Wolves and Sheep

 

I found this picture a while ago, and it really struck me. I think it is so striking because when you read about a wolf in sheep's clothing you think you would be able to quickly tell that it is a wolf. I mean, it's so obvious! But, in this picture, although you can still tell it is a wolf it blends in. Reading my scriptures today, I was in 3 Nephi chapter 14 where it tells us to beware of false prophets who are wolves in sheep's clothing. It then goes on to talk about "by their fruits ye shall know them" and how some people will go up to Christ at the second coming saying they had done all of these things in His name, but He will turn to them and say He never knew them. It ends the chapter with the parable of the wise man and the foolish man. So many lessons in such a short block of scriptures, and yet, for the first time in my life, I feel like they all connect. 

Elder Joseph B Wirthlin once said, ,"Some people are weak in their faith and testimonies but are not even aware of how precarious their situation is. Many of them likely would be offended at the suggestion. They raise their right hand to sustain Church leaders and then murmur and complain when a decision that does not square with their way of thinking. They claim to be obedient to God's commandments but do not feel at all uncomfortable about purchasing food at the store on Sunday and then asking the Lord to bless it..." 

Are these people with weak faith and testimonies (like the man who built his house upon the sand) not wolves in sheep's clothing? Are they not going through the motions of fitting in but not inwardly accepting their Savior and His teachings? By their actions we know they are not sheep. But... they kind of look like sheep. 

When you order a coffee or go shopping on Sunday, is that not a wolf in sheep's clothing? People are watching us. I can't tell you how many times coworkers have asked me about my religion, how many time kids I babysat asked me some gospel questions, and how many times people I went to school with commented on my standards. I guess it is up to Heavenly Father to judge, but I think this week's Come Follow Me lesson is a good reminder to take a good look at ourselves. As we approach General Conference may we each take the time to ponder how to become more like His SHEEP (building our testimonies, strengthening our faith, aligning our actions to His teachings, etc.) rather than simply wolves in sheep's clothing because I don't know about you, but I would much rather Him open His arms to welcome me to my heavenly home than Him look at me and respond, "I never knew you."

Always be Astonished

 In 3 Nephi, it talks about the people in the Americas (the Nephites and Lamanites) and how they responded to all of the signs and wonders that occurred before the birth of Christ. All of these things had been prophesied, and a loyal few continued to look forward to the day that all of these things would come to pass. When they finally did, many converted to the church of Christ. But, over the course of just a few years, they lost that faith and no were no longer astonished by all that was happening around them (see 3 Nephi 2: 1-2). There were still signs and wonders happening, but because they happened so often it was no longer special or faith-producing for them. 

I truly think that happens in our day. This past Sunday we had virtual Relief Society, and the teacher mentioned that she did not have spiritual experiences in her life. She told of one big one that happened many years ago when she decided to join the church, but she made the other comment as well. The lesson moved on quickly, but that one, small comment stuck with me. "I don't have spiritual experiences in my life." I do not know the details of her life, but I do believe we all have spiritual experiences in our lives. They may not be big. They may not be a day, a night, and a day being as if they were one day; it may not be a special star appearing in the sky, but I know they happen for each and every one of us. It can be connecting with Him through nature, music, or art. It could be a small, simple answered prayer. It can be someone smiling at you on a day you really needed it. I, like many others, have prayers that go unanswered, but that does not mean they will never be answered. It does not mean they are not heard. It simply means now is not the time. 

I hope now more than ever we can all look for the spiritual experiences in our lives and hold tight to them because the moment we stop being astonished by those big and small experiences is the moment we begin to lose our faith and begin to forget past spiritual experiences we have had. That is when the devil grabs hold and makes us question what we have come to know. Does Heavenly Father hear my prayers? Does He even know me? Does He even care? I will answer with a resounding OF COURSE HE DOES!!! Please, always be astonished by His eternal grace, His eternal love, and His eternal desire to bless His righteous people. 

All is Well

 All week I have been telling myself to slow down and stop looking forward to things that are so far ahead. "It's only July" keeps running on loop in my head as I sit on my balcony and enjoy the cool breeze looking forward to fall, to pumpkins, to more hot chocolate (because let's be honest, the heat has never stopped me from drinking hot cocoa), to cooler nights, to sleeping with windows open, to General Conference, to being able to bundle in a blanket without being so hot. 

Then, I look at my planner and realize we are in August. We are nearing the end of AUGUST. All of those things are within reach. 

Schools are starting. This time of year always makes me reminisce about my school days. This year, I have particularly been thinking about my time at BYU. On the hour, the belltower rings with the tune of "Come, Come Ye Saints." At first, I enjoyed the music but paid no mind to it as I rushed off to my next class, but as time went on I took the meaning to heart. Maybe I am recalling this specific memory now because it is something I need to remember. 

"Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear; but with JOY wend your way"- I have never been afraid of hard work. I will go and work in the yard or on a project without thinking twice, but sometimes the toil and the labor come from something other than the physical work we expect. When that toil is mental or spiritual, it seems to be harder. I truly think this kind of labor is what the song is talking about. Yes, the pioneers walked hundreds (thousands) of miles with little food, but don't you think it was the strength in their beliefs that kept them going? How many times did they wonder if it was true? If it was all worth it?  

"Though hard to you this journey may appear"- When you're in the middle of a trial (like right now) it seems to consume your life. I truly believe it is looking for the bits of sunshine peeking through or even just knowing the sun is still behind those dark clouds that keeps us going. 

"Grace shall be as your day"- Through the grace of Christ and the power of the Atonement no matter how bad your day may seem we are never alone. He is with us always. Grace shall be as our day as long as we can make it through. Take things a day at a time. 

"Tis better far for us to strive our useless cares from us to drive"- If our trials teach us anything, they show us what is truly important. Working from home has given me more time to read, to craft, to spend time with family, and to spend more time with my dogs. Are our time and talents not our most important resources if we use them wisely? 

"Do this, and joy your hearts will swell--All is well, ALL IS WELL."

Walking to class or a test or just walking home after a long day, this was sometimes my greatest comfort. All is well. Even if I just failed that test or did not understand a word the professor said all lecture. Today it holds true. All is well. We have a living prophet. We have the Book of Mormon. We have the priesthood in our home. We can still partake of the sacrament. We can still feel of His love. We can still be worthy of all of His promised blessings as long as we try. As long as we do not let our standards fall. As long as we endure. 

Weekly Roundup

This week I have been focusing on things that make me happy! Here is a roundup of my favorite things from this week including pictures, quotes, and even some songs. 

First, my sounds of the summer are 80's music along with some Dolly Parton. Here are my favorite songs at the moment because I feel like we need to hear them right now. 

I watched a devotional that Meg Johnson was the host of, but it had Elaine Dalton, Tim Ballard, and Britain Covey as the speakers. One of them mentioned that one of the general authorities had said Heavenly Father and the Savior are not waiting for the world to be more wicked for the second coming, but they are waiting for their people to be more righteous. This is a trial period (and sometimes it feels like our winds in life are relentless, unceasing, and stronger than we are), but those winds are either making people fall over and give up or strengthening them. I am hoping to be the latter. 

This week I have also been putting what matters most first. Has anyone else realized the Come Follow Me lesson for this week is 10 chapters?! Yikes. But, I have been doing my scripture study every day and reserving time in my day for it. 

I love this following quote because you always hear people say to take a leap of faith. But, that's scary. I know I am not always ready or willing to leap. This quote is asking for a simple step. Just one step in the right direction isn't so scary. I can handle a step. 

My volunteer and her therapy dog were spotlighted on Children's Twitter account, and Ryan Seacrest actually retweeted it with a comment saying how his dog was their biggest fan! I don't always feel like I am doing the best I can at my job right now because it is completely different than it should be, but I am still working on virtual opportunities for my volunteers. A special thank you goes out to each of them for continuing to make life better for children even through the crazy. 

In the same devotional I mentioned earlier, Meg Johnson was commenting on something someone had said, and she mentioned how in heaven we made covenants with the Lord. We knew what our lives would be like, and because we had so much love for our Heavenly Father and Savior we said, "Yes! Send me!!" We didn't have the adversary there to scare us or tell us it was all too hard. Now that he has power over us we have to outlast him and his influences while searching for and holding fast to a more eternal perspective. 

I got to go visit Merrywood with my mom, Ashley, and Lisa this past weekend. It was really special since the school is up for sale now. I dropped off a copy of the magnolia picture I drew and a poem I wrote for Mrs. Ogden. I also took a picture of the bell on top of the school, and Mrs. Fitz is going to frame it for Mrs. Ogden's house!

These two just make my heart happy. Every time I lean back they attack with kisses! In this instance, Clark even brought Dragon for kisses. They're kind of my favorite. 

I have always loved this painting, but with the description from the artist I love it even more. These forces "persist impossibly." I am thankful because heaven knows I need all the help I can get!!

A message from our beloved prophet went out this week. "The road ahead may be bumpy, but our destination is serene and secure." 

This is from my scripture study this week. In a time of turmoil I loved the blessing from Alma and know it continues to bless our country today. I love the last line of this quote from President Benson: "God grant that the faithfulness of the Latter Day Saints will provide the balance of power to save this nation in time of crisis." I think this is another witness that the second coming is not based on the wickedness of the people but the faithfulness of the saints. 

