go down. The other doctors are all very good doctors, I have no doubt. But Lizzy is not a textbook and she does not have MS. It appears that only a very skilled, very experienced, very intuitive doctor would have known that. The Lord arranged for us to meet with that doctor.

Miracles:
1. If my friend had not called me the other day to say that she felt impressed to let us use her old van for as long as we needed to, I would not have had a reliable car to make the quick journey.

2. If I had not received the urgent phone call telling me my daughter might go blind if I don't go ASAP, I would never have gone in the first place.

3. If we had arrived a few minutes earlier, the first doctor and the case manager would have been available and they would have called the shots.

4. If the ER staff had the correct information, they would have started the tests the first doctor had ordered.

5. If I had gone home that night, I would have still thought Lizzy needed to see a neurologist and whomever I took her to, probably would have started the MS treatments.

6. If I had not gone back the next day, we never would have been able to meet with the great doctor who helped us so much. Who also happens to be leaving AZ tomorrow.


Basically, what the Lord did was orchestrate the most amazing plan to help us know that everything is okay.


Isn't that wonderful?!


My whole life, I've been telling myself "Everything is going to be okay." as a way of calming my fears and sadness because of the constant challenges that have been given to me. It has become the norm for me in the past few years to think in my mind "Everything is going to be okay after this life." because it seemed to me that was when I was going to need to wait for the "okay" to happen.



On the 3-hour drive home, I imagined the Savior sitting in the passenger seat next to me.


Him: "Did you get my message today?"
Me: "That Lizzy is okay? Yes, thank you so much!"
Him: "Well, yes, that is one of the messages. Did you get the other message?"
Me: "Um, that you love us and you will take care of us. Yes, thank you so much!"
Him: "Well, yes, those were also messages I sent. Did you get any other messages?"
Me: "Um, well...."
Him: "Why did I orchestrate all of this?"
Me: "To help me know that everything is going to be okay."
Him: "Going to be okay? or ..."
Me: "Oh, wait, I see, often we think you are just there when something is wrong so that we can take care of it and to comfort us. We think of you healing the wrongs and the hurts and that you are there to fix things."
Him: "Yes, keep going."

Me: "But this time, you showed me that you also rush in to tell us when life is okay. Truly okay. This time, you didn't rush in to fix a problem or heal my daughter's eyes. You rushed in to tell me that they didn't need healing."
Him: "Yes. I wanted you to not only feel that everything is going to be okay, but that there are some parts of earth life that are okay right now. I know I have allowed you, and continue to allow you, to go through a lot of hard, hard experiences in your life. You have felt great amounts of heartache. You know that I've always been there, right next to you, holding you and loving you. You have learned so much and I'm so proud of you.  I just wanted you to know that not everything is hard and that I have not forgotten you."
Me: "You're not supposed to make me cry while I drive!  But thank you. Thank you so much. I love you."
Him: "I know. I love you too."
Me: "I know."
Him: "Now, dry your tears so you don't get in an accident. Then things won't be okay." (With a wink and a smile - He does have a sense of humor you know!)


So, there you go! There's the story.
So many prayers have been said and so many prayers have been answered.

I believe that these experiences happen to us more than we know and realize.
I believe that our Father in Heaven and the Savior and all those interested in our success and happiness are very, very involved in our day to day earth life.
I believe that the more we believe that, the more we will recognize their help and the more it will be offered.

We do not have to travel through this life alone.
Wait, let me rephrase that.
We do not travel through this life alone.
We just don't always recognize the Heavenly help that is always there.


Thank you, each of you, for your generous help and prayers. Prayer is more powerful than we know. I mean it when I say that I felt stronger from the prayers that were being said.
I hope you all see God's Hand in your life today. Somehow, somewhere, in some way, He will send you a message and it will most likely be, "I love you."

Love to you all!

