Daily Determines Destiny

Like Nephi, "I do not know the meaning of all things" but I do know that God "loves His children" and that He has blessed us with the ability to commune with Him through constant prayer.  "The scriptures are laid before [us]" (Alma 30:44) and we have the words of living prophets to guide us. As we seek, we will find, I know this!  If we seek light and truth, the Lord will guide us to light and truth.  (D&C 88:40-41)

The key is to be spiritually minded:

 "Don’t let something you don’t fully understand unravel everything you do know. Be patient, cling to truth; understanding will come. Trials are like great mists of darkness that can blind our eyes and harden our hearts. Unless we are “continually holding fast” to the word of God and living it, we will become spiritually blinded rather than spiritually minded. Search the Book of Mormon and the words of the living prophets every day, every day, every day! It’s the key to spiritual survival and avoiding deception. Without it, we are spiritually lost." - Elder Kevin W. Pearson (April, 2015 General Conference -Stay By the Tree)

I don't know the meaning of all things.  But I do know that holding to, applying, seeking and studying the words of God must be part of "my every day" and if I do this, I will be guided right. I have been promised that never any day will I need to walk in darkness but will have the light of truth along my journey.  

That Light is available to anyone and everyone who seeks it:

"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." -John 1:19

Lead kindly light!  I pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart that understands the will of the Lord for me in my every day choices. - (Matthew 13:16)

"Our daily discipleship will determine our eternal destiny. Awaken unto God, cling to truth, keep your sacred temple covenants, and stay by the tree!" - Elder Kevin W. Pearson (April, 2015 General Conference -Stay By the Tree)

How grateful I am for a loving Father in Heaven who hears my constant prayers!  He knows my heart. 

-Alicia :)

Godly Fear Dispels Mortal Fear

I got up at 4:30 this morning as to assure me some time to finish my homework due for class today.   I missed my regular study time last night to participate in a face to face broadcast with Elder Bednar.  It was a very worthy exchange!  I love Elder Bednar's words!!!  I've been reading his series of books, Increase in Learning, Act in Doctrine, and Power to Become.

I crawled out of bed and went out to my favorite spot in my living room to pray, my little place of treasured communion with my Father.  I had a lot to do within a few short hours but I wanted to start my day off right.  I cracked open the scriptures and read more words on faith and trust, some of which seemed to speak my name, "Prepare your mind [Alicia]. [I] exhort you unto faith and to patience." (Alma 34:3)  

Ah, yes... faith and patience.  I pray for that with all of my heart.

I was blessed to have finished my homework sooner than expected.  This was an answer to my prayer because I was anxious to take a moment to soak up some comforting words and turned to Elder Bednar's recent conference address.  
... Ah, Just what I needed.  

I have shared below the parts that stood out to me the most.  What a blessing that we have this fountain of living water, these words of the living prophets, the scriptures, and our communion with our Father in Heaven through prayer.  They restore my soul!

-Alicia

.......................

Mortal Fear
"The distressing emotion of fear arises because of impending danger, uncertainty, or pain and through experiences that are unexpected, sometimes sudden, and likely to produce a negative outcome.

Fear is dispelled through a correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

Nephi declared: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).

The disciplined endurance described in this verse is the result of spiritual understanding and vision, persistence, patience, and God’s grace. Exercising faith in and on the holy name of Jesus Christ, meekly submitting to His will and timing in our lives, and humbly acknowledging His hand in all things yield the peaceable things of the kingdom of God that bring joy and eternal life (see D&C 42:61). Even as we encounter difficulties and face the uncertainties of the future, we can cheerfully persevere and live a “peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:2).

We can be blessed to hush our fears as we receive the fortitude that comes from learning and living gospel principles and resolutely pressing forward on the covenant pathway."

...........

Godly Fear

"The righteous fear I am attempting to describe encompasses a deep feeling of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ (see Psalm 33:8; 96:4), obedience to His commandments (see Deuteronomy 5:29; 8:6; 10:12; 13:4; Psalm 112:1)

Godly fear “is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), “the instruction of wisdom” (Proverbs 15:33), a “strong confidence” (Proverbs 14:26), and “a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27).

Godly fear is loving and trusting in Him. As we fear God more completely, we love Him more perfectly. And “perfect love casteth out all fear” (Moroni 8:16). I promise the bright light of godly fear will chase away the dark shadows of mortal fears (see D&C 50:25) as we look to the Savior, build upon Him as our foundation, and press forward on His covenant path with consecrated commitment.

I love and revere the Lord. His power and peace are real. He is our Redeemer, and I witness He lives. And because of Him, our hearts need not be troubled or afraid (see John 14:27), and we will be blessed to hush our fears." 

- David A. Bednar (Therefore They Hushed Their Fears)

More Than Words

"We see in ourselves, brothers and sisters, the unnecessary multiplication of words—not only a lack of clarity, but vanity. Our verbosity is often a cover for insincerity or uncertainty. Meekness, the subtraction of self, reduces the multiplication of words.

