I Can Find the Lord

I read about the birth of the Savior this morning, snooping around You Tube- I found a video that I really liked: click here.

The Noblest of Virtures

Said the Lord in a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, “In
nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those
who confess not his hand in all things.”10
May we be found among those who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If
ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place
among the noblest of virtues.

Thomas S. Monson

I Can't Keep My House Clean

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny
fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys
scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will
disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

- Thomas S. Monson

Finding Joy in the Journey

Counsel With the Lord

"Prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all our
doings."


"We are promised that if we pray sincerely for that which is right and good
and in accordance with God’s will, we can be blessed, protected, and directed
(see 3 Nephi 18:20; D&C
19:38)."

Elder Bednar, Pray Always

What could we need more, in these uncertain times, then to be "blessed, protected, and directed."

3 Nephi 18:20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

D&C 19:38 Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof.

Alma 37:36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

(the butterfly at the top of the post is called the Mormon Butterfly. I wonder how it got that name?)

The Affections of My Heart

This is the new scripture that I am thinking about lately:

Alma 37: 36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

I am intriguedby the line, :let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

Gene R. Cook used this scripture in a talk he gave on charity:

May the Lord bless us to always have “the affections of [our] heart … placed upon [Him] forever.” “That [our] burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son”

Marcus B. Nash, in his address, Cultivating Righteousness, said this:

We experience His love as we yield our hearts to Him (see Helaman 3:35), place the affection of our hearts on Him forever (see Alma 37:36), and love Him with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength (see Moroni 10:32).

I have never thought about the phrase "affections of thy heart" before. I think I was always more interested in verses 35 and 37, breezing over 36. But it has really made me think, are the "affections of my heart" on my Savior? I find that it can be so easy to consume my thoughts with my life, and all I have and want to "do."- I need to spend more time with the affections of my heart on my Savior. Easter is coming, and I am going to read the four gospels, to remind myself of all the Savior has done for me, focusing on my love for the Savior growing.

Ward Activity Ideas

Free to Choose

“Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

Sarah Ban Breathnach, in John Cook, comp., The Book of Positive Quotations, 2nd ed. (2007), 342. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG9XfJxMY8A

Prophet's Prayers

The prayers of prophets are childlike in their simplicity and powerful
because of their sincerity.

Elder Bednar

Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire

I am studying Elder Bednar's talk, Pray Always. Although I have read and listened to it a few times already- some sections hit me this morning that I hadn't REALLY noticed before- about praying for others- below are the quotes for the talk that I really liked.

Praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our
capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord.

Speaking of Lehi:

The vision came in response to a prayer for others and
not as a result of a
request for personal edification or guidance.

Do our spouses, children, and other family members likewise feel the power
of our prayers offered unto the Father for their specific needs and desires? Do
those we serve hear us pray for them with faith and sincerity? If those we love
and serve have not heard and felt the influence of our earnest prayers in their
behalf, then the time to repent is now. As we emulate the example of the Savior,
our prayers truly will become more meaningful.

I feel like I learned something new this morning. I am going to have a renewed focus on praying for others.

Feeling Fine in '09 starts today :)

We have a healthy challenge that starts today in my local church woman's group. I am including a copy of the needed papers here for my team members and anyone else interested in joining in on the fun!