P.S As the good doctor was leaving the ER exam room, he turned and said, "I apologize again for not coming in to see you on Wednesday night. My two grandchildren are severely autistic. I had told my daughter and her husband to go out and enjoy themselves before I leave on Saturday while I took care of the kids. It ended up being a challenging night with both of the kids and I just couldn't leave them." The tears filled his eyes and I said, "No need to apologize. You were right where you were supposed to be."

And with that we see that the Lord is truly in charge. His timing and His methods we do not always understand, but they are always right. Our trust in Him can be absolute!

A pep talk for a Relief Society President - and anyone else who serves the Lord

I am someone who shares my testimony often. That doesn't mean it doesn't take a lot of courage and that I don't ever feel hesitant or second guess myself. Am I saying too much? Am I saying too little? Am I turning people away? Am I preachy? Am I scaring people, rather than inspiring them?

These are all questions I often hear in my mind. Do any of you ask yourselves the same questions?

I have lived long enough and experienced enough to know that I need to push through those questions and never let them stop me from doing what I feel is right. Yet, I still have moments when I need a pep talk.

One of those moments came this last Sunday.

I have written several times that I am currently serving as the Relief Society President in my ward. Within my stewardship, I am to care for and watch over all of the women ages 18 and older in our ward - about 230 women. Of course, I don't do this alone. There are many, many people who participate in this watch care. However, as the President, I often have women on my mind that no one else seems to worry about. Each week I make phone calls or visits to women who haven't been visited by anyone in a very long time or who don't feel like they fit in and/or who are afraid to come to church and join us,.

I share my testimony and love with these women and invite them to come to church. I do this often and every Sunday, before Sacrament meeting begins, you can find me waiting at the doors to the chapel, or even the doors to the building, looking for those who have promised to come. I want to greet them and help them feel welcome and glad they came.

They don't come. Sometimes they do. Most of the time they don't. I usually feel sadness at their absence but I can't let that drag me down, I have too many other reasons to be happy about all of the women who are there each Sunday.

But I care...sometimes I think I care too much. Is that possible?

That deep caring won't allow me to give up. I have a testimony that I am on the Lord's errand. I know He won't give up and so I can't. Jesus Christ has put into my heart a love for these women and I know how important and precious they are to Him. How can I give up when I know who these women really are...daughters of God?

This last Sunday was a particularly difficult day and my sadness overcame my optimism. I hate to admit it but I thought to myself, "Why? Why, Heavenly Father, why have you put into my heart a love for these sisters if it seems that they will never return? Aren't there more productive ways for me to spend my time and energy?" I will admit to some tears in Sacrament meeting.

But then in Sunday School, the Lord began to answer my question. I was asked to read this paragraph in our class and I choked up on the last two sentences, "The Apostle Paul was a great missionary sent to the Gentiles. After he was converted to the Church, he spent the remainder of his life preaching the gospel to them. At different times during his mission he was whipped, stoned, and imprisoned. Yet he continued to preach the gospel (see Acts 23:10–12; 26)." Gospel Principles Chapter 33

Then the teacher showed this video:

I will admit, once again, to more tears during this short movie - lots of tears.

In this divine answer to my questions, I was not told, "Don't give up." I was not told "Love others no matter what." I was told that I love the Savior. It was as if Jesus whispered to me that He knows I love Him and He knows my heart and that is why He asks me to do the hard things and that's all I need to remember.

It's all because of Him. That's why I go visit and share and encourage and love over and over and over again, often without any sign of progress. Because of Him. I love Him with all of my heart and the deep-in-my-heart reason why I do all that I do is because of my love for Him. If everything else was taken away, I would still want to be part of the Lord's work because it is simply that, the Lord's work and I want to be where He is, doing what He is doing.

I know I am not alone in that sentiment. I know there are many others in our world who feel exactly the same as I do.

And then the thoughts started pouring in...

My mind began to remember all of the verses of scripture that tell of how prophets or servants of God were discouraged, even shedding tears, because their assignments from the Lord were hard and often, no one seemed to listen or even care.

