Monday, May 29, 2017
Tender Mercy of this Week
I have been looking for more tender mercies in my life. As I have done this, I have not only been able to recognize the tender mercies in my life now, but also some of the tender mercies I was given in the past. Yesterday, while I was facilitating a self-reliance class, the circumstances of my divorce were revealed because I was explaining why I had to go back to work when my daughter was so young. As I explained this, I realized that meeting my current husband when I did and getting married when we did was a tender mercy. He is completely a different person than my ex-husband. He loves me unconditionally and respects me. For many years in my first marriage, I wished my husband would treat me the ways that my friends' husbands treated them. I longed to feel loved no matter if I finished my "chores" that day or not. I have that now. Meeting him and becoming friends with him as I was going through the divorce, and then marrying him about a year after filing was what I needed. I did not have the skills needed to take care of myself and three kids. Even though I was working, I needed him to help me learn to be the strong person I am today.
Missionary Work
First of all, I have to say that I got something different out of this scripture than one of my classmates. Isn't it wonderful how the Lord will speak to us in different ways depending on what we need at the time?
We are commanded to be missionaries. Not just if/when we are set apart to serve, but always. In Isaiah 6, we are told, "...Go, and tell this people..." (verse 6) He continues on in verse 9 to say, "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and convert, and be healed." Isaiah is not telling us to "go, and tell this people" when you are called to a full-time missionary. In fact, there is not a provision added to that.
In more recent times, we have been commanded to teach the gospel to those around us as well. When I was a child in primary I learned the saying, "Every member a missionary." This means that we are all to teach those around us the gospel. In the November 1997 Ensign, Richard G. Scott addressed the need for every member to be a missionary. He told us to prayerfully seek for missionary opportunities. He says that we start today to find the joy and excitement of doing missionary work. This can be scary, but if we pray for help, He will help us. It could be as simple as answering questions when ask. It could be as intimidating as correcting the wrong information that people have. Years ago, when I worked in a doctor's office, I had a friend that was searching for help with her children. I did not have children yet, so I really did not feel I had the answers for her even though I wanted to help. The visiting teaching message for that month had the answers that she was looking for. I made a copy of that page out of my Ensign, and gave it to her one day before work. As she read it, she had tears in her eyes as she thanked me for the help she had been praying for. I do not know if she ever joined the Church or searched out any other information about the Church. What I do know is that I was prompted to help her, and I followed that prompting. I know it is not always that easy.
For those who think that they are not able to perform missionary service, Elder Scott advised us, " There are other ways you may not think of as missionary service. For example, a young mother can teach each growing son to prepare to be a missionary to preach the gospel and share his testimony of truth. As a mother and father cultivate that thought through his growing years, he will be a missionary. that is excellent missionary service." This is something I did not even think of as being missionary service. We are told that service starts in the home. Elder Scott shows us in this example that missionary service starts tin the home as well.
We have also learned that doing work for our ancestors in the temple is also temple work. In the same talk, Elder Scott tells us, "...identify your ancestors and arrange for ordinance work to be done for them in the temples..." This may be a less intimidating way to serve those searching for the gospel. We need to remember that they are real people, and did not have the chance to learn the gospel in this life. This is their chance to accept the gospel in their lives.
We have been promised that if we bring one soul unto the Lord, our joy would be great. (Doctrine and Covenants 86:15) We all would like to have joy. Sharing the gospel may be scary at first, but that fear would not continue. The Lord gives us that promise. How often do we know what the blessings are going to be for our obedience to the Lord's commandments?
We are commanded to be missionaries. Not just if/when we are set apart to serve, but always. In Isaiah 6, we are told, "...Go, and tell this people..." (verse 6) He continues on in verse 9 to say, "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and convert, and be healed." Isaiah is not telling us to "go, and tell this people" when you are called to a full-time missionary. In fact, there is not a provision added to that.
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In more recent times, we have been commanded to teach the gospel to those around us as well. When I was a child in primary I learned the saying, "Every member a missionary." This means that we are all to teach those around us the gospel. In the November 1997 Ensign, Richard G. Scott addressed the need for every member to be a missionary. He told us to prayerfully seek for missionary opportunities. He says that we start today to find the joy and excitement of doing missionary work. This can be scary, but if we pray for help, He will help us. It could be as simple as answering questions when ask. It could be as intimidating as correcting the wrong information that people have. Years ago, when I worked in a doctor's office, I had a friend that was searching for help with her children. I did not have children yet, so I really did not feel I had the answers for her even though I wanted to help. The visiting teaching message for that month had the answers that she was looking for. I made a copy of that page out of my Ensign, and gave it to her one day before work. As she read it, she had tears in her eyes as she thanked me for the help she had been praying for. I do not know if she ever joined the Church or searched out any other information about the Church. What I do know is that I was prompted to help her, and I followed that prompting. I know it is not always that easy.
For those who think that they are not able to perform missionary service, Elder Scott advised us, " There are other ways you may not think of as missionary service. For example, a young mother can teach each growing son to prepare to be a missionary to preach the gospel and share his testimony of truth. As a mother and father cultivate that thought through his growing years, he will be a missionary. that is excellent missionary service." This is something I did not even think of as being missionary service. We are told that service starts in the home. Elder Scott shows us in this example that missionary service starts tin the home as well.
We have also learned that doing work for our ancestors in the temple is also temple work. In the same talk, Elder Scott tells us, "...identify your ancestors and arrange for ordinance work to be done for them in the temples..." This may be a less intimidating way to serve those searching for the gospel. We need to remember that they are real people, and did not have the chance to learn the gospel in this life. This is their chance to accept the gospel in their lives.
