Category: Jesus Christ

The Lord hath Comforted His People

“I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.
“Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”

-President Russell M Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives, April 2018

This is the phrase that stood out to me most from this passage:

“Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again.”

This is an exciting time to be alive. There is hope and comfort to be found in Jesus Christ. Some days I live from prayer to prayer, trying to stay focused on light and goodness. This week has been mentally challenging for me, and the message that kept coming to my mind was to humble myself and reach out for some counsel and comfort from Richard and my parents. As I did this, I found the stepping stones I needed to cross this deep water I am navigating.

I am going to California tomorrow with my parents to bring my grandmother to Utah. This will require finesse, love, and angels. I don’t like to leave my family, but my illness this year has taught me that they are strong. I have done all I can to prepare and to be healthy as we take this big step. Our extended family has come together in prayer and fasting to prepare. My prayers for my grandmother are for her comfort and peace, and that we will know, step by step, what to do and say. I lay my burden at the Lord’s feet, his glorious feet, every few hours, all day.

Isaiah 52:7-10:

7 ¶ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
9 ¶ Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God

Happy things today

A happy list today:

Negative Covid test results for a loved one

A sunflower in a vase beside my sink

My Christmas quilt is all quilted with gold swirls and I’ve attached the binding. It’s ready for hand sewing. This might be my favorite step.

New fabric on the pillows

Time spent in the Book of Mormon: I love that book.

Our kids have fun interests (classic cars, portraits, music composition, cooking, piano, woodworking, reading) and they are good company.

Richard is a good calculus tutor.

Rain is in the forecast.

My first issue of The Friend arrived today, after letting our subscription lapse for a few years after our kids left Primary. I have missed this church magazine!

I just watched the first episode of The Chosen series. I don’t think it’s very accurate but I really liked it, if for no other reason than it portrays biblical personalities as relatable people.

Emotional tool kit

I have done some work in the family’s bedrooms this week, and this video speaks to the feelings I have as I watch my children’s rooms change as they grow and leave home.

Seven months ago, before the pandemic impacted our lives, I had an idea to create an emotional tool kit, with physical objects to inspire and comfort. I wrote down a list on a post-it note, and began to move the note in my day planner, putting it off for another time. Maybe I was in denial. “Oh, I won’t need this,” or, “If I make it, something will happen that will make me need this.”

Then came new levels of isolation, earthquakes, uncertainty about the evacuation of missionaries, challenges from distance learning in schools, canceled plans, discomfort and disfigurement from abdominal surgery, and the secluded hospital stay. And so on.

I have been comforted, even without my little tool kit, no doubt about that. Still, this week, I remembered that I hadn’t compiled it, and decided it was time. It wasn’t difficult. I gathered things into an old hat box and slid it beneath my bed. Who knows if I will ever use it as I envision I might. If nothing else, it is a time capsule, and a reminder of my faith that comfort can be found in Christ, always.

The objects are small and have personal meaning. Some things are soft; others spur memories; on the bottom of the box are the scripture notes I have taken this year, which follow my 2020 spiritual journey even better than my journal. I tucked in a Michael Buble album that I love.

At times, everyone needs reminders that things are going to be okay.

If you are doing well, share your energy with others. If you are doing poorly, consider handling some physical reminders that Heavenly Father loves you and sent His Son for you. Allow the Spirit to bring joyful things to your remembrance. (John 14:26)

Angels are surely with you.

Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.

2 Nephi 32:2-3

And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned.

Alma 32:23

Today I am thankful for this newly baptized little eight-year-old who is already speaking the language of angels.

Take What You Need

I am enchanted by little jars of rocks with words printed on each, such as peace, joy, contentment, love, rest, etc, with a label on the jar which reads, “Take what you need.”

I made this scripture pep talk a few years ago, and I don’t think I shared it here. Take what you need.

(If you are on a PC, you can right click on the image, then select the option to open it in a new tab. This will make it larger for you to see.)