A desire began to burn in my heart. A desire to read the Book of Mormon again and search the Bible again for some very specific messages - messages from those who have felt exactly as I feel. If I were standing with Nephi or Isaiah or Moroni, if they were giving me a pep talk for my daily assignments, what would they say? 

I started that day with 1 Nephi chapter 1 - THE PERFECT PLACE TO START for someone who needs a pep talk from someone who knows how hard being involved in this work can be sometimes. I'm going to write about that one in my next post.

For now I want to say that I am a happy, cheerful, optimistic, hopeful person who also feels sadness and discouragement as I take part in the Work of Salvation. I know I'm not the only one. I'm normal and so is every one of you who has  felt those same feelings.

I'm going to write about the pep talks I am given as I study how those who lived thousands of years ago overcame their fears, insecurities and discouragements and served the Lord no matter what, even when it was hard, no, especially when it was hard.  They have much to teach me and I'm so excited to have them be my tutors in this work.

 I can't think of any better teachers than those who proved themselves to be the Savior's friends, for that is the title I want most of all...I want my dearest, truest, most loyal friend, Jesus Christ, to be able to look at me and call me "friend" as well.

Spencer was right!

Many years ago, as an 18-year-old girl, I was asked to teach the 5-year-old Sunday school class. My class consisted of some very energetic, rambunctious little boys. Needless to say, although I planned great lessons about how Heavenly Father loves us and how He made the sun, moon and stars, my lessons usually ended up being about why we don't stand on the chairs or color on the walls.

One Sunday, in "Sharing Time", the teacher asked the whole Primary a simple question, "Why are we here on earth?"

Hands shot up and the older kids were shouting out the usual answers: "To get a body!" "To be tested!" All the right answers; they had been taught well. But then someone taught me something greater.

A little boy in my class named Spencer began to tug on my shirt sleeve. "Teacher! Teacher! I know the answer!"

"Raise your hand Spencer and maybe she'll call on you to give your answer."

He shook his head in embarrassment but continued to tug at my sleeve wanting to share what was bursting from his little heart.

So, I asked him if he would be willing to whisper his answer into my ear. He liked that option so I leaned in closer to him.

I can still feel his little whisper in my ear, "We're here on earth to love Jesus."

My heart melted. With a quiver in my voice I said, "Yes, Spencer, you are right!" as my eyes filled with tears, I realized this little 5-year-old had just taught me more than I could have ever taught him.

The first great commandment, is the first great commandment for a reason."Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22:38) The Lord is not selfish or vain, He knows that when we love Him, we will keep His commandments and make it Home to Him.

Keeping the first commandment always leads to keeping the second, because to love the Father and the Son is to serve those They love. In answer to our prayers for guidance, They send the Holy Ghost to tell us how to help others and to feel at least a part of God’s love. So in that service, our love of God increases and the keeping of the second great commandment leads us back to the first, in an ascending circle. In time, our very natures change. We are filled with the love of God, which, even in a world with so much misery and despair, brings us happiness and hope. [Henry B. Eyring, Because He First Loved Us (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002), ix] 

Spencer was right. We are here to love Jesus because when we do, we will do all of the other things Jesus has asked us to do. We will know that He gives us commandments and guidelines because He sees what we do not see and knows what we do not know. When we love Jesus, we will trust Him and follow Him and long to be with Him again. We will not worry about what others think or if they agree with us because our hearts will belong to the one who loves us most. When we love Jesus, we will find peace in this life despite the chaos and heartache that may be going on around us. We will have the courage to do what is hard no matter what. When we love Jesus we will know that He will help us overcome ALL things in our life and that we will never, ever be alone.

Even with all of those good reasons to love Jesus, the simplest reason is that, "We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

 

 

 

...and He always will.

Have Miracles Ceased?

Miracles.

What are they really?
Do we recognize them?
Do they happen to us?

