Thursday, January 20, 2011

They do listen when we teach

I just finished listening to my oldest son's (7 years old) prayer. My favorite part was this, "...and I love you. And tell Jesus I love him too..." I love how innocent, pure, and that just by listening to that little part of his prayer I know he is learning the gospel.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Looking Back

As many of you know my husband works 2 and 1/2 hours away so he is gone during the week and home most weekends. The week before last he was 'on call' and had to stay down to work for 8 days in a row. Those are always the hardest weeks for me. Then last week, the week following his 'on call' week, he gets to be home for 3 days. He still works at his other job, but he is home at night. We get to have family dinner and life seems normal again. Then the next week comes, this week, and he is gone again for the week. These are the hardest times for me. They are inconsistent and emotionally draining. Sometimes I get a little down when he has to go back after being home for a few days in a row. I miss him so much! I have to stop, think, regroup, and make my self look back and see all of the little blessings and tender mercies that I was given during the hard weeks. I really am so blessed! I know that I wouldn't have been able to make it this long in this trial without the help of my Father in Heaven. So why is it that sometimes I still have a hard time remembering that I'm not alone?
I was thinking about this very question last night when I found this quote by Elder Richard G. Scott, "The world is like a jungle, with dangers that can harm or mutilate your body, enslave or destroy your mind, or decimate your morality. It was intended that life be a challenge, not so that you would fail, but that you might succeed though overcoming. You face on every hand difficult but vitally important decisions. There is an array of temptations, destructive influences, and camouflaged dangers, the like of which no previous generation has faced. I am persuaded that today no one, no matter how gifted, strong, or intelligent, will avoid serious problems without seeking the help of the Lord...Trust in the Lord. He knows what He is doing. He already knows your problems. And He is waiting for you to ask for help" Emphasis added.
That quote gave me comfort last night and today I am feeling much better. I need to succeed and I can with the help of the Lord. Times are hard. I need to remember to look back and see the hand of the Lord in my life. To see His tender mercies and blessings. I am a work in progress and probably will be until the day I die, just as long as I keep going and try to overcome.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Stake Conference

Today we had Stake Conference. Stakes are made up of wards. At stake conference all of the wards get together for meetings. This Stake Conference was different than others. It only happens every 10 years. We had a new Stake President called. My bishop is his first counselor. So next week we'll get a new bishop in our ward. Lots of changes, but good changes.
Today I wanted to share with you a little about what Elder Duncan talked about. He is in the presidency of the first quorum of the 70.
He talked a little about the Temple and how we should make our lives like the temple. He recently had the opportunity to go into places in the Salt Lake temple that not many people get to see. He talked about a stair case. On this stair case was the most beautiful banister. It was hand carved by one of the pioneers that helped to build the temple. The detail was exquisite and breath taking. He said he thought it was interesting that such care was taken on something that was not going to be seen by very many people. He likened that to our lives asking us these types of questions, "How are the deepest parts of you? The parts that only God sees? Have you taken the care to make them beautiful?" It made me think about how I live my life when no one is looking. Do I make the right choices? Am I doing the things I need to be doing to keep my testimony strong?
He went on to talk about Doctrine and Covenants section 109. This section is the recording of the dedicatory prayer given at the Kirtland Temple dedication. He suggested that while we read some of the verses to replace the word 'house' with 'lives' or 'life'. It made the scriptures change so much. Tonight I went and read them for myself replacing the words like he had suggested. I would like to share with you some of the verses from that section.

Verses 8 and 9 "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a [life], even a [life] of prayer, a [life] of fasting, a [life] of faith, a [life] of learning, a [life] of glory, a [life] of order, a [life] of God; That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord, that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord, that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High"

Verses 16 through 18"And that this [life] my be a [life] of prayer, a [life] of fasting, a [life] of faith, a [life] of glory and of God, even thy [life]; That all the incomings of thy people, into this [life], my be in the name of the Lord"

Verse 20 "And that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into [my life] to pollute it."

There are more scriptures in that section that can be changed. I suggest that you go and read it. It really did make me think about my life and how I live. The temple is supposed to be a reminder to us. It is God's house. A place where we can find peace, receive answers to prayers, and a place where we make special covenants with our Father in Heaven. Now when I see the Temple I can be reminded of those things along with it reminding me to look at my own life and see where I am and how I am doing.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Answer to a Prayer question

Over Christmas I had a reader asked me a question about a website. She wanted to know what I thought about it, not being sure how she felt about it. The website is http://www.prayermarket.com/.

Prayer is a very powerful tool and it is very special. I love how Elder Richard G. Scott put it. He said, "Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it; the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father. Actually, because He knows how desperately we need his guidance, He commands, "Thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private. (D&C 19:28)""

As Elder Scott said God is literally our Father in Heaven. We need, and He wants, us to have a personal relationship with Him. The only way we can have that relationship is if we pray to Him ourselves. In Revelations chapter 3 verse 20 it reads, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." It is up to us as individuals to build that relationship.

I don't think there is anything wrong with asking people to pray for us or to pray for someone in need. There is strength in numbers and sometimes our combined faith can bring about many marvelous miracles according to God's will. There is something special when someone prays for you. I have had many prayers offered in my behalf. I have felt those prayers and when someone comes to me and tells me that they are genuinely praying for me and my circumstance, I feel very humbled that they would take the time to speak to the Lord concerning me.

The biggest problems that I see with this website is the money part. Paying someone to say your prayers in not right. First, it doesn't allow you to build your relationship with your Father in Heaven. Second, and probably the most important, is that you can't buy spiritual things. In Acts chapter 8 the apostle Peter was baptizing people and then giving them the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Then in verses 18-21 it reads, "And when Simon saw that though laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him. Thy money perish with thee, because those hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." Then Peter tells him, "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee."

I have a testimony of the power of prayer. I know that it works. I know that our Father in Heaven listens to our prayers. I know that He answers them according to His will and His time. I know that if we take the time to pray to Him we will feel His love for us as individuals and our lives will be blessed!

SJohnson, I hope this has answered your question concerning this website. If you would like to, here are a couple more scriptures concerning prayer:
Matt 6:5-15
Also Elder Henry B. Eyring goes into a little more detail concerning these scriptures in one of his talks entitled, "Write upon My Heart".
Thank you for your question.

If you have any of you have questions for me, I would love to hear them. I will answer them to the best of my knowledge and how I feel about the subject.