A light that keeps shining in Christ

This summer caught me by surprise by the social upheaval, divisive language, and violence, on top of the realities of pandemic living. In the early weeks of June, I felt myself shutting down, pulling inward, and wanting to never interact with another person. I felt deeply conflicted by what I was viewing on the screen. Drawing inward seemed the best option, succumbing to the sense of powerlessness I felt. But something changed as I realized that as a disciple of Christ, I had no business giving up to despair.

I couldn’t solve the problems around me. I couldn’t hasten my healing from surgery. But I could be a voice of faith in every conversation. I could also declare my faith by showing up for people more often. I could do the work to try to understand another point of view. I could speak plainly about the goodness of God. When someone asked how terrible my health was, giving me an opportunity to complain, I could talk instead about angels and peace and God’s love. I squared my shoulders to continue writing here. Has any of this made a difference? I don’t know for others, but for myself, it was a pivotal decision to be counted as a light that keeps shining in Christ.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. -2 Timothy 1:7

Losses and Gains

I am home from the hospital, feeling a little neglected because I am not awakened each morning at 3 or 4 am to stand on a scale and have my blood pressure checked. 😉

I have lost a length of my intestine. I have lost sleep, my appetite, and a lot of weight. But I have also lost a level of fear about this time, its isolation and uncertainty, and illness in general. People really do take care of one another. So, with all the losses, there are gains in perspective and understanding.

I am not able to focus on reading very well, so I have been reading my notes I took during my Book of Mormon study before my surgery. On the day I became ill, before I had any idea my life was about to change, I wrote these notes, under the caption of “Life Instructions during the Covid-19 pandemic”:

  • Remember God has delivered your ancestors. (Alma 36:2)
  • Trust God. You will be supported in this. (Alma 36:3)
  • The Atonement [of Christ] covers the harmful effects of [everything]. Let your mind catch hold on this thought: Christ’s mercy. He will make all this suffering better. He is that powerful. (Alma 36:14-18)

Master Healer

As we approach the worldwide fast for relief from the effects of COVID-19 tomorrow, I want to share this painting by J Kirk Richards entitled, He Healed Many of Diverse Diseases.*

As you look at this painting, what do you notice? Can you picture yourself here, and if so, which person seems most like you? What do you learn from the child in the painting? Who are the people that are ministering? Who might be feeling fear or anxiety, and what can you learn from their acts of faith? What feelings does this painting evoke? What truths about a merciful God can be found here? What can you do to point others to the Master Healer at this unique time?

I like the following graphic, but it is missing an important point: a prophet of God issued this call to fast. President Nelson is inviting us to plead for ourselves and our brothers and sisters all over the globe.

*This painting can be found in the 2020 Come Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual for the week of February 10-16, page 29.

Sure things

There is nothing unique about my experience during this past week of cancellations due to COVID-19. I have watched my email folder fill up with messages from schools and church and made necessary adaptations. The boys are home, except when they go out to work or walk. My life stays largely the same, including my level of fear. During most of my adult life, I have regularly expected to catch each illness, die of sepsis from an abscessed tooth, or choke to death all alone… if a car accident didn’t take me first. I have similar fears for each family member. In other words, welcome to my world, world. The real weight of this time for me rests in the reality that Daniel is thousands of miles away, on another continent.

A few sure things to which I cling:

Our Father in Heaven knows where we are and exactly what we need.

Our Savior Jesus Christ knows the depth and breadth of our feeling.

The Father’s plan is never frustrated.

Angels minister to us.

The Holy Ghost never misspeaks or offends. He brings comfort, power, and direction. What an amazing friend and companion.

The Book of Mormon is dear and true. It has helped me through every challenge, my whole life, and it continues to help me now.

No one is unique in their struggles, and my struggles are not more valid than yours. But Sure Beings and the true things carry every one of us through, whether we have eyes to see or not. This I know.