Sunday Reflection: "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul"

Oh, a beautiful couple in our ward sang this song in Sacrament Meeting today and it just spoke peace to my soul.  It's such a beautiful song and beautiful words.  May this song touch your heart as it did mine.

1. Savior, Redeemer of my soul,
Whose mighty hand hath made me whole,
Whose wondrous pow’r hath raised me up
And filled with sweet my bitter cup!
What tongue my gratitude can tell,
O gracious God of Israel.

2. Never can I repay thee, Lord,
But I can love thee. Thy pure word,
Hath it not been my one delight,
My joy by day, my dream by night?
Then let my lips proclaim it still,
And all my life reflect thy will.

3. O’errule mine acts to serve thine ends.
Change frowning foes to smiling friends.
Chasten my soul till I shall be
In perfect harmony with thee.
Make me more worthy of thy love,
And fit me for the life above.

Text: Orson F. Whitney, 1855–1931
Music: Harry A. Dean, 1892–1987. © 1948 IRI
2 Nephi 1:15

Monday Reflection: House Upon a Rock

I don't know what is going on but it just seems like so many people I know or people I know who they know, etc....are having traumatic things occurr in their lives. Maybe it's because we had something traumatic happen to us and so we are more aware of things like this around us...I don't know, but it just seems like there are some heavy duty trials occurring for so many people.  I have met (through the internet) at least 3 people whose spouse has had a brain injury, a young girl of 16 who was in a serious accident who suffers from traumatic brain injury, a friend of mine whose nephew fell from a slide head first who has been in a coma and is in the hospital, a couple who just found out a couple of weeks ago that their 4 yr old son has a brain tumor and the very worst is expected for him, a guy from therapy who suffered spinal cord injury from a cough and was paralyzed from the neck down....  It's just all around.  I don't know if these things are occurring more or if it's just because I'm more aware of things like this because of what we have experienced.   

I know that this life is a test.  I know it's not supposed to be easy, but why does it have to be so hard sometimes?  Everyone will have to face challenges in this life.  All difficult.  No one will be spared heartache and pain and adversity.  I'm reminded of the scripture that talks about the wise man and the foolish man.  The wise man built his house upon the Rock.  The foolish man built his house upon the sand.   When the storms came the foolish man's house washed away and the wise man's house stood firm.  We all will face storms in our lives.  They will shake us to the core.  Our houses must be built on the Rock, our Savior, if we are to withstand these storms or trials.   We must gain a testimony of our Savior and His gospel now, because the trials will come and if we are not firm in our faith...we will fall. 

I think back to those first few days and weeks with Kary's stroke.  I was hit hard with this trial.  I was shaken to the core.   Every belief that I had in God and the gospel of Jesus Christ was questioned.  Was everything I believed really true?  Does God really exist?  Does he hear my prayers?  Will the priesthood blessings Kary recieved really come to pass?  The storm was rocking me.  Amidst the storm and all the questioning of my beliefs there was a calm and a peace that came to me and reminded me of all the witnesses I had been given in my life that God does exist, that He knows me, that He loves me, that He answers prayers, that the Priesthood works,   that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is real and true.  I knew it was going to be a long hard road, but the Holy Ghost was there to remind me that all those things I believed were indeed true and that I just needed to have faith, do my part, and that He would help us through.

The moments when we are struggling the most is also when Satan tries his hardest to get us to doubt our Father in Heaven and the love of our Savior which is why it's so important for us to have a foundation in Christ, our Rock.

Again, just grateful for my knowledge of my God and my Savior who help us every day to overcome our daily trials;  who give us the strength to carry on when the future is uncertain;  who give us hope and a promise of something better if we endure and stay true and faithful.

Sunday Reflection: HAPPINESS

Proverbs 16:20 "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he."   See also Proverbs 29:18; John 13:17; 1  Peter 3:14

I found this scripture in my daily scripture thought book.  I love it. 
The prophet Joseph Smith taught, " Happiness is the object and design of our existence and will be the end therof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 255-56.)

We all desire happiness.  Everything we do is probably motivated by the desire to be happy.  Right?  We all just want to be happy in this life.  What is required to obtain happiness?  A relationship with God and keeping His commandments.  I truly believe this.  People might think I'm whacked but I know it's true in my heart.  Nothing else will bring us true happiness.  Eternal happiness.  I will even venture to say peace.  We all seek peace as well.  Peace and Happiness.

No earthly possessions or status or whatever you seek to obtain in this life will bring you greater peace and happiness than knowing you are a child of God and trusting in Him and keeping His commandments. 

Satan does not want us to know this.  He will do everything in his power to have us believe that we don't need God to be happy.  He wants men to remain in a carnal state.