The Bible Dictionary states that a miracle is "An important element in the work of Jesus Christ"..."They were intended to be a proof to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ"..."Many of them were also parabolic and instructive"..."Miracles were and are a response to faith, and its best encouragement. They were never wrought without prayer, felt need, and faith."(Bible Dictionary)

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, gave a very insightful and inspiring talk about miracles. You can read it here "Miracles"

Elder Oaks' words got me to thinkin'...

 This video depicts one of the most well known of the miracles preformed by the Savior during His mortal ministry...

We all love that story. We know, without a doubt, that it was a miracle. The evidence is as clear as it could be. 

But what about this event? Is it a miracle? What do you think? Miracle or not?

This is what Elder Oaks said, "Changing bodies or protecting temples are miracles, but an even greater miracle is a mighty change of heart by a son or daughter of God (see Mosiah 5:2). A change of heart, including new attitudes, priorities, and desires, is greater and more important than any miracle involving the body. I repeat, the body will be resurrected in any event, but a change affecting what the scripture calls the “heart” of a spirit son or daughter of God is a change whose effect is eternal."

Wow. Did you ever think of that? So when we, or someone else, experience a change of heart that turns us to Christ, we are experiencing a miracle. A real true blue miracle.

We don't know if the woman in the second video changed her life around or not. I hope she did. I would hope that a personal experience with the Savior would be powerful enough to carry her through the ridicule she might have experienced after that event. I would hope that all those who were watching her and the Savior that day, didn't hold her past choices over her head but let her change. I would hope that in those moments when her old habits wanted attention, she was able to give them over to the Savior and let Him help her through the tough moments...or days...or weeks...or months.

Whatever the case may be, I think it is important for us to let that sink into our hearts :) - a change of heart is the greatest miracle wrought by the Savior.

Now, if you have a moment (and I hope you do) go back and watch the first video of Jarius' daughter again. Are there any similarities between that miracle and the second video? Imagine Jarius is running to the Savior because his daughter is spiritually dying. How might we apply that to our concern for others?  How might the story of the woman caught in adultery be different if someone had run to Jesus begging Him to heal her instead of asking Him to judge her?  Because often, sin is just a symptom of a spiritual sickness just as a fever is a symptom of a physical ailment. Just something to think about.

A change of heart is not only for those in situations like unto the woman in the second video. A change of heart is a universal need.

Elder Oaks said, "If of the right kind, this change opens the door to the process of repentance that cleanses us to dwell in the presence of God. It introduces the perspective and priorities that lead us to make the choices that qualify us for eternal life, 'the greatest of all the gifts of God' (D&C 14:7).

One last thing...

The Bible Dictionary states, 

"Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be improbable."

 

So have miracles ceased? No way.

Have you experienced one lately? I bet you have.
Did you recognize that miracle? I hope so.

Lost and Found

My daughter received a book for Christmas with beautiful pictures of the Savior on each page. As I was reading this book with her, I turned the page and found this picture by Greg Olsen entitled "Lost and Found".

I have seen it before but the message of this picture was very powerful at that moment. Tears started spilling down my cheeks. My daughter looked at me, she didn't even ask, she knew what I was feeling. She is accustomed to my emotions, she shares them as well.

We sat and looked at the picture together. I told her how the picture made me feel. She told me how the picture made her feel.

I'm not going to share any of that because I want those of you who are reading this right now to discover your own message here. If you were on that bench, what would that conversation be like?

Whatever your interpretation may be... let it lead you to the love our Savior has for you...no matter what.

Believe This Truth

 I have had so much in my heart lately. I've felt very close to our Savior. I have felt tender feelings of love and support from Him and for Him and a greater understanding of the complete dependence I have on Him.

I have been taught in a very special way this past week that my life is between He and I. That's it. I don't need to worry about the opinions of any other person. Truly. It is only His opinion that matters. He will not compare me to anyone else. He knows and sees my offerings to Him and He loves them. He knows when I do something that is right, even when it was hard. He knows where my heart is. He knows my private battles and my private triumphs. He understands me - completely.

