You Will Recognize Truth Wherever You Encounter It...

There is an interesting phrase in my Patriarchal Blessing...  It reads, "...as you gain experience, as you gain a firm footing upon the principles of truth, you will recognize that truth wherever you encounter it...".  I want you to know that I have found truth in some pretty interesting places!!

For instance, I have had the Spirit testify of Eternal Truths through the lyrics of rock songs... I will be listening to a song, that has nothing to do with the Gospel, and suddenly, there is a line, or a phrase that stands out, and the Spirit teaches me something powerful!! Find that hard to believe...??
Here are some examples:

Precious, by Depeche Mode: "Things get damaged, things get broken..."

Things DO get damaged and broken in our lives...  There is not one of us who gets through this life unscathed...  We all end up damaged and broken at one time or another...  But, here is the good news... 

Wait for it... 

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO STAY THAT WAY!! 

Through the merciful Grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ, broken things can, and will, be mended!!  Our broken hearts and souls can be restored!!  The Atonement of Christ is not merely some cosmic anomaly that kicks in when we die, simply allowing us to be resurrected... 

It is SO much more than that!! 

The healing power of the Atonement is a very real force that can be accessed to bless our lives everyday!!  It is a blessing that Christ has invited us to claim... The question is, will we accept the invitation...?? 

We are told in Isaiah 53:5, "...and with His stripes we are healed...".  I testify that this is true!!  I have felt the healing that comes through the Atonement in my own life...  Times when I did not think there was any reason to hope...  Times when it seemed that my life had been destroyed...  Shattered beyond all hope of repair...  But, the "Master Handyman" took those broken pieces, and rebuilt my life into something even more beautiful than it was before!!  And, for this beautiful new life, I am Eternally grateful!! 

I would never want to go through a similar experience...  I never again want to feel that kind of pain or sorrow...  But, by the same token, I would never want to go back to not knowing what I know now!! 

I know the Savior walks with us in the most painful and desperate moments of our lives!!  I know that He guides us, and helps us to rise, when we do not think we ever will...  I know He is there in the darkest hour, when it seems all hope is gone!!  I know He lives!!  And, I would never want to go back to not knowing!!


Mr. Brightside, by The Killers: "Destiny is calling me..."

As his Mother is dying, the fictional character, Forrest Gump, asks her, "What's my destiny, Mama??"...   Mrs. Gump smiles and replies, "You're gonna have to figure that out for yourself."

The dictionary defines "destiny" as: "the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events." 

But, this is not how I think of destiny...  Because our Father in Heaven has given us Agency, our lives are not predetermined...  The outcome of our sojourn here on Earth is not inevitable...  I believe our Father has a plan for each one of us... A plan that can take us to greater heights than we could ever dare dream of...  But, because we have been given our Agency, we can choose to follow this plan...  Or not...

So, when I think of destiny, I think of the courage it takes to follow His plan for us...  The courage and vision it takes to become what He knows we can be... 

Consider for a moment, if you will, some of the "noble and great ones"...  People I have come to admire...  Ruth of the Old Testament...  The Apostle Peter...  Abraham Lincoln...  Mahatma Ghandi...  Mother Teresa... Nelson Mandela...  The Reverend Martin Luther King... And, so many others that I have personally served with, and come to love...

Do you suppose, for a moment, that these men and women knew from the beginning that they were bound for greatness...??   I don't think so... 

What sets them apart from others is their choice to follow the plan that our Father had for them...  The courage and vision it took to make the choices necessary to follow that plan...  To become instruments in His hands to bring about works of righteousness...  The courage to fulfil their destiny!!

Take Peter, for instance...  He lived on the shores of the Sea...  Nothing more than a humble fisherman...  I am sure his days were consumed with the necessities of life...  Catching fish, selling those fish in the marketplace and caring for his family...  I don't think for a moment that he had any clue what was in store for him... 

How could he have possibly conceived that soon the Savior of the world, the promised Messiah, would cross his path, and invite him to be a "fisher of men"...??   How could he have ever known that he would become the "rock" upon which Christ would build His church...??  I don't think he had any way of knowing that he would learn at the feet of the Savior, and then witness the Savior's death and resurrection...  That he would be called upon to teach, and testify, and become the leader of the Christian movement...  And, that ultimately, he would die the death of a martyr...  He could not have known...  But, he made the choices necessary to fulfil the mission the Savior had for him...  To fulfil his destiny...

We can be instruments in the hands of the Lord...  Instruments used to bring about great works of righteousness!!  We have no way of knowing what we are truly capable of...  But, our Father knows...  And, with His guidance, we can become more than we ever dared to dream!!  We can accomplish great works of Service...  Works of Mercy...  Works of Compassion and Understanding...  Works of Eternal consequence...

Destiny is calling!!  Will we answer the call...?? 

You Found Me, by The Fray: "Where were you when everything was falling apart...??"

I believe everyone has asked this question of the Lord at some point in their life!!  Where were you when everything was falling apart...?? 

I asked this question of my Father in Heaven, on a "terrible Tuesday" in 2009...  I woke up in the morning, thinking that my life was pretty good...  By that afternoon, my world had completely imploded!!

It did not seem there was any reason to believe my life could ever be joyful again!!  There did not seem to be any reason to have hope at all!!  I was literally brought to my knees, and cried out in despair, "Where were you, Lord...??" 

I received the answer through a passage of scripture found in Moses 7...

28 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the ^aresidue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?

29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst ^aweep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?

30 And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of ^aearths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy ^bcreations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever;

 31 And thou hast taken ^aZion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations, from all eternity to all eternity; and naught but peace, ^bjustice, and truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst ^cweep?