Last but not least for this week is this quote. As long as you are trying, you are doing better than you think you are. I have to tell myself to believe in myself, and hopefully this will inspire others to do the same. 

Lots of love goes out to everyone this week. I hope this brings some inspiration, hope, and strength to whomever may read it. 

Faith is Like a Little Rock

Yesterday I had a really good day. Aside from being a little tired, I was productive at work, I ate well, I got to work on special projects, and I had no reason to complain. But, when I got home, I felt heavy. Not hopeless or sad even but heavy. I am not always the best at saying my prayers, but last night as I was praying and just thinking of my day and why I felt this way I realized it was because of what has been the focus of my life for the past few weeks. My focus has been on all of my unanswered questions, my insecurities, and the negative events going on in the world that media is relentlessly covering. Then, one simple image came to my mind. It was of a little girl holding some pebbles. 

When I was reading about faith in my weekly scripture study last week, I kept thinking about my testimony and how it has changed over the years. Instead of comparing it to seeds (I tend to kill plants so that isn't always the best analogy for me) I compared it to rocks. When I was little we had gravel in a small section of our yard, and I would collect little pebbles that became my "treasures." They were simple little pebbles, but they were special to me. I compared this to faith and testimony. At that age our faith is based on foundational principles of the gospel. We know about our Savior, we are children of God, prayer, scripture study, prophets, etc. And we hold tight to the gospel in its simplest form and treasure it. 

As I got older, my rocks got cleaned, and maybe even polished a little as I tumbled my way through life's challenges and blessings. I was able to build off of my foundation and make what I had and what I treasured even more dear. I read a quote last week in my study that said you're either growing your faith, or it is diminishing. There is no middle ground. I think that goes with my rocks. You have to constantly work to keep them polished or the wear and tear from daily life (being hit up against others, being dropped, or rubbing up against something) will bring them back to their rough, pebble state.

I hope one day my testimony will be like diamonds, but I am certainly not there yet. Some days I even still feel like the little girl holding pebbles. Maybe instead of diamonds, my small rocks will take on a more important role and start the foundation to my mansion in heaven. I don't know what they will become, but I do know as I look at all of the things I am grateful for instead of all of the heaviness, I hold fast to my treasured rocks because it is our Savior, Jesus Christ who brings light into our lives and takes our rocks, no matter what form they're in, and makes them something even better. 

Always remember, "the future is as bright as your faith." -Thomas S. Monson

Look Forward to the Coming of Christ

The Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon has always been hard for me to read. It is stories that I have been taught since I was a child and now know by heart followed by war. So much war. It is the longest book, and is sometimes the toughest for me to get through. It sometimes feels like the heartbreak hill that is somewhere in the middle or close to the end of a marathon (not that I really know about that since I am not a runner, but you get the point). 

I don't know if this is a good or bad thing, but I am really connecting with the Book of Alma this time around. It seems to be more applicable to my life at the moment, and I am learning from the stories I already know so well. 

In the Book of Mormon, we learn pretty early on that the Lamanites were cursed with dark skin. Now, with #blacklivesmatter and everything going on right now, please let me finish the thought before getting upset and defensive. At the time, that was an easy way to tell the righteous people of God from the unrighteous. Now, dark skin is no longer a curse. Our curse is a darkening of our hearts and minds. As we let this happen, our behaviors become darkened, and we let pride, sin, and hate push out the light of Christ from within us. Early in Alma, Alma the younger is chief judge as well as the high priest over the church. He gives up being the chief judge because he sees pride, persecution, and inequality creeping into the lives of his people. He could have continued to be the chief judge which was a very prominent position at the time and serve his people and promote good, but he knew what the most important work was. It was to turn the hearts of his people toward Christ, 

People have been out rioting, looting, protesting (not peacefully), and spreading hateful words in person and all over social media when they should be focusing on what they can do to better themselves. A change in one's heart leads to a change in their home which leads to a change in their community which leads to a change in states, nations, and eventually the world. But it has to start with you. And me. And each one of us individually. We cannot let hate win. 

President Packer once said, "We live in troubled times--very troubled times. We hope, we pray, for better days. But that is not to be. The prophecies tell us that...We need not live in fear of the future. We have every reason to rejoice and little reason to fear. If we follow the promptings of the spirit, we will be safe, whatever the future holds." We must live in a way that invites the spirit rather than invites darkness and hate. 