Some beautiful experiences this week have reinforced this beautiful, simple, powerful TRUTH...

Your life is between you and Him.

Let the opinions of others go.
(Read that again.)

He loves you and nothing you do, or don't do, will ever change that.

He wants you to be happy.

He wants you to feel joy.

He wants to tell you everything.

He wants you to take a step closer to Home every single day.

The simple, powerful, TRUTH is that you are loved -
every single part of you - completely LOVED

I know I write that all of the time.
Maybe this is part of my "Personal Ministry" on this earth.
Maybe that is why my last name is Love. :)
It is a truth I feel compelled to share often.

His life was all about you.

Make your life all about Him.

Ask Him to help you know what this means.

I could try to convey what that means for me but it will mean more to you, and will stick with you more, if the Savior reveals it to you personally.

Believe that He will. 
Believe that Jesus Christ loves YOU!


(the link to the talk "Personal Ministry" is a must read for everyone)

Perfect For Today...and everyday

Lesson Learned...AGAIN!!

Do you wonder if you'll ever learn? What I mean is, does it seem you need to be taught the same lesson over and over again? I do. Case in point...

My husband started his own business a little over a year ago. We knew it was a crazy time economically to do this. We knew we were taking a big chance - him quitting his great paying, full benefits, stable job - crazy right? But we felt it was the right move for him. We had faith that the Lord was directing our actions.

Things started off great! His business started off booming! We were so excited! His business is still booming. He has employees who get their paychecks without any problem. He is able to pay all of the business expenses with no problem. But here is the catch, not much money has found its way into our family bank account as of yet. He absolutely cannot work any harder than he already is; there just aren't enough hours in the day. So what is the problem? We keep the commandments. We pay our tithing. We are not frivolous people. But our savings is gone. Our debt has increased. Our hopes are dwindling.

Maybe this is too personal to share in this forum. But I watch the news and  I have a feeling we are not the only ones in this situation right now.  A couple of weeks ago, I felt the Savior remind me of a story that has kept me going ever since...

It was a  rough Sunday as our debts and financial situation seemed to weigh heavily on our hearts. My husband was particularly down. I tend to be more optimistic than he is and this day was no exception. But even I was feeling the burdens this day. During Sacrament meeting, I looked over at my husband. His head was in his hands and most people probably thought he was asleep. I knew better.

When we returned home from church that day, I asked him what he had been feeling during the meeting. He said he just kept thinking of this story of our Savior:

 Mark 4

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ^aPeace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great ^bcalm.

 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so ^afearful? how is it that ye have no ^bfaith?

My husband said he completely understood the words of the disciples during the midst of that storm and he knows why they awoke Jesus...they were very afraid and thought they would die.  He felt the same feelings about our financial situation and felt himself say in his heart, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

I think we have all had this feeling at least once in our lives, maybe more. We shouldn't be too hard on the Apostles, they were human as are we.

It was interesting that just a couple of days earlier, I had learned a great lesson from this story which I was then able to share with my husband. 

It had occurred to me that Jesus was able to sleep during that treacherous storm because He knew they would all be okay - the storm was not going to destroy them. So, He was able to allow Himself to take a much needed rest. It sounds so simple and maybe I'm wrong, but maybe He didn't see the need to stop the storm because He knew it didn't need to be stopped and if it did, He was there to protect them. He had faith in what He would be able to do if necessary. 

The Apostles, on the other hand, did not have this same perspective. All they could see was what was happening to them in that very moment and they did not have an understanding of Who exactly was on board that ship and the power He had to protect them. They did not understand that if the storm was really going to cause them to "perish", Jesus would not have allowed Himself to sleep, but would have stopped the storm immediately.

Before they had all entered the ship that day, Jesus had preformed miracle after miracle healing the sick and raising the dead. He had shown His amazing power for all to see and who had been there with Him for every miracle? His Apostles. They had witnessed it all. So when Jesus said, "Why is it ye are so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" maybe He was saying, "You saw what I am able to do. I can do the same for you. You will be okay. I will take care of you. Trust me."