 32 The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own ^ahands, and I gave unto them their ^bknowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his ^cagency;

 33 And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should ^alove one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they ^bhate their own blood;

39 And ^athat which I have chosen hath pled before my face. Wherefore, he ^bsuffereth for their sins; inasmuch as they will repent in the day that my ^cChosen shall return unto me, and until that day they shall be in ^dtorment;

 40 Wherefore, for this shall the heavens weep, yea, and all the workmanship of mine hands.

I know where my Savior was that "terrible Tuesday"...  He was with me every step of the way...  Every painful moment of that day... Watching me weep...  And, He was weeping with me!! 

I testify that the Savior knows how to comfort and succor His people...  He knows, because He has already lived it!!  He suffered our pains and sorrows in the Garden, and He alone knows how we feel!! 

He loves us, and is always ready to comfort us!!  I KNOW this, because I have felt His hand at my back...  I have felt Him guide me and direct me in the path that I needed to go...  And, I have felt His tears fall with mine!!  

I know that through the power of the Atonement, we can feel joy again!!  We can find peace, and solace through His Grace and Mercy!!  I am grateful for the joy I feel in my life!!  For the blessings that are mine through His Atonement!!   And, I am grateful that I have the opportunity to use this knowledge to teach others...   I feel it is my calling and my privilege...  My ministry is to testify of the Atonement!!  And, for this, I am grateful!!

Photo By Mark Mabry

April 7th, 2012: Just A "One"...

I had an interesting thing happen at the Temple the other night...

I went to the Mount Timpanogos Temple after work...  It was a very busy Friday night, and the chapel was packed, mostly with beaming couples, who were holding hands, and gazing into each others eyes...  Of course...  Because, you see, Friday night is date night in all of Mormondom!! 

I, on the other hand, was sitting alone...  Now, this didn't bother me too much...  Being a divorced member of the Church, I am used to being alone, while surrounded by those who are not alone...  But, then things took an unexpected turn...

The sweet sister in charge of directing us out of the chapel and into the Endowment Room announced that there was room for 15 more patrons in the upcoming session...  Dread started to well up inside me, as I realized what was about to happen...  15 is an odd number...  And, there were several couples in the row ahead of me...  And, several couples in the pew next to me... But, I was the ONLY single person anywhere in sight!! 

As the couples began making their way out of the room, the sweet sister asked, "Is there anyone here who is just a 'one'...??" 

Just a "one", I thought...  I am just a "one"...  Without a husband, I am not part of a "two"...  And, without my children living here with me, I am not part of a "five"...  I am just a "one"...  I slowly raised my hand, and the sweet sister motioned me to follow the others...  I rose, and slowly made my way down the row, feeling every eye in the room watching me as I tried my best to make a dignified exit...

In the hallway, I felt my cheeks burning with a humiliated blush...  It is hard enough to go to the Temple alone every week...  But, to be singled out so blatantly was very difficult for me...  I felt embarrassed, and oh-so-very alone...

In my misery I recalled the words of the Saviour, as He taught in Luke, Chapter 15:

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine ^ain the wilderness, and go after that which is ^blost, until he find it?

 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

I was gently reminded, by the Spirit, that I may be "just a one" in the eyes of the world...  In the eyes of those who do not know me...  But, I am numbered among the Good Shepard's flock...  I am known to Him who cares for ALL the sheep...  He has bought me for a price, and I am His!! 

When I am lost...  Or alone... He knows!! 

He knows me!!  He loves me!! He will "go after that which is lost", until He finds me...  And, when I am safely back in His loving arms, both He and I rejoice!!

I am not married...  But, I am not alone!! 

I feel the Love and sustaining Grace of my Saviour, Jesus Christ, everyday!!  And, I am SO very grateful!!  I know that He is here...  I feel His presence, and His gentle hand, guiding me in the path He wants me to go!! 

I pray that you will too!!

3 Nephi 4:10: In The Strength of the Lord Did They Receive Them...

"But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites did not ^afear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for ^bprotection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them." (Emphasis mine).

In this part of the Book of Mormon, the Nephites have gathered their people in Zarahemla and Bountiful to defend themselves against the invading armies of the Gadianton Robbers... And, their odds don't look good...  But, we learn that they have built their fortifications, and strengthened their cities. They have done all they can... Or, have they...??

A Prophet of the Lord tells them, "...except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be ^adelivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers." (3 Nephi 3:15).

We are told that, "...they did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their ^aprayers unto the Lord their God, that he would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle." (3 Nephi 3:25).

As the band of Gadianton Robbers approach they see that the Nephites, "had all fallen to the earth, and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies." (3 Nephi 4:8).  The Robbers thought they had fallen to the earth out of fear, but they were wrong...  The Nephites were filled with the Spirit of the Lord, and were prepared to meet them in battle!!  And, verse 10 tells us, "... in the strength of the Lord they did receive them."

Now, this really struck me...  In our day, we are not often confronted by a band of Robbers, set upon our certain destruction...  We are not, most of the time, confronted by the possibility of imminent death...  But, we do face our own "Robbers"...  Those things, or people, or circumstances that would "rob" us of our peace, our strength and our spiritual security...  These could include illness, economic troubles, uncertainty in our employment, the unkindness of others, wavering faith, abuse or unkindness of others...  Even something as simple as a "Road Rage" driver, or a grouchy client on the phone...  So many different trials and afflictions that chip away at our Spiritual Armour everyday... 

How do we meet these challenges...??  Do we curl up in the corner and pout...??  Do we pull the covers over our head, and hope it will all just go away...??  Or, do we meet these "Robbers" in the strength of the Lord...??  Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, is always here for us!!  He will run to our aid, if we will let Him!! 

I resolve to be better at meeting my daily "Robbers" in the strength of the Lord!!   : O )