We have been promised that if we bring one soul unto the Lord, our joy would be great. (Doctrine and Covenants 86:15) We all would like to have joy. Sharing the gospel may be scary at first, but that fear would not continue. The Lord gives us that promise. How often do we know what the blessings are going to be for our obedience to the Lord's commandments?
Saturday, May 20, 2017
My Tender Mercy This Week
I feel that I must explain. I am working on being thankful for the tender mercies the Lord has shown me for a class for school. I chose to work on this because I have once again found myself plagued with depression and anxiety. I think that if I can not only recognized the tender mercies in my life, but show gratitude for them as well, I can pull myself out of this at least a little bit.
Psalms is so full of the tender mercies of the Lord. The best part about studying Psalms was that it made me feel normal. I have been struggling with my mental health and begging Heavenly Father to help me. My tender mercy for this week was readying Psalm 13: 2 when David says, "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?" I could feel David's pain. I have been there. I have been depressed daily, begging for my Heavenly Father to rescue me. There is comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this.
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Psalms is so full of the tender mercies of the Lord. The best part about studying Psalms was that it made me feel normal. I have been struggling with my mental health and begging Heavenly Father to help me. My tender mercy for this week was readying Psalm 13: 2 when David says, "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?" I could feel David's pain. I have been there. I have been depressed daily, begging for my Heavenly Father to rescue me. There is comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
The Lord Will Help
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As primary children, we learn about Nephi's courage when he was asked to go back to Jerusalem to get the brass plates. Even though he older brothers do not want to go back and are afraid to ask Laban for the plates, Nephi boldly tells his father:
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In Ezra 4, a temple is being built. The "people of the land" offered to help them, but hindered the progress instead. They reported back to the king and chancellor who then wrote a letter forbidding the people of Jerusalem to continue building the temple. Rather than giving up, they wrote their own letter to explaining why they are building the temple. They started with saying, "...We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded many years ago, which the great king of Israel builded and set up." (Ezra 5: 11) As a result of this letter, they were aloud to continue building the temple.
Next, in Nehemiah 4, we are given another example of how the Lord will help us do what He as asked of us. The Jews are trying to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. These efforts are not seen as a good thing by their enemies. They are mocked and attacked. The people of Jerusalem "made (their) prayer unto (thier) God and set a watch against them day and night, because of them."(Nehemiah 4: 9) The people were brave and trusted the Lord to help them keep out the people who were trying to hurt them.
These are such great examples of doing what is asked of them and trusting the Lord to help them find a way to do it.
In today's world, we are not generally writing government leaders to allow us to build a temple. (I know someone has to get permits, but that is not my point.) Also, most of do not have to fight to keep our home safe or build a wall to keep people out. We are asked to fight other "enemies." We fight pornography. We fight media with foul language and loose morals. We fight the bad influences of peers. We fight to keep temptations out of our homes. How do we fight? We stand up for our beliefs. We turn off the TV. We teach our children the gospel.
I am not the expert in this, of course. To learn more you can read President Henry B. Eyring's talk from October 2010 titled "Trust in God, Then Go and Do."
Saturday, May 6, 2017
My Eric
I am not sure if I have ever shared this story with many people. My oldest child was a great blessing in a time of sorrow and grief. I had been trying to get pregnant for about two and a half years. The only thing that the doctor could figure out before I lost my health insurance was that I had hypothyroidism. I had been told that once I had my hormones regulated, I would mostly likely be able to have a baby. I wanted this more than anything.
A few months after I started trying to get on the right dosage of thyroid replacement medication, I walked out on my job and lost my health insurance. I stopped taking the medicine and figured that I just wouldn't be able to get pregnant until we got insurance again and went back to the doctor for the prescription. I was wrong. About two months later, I had a positive pregnancy test! I was both excited and scared. How were we going to afford a baby with just one of us working and no insurance? What if I miscarried (so many people did)? What if something was wrong with the baby?
I worked in the temple at the time. One day as I sat in the chapel, I prayed to know if this baby was going to be mine. I was given a definite answer that the baby not only be mine to raise, he was going to be health and strong and grown to be an adult. This was such a great revelation!
This kid is now 15. He is finishing up his freshman year of high school. He is growing into an amazing young man that surprised me every day.
I had the privilege of watching my son this week play percussion with his high school band. I could see the passion and excitement in his eyes as he played. This brought great joy to my soul. Tears streaked down my face as I remembered that this boy continues to be one of my greatest blessings.
A few months after I started trying to get on the right dosage of thyroid replacement medication, I walked out on my job and lost my health insurance. I stopped taking the medicine and figured that I just wouldn't be able to get pregnant until we got insurance again and went back to the doctor for the prescription. I was wrong. About two months later, I had a positive pregnancy test! I was both excited and scared. How were we going to afford a baby with just one of us working and no insurance? What if I miscarried (so many people did)? What if something was wrong with the baby?
I worked in the temple at the time. One day as I sat in the chapel, I prayed to know if this baby was going to be mine. I was given a definite answer that the baby not only be mine to raise, he was going to be health and strong and grown to be an adult. This was such a great revelation!
This kid is now 15. He is finishing up his freshman year of high school. He is growing into an amazing young man that surprised me every day.
I had the privilege of watching my son this week play percussion with his high school band. I could see the passion and excitement in his eyes as he played. This brought great joy to my soul. Tears streaked down my face as I remembered that this boy continues to be one of my greatest blessings.