So, back to my financial situation (or any situation in which you may feel that you are going to "drown")  When my husband and I set sail on this "Self-Employed" ship, we felt that the Savior was on board with us. We have felt it all along. For some reason, a huge storm has developed all around us. The wind is fierce and the waves are frightening. But, we must have faith in the God of miracles who is on board with us.We must trust His judgment and never give up. I think the Creator of the universe is someone we can trust.

We have a house full of food because of the counsel to have a year's supply of food. We have a home to live in. We have clothes to wear. We have a car that is paid for. We have a cupboard full of games which can supply free entertainment.  My children have fun toys and books to keep them occupied. At this point, our basic bills are still able to be paid. The list could go on and on. We have sooooo much!!

Hmmmm....maybe the storm isn't as life-threatening as we had thought.

Besides, hasn't the Lord performed miracles in my life before? Yes. Oh me of little faith. It is all about His timing and His plan. He knows what we do not know and He sees what we do not see.

Haven't I learned this before? Uh, yeah, like a gazillion times!

Amen!!

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love science. Some people don't think those two worlds can exist together. I believe that the adversary did a treacherous deed when he convinced man to separate the two. Hence, scientific theories that do not support religion. But when we put religion and science together, a whole new world of discovery and understanding is opened up to us.

Religion can answer the "Who?" and "Why?" questions that science cannot answer and inspired science can help us begin to understand the "How" of some of religion's most cherished beliefs. If you look, you will see that the scriptures are filled with science. They really do belong together as two witnesses to the glory of God.

Our Eternal Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, in my opinion, are the Master Scientists and Master Creators. Our Eternal Father, the Master Architect and our Savior, the Master Builder.  I believe the great catalyst to all of their creations was and is LOVE. As I learn more, it seems that love is not just the "Why?" but could very well be the "How?" as well. I believe that we underestimate the literal power of LOVE - on both religious and scientific levels.

As I watched this short video, my heart filled with love and amazement for Our Creator's Cosmos. It is AWESOME in every sense of that word - inspiring awe.

(watch this video on full-screen, you won't be sorry you did.)

I titled this post "Amen!!" because I agree 200% with what is said in this short clip. With all of my heart (a heart which was created by the Master Creators and Scientists) I believe that what is said in this movie is true!

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Two experiences  have contributed to the desire to write this post...

Somewhere in the last week I saw a clip of  a reporter asking random people to say their names. One man looked at the reporter and said, "Unknown". The reporter was perplexed. The man continued, "I don't have a clue where I came from, why I am even here on this earth or what is going to happen to me after this life. I am just a big unknown."

I felt so sad for him. I know the answers to those questions. I pray the Lord will help this man find the answers. I have faith the Lord is watching over this man and will do all He can to lead "Unknown" Home. the truth is "Unknown" is very, very "Known"...

The second experience was on Saturday morning. A friend of mine gave birth to two sons last week. The oldest lived for 4 minutes, the youngest lived for just a moment. My husband and I were asked to speak at the funeral. What I have written here is influenced somewhat by what I said at the funeral, but that talk was geared more toward the tender feelings that arise when a child dies.
*********

I lived in Heaven a long time ago, it is true.

Lived there and loved there with people I know, so did you

Then Heavenly Father presented a beautiful plan.

All about earth and eternal salvation for man.

This plan has a few different names:

The Plan of Salvation

The Merciful Plan of our God

The Plan of Redemption
Our Heavenly Father's Plan

The Great Plan of Happiness

No matter what name you choose to use, the particulars of this plan make it, unquestionably, 

THE GREATEST LOVE STORY EVER TOLD 

It is a story of the love a Father (our Eternal Father) has for His children (each of us). A love that is so perfect and so brave and so understanding that it allowed our Eternal Father to look upon us, there in the safety of our Heavenly home, and know there was so much more we needed to learn in order to reach our full potential. So He presented a plan for us, a plan that, if followed correctly, would eventually lead to eternal progression, joy and happiness.