Without meekness, the conversational point we insist on making often takes the form of I, that spearlike, vertical pronoun. Meekness, however, is more than self-restraint; it is the presentation of self in a posture of kindness and gentleness. It reflects certitude, strength, serenity; it reflects a healthy self-esteem and a genuine self-control."
- Neal A. Maxwell

The words from  this talk  by Elder Maxwell echoed through the rooms yesterday as I tidied up my little sphere I call home.  I've heard it many times before. But this particular part about "the subtraction of self, reduces the multiplication of words" hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to go back and read it.  I am a woman of many words.  I am very passionate about writing and speaking (even though I don't feel very skilled at it.)  Still, I can't help but ask myself if my verbosity is merely evidence of my pride.  I never want to sound preachy or act like I have all the answers.  I want to be the one who "walks the walk" not just "talks the talk".   After all, "Well done is better than well said." - Benjamin Franklin

Oh, how I ache to "learn meekness" and to "become" the woman God intends for me to be.  I suppose it's reasonable for me to "ache" in my desire of such things because Neal A. Maxwell also says:

"Meekness is one of those attributes acquired only by experience, some of it painful, for it is developed 'according to the flesh' (Alma 7:11, 12). It is not an attribute achieved overnight, nor is it certified to in but one exam; rather, it is certified to 'in process of time' (Moses 7:21, 68, 69). The Savior said we are to 'take up [the] cross daily' (Luke 9:23)—not just once or occasionally—and taking up the cross daily surely requires meekness."

There is a poem I heard years ago. I loved it so much that I made it into a fridge magnet. (How is that for supreme homage?) ;)

 It's called "My Creed" by, Edgar Guest.  These are just the last few lines of the creed but it's the part that emphasizes most on the core of what I desire to become:

"To be the same when I'm alone

As when my every deed is known;

To live undaunted, unafraid

Of any step that I have made;

To be without pretense or sham

Exactly what men think I am."

-Alicia

"Learn" and "Rest"

It must have been sometime in August of last year:  I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting and Brother Mann was speaking when I heard him read this quote;

"Instead of allowing yourself to be unhappy, just let your love grow as God wants it to grow. Seek goodness in others. Love more persons more -- love them more impersonally, more unselfishly, without thought of return. The return, never fear, will take care of itself."  

The words "without thought of return" struck me. In my scriptures at that time I had been focusing on overcoming pride and selfishness and this quote was in direct line with my studies.  "I've got to write this down!” I thought to myself.  I tried to remember who he said the author was and scribbled on a notepad "Henry Garamound."  

After the meeting, I rushed over to Brother Mann and inquired, "How do you spell the last name of that author you quoted from… was it G-a-r-a-m....?" 

"No", he said, “It’s Drummond.  Henry Drummond.”

"Sweet! I've never heard of him before.  I'm going to look him up, thanks!"

This led me to discover what is now one of my most favorite books, “The Greatest Thing in the World and Other Addresses” by, Henry Drummond.  It is really a short compilation of sermons, a very quick read, but packed full with truths of gold!

I sat in the back of a crowded chapel yesterday afternoon watching the funeral services for the father of my good friend.  Earlier that morning I had just read this scripture in Enos; 

"I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father."

I pondered this verse as I watched my friend lay his father to rest. That word "Rest",  What does it mean?  I thought about it in my personal life and my mind recalled the beautiful sermon Henry Drummond gave on “Rest”. 

He expounds upon the scripture, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Brother Drummond points out that the key to "rest" is to "learn".  And how do we most often learn things?  It is usually over a process of time, through much effort, and a lot of practice.  He says, "How novel a connection between these two words "learn" and "rest". How few of us have ever associated them -ever thought that rest was a thing to be learned.... What must one work at?  What is that which if duly learned will find the soul of man in rest?  Christ answers without the least hesitation.  He specifies two things - Meekness and Lowliness."

He goes on...

"What are the chief causes of unrest? ...Pride, Selfishness, Ambition.  As you look back upon the past years of your life, is it not true that its unhappiness has chiefly come from the succession of personal mortifications and almost trivial disappointments... it is the petty friction of our every-day life with one another, the jar of business or of work, the discord of the domestic circle, the collapse of our ambition, the crossing of our will or the taking down of our conceit, which make inward peace impossible.  Wounded vanity, then, disappointed hopes, unsatisfied selfishness - these are the old, vulgar, universal sources of man's unrest."

So, if rest is found when we learn to be humble and meek like the Savior.... 
And restlessness or unrest is most commonly a result of pride, selfishness, and conceit...
Then to truly have peace, to be calm and rest in the Lord, we must die.  I'm not speaking physically, although the righteous do find rest in Him through mortal death.  But spiritually speaking -"the natural man" inside of us must die- our will, how we want our story to unfold, our vanity, and our selfish desires must die. When we meekly and humbly let these things go, our eyes will be opened and we'll comprehend them for what they really are: shackles and fetters that chain us down to the mire of anxiousness and misery.

How much do we trust God, I mean really trust Him?  Can we let go of our stories, the things we  think we need to be happy in this life?  Or do we insist on frantically perusing things we can't control or paths that the Lord has counseled us time and time again not to take?  He knows our hearts.  He knows what is best for us.  We can be assured with a heavenly calm and inner peace when we practice and learn His life, seek every day to follow in His way, humbly and sincerely. It will all work out in the end. His promises are sure. Pray always and be believing. Give thanks in everything and be anxious about nothing. D&C 90:24, Ephesians 5:20,Philippians 4:6

"Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come 'till heaven; but for those who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they come." - Jeffery R. Holland

-Alicia