The Book of Mormon speaks of men that are in a “carnal state … and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.” (Alma 41:11.) It also records Samuel the Lamanite’s warning to the Nephites: “Ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.” (Hel. 13:38.) Alma sums it up: “Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10)

 I almost think some people are out to prove that they can in fact find happiness without God in their lives and just as the Nephites in the Book of Mormon they seek for happiness in doing iniquity.  Unfortunately, they will never find it.  Oh sure, they can have happy moments but when it comes to true peace and happiness and contentment....it won't be there, not until they understand who they are as a child of God and gain a personal relationship with Him and with the Savior of us all will they ever be able to know true joy.   Don't you just wish you could knock people on the side of the head sometimes and wake them up and say, "C'mon!!"    It's just so frustrating that they will so easily listen to the world and are so stinking stubborn when it comes to God.  Why?  I just don't understand???  

Anyway, on another note....Trials are another necessary part of this life that can have an impact on our happiness.  We have the ability to choose happiness (God) or misery(Satan for he wants us all to be miserable like him)

Here is a story found in the Ensign that illustrates how we may choose our response to our trials and tribulations as told by  Elder Jack H. Goaslind of the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy (May 1986), "Over one hundred years ago a Swedish family who had joined the Church faced a long ocean voyage to America, a train trip from New York to Omaha, and then a trek by wagon train to Salt Lake City. During their train trip they rode in stock cars used to haul hogs. The cars were filthy and filled with hog lice. On their wagon trip across the plains, a healthy baby was born, but their three-year-old contracted cholera. During the night, the father went to a neighboring wagon to borrow a candle, but was told they couldn’t spare one. This angered him, and he fumed as he sat in the dark with his son’s limp, feverish body in his arms. The boy died that night.

The next morning the wagon master said they would hold a short funeral and bury the boy in a shallow grave. They were in Indian country and didn’t have time to do more. The father insisted on staying behind and digging a grave deep enough so the animals would not disturb the body. They experienced other hardships before they reached Salt Lake City.

Now, both the mother and the father experienced the same trials, but the father became withdrawn, cantankerous, and bitter. He stopped going to church, found fault with Church leaders. He became caught up in his own miseries, and the light of Christ grew dimmer and dimmer in his life.

On the other hand, the mother’s faith increased. Each new problem seemed to make her stronger. She became an angel of mercy—filled with empathy, compassion, and charity. She was a light to those around her. Her family gravitated toward her and looked to her as their leader. She was happy; he was miserable. (See Ensign, Feb. 1981, pp. 54–55.)"

It is my testimony that we can find true peace and happiness in this life when we know God and keep His commandments.  If we trust in Him and rely on Him through our trials and adversity we will still be able to find joy and peace and happiness in our lives despite them.

Sunday Reflections: Our Hands-His Hands

I have so much in my heart that I don't know how to adequately express to those who have helped us in so many ways since Kary's stroke.  I found this video of a girl who has cerebral palsy and her experience.  The things she expresses are exactly my thoughts.  I could not express them better than she did.  It is a very humbling experience to constantly be on the receiving end of service.  We are ever grateful though because without all of you this earthly experience that we are having right now would be a lot harder.  We pray every day for strength to endure our trials.  God does strengthen us.  One way he does is by sending His earthly angels to minister unto us and help lighten our burdens.  Even if it's a visit from someone, a note, or a phone call or a meal....these little things mean so much to us and truly help lighten our load.  It is nice to know that there are so many people that we can rely on when we truly need it.  Your Hands are His Hands...and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 

We have felt so blessed through our trials.  We truly hope that we also can be His hands in some small way.  The only way we can truly show our gratitude is by doing what we can to serve others as well.  This is one of my goals this year...to truly give where I can give...serve where I can serve....just do what I can to help others.  I know that when we are in the service of our fellowmen we are in the service of our God.  Thank you to so many people who have served as such examples to me.  I hope to be like you all someday.

Sunday Reflection: Death and Family Relationships

So, I have a dear friend whose mother passed on a couple of weeks ago.  I've been thinking about her alot as I know she and her mother were very close.  I think about my own mother and how I would feel and how hard it will be when she passes on to the next life. 

Death is a hard thing.  I have always had a hard time saying goodbye to people whom I love dearly.  When I was a missionary for our church there were times that I got transferred to different areas in the mission.  I sometimes would just leave without telling anyone because the thought of having to say goodbye to these people that I had grown to love so dearly was too hard on me.  I always hate saying goodbye to family when we have family gatherings or when they come to visit us.  There is always an aching and a void felt when we have to part ways. 

The one thing that brings me comfort of parting with family and death is knowing that if I live the commandments of our Father in Heaven that we will be together in the next life.  The Savior provided a way for families to be together forever.   HOW AWESOME!!!  This knowledge really does help me want to be a better person because I know that this blessing will only come if I am obedient to the commandments of our Father in Heaven.  I don't want to be alone in the next life.  How sad would that be? 

I'm grateful for our loving Father in Heaven who loves us and has a plan for family relationships  to continue hereafter.  Our Savior Jesus Christ provided a way for us to be resurrected and we may all be with Him and our families in the next life if we do what is right.