Simply said, this plan is that we would come to an earth where we would receive a physical, tangible body similar to His own. While on earth we would be tried and tested and given opportunities for growth and eventually, after all is said and done, we would be rewarded according to our ability to learn to walk by faith. The greatest reward that would be offered would be to progress in joy and happiness eternally with our families and our Father in His Kingdom.

There are two obstacles in this plan which we would need to overcome in order to return Home. These obstacles are death and sin. Our bodies, although fashioned to resemble His own perfect body, would be mortal, thus making us subject to death. Every single one of us. No one is exempt. We will all die. And, we will all make mistakes. Every single one of us. No one is exempt. We will all make mistakes. Once we have made a mistake we are no longer able to return to our Heavenly Home.

We needed someone who was so righteous and so dependable and so wonderful that He could come to earth without making any mistakes and pay the price for our sins and break the bands of death so that we our bodies and our spirits could one day be reunited, thus enabling us to live forever.

Jesus was chosen, and as the Messiah he came.

Conquering evil an death through his glorious name,

Giving us hope of a wonderful life yet to be -

Home in that heaven where Father is waiting for me.

(I Lived in Heaven, Children's Songbook, pg. 4)

So the next part of this love story is the love a big brother (Jesus Christ) can have for his siblings (each of us). It was love, love, love that caused our Elder Brother Jesus Christ to endure pain and anguish for which there is no adequate adjective to describe. It was love, love, love that gave Him the determination and courage to allow Himself to be hung on a cross and die for us. Love was why He did all that He did. It was love that He brought back into the world on the day He was resurrected.

What our Father did and what Jesus Christ did was ALL ABOUT LOVE! 

Our Father's love was so strong, He was willing to let us all come to earth, despite the fact that he knew we would experience pain and sorrow and that, even worse, some of His children would not return, but He had to give us an opportunity to choose for ourselves. That is real love from the most perfect parent in all the universe. He wants us to be all that we can be and He knew that wouldn't happen if He kept us all in the safety of our Heavenly home. (I think most earthly parents can identify with this) As any parent could understand, our Father would that ALL of His children return safely Home to Him but our agency is of the utmost importance to Him. He will never force us.

Our Brother's love was so strong, He was willing to come help us clean up our messes, even though He did not create the mess. (A principle my own children struggle with on a daily basis) He did it willingly, without complaining or rubbing it in or holding it over our heads. He WANTED to do this for our Father and for each of us.

The third part of the love story has to do with the love which we can show toward our Father and our Savior. When we love Them, we trust Them and we are more willing and able to keep Their commandments. Isn't that what Jesus said? "If ye love me keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

How do we show our love for our earthly parents? We listen to them and talk with them and honor them. This is exactly how we can demonstrate our love for our Father and our Elder Brother.

Interestingly enough, they have both told us on more than one occasion that the way we can show love toward them, is to show love toward each other. Could it really be that simple? Yes!  

The last part of this love story is the love we learn to feel for and show toward our fellow brothers and sisters.  

Love that is not judgmental. Love that is caring and kind. Love that is patient and understanding and compassionate. Love that offers forgiveness. Love that helps even if it isn't convenient or pretty or heroic. Love that looks past differences. Love that sees we are all in this together. Love, like the pure love our Father and our Savior have for us. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

IT IS ALL ABOUT LOVE - ALL OF IT!!

I had hoped this would be a short post. I know it is easier to read shorter posts. I tried. But, despite the length of this post, I have only skimmed the surface of the Great Plan of Happiness. There is so much, much more. It is a beautifully simple plan. It is also an intellectually and spiritually deep plan. If you would like to study more, click on this link Plan of Salvation this link will take you to a page at lds.org that is filled with scriptures, talks, lessons and other information about the Merciful Plan of Our God. There is enough information to keep you studying for a while - a lifetime :)