As I continue to read through Alma I see more and more similarities to today. Hatred between groups of people, uprisings, murders... But, I also see people coming to Christ, repentance, love, and light. When the Anti Nephi Lehis chose to not fight and knelt down when the Lamanites came against them and ended up being killed for their beliefs without raising a sword to protect themselves, more Lamanites ended up being converted than the number of the Anti Nephi Lehis that had been killed. Elder Uchtdorf said, ,"Let us, as disciples of Jesus Christ return good for evil. Let us not seek revenge or allow our wrath to overcome us... Remember: in the end, it is the merciful that obtain mercy." I am not saying some of the terrible events that have happened in the past months are right or warranted. I am saying that we cannot make things better by hurting or hating others. It says multiple times in Alma that the people did "look forward to the coming of Christ." They were faced with insanely difficult persecutions but they knelt down, prayed, and did not resist. I know I am resisting my current circumstances. I would like for things to go back to the way they were, without so much turmoil and uncertainty. I am trying to be better... I need to look forward to the coming of Christ instead of looking back and wishing away current days.

As primary elections are starting throughout the country, I am sure more hatred and darkness will spread. Let me share one more quote give by a former president of our beloved country. 

People will believe what they believe and vote how they vote. That is up to them. Again, each of us have to accept responsibility for the future, do what we believe to be right, not let darkness overcome us, love each other no matter our color or our beliefs, and bring light into our hearts, homes, and communities. It is my belief that we can retain a hope, through faith, that things will get better, prayers will be answered, fasting will be gratified, prophesies will be fulfilled, revelations will be given, and our Savior will come to succor his people. 

Dwelling in Tents

I have read the Book of Mormon multiple times in my life, but every time I read it different things stick out to me. This time around, as we read it for Come Follow Me, I was struck by the short phrase "my father dwelt in a tent." Then, I noticed Nephi mentions that more than once. I went back to look at all of the times he mentions it, and every time that he does it is after a profound experience Lehi and his family had with their Heavenly Father.

1 Nephi 2:15- after Lehi left his home with his family and wandered in the wilderness, he built an alter and offered sacrifice to Heavenly Father and thanked Him for all they had been given. This was also after Lehi spoke to his murmuring sons as he was filled with the spirit until "their frames did shake before him."

1 Nephi 9:1- after the vision of the tree of life

1 Nephi 10:16- after Lehi prophesies of the Jews, the coming of the Messiah, John the Baptist, and the scattering and gathering of Israel

1 Nephi 16:6- after Lehi prophesies of the Jews receiving the gospel in the latter days from the Gentiles, Nephi learned the meaning of the tree of life vision and gained his own testimony of it and then shared with his brothers, and as Lehi continued to teach his children

This shows me that some of Lehi's greatest visions, prophecies, and teaching moments as a father and the most spiritual experiences for his family were while he dwelt in a tent. He obviously had riches as Nephi mentions the gold and silver they leave behind that they later use to try to trade for the brass plates. They left all of that to wander in the wilderness just because that is what Heavenly Father told them to do. And in the wilderness, Lehi was to dwell in a tent. A tent with no silver or gold. A tent that I am sure got hot or cold sometimes. A tent that without a doubt was not as comfortable as their home back in Jerusalem. We all have moments in which we are figuratively dwelling in tents. At the moment, we are all on "shelter in place" orders. But, after over a week of working from home now I have had wonderful spiritual experiences as well. After a week of fear over my job and a constant cover of clouds and rain, a rainbow came out that seemed like it was just for me bringing with it peace and light is just one of many.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, "The necessity of the Lord's people fleeing...and taking refuge in the wilderness seems so often repeated...that perhaps it ought to be viewed as a prophetic type. Even the Savior fled association with all others for a wilderness respite prior to the commencement of his ministry. In a symbolic sense, all who would desire to number themselves among the children of God find it necessary to leave the refinements of the world and find refuge in the simplicity of what God created--be it a mountain top or a sacred grove." I would go as far to add 'or our individual homes' to that.As we wander through this viral wilderness and dwell/find refuge in our quarantine tents, here are some things to think about.

Family dinners are once again happening in families where they have not sat around a table all together in years.

Parents are gaining a new-found respect for their children's teachers. 

There are real conversations between family and friends happening.

People are finding faith and beginning to pray for the first time in their lives or are rebuilding testimonies they have lost over the years.

We are working on building new relationships with those we minister to or those who may need our help in our wards.
People are venturing outside more to just enjoy nature and the beauty of it.

People are reaching out to neighbors whether they know them or not to see if they need anything.

We are being given time to write in our journals, study the scriptures more fully, and pray for longer without as many interruptions.

We can have intimate sacrament meetings with our families which further invites the spirit into our homes.

We can listen to our beloved prophet and feel the love of our Savior as we get ready for General Conference and have already initiated home-centered church-supported gospel study in our homes.

All of this. We are doing all of this as we are wandering through this wilderness of bad news, fear, anxiety, and worry as this pandemic spreads throughout the world. We are doing all of this as we dwell in our "tents", find new ways to connect with our Savior and each other, and hope the toilet paper shortage and virus will